On Nights Of Halloween

A black cat flying through the air.
A man whose head just isn't there.
A vampire in a dentist's chair.
The moonlight's stunning silver flare.

A snowman on the beach in June.
A werewolf howling at the moon.
A skeleton casting his rune.
A banshee whistling a strange tune.

Are the strangest things I have seen.
Except on nights of Halloween.

© 2016 W.P. Rigler

find more W. P. Rigler poetry in Summoned Secrets at www.lulu.com/spotlight/wrigler

Vampire Lore

     The October country has arrived.  What better night of the year is there to celebrate chills down the spine and things that go bump in the night then the fast approaching Halloween?  Dozens costumed as witches, werewolves, zombies and vampires will saunter down streets to add candy to their bags of sweet booty.  But each iconic creature has a heritage beyond the common ideas of modern writers and readers, of bizarre beliefs that people once cherished as the best way to survive supernatural encounters.

     My monster of preference has always been the vampire.  But what really are the facts behind the ancient fanged predators of the night?  Did you know that vampires might be the first and only OCD  monster as it was once believed that if one dropped a handful of pebbles the creature would take the time to count the fallen objects instead of pursuing its prey?  And don’t think you can kill a vampire with a wooden stake through the heart.  A wooden stake will just pin the vampire in its coffin, ’cause the creature is already dead!  My how the vampire’s reputation has evolved over the years, from filthy smelly undead beast whose scent was stronger then garlic to a figure of dark romance.

     I’ve written about vampires in several stories and even a novella titled Terror’s Taste in which I attempted to add to the vampire legacy with my own origin of the species dating back to Atlantis, and answer some of the mystery of the vampire’s special relationship with mirrors.  All in all though I’ve tried to remain loyal to the original personality of the vampire – a creature cursed to the night with little humanity remaining.

     At Monstermania in Baltimore I listened with great curiosity to Christopher Sarandon speaking of fashioning his vampire character for the 80’s film Fright Night.  Apparently the director wanted each actor to dwell on their character’s backstories and further flesh out who they were portraying.  Faced with playing an ancient vampire, Sarandon chose to turn his attention to bats and found that there were more fruit eating bats then vampire bats.  Hence his character was often seen munching on an apple, as a tribute to the character’s bat lineage not focused on blood.

     Have a happy Halloween, whichever monster you may embrace for it.  And I hope you’ll enjoy one of my frightening stories from Midnight Writings or Summoned Secrets available at http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/wrigler

Fright Night reunion at Monstermania with Christopher Sarandon (far left)
 

Monsters!

     Monsters have always held our attention, whether presented by a storyteller, upon the written page or upon a screen.  Homer's Odyssey featured various horrific creatures, most notably the Cyclops which had a hankering for human flesh.  Other monsters like werewolves and vampires have invaded our nightmares in various forms.   Scientists such as Mary Shelley's Frankenstein have sought to learn life's mystery by mastering science with frightening results.
     And then there are those walking horrors so popular on TV of late - zombies.
     Just because a guy gets his face covered with latex and drenched with fake blood to roam about in search of brains, he's automatically labeled a zombie enthusiast and expert.  I must admit that I approached appearing in Trailer Park of the Living Dead with a limited amount of zombie knowledge.  I had watched the classic vintage version of Night of the Living Dead but had not seen most of that film's sequels or the more modern renderings like 28 Days Later, in which I believe zombies have actually sped up quite a bit.  In fact I confess that of the usual lineup of iconic horror characters, my preference lies with those fun fanged denizens of the night - vampires!
     Both vampires and zombies have their fair share of the horror market and fans' hearts - as well as their throats or brains.  I've gotten to play a vampire briefly in Mortal and have stumbled around as a zombie in a few low budget pictures.  I thought I might indulge in a comparison in honor of the approach of Halloween - the holiday when everyone enjoys hearing of or dressing as monsters. 

