Hey Darlings! I just realized I left out a few games and I feel bad for not telling you guys.
So for your final suggestions for games, here is my last list of both Board and Video Games to play during Halloween.
Five Nights at Freddy's: The Series: Ok, so I can't do well with this series. And I can't do much with the jump scares and people criticize that part. But ever since fan theories and MatPat's game theory videos, people love the lore, The overarching mystery of why the animatronics are possessed has been on everyone's minds. Though sometimes more questions are around that answers at times, its fun looking up all the theories behind what happened at our favorite Chuck E. Cheese Ripoff.
Fury of Dracula/Letters from Whitechapel: These two games have pretty much the same mechanic so I'll include them together. In Fury of Dracula, you play as Dracula and your opponents play the famous characters in Bram Stoker's novel to try to kill you. So either you win by killing everyone or unleashing chaos all over Europe or they win by killing you. Letters from Whitechapel has the same plot but either you play as Jack the Ripper or the investigators on the case. This game of Hide and Seek/Cat and Mouse is pretty fun when it's a guessing game to find out where your opponent is and trying to strategize the best way to arrest Jack the Ripper or kill Dracula. Fury of Dracula was also played on Will Wheaton's Tabletop so check it out there.
Luigi's Mansion and Luigi's Mansion 2: Dark Moon: So this isn't a scary game but it's still fun nonetheless. You play as Mario's more timid brother Luigi and trust me, he has to muster all his courage to survive these 6 mansions. In the first game, you play as Luigi to celebrate getting a new mansion that turns out to be made by King Boo to trap Mario and Luigi. In Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon, the Evershade Valley's Dark Moon is destroyed and the rather pacifistic ghosts turn hostile and you must go to the 5 mansions to repair it. Both games feature the Poltergust 3000 gadget and sucking up ghosts in a Ghostbusters fashion is always fun for me. And getting all that treasure too because there is a lot of money to collect in both games, (Spoiler: Collect as much of the money in 1 to get a nicer house and collect them in two to upgrade the Poltergust 5000. The Poltergust 4000 was in Mario Kart 7.) so go hunting guys! It's fun exploring these mansions and in Dark Moon, you get to go on missions to explore the mansions more and more so you'll be backtracking but it doesn't feel like a chore with new rooms to search.
One Night Ultimate Werewolf/Vampire/Alien: Ok so you play Mafia with cards, now play One Night Ultimate Werewolf or Mafia on Acid. In Mafia, you just have civilians, a doctor, a sheriff, and the Mafia. Kill the mafia and you win. But the One Night games make it harder with more roles to distinguish one another on. If the Werewolves/Vampires/Aliens trick everyone, they win. But if you don't get the wool pulled over your eyes, you win. It's a fun deduction game with collaboration and deceit. Also helps with trying to BS your way out of getting in trouble with your fellow friends.
The Haunted Mansion video game: Back in 2003 when Eddie Murphy tried entering my favorite real estate to a very cheesy and bad film, there was a video game to tie in. But the plot of the game wasn't like the movie which was definitely a one up. The game itself seems simple with being a fighter but also, it's a puzzle game. Each of the rooms you go inside in the mansion has a different puzzle that must be solved in order to turn on the lights and make everything alright. The game itself is simple and easy, and graphics are a little dated but the ambiance of the mansion with the textures being in respect to the rides and giving all these Easter Eggs you can find to make it all the more a nostalgic ride down memory lane. There are playthroughs on YouTube to find and the Soundtrack is one of my favorites to listen to.
Last Night on Earth/Dead of Winter: Both of these board games were played on Tabletop and both are Zombie Survival games. Last Night on Earth is more board focused while Dead of Winter is more Narrative focused with treachery in the midst of your environment too. Both have their own mechanics and I included them together because they are zombie based.
Gloom: I tried playing it once and trust me, this game is heavy in the narrative department so if you can't tell a good story, or someone can't give a good story, it falls very flat. HAVE CREATIVE PEOPLE TO PLAY THIS GAME WITH YOU! I CAN'T STRESS THIS ENOUGH! Ok back to the game. It's not a horror game but it's inspired by the comics and dark humor of Illustrator and Author Edward Gorey. You might know of his Gashlycrumb Tinies and the little children, who all died in alphabetical order, for various reasons. And pretty much your mission is to tell the saddest tale ever and destroy their lives. Like really screw them over. Whoever has the most negative points wins. So you have to play both bad cards on yourself and good cards on others but it goes into this fun (if death and gloom is fun) Victorian experience with the tragedies of these families.
Honorable Mentions:
Scooby Doo: Night of 100 Frights: Another collectors game. It's still very nostalgic and fun. Not scary but still enjoyable with the large and memorable world of Mystic Manor and the surrounding areas. And seeing all of Scooby's old enemies is pretty fun too.
Happy Haunted Gaming Darlings!
A Blog Dedicated to the Works of Marcos Pisanis and other random topics including video games, politics, philosophy, art, movies and tv shows, and other assorted things.
Wednesday, October 25, 2017
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Halloween Memoreis: Costumes
I remember my mom used to make costumes for us. Did your parents ever do that Darlings? Well, I have a few I remember so I'll make these count.
Ok. This is a little funny one. It happened before my sister Michelle was born and me, my cousins Emile and Mariah and my brother Jonathan all had costumes made by my mother. It was a group costume idea and we were all M&M's. Don't believe me? Well, that pic is somewhere in my moms collages. But anyway, I was the Yellow M&M, Jonathan was Blue, Emile was Red, and Mariah was Green. Now I forgot but for some reason, Mariah was crying. Now I'm not sure why. Maybe she didnt like the costume or it was just being in the dark. (She was still a toddler If I recall.) But either way that was still fun to see that. The costumes were pretty good.
