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surveys-at-your-service · 3 years

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Survey #438

“i won’t let you die, keep you alive just to remind you of what you are not”

What is your favorite card game? Probably Magic: The Gathering, even though I'm not great at it. I just ADORE the artwork, mainly. Is YouTube one of your favorite websites? Yeah, given I'm constantly on it. Does your mother have a sister? If so, what’s her name? Yeah, named Kelly. What are you doing tomorrow? I'll be going with Mom to the pool at the gym. She goes Tuesdays and Thursday, so I'm going to start joining her to help ease soreness from my exercise days. Would you ever want to go to Africa? It's high on my bucket list! I am DESPERATE to visit the KMP and photograph and pet and pamper the meerkats. :') Last time you went bowling? Not since I was on a date with Girt. Would you ever want to own a bakery? Noooo, I don't enjoy cooking of any sort. I'm way too impatient. Do you like to text? It's funny, I don't enjoy it as much as I used to. I make typos too much and autocorrect only wants to work at the WRONG time, it seems. I'd still rather text than actually talk on the phone, though. You want your next pet to be what? To be realistic, it'll probably be a western hognose snake. I REALLY want a tarantula, but Mom absolutely will not allow it for as long as I live with her, lol. Trust me, I've pestered her about it. Would you rather be a vampire or a mermaid? Eh, probably a vampire. Do you prefer white or black electronics? Black. Do you like Nerds candy? Yeah. Is your favorite animal something you can have as a pet? I could write a college-length essay on why you absolutely shouldn't, but it's sadly legal in some countries. Thankfully, not America. What was the last classic novel you read? Did you enjoy it? Oh yikes, I have no idea. Name three movies which have a soundtrack you really love: Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Tarzan, and The Blair Witch Project: Book of Shadows. What’s the scariest video game you’ve ever played? I know it's super cliche, but I genuinely found Outlast terrifying. As well, SCP Containment Breach is a game I can't even play because the jumpscares startle me too much, lol. They're just too loud. Do you own any pet fish? What kind of fish are they? No. I'm not really interested in keeping fish as pets. What is the most irritating thing that a boyfriend or girlfriend has ever done to you? Tyler wanted to talk CONSTANTLY. Barely even two weeks in and he got all bent out of shape over there being days we just didn't text. Like dude, especially this early in a relationship, I don't want to talk 24/7. He acted like we were together for years or some shit. Like sorry I want alone time. That relationship was just a bad idea. Have you ever known someone who was in an abusive relationship? Sadly. Out of all of your friends/relatives, who would you say has the best vocabulary? Probably Girt. He's just in general very smart. When yawning, do you cover your mouth? If out in public, yes. If you had a garden, what would you plant in it? Would you actually tend to it, or would it wind up neglected & withered? I could NEVER maintain a garden, but if I had the motivation and tolerance for the heat, that'd be nice. I'd love mostly flowers, and a grapevine would be pretty! Plus some strawberries. Do you like peanut butter? Yeah, definitely. What about marshmallows? Yep. How do you roast your marshmallows? They have to be BARELY brown at all. Like it has to be the liiightest toast. Do you eat s’mores? Ugh, hell yes. I really want some now, thanks. Own a lava lamp? No, but I'd love a pink one. :( Or black. Own any sort of glow-in-the-dark room accessory? No. Ever done something sexual in public? No, I have common decency. Do you like the taste of squid or eel? I COULD FUCKING NEVER TRY EITHER. Slimy or rubbery stuff like that is such a massive no. Ever date anybody in middle school? Yeah, Aaron in the 7th grade for a few months. Did you like to get dirty when you were little? I think I did. Like I know I loved speeding through mud puddles on my bike as a kid. Own anything that has to do with dragons or unicorns? I have a lot of dragon decor. Ever wanted to be a vet? Yep. Ever written your number in a public bathroom or a school text book? If so, did anyone actually call you? No. What type of weapon do you prefer? Uh, none...? I don't like weapons. Is there something that you haven’t told anyone that you actually would like to tell someone? No, not really. Would you rather watch a full season of American Idol, or So You Think You Can Dance? The latter, by far. I used to love that show. I really enjoy watching dances. Have you ever worn boxers? Pretty sure no? Last hickey was from? I've only gotten to that point with one person, you can figure it out. Have you ever put a kick me sign on the back of someone? No, that is so rude. Are there any inappropriate pictures of you anywhere? No. I've never taken an inappropriate picture. How many times do you tend to sneeze in a row? Two or three. Karma; believe or don’t? I don't believe it's a thing. I wish it was. Ever changed a diaper? Once. Or maybe twice? No plans on ever doing that again. When you see anything smaller than a quarter on the ground, do you pick it up? I don't even pick quarters up, really. Can bald guys ever be attractive? Um, yes? Do you like hugs? Yessss. Would you ever donate blood? Yeah, I have before. I'd just have to get better about drinking water so I don't faint. Are you keeping a secret from someone who needs to know the truth? No. Ever had the opposite sex over when no one was home? You make that sound so scandalous, lmao. Yeah. What is the last song to make you cry? "Another Life" by Motionless In White. Have you ever kissed someone in the rain? Yeah. Have you kissed someone with braces? No. Are you anyone’s first love? I don't believe so. Anything happen to you within the past month that made you really happy? I'M LOSING WEIGHTTTTTT. :') The gym is paying off! Is there a person of the opposite gender on your mind? That's kinda a permanent thing. He's always there, even if only in the back. Who was the last person to wink at you? My cat, ha ha. Did you parents know what gender you were before you were born? Yes. Are any of your really close friends pregnant right now? REALLY close friends, nope. Are you for or against inter-racial relationships? ... You know it's 2021, right???? This never should have been controversial. Have you ever been addicted to something unhealthy? Well, there's caffeine... When the holidays come around, do you watch holiday movies? No. When was the last time someone insulted you? What was the insult? I don't recall. Do you say “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” in order to avoid offending people who don’t celebrate Christmas? I honestly just say "merry Christmas." Have you ever made/played with a sock puppet before? Yes. Have you ever seen a waterfall (aside from in a fountain or other manmade things)? Only small ones. Are you a frequent sufferer of heartburn? Yes; I actually have a prescription for chronic heartburn. If I don't take it, I'll get heartburn to the point I come near tears. How many different colleges have you gone to? Three. How much stress can you handle? Ha, not a lot at all. What is one thing you thought you’d never do but have done or are doing? I'm 25 and feel like I've just... wasted so much, and I continue to. I never thought I'd make it to this age and to have gone so short a distance in terms of being a successful adult. Have you ever disowned a friend or family member for their beliefs? I've stopped being friends with people, yes. Do you ever feel like your life is too boring or predictable? It 120% is. Do you think you will die happy? To be honest... I think no a lot of the time. Do you like looking at pictures? Yeah. Are you a submissive person? Very. Do you believe the dead can have connections with the living? I do. What are your views on the death penalty? I support it in extreme cases. Once you prove to be a thorough monster that deeply endangers other humans... you don't deserve life. We as a society have to work together, not destroy one another. Do you like horror movies? Why or why not? Yeah! I like the thrill of them. Would you ever be able to become a vegan? No; I am FAR too picky with my food. I want to be vegan, but I just wouldn't survive. What was your favorite toy as a child? I had a whole story based around some plastic dinosaurs, alligators, deer, and Pokemon figurines. Who was your first best friend? What is your favorite memory of/with them? Are you two still friends? Brianna. I don't know what my favorite memory is... We made a lot. We're Facebook friends, but we don't talk anymore. Would you rather hang out with someone who is always high or someone who constantly wants to get drunk all the time? High, I guess. Drunk people I think get sloppier and, in some cases, angry. The (few) high people I've been around have just been chill and friendly. How did you meet your newest friend? I'm not entirely sure who I consider to be my newest friend. The last time you kissed someone, were your arms around their neck? I don't think so? I'm pretty sure I was just hugging her around the waist. You have to get a facial piercing, what do you get? I've mentioned how I wanna get my nose re-pierced in multiple surveys. Do you straighten your hair? No. When is the next time you will see the person you like? Who knows, dude. I really want to be able to walk for two minutes without feeling like I'm dying before I go to an airport again, and even more importantly, even as a fully-vaccinated person, I want Covid to chill out before I travel again. And who the fuck knows when that'll be since people don't want to listen to goddamn professionals. Did you get to sleep in today? I actually slept through my alarm and was late to gym today. :x Your first dog? I was born into the family with a collie named Trigger, but she passed when I was a baby, so I don't have any memories of her. We got what I want to say was a Rottweiler mix named Angel at one point, who I consider our first family dog, but she was born with that disease that some puppies have where they just... die. Who I consider MY first REAL dog was Teddy. <3 Stood loyally by my side as my furry son and most devoted friend for around 13 years. Do you prefer mint, citrus, or cinnamon toothpaste? Mint. Are you one of those people who are always cold? No, I'm always hot. Have you done anything sneaky lately? No. Have you ever had feelings for someone and thought “This is the person I want to be with forever”? Yeah, twice. Do you keep notes, drawings or letters that people give you? Of course! Have you had a significant other that you never kissed? Well, boyfriends, but I wouldn't count the ones I haven't kissed as truly "significant other"s. Has anybody ever dated you only for your looks? I don't think so. Do you have any handshakes with anybody? Nah. What are you listening to? "Necessary Evil" by Motionless In White & Jonathan Davis. Would you take back your last boyfriend/girlfriend? Yeah. Who is your favorite band? How long have they been? Ozzy Osbourne. Since middle school. Who is your favorite author? I don't have a fave. Do you like cheesecake? BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITCH- How did you meet the last person you kissed? YouTube, back when it had more social aspects. Do you wake up cranky? Not usually, no. I'm actually in my best mood in the morning. Have you ever met your favorite band/singer? No, but holy fuck would that be awesome. I want to thank him for his music so badly. Do you have a good relationship with your parent(s)? Yeah. Has the last person you kissed ever been to your house? My old house, yes, but not this one. Do chickens have feelings? Yes. Have you ever been to a spa? Yeah, even though I really wasn't interested. I just went with Colleen because she invited me. I appreciated her wanting to hang out and include me of course, so I was happy to go, but it's not something I'd do of my own volition. The last time you were in the fridge, what were you looking for? The lemonade. Favorite South Park character? I don't have one, given I'm not interested in the show. How often do you have to shave? When/where I shave grows back FAST, so frequently. Ever go ghost hunting? No but omg I'd love to. Someone date me just to go do this together one night lmao. Do you have any family in the military? No. Can you talk to your mother about most things? I know I CAN talk to her about absolutely everything, but I don't always. Would you ever homeschool your children? If they wanted it and it'd be beneficial to their health and educational success, then yes. Are you afraid of change? Oh boy, am I. Who’s your favourite character from one of your favourite books? I'll go with The Outsiders, in which case I remember it was Dally.

#survey #surveys #random questions #lyrics: ''necessary evil'' by motionless in white (ft. jonathan davis)

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silenthillmutual · 4 years

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horror/thriller movie recommendations based on your fave Danganronpa 1/2 character

the series in general: Saw (2004, dir. James Wan) - i can’t give much of a reasoning for this as i haven’t seen it but the “punishment fits the victim” trope appears to be a thing in Saw?

Makoto Naegi: It (2017, dir. Andres Muschietti) - as much about the power of friendship as it is about a fear beyond all others. the premise is probably relatively well known by now for the fact that there’s a big clown in it. content warnings: clowns, unsanitary, implied incest and csa.

Sayaka Maizono: Psycho (1960, dir. Alfred Hitchcock) - this suggestion is an incredibly cheap shot, please forgive me. famous film, not sure if i can talk too much about the plotline without giving away the most important part.

Mukuro Ikusaba: Us (2019, dir. Jordan Peele) - doppelgangers show up to wreak havoc on an american family. themes of identity theft. much bloodier than Get Out.

Leon Kuwata: Scream (1996, dir. Wes Craven) - admittedly haven’t seen this either yet. i know, i know, i’m a fake horror fan. but i know that it was made as a sort of tongue-in-cheek homage to the tropeyness of horror films, and i didn’t want to put any movie too blatantly humorous here. i thought this would fit Leon.

Chihiro Fujisaki: A Quiet Place (2018, dir. John Krasinski) - monsters that attack based on noise terrorize a family. most dialogue is delivered through sign language. also has a really touching family dynamic, especially between the father and his children.

Mondo Oowada: Pet Sematary (1989, dir. Mary Lambert) - haven’t seen this one either, whoops. all i know is it’s about, like, bringing people back from the dead or something, and that it’s based on a Stephen King book.

Kiyotaka Ishimaru: The Stand (1994, dir. Mick Garris) - technically a miniseries, but i wasn’t really sure what other horror story fit him. it’s the world at the end in a final battle between good and evil, and nothing says Ultimate Moral Compass more than that to me.

Hifumi Yamada: Strangers on a Train (1951, dir. Alfred Hitchcock) - the whole “i’ll do your murder if you do mine” kinda hits for chapter 3 i think. i also remember his hostage being his sister, so he’d probably like the relationship between Anne and Barbara.

Celes Ludenberg: Crimson Peak (2015, dir. Guillermo del Toro) - there’s a line the main character says that’s something to the effect of how she’d rather be like Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley because she died a widow? that’s Celescore. content warning: incest.

Sakura Oogami: Hereditary (2018, dir. Ari Aster) - both in the way that her dojo is a family business and in the themes of being afraid of hurting your loved ones. content warnings: child death, car accident, decapitation, possession, drug usage.

Toko Fukawa: Rebecca (1940, dir. Alfred Hitchcock) - again haven’t watched or read the book on which it is based but the fact alone that it is based on a book? and it’s not directed by stanley kubrick’s book-ruining ass?

Byakuya Togami: Rope (1948, dir. Alfred Hitchcock) - based on a play which itself was probably based loosely on the Leopold & Loeb case, it’s famous in part for its protagonists being gay. also they have superiority complexes and think that the privileged few should be allowed to murder inferior people because they’re above morality.

Yasuhiro Hagakure: A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984, dir. Wes Craven) - i feel like this is closer to what his brand of horror would be, but also people not really believing that what’s happening is actually happening is kind of his m.o. too. content warning: i don’t remember if this is explicit in the original or not, but Freddy Krueger was a pedophile.

Aoi Asahina: Friday the 13th (1980, dir. Sean S. Cunningham) - again i just think this is closer to what Hina’s brand of horror would be, but also i feel like the summer camp aesthetic would be for her.

