You know what I love about ghosts? I love the idea of them. Weird, right? Hang with me for a second. The thing I find fascinating is the concept that unworldly things like ghosts exist and feed off our energy. That they just sort of linger around causing mischief. I don't think the mischief thing is all they're about, but you get what I'm saying. You can argue that no one knows for certain that they're real, because it honestly depends on what you believe in. It's all a matter of believing, because once you believe you start to experience things on your own.
I've always been a sucker for a good ghost story, mainly because I love to be scared. The idea that these people or things lurk about unnoticed is just chilling and incredible at the same time. Shows like Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures are my absolute favorite! Sure I can't watch them when I'm alone at night, but that's why I love it! They make you "feel" something. Whenever they catch something on camera or an EVP, I get chills. My heart starts racing, my head wants to turn away or I want to cover my ears from hearing its unsettling words, but my brain is like "I have to know!"
When it comes to movies, I tend to enjoy ghost stories like Woman in Black. It has that creep factor, but it's not overly gory. I also felt like it had an older, more classic horror feel to it, which is a big win for me. But then I also enjoy movies like The Eye that was made in Japan. I don't know what it is, but Korean and Japanese horror films are seriously amazing. The plots and effects know how to scare the living hell out of me. They're not always completely predictable like some movies. *eye roll* They know how to deliver an idea without beating you over the head with cliches. I was watching another ghost story on Netflix the other night called White. Holy. Crap.
Where some ghost movies become over-saturated with gore, I rather enjoy the ones that are all about the scare. That's also what I look for in a good book. I want to understand the ghost, get to know them. Not just think: "Wow. That throat slashing was a bit unnecessary." The ghost needs to be three dimensional, it needs a reason to exist.
So tell me, friends. What are some of your favorite books/movies that involve ghosts? What do you think about the idea of them?
I watched the Japenese version of The Grudge, and it was pretty scary. Much better than the American one. My heart was in my throat the whole time, and I jumped at pretty much everything :D Incidious was disappointing, though. It made me jump, but it wasn't . . . scary. The ending was terrible :/
ReplyDeleteOh, and I LOVE ghosts. I used to tell all the kids at my school ghost stories when I was ten, and made most of my class cry because they were so scary >:D Not they'd find it scary now, of course. And I also LOVE Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures. I love it when the ghosts talk to them, but I think I love it most when the ghosts throw something or do something to them. Like, in one of them (I have no idea which one of the programs, though) they were staying in the hotel that The Shining was filmed in, and ON CAMERA, they caught the closet door opening AND closing, and then the glass next to his bed smashed, and I nearly peed my pants :D And I'm scaring myself all over again, since I'm all alone at half one a.m. and it's suddenly very dark outside . . .
ReplyDeleteI totally saw that episode!! FREAKED ME OUT. Also, when Ghost Adventures use that spirit box...OMG! It's beyond creepy.
DeleteOne of the first ghost-related movies I can ever remember seeing is The Shining, which is so creeptastic it's not even funny. I didn't read the book until years later (also super creepy), but the movie has stuck with me. I mean, let's face it: Danny (the little boy) is almost as creepy as the ghosts.
ReplyDeleteOther really great ghostly reads: Turn of the Screw/Henry Miller; House of Leaves/Mark Danielewski; and The White Devil/Justin Evans.
Oh, and The Amityville Horror always freaks me out.
You know what I rarely admit to? The fact that Paranormal Activity scared the hell out of me. Like, for real. Well, the demon part was a bit much, but everything else leading up to that was intense.
DeleteMy husband could not go into our basement alone for a month after seeing The Blair Witch. It didn't help that our basement at the time had a dirt floor and looked like the one in the movie. Doh!
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