The Substance, reader poll results, and more

Hello, Superfans!

This weekend brought a taste of winter wonderland, with an inch of snow and ice keeping most people at home.

I can hear the din of howling laughter coming from the north, and I just nod in acknowledgment. I’ve got nothin’. They’re still wearing short sleeves.

Can you believe there are only 9 1/2 months until Halloween? I can. It’s cold! Mid-Atlantic state cold.

That won’t stop us from keeping our seasonal spirits up, though.

Let’s get to it…

Table of Contents

• The 28 Days Later scene shot on 9/11

• Halloween may come earlier this year

• Halloween-Christmas crossover

• Demi Moore scores her first award for The Substanc …

• The Halloween Zine is moving to monthly

• Affiliate link disclosure

The 28 Days Later scene shot on 9/11

Do you remember when you first watched 28 Days Later?

There was a lot to take in, and Cillian Murphy’s Oppenheimer Jim wandering a deserted London was only the beginning.

I’m talking about societal collapse.

As Collider’s Billy Fellows points out, cities became hellscapes, offering endless nooks and crannies from which lurking infected could attack, and the military asserting itself in the name of propping up civilized society’s shattered remnants.

It’s evocative of 9/11 despite most of it being shot prior to that tragic date. I say “most” because one scene was shot on 9/11.

The infected have just breached the seemingly abandoned apartment building where Jim and Selena (Naomi Harris) are resting on the staircase in the midst of the upper floors (← and I love how European architecture lends itself to horror movies, with staircases that allow you to see all the way down.

Or, more to the point, to see what’s coming your way, fast.

As Selena sprint up the stairs with Jim screaming for her to wait for him (yeah, no), they round the final corner to see a hulking male figure waiting on the next landing.

He’s brandishing a riot shield, bearing a club, and covered head to toe in protective gear.

“Down the corridor. Flat 157. Move!”

A path to certain death, or salvation?

With option B spending quality time with the hungry, pursuing infected, they choose the flat.

The hulking male gets busy dispatching the infected.

At the flat, a skeptical young woman answers the door to flat 157 to find Selena screaming for her to let them in. Because nothing is as persuasive as someone screaming to be let in while trying to force their way in.

The young woman replies to Selena’s repeated pleas with a repeated question: “Where’s my Dad?”

Dad/Hulk finishes with the infected and calls out to let them in.

She does, with the wariness someone demonstrates when opening the door they’d rather lock, board up, and stack heavy furniture against.

Dad returns to the flat and removes some protective layers. And he’d do a Russian doll proud, which comes in handy when a single skin prick is an un-death sentence.

He removes his helmet to show his face.

He’s Brendan Gleeson! Frank (Brendan Gleeson), and the understandably antisocial Hostess of the Year is his daughter, Hannah (Megan Burns).

His tiny living room remains decked out with Christmas decorations. Remnants of another lifetime or a sign of a serial killer? SO many questions.

Frank’s a good guy, and he’s grateful to come in contact with fellow survivors. He proposes a toast, and they drink, sharing an uneasy yet civilized moment in their new post-apocalyptic world.

And hey, why not smile a bit? The commute to, through, and from London just got MUCH faster.

The cast and crew felt a duty to shoot that scene knowing what had happened across the pond. They had to keep moving forward, just as their American allies would.

A surreal scene shot during a surreal time.

Halloween may come earlier this year

Of course, it will!

Because money talks, and we walk flock to the theme parks for seasonal shenanigans and scares.

Six Flags noticed attendance and spending increases when it introduced attractions based on horror movies. You’re welcome.

Disney started their Halloween season earlier this year, and the Mouse House has to be thinking, how soon can we kick things off?

Short answer: YES.

Spirit Halloween starts opening stores in August. They’ve done it for years, and they…

Just. Keep. Growing.

Think of the summer vacation dollars we diehards would shovel into your shallow grave coffers.

Do it, do it, do it!

We’ve got your backs.

Halloween-Christmas crossover

This Trick or Treat Studios jack o’ lantern ornament caught my eye in November, so I gifted it to a family member. Everyone’s delighted!

It enjoyed its first Christmas and appreciated joining what’s become an eclectic Christmas ornament collection.

I captured this snapshot of it lit up. What you can’t tell is, the lighting fluctuates to simulate a candlelit jack 'o’ lantern.

Super. Cool.

Demi Moore scores her first award for The Substance

I haven’t watched a body horror movie in many years, but The Substance may make me break that streak… if I can get through it.

Here’s the disturbing synopsis from Rotten Tomatoes:

“Have you ever dreamt of a better version of yourself? You, only better in every way. You should try this new product, it's called The Substance. IT CHANGED MY LIFE. With The Substance, you can generate another you: younger, more beautiful, more perfect. You just have to share time -- one week for one, one week for the other. A perfect balance of seven days each... Easy right? If you respect the balance... What could possibly go wrong?”

Cr-EEPYYY!

Then there the bat s*** trailer.

So many reasons to watch it.

Demi Moore’s Golden Globe-winning performance is one. I’ve enjoyed a lot of her work, particularly St. Elmo’s Fire, A Few Good Men, GI Jane, Disclosure, Ghost, and Moore more.

Think about it: Demi won for her performance in a body horror satire. Might an Oscar nomination follow?

Then there’s the punch-in-the-throat, satirical take on aging, particularly when it comes to women.

Then there’s French female writer/director, Coralie Fargeat, the creative brain behind the project. A woman bringing her perspective to this controversial topic.

And the clincher: The Substance is rockin’ an 89 on Rotten Tomatoes.

If you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber, you can watch it with a 7-day free trial for Mubi. Don’t confuse it with Tubi, ruby, Scooby, or newbie.

I’ll let you know how it goes next month because…

The Halloween Zine is moving to monthly

The horde has spoken (and that’s you).

Thank you to those who voted in my first reader poll. I said majority would rule, and I meant it.

Future polls will include questions about your content preferences, but I’m always game to hear how you think I can improve ANYTHING about your newsletter experience.

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You pay the same price you would if you didn’t use the link, AND you have my appreciation for supporting the newsletter so I can continue entertaining you.

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That’s an edition!

See you in February with whatever’s lurking in my mind’s dark corners.

Thanks for being a subscriber, and s-s-stay w-w-warm!