Top 5 Horror Movies to Get You in the Christmas Spirit

If you're anything like me, ghosts and ghouls, the months of September through December are some of the most exciting for us horror fans.
September rolls in with the anticipation of Halloween (and the smell of freshly sharpened pencils and crunchy leaves...no? That's just me that gets excited about pencils?).
October comes and IT'S THE MONTH WE LIVE FOR. SKULLS AND GHOSTS AND SPOOKY THINGS EVERYWHERE. PURE HAPPINESS. You also feel the unrelenting urge to wear a costume 24/7 and pretend to be Sam from Trick 'r Treat.
November arrives and we're kind of depressed, but...food. So much food. Also Thankskilling makes its way back into your head.
And then we receive December. It rolls in like a giant snowball (get it? Because sometimes it snows in December?) and us horror fans are excited because it's the second time this year that we get to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas and we get to eat cookies and be around trees that smell delicious. However, Tim Burton films aside, we also get some pretty cool Christmas-themed horror.
I'm here today to give you a quick list of some horror films you should be watching this holiday season!

5) Jack Frost (1997)

After an accident in which serial killer Jack Frost is genetically melted into the snow on the ground, he returns as a killer snowman.
Yes, it is as cheesy as it sounds, and yes, it's a horror comedy, but it's absolutely worth watching. It's hilarious.

4) Black Christmas (1974)

A sorority house has been receiving threatening phone calls over Christmas break from a killer on the loose. Turns out he may be closer than they think...
Black Christmas is one of the earliest slasher films, which makes it a fun watch. The name probably sounds familiar as the film got a remake in 2006, but I say watch the original first!

3) Gremlins (1984)

At Christmastime, a man goes searching for the perfect gift for his son. He finds a Mogwai in Chinatown, and when his son forgets to follow the three most important rules to keeping it happy and healthy, all hell breaks loose.
If you've never seen Gremlins, we're done. Also, Howie Mandel voices Gizmo, and that makes me love this film even more.

2) Silent Night (2012)

One of the crazier films on the list- a killer Santa is on the loose, conveniently, amidst his small town's annual Santa parade on Christmas Eve. You can only imagine where it goes from there.
Starring Malcom McDowell as Sheriff Cooper. Need I say more?

1) Krampus

Come on, you all knew I was going to say this. If you're in need of plans this holiday season, get your butt to the theater and see this film. It's fun, hilarious, slightly horrifying at times, and it's everything you could possibly want in a holiday film. Family togetherness, and killer cookies.

Alright, there you have it! I hope this list helped you choose what to watch this holiday season- there are just a few weeks left until Christmas so make sure you squeeze these in before it's over!

Do you have a favorite holiday horror film?

Until next time, stay spooky!
Taylor Terrible <3

Unfriended Review

In honor of Unfriended coming out this weekend (one of the most talked about horror films in a LONG time), I was sent to go see it a little early! I got to see it a week ago today, so I wanted to give you guys a quick (very vague) review of the film. I don't want to give anything away other than my personal opinion, because this is a film that I truly believe all kinds of horror fans will appreciate. It has a message that I feel most films have been lacking.
If you haven't heard of Unfriended, here's a trailer (and let me just tell you, it does the film NO JUSTICE. DO NOT JUDGE THE FILM BY THE TRAILER.):

I know how it sounds, guys.  It sounds like you’re going to be watching someone’s Skype conversation for 2 hours.  Well, you do.  But in the midst of that, so much goes on that is really never touched upon in the trailers.  (To be honest, the trailer makes the film look awful).  But the film has heart, and a message that’s worth watching for anyone and everyone who has ever made fun of someone: the truth will always come back to hurt you. 

I really don’t want to give too much away, because I know how skeptical people are about this film, and I believe everyone should really see it for themselves.  What I can tell you, is that I’m the kind of horror fan that normally can’t stand the films that come out now because they use jump scares over true horror.  Sure, Unfriended has plenty of jump scares.  They’re something I don’t do well with, and I jump every time, and it’s really embarrassing…I guess that’s the point, huh?  But over that, the film has something I didn’t expect: a decent amount of humor.  The film doesn’t hesitate to make fun of itself, and it makes it so much more enjoyable to watch knowing that it wasn’t taken too seriously.  Most of the theater was giggling while watching Blaire type over text or Facebook… something I will give away, is you will definitely be saying “girl, you need lessons in how to send a Facebook message.” It’s awful to watch her try to compose one, and it makes it hilarious.

Is this film gory? Not really.  Is it violent? Absolutely.  Do things happen that you probably wouldn’t expect from a film about Skype and Facebook?  Oh, yes.  There are deaths you probably wouldn’t expect from this kind of film, one of which had me almost cover my eyes, and I don’t really get disturbed by much.  But the deaths are very real; things you probably haven’t seen before.  I would compare them to Final Destination: they’re real in the sense that the deaths come from real things.  It’s hard to explain, but in the same way someone could die in a tanning bed, someone can die straightening their hair…I’ll leave it there so I don’t give too much away.

I really implore you guys to go into this film with an open mind. I also implore you to not read any reviews (besides mine of course...) because I feel like a lot of people won't appreciate the message this film has to offer.

I would LOVE to hear all of your opinions of the film. Shoot me a comment and I'll be super excited to hear from you!