So here's one without a group and the only one really impactful to me. My mom and dad took us to Halloween at Disneyland one time. So my siblings and I, I really forgot what they chose but I went as Sorcerer Mickey and they bought the hat with ears, gloves, and Mom made the coat and even sewed a patch with Sorcerer Mickey on it. That Halloween was pretty fun but I don't remember if it was on Mickey's not so Scary Halloween Party or just one of the days in October at Disneyland. But I do know I sure rocked it out and enjoyed myself. That's another pic I have to get one day for you guys.
Also I remember my mom dressed me us as a baby on my First Halloween as a Devil but the real good one was when she did our costumes for Peter Pan. Now I was Capt. Hook, but I just laughed when my brother was the Crocodile who ate my hand. Again, another picture might be lingering around my moms Scrapbook studio but well, I'm unsure. Now I remember my parents family friends, (I forgot their names but I remember their son's name but he'll be anonymous for obvious reasons.) and they had a son and daughter (forgot her name too). So Joey (the son) and Kristy (we'll make her the daughter, they can come to me to remind me or I'll have to visit them. I don't know which will happen.) were Peter and Tink respectively. (At least I think so or was it Michelle? I don't remember. You'll have to ask my mom. Geeze this is more weird that I can't recall well what happened though I remember those specific costumes.)
Anyway, Did your parents make your costumes and who did you go as? Who will you go as on Halloween? Thanks for tuning in Darlings! See ya Tomorrow!
Ok. This is a little funny one. It happened before my sister Michelle was born and me, my cousins Emile and Mariah and my brother Jonathan all had costumes made by my mother. It was a group costume idea and we were all M&M's. Don't believe me? Well, that pic is somewhere in my moms collages. But anyway, I was the Yellow M&M, Jonathan was Blue, Emile was Red, and Mariah was Green. Now I forgot but for some reason, Mariah was crying. Now I'm not sure why. Maybe she didnt like the costume or it was just being in the dark. (She was still a toddler If I recall.) But either way that was still fun to see that. The costumes were pretty good.
So here's one without a group and the only one really impactful to me. My mom and dad took us to Halloween at Disneyland one time. So my siblings and I, I really forgot what they chose but I went as Sorcerer Mickey and they bought the hat with ears, gloves, and Mom made the coat and even sewed a patch with Sorcerer Mickey on it. That Halloween was pretty fun but I don't remember if it was on Mickey's not so Scary Halloween Party or just one of the days in October at Disneyland. But I do know I sure rocked it out and enjoyed myself. That's another pic I have to get one day for you guys.
Also I remember my mom dressed me us as a baby on my First Halloween as a Devil but the real good one was when she did our costumes for Peter Pan. Now I was Capt. Hook, but I just laughed when my brother was the Crocodile who ate my hand. Again, another picture might be lingering around my moms Scrapbook studio but well, I'm unsure. Now I remember my parents family friends, (I forgot their names but I remember their son's name but he'll be anonymous for obvious reasons.) and they had a son and daughter (forgot her name too). So Joey (the son) and Kristy (we'll make her the daughter, they can come to me to remind me or I'll have to visit them. I don't know which will happen.) were Peter and Tink respectively. (At least I think so or was it Michelle? I don't remember. You'll have to ask my mom. Geeze this is more weird that I can't recall well what happened though I remember those specific costumes.)
Anyway, Did your parents make your costumes and who did you go as? Who will you go as on Halloween? Thanks for tuning in Darlings! See ya Tomorrow!
Monday, October 23, 2017
Small Change and Good News for the War Effort and Bad News For Hollywood
Hey Darlings. Got to announce this quick thing. On the rest of this month, I’ll be making more Halloween talks and so Tuesday’s politics will be moved to Today just to get it over with. I got good news and bad news in two different areas.
Let’s start with the good news. ISIS territories in Syria have been growing in being destroyed and demolished. Even Iraqi Soldiers have been noted to use the Sherman method on ISIS soldiers and territories. Hearing this makes me breathe better with knowing we’re actually making a stance in allowing our Generals to fight a war that seems unwinnable. However, I have some reservations and doubts due to a recent visit Sec. of State Tillerson made with Saudi Arabia.
Rex Tillerson visited Saudi Arabia to herald a new message for the Middle East to unite in fighting the ISIS and other terrorist organizations. However since Saudi Arabia (funding the Taliban and Al-Queda) and Iran (a major player in manipulating Iraq and Syria with ISIS) are both major players in funding state sponsored terrorism, this speaks volumes on what it seems our policy is. We’re probably going to ally with Saudi Arabia to destroy Iran. But is this the best policy? No. It’s obvious even Saudi Arabia wants the west under their thumb but we shouldn’t give into evil to destroy another evil. It’s irrational at all levels and to further explain my opinions, read Nothing Less than Victory by John David Lewis and Winning the Unwinnable War by Elan Journo for my opinion on the war and how we ought to face our enemies.
But let’s pull back. Because also Benjamin Netanyahu announced his support for Kurdistan, the independent nation the Kurds want due to their persecution from many Muslims in the Middle East. I I used to be skeptical of them due to the last time we armed the Muslims with weapons (that was quite a slippery slope. But that’ll be looked into when we see the results hopefully if we decide to make an alliance.
