HAPPY HALLOWEEN & SAMHAIN EVERYONE!
It's 10 PM here and I'm gonna stuff my face with these cupcakes and watch my Halloween-must-see-movie; the classic Halloween from 1978.
Monday, October 31, 2011
HALLOWEEN TOP 10: CELEBRATIVE COSTUMES
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| Halloween 2009 |
I've actually only dressed up three times before for Halloween. The first time was for a really big Halloween party in church during high school (FYI; the reason why I was hanging in church for a couple of years was because I lived outside of town and the church arranged a hell lot better after school activities than the youth club in school did) when I went as Magenta in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I had long, flaming red hair back then and used to dress in not so appropriate clothing for someone my age, so Magenta seemed like the perfect choice. Safe to say I didn't have to go buy anything for the dress up; all garments used were already part of my closet, erhm.... Well, well.
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| Halloween 2008 |
The third time was two years ago when I went to a friends house for a party. She had recently moved back to Sweden from the States and brought her American boyfriend with her, so the two of them throwing a Halloween party wasn't such a big surprise. I went as a high school girl zombie which was very much appreciated later that evening when we went out to a night club. Last year I went to a Halloween party in the outskirts of Portland, OR, which I unfortunately didn't have time to get a costume for. I, however, pointed out that I was dressed as a European (in the literal sense) and was immediately excused.
If I would have gone to a party this year, here's a list of 10 fabulous incarnations I would have chosen between.
#10 - One-legged Cherry Darling
#9 - The Halloween pumpkin mask
#8 - Tina's body in a plastic bag
No explanation needed really. This would make an awesome, but sweaty, costume.
#7 - Frankenstein's Bride
Not only is this of the most iconic women of horror, the physical details of her character would make a perfect Halloween costume; the electric black-and-white hair, the distinct makeup around her eyes and lips as well as the scars surrounding her face.
#6 - The transformation of Babyvamp Jessica
#5 - A pre-death Mary Jane Kelly
Although this might come off as a rather unimaginative option, it's one of the few that could actually satiate my obsession with the Edwardian and Victorian era, unless I would go as a pre-version of Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice and Zombies which planned film adaption, as you all know, hasn't been produced yet.
#4 - The pie baking Mrs. Lovett
Speaking of the Victorian era... I know the character of Mrs. Lovett from the film adaption Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) has become very popular during the last few years and her costume can be rented at most costume shop. I, however, like a challenge and would love to sit down and sew together the fabulous incarnation of the cannibal meat pie maker.I love Helena Bonham Carter and would love to dress up as either Bellatrix LeStrange from the Harry Potter film series or the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland (2010). But since the character should (at least according to me and in this specific list) be taken from a horror related movie, I would go for her portrait of Mrs. Lovett. And yes, the pies would make excellent accessories.
#3 - A blood soaked Carrie
Making a very gory appearance without much effort (other than spending too much money on fake blood) is an easy and safe bet for a Halloween costume. Perhaps not the most inventive for the evening, however, Carrie entered the prom stage a long time ago and the idea of portraying her has probably slipped every 80's or 90's born kid's mind but would still make a strong impression since everyone knows the story about the dumped-on, telekinetic loner whose late-blooming menstrual cycle and sexual maturation react disturbingly with her fundamentalist mother's psychological chastity belt.
#2 - The zombie (double rainbow) version of Brittany
I'm somewhat fed up with slutty dressed zombie women dragging themselves around on numerous Zombie Walks. Sensuality and sassiness can however be achieved in so many other ways; the growing femininity of the 20's and 30's when corsets and crinolines were thrown aside and the strength in the raising female independence and productiveness was displayed in the more practical and tidy wear. The night time glamor was still intact, with budding rounded busts and waistline curves. The hair was softer and prettier as hair perms improved (in Brittany's case, probably not so much) and foreheads which had been hidden by cloche hats were now revealed. The sensuality and strength of women were in general revealed by the change in women's fashion.
