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‘Tis the season to be scared

6 min read

Bolt your windows, lock your doors…It’s Halloween! At long last, 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 know my father, 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 1970s, when, unbeknownst to my parents, I sneaked in to our living room one Halloween night to catch a midnight viewing of the classic flick “Night of the Living Dead.” That was soon followed by going to my friends’ houses to watch other classics such as “The Exorcist,” “Halloween” and “Friday the 13th.” And then I discovered classic scary radio broadcasts on audio cassettes at the library, and repeatedly listened to shows such as “Suspense,” “Inner Sanctum” and “The Shadow.” Combine these spooky movies and shows with the 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. Now, there isn’t a year that goes by when my wife and I don’t celebrate by attending costume parties, visiting a number of haunted attractions, and holding horror movie marathons at our house.

Truly, ’tis the season to be scared.

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. In fact, by the time you read this, I will have hopefully fulfilled a dream that I have had for over 30 years; for the first time ever, I am planning to view the original 1978 horror classic “Halloween” — my all-time favorite movie — on the big screen, at a movie theater in Pittsburgh. And, I hope to follow that up with a screening of the new horror flick, “Paranormal Activity 3.”

Now THAT sounds like an evening to die for.

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 “shaky cam” 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 — changed the (Leather)face of horror.

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 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…

Speaking of Halloween, last week the Messenger announced several upcoming events that were being held at the end of October. Since then, we have received word about a few other events that were not mentioned in our coverage. So. Here are some more upcoming events in honor of October 31:

n A Halloween party for Center Twp. residents will be held Saturday, Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. at the Rogersville Fire Hall. All children must be accompanied by an adult. There will be costume contests, games, and treats for children 12 and under. Snacks will also be provided. Anyone wishing to donate candy, snacks, etc., please call 724-499-5037. Loan or donation of decorations also appreciated.

n The Humane Society of Greene County will hold a “Howl-O-Ween Pet Parade” on Sunday, Oct. 30 at the Greene County Fairgrounds. Admission by donation. Registration at 12:30 p.m. Parade begins at 1 p.m., rain or shine. Prizes, fun and Halloween photos. Dogs, cats, other pets and humans welcome. Events sponsored by David Yasko. For more info, call the shelter at 724-627-9988.

n The Flenniken Public Library will host a Family Fun Night on Monday, Oct. 31 from 5 to 7 p.m. Everyone is invited to this free event. Activities will include: face painting, pumpkin bowling, doughnut bobbing, photo ops, relay races, and scarecrow dressing. Hot dogs and other snacks will be provided. Weather-permitting, the relay races and pumpkin bowling will take place outdoors between 5 and 6 p.m…

By the way, I received timely info about a few other items of community interest that have nothing to do with Halloween, but I thought I’d share them with our readers here anyway.

The county veterans’ affairs office asked me to inform the public that addresses are needed for veterans who are serving at the present time. Care packages are being put together for our service men and women, which is why the addresses are needed. The local office would greatly appreciate info from any parents or family members. The addresses can either be mailed or called/faxed in to the office. Staff members will be addressing the packages in the VA office. Send the info to the following address: Greene County Veterans Affairs, c/o Dalene Watson, Director, 22 West High Street, Suite 100, Waynesburg, PA 15370-1536. Or, call the office at 724-852-5275, or fax the info to 724-852-5307.

Also, I was asked to announce that a special message of hope and deliverance will be given on Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Waynesburg Bible Chapel, located at 800 E. Greene St. in Waynesburg. Come hear of one young man’s story of walking away from heroin nine years ago without ever looking back. If you or someone you love is addicted to heroin, this will be a message of hope that proves the cycle of addiction can be broken…

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