Tag Archives: halloween

The Mythic-ness of Holidays

After a harrowing last few weeks at grad school, what with final papers, grading, and other drama, I’ve finally reached Christmas break (or as I like to call it: my two weeks’ paid vacation). I suddenly have more time on my hands than I’ve been used to for a few months. Hence why I’m able to post a blog for you all. 😉

I’ve always loved this time of the year. I love summer for the freedom, fun, and weather (I have this theory that people like the season they were born in), but October through December is wonderful, in large part because of Halloween and Christmas. I’ve been reflecting on why I like those holidays as much as I do, and while I love them for different reasons, there is some overlap. Besides candy, of course. What’s that, you ask?

They’re mythic.

Both Halloween and Christmas have a tremendous amount of tradition and legend dating back centuries. These add mystique to the respective months leading up to the holidays themselves. Halloween dates back to Celtic harvest festivals and became part of the early Christian Church’s observance of All-Saints Day, which included candlelight vigils at the graves of the dead. As these pagan and religious sensibilities clashed, new traditions arose: trick-or-treating, costumes, horror movies, etc. Classic stories like “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and Dracula, among others, became icons of the holiday. It makes people think back on those scarier parts of our cultural mythos and everything else those stories represent. When you’re a kid, you relish the opportunity to play pretend, dress up as one of your favorite characters, and wander around your neighborhood gathering candy. If you were particularly mischievous you played pranks. It was the one night you could almost get away with murder (not literally, of course). 😛

But Halloween is behind us, and Christmas is before us. The yuletide season is one of love, generosity, and family. It goes back to winter solstice festivals, but once again, the early Church “Christianized” them by making it a day to remember the birth of Jesus Christ. The strange thing is this wasn’t a big deal until the mid-19th century. What changed it? A Christmas Carol. Yes, Charles Dickens arguably created the modern Christmas celebration. Other authors popularized the legendary Santa Claus, who delivered toys to all the good children of the world on Christmas Eve (because he’s a Time Lord ninja with a bag of holding) using a magical sleigh pulled by eight—or nine—flying reindeer. The night before Christmas is treated as a mystical time where almost anything seems possible, especially in the minds of children. That magic gives way to sheer joy on Christmas morning as everyone enjoys the gifts left by Mr. Claus.

You knew I had to find a nerdy nativity scene. 😛

J.R.R. Tolkien is said to have converted C.S. Lewis to Christianity by telling him that the story of Christ was the greatest myth in history because it was true. For myself, Christmas marks the beginning of that myth. The God of the Universe clothed himself in flesh and allowed himself to be born in the humblest of places to the humblest of parents and is visited the humblest of people. His birth was an invasion of enemy territory, the beginning of an incredible mission culminating with an epic destiny. To me, everything that has to do with Christmas—gifts, fellowship, food, and the traditions I’ve mentioned—all point back to this. It’s one of several reasons why I proudly wear a Santa hat during the week leading up to Christmas. It symbolizes Santa, who was inspired by St. Nicholas, who served the poor and needy out of his devotion to Christ. As we Marvel Cinematic Universe fans are fond of saying, #ItsAllConnected.

So, Merry Christmas, True Believers!

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? What are you planning to do for Christmas? How else is Christmas “mythic”?

My Top 10 Favorite Horror Films (Redux)

Happy Halloween, True Believers!

In the spirit of the holiday, I figured my blog this week should be a top five or top ten list for my favorite horror films. I put a list together—and remembered I’d done this in 2014. My list has changed a bit since then, but all five of those films are still on it in a different order. So, the entries with asterisks after the title were copied from the previous blog. Regardless, enjoy the new ones! Admittedly, it was hard to rank many of these, since they’re all great films. They’d make excellent additions to your Halloween festivities. Enjoy!

