Bedtime Monster

A mixture of fear and mystery, the Boogie Man promptly got me to go to bed as a child but kept me wide awake for a few good hours before sleep overtook my irrational fear. The Boogie Man never really had a face to me; he was a shadowy figure who would loom in the darkness. Whether he was hiding under my bed or watching through the crack of my closet door, just the thought of a predator in my room made me clutch my stuffed Barney close to my pounding heart.

Oddly, my parents weren’t the ones who “warned” me that the Boogie Man would come for me if I didn’t go to bed at bed time. It was just my wild imagination projecting a lurking figure in the hazy darkness of my room. Looking back, I still seriously wonder why I was afraid of a faceless, amorphous being I never really saw in the first place. I guess I just didn’t want to be left alone with a monster, in the one place in the house that’s supposed to be my own sanctuary from things like scary monsters and Boogie Men. Other children like me probably cowered under their own sheets just to hide from this imaginary creeper, who probably looked different from my own Boogie Man, but scared them senseless just the same. Movies over the years, have put various faces for “the Boogie Man,” a la Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas, and (my personal favorite) this movie:

Obviously, a conniving, animated sack-man, or a stalking, raggedy ghoul would naturally strike some degree of fear. But the Boogie Man is a unique monster. Because there is no universal look for the Boogie Man, the Boogie Man is essentially an embodiment of fear itself. Children fear a monster of either their own or their parents’ creation; or, they just fear the notion of an invisible being threatening their bed time. Even when children’s or parents’ imaginations “create” a Boogie Man, without them, what would the Boogie Man look like? The Boogie Man’s true face remains unknown and has spawned variations in Hollywood and in different cultures. In a way, the Boogie Man also embodies the fear of the unknown. We don’t know exactly what or who will “get” us at bed time, so we conjure a face worthy of being feared. And so we laughably scare ourselves to sleep.

Scarewolves!

When I was a child, I used to love the idea of werewolves. I was a big fan of werewolf movies and used to pretend that I was a werewolf myself. I also think that werewolves hold a certain power over the minds and anxieties of society.

                I think that werewolves are a representation of loss of control, a fear that haunts many people. People that are werewolves are often portrayed as good themselves, but when their other nature takes over, they lose control and do horrible things they wouldn’t normally do. It’s scary for people to think about hidden primal desires taking over and not being able to suppress animal urges. Personally, I hate the idea of not being totally in control of my actions. I think constantly over all time there have been taboo actions that are shunned by society but are natural, human nature in many ways. I think the werewolf allows these desires to be set free.

                Another reason werewolves are scary is because they are part man, part animal. It is an unnatural figure to look at, and is extremely powerful. I think that people fear the line between human and animal. The awkward mix and painful transformation is uncomfortable, and therefore monstrous. I think that this video from the movie An American Werewolf in London is a perfect example of the disturbing feeling that is created during transformation from human to creature. His human nature is presented very well through dialogue, and the cracking and popping sounds of his body shifting form are certainly cringe worthy.

                I think the werewolf is often portrayed as a tragic monster. He is not always pure evil, but he does evil things when out of control. He is part rational human and part raging beast. Stopping him also puts fear in the hearts of many. The monster part should be killed, but the innocent part will have to go with it.

                I think werewolves have developed over time into very interesting, horrific icons.

Monster: A Homosapien

“In every man's heart there is a devil, but we do not know the man is bad until the devil is roused.” -- JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD.

Imagine you are walking alone on a street. Slowly the street lights begin turning on, indicating the imminent approach of darkness, casting an eerie glow upon the cold, cracked concrete. Instinctually you begin to quicken your pace, aware of every sound and movement in the darkness. As you round a corner something catches your eye -- a shadow and it is following you, closing the gap between you and it increasingly by the second. Your heart begins to race as every sense in your body is abnormally heightened. Images of other worldly monsters begin to crowd your mind as you run the race for your life. Finally you muster the courage to steal a glance behind to find it is no beastly or paranormal monster. It’s a human.

The most frightening monster is not an other worldly creature; it is an evil human being. Someone that you interact with on a daily basis that has the potential to become your greatest nightmare. The thought of serial killers or evil people has always disturbed me greatly because of its basis on reality. There are evil people in the world who inflict pain on others and that is an undeniable fact. Also, unlike vampires or any other monster, we interact with people everyday. How many people do you encounter daily, and how many of those people do you not really know? How easy would it be for them to kill you?

In every person there is the potential for evil. I think recently the draw towards making humans the monsters is because the idea that anyone around you has to potential to viciously kill is possibly more disturbing than that of a stereotypical monster because it is unexpected. You never know a human is the monster until he has struck and it is too late. We live amongst monsters.