#1 - Baby Firefly in PJ's
Not too extravagant, which means no big budget or time effort needed to pull this costume off. Already having the blonde hair, the blue eyes and the school teacher glasses, I would only need a pair of flowered leggings, some socks and an old tank top.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
HALLOWEEN TOP 10: HORROR FRAGMENTS THAT HAVE AFFECTED MY PAST AND FUTURE
Long have I loved horror movies and many have the elements been that somewhat have altered my view upon life and disabled me in some aspects of it. I'm referring to elements that have put such a mark on my childhood and youth that I, still on this day, have a hard time looking past the frightened memories from my earlier years.
#10 - Pandemics
After watching endless of hours of zombie movies topped up with the most recent pandemics like Rec, Quarantine and The Walking Dead, I'm convinced that these stories have some real life influence. After watching History Channel's Zombies: A Living History I'm even more convinced that 1) zombie-like states have existed within humans through out history, and 2) if the cause for this state will spread, it will do so through some pandemic. And every time I hear reports on some new H5N1 or SARS I'm convinced it's the start of some Armageddon/Ragnarök pandemic.
#9 - Camping
My undying love for 80's horror brought me to Friday the 13th at a very young age. Followed up by Campfire Tales, Cabin Fever and most recently The Ruins and Eden Lake, the brutal consequences of going camping or hiking are rather evident. Combined with the old story about a couple of young people who got brutally stabbed do death whilst camping in the same woods as where I was born, these movies haven't really contributed to the safe and comfortable feeling of camping. My love for the outdoors and my obsession with sleeping in tents or whatever hut is available (yes, I was a girl scout for many years) still take the overhand, and mostly I can enjoy camping even though it wouldn't surprise me if some lunatic showed up in the middle of the night and attacked our tents.
#8 - The woods
The house where I was born is surrounded by thick, tall beech trees that during fall have a striking resemblances to the woods in The Blair Witch Project. This movie has probably had the strongest influence on me. I've been interested in the paranormal since I was in Junior High and the unexplainable has always fascinated me, making ghost stories and mocumentaries the most intriguing movie and book material. Although I haven't lived in that house, or those woods, since I was very young, I've still gone there several times a year with my family, and during October to February the place has always led my mind back to the great impact that The Blair Witch Project had on me.
To make matters worse, my other family home (in which I grew up and moved away from 4 years ago) was also surrounded by thick woods of pine trees. And as you might've guessed already I'm a huge fan of Twin Peaks and have been since I watched the show for the first time when I was 14. Being 14 years old, struggling with my own social life and inner troubles, I was very emotionally affected by Twin Peaks. Given the strong but subtle importance of the woods in the show, and its underlying importance in life, the story that it held in the show became somewhat present in my everyday life as well.
#7 - Off-beaten tracks
Every damn time I'm out driving I'm worried about running out of gas, making a wrong turn, stopping at the wrong gas station or offending some outback douche while I'm asking for directions, just to end up in some sequence from Deliverance (I actually don't understand why my parents let me watch that movie at all), The Hitcher, Wrong Turn or The Hills Have Eyes. This was my first fear when I was on my road trip through the Pacific Northwest, US and BC, Canada last fall. Driving alone for five days. Taking shortcuts through the mountains in Washington State so I wouldn't get caught in the snowstorm (or the Twin Peaks woods) before I'd reach the border. I was sure there were gonna be some banjo playing inbred kid just waiting for me to make the wrong turn. Luckily my driving skills are exceptional!
#6 - Children
Although my biological clock is turning and churning and tolling I have a hard time forgetting the mass psychoses that was Children of the Corn, the hamstring slashing Gage in Pet Sematary, Antichrist personified in The Omen or becoming mysteriously pregnant as in Rosemary's Baby. The list could be made long. What if my kid turns into Samara or an Esther psychopath?
