HIPPIELUVN'S HALLOWEEN HORRORTHON 2026

[Murfreesboro]

That sounds like fun. My phone is so old that YouTube is a trial for me. I need to update, but I don't have space. But I know you can find almost anything on it.

Last night my Chicago son called again for a dual viewing, this time Shaun of the Dead. Such a fun movie. His work is taking him to Europe over Halloween (first Portugal, then Germany), so he's trying to cram as much seasonal celebration in as he can before he leaves.

[hippieluvn]

A masters in theology! Good for you.

Thanks! Last year, I was supposed to study full-time for a master's in intelligence studies at a federal staff college, but orders were canceled two weeks prior to PCS because of the ODNI reorganization. I had to quickly switch assignments, but the Good Lord provided a safe place to land professionally and had a plan for my future studies. I began an online theology program this past spring. Hope to teach again when I retire from government in a few years.

I've never seen Drag Me to Hell, though I've heard the title. It's amazing how many horror movies I haven't seen.

It's a fun, goofy film by Sam Raimi. My cousins and I watched it at a cinema at Times Square when it first premiered years ago, so it has sentimental value.

Did you enjoy the Renaissance Fair?

We attend almost every year and always have a blast. It's becoming part of our Halloween tradition, even though we rarely wear costumes for the event.

[hippieluvn]

I just finished watching another known but not watched movie 'The midnight hour'.

For a 985. a b c movie of the week effort it was pretty enjoyable.

This particular version I got from YouTube, and it also included period 1985 T V commercials and local news breaks. What a trip.

You've piqued my curiosity and I might have to watch this show. If it's from 1985, I'm wondering if I saw it as a kid. I was 10yo in 1985. Please standby...

[hippieluvn]

His work is taking him to Europe over Halloween (first Portugal, then Germany), so he's trying to cram as much seasonal celebration in as he can before he leaves.

Generally, Europeans don't go all-out for Halloween like we do in the USA, but they're slowly beginning to take to the holiday a bit more than in the past--even though Halloween originated in Europe

[hippieluvn]

Tonight, my wife and I will watch BLACK SABBATH (1963) starring Boris Karloff

[Murfreesboro]

Oh, I love Boris Karloff.

Fun fact about him: his stage name was not his real name. He came from a family of English diplomats who were embarrassed that he'd chosen acting, so to spare them embarrassment, he took a stage name. His great aunt (grand aunt?) was Anna Leonowens, whose memoirs about her years as a teacher in the court of
King Mongkut of Siam provided the story for a novel, Anna and the King of Siam, followed by a movie of the same name, and, of course, the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical, The King and I. My mother always wondered how Anna had been brave enough to do what she did in the 1860s. Now I know that she was doing what her family did, although of course, as a woman of that time, she was not eligible to be an actual diplomat.

I'd have to look up his real name, but Karloff always signed his autographs with his legal name, followed by "aka Boris Karloff."

[hippieluvn]

Oh, I love Boris Karloff.

Fun fact about him: his stage name was not his real name. He came from a family of English diplomats who were embarrassed that he'd chosen acting, so to spare them embarrassment, he took a stage name. His great aunt (grand aunt?) was Anna Leonowens, whose memoirs about her years as a teacher in the court of
King Mongkut of Siam provided the story for a novel, Anna and the King of Siam, followed by a movie of the same name, and, of course, the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical, The King and I. My mother always wondered how Anna had been brave enough to do what she did in the 1860s. Now I know that she was doing what her family did, although of course, as a woman of that time, she was not eligible to be an actual diplomat.

I'd have to look up his real name, but Karloff always signed his autographs with his legal name, followed by "aka Boris Karloff."

Thanks for sharing this history about Karloff. Dug up a little this morning and discovered his Indian ancestry--I had no idea.

FYSA, I am an American diplomat with the U.S. State Department. I have been in the Foreign Service for the past decade.

[Murfreesboro]

I figured you did something like that. You've always seemed to be quite the globetrotter. I have a distant cousin who was in diplomatic service in Thailand. She's in her 90s now. I see her every once in a while at family reunions.

I'd forgotten Karloff's Indian ancestry. I think his whole family served in India, so that's probably not too surprising. He did always look a little exotic for an English man.

[hippieluvn]

Again, in preparation for the new F13 prequel series CRYSTAL LAKE which premieres Thursday...

I've subscribed to Peacock for a month, though the entire series drops so you can binge-watch...

And tonight, I will watch FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2

[hippieluvn]

Tonight, I'm watching one of my all-time favs DRACULA: LIVE FROM TRANSYLVANIA (1989)

Hosted by George Hamilton, it's a fun documentary about all things Dracula and vampires

You too can watch the entire program for free on YouTube at this link. Enjoy — if you dare

[Murfreesboro]

I seem to recall that Hamilton played Dracula, or at least a vampire, back in the '70s or '80s.

I've been watching some type of scary movie every day. A couple of days ago it was Mary Reilly, telling the Jeckyl & Hyde story from the pov of a maid in his house. Julia Roberts and John Malkovich. Malkovich has always been a favorite of mine. Then yesterday it was From Hell, a somewhat fictionalized version of Jack the Ripper. Johnny Depp (as the detective, not the killer) and Heather Graham. Love Johnny Depp, too.

Today it was my 25th anniversary dvd of Phantom of the Opera, the stage musical not the movie, filmed at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Ramin Karimloo, another favorite of mine, in the lead. Christine was played by Sarah Burgess (think I have her name right, also superb). In fact the entire cast is wonderful and was probably hand picked by ALW for this performance. If you like the music, this is the version to watch.

[Murfreesboro]

The female lead in my Phantom disc is Sierra Boggess. I always have trouble getting her name right, which is a shame, because she's a brilliant Christine.

My daughter and I always joke that the music in Phantom is so good it makes you sympathize with a stalker. Talk about pathetic/ emotional persuasion. That show is built on it.

[hippieluvn]

I seem to recall that Hamilton played Dracula, or at least a vampire, back in the '70s or '80s.

Yes, he played Dracula in a comedy titled LOVE AT FIRST BITE (1979)... Haha

[hippieluvn]

In the 80s, I enjoyed the Nightmare on Elm Street films and Freddy's Nightmares TV series on Fox

So this evening, I watched its Halloween episode titled Freddy's Tricks and Treats for free on Tubi

[Murfreesboro]

We haven't watched it yet this year, but my daughter is a big Community fan, and they had one Halloween episode that was just beyond the pale funny. I forget what went wrong, but they were giving a Halloween party where everybody started turning into zombies. The first time she and I saw it we laughed so hard we almost cried. It's still a highlight of the season for us.

Those holiday episodes of popular shows can be epic. I believe it was season 5 of Frasier that had a great Halloween episode. And they had another good one several years later.

I've never seen all the Nightmare movies, but I did get a boxed set last year, so I'll eventually get around to them.