Halloween is almost here
…At long last, Halloween – my favorite holiday of the year – is just around the corner, and I am so excited I could just scream. I know I sound like an immature kid, but I can’t help it; ever since I was a young ‘un, I have always loved this horrifying holiday. Even more than my birthday, and yes, even more than Christmas.
Those of you who knew my father, who was a retired minister and devout man of God, may be shocked to find out that I enjoy a holiday filled with ghosts and goblins more than Christmas, Thanksgiving or Easter…but it’s not his fault. My love for the macabre started in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when, unbeknownst to my parents, I sneaked into our living room on a few Halloween nights to catch midnight viewings of classic flight flicks such as “Night of the Living Dead” and “Halloween.” That was soon followed by going to my friends’ houses to watch other classics such as “The Exorcist” and “Friday the 13th.” And then I discovered classic scary radio broadcasts on audio cassettes at the Bowlby Library, and repeatedly listened to shows such as “Suspense,” “Inner Sanctum” and “The Shadow.” Combine these spooky movies and shows with other awesome elements of Halloween – such as the fun costumes and endless amount of candy – and there’s no wonder why I absolutely love this spooky holiday.
And my love for Halloween has only intensified with each passing year. For the past two decades, not a year has gone by that my wife and I didn’t celebrate by attending costume parties, visiting a number of haunted attractions, and holding horror movie marathons at our house. And I am looking forward with much excitement to sharing my love of Halloween with my son Bryson – I’m excited about taking him trick-or-treating next week, and I can’t wait for the day that he is old enough for me to introduce him to some of the greatest classic horror films ever made.
(This has turned into a big debate between my wife and me. When I asked her what age she thought it would be appropriate to start introducing Bryson to my favorite horror movies, she replied “17 or 18.” I got excited at first because I thought she meant months, not years. When she corrected me, I argued that I was watching horror movies at an early age, and look how I turned out. That’s when I lost the argument.)
So, I hope that this helps explain why I love the haunted holiday so much, and why I spend so much space in this column sharing my excitement. And by the way, to help you get even more in the Halloween mood, I offer you my annual “Top Ten” list of the best horror movies to check out this Halloween, 10 movies that are guaranteed to make you sleep with the lights on.
Here are my top 10 all-time favorite horror movies:
10. Psycho (1960) – Five decades later, Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece about Norman Bates still makes people afraid to take a shower.
9. Paranormal Activity (2007) and The Blair Witch Project (1999) – With no budget, these “found footage” shockers actually gave me nightmares.
8. Night of the Living Dead (1968) – George Romero’s black-and-white zombie classic revolutionized the horror movie genre
7. Jaws (1975) – Steven Spielberg’s shark opus was the original summer blockbuster, and it made millions of people afraid of the beach.
6. The Silence of the Lambs (1991) – Anthony Hopkins’s performance as Hannibal Lector was unforgettable…and SCARY.
5. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) – This grainy, low-budget Tobe Hooper shocker – loosely based on a true story – is still one of the freakiest and most unpleasant horror flicks I have ever seen.
4. The Exorcist (1973) – William Friedkin’s tale of demonic possession still packs a wallop.
3. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) – Wes Craven introduced us to Freddy Krueger, the man of our (bad) dreams, in this unforgettable shocker.
2. Friday the 13th (1980) – Before there was Jason, there was Sean S. Cunningham’s low-budget screamer. Camping was never safe again.
1. Halloween (1978) – John Carpenter unleashed Michael Myers in this thriller, which is hands down the greatest horror flick of all time. Watch this on Oct. 31 with the lights out. You won’t sleep for days.
So on Halloween night, grab the popcorn, turn out the lights and watch as many of these fright fests as you can.
And speaking of Halloween, be sure to check out our front page about the many frighteningly fun events that are happening around Greene County in honor of All Hallows Eve that are guaranteed to delight boys and “ghouls” of all ages…
…I wanted to inform readers that the First Presbyterian Church of Waynesburg, located at College and Richhill streets in Waynesburg, will present a mystery dinner theater titled “And So They Had None” on Saturday, Oct. 25, beginning at 6:15 p.m. The production features a zany parade of colorful characters attending a dinner party, one of whom has made off with the dinner’s special dessert, a delectable Boston cream pie. Dinner will be prepared by Dan Wagner, instructor of the culinary arts program at the Greene County Career and Technology Center. Tickets are $25 each. Proceeds will benefit church missions. For tickets or for more information, call the church office at 724-627-6006 or Kathie Bortz at 724-627-6849.
I have had the distinct pleasure of performing in these church productions over the years, but it was with much sadness and regret that – due to a hectic schedule and other unforeseen circumstances – I was unable to partake in this year’s play. Nevertheless, I am happy for the group that they are continuing this wonderful tradition and I want to help promote the event, because it is for a really good cause. So I plan to be in attendance and I hope others will come out and support it as well.
I am confident that the play will be terrific, especially since I know many of the gifted and talented actors who are performing in it…and I know the play will once again be under the excellent direction of Kathie Bortz, so I’m sure it will be a “can’t-miss.”
Looking back at the many plays I have been involved in, it just dawned on me that I have enjoyed each and every one of them…but I find it amusing that Kathie has always cast me as some rather unwholesome or shady characters. Over the years I have portrayed Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus; a nerdy and whiny pastor who meets a grisly demise; an unscrupulous business tycoon who nearly drowns; and an unlikable mobster villain.
You know, the more I think about it, the more I think I’m starting to get a complex…