#5 - Motels
My conviction that some motel managers run their business for other than money making purposes made me a bit skeptic during my road trip in the States and Canada last year. I tried out carefully at a hostel in Seattle the first night, but after being stalked by a drug addicted South American guy all night (who later that night fled over the Canadian border since his Visa expired that same day) I realized that crowded places might not be the best option after all. Since my budget didn't allow me any 5-star suites I swallowed my fear and spent two nights at different motels in Squamish and Nanaimo, BC. These sound like very harmless small towns which they in fact were. But stopping in the middle of the night after driving for hours and checking in to a motel alone with three unknown men in the reception claiming that no room is available but the one right above the reception when you know that the parking lot in front is not nearly half full... is kinda unsettling. After watching Psycho and Hostel I knew I would never set my foot in a motel. But now I have. And all by myself.
#4 - Space
Probably nothing is as scary as the uncomprehending. Never ending space? Distant planets? The serious risk of getting lost and never be able to come back? Disgusting creatures as in Alien? Writhing tentacles as in The Faculty? Nuff said.
#3 - Empty school hallways and locker rooms
Basically every teen slasher has a sequence taking place either in empty hallways, dark locker rooms or bathrooms in school. Scream has Mr. Hambry's death scene in his school office. Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master has Sheila's classroom death and the 2010 remake A Nightmare on Elm Street has Kris' nightmare sequence in both class room and hallways. Cherry Falls has Jody's chase in the school corridor and the library. Carrie has the bully scene in the locker room.
When I went to school for the last two years I was always a bit nervous staying after hours. And now at work I have to move through a huge locker room to get to my locker. And the lights can't be turned on manually, instead they automatically turn themselves on with a motion sensor that reacts painfully slow.
#2 - Clowns
The headline speaks for itself. Not only have I been terrified of clowns ever since I can remember, but being a Stephen King fan since early years didn't really help my case when I insisted I'd watch It. Such a terrible mistake. Not even today, as an (in most cases) grown adult, can I face a clown or even see one at a far distance without having this gut wrenching horror gripping my insides, making my palms sweat and my brain cells FREAK OUT. This fear has stretched so far that it also goes for people wearing masks or being disguised in general. I have a hard time even when my boyfriend wants to run around in his Autobot-mask (yeah, he's turning 30 soon and is a die hard fan of Transformers).
#1 - Haunted Houses
Combining my fear for masked people in general with the fact that all people are born with two fears in life - one of them being frightened of sudden noises or movement, results in my most awkward fear of Haunted Houses. And I'm not talking about being a little spooked; I'm talking about panic attack-hyper ventilation-type of fear. This is however something that's grown on me during the years, as I can't remember being this afraid when I was a child.
When I visited The Haunted House at the local amusement park in Stockholm last summer I completely freaked out. Simply because people wearing masks or other forms of disguises make me so uncomfortable that I can't function properly. I panicked, hyper-ventilated and screamed so much that not only did I get the condescending looks from a freakin' 10-year old, but I made the British personnel who were working the house as ghosts for the season, stop their haunting routine and come check that I didn't need medical attention.
The same thing happened at The London Dungeon. Not only is it scary itself since the torture chamber, Sweeney Todd's barber shop, Mary Jane Kelly's bedroom and all other parts of the dungeon is in fact reenactments and replicas of actual historical places and events. But its simple ghouls and haunted settings are enough to utterly terrify me from all my sense.
#10 - Pandemics
After watching endless of hours of zombie movies topped up with the most recent pandemics like Rec, Quarantine and The Walking Dead, I'm convinced that these stories have some real life influence. After watching History Channel's Zombies: A Living History I'm even more convinced that 1) zombie-like states have existed within humans through out history, and 2) if the cause for this state will spread, it will do so through some pandemic. And every time I hear reports on some new H5N1 or SARS I'm convinced it's the start of some Armageddon/Ragnarök pandemic.