1.  A Horrific Heritage - For far reaching historic and global folklore, the vampire seems far ahead.  Some point as far back as the biblical Lilith for the vampire's bloody origins.  Plus thanks to Bram Stoker and Dracula, the vampire has a far loftier literary heritage.
WINNER - VAMPIRES

2. The Confidence Factor - Gotta go with zombies on this one.  Ever heard of a zombie questioning its existence or trying to blend in with humanity?  Hell no!  They just want to eat your brains and make no excuses for it!
WINNER - ZOMBIES

3.  Masters of Movie Mayhem - Both Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee made impressive Draculas.  There are few films as atmospheric with creepiness and chills as the silent Nosferatu.  This vampire was hideous to look at, a far cry from today's pretty boy bloodsuckers.  The zombie has also undergone quite a few cinematic makeovers, starting with White Zombie...hey here's Bela again!  But it was Night of the Living Dead that took the zombie from labouring mindlessly at home on a plantation and gave him an appetite for freshly freed organs.  Night of the Living Dead really renovated the whole zombie myth and released low budget movie makers' most graphic dreams.
DRAW

4.  Convention Fun -  I'm no stranger to horror cons, and it seems that the zombie isn't either!  I've seen tables touting the chance to have your picture taken with a zombie, the opportunity to have your zombie portrait drawn, and even been given a zombie survival packet.  I always see a few bloody zombies wandering about.  Course maybe the vampires are just blending in...
WINNER - ZOMBIES

5.  TV Terrors - While The Walking Dead is currently very popular on TV - Vampires seem a lot more active in this field.  TV vampires range from Dark Shadows in the 60's to Buffy to Tru Blood.
WINNER VAMPIRES

6.  The Better Role - This is my favorite category, where I get to plug the two films I acted oh so briefly in.  After the application of latex to my face to give me ghoulish good looks and being soaked with red liquid to prove I meant bloody business, I was ready to join the zombie horde in Trailer Park of the Living Dead.  I'm not sure that I can say that it was a meaty role, but the character certainly was fond of meat as he wandered through woods and pursued an ice cream truck more interested in its drivers then its frosty treats.  There were plenty of victims and organs available for a zombie to indulge in on the set as you get in the zen mindset of a walking monster whose only desire is to satisfy his horrible hunger to the tune of his own growl.  Of course once you're out of that mindset and character there's the cleaning up to do.  A lot.  I think I had a bright pink under my fingernails for a week after the first shoot.  But I've learned that dial's glycerine based soap are a wonder for removing fake blood, so I am wiser now.


Director Kat Lehmer & I on the set of Mortal.

For my vampire role in Mortal, there was no such makeup concerns.  In fact the sole wardrobe instructions were to wear black.  And there was no mindless roaming through the woods, I was on a quite cool set.  The vampire has long been the most talkative of monsters and I was given the challenge of a line.  I delivered it appropriately enough through the various takes.  Okay, perhaps I flubbed it once.
So how do I pick the better role?  I had a great time playing both.  Perhaps I should just wait and see which role I receive an award for.
DRAW









Well I guess my little comparison has ended in draw, meaning I may have a future in politics.







My ponderings on the nature of horror in film, horror conventions and film making are also to be found in my new book Midnight Writings available at www.lulu.com/spotlight/wrigler

Halloween Treats

As Halloween approaches there are numerous treats associated with the season - colorful leaves, parties with lavish offerings of candy, and scary tales.  The movies are a great medium for terrifying tales dating back to its inception. 

Some of the most spellbinding horror films I've ever seen are silent era offerings from the German expressionist cinema.  The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a captivatingly filmed production utilizing bizarre angles to nightmarish effect as it ensnares its viewers in a sinister tale of a sleep walker causing havoc in a small village.  There's a twist at the end which I've read is a result of  1920's
German censorship.  In 1922  F. W. Murnau treated audiences to another frightening silent Greman classic - Noserfatu.  The film counts as the first adaption of Bram Stoker's Dracula (although the name Dracula was not used in hope of avoiding payment to the Stoker estate).  The movie is as spooky as possible with magnificent imagery that has passed into the vault of horror history.

Many horror films have followed, some adaptions of literary classics like the series of films from Roger Corman starring Vincent Price based on the work of Edgar Allen Poe.  The black and white films from Universal in the 30's introduced audiences to Bela Lugosi as Dracula and Boris Karloff as Frankenstein's monster.  In the late 50's and 60's British based horror films from Hammer Studios often teamed Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee for full color horror classics with an erotic edge.  Italian horror films intensified their imagery of horror for chilling films like the atmospherically frightening Suspiria by director Dario Argento.  In the 80's American audiences became mesmerized by films with villainous protagonists with supernatural abilities like Pinhead from the Hellraiser series & Freddy Krueger from The Nightmare on Elm Street movies.

