Sorry the 2nd post is later this week, I wasn't able to finish it yesterday. :)
It's almost Hallowe'en! It's this Wednesday (31st October) so here is this year's themed post. :)
In 2016 I did a Hallowe'en Faves + Round-Up post which was about my favourite Hallowe'en/scary things and also a round-up of spooky themed posts I'd previously done on Star Sparkle. You can check that out here: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2016/10/halloween-faves-round-up.html
And here is last year's post with more Hallowe'en films and TV: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2017/10/more-halloween-films.html
This year I'm doing a general Hallowe'en inspiration post which includes scary TV and films. :)
Contains some spoilers, although I've tried to avoid them. :)
TV
In March I did a post called More X-Files Episodes, the follow-up to 2014's Top 10 X-Files. Check it out here: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2018/03/more-x-files-episodes.html
Mountain Monsters
Mountain Monsters is an American reality TV show (although I use the world "reality" loosely here!) about the AIMS team, a group of 6 men who investigate sightings of creatures such as Bigfoot in the Appalachian mountains in West Virgina.
AIMS (which stands for Appalachian Investigators of Mysterious Sightings) is made up of team leader Trapper, Jeff, Willy, Wild Bill, Huckleberry and Buck. Wild Bill and Willy specialise in building traps to catch the monsters! The series started in 2013 and has had 5 series (or seasons) so far. I don't think there's been any new episodes since 2017. Creatures investigated include Bigfoot, "Hogzilla", werewolves, the Mothman and the Lizard Man.
Watch a clip from the show where the Yahoo (type of Bigfoot) attacks the team. (I love the warning they put on it about it being done by experienced professionals and you should always consult the appropriate authorities before monster hunting!).
"We're gonna get this son of a b**ch!". This show is very entertaining! It has flaws (I remember someone writing online that considering they run around with their guns and shouting, they'd frighten anything off!) and as it's gone on, it seems to have got increasingly unrealistic but I find it more interesting than programmes such as Finding Bigfoot where they rarely find anything. (There is a rivalry between Finding Bigfoot and Mountain Monsters actually!).
Events include Huckleberry going missing, the sighting of the ghost of a Native American girl, the possession of Buck and a feud with a rogue team. I think its good to watch if you don't take it too seriously. :)
For more on Mountain Monsters and the AIMS team visit these links:
AIMS site: https://www.aimsa.org/
Discovery site (can't view this in the UK): https://www.destinationamerica.com/tv-shows/mountain-monsters/
Official FB page: https://www.facebook.com/MountainMonstersDA/
Update 9/10/19: The Facebook page in the above link has now gone, since Mountain Monsters is no longer showing on Discovery. It has been picked up by the Travel Channel though, and S6 is currently showing in America. Hope we get it here soon!
Follow Trapper's official FB page here (RIP): https://www.facebook.com/TrapperMountainMonsters/
Films
The other week I posted about some Bollywood horrors: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2018/10/bollywood-horror.html
Half Light (2006)
This isn't really a horror, more like a supernatural romance mystery/thriller, but it has a ghost in it, so I'm including it!
American writer Rachel Carlson (played by Demi Moore) is living in England with her 2nd husband Brian (Ian Henry Cusick) and son Thomas (Beans Balawi/El-Balawi). She is devastated when Thomas dies after falling in the canal outside their home, and blames herself for leaving the garden gate open. Struggling to cope, she moves to a cottage in a small Scottish village to work on her next book.
She starts to settle into a routine and finds a friend (and something more) in local man Angus McCulloch (Hans Matheson), who is a lighthouse keeper. However she is haunted by Thomas' ghost and things takes a really chilling turn when she learns Angus is dead. Is Rachel losing her mind, has she really been spending time with a ghost or is there a third explanation?
