“There is something at work in my soul, which I do not understand.” – Mary Shelley
Mood: https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/67eQiUFpTjXQBAJ72iWW1A
Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein during the summer without sun. What monstrosity will you birth? During a year without smiles, only masks. If history remembers 2020 for one thing, may it be that there was never a time more ripe for a KILLER good horror story.
Halloween is little more than 2 months away. This year, I vow not to miss it. In addition to my current project – the drama / action / thriller, A Dark Night, I’ve also begun brainstorming a new mystery/horror montage, which has potential to be far more compelling. To have both published by the great fright night is my goal!
The anxious aura of autumn haunted me many years as a child. Back to school social pressures, frigid twilight air, and ever-increasingly shorter days, often brought me sorrow, and fear that sometimes boiled into panic.
I would have given anything to stop those feelings. Now, as a comfortably numb adult, I sometimes long for them. And indeed, horror movies are one of the few means I’ve discovered to replicate them.
For me, good horror has more to do with mood and atmosphere than it does jump scares and gore. The best horror movies tend to have both. Michael Myers wouldn’t be as frightening without John Carpenter’s elegant, pulsating piano / synth score, which makes my eyes go wide even after the 100th listen.
What does Halloween season mean to you? What are some of your favorite horror movies? And favorite SHOTS from horror movies, if you can think of any. I’m looking for good montage material.
Thanks for reading and stay safe.
E.F.
Experience Film 
I read the novel “Jaws” while high up in the Cascade mountains, happy I had not chosen mountaineering as opposed to another recreational option that presents itself here in Puget Sound, scuba. I thought it safer. I fell in crevasse the next day. I went to the film afterwards and still felt the same however, and returned to mountaineering.
“The Eiger Sanction” just did not frighten me. I had been in that situation before, or something close to it. I knew what to do. Not really a horror flick, but it has its own dangers.
The “Alien” series came out later. This should have been a bit easier to take; set in outer space, not really an option one might find one’s self in. The basic plot for horror that scares me the most is contained in the film:
Stranded somewhere in conflict with an ostensibly more cunning and lethal opponent. Fearful odds.
“Aliens” remains the scariest movie I have ever seen despite the lack of chance this will ever occur to me.
Or will it? This pandemic has come off a bit like “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”.
Whatever you do Experience, just don’t fall asleep….
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It is so cool that you live in a place that affords both mountaineering and scuba diving as hobbies! In either case, things can go wrong in the blink of an eye, as you experienced first-hand.
This past winter (my first here in present home: Denver) I arrogantly went off trail at Staunton State Park, at dusk, in two feet of snow, and of course lost myself. I had a map, and knew if I followed the terrain downward to the creek I could follow it to reconnect to the trail, and I did about 30 min and 3/4 mile later. But almost turned my ankle in the deep snow and bramble in the process. And only after almost doing so did I realize the full scope of the danger I had put myself in. But yeah, after seeing Jaws and a myriad of its lesser predecessors, I too will say “Noo Thank you” to scuba diving haha.
As for “Stranded somewhere in conflict with an ostensibly more cunning and lethal opponent,” that is a perfectly terrorizing situation, indeed!
I can’t wait to watch Alien again, very soon perhaps. Its been years since I watched It for the only time.
Your last advice had an ominous, poetic ring to it… For now I grabbed another cup of coffee! 👍💀
E.F.
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Glad you survived your off trail adventure. Now you have a story to tell. I am afraid I have too many.
I quit mountaineering when I realized I was running out of luck, lying in a tent during a storm, and had three children at home to raise.
The next day a snow bridge collapsed under me and but for my pack falling in front of me I would be head injured on the rocks below in the creek, lost in the trees, snow on the ground, but it was raining. Broke a big toe, and resisted the urge to take the boot off there, which is good, because when we finally got down to the SUV I took it off and my foot swelled to twice its size. No way would I get that boot back on after that.
My experiences in the wilderness left me with the sense of how vulnerable we really are. One day a 9.0 Richter scale will roll through these parts and you will not hear from me for a while. Everyone in Seattle will learn about wilderness in a big hurry. How about that for a horror film?
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Now Those are some Adventures! Sounds like you have survived a lot of close calls, RR.
Let’s hope the Pacific NW earthquake does not happen anytime soon! But to have a plan in place in case it does. Yikes 😱
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“For me, good horror has more to do with mood and atmosphere than it does jump scares and gore“ I could not agree with you more! The best horror films, are often the ones that don’t have those cheap elements to depend on, but rather the ones that create a bonechilling atmosphere. The original Ringu is one of them. Don’t know if you ever seen it, but it’s the atmosphere of that film that makes it so scary. Another great example is the highly underrated Babadook…another movie that has more to do with atmosphere then cheap thrills. Looking forward to your montage!
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Yes totally! I have not seen either of those, raistlin. Only the American remake of The Ring. Babadook? I have heard good things. I will fast-track both to the top of my to-see list. Perfect! 👍💀
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Haha cool! Hope you will enjoy them! 😊😊
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Too many horror movie “shots” to list, but even tho’ I’d seen it before, this one always stands out – good God, I’m getting gooseflesh right now just thinking of it – is “Burnt Offerings” with Karen Black, Oliver Reed, Burgess Meredith, and Bette Davis (!).
I was living on Pt Dume in Malibu, wife went to bed, watched it alone.
The “shot” that still gets me today was at the end when Reed enters the tower room and sees his wife, Black, in a rocker with her back to Reed. Reed is petrified from all that’s happened begore and dripping in panic sweat, he calls to her, she doesn’t respond, he does again, as he walks closer, still no response, then as he gets close enough she turns and, well, the sheer horror he experiences drives him to escape the quickest way he could at the moment – gettin’ chills again.
After that I had to go outside in the dark and throw some hay to my horses, it was a very scarey thing to do after that movie, I hurried and ran back in the house.
That shot is terrifying, but I love thrills – got my heart pumpin’..
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Fantastic, 00! That’s one I’ve certainly heard of but haven’t seen. Just looked up that scene and it gave me chills. Can only imagine the buildup to that moment in the film, and how terrifying it must been having to go outside in the dark after watching that night! 😱
I already know where I’m going to add it in the montage. Thanks!! 🙌
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