It’s early Sunday morning. Two days before Halloween. It’s dark and eerie and quiet. Husband is still asleep, and kitty slumbers away on her warm fuzzy blankets in the spare bedroom. And I’m enjoying my morning brew while candles flicker in the semi-darkness of the living room.
And, although I am struggling this morning with the news of Matthew Perry’s death, our beloved Friend, I am here and I’m writing and I’m thinking about where I was exactly one year ago today (https://welcometosandyland.wordpress.com/2022/10/29/the-air-out-there/): Struggling then with a depression that crept in and took over. I was talking about it yesterday with a friend, and remembering how I came home sobbing, after crying over dinner and drinks, and how I felt empty and achy. And I am thankful that I don’t feel that way (completely) anymore.
And I’m thinking about how last year I was not in the mood for Halloween, or anything really, I was just kind of existing. But this year I’m different. Mostly. I’m mostly back to my old self. There’s a tiny bit of that depression still there – just lingering below the surface. Some days it pops up, laughing at me, “Ha ha! Don’t forget about me!“, but most days, I’m the one laughing.
This time around I have been eagerly (EAGERLY) awaiting Fall. I have embraced it. I have soaked up the sun and inhaled the scents of Autumn. The air smells differently in Fall and I always take a big, deep inhale – ahhhh….the leaves! The crispness! The way the air blows! It all smells differently. And I love it.
And, to be completely truthful, I am in full anticipation of Christmas! Oh yes! I have been waiting for it since September. My Fall decorations are in full bloom in and outside of my house, but I am giddy to decorate for Christmas. I’m not rushing it, but I will welcome it. Don’t get me wrong, I am not keen to start wearing pants and socks and heavy coats, but my heart is ready for shopping and baking and Hallmark movies. I love the ring-a-ding-ding of Christmas bells, and the rush of crowds, and the chimes of every holiday noise.
Bring it on!
Last week I went away with some friends for an October adventure. We shopped, we toured, we visited Fall markets and Lush stores full of Spooky Halloween bath treats, and all I could think about was “I can’t wait for Christmas shopping”. That’s where I am today. And I feel very blessed to be here.
Yesterday we had crazy hot, 27 degree, sunshiney weather. It was a gorgeous day and I got outside and played tennis and celebrated afterward with a summery drink. Today is cold. And I’m supposed to be doing something Halloweeney, and I’m excited to do it, but honestly, I just can’t get the thoughts of Christmas out of my head. This is a good thing, this excitement. It’s welcomed – with open arms! Because last year I hurt. I just hurt. Right now, in this moment, I am bursting with goodness and anticipation and visions of sugar plums dance in my head.
I know it was only a few weeks ago that I was bitching and moaning about how I hated the idea of summer ending. Oh, but how things change so quickly. Because, the last week or two I have not only been looking forward to the oncome of fall, but I’ve been longing for it. The seasons in me cannot wait for the drop of the first orange, crisp leaf, or the different smell of the air.
The past week I’ve been galloping (ish) toward Autumn; I’ve been burning a pumpkin-scented candle almost consistently, I’ve been walking out into darkness at 5am and turning up my heated seats, I even indulged in my first Pumpkin Spice (iced) Latte a few days ago.
I have been reading books on Witchcraft, and looking forward to my annual viewing of Eastwick, and thinking about how to decorate our patio for evening Deck Dates.
Cozy and quaintTradition calls for this to be rewatched every year.
I don’t know what it is about fall that calls to me like no other season. I love summer. I love sunshine and the heat and spending days at the beach and the long hours of the days. But fall, she calls to me like a Goddess whispering in my ear. And I always listen. Even when I’m trying to fight her and hold onto summer, she seeps in and warms my soul.
Spring does not speak to me the same way. Although it brings hope and joy as we say goodbye each year to the snow and the cold. I always love seeing the pastels bloom with spring. And although Christmas is in a league of its own, I hate winter. Fall, my lovely friend, she brings mystical and magical things. She brings enthusiasm and renewal and nostalgia. She brings me peace and uneasiness. But most of all, she brings me a cathartic hope for new adventures. The season of the witch.
I have the travel bug! I have been dying to get out of Nova Scotia for years now, but Covid kept us secluded and isolated for so long. Once restrictions were (semi) lifted, Husband and I got to do some traveling in and around the province, even our honeymoon had to be within Nova Scotia. But there are no restrictions and I am down to tour!
