Tag: evil spirits

Short Horror Film Friday: BAKEMONO

Welcome to this Week’s Installment of Short Horror Film Friday featuring BAKEMONO by  by Sumire Takamatsu and Jorge Lucas who Wrote as well as Directed the Film.

What I found Interesting is the Evil Spirits in BAKEMONO are in fact Based on Hungry Ghosts.Hungry Ghosts is a Concept in Chinese Buddhism, Chinese Traditional Religion, Vietnamese Buddhism, Vietnamese Traditional Religion, Japanese Buddhism, and Tibetan Buddhism, Representing Beings Who are Driven by Intense Emotional needs in an Animalistic Way. Since the Family in the Film is Japanese I’m going to quickly Touch on Hungry Ghosts in Japanese Buddhism.

                    

In Japanese Buddhism, Hungry Ghosts are considered to have Two Variants: the Gaki and the Jikininki. Gaki are the Spirits of Jealous or Greedy People, Who as Punishment for Their Mortal Vices. The Gaki have been Curses with an Insatiable Undying Hunger for a Particular Substance or a Specific Object. Traditionally, this is Something Revolting or Humiliating like Decaying Human Corpses or Feces, but in Recent Years it can Virtually be Anything No Matter how Bizarre it may be. Meanwhile Jikininki (People Eating Ghosts) are the Spirits of Greedy, Selfish or Impious Individuals who are Cursed After Death to seek out and Eat Human Corpses. They Feed at Night Scavenging for Recently Deceased Human Bodies, and the Food Offerings Left for the Dead. Jikininki Lament Their Curse and Hate Their Vile Craving for Feasting on the Flesh of the Dead.

                    

Plot Summery: The Date is February 3rd, known in Japan as Setsubun, and is Supposed to be the Celebration of the Beginning of Spring. Families Celebrate by Casting out Evil Spirits from Their Homes.  Although at Ayumi’s House things have become so stressful You could Cut the Tension with a Knife. This is Due to Rebellious Ayumi who once again like so many Children is Refusing to Finish Her Dinner. In an Attempt to Remedy the Problem Ayumi’s Mother Tries to Scare Her into Compliance with a Terrifying Tale. As the Story goes if Ayumi Doesn’t Finish Her Dinner then an Evil Spirit will Enter the House and Eat it instead, But Ayumi is not Convinced that All Spirits are Evil. So Ayumi decides to test Her assumption by Inviting One in for a Midnight Snack, and Learns You should Never Feed a Hungry Ghost the Hard Way.

Enjoy.

CAST:

  • Ayumi – Claudia Fabella
  • Oka-san – Shio Muramatsu
  • Oto-san – Daisuke Suzuki
  • Bakemono – Sherry Q, Erin Yuqi Yang

Thanks For Watching,

   Presented By Les Sober  

TELLING SCARY STORIES IN THE DARK

Welcome to this Wednesday’s post TELLING SCARY STORIES IN THE DARK by Oddest of the Odd (featuring Rackaracka and Laugh over Life) who describe themselves as  ” Just some filmmakers from Michigan buttfucking Los Angeles.”

Inspired by the Incredibly  Creepy and Ungodly Surreal Children’s Story Series Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark by Alvin Schwartz. The Scary Series is One of the Most Banned Books for Over 30 Years in America according to The American Library Association. The Series was Banned because the Books were Deemed Extremely Inappropriate for Children due to their Depictions of Violence, Negativity, and the Nightmarishly Horrific Drawings from Original Illustrator Stephen Gammell.  So it may Not be Surprising that Down the Line the Series Evolved from being Banned Book(s) into an Actual Hollywood 2019 Horror Movie of the Same Name Produced by Guillermo del Toro.

Plot Summery: In this Horror Movie like Tribute a Group of Friends Gather one Evening to Enjoy a Scare or Two, but Little do They Know Dark Forces Aplenty Closing in All Around Them. Will Anyone Escape from the Night of Terror with Their Lives Or is this the Friendships Final Chapter?

Enjoy.