Now for the bad news. Prepare to be really pissed off. So remember Harvey Weinstein? Well that scandal started opening the floodgates. 2 more people have been found and accused for sexual misconduct, and me saying sexual misconduct is putting lightly. Two other people have been fired amid more of the scandal. A disgraced agent named Tyler Grisham has been found in involved with Sexual abuse and Nickelodeon has fires one of its main cartoon creators, Chris Savino for similar reasons. However, it’s unknown if they’ll be prosecuted but with the Harvey Weinstein case it’s highly likely.
And thats all for the main news so far.
Tomorrow will be more happier things Darlings. Promise!
Let’s start with the good news. ISIS territories in Syria have been growing in being destroyed and demolished. Even Iraqi Soldiers have been noted to use the Sherman method on ISIS soldiers and territories. Hearing this makes me breathe better with knowing we’re actually making a stance in allowing our Generals to fight a war that seems unwinnable. However, I have some reservations and doubts due to a recent visit Sec. of State Tillerson made with Saudi Arabia.
Rex Tillerson visited Saudi Arabia to herald a new message for the Middle East to unite in fighting the ISIS and other terrorist organizations. However since Saudi Arabia (funding the Taliban and Al-Queda) and Iran (a major player in manipulating Iraq and Syria with ISIS) are both major players in funding state sponsored terrorism, this speaks volumes on what it seems our policy is. We’re probably going to ally with Saudi Arabia to destroy Iran. But is this the best policy? No. It’s obvious even Saudi Arabia wants the west under their thumb but we shouldn’t give into evil to destroy another evil. It’s irrational at all levels and to further explain my opinions, read Nothing Less than Victory by John David Lewis and Winning the Unwinnable War by Elan Journo for my opinion on the war and how we ought to face our enemies.
But let’s pull back. Because also Benjamin Netanyahu announced his support for Kurdistan, the independent nation the Kurds want due to their persecution from many Muslims in the Middle East. I I used to be skeptical of them due to the last time we armed the Muslims with weapons (that was quite a slippery slope. But that’ll be looked into when we see the results hopefully if we decide to make an alliance.
Now for the bad news. Prepare to be really pissed off. So remember Harvey Weinstein? Well that scandal started opening the floodgates. 2 more people have been found and accused for sexual misconduct, and me saying sexual misconduct is putting lightly. Two other people have been fired amid more of the scandal. A disgraced agent named Tyler Grisham has been found in involved with Sexual abuse and Nickelodeon has fires one of its main cartoon creators, Chris Savino for similar reasons. However, it’s unknown if they’ll be prosecuted but with the Harvey Weinstein case it’s highly likely.
And thats all for the main news so far.
Tomorrow will be more happier things Darlings. Promise!
Friday, October 20, 2017
Board Games to Play for Halloween
You know Darlings, don't you hate it when your parents tell you not to play any more video games? I know I did. But sometimes we had to or when we grow up, we have so many guests and want to play a game but we have nothing to go with. Luckily I have a few suggestions to make the nights fun this Halloween. Here are some of the games I suggest to play on Halloween.
Betrayal at House on the Hill: This Board game is a Haunted House exploration game. You play as one of 6 characters and go searching a Haunted Mansion to find out about the paranomal events going on. However, later on in the game, one of you is a traitor hoping to let evil win. Can you and your friends stop the traitor and win the game? This is a fun me vs them game added with the board is actual tiles so you have to proceed from Room to Room and that the mansions structure changes every game and also you have 3 floors to choose from as well. Also there are 50 scenarios to play through so no two games that you play in your lifetime will be the same. It's replayablility is numerous and fun and a great RPG board game to experience.
The Nightmare Before Christmas Edition of Munchkin: For you see right now, as I continue this list. There is another game with such haunting, you get the gist. So with Munchkin, a game like Dungeons and Dragons, has a movie theme of Halloween shenanigans. You level yourself up and go against all, and ally and betray your friends after all. It's seems pretty easy to level up to ten, but when everyone else can the real fun is with who levels up when. You can escape stronger foes if you try, but don't roll a 5 or 6 and you might be the first to die. Friends can come and help when for pleasure, but almost always, they'll ask for the treasure. For once you defeat enemies, a bounty awaits. Just make sure you get the most to not suffer crueler fates. The Nightmare Before Christmas munchkin is easy and fun. Play with your friends for a good challenge for each one.
The Arkham Horror Games: These series of Board Games include Elder Sign (which I own), Arkham Horror, Mansions of Madness, and Eldritch Horror. Each of these games makes you play from a group of investigators to solve conundrums and scenarios involving the Cthulu Mythos. Be warned for if you take too much damage or go insane, you have to get a new investigator but this one of those board games where if chaos is unleashed, everyone loses. So you all have to plan accordingly. One mistake could cause you the game. So instead of most board games where you fight to win, you have to communicate with one another and plan accordingly. It's not easy but it can be done. Just be lucky unlike the rest of Cthulu Mythos, you can actually defeat the Great Old Ones. Usually 1-8 players can play most of these games.
Mysterium: This is a game where you find out who killed a ghost and you play the mediums hoping to solve the case. This is another board game where either you all win, or the game wins. Similar to clue, you have to find out who killed one of your teammates (they're the ghost) in which room and what weapon. But they can only communicate from a bunch of pictures and pictures can feature all sorts of things from the descriptive to the abstract. See what your teammate is trying to communicate with you. It's a fun twist on clue and requires making things very cryptic but if you know someone well, they'll be able to help you out. Also, I'll add Clue to this because well, its another murder mystery game but you guys have played it before.
Cthulu Fluxx: Another game with a theme, Cthulu Fluxx is another game where either you can win individually, another person wins, or the game wins. You all pick a card play a card each round. Sounds easy right? But everyone can play rules to change the rules every time. Thus the game is called Fluxx because it's a word meaning change. Nothing is certain but change. This version of Fluxx is fun even though you have evil entities once again trying to kill you. But have fun with it!
