Zombies: the villains we need them to be

October 17, 2011

Reading Time: 2 minutes Throughout history each generation has had its monumental problem that at times has seemed insurmountable and infects everyone in sight. And just when it seemed that problem could not be conquered, in rode the hero.   Whether the hero was a white knight, or a man in tights with a bold S across his chest, […]

Something wicked: the history of Halloween

October 17, 2011

Reading Time: 2 minutes “Tis now the very witching time of night/When churchyards yawn and Hell itself breathes out contagion to this world.”   Hamlet was speaking of the time between dark and light, the time when shadows are longest and the veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest. The time when “grim, grinning ghosts […]

Best Halloween baked goods in Utah Valley

October 17, 2011

Reading Time: 2 minutes Halloween shall stand forever as a testament to humankind’s willingness to confront any danger, face any hazard and submit to any peril in its unceasing pursuit of candy and treats.   Consider the premise of this, the strangest of all holidays: a person dons a costume, demeaning or unsettling; they venture, so costumed, into streets […]

CANNONIZED CINEMA: Friedrich Nietzsche and the Cinema Infernal

October 17, 2011

Reading Time: 3 minutes Of all the cinematic genres, horror is one of the least pretentious. Scary movies don’t seek out critical acclaim. They don’t aspire to inspire. Horror films know what they’re about  – frightening the ever-loving pants off you.  No more, no less.   Yet slasher flicks, gorefests and other types of terror serve an important emotional […]

Pay the costume to be the boss.

October 26, 2009

Reading Time: 2 minutes Whether it is a three-month dedication to becoming the spitting image of Jack Sparrow or a quick thrift shop run on the eve of Hallow’s Eve, the Halloween costume has its own version of dedication and bravery. The costume, a sort of mask away from normalcy and everyday living, allows for a day/night escape from […]

30 days of ‘ween: Part 2

October 12, 2009

Reading Time: 2 minutes Ello all. As you may remember, last week I talked about corn mazes, but this week, we go a bit deeper into the ‘Ween spirit and look at movies that set the mood for All Hallows. Back when I was 12-years-old, me and my mate Berta went to see a movie we thought looked good. […]

Sexy costumes: Trick or treat?

October 12, 2009

Reading Time: 2 minutes Halloween is a few weeks away and you’ve begun to search frantically for a costume. You dig through the attic and find that Cinderella dress you wore in second grade; it should be obvious that this outfit will no longer fit. Don’t leave the attic yet, though – you could probably safely get away with […]

Picking the right costume

October 12, 2009

Reading Time: 2 minutes Answers to costume quandaries What to be or not to be … That is the Halloween question. According to the National Retail Federation, it is estimated that this year, Americans will spend $4.75 billion on celebrating Halloween this year, of which nearly 40 percent will go to costume funds. “Halloween has become the second biggest […]

30 days of ‘ween

October 5, 2009

Reading Time: 2 minutes Ello all, it’s that time again. Every year around this period, I start feeling it in my body. Cramps, irritability, anxiety, mood swings, angry outbursts and tender mamas are all signs that my favorite holiday – I like to call it ‘ween – is here. I hear some of you dissenters whispering that it’s too […]