Spectral

[susanstinson]

Ghost stories -- ones that are well written -- can focus the attention in an intense vivid way on questions about death, memory, morality, history, and tensions between inner and outer life. I love that.

And, as long as I can stand it and if I trust the writer, there's a pleasure to being teased and scared that way.

I haven't yet read Affinity by Sarah Waters, but I'm looking forward to it. Anybody else like ghost stories? Or want to tell one?

Comments

[beatgoddess.livejournal.com]

Ghost stories. Yikes. Something about ambiance tends to sell a ghost story for me. Like when we went to see the midnight showing of The Ring, sat close up to the screen in a packed theater, the terrifyingness of that ghost story was exponential. For a week, I had to read nothing but children's books and sleep with 3976 stuffed animals. But now we own that movie, and while it is still scary ass scary, it's not the same scary ass scary as before.

My favorite ghost stories are urban legends. They're just so sensational and partially-believable.

[susanstinson.livejournal.com]

I'm a very big wimp when it comes to movies -- I can hardly stand to go see the scary ones because they stay with me so long. Plus, I've been known to shriek, which embarrasses my companions.

Oo, urban legends. I can remember walking home from a swimming pool when I was a kid while an older girl told us a whole series of those babysitter stories -- they still chills me.

[beatgoddess.livejournal.com]

It took me about 2 weeks to consent to the evil-doll episode of xfiles. I've been talking about it a little in my journal this week. But only a little. I don't want to think about it too much!

The scary ones stay with me a loooooooong time. And sometimes I shriek too. Usually, I just look away or dig my fingers into an armrest or into the person I'm watching with. Also, I don't watch scary shit alone. No siree bob.

Have you ever been to www.snopes.com? It's the urban legend clearinghouse. It's phat - also a giant timesuck.