Happy Halloween

It’s Halloween

Sadly we don’t celebrate Halloween in Asia. No trick a treating (unless you want to be chased by a person holding a meat cleaver) , no  decorations of tombstones on the lawn, dangling skulls on doors, no witches and their cauldron on rooftops  absolutely nothing at all but then you get the younger generation getting all dolled up hanging round bars and clubs for this occasion.

In Asia, the Chinese (Buddhist. Taoist) celebrate The Hungry Ghost Festival. Celebrated on the 15^th day of the of the 7^th month of the lunar calendar (in which I’ve no clue) and on the 15^th day, the realms of heaven and hell and the realm of the living are open, so the Taoist and the Buddhist monks will perform rituals to ease the sufferings of the deceased. The Hungry Ghost Fes is considered to be an inauspicious month. No wedding, nothing auspicious is supposed to be celebrated during this month.  People are advised not to stay out late for fear of running into a spirit also those who died without justice will come back and seek revenge on those that harm them, possession, yeah you name it

The only source of activities for the month is Ancestor Worship offerings of burning incense, ritualistic food, hell notes, paper Mache in forms of clothing, cars, houses e.t.c  so they can have a better life down there. During this month you’ll also find small stages erected to entertain the dead (Singing, dancing, Chinese Opera, Karaoke e.t.c). The 1^st few rows of chairs are for the unseen guest and the rest for the living.

For this Halloween, I’m compiling some good scares..(My opinion).You don't necessary have to watch it during Halloween:}..I love horror flicks I do do do!!

Movies

• Exorcist
• The Omen
• Pet Sematary
• Rose Red (The Ellen Rimbaur Story)
• Carrie
• Dracula
• The Grudge (1&2)
• Ju-On (Japanese)
• Shutter (Thai Version)
• Paranormal Activity 1
• The Woman in Black
• Poltergeist 1
• Dolls (1985 movie)
• Fright Night (not the remake please)
• Howling
• The Midnight Hour (1985)
• The Shining
• It
• Silence of the Lamb
• Psycho 
•  Sinister (The Lastest movie)

What else..uhh mental blockage!!

Books

• The Exorcist - William Peter Blatty
• The Woman in Black - Susan Hill
• The Fall House of Usher, Black Cat & The Premature Burial - Edgar Allan Poe
• Frankenstein - Mary Shelly
• Dracula - Bram Stoker 
• Rosemary's Baby - Ira Levin
• Ghost Story - Peter Straub
•  The Vampire Chronicles - Anne Rice
• Let the Right One In - John Ajvide Lindqvist
• Salem's Lot - Stephen King
• Victorian Ghost Stories :}

Books in General are always somewhat better than movies. I don't remember everything, but If you have a good book to recommend I'll be glad to check it out.

Till then Cheerios