Monday, October 8, 2012

EXPRESS YOURSELF #2: Movies/Books




List 5 books/movies that cause the hair to stand on the back of your neck:

1) IT - Stephen King

This absolutely had to be #1 on my list. I read this book over 20 years ago while in high school, and I  have never looked at a clown the same since. I couldn't watch the movie because the book was scary enough on its own. Even though the shape-shifting "IT" could turn into any form that would induce fear into its victim, IT preferred to be Pennywise the Clown. Thanks Stephen King, you ruined all future birthdays for my children. In fact, when my grandma brought a clown cake to my daughter's first birthday, well, let's just say that thing never saw the light of day!!


2) The Living Doll - Twilight Zone

"Talking Tina" is the reason I hate dolls. You will NOT find a doll in my house. (Of course, my kids are teens now) But, even when my girls were younger, "baby dolls" were meticulously picked out by little ol' me. I don't need some creepy doll saying, "My name is Talking Tina and I'm going to kill you." No thanks!
 3) And All Through the House - Tales From the Crypt

As you have probably noticed, most of my list is old, lots of stuff from the 70's and 80's. I guess that shows my age too. Those were very formidable years for me and most of these TV/movies/books have had some influence on my adult life. This is no exception. Yes, even Santa Clause can traumatize us. When a woman kills her husband on Christmas Eve--in order to get the insurance money--a killer dressed in a Santa suit makes his way to her house. At the very end, her daughter is holding "Santa's" hand and says, "Look mommy, Santa's here!" The door was locked, so I let him in." Then it cuts to black. Nice, huh?


4) The Tale-Tell Heart - Edgar Allan Poe

Okay, first off, I LOVE Edgar Allan Poe. He's one of my fav's. Anything eerie is right up my alley, so of course, so is Poe. In this story, a man says he's NOT crazy, but has a perfect plan to kill an old man. Sure, you're not crazy at all. So, he stalks this old man for days and then finally decides to do it. He kills the man and cuts off all his limbs and buries him beneath the floor boards of his own home. Eww! Well, the police come and the man convinces them everything is okay. That is, until the man starts hearing a loud pounding. A low thump, thump, thump.  He says, "I admit the deed!--tear up the planks! here, here!--It is the beating of his hideous heart!"

5) Carrie - Stephen King

Now, I never read Stephen King's paranormal horror book, only saw the movie. And boy, after seeing the movie version I'm pretty sure I could never read the book. Shy Carrie is tormented by her classmates, but is somehow voted as Prom queen. When she goes up to get her crown, a bucket of pig's blood is dump all over her. Gross! Carrie loses it and uses her "powers" to burn the place down. When she goes home, her mother stabs her to death thinking she is possessed by the devil. Later, as Sue, the only survivor of the Prom places a flower on Carrie's grave, a bloody hand grabs her wrist. Let me tell you something, you can never get that visual out of your head.

25 comments:

  1. Okay, the Living Doll episode is hands down the scariest thing ever to air on television. My girls have dolls and the ones that talk or sing freak me out. I think of this show every time they play with one. :)

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    1. My girls watched this in Junior High...JUNIOR HIGH!...Really? They let kids watch this stuff at school?? Apparently, my children aren't as affected by this stuff as I am, though. Maybe it's my over-active imagination? haha

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  2. Dolls freak me out like you wouldn't believe. I'm so glad I never saw that episode!

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    1. Did you ever see the Seinfeld episode with George's fiancé's doll collection. She had a doll that looked exactly like George's mother. Even that episode creeped me out!!

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  3. Sheesh, I thought I was a wimp for freaking out whenever I watch horror movies. I've watched Carrie...not the others. However, I watched The Thing...enough said.

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    1. Oh yes, the Thing...another good one!!

      I'm a wimp when it comes to "horror" movies, but NOT "slasher" movies. The ones where all the teens are stranded at the deserted house out in the middle of no where aren't even as creepy as the books/movies on my list. At least, for me.

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  4. It was my fav too! Some great pics. =)

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    1. Thanks!

      Someday maybe I'll brave the movie version...or not!

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  5. Oh I hated IT. It was so great and scary it did it's purpose it became hateable. A 'one-time-watchable' movie. Carrie is another good movie!

    My 3 year old LOVES dolls so I will stay clear of the doll show so I don't freak myself out. Thank you tho. ;)

    Poe is GREAT! One of my favs as well.

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    1. Yes, steer clear of the Living Doll if you want to keep dolls in your house. Also, Chuckie would be out, as well. ;)

      Thanks for stopping by!

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  6. The Tell-Tale Heart is a classic of the macabre! I don't recall if I've ever seen The Living Doll episode, but there are some dolls that look so lifelike it's creepy. Even creepier are the people who've made entire businesses out of "reborn" dolls modeled after babies who died or were stillborn. I've always been more of a ragdoll and porcelain display doll person myself.

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  7. Good ones! Dolls can be super-creepy, and Twilight Zone had the creep factor down pat!

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    1. I agree! Nothing like a good Twilight Zone to mess with your head! haha

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  8. Carrie is definitely a classic. I watch it sometimes when it plays on reruns.

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  9. IT by Stephen King almost made my list! That book terrified me more than the movie, and it showed me just how great of a (horror) writer he is.

    Thanks for participating!!! :D

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    1. See, that's why I CAN"T see the movie version!

      Thanks for coming by!

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  10. I hate clowns. Ugh. This was an awesome list. Carrie didn't so much scare me, as make me sad. I kind of sided with her...most of the people got what they deserved (well, okay, death is a little extreme, but I hope you know what I mean). Carrie had it rough...and then snapped. Personally, I wanted to punch a lot of the people she got back at. (Have you ever seen Carrie 2?)

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    1. I totally agree. Those kids were so mean to Carrie. I felt sorry for her too.

      No, I haven't seen Carrie 2. Is it an old version or new? I like the old Carrie with Sissy Spacek.

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  11. After seeing IT, My son (15)is convinced that clowns are evil - all clowns. I never saw it (or the rest). Too scared :)

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    1. I'm glad I'm not alone and even teenage boys agree with me about IT. Yeah, super scary!

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  12. Great to see that someone agrees with me on IT. You should watch the film though, I hear it's very faithful to the book. Interestingly too, is the fact that it was originally a two part made for TV movie. It was so successful, that iot was cut together for cinema release. This is a great list!

    Cheers,

    W.

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    1. I might try the movie...in the middle of the day surrounded by kittens and cotton candy and rainbows and butterflies and well, you get the picture!

      But what will I do when I have to sleep? I guess I'll get a lot of writing done!

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  13. Carrie was a bit of a shocker! IT was also creeepy!

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  14. I named Carrie too! And I regretted not naming IT, but I didn't think of it at the time. I don't like creepy dolls either, but then--who does? And Edgar Allen Poe is amazing! The Telltale Heart is amazing. Great choices!!

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