More Hallowe'en Treats!

Halloween (or Hallowe'en, the alternative spelling which I like) is almost here, so it's time for my yearly post! This year it's on Tuesday (31st October). I'm a big fan of Hallowe'en and also celebrate the pagan festival Samhain on that date. Last year I wrote a post called Selection of Hallowe'en Treats! You can read that here: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2022/10/selection-of-halloween-treats.html

This year I'm doing a similar selection of "treats" (past posts and videos related to scary subjects)! These are listed by genre rather than subject. :)

 

Films/Music

Bollywood Horror

Back in 2018 I wrote a post called Bollywood Horror, featuring some Bollywood horror films. You can see that here: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2018/10/bollywood-horror.html

I haven't done a post solely about Bollywood horror since then (maybe in future!). I have written about a few other films in recent years though, so I'm sharing them below. 

 

Raaz 3 (2012) 

In 2019's World Horror for Hallowe'en post I featured a song from Raaz 3 (originally titled Raaz: The Third Dimension), which is the 3rd film in the Raaz series. The others are Raaz, Raaz: the Mystery Continues and  Raaz: Reboot. (Also See the Bollywood Horror post for more on them.) 

The film is about actress Shanaya (played by Bipasha Basu) who is enjoying a successful career and is also in love with director Aditya (Emraan Hashmi, one of my favourite Bollywood actors!). However, when both her work and personal life are threatened by up and coming film star Sanjana (Esha Gupta), she turns to dark magic to defeat her rival.

I don't consider this the best in the Raaz series (I prefer the first Raaz and The Mystery Continues) but if you're a fan of the movies it's worth a look. :)

Here's the trailer for Raaz 3 (no subtitles unfortunately but you can get the gist!):  

 

 

Plus, visit the World Horror for Hallowe'en post to see the music video for Kya Raaz Hai, a song from the film (under the India (Bollywood) section): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2019/10/world-horror-for-halloween.html

Phobia (2016) 

I also featured the psychological horror/thriller Phobia in the World Horror for Hallowe'en post. Check it out to read about it (listed in the India (Bollywood) section):https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2019/10/world-horror-for-halloween.html

 

Nadiyon Paar (Let the Music Play/Play Again) from Roohi

In 2021 I featured the song Nadiyon Play (Let the Music Play/Play Again from the Bollywood comedy horror film Roohi as a Weekly Music Video. And then later in my Spooky Videos for Hallowe'en! post that year. For more on the film and to see the video, visit this post: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/03/weekly-music-video_31.html

 

Aayi Aayi from Bhoot Police

For Hallowe'en 2021 I shared some spooky videos, including Nadiyon Paar (see above). Another one was the music video for Aayi Aayi, a song from the 2021 Bollywood comedy horror Bhoot Police. I've since seen the film and while I don't think it 's the best, it's worth a watch. :) 

See the video here (under Films/Music in the Ghosts section): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/10/spooky-videos-for-halloween.html

 

Kaali Teri Gutt from Phone Bhoot 

And in last year's annual Hallowe'en post, I shared the video for Kaali Teri Gutt, a song from Phone Bhoot, another Bollywood horror comedy. I haven't seen Phone Bhoot but it seems to be in a similar vein as Bhoot Police.

Watch the video here (also under Ghosts/Films): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2022/10/selection-of-halloween-treats.html

 

Music

 

Fifth Harmony- I'm In Love With a Monster

Now for some music! American girl group Fifth Harmony (now on indefinite hiatus) released the single I'm In Love With a Monster back in August 2015. It's from the animated monster comedy film Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015), the sequel to 2012's Hotel Transylvania.

I'm In Love With a Monster is about being a love with a tricky person, who acts like a monster! It was also a Google Play bonus track on Fifth Harmony's debut studio album Reflections (2015) and on the Japanese edition.

 

ALAMAT- Aswang  

This is Aswang by Filipino boy band ALAMAT. An aswang is a Filipino monster. The term describes a variety of shapeshifting monsters, including vampires, weredogs and ghouls, or perhaps a monster that is more than one of those. 

I first came across it years ago in relation to vampire myths- a vampire that appears in a shape of a beautiful woman and sucks blood with a tubular like tongue, instead of fangs. I actually wrote a story inspired by this years ago! I've never published it online though because I think it needs work. 

Aswang was the title track/lead single from ALAMAT's debut mini album Pasulong, which was released in October last year. They are singing about being in love with a girl even if she's a (literal) monster! The video premiered on the same day the album was released. Click "Subtitles/closed captions" on YouTube for English subtitles! :) 

 

For more on the legend of the aswang, visit this link (contains content that some may find disturbing): https://allthatsinteresting.com/aswang

 

TV

Goosbumps

I recently discovered that there is a new TV series of Goosebumps, based on the book series of scary stories by American author by R.L. Stine and the 90s TV show. For a background on Goosebumps, visit my 2016 post Hallowe'en Faves + Round-up (scroll down): https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2016/10/halloween-faves-round-up.html

I used to like watching Goosebumps when I was young, as well as Are You Afraid of the Dark?, a similar kids' TV series. (Although AYAOTD was my favourite.) In 2015 they made a film based on the series and there's also a sequel called Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween. I've seen both and think they're ok, but I prefer the original show.

The new show is different to the original TV series, since that was a new story each episode (although some stories had a couple of parts). The 2023 one is about a group of high schoolers who become involved in a mystery involving the death of a teenage boy called Harold Biddle 30 years earlier.

Side note: Its crazy that it's now getting on for 30 years since the original Goosebumps started (1995)!

As they investigate, the teens- star quarterback on the high school (American) football team Isaiah (played by British actor Zack Morris), his best friend James (Miles McKenna) who is from a rich family, Isaiah's friend and neighbour Margot (Isa Briones), Isabella (Ana Yi Piug), a loner with a difficult home life who is also an internet troll and Lucas (Will Price), who is into extreme sports)- realise that their parents have some skeletons in their closets. Justin Long also stars as the new English teacher at Port Lawrence High School.

Goosebumps is currently only available on Disney's streaming services Disney+ and Hulu, neither of which I have! But I hope to watch it in the future.

Here's the official trailer: 

 

 

If you've seen the new show, what do you think?

 

If you're also a fan of Goosebumps, this YouTube channel has many full episodes uploaded: https://www.youtube.com/@netaoaks4004

 

Hope you enjoyed the post! Happy Hallowe'en if you celebrate! :)

P.S. For more Hallowe'en content, check out my past posts:

Hallowe'en Faves + Round-up:  https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2016/10/halloween-faves-round-up.html

Hallowe'en Round-up 2: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2020/10/halloween-round-up-2.html

Spooky Videos for Hallowe'en!: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2021/10/spooky-videos-for-halloween.html

Selection of Hallowe'en Treats!: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2022/10/selection-of-halloween-treats.html