Game On: Just Creepy-ing Around the Inner Catacombs

Boo! Did I scare you? Did I scare myself while trying to scare you? Did you scare me by not being scared by my scare-tactics?

Are you afraid that I’m going to keep asking you questions? The sort of questions which my mind loves to ask, and my mouth (or fingers) sometimes asks out loud, but which other people often say they just don’t get (were they lost in the mail? Did the ghosts in the machine eat them like cookies? Are we all in a game of Pacman?) and that scares them a little.

Don’t worry, I’m not asking the questions today, so you’re safe (your head won’t be spinning until it flies off or you throw up a flood of green gunk).

Today the questions were lovingly baked in a traditional oven by A Guy Called Bloke and K9 Doodlepip – for the feast known as: Game on – series 2 – Just Creepy. If you’d like to participate (and/or read the other wonderful creations of his), please head on over to his blog! ps. A Guy I did try to ‘Like’ your About because I liked it, but WordPress wouldn’t let me, this blank page popped up when I clicked on the button and then disappeared like a spooky apparition (it’s a glitch on my end of things as it keeps happening).

I’m not posting the rules and intro blurb (for those you have to follow the link above to his blog post). The questions are in bold and italics, and will have Q and PQ (Permanent Question) in front of them (I copy/pasted them and have left typos as is – respect the typo!).

And so it begins…

Q1] Favourite all time creepy monster or villian?

If I think about this, I may be here until well after Hallowe’en still trying to answer the question. The first creepy monster villain (and he is all of those) which came to mind is Opale. He’s half of a whole character ( he’s Hyde a la Jekyll and Hyde) from a 1959 French Horror film written and directed by Jean Renoir – Experiment in Evil (Le testament du Docteur Cordelier).

He’s my all time fav because when I saw this film, alone late at night on French TV, I was going through a deep dank dark depression which was largely due to repressed, suppressed, unexpressed rage against oppression, and his primal fury echoed mine. His violence was shocking (you have been warned if you can find the film and decide to watch it – there are clips on Youtube), more so because he did to random strangers what I wanted to do to a couple of people in my life (but would never do) and hid behind a frozen smile.

Let’s move on shall we…

Q2] Pumpkin Pie or what is your favourite pie at Halloween?

I don’t eat pie at Hallowe’en. I’m not really a pie-eater, unless you count meat pies, and even then it’s only once in a while. Humble pie, on the other hand… I’ve developed a taste for it, and will happily eat it!

Q3] What is something you most assuredly wouldn’t want to bump into in a darkened alleyway?

A giant slug.

When I was about 8 yrs old while playing ‘jungle girl’ in the garden, I felt something on my bare leg (which turned out to be a large slug) and for some reason I freaked out, screaming hysterically just like a character in a Horror film who was being hugged by a Zombie.

I don’t think I’ve ever screamed that much in my entire life, except maybe when I was sitting on a pergola and accidentally blocked the path of an ant army (which thankfully weren’t Marabunta army ants), or when I saw my very first snake which occurred under the same pergola (that time my father was close enough to hear me and shouted at me: “Are you being murdered?”)

Q4] Have you ever dabbled with the dark side .. l don’t mean Bloody Mary either l mean Ouija?

I had to do a quick Google for ‘Bloody Mary game’. I figured it wasn’t anything to do with the South Pacific song, or the Queen of England who was given that nickname, and that it was probably some sort of game… I think it’s been used in a couple of Horror films I’ve seen. Didn’t they use a version of that game in Candyman (Tony Todd was so sexy, I always thought that Shadowman was based on him as Candyman)?

I have a vague memory of vaguely doing a vague version of Ouija (without the board…) and I got bored after about a vague few minutes). Other than that…

I had a hypnagogic dream once (and once was enough) which I’ve written about a few times in my blog posts, wherein a little old lady broke into my home and tricked me into summoning a demon into my body using the Bloody Mary repetition recipe. Other than that…

I’ve read a lot of esoteric writings, seen a lot of Horror films and TV shows, played horror themed video games (Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and that one where the main character keeps hallucinating and saying ‘This can’t be happening!‘) and, for the most part, they all warn against ‘dabbling’ with the dark side. Sometimes I heed warnings and don’t feel the need to find out for myself why the warning exists.

