Saturday, October 23, 2010

Halloween Reads and Movies . . .


By Lonnie Cruse

October is Halloween month, and though there are only a few days left in October, it's not too late to enjoy it, movie-wise and book-wise. During October I always make time to watch some of the older scary movies. The classics. Dracula with Bela Lugosi, Frankenstein with Lugosi in a bit part. Wolfman, also with Lugosi in a bit part. The Black Cat, my personal Lugosi fave, with the added treat of Karloff. Sigh. Doesn't get much better.

As to books, I've tried reading Dracula and Frankenstein but did better listening to the audios. Couldn't sit still long enough to read them. Modern day Halloween mysteries? There are a bunch, many listed on Amazon. I like reading seasonal books. I mean, really, how much fun is it to read a Halloween mystery in April???

I suppose the very eeriness of Halloween makes it the best month to watch scary movies or read scary books. Sets the tone.

To date I'd have to say that my favorite Halloween mystery book is HALLOWE'EN PARTY by Agatha Christie. Anything by Christie gets to me, but I like this one because it's holiday related.

Of course I MUST mention that anything by Edgar Allan Poe is Halloween-worthy to read. I was discussing Poe with one of my grandsons recently when he spotted my little action figure of Poe on my desk. Nobody writes scary like Poe. Nobody. I've introduced both boys to Lugosi, but I've been remiss in not introducing them to Poe. Must correct that error!

Do you have a favorite Halloween mystery to read? Favorite movie to re-watch? And, more important, what Halloween candy do you buy? To eat for yourself? To give to the kids? Just wondering! As always, thanks for stopping by. Hope your treats outweigh your tricks!

2 comments:

Julia Buckley said...

Lonnie, I'm with you. A great spooky season, but also a contemplative one. Today it was gray and slightly rainy, and on my way to the store I drove past a cemetery which I've passed many times, and I realized that the headstones are absolutely beautiful. I want to go back with my camera . . .
I can't think of a great Halloween book offhand, but there's a Robert Louis Stevenson short story called THE BODY SNATCHERS which is A-1 for mood and atmosphere. :)

The Cat Bastet said...

Hi Lonnie. Like you, I love Poe any time! For Halloween this year I've re-read Ray Bradbury's The Halloween Tree and Something Wicked This Way Comes, Bram Stoker's Dracula, and Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow."

My favorite Halloween mystery is Blackwork by Monica Ferris.

I love mini-Reese's Peanutbutter Cups but will be giving out gum to the trick-or-treaters, so I'm not tempted to eat it all before Oct. 31. :)

Happy Halloween from one of your fans in Michigan!

~ Cathy Akers-Jordan