Spooky Season: Part 2

Following on from yesterday's post, I'm back with another simple yet effective Halloween costume mostly from my own wardrobe, this time a Witchy Woman... I'm wearing a gorgeous dark purple stretch lace dress with ruffled bust & hemline detailing, satin lining & embellished black grosgrain ribbon belt from Aussie designer Anthea Crawford, a pair of clear plastic & black suede pointy-toed kitten heels from Tony Bianco (great for taking pictures, sitting & possibly flying on a broomstick but not so great for walking long distances), a black & iridescent purple/green witch's hat with black rose band & mesh veiling from my local Big W store for the princely sum of $10, honeycomb fold-out pumpkin from online retailer Discount Party Supplies for $3 & a socially distanced Trick or Treat bag with a "carved pumpkin" face from a discount store for under $5. 

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In addition to the costume pictures, I've also compiled a second list of "fright night flicks," this time of the not-so-scary variety, for those who wish to get into the Halloween spirit without all of the blood & gore...

THE BARELY BLOOD-CURDLING (List 2)

Hocus Pocus (1993)

A virgin lit the black candle... An American horror/fantasy/comedy for children directed by Kenny Ortega (yes, from Dirty Dancing) & made for Disney, this movie is an ABSOLUTE must watch for all ages, not least due to Bette Midler's hilarious turn as disgruntled, resurrected witch Winifred who, even after 300 years, is stuck with her two bumbling sister witches as she tries to make the most of new-boy-in-town Max's snafu in lighting the Black Candle on Halloween night in Salem, Massachusetts. I'm honestly confused by the amount of people who dislike the film, as quite frankly, I'd watch it for the Thackery Binx scenes alone - a 300 year old boy who was turned into a talking black cat - & who is still blaming himself for not protecting his little sister Emily from the Sanderson Sister even after all those years & who helps Max, his little sister & his schoolgirl crush to thwart their "witchy" attempts to become immortal...

Goosebumps 1&2 (2015, 2018)

Viewer beware, you're in for a scare... If you love Jack Black films, you're in for a treat with these two comedy/horror flicks, as he plays R.L Stine, reclusive author of the wildly popular Goosebumps book series who has to stop his literary creation, ventriloquist-dummy-with-a-Napeoleonic-complex Slappy, from taking over small-town America by summoning the other demons, warlocks, werewolves, disgruntled garden gnomes, abominable snowmen (among others) from inside the pages of some of his seminal works. Each film is set in a different town with a different set of high-school students & although I would like to say that they are equally good, I must admit that I am partial to the second installment, which contains a brilliant cameo from the hilarious Ken Jeong.

Scooby Doo, Where Are You? (1969-1970)

Would you do it for a Scooby Snack? The ultimate counter-culture, 1960s throwback cult classic, the very first series of Scooby Doo, which has spawned literally HUNDREDS of other incarnations of the Hanna Barbera cartoon, is definitely the best. If you don't already know, the series centers around a group of four teenagers - attractive jock Fred, beautiful & popular Daphne, nerdy & intelligent Velma & slacker Shaggy - who drive around in a kombi van called the Mystery Machine & solve occult crimes with the help of their canine companion, a talking great dane with a penchant for snacking by the name of Scooby Doo. From the hippie dippie catch phrases to the psychedelic backdrops, it's the ultimate spooky trip back in time...

Ghostbusters 1&2 (1984, 1989)

Back off man, I'm a scientist... The most popular & highest grossing film of the 1980s, Ghostbusters is just one of those pop culture moments that you have to see for yourself. It's a comedy/supernatural horror flick starring the hilarious Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Sigourney Weaver & Rick Moranis & is the story of group of eccentric parapsychologists who start a ghost-catching business in New York City, only to find out that the love interest of one is living in the penthouse of a building that is literally the portal to another dimension. With memorable "ectoplasms" such as Slimer & entities such as the Stay Puft marshmallow man - as well as Murray's sarcastic one liners & droll delivery - it's a few hours well spent... & if you have the time to view the sequel, that's highly recommended too, particularly if you want to see what happens to the characters that you've grown to love...

Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1990-1996)

Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society... If you read this blog a lot, you'll already know that I was a child of the mid 80s/90s & this Canadian television show was one of the best for a kid that loved something a little left of centre. Basically, once a week a group of teenagers sit around a campfire in the dark after sneaking out of their homes & each must tell a story in turn - one that's eerie enough to earn the self-appointed society's "approval." I'll freely admit that I've watched it again recently after being gifted the first two series & it definitely stands the test of time.