Kyouko Kirigiri: The Secret in Their Eyes (2009, dir. Juan Jose Campanella) - i don’t totally remember it but detective going off the rails trying to solve a rape & murder case. Very intense, but very good.

Junko Enoshima: Midsommar (2019, dir. Ari Aster) - gaslighting people into joining a death cult? yeah, that screams junko. content warnings: graphic suicide, drug usage, gaslighting, people on fire, nudity, sex.

Monokuma: Child’s Play (1988, dir. Tom Holland) - creepy toy carrying the soul of a murderer. still need to finish watching this one, other than “creepy doll” i don’t have anything to offer in the way of content warnings.

Hajime Hinata: Get Out (2017, dir. Jordan Peele) - reluctant to go too much into details because i wouldn’t want to spoil the film for those who haven’t seen it, but the experiment done on Hajime vibes w this movie. content warning in that this film is about racism.

Twogami: Vertigo (1958, dir. Alfred Hitchcock) - too many details would give away spoilers but the identity theft theme of the film fits for a guy whose talent is in identity theft.

Teruteru Hanamura: Halloween (1978, dir. John Carpenter) - had a hard time thinking of a horror movie for Teruteru, but Halloween (and 80′s slashers in general) have a tendency to punish the horny.

Mahiru Koizumi: I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997, dir. Jim Gillespie) - would it be too much of a spoiler to say there’s similarities between this film & what gets Mahiru killed in-game?

Peko Pekoyama: The Purge (2013, dir. James DeMonaco) - people using masks to enact what they feel is justified revenge on the one day of the year when all crime is legal.

Hiyoko Saionji: The VVitch (2015, dir. Robert Eggers) - based on colonial-era folk tales about witches. very atmospheric, features the same kind of abusive slut-shaming verbal assaults Hiyoko hurls at others. content warning for briefly implied incest, some nudity, and parents being shitty.

Ibuki Mioda: Green Room (2015, dir. Jeremy Saulnier) - still need to see this one; punk band tries to survive to the end of the night after witnessing neo-nazis commit a murder.

Mikan Tsumiki: Carrie (1976, dir. Brian De Palma) - another film based on a stephen king novella, and also a pretty famous story. a longtime bullying & abuse victim starts to lose her shit after she begins developing telepathy. content warning for some nudity, fire, and an abusive mother.

Nekomaru Nidai: Les Yeux Sans Visage (1960, dir. Georges Franju) - wasn’t really sure where to go with him either, at first, and settled on body horror considering what happens to him later in-game. a doctor attempts to find a new face for his daughter after she is left disfigured from an accident.

Gundham Tanaka: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1921, dir. Robert Wiene) - a mad scientist claims his hypnotized ‘somnambulist’ can see into the future, including the deaths of carnival-goers. highly influential silent film, german expressionist so peak aesthetic.

Nagito Komaeda: The Silence of the Lambs (1991, dir. Jonathan Demme) - it’s probably well enough known for Hannibal the Cannibal being in it, but it’s worth noting he’s not the primary antagonist of the film. he is the most memorable part of it, and his psychoanalysis is what made me think of Komaeda. content warnings for gore, sexual harassment, referenced cannibalism, period-typical transphobia (period is the late 80s/early 90s).

Chiaki Nanami: V/H/S (2012, various directors) - a horror anthology film of found-footage type shorts, not shown in chronological order of events. i don’t really remember the contents enough for warnings, check at your own risk.

Akane Owari: The Blair Witch Project (1999, dirs. Eduardo Sanchez & Daniel Myrick) - don’t really have a good reason for this one other than “they all go feral, which Akane is seconds from doing at any given moment.” i think she’d dig it. no real content warnings to be had, the original found footage film.

Kazuichi Souda: Jaws (1975, dir. Stephen Spielberg) - i’m not even entirely sure i know what would make him like it, maybe just the mechanical shark? i think we all know this as the movie that made people double down on their hatred of sharks. i don’t particularly care for it, but it’s popular.

Sonia Nevermind: Perfume: Story of a Murderer (2006, dir. Tom Tykwer) - follows a would-be perfumer as he murders women in an attempt to create the perfect scent. in retrospect i probably should have picked something based on a real crime, but i still think she’d like this one.

Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu: M (1931, dir. Fritz Lang) - when the police fail to catch a serial child murderer, the criminal underworld steps up to take action into their own hands. fitting, no?

Usami: Trick ‘r Treat (2007, dir. Michael Doughtery) - another sort of anthology film that follows what happens to townsfolk when they don’t abide by Halloween traditions. i put it for Usami because i thought it was actually kind of cute, as far as horror films go.

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kinetic-elaboration · 4 years

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November 2: The Wanheda Tape, Writer’s Commentary

Today, some notes on The Wanheda Tape, my take-off of The Blair Witch Project.

This was my first idea for Chopped Choice: Horror, and the one I initially thought was more developed/easier, because I had the whole general structure for it: Octavia finds a tape, the tape has a ghost-hunting adventure gone wrong it, scary stuff happens, the end. As opposed to what became Mad Women, which was just two unconnected images at that time. But when I realized the Blair Witch idea was a literally a story in a story in a THIRD story and that I didn’t have any concrete ideas for the innermost story, the legend upon which the main ghost-hunting story would be built, I backed away and decided to work on developing Mad Women instead.

Then I finished that fic earlier than anticipated. And I still really liked my Blair Witch idea because I love the super cliche, traditional horror stuff: ghosts, witches, woods, autumn, etc. Sci fi horror was fun but it didn’t scratch that particular itch.

So one day after work, I took a walk, and suddenly all of the disparate, scattered ideas I’d been having for The Wanheda Tape came together, and I knew I just had to write it.

The big problem so far had been, as I said, the legend. I’d already decided I wanted to include Princess Mechanic exes as one of my tropes, and I wanted the legend to relate to them in some way, even just as a thematic parallel. I wanted the witch of the legend to have a lost love, too. I also figured the legend would have to be fairly old. And I toyed early on with the idea of like a utopia/commune/separate woods-y community that goes wrong.

The canon legend Wanheda was an immediately attractive option to base the rest of it around, because what’s creepier than a witch who controls death, a witch in some way associated directly with death? Plus I like canon parallels in modern au fics. But Clarke was already in the story, so that seemed impossible. I set it aside.

I thought about using the Grounders, and paralleling the woods-y community/main town war with the inter-clan wars of the canon. Perhaps Lexa as the witch, and Costia as her lost love? This was plausible but it didn’t seem to fit right, I think in part because Lexa isn’t a minor community leader; she’s not a separatist. She is the main one in charge, the Official Commander. Plus, it seemed complicated, trying to parse out Grounder drama and turn it into a legend that would then parallel a modern delinquent au.

What suddenly fit into place for me was using Wanheda, not despite Clarke’s presence in the modern au, but BECAUSE of it. The parallel between the two would then be immediately obvious, with really no work at all on my part, and it would allow me to try to do a story with multiple interpretations. I’m not the biggest fan of ‘maybe it was supernatural, maybe it was all in x character’s head’ but this was the sort of story that lent itself to ambiguity, plus I could always heavily imply that the supernatural reading was right.

So in other words, modern!Clarke and Wanheda would be paralleled, connected in the text, and it would be unclear if the creepy things happening were directly the witch’s doing, the witch through Clarke, or directly Clarke. Then Jasper, Monty, and Octavia would summarize the three possibilities in the final scene, to make it more clear. Octavia sees her as the mastermind of everything: she lured her friends to the woods, killed them, escaped herself, and got away with it. Jasper sees her as a tool used by the witch, even if his version doesn’t quite sound properly supernatural: something happened to her, through her, in the woods, and that broke her. And Monty sees her as a victim of the witch just as surely as the other three were. (I admit the three weren’t quite as separate as I’d wanted...and this was after re-writing!)

I’m not sure if all three possibilities are really equally convincing, but I do like to think they’re plausible, even that Clarke was somehow doing everything: going to the woods was her idea; she was in charge of navigation, and could have gotten them ‘lost’ on purpose; she was the last person to see Miller, and she wasn’t with Murphy and Raven when they saw the fire. And then of course Murphy sees her chanting in the woods--or he sees someone who he identifies in dialogue to be Clarke, and who seems to be her based on dress, although I was careful not to have the neutral observer of the camera actually name her, because--is it her? Really?

But still, there are distinctly unnatural phenomena going on, and distinct witch-iness. And Clarke’s involvement seems undeniable. That she either innately has or has created a connection to Wanheda is clear. To what extent the witch works through her, uses her body, and to what extent the witch exists as a completely separate, even physical, presence is what I hoped would be ambiguous. Is the figure Murphy sees a possessed Clarke, or the actual Clarke, or a bewitched Clarke (like Miller in the final scene)? Is the person holding the camera in the end a possessed Clarke? The witch herself? If the latter, where is Clarke? Dead? Still lost in the woods?

Wandering the streets of Arizona?

Does it matter that I chose to include four figures in the woods in Monty’s memory, and not five?

I didn’t answer all of my own questions, but I do have ideas that I worked off of, mostly to keep continuity.

First, Clarke imo is very good at lying and doesn’t mind lying if she feels she has a good reason to do so. So she is a liar in this fic, on at least one occasion. When she takes the book from the tree, it is not empty. She keeps it for the writing inside.

Another possible lie: that she doesn’t know why she thinks the witch is real. I think it’s plausible she’s been to the woods before and had weird things happen to her, or felt some inexplicable presence, in which case she is manipulating her friends by not being forthright about what they’re doing. Alternately, this is her first woods-y expedition, but her inherent connection to Wanheda allows her to ‘feel’ a presence the others cannot.

Second, the general outline of Wanheda’s journey and Clarke’s are the same: both using magic they cannot control and shouldn’t be messing with to defend/protect their loved ones, perhaps particularly motivated by residual feelings for lost loves (Wanheda’s need to avenge her lover in particular, Clarke’s need to protect Raven in particular), and both face consequences for their actions.

Wanheda was always a witch, and benevolent magic allowed her community to thrive, as the village believed. But after the villagers attacked, she turned to black magic for her revenge. It was successful, but the price she paid was that her community never thrived again. (Yeah this is kinda a moralistic story lol.)

Clarke tries to use witchcraft too, when she sees her friends being threatened--like Murphy, she reads the strung up dolls as a warning. So on the second night, after reading the book, she tried to protect the group using the circle of stones. It wasn’t successful, but the more magic she tried, the more caught up in it she became, losing herself in the process. Whether she was the active tool of the witch or a more general casualty, like Miller, I left open.

I didn’t think too much about the gender dynamics of it--except for the Wanheda legend, which is obviously about Competent/Independent Women Being Threatening, and the chaos that comes from men’s reaction to that--but now that I’ve rewatched the actual Blair Witch Project, I kinda want to poke at that more. Not totally sure I’ll like what I’d find in my own work lol. A tale of two women punished for their hubris? Maybe.

Still, it’s more problematic if women are punished where men are not. At least Wanheda and Clarke actually did something. At least they tried. Wanheda made a deal with the devil (perhaps literally) out of understandable rage and sorrow, and Clarke, called to that history, the physical manifestation of that memory, flew a little too close to the flame. To the extent that she and her friends are punished for their curiosity--this is just a trope of horror, which is in so many ways about allowing us to imagine what we cannot really see, and showing us the worst case scenario of the curiosity we can’t satisfy in real life.

#the year 2020 #2020: writing thoughts #the 100 chopped #the wanheda tape

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theparanormalperiodical · 4 years

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Paranormal Activity (2007) - The True Story Behind The Franchise, And The 5 Other Demonic Hauntings You Need To Know About

What does the election of Margaret Thatcher, the industrialisation of Europe, and a shitty found footage film have in common?

They all changed the world.

Sure, Paranormal Activity (2007) may have not brought about the socio-economic changes created by the Iron Lady, nor that of the Industrial Revolution.

But there’s doubt about it: it defined a new era of horror films.

“Whoa whoa whoa - what about The Blair Witch Project?”

Okay, fine, The Blair B*tch Project is an icon that I supernaturally-stan. But it was the chaotic web of films that made up the Paranormal Activity franchise that set off a new focus on real stories, on real hauntings we can see and hear and film and photograph.

Type ‘ghosts’ into YouTube. Go on, do it.

With enough 10 minute videos clogged with adverts, cheap jumpscares, and a nightvision overlay that would resurrect Paris Hilton’s career, these films tapped into what’s happening right here, right now.

Thanks to the rise of social media and the phones we use to update them, ‘evidence’ of the paranormal is now scattered across the internet. Paranormal Activity tapped into that, providing us innocent viewers with a terrifying movie that would span 5 more films.

(Oh, and it turns out another one is set for release in 2021! Which isn’t unnecessary at all. Nope. Definitely not unneeded.)

But what’s really scary isn’t the film itself.

Oh, no.

It’s the fact that it’s all based on true stories.

Today’s post is going to recap the Paranormal Activity films, explain the true stories of demonic hauntings it’s based on, and go through the 5 other demonic hauntings you need to know about.

Let’s get spooky.

First, Let’s Recap The Paranormal Activity Franchise

With 7 films under its belt (you can’t forget the spinoff set in Japan!), this saga takes a detour around the core of the franchise and the explanation of the activity.

The franchise centres around a coven of witches who sacrifice first born boys to demons in exchange for money and success. Some first born boys are also used to create a demonic army to protect the coven.

Most of the films follow one family who experiences the actions of the coven - The Midwives - firsthand. One of the two daughters is kidnapped by her grandmother, a member of the coven, and prepared for the day that she will fulfill her womanly duties:

That’s right, she’s gonna give birth to a demon.

And yes, you are invited to the baby shower!

The films start in the present with one of the daughters beginning to experience traces of paranormal activity which evolves into a full on demonic haunting. It is then revealed in scraps of conversation - and then embellished in later films - that weird paranormal stuff happened when they were kids.

We then jump back and forth between past ‘n present until the whole witchy-shebang is revealed.

Here’s the film-by-film summary:

Paranormal Activity: Katie and bae Micah witness paranormal activity in their home and decide to film the mysterious things that happen at night - less sex tape, more supernatural. The activity becomes more intense and is revealed to be demonic, focusing on Katie and eventually possessing her. She kills Micah in full demonic-mode, and goes missing.

