News

Haunted History: Where Halloween Comes From Part 1

Published

10 years ago

October 1, 2014

“Sisters, All Hallow’s Eve has become a night of frolic, where children dress in costumes and run amok!”—Bette Midler as Winifred Sanderson, Hocus Pocus

We hear this line in the movie Hocus Pocus and we laugh because we can’t imagine Halloween being anything but a fun night for kids to trick or treat and adults to dress up and be as naughty as they want to be for that one night out of the year. We never imagine that it could have ever been anything else. But, where did Halloween come from? What was it when it began? To find the answers, we’ll have to take a journey together back in time to the lands of the Celts and their ancestors, whose practices would become the holiday we celebrate today.

While no one can nail down exactly when this celebration began, our nearest estimate for its earliest incarnation is around 5000 years ago. At the time, people’s lives revolved around the seasons of the year and one of the largest gatherings would happen at the time of the final harvest. It had no name that we know of yet, but the entire clan would come together as the last of the grains and vegetables that would ensure their survival through the winter were stored. Bonfires would be lit and the people would dance around them, giving thanks to the Gods for another year of bounty. From the earliest time, fire had been a symbol of the Divine in whatever guise, and they reveled in the connection they felt to the Gods in the warm glow of the flames.

As time passed, and the Paleopagan peoples of the region became more organized, a caste system developed that would affect all parts of their lives. A priestly caste, known as Druids, had come to power and they led the people in celebration of the four fire festivals throughout the year as well as ministering to their daily needs. Druids also acted as ambassadors between clans and judges for wrongs committed in the tribes. This is the first time when our holiday/celebration is given a name and that name is Samhain (pronounced “SOW-en”). Meaning “Summer’s end”, Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the descent into the “darker” part of the year as the Winter solstice approached.

It was at this time that Samhain began to take on another layer of celebration and meaning. The people were taught that on this night, the veil between this world and the next was at its thinnest. It became common belief that our ancestors would roam the earth on Samhain night. Families would place an extra setting at their tables with food and drink for their loved ones who might pay them a visit. Candles were lit and placed in windows to guide the spirits to their destination.

But it wasn’t only their loving ancestors who could cross that veil. Other spirits could make that journey, as well, and not all of them had good intentions. In order to protect themselves from these mischievous spirits, the wise men and women of the Druid classes taught the people to be cunning on Samhain night. They were familiar with the stories of the “will o’ the wisp” which were spirits who appeared as small lights in the darkness. Travelers would follow the lights and become lost in the forests and marshes. So, the people would hollow out large turnips and place a candle or lightly smoldering coal inside to carry with them on Samhain night. Their hope was that the spirits would see their light and think they were fellow spirits, thus diverting the attention away from them. It also became common practice at this time, for villagers to put on masks to hide their identity and further confuse the spirits who might try to cause them harm. Here, of course, was the birth of our modern traditions of Jack O’ Lanterns and wearing costumes on Halloween night.

The Druid priests would call the clans together around the fires to dance and revel as they had always done. The wise women, learned in the ways of magick and the foretelling of the future, would cast their lots and read the signs to predict the events of the coming year. Young men and women would make charms to reveal the identity of their intended lovers. It was a golden time for them and their beliefs, but there was a new political and religious power on the rise and it would soon change the course of the people and their beliefs for all time.

I hope you enjoyed Part 1 of my series on the history of Halloween! Come back next week for Part 2!

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Movies

‘The Strangers’ Invaded Coachella in Instagramable PR Stunt

Published

8 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Renny Harlin’s reboot of The Strangers isn’t coming out until May 17, but those murderous home invaders are making a pit stop at Coachella first.

In the latest Instagramable PR stunt, the studio behind the film decided to have the trio of masked intruders crash Coachella, a music festival that takes place for two weekends in Southern California.

This type of publicity began when Paramount did the same thing with their horror movie Smile in 2022. Their version had seemingly ordinary people in populated places look directly into a camera with an evil grin.

Harlin’s reboot is actually a trilogy with a more expansive world than that of the original.

