HIPPIELUVN'S HALLOWEEN HORRORTHON 2026

[hippieluvn]

Today I watched The Witch for the first time in several years. It's a well made film, but so dark! There's a reason I haven't watched it often.

I've never see The Witch but it's been in my queue for a few years.

[hippieluvn]

Last night, I watched Marvel's WEREWOLF BY NIGHT on Disney+

[Murfreesboro]

The Witch is by that guy Eggers (?), who seems to specialize in a sort of art house horror. His movies are always beautifully made, but I'm not sure I really love any of them. Besides The Witch, I own The Lighthouse and Nosferatu. My daughter has The Northman (Norseman?), so I've seen it, too. She likes that one the best, because it's a sort of proto-Hamlet. I may like his Nosferatu best, just because it follows the classic movie pretty well, and I know what to expect from it. But honestly, I enjoy the Oldman Dracula from the 90s more.

The Witch has some genuinely disturbing, scary images, but it's unrelentingly dark and does not end well for any of the characters. I guess I like a little more hope in my horror pictures.

I was too busy today to watch anything Halloweenish. I hope I do better tomorrow.

[hippieluvn]

The Witch is by that guy Eggers (?), who seems to specialize in a sort of art house horror. His movies are always beautifully made, but I'm not sure I really love any of them. Besides The Witch, I own The Lighthouse and Nosferatu. My daughter has The Northman (Norseman?), so I've seen it, too. She likes that one the best, because it's a sort of proto-Hamlet. I may like his Nosferatu best, just because it follows the classic movie pretty well, and I know what to expect from it. But honestly, I enjoy the Oldman Dracula from the 90s more.

The Witch has some genuinely disturbing, scary images, but it's unrelentingly dark and does not end well for any of the characters. I guess I like a little more hope in my horror pictures.

I was too busy today to watch anything Halloweenish. I hope I do better tomorrow.

Thanks for the analysis. I will watch someday.

Didn't care the new Nosferatu much. Like you, I prefer Oldman's Dracula and usually watch it annually.

[hippieluvn]

Today, I had to ride a train from DC to NY...

During the trip, I watched SALEM'S LOT (1979)

[Murfreesboro]

My husband has pulled out The Haunted History of Halloween, an annual favorite of ours.

Also, this has zero to do with Halloween, but my daughter treated me to a matinee of Coyote vs Acme on Thurs, and it was an absolute delight. I think I laughed at every scene. It's a Who Framed Roger Rabbit type of movie, human actors and well known cartoon characters blended. I've seen a handful of movies at the theater this year, including the much-ballyhooed The Odyssey, but my daughter and I agreed that the two best have been Project Hail Mary and this one, Coyote vs Acme, and I didn't expect to feel that way going in.

[hippieluvn]

My husband has pulled out The Haunted History of Halloween, an annual favorite of ours.

That's a favorite of mine too. Watch it each year during horrorthon!

[hippieluvn]

Tonight, I watched SCREAM (1996) on the big screen outdoors at Rooftop Cinema NYC

[hippieluvn]

I'm excited about this new Friday the 13th prequel series...

CRYSTAL LAKE which premieres on Peacock October 15

[Murfreesboro]

Oh, we love Scream also but haven't pulled it out yet this season.

[Murfreesboro]

Today we watched An American Haunting, about the Bell Witch, followed by Stardust. I actually like Stardust better. An American Haunting is based on a novel and offers a psychological explanation for the Bell Witch phenomenon, but I dislike the explanation because it is not based on fact and, it seems to me, defames the family. There are still lots of descendants of that family.

We live about an hour's drive from Adams, TN, where all that Bell Witch stuff happened. They have a festival and theatrical events up there every fall. I'm trying to organize a family trip to go this year, but it's difficult because of everyone's competing schedules.

[hippieluvn]

Today we watched An American Haunting, about the Bell Witch, followed by Stardust. I actually like Stardust better. An American Haunting is based on a novel and offers a psychological explanation for the Bell Witch phenomenon, but I dislike the explanation because it is not based on fact and, it seems to me, defames the family. There are still lots of descendants of that family.

We live about an hour's drive from Adams, TN, where all that Bell Witch stuff happened. They have a festival and theatrical events up there every fall. I'm trying to organize a family trip to go this year, but it's difficult because of everyone's competing schedules.

Never heard of these stories or films. I'll have to check it out. Thanks!

[hippieluvn]

Today, I had a day off in NYC

Went to Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral and then spent the afternoon and evening in Greenwich Village

Weather was sunny and 72 degrees out, so sat outdoors in Washington Square Park to read and people watch

I then watched a new documentary film titled BLACK ZOMBIE at Quad Cinema

[hippieluvn]

After the movie, I walked over to Halloween Adventure, my favorite Halloween store; it remains open all year. Following are a few photos that I took today. I then ate soup dumplings (crab & pork) for supper at a restaurant nearby and jumped on the subway back to my hotel. Great day

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[Murfreesboro]

Oh, wow, I've never heard of that store (though perhaps it is the one in which they film in Haunted History of Halloween?). What a fun day you had! I haven't been to NYC in decades, but one of my sons goes there once or twice a year to see friends, and my daughter took an overnight jaunt up there in April to see a play on her birthday.

The Bell Witch is a big deal in Southern folklore. A haunting that happened here in Adams, TN, in the 1820s. Even Andrew Jackson is said to have witnessed it. It's remarkable because it's the only haunting in the US that actually resulted in the death of a person. I'm sure you could find tons of info on Wikipedia. It's never been explained. (Bell, btw, was the name of the family being haunted, persecuted really, by this apparently supernatural entity.)

Stardust is a charming supernatural fantasy based on a novel, I think. My older son gave a dvd if it to his sister when she was in grade school or maybe middle school. It's a quest story full of witchcraft and magic, but not too much for older children. Has some good actors, Claire Danes, Robert de Niro in a very funny comic turn, Ricky Gervais, Michelle Pfeiffer as the lead witch. One of my happiest Halloween memories is returning from ToT with my daughter and our watching it together as we sipped hot spiced cider and she rummaged through her candy.