Paranormal Activity 2: Katie’s sister, Kristi, and her family set up cameras in their house following a burglary (spoiler alert - it ain’t no burglary). Activity escalates, and the daughter of the family, Ali, works out that this is a demonic haunting and that humans made deals with demons by forfeiting the soul of a first born son. Kristi’s son, Hunter, is the first boy born in their family since the 1930s. Kristi is eventually possessed and subsequently exorcised to protect her and the family. They do this by passing the demon onto Katie by burning a photograph. Katie then rocks up in demonic-mode and kidnaps Hunter.

Paranormal Activity 3: Before Hunter was born, Katie gave some old videotapes to her sister, Kristi, which contains footage of their childhood - and the paranormal activity that occurred within it. The activity offers up strange symbols, invisible figures, and the emergence of the coven, The Midwives. Tobi the demon also rocks up for the first time. We also find out what the coven does and that their grandmother, Lois, is one of these witches. Their parents are killed, and Katie and Kristi are told to ‘get ready’.

Paranormal Activity 4: A new famalam are busy living a non-demonic life when a neighbour falls ill. The neighbour’s child, Wyatt (pssst - it’s Hunter! And the neighbour’s Katie omgggggg) goes to live with them. Their non-demonic life then becomes demonic. Spooky shenanigans ensue, we see the coven, Katie kills people… On reflection, this film didn’t need to be made. But oh well.

Paranormal Activity 5: The Marked Ones: Lovable high school grad, Jesse, is living his non-demonic life above his totally-demonic neighbour, Ana. Turns out she’s a witch in the coven. One of his classmates is also demonic, and is seen doing demonic shit as a result of Ana. It is then revealed that some first born sons are recruited into this demonic army. Jesse is one of them, and begins to exhibit strange behaviour - he has been ‘marked’. Jesse’s friend and rag-tag group of anti-demonic people investigate and rock up at witch-HQ. His friend is then chased into a door which is revealed to be a portal from which he goes into the kitchen of Katie and Micah. Katie screams and thinks he’s an intruder who Micah tackles. Katie then kills Micah - this is the last scene of the first Paranormal Activity.

Paranormal Activity 6: The Ghost Dimension: In this film we see snapshots of young Katie and Kristi being taught to unleash their demonicy powers, as well as a new family living on the property where they used to live. The young daughter, Leila is seen talking to and interacting with a dark figure. It is then discovered Leila was born on the same day as hunter, and that Leila has gone through a portal into another world. A priest attempts to cleanse the house, Tobi goes cray-cray and kills someone. Leila flees through the portal and the mother follows. They rock up at Katie and Kristi’s house and meet young Katie and Kristi. The mother is killed, and Leila and Tobi walk off into the sunset.

Confused?

Me too.

Sure, it is a thin plot that’s been stretched across far too many flicks, but it’s the frightening filler that really defines the franchise.

Doors moving, earthquakes, dark figures appearing and moving, footsteps seen and heard, strange symbols appearing....

It all ties together to make an iconic set of films.

Are they going to be remembered for being great?

No.

Do I care?

Hell to the nah!

But what I do care about is the true story the franchise is based on.

So, What Is The True Story Behind Paranormal Activity?

Okay, fine, I told a lie: they’re actually based on multiple stories of demonic and other paranormal hauntings.

Yes, that is worse.

I’ve dissected 3 components of the films that I’ve traced back to real paranormal theories and stories.

Demonic hauntings

Animal and children interaction with paranormal activity

And the coven

Let’s Start With The Demonic Hauntings

If there’s one thing that Paranormal Activity gets right, it’s the paranormal activity.

With minimal discussion of what the shit is actually going on - particularly in the first movie - it truly lives up to its name of just being pure spooks. Now, in case you’re new to this blog, you probably won’t be as versed as I am in everything-spooky.

*flips hair*

Things like objects and furniture moving are just a few components of paranormal activity, as is lights flickering, for example; this all features as the beginning of the films’ activity, similar to that of real cases of spirit and demonic hauntings.

But the films then go on to capture what makes hauntings truly demonic:

Growling noises, people in trances or acting strange, and aggressive supernatural activity - all build up to the inevitable possession of a character which happens in every single film.

And it hits possession like a nail on the head.

It follows historic theories closely, focusing only on female possession. According to medieval theories, women were more likely to be possessed as they were deemed weaker, and thus more vulnerable to demons and spirits wanting to control their bodies.

Young girls? Magnets for Satan.

So, given the centrality of the young girls to the film who are besties with and apparently shit out a demon via the vag, this is pretty accurate.

Which, you know, is fine, this is fine.

Another key component of the demonic haunting we need to discuss rocks up in the first film, setting alight the curiosity that had us humble viewers coming back to every following film:

It’s the burnt photo of Katie as a child.

Burnt photos - or just destroyed photos - figure as key milestones of a demonic haunting. And smashed photo frames, scratched pictures all feature in this franchise.

In the films, it is eventually deduced that the burnt photo is used to transfer a demon to someone else. That explains why later in the film, the demon goes on to possess Katie.

In terms of paranormal cases, photos being used for ritualistic purposes is well documented in cases of witchcraft. One example of this is from the mysterious death of Estefanía Gutiérrez Lázaro, a story immortalised in the horror hit, Veronica.

At one point during the real case of Estefania, her picture burns spontaneously in front of her family around the time of her death.

In fact, burning items in general is a classic ritual related to unleashing demons. Fancy getting rid of your Ouija board? Don’t burn it - as hell is, uh, hot, demons can be released. Or they’re trapped in the board itself and by destroying it, they can escape.

Burning is also used in invocation, a ritual used in demonolatry, the worship of demons.

Next Up Is The Interactions Between Animals, Children, And The Paranormal

All horror films tend to start with the same thing:

The doggo starts acting weird.

In The Conjuring, the dog dies. In The Woman In Black, the dog draws attention to the dark figure approaching Harry Potter Daniel Radcliffe. And in Paranormal Activity 2, the doggo barks at invisible figures and gets hurt by the demon.

Question is, does this actually happen?

Yep.

Apparently, dogs and cats are highly susceptible to the supernatural. With their proved heightened senses - and some folklore to back it up - animals are considered one of the first signs of something paranormal.

And kids?

It’s the same thing. Remember what I said about young girls being really vulnerable ‘cause all women are weak? Children were considered to be on that same level of ‘open-to-demon-ness’ as women, so it follows that they’d be equally aware of the paranormal.

Enter the imaginary friend, Tobi. You know - the demon.

Imaginary friends bulk out most creepypastas, as well as the true ghost stories littering the internet. So unfortunately, Tobi is far more common than we’d like to think.

Yay.

Let’s Talk About The Coven, The Midwives

The underlying plot of the films - aside from being about cupboards opening all by themselves - is about the puppet-like control of the family by The Midwives.

And there are 3 things which directly link to real cases of covens and witchcraft.

However, when I started my research, I immediately ran into a problem: covens worshipping demons they want to bring back to earth and take over the world aren’t exactly shouting about their activities.

There’s no Twitter account posting memes about kidnapping kids. There’s no YouTube channel devoted to altar hauls. And there’s no crowdfunding to raise money for the indoctrination of women as they sacrifice their kids to demons.

But I did want to pull apart a few things like the symbol of the Midwives, their obsession with first born boys, and the confusing plotline of time travel.

First, we have their motives for their worship and sacrifice: its to gain money and success. This is a well documented component of black magic and demonolatry, a motive we can trace back to concepts from the medieval era.

Next is the symbol.

Despite looking like they copied and pasted it from Harry Potter, symbols containing a triangle and circle frequent literature documenting witchcraft. Specifically, this symbol is close to that of Soloman’s Seal, or the Triple Tale.

The latter represents gates, or spiritual manifestations.

That’s pretty fecking close to the plot of the movie!

Following up from your next tramp stamp tat is their obsession with first born boys.

“It’s the patriarchy!”

Hell fucking yeah, it is.

These witches are seriously behind the times, and stick to biblical notions of magic, deducing their obsession from the value appointed to first born boys in the biblical era. This is especially true given that the sacrifice of a first born son often crops up or is referred to in this bestselling book.

Finally, we have to discuss the time travel.

The franchise ties all the films together by using time travel to…

Look, I have no fucking clue why or how or for what reason. But What I do know is that there are these portals that can take people back to key plot moments of extreme witchy-demony-stuff.

Take the first time we see one of these portals: during the 5th movie we see a character stuck in Witch-HQ, looking for a way to escape. He decides to go through a door covered in strange symbols cause that’s not gonna be witchy at all.

He walks through, and enters a kitchen. He then sees Katie, the lass from the first movie walk down the stairs, and scream for Micah, her boyfriend.

That’s right - we witness the moment she becomes possessed, suggesting the witches had some direct hand in that moment.

The circle is complete! I think, I don’t know, I’m still confused...

Unfortunately, these portals end the series. In the last film, a new family rock up in a house built on the property where the young girls kidnapped by the coven used to live, and the kid of the new family ends up time travelling to when they used to live there, even though that house burnt down.

“So, is it based on paranormal theories?”

No.

Sure, some witchcraft does mention travelling to other plains - see astral projection and Insidious - but, like my coven research, witches ain’t posting their time travels on insta.

That being said, I would love to see that classic hand holding/leading shot as a witch takes bae into another dimension...

Paranormal Activity may be the cinematic representative for a jumpscare-binge, but the film goes much deeper than a demon throwing a tantrum and slamming a door cause nobody understands him.

(Dammit, Tobi.)

Fact is, Paranormal Activity isn’t just ‘based on a true story’. It’s an accurate representation of a demonic haunting.

The 5 Demonic Haunted Houses You Need To Know About

Let me guess:

You’re currently hiding under a quilt and watching Gordon-Ramsay-Getting-Hella-Angry compilations on YouTube to try and calm down.

If so, you’re gonna want to stay under there - It’s time to discuss the other demonic hauntings that are similar to the Paranormal Activity franchise.

Uncomfortably similar, that is.

Fantastic.

#1 - The Demon House

Topping our list is a house which clearly fits the topic of this post by its name alone.

Bob Cranmer, former resident of this Pittsburgh house, claims he lived in a house that was haunted by a demon for 18 years. Why did he stay in this house for 18 years if this was in fact also home to a demon?

*shrug*

Either way, before a demon was cast out by an exorcism in the mid-noughties, the haunting manifested in hands pushing and slapping family members, you know, the usual escalation of violent attacks…

Oh, and Cranmer also saw blood dripping from the walls.

But it’s the backstory to the property that really makes things terrifying. It was discovered that the Demon House was built upon a site from which Native Americans were murdered by European settlers. On top of that, a builder cursed the land during construction.

Also, a former tenant of the house is believed to have been an illegal abortionist who performed hundreds of these operations in the house. Well, depending on what you believe, this supposedly brought forward a demon.

(It’s at this point that I would think “oh I should be neutral” but nah fuck that #prochoice)

Anyway.

According to Cranmer’s investigation - from which he even churned out a book on the house - the name of the demon is Moloch, a god mentioned in the Old Testament. By researching the old tenants of the house, he discovered that some were actually worshippers of this demon.

And considering Moloch’s love for child sacrifices, Cranmer connected some dots regarding the illegal abortionist that once lived there.

Regardless of my disagreements with this verdict, there is no doubt that this be a spooky house.

#2 - The Smurl Family House

You know shit’s spooky when Ed and Lorraine Warren rock up at your house.

For a period of 13 years, the Smurl family of Pennsylvania was tormented by a demon which smothered them with an abundance of supernatural activity.

Toilets flushing by themselves, electronic devices failing to work, and awful odours passing through the house was just a few components of the activity faced. This escalated into arguably more violent activity synonymous with demonic hauntings:

Claw marks appeared in various rooms, full bodied apparitions would appear over beds, and a demon they named ‘Old Hag’ became a permanent resident.

Whether ‘Old Hag’ was passing through walls, or sexually assaulting the human residents, there was no doubt that the Smurls were witnessing an intense level of activity.

50 exorcisms were used to cleanse the house, but to no avail; the assaults didn’t stop until the Smurls moved out, giving further evidence to support the skeptics that this demonic haunting was no haunting at all.

#3 - The Bean’s Family House

It’s the 1970s. We are in Baltimore, in a quiet suburb crammed full of all-american families.

Unfortunately, there was no Tracy Turnblad around to brighten up this ranch style house. This home was cursed with a negative energy that was soon determined to be the result of a demonic presence.

This demonic haunting manifested in cold hands touching and grabbing family members, reenacting all the ways someone could be murdered. It even transformed itself into a human draped in a black suit!

With fierce black eyes giving away its true identity, the demon was ascertained as the cause of the activity, and the Bean family fled in the 1980s.

Question is, what was the root of this demon?

The former residents claim it was extra-terrestrial contact, with strange pictures supporting their claims.

#4 - The Haunting of Latoya Ammons

There’s a ghost making your TV turn on and off… And then there’s mysterious occurrences so intense the local police are involved.

This case is the latter.

It all started in 2011, shortly after a small family moved into their new home in Indiana. Large black flies began to swarm their front porch, and the frequent sound of footsteps began to trouble the family.

Shadowy figures also began to emerge, and would become the centre of the haunting. Alongside this, Ammons claimed she also witnessed her daughter levitating above her bed, sparking the need for supernatural support. Mediums were called, and they deduced that 200 demons haunted their house.

Following an exorcism, the family decided to leave the house as it failed to rid the house of its paranormal residents. Not convinced? Here’s the iconic picture believed to show a demon standing at the window of the house:

#5 - The Sallie House

Considered one of the most famous haunted houses in the world, this home is the residence of a young girl named Sallie. Oh, and she’s dead. It is believed that she was a victim of a lobotomy in the early 20th century, and attacks any men who enter the house in vengeance of her doctor.

But what really made this house famous was the investigation by a TV crew who experienced scratches and bruises from unseen forces in real time. Such violent assaults are a trademark of demonic hauntings.

Other visitors have also cited apparitions, floating objects, and animal noises, confirming that this house features something that we simply cannot explain. .

When mediums rocked up to deduce the centre of this haunting, they determined that that little girl was a magnet for darker, demonic forces that have entered the house.

I told you - young girls are magnets for Satan.

So - what’s your verdict?

Do you think these houses are haunted?

And who’s ready for a sleepover in one of them?

(not me)

Be sure to let me know in a comment.

And don’t forget to hit follow for a spook every single day.