Also here is Rachel's Theme, music from the movie:
Half Light is a good film, lovely scenery and atmosphere and beautiful music. I got it on DVD a couple of months ago and had seen it a couple of times before then. It's quite a gentle film in some ways (at least compared to gory horrors), but builds up the suspense and there are some twists which you might not see coming.
IT (2017)
The remake of the 1990 TV miniseries of IT, based on the book of the same name by Stephen King, was released last year. I'm a fan of the miniseries so was looking forward to seeing it. I watched it at the beginning of the year (rented on Sky) and have seen it once more since. I like it, although the 1990 version is still my favourite. :) (I still haven't read the book but plan to!) I previously posted abut the remake here and here.
Read about the original in my Hallowe'en Films post: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2015/10/halloween-films.html
Set in 1988, the story is about 7 kids who are all misfits in some way- Bill Denbrough, Mike Hanlon, Ben Hanscomb, Beverly Marsh, Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak and Stanley Uris. They become friends and form a group (nicknamed the Losers' Club), but they have to defend themselves from more than just local bully Henry Bowers and his friends.
Their town Derry is plagued by a spate of disappearances and murders of young children, something that happens every 27 years. Bill (played by Jaden Martell/Lieberher) is looking for his little brother Georgie, who recently disappeared.
He and his friends Richie (Finn Wolfhard); he has glasses and jokes a lot (I was never sure what his "difference" was in the original, maybe the glasses?)*, Eddie (Jack Dylan Grazer) who has asthma and an overprotective mother, and Stan (Wyatt Oleff), a Jewish boy who has a rabbi dad, team up with Ben (Jeremy Ray Taylor), a recent arrival in town who is overweight; Beverly aka Bev (Sophia Lillis) a girl falsely rumoured to sleep around, who is being abused by her dad, and Mike (Chosen Jacobs), who is homeschooled and works on his grandad's farm (in the TV version he was also a new student and stood out because he's black in the predominately white 1960s town).
Bev didn't have a reputation as promiscuous in the TV version (she was looked down on by some of the other girls because her dad was the school janitor/caretaker), although her father seemed to think she was up to something with boys. It was implied that he abused her but not as heavily as in this version.
The group uncovers who (or what) is really behind the murders, an interdimensional demon who can take on different forms. The kids each encounter the demon in some way and name it, "It". The most
common form of It is Pennywise the Dancing Clown (played by Bill Skarsgård, part of the Skarsgård family, in this version). However it also transforms depending on the
fears of the person it is trying to scare, the main power of It is
reflecting a person's worst nightmares. The gang is determined to stop the creature.
Trailer
One of the creepiest scenes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHbpWtMOJTI
There are some differences with this and the miniseries, including
being set in the 80s instead of the early 60s, Mike being homeschooled,
and parts from the book which didn't make it into the 1990 version, such
as the fire at the Black Spot club (briefly mentioned in the TV miniseries
but shown more here) and the leper in the abandoned house. Pennywise
himself/itself is creepier than the Tim Curry version, I think. I was
unsure if a younger actor could pull it off, but it works with Bill Skarsgård.
While the 1990 IT was a miniseries in
two parts (Part 1 when the group were aged around 12 in 1960, and Part 2
when they were in their early 40s in 1990 and return to Derry to defeat
Pennywise), the film focuses on the first part. There will be a 2nd
film, set for release in September 2019. This is the reason for changing the time period of Part 1 from 1960 to 1988. For more on the ending of the first movie check out this post: http://collider.com/it-movie-ending-explained/
*Update 14/10/24: (Spoiler):
In this version it turns out that Richie is gay and in love with Eddie.
Tales of Halloween (2015)
Horror anthology of 10 stories all set on Halloween night. Voiced by Adrienne Barbeau (horror fans will know her as Stevie Wayne from The Fog and Billie (Wilma) from Creepshow, among other characters) who is a radio DJ in the wraparound segements, we're taken on a trip through an American suburb on the scariest night of the year.