#10: The Exorcist (1973)

It might surprise you that I have this low on my list. It’s usually regarded as one of the scariest films ever made. (AFI would say that). My appreciation, though, has more to do with its place in history than anything else. I wasn’t allowed to see it growing up because it so terrified my mother as a teen that she forbade her kids to see it. When I finally did watch it, I saw why it’s become an icon of not only horror films but cinema. This is tale of a Catholic priest struggling with his faith while trying to save a little girl (Linda Blair) possessed by a demon. It’s simple, profound, and terrifying. Younger viewers spoiled on CGI laugh at the special effects, which is a disappointment because I think they hold up. It doesn’t help that the film has been parodied to the point that its potency is reduced on the younger crowd. For those who believe the spiritual warfare dramatized in this film is real, or those who have any sort of empathy, this is one of the greatest horror films in movie history.

#9: Suspiria (1977)

Amongst fans of Italian horror films, the name Dario Argento ranks as one of the greatest in the genre. The visionary auteur creates unique, mesmerizing horror movies, and Suspiria is considered to be his masterpiece. This story of an American dancer who joins a German ballet school that seems to be a front for a sinister force after a series of heinous murders is high on style. Argento’s cinematography and incredible use of color creates an unnerving atmosphere and a rich visual language full of symbolism. One of Argento’s trademarks is the use of creepy rock music created by the band Goblin, which makes the film like a commercial haunted house. If you’d like to see a film that feels like an Edger Allan Poe story, check this out!

#8: 28 Days Later (2002)

I had to include this since it was an influence on my first novel, Pandora’s Box. It’s still one of the most unique zombie films ever made. Although, I’d argue that it almost doesn’t count as a zombie flick, at least in the traditional sense. This follows a young man (Cillian Murphy) who wakes up after a 28-day coma to find London empty—except for vicious people infected with a virus that’s essentially rabies on steroids. (For those who’ve read my novel, you’ll understand why I felt like the filmmakers beat me to one of my ideas in the novel). Well before the Infected appear, the film plays on the fear of isolation with an empty city. The characters are the film’s greatest strength, something often lacking in horror movies. Interestingly, three endings were filmed and one considered in the scripting phase. Two of them were shown theatrically. The one used originally in the film is best, I think, since it’s the happiest. (Tragic endings are a bit overused in the genre). Check it out if you’re looking for a taste of British horror.

#7: Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)*

Wes Craven’s classic is a variation of the then popular (and overused) slasher movie: a killer who attacks victims in their dreams. Freddy Krueger became an icon with his trademark sweater, hat, claws, and dark wit. The film has an otherworldly quality to it thanks to the dream sequences. Plus, in a rare treat, it features a strong heroine who refuses to become Freddy’s next victim. Interesting bit of trivia: this is Johnny Depp’s first movie. He plays the heroine’s boyfriend.

#6: Dawn of the Dead (1978)

George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead was a game-changer in 1968, but it’s remembered more for its place in history than anything else. Romero’s first sequel is a classic because it’s a great film. Set in the early years of the zombie apocalypse, a group of survivors take refuge in a mall—until the zombies manage to get in. The characters and world-building would become the template all other zombie apocalypse movies would copy, but they lacked this film’s potent social satire on consumerism. Tom Savini’s gore effects get a lot of attention, but they serve the larger whole. The Italian version put together by Romero’s friend Dario Argento has a score by Goblin (the original film had no soundtrack), which actually complements the film well. A must-see classic for any horror/zombie fan!

The original Japanese poster and the U.S. DVD cover.

#5: Matango (1963)

As the co-creator and season one co-host of Kaijuvision Radio, I almost feel obligated to include this Japanese classic. (My collaborator, Brian Scherschel, will be covering it in the podcast’s current season). Crafted by the creative team behind Toho’s original Godzilla series, this trippy film was made in the tradition of 1930s Universal horror movies. I can best describe it as a story that begins like Gilligan’s Island (though it predates that show), turns into Lost, and ends like The Twilight Zone. Inspired by the short story “A Voice in the Night” by William H. Hodgson (though it’s equal parts Lord of the Flies), it follows a group of shipwrecked rich people on a bizarre island who are beset by mushroom creatures. The film was released on American TV under the unfortunate title Attack of the Mushroom People, which undoubtedly gave a bad impression. The creature effects might be considered quaint by today’s standards, but the real horrors are the characters who slowly turn on each other as the film progresses, giving into whatever vices they suffer from. The ending leaves the viewer with a gut punch of a social commentary. It’s a bit hard to find, but well worth seeing!

