Happy Hallowe'en 2014!

Friday, October 31, 2014

Happy Hallowe'en 2014!

Henry Fuseli (1741-1825), Fairy Mab (c. 1815-1820). Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington. "Mab is the chief fairy in folklore and literature. Fuseli's source for this subject was John Milton's poem L'Allegro (around 1630). The painter claimed that he was attempting to express 'female Nature'. Fuseli emphasises the themes of sensual indulgence and sexuality, with a fairy slumped into a bowl of junket (sweetened cream) and another little spirit holding a spoon and bowl, symbolising male and female genitals."-Tate. Image Source: Madame Pickwick (Hat tip: -C.).

Happy Hallowe'en! This marks the end of the Countdown to Hallowe'en blogathon. I was too busy blogging to check all the other participants, but be sure you do so (here). I did have a chance to look at Plaid Stallions, Dark Mind of a Feminist, The Ghost Town, The Grim Gallery, Limer Wrecks, Russian Nerd, Radiator Heaven, and Wonderful, Beautiful, and Strange Finds, and I was not disappointed!

On the Internet, reddit is Creepy Central; you can look at these subreddits for Hallowe'en chills, but you may regret it.

Theodore Von Holst (1810-1844), Bertalda, Assailed by Spirits (Bertalda von Kuhleborns Geistern erschreckt) c.1830. Von Holst was Fuseli's student. This painting is taken from the novella Undine (1811) by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué. Image Source: Wiki.

Below the jump, see more creepy sights, read spooky stories and listen to ambient suspense and ambient horror music. All copyrights belong with creators and are reproduced under Fair Use for non-commercial appreciation and discussion only.

.Gif Source: Z. Scott / We Invent You.

Image Source: theirea.

World War II story on imgur.

Comments: "Casual Friday at the test site?" "Photoshop of some wizard dude over a picture of the Soviet Joe-1 atomic test in 1949." Original image is here. Image Source: imgur. Real test site photos from the US are here.

One minute short film, Tuck Me In (Spain; 2014): "Filminute is an international film festival that challenges filmmakers from all over the world to make engaging one-minute movies. You might think 60 seconds are not enough to make you laugh, cry or even scare you to death. This year's [first prize] winner - directed by Spanish filmmaker Ignacio F. Rodó — will prove you wrong." Video Source: Youtube.

A stranger stares in public. Image Source: imgur.

Below, we have a scary travel story about a staring stranger, from fillgates on Reddit:

Our final night in Florence (and Europe), I decided to rid myself of Euro coins at the pastry shop directly across the street from our hotel in the Piazza della Repubblica. Returning across the road with treats in hand, I noticed a man walking along the sidewalk in front of our hotel. He was singularly striking as he had a distinct pug face, an oddly small copper-colored hat fitted somewhere between a skullcap and a yarmulke, and because he was staring at me without hint of emotion or embarrassment at doing so. He passed, but it was so prolonged and disconcerting that I looked over at him as I walked into the hotel, only to find his head thrown over his shoulder looking at me with that same intense interest. His face registered no passing recognition you might expect from someone who encounters an individual that bears striking resemblance to some friend or family member, nor did he appear to be searching or studying me. He was just staring, for no apparent purpose, though I had a vague sense that for whatever reason he disliked me. My friends hadn’t noticed him – in fact they jokingly questioned whether he existed at all – and they dismissed it as being overly self-conscious of brief eye contact.

Five hours later, we left the hotel for our 6:15 A.M. flight from Florence to Munich. We landed and boarded a bus to the Munich terminal, and as I moved to exit the bus, walking among the throng of people that had already unloaded from the front, I saw him. The man from Florence. This time he was wearing a different jacket – an even more noticeable patchwork coat of autumn shades – but it was the same hat, the same pug-face, and the same eyes, staring at me. He walked in front of me, yet every time I dared to look my eyes met with his. Across the tarmac. Up the escalator. With his head so frequently turned I was surprised he was able to navigate the other travelers. After passing a few shops in the terminal he pulled up off to the side, as though waiting for someone to join him. I was curious who his companion was, maybe they might provide some insight into this man. After our group past him I looked around to find answers, only to discover that he had fallen into step with us thirty feet behind, alone, staring straight ahead, which with shocking coincidence was also directly at me. This went on for half the terminal until my group diverged left up an escalator, separating from the main bulk of passengers heading towards baggage claim to reach our connecting flight. Rising up, I looked back to see if the man followed. He didn’t. He wasn’t even looking in our direction: his head bent slightly, eyes lowered and set ahead as he passed the escalator. I thought I must have imagined the entire thing. After all, the previous night had to have been just a coincidence. It was silly to think this man from Florence, a complete stranger in another land, had singled me out for a one-sided staring contest.

But then his head turned left, and up. He stared right at me as I stood on the escalator, moving, but feeling helplessly immobilize. He walked on like that, without breaking eye contact, until he moved beyond a wall that finally separated him from me forever.

People I've told always ask me why I did not confront the man and ask him why he was staring at me. The truth is, I’m just not sure I want to know.

Image Source: imgur.

Ghost encounter in Coronation Dog Park, Toronto, Canada on 1 August 2014 (click to enlarge). Source: imgur.

.Gif Source: Z. Scott / We Invent You.

Dark Sentinel - Phil Rey. Video Source: Youtube.

Dark Ambient Industrial, mixed by Atrium Carceri. Video Source: Youtube.

Vengeful suspense music © by Jake R. Sanderson (2010). Video Source: Youtube.

Instrumental horror music mix. Various artists attributions on Youtube listing. Video Source: Youtube.

Spooky Background Instrumental by Peder B. Helland. Video Source: Youtube.

Creepy Horror Theme by Peder B. Helland. Video Source: Youtube.

Behold the Darkness by Medwyn Goodall. Video Source: Youtube.

ABPNB - Basement (Unsettling Suspense Music) by Mozzaratti. Video Source: Youtube.

Dark Ambient Industrial Music by Chaos Frequency at Artificial Noise Records. Video Source: Youtube.

10 Minutes of Dark Ambient Experimental Music Incorporating Short Wave Radio Transmissions by Chaos Frequency at Artificial Noise Records (2013). Video Source: Youtube.

Creepy Dark Ambient Horror Music released by Artificial Noise Records. Video Source: Youtube.

Dark Ambient music #6 Dreaming of Nowhere by Raffaele Du Marteau (2012). Video Source: Youtube.

Dark Ambient Playlist for Cryo Chamber. Video Source: Youtube.

Haunting Dark Ambient Ethereal Soundscape by Chaos Frequency. Video Source: Youtube.

Dark Ambient Soundtrack II by Tredigit Productions, inspired by Charlie Clouser (2013). Video Source: Youtube.

.Gif Source: Z. Scott / We Invent You.

See all my posts on Ghosts.
See all my posts on Horror Themes.
See all my Countdowns.

Check out other blogs observing the Countdown to Hallowe'en!

Friday, October 31, 2014