 |
| The Walking Dead (2010) |
#9 - Camping
My undying love for 80's horror brought me to Friday the 13th at a very young age. Followed up by Campfire Tales, Cabin Fever and most recently The Ruins and Eden Lake, the brutal consequences of going camping or hiking are rather evident. Combined with the old story about a couple of young people who got brutally stabbed do death whilst camping in the same woods as where I was born, these movies haven't really contributed to the safe and comfortable feeling of camping. My love for the outdoors and my obsession with sleeping in tents or whatever hut is available (yes, I was a girl scout for many years) still take the overhand, and mostly I can enjoy camping even though it wouldn't surprise me if some lunatic showed up in the middle of the night and attacked our tents.
 |
| Friday the 13th (2010) |
The house where I was born is surrounded by thick, tall beech trees that during fall have a striking resemblances to the woods in The Blair Witch Project. This movie has probably had the strongest influence on me. I've been interested in the paranormal since I was in Junior High and the unexplainable has always fascinated me, making ghost stories and mocumentaries the most intriguing movie and book material. Although I haven't lived in that house, or those woods, since I was very young, I've still gone there several times a year with my family, and during October to February the place has always led my mind back to the great impact that The Blair Witch Project had on me.
To make matters worse, my other family home (in which I grew up and moved away from 4 years ago) was also surrounded by thick woods of pine trees. And as you might've guessed already I'm a huge fan of Twin Peaks and have been since I watched the show for the first time when I was 14. Being 14 years old, struggling with my own social life and inner troubles, I was very emotionally affected by Twin Peaks. Given the strong but subtle importance of the woods in the show, and its underlying importance in life, the story that it held in the show became somewhat present in my everyday life as well.
 |
| The Blair Witch Project (1999) |
#7 - Off-beaten tracks
Every damn time I'm out driving I'm worried about running out of gas, making a wrong turn, stopping at the wrong gas station or offending some outback douche while I'm asking for directions, just to end up in some sequence from Deliverance (I actually don't understand why my parents let me watch that movie at all), The Hitcher, Wrong Turn or The Hills Have Eyes. This was my first fear when I was on my road trip through the Pacific Northwest, US and BC, Canada last fall. Driving alone for five days. Taking shortcuts through the mountains in Washington State so I wouldn't get caught in the snowstorm (or the Twin Peaks woods) before I'd reach the border. I was sure there were gonna be some banjo playing inbred kid just waiting for me to make the wrong turn. Luckily my driving skills are exceptional!
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| Deliverance (1972) |
Although my biological clock is turning and churning and tolling I have a hard time forgetting the mass psychoses that was Children of the Corn, the hamstring slashing Gage in Pet Sematary, Antichrist personified in The Omen or becoming mysteriously pregnant as in Rosemary's Baby. The list could be made long. What if my kid turns into Samara or an Esther psychopath?
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| Pet Sematary (1989) |
#5 - Motels
My conviction that some motel managers run their business for other than money making purposes made me a bit skeptic during my road trip in the States and Canada last year. I tried out carefully at a hostel in Seattle the first night, but after being stalked by a drug addicted South American guy all night (who later that night fled over the Canadian border since his Visa expired that same day) I realized that crowded places might not be the best option after all. Since my budget didn't allow me any 5-star suites I swallowed my fear and spent two nights at different motels in Squamish and Nanaimo, BC. These sound like very harmless small towns which they in fact were. But stopping in the middle of the night after driving for hours and checking in to a motel alone with three unknown men in the reception claiming that no room is available but the one right above the reception when you know that the parking lot in front is not nearly half full... is kinda unsettling. After watching Psycho and Hostel I knew I would never set my foot in a motel. But now I have. And all by myself.
 |
| Psycho (1960) |
#4 - Space
Probably nothing is as scary as the uncomprehending. Never ending space? Distant planets? The serious risk of getting lost and never be able to come back? Disgusting creatures as in Alien? Writhing tentacles as in The Faculty? Nuff said.
 |
| Alien (1979) |
#3 - Empty school hallways and locker rooms
Basically every teen slasher has a sequence taking place either in empty hallways, dark locker rooms or bathrooms in school. Scream has Mr. Hambry's death scene in his school office. Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master has Sheila's classroom death and the 2010 remake A Nightmare on Elm Street has Kris' nightmare sequence in both class room and hallways. Cherry Falls has Jody's chase in the school corridor and the library. Carrie has the bully scene in the locker room.