“When setting out to remake The Strangers, we felt there was a bigger story to be told, which could be as powerful, chilling, and terrifying as the original and could really expand that world,” said producer Courtney Solomon. “Shooting this story as a trilogy allows us to create a hyperreal and terrifying character study. We’re fortunate to be joining forces with Madelaine Petsch, an amazing talent whose character is the driving force of this story.”

The movie follows a young couple (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) who “after their car breaks down in an eerie small town, are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motive in The Strangers: Chapter 1 the chilling first entry of this upcoming horror feature film series.”

The Strangers: Chapter 1 opens in theaters on May 17.

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Movies

‘Alien’ Returning to Theaters For a Limited Time

Published

9 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Timothy Rawles

It’s been 45 years since Ridley Scott’s Alien hit theaters and in celebration of that milestone, it is headed back to the big screen for a limited time. And what better day to do that than Alien Day on April 26?

It also works as a primer for the upcoming Fede Alvarez sequel Alien: Romulus opening on August 16. A special feature in which both Alvarez and Scott discuss the original sci-fi classic will be shown as a part of your theater admission. Take a look at the preview of that conversation below.

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Back in 1979, the original trailer for Alien was kind of terrifying. Imagine sitting in front of a CRT TV (Cathode Ray Tube) at night and suddenly Jerry Goldsmith’s haunting score begins to play as a giant chicken egg starts to crack with beams of light bursting through the shell and the word “Alien” slowly forms in slanted all caps across the screen. To a twelve-year-old, it was a scary pre-bedtime experience, especially Goldsmith’s screaming electronic musical flourishes playing over scenes of the actual movie. Let the “Is it horror or sci-fi?” debate begin.

Alien became a pop culture phenomenon, complete with kid’s toys, a graphic novel, and an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It also inspired dioramas in wax museums and even a frightening setpiece at Walt Disney World in the now-defunct Great Movie Ride attraction.

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The film stars Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, and John Hurt. It tells the tale of a futuristic crew of blue-collar workers suddenly awakened out of stasis to investigate an undecipherable distress signal coming from a nearby moon. They investigate the source of the signal and discover it’s a warning and not a cry for help. Unbeknownst to the crew, they have brought a giant space creature back on board which they find out in one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history.

It is said that Alvarez’s sequel will pay homage to the original film’s storytelling and set design.

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^{Alien (1979)}

The Alien theatrical re-release will take place on April 26. Pre-order your tickets and find out where Alien will screen at a theater near you.

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News

Home Depot’s 12-Foot Skeleton Returns with a New Friend, Plus New Life-Size Prop from Spirit Halloween

Published

11 hours ago

April 17, 2024

Cameron McFarland

Halloween is the greatest holiday of them all. However, every great holiday needs amazing props to go with it. Luckily for you, there are two new amazing props that have been released, which are sure to impress your neighbors and frighten any neighborhood children who are unfortunate enough to wander past your yard.

The first entry is the return of the Home Depot 12-foot skeleton prop. Home Depot has outdone themselves in the past. But this year the company is bringing bigger and better things to their Halloween prop lineup.

This year, the company unveiled its new and improved Skelly. But what is a giant skeleton without a loyal friend? Home Depot has also announced that they will release a five-foot tall skeleton dog prop to eternally keep Skelly company as he haunts your yard this spooky season.

This bony pooch will be five feet tall and seven feet long. The prop will also feature a posable mouth and LCD eyes with eight variable settings. Lance Allen, Home Depot’s merchant of decorative Holliday gear, had the following to say about this year’s lineup.

“This year we increased our realism within the animatronics category, created some impressive, licensed characters and even brought back some fan favorites. Overall, we are most proud of the quality and value we are able to bring to our customers with these pieces so they can continue to grow their collections.”

But what if giant skeletons just aren’t your thing? Well, Spirit Halloween has you covered with their giant life size Terror Dog replica. This massive prop has been ripped out of your nightmares to appear frighteningly on your lawn.

This prop weighs in at almost fifty pounds and features glowing red eyes that are sure to keep your yard safe from any toilet paper throwing hooligans. This iconic Ghostbusters nightmare is a must have for any fan of 80s horror. Or, anyone who loves all things spooky.