#4: John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982)*

This terrifying remake of a ‘50s B-movie is one of the smartest horror films I’ve ever seen. It has none of the stereotypical idiot characters. While it does have gross gore and freakish creatures, the real terror comes from the isolated Antarctic location and the paranoia that rips a tightly-knit science team apart as a shapeshifting alien organism takes over each of them.

#3: Fright Night (1985)*

A horror/comedy that is both genuinely funny and scary, it is a film with a perfectly simple concept: a teenage boy thinks his new next-door neighbor is a vampire, but no one believes him, so he desperately seeks help from a washed-up horror movie actor. The best characters aren’t the teenage hero, but the old actor–played by Roddy McDowall of Planet of the Apes fame—and the vampire (played by Chris Sarandon). The former is a cynical yet likable fellow with sharp, sarcastic wit (who’s not afraid to take jabs at the current horror movie trends), while the latter is a man whose often mesmerizing charm masks a powerful evil. Add in a cat-and-mouse game being played by the desperate teenage boy and his undead nemesis, and you have a fun (and frightening) night out.

#2: Jaws*

The movie that launched director Steven Spielberg’s career, created the summer blockbuster, and arguably inspired Sharknado. While based on the novel by Peter Benchley, it’s one of the rare times, I’d say, that the movie is better than the book (the novel was padded with an unnecessary subplot where Brody’s wife has an affair with Hooper). My favorite character is Quint, played by the scene-stealing Robert Shaw, a grizzled sailor with a Captain Ahab complex. He might be mad, but you can’t help but like his gruff attitude. Spielberg famously kept the anomatronic shark’s screen time to a minimum because he thought it looked fake. By doing so, he increased the film’s tension and gave the monster a stronger presence. Throw in classic lines like, “We need a bigger boat!” and you have an instant classic.

#1: Alien*

“In space, no one can hear you scream.” (One of the best taglines ever!)

If I had to choose a film that would be the blueprint for crafting the perfect horror movie, it would be Ridley Scott’s classic tale of gothic science fiction. It has powerful atmosphere, a terrifying and unique monster, and strong characters (including a countercultural heroine). The set design is incredible. The Nostromo feels both safe and claustrophobic. It plays upon multiple types and levels of fear, including, shadows, the unknown, and even rape. And it includes only one truly gory scene, but it both shocks the audience and adds to the story. It’s too bad that only one of its sequels, James Cameron’s Aliens, even comes close to equaling it.

Honorable Mentions: The Universal Horror Series (too many to include or choose), Night of the Living Dead (1968), Halloween (1978)

What are some of your favorite horror movies/stories/authors?

My Top 5 Favorite Horror Films

(My apologies, readers. I’d meant to post this before October 31, first as a video and then as a blog. Neither happened, but I hope you’ll enjoy reading it anyway, because I thought I owed it to you). 🙂 It’s that time of the year again. The air gets nippy. The leaves burst into fiery colors and tumble to the ground. The days are shorter. It’s a bit…spooky. Sing it with me now! “This is Halloween! This is Halloween!” The holiday isn’t complete with scary movies. Admittedly, I’m not the biggest consumer of fright flicks, but that’s most because most of the new ones are stupid (as I discuss in this GigaGeek Magazine article and this episode of “But I Digress…”). However, there are some that I truly love. If you’re looking for a few films to marathon through after the kids are done trick-or-treating, I highly recommend these.

#5: John Carpenter’s The Thing

The-Thing-Poster

This terrifying remake of a ‘50s B-movie is one of the smartest horror films I’ve ever seen. It has none of the stereotypical idiot characters. While it does have gross gore and freakish creatures, the real terror comes from the isolated Antarctic location and the paranoia that rips a tightly-knit science team apart as a shapeshifting alien organism takes over each of them.