 

PQ5] What’s your most favourite Halloween movie that you just have to watch over, and over and over again every Halloween? [Link Please]

I rarely watch a film more than once (there are too many I haven’t seen and I’d rather see one of those), and don’t tend to observe rituals (I’d make a lousy witch), particularly those like watching a movie genre during a specific time or day of the year.

Thus I don’t have a favourite Hallowe’en movie. If I had to watch a Horror film I’ve seen again and again, I’d probably pick one in a foreign language I’d like to learn which was also visually stunning – Hansel and Gretel (Henjel gwa Geuretel) – a South Korean Horror fairytale about three cute n’ creepy psycho children trying to find the perfect mommy and daddy to look after them.

Q6] Are you superstitious? [How so?]

Why are you asking, why do you want to know… I’m more suspicious than superstitious.

I am wary about doing or saying certain things – such as ‘never say never’. I use the word ‘never’ a lot… and have lived to repeatedly learn why that warning exists. Whenever I say it, I always (I use ‘always’ a lot too) think two things: 1) oh shit, now you’ve done it, Ursula, you’ve set the curse in motion again! 2) Would I really never?

PQ7] If you found yourself trapped in a horror movie which one would it be?

If?

During the 80’s there were a couple of Horror TV series – Tales of the Unexpected – and – Hammer House of Horror. In an episode of one of those (or maybe it was another Horror TV series), a couple was living in an idyllic country house, which was then besieged by rats. It was The Birds only with rats.

A few years ago, while I was living in a small idyllic rural country house… it got infested with rats. They stayed in the attic, and under the floorboards, thundering around at night, squealing loudly. It only lasted a couple of weeks, during which I barely slept a wink. I feel bad about killing them, but I’d do it again so… yeah.

Q8] On the subject whilst we are here, have you ever played Bloody Mary?

No.

Q9] Oh golly jeepers, you have awoken in the night to hear footsteps in the house .. who you gonna call?

No one. It’s probably my cat who patrols the premises at night. Or my partner doing something which can’t wait ’til morning. Or the house – it’s a very old and organic building, it makes a lot of noise, especially when the temperature shifts.

If it was someone B-&-E-ing, I’m not sure what I’d do (I’m not asking a question, universe, which you need to answer by immersing me in the experience). The few times I’ve been in scary scenarios with strangers, my primal instincts have kicked in and taken over – it scared me afterwards as much as it scared off the strangers at the time. I guess it’s my inner Opale coming out to shout: This is Sparta!

Q10] So it’s dark and creepy, and you have just been dared to visit the local Cemetary would you do it?

I loved visiting the catacombs in Rome, and I’d say they are creepier than any cemetery I’ve been to because it’s very dark and very easy to get completely lost.

So, yes, I would take up the dare, but if I had to go through the woods to get there… going into the woods is another matter entirely, even with a bright torch. There are a lot of woods where I live, one of them has a ghost story attached to it, but that’s not what makes it frightening. It’s the sounds coming from the woods at night – it’s mostly owls, foxes, roe deer and muntjacs (muntjacs have the creepiest calls, creepier than foxes which sometimes sound like ghost babies).

Q11] After watching a scary flick, can you just go to bed, or do you have to do something cheery first?

I have been known to fall asleep during a Horror film, and sleep like a log through the blood-curdling screaming. I got my nickname, Ursula (little bear), because I can sleep anywhere and through pretty much anything (except a rat invasion) like a hibernating bear. I was in the Bahamas during Hurricane Andrew and slept right through the worst of it (much to my annoyance because I wanted to be awake in case of an emergency).