Thanks For Watching,

   Presented By Les Sober  

NIGHTMARE

Welcome to this Wednesday’s Post featuring the Official Music Video by Lee Hardcastle for the Song “NIGHTMARE” by the Band Love Automatic.

Lee Hardcastle is a British Animator Who Specializes in Stop-Motion Techniques. He is Famous for His Handmade Independent Animations. His Work includes Original Remakes of Emblematic 1980’s Action and Horror Movies, as well as Parodies of Animated Series and Video Clips. His Work is Known for its Violent and Gory Content. He has worked with Many Companies including Momentum Pictures, 20th Century Fox, and Adult Swim, and has Also Worked with Notable Artists such as Sufjan Stevens. Besides Being a Kick Ass Animator Lee Hardcastle was a Member of the Band Shit The Bed. Hardcastle once explained His Work as “I make Claymation that is Not for Children.”

                   

All the Information I was able to Wrangle about the Band Love Automatic is the Following. Love Automatic is a New York band made up of ex-members from Senses Fail & Armor for Sleep. Their EP debut ‘Organ Donor’ is now available for download from major retailers.

PLOT: A Paranormal Research Team conducts a Seance (A Meeting where People Attempt to make Contact with the Dead) when Things Go Horribly Wrong the Team Ends Up Meeting Their DOOM!

Thanks For Reading/Watching,

   Presented By Les Sober  

Short Horror Film Friday: Songs My Mother Taught Me

Welcome to this Week’s Installment of Short Horror Film Friday featuring the Song My Mother Taught Me (2019)  Directed By Doug Cook Written By Julian Robino. This is the First Time at FYB that We have had Two Consecutive Films by the Same Director in this case Doug Cook. For Last Week’s Installment of Short Horror Film Friday featured the Award Winning Short Horror Film Peephole, and After perusing some of Cook’s other Work found Songs My Mother Taught Me and Knew We would have to Use it so Why Not Now?!

Plot Summery:

After Bobby and Lydia lose Their Mother to Cancer, life becomes an Unbearable Grind, Especially for Bobby who won’t even Leave the House. In an Attempt to Cheer up Her Brother, Lydia throws a Halloween Party with a Close Group of Good Friends. Once the Group starts Using an Ouija Board  They learn a Terrifying Lesson…..The Dead are Best left Undisturbed.

Enjoy.

Thanks For Watching,

   Presented By Les Sober  

Dark Web Video Debunked: MAMA

This Video Referred to as MaMa was Allegedly a Video from the Dark Web. Now Sometimes Various Dark Web Videos borrow Clips from Non Dark Web Videos (Example: The Dark Web Video “Obey The Walrus” used Bootlegged Footage from a Performer who goes by the Name The Goddess Bunny) and This Video is One of Those. Granted without Context the Video is Seriously More Creepy and Unnerving.

               

The Truth Behind the Video is it’s a Movement/Motion Test for Actor Javier Botet who Plays the Ghost dubbed “MaMa” in Award Winning Mexican Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro’s  Supernatural Thriller of the Same Name. Actor Javier Botet has Marfan Syndrome which Allows Him to Move in Ridiculously Creepy Ways. Marfan Syndrome is an Inherited Disorder that Affects Connective Tissue- the Fibers that Support and Anchor Your Organs and Other Structures in Your Body. The Wires in the Video are used to Manipulate Javier like a Human Marionette on Top of His already Disturbing Performance. It’s worth Noting that CGI Effects were Added to the MAMA Character though Many People Objected stating Javier Botet’s Original Performance was FAR Creepier than with the Additional CGI.

              

The Movie MaMa is a Haunting Tale of Two Girls  (Victoria and Lilly) who Disappeared into the Woods the Day Their Parents were Killed. When the Girls are Rescued Years Later and begin a New Life, They find that Someone or Something still wants to come Tuck Them In at Night.

Below is First the MAMA Movement/Motion Test Footage Followed by a Clip  from the Movie in which the Character MAMA is Revealed, and Lastly is Guillermo del Toro’s  MAMA Movie Trailer #2.

