June 30: Dark Night, Scary Movie, New Cartoon

I'm going to see a scary movie this afternoon with my sister.  Ever since I was a young kid, I've loved horror films.  I lived for the creature features on Saturday afternoons.  However, as I've matured (read that:  gotten old), my tolerance for this genre of filmaking has changed.  When I watched The Exorcism of Emily Rose a few years ago with one of my best friends, I was practically sitting in his lap by the end of it.

The film I will be watching this afternoon is Abraham Lincoln:  Vampire Hunter.  My sister has been anxiously waiting to see this movie since our book club read the novel last October.  I, on the other hand, am looking forward to the popcorn.  I don't like being scared any longer.  (This from a guy who subscribed to the horror film mag Fangoria for all of his childhood and adolescence.)  Thus, we are going to a matinee so that I can recover sufficiently by the time the moon rises.

Which brings me to today's passage from A Christmas Carol:

...When they were within two paces of each other, Marley's Ghost held up its hand, warning him to come no nearer.  Scrooge stopped.

Not so much in obedience, as in surprise and fear:  for on the raising of the hand, he became sensible of confused noises in the air; incoherent sounds of lamentation and regret; wailings inexpressibly sorrowful and self-accusatory.  The spectre, after listening for a moment, joined in the mournful dirge; and floated out upon the bleak, dark night.

There's one thing you can't get around about Charles Dickens' book:  it's a ghost story.  It's designed to scare you.  The above passage is just one example of the more gothic moments in the novel.  There are chains being dragged through wine cellars.  Unseen rats gnawing in walls.  Open graves.  Little monster children hiding under ghostly robes.  It sounds like a Stephen King Christmas, doesn't it?

Anyway, I will go to the theater this afternoon.  I will watch Abraham Lincoln decapitate a few vampires.  I will eat popcorn, chew on licorice, and drink pop.  I will emerge into the sunshine, having survived my walk on the dark side.

Saint Marty has his crucifix and garlic (bread) and holy (vitamin) water at the ready.

Confessions of Saint Marty