#4: Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

anoes

Wes Craven’s classic is a variation of the then popular (and overused) slasher movie: a killer who attacks victims in their dreams. Freddy Krueger became an icon with his trademark sweater, hat, claws, and dark wit. The film has an otherworldly quality to it thanks to the dream sequences. Plus, in a rare treat, it features a strong heroine who refuses to become Freddy’s next victim. Interesting bit of trivia: this is Johnny Depp’s first movie. He plays the heroine’s boyfriend.

#3: Fright Night (1985)

frightnight

A horror/comedy that is both genuinely funny and scary, it is a film with a perfectly simple concept: a teenage boy thinks his new next-door neighbor is a vampire, but no one believes him, so he desperately seeks help from a washed-up horror movie actor. The best characters aren’t the teenage hero, but the old actor–played by Roddy McDowall of Planet of the Apes fame—and the vampire (played by Chris Sarandon). The former is a cynical yet likable fellow with sharp, sarcastic wit (who’s not afraid to take jabs at the current horror movie trends), while the latter is a man whose often mesmerizing charm masks a powerful evil. Add in a cat-and-mouse game being played by the desperate teenage boy and his undead nemesis, and you have a fun (and frightening) night out.

#2: Jaws

movie-poster-jaws

The movie that launched director Steven Spielberg’s career, created the summer blockbuster, and arguably inspired Sharknado. While based on the novel by Peter Benchley, it’s one of the rare times, I’d say, that the movie is better than the book (the novel was padded with an unnecessary subplot where Brody’s wife has an affair with Hooper). My favorite character is Quint, played by the scene-stealing Robert Shaw, a grizzled sailor with a Captain Ahab complex. He might be mad, but you can’t help but like his gruff attitude. Spielberg famously kept the anomatronic shark’s screen time to a minimum because he thought it looked fake. By doing so, he increased the film’s tension and gave the monster a stronger presence. Throw in classic lines like, “We need a bigger boat!” and you have an instant classic.

#1: Alien

Alien_movie_poster

“In space, no one can hear you scream.” (One of the best taglines ever!)

If I had to choose a film that would be the blueprint for crafting the perfect horror movie, it would be Ridley Scott’s classic tale of gothic science fiction. It has powerful atmosphere, a terrifying and unique monster, and strong characters (including a countercultural heroine). The set design is incredible. The Nostromo feels both safe and claustrophobic. It plays upon multiple types and levels of fear, including, shadows, the unknown, and even rape. And it includes only one truly gory scene, but it both shocks the audience and adds to the story. It’s too bad that only one of its sequels, James Cameron’s Aliens, even comes close to equaling it.

Honorable Mentions (or, Films I’d Include on my Top 10) -28 Days Later -Dracula (1931) -Dawn of the Dead (original)

But I DIgress…, Episode 2: Horrible Horror

“But I Digress…”
Hosted by Nathan Marchand

My apologies for the delay in posting this. Slow internet + large video = YouTube hates me.

Anyway…

Ah, Halloween. The season of costumes, candy, and horror movies. It seems like such flicks (and literature) are a dime a dozen these days. Unfortunately, many of them are, well, horrible. Why is that? In this week’s episode, I discuss a lot of the those reasons, including idiotic characters, overused jump scares, and gratuitous gore.

No black outline this time. That’s because I edited the video on one program instead of two. That’s good because I looked a bit “claustrophobic” in the last one.

Please rate, comment, and share. I’d love to get feedback and discuss this topic with you.

“Pandora’s Box” Release Date Announced!

I just received an e-mail from Absolute XPress, the publishing house putting out my book. They told me my first novel, Pandora’s Box, is slated to be released October 31!

That’s right–I’ll be published on Halloween. Maybe I should have a book signing while wearing a costume. That’d be hilarious. At least I won’t forget the day I published my first book.