Enjoy.

 

Thanks For Watching,

Presented By Les Sober 

Friaday Slaughterfest Film: SLEDGEHAMMER

Welcome to The FYB Friday Slaughterfest Film the 1983 Slasher Movie SLEDGEHAMMER Written and Directed by David A. Prior. Sledgehammer was One of the Very First Shot on Video Horror Movies.

           

Brief Plot Summary:

In a Secluded House, an Abusive Mother locks Her Young Son in a CLoset, then goes into another room to Meet the Man She is Cheating on Her Husband with. The Man and Woman plan to Leave Their Respective Spouses, but Their Plans are Cut Short when an UNKNOWN KILLER appears and MURDERS THEM WITH A SLEDGEHAMMER!! The Police arrive and Find the Corpses, with the Exception of the Little Boy, Who  is Missing and is Presumed Dead.

Ten Years after the Grisly Murders Seven Friends get Together to Enjoy a Crazy Weekend in the Mountains, Drinking and Partying to Their Hearts Content. Unbeknownst to the Group, a SHAPE SHIFTING EVIL still Lurks within the Walls of the House just Waiting to be Unleashed. The First Day at the House, One of the Seven Friends, John goes Snooping Around in the Garage. He Finds a Sledgehammer and Takes it. What John is Unaware of is by taking the Sledgehammer He has Unwittingly Unlocked the Homicidal Spirit that Haunts the House, and the Fight for Survival has Begun.

           

When Night Falls, Chuck convinces His Friends to Participate in a Seance in an Attempt to Contact the Spirits of the Victim’s Who Died in the House, so The Group can Solve the Mystery of Who Murdered Them. The Impromptu Seance is a Success and Brings Forth the Ghastly Ghost of the Missing Boy, which Appears as a Towering Man in a Smiling Translucent Mask. It doesn’t take long for the Sinister Spirit They Summonded to Start Slaughtering Them by Bludgeoning, Stabbing, and Breaking His New Victim’s Necks!

Discovering the Dire Fate of Their Friends the Remaining Teens decide to Hold Up in the House until Morning, at which point They will attempt to Reach the Nearest Town. Will the Remaining Teens Escape the HOUSE OF HORROR or are They Destined to Die as Well? Can Anything Stop the Sledgehammer Wielding Spirit’s Killing Spree Once and For All? And Can Evil Even Die???

You’ll have to See and Find Out For Yourself when You watch SLEDGEHAMMER.

Enjoy.

Hope You Enjoyed this Tale of Spectral Slaughter as Much as We Did.

Thanks For Watching,

Presented By Les Sober &  FYB

The Mystery of Hi I’m Mary Mary

Welcome to “Hi I’m Mary Mary” which is an Extremely Obscure Homegrown Horror Web Series that first appeared on Youtube (on July 10, 2016), and the Series is Still Ongoing to this Very Day. It’s Dark and Intense with a Seriously Cool Pick Your Own Adventure/RPG Interactive Aspect. So What is it all About You Wonder? Well We aren’t quite Sure exactly, but Heres a Run Down of the Pertinent Points/Information We Have.

            

“Hi I’m Mary Mary”:

  • The Series Main Character is Named Mary who wakes up in a what She refers to as “A Copy of My Parents House”, and Has No Idea how She got there.
  • All the Doors in the House are Locked and The Windows are Unbreakable Trapping Mary Inside.
  • Mary does find a Video Camera and has Internet Access (Though She can’t See What Anyone is Posting/Saying or Responding to. Simply Put its a preverbal One Way Street).
  • The Series Spills Over in Mary’s actual Twitter Account and Her Blog. Each Platform pervades it’s Own Clues and Insight as to What is Going on in the House and with/to Mary Herself.
  • Mary uses the Video Camera She finds in the House to Document Her Time in the House since well, She seems to have Nothing but Time considering She’s Trapped. The Day are rather Uneventful, But when Night Falls All fucking Hell Breaks Loose.