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aarontalksmusic-blog · 5 years

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A Top 30 Horror Movies

This is Halloween! This is Halloween! There are a lot of awesome horror movies, but I picked just 30 that qualify as my favorites.

#30 - The Conjuring

So this movie isn’t perfect. The last 20-30 minutes kinda turn into a mess as the demon gets more confrontational. But, the first 90 minutes are a near perfect slow build of tension and smart visual storytelling. All the actors do a good job, even the kids. This movie has insured I never play Hide and Clap.

#29 - Paranormal Activity 2

In my opinion superior to the (still pretty good) original, PA2 moves faster than its predecessor and uses the audience’s curiosity against them in interesting ways. You’re always looking to the edges of the screen for something or someone out of place, and as the movie progresses, that curiosity rattles the nerves more and more.

#28 - The Hills Have Eyes (2006)

One of the only modern horror remakes that improves and expands on the original. The Hills Have Eyes hit when I was a junior in high school. It is gleefully gorey and deranged. People die in awful ways, and the protagonist (seen above) spends most of the last half hour drenched in blood. It’s a lot of fun if you’re into that sort of thing.

#27 - Event Horizon

Space Horror is a hard genre to get right. Event Horizon knocks it out of the park by getting the slow build right. There are gruesome and bloody images from time to time, but the majority of the movie is built on tension and dread. Having Sam Neill and Laurence Fishburne leading the cast adds some dramatic weight to the proceedings.

#26 - The VVitch

The GOAT 17th Century rural horror movie. This movie gets real weird and leaves a lot up to the audience’s imagination. The less said about it the better if you haven’t seen it. But, even for the 2010s renaissance of horror, this one stands out.

#25 - Hereditary

This is a list of my favorite horror movies, not the scariest. If it were “scariest” this would be top 10, maybe top 5. The second half of this movie is some of the most uncomfortable and relentlessly horrifying storytelling I’ve ever seen. Across just two feature films, Director Ari Aster has proved himself a master of the horror genre. We’re all worse off for it.

#24 - Return of the Living Dead

The first movie on this list that is more funny than scary, Return of the Living Dead is laugh out loud hilarious at times. Somehow, it still manages to be a more effective zombie movie than most serious ones. Great punk rock soundtrack and highly quotable, this is great for people who scare a little too easily.

#23 - Friday the 13th Part 2

Basically improving on the original in every way, Friday the 13th Part 2 is iconic even without Jason’s hockey mask making an appearance. The killer instead keeps a lumpy bag over his head the whole time. The movie lets you know early on that its going to be ridiculous, when the Part 2 logo literally smashes through the Friday the 13th title card. Great representation of the slasher genre.

#22 - Suspiria (2018)

I’m a sucker for lore in movies, and Suspiria is full to the brim with details that expand on the world. Led by great performances from Tilda Swinton and Dakota Johnson, the movie is highly intelligent and occasionally brutally violent. The fact that the director’s prior movie was “Call Me By Your Name” shows that he’s a talented filmmaker no matter the genre.

#21 - Halloween (1978)

Michael Myers is iconic. The music is iconic. Jamie Lee Curtis is an all-time great horror leading lady. Halloween is a must watch for horror genre fans.

#20 - Get Out

This movie is so well written it won an Oscar. Get Out is both hilarious and brutally tense. The acting is awesome across the board. Who knew Jordan Peele would use his comedy talent to make a career in scary movies?

#19 - Shaun of the Dead

A classic comedy filled with so many jokes that it takes about 3 watches to catch them all. Not scary in the least, but uniquely playful in the genre. Also made Simon Pegg a star. Nothing but greatness here.

#18 - The Descent

I’ll always remember my first watch of this movie. It slaps you in the face with trauma in the first 5 minutes. Then spends three quarters of an hour building tension and claustrophobia before suddenly becoming a solid monster feature. Though it fizzles a little at the end with some wtf moments, the first 3/4ths are very effecting.

#17 - Nightmare on Elm Street

Nightmare on Elm Street is just a cool as hell idea for a horror movie. It takes the occasional predictability of Halloween or Friday the 13th and flips it. The kills are inventive and visually interesting, the effects are very cool, and you get to see Johnny Depp get brutally murdered. win-win-win.

#16 - Saw

Saw came out at a perfect age for me. Seeing this movie at 16 was a great experience. Even as the sequels got worse and worse, the whodunnit nature of the original held up. People were literally drowning in gore by Saw 3, but this is a solid movie that knows when to tone things down. Great watch.

#15 - Evil Dead 2

By turns hilarious and unsettling, watching Evil Dead 2 allows the viewer to marvel at the special effects done on a shoestring budget. Bruce Campbell is an absurd and talented physical actor, and singlehandedly carries this movie into the hall of fame.

#14 - IT Chapter 1

Chopping the 1,000 page Stephen King book in half allowed the first half of the IT saga to thrive. Bill Skarsgard is a fantastic Pennywise, and the child actors all do well. A slightly repetitive series of scares keeps this one from perfection (and would be the downfall of Part 2), but its still an amazing peak of the genre.

#13 - Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Fast zombies. Zack Snyder directing before his head got too big. Hilarious musical cues. Apocalyptic imagery. This movie is one of the best of the zombie genre.

#12 - Fright Night (1985)

One of the most simply fun movies on this list, Fright Night is straight out of the mid 80s. It never takes itself too seriously, but it still has some good scares sprinkled in. An essential vampire movie, and the remake with Colin Farrell wasn’t half bad either.

#11 - The Omen (1976)

One of my early favorites, The Omen is another lore filled film that gradually ramps up the twists until the dramatic finale. Probably one of the least scary films on my list, its built on Gregory Peck being a great actor and a few pretty messed up deaths.

#10 - An American Werewolf in London

Another favorite from childhood, this is the best the werewolf genre has to offer. Made by John Landis who also did Animal House and Blues Brothers, American Werewolf balances 80s level of gore with award winning special effects and clever music (every song featured has moon in the title).

#9 - It Follows

One of the newest (and most original) movies on the list, It Follows is one of a kind. It’s terrifying, has great cinematography and halfway through the movie you have absolutely no clue how it will end. Must see.

#8 - Midsommar

This is absolute newest film on the list, and one I’m anxious to rewatch. Midsommar sets itself apart by being 95% in broad daylight and providing a wealth of backstory to the “bad guys”. Also Florence Pugh shows that she is an amazingly skilled actress, particularly in the final 10 minutes.

#7 - The Exorcist

^That guy is scary. He’s also only in the movie for like 3 seconds. Obviously this is a classic. If you haven’t seen it and like horror at all, it will still amaze you, almost 50 years later. I would’ve loved to be a fly on the wall when it was in theaters watching people lose their minds. Still a masterpiece of the genre.

#6 - The Blair Witch Project

I watched The Blair Witch Project for the first time alone in my room at age...I believe 14. That was a mistake. While the mistakes of the hikers become a bit hilarious on multiple rewatches, the night scenes are still tense af. The last 15 minutes are uniquely terror-inducing. Everybody’s seen this one, but if you haven’t, maybe watch it with the lights on?

#5 - The Evil Dead (2013)

This movie is one of the most intense and relentless horror movies ever. Nail guns, rusty knives, a turkey carver, a chainsaw, a machete: people get literally ripped apart in this movie. But, here’s the thing, its really really fun to watch. You’ll be out of breath when its over, but still.

#4 - Cabin in the Woods

Cabin in the Woods isn’t THAT scary. It flirts with scary. It has some shocking and frightening moments But mostly its a shitload of fun that plays on every trope of the horror genre. It also has one of my favorite final moments of any film on this list.

#3 - The Thing

Underappreciated upon its release, The Thing has become the standard by which body horror is measured. Its delightfully paranoid and lets the audience sit and think as gruesome deaths pile up.

#2 - Alien

One of the first movies to terrify me, Alien is one of the greatest horror movies ever made. The monster design is iconic. The kills and set pieces are one of a kind. It has a kick ass female heroine played by Sigourney Weaver. What more do you want?

and finally

#1 - The Shining

YEAHHHHHHH Here’s a brief list of iconic Shining scenes: - An elevator full of blood - The old woman in room 237 - All work and no play make Jack a dull boy - The snowy hedge maze - Here’s Johnny - Danny’s vision of the twins - The house of horrors finale featuring the man in bear costume featured above and of course - REDRUM This movie is a masterpiece, made by one of the greatest directors of all time, starring one of the greatest actors of all time and based on one of the scariest books by the defining horror author of our time. Its damn near perfect.

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bakhtaks-blog · 5 years

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What horror killer/movie do you think is overrated, and why? 💀

Some horror movies and killers that I think are overrated:

“Friday the 13th” and Jason Voorhees:

I’ll say the only reason the Friday the 13th franchise is popular, is because of Jason. The movies aren’t that great, I think the stories get repetitive and some of the protagonists throughout the movies can be so boring and annoying and the acting can be so awful too.

A lot of people praises the franchise more than what it actually deserve. Not to mention the same people shits on the remake way too much than what it deserves, claiming the remake will never be as great as the original franchise. Despite the orginal franchise never have been that great to begin with.

The only thing that’s ‘great’ about the franchise is Jason, who I also think is a little too overrated, especially because Pamela was the original killer in the first movie but she doesn’t really get the recognition she deserves because of Jason. Jason is basically Michael Myers in a hockey mask: doesn’t really have a personality, is big, strong, silent and then there’s some family issue. There’s not really much to him.

I do like Jason and the franchise is fun to watch and make fun of, but come on, it’s not really that great.

“American Psycho”:

I love the book, however not the movie. The adaptation could have been better, and I know you’re supposed to seprate different medium from each other, but I don’t think the movie is as controversial as it could have been when it came out, and the cinematography is just so awful. There are only very few scenes that I thought were shot and edited well. I also don’t get why the movie had to be a satire, it kinda ruined that for me since I’m a huge fan of the book.

I do think Christian Bale did a great job as Patrick Bateman, I just wish the whole shooting and editing was as good as his acting.

“The Blair Witch Project”:

This is mainly based on the fact that I personally am not a fan of found-footage horror movies, and I find it ridiclious how this movie got so popular and still is to this day.

“The Shining”:

The movie is shot beautifully and is very pleasing to watch, but it just bugs me how the adaptation isn’t that close to the book. One of my issues with the movie is how Kubrick characterized the characters. Wendy is a real crybaby and Jack is way too crazy compared to the book, not to mention Jack Nicholson is too Jack Nicholson (if it makes sense). I do get why the movie was hated on when it came out, but I also get why it’s loved today.

I think you can praise it for its visuality, but the changes to the story and the characteristic of the characters aren’t that great.

“Paranormal Activity”:

This movie is garbage and I hate how much success it got. There was no effort put into the movie, it was made cheaply and the only ‘scary’ aspects of the movie is the many use of jumpscares, which has given the movie the undeserving title as “one of the scariest movie ever made”. It should be:

“One of the cheapest movie ever made that’ll make you jump so much from your seat you might as well just sit on a jumping seat throughout the movie”.

“Annabelle” and Annabelle the doll:

I thought the movie was awful because of the many jumpscares and the story wasn’t that structured well in my opinion. But it’s not as much as the movie that bugs me, but more the Annabelle doll design. It’s just so obvisious the production wanted to make her look scary, and I feel like that’s what ruins the movie for me, and the doll. The real life Annabelle doll is a raggedy Ann doll and I get why they can’t use the exact same doll due to copyright, but they could at least make movie Annabelle look friendly like real life Annabelle. I think that would have made it even more obscure to have a friendly looking doll being possessed by a demon.

Michael Myers:

I love the Halloween movie and also Michael, but at the same time I also find it ridiclious how extremely popular he is. Basically what I said about Jason can be applied on Michael. I really don’t think there’s that much to him as a character beside chasing teens for some unknown reason. Not to mention I can’t tell if he’s supposed to be supernatural or human, or both.

At least in Jason’s case you know he’s a zombie, at least later on in the franchise. I don’t know what exactly he was to begin with: human or some supernatural being too, oh well.

These are the ones I can think of so far.

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bestenglishschool-blog · 5 years

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Improve your English and spook yourself this Halloween

Are you in the mood to watch something spooky this Halloween? Grab some pillows and pop the popcorn! Halloween is the perfect time to sit on the sofa with friends (or alone if you’re brave) to watch a horror movie or two. Why not use this opportunity to practice your English listening skills as well?

There are tons of good and bad horror movies out there on Netflix, Hulu, or your other favorite streaming service. With so many options to choose from, you might not know where to start. So here’s a list of important horror movies from the past five decades to get you started. Keep in mind that these movies are adult-oriented. That means you should make sure the kids are asleep before you start watching. Happy viewing!

Horror Movies to Watch

1970s

The Exorcist (1973)

This supernatural horror film by William Friedkin— which is based on William Peter Blatty’s novel that is in turn loosely based on true events—has often been called the greatest horror movie ever made. It deserves the praise.

The film centers on a priest who is called to examine a young girl’s disturbing behavior. Her mother can’t find any medical or scientific explanation, and the priest concludes that the young girl, named Reagan, is showing signs of demonic possession. The priest requests the Catholic Church to send an expert priest to perform an exorcism (a religious ritual to remove an evil spirit from a person’s body). The devilish ordeal unfolds over the rest of the film.

The film famously uses complex visual and audio special effects as well as a chilling soundtrack to achieve moments of terror and disbelief. It has many memorable scenes, and the acting is excellent. If you only watch one film from this list, I recommend this one.

Halloween (1978)

John Carpenter directed and scored (wrote the music for) this genre-defining slasher film, which has led to many sequels and remakes. This includes the highly-praised 2018 direct sequel with the original lead actress, Jamie Lee Curtis, reprising (performing again) her role.

The film tells a story of an escaped mental institution patient named Michael Meyers who stalks and kills teenage babysitters in a small town one Halloween night. One by one, the babysitters fall until the last girl remains and fights back with everything she has.

Although it wasn’t the first in the slasher horror genre, Halloween is a hugely influential movie, paving the way and creating a blueprint for other slasher horror films like Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th. Carrie (1976)

Carrie would the first of many film adaptations of novelist Stephen King’s bestselling work. In fact, Carrie was King’s first published novel.

Brian De Palma directed this story of supernatural suspense and horror about a seventeen-year-old girl who is bullied in high school. One day, she discovers that she has telekinetic powers (the ability to move objects with her mind). She uses this power to take revenge on the cruel classmates who humiliated her. The prom night scene is one of the most famous moments in the history of horror movies.

