In which it's one of my favorite weeks of the year
Oh, how I love Halloween! It's always been one of my favorite holidays as a kid, but since I've grown up, it's taken on even more significance because it is so closely followed by El Dia de Los Muertos, the day to remember those who have passed on. (More on this later in the week!) I adore everything about Halloween, from the surfeit of spooky decorations to the magazines packed with recipes for cheeseballs with googly eyes. And one of my favorite things about Halloween is the chance to watch endless spooky shows on television--the classic old horror films, cheesy Hammer movies, ghost-hunting programs--I love it all, and my tivo is about to burn up. (I should point out that I am a major wimp and do not do modern horror films or slasher movies at ALL. I only watched "Halloween" last year for the first time after I read that it actually doesn't include too much gore. Of course, I also sat through "300" without turning a hair, so I am nothing if not inconsistent.)
Anyway, the best things I've seen so far this week are: "Ghost Stories", featuring the Villisca Ax Murder House. It's a Travel Channel series that features some of the most chilling sites in the country. Now, I admit I've only had a chance to see the episode highlighting the unsolved 1912 murders in Villisca, but since it's a case I'm fascinated by, I thoroughly enjoyed it, not least for the nicely atmospheric credits. The story itself is shocking--an entire family butchered by an ax murderer as they slept--and it's particularly affecting to see the footage filmed in the house which has been restored to its 1912 condition. I know there is a fair bit of controversy over whether the house is actually haunted, but I don't really care. As a crime scene alone, it's compelling. It's also being repeated a few times this week on the Travel Channel, so check the listings.
My favorite horror movie, hands down, is Vampyr: Der Traum des Allan Grey. TCM shows it at least once each Halloween season, and it is WELL worth watching. You might want to google it first and read up on the plot because I will be the first to admit it's a bit difficult to follow. It was shot in 1930 and is eerily beautiful. The cinematography is dreamy thanks to the film having been shot through a layer of gauze, and the effect is otherworldly. Film lore says that the actors actually stayed in the crumbling castle setting for the duration of the shoot, and it is interesting to note that aside from two professional actors, the rest of the cast is comprised of amateurs cast for their looks. There is little dialogue, and honestly, following the plot doggedly is not the point. This is one of those films that is far more about the journey, so settle in with a nice glass of blood-red wine and prepare to enjoy the slow, measured pace.
Anyway, the best things I've seen so far this week are: "Ghost Stories", featuring the Villisca Ax Murder House. It's a Travel Channel series that features some of the most chilling sites in the country. Now, I admit I've only had a chance to see the episode highlighting the unsolved 1912 murders in Villisca, but since it's a case I'm fascinated by, I thoroughly enjoyed it, not least for the nicely atmospheric credits. The story itself is shocking--an entire family butchered by an ax murderer as they slept--and it's particularly affecting to see the footage filmed in the house which has been restored to its 1912 condition. I know there is a fair bit of controversy over whether the house is actually haunted, but I don't really care. As a crime scene alone, it's compelling. It's also being repeated a few times this week on the Travel Channel, so check the listings.
My favorite horror movie, hands down, is Vampyr: Der Traum des Allan Grey. TCM shows it at least once each Halloween season, and it is WELL worth watching. You might want to google it first and read up on the plot because I will be the first to admit it's a bit difficult to follow. It was shot in 1930 and is eerily beautiful. The cinematography is dreamy thanks to the film having been shot through a layer of gauze, and the effect is otherworldly. Film lore says that the actors actually stayed in the crumbling castle setting for the duration of the shoot, and it is interesting to note that aside from two professional actors, the rest of the cast is comprised of amateurs cast for their looks. There is little dialogue, and honestly, following the plot doggedly is not the point. This is one of those films that is far more about the journey, so settle in with a nice glass of blood-red wine and prepare to enjoy the slow, measured pace.
posted by deanna at
6:29 AM
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