Husband and I have been contemplating a few vacation destinations, although he is happy to continue to tour the province. That being said, we did make it to Ottawa in March for an NHL game, and in April I jumped over to New Brunswick for a quick weekend with a friend. But it’s nearing summer and I want to travel. I need to get out and explore – to invade new territory. To continue my ever-growing Goonie adventures.
I have friends who are forever travelling. A work buddy is currently in the United Kingdom and Europe, Steph is heading to Pennsylvania next week (and just got back from my Bucket list item #2), and friends are constantly travelling South for resort getaways.
We have tentative plans to hit Toronto and Newfoundland (Hello, cousin Anne!!), but I want to expand my travels. I want to go to New York (a quick flight from Toronto) and to the UK and back to Vancouver. It’s just a matter of sitting down, planning out, and forcing Husband to get his damn passport!
With or without him, I am going to travel this year. I’ve got plans, I’ve got the itch, and I’ve got my bucket list.
Bucket List 1: Greece
For years, every time I’d go to the dentist, I’d stare up to the ceiling where she had tacked a poster of Greece. It was beautiful and exotic and, over the years I have spent hours staring and the mountain side and envisioning myself there.
And then, about 15 or 16 years ago Ames loaned me Nights of Rain and Stars by Maeve Binchy. Reading that book solidified my desire to visit and explore Greece. I became enamoured with Greece, and I sunk myself into the book so that I could explore that countryside through the pages.
I just want to be there. I want to explore and swim and roam. I want to sleep with the windows open and the stars twinkling above me. Greece is my unicorn.
Bucket List2: Cayman Islands
When I was 8 or 9 I found myself with a coin from the Cayman Islands. The 10 cent piece with the swimming turtle. I was fascinated by it and became obsessed with traveling to the Caymans. It sounded tropical and adventurous, and that coin began my collection.
Downtown Georgetown, financial district
In John Grisham’s The Firm, there is a lot of travel to the Caymans. That book and movie have provided me with more visualization of this beautiful place. And she will be mine. Oh yes, she will be mine.
Bucket List 2: Salem
Oh boy. If you have been a reader of this blog, or know me at all, you will know that I have been captivated by witches for basically ever. So it makes sense that it’s been on my bucket list, since I was in high school, to go to Salem, Mass….where the infamous witch trials took place. Salem at Halloween is ideal. Actually, Angie and I had been set to go a few years back. We’d been planning to travel to Freeport, Maine to participate in a harvest race, and then keep going toward Salem. But, Angie found out she was pregnant and our plans changed. But, we are set to go again. We’re hoping again for October.
Salem. Filled with intrigue and excitement and spookiness and history; but also with malevolence and sadness. Historic moments that are perfect for the movies, but abhorrent in their true existence.
Bucket List 3: New York City
Oh NYC, you are one of a kind! New York has been on my travel list since I was in elementary school and played M.A.S.H. with my friends. New York is the place adventures are made. It’s the central place for dreams being made. And it’s one of the top places I need to get to. But, New York on my bucket list, would be complete and perfect at Christmas
I imagine Christmas in New York would be like stepping into a Hallmark movie – with lights and glitter and snow falling. It would be a dream to go skating at Rockerfeller Center, and see a taping of SNL and Drew, to go window shopping in the snow, and watch the Macy’s parade. There is always something to add to the New York bucket list.
And there you have it. My travel list…my dream vacations. My ideal wanderlust What’s on your list?
We are two days away from Halloween – and I just can’t get in the mood.
Every year I look forward to October (my favorite month!) and to Fall and to Halloween. But this year, I’m just not feeling any of it.
I have been extremely sleep deprived lately; having another onset of insomnia episodes. I’ll fall asleep fairly easily, most of the time, but waking up as early as 1am, without the ability to get back to sleep. My mind reels, and then I get angry, and I lay there. Wide Awake, waiting to get up and start my damn day. And with the sleep deprivation comes emotional roller coasters. It’s terrible. I don’t feel like myself a lot of the time; and the last few days I’ve been going through a depression that 100% got the best of me yesterday. I cried off and on for most of the day, to the point I was sobbing in a restaurant (which resulted in our server asking twice if she could give me a hug), sobbing in my car in the parking lot of a grocery store, sobbing in my bathtub, and sobbing in my husband’s arms. On top of sobbing at work and having minor meltdowns throughout the day. Last night, however, I had a few glasses of wine with a girlfriend after work, and then taking a few sleeping pills before bed. I slept about 10 hours, with the exception of a 5am wide awake, staring at walls session, before drifting back off. My body and mind needed the recoup.
