21 Comments
Oct 31Liked by Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em

I don't know if it's considered Halloweeny but it would have to be The Birds. I was ten when I saw it on TV and it scared the shit out of me. Not like "boo" but in a sinking, lasting way.

Expand full comment
founding

Just rewatched "The Birds" on Netflix after not having seen it for decades. Definitely worth seeing again.

Expand full comment

I watched in my adult life and loved it; this makes me want to cue it up again. Alfred Hitchcock is such a genius. And it doesn't really "end". That last scene, where they carefully get into the sports car, without setting the birds off, and as they're driving off you hear the radio, something like....scattered attacks reported in areas around Bodega Bay.....

Expand full comment
Oct 31Liked by Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em

The Birds was very scary. I also found Fatal Attraction to be frightening.

Expand full comment
Nov 1Liked by Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em

Sarah, I'm coming up on 2 months of traveling around the country solo, so your scariest story could not have been timed better (or worse, depending on your perspective). Luckily stumbling upon a black bear and hearing unknown animals outside my car at night have been the most concerning parts!

Expand full comment
Oct 31Liked by Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em

I’ve heard stories of the first chapter of Carrie being passed around like samizdat in the publishing world because the story of a girl traumatized by his first period resonated with so many.

Expand full comment
author

Gosh thank you for the article!

Expand full comment
Nov 1Liked by Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em

Small planes are fun, glad Nancy likes them ☺️

Expand full comment
Nov 1Liked by Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em

Nancy freeing the snake 🥹

Expand full comment
Oct 31Liked by Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em

As a kid I remember Snoopy Come Home being terrifying because Snoopy was away and my sister and I didn’t know if he would ever come home and stay with Lela

Expand full comment

Snoopy has a special place in my heart. I rewatched that one recently and it was just as sad and sweet as I remembered 💛

Expand full comment
Oct 31Liked by Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em
author

That's it! Yes. Yes yes

Expand full comment

What's scarier? Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? or the documentary Grey Gardens?

Expand full comment

On the point about people arriving in Maui, throwing down their suitcases and going out for a swim, never to be seen again ... this book explains exactly that phenomenon. Most disaster situations occur when things appear normal ... everything's fine ... I know what I'm doing ... nothing to worry about ... holy shit I'm gonna die.

https://a.co/d/32EaHET

Expand full comment

Great episode love the movie quiz !

Expand full comment

Ohh, I loved Stoner. Such an unassuming but perfect book.

Expand full comment
founding

When I think of Whatever Happened To Baby Jane I'm always reminded of Whatever Happened to Baby Dawn, the French & Saunders spoof, which is sublime.

Expand full comment
founding

Today I watched Maggie Mae Fish's show on The Wicker Man remake with Nicolas Cage and realized how utterly terrible it was. I remember excitedly awaiting it, and when it came out, I saw it straight away as I loved the original. I think I may have been too charitable about the remake as I don't remember it being so appalling, but it clearly was.

The original really bowled me over (I've just looked it up - it was 1988 BBC2). It's one of, if not my favorite horror movies (some people would not consider it horror). I guess I wasn't too smart and didn't know what was going on and didn't predict the ending, so that really Shyamalaned me (if that's a word.. it is now). I guess I was as naïve as the Edward Woodward character in it!

Expand full comment

Sarah, my sister was a huge Stephen King fan until she read Misery. She hated it so much she never read him again. I just read it recently, but I saw the movie when it first came out and it scared the crap out of me. I think it was the first time I ever saw Kathy Bates. She was so good!

Expand full comment

Harlan Ellison’s short story is an interesting treatment of the alligators in the sewer story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croatoan_(Ellison)

Expand full comment