Thursday, October 15, 2009

One of the selling points to our 1939 home was our basement. Being an older house, one would assume the basement would be a dank, creepy concrete hole to do laundry in faster than a five year old who has to pee.

Not in in this case. Ours is semi-finished which means it is carpeted and relatively spook-free. (thanks to one of the previous owners who informed me that she had a "basement phobia.")

Our computer is located in the basement. (yes, we are still living in 1998 and thus do not own a laptop. [actually, we're just thrifty] actually, we're poor. just kidding...sound like that Kristen Wiig skit yet??)

My point is, I did not come to this basement to write last night (and almost tonight) because I chose to watch scary tv till the wee hours of the night and was not prepared for the spooks I knew must be lurking down here. I'm tempted right now to seek refuge upstairs in bed sucking my thumb because I'm sure there is no good reason to stay here, without the protection of my blankie.

Last night, I returned to a show I hadn't watched in a while called Ghost Hunters. I liked that show because it didn't appear to be forcing any sensationalism as most reality-type programs do. The real reason I probably enjoyed it was because most of the time, (if I didn't fall asleep) it wasn't really scary. It's mostly people walking around in the dark with their "ghostbuster" sensors declaring they felt a tug or heard a thump. I hadn't seen it in a while, and struck with Halloween spirit, I watched it last night.

It was a creepy one and I decided a post was not worth risking a trip to our basement. (phobia-free as it is)

Tonight, I watched "A Haunting in Connecticut." I have mixed feelings about this movie. Certain gory aspects turned me right off from the get-go, but it still left me with enough goosebumps to almost not come down here to write tonight. (aren't you lucky.)

Why do we like to scare ourselves? (we as in half the American public who get a twisted sense of fun from temporary self-induced emotional trauma) I guess it's entertaining to jump out of my skin and be haunted by horrifying images once in a while. Yeah, sure. But I'm picky. There are really only a handful of movies that I consider to be quality freak fests.

These movies scare(d) the bejiggers out of me: (go ahead mom, check your book on them. I'm sure at least a couple are not wholesome)

Great Expectations---the only thing I remember was the wacky old lady burning to death and that freaked me out.

Psycho

What Lies Beneath---My Harrison Ford was changed forever.

The Grudge

The Ring (though that one wasn't too scary)

The Creature From the Black Lagoon---Though not super scary, (actually it's pretty cheesy) it builds great suspense plus it's entertaining.

The House on Haunted Hill (1959)

The Blair Witch Project---This one Tim and I saw in the theater before all the hoop-la surrounded it. I was physically shaking the entire second half of that film.

Halloween---I remember only seeing parts of it when I was a kid (it must have been on tv??) But the part where Mike is seen standing in broad daylight in the bushes left me scared to bike down my own street.

I can't think of any more, help me out. I know there are more out there.
What are some good ones you've seen?

I stay away from those gore/torture fests. I prefer to be unsettled, not psychologically disturbed.

So, tis the season! Go rent that movie that gives you the heebie-jeebies. Just for fun!!

5 comments:

  1. Heck, I thought you would write about your sewing projects.

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  2. Maybe I should start sewing first...

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  3. Did your mom say "Heck?" And what sewing projects?

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  4. I remember a neighbor girl telling us how scary "When The Earth Stood Still"(the original)was..so we HAD to watch.For an 8-year-old,it was scary.And when I was alone at home(unusual event!) at about 14 or 15,I saw "Thirteen Ghosts".Very scary then...but I'm sure they would both get a snicker now-a-days!

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  5. You forgot The Shining, Amityville Horror(original) just to name a few.

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