Speaking to Cody Meirick of Scary Stories: A Documentary

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a collection of folklore that has haunted children and adults all over the world. It has sold over 7 million copies...that's a lot of terror to spread. If you didn't read these books as a kid, you either need to get yourself to a bookstore this instant, or you're lying to me.

The books have been picked up for an adaptation for film, and I don't think I could be more excited. Heck, that's what got me started here in the first place; the fact that these books are one of the reasons that horror has become more than my little hobby, but my lifestyle and my obsession.

But did you know that this incredible book series has acquired so much attention scaring the living daylights out of people, that schools and libraries all over the world are banning them? They're suppressing childrens' abilities to enjoy the spooky stories and disgusting drawings by taking them away from them.

Now, if you really read these books, you know that the stories were absolutely creepy, but it was the illustrations by Stephen Gammell.

These illustrations haunted our dreams for decades. But what is the draw to these books? I got the opportunity to speak with Cody Meirick, the director and producer of Scary Stories: A Documentary. (YES, THERE IS GOING TO BE A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT ONE OF THE BEST BOOK SERIES IN THE HISTORY OF LITERATURE. ARE YOU AS EXCITED AS I AM.) We talked via email, and we got to talk about some of the things he's researched for his documentary. This documentary covers vital investigations into what draws us to all things creepy, the folktales and urban legends that are told in the books, literature of gothic nature for children, and artists inspired by the drawings of Stephen Gammell, to name a few.

So what did Cody have to say about this documentary?

Taylor: What sparked you interest in creating a documentary about these stories? Is there another documentary that influenced your decision to make your documentary in any way, whether it be in style, or topic?

Cody: It started with my interest in children's literature in general. My background is in children's literature, both academic and with Erikson Institute. Of course I loved the books growing up like a lot of people, but what really started to take shape are big topics related to the books that really lent themselves to documentary form. I saw how much people gushed over them, liked them on social media, upvoted them. I'm sure a lot of other people have noticed the same thing. But along with the interest, you're talking about a series of books that inspired generations of children to open a book and read, as well as spark an interest in art and illustrating, while also being one of the most banned books of the last 30 years. Those things add up to being a really fascinating story.

TK: On your website, you have a list of topics that may be covered in the documentary. Which was your favorite topic to explore (up until this point) and why?

CM: Although I talk about the banned books topic and the illustrations as art, some of those topics that I know we will explore which are really interesting topics, I guess in my heart of heart my natural inclination is towards folklore and connections to traditional children's literature. My degrees are all in English Literature, so I like to sit down with a professor or folklorist and talk about those things. But again, all topics interest me quite a bit.

TK: I know that personally, these books helped shape me as a person in my childhood, allowing me to delve into outlets other than what was considered "the norm" in reading. I grew up to be a horror fanatic with a love of all things dark and creepy. Do you feel that the reason parents steer their children clear of these books is because they believe that they will enjoy it? Or do you feel that parents think their children will be scared? To put it briefly...why do you think parents keep their children from enjoying dark, scary things?

CM: These are the types of questions I want to explore. Just to throw a few of my own thoughts. I'm sure it varies a lot. I'm sure there are some parents who actually believe these can be "taught" to children... as if reading about death or murder will give a 12-year-old the idea and suddenly they become a sociopath. There are probably a few parents out that like that. But by and large I imagine it is a bit more tame and not quite as extreme as that. They just want them to be a bit older until they are reading certain things. The problem is, the act of banning in an entire school determines that other kids that maybe are ready for it, and could benefit from it, don't have access. So there are a lot of dimensions that I think people could delve into.

TK: What do you think draws children to such dark topics?

CM: I think similar reasons to why I enjoy a good scary movie. I don't know that I could accurately describe my own desire. But I wouldn't mind talking with a few experts who could posit some theories about why that is. Why do I like Freddy Krueger so much?

TK: How did you come across the people to interview for your documentary? What about the crew for the production?

CM: Research, research, research!

TK: Tell us about Open Books! It seems like an organization that you're passionate about, how did you get involved with them?

CM: Erikson Institute where I work isn't too far and I sometimes wonder over there to browse. I love their model. Used bookstore and the proceeds go towards literacy programs. I love it.

[Open Books is an organization featured on Scary Stories: A Documentary's indiegogo page. If you donate to the documentary, a part of the proceeds go to Open Books! It's all about children's literacy!]

TK: What is your ultimate goal for the documentary? What do you want it to accomplish?

CM: I want to pay tribute to this book series that was important to a lot of childhoods while also exploring important aspects of children’s literature. The early years are so fundamentally important. What is put in front of our eyes and processed through our minds during those key developmental years goes to shape who we are. Examining what it is that draws us, inspires us, interests us when we are young I think says a lot about the human condition. Looking at just this particular example I think can be both fun for a lot of fans but also enlightening.

TK: There have been talks about a film adaptation of the stories; are you excited to see those childhood stories we know and love become a reality on the big screen?

CM: I'm intrigued of course. I'm a big John August fan, so that really piqued my interest. We'll see.

TK: The illustrations of Stephen Gammell in the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books have been iconic over the years. If you could have yourself drawn into any of the illustrations, which would it be and why?

CM: I'll play along. I've always loved the illustration for Oh Susannah. I have no idea what dimension or reality that is, but I'd be interested in exploring.

I'm honored to be able to help such a cool cause gain exposure. You guys should check out Cody's documentary's progress, if you haven't already! Help fund his campaign, too, and get our love of horror out there! Until next time, ghosts and ghouls. Stay spooky!