           

  • There are a Total of Five Separate and Distinct Characters in Addition to Mary Four of Which are Demonic Living in the House, and Exist Only to Torment Mary Relentlessly (again Mostly at Night). The Fifth is The Lady In White Who is a Mysterious Ally though Mary May be Totally Unaware of this Fact.
  • The First Evil Entity in the House is Beauty who appears Only when Mary is looking in a Mirror. Beauty appears wearing a Dress and a Flawless Mask, and Laughs Hysterically Mocking at Mary. Beauty is believed is the  Embodiment of Mary’s Physical Insecurities.
  • The Veiled Lady appears at the End of the First Video and is the Most Predominate of the Sinister Spirits Lurking in the House. She has almost a the Leader of sorts to the Ghastly Group. The Veiled Lady also gets More and More Aggressive with Mary, and is the Only Entity that can actually Speak Directly to Mary. It is believed The Veiled Lady is Symbolic of Depression.

           

  • The Shadow appears when Mary Feels Safe and has a Noteable Trait. That Trait is whenever the Shadow is present Phrases Flash on the Screen (example “I Feel Nothing.” and “I Messed Up.” and the Shadow makes Mary in Her words “Feel Terrible.”

Some of Mary’s Tweets pertaining to the Shadow are as Follows:

  • “The way it moves…its so unsettling. sometimes just seems…wrong. I don’t like looking at it- staring directly makes me feel bad.”
  • ‘I HATE looking at it. what does it even do? It just follows me around and when I look at it, I feel terrible.”
  • “god I feel so freaking empty.it’s watching me. why doesn’t it move quickly. it’s like it wants me to feel this.”
  • “its looking at me right now. at least i think it is. i’m going to go into another room and close the door. it will probably open it.”
  • The Shadow is believed to be the Manifestation of Regret.

            

  • The Darkness is the Most Ominous and Mysterious of the Four Ghoulish Ghosts. In one Video Mary chases The Darkness and Catches it, but When She Lifts Her hand The Darkness Absorbs into Her Palm. When Mary catches The Darkness the phrase “I’m a Monster” Flashes on the Screen. After this Encounter the Other Evil Entities have Their various Barriers Removed allowing Them to Become Bigger, Stronger, and More Terrifying than Ever Before. It is believed The Darkness represents Anxiety.
  • During the Series at one Point Mary finds a Way out of the House through a Door that Leads to What She calls “The Garden” (which is more like a Pond in the Woods, and sometimes its just Water).
  • The Garden is Peaceful and Calm it’s Mary’s Only Escape from the Hellish Abuse from inside the House, and She becomes Dependent on it to provide a Shelter from the Storm. Unfortunately for Mary the Garden starts to Decay the Sun Vanishes and is Replaced By Grey Skys and Rain. As time passes Mary starts to find Abandoned Places and Broken things around the Garden.
  • Mary’s visits to The Garden become Shorter and Shorter  as The Garden Starts to make Mary Physically Ill. It is believed the Garden Represents Drug Use/ Drug Addiction as it parallels the Five Stages of Drug Addiction (The Five Stages are 1. First Use  2. Regular Use  3. Risky Use,  4. Dependence  5. Disorder)

            

  • As the Garden Decay Away and starts making Mary Sick the Malevolent Spirits become Intenser and Physically violent towards Mary.
  • The Drug/Narcotic in Question is more than Likely Heroin. There is Repeated Footage of Mary Rubbing Her Arm specifically Her Upper Forearm (which is the Preferred Injection Site for Junkies which Leads to Track Marks). This Behavior is First seen in the Video “Check In” and continues through the Rest of the Series so Far.
  • It’s in the Garden We meet the Final Character The Lady In White and the Question surrounding Her is is She an Enemy or Ally?! From what We can Tell She is most definitely an Ally though Mary is utter oblivious to this Fact.

The Lady in White Hides Her face and Only Mouths words to Mary. If You watch the Videos in Slow Motion You can make Out What exactly The Lady In White Is Saying. Here are some Examples:

  • “This place is not good for you.”
  • “Mary, please listen to me.”
  • “Mary you are not ok…”
  • “You need help.”
  • “Please Mary listen to me.”
  • “You have to get out of here.”