W. P. Rigler with Malcolm McDowell of the newest Halloween.

And of course there is the movie which draws its name from the holiday - Halloween.  The original Halloween by director John Carpenter is a thrill ride of carefully orchestrated scary moments starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence dealing with a seemingly supernatural madman that strikes upon Halloween.  The recent remake from director Rob Zombie starring Malcolm McDowell boasted a bigger budget, bloodier effects and an all star supporting cast.  

Halloween itself has been showcased by Hollywood in a multitude of styles, ranging from childhood's simple appreciation of it in Meet Me In Saint Louis to 1951's The Man With A Cloak starring Joseph Cotton as a historic writer trying to solve a diabolical mystery.

I couldn't help sharing my appreciation of such Halloween/horror icons as the vampire and the zombie in my new book titled Midnight Writings.  The book consists of my newest scary stories and articles concerning hauntings, horror films and more.  Do check it out at  www.lulu.com/spotlight/wrigler and order it for yourself as a Halloween treat!

Of Flowers & Vampires

Tanya Erin Paoli by Batmobile at Monstermania in Cherry Hill.

     I met Tanya Erin Paoli several summers ago at a Monstermania convention in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.  It was our first in the flesh meeting, although we both are in an upcoming film from Trinka Five Films by director Kat Lehmer called Mortal.  I'm a bit vampire, she's a star in it playing Ava. 

     Paoli described Ava as "Very mysterious.  She is ever changing and timeless.  Ava is a sad story.  She can be cold, and yet caring.  Her dreamy presence mesmerizes, or seems to heavily impact whoever she encounters.  She is so deep and full of wisdom, but can be quite elusive."  Her enthusiasm for the film continues.  "My favorite role so far would be Mortal.  Kat is a dream to work with, and I hungrily anticipate the premiere of this movie.  Like a fine wine it ages to perfection, and when the time comes.. I feel it will be the project I've worked on that I am most satisfied with, because I had so much fun making this film with her, and the wonderful crew."

     But the actress is not content to rest on her vampire laurels in the arena of horror cinema.  A more recent acting challenge was to appear in director Phil Stevens independent horror film - Flowers. 
    
     "I am Flowers girl # 4. I am someone who died in this killer's house who basically is trapped in purgatory," Paoli commented.  "We don't have names. I believe Phil was trying to get us all to be nameless and just  emote which is why there are no words in this film.  It is all pure acting."

     Outside of acting, Paoli has numerous interests of which her enthusiasm for crystals are at the forefront.  "When I was a little girl people always gave me crystals.  My father, grandmothers, grandfather, random people, friends.  Crystals have always just been something I've been not only fascinated with because they are beautiful, but because they carry the vibration from the womb of the earth.  I enjoy collecting them, selling them, trading them, researching their metaphysical healing properties, and doing crystal healings with myself and basically everyone I know!  Crystals, rocks, and minerals are our friends.  In this new age of technology I feel we are all allowing ourselves to be cut off from Nature and this is one way to stay connected to the vibration of the earth always.  There are so many uses it is endless, and I could talk for days about them.... I actually went to Burning Man last year and worked with crystals with people and I must say it was one of the high points of my life.  I'm very honored that my spiritual sister Anastasia from Flowers was with me under the same tent doing her healing work with people as well.  It was such a profound beautiful experience that I wouldn't take back for anything." 


 

Jack The Ripper Strikes Again!

