The Following: Even Serial Killers Have Friends

If you know me at all or if you've read this blog, then you know I LOVE a good scare. But sometimes a movie or television show in this genre will reach into a dark place that feels...too scary, too real. Kevin Bacon's new show, The Following is pushing that boundary with me.

Can we just all agree that if we see someone wearing an Edgar Allen Poe mask, we run?

The premise of the show is as follows: Kevin Bacon is a former detective turned writer. Let me just stop there for a moment and reiterate a crucial detail that makes this show legit. Bacon is a FORMER DETECTIVE TURNED WRITER. This is not Castle. This is not some random fiction writer with no credentials helping to solve crimes. Nope. THAT show is ridiculous, and I will not stand for it. But THIS...this makes sense. Moving on...Bacon's character has to come back into the crime solving scene to face a former nemesis and serial killer who happens to have a cult following outside of prison. The story arc for this season is that the serial killer has had his ex-wife's (and Bacon's romantic interest) son kidnapped. Bacon and fellow officers are looking for him, but have very few clues to go on, as this crime has been well thought out and crafted over time. But the episodic formula is that each week someone close to Bacon is the victim of the cult followers. This of course is sprinkled with flashbacks of how each cult member came to serve the serial killer, as well as "random" members of society being victimized.

It's intriguing to say the least. Because you never know who is working for the serial killer. They could be policemen, teachers, nannies, students, even detectives. Pretty sure that'll preach.

Scariest pixie cut ever.

Anyway, all that is fine and dandy and not that different from any other crime drama. BUT...this one dances up to a line of sadism that is cringe worthy. The pain that is inflicted on the victims from week to week is surprising and drastic. Last week's episode featured electromagnets placed on a person with a pacemaker's chest. Eyes have been gouged, mothers have been stabbed, and my personal fear...a man was lit on fire. The thing is, the pain isn't limited to the victims. The cult followers are also susceptible to the torture. When one man ends up caught and in the hospital, he eats the gauze...let me repeat, HE EATS THE GAUZE around his wound until it chokes him.

Of course, maybe the most traumatic kind of pain is emotional. The three followers who are keeping the kidnapped child, have a strange threesome/romantic triangle thing going which creates its own kind of head games. But one of the three has never actually killed anyone. He allows a girl escape and the other two find out. Rather than killing her FOR him, they just bring her back and set her up again, slightly wounded and ready for him to try it again, to kill her. These types of mental/emotional challenges must be overcome to bring about the kind of devotion necessary for a cult to exist and succeed.

Why is it whenever I write about cults, I am reminded of a church I once attended?

The best revenge story since The Cask of Amontillado.

Anyway, The Following is really good. But it will push your limits. It will make you squirm and gasp at times. The show has the potential to go on for a long time. I predict ending this first season with a trade of some kind. Get the kid back for the wife. Or let the serial killer go free for the kid. Once that happens, the game will change, and new characters will come in. Whatever choices they make, I imagine that there is no end to the sadistic tactics that we as watchers will endure.

Are you watching The Following? What do you think?

Horrifying Hump Day: Tales From My Not So Scary Life

I haven't lived a terrifying life or anything, but I thought it might be fun to share a few personal stories that seem like they could be scenes from a scary movie, granted, not the scariest scenes of course. Forgive me for the abandonment of pop-culture, but maybe some day I'll write something worth publishing and this little blog will become a piece of...yeah, ok ok, I'll just get to it.

I got my first babysitting gig the summer after my 6th grade year. I remember nothing about the family I was sitting for, I think they had 2 kids. My friend Jeffrey lived nearby, and at some point he came over to hang out. I know what you're thinking, and it wasn't like that. So while he was there we heard these noises. We both kinda freaked out so we booby trapped the house. And we did it up right. We looped yarn around doors and tables. We set up folding chairs in the foyer. I think there was even some moving of the furniture. And we were ready for whatever serial killer was about to come at us...we just weren't ready for the parents to come home. But there they were. Tripping over folding chairs and yarn, waking up their kids, staring at me and the boy I'd invited over. I don't think they every asked me to babysit again. 