Cards Against Humanity: Because you need to curse and Halloween can add to screwed up things. Plus it's politically incorrect fun!
Happy Board Gaming Darlings!
Betrayal at House on the Hill: This Board game is a Haunted House exploration game. You play as one of 6 characters and go searching a Haunted Mansion to find out about the paranomal events going on. However, later on in the game, one of you is a traitor hoping to let evil win. Can you and your friends stop the traitor and win the game? This is a fun me vs them game added with the board is actual tiles so you have to proceed from Room to Room and that the mansions structure changes every game and also you have 3 floors to choose from as well. Also there are 50 scenarios to play through so no two games that you play in your lifetime will be the same. It's replayablility is numerous and fun and a great RPG board game to experience.
The Nightmare Before Christmas Edition of Munchkin: For you see right now, as I continue this list. There is another game with such haunting, you get the gist. So with Munchkin, a game like Dungeons and Dragons, has a movie theme of Halloween shenanigans. You level yourself up and go against all, and ally and betray your friends after all. It's seems pretty easy to level up to ten, but when everyone else can the real fun is with who levels up when. You can escape stronger foes if you try, but don't roll a 5 or 6 and you might be the first to die. Friends can come and help when for pleasure, but almost always, they'll ask for the treasure. For once you defeat enemies, a bounty awaits. Just make sure you get the most to not suffer crueler fates. The Nightmare Before Christmas munchkin is easy and fun. Play with your friends for a good challenge for each one.
The Arkham Horror Games: These series of Board Games include Elder Sign (which I own), Arkham Horror, Mansions of Madness, and Eldritch Horror. Each of these games makes you play from a group of investigators to solve conundrums and scenarios involving the Cthulu Mythos. Be warned for if you take too much damage or go insane, you have to get a new investigator but this one of those board games where if chaos is unleashed, everyone loses. So you all have to plan accordingly. One mistake could cause you the game. So instead of most board games where you fight to win, you have to communicate with one another and plan accordingly. It's not easy but it can be done. Just be lucky unlike the rest of Cthulu Mythos, you can actually defeat the Great Old Ones. Usually 1-8 players can play most of these games.
Mysterium: This is a game where you find out who killed a ghost and you play the mediums hoping to solve the case. This is another board game where either you all win, or the game wins. Similar to clue, you have to find out who killed one of your teammates (they're the ghost) in which room and what weapon. But they can only communicate from a bunch of pictures and pictures can feature all sorts of things from the descriptive to the abstract. See what your teammate is trying to communicate with you. It's a fun twist on clue and requires making things very cryptic but if you know someone well, they'll be able to help you out. Also, I'll add Clue to this because well, its another murder mystery game but you guys have played it before.
Cthulu Fluxx: Another game with a theme, Cthulu Fluxx is another game where either you can win individually, another person wins, or the game wins. You all pick a card play a card each round. Sounds easy right? But everyone can play rules to change the rules every time. Thus the game is called Fluxx because it's a word meaning change. Nothing is certain but change. This version of Fluxx is fun even though you have evil entities once again trying to kill you. But have fun with it!
Cards Against Humanity: Because you need to curse and Halloween can add to screwed up things. Plus it's politically incorrect fun!
Happy Board Gaming Darlings!
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Books to Read for Halloween
Don't you love getting cozy with a good Book Darlings?
I Know I do. And some books are just the type to read for the thrills, chills, and skills their authors had when they wrote them. From the sinister to the Gothic, to the mysterious, to the classic, these are the books I suggest reading this (or next if you don't have the time) Halloween season.
The Complete Tales of Edgar Allen Poe: What better than to read the poems and short stories by the man who popularized horror fiction. Though most famous for The Raven, he had penned many suspenseful tales like The Cask of Amontillado, The Pit and the Pendulum, and The Tell-Tale Heart (my personal favorite, second is Amontillado.) It's not as scary as horror pop lit, but it just leaves the right amount of suspense and dread in your heart.
The Silence of the Lambs: I mentioned this book yesterday to explain the idea of Catharsis and it's importance in both drama and our own lives. Now get ready for why you should read this. The book has a wonderful villain seen with Dr. Hannibal Lecter, psychoanalyst and cannibal. Refined but devious, elegant but twisted, sophisticated yet carnal, Hannibal is as what actor Mads Mikkelsen has compared him to, Lucifer the Fallen Angel under his name Satan that is. I just love that comparison so much with a conflicted man who finds peace with both his Apollonian and Dionysian aspects (both good and bad.) And what I love more is the psychoanalysis of Buffalo Bill. The disturbing motives for killing and skinning his poor victims both amuses and chills me to the bone. Clarice is also another great character for psychoanalysis to focus on her dark past that she wants to hide and later with Dr. Lecter's help, move on which adds to the complexity of Dr. Lecter as a villain. I know many of my colleagues will definitely not like this book but I so love it and I would love to cosplay and Dr. Lecter from both the Hannibal Series and the original Silence of the Lambs.
Rebecca: This is a Gothic Horror story I am wanting to read so I only can tell of the basic plot but I can say this is something I do want to read as I started getting to Gothic Fiction thanks to Interview with the Vampire. Rebecca is the recently deceased mistress of a manor and her husband looks to a new wife to find. Once she comes over to his mansion and is the new mistress of the house, It's obvious the staff doesn't want her here. And even some ghosts that are restless. This was written by Daphne du Maurier who also wrote "The Birds" short story which inspired Hitchcock and Hitchcock even adapted Rebecca too. Even Guillermo del Toro was partially influenced by the book to write his Gothic Film Crimson Peak so even though I haven' read it, it's obvious the impact it's left on our culture of loving Ghost stories and haunted homes!