That’s who I’ve been lately. That’s not who I am normally. And it’s affecting my outlook on everything, including my love and excitement of Halloween.
We have also been experiencing an Indian Summer of sorts ’round these parts, with warm weather and humidity, and it hasn’t felt too much like autumn weather this month. With the exception of today. This morning we woke to frosty lawns and air so cold we could see our breath. And of course, the sunshine and changing colors of trees and falling leaves have all left us with the impression of a regular October, for the most part, it’s felt like an extension of summer, complete with mosquitos.
I haven’t even participated in any spooky movies for October. Although, we did watch the new Halloween a few days ago and it sucked terribly. Honestly, whose idea was that? I was rooting for Michael Myers this time.
But yesterday. Let me tell you about yesterday morning. When I left my gym shortly after 7 am, I came outside to darkness, as the sun struggled to come up, and as I walked to my car, I took a deep, long inhale and it smelled like Christmas! The air was crispy, but not cold, and I could taste cool December and cloves and chimney smoke. And I am so entirely in the mood for Christmas. I cannot wait to start watching Hallmark movies and decorating and sharing glasses of spiced wine while sugar cookie candles burn. Maybe Christmas is what I need to bring me out of this funk that I feel I have fallen so deep into. I crave the noise of carols playing while we roam streets, and the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, and the crowds of people who walk by smiling while struggling to balance their bags of presents and food.
I cannot wait to be in it. To be in the air of Christmas and the full fledge of holidays. I am not looking forward to cold weather and wearing boots (and pants!) and having cold toes all the time. But I am eager to become overjoyed with the abundance of love and gratefulness that oncoming Christmas makes me feel.
The air out there changes me. And I am desperate to breathe it in.
I managed to watch another “horror” movie the other night with some friends. And let me just say that the only thing horrific about this movie is the time I wasted watching it that I will never get back. Oy!
The only thing evil is the trickery they’ve used to get us to watch it.
The movie is called In the Tall Grass (2019) and is co-written by Stephen King. And of course, it is a little messed up, as is most things written by Stephen King. But this movie is just fawkkkked! Honestly. I can’t even tell you how craptastic it is. But I also don’t want you to watch it because it’s just that bad.
What makes it worse on worse is that it co-stars Patrick Wilson. And I really hate that guy! It’s like when Fisher Stevens was on Friends and played Roger the therapist and everyone said “I hate that guy!”….that’s how I feel about Patrick Wilson….only more!\
I HATE THAT GUY!
I’m just gonna go ahead and spoil this idiotic piece of garbage for you. Brother and sister hear a kid in the grass calling for help. They go looking for him. They lose each other. They can’t find the kid. The grass is never ending. There’s a giant rock with some old lingo carved into it not sure if it’s Native or Alien or something else. They meet Patrick Wilson. He’s a creepy devil type dude. He has touched the rock and the rock has powers. The sister’s boyfriend comes looking for her. She is pregnant. They see themselves dead over and over. It is very Groundhog Day-esque. Patrick Wilson wants to sacrifice the sister’s baby (she’s pregnant) and the grass people want him to. It’s SOOOO messed up.
That’s it. To be honest, I can’t even tell you any more because it just makes me that angry. Don’t watch it. It’s garbage!
Well, after posting my Halloween movie watching fail yesterday, the Man and I decided to watch The Boy (2016).
I had seen the trailer in 2016 and was like…..yeah, NO. Nope. No way. FAWK THAT!!
But, a while ago one of my friends had seen the movie and passed on the gist of the ending – so I was a little more prepared. It was like when someone spoiled Fight Club for me…I reacted to the movie a lot better knowing what kind of insanity was happening.
I don’t always (let’s be honest – ever) like being scared – especially when it comes to dolls, ghost stories, kids, possession….yeah, mostly the basics. So thankfully, my friend spoiled this movie and I could chill out a bit. A BIT.
This movie…W.T.F.?? The premise of the story is that Greta (aka Maggie from The Walking Dead) moves from the US to England to become a nanny for a couple for their boy, Brahams. When Greta is introduced to the boy by his parents (who are old – grandparent age), she is shocked to find that Brahams is actually a doll. A creepy-ass mofo, but still, a doll.
