Nix-Halloween and all the fun and guts

Photo by Sašo Tušar on Unsplash

     When I was a teenager, my friend Sean and I were big into horror movies.  Now, I can't stand them. I still love a good thriller or science fiction film, but horror has lost its appeal.  I do not think I am better for not liking them, nor do I think that horror movies are bad.  They are simply not my thing. 
     Reality for me became more horrific than any film could provide.  Be it hospital stays that became nightmares or instructors and teachers that lost their mind. 

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     However, with all that shade being thrown on horror movies, some still have their place and time.  That time is Halloween.  Halloween has grown more fun since having children.  My son is now 13 and each year he gets more intrigued with his costume choices.  My daughter changes her mind like she changes outfits (check out her laundry pile and you will see this is a great deal). 
     Introducing my son to some of the films I dread is entertaining.  We had the summer of the "dude" movie. We watched "Alien" and "Aliens",  the Predator films, and even a couple of "Critter" movies. What?  I needed a laugh. This lead to the discussion on horror movies. He kept asking and I kept delaying. He had gone through the M. Night Shyamalan and this only got him wanting more.  Now, I had to pick a movie.  I decided, "Go BIG or GO HOME!"  I should have went home.  I picked the one of the two horror films to ever truly scare me.  John Carpenter's Halloween, is a classic and scares the **** out of me. 
     Michael Myers may have launched the slasher film, but his first appearance was no traditional slasher.  Yes, he slaughtered a crew of babysitters and boyfriends, but it was never silly.  The soundtrack is spectacular at keeping one focused and the coy use of "Don't Fear the Reaper" is amazing.  Michael, however, is pure evil.  There is no humor in this film.  (Well the word "totally" is abused, but hey she dies horribly) 
     Watching my son watch this movie was this meta experience like it sounds.  He was never scared.  He is laughing all the time and I am just waiting for it to end.  My suffering seemed to never end.  None of it was the actions in the film, but the actions of my mind.  All the horror I relived during this experience was immense.  
    Now though it is Halloween, and the suffering will soon be over.  We will then be in Christmas countdown and Hallmark has already started.  
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