MonsterMania Convention: I'm So Excited!

In true Taylor fashion, I waited until the last minute to book my tickets to MonsterMania Con in New Jersey. About a week ago, my other half snagged us tickets, and I was so thrilled to check the list of guests going!
Daveigh Chase, who I'm super excited about, is going to be there, and you guys probably know her as Samara from The Ring.
You have like half of the people from the Saw franchise.
Adam Green will be there (just weeks after I watched Digging Up the Marrow!) and he'll be supporting charities supporting Yorkie rescues! For those of you that know me well, you know that I work with LUSH Cosmetics and I'm obsessed with all things cruelty-free.
Kane Hodder will be there, who is not only one of the actors that played Jason in the Friday the 13th franchise...he's also a fellow paranormal investigator!

But then...
We continue scrolling and...what is this? Wait, repeat that?
JOHN CARROLL LYNCH. TWISTY THE CLOWN. WHAT?! I almost cried and died and threw up all at the same time. That's where my excitement really kicked in.
I'm totally going to have him sign my stuffed Twisty that I had made for me.

I attended Bizarre AC last year, and I plan on going back this year (when they release a date), but until then, I'm beyond thrilled to be going to this con! I'm just trying to decide if I want to dress up...the plan would be a female Pennywise the Clown.

This was a super short post, but I'm trying to get everything together for the 13th! I hope to see some of you horror ghoulies there, after all, it will be Friday the 13th...

Poltergeist Remake...I'm Grossly Excited

I remember watching the original Poltergeist at my 10th birthday party in my basement with all of my best friends. We were all so terrified that a tree was going to come crashing through the window to eat us that none of us went to sleep that night. I also still frequently find myself having weird, nightmarish fears of the guy in the bathroom ripping his face off...so this begs the question: how excited are you for the remake coming out this year?! I'm so excited that I need to go into the liiiight...hehe...heh...

Producer Sam Raimi is probably an awesome pick to be on-board for this film, that's one of the things I'm most excited about. Some of his notable credits are the Evil Dead "remake" from 2013 (which holds a special place in my heart, because it was one of the first times I was actually dragged to a horror film I thought I'd be too scared to see, and it was also one of my first dates with my now-boyfriend-of-two-years), The Grudge, and Drag Me to Hell. Um, yes. His horror expertise is a welcomed credit on the roster for me.

Then, there's the up-to-date visual effects. The original Poltergeist is terrifying in it's own way, mostly because of the concept. You have an angry bunch of spirits throwing things around your house and sucking your daughter into the television. Your son gets swallowed by a tree. You have a small woman with an awful voice running around your house talking to your daughter that you can't see. If you haven't seen the original Poltergeist, it's like having not seen the original Evil Dead. It's a classic, and while it's not necessarily the best visual effects in the world, it still freaks you the hell out. That's what I'm looking forward to with Poltergeist: the story will never, ever be dated. It can only go up from here.

The only concern I think I have is them messing with the story. There is something about Carolanne and her family that was so charming and lovable, that you root for them obsessively the whole time. I was thrown off when I watched the trailer and the oldest daughter is on Facebook when her phone goes down. Meh. I know it isn't the 80s, but can't we pretend that it is? Also, they don't have little Zelda Rubinstein running around the house with that tiny voice of hers yelling "go into the light", which is also slightly disappointing.

But all in all, I can't wait until this one comes out! I think 2015 is going to be a year where horror reinvents itself, creating a new outlook on the genre. Except for that awful Unfriended movie. We're just going to pretend that doesn't happen. Cool? Cool.

Love you, my little ghosts and ghouls.

As Above So Below: Ugh.

I think the title says it all. This post is going to be more of a rant than a review. I can't believe how disappointed I was with this film- I was so excited to see it when it came out in 2014, but for some reason I never got around to it. Maybe it was the universe's way of saving me time.

I watched this one yesterday, which will be 3 days ago when you guys read this, and every time I think about it, I get more sad.  I ended up checking Instagram through most of the last half of the film because I was just so horrifically bored. 

Let's get one thing straight: the concept sounded awesome. A woman searching to fulfill her father's legacy by finding the Philosopher's Stone in the collapsing catacombs of Paris? Sounds pretty sweet. Especially when you find out it's "haunted". I mean, in theory, it's cool. Then you watch the actual film.

-pause- I should have listened to the 27% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Okay, so it grips you and doesn't let go from the first five minutes when you think the protagonist is going to die, but because she's the protagonist, you know that isn't going to happen. Is it thrilling? At some points, like maybe when the phone is ringing and you don't know why...or when the wall people are attacking, I guess.

But let's just talk about those rushed, awful deaths throughout the film. It's like they advertise that you hear these delicately crafted backstories throughout the movie, building up to the point where the characters finally face their fear and deal with what their demon is...but that never happens. Sorry, to those of you that enjoyed this one, you're crazy if you think that these backstories were well done. I never felt like I got to know any of the characters at all with the exception of the main woman, and I can't even remember her name.

Essentially, the only good part of the film was the first 30 minutes. I liked the initial establishment of the entity that was taunting the group, but from then on, I was so bored that I almost shut it off, but I paid $6 on demand to watch it so I figured I should watch it all the way through.

The end of the movie was what really did me in, because there wasn't one. Nothing is resolved, nothing is fixed, nothing is proven, and nothing is explained. You just watched this WHOLE MOVIE waiting to find out if their efforts are successful, and you have NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENS AFTER?!