Servants Of God

The “monster” that always attracted me when I was young, inspiring me to research about their lore more and more were angels. To me angels were the most fearsome and beautiful things in the world. Their dualistic natures and their job in heaven and on earth amazed me. I think my interest came from my family, my father and uncles were all mostly named after archangels and my mother’s birthday was on Michael the Archangel’s feast day September 29. My parents telling me I had a guardian angel, someone who was watching over me was a comforting idea. I always pictured a kind woman, someone more or less physically similar to my mother, and imagined her smiling at me or floating over my head. It was always a little silly to me, but I felt that since both of my parents shared some kind of connection to Michael, that he thought I was special and helped to protect me.

The word angel comes from the Greek word ‘aggelos’ which means ‘messenger’. They are the servants of God and his kingdom doing his bidding across heaven, earth and hell. In the Bible we see their occupations categorized into four subjects: they are the messengers of God, they serve him in heaven, personal guardians, and finally they are divine agents governing the world. There are three known types of angels: cherubim, seraphim and archangels. The cherubim are the small two winged angels usually depicted as babies following around Greek gods. The seraphim are the larger angels they have two wings or are also depicted with six wings. The archangels are very few, in both Roman Catholic teachings as well as Eastern Orthodox. In Roman Catholic only three are given names: Michael, Raphael and Gabriel. In Eastern Orthodox there are seven even eight archangels that appear in different levels of the hierarchy.

Angels are usually depicted in the Bible as the messenger bringing news of joy or of warning, but they are also shown as warriors of heaven created to fight against the fallen angels in the final battle. This is where their other nature and the modern man’s fear of them come into play. Angels have the power of God behind them, something humans have never understood. This kind of power is something people will fear because since angels are rarely depicted as fearsome and are usually helpful beings, we never see the true power behind them. We trust that angels will protect us, but they serve God and since we trust in God we trust them. This is a “monster” that people would gladly allow into their homes and lives because of their religious beliefs.

in movies such as “Legion” where humans are subjected to God’s wrath and disappointment and we are reminded that without God’s protection we have no real power against an angelic army. Another example seen in present times of a real fear in angels is in the television show “Supernatural”. This show demonstrates what happens when chaos roams free and God is not there to stop it. Archangels raise armies against God and another angel named Castiel raises an army in the name of God. Angels are fighting against angels and humans are collateral damage. This show demonstrates a more human perspective of angels. The angels in this show possess humans and are actually beings of great heavenly power using humans as their vessels. This somewhat coincides with Biblical teachings that God and all his power are too great for humans to understand.

I loved learning about angels and how they can transition from religion to religion across the globe. But now Hollywood has turned them into another movie monster for the heroes to vanquish, but given all this power and glory I always wondered and feared if they were wrong.

Santa's other little helper...

The night covers your room. Yet, the light coming from the hallway under your door is able to spread some light across the cold wooden floor. Your eyes are heavy from waiting for Santa to arrive. . You begin to close them, but suddenly, you see a shadow move across the light beneath the door. Your eyes widen in excitement. “He’s here,” you whisper to yourself. Your feet touch the cold floor. You shiver in excitement. Your hand hesitates in opening the door, remembering your brother speaking of the Krampus, but curiosity works against you. Your feet sink into the warm carpet floor, as you walk down the hallway into the living room.
The tree looks like it is on fire with all the Christmas lights. Mom had definitely gone overboard. There are a few presents already placed beneath the tree. You look around for Santa and come to realize that something has been placed in your stocking above the chimney. On the tips of your toes, you are able to reach into your stocking. Not having to take your gift out, you realize what Santa has left you is not the little toy car you wanted. Instead, the rocks of coal stain your hand.
A sound comes from behind the tree. You turn quickly, thinking its Santa. You’re ready to argue and demand for an explanation as to why you got coal. But, the figure that comes out from behind the tree is far from the jolly old Santa Clause. You are face to face with the Krampus, the very thing that your brother and parents had warned you about. You begin to scream, but your voice is lost as the Krampus falls upon you, whip and chain in hand.

Many of us are acquainted with the myth of Santa Clause. The image of a jolly, large man miraculously squeezing his way down chimneys, walking through walls, and having an amazing method of transportation (flying reindeer) comes to mind when thinking of good old Saint Nick. The image of little elves slaving away in workshops helping Santa Clause prepare for Christmas is also common. However, the idea of a Krampus, an incubus demon, accompanying Santa Clause on Christmas Eve in search of naughty children makes a kid want to be on the good list. The idea that the Santa Claus will give coal to those naughty children does not seem as terrifying as having a hairy demon in waiting eager to whip and or eat you.