And Then There Were None: Ok so this isn't a horror story but it's a slasher. A very organized one at that. The title comes from the final line of the nursery rhyme our victims fall prey too called 10 Little Indians or to the more Politically Correct minded these days 10 Little Soldiers. The 10 are accused of murdering people though many deny it. After they start kicking the bucket one by one, the remaining survivors try to figure out why their host is killing them and learn to their horror the killer is one of them. It was this story that inspired the whole slasher genre with Rene Clair's 1945 film being the first slasher film, though very lighthearted with deaths off camera except one. This book is also Agatha Christie's most adapted story with multiple inspired tales, 5 films, one BBC miniseries, 2 Arabic series, 2 loosely based Japanese series, a video game, a board game, and well, you will see why this book is so influential and my favorite Agatha Christie novel of all time once you read And Then There Were None.
Interview with the Vampire: I started reading this book a while ago and my boyfriend kept poking fun at me to finish this book. Sadly, I haven't been able to do it but I'm very close. The books influence the subject of the nature of what the vampire learns from his birth from their turned master usually is an interesting tale and my favorite parts were the one with Lestat being involved. The very vivid descriptions of Paris, New Orleans, and the other environments of the novel are canvas painted into your psyche and mind and all the descriptions of the characters are just as detailed too. Enjoyably exotic and slightly erotic at times, Interview will make all other modern pop vamp lit seem tame to the eyes.
The Shining: You can't have a list like this without Stephen King himself at least on here. I chose this book because I own it as well as Salem's Lot and Carrie in a King Trilogy Book but the idea of The Shining remains to me as a ghost story. If you haven't told by the list of books here, I like more psychological terror and horror. And when we see Jack Torrance, unlike the film adaptation which King was harsh to, we see he wants so desperately to get close again to his wife and son making him sympathetic to our causes and yet his nights of alcohol and drunkenness are but one of the fears he thinks will tempt him down and it does but also seeing him go insane in the process to see all the ghosts who want him to kill his son is another thing. I've only read a little of it but just seeing the aspect of The Overlook Hotel makes it even more terrifying due to how it does feel like its own living entity. Also, it has a hilarious Simpson Parody called The Shinning. (Do you want to get sued?)
Frankenstein: Now this is an obvious classic but what makes Frankenstein just as potent to today's time is just not only about scientific progress and experimentation people have trouble swallowing but also, we see many people are described as Frankensteinian in nature to defy nature and become God themselves. Even one of the people I follow even wrote a book called The Frankenstein Candidate (written by Vinay Kolhatkar.) I haven't read it because, to be honest, It looks too familiar (From the basic synopsis) to The Manchurian Candidate which is another book on my list and a definite movie and book to read for anyone who believes in freedom. Frankenstein is another Gothic tale but I read this in High School so I couldn't fully appreciate what was written and, in my opinion, public education ruins reading for everyone. When you meet Victor Frankenstein, you see him come from an influential noble graduating great universities to being a control freak of the worst kind. The story even goes as far to use Biblical and Mythological Allegory in its presentation to add to the isolation of Frankenstein's Creature which causes us to sympathize more with him than Victor making the monster and man roles reversed.
The Picture of Dorian Gray: This is one of my favorite stories and got me into the wit of Oscar Wilde. Though my colleagues don't like the characterizations, I argue that's what motivates the book and what makes it both a fun Faustian Tale as well as a great satire of English Society and life in general. Dorian is a character I admire mainly for how he goes from innocent to corrupted youth and descends down deeply into both desire and instinct which is the cost of his eternal youth as his portrait reminds him deeply of who he is.
The Picture of Dorian Gray: This is one of my favorite stories and got me into the wit of Oscar Wilde. Though my colleagues don't like the characterizations, I argue that's what motivates the book and what makes it both a fun Faustian Tale as well as a great satire of English Society and life in general. Dorian is a character I admire mainly for how he goes from innocent to corrupted youth and descends down deeply into both desire and instinct which is the cost of his eternal youth as his portrait reminds him deeply of who he is.
Faust: This is a warning horror tale and though it's not really scary it does leave a dreadful impression on what one does with their life. From the German folk legend and adapted popularly by Christopher Marlowe and Johann Wilhelm von Goethe, The Tragedy of Faust is a tale of warning and of our humanity as Dr. Faustus tries to achieve, depending on which version you read, Everything he could ask for or all the knowledge of the world. The Devil Mephistopheles also adds charm and intrigue to the tale as being the onlooker and executor of Faust's contract. It is a play though so I suggest either reading along with an actual adaptation of the Play, live preferably and written either Marlowe or Goethe, and sit back and enjoy, or get an audiobook version of the play and enjoy it!
House of Leaves: This is another book I haven't read yet but just as chilling in the more Lovecraftian way of turning yourself into madness which is why no one can successfully adapt this story. The narrative is told through a frame story of a man whose neighbor has just died and he looks in the neighbor's room to find a manuscript for a critical essay with citations and edits by editors about a film he has been. But the problem with this is, the neighbor is blind and couldn't possibly have seen the film and the film has no evidence to have existed. And the film itself is a documentary of a man who moves to a new house with his family and measures out the house to find out the interior of the house is larger and the exterior with all sorts rooms adding on and our documentarian's insanity adding on too. The story is primarily told as a frame story style with multiple narrators, some who interact with one another but it seems all are trying to dominate the telling of this tale. And what makes it more confusing is the writing style, obviously influenced by postmodern works, (and as many of you know, I hate postmodernism with extremely rare few exceptions so this is a big one) and even is just confusing to comprehend the first time. It's also a long read being 709 pages from the first edition but I suggest getting the second edition as suggested by other readers and that you can't experience it the same if you got the audiobook. This book was meant to be read and thus should be read. You can't adapt it well enough and that's what makes it an interesting staple.