You guys. I honestly don't understand how this ended up as awful as it did. It looked like it was done so well, and ultimately, I don't remember the last time I watched a movie this bad. I'm sorry if you liked this one, but I really don't have any good to say about this one.

Let me know what you thought, especially if you didn't like it so we can be on the same page!

I'm still working on that video of my HorrorBlock unboxing for you guys, it's been rough. Until next time, my creeps!

Empty Bodies: a Review of a New Novel!

Hey guys! I'm really excited about this post for so many reasons. One, you know how much I love books. Two, this is a review of a book by one of the authors in my "Favorite Horror Books" post!

I had the privilege of becoming friends with an author, the ineffable Zach Bohannon, when I won a giveaway on his mailing list because I wanted to check some of his work out. A few weeks later, I had read through his book of 4 short stories and loved them.

Cut to about a month ago. I was lucky enough to receive an email from him that he wanted me to be a beta reader for his newest novel, Empty Bodies. I had never been a beta reader before, but I was excited to be trusted with such an important job. Essentially, I was sent a copy of the book early to read and give notes on. But let me just tell you guys, I never expected it to end up like this.

I finished Empty Bodies in less than 48 hours. That's in the middle of a crazy work week. Like, I was at work on my lunch break with my phone in my hand reading the PDF file. Let me give you the synopsis:

If you like zombies, this is going to be a great novel for you. It's about a group of survivors in the middle of a post-apocalyptic world trying to survive with hoards of "Empties" running around craving flesh and blood. Yummy. All of their stories are told separately, but you slowly but surely find out that they're all connected...
But what really got me hooked on this story: the characters are so memorable. I frequently caught myself reading with my hand over my mouth because so many moments were surprising, and honestly, really grotesque. It's very detailed, and very gory. I crossed my fingers at multiple points because I was scared my favorite characters were going to die. Basically, this story ties you up from the first page and doesn't let you go until the last sentence. It's enthralling.

I was so honored to read this story, and now I highly encourage all of you to do the same. It's really cool knowing that you can support an indie writer, so if you want to grab yourself a copy of Empty Bodies, click here!
If you guys decide to read it, leave me a comment below and let me know what you thought!
Until next time, my ghoulies...I'll be doing an unboxing of my HorrorBlock!

American Horror Story: Freakshow

Man, there are so many things I can say about this season of American Horror Story. Let me start by saying this: Murder House is absolutely still my favorite season. But where does Freakshow fall? Let's have a chat about this.

There were a few reasons that this season of AHS was awesome.

Reason 1: The characters.

This guy. Twisty the Clown. He had the ability to terrify people, then make them cry with intense amounts of sympathy in the matter of one episode. His back-story was amazing. His mannerisms were totally awesome. His reasoning behind what he did, fabulous.

I loved him so much that I actually decided to dress up as him for Halloween.

I had way too much fun with this.

Dandy Mott; have you ever met someone so horrifyingly perfect on the outside, but disgustingly twisted on the inside? If you have, I applaud you for surviving, and I also want to give you a hug while you weep into my shoulder. What a messed up person. Watching his character develop and become more and more maniacal and awful was probably the most entertaining part of the show. 

Many of the other characters, ie. Elsa Mars, Jimmy Darling, and Desiree Dupree were definitely note-worthy. The performances of their respective actors were incredible. Elsa was developed beautifully. Strongman (Dell Toledo) was one of my favorite characters, and so fun to watch. He was a mess. It was great.

But there were plenty of things in the show that needed improvement.

Reason 2: The circus concept.

It sounded like it was going to be such an incredible idea. I mean, after a haunted house, an asylum, and a bunch of witches, what's the next scariest thing you can think of? (Take Coven out of there because it definitely was not scary by any means) I think of clowns and a circus. Now, I'm not afraid of clowns. Pennywise is my man. Art the Clown is a big favorite. Twisty made the list of my top 3 favorite clowns of all time (hell, I even had a doll, Christmas ornament and figure made of him to put in my collection) but the way this was done was pretty cool.

Based loosely on the 1932 film Freaks, you saw Pinheads, two-headed twins, "Lobster Boy", and more. The correlation was great. The original film is classic, so if you have never seen it, I suggest that you do. The full thing is on Youtube. It's pretty creepy.

But there were a few things that ruined it for me:

The season dragged. I only really enjoyed 4 or 5 episodes, most of which involved Twisty. For those of you that watched this season, you know why I say it like that. If you're planning on watching Freakshow, either stop reading, or expect subtle spoilers. I'll try to be good. I truly believe that the downfall of the season were those awful musical numbers. Jessica Lange is incredible, by all means, I bow down to her, but I think that the awkward songs (that were strangely out of the time period) threw off entire episodes. They were just...bleh.

What really ruined it for me was the season finale. While most of the season was just mediocre, saved only by really screwed up characters, the finale was so half-assed. I'm sorry, I don't know how else to say it. It seems like the writers didn't know how to wrap it up, so they just killed everyone, and left the rest to what we all already knew would happen.

Murder House left me guessing the whole time.

I haven't seen Asylum so I can't judge it, but I hear it's pretty great.

Coven didn't really fit into the series so much, but it was entertaining and the characters were wonderful.

This one...honestly? Honestly.

I don't mean to be totally down on it, but I don't really have much good to say. I mean, they put NPH in and got rid of him without wrapping up his character. All the other ones got an awful sendoff. 