Arsenic & Old Lace (1944)

Oh, Mortimer... This movie has been a favourite for years & is up there with weird 1940s films like Harvey (about a man & his giant, invisible "pooka" bunny best friend) & A Kiss in the Dark (about a concert pianist who inherits an apartment block full of crazy weirdos) - frankly, it's riotous black comedy as it's finest. The inimitable Cary Grant plays Mortimer, who returns home one Halloween to tell the two elderly, maiden aunts who raised him that he's getting married, only to find out that they've habitual murderers, "bumping off" lonely old bachelors who answer their "Room for Rent" ads by putting arsenic, strychnine & "just a pinch of cyanide" in their elderberry wine... & that's just for starters...

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! (1966)

Good grief, it's Halloween... A prime time, animated special based on the comic series Peanuts, it focuses on The Great Pumpkin, an unseen entity that - according to Linus - rises from the pumpkin patch each Halloween night to bring toys to sincere & deserving children who believe in him, much to the mockery & derision of his closest compatriots, but not Charlie Brown, who believes that this Great Pumpkin is akin to a Santa Claus figure but with "denominational differences." If you love Snoopy & the gang, you'll love this Halloween themed outing...

Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Don't lose your head... Based on Washington Irving's beloved short story from 1820, directed by auteur Tim Burton & starring gothic master Johnny Depp, the film is the kind of "dark & stormy night ghost tale" that just screams All Hallows Eve. The plot follows constable Ichabod Crane, a New Yorker ahead of his time with his inventions & scientific discoveries, who is sent to the village of Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of mysterious decapitations said to be perpetrated by a Headless Horseman. Is the Horseman a myth or is something evil stirring in this "sleepy" little hamlet? Ichabod must fuse science & skepticism with legend & witchcraft to find the culprit & of course, get the girl - who in this case is played by the iconic Christina Ricci. I love everything about this film - the adaptation itself (not overly done or too long like Burton's version of Willy Wonka), the costumes & the cinematography are just mind-blowing.

The 'Burbs (1989)

I love this neighbourhood... Another black comedy; this time starring Tom Hanks, Carrie Fisher, Bruce Dern & Corey Feldman - yup, it's so 80s, it hurts. But I digress. It tells the story of Ray Peterson, a suburban husband & father who just wants a quiet vacation at home... plans that are thrown into disarray with the arrival of a suspiciously odd family called the Klopeks to the cul-de-sac. Enlisting the aid of his paranoid buddy Art & his militia-man neighbour, Ray sends his wife & son to stay at his in-laws while he half-heartedly investigates the Klopeks, only to be fully dragged into the situation when another neighbour - a grouchy old man - goes missing. It's time for Ray & his cohorts to save his little slice of suburbia from the clutches of pure evil.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

It's just a jump to the left... If you don't already know about this cult classic, it's really hard to describe - part musical, part horror film, part comedy classic, part cultural revolution all rolled into a running time of 100 minutes. Basically, it's a parody/tribute to science fiction & B grade horror movies with a KILLER SOUNDTRACK & centers around young, virginal couple Brad & Janet who are stranded when their car has a flat tyre out in the middle of nowhere on a dark & stormy night. When they seek shelter at a gothic looking castle nearby, they become unwitting guests of Frank-n-Furter, an eccentric transvestite & mad scientists who preaches a mantra of "pure pleasure" & is making a hunky blonde bodybuilder named Rocky...

The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror (1990-)

It was all yellow... A series of Halloween-themed special episodes of the popular animated series, the Treehouse of Horror phenomenon just seems to get better & better every year. Each episode is split into three smaller, self-contained segments where America's famous yellow-skinned family find themselves in some kind of supernatural setting, abandoning any thought of the show's continuity & any last vestiges of reality in the cartoon world. What I love the most is the way the writers take inspiration from all manner of gothic, thriller & science fiction authors & scenarios including a particularly memorable year with Lisa recounting Edgar Allen Poe's epic poem "The Raven" that was first published in 1845. It's a serious cultural zeitgeist & not to be missed...