Happy Haunted Reading Darlings! Tune in tomorrow for some Halloween/Horror inspired games suggested by me!
Happy Haunted Reading Darlings! Tune in tomorrow for some Halloween/Horror inspired games suggested by me!
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Thoughts about Halloween Horror
Ok let's start this puppy up Darlings.
So, I was wondering about Horror and Halloween. It's just well, I don't like being scared because its very irrational but well, in horror you end up dead. I don't want to die so it's a survival tactic. Stupid right?
But there is something More to it I feel. Why is it that people love horror? Is the blood, the violence, the stupid unimportant sex that NO ONE SHOULD EVEN BE DOING, the villians? Maybe and those are good ideas. But well it's just not psychologically interesting to me. I mean when we were just kids, we liked getting spooked and getting free candy. (Still love and will trick or treat no matter how old, Just as long as I'm in a costume, someone better give me my Resee's candies and Butterfingers! (This is in case any of my family members want to give me some trick or treat goodie baskets! But what is it that makes horror of Yesterday and Today so important?
Well, I learned a new word not so long ago and I think it might be the reason why we love horror and maybe hopefully, I can muster my courage to maybe write something horror related one day. The word is Catharsis, Greek for Cleasning or ... well Catharsis. (It's not proper to use a word to define the same word but not every word in a foreign language is easily translatable to the English and is the same with all other languages.) Even when I did muster my courage for some of the more scary video games I mentioned Last Week, there is this element of horror we see that we like because well It makes us braver. I know it sounds ridiculous but that was a primal part of tragedy where when we saw good characters do bad things because fate dicated it or it was of their own flaws, in the end despite what was done, they do make things better in the end but they die. We feel sympathetic towards them. In a similar fashion with horror, we want to face the monsters despite how uncontrolled we are in Horror.
In the book, The Silence of the Lambs, A book I suggest reading and I will suggest again tomorrow for my book list, Clarice Starling stars in a thriller about finding a mysterious serial killer and her only link is Psychoanalyst Hannibal Lecter. He's done awful things: manipulating patients, murdering and devouring people, enforcing cannibalism unknowingly on others are a few of the main ones. But yet we feel stronger knowing him. It's fun and interesting knowing him because unlike Clarice, we are one step away by either reading the book or watching the movie. Seeing Clarice hunt the killer down also makes it fascinating but also looking into the killer's psyche is another part of this novel and is just as pivotal for Cathartic experience. Basically, Catharsis develops in different ways for different mediums. Comedy provides us with just looking back on the human experience, Tragedy finds to what makes us human, Science Fiction and Fantasy provide escapists worlds that are just as human as our own to examine ourselves and other issues with society, and Horror makes us stronger for that same experience of downfall, sorrow, and paranoia.
But I don't really see that in today's horror. It's not about this growing up with strength. It's more about jump scares and cheap tactics, (But even if they are cheap, they still work on me) instead of developing our heroes, even if they do die. That's what I liked about Silence of the Lambs even though you wouldn't expect me to watch or read that book. (I haven't watched the film but I did record it to watch later. I did watch Red Dragon and Hannibal though. Just as chilling though i did prefer Red Dragon for the same reasons as I mentioned why I like Silence.) It's very difference from developing the sense of helplessness that comes from it. It's weird that I mention another horror writer who focused a lot on this helplessness, H.P. Lovecraft known for his Cthulu Mythos of cosmic entities who don't care what happens to the world. Their power is insurrmountable, and humans can't do anything to stop it. Ironic since many board games and video games make it possible to fight and win against Cthulu when you can't win. The End. I'm just weary of reading Lovecraft because personally, he was quite an elitist in the worst of the sense. (I know I'm sounding like an SJW, but a guy who says Catholics, Germans, Irish, African-Americans and non-WAPS are inferior in a class heirarchy of who is better than one another is a collectivist ass in my book. It's like how I feel about Roman Polanksi, mixed with wanting to like his works but hating his disgusting ass.)
But back to Horror, Maybe what we need is that kind of Horror Lovecraft and others have made in the past, warning danger and helpless dread to stop it. And hopefully I can muster my courage to watch Crimson Peak this Halloween. It's a good step, don't judge me!
So, I was wondering about Horror and Halloween. It's just well, I don't like being scared because its very irrational but well, in horror you end up dead. I don't want to die so it's a survival tactic. Stupid right?
But there is something More to it I feel. Why is it that people love horror? Is the blood, the violence, the stupid unimportant sex that NO ONE SHOULD EVEN BE DOING, the villians? Maybe and those are good ideas. But well it's just not psychologically interesting to me. I mean when we were just kids, we liked getting spooked and getting free candy. (Still love and will trick or treat no matter how old, Just as long as I'm in a costume, someone better give me my Resee's candies and Butterfingers! (This is in case any of my family members want to give me some trick or treat goodie baskets! But what is it that makes horror of Yesterday and Today so important?