When I went to school for the last two years I was always a bit nervous staying after hours. And now at work I have to move through a huge locker room to get to my locker. And the lights can't be turned on manually, instead they automatically turn themselves on with a motion sensor that reacts painfully slow.
 |
| A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) |
The headline speaks for itself. Not only have I been terrified of clowns ever since I can remember, but being a Stephen King fan since early years didn't really help my case when I insisted I'd watch It. Such a terrible mistake. Not even today, as an (in most cases) grown adult, can I face a clown or even see one at a far distance without having this gut wrenching horror gripping my insides, making my palms sweat and my brain cells FREAK OUT. This fear has stretched so far that it also goes for people wearing masks or being disguised in general. I have a hard time even when my boyfriend wants to run around in his Autobot-mask (yeah, he's turning 30 soon and is a die hard fan of Transformers).
 |
| It (1990) |
#1 - Haunted Houses
Combining my fear for masked people in general with the fact that all people are born with two fears in life - one of them being frightened of sudden noises or movement, results in my most awkward fear of Haunted Houses. And I'm not talking about being a little spooked; I'm talking about panic attack-hyper ventilation-type of fear. This is however something that's grown on me during the years, as I can't remember being this afraid when I was a child.
When I visited The Haunted House at the local amusement park in Stockholm last summer I completely freaked out. Simply because people wearing masks or other forms of disguises make me so uncomfortable that I can't function properly. I panicked, hyper-ventilated and screamed so much that not only did I get the condescending looks from a freakin' 10-year old, but I made the British personnel who were working the house as ghosts for the season, stop their haunting routine and come check that I didn't need medical attention.
The same thing happened at The London Dungeon. Not only is it scary itself since the torture chamber, Sweeney Todd's barber shop, Mary Jane Kelly's bedroom and all other parts of the dungeon is in fact reenactments and replicas of actual historical places and events. But its simple ghouls and haunted settings are enough to utterly terrify me from all my sense.
 | |
| House of 1000 Corpses (2003) |
Saturday, October 29, 2011
HALLOWEEN TOP 10: SEXY SUPES
From vampires and shifters, to ghosts and succubusses. Pause and drool. Bask in it.
#10 - Louis de Pointe du Lack in Interview with the Vampire (1994)
#9 - Logan in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
#8 - Lestat de Lioncourt in Queen of the Damned (2002)
#7 - Leigh Turner in The Gates
#6 - Eric Northman in True Blood
#5 - Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries
#4 - Queen Sophie-Ann Leqlerc in True Blood
#3 - Young Moira in American Horror Story
#2 - Jerry Dandridge in Fright Night (2011)
#1 - Alcide Herveaux in True Blood
#10 - Louis de Pointe du Lack in Interview with the Vampire (1994)
#9 - Logan in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
#8 - Lestat de Lioncourt in Queen of the Damned (2002)
#7 - Leigh Turner in The Gates
#6 - Eric Northman in True Blood
#5 - Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries
#4 - Queen Sophie-Ann Leqlerc in True Blood
#3 - Young Moira in American Horror Story
#2 - Jerry Dandridge in Fright Night (2011)
#1 - Alcide Herveaux in True Blood
HALLOWEEN TOP 10: MACABRE DANCE NUMBERS
#10 - Cherry gives the dance of death in Planet Terror (2007)
#9 - Kim's frisky dance moves in Prom Night (1980)
#8 - Satanico Pandemonium gives a table dance in From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
#7 - Iris starts a rebellious dance in The Ward (2010)
#6 - Violet does a sweet robot dance before getting stabbed to death in Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