Also consider:

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) The Wicker Man (1973) The Omen (1976)

1980s

Creepshow (1982)

The best thing about Creepshow is that you don’t have to watch the whole film to enjoy it. The film comprises (consists of) five short dark comedy horror stories written by Stephen King and directed by George Romero. Creepshow isn’t a particularly good film by acting or film-making standards. It has the feeling of a comic book. Still, horror movie lovers will find a lot to enjoy here. It’s not too silly to be called a comedy, and it’s not too serious to be truly scary.

The Evil Dead (1981)

The Evil Dead follows five college students who stay the night in a cabin in a remote part of a forest. In the cabin, they listen to an audio tape which summons demons which possess their bodies. This film has a lot of gory (showing lots of violence or blood) special effects and make-up, which may be disturbing for some viewers.

Despite the very low budget used to make it, The Evil Dead lives on as a critical and fan favorite in the genre. The tight story drives viewers through a terrifying plot that gets more gruesome and tense with each passing scene.

The director, Sam Raimi, and lead actor, Bruce Campbell, went on to create two direct sequels, The Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness. Campbell plays the main role in both. Both sequels take a more comic approach than the first film. Developing a close relationship through their partnership, Campbell appears as a cameo character in all of Raimi’s films. Look for him in the Sam Raimi Spiderman trilogy films.

The Thing (1982)

John Carpenter made this science fiction horror film about a group of American researchers in Antarctica. They encounter “the thing”, an alien parasite which can take the shape of and imitate any person or creature which it absorbs. The researchers must fight against the parasite creature and their own sense of paranoia (false belief that other people are trying to harm you). The story becomes grimmer as the researchers lose trust in each other and realize that any of them could be an imitation. Kurt Russel plays one of the main characters here.

Although the film was released to negative reviews, it has grown in popularity over the years and is now considered a horror classic. It has been praised for its very impressive special effects and slow but steadily increasing suspense.

The alien is a terrible creature, but the main fear is not knowing which character is still human.

Also consider:

The Evil Dead II (1987) An American Werewolf in London (1981) Poltergeist (1982) The Fly (1986) Friday the 13th (1980) The Shining (1980) Prince of Darkness (1987) A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

1990s

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)

Francis Ford Coppola directed this international renowned Gothic horror film which won Academy Awards for costume design, makeup, and sound editing. The story, of course, is a classic, based on the 1897 novel by Bram Stoker that built up the lore (traditional knowledge and beliefs) and mystery of Dracula, Van Helsing, and the vampire fantasy genre. Gary Oldman’s performance of Vlad Dracula might be the most impressive part of this film, but don’t ignore the excellent costumes, make-up effects, and background sets. Don’t miss out on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It does a great job of telling this classic story in a unique way.

Francis Ford Coppola is a central figure in cinema, known especially for The Godfather series and Apocalypse Now.

Event Horizon (1997)

This science fiction horror film directed by Paul W.S. Anderson occurs in distant space. A group of astronauts go on a rescue mission near the planet Neptune when they suddenly find the Event Horizon, a spaceship that has long been missing. They board (get into or onto) the Event Horizon and discover that the entire crew is gone. They also find out that the ship’s engine is designed to open passages to another dimension. As they continue to look for the missing crew members, they realize that there is an evil presence on the ship.

Sam Neill is widely known for his role as Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park. But he actually played a major role in Event Horizon and several other horror films—including another on this list, In the Mouth of Madness.

Scream (1996)

Scream is a slasher film directed by Wes Craven. The film stars a group of 90s TV and film celebrities (including Drew Barrymore, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and others) who play high school students. A knife-wielding murderer wearing a ghost mask terrorizes the group, killing them off one by one. The film combines slasher horror with comedy and mystery elements. It also satirizes (makes fun of) clichés (common situations or characters) within the horror genre. The movie was very popular when it was released, and a series of sequels and films with similar stories were released thereafter.

Also, consider:

In the Mouth of Madness (1994) Army of Darkness (1993) The Blair Witch Project (1999) The Silence of the Lambs (1991) Candyman (1992) Tremors (1990)

2000s

Trick ‘r Treat (2007)

Trick ‘r Treat is an anthology (collection of art) film like Creepshow. It offers four different Halloween stories, but there is one character that appears across each of them. Every time one of the characters breaks a “rule” of Halloween, the character Sam shows up to show teach them a horrifying lesson. One reason you’ll love Trick ‘r Treat is that all the stories take place on Halloween, and the stories play on people’s expectations of Halloween customs and horror movie plots. It couldn’t be more a more perfect film to watch this season. All the stories are well-crafted, balancing a line of fun entertainment and scary thrills.

The Descent (2005)

The Descent is a British horror film about six adventure-seeking women who go spelunking (cave exploring) in a cave system. Inside the cave, they encounter a long-hidden group of bloodthirsty creatures who start to hunt them down.

The cave setting increases the tension since you know the characters have very few places to hide. Also, the moody soundtrack does a great job of building and holding suspense. This film also explores the characters’ flawed relationships and problems, adding a sense of personal development to this tale of monster horror.

The Mist (2007)

Frank Darabont directed this Stephen King science fiction horror adaptation. It follows a group of people who barricade themselves in a supermarket after a thick fog covers their entire small town. When anyone goes out into the fog, they are swept up or gruesomely attacked by monstrous insect-like creatures.

Although the monsters are huge threat to the characters, the film also explores the extreme tension between people as they struggle to survive the unnatural mist that drives them to the brink (edge) of sanity. The climax of the film is really remarkable.

Also consider:

Drag Me to Hell (2009) 28 Days Later (2002) Slither (2006) Let the Right One In (2008)

2010s

The Cabin in the Woods (2011)

The less I say about The Cabin in the Woods, the better. It follows a group of college students who visit a cabin in the woods, and you’ll just have to see the film to find out anything else. This is the kind of horror film where the surprise is the most rewarding part of the movie. I’ll just say this, the more horror movies you’ve seen in your life, the more you’ll appreciate The Cabin in the Woods.

Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel) wrote the screenplay for the film in just three days. The film has great special effects and make-up.

The Conjuring (2013)

The Conjuring is an expertly crafted supernatural horror film from director James Wan. It follows Ed and Lorraine Warren, a husband and wife team of paranormal (very strange events that can’t be explained by science) investigators, whose real-life reports have inspired many other horror films, like Annabelle and The Amityville Horror. In this film, the couple tries to help a family which recently moved into a severely haunted house in Rhode Island.

The chills (sudden feelings of fear) in The Conjuring are outstanding. The film does an amazing job of getting you to sympathize with the family and investigators’ plight (very bad situation) as they deal with the disturbing events taking place in the house.

The Conjuring is the first film in The Conjuring Universe, which includes direct sequels, the Annabelle series, and the newly released The Nun. Get Out (2017) Get Out is a landmark (very important achievement) of American horror films. The film is the directorial debut (first produced film) of Jordan Peele, a well-known comedian from his retired Comedy Central show, Key and Peele. It tells the story of an African-American man, played by Daniel Kaluuya, who goes to visit the family of his white girlfriend for the first time. While he stays at their home, he uncovers a horrifying secret.

Not only does the film tell an exceptional story of tension and terror, it spaces out the dread with moments of brilliant humor. Looking closely at the film, viewers will see how Jordon Peele addresses racism through the lens of (with the perspective of) a unique horror story while paying homage (respect based on previous work) to classics of the genre.

Also consider:

It Follows (2014) The VVitch (2015) It (2017) The Babadook (2014)

Some people might read this and think, why should I watch horror movies at all? I don’t like to be scared. Well, there’s not a perfect answer for that question. Your brain produces a mix of chemicals that makes you feel scared when you think something bad is going to happen. It’s the same as when you ride a roller coaster or do something else that takes you outside of your comfort zone.

If you enjoy suspense or the feeling of surprise that keeps you on the edge of your seat, then you can’t go wrong with any movie from this list for a great Halloween thrill. Just about all of them have received critical praise or have gone on to become fan favorites.

Moreover, watching movies can be a great way to improve your English! For one thing, you’ll get to hear English that isn’t coming from a textbook. The English spoken in movies is very natural, which means that it’s what you would hear from native English speakers. Second, when you watch a movie, you’ll develop a sense of the context around the dialogue. This means that you have chances to learn or guess vocabulary based on the situation. Finally, by hearing natural English in movies you can hear and see the way words are expressed. You can pay attention to body language, pronunciation, and reactions to understand what the characters really mean.

LASC faculty and staff always want to help students learn English in interesting ways. Teachers here would recommend you keep your dictionary by your side, turn on the English subtitles, and don’t worry about catching every word. Even rewind and repeat scenes if you’re using English movies to study. Watching movies, scary or not scary, can be a fun way to improve your English. You can also follow this blog for more great tips on learning English and living in southern California.

Talk to an LASC representative to learn how we can help you on your learning journey.

Read Original Article Here - https://lascusa.com/improve-your-english-and-spook-yourself-this-halloween/

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sweetdollfromhell · 6 years

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Chilling Tales of Riverdale

Chapter 2 an old fanfic but stil alive that is a mix of Riverdale, CAOS and Archie horror. Located in season 2 and will have differences with the canon for both shows. Hope you like :)

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Jughead and Betty were running in the woods, they were ahead for the moment, but they could still hear their pursuers. It was a forest, they would eventually lose them before they were exhausted. Suddenly, Jughead noticed several trees that seemed so close that their branches seemed to be intertwined with the feet of large bushes that were still surprisingly bushy.

-That way! he decided by training Betty to follow him.

The two young continued in the direction indicated by Jughead, eventually sinking into the narrow passage that led to a kind of clearing.

-Okay, so we're trying to stay here for now, but if we hear anything, we keep going. It doesn't matter, if we move away, as long as we get the signal, Jughead started before he noticed that Betty wasn't listening to him.

She had looked up at one of the trees and observed it.

-Betty?

-Jug, what's in the tree? Betty asked without taking her eyes off the object.

Jughead approached and saw what his girlfriend was watching: tied up after a branch base, something that seemed to be a dream catcher was swinging. That or his nightmare version. The thread that connects the different pieces to each other was made of hair braided in a color halfway between blond and white, teeth too small to be that of an adult had been placed in the circle and others were swung at the ends of the braids. The whole thing was covered with brownish spots that Jughead guessed to be blood. Almost by reflection, he tried to lure him to himself, touching him before Betty could stop him. At that moment, he noticed something from the corner of his eye.

-There are others.

-What?

-Look," said the young man, pointing to other branches but also to some other trees.

Several objects with the same aesthetics are hung among the branches, slightly concealed but visible in the right angle: rarely the same, some just made of branches, pebbles and plants dry while some contain animal bones when it is not dried pieces of their bodies or for at least one, something fresh enough for the flies to turn around. Some of the trees also had patterns painted with the same reddish-brownish-brown substance signs that they could not identify.

Betty felt her head turned and as she lowered her head, made her last discovery.

-Even the ground, she whine.

None of them noticed at the time, but the floor is perfectly clean. No dead leaves, excrement or other waste. Only sequences of small pebbles perfectly buried to be visible but not far enough out for us to slide on. They form complex patterns in a fairly large circle for several people.

-How did we end up in Blair Witch project? Asked worried but also curious Jughead.

Before Betty could answer, they were interrupted:

-But what do we have here?

Jughead turned around ready to throw himself at the first Ghoulie within his reach but he was still far away from them. Close enough to be heard but not enough to be seen.

-Get out of here, or you'll regret it! Another one continued.

-On the contrary, let him stay! Maybe he knows where Jones is," said their leader. -So, do you have any values to say? Have you seen a tall skinny guy in a ridiculous hat and a pretty blonde doll?

If the person answered, they did not hear. The Ghoulies would soon move on to insults and at the moment Jughead would offer to try to help, a broken bone sound was heard followed by a cry of pain.

-What the hell... started another one.

A sound of a blow was heard with new cries. What followed was after a mixture of screaming pain and fear:

-AAAAAAHHHHH

-Get away you you ….Fucking crazy bitch from hell!

-Just... Stop! Leave us....Anything you want!!!!!

-Should we...? Betty began.

-We should let them have fun and then see what our best option is," Jughead proposed.

It was not sure that they could escape before that no matter what made so much money then to prepare. He will be fists and saw Betty lift her bag ready to send a punch.

The screams were silent and running noises were heard. The losers were running away. Time to face the champion.

A silhouette passed between the bushes. This person was small and wore a red hoodie so hidden his face. The rest of her outfit looked like ratty pajamas that probably was originally pink or white. In his hand, a broom and around his neck a black cat watching them.

-Hi... Are you all right? Says the silhouette in a soft and feminine voice.

The hood fell off and revealed the skinny face of a girl their age. With her skin so sickly pale and her short cut white hair, she almost looks like an albino. She also has green eyes piercing like a cat. The effect was striking, nearly unccany valley.

-Uh... yes, thank you, said surprise Betty.

-Oh, it's nothing," continued the girl.

Before Betty could continue, Jughead also asked a question:

-What happened to the others?

-The boys who were chasing you? Gone. I took care of it! She answered the girl proudly.

The cat on his shoulder meowed loudly.

-Sorry, we took care of it, she corrected by rubbing her forehead against the cat's forehead.

-I consider myself a feminist and I believe women can do anything, but I can't believe you can fight four guys and win," continued suspicious Jughead.

-This is my territory, I know it perfectly and I have many traps to feed myself and defend myself. And I'm armed!

She lifted her broom proudly. Then she spread the strands to reveal the tip of a stake in her heart. This one was covered with something red and sticky.

-Are they...start Betty.

The girl quickly understood and realized Betty's thinking.

-Oh no, don't worry. They're just hurt pretty bad, as long as they go to a doctor, everything will be fine.

-Okay, says Betty a little uncomfortable but she wasn't going to cry too hard for her bullies.

Suddenly her gaze slipped to the ground and she had another shock.

-But you don't have any shoes!

The girl looked down at her bare feet, before saying, embarrassed.

-I went out quickly when I heard the noise and didn't think to put on my shoes. It doesn't matter.

-It is November, the Betty cut. -You're going to catch your death blow!

-I swear to you, I'm fine. I'm always barefoot and we're great...

She shup himself when Jughead handed her a pair of socks.

- Here you go. You may not be cold, but you can still get hurt by stepping on something.

-Are these yours? You're going to be cold," said the girl, looking down at his feet.