Well, I learned a new word not so long ago and I think it might be the reason why we love horror and maybe hopefully, I can muster my courage to maybe write something horror related one day. The word is Catharsis, Greek for Cleasning or ... well Catharsis. (It's not proper to use a word to define the same word but not every word in a foreign language is easily translatable to the English and is the same with all other languages.) Even when I did muster my courage for some of the more scary video games I mentioned Last Week, there is this element of horror we see that we like because well It makes us braver. I know it sounds ridiculous but that was a primal part of tragedy where when we saw good characters do bad things because fate dicated it or it was of their own flaws, in the end despite what was done, they do make things better in the end but they die. We feel sympathetic towards them. In a similar fashion with horror, we want to face the monsters despite how uncontrolled we are in Horror.
In the book, The Silence of the Lambs, A book I suggest reading and I will suggest again tomorrow for my book list, Clarice Starling stars in a thriller about finding a mysterious serial killer and her only link is Psychoanalyst Hannibal Lecter. He's done awful things: manipulating patients, murdering and devouring people, enforcing cannibalism unknowingly on others are a few of the main ones. But yet we feel stronger knowing him. It's fun and interesting knowing him because unlike Clarice, we are one step away by either reading the book or watching the movie. Seeing Clarice hunt the killer down also makes it fascinating but also looking into the killer's psyche is another part of this novel and is just as pivotal for Cathartic experience. Basically, Catharsis develops in different ways for different mediums. Comedy provides us with just looking back on the human experience, Tragedy finds to what makes us human, Science Fiction and Fantasy provide escapists worlds that are just as human as our own to examine ourselves and other issues with society, and Horror makes us stronger for that same experience of downfall, sorrow, and paranoia.
But I don't really see that in today's horror. It's not about this growing up with strength. It's more about jump scares and cheap tactics, (But even if they are cheap, they still work on me) instead of developing our heroes, even if they do die. That's what I liked about Silence of the Lambs even though you wouldn't expect me to watch or read that book. (I haven't watched the film but I did record it to watch later. I did watch Red Dragon and Hannibal though. Just as chilling though i did prefer Red Dragon for the same reasons as I mentioned why I like Silence.) It's very difference from developing the sense of helplessness that comes from it. It's weird that I mention another horror writer who focused a lot on this helplessness, H.P. Lovecraft known for his Cthulu Mythos of cosmic entities who don't care what happens to the world. Their power is insurrmountable, and humans can't do anything to stop it. Ironic since many board games and video games make it possible to fight and win against Cthulu when you can't win. The End. I'm just weary of reading Lovecraft because personally, he was quite an elitist in the worst of the sense. (I know I'm sounding like an SJW, but a guy who says Catholics, Germans, Irish, African-Americans and non-WAPS are inferior in a class heirarchy of who is better than one another is a collectivist ass in my book. It's like how I feel about Roman Polanksi, mixed with wanting to like his works but hating his disgusting ass.)
But back to Horror, Maybe what we need is that kind of Horror Lovecraft and others have made in the past, warning danger and helpless dread to stop it. And hopefully I can muster my courage to watch Crimson Peak this Halloween. It's a good step, don't judge me!
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Oh God. I don't know which issue to tackle first. So lets do 3.
Ok, so I just had some inklings of political/entertainment issues.
But the ones I want to discuss are Harvey Weinstein, Trump pulling press licenses, and the Boy Scouts.
Ok. Let's discuss my main problem with the Weinstein affair. Apparently, despite everyone saying now that Harvey Weinstein has harassed many women, it's how long this has been going on which disheartens me. How did anyone who knew this not tell the press? Why lie and cover it up? Even if he was the most powerful producer, this is in no excuse for him to behave so piggishly. This show to us that even Hollywood still has its scandals and wants to bury them rather than let them out and solve these problems. Take for instance the tragedy of the two Coreys, Corey Feldman and Corey Haim. Sadly, Haim died to drug overdoses still haunted by specters of the Hollywood Sex Abuse machine and Corey just lost his sanity and heart. He even confessed to this on the View and it seems no one learned their lesson. But the fact almost everyone from media, to those abused, and those around him ignored it, is unforgivable. It's obvious this was covered because if Weinstein did such an act and any lady ratted him out, he would've been out on his ass a long time ago. Even his brother noted that he had infidelity issues. But I'm not believer in Sex Addiction due to how conscious people can act and there should be nothing forgivable on Weinstein. Let no one bother to defend him or bring him back because there is nothing redeemable of a perverted pig who treats women like toys. And shame to anyone who has defended him because this won't only cause people to not only like him but means less of a box office profit for Hollywood after this.
Now to Donald Trump. At first, it seemed he was just gonna let the fake news crowd just have their way and just post every bad thing imaginable without any sources, backup, or just any petty reason to scandalize him without actually assessing his faults critically so maybe he can listen. Because of this, he was so pissed he decided to threaten to take away their press licenses. This for me draws a very clear line about Donald Trump's support for Freedom of Speech and something I do have to criticize him for. To threaten to take away someones right to speech and press is an insult to the Founding Fathers and John Locke themselves. Such prinicples are what make America Great and just to take away it just sets a bad example on calling oneself a defender of free speech. I made the same criticism when I heard him scold Pamela Geller for her Draw Muhammad Campaign for her Non-Profit Stop the Islamization of America saying "She had it coming." For doing what needed to be done about some stupid (he was actually illiterate) middle eastern pedophile who called himself a prophet of God, he just doesn't care? What about people like Ayaan Hirsi Ali who escaped from Somalia and was forced to have her clitoris removed and to this day says Islam is destructive towards everyone especially women, Salaman Rushdie whose Satanic Verses got all sorts of Muslims to send death threats to him and have several countries put a bounty on his head not unlike Ali, and Charlie Hedbo who righteously insulted the prophet and sadly many of their own people had been killed by Terrorists? Does Trump really care fully. If he really wants to get on my good side about his sincerity with Freedom of Speech, he needs to let the Mainstream Media still spin their tales and hold his head up high to really stick it to them. It not only allows freedom of speech but those who know better or have started questioning the sources they have read will simply just leave them.