#5 - Baby Firefly performes 'I wanna be loved by you' in House of 1000 Corpses (2003)
#4 - Arlene gives Stuntman Mike a lap dance in Deathproof (2007)
#3 - One of Leland Palmer's many compulsive dance moves in Twin Peaks (1990)
#2 - Boy in hat does the creepiest dance scene in Insidious (2011)
#1 - The infamous 'Time Warp' dance in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
#9 - Kim's frisky dance moves in Prom Night (1980)
#8 - Satanico Pandemonium gives a table dance in From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
#7 - Iris starts a rebellious dance in The Ward (2010)
#6 - Violet does a sweet robot dance before getting stabbed to death in Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
#5 - Baby Firefly performes 'I wanna be loved by you' in House of 1000 Corpses (2003)
#4 - Arlene gives Stuntman Mike a lap dance in Deathproof (2007)
#3 - One of Leland Palmer's many compulsive dance moves in Twin Peaks (1990)
#2 - Boy in hat does the creepiest dance scene in Insidious (2011)
#1 - The infamous 'Time Warp' dance in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Thursday, October 27, 2011
HALLOWEEN TOP 10: GIRLS WITH ATTITUDE
Here's one for the mean girls and the girls with attitude in horror!
#9 - Girl on girl drama when Debbies kills Tara and Sookie shoots Debbie in True Blood (S04E12, 2011)
#8 - Psycho Jill Roberts mutilates herself in Scre4m (2011)
#7 - The Queen, Sophie-Ann LeQlerc, lashes out at Eric Northman in True Blood (S03E01, 2010)
#6 - Eun-joo, the evil stepmother in A Tale of Two Sisters/Janghwa, Hongryeon (2003)
#5 - Aunt Mei's fetus stuffed dumpling cooking in Gaau Ji/Dumplings (2004)
#4 - Mandy kills Chloe in All the Boys Love Many Lane (2006)
#3 - Lynda gets pissed at ghost Bob and then stabbed to death in Halloween (1978)
#2 - Needy confronts Jennifer in Jennifer's Body (2010)
#1 - Norma, Sue and the others pour pig's blood over Carrie during the infamous 'prom scene' from Carrie (1976)
#10 - Andrea blames Dale for taking away her choice to die in The Walking Dead (S02E01, 2011)
#9 - Girl on girl drama when Debbies kills Tara and Sookie shoots Debbie in True Blood (S04E12, 2011)
#8 - Psycho Jill Roberts mutilates herself in Scre4m (2011)
#7 - The Queen, Sophie-Ann LeQlerc, lashes out at Eric Northman in True Blood (S03E01, 2010)
#6 - Eun-joo, the evil stepmother in A Tale of Two Sisters/Janghwa, Hongryeon (2003)
#5 - Aunt Mei's fetus stuffed dumpling cooking in Gaau Ji/Dumplings (2004)
#4 - Mandy kills Chloe in All the Boys Love Many Lane (2006)
#3 - Lynda gets pissed at ghost Bob and then stabbed to death in Halloween (1978)
#2 - Needy confronts Jennifer in Jennifer's Body (2010)
#1 - Norma, Sue and the others pour pig's blood over Carrie during the infamous 'prom scene' from Carrie (1976)
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
HALLOWEEN TOP 10: JUICY JINGLES
#10 - Tainted Love by Hannah Peel (American Horror Story 2011)
#9 - Touch-A, Touch-A, Touch Me by Susan Sarandon (The Rocky Horror Picture Show 1975)
#8 - I Never Dreamed Someone Like You Could Love Someone Like Me by Katie Irving (Carrie 1976)
#7 - Questions In A World of Blue by Julee Cruise (Fire Walk With Me 1992)
#6 - Run Baby Run by The Newbeats (The Ward 2010)
#5 - Mr. Sandman by The Chordettes (Halloween 1978)
#4 - It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels by Kitty Wells (The Devil's Rejects 2005)
#3 - The Love You Save by Joe Tex (Death Proof 2007)
#2 - Bleed to Feed by C.C. Adcock & The Lafayette Marquis (True Blood 2008)
#1 - Tiptoe Through the Tulips by Tiny Tim (Insidious 2010)
#9 - Touch-A, Touch-A, Touch Me by Susan Sarandon (The Rocky Horror Picture Show 1975)
#8 - I Never Dreamed Someone Like You Could Love Someone Like Me by Katie Irving (Carrie 1976)
#7 - Questions In A World of Blue by Julee Cruise (Fire Walk With Me 1992)
#6 - Run Baby Run by The Newbeats (The Ward 2010)
#5 - Mr. Sandman by The Chordettes (Halloween 1978)
#4 - It Wasn't God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels by Kitty Wells (The Devil's Rejects 2005)
