Spooktacular, Spooktacular

It's the most wonderful time of the year: fall. The weather and leaves and smells are all great. But, really, it's the football which truly makes it all perfection. Our weekends in Morgantown for WVU games have simply been heavenly and this past Sunday, we capped it off with a bonus trip to Heniz Field to jeer Brett Favre to his first loss of the season. My sincere inner peace at this simple feat can not be exaggerated. There are no words. It. Was. Awesome.

Anyway, now it's all downhill to Halloween, which is one of my favorite holidays, even though I don't always get to dress-up anymore and my trick-or-treating is a past memory. But, I do make it a fine tradition to scare myself silly with some spooky flicks. I can enjoy the traditional "Halloween" and "Nightmare on Elm Street" and I'm not squeamish when it comes to gore. I had a fine time with "Sorority Row" and "Last House on the Left" - both the old and new versions. But, I thought I'd share some of my real favorites - not just movies, but true films:

**The Exorcist: Simply put, it's the single best, most frightening film ever made. Even now, having watched it a million times, I appreciate the underlying horror in every frame. The director's version with that new shot of the "backward stair-walk" caused me sleeplessness for a few days - and I was in my twenties.

**Rosemary's Baby: My absolute favorite in the genre, the tone of this movie is one I find most interesting. I've watched it so many times, I can recite the dialogue by memory. Mia Farrow is absolute perfcection. That devil rape scene? Pretty darn disturbing.

**The Sixth Sense: Nothing compares to the first time, but even after you know the reveal, the whole film holds up well. It's a modern masterpiece, I think.

**The Shining: Oh, Jack, you are something else. Nothing compares to the book for sheer terror, but this film, with its eerie wide shots and haunting score still gets under my skin. Classic.

**Picnic at Hanging Rock: Not your regular horror film at all, but if you have not seen this Peter Weir marvel, you should. It's got the creepiest foreboding dread and will certainly stick with you. Nothing outrageous happens, but I don't like to watch it by myself.

I hope to add to this list, as "Paranormal Activity" has arrived in Asheville. I love when tiny films like that take everyone by surprise. I also read a story that when Stepen Spielberg screened the DVD at this home, he walked into his hallway and found his bathroom door locked, which caused him to believe the DVD was haunted. Now, that's a movie I must watch!

Have a Ghoulishy Wicked Halloween. Don't get too scared!