I feel like this post isn't even completely cohesive. I'm just so disappointed that it's all of my thoughts smooshed into a post. 

Let me know what you thought about this, guys. I'm so sad, I expected it to be awesome because it started off strong, but I learned about 3 episodes in that I was going to be disappointed. -sigh-

...I still love Twisty though.

My Top 4 Horror Books

Books have held a very special place in my heart since I was super, super young. They were always my outlet when I was having a rough day, or when I used to get in trouble and my parents took my television remote away so I couldn't watch anymore...they thought I didn't like reading so it was always awesome getting some peace and quiet where I could just go through my book collection.
My horror obsession started with a Goosebumps book that I read when I was in kindergarten.

It was this one, you guys! I'm so excited! I couldn't remember the name of it, and it's all coming back to me now! It had all of the alternate endings, so that's why it was called one of the Give Yourself Goosebumps books. Ah, my childhood.

Anyway, as I grew up, my taste in horror changed, and Goosebumps wasn't so scary anymore. I needed something to give me my fix of terror, but I desperately needed it in book form. There's just something about turning pages that's so satisfying.

I went through tons of books, none of which every stuck out to me. It took me a long time to really discover what I loved where horror was concerned, and I found some wonderful books in that time. 

Here are the favorites I found:

4) The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe

Not necessarily a book, it's actually a short story, but it's wonderful and so classic. This one gave me such anxiety as a kid when I read it. I used to carry around what looked like a textbook with Poe's complete works in it, and this one was the one that I read over and over, followed by the Cask of Amontillado.

A synopsis:

The narrator of the story commits a murder, and essentially has to convince himself he isn't going completely insane as he hears what he believes to be his victim's heart still beating under the floorboards. (He hacks up the body, for those of you that like gore.) 

I was always terrified of the fact that I truly believed that maybe the body was alive under the floorboards, and always somehow found myself hoping that the narrator wouldn't ruin it for himself. If you haven't read this one, I highly suggest it, along with all of Poe's work. He's classic.

3) The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

I only read this one recently, but it shot up my list to my top 4. I couldn't put this one down, I finished it in 48 hours and I was at work when I read it. I got really lucky, actually, because I went to a comic book store close to me that had a bargain bin full of old, used books. I got this one for $2, it's beat up and falling apart, and that makes me love it even more.
This one was one of my favorite films before it was one of my favorite books, as you guys know. I talk about it all the time. But there's something so terrifying about reading it because you picture it in your own way, and I like to create the scariest scenarios possible. I won't even give a synopsis, because I hope most of you have seen the film (or at least know of it). But I highly recommend reading the book. It's amazing. Good job, WPB.

2) The Dead Zone by Stephen King

This is another one I got from that bin at the comic book store! $3! What a steal! I had no idea what the deal was with this book, I saw Stephen King on the cover, and I knew I loved his work (no one is going to be surprised when they see my number 1) so I went for it, and as it turns out, I absolutely loved it.
There's a film adaptation with Christopher Walken in it, I still haven't seen that one though.
A synopsis:
Johnny Smith is injured in a car accident and wakes up from a coma 5 years later with the ability to see things in other people's lives by touching them, like their family history, and future things they're wondering about.
This thriller is incredibly entertaining; I wasn't sure how I was going to like it until I got a chapter in and really got addicted to the story. There was something about Johnny Smith's character and the turmoil he goes through that is so captivating, plus there's a second story that is going on during all of that that's even more disturbing and strange.
Basically, what I have to say about this story, is it's gripping to the point where it's near impossible to put the book down until you know exactly what happens at the end...I should reread this one.

1) No one is going to be surprised...it's Stephen King's IT. Duh.

Alright, I'll be honest. When I read this one the first time, I totally hated it. I was about 200 pages in and I completely stopped and told myself I'd never pick it up again. I remember where I was at that exact moment. I was waiting for my sister to have her hair cut, and I shut my Kindle off and stared into space, shook my head, and said "nope".
But, something that summer told me to try it again. I was working, but not enough. I had a decent amount of time on my hands. So why wouldn't I try reading something so classic?

And so it began. I sat, I sighed, and I powered my Kindle on. I clicked the title. I sighed again. I read two sentences. Then I sighed again. There was a lot of huffing and puffing in the beginning...but I've come to learn that sometimes, Stephen King likes to start things off slow. That explained so much! And so I dove in headfirst.
About a week later, I was finished, and I was obsessed. In love. Infatuated. Pennywise was always a favorite of mine but that secured him (or her, for those of you that know the real deal that they never explain in the film...you have to read it if you're a fan of the movie. It'll change everything.) as my number two favorite villain.
I feel like this one doesn't require a synopsis because the story is so well-known, but what I DO have to tell you, is if you've seen the film and you've enjoyed it, read the book. If you saw the film and hate it, read the book. If you saw the film and you're indifferent, read the book. The film is long, but it leaves out incredible and insanely important details that change everything. Read it. Seriously. Then report back and let me know how much you love it.

I'm thinking next on the list are some works by Clive Barker. You guys know me and my Hellraiser...Hellbound Heart is probably next.

I also just recently finished some works by my good friend Zach Bohannon called Dark Reveries. It was a collection of 4 short stories were completely wonderful. I won it in a giveaway, and it turns out I loved it so much that I emailed him in a panic about needing more of his work. Check him out, he's awesome.