            

  • It Appears the Lady In White is a Force of Good Desperately trying to Communicate with Mary but to No Avail.
  • There is a Hidden Message in the Source Code on Mary’s Blog that apparently is from The Lady In White. In Summation it states She is in fact trying to Communicate with Mary, But She believes the Four Malicious Entities in the House are Preventing Her from doing so. She states She isn’t sure if Anyone (aka the Viewers) can even see the Messages, Yet She thinks there is a good chance Someone will. She then attempts to say what exactly She wants to tell Mary, But the Messages Cuts Out. The Lady In White Says She’ll try Again and Again the Message cuts out before The Lady In White can Communicate Her Message. She implores Views to Assist Her in getting Mary the Emergency.
  • This Brings Us full Circle back the The House that’s a Copy of Mary’s Parent’s House. It is believed The House is a Representation of Mary’s Own Mental State. The House is Mary’s Mind Plagued by The Demons of Depression, Anxiety, Regret, and Self Loathing (Low Self Esteem).
  • Then if the House is Mary’s Mental State  Then the Garden is an Altered State like a Drug Induced High.

Below You Will Find the “Hi I’m Mary Mary” in its Entirety, but also keep in Mind that the Series is Still Currently Ongoing. Enjoy.

Hope You Enjoyed This Ongoing Cerebral Psychological Horror Series as Much as We Do.

Thanks for Reading/Watching,

  Presented By Les Sober & FYB (1219SFYB)

A Monday Night of Sickening Cinema: The City Of The Living Dead!!!

THE CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD is a 1980 Italian Zombie Splatter Horror Movie Directed by Lucio Fulci who also Wrote the the Screenplay, and plays Pathologist Dr. Joe Thompson in the Film. Although Fulci worked in a Wide Array of Genres as a Director, Screen Writer, Producer, and Actor over His nearly 50 Career in the Film Industry. Fulci garnered an International Cult Following for His Giallo (in the Movie Context, for Italian Audiences Giallo has come to refer to Any Kind of Murder Mystery or Horror Thriller) and Horror Movies. Due to the High Level of Visceral and Graphic Violence that present in Many of Fulci’s Films that He is Frequently Referred to as “The Godfather of Gore”, A Title Given to American Splatter Movie Gore Master Herschell Gordon Lewis.

           

The Movie was released in Italy in 1980 under the Title Paura fella cotta dei Mortifications Vivrnti  in Italy which translates to ‘Fear in the City of the Living Dead’, and was Released in the United State in 1983 the Title Twilight of the Dead, which Resulted in a Cease and Desist Order from United Film Distribution Company due to the Title’s similarity to Their Own Film, George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead. Thus the Distributer, Motion Picture Marketing, withdrew the Film and Re-Released it under the New Title The Gates of Hell.

Brief Plot Summery:

The Movie is set in the Shunned Village of Dunwich (a Tribute to H.P. Lovecraft’s The Dunwich Horror), where the Priest Father Thomas commits SUICIDE by Hanging Himself which Results in a GATEWAY TO HELL Opening, and Turning loose a Ravenous Pack of ZOMBIES OF THE DAMNED! Meanwhile during a Seance in New York, Mary Woodhouse sees Morbid and Horrific Visions of the Priest’s Suicide, and its Dire Consequences leading up to a ZOMBIE ONSLAUGHT on All Saints Day. Mary then suddenly Collapses to the Floor and Convulses then She appears to Die, Only to be Rescued from Premature Burial by the Journalist Peter Bell. The Two Travel to Dunwich to DESTROY THE GRAVE of Father Thomas in order to Stop the MASS ZOMBIE INVASION!