-Unfortunately, I don't carry a bag of clothes with me in case I run into Mowgli.

The girl laughed and put on the socks without any more resistance.

-What's your name? Asked Betty realizing that they had forgotten the essential.

-Sabrina and you?

The cat spat at the same time.

-Shh, Salem! And come down, you're heavy! She said as she dropped the cat off her shoulders.

He meowed his discontent when he landed on the ground.

-My name is Betty, and this is my boyfriend Jughead.

-It's your work in the trees? suddenly cut it down. -And the ground?

-Uh... Yes. It's just for my safety.

-Your security? Betty asked, also intrigued.

-Well, this kind of fetish thanks to Hollywood reminds us of satanic cults and inbreeding cannibal families. A good way to convince people to turn back and not find my camp. Even if some are really based on old protective grey-gray, you never know in case he has some truth in his stories. The ones that contain pieces of animals come from my leftover meals. I didn't waste anything," Sabrina continued.

-There are human teeth in this one," continued Jughead, pointing to the dream catch.

-Mine, finally my milk teeth. One of my aunts thought the tooth fairy was a stupid concept. She gave me a piece but kept the teeth, pierced them and made a necklace out of them. She told me that I could carry and tell the other children who were bothering me that I was carrying the smiles of my enemies around my neck, always looking for more material for it.

-Interesting technique against bullying, says Jughead sarcastically.

-With mixed results, Sabrina said, embarrassed. - It's my hair on it too. They were long and I couldn't have maintained them here. The same goes for blood.

-Did you cut yourself? Asked Betty worried.

-No, I was just menstruating, Sabrina said bluntly. -Whenever you make one, you might as well make it realistic.

Betty wondered which of the information given so far was the most disturbing. But he had more urgency.

-If you want to keep talking, it may be better to go to my camp, cut Sabrina off with eagerness. -I have food, drinks and my cleaning is done! I mean, if you wanted to and you're in no hurry. Otherwise, I understand," she said.

Betty and Jughead looked at each other. Both were clearly shared. Sabrina had helped them well and as strange as she seemed, she also seemed to be in great need of human contact. Jughead felt his stomach twist: he had something fishy about this girl but he was the first to admit that sometimes life pushed you to do things that were questionable or whose logic seemed strange. He could also see in Betty's eyes a mixture of worry, compassion and curiosity. It was too late.

-You know what? I think we didn't have much time. Jughead's bike is broken and I don't think we'll have a choice but to call for help. Might as well wait in your company.

#riverdale #chilling tales of sabrina #chilling adventure of sabrina #chilling riverdale #jughead jones #betty cooper #sabrina spellman #salem saberhagen #bughead

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bleak-nomads · 6 years

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syb’s guide to her own pasta fic

Another fic writer in my other fandom wrote a “guide to their own fic” where she sass-described all the different works and their purposes. I thought that would be a fun thing to do with my pasta fic :) other fic writers encouraged to do the same with theirs.

The first fic I wrote for the fandom was Devil's pupil gonna teach you to sight. If The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is your starter spaghetti Western and what you wanted from it was some grimy cowboy hatesex, you've come to the right place. If you get into this fic, scroll down past the cut for the Coles notes on my Blondeyes fic.

Just saw For a Few Dollars More and want shippy Mantimer content? I have two fics, A Name's Witness, which is a series of shippy canon annotations, and Sight, Blank, and Shot which is a post canon fix it fic with a rollicking adventure and some soft bondage.

For some less mainstream offerings, A Companion to Trees and a Song for a Friend is a post canon daemon au to Beyond the Law. I think this is one of the sweetest fics I have ever written, which suits the good ship Cudvac.

The total tonal opposite is my fic cheap dynamite for A Bullet for the General (which is only on tumblr since I still don’t feel I’m very good at writing abuse ships). Nino/Chuncho, and definitely heed the content warnings on this fic.

I also have like a coin that won't get tossed, which explores a post canon Ryan and Bill from Death Rides a Horse. My characterization there is in broad strokes based on @mcicioni-blog’s writings so I would highly encourage you to read her work first, since it's closer to the canon timeline.

Alright, now let's talk about the content I make rather obsessively: Blondeyes. Please for the love of God read the tags and chapter notes if you need trigger warnings.

If you want more canon-close content for GBU, the place to start is Three of Spades, Two of Clubs, but only the first three chapters. This fic is a series of short Blondie and Angel Eyes centric ficelets I wrote, but some of these will only be relevant to people who have read my entire Blondeyes canon. Be warned, the third chapter is sad, but I think of it as one of my best short works.

If you were into the kinky hatefuck dynamic of Devil's Pupil, why not give solitudinum fecerunt, pacem appelunt a try? It's mostly that but it has a great arc and some unusual narration.I’m oddly proud of the characterization I had for Angel Eyes in this. That fic sort of starts you down the rabbit hole of my Blondeyes verse.

If you read that and want more angst, but nothing too long, Chapter 4 of Three of Spades presents a divergence to solitudinem that is both sweet and angsty. (who built) the road is also a short and sweet drabble series, with angst in places. It's meant to bridge solitudinem and the next fic, so it can be read before or after without a whole lot changed.

If you’re ready to jump down the rabbit hole, Sighted Crows in a Desert of Rime is probably one of my best works, and my love letter to Hannibal. Relentless angst, murder sideplot, extreme kinky bullshit, and a happy ending. Oh and if you've gotten this far please drop me a message -- I love talking to people about the ship.

If you just want a little bit of goddamn fluff from this ship of all places….Chapter 5 of Three of Spades will do that for you.

If you’re sick of both of them by now and you want a total tone shift, also you’re interested in reading an epistolary with nods to House of Leaves and follows roughly the plot of The Blair Witch Project, well, The Grey Desert Mythos is the fic for you. Is it the most obscure bullshit I have ever written? Probably.

I have at least two other Blondeyes fics in the works right now, which I will append to this post later :)

Finally, if you want some silly ficlets the drabble tag on this blog has a few things that will probably never be revised into real fics.

#my fic #the definitive guide #syb's pasta fic #pasta fic #wow the blondeyes section is so extensive #and lbr #that guide is needed #esp given how confusing three of spades is lol #sybil writes fic

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melissafoxmedia · 6 years

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Gender roles, witches, demons and Hereditary. A film essay and review.

An opinionated and biased essay ahead, perfectly imperfect. This writer is aware of said bias's and welcomes your ideas respectuflly. Proceed.

Halfway through his movie, I turned to my husband and said, “I think we might need therapy when this is all over.” I’d like to start with a caveat that we are a household that loves horror movies. In my opinion, horror is an under-appreciated genre. I'm not talking about franchise horror films, of which we are not a fan, with the exception of Insidious. I'm talking, The Shining, Blair Witch Project, Suspiria, Mommy, Let The Right One In, Babbadook. Classic horror tales and the like. Greek tragedies, even Shakespear. I have a lot to say about this one. So fair warning, this essay is long.

A QUICK BACKGROUND

I grew up reading Steven King, Bram Stoker, Mary Shelly, Edgar Allen Poe, Anne Rice and Mark Danielewski. I would argue that even my favorite fantasy and science fiction writers like Tolkien and George R.R. Martin borrow from the horror genre.

What solidified my interest in horror was actually a class in Chinese and Japanese cinema and art history. I enjoyed studying the nuances of the culture through the stories they told. Most of which were ghost stories. Ancestral worship is part of their culture. When visiting someones home, you might find a shrine to their passed loved ones. Ghosts are a normal, everyday part of their spiritual life. So too are their ghost stories.

This connection to the dead is apparent in many cultures. The Celtic festival of Samhain, The Buddhist Obon, Dia De Los Muertos, Chuseok in Korea and Gai Jatra in Nepal. All have ceremonies and celebrations that honor ancestral spirits. Essentially, the ghosts of your family. I joke that even the Bible is one long ghost story. Full of death, rebirth, angels, demons, spirits, voices and apocalyptic visions. But where eastern religions and ancient cultures differ is around the premise of fear. Specifically spirits.

Take, for instance, the Buddhist Obon and Del Dia De Los Muertos. Celebrations designed to honor the people who came before you. Essentially, one envokes the spirits of your ancestors come back to visit the living. One would light lanterns or lay a path of flowers to guide those spirits back to earth for the celebration. You are literally inviting ghosts to come and have dinner with you. These rituals are not fear based spiritual practices. You will find no children running away in horror from the ghosts of great granddad. They are beautiful rituals full of dancing, prayer, and community.

I grew up going to Church for a large part of my life, so my religious experiences of adolescence are based on my experiences with the Chrisitan church. Here notes my personal bias. I have no such memories of honoring my ancestors in a such a way from the Church. In fact, anything involving something seance-like would have been viewed as the devil. The dead are mourned in quiet reverence but one must be careful in creating any false idols. The only ghost that is ok to envoke, is the holy ghost. It's still very old testement thinking when it comes to this one.

I have a vivid memory of sitting on a picnic bench at Jesus camp, 13 years old, sobbing uncontrollably. I just listened to a fiery sermon about hell and I was truly conflicted. I was already "saved," having said the prayer and done the ritual at 8 years old. But my father was not. He was an atheist. I didn't want him to go to hell. I was terrified and felt guilty. My counselor at the time kept pressing me to call him. She wanted me to "get him saved," right now.

As an adult, I see how flawed that moment was. I did not call my father that night. I couldn't understand how my Christian peers thought less of me for doing so. I thought for sure that God would understand my compassion. My father and I had already discussed his feelings. He always respected my right to choose a religion, and I liked that, so I respected his. But that is not how I was treated by members of the Church. Needless to say, my relationship with the Church ended shortly thereafter and became an agnostic in my adult life.

I could give many instances of examples of why I feel that Christianity is a fear based religion, but I am not defending that point for this essay. Let's assume that it is.

I think it's interesting that our writer for Hereditary uses Goetia as it's religious influence. Goetia, an ancient Greek word that literally means sorcerer, get's its roots from the 16th century. Later, during the Renaissance, it became dubbed "black magic." The backdrop for the ending of the film and it's 17th-century Greek influence, we will explore later. But culturally, I think it's worth looking at this film through an American lens, of which, most of the population is Christian, making the comparisons I make relevant. Hereditary is an American film, written by an American writer. So I don't think he is trying to say anything specific about religion, other than to use it as a horror construct. This writer is obviously aware of his audience and is using that within his film.

We like horror films about evil, possession and ghosts almost as much as we like superhero movies. That classic good versus evil fight. We love it when the lines are drawn in the sand and the tension is clear. We don't get that kind of clarity in life. In fact, life is made up of many unknowns and gray areas. Those two, a cause of our fear and anxiety.

Hereditary doesn't put this idea front and center. Which is why I love it. The supernatural takes a back seat up until the second act. It dives headfirst into the gray areas to establish our characters and keeps us in the deepend with our worst fears.

ABOUT HEREDITARY - NON-SPOILER REVIEW

Hereditary is brilliantly written and performed. If I were awarding Oscars, I would give one to the writer and one to the lead actress. The writing and specifically her performance is award worthy. It is visually stunning and draws from some of the best ancient storytelling techniques of the ages. Its greek tragedy influence is what makes the whole story so strong. The best moments are the long takes, the timing of the edit, the absence of music and truly breathless performances.

But I would argue that the best thing about Hereditary is what it doesn’t explicitly say. Like a Greek Tragedy, it’s about the things that take place in-between the lines that make it so terrifying. It’s a spiritual horror film that speaks to our fears of inheriting the tragedies and traits of our ancestors. It’s about secrets between parents and children. Grief and it’s emotional manifestations. How tragedy can transform a person. It’s about the unspeakable terror that leads to more questions than answers. If you are looking for a nice bow-tie ending, you won’t get it. You are more likely to walk away going, “huh?” I loved the ending, but I think it will turn a lot of people off. It’s not what you are used to these days.

The best thing about the movie, in my opinion, is about women, spirituality, possession, and emotion. Which leads us to the essay below. I won’t be diving into Greek Tragedy or deconstruction of its uses in horror films. That’s for another day. I think it’s been widely documented in reviews thus far. I’d like to take a look at Gender, Christianity, Religion and how this film plays with those larger social constructs.

GENDER ROLES IN HORROR FILMS

Gender roles in horror films are one of my favorite things to pick apart culturally. If you want to dive in more, this is an excellent place to start. Women in horror films have a long history of being gas-lighted by the male characters they interact within the plot. They are scorned with male “logic,” that the things they are experiencing aren’t real. Usually, they are tortured, shallow characters that look pretty and scream on cue. Often viewed as “crazy,” and spend most of the plot running from danger. This isn't always the case, there are a few standouts. But for the most part, I think the above is true. Women are either victims or "witches," in the majority of horror films. I also think it's interesting how we treat women who are having spiritual experiences. In our stories, we are uncomfortable with female emotion. Therefore, if someone is having an extremely emotional experience, we are likely to view them as scary.

We are at our roots a Puritan nation. One whose fear of “the devil,” allowed us to pillage “savage Indians,” in the name of that fear. Europe during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries persecuted thousands of witches. Whole villages of Swiss women were wiped out in the hysteria.

In America, we have the Salem witch trials.

I recently got to visit Salem Massachusetts. I read this fantastic book before I went called, “A Delusion Of Satan, The full story of the Salem witch trials.” Which outlines in more context the conditions and beliefs that lead to the "witch hysteria.” Today, those Puritans have received their Karma. Salem is a joke. It’s become a tourist Halloween town. Complete with haunted houses, tarot readers, and hippie spiritualists. The “devil,” they so fought to destroy has won. I laughed thinking about the righteous judges jumping through time to see children running around in witch costumes pretending to put spells on each other in their beloved village.

The story of Salem became a cautionary tale of the dangers of religious belief. But the book attempts to take it one step further in outlining the gender roles of women, power dynamics between men and women and femininity, creativity and inspiration. Unlike the modern telling of the story like “The Crucible,” the book deliciously researches connections from historical records. The trials were meticulously documented. Which may be why the story has been passed down to new generations and became taught in schools. But the book makes some connections for me that my 5th-grade classroom reading of The Crucible didn’t.

Life was hard as a puritan and men made all the rules. Imagination was stifled among children. Art was functional. Creativity was not encouraged, survival was. Sexuality was almost exclusively prohibited as a sin of the flesh with the exception of procreation. Pleasure was not allowed. Expression among women was silenced. These are all feminine values. Women who express extreme emotion are “crazy,” while men who express themselves in extreme ways are “passionate.” Soon “crazy,” became “a witch.” Any outburst of extreme emotion and a woman could be accused of being possessed by the devil. Witch hunting thus became inherently female and while anyone a could be accused of being a witch, most of the persecution was of women.