Casper (1995)

Mostly ghostly... Despite being a film made ostensibly for children, Casper actually was quite a dark interpretation of the mostly humorous comic strip, one that stands the test of time & even after 25 years has the power to bring me to tears at the very end. The film details the story of a spoiled, entitled heiress who only discovers that her father has left her a rundown mansion called Whipstaff Manor after his vast wealth has already been distributed among many charities. After finding a note stating that a treasure has been hidden inside, she is horrified to learn that the manor is haunted by Casper & his revolting uncles called the Ghostly Trio & against her better judgement, hires a grieving paranormal therapist (obsessed with contacting the spirit of his late wife) to move in & sort out the situation. The therapist, Dr Harvey, movies into the manor with his teenage daughter Kat - played by the talented Christina Ricci- who becomes friends with the "friendly ghost" after being ostrasized by her new classmates but trouble awaits due to his transparent state & the troublemaking antics of his uncles...

Bedknobs & Broomsticks (1971)

Traguna, Mekoides, Trecorum, Satis Dee... I know that many people think this film is just a pale imitation of Mary Poppins with its similar premise & use of live action & animation but for me, it's even better, as I love the Britain-during-World-War-Two era in movies & television & absolutely ADORE Angela Lansbury. Not to mention the fact that it's witty & clever & heartwarming to the core... all those good things. You might even say that when it comes to this list, I've saved the best til last! 

Basically, it's a black comedy/supernatural horror/musical film about an apprentice witch named Eglantine Price who strives to live a completely private life in the small village of Pepperinge Eye & whose solitary existence is upended by the arrival of three "war orphans" from London who are placed with her despite her protestations & quickly find out her deepest, darkest secret - that she's an apprentice witch, taking correspondence classes run by a mysterious Professor Emelius Brown. To buy the children's silence, she casts a spell & offers them a magical bedknob that will allow them to travel anywhere but before they can use it for themselves, she has some bad news about the witch's college & needs to travel to London to find Professor Brown & get him to give her the final spell, one that she believes will help Britain to win the war. Much to her chagrin, Brown turns out to be nothing more than a showman, who found the spells in a torn-up old book & is shocked they actually work. Eglantine refuses to leave without the final spell & the five begin their adventure to find the missing pages of the manuscript... I won't give away the ending for those who haven't seen it because I love it so much (although it IS a Disney movie so you could probably guess) but I will say that my favourite part of the movie is the end, a snippet of which you can see below... & it's worth waiting for. Also, look out for the "Rabbit Spell," which is also an old favourite...

DISCLAIMER: As with any lists, the contents are (of course) subjective, meaning there are many other options that could have been included or that others may have rated instead of these titles. Indeed, there are many honourable mentions including Halloween episodes from some of my favourite television shows including the The Big Bang Theory (where they all want to go as The Flash), Bones (the one where riders are being abducted from the Ghost Train), the "Halloween Heist" episodes of Brooklyn 99; many other shows including Harpers Island, The Haunting of Bly House (clearly a modern take on The Turn of the Screw by Henry James but none the less, rather spooky), Buffy the Vampire Slayer, franchises such as Harry Potter or the Twilight Saga, movies like Hubie Halloween, Final Desination, Lake Placid, Prom Night, Child's Play, The Craft & finally, fare from aforementioned writers & directors including The Shining, Carrie, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Halloween, The Thing, Vertigo & Psycho.

Spooky Season: Part 1

Getting into the spirit early this year & haunting my back garden as an immortal Vampire Queen in a gorgeous costume that came primarily from my existing wardrobe with "spooky" little extras from the local "cheap shop" to complete the look for under $15. I'm wearing a dark red stretch lace midi dress with chiffon neckline & tulle underlay from Taking Shape that I've covered with a black polyblend cape with red collar that cost me $8, a pair of black suede pointy-toed mules with shiny patent straps from Nine West that I've worn to practically every "dressy" event so far this year, a plastic skeleton hand hairclip with red grosgrain ribbon bow that the mother of a child in my mother's class makes & sells at market stalls across the city & a TON of makeup including black & silver eyeshadow from Australis & bright red lipstick from Revlon in a shade called "Love That Red," just like any good vampire would do...

