The Bite #104

Halfway To Halloween, A Killer Book Club And MORE!

April 07, 2020

In this Issue:

Horror History: Dances of Death: Halfway To Halloween?
Halfway To Halloween: We’re Waiting For Your Call
Image of the Week: Something To Scream About
Tiny Bites – This Week’s Best Horror Headlines
Things We Love: Come Read With Us
Hey, That’s Us! – Shudder in the News

HORROR HISTORY

Halfway To Halloween?

Two weeks ago, we announced a month-long celebration of Halfway to Halloween on Shudder. For some, the unofficial holiday is as important as October 31st itself. For others, it’s an excuse to feel a burst of the Fall season in the Spring. But for most of us, it’s a time to look ahead to October and start planning the perfect costume, daydreaming about decorating your home for trick-or-treaters, or budgeting for that massive costume party with your friends and family.

I don’t need to tell you, dear reader, how important Halloween is to the horror community. A time of year to come together in our mutual adoration of the genre and the nostalgia that goes with it, it’s almost entirely about the communal experience. As kids, we got together with our friends to go trick-or-treating. As teenagers, we still tried to get some candy from the neighbors while having the parties we’d come to relish in adulthood. We’d show off our costumes, whether we were Wonder Woman or the Bride, eat food, and watch scary movies. But most importantly, we’d come together.

Shortly after the announcement, I asked people on Twitter to tell me what Halfway to Halloween meant to them. Some said it was an excuse to watch certain titles new to the platform, while others talked about bringing people together. Personally, the holiday takes me back to what felt like a simpler time, reminding me what it felt like emptying my pillowcase full of candy onto the living room floor, Thriller playing on the TV in the background while I counted my loot with my brother and cousins. It makes me look forward to the first Halloween my fiance and I will celebrate once we’re married, and how our traditions will change when we have kids.

But when we announced at Shudder that we were going to celebrate Halfway to Halloween, my heart sank before it leapt. Instead of the usual jolt of excitement, I felt fear. The scary reality of our current situation is that this holiday we all love so much, this special time where everyone comes together as horror kids, honorarily or not, might not happen. It’s a devastating possibility that feels like a cruel trick.

We’re all feeling anxious right now. People around the world are scared and worried about the future. But despite these frightening and uncertain times, there is still room for hope. It’s what helps us survive and gets us through the darkness. Halfway to Halloween gives us something to enjoy today while looking forward to the future, which can be a great source of hope.

It’s ok to be afraid right now, but there’s always tomorrow. And if we work together, what a treat tomorrow will be.

*Ariel Fisher is the editor of The Bite. She is also a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Fangoria Magazine, Rue Morgue, and Birth.Movies.Death. She has a monthly column on /Film called Queering The Scene.

HALFWAY TO HALLOWEEN

We’re Waiting For Your Call

The Horror Hotline is back for Halfway to Halloween every Friday from 3:00pm to 4:00pm EST. Last week went over like gangbusters with tons of horror fans calling in for their personalized recommendations. While you’re waiting for Friday to roll back around, celebrate the spooky “holiday” with the first episode of Cursed Films on the making of The Exorcist.

IMAGE OF THE WEEK

Something To Scream About

Even Jason Voorhees needs a little R&R. Richard Brooker takes some time to relax in the makeup chair with his copy of Fangoria on the set of Friday the 13th: Part III.

Shudder SHUTIN Promo - Mayhem - The Bite

Keep the chaos at bay while you’re in self-isolation. New members can try Shudder free for 30 days when they sign up online with promo code: SHUTIN

TINY BITES

MIKE FLANAGAN, BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER AND MORE

For all of you missing the Alamo Drafthouse, have a literal Tiny Bite by making their famous vegan buffalo cauliflower at home. Now that’s fantastic.

Fangoria shared some high-res backgrounds to spice up your next Zoom group hangout.

Bloody Disgusting has more movie suggestions to help fill your time in self-isolation with these five truly terrifying titles.

If like us, you’re bummed about New Mutants being postponed (again), both Forbes and Bloody Disgusting have tons of alternate horror superhero recommendations.

We finally got a trailer for the Train To Busan sequel, Peninsula, and we didn’t think we could be so excited for a zombie apocalypse.

The New York Times has a list of horror titles to help yield some catharsis while skipping the crippling anxiety. Pandemic films need not apply.

We’d be first in line to see any horror flick about these four creatures from regional folklore. Maybe hold off on Pesta, though.

Our very own Sam Zimmerman spoke to The Los Angeles Daily News about how horror can help get us through these difficult times.

These five horror history books — including Horror Noire and The Lady From The Black Lagoon — promise days of entertaining (and educational) distractions.

Rue Morgue executive editor Andrea Subissati made her own masks at home and shared the pattern for any folks hoping to make some themselves.

Insider is coming through with tons of movie suggestions like these seven titles perfect for fans of Midsommar, or these 12 more obscure titles for those looking for something a little different.

Mike Flanagan wrote a deeply touching essay about horror as an exercise in courage and facing fear during times of uncertainty.

THINGS WE LOVE

Come Read With Us

Killer Horror Critic hosts a monthly Killer Book Club for fans of horror fiction looking for some socially-distanced socializing, and April’s title is John Dies At The End. Subscribe to their newsletter for all the updates.