Moment of Horror #3

Friday the 13th Part 3

Although none of the Friday the 13th films rank my top 10 horror films of all times, one would be remiss to not acknowledge their roll in the evolution of the Horror genre. As much as I prefer the Halloween series I must concede that the image of Jason as we have come to know him with the hockey mask which he acquired in part 3 is likely as well known in today's culture as earlier horror icons Universal's Frankenstein Monster and Dracula. So a tip of the tweed to the horror naysayers that figure I don't appreciate horror films that come in colour.

Macabre's top 10 Horrors

B-Sol over at the Vault of horror has bravely put his neck out by posting the League's top 50 Horror films of all time list. Now perhaps you're saying why is it his neck on the line, it's not his list, just his effort in polling and tabulating input. Well your right, as I was asked to submit my top 10 (and dutifully did so) my neck should be out just as far. So here is my list of top 10 Horror movies of all time.

Psycho

Exorcist

Bride of Frankenstein

King Kong

Frankenstein ('31)

Phantom of the Opera (I gotta say the '25 version among the other Chaney edits)

American Werewolf in London

Night of the Living Dead

The Haunting

Freaks (or maybe Wicker Man, or Dracula, or Nosferatu...)

OK the hardest spot to fill is definitely the #10 spot.

One thing of note, and I believe it to be significant and somewhat overlooked in he recent buzz this list has spawned, is that when polled the criteria was what we the voters thought was our favourite Horror films. Simple cut and dry, there was no criteria such as most influential, best written, best produced, scariest, etc. And as such my list absorbed some of every one of those categories and often considered on multiple levels. Everyone who submitted a list had to form in their mind what criteria they chose to select their list and voted accordingly to a pretty broad request. The grand scope of the question in my opinion only validates the list even more so.

The final list has some selections which I personally don't agree with (yeah OK state the obvious there bucko, if I did agree with it entirely the list would read like my top 10 now wouldn't it.), some of which I question how other's minds can conceiveably rank in the top 50. I'll say it out right here and now I thought Blair Witch was a bigger piece of crap than SAW, or even Children of the Corn 2, and likely one of my biggest horror film disapointments of all time. And I don't get how Thiller is on the list, but fact is more than one person ranked it high enough to count for whatever reason. But then I admit my mind works on a different frequency.

G. Macabre

Rememberance of those who have given all

In honour of those for whom we dedicate the 11th hour of the 11th day on the 11th month I'm linking back to three post I have done a while ago. A true life horror story from those who have lived and seen true horror.

To all who have given that we could be free I say thank you.

Eyes! Eyes! Eyes! part 1, part 2, part 3

G. Macabre

Día de los Muertos

OK I have to admit I took yesterday off when really I had no business doing so, not with November 1st being the Day of the innocents, the first day of the Mexican celebration. Día de los Inocentes (also known as Día de los Angelitos, Day of the Little Angels) celebrates those whom have died in childhood. Today November 2nd is properly Día de los Muertos or Día de los Difuntos (Day of the Dead) where the lives of those whom have died in adulthood are celebrated.

Just as our more familliar Halloween celebrations mark the belief that the barrier between the worlds of the living and the dead is at its weakest, the Día de los Muertos celebrations mark the similar belief that it is easier for the spirits of the deceased to visit the living during this time. Family members tend the graves of their deceased relatives presenting offerings gold marigolds (cempasúchitl) and either toys and candy for the deceased children or alcoholic beverage for the adults to intice their spirits to return. Memorial altars abundant with photographs, personal articles, favourite foods, candied pumpkin, and sugar skulls are commonplace, both in cemetaries and private homes.


















The image most often used with this celebration is that of the skull. Often decorated and colorful, it appears as masks and makeup, figurines such as Catrinas, decorations and candies and treats. The origin here is likely in connection with early indiginous peoples where human skulls were kept and used as trophies and decorations during rituals and celebrations as symbols of life and death.




















As is obvious this is not a subdued mournful occasion, but rather one of great exhuberence and joy.

Hay más tiempo que vida
Gary D. Macabre

Here is a link to a very nice site about the Day of the Dead: Day of the Dead in Mexico

The Day after

Greetings, I hope your travels amongst the spirits on all Hallows Eve were favorable. Now it is time to sit back and relax. Halloween may be over, but all the glory that fall brings before the sleep of winter lays ahead. Enjoy.


















Gary D. Macabre