To be honest, things are looking decidedly different for Halloween this year - with all the Covid 19 social distancing going on, I don't think we'll be spending "fright night" finding last minute costumes in order to explore a neighbourhood Haunted House display for going Trick or Treating in the surrounding streets & eating the spoils on the porch steps in the warmth of a Queensland springtime evening under the light of a full moon (or a street lamp, obviously). Regardless, I am still determined to get into the "spirit of spookiness" by donning some quick & easy costumes, snapping some quick photographs & curling up on the couch with popcorn & a scary flick, preferably a cult classic, if I'm honest. In fact, with the cooler temperatures we've been experiencing lately, there's nothing stopping me from enjoying a horror flick every night until All Hallows Eve... & with just over two weeks to go, there's nothing stopping YOU either... 

With that in mind, I've compiled 2 lists of 13 of the best in the business - from the truly terrifying for those who love to be scared silly to lighter fare for those who still want to get into the spirit but get a little, well, squeamish... & maybe even a few for the kids, too...

THE TRULY TERRIFYING (List #1)

Scream: The Original Trilogy (1996-)

What's your favourite scary movie? From the mind of the inimitable Wes Craven is this trio of both horrifying & hilarious films centered around the unfortunate Sidney Prescott, who is continually & sadistically harassed by "Ghostface," a serial killer wearing a mask who loves to ask his victims about their favourite scary movie & then proceeds to follow each & every ridiculous & stereotypical trope. Personally, I love the third installment, which takes aim at the insanity of Hollywood & the vacuous nature of celebrity... 

Friday 13th: Part 1 (1980)

Care for a trip to Camp Crystal Lake? The movie that single-handedly created the "teenage slasher movie" genre & became a cult classic, it certainly has its share of blood & gore mixed in with a few laughs & eye rolls. Sure, it's dated & full of Americana relating to their bizarre obsession with sending their children to summer camps run by unqualified teenagers but watching it at night with the lights off still makes you jump at every little sound... & the fact that it is actually IMPOSSIBLE to pick the killer as the character is never fully introduced makes it something a little out of the ordinary.

The Wicker Man (1973)

Burning for a change of scenery? The first of the "folk horror" films, the low-budget flick details the travails of a devout Christian police sergeant sent to find a missing girl on an isolated Hebredian island presided over by the pagan Lord Summersile (played brilliantly by the talented Christopher Lee) & culminating in the ritual burning of a Wicker Man to ensure a bountiful corn harvest & fertile fields... 

Midsommar (2019)

Burning for a romantic getaway? The latest, critically-acclaimed installment of the "folk horror" genre, Ari Aster's horror masterpiece is the truly disturbing tale of a psychologically damaged student & her emotionally-distant boyfriend's ill-fated trip to a Swedish friend's midsommar festival celebrations at an ancestral commune. Honestly, if I was artistic/creative/crafty enough to make a replica of the "flower dress" that Dani wears after winning the maypole competition & being crowned May Queen, I would wear that as my Halloween costume this year, it's THAT amazing...

I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997)

There's no such thing as a joy ride... I admit, I was a teenager of the late 1990s so this film (written by Kevin Williamson, the creator of Dawson's Creek) has a special place in my heart as it was one of the first MA rated horror movies that I saw in the cinema with my friends... ditto the second installment... A slasher film that centers around four young friends who are stalked by a hook-wielding killer one year after covering up a fatal hit & run accident on the night of the town's big Fourth of July Croker Festival, pretty much all you need to know is that it stars teen heart throbs Freddie Prinze Jnr & Ryan Phillippe, as well as Buffy the Vampire Slayer herself, Sarah Michelle Geller & Jennifer Love Hewitt (clearly triple-barrel names were a thing back then).

The Skeleton Key (2005)

It only has power if you believe... A supernatural horror film starring Kate Hudson & Peter Sarsgaard, the film tells the story of a New Orleans hospice nurse who begins a job at a Terrebonne Parish plantation home & becomes entangled in the history of the house, its former inhabitants & the hoodoo rituals & spells that took place there... Full disclosure, it's a bit of a "sleeper hit" & didn't do particularly well at the Box Office but if you're into atmospheric Southern American mansions & the idea of hoodoo versus voodoo, then it's the pick for you.

The Ring (2002)

Before you die, you see the ring... A remake of a 1998 Japanese horror film, it's the story of a journalist & single mother who investigates a so-called "cursed" videotape that seemingly kills the viewer seven days after watching it. Saw this at the movies just after it came out & almost jumped out of my seat at one point I was so freaked out... & not at what you would expect, either, which you'll discover for yourself if you rent this flick. I absolutely love the twist at the end of this film & the way it subverts the final-girl-saves-the-day "girl power" trope that is common in movies of the early noughties.