November 9th marks the date that the mutilated body of Mary Kelly was found in her Whitechapel lodgings in 1888. This horrid crime is the last officially attributed to the murderous fiend referred to as Jack the Ripper.
Jack the Ripper has become a legend due to his diabolical work, but everything about him remains a mystery – from his motivation to his identity. Suspects considered have ranged from Kosminski, a mentally unbalanced immigrant living in poverty in Whitechapel, to Great Britain’s royal family. Even the number of Ripper victims varies. Five female prostitutes are generally attributed to the Ripper’s reign of terror – but there are unsolved murders before and after the five crimes generally accepted to have been done by Jack which some experts blame the Ripper for. At any rate, Mary Kelly’s was the last officially labeled a ‘Ripper’ murder. Unlike the Ripper’s other victims who were found in the street, Mary Kelly was murdered in her lodgings, which allowed Jack the Ripper a better opportunity to mutilate his victim and he took full advantage of this opportunity.
I've long been fascinated by the legend of Jack the Ripper.  I've watched films, documentaries and more on the subject as well as read a few books concerning the Ripper.  In fact, I was even moved to write a fictional book of my own involving Jack the Ripper and my interest in vampires.  The book is called TERROR'S TASTE.  Jack the Ripper also appeared in a short story of mine of a more realistic nature called THE WHITECHAPEL WAGERS which appears in my collection of fiction and poetry called SUMMONED SECRETS.  I'm not alone in a little creative speculation on the subject. 
Filmmakers have had a field day on the subject of Jack the Ripper. In fact they’ve recruited such iconic British figures as Sherlock Holmes and H.G. Wells to face off against the mad murderer. In MURDER BY DECREE,  Sherlock Holmes (Christopher Plummer) and Dr. Watson (James Mason) pursued the wicked murderer to the highest level of the monarchy. In  TIME AFTER TIME, Jack the Ripper steals the time machine crafted by H.G. Wells to flee from the authorities into the furture of 1979. David Warner is chilling as Jack the Ripper, who looks favorably upon society’s changes, and Malcom McDowell portrays Wells as a charming adventurer adrift in a strange new era in pursuit of the fiend he has unwittingly unleashed on it.
A more realistic view of the Ripper crimes can be found in FROM HELL starring Johnny Depp as the inspector matched against the vile Ripper. The film develops a jarringly realistic view of life in Whitechapel for its inhabitants. The film does indulge in a bit of fictional fantasy regarding the character of Inspector Abberline, who in Depp’s perormance is prone to visions and whose fate is different from real life history.
TV has had its own interests in the Ripper crimes. In 1988 to mark the 100th anniversary of the crime, a CBS mini-series simply called JACK THE RIPPER starred Michael Caine as Inspector Abberline. His hunt for the Ripper also found its way to Britain’s royal bloodline and its corridors of power.  More recent TV undertakings have been more interested with the Ripper’s legacy. RIPPER STREET deals with the policemen patroling Whitechapel immediately after the Ripper murders and WHITECHAPEL deals with policeman in current day Whitechapel.
The 1980’s comic book series BLOOD OF THE INNOCENT maintained much of the facts of the case while introducing Dracula for a gothic match up of evil.


                                 Below: Myself & Malcolm McDowell of Time After Time.

Below: Terror's Taste book cover.

 

 

 

Summoned Secrets

from Summoned Secrets...


The Midnight Wind

The midnight wind
chills to the bone
and will not leave
your soul alone,
so stay in bed
throughtout the night
and you just might
remain all right.



The Haunting Hour

At midnight its dark
and time for a lark
from spirits who wave
and moan from their grave
so please be afraid
and the ghosts get paid.


Order your copy of W.P. Rigler's Summoned Secrets at http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/wrigler


18 strange stories of science fiction, dark fantasy, suspense, and horror.
12 poetic creations.
1 book.

Learn the secrets of...
An alien world where hunters test their skills and dragons dwell.
A library whose biographies hold the key to life and death.
History's most infamous serial killer's gambling habits.


"With a cast that includes dimension-hopping murderers, extraterrestrial monsters, and even the shade of Poe himself, Rigler's dark imagination will populate your nightmare for days to come."
Nathan Rosen, editor at microhorror.com

Terror's Taste

     Oh the splendid spooky chills offered by October amid falling leaves of brilliant colors.  My favorite thing about October has always been Halloween.  As a kid it was the appeal of dressing in costume and pillaging for yummy treats. As an adult I like to celebrate the holiday more simply by watching some frightening films or reading a good horror tale.

     I'm very proud that this Halloween I have out my own horror tale from DonnaInk Publications called Terror's Taste.  Between its covers readers encounter such classic mysteries as Jack the Ripper and the disappearence of Atlantis while the plot unfolds concerning a vampire feud that descends through the ages.  I hope you'll check it out and enjoy.  You can order it from amazon or directly from my publisher at DonnaInk.org

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