In high school I had a group of friends who loved to roll yards (or TP for you West Coasters). We went out almost every weekend to target this group of guys we were friends with. I was always the getaway driver. One night we were dressed in our typical blacks, creeping up on the house when some really bright lights came on. The police were hidden waiting to catch us. We were terrified and immediately scattered. The police found us all of course, and talked to a few of us and to the guys inside before giving us a stern warning and sending us home. (Thank God for small towns.) We went back to my house feeling defeated, and one of the girls' moms called to say that my car had been reported on the police scanner, so we should probably stay in for the night. My mom gave us cookie dough and the keys to her van, and before long, we were off again. 

Westcott Building and Fountain

The strangest summer of my life was spent in Tallahassee, Florida after my Senior year of college. I chose Tallahassee for a few reasons. My mom's family lives there, my best friend at the time lived there, and I had the opportunity to nanny for two families. It was a weird summer. The mom of one of the families worked at the Florida Baptist Children's Home where my mom and her siblings grew up. The other one was in hospice care and died 6 weeks into my time there from cancer. My best friend ended up being gone most of the summer, and my aunt that I was staying with went to bed each night by about 9. I ended up spending some time with some friends I was loosely acquainted with, who were at FSU for the summer. One night we hung out on the roof of the Westcott Building and swam in the fountain. Another night I ended up in a room full of cadavers in the medical school because one of the friends got us in to see them. One night about two weeks before I was going to leave Tallahassee, my makeshift group of friends and I went to this closed down asylum now referred to as "Sunnyland" where hundreds of TB patients and unwanted kids with disabilities died before it was closed down in the 80's. My memory on this is fuzzy, but we climbed a fence and made it inside, only for a few moments. I remember noises and I remember shadows and I remember climbing the fence to get back to the car at lightening speed. We went to Gordo’s after to get grilled cheese and garlic fries. But I don’t think I slept through the night again until I was safe in my dorm on the seminary campus in New Orleans a few weeks later.

"Sunnyland" Asylum

This last year in China has been an experiment in controlling the creepy corners of imagination. As if living in a rural area of China weren't enough, I also happen to live in a building by myself. A very large building with lots of windows by myself. Let me stress the by myself part. There are entire movies made about things that can happen in isolation. So yeah. There is a security guard, but he's a good...football field away from my room. Also he speaks no English. The building is concrete and surrounded by tall bamboo and little creeks (moats). The other night I was sound asleep when I heard a key turn in my door. By the time I realized what was going on, a Chinese man was standing in my apartment, the only light in the room was from the computer. I jumped out of bed and started yelling stuff and he stared at me for a minute before realizing his mistake. He said some stuff I didn't understand then held up his hand, "sorry, sorry" and left. I locked the door behind him and messaged Frank, my supervisor. Frank's reassurance to me was, "Oh yes, many people have keys to your door, I am sorry for his mistake." So. Comforting. Frank. I've been working on my Zombie Apocalypse plan all year, but I got nothing ready for a Chinese man standing in my apartment. 

As you read these I’m sure you are probably thinking...what’s the big deal...these events are really not that scary. But isn't that how these things always are in retrospect? What felt strange at the time can be simply explained. What seemed daunting in the dark isn't that bad with the lights on. In the moment you think danger is all around you, but really, there was never any to begin with.

I've been on this scary road.

One recurring eerie feeling I get happens when I'm driving at night. I love to drive, and I especially love to drive at night. But I've had some terrifying times hugging the cliffs of California's Highway 1, climbing through the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, and making my way to something, anything, familiar in the most rural parts of Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. The strangeness occurs when the only light around is from my headlights, my phone has no service, and the music, which usually is the perfect serenade to any road trip, starts to sound warped, too loud, too minor, to my ears. I turn it off and let the hum of the road noise sink in while my eyes search the sides of the road for deer, or whatever else might be lurking, waiting to make me the victim of another scary story.

