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Haunted History: Where Halloween Comes From Part 2

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Halloween history

Welcome back to our ongoing lesson on the history of Halloween!  When we left off last time, the Druids were calling the clans together to celebrate their connection to the dead and the harvest.

By around 37 CE, Christianity began to become more popular in the Roman Empire, but it wasn’t until Constantine the Great came to power as the Emperor that the Empire was declared a Christian one in around 314 CE.  One of the first orders of business under the new regime was the systematic dismantling of the faith of the non-Christians.  This was a huge turnaround from Rome’s stance before this time.  In the past, it had been the way of Rome to allow a conquered people to continue their faith and practices within a region.  This, more than anything, lessened the blow of people taken over by Rome.  After all, their taxes might go up and they may be paying them to a different government, but they could still receive the comfort of their familiar Gods and Goddesses when they entered the temple.

Not so with the new Christian regime.  Many scholars believe that this stringency came not only from the belief in singular deity (almost unheard of at the time) but also because of the way they were treated early in their development.  You see, they had once been considered an insidious cult by Roman leadership, and belief in the new cult-like faith which taught that Roman leaders were teaching the people evil doctrine and should be overthrown saw many Christians thrown to the lions in the gladiatorial games.  Now that they were in power, they were definitely ready to let everyone under their rule know that it would be their way or death.

While many eventually bowed to the new Christians leaders, the Celts and their Druid priests and priestesses were not so willing to let go of their faith.  In fact, the Celts and their Saxon counterparts caused more problems for Rome than almost any other section of the Empire.  When Christian priests attempted to tell the people that their Gods were demons and their celebrations were Satanic (Can something be Satanic if you don’t believe in Satan?), they had a tendency to find themselves on the receiving end of an uprising.  The Druids led these uprisings and so they became public enemy number one in the Celtic lands under Rome’s rule.

What do you do in a situation like that?  The solution was simple.  Get rid of the Druids!  That’s right, it became illegal to practice the rituals and beliefs of the Druids and doing so was punishable by death.  As the Druid numbers decreased, larger numbers of Christian priests were sent into the area, but they still could not manage, especially in the areas of modern day Ireland, to completely beat down the old faith.  So, they took an “If you can’t beat them trick them into joining you” attitude.  It was an enterprise that would take centuries to complete, and some would argue that it never fully did.

Pope Gregory I in the late 6th century sent his priests into pagan temples to re-consecrate them in the name of the Christian God.  The Goddess Brigid of Ireland was so loved by the people they could not get rid of her, so they told the people it was okay to still pray to her because she was obviously a saint.  While they were at it, they started renaming some of the beloved celebrations of the Celts and Saxons.  Yule became Christmas; Oilmec/Ostara became Easter, and you guessed it, Samhain became All Hallow’s Eve followed immediately by All Saint’s Day.

The bonfires and other rituals were obviously out of All Hallow’s Eve.  There would be no celebrating the return of the ancestors because the souls of all good people were carried away to Heaven after death.  So if your dead Uncle Finn showed up in your house on Samhain night, he was obviously evil and an agent of Satan.  There was, however, one other possibility.  If someone you knew wasn’t bad enough to be sent to hell, but not quite good enough to get into Heaven, they might find themselves in Purgatory.  All Hallow’s Eve began to evolve into a night of prayer and fasting for those who might be caught in Purgatory so that they could move on to Heaven.

This worked well in the larger parts of Britain, but once again, the early Irish Celts just couldn’t be kept down.  They were more than willing to pray and fast, but there would definitely need to be a celebration to follow that time.  And the Romans…well, they just couldn’t think of a good enough way to get them to stop.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the second leg of our journey in the history of Halloween.  We have moved from dancing and bonfires to prayer and meditation and we’re not nearly done with our journey!  Join me again next week for part 3!

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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