#3 - The Love You Save by Joe Tex (Death Proof 2007)
#2 - Bleed to Feed by C.C. Adcock & The Lafayette Marquis (True Blood 2008)
#1 - Tiptoe Through the Tulips by Tiny Tim (Insidious 2010)
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
HALLOWEEN TOP 10: CREEPY CHARACTERS
As per tradition, I will celebrate this Halloween and its seven day countdown with my Halloween Top 10-lists, warming up with some bizarre and creepy movie characters.
#10 - Captain Spaulding, House of 1000 Corpses
#9 - Masked guy, Fire Walk With Me
#8 - Frank, Donnie Darko
#7 - The Stranger, 30 Days of Night
#6 - Margareth White, Carrie
#5 - Mrs. Bertha Mills, The Others
#4 - Constance, American Horror Story
#3 - Leatherface, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
#2 - Dr. Frank-N-Furter, The Rocky Horror Picture Show
#1 - BOB, Twin Peaks/Fire Walk With Me
#10 - Captain Spaulding, House of 1000 Corpses
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I love Rob Zombie, both his music as well as the directorial debut of House of 1000 Corpses. Known for creating utterly and perversely bizarre characters, he's taken the worst scary figure, bordering on phobia, from my childhood and turned it into one of the most disgusting personalities hitting the screen. |
#9 - Masked guy, Fire Walk With Me
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| There are a lot of symbols and characters I have yet to figure out the meaning behind in both Twin Peaks and Fire Walk With Me. It's safe to say that the masked guy and his little rendezvous with The Little Man From Another Place, BOB, Mrs. Tresmond and her grandson during a dream sequence in FWWM is one of them. |
#8 - Frank, Donnie Darko
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| Death manipulated or not, the point is not who's in there; the point is the costume itself. |
#7 - The Stranger, 30 Days of Night
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| I don't do well with backwoods-dressed, redneck-accented guys who act and look like mad rapists. Especially not the appalling appearances of the stranger in 30 Days of Night. |
#6 - Margareth White, Carrie
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| No, sin never dies, but hopefully it get what it deserves and takes the rest of the nutty crusaders with it. |
#5 - Mrs. Bertha Mills, The Others
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| Who doesn't love atmospheric ghost stories? Especially when you don't know which party is dead. Although I've always had a hard time seing Fionnula Flanagan as anyone else than Molly Culhane in How the West Was Won, she does the role of Mrs. Bertha Mills with beautiful and frightening ambiance. |
#4 - Constance, American Horror Story
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| There really isn't anything gory or obviously disturbing about FX featured murder house's next door neighbor Constance except the creepy atmosphere of her appearance. |
#3 - Leatherface, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
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| Uuhh, if I hadn't been so desensitized I'd probably have some serious nightmares about his face. There's something Transvestite-going Joker in Batman-going panicking retiree about this patchwork that makes me a little nauseous. |
#2 - Dr. Frank-N-Furter, The Rocky Horror Picture Show
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| The 1975 film adaption "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" of the British horror comedy stage musical "The Rocky Horror Show" presents Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-N-Furter; the self-proclaimed "sweet transvestite" from Transsexual, Transylvania. |
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| The garmonbozia fetishist Killer Bob is hands down the most frightening, psychological torturer/molester/terrorizer and with him David Lynch created a character that very few writers/directors could ever compare with. |
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
WOMEN OF HORROR: I HEART GRETCHEN LOWELL!
