31 Days of Horror - Day 3

If you dont know learn how to be scared, you'll never really learn how to be brave.” 
― Simon HoltThe Devouring

As I sit here on a Friday night, trying hard to think of a pithy tale to tie in to my love of horror movies, I find myself coming up short.  As a writer, I fear the thought of repeating myself, myself, and I'd hate to think that my story telling was growing thin.   Yet a glass of bourbon makes me wistful for my years spent exploring all things cinema fromage and I can't help but keep this nostalgia train a rolling.  I've had some good times falling into the obsession that is horror movies.  Some great times bonding with friends of old, yet some great times meeting new friends at conventions and shows.  Our horror community is a friendly lot, despite what those outside of it might think at a casual glance; you stick around long enough, you'll make some life long friends. 

But, there's more than just friend ship and camaraderie at play.   There's something that runs far deeper between us all.  It's easy to assume that common bond stems from a shared interest in movies, fandom and all.  But it's something more that we might not realize, something that lies beneath the surface, just out of reach.   It's a certain something that brings us all together and makes us feel as one.   Perhaps it instills a need for us to gather in droves at midnight screenings and monster cons. 

The common thread that runs between us all?  We all love to be scared. 

Fear is a fickle thing and means something different to each and every one.  For some it might be zombies that sets their hearts a flutter, for others it might be bugs.  Yet despite what triggers that primordial response, the symptoms are all the same.  We get a rush of adrenaline that courses through our nerves.   We might break out in a little sweat, our increased pulse pushing us to the edge.  We might jump or scream, or bury our face in the person sitting next to us.  Despite the differences; we all still find it fun. 

As a child, horror movies affected me differently as they do these days.  Now, I can watch a horror film and watch for when the ghosts and ghouls will jump out to scare us.  As a child, I didn't have those skills.   I would watch a movie and I might not sleep for days.  I'd lay away at night, certain that the monster lurked just outside my door.  Yet, once my sleep patterns returned to normal, I'd find myself searching for more.  As a teen, I pushed the films away, knowing they'd make me jump and shout.  In those years, I feared what others thought of my reaction.  On late weekend nights, I'd shut the bedroom door and settle in for something new, a film I found on bootleg or elsewhere and let the feelings pour.  As an adult, I no longer care.  I long for those moments that make me jump and set my pulse racing.  I long for the escape that comes, however brief, just because sometimes, adult life can be a bore.  

As a community, we share a common bond.  We've all been there before.  It may not be the exact same process, or even a similar scare.  But we've all had those moments where we peek behind a shadowed door, wondering what lay in wait as we gave way to the nights long sleep.  As we gather together, we instictually know that we are kin!  We've all been scared and we've all looked behind that door!  Your reactions at a film festival might garner a few laughs, but in the horror community it's never in mean spirit.  It's in the spirit of the day, of the showroom floor.  We've all had our moments and we all know it well.  With that, we know that we all have each others back, and who could ask for anything more? 

So now as I wax on about being scared, I open the door for you readers out there.  What makes you scared?  I can tell you for certain that between the years of 8 and 10, I was certain that bigfoot lived in the woods behind my house.  I never saw him, or never heard him, but I watched "The Legend of Bogey Creek", so I knew he was there.  Yet, I didn't hide away.  I peeked out my window night after night, studying the tree line to see if he came out.  I don't know what I would have done if he did arrive; I watched out for him all the same.  I've been afraid of ghosts, monsters and more.  So what is it that sets your blood to racing, as you peek behind that shadowed door? 

Shoot us an email at info@bloodygoodhorror.com, with the subject line "Why I'm Scared", and let us know what terrifies you in movie form!  If email's not your style, come follow us on Twitter over @BGHorror!  Use the hashtag #whyimscared, and let us know what makes you leave the night light on at the end of the day!  Perhaps we'll read a few on the Bloody Good Horror Podcast and perhaps I'll compile a few for a "31 Days Of Horror" here in the near future.  In the end, I'd love to hear from you!  You can find me on twitter as well.  @CaseyBGH.

As for movies, today's mix was a somewhat lackluster lot, but that's okay.  They can't all be winners!  I tried to go for a common theme of aliens, but It didn't quite work out. It's getting late on this Friday evening, so I'll keep the summaries short. 

Slither

"Slither" is our highlight of today's batch of films.  This movie fires on all cylinders and is just flat out fun.  The cast is amazing, the gore is fantastic and the jokes are hilarious. 

Phantoms

At certain times in my movie viewing day, I'm limited to what Netflix has to offer.  Sometimes that's good, but sometimes it's not so good.  For "Phantoms", it's mostly...sleepy.  The movie isn't horrible, but it's not at all gripping either.  

Humanoids From the Deep

This movie is so...this movie is quite....this movie...sorry, I kept nodding off there.  This movie is trouble.  It's very slow and it takes forever for our little beasties to arrive. Once they do, they're quite rubbery and don't do much to help the slow as molasses feeling that pervades the film from beginning to end. 

Almost Human

"Almost Human" is a mixed bag.  It's cover art is fantastic!  The movie itself, isn't bad.  It's not fantastic however.  It's your typical alien body snatcher type flick, so nothing very new.  They do an impressive job with a low budget however.  The acting is a bit wooden, but the practical effects are solid.  For low budget fare on Netflix, you could do far worst. 

With today's viewing, the horror movie count rises to 11 for the month of October!  A strong start indeed!  Stay tuned this weekend, as we head out to see "Annabelle" for the Bloody Good Horror Podcast and surely some more crap from the depths of Netflix! 

Casey

Writer/Podcast Host/Cheerleader

Falling in love with the sounds of his own voice, Casey can be found co-hosting the Bloody Good Horror Podcast, the spinoff Instomatic Podcast as well as the 1951 Down Place Podcast dedicated to Hammer Horror. Casey loves horror films of every budget and lives by his battle cry of 'I watch crap, so you don't have to.'