Things That Go Bump In the Night

It was on a dark, and stormy night a monster was born some two hundred years ago. The horrifying beast rose out of a harmless dare spoken by a crackling fire to a group of friends looking for entertainment. He would become a source of great fear among the populous when his tale was put to the page. Without a doubt, you have an image of a scarred, green mammoth of a man with bolts sticking out of his neck floating around your head. Thanks to Boris Karloff, we all think of The Creature in that way. Never mind that the monster of her tale was really the doctor that reanimated the corpse bits and pieces. But without that transformation in the everyday thought pool, we wouldn’t have the Hulk, which would complicate the MCU. So, I’ll let it go.

The endurance of the two-hundred-year-old story is proof we like being scared. With Halloween a day away, I thought I’d pick out some of my favorite haunts and frights from the page, the screen, and even some events. Fair warning, I’m a bit of a weeny when it comes to terrors, so there could be severe eye-rolling on your part. You’ve been warned.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Why this series was targeted toward children, I couldn’t guess. The thin readers are comprised of individual tales to make you jump at every little creak and groan from the house. Everyone who was anyone had at least one of them in their bedroom. At least, anyone who was of a certain age. The three books in the series were written between 1981 and 1991. Even though I would get creeped out at the tamest scary thing, I followed the crowd and bought a copy of the third installation of the series. It was a source of perpetual fascination and terror. I’d pick the book up, read a tale, and then have a week of sleepless nights. My imagination has a nasty penchant for one-upping horror. But, I would come back to the book eventually when I had forgotten how scared I had been the last time. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

Not every piece included in a collection can be winners, but these books come pretty close to being the exception to that rule. There are several I could recite or give a decent facsimile of despite not having touched the copy I owned in fifteen years. The impact of these modern-day penny dreadfuls was strong enough for me to scroll right on by the announcement of a movie being created from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Needless to say, I doubt I’ll be seeing that in the theater. That will be an at-home watch during the day. Child or not, if you’re looking for a fright, these little books will do the trick.

Penny Dreadful

Set in late 19th century England, Penny Dreadful brings together some of the most classic horror stories for a binge-worthy adventure. Dr. Frankenstein and The Creature, Dorian Gray, Van Helsing, Dr. Jekyll, and The Wolfman are brought into the troubles of Sir Malcolm Murray, who is searching for his daughter, Mina Harker. In addition to the gaggle of classic characters, Sir Malcolm is assisted by his daughter’s friend Vanessa Ives. They are racing against time to defeat a much larger evil than the demons that haunt them individually.

I didn’t watch this show when it originally aired on Showtime. Instead, I came to this gem via a “Because you watched” suggestion. After one episode, I was hooked and subsequently burned through all three seasons. The show reminded me of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the graphic novel, not the movie. Sir Malcolm’s character having many shared qualities with Alan Quartermain. While not strictly a jump scare, horror episodical, the show embraces terror and the supernatural.

The Haunted Graveyard

Located in Bristol, Connecticut, Lake Compounce is the oldest amusement park in the United States, the location where Milly Vanilli’s career came to a jarring halt and the home to The Haunted Graveyard. Initially founded by Ernie Romegialli as an alternative Halloween activity for his diabetic daughter, the popularity and attendance of the backyard haunt found its way to the amusement park so more people could enjoy the spectacle in 1999. The Graveyard is a 45-minute walk through boasting 14 different themed areas with hoards of ghouls out to frighten guests. Each year the trail through is tweaked and altered to keep the scares fresh. To manage the crowds, when you purchase tickets, you will need to select a time of entry for your walkthrough. If I remember correctly, that gives you a half-hour window from the time you choose to get in line for the haunts. Once in front, you will be released into the maze in small groups to keep the feel of the experience intact. Bristol, Connecticut, is a bit of a haul for me, but I haven’t missed taking a trek down there in eight years. Well worth the travel time.

With its location inside an amusement park, Lake Compounce also keeps its rides open during these spooky nights giving attendees options as to what kind of fun their night will be filled with. If rides aren’t your thing and you are only in for the Halloween happenings in the Graveyard, you can purchase a ticket for just the Haunted Graveyard and walk around the amusement park taking in the sites or grabbing a bite to eat. If you are as much of a thrill-seeker as a Halloween fan, then you can purchase a combo ticket giving you access to the rides as well as the maze. And for those folks wholly uninterested in jump scares and ghouls but have friends and family who want to head to the park, you can buy just a park ticket so you can ride rides while they are in the maze. The scares run Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights starting in September and running through the first weekend in November. The combo tickets are $36, not including tax, for adults. Graveyard only or Park only tickets run $30, not including tax, for adults.

DTV Monster Hits

Not many people I know have heard of this one, but it’s a Halloween treat I highly recommend you find. DTV Monster Hits is a TV special released by Disney in 1987. Your host is the Magic Mirror from Snow White. He strings together the series of music video vignettes as well as a Witch Hazel cartoon. The music videos in question are not the music videos that were released with the songs. Instead, Disney Imagineers sat down with their cartoon catalog to splice together a narrative to go along with the tunes. For example, footage from Disney’s 1937 Lonesome Ghosts was set to “Ghostbusters.” The animated short fit well with the song and even called back to the live action-comedy.

My parents were smart enough to hit record when it aired, allowing it to be a part of my Halloween lineup. It was a sad day when the VCR was replaced. The Monster Hits special has never been released on DVD, and I don’t believe it will be included on Disney+. YouTube to the rescue. Several full-length videos can be located there, although the visual quality isn’t the greatest. This makes a fun, upbeat addition to a Halloween lineup along with side classics like It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! and the Garfield Halloween special.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Published in the same period as Shelley’s Frankenstein, Washington Irving gave the world an American twist on the Gothic novel with his Ichabod Crane and the quiet hamlet of Sleepy Hollow. You may never have picked up the written form of the tale, but nearly everyone is familiar with the story. Disney released a cartoon version in 1949. Fifty years later, Tim Burton gave us a hyper-stylized version starring Johnny Depp. I even enjoyed the first two seasons of the TV show Sleepy Hollow. I know it had almost nothing to do with the original work except for names, places, and a headless horseman. A collector of ghost stories and the supernatural, Sleepy Hollow’s schoolmaster might as well be a stand-in for the majority of us during this time of year. Being scared is an uncomfortable feeling, and yet, we seek out these types of frights with giddy zeal.

A fun find from last year’s Fall/Halloween events was Old Sturbridge Village’s performance of the classic American tale. The location lends itself perfectly as the cast and audience alike move along the dirt road. The period-appropriate buildings stand in as the sets for the play. Old Sturbridge’s rendition of Sleepy Hollow includes musical numbers to augment Irving’s text. Shows are held Wednesday through Sundays from late September through the first weekend in November. Showtimes are at 7:30 and 9:30. Prices vary depending on time and date selected, but the range is between $35 and $50. If you are in the area, it is a delightful production that calls upon the spooky spirit of the season.

And, this, friends, is where I leave you. Have a happy and safe Halloween!