Ultimately, I believe that the Krampus was used as a means to instilling good moral standards within younger generations. Furthermore, I believe the Krampus served as a way of showing that bad actions had bad consequences. Also, the idea of the Krampus being a demon shows a societal recognition of hell and the fear of bad consequences leading to experiencing any form of hell.

Moreover, both videos show different adaptations of the Krampus; however, the basic idea of the original story remains in tact.

We're all Gonna Die!!

Monsters have always been a source of extreme apprehension, fear, and even entertainment for many people throughout the literature and media entertainment history. Some of the most iconic monster figures in literature and media include those such as Frankenstein, Dracula, Godzilla, the undead race of zombies, bloodsucking vampires and even psycho killers. Why have these horrific monsters been such fascinating and engaging in our culture and society. Part if the answer lies in the fact that often times monsters are associated with death, and we as people historically have a profound interest in and fear of death.

One unusual monster that has come about in recent film history is that of biological warfare. In short, these kind of movies often have apocalyptic story lines, where there is usually some deadly virus that makes it’s way to the human population and causes mass panic and immediate evacuation. Those who are unfortunate enough to get deadly infection generally turn into crazy characters who seek to kill the uninfected ones.

Additionally, these movies almost always end with a small group of uninfected individuals who form a new population and start new lives.

Why is it that these stories have become so popular and interesting to us in recent years and why do they cause such a great deal of anxiety? One answer can be found in the fact that because we know far more about biology, science and how things work than we did in the past, we are often more worried about all the possibilities if things that could go wrong. This list, as one might imagine, could be infinitely long.

The amount of dangers that we are exposed to on a daily basis is enough to make a person lose their mind. There is quite a large sect of the population that stress about these possibilities far more than the normal person. They really embody the notion that the more you know, then the more you worry.

Another reason why these stories have become so popular is because, of the shear magnitude of death that we see in them. Although many people are afraid of death and realize its inevitability, we all also try to escape it with every fiber in our body. We greatly admire and try desperately to indentify with the protagonists in the story who are also trying to escape death the best way that they know how. It is very comforting to see that in the end they escaped this inevitable and seemingly impossible fate while everyone else in the story fell victim to it. Yet, there is something deep on the inside of us that realizes that they will die eventually. That is what makes us continue to watch these films and what makes them so popular.

Ghosts! Boo!

I think the monster that frightens me most is the ghost. Although it might be cliché and not seem scary to most, I think the ghosts of the once living are really, really spooky.

I’ve lived in an old plantation home my whole life and there is nothing like my house at night. Creeping floorboards, mysterious sounds, a slight chill from the stories my family members used to tell me about ghosts. I think the fact that there could be spirits roaming the earth that once had bodies is kind of disheartening. I also am so attracted to the fact that they could be here trying to communicate with us. Though I would never try to communicate with a spirit, I think the idea that some people think they can hear and see ghosts.

Movies like The Sixth Sense puts ghosts in a very realistic form...which is scariest of all. Nothing would creep me out more than having a hologram-like image to surprise me. Another movie that depicts both the good and bad of ghosts is the Patrick Swayze hit, Ghost in which he is a deceased husband communicates through (who else?) Whoopie Goldberg to his widow, Demi Moore. The movie has a lot of creepy scenes, especially when there is a very sexual scene with Swayze and Moore...Yeah, even though he’s dead.

I feel like there can be presences that not everyone can see or hear, but you can definitely sense. This phenomena is attractive to some people, that is why there are ghost-hunting television shows and movies about ghosts and spirits of those who have lived and then passed away.

This is an important “monster” to our culture because it heightens paranoia of death and makes the dead seem like they are out to haunt us. This can be frightening to think that just because a person dies, they automatically have superpowers of the dead. It sounds cheesey, but nothing freaks me out more knowing that I could be picked on by the dead.

Sharks aren't the only man eaters out there...

Humans have a strange fascination with horror. This shows in our movies and books. Aliens, psychopaths, supernatural demons, and so many other stories and threats have been in movies more and more frequently in the past fifty years, and all have their own ways of inspiring fear in the viewers, and, of course, money for the producers. But of the many types of monsters that inhabit our movies, some of the scariest for me are those monsters that live in the sea, or water in general. Really deeply in the sea.

