FEATURING GUEST

Kady Cross

My Favorite Ghost Movies

Welcome to the twenty-third session of

 THE MODERN INK SOCIETY!

“There’s a light on in the attic,

though the house is dark and shattered,  

I can see a flickering flutter,

and I know what it’s about.”

 — A Light in the Attic

 Introducing the talented Kady Cross,

My Favorite Ghost Movies

Before I jump in, I just want to thank Colleen for hosting me, and all of you who are participating. I hope you enjoy(ed) SISTERS OF BLOOD AND SPIRIT!

Since Halloween season is upon us (and now people won’t ask why I have spider decals all over my windows), I thought I’d talk about some of my favorite horror/ghost TV shows, movies and stories. I grew up in a house where ghosts were recognized as real, and not necessarily spooky. My mother loved a bit of creepy herself, and we used to watch shows about haunted places and famous ghosts together when I was younger. I think she’d approve of most of the items on this list, with the exception of Nightmare on Elm Street. I’m probably going to date myself with a few of these, but that’s okay. Let’s get started.

THE MONKEY’S PAW – We read this story in middle-grade, and it made an impression! Basically it’s a ‘be careful what you wish for’ plot. Mr. and Mrs. White find themselves in possession of a monkey’s paw that grants three wishes — but at a price. Mr. White’s wish for money results in his son’s death — and a pay-out of exactly the amount of funds he needs. The second wish, made reluctantly and out of love for his grieving wife, is for the return of his son. What happens when there’s a knock at the door? Read the story — it will creep you out!

NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 3: DREAM WARRIORS – The late 70s through to the late 80s produced a plethora of ‘slasher’ flicks. They’re called slashers because there’s no real plot except for a highly-creative, deranged murderer slashing his/her way through the cast. I have enjoyed and despised many of these movies, but my favorite has to be the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, most notably, Dream Warriors. If you’re not familiar with Freddy Kruger, he was a child-killer who met his end when a vigilante mob burned him alive. He vowed revenge on their children, and he gets to them in their dreams. Patricia Arquette’s character in DW is attacked by Freddy (he slashes her wrists) and sent to a psych hospital because it’s called a suicide attempt. As if Freddy wasn’t scary enough, now he’s in an asylum?!?! My teenaged heart exploded at the idea. My favorite scene is the puppet dream (death of Philip). I’ve attached a jpg — purposely chosen so you don’t see a lot. I’m not here to gross you out or scar you for life.

JAWS – I hate this fish, but I love this fish. Watched this way too young and was forever leery of water afterward. Everyone told me the Bay of Fundy (where I grew up) was too cold for sharks. Guess what? Someone caught a Great White in my home town. Yeah, never swimming again.

SUPERNATURAL – I’ve watched this show since the first episode, and I’m still a fan of the Winchester brothers. Fun fact – when I pitched Sisters of Blood and Spirit to my editor, I called it “Supernatural meets Sweet Valley High.” There have been melodramatic episodes, funny episodes, and some that were pretty tense and creepy. One most notable episode, ‘The Benders’ from season 1. The villains aren’t supernatural, and they’re all the more terrifying for it. Maybe I find this all the more horrific because I grew up in a rural area. Or, maybe I’m just fascinated by monsters that look/are human. Regardless, it’s fricking creepy.

THE OTHERS – I love a good historical movie. Throw in some creepiness and I’m all over it. In this movie, Nicole Kidman plays a mother trying to protect her children while it seems sinister forces plot against her. It has a great plot twist that I loved, and a couple of moments that made me jump. It’s rich with atmosphere, and a very quiet horror that becomes more apparent by the end of the movie. Awesome.

DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK – Guillermo del Toro scares me, but in a fabulous way. I’ve been a fan of his for a long time — like, before I knew who he was. His movies are beautiful to look at, so saturated in color, and dark. My dream movie would be something involving Tim Burton and del Toro, starring Johnny Depp and scored by Trent Reznor and Danny Elfman. I digress, though. DBAotD is another one of those gorgeous, somewhat quiet movies that really send a shiver down my spine. It’s all about a creepy, but beautiful old house, and tooth fairies. If you think fairies can’t be scary, you need to watch this movie. Fun fact — this movie was all the scarier for me because the little girl in it looks *so* much like my niece did at the same age. I was on the edge of my seat, filled with anxiety for the kid the entire movie because of the resemblance.

I could probably keep going, but I think that’s enough for now! I love a good scare. It’s a primal thing. Fear keeps us on our toes, drives us to act. It’s a protection mechanism from way back before we developed language. I think it’s best when shared with friends, which is why my husband and I are figuring out what haunts we want to visit this month, and gathering a crew to come with us.

So, what are YOUR favorite scary movies/TV/books? I’ve got a Sisters of Blood and Spirit prize pack for one random poster — and signed copies of Sisters of Blood and Spirit for four others.

A huge thanks to Kady for sharing some of her favorite scary stories/movies! I’ve never heard of The Monkey’s Paw and I think I’m going to have to check that out. If you’d like to learn more about Kady Cross you can check her out at www.alterkate.com/kady-cross/.