The parents have all kinds of rules and schedules for her to follow and they treat Brahams just like a real boy, Pinocchio. When the parents hit the road for what turns out to be an extended vacation, Greta is left in this creepy old death house mansion with the damn doll, er boy, er doll?
Maggie…..Put DOWN the doll! Walk away girl….walk.away.
All kinds of shenanigans incur, and at one point during the movie I said to the Man “At this point, she deserves whatever happens to her because she has had ample opportunity to leave that damn creep-ass shit”. Seriously. A. There is no way I would have stayed in that gigantor house alone with a damn doll that gets up and moves around freely on its own. Nor would I have stayed past any of the other encounters. In fact, as soon as I realized the boy was a damn doll, I would have said “See ya!” and bolted.
That’s right…>BYE FELICIA!!!!
There were plenty of yelps and jumps from us while watching. And it certainly kept me on the edge of my seat. And there are some twists and turns just to make it that much more creeptastic. So I was pleased that my horror movie watching finally got started.
I have been trying desperately to get into the Halloween movie-watching mood. But this year I am failing. I, as always, have a list of scary or creepy movies I want to watch before October 31, but I just haven’t been in the mood. I haven’t even watched Hocus Pocus yet. *gasp* I KNOW!
I have attempted several movies – but, as noted above, have failed.
I have tried to watch the following movies the past week or so:
1.Ghoulies. Nope. Couldn’t do it. After 15 or 20 minutes, I had to turn that shit off. So bad!!
2.The Haunting (1963). I have seen this movie before, years ago. But this time (and maybe then too), I found it very boring. And annoying. I thought Lily Taylor was annoying in the remake, but Julie Harris needs a little throat punching too.
3. White Zombie (1932). This had promise. It still might. But I was so bored after a good half hour that I couldn’t deal with it anymore. Spoiler alert…the zombies are just people. There’s no blood, no zombie make-up or ghoulishness tho. Just people. And in black and white (1932), it’s hard to distinguish from the living and the dead.
4. Night of the Living Dead (1968). I saw this movie a long, LONG time ago too. And it’s not too bad. The lead female, Barbra, needs some throat punching. I fell asleep watching it, so I will have to finish. Again, the zombies could use a little more distinguishing characteristics…blood, more goth looking faces, something.
I will have to try harder…because, Halloween is in a week and I’m not quite there yet.
In keeping with the October/Halloween theme….here’s a little anecdote for the day.
I can be a bit of an ass. At work, I have had an ongoing ass-feud (that sounds weird) with one of my coworkers. There are many stories I can tell, but I’ll save those for another day. Yesterday, however, this co-worker (let’s call him Bob) used our firm calendar to plug in his appointment for blood donation. He scheduled it so it says “Bob blood”. Since it is the firm calendar, it is public to everyone in the office to see, amend, delete, etc.
So, I thought it needed a little spiffing up. I changed his appointment to say “Bob blood for sacrificial ritual”.
We have all had a good chuckle. Including Bob. But he said it’s not the worst thing…that another coworker would steal his paper calendar and write in things like “bikini wax”. 😀
This time of year, when it’s a little cooler out, and the dark comes a little earlier, I find that I’m not as eager to stay out and as I am when the sun is shining warmly. Once night falls during fall, I want to light candles and cozy up with a blanket and start my Halloweeny movie watching.
Something about the dark and the way the air feels different in the fall….
Mysterious, ominous, thrilling.
I’ve tried a couple of movies already but haven’t quite gotten in the mood yet (and turned them off). But, the time is a-comin’ and I’m feeling a little witchy….so, please send me your bewitching suggestions for my Halloween movie countdown.
I like all things witchy and Halloweeny…I’m never tired of Practical Magic or Scream. And of course, who could tire of Hocus Pocus?? But I’m always looking for new movies to add to my list.
I’ve been having a really rough few months. My cat got sick in late July and stopped eating altogether at the start of August. I spent a lot of time and money at the vet trying to find out what was wrong with him but to no avail. (At least not with that vet clinic!) I spent the rest of the summer whipping him up tuna smoothies and feeding him via syringe. It was comparable to having a newborn….I was up all hours of the night. If he wanted to eat at 3am, I was up feeding him, any time he got up or stirred, I was awake too, checking on him. Waiting while he used his litter box, bringing him back to bed so he was close by, petting him, and listening to him purr.
Winston. KING! My boy. Forever in my heart!