I just wanna put my thumbs up for one of the best trilogies in the contemporary thriller genre; The Beauty Killer series by Chelsea Cain.
I stumbled upon the third book in the series as I was boarding a plane to Amsterdam almost exactly a year ago. I'd forgotten to bring something to read, and as I was glancing the shelves of the airport bookstore my eyes caught on Evil at Heart. Not only did it have a female serial killer for starters (yey!), it also took place in Portland, Oregon, spreading some gory human parts at the rest stops along the I-84. And as I was on this transfer flight to Amsterdam onwards to Portland, for the single reason of moving to a little town along the I-84, this seemed as the perfect reading material to get accustomed to the area.
While there's no escaping the gruesome and perverse murders, the focus of the series is mainly between the victim and the captor, in this case the twisted relationship between the female serial killer Gretchen Lowell and Archie Sheridan, the homicide detective that led the original investigation into her murders.
Gretchen Lowell is probably the most insane female entering the murder stage since the beautiful Charlize Theron portrayed Aileen Wournos in 2003's Monster. Except Gretchen Lowell is nothing like the Daytona Beach prostitute who became a serial killer; this is the most seductive psychopath since Dr. Hannibal Lecter.
After being chased for almost ten years by "the Beauty Killer Task Force", Gretchen volunteers as a psychologist to help Archie and his task force to find the killer. A relationship that evolves from flirtatious to horrid, as Gretchen captivates and starts torturing Archie. However, on the brink of his death, Gretchen suddenly saves his life and turns herself in. No explanation given.
Two years later Heartsick presents an Archie Sheridan, addicted to pain killers and still obsessed with Gretchen in a painful and perverse Stockholm Syndrome kind of way. Both Sweetheart and Evil at Heart are two compulsive follow ups with the perfect blend of organ-ripping and blood-soaked gore written with an engaging voice and with a narrative style. So yeah, go buy it!
I stumbled upon the third book in the series as I was boarding a plane to Amsterdam almost exactly a year ago. I'd forgotten to bring something to read, and as I was glancing the shelves of the airport bookstore my eyes caught on Evil at Heart. Not only did it have a female serial killer for starters (yey!), it also took place in Portland, Oregon, spreading some gory human parts at the rest stops along the I-84. And as I was on this transfer flight to Amsterdam onwards to Portland, for the single reason of moving to a little town along the I-84, this seemed as the perfect reading material to get accustomed to the area.
While there's no escaping the gruesome and perverse murders, the focus of the series is mainly between the victim and the captor, in this case the twisted relationship between the female serial killer Gretchen Lowell and Archie Sheridan, the homicide detective that led the original investigation into her murders.Gretchen Lowell is probably the most insane female entering the murder stage since the beautiful Charlize Theron portrayed Aileen Wournos in 2003's Monster. Except Gretchen Lowell is nothing like the Daytona Beach prostitute who became a serial killer; this is the most seductive psychopath since Dr. Hannibal Lecter.
After being chased for almost ten years by "the Beauty Killer Task Force", Gretchen volunteers as a psychologist to help Archie and his task force to find the killer. A relationship that evolves from flirtatious to horrid, as Gretchen captivates and starts torturing Archie. However, on the brink of his death, Gretchen suddenly saves his life and turns herself in. No explanation given.
Two years later Heartsick presents an Archie Sheridan, addicted to pain killers and still obsessed with Gretchen in a painful and perverse Stockholm Syndrome kind of way. Both Sweetheart and Evil at Heart are two compulsive follow ups with the perfect blend of organ-ripping and blood-soaked gore written with an engaging voice and with a narrative style. So yeah, go buy it!
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