Sweet Tooth
Babysitter Lizzy (Madison Iseman) is looking after Mikey (Daniel DiMaggio). Her boyfriend Kyle (Austin Falk) comes over and takes it upon himself to scare Mikey with the urban legend of"Sweet Tooth", who was once a little boy called Timmy whose parents (rather cruelly) ate all his sweets from trick or treating. This was just too much for Timmy and it had a rather unexpected outcome because he ended up killing his parents, eating the sweets and transforming into a demon, who now goes around on Hallowe'en looking for more candy! Mikey is scared by the story, but it's just a myth, or is it...?
The Night Billy Raised Hell
Billy Thompson (played by Marcus Eckert) is bullied by his older sister Britney (Natlie Castilo) and her boyfriend into playing a prank while trick or treating. They persuade/force him into throwing an egg at the house of a strange old man named Mr. Abbadon (played by Barry Bostwick, looking rather different than he does in Between Love and Hate, one of my favourite true movies!). But Mr. Abbadon is more than he seems, and he tells Billy he's going to show him how to really play pranks. This has very bad consequences for poor Billy!
Trick
A group of friends are relaxing on Hallowe'en night, watching films and smoking joints, when they get a trick or treater. But she wants more than a treat and proceeds to stab Nelson (Trent Haaga) who answers the door! The entire group is then under attack. Is what happening to them a random occurrence, or is there more to the story?
The Weak and the Wicked
A trio of teenage bullies made up of Alice (Gracie Phipps/Gillam), Issac (Booboo Stewart probably best known as Seth in the Twilight films) and Bart (Noah Segun) love to torture trick or treaters. But this year a stranger (Keir Gilchrist) finds the courage to stand up to them, showing leader Alice a drawing of a demon. They all think he's an idiot, but he actually has past history with them, and is set on having his revenge.
Grim Grinning Ghost
Lynn (Alex Essoe) is at her mother's (played by Lin Shaye, from the Insidious films) Hallowe'en party listening to scary stories. Her mum and the other guests seem to take pleasure in scaring her because she's easily frightened. Just before the party ends, Lynn's mother tells the story of Mary Bailey, a disfigured girl who was picked on and is now a ghost who steals people's eyes if they look at her. Lynn than has to go home but on the way her car breaks downs and she has to walk. Feeling on edge after the scary tale, she finds she's being pursued by someone or something...
Ding Dong
Last Hallowe'en Jack (Marc Senter) and his wife Bobbie (Pollyanna McIntosh) had a bad time due to Bobbie's distress over them being unable to conceive. The sight of all the children trick or treating was upsetting Bobbie. But this year she decides to think positively and give the trick or treaters a good night. However, behind closed doors she is abusive (and seemingly some kind of demon/witch) and Jack is afraid of her. He's determined to prevent her from harming any of the children who come to their door.
This Means War
Bob (played by Dana Gould) is extremely proud of the Hallowe'en display outside his house which he been doing for 20 years. But this year he has competition from new neighbour Dante (James Duval) and his girlfriend, who favour a more edgy approach with rock music and gory displays. It quickly escalates into a war, with tragic consequences!
Friday the 31st
A deformed serial killer (Nick Principe) is in pursuit of a girl dressed as Dorothy (Amanda Moyer) from the Wizard of Oz, when a tiny trick or treating alien interrupts them and things take a new turn!
The Ransom of Rusty Rex
Amateur criminals Hank (Sam Witwer) and Dutch (Jose Pablo Cantillo) think they have a sure fire plan in kidnapping Rusty (Ben Woolf), the son of rich man Jebediah Rex (played by director, screenwriter and actor John Landis), while he's out trick or treating. But they soon learn they've made the biggest mistake of their lives!
Bad Seed
There's a Hallowe'en killer in town and it's a giant pumpkin! Detective McNally (Kristina Klebe) is just the man (or woman) for the case and she sets out to capture the perpetrator. However it proves to be quite tricky.