Even though he had three different veterinarians check him (and a dozen visits), I finally had enough and took him to a new clinic and vet. Turns out, my poor boy had a cancerous mass on his kidney and my time left with him was limited.
I can’t get too much further into it because I am still grieving – heavily. But, Winston moved on to Kitty Heaven almost two weeks ago. My heart has been broken. My sweet boy had been by my side for 12 and a half years and I am still getting used to him not being here. I would give anything to be able to pick him up and cuddle him and listen to him purr like a little motor. I’d go another summer of sleepless nights to have him flip his water dish over or claw me in the middle of the night or scamper underneath my feet, making me fall.
But he’s not here. And I haven’t cried yet today but I can feel the lump forming in my throat and the tears are glossing over in my eyes, so I have to stop talking/writing/thinking about him for a little bit and gather my emotions.
And yes. I’m grieving for my cat. He was more than a cat. He was a companion and a friend and a guardian. He was my boy. I will be grieving for him for a long time.
So there it is. That’s how my life has been going the last three and a half months. Worry and fear and stress and sadness and anxiety. And sleepless nights. But I would do it all again for him. For just a few moments more with him.
Now here I am. At a loss for inspiration and with this dull, constant ache inside me. Thankful for the distractions of work and friends and whatever else happens to pop into my life these days. Last week is was Halloween. And now we’re moving onto Christmas. And here I am on a Monday evening in early November writing an ode or memoir to my Winston with a Hallmark Christmas movie and Candace Cameron Bure as background noise while I type and search for inspiration for upcoming posts.
If you have any suggestions, I am open to them. At least for a bit. I need the distractions because when I am alone with my thoughts I am bombarded with sadness and then I just can’t delay the tears. And once that flood gate is open…oh my. It just won’t stop.
So please, if you have any ideas for me – so I can have something to write about and not dwell on the death and now the absence of my longtime companion, please let me a note below.
In the meantime, I’m doing my best. I’m hanging in there. I haven’t been able to bring myself to put anything on his corner of the bed, but one day that day might come. In the meantime, I’ll be here.
Screw The Skeleton Key.…It’s Halloween! And last night Honey Boo Boo and I went to see the new Halloween movie.
Via Dimension
Oh.Em.GEE!!!!
First of all, let me start by saying the first Halloween movie wasn’t really my thing. It’s on every year on rotation during October, and I’ve seen bits and pieces of it, but I only saw the original maybe once or twice and I was a little bored by it. Truth be told, I should re-watch the original in its entirety again so that I can make another judgement.
I also have seen Halloween 2 just once. I’ve watched Halloween: H20 several times, and Halloween: Resurrection once. All the in-between movies of the franchise I have not seen…sorry Paul Rudd.
But, like many, I have been counting down the days to this new Halloween. It did not disappoint.
The theater was packed, yet the room was silent throughout the film. People weren’t munching on popcorn or opening candy wrappers. You couldn’t even hear anyone breathe. Complete silence….likely, like me, many of the audience were holding their breath waiting on edge.
Some things about horror movies will always baffle me…like, when you’re entering a room, whether you’re a police officer or a home owner, why doesn’t anyone ever turn on the lights? How does Michael Myers continually escape his lock up (and, I’m not sure what the laws are in the state of Illinois, but I’m assuming the death penalty is not an option?? I mean, Michael Myers has murdered A LOT of people…why is still allowed to breathe??).
I was also annoyed by the inconsistency with some of the other movies. Such as Laurie Strode’s children. In H20 she had a son, John. And she’s had a daughter named Jamie. Neither one of them are mentioned or even in existence in this new movie…but Laurie has another/different daughter. Whaaaa?
Regardless of these little nitpicks, Halloween (2018) was pretty darn good. So good, in fact, that I slept with a light or two on last night. Not gonna lie. I may have also checked my closets and behind my shower curtain. I’m not sure what I would have done if Michael Myers (or anyone else) had been there. But I still checked.
MAYBE Michael Myers just needs a hug…? (Via Dimension)
When the original Jeepers Creepers came out it was a pretty great movie. And it did well by spooking the crap out of us. So well, in fact, that the producers banked on a remake. But because the lore surrounding the Creeper is that every 22 years he comes out and feeds for 22 days, they decided the sequel would happen within the same time frame as the original story…the same 22 days (a dead Derry [from the original] even makes an appearance), instead of jumping ahead in time. Although, I would definitely like to see a Jeepers Creepers Origins kind of story.
This new story surrounds a bus-load of high school kids…and one vengeful father.
