News

Triskaidekaphobia: Fear of the Unlucky Number 13

Published

7 years ago

January 13, 2017

Trigger warnings for: triskaidekaphobia, the number thirteen.

Have you jumped on the Friday the 13th bandwagon–complete with loose screws and flattening tires? Take a look in all thirteen shards of the mirror you just shattered, and ask yourself why. (Actually, no–you should probably get that cleaned up first. We can wait.)

(Gif credit: giphy.com)

Once we grow out of the doe-eyed, inquisitive children we all once were, we no longer question such things. We know that that heinous day and date gives some the willies, and that’s just how it is. Always has been, as far back as we can recall.

Clearly, it’s coined as bad luck–and that is not news. Be it a laughable rumor or validated dread, every member of our culture (and many others, since the nineteenth century) have been made aware of the whyfor.

But those who fear the infamous anti-holiday the most aren’t animal shelter volunteers who just received a truckload of black cats, nor those who commute beneath ladders. Hell, it’s not even the campers up at Crystal Lake (Okay–so maybe they’re tied).

It’s those who suffer from triskaidekaphobia: the literal fear of the number thirteen.

That’s a tongue twister. Photo cred: Empire International Studios

And we aren’t here to pass judgment. This is the horror community: a kinship who’d swim through a heap of intestines with glee, like the ball pit at a McDonald’s–yet, some of whom would still piss their pants at the sight of a porcelain doll.

And that’s okay! Unpleasant, albeit, but perfectly fine. We cannot handpick our phobias. If we could, we would all be impenetrable, after all–and this entire genre would never have seen the light of day.

But with an estimated some seventeen to twenty-one million people being affected, this phobia should be further explored.

lorinotes.file

It gets debilitating: to the point where some victims will refuse to leave the safety of their beds, let alone operate heavy machinery, such as a car.

Wikipedia actually notes that, ironically enough, it’s actually safer to drive on Friday the 13th in the Netherlands, likely because so few people will be on the road. (And while Wiki can be edited by anyone, it’s doubtful that Jason Vorhees is all that tech savvy. Then again, he did go to space–and that’s more than most hackers can say.)

Some avoid the airways as well, rescheduling their flights to dodge the risks of the impending day.

They’ll engage in fewer business pursuits.

Finland even has what’s called “National Accident Day,” which–likely deliberately–always falls on a Friday the 13th.

The suspected origins of the fear seem to lie in religion. Judas was the alleged thirteenth guest to pull up a chair at The Last Supper, as was Norse god Loki the thirteenth guest to arrive at the funeral for a murder which he was said to be behind.

Ye olde fear-mongers likely preyed on the over thinkers of their time, who weren’t yet capable of knowing much better. (And, no… over thinkers has twelve letters.) The fear likely spread like a brush fire.

Every person affected likely has their own reasons–and some may not be consciously able to pinpoint their personal cause. But no matter the root of it, their fear–like every fear–is entirely valid. Work through it once you are able, friends. But until then, perhaps root for Freddy.

Gif credit: New Line Cinema, Crystal Lake Entertainment

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News

Watch ‘The Burning’ At The Location Where It Was Filmed

Published

7 hours ago

April 24, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Fangoria is reporting that fans of the 1981 slasher The Burning will be able to have a screening of the film at the location where it was filmed. The movie is set at Camp Blackfoot which is actually the Stonehaven Nature Preserve in Ransomville, New York.

This ticketed event will take place on August 3. Guests will be able to take a tour of the grounds as well as enjoy some campfire snacks along with the screening of The Burning.

The Burning

The film came out in the early ’80s when teen slashers were being churned out in magnum force. Thanks to Sean S. Cunningham’s Friday the 13th, filmmakers wanted to get in on the low-budget, high-profit movie market and a casket load of these types of films were produced, some better than others.

The Burning is one of the good ones, mostly because of the special effects from Tom Savini who had just come off of his groundbreaking work on Dawn of the Dead and Friday the 13th. He declined to do the sequel because of its illogical premise and instead signed on to do this movie. Also, a young Jason Alexander who would later go on to play George in Seinfeld is a featured player.

Because of its practical gore, The Burning had to be heavily edited before it received an R-rating. The MPAA was under the thumb of protest groups and political bigwigs to censor violent films at the time because slashers were just so graphic and detailed in their gore.

Tickets are $50, and if you want a special t-shirt, that will cost you another $25, You can get all the information by visiting the On Set Cinema webpage.

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Movies

‘Longlegs’ Creepy “Part 2” Teaser Appears on Instagram

Published

12 hours ago

April 24, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Neon Films released an Insta-teaser for their horror film Longlegs today. Titled Dirty: Part 2, the clip only furthers the mystery of what we are in for when this movie is finally released on July 12.

The official logline is: FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes unexpected turns, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again.

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A post shared by NEON (@neonrated)

Directed by former actor Oz Perkins who also gave us The Blackcoat’s Daughter and Gretel & Hansel, Longlegs is already creating buzz with its moody images and cryptic hints. The film is rated R for bloody violence, and disturbing images.

Longlegs stars Nicolas Cage, Maika Monroe, and Alicia Witt.

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News

Exclusive Sneak Peek: Eli Roth and Crypt TV’s VR Series ‘The Faceless Lady’ Episode Five

Published

13 hours ago

April 24, 2024

Cameron McFarland

Eli Roth (Cabin Fever) and Crypt TV are knocking it out of the park with their new VR show, The Faceless Lady. For those unaware, this is the first fully scripted VR horror show on the market.

Even for masters of horror like Eli Roth and Crypt TV, this is a monumental undertaking. However, if I trust anyone to change the way that we experience horror, it would be these two legends.

Ripped from the pages of Irish folklore, The Faceless Lady tells the story of a tragic spirit cursed to wander the halls of her castle for all of eternity. However, when three young couples are invited to the castle for a series of games, their fates may soon change.

So far, the story has provided horror fans with a gripping game of life or death that doesn’t look as if it will slow down in episode five. Luckily, we have an exclusive clip that may be able to satiate your appetites until the new premiere.

Airing on 4/25 at 5pmPT/8pmET, episode five follows our final three contestants in this wicked game. As the stakes are raised ever higher, will Ella be able to fully awaken her connection with Lady Margaret?

The newest episode can be found on Meta Quest TV. If you haven’t already, follow this link to subscribe to the series. Make sure to check out the new clip below.

Eli Roth Present’s THE FACELESS LADY S1E5 Clip: THE DUEL – YouTube