I'm always very open to book suggestions, let me know in the comments if there are any I've been missing and/or overlooking all this time!
Thanks for reading, my ghouls, see you next time!

My Favorite Horror Films

Well, this is going to be a fun post! I really have 3 films that have changed my view on horror forever. These films have shaped my love for the genre, and have taught me that loving horror isn't weird, because other people love them too! Instead of only giving you guys 3 films that I love, I'm going to do a list of my top 5, accompanied by mini-stories about why I love them so much.
Let's start with number 5...

5) The Exorcist

If this film didn't scare you at least a little when you first saw it, please reconsider your life choices. It's one of the scariest films of all time for a reason. Yes, I understand that the effects are slightly outdated. But is it still terrifying? Absolutely.
I got into this one because when I was in 5th grade we had library time, and I found a book that was literally just called Horror Movies. I checked it out of the school library and brought it home with me to read. I flipped through it, coming across classics like Dracula and Invasion of the Body Snatchers, then I flipped the page and found a picture of Regan's face. It was just her face, completely transformed. It was terrifying and disturbing, but I couldn't look away. So I begged and begged my mom to let me watch it and she told me no, because I was "too young". Thank you, mom, for not exposing me to this horror when I was so little. I watched it at my friend's house at a slumber party, and I didn't sleep that night. Come to think of it, I thought my sleeping bag was vibrating. I also thought the devil was going to possess me and I was going to curse at my parents and get in trouble. This one's always had a special place in my heart.

4) Puppet Master III: Toulon's Revenge

Don't get me wrong, I am completely aware that this entire series is so, so cheesy. However, there is something about those creepy puppets that I found so enticing. I would have put the original on the list, but I truly enjoyed the story of Toulon's Revenge much more than all the others. It's the only one that I found completely cohesive and understandable. Also, I didn't get bored halfway through like I did with the others.
How did I get into this one, you ask? Well, it started when I was about 7 or 8 years old. I had rented one of my weekly movies from Blockbuster, and there was a coming attraction for toys from the Puppet Master films. (You bet your ass I have all of them now) I wanted little Blade SO badly. I thought he was the sweetest little thing in the whole world. The movie was old, so the odds of finding the toys was slim to none, but my dad (who passed away when I was 16) saw how in love with Blade I was, and drove me to the closest collectibles store to see if maybe, just maybe, they had him. They didn't, but they did have Leech Woman! She wasn't my favorite, but out of sheer appreciation, I accepted the gift from my dad, and I had little Leech Woman for about 5 years before she went missing. I'm sure my mom threw her out because she thought she was creepy. Fast forward a few years, my other half and I watched through the entire series, and I loved this one. It reminded me of my childhood, and it made me realize I have a seriously weird love for creepy-looking dolls. We've collected the whole set of the action figures, and I even met Charles Band (the creator) and he signed my Blade for me!

That's me and Charles Band. My other half is on the right, but I feel like he wouldn't appreciate me throwing him on my blog. Also, this was before I had my nose fixed, so pardon the inaccuracy. This was about 2 years ago. :)

3) Trick 'r Treat

This film is just plain fun. I can't say enough good things about this one. This is the film I recommend to everyone that isn't sure what kind of horror they like. The only thing I dislike is really the werewolf story, and even that one is good. Sam is the cutest, and the story is wonderful. It's essentially "believe in Halloween or, you know, this adorable little pumpkinhead in a onesie is gonna come kill you."
I only saw this one recently, but I catch myself saying "wrong way" like the kid on the bus all of the time when I drive in the wrong direction. I always check my candy. I also don't take home strangers, but I've never done that anyway. And since I've seen it, I've probably watched it about 10 times. It's so well-done, and so classic.

2) IT

This is another cheesy one, but it's so classic. First of all, what's better than Tim Curry as a crazy clown killer who ISN'T actually a clown?! Second, nothing is more terrifying than the idea of something playing on exactly what you're afraid of to break you down?
I've always had a love for killer clowns. I don't know what it is, something about the fact that they're supposed to be so friendly and sweet, but it turns out they're actually awful and evil and maniacal and they'll eat your soul.
(But Pennywise's eyebrows are on point, see photo above.)
But I love Pennywise's voice, his mannerisms, his dry humor laced with evil threats, just everything about him. I find myself rooting for him to catch them more than the kids (and adults) getting away. While this one is brutally long, it's the perfect amount of frightening, entertaining, and funny to keep you fixed on the screen for the full 3 hours. Yes, 3 hours. It's worth it, I promise.
"You want a balloon, Georgie?"

1) This is it. My holy grail. The film that made its way on to my body permanently. I have a decal of this guy on my car. I have a life-sized bust of him in my room.
You guessed it.......

My man Pinhead in Hellraiser! I've tried to think long and hard about why I adore this one so much. Could it be because it's gory? Probably. Could it be because there's a group of badasses walking around looking like a death metal band? Also probably. But most likely: I feel like I can relate to so many of the characters from this one. Mostly the cenobites. Crazy, right?
There's something about their show-no-mercy attitude that reminds me of myself. I'm the type of person that won't take anyone's BS. These guys don't either. I also think that there's really something so appealing in having a horror villain you can plead to and have them sort of listen. I don't really think Jason or Michael really feel bad when they're bludgeoning you to death. Pinhead at least gives you the time of day to say your peace, looks like he's contemplating letting you go, then says "hey, you know what? Not good enough for me. Let's chain you up and rip your face off."
It also helps that the costumes and makeup are incredible. I wish I was talented enough to put all that on someone.
But I love the story of this one so much that it's become the staple of my room. I have an entire shelf dedicated to my love for this one. I've also met all 4 cenobites, and they're all sweet as hell...no pun intended. I actually shared coffee with Butterball (Simon Bamford) and got his view on what it was like being a cenobite, he told me he hated it because he and Chatterer (Nicholas Vince) had no eye or ear holes, so most takes while filming were them walking into each other or the walls.
Here, have a picture of me with them.