In this movie, the Creeper continues at being super creepy….and also adding a little bit of humor (just a tad….just a wee, wee bit) to his character. Great for audiences who were nail-biting.
I remember seeing this for the first time in the theater and not loving it. Certainly not liking it as much as the original either. This time, I was a little bored and annoyed. But, the Creeper is definitely creepy, so it worked.
I have been in a bit of a funk this October. And I haven’t been much in the mood for watching horror movies, per my annual Halloween Countdown. But I’ve been trying.
I usually look forward to Scream-fest or Fear-fest or whatever else is on TV. TMC is a great channel for old horrors and that’s where I watched my first horror of the season: The Old Dark House.
This movie was released in 1932 and stars Boris Karloff and Gloria Stuart (the old Rose from Titanic).
I was kind of excited to watch this movie as I’ve read good reviews about it. But I found it hard to follow and hard to hear. And I eventually got a little bored with it.
A small group of travellers caught in a storm come upon an old house in the countryside where they receive shelter by Horace Femm and his sister Rebecca. Horace fears that the storm will trap the guests inside while warning them that their mute butler Morgan is a dangerous heavy drinker. Rebecca tells Margaret about the Femm family, which she says was sinful and godless, and accuses Margaret of being sinful as well. Rebecca also reveals that her 102-year-old father still lives in the house.
There is a very quick romance (hey, we just met but…let’s get married!), there’s a pyromaniac locked in an upstairs room, there’s a fight and a death, and there are some creepy people.
This movie let me down. It was confusing and rushed and the ending was oh-so-terrible.
Watch it if you want…or don’t. I doubt it will make much difference.
4. Because I love Pumpkins. (Pumpkins themselves, pumpkin spice, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin decorations….)
Every October I do my best to watch some great and not-so-great Halloween-themed/Horror/Scary movies. And, if you’ve been watching this blog for some time, you will have seen some of my reviews. By far, the best reviews were in October 2012 . Actually, everything from October 2012 was pretty great.
I’ve watched some great classics (Hocus Pocus, Halloween), I’ve watched some creepiness (Carnival of Souls, Eyes without a Face), and I’ve watched some crap!
So this year I’m asking for some help. What are some Halloween movies I should be watching this year? Yes, we’re definitely going to see the new Halloween movie (can’t wait to see you later this month, Michael Myers!), but I need some suggestions of what to watch.
Found this site online…..might have to check some of them out….the ones that aren’t too scary….
Crap or classic…it doesn’t matter. I will do my best to locate what you offer and let you know what I think.
This movie jumped on the bandwagon of teen horror films post Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. I mean, sure, it’s a franchise that had started in the 70’s, but this time around it really seemed it was geared toward a younger crowd. And it did ride the heels of the others.
The cool kids
I am not a big fan of the Halloween movie(s). Not because I found it super scary, although, don’t get me wrong, Michael Myers is definitely a creep, but moreso I found it boring and annoying. And because I’m not a Jamie Lee Curtis fan.
Aww…look at that face.
All that being said, I have always like H20. And perhaps it is because it is in the same keepings of the Scream and IKWYDLS films. So, I was happy to rewatch it this year after not having seen it in a long time. And, of course, the fact that there’s a new Halloween movie geared for release next year (40 years!) did give me some incentive to see this one again.
I really wanted to like this movie. Simply because the reviews and the statement that it’s become a “cult classic”.
Mary is involved in a car accident and decides to leave her town to move elsewhere and start anew. She accepts a new job as a church organist and on her travels, becomes drawn to an abandoned carnival located near her new town.
In addition to that creep factor, she is constantly seeing an unknown man who seems to be following her.
No, he’s not creepy at all
Aside from the Creep and the carnival, Mary has spells of time where she loses hearing and becomes invisible to others…like she doesn’t exist. Her reality brink is off and on.
Um…no. Just no.
It seems the 60’s had some bad overacting in films…especially this one. Once I got past that and stopped rooting for the Creeper and his friends to take Mary out, the movie wasn’t that bad and it did have a nice little M. Night Shymalan twist to it.
I absolutely loved this movie when I was a little kid. It terrified me to the core, but I loved it and we watched it a bunch of times. So, when I found out a few months ago they’ve filmed a remake – with Angelica Huston, no less – I was elated. And decided to re-watch the original.
