Dahlia DeWinters - Author

Quirky Heroines, Happy Endings

Blogtoberfest – Classically Scary Music

Ah, it’s getting closer, isn’t it? It’s cloudy and raining outside. A chill is in the air and Blogtoberfest continues. Y’all still with me, I hope,.

I’ve got on my Sony bluetooth headphones, you know the ones, and I’m sending you some classically spooky tunes to create the perfect background for you and your Halloween celebrations. Whether it’s playing in the background or you are actively listening, these pieces are sure to raise the hair on the back of your neck. Plus, it’s good for the goth in you.

Shall we begin?

Franz Liszt: Fantasy and Fugue on “B-A-C-H”…..no not that Bach:

Heinrich August Marschner’s grand opera Der Vampyr (1828) is based on a fragment of a novel by Byron, which was completed by the poet’s doctor. Lord Ruthven Earl of Marsden, a newly created vampire, has asked the Vampire Master for another year on earth before being dragged into hell for eternity. This he is granted, provided he can sacrifice three young ladies by the following midnight. Marschner’s sinister chromatic writing and chorus of witches and hobgoblins is enough to put Twilight to shame.

GYÖRGY LIGETI – Volumina –  Pieces of his music were used in the film 2001:  A Space Odyssey.

This such a classic, I couldn’t ignore it.  You’ve heard it, I’m sure.

Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre

Oh, curse Disney and their creepy animations tho.

Another classic –

Mussorsky – Night on Bald Mountain

Last, but not least, one of my favorites…the trilling flutes, the ominous lower reeds and the muted brass give you the chill you desire…and don’t forget all those creepy broomsticks.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (HD)

Boo!

Dahlia

Horror Movie Review: Død Snø

Zombies, oh Zombies.  Nazi Zombies. Nazi Zombies who are after their stolen treasure.  What could be better?

Title: Død Snø
Genre: Horror – Zombies…Nazi Zombies!!
Director: Tommy Wirkola

How have I not reviewed this movie yet? For goodness sake, I’m slacking off.

Two words: NAZI ZOMBIES

Here is the synopsis according to IMDB:

A ski vacation turns horrific for a group of medical students, as they find themselves confronted by an unimaginable menace: Nazi zombies.

I gave this movie an A. I went into it knowing what I was going to get…a B grade zombie popcorn flick. This movie did not to pretend to be anything more than that. And they succeeded in a grand fashion.

First of all, we have the so-called Ice Monster prologue…a scary chase through the woods set to Edvard Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King, which is awesome stuff in and of itself (spoken like a true band geek, lol), but when included in the movie was just…choice.

The Original Norwegian Movie Poster

Then we have your motley group of med students on vacation in a cabin that is literally in the middle of nowhere, that is lacking….say it with me now….cell service.

What a ride this movie was! It was gross, funny and thoroughly entertaining. I laughed out loud at some parts and covered my eyes at others.

I’d totally watch this again…..at nine in the morning, of course.

Note: Please, I beg of you, watch it in Norwegian with the English subtitles. The dubbed version is distracting. Plus, you get to hear what the actors’ voices really sound like.

Enjoy!
Grade: A

 

Blogtoberfest – Not Just “IT”: More Creepy King Stories

From what I’ve heard  is that the new IT movie is pretty scary.  I  have to say “from what I’ve heard’ because I haven’t seen it yet.  Nothing like seeing something scary on the big screen to scar you for life and I’m not as young as I used to be.

While being scared on the screen is fun, being scared from words on a page can be even more fun.  Yep, I just touted reading above movie watching and you all know how I LOVE reading.  Following this, Stephen King has written just a tad few more stories than IT that are guaranteed to take you over the creepy/scared line.  Here are five of my favorites.

 

 

 

From Nightshift 

Graveyard Shift – Whose nose doesn’t twist at thethought of working in a mildewy, dark, damp basement?  Bonus points:  it’s hot and there’s rustling in the walls.  This is a story that will make you wash your hands after you’ve finished reading it.  Don’t forget the hand sanitizer.

 

Grey Matter – Strange things can grow in beer – something about those hops – and when you guzzle one down without thoroughly examining the contents, bad things happen.  I promise you’ll pour your beer in a glass after reading this one. Gross, scary body horror.

Sometimes They Come Back – Like a little melancholy with the heebie-jeebies?  Well, this story is perfect for you.  A man gets revenge for something that happened in his childhood, but remember, the devil is hell to pay.

Skeleton Crew

The Raft – Those of you who’ve seen Creepshow 2 are familar with this story.  Yes, the charactersare archetypes and the whole thing reads like a B-movie script, but you won’t be so eager to jump into the lake next summer, now will you?

The Monkey – Short, but gets under your skin.  A haunted toy monkey does….bad things, for lack of a better term….to those who find it and wind it up.  I’ve always found those mechanical toys weird anyway, so to find out this monkey was haunted was no big surprise.

 

And just like that, we;’ve come to the end of our Blogtoberfest visit!  Check out some of these King shorts that I mentioned.

 

Dahlia

 

 

Blogtoberfest- My Shorts! 3 Mini Horror Films That'll Make You Change 'Em

I am not a huge fan of horror on YouTube, I’m usually searching for new music.  My daughter, however, is a YouTube aficionando, as are most thirteen-year-olds. Following this, she had introduced me to the world of mini-horror films.  Mind you, I was only able to watch these in the middle of the day, sitting at the dining room table.  However, some of them are so well done that they stayed with me long after.  Now, remember I freak out easily at anything slightly horror and therefore you might not find them as scary as I do, but it’s a good place to start.  Boo!

 

First up is the short flim on which the movie Lights Out is based.  Yes, we want to save on our electric bill, but do you really want to turn out the lights.

 

 

 

 

The second film is called The Moonlight Man.  It begins as a cliched walk through a deserted parking and ends up as something a little….well, you’ll see for yourself.

 

 

The third and final film is called Look See. The creepy factor of this little gem is really off the charts.  

 

 

 

So there you go.  Three short horror films which are definitely not for the faint of heart….the faint of heart being me!

 

Dahlia

 

Blogtoberfest – Did You Hear That? 13 Classic Spooky Songs

Today, I’m back to tap on your shoulder and tickle your ears.  Music in movies has always been used to set the mood, whether it be for a love scene or the stinger for a horror movie jump scare.

 

If you’re having a Halloween get-together or even just want to hang out with the lights out and create a Poe-like atmosphere, here are 13 songs for you, and of course, one to grow on.  A baker’s dozen, plus one.

 

 

 

Spookily yours, 

 

Dahlia