Lastly, we got Boy Scout issues. I wanted to talk about this for a while but lets face it. I couldn't find a good way to argue it. Everyone complains that the Boy Scouts need to grow a pair and stop letting postmodernism flout them down but is it fully the Boy Scouts problem? What if I were to tell you there was an organization responsible for them to go further into these depths more so than anyone else? I think you know it's the government, but how is that so? Well, years back I remember watch Penn and Teller's Bullshit about how apparently the Boy Scouts wanted to Discriminate against Atheist and Homosexual Scouts as a private organization which is perfectly fine BUT THEY ACCEPTED FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS. That's right, the Boy Scouts are a public organization masquerading as a private one and everyone thinks their postmodern aspects are part of that. I've tried researching about when the Boy Scouts when public but it seems the most recent was with legislation from both the Clinton and Second Bush eras which are the most pertinent. And trust me, they way they are acting now, they're acting like a public organization which is it. So if people want to take the Boy Scouts back, petition Donald Trump to STOP GIVING THE SCOUTS TAX MONEY! It's not that difficult but no one remembers this. But also, do I think girls should join the Boy Scouts? No. Because it's the Boy Scouts. IF they were private, they could discriminate that fact. But they can't and people should've payed more attention about this.
But the ones I want to discuss are Harvey Weinstein, Trump pulling press licenses, and the Boy Scouts.
Ok. Let's discuss my main problem with the Weinstein affair. Apparently, despite everyone saying now that Harvey Weinstein has harassed many women, it's how long this has been going on which disheartens me. How did anyone who knew this not tell the press? Why lie and cover it up? Even if he was the most powerful producer, this is in no excuse for him to behave so piggishly. This show to us that even Hollywood still has its scandals and wants to bury them rather than let them out and solve these problems. Take for instance the tragedy of the two Coreys, Corey Feldman and Corey Haim. Sadly, Haim died to drug overdoses still haunted by specters of the Hollywood Sex Abuse machine and Corey just lost his sanity and heart. He even confessed to this on the View and it seems no one learned their lesson. But the fact almost everyone from media, to those abused, and those around him ignored it, is unforgivable. It's obvious this was covered because if Weinstein did such an act and any lady ratted him out, he would've been out on his ass a long time ago. Even his brother noted that he had infidelity issues. But I'm not believer in Sex Addiction due to how conscious people can act and there should be nothing forgivable on Weinstein. Let no one bother to defend him or bring him back because there is nothing redeemable of a perverted pig who treats women like toys. And shame to anyone who has defended him because this won't only cause people to not only like him but means less of a box office profit for Hollywood after this.
Now to Donald Trump. At first, it seemed he was just gonna let the fake news crowd just have their way and just post every bad thing imaginable without any sources, backup, or just any petty reason to scandalize him without actually assessing his faults critically so maybe he can listen. Because of this, he was so pissed he decided to threaten to take away their press licenses. This for me draws a very clear line about Donald Trump's support for Freedom of Speech and something I do have to criticize him for. To threaten to take away someones right to speech and press is an insult to the Founding Fathers and John Locke themselves. Such prinicples are what make America Great and just to take away it just sets a bad example on calling oneself a defender of free speech. I made the same criticism when I heard him scold Pamela Geller for her Draw Muhammad Campaign for her Non-Profit Stop the Islamization of America saying "She had it coming." For doing what needed to be done about some stupid (he was actually illiterate) middle eastern pedophile who called himself a prophet of God, he just doesn't care? What about people like Ayaan Hirsi Ali who escaped from Somalia and was forced to have her clitoris removed and to this day says Islam is destructive towards everyone especially women, Salaman Rushdie whose Satanic Verses got all sorts of Muslims to send death threats to him and have several countries put a bounty on his head not unlike Ali, and Charlie Hedbo who righteously insulted the prophet and sadly many of their own people had been killed by Terrorists? Does Trump really care fully. If he really wants to get on my good side about his sincerity with Freedom of Speech, he needs to let the Mainstream Media still spin their tales and hold his head up high to really stick it to them. It not only allows freedom of speech but those who know better or have started questioning the sources they have read will simply just leave them.
Lastly, we got Boy Scout issues. I wanted to talk about this for a while but lets face it. I couldn't find a good way to argue it. Everyone complains that the Boy Scouts need to grow a pair and stop letting postmodernism flout them down but is it fully the Boy Scouts problem? What if I were to tell you there was an organization responsible for them to go further into these depths more so than anyone else? I think you know it's the government, but how is that so? Well, years back I remember watch Penn and Teller's Bullshit about how apparently the Boy Scouts wanted to Discriminate against Atheist and Homosexual Scouts as a private organization which is perfectly fine BUT THEY ACCEPTED FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS. That's right, the Boy Scouts are a public organization masquerading as a private one and everyone thinks their postmodern aspects are part of that. I've tried researching about when the Boy Scouts when public but it seems the most recent was with legislation from both the Clinton and Second Bush eras which are the most pertinent. And trust me, they way they are acting now, they're acting like a public organization which is it. So if people want to take the Boy Scouts back, petition Donald Trump to STOP GIVING THE SCOUTS TAX MONEY! It's not that difficult but no one remembers this. But also, do I think girls should join the Boy Scouts? No. Because it's the Boy Scouts. IF they were private, they could discriminate that fact. But they can't and people should've payed more attention about this.
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