The movies stars Bette Davis as a woman whose daughter, Karen, had gone missing years before. When new neighbors move in, the oldest daughter, Jan, bears a remarkable resemblance to the missing daughter. Strange things start happening to Jan – hearing voices, seeing a girl in mirrors. And the youngest daughter, Ellie, starts acting weird…as if she’s possessed.
It’s a big mystery about the night Karen goes missing. But her friends are harboring a dark secret (got your attention yet?). What do they know about Karen’s disappearance? You should watch the movie and find out.
Aside from semi-bad acting, this movie is still a pretty good watch. It will make you sleep with a light on at night.
I’ve been wanting to see this movie for a short while – and even started to watch it a month or so ago, but fell asleep after just a few minutes and just didn’t bother again. Then, a few nights ago, I noticed it was OnDemand so I popped ‘er on.
This is a horror-ish movie from 1960(?) and is black and white – and in French (with subtitles).
The story is that the main character – Docteur Genessier – maimed his daughter Christiane’s face badly in a car accident. He and his wife/nurse (it’s not made clear which she is, if not both) then conspire to keep her hidden away, telling the authorities that she disappeared. Christiane is kept locked up in a room in the attic of their massive creepy gothic house, forced to wear a mask that can only be classified as creepier than Michael Myers/Jason Voorhies/Ghost Face all mixed together. It’s not meant to be sinister, but it sure as heck is. Christiane even declares that her mask frightens her.
Tell me this isn’t creepy!
All the while, Doc and Wifey continue to kidnap young girls who bear similar looks to Christiane and perform basement surgeries on them to try and steal their faces to replace the one Christiane is now missing. Morbid much? However, the surgeries never take…for any of them.
It’s a very odd movie without a lot of dialogue. In fact, there is so much dialogue missing that I found myself skipping over a bunch of it. (I mean, do we really have to watch the Doc walk from one building to the next without any purpose or uttering a word? *skip!*)
The movie had lots of potential and I’m sure that back in good ‘ol 1960 it was probably scary AF. But, in 2017, it sucked. It was slow and boring and the ending was just atrocious. However, the face and the mask will freak you out. I had a hard time putting it out of my head when I hit the sack.
This movie could have had so much potential. Perhaps if it hadn’t have come out in 1979 or if it had had a bigger budget. And maybe if the actors were better just a little better at their jobs. Don’t get me wrong, it definitely had a creep factor…but it also had a huge fromage factor. Totally campy. But hey, isn’t that what the old school horror are about?
So the plot of the movie reads as follows: “A group of friends stranded at a secluded roadside museum are stalked by a masked assailant who uses telekinetic powers to control the attraction’s mannequins. (As if mannequins weren’t freaky enough.)
I mean, come on!! Tell me those things are scary as Hell!!!
The movie is very reminiscent of House of Wax. They have very similar story lines…including a creepy brother. And mannequins….did I mention the mannequins??
All-in-all, this movie wasn’t a completely bad watch. So, grab yourself some popcorn, close the blinds, and settle in for a little creep show.
My mom suggested I watch this movie. It stars Lindsay Wagner (remember the Bionic Woman?), Robin Thomas (who, whenever I see him in anything say “it’s Geoffrey with a ‘G’ from Who’s the Boss?) and Bruce Boxleitner (total 80’s heart throb…*sigh*).
I saw this movie years ago and completely forgot about it but when I re-watched it, I remembered most of it. Weird how that happens.
So, the gist of this movie is Lindsay Wagner’s character has an accident and basically bites it. She’s making her way through the bright white light and sees several figures on her journey. But, her knights in shining armor revive her and bring her back to the land of the living. But, turns out, she’s not the only one to come back. The figures she sees while dead, follow her back, in the form of others, and one-by-one, they each try their turn at killing her…again.
I have to say…for a cheesy-what-was-probably-a-made-for-TV-movie in the 80’s, this one was pretty good. Parts of it were creepy enough that I may have turned the light on once or twice in the middle of the night.
The best part of this movie tho….let’s be real…it was Bruce Boxleitner. *Hubba Hubba*
There is something about that feathered hair that just makes my heart thump and puts a little grin on my face.
As always, I’m counting down to Halloween with some horror/scary movies. Time is tight these days, so I haven’t been watching much TV, but I’ve managed, so far, to get in a few movies here and there.
HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL (1959)
Back in the day, I’m sure this movie was a masterpiece, and ahead of its time. In fact, when reading the trivia on IMDB, it says that when this movie was originally in theaters, gimmicks were added such as a lighted plastic skeleton on a wire appeared from a black box next to the screen to swoop over the heads of the audience. Imagine that back in ’59.