           

  • An Italian Newspaper La Stampa’s review of the Film “Not recommended for easily impressionable viewers.”, with a Story that grew Progressively into a “Expressive Nightmarish Atmosphere”
  • Jay Carr of the Boston Globe said “A Film Only a Diehard Necrophile could Love”
  • Dick Fleming of The Daily Times “Scenes Purely for the Sake of Shock Value”
  • Ringle wrote”Idiotic Sleaze Fest with Nothing to Offer but an Abundance of Filmed Animal Innards.”
  • AllMovie “City of the Living Dead benefits from Fulci’s ability to Create and Sustain an Intensely Creepy Atmosphere…. the Blending of Graphic Shocks and Surrealistic Atmosphere .”

Movie Quote: Mary Woodhouse “The City of the Dead. The Living Dead. A Cursed City where the Gates of Hell have been Opened.” Enjoy.

We Hope You Enjoyed this Italian Supernatural Splatter Film’s  Flesh Eating Zombie Fiasco as Much as We Did.

Thanks for Watching,

  Presented By Les Sober

Short Horror Movie Madness: Goat Witch (Uncensored)

We are Delighted to bring You the Short Occult Horror Film “GOAT WITCH” Written and Directed by James Sizemore, and Presented by ALTER.

What Happens when a Witch just Doesn’t want to Summon a Demon using Black Magic, But actually want to BECOME THE DEMON?! The Film is Features an Abundance of Blood, Human Sacrifice, Ritual, Occult Practices, the Conjuring of Evil Spirits, Ample Nudity, Graphic Violence, a Demonic Goat Headed Drummer, and The Resurrected Elders who are Two Rotting Corpses  donning Monk like Robes. The Goat Witch is simply a Short Horror Film that Doesn’t Pull Any Punches. Enjoy.

Hope You enjoyed this Little Black Magic Morsel as Much as We Did.

Thanks for Watching,

 Brought to You By Les Sober

FYB’s Short Horror Movie Showcase: THE SMILING MAN & DON’T MOVE

Welcome to another Installment in the FYB Short Horror Movie Showcase featuring THE SMILING MAN and DON’T MOVE!!!

THE SMILING MAN By A.J. Briones in Association with ALTER (a Company that Traffics in Short Horror Movies) is a SINISTER little Endeavor. In The Smiling Man an Innocent Young Girl watching Cartoons starts to Follow a Trail of Balloons throughout Her House. At the End of the Trail the Little Girl comes FACE TO FACE WITH PURE UNADULTERATED EVIL!! The Smiling Man’s has an Overall “The Devil’s come for Your Daughter” Tone makes it Even more Unnerving. It lends itself to the You feeling You’re watching a Powerful and Vicious Predator Luring its unsuspecting Prey into Striking Distance.

What We particularly Enjoy about The Smiling Man is it reminds Us a Great Deal of Asian Horror. Asian Horror for the Most Part Deals in Disturbingly Demented Psychological Creepiness as Opposed to an All Out Gorefest. It’s a Truly Unique Stylistic Form of Creepy that irks You to the Bone. The Smiling Man is the Kind of Creepy “Cat in Mouse” Horror Movie that leaves You feeling Uneasy, and it tends to Linger Hauntingly in Your Mind for Days after Watching. Enjoy.

DON’T MOVE By Bloody Cuts and Directed by Anthony Melton is a Throw Back to the Devious Demon Centric Horror Movie Classics from the 80’s Ouija Board and All. One of the Impressive Facts about Don’t Move is though it was made on a Very Small Budget the Movie yields High Production Value Effects and That’s No Exaggeration We Assure You. The Other Amazing thing about the Film is the Acting is Exceptionably Good. Since Acting Terrified is One of those Things that People think is Easy When that couldn’t be Farther from the Truth the Actors really Bring it Home.

The Other Aspect of Don’t Move that We particularly got a Real Kick Out Of was if Don’t Move was a Roller Coaster it Starts with/on that First Massive Plunge Down sending You straight into the Heart of the Action. From the BLOOD SPLATTERED Opening Scene Don’t Move’s Backstory has Been Told, The Deed is Done, and The Demon has Come So DON’T MOVE!

We Hope You Enjoyed Coming Eye to Eye with The Vilest Evils as Much as We Did.

Presented By Les Sober