As a little girl, I played a lot in an imaginative space. I experimented with all kinds of storytelling and play acting. As a teenager, I was emotional and dramatic. I guarantee if I had been observed by a Puritan priest, they would have convinced the town that I was possessed. I think most artists would have been accused of witchcraft in that era.

These tropes still exist today. We still silence women. We write stories where they are silenced by others. In a large majority of our horror films, women are either the victims or for lack of a better term, "witches." As time moved on, we stopped persecuting witches and started locking women up in asylums for misbehaving. Thus replacing "witch," with "crazy."

I’m sure at some point, we have all thought our mothers to be “crazy,” through this lens too. Extreme imaginative outbursts or expressions of emotion are squashed in our society. We can barely handle a crying baby on an airplane let alone a woman who cries in public.

And here marks the line of spoilers people. If you wish to continue, do so at your own risk. I am about to talk about the details of the story.

GENDER, DEMONS AND WITCHES IN HEREDITARY

Hereditary begins with our main character, Annie, in the midst of working on her art. She creates model dioramas. It is implied as the story chugs along that these dioramas are her emotional outlet. This is how she processes grief, anger, and fear. The tension between imagination, memory, and reality play nicely here. Why in the world would someone make a miniaturized model of the death of her mother?

I enjoyed the duality of the models with life. The idea that I could take memories and tragedies out of my head and examine them as real-life objects. To see if I could make sense of them, process them differently. This process apears painstaking in the film. The details are fussed over, out main character possessed with the idea of recreation. A rebirth of her pain. Nicely done.

Next, we meet Charlie. Charlie is different. She makes you uncomfortable but we trust her slightly more because we assume it’s a mental disorder. The play on gender here is masterfully done. Our young actress is phenomenal but I question the casting choice. We love to put our humanly different in horror films and this borders exploitation for me. It's akin to pointing at her and calling her "freak." I get that we are establishing a long line of mental health issues for our characters, so I'll leave this one be. But do better next time.

Next, the shocking tragedy that propels our characters into some of the best moments of the film. Personally, I did not see that one coming. The car accident begins our true emotional terror.

Annie experiences real grief for the first time in the loss of her daughter. She was relieved when her own mother died, having been released from the burden of that relationship only to be thrust forward into the guilt of playing a part in her own daughter's death. Grief is not handled lightly here. Our main character moves through hysteric fits. She retreats. She creates twisted dioramas of the accident. All the while her husband grows more and more suspicious of her behavior. Her husband literally acts as men have throughout history. Questioning the intensity of her emotions and wondering if he should send her away. If we are sticking with our horror metaphors, Annie is possessed by grief.

My favorite scene to illustrate this concept is at the dinner table. Tensions mount in the household to an emotional breaking point. Our male characters confront our female lead and claim that she isn’t being truthful about her feelings. They invite her to express herself.

She does. This eruption is the best scene in the film. Rarely do we get to experience female emotional flow on the screen. The sight of a woman in full emotional and visual expression makes our male characters physically retreat from the scene. The very thing they invited her to express is the very thing they can not handle and rather than applaud her completion of this expression, they squash it. The men refuse to join her and instead they persecute her almost as if saying, "burn the witch.’ The refreshing length of the shot and the stellar performance by the actress is noteworthy. They do not shy away from the complexities of extreme emotions.

I think all of us are afraid that if we let go on some level, what comes forth would be bad. Tapping into our emotional flow is scary. So scary that as a society we can’t handle people doing it in front of us. We tell each other, “don’t cry,” when comforting one another. We tell our men, “crying isn’t manly.” And when we see our lead actress express herself on screen, we too as an audience are scared. We question her sanity, if only for a moment. Can we pause for a moment to admire the cinematography choice here? It's like an 18th century painting.

I mean, look at that still shot above. Gorgeous terrifying women in full power feeling herself fully. Just hand Tonni Collect the Oscar, please. This scene is fucking amazing. I applauded Annie's capacity to let go and laughed when the men wouldn't join her. Granted, it has taken me a long time to be ok with my own extremities of emotions but now that I am, I was praising this goddess on screen. I honestly can't think of another on screen performance that accomplishes this as well as Hereditary does.

Emotoins escalate as the film begins introducing the supernatural to the plot. Annie, meets with a new friend in her grief group, this friend conducts a saence to bring back the spirit of her grandchild. It seems to work and despite her reservations, she tries it. This triggers the climax of our film and leads to its ultimate resolution after discovering that her mother had a secret spiritual life. Spirituality “literally," kept in a box and hidden away until the very end of the film. I think spirituality is what our writer wants you to infer as the "hereditary trait." It’s the thing that our lead character doesn’t want to inherit from her mother. Her secret life. Her mental illness. Her spirituality. One might even say, she demonizes her mother. 😉

CHARLIE

The gender play with Charlie is also worth noting. At the conclusion of the film, we learn that Charlie is a male demon reincarnated into a female body. His name is Paimon. His rencarnation into Charlie was a mistake, as we learn at the conclusion of the film. The whole film is a plot to correct this mistake. Charlie referenced as she presents more like a tomboy with an androgynous name. While women are often “Witches,” in our scary stories so to men are painted as “Demons.”

I always wondered why this trope existed in our storytelling. Sometimes I think it's about dominance and submission, Witches serve Demons. Men subservient to women. Demons are usually powerful creatures in our stories. Females are usually the victims of demon possession, either used for literal possession or for impregnation. But it wasn’t always that way.

In the pre-Christian era, demons were both male and female. Much like the ancient polytheistic religions that had many gods and goddesses, so too was the gender spectrum of demons. It’s Christianity that spun the gender roles and made them sexless. Technically, Christian demons are fallen angels, as referenced in the Bible. They are sexless beings whose purpose is to test human beings on their faith in God and lead them to sin.

"For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” —2 Corinthians 11:13–15

I always wondered, why then do we paint demons as masculine throughout history? See that winged creature demon up there - - - what sex do you infer when observing it? For context, the above painting is Dante and Virgil in Hell - William-Adolphe Bouguereau, 1850. It’s a scene from Dante’s inferno, in which there are several biblical references used to describe the journey into hell. This painting is terrifying in person btw. It’s the size of a billboard and you can see the demons eyes staring at you from all angles. Notice the color palet and the lighting on the main figures in the foregroud. Remind you of any shot from before?

Back to Hereditary …

Why does Paimon need a male body? Why is he unhappy in a female body? Paimon is supposed to be a Prince not a Princess. If you don’t know who Paimon is … you aren’t alone. I had to look it up too. He’s one of the kings of hell with Goetic orgins, also referenced in Persian and Iranian stories. The “King," denotes man right?

Paimon is referenced in a demonology spell book called Lesser Key Of Solomon. Therein lists 72 demons of which, one is Paimon. Each demon has a symbol, which was a clue in the film. Annie wears one around her neck. Guess she should have googled the symbol before wearing it.

So essencially our demon "man-king," is pissed because he was born a woman and his followers work to correct the issue. Wow. Talk about some gender issues right? The wiki page for Paimon also gives us a hint at a sequel btw… go read it if you like.

SO have you made it this far?

If you have, cheers to you. Welcome to my geekery. I spent a lot of money on my education in art history, English and film critique. Literally wrote a paper a day for 4 years. I’m still paying off the bill. Blogs are more refreshing though, I don’t have to worry about being perfect or getting graded. I can just share my passion for picking apart social and cultural references in storytelling.

That said, if Hereditary made me spawn a long essay like this, imagine what it might do for you. I will warn you, my husband is still having nightmares from the visuals. Which I didn’t even get a chance to geek out about here. That said, I do think that our tales of horror are the most interesting things to look at in society. Our relationship to fear or lack thereof is still taboo. Last year marked the first time a horror film was nominated for an Oscar, and I think to Get Out was nominated more for its cultural relevance and discussion of race in our time. I’d love to see more from this writer. I was seriously impressed. It’s well researched and smart with an excellent understanding of pace and emotional landscapes.

So just like our movie, here ends my essay. I’m not going to neatly tie this up.

What did you think of the film?

#Hereditary #movie review #film review #film essay #gender roles in horror films #Salem witch trials #Charlie Hereditary #Demons #Christianity

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shemakesmusic-uk · 7 years

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INTERVIEW: Hero Fisher.

British-born, French-raised and London-based, Hero Fisher is returning to release her sophomore LP Glue Moon. In 2015 she released her debut album, the critically-appraised Delivery which won her fans in The Horrors and Blur. By turns a blistering rock and roller in the vein of Patti Smith and PJ Harvey, and an experimental folk storyteller à la Jeff Buckley, Hero Fisher resists easy generic categorisation with her protean and filmic musical storytelling. Able to expertly strike a variety of different narrative poses, she is at once the spurned lover and the fired-up rabble rouser, the predator and the prey. With Glue Moon lead single ‘Sylvie’ straddling the line between being a modern love song or a gothic ghost tale, it’s evident Hero has plenty of yarns left in her yet, and from the apparent ease with which she spins them, she’ll reach many more milestones on her creative journey.

Shot in the style of found footage movie making like The Blair Witch Project, the video for Hero Fisher’s new single ‘Sylvie’ is a beautifully eerie accompaniment to her tender and emotive songwriting. Together, the audio and visuals tell a spectral love story. Delicate plucked acoustic guitars morph into orchestral soundscapes rich and cinematic in tone, as staggering as the sublime landscapes encountered in the video by Hero and her unseen partner as they roam deeper into the unknown. On ‘Sylvie’ Hero showcases her prodigious talent, led by a canny ear for compelling instrumentation and sophisticated lyricism. It’s a natural progression from the alt-rock/folk hybridisation found on her accomplished debut album Delivery and an exciting new step in her artistic development. View the video below.

We were lucky enough to have a conversation with Hero about her career so far, Glue Moon, touring and more. Read it below.

youtube

For any readers out there that may not have heard of you, how would you describe your music?

"I would say we make moody dark ballads with earthy ambient atmospheres. Our new album is very live and organic, a bit psychedelic, a bit electronic, a bit pagan-y rock…"

Where did your passion for music begin and what made you want to ultimately follow a career as a singer-songwriter?

"I remember being very moved by music for as long as I can remember (like most people i think!). I was rubbish at piano lessons except when I’d manage to convince my teacher Valentine to play something she loved, and then I was the most attentive student ever. We also had a family friend Genevieve who played guitar and sung so beautifully, it made me want to do the same. She told me not to give up, even when it seems like the only option, which has stuck with me.

"I think Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen were big influences for me to write songs. What strikes me in music is the ability it has to describe indescribable feelings."

You recently unveiled the video for your new track 'Sylvie'. What was the inspiration behind the visuals and the track in general?

"I’m very involved with the visual side of things- even more so for our new album. While writing it, I was drawn to images of decay, and nature taking over man made structure. Sylvie was inspired by a passage in the book Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson, with an idea of a ghost town in mind. I don’t really try to create narratives in my videos, I generally have a mood in mind and go with it. This time it felt like I needed a hazy, grainy/off the cuff quality about 'Sylvie' - I think I’m happy with the result!"

'Sylvie' is taken from your upcoming second album Glue Moon. What can you tell us about the LP? How does it compare to your debut Delivery?

"If I think of the songs on Glue Moon as a whole, I would say they all have a sense of re-birth, of new beginnings, of shedding old skin and being at peace with it. It’s more loose and more playful than ‘Delivery’."

Do you have plans to tour the new record? Which of the new songs are you most looking forward to performing live?

"Yes we'll be doing some shows this year with some some new tracks and then we'll tour the full album next year once it's released. At the moment I really enjoy playing a new song called Peaceful Mind.”

Your sound is very atmospheric and cinematic. How do you incorporate these types of soundscapes into your live show?

"We don't really use lighting or visuals just yet - our shows are very live and organic - it's very much a dynamic 'band' show, and then we'll create atmospheric soundscapes and harmonics with looping and effect pedals etc..."

What is your favourite thing about being on stage?

"When I forget I'm on stage."

Your career so far has been amazing. You collaborated with Alison Mosshart and Boy George in the Mark Ronson-scored ballet Carbon Life, opened for The Rolling Stones and Neil Young at Hyde Park, and got shortlisted for the 2014 Glastonbury Emerging Talent Prize. All fantastic acheivements! What has been the best part of your journey so far and what are you looking forward to in the future?

"The best part is being able to say "I just finished recording my 2nd album". I never knew I'd manage one, let alone two!

"I'm looking forward to playing in new places to new audiences!"

Glue Moon is set to be released in spring 2018.

#interview #hero fisher #sylvie

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huelskamp19 · 7 years

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Kampy Takes a Look At: Ghostwatch

Spoilers

I love horror movies. I love found footage horror movies. The intense sensation the viewer experiences by seeing events unfold as though they were actually in the film, framed by the first person Point of view of filming techniques, is a cinematic trope of which I have yet to tire of. Filmmakers must construct these films with much more care than a typical horror film. It’s difficult to strike a balance of showing too much, ruining the realistic feel of the film, and showing too little, disappointing the audience with an unfulfilling pay off to the cinematic haunted house. Filmmakers must also strike a delicate balance with the protagonists, which act as the audience surrogate; compelling enough to carry the story with clear purpose while being generic enough that the audience can continue to insert themselves into the film. The UK television mockumentary, Ghostwatch succeeds in overcoming both of these difficulties masterfully. While not a perfect film, Ghostwatch makes many choices, which help to both draw the viewer into the drama as though they were truly present for the events in question, creates a compelling cast of characters in which the audience can interact, and creates unsettling atmosphere and subtle scares which never go too far into the absurd. It’s no wonder that the film would inspire many in the UK to believe it was real upon it’s initial airing, but would also go on to inspire a whole slew of found footage style horror films –most notably, The Blair Witch Project.