Story toppers welcome! Tell me your terrifying tales!

Horrifying Hump Day:The Scariest Movie(s) Ever.

Since it's October, the most wonderful and frightening month of the year, I thought it'd be fun to spend some time on scary things each week. So for the rest of the month, Weekend Fat will use Wednesdays to explore the creepy, the suspenseful, and the terrifying! Now let's begin.

It's hard to name exactly which movie is the scariest since we all have different things that trigger our frights. For example, some people can't handle children in scary movies. Others don't want their horror and religion or horror and sex mixed up. Some don't like monsters. Many people can't handle torture. Gosh, this category is gruesome!

At any rate, I am going to attempt to outline a few of what I consider to be the scariest movies I've ever seen. Warning, there will be spoilers.

Because you were home.

The Strangers:
This might be the absolute scariest movie I've ever seen. A happy couple goes into the woods to have a nice little romantic get-away and end up being stalked/haunted by three strangers. It has all the right elements. The three stalkers wear terrifying masks. A creepy song played on a record. A murdered friend who is trying to come to the rescue. And the most terrifying reason any killer has ever given for killing, "Because you were home." The best thing about this movie is that it kind of happens in "real time." The scary stuff starts happening around 4am, and the sun comes up before the movie ends. Leaving the most tragic part happening in the daylight. Shudder.

The voice is coming from inside the house.

When A Stranger Calls Back:
Maybe I have a thing for strangers. This is a sequel to an old movie called When a Stranger Calls. Both movies star Carol Kane. The first one is meh....but sets the stage for the second one. The story is basically of a babysitter who is terrorized one night. Before the night is up, the kids have been kidnapped, and the babysitter is traumatized. In the sequel, the pajamas of the kids show back up years later in the closet of the babysitter, making it obvious that the man has found her. The stalking continues until this one pivotal and terrifying moment at the end. Major spoiler here: The killer has painted himself so that he blends in with a brick wall in the woman's apartment. You don't even see him until his eyes open. My friend Jill and I have seen this movie probably 200 times and it's scary every time. The voice of the guy is deep and scary, the cinematography focuses on objects like door handles and phones, and there's a puppet. Ew.

What's your favorite scary movie?

Scream:
Maybe it's because I was a teenager when it came out, but I will always say that the first 10 minutes of Scream rate among the scariest scenes ever. To kill off Drew Barrymore after she was billed as the star of the movie was ballsy, but it's the way it happens that is crazy. You barely have time to acclimate to the fact that the rules are different in this movie. When Barrymore is being dragged across her lawn as her parents pull into the driveway, and finally her mom sees her hanging, guts out, in the tree and lets loose a blood-curling scream, you realize you're dealing with a whole new genre of scary movies. The mask is scary, and the lighthearted tone plays against the impending doom. I remember my first time babysitting after seeing this movie. The people had big sliding glass doors that led to a patio with a pool, and I thought I would just die.

I think we'll be okay now.

Paranormal Activity:
Laugh all you want, but I saw this movie on opening night in a packed theater and it was terrifying. The above scene, when Katie stands and watches her boyfriend sleep for like 3 hours and the clock changes rapidly...um...the entire audience audibly gasped and freaked out. This movie took the Blair Witch filming stuff and brought it back while playing on our love for "reality" TV. The mystery of what's happening is one thing, but it really just relies on old school tactics. The loud noises, doors creaking, and sudden scares make this movie a classic.

They're Here.

Poltergeist:
It might the many spooky stories surrounding this movie (like the fact that the little girl who played Carol Ann died at a very early age, among other creepy tales) or it might be the fact that there was a house that looked just like the house in this movie on my cousin's street. Or maybe because I saw it at a really young age. Whatever the reason, this movie remains one of the most terrifying "ghost" movies ever made. I can't even pick a scariest moment. It has everything...a kid, a TV that makes that scary static sound, clowns, raw meat, flying toys, a little lady with a strange voice, a mud pit with skeletons, and Craig T. Nelson. I'm sure I left something out. If you notice this is my only "ghost" movie on the list. The rest of them are somewhat rooted in the idea this could really happen.