Scream Queens: Season 1 (2015)

Welcome to Chanel-o-ween... A satirical slasher/horror television series from the creator of smash hit musical show Glee, this is honestly the black comedy of my dreams, particularly the first season starring Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, Jamie Lee Curtis & Lea Michelle to name a few. The action takes place at fictional Wallace College sorority Kappa Kappa Tau, run by entitled "rich bitch" Chanel Oberlin & her minions Chanel Number 2, Chanel Number 3 & Chanel Number 4 respectively that is threatened by the "inclusivity minded" Dean Munsch, reigniting a twenty year old murder mystery & the reemergence of a serial killer dressed as the school's Red Devil mascot. As far as I'm concerned, the one-liners are absolutely epic, the Halloween costume potential is exponential & the best episode of the bunch is the one where a student (imaginatively named Feather) is accused of decapitating Dean Munsch's philandering ex-husband after leaving a half-eaten bologna sandwich as evidence...

The Birds (1963)

Tweet, tweet... Loosely based on the 1952 short story by Daphne du Maurier & directed by famed auteur Alfred Hitchcock, it's the less popular choice for Halloween (Psycho, anyone?) but none the less, is just as frightening for this blogger with a slight phobia of all birds other than magpies. For those who don't know despite the continual references in pop culture more than 50 years later, the film focuses on a series of bizarre & disturbing bird attacks on the residents of Bodega Bay, California after socialite Melanie follows attractive lawyer Mitch to his home, cage of birds in hand, to play a practical joke on him in an effort to win his affections... 

Tucker & Dale vs Evil (2010)

Dumb & Dumber go camping... A satirical horror flick that's big on black comedy, it follows kindhearted, slightly dimwitted rednecks Tucker & Dale who decide to vacation at their new cabin the mountains, only for the vacation to take a nasty turn when they are mistaken for chainsaw killers by a group of college students who keep on having gruesome & rather "unfortunate" accidents...

The Fog (1980)

There's something in the fog... An atmospheric chiller directed by John Carpenter & telling the story of the fictional town of Antonio Bay & its centennial celebrations, marred by a thick, supernatural fog that rolls in from the ocean, the vengeful ghosts of ancient mariners within rising from the sea to exact retribution for crimes committed long ago by the founding fathers... I'm also a fan of the 2005 remake, which takes a more in depth approach to the back story & focuses on the doomed romance between town hotshot Nick & the beautiful Elizabeth, prodigal daughter of the town's mayor.

Children of the Corn (1984)

There's no such thing as a nice, quiet drive in the countryside... Arguably, there are better Stephen King novels/novellas & superior Stephen King movie adaptations like Carrie & It, but honestly, I just love the particular concept so darn much... A young couple, passing through America's bible belt, become trapped in the remote town of Gatlin where a dangerous religious cult of children - led by the demented Isaac - believe that anyone over the age of eighteen is unclean & that a bloodthirsty deity known as "He Who Walks Behind the Rows" is beseeching them to ritually sacrifice all of the adults in town to ensure a plentiful corn harvest...

Rosemary's Baby (1968)

Beware the pitter patter of tiny feet... A psychological horror film directed by the often-divisive Roman Polanski, the film centers around the young, married Rosemary (played by 60s darling Mia Farrow) who moves into a new apartment with her husband & suddenly begins hearing, thinking & dreaming strange things. When she discovers that she's pregnant, she can't shake the feeling that her husband & neighbours have sinister plans for her baby... I love the era of the 1960s for its fashion, decor & music & this film doesn't disappoint but rather celebrates all things mid-century culture, making it both a cinematic icon & a cult classic... Mia Farrow's "pixie" cut, trademarked by the inimitable Vidal Sassoon, is a particular highlight, along with all of the micro mini baby doll dresses with lace detailing & Peter Pan collars that are, oddly enough, having a resurgence in recent seasons...

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post with more "fright night" flicks for your viewing pleasure... but until then, enjoy some more pictures of this epic Halloween costume, complete with "socially distanced" Trick or Treat hand that I picked up for under $5 & quite frankly, just seems to scream 2020 to me...