I'm not a big fan of horror movies. I never saw the point of scaring the crap out of me as a child and I don't see the point of it now either. But in this country, I'm not sure it's possible for a person to go their lifetime without even seeing a trailer for a horror movie. This leads to glimpses of those monsters, and those are definitely enough for me.

Once when I was in a restaurant with my family, I was bored waiting for the food. My attention wandered from the conversation my parents were having to the television screen in the corner. On it a movie was playing. Naturally, this attracted my focus, and i saw a man promptly being eaten by this this that came out of the water. I did not know it then, but the movie was called Frankenfish. As a small kid, I was very much frightened, but I almost couldn't stop myself from watching the thing on the screen eat the man. When we left the restaurant and went home, I kept thinking about the fish thing I saw. It was the source of many nightmares.


When I was even smaller, I saw this music video. In the video, there was a monster that looked like an alligator, but also like a man. This was traumatizing for me, and for years afterward, I had dreams of the "Alligator Man" haunting me and trying to eat me. needless to say, I think that this experience was probably the catalyst that started my fear of water monsters.

This monster represents the fears of a small kid, trying to sleep but jumping in his bed at every bump in his room. It brings to mind hours of lying in bed, trying to make myself smaller to conceal myself from that horrible thing trying to eat me. Sometimes I would almost go a whole might without sleep, only attempting to do so when I could finally see some light outside my window.

Culturally, the monster represents that unknown that makes a lot of money, and as such, is something that is exploited by producers for the quick buck. if there's anything I've learned from movies, it's that Thing will be back...

"Don't ever invite a vampire into your house, you silly boy. It renders you powerless."

For this week, I chose Kiefer Sutherland in The Lost Boys. Although many people many age haven’t seen this movie, it is one of my favorites. In fact, it is my favorite vampire film. It has the serious issues of life as a vampire and also a comical twist. Also, like most of the films made, they tie in a love story. The Lost Boys brings attention to the 80’s subculture in California. It shows the beauty of the city and the great curse of the bloodsuckers within its outskirts. The vampires in this film are not the school going, soft teenagers like in Twilight and The Vampire Diaries. They are rough punks who thrive on violence and attention. They are indestructible and vicious. The director, Joel Schumacher, focused in on Kiefer Sutherland’s character, David, as a bully but a bully of the worst kind.

This movie was also filmed in an interesting way. During the scenes of immense destruction, the screen seemed to bleed through with red and black shadows and images.

In my opinion, this did not give us the loving vampire that we all expect to see today. The Lost Boys showed the horror and pain of becoming and living as a vampire.

MY MONSTER- VAMPIRES.

The idea of vampires has been around forever, but just recently, they have become a new craze. Before this craze, I had always been intrigued by the idea of a blood sucking vampire. The first time I realized my fascination with vampires was when I saw the Disney movie, Mom's Got A Date With A Vampire. Although is had a fun, child-ish approach to it ;such as, the man turning into a bat, nothing harmless, I was scared. Although the vampire never hurt the mother, the word vampire scared me, since it is a automatic image of someone biting someone else's neck. The image of a person sucking another person's blood is creepy! Now, there are many different vampires, not just blood sucking, mean ones.

There are sparking ones; Twilight, some can stand in the sun if they acquire a special ring; Vampire Diaries, and even ones that cry blood; True Blood, just to name a few.


















Vampires bring a sense of mystery, which brings fear to me since being a Scorpio, I am mysterious myself. I am scared because their mysterious ways can be harmful on innocents, not like the mystery I have, which is harmless. They are extremely fast, quite, and bite!! They bring anxiety to my culture because although many do not admit it, they are afraid of the dark. Most common vampires can only lurk during the night, for their personal fear, hindrance of the sun burning their skin. Ergo, people are afraid of vampires even more since they can only be outside during the night, everyone's inner fear.
Vampires are scary, but also are tortured. They live forever and never have a companion they can spend the rest of their lives with, since their lives never end. They see everyone they love grow old and die, which is an endless, depressing cycle. To me, the tortured look is kind of sexy and makes me gain a sense of sadness for them. Also, they cannot help their cravings of blood. Most movies or TV shows have vampires, which never chose to be a blood sucking villain. Their evil ways do not scare me anymore, since I have been open to the hardships they endure, not just their blood sucking ways. In addition to realizing their hardships, their sad, puppy dog-esque eyes break my heart, and I believe if I ever encountered one I would do whatever I could to help them. If a vampire asked me in a sexy, trouble voice "can I suck your blood? I'm starving." I would most likely say "yes, just enough to help you." A vampire dying for a little bit of your blood to survive. What would you do in this situation? Say yes, willingly, or just make them kill you for your blood?