I've just killed an intruder.

Sleeping With The Enemy:
There is something about that title, about the way this movie plays out that is cinematically brilliant. First of all there are several "guns" to look for in the film. The booming classical music, the perfectly lined up towels, and the Martha Stewart style cabinets give us the immediate feeling that this man is controlling and dark. Contrast that with Julia Robert's adorableness and it's the perfect stalker movie. The way it's filmed with open windows, neighbors popping up, and lots of natural noises, it's as if any second something could go wrong. It lets you participate in the feeling that the runaway wife must feel; never trusting that she is really safe. 

Evil.

Halloween:
It wouldn't be right not to include this one. First of all, Halloween was the game changer that ushered us from literal monsters or unlikely scenarios in scary movies to "oh wow this could happen in our neighborhood." And the fact that it takes place on and around Halloween night, kind of a kid's night, made it even scarier. The opening scene where the killer is found to be a 6 year old boy rocked the world of the genre and set the new precedence for shocking the hell out of people in the first 10 minutes of a movie. In fact this movie set the precedence for most of the "horror rules" that our films follow today. Anyway, I could go on and on about how the movie impacted future scary movies, and why it's important, but let's just get to the real issue. Halloween has THE scariest musical score of any movie ever made. And for that reason alone, this movie is one of the scariest ever.

I could go on and on about this topic, and for the next few Wednesdays I will. As you can see, I have  a certain preference when it comes to scary movies. I like them somewhat rooted in reality...they seem scarier that way. Here are just a few honorable mentions that I could make a case for: 
Melancholia
Jaws
Silence of the Lambs
Dawn of the Dead
IT
Wait Until Dark
Carrie

I need to stop. Self-control has never been my strength. Gonna drop this here and just move on...

What's your FAVORITE Scary Movie? 
And What is the Scariest Movie You've Ever Seen? 

Cabin In The Woods: Take 2

Ok, so I re-watched Cabin In The Woods. I wasn't going to, but so many people that I respect seemed to like it, and so I thought...maybe I missed something. 

Turns out, I did. 

See...I'm a multi-tasker by nature. Usually when I sit and watch movies, I am also blogging, researching, chatting, and eating...though I probably could have not told you about that last one. My students here in China have downloaded a program on my computer that is basically a search engine for movies. Given that China really has no problems pirating American films, I get to watch a LOT of stuff for free. So on my Chinese computer, I watch movies, and on this one, I do this. But the movies on the Chinese computer aren't always great. Sometimes the subtitles get in the way of the action. Other times they are recorded right from the theater. That was the case with Cabin in the Woods. And since I hated the way it began, I think somewhere in all of that, I tuned out.

But I tuned back in recently and rented it on iTunes and stopped everything to really watch it. And it turns out, I liked it better. I appreciated what they were doing with it. The meta stuff that bothered me before was a little more fun the second time around. In fact, I think it ended up being pretty solid. I especially like the ending where they are discussing the "evil gods" and how the sun will rise in 8 minutes. It stands to reason that maybe they are talking about...us...the audience. I mean, we love horror movies, and 8 minutes after that is spoken, the movie ends...lights come up in the theater. Of course they could be referring to movie producers/studios...yeah...let's go with that. Much more evil. At any rate, this meta part of the movie was kind of fun.

Who is more likely the virgin...come on...

Except for 1 thing...

I would have changed the ending. Spoilers coming now:

So we learn that the death of the "virgin" is optional in a movie, and at the end we are left with the girl who is somewhat innocent and sweet even though we know is not a virgin from the very beginning of the movie. Sigourney Weaver explains this by pointing out that they "work with what they have." And we are left with the guy who is the "fool" the drunk, high, nerd boy who is responsible for comedy relief. So the two are both left and the boy has to die in order to keep the "evil gods" from getting mad and destroying the Earth. The girl's death is optional...because she is the "virgin