Simon Bamford (Butterball) on the far left, Barbie Wilde (Female) middle left, Doug Bradley (Pinhead) middle right, and Nicholas Vince (Chatterer) far right. Far, far right is my other half. He couldn't escape this one. :)

I would love to know all of your favorite films, my horror lovers! Please let me know in the comments what your favorites are!

Ghost Adventures: My Guilty Pleasure

For those of you that have never watched Ghost Adventures, I plead you to do so. It started out as a joke between a group of my friends, and somehow turned into something that I watch daily. It is so, so hard to admit that.
It's on Netflix, so if you can't catch it on the Travel Channel (the station it originated on), you can catch a handful of the "best of" episodes there. There are 10 seasons, but for some reason Netflix only has about 20 episodes online...that's about how many episodes are in each season. Step up your game, Netflix. You're slackin'. (But I do have to admit, the episodes they have posted are the best ones. Check out Black Moon Manor if you really want to get into it.)
I'm probably the last person to jump on this bandwagon...as soon as I started posting about it, people were telling me "you do know this show is in its 10th season, right?" Um, no, I didn't...so I apologize if you guys have been watching this show forever and are laughing at my lack of ability to keep up with things that have become mainstream. I'm usually the last to hear about things.
While the show showcases Zak Bagans, Aaron Goodwin and Nick Groff (who is no longer with the Ghost Adventures Crew, or GAC, respectively) and their crazy personalities getting themselves into some real shit with some mean ghosts, the best part for me are the EVPs they catch on their recorders.
Let me just tell you that the intro to the show says "I never believed in ghosts until I came face to face with one." Alright. Translation: "I never believed in ghosts...until I did." That kills me every single time.
ANYWAY, the personalities of these goons is really a big highlight of the show. I do my share of paranormal investigation (which I'll post about later, once I get a good recorder so I can share some of my EVPs I've caught), and never have I once taken my shirt off to provoke a handful of dead nuns with my tattoos. I probably wouldn't even if you asked me to. That's the kind of show this is. Zak loves himself more than the ghosts, Aaron is constantly making the best scared faces, and Nick is the rational one who usually stays pretty quiet.
Their investigations take them to some wild places, Black Moon Manor being my personal favorite. It was home to a smallpox hospital, and it is said that 200 people have died in that house. That's a lot of angry spirits. They caught some crazy EVPs, some of which are so clear that you have to think it's fake, but considering I've gone out in the field before and caught things equally as clear, you start to wonder...as insane as these guys are, could there really be a life after this one? They catch things that are so tailored to what they say, such as when Zak asks what color his EMF reader is turning, the ghost says "it's green"...what.
Needless to say, this is the show that inspired my love for paranormal investigation. Do I ever want to be a Zak Bagans? No, not exactly. I do think it's cool to find a niche like these guys did though, their personalities are addicting to watch because they're just so crazy. So, I'd like to be the ghost hunter that snuggles the ghosts. That's just who I am. I feel weird amounts of empathy.
Because of this show, I was given a P-SB7 as a gift (for those of you that don't know, that's what's called a Spirit Box, a radio sweeper that can catch RVPs between radio frequencies) and that's where it all started. I go out just about every chance I get to try and catch some weird stuff.

So, Ghost Adventures, while you're absolutely one of the dumbest shows I've ever watched...you're crazy addicting and you made me hunt ghosts. Good job, guys.

This is a fan video I found on YouTube...it's a remix of the best parts of Black Moon Manor. I quote it hourly. You will too. Enjoy.

My Prized Horror Possessions

For those of you that follow me on Instagram, you've seen what I call my "horror shelf", which started out like this:

On the Hellraiser side, I had a few Hellraiser comic books, and a puzzle box, a picture of Elliot Spencer (Pinhead before he's Pinhead) and what looks like a bookmark with a film cell from the film, which I had received as a gift.
On the "everything else" side, I had plushie Blade, 12" scale Blade, a Blade bobblehead signed by Charles Band from when I met him at ComicCon, a DVD of Puppet Master 1-9, and a few miscellaneous figures from the movie. It looks like I had Blade, Jester, Leech Woman, and Mephisto.
That was the beginning of the end...the horror shelf now looks like this:

I would say the collection has gotten completely out-of-hand. I'm going to have to break up my full collection over the span of a few posts, but that'll come later. For now, I'll just let you in on a few of my favorites.

First of all, let's just talk about that Pinhead bust on the far left. He's one-of-a-few, made from a mold of Doug Bradley's head. For those of you who don't know Doug Bradley, he's the guy that plays Pinhead, but he's also a total sweetheart. Yes, I've met him. I'll explain that in a later post as well...I've met all 4 Cenobites, and even shared coffee with one of them!
Anyway, my Pinhead bust: he's hand-painted, hand-constructed. He was a birthday gift. I don't know where he came from, I don't know how much he costed. All I know is I have someone amazing in my life who found him for me.