The BBC’s Ghostwatch is a 90-minute horror story shot in a documentary style that aired in 1992 as a part of the BBC’s “Screen One” drama series. While the special was clearly indicated to be a work of fiction, it is based on the paranormal case of the Enfield Poltergeist. Heavily investigated and criticized, with evidence both confirming and denying it as a potential hoax, this poltergeist case was in the forefront of every paranormal investigator’s mind as one of the most compelling pieces of supernatural occurrences. Many casual viewers who watched the special were terrified by what they saw, and later angered when they found out it was a work of fiction. Tabloids were outraged by the disturbing imagery and frightened viewers continued to call the network even after the airing. To this day, the special has not aired again on the BBC. However, its rise to cult status and its influence on modern day found footage horror films cannot be understated. Many of the found footage techniques this film utilized are found today in modern horror films, including the dreaded mirror scare (which I hate). This just goes to show the influence this film holds over filmmakers, even 25 years later.

The special stars professional reporters Michael Parkinson, Sarah Greene, Mike Smith and Craig Charles as themselves and actress Gillian Bevan as the in studio parapsychologist. Sarah Greene is sent with her camera crew to investigate the potential haunting of a house in Greater London. Through interviews with neighbors, on site happenings, and in studio investigation with calling viewers, it is revealed that the house is haunted by a malevolent spirit the children who live in the house call “Pipes”. In the end, all hell breaks loose and the viewer is left to wonder what will happen next as the special ends with Michael Parkinson reciting the creepy nursery rhyme Pipes was fond of.

The framing, through a news network investigation, is a boon to the special as it allows the viewers to both feel as though they are participating in the haunted excursion and to have a compelling protagonist to act as the focal point of the film. The audience is viewing the events unfolding from the perspective of the relatively silent cameraman, focusing on Sarah. With Sarah Greene acting as the mouthpiece for the audience while having her own agenda, the viewer becomes invested in not only the happenings of the haunting, but also the wellbeing of an actual character that we have come to know and identify with. Greene plays herself as inquisitive, but somewhat skeptical, much like the average viewer would be. I think this is one of the main reasons viewers were drawn in and compelled to believe the events that took place as truth, as opposed to listening to the disclaimer at the beginning of the show; Greene acts as your average joe, or jane, while investigating. Even though she kindly takes care of the kids that live in the house while their mother observes, she is shown to be skeptical of their claims due to ever nature as a reporter. However, at the same time, she wants to believe them as she herself is a woman who is excited by the prospects of the supernatural. This duality, along with the depth of her performance, makes Green a fascinating character to watch as the chaos around her unfolds.

The special itself holds an air of skeptical realism, with much of the haunting itself being like real world claims of paranormal activity. Inanimate objects moving, seeing glimpses of something out of the corner of your eye, recordings seemingly changing depending on the viewer, weird sounds at night, and such. Michael Parkinson falls on the opposite side of the spectrum of belief desire. He’s quite sure the whole thing is a hoax but doesn’t want to let on to this fact due to the ratings monster that the special had the potential to be. He surrounds himself with those who want to believe and yet he himself has a hard time doing so. It’s the perfect juxtaposition to Greene. The weird sounds are easily explained away in the studio as natural phenomenon (heating pipes and leaky faucets, for example) and the possessed voices are explained as the girls playing tricks. However, we as the audience and Greene on location, know something isn’t quite right.

So, all of this is good and whatnot, but how effective are the scares? Well, pretty effective, honestly. Thankfully, as a found footage style special, the subtle scares are as true for the viewer as they are for Greene’s character. The ghost is never seen fully and is often hidden in the background, with fleeting, but unsettling glances. Sometimes the lighting is set up in such a way to trick the viewer into seeing something that isn’t there. Sometime, the actor playing the ghost is wearing clothes to blend in with the background, giving the audience a vague, humanoid outline that seems to appear and disappear at random. Even the mirror bit -which I hate- is present when the specter appears in a reflective surface suddenly, only to disappear when the character turns away. A great example of this thoughtful staging would be early in the film when a video camera catches a glimpse of something at night. The two girls who live in the house are going to sleep in their room and when the lights go out, you can vaguely see a humanoid figure against the curtains alongside the window. A “viewer” calls in about this and when the footage is played back, the shadows of the room’s lighting makes it appears there is something standing in front of the curtain, but there isn’t. Later, the footage is played again and you can clearly see something watching the girls as they sleep. In truth, there were 3 different versions of this scene shot. One had no ghost, one had a transparent ghost, and the third had the curtain set up purposefully to make the shadow fall in such a way that tricks the viewer into seeing something. The average viewer would have been, and was, tricked into thinking that they, perhaps, hadn’t seen anything at all when in reality there was something in the room. This effects staging is prevalent all throughout the film and is so impressive that so far not all the apparition appearances in the film have been recorder, with a new sighting occurring every couple of years.

Like anything, Ghostwatch isn’t without its faults. Some of the segments, like the interview with the skeptic from the US, are too slow and mess up the pacing of the actual investigation, which is the heart of the film. The actors playing the little girls are a bit distracting with their line delivery being rather forced. Though this may be a result of their ages and inexperience at acting. The last 15 minutes of the film also escalates too quickly and the tone shift is sudden enough to give you a case a whiplash. Finally, the use of the viewer calls to dump exposition at the very end of the film felt like a cop out to explain the haunting, rather than something that developed organically or could be left ambiguous. However, most of these issues are overcome by the strength of the reporter’s performances, the quality of the scares, and the atmosphere the special carefully builds.

Ghostwatch is a fascinating film with a great sense of atmosphere and intrigue. As a precursor to many of the found footage films we see today, it’s easy to see where many of the influences are drawn from. While the beginning can be a bit slow, the payoffs and scares are well worth it. It succeeds in creating a dramatic, tense atmosphere while ensuring the audience remains a part of the film and remain invested in the protagonist. This is difficult for any film to achieve, much less a found footage film. Ghostwatch, surprisingly, does it wonderfully. It’s especially commendable due to being a early 90’s BBC production, which traditionally have suffered from low budgets and studio interference. Thankfully, neither hindered this piece.

Rating: 8/10 – Ghostwatch is a well-crafted, albeit slow starting, scare filled ride which not only wants to include the audience in it’s fun, but also develop a strong story and characters to leave as much impact on its viewers and genre as it can.

#ghostwatch #movie review #bbc #ghost #poltergeist #mockumentary #Kampy Takes a Look At #Dwarf & Ogre Productions

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l-a-r-r-yspellslove · 4 years

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5000 question survey - part 2

101. What does happiness/joy feel like physically? Cheeks hurting and heart pumping and feeling sort of free. 102. List five people you love starting with the one you love the absolute most. I have two nephews and two nieces and they rank 1-4. Then #5 would probably be my little. 103. How many movies have you gone to see this month?

One. Today, I went and saw Onward. 104. If you could have 3 wishes...but none of them could be for yourself, what would you wish for?

Forever happiness and freedom for Harry and Louis. 105. In what ways do you relax and de-stress when you are really tense?

Reading. Deep breaths. 106. How much money would it take to get you to drive to school naked in the springtime and get out of the car?

A million dollars. 107. Have you ever killed an animal?

I think I ran over a squirrel once. 108. Have you ever lost someone close to you?

My grandpa. 109. What do you think of cloning?

It’s fucking weird. 110. Do you read or watch TV more often?

Depends on the day. 111. With all this talk of terrorism going around are you willing to sacrifice rights and freedoms for increased safety?

Uh, depends on the rights/freedoms, I suppose. 112. What is the punishment you would come up with for Osama Bin Laden if you caught him alive?

I don’t like to think about these things. 113. Have you ever named an individual part of your body?

Nope. 114. Have you ever been on the radio or on TV?

I was on the news as a kid and I was on the radio with my sorority once. 115. Have you ever won a lottery, or sweepstakes?

Uh, no. 116. Have you ever won a contest or competition?

Ummm, I think the spelling bee as a kid. 117. Do you like to watch The Joy of Painting show with Bob Ross (check out this link if you don't know who he is. Also please note me if you notice the link is broken) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Ross_(painter)?

Not often. 118. Do you know what your grandparents and your great grand parents did for a living?

Uhh, yes for two but no for the others. 119. Is there anything really interesting in your family history?

The guy that the movie Braveheart was based on? I’m related to him. 120. Is there anyone you trust completely?

My little. 121. Have you ever lost someone without having the chance to say goodbye?

Yes 122. How do you feel about women in politics?

Women can do anything. 123. Would you rather have an indoor Jacuzzi or an outdoor pool?

indoor Jacuzzi 124. What things are you interested in that you study or read about on your own?

Lots of things. It varies from time to time. 125. Would you consider yourself to be intelligent?

Yes 126. Would you consider yourself to be wise?

Somewhat 127. Have you ever given or received a lap dance?

No 128. Have you ever spoken to a homeless person?

Yes 129. Would you ever creep into the subway tunnels to go exploring?

Not alone. 130. If you could add 70 years to your life but only by making some random person die 70 years sooner would you?

I don’t think so 131. Can you finish any of the following lyrics? A: Nothing to kill or die for... B: Late comings with the late comin' stretcher... C: I could make a film and make you my star... uhh no

132. Were you ever with someone while they died?

No 133. Would you rather be a world political leader or a rock star?

a rock star. 134. Have you ever given someone a love letter that you wrote?

no 135. Have you ever sent someone a surprise though the mail?

i don’t think so 136. Are you looking forward to any concerts right now?

YES. Niall’s, Louis’s, Harry’s 137. Of all animated movies, which is the best one you've ever seen?

I really really really loved Onward, but it’s right up there with Frozen, I guess. 138. What are the best bands or songs to listen to while driving?

Anything upbeat. One Direction. Obviously. 139. What do you think is the most amazing thing that anyone has ever accomplished?

I mean, whoever put peanut butter inside chocolate the first time. 140. What could a member of the opposite sex do to impress you?

I dunno. Cook me something delicious. Make me something. 141. About how many emails do you get a day?

a lot. How many of those emails are junk mail? most How many of them are forwards? none, forwards are a thing of the past. 142. What's your favorite thing to do online besides write in your diary and hang out at this site?

I don’t spend much time on livejournal where this is from... I would say most of my time online is watching/streaming shows/movies. 143. Do you believe Kurt Cobain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Cobain) killed himself or was it a conspiracy?

idk 144. Have you ever though about hitchhiking across the country?

sure 145. Who would you bring with you on this kind of a road trip?

whoever wanted to go, i guess. But hitchhiking is dangerous, so no. 146. Of the following, which word best describes you: accurate, bold, charming, dependable 147. If you are single, at about what age do you think you will be ready to settle down and get married? If you are married, how old were you at the time?

I’d be cool with settling down anytime. 148. Do you often wonder, when you say goodbye to people, if it is the last time you will ever see them?

Sometimes. 149. What movie are you most looking forward to seeing when it comes out?

The new Wonder Woman, the next Guardians of the Galaxy. The next Spider-Man. 150. What is your quest?

I wish I had a quest. 151. What is louder and more annoying: 200 adults talking or one four-year-old screaming?

200 adults talking.

152. Do you believe the stories about planes, boats and people mysteriously disappearing into the Bermuda triangle?

yes. 153. Who are you the most jealous of?

Louis/Harry 154. What is the happiest way you can start your day?

sleeping in. It’s always so much better to wake up fully rested. 155. Do you ever have moments where you feel like everything is all right in the world?

Sometimes. 156. Who thinks that you are offensive?

I dunno, probably some church people I used to speak to. 157. If you had to teach a class in something, what would you be able to teach people?

uhhhh, maybe crochet 158. Have you ever had a spiritual experience (an experience that cannot be explained by science)?

I think concerts can give you this surreal experience of connectedness to a lot of people at once. 159. Do you believe that this experience was truly mystical or do you think there is some scientific explanation for it, only you don't know what it is?

I dunno. 160. Do you get offended easily?

No 161. Would you still love and stay with your signifigant other if he or she had to have a breast or testicle removed?

yeah. 162. Do you believe in fate or free will?

a little bit of both 163. Do you believe that only boring people get bored?

no 164. Can life change or are we all stuck in vain?

change 165. What changes are you afraid of?

I dunno. 166. Are you a day person or nocturnal?

day 167. What one CD could you listen to for an entire week (no mixed CD’s, it must be an album)?

Fine Line - Harry Styles 168. Which is worse, working in retail, food service, or an office?

food service 169. What's the coolest job you ever had?

I’ve never had any cool jobs. 170. What is one central idea that your thoughts seem to come back to?

Why does this suck 171. Have you ever wanted to be an actor/tress?

When I was a kid 172. If you had the power to control one person and make this person do anything you wanted for a whole day, who would you pick and what would they do?

I’m not comfortable answering this question. 173. What star sign are you and what is your sign like?

virgo. 174. Did the Blair Witch Project scare you?

I don’t think I saw it. 175. Are you in constant fear of death?

no 176. Does fear of death keep you from building a life?

no 177. Do you like all your movies to be in wide-screen?

i don’t really care. wow this survey is OLD 178. Are you a fan of any comic books?

i like some but not super into any of them. 179. At what age did you attend your first funeral?

uhhh, kindergarten 180. What do you smell like (lotion, cologne, sweat)?

at the moment, stress relief lotion from bath and body works 181. What are your greatest sources for wisdom?

winnie the pooh. marvel. harry potter. 182. When you were little, where did your parents tell you babies come from?

i don’t remember 183. What is your favorite band?

one direction. 184. What's the best cheesy 80's song?

love is a battlefield 185. What's the best kind of movie to see on a date?

dude, not a good question for me. 186. Do you like to sit in the front, middle or back of the Movie Theater?

back 187. Have you ever been inside an abandoned building?

yes 188. Under what circumstances would you agree to work for free?

pretty much none. 189. Candles or strobe lights?

candles 190. Do you think the Lord of the Rings movies are true to the books or did Hollywood change the story too much?

they were fine. 191. When you see a stranger on the street does your first reaction lean towards thinking of this person as a potential friend or as a potential threat?

threat. social anxiety is a bitch. 192. Is it natural for human beings to fear and distrust each other, or is it cultural?

cultural 193. What do you really want to buy?

I dunno. GoF illustrated edition i need to get when I have spare cash, but I really need to save money for vacation and concerts. 194. You have to choose. Would you be happier marrying someone rich for their money or living in the streets and subway tunnels with someone you love?

with someone i love 195. If someone wanted to understand you what book could they read that would help?

harry potter 196. Do you think it’s odd that Americans have freedom of religion and yet call themselves 'one nation under god'?

yes. 197. In what sense are you a minority?

woman. 198. Are you anti social?

yes. it’s painful. 199. Do you photograph well?

ha no. 200. Do you think that human beings would survivor through a nuclear winter?

there’s some sure.

#personal #the 5000 question survey

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