I think I’ve only ever been too disturbed by a scary film to go to bed right after once or twice. Apres  Calvaire was probably one of those times – I had to leave the room a couple of times while watching it. It’s a bit like Deliverance only more twisted.

PQ12] It’s Halloween, you are music master at the party, what are your first five songs going to be played to kick start the night?

Ha bloody ha universe! Nice one!! I reached this question just as my partner started to use a router (which reminds me that I need to get the chainsaw working).

Anyway, off the top of my head and without giving it too much thought because otherwise I’ll be stuck here for eons:

I’d start off with Twisted Nerve by Bernard Herrmann (it was used in Kill Bill and American Horror Story), then I’d play, in no well thought out order:

Sympathy for the Devil (Guns n’ Roses cover used in Interview with the Vampire), It’s a Monster by Extreme, Sweet Transvestite from The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Tim Curry was delicious!), and… now I’ve forgotten all music… what about Murder by Numbers by The Police.

Q13]  Favourite all time scary creepy spooky book?

The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe

storyboard by amberhaslaservision

 

Q14] You have been invited to the ultimate Monster Mash party and it’s fancy costume – who are you going as?

I could say: “I’d go as myself because people often find me scary as is“, but that’s rather lazy and not fancy at all.

Since I am lazy, I won’t be doing super gruesome make-up effects or renting a magnificent monster costume. I’ll just wear all black and no make-up (still not fancy, is it… sigh), and use one of the old rusty tools in the shed which look a bit like a scythe, and be a Grim Reaper. Then I’ll have an excellent reason for boring people to death when I talk, and a good excuse for hanging around on the periphery of the party, alone, staring with my intense dark eyes at people, occasionally giving them the I’m keeping an eye on you gesture.

Or I could go as a goat (a fancy goat, of course) if I make a little bit of effort and can remember who designed those amazing high heels in the shape of goat hooves (but they were very expensive and high heels hurt).

PQ15] Are you doing anything for Halloween this year? If so what?

This Hallowe’en I’ll probably be playing Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (omg what a game, and you can play as a female mercenary).

Q16] You are a juinor witch going onto ‘sleepaway camp’, you have to take a familiar with you and your choices are:

Black Cat

Toad

Owl

Bat

Rat

Critter

What are you going to pick and why?

Bat. It’s name is Cricket.

Q17] You have been chosen to make the tea cakes for the party and they have to look spooky what are you going to make?

 Just make tea cakes. When I bake things have a tendency to get medieval. That should do it! I once used baking soda instead of baking powder while making scones… the taste still haunts me.

Q18] How old were you when you saw your first horror movie – what was it – provide link?

I was about 5 or 6 yrs old. I grew up partly in Italy and they showed a lot of Horror films (and Westerns) on TV. My father loved watching them and it sort of became a thing we did together. I can’t recall the first one I watched, it was most likely a Christopher Lee as Dracula film.

Q19] Are you easily scared?

 It depends… one of the ways I know that I’m about to bleed profusely from the vagina is that I become overly jumpy, especially of things I see out of the corner of my eye – a speck of dust can make me leap out of my skin.

Which reminds me of that awesome Horror film – Teeth.

PQ20] Are you deleting any questions, if so which ones?

 The only questions I’ve deleted are the ones I wanted to ask in reply, because once I get going in questioning mode…

Not Pretty Enough sung by Kasey Chambers / video from the Horror film The Loved Ones

 

Q21] It’s Halloween, you have three choices which do you pick? Party, TricknTreating or staying at home curtain closed watching spooky stuff?

Staying at home, shutting out the rest of the world, watching spooky stuff… which at the moment means watching out for ‘deadheads’ in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (‘deadheads’ are what my partner and I call the baddies who are impossible to kill but which can kill you with one swipe until you level up to their level – their level is shown above their heads and those with a red skull are too powerful for you little grasshopper).

That’s it…?

Thank you, A Guy Called Bloke and K9 Doodlepip, for sharing!