Next, we have my Cenobite lair box-set...that's that big box that you can see to the left of my puzzle box, and it looks a little like this now:

Yes, it is signed by all 4 of them. My next plan is to track down Mr. Clive Barker himself and have him sign this bad boy. It's my pride and joy, and I love it so, so, SO much. This one came from a comic book shop not too far from me.
My puzzle box under that glass dome is also signed by all 4 of them, plus Ashley Lawrence, who plays Kirsty Cotton. What can I say...it was an awesome weekend.

Next on the list: my collection of horror plushies! I've had Blade since ComicCon of 2013, his tag is signed by the creator of Puppet Master, Mr. Charles Band.
But then...I have these babies:

I call them the Three Amigos, but they're also my three favorite villains (although for those of you that watch Freakshow, you know the deal with Twisty). Far left: Pinhead (duh), middle is Twisty the Clown from American Horror Story: Freakshow (see previous post about how much I love creepy clowns) and far right: Pennywise the Clown from Stephen King's IT. Because you all know how much I love IT. No, they don't all float.
...No, I don't want a balloon.
Now, these little loves- I can tell you where they came from! I encourage all of you to go check out the AMAZING Etsy shop Moodyvoodies. They are so sweet and incredible and helpful, and they made all 3 of these for me! They're handmade, and you get to be involved in the process of being made. I got to pick who was sitting and who was standing, and I got little updates like "hey, Taylor, do you like him like this? Or should I change -insert revision here-?" I love working with them. My entire paycheck goes into buying more of these. Hi, my name is Taylor, and I am a MoodyVoodies addict.

Like I said, I will absolutely show all of you the entire collection of babies I have up there. Yes, I call them "the babies", and it really freaks people out.
But for now, this is your little glimpse into the explosion that is my horror collection. These are the ones that are most special to me (but don't tell the others I said that, because I have to sleep in the same room as them, and I don't want anyone getting angry or jealous). I have everything from action figures to lunchboxes to Christmas ornaments, so it's going to span a week, probably.
Leave a comment and let me know if you'd like to see that as the topic of next week's posts, or if you want me to do some more reviews and/or chats before getting into that!

Next up: a talk about my current guilty pleasure...Ghost Adventures.

My Horror Obsession

A question that I get often is: "where did your love for horror come from?"...it's a perfectly valid question. I know so many people that are absolutely terrified of the genre all together, they don't really give it much of a chance to really change their lives like it did mine.
So let's start at the beginning...I was in kindergarten, and that's my earliest memory of where my love for creepy things really started. I was gifted a collection of Goosebumps books by one of my aunts. When I say collection, it had to be about 50 of them. My favorite was Night of the Living Dummy, because Slappy the dummy had light-up eyes when you pushed his face in on the cover. I used to carry those books EVERYWHERE. I never left the house without one...so naturally, they started coming with me to school. I remember there was one about a zombie camp, where the campers had their entrails falling out and maggots eating away at their clothes and hair; I was loving it, especially because it was one of those cool ones where you got to flip around to find your favorite ending. Remember those?
"To see what happens to Beth, turn to page 49. To see what happens if you take the canoe, turn to page 26." I was enthralled. My parents totally condoned it because it was self-expression for me. I couldn't tell you what it was about it that made me so happy, but I do remember being even more excited that I got weird looks for thinking it was awesome. It made me feel so unique.
Fast forward- Christmas Eve of first grade. Edward Scissorhands was on. I walked into my parents' room, and my mom told me I was going to be too scared of him to watch. I jumped in anyway, and at the end of the movie I looked at her and said "I love him so much."
From then on, I was obsessed with films that had a dark undertone. I was all about Beetlejuice, The Addams Family, and Little Monsters. I used to go to Blockbuster every Saturday (I miss Blockbuster!) and I was allowed to pick out a movie. I always begged to rent IT or The Exorcist, but I was never allowed because I was too young.
It's all stuck with me ever since. I've been fascinated with immersing myself in the supernatural and paranormal. I just love to be scared. I think it's because it reminds me of my entire childhood...except now I'm into the stuff I was never allowed to like as a kid. IT is now one of my favorites of all time (I absolutely LOVE creepy killer clowns), and The Exorcist is classic. Don't even get me started on Hellraiser. I have a tattoo in honor of that one.
But what I love most is the community of people I've become involved with. You'll find me constantly hashtagging #horrorfamily and #horrorgang on Instagram, because you guys have become my family. You all make me feel like as weird as the love is for all of this stuff, there's still a handful of people out there that love it the way I do, and that's why I'm here!
I can't wait to really delve into all the gritty details of the things I do related to horror, and I hope you'll come along for the ride! Until next time, ghosts and ghouls.

Next up: a review of The Babadook!

Oh hello...

If you've stumbled across this blog, it's probably because we like some of the same stuff. Hey, that's cool, I love new friends.
There's a lot that you're going to see while you enjoy your stay here, I'm going to be talking about horror movies, video games (I'm slightly obsessed with Outlast, sorry), books I love, haunted places I've visited, the excess of horror things I buy for my collection, and all things creepy.
I'm going to be posting once or twice a week...or as often as I find something that I really want to talk about. I won't set a specific number, but I promise I'll be around to let you guys know what's up.

I'm gonna go cuddle with my newest creepy doll...this is Trent. See you soon!