This movie had a good creep factor, thanks mostly to Vincent Price, but at first I thought it was very cheesy. Then at one point, I got the wits scared out of me. And then maybe again. It wasn’t a total horror movie (fine by me), but, again, I’m sure back in the 50’s/60’s it was completely spooky.
Let’s be honest, that thing is scary, and I don’t like that it keeps looking at me. STOP LOOKING AT ME!!!!
What really ruined it for me though was the character of Nora. Ugh! She was a constant whiner and screamer and I thoroughly wanted to punch her in the throat to shut her up. I’d hoped that at some point she’d bite it….but I’ll not spoil that for you.
All in all, this movie was a good one to watch to kick off Halloween season.
With October and Halloween just around the corner, I am gearing up for my month-long movie fest. However, this year I think I might need some help with what movies to watch.
I am looking for your suggestions to help with my horror-fest. I’ve seen the Exorcist and will NOT be watching it again. Please don’t ask me to spend any time with Pennywise because that certainly isn’t going to happen. But, for the most part I am open to your referrals. Last year I watched an oldie from the 60’s and it was creepily good. This year on my list so far is Eyes Without a Face. Eep!
Post a message in the comment section below with your choices and I will let you know if I add them to my list.
Until last weekend. I was up really on Saturday morning and it was on TV. I couldn’t watch it then, not starting in the middle, so I decided to watch it Sunday evening – before The Walking Dead season premier. Which, on a side note*, was a very.bad.idea.
*{I mean, did you see The Walking Dead? I think that is the most brutal television I have ever witnessed…..And I watched Dylan’s wife basically mistakenly get assassinated on 90210, breaking my teenaged heart!! Someone referred to the Sunday night’s The Walking Dead episode as “beautiful brutality”, and I guess maybe it was. Because, those of us who have watched the show from the beginning have become so emotionally involved in it, we haven’t been subjected to that kind of violence and loss-of-humanity on TV before, have we? I certainly hadn’t.}
I was so literally traumatized from TWD, and from this darn movie, that I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t even close my eyes. I eventually got up out of bed and roamed around for a bit, but not before turning my side lamp on at least four times. Just to clear my head.
Anyway, House of Wax is a pretty good movie. It’s not quite Scream, but really, nothing is.
It’s got some pretty folks in it. It’s got Paris Hilton getting slaughtered a bit, which, back in 2005, when Paris Hilton was (fuckingunfortunately) a household “thing”, was pretty awesome.
Spoiler Alert: You’re Welcome!
It’s got spooks and some grossness and some thrills.
And then it’s got this guy popping up.
No freakin’ wonder I couldn’t sleep!!
The movie apparently doesn’t have much, if anything to do with the original House of Wax, starring Vincent Price. Although, that creepy-ass white face up there is named “Vincent” in the movie….and I literally just got that. Duh!
But it was a freaky little movie that I would have enjoyed a lot more if I were surrounded by a horde of people….and puppies….in the daytime.
It stars a young Christopher Lee and a bunch of other people I’ve never heard of.
The movie starts out 300 years before the present time in Massachusetts with Elizabeth Selwyn being burned at the stake for witchcraft. As she’s burning she curses the town and its people.
Jump to present day to Christopher Lee as a professor teaching tales of witchcraft from his hometown -where said witch Elizabeth was burned, and one of his students, Nan, having the beauty idea of going to the cursed town to work on her thesis. Brainiac. Seriously.
When Nan enters the town she is greeted by a stranger – who has a habit of disappearing. Literally. Right from the passenger seat of her car.
The town is clearly ominous as it is coated with a thick, dark fog all the time. Right then and then is when I’d be turning my ass around and going back to wherever it is I came from. But not Nan. She decides to check into the Horror Hotel – which is kept shop by none other than the reincarnate of Elizabeth Selwyn – now Mrs. Newless.
Gimme a break – I would burn this beyotch again and again!
The townspeople stare and give her the evil eye on more than one occasion. Things go missing. Things appear. Dead birds are planted. Stabbed through the heart. And dumbass Nan sticks around.
I’m going to give anymore of the story away but for a movie made in 1960 about witches and witchcraft – it was pretty good. Definitely lame at times. Definitely some bad and overacting at times, but it gave a few shudders.
Sandy the Social Butterfly 