I first saw this last year on Hallowe'en itself and again a few days ago. I think it could be better but is entertaining and worth a watch to get into the Hallowe'en spirit! My favourite stories include Grim Grinning Ghost and Ding Dong. I don't like Friday the 31st that much but the alien trick or treater is cute!
Random fact: Jack Dylan Grazer, the actor who plans Eddie in the new IT (see above) also makes a brief appearance in The Weak and the Wicked.
For more horror anthologies check out this post from 2011: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2011/11/top-5-horror-anthologies.html
Gonna round off the post with a few more links of inspiration:
Ghosts
Interested in ghosts? You might like these books:
Ghoul Britannia by Andrew Martin
Takes a look at the history of ghost stories and spiritualism throughout the ages in Britain and features real life hauntings. Also includes a new ghost story (I didn't think the story was that good to be honest, but you may like it). :)
The English Ghost: Spectres Through Time by Peter Ackroyd
Stories of true life hauntings including poltergeists, ghostly dogs and haunted houses. At least a couple of the stories in here are also referenced in Ghoul Britannia.
Ghost Stories of an Antiquary by M.R. James
Classic stories by English scholar and writer M.R. James whose stories were published in Edwardian times and during the 1920s and 30s. Includes Canon Alberic's Scrap-book, The Mezzotint (a mezzotint is a type of print), Number 13 and Oh Whistle and I'll Come to You, My Lad. (The last 2 have been made into TV dramas). I bought this for a cheap price in Steyning's Cobblestone Walk a few years ago. One of my favourite ghost story books.
Classic Victorian and Edwardian Ghost Stories
I got this as a Christmas present in 2016. Stories by Sir Walter Scott (The Tapestried Chamber), Edgar Allen Poe (The Tell-Tale Heart), Charles Dickens (The Story of the Bagman's Uncle and To Be Taken with a Grain Salt, also known as The Trial for Murder), J Sheridan Le Fanu (An Account of Some Strange Disturbance in Aungier Street and Narrative of a Ghost of a Hand), Amelia B. Edwards (The Phantom Coach) and M.R. James (The Haunted Doll's House and A School Story) and more.
Ghost Stories of Henry James
Collection of stories by American author Henry James, including Edward Orme, The Private Life, Owen Wingrave and the novella The Turn of the Screw (which has been televised several times). I got this last Christmas. I do struggle a bit with getting into these because of the old fashioned language (his books and stories were written in the Victorian and Edwardian periods), and I prefer M.R. James' stories in general, but these are also worth reading.
Vampires
Prefer vampires? Check out these links:
My Favourite Vampire Books/Series: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2014/01/my-favourite-vampire-booksseries.html
Irish author Sheridan Le Fanu (see above) wrote the 1872 vampire story Carmilla about a female vampire with lesbian leanings. You can read it online here: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Carmilla
Dracula's Brethren
Selection of Victorian and Edwardian vampire stories chosen by Richard Dalby. Includes Viy by Nikolai Gogol, John Barrington Cowles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Story of Jella and the Macic by Professor B. Jones, Glamr by Sabine Baring-Gould and The Electric Vampire by F.H Power.
I bought this a few of months ago and also plan to get Dracula's Brood, another one edited by Richard Dalby.
Update 30/10/18: You can read an account of English author and folklorist Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould's real life supernatural experiences on this site: http://sbgas.org/articles (link on site not curently loading)
Top 10 Vampire Films: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2011/04/top-10-vampire-films.html
More Vampire Films: https://starsparklex.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/more-vampire-films.html
Witches
Into witches? You might like these:
Sabrina, The Teenage Witch: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2014/10/sabrina-teenage-witch.html
Find more Sabrina videos here: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2016/10/halloween-faves-round-up.html
Hocus Pocus: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2014/10/hocus-pocus.html
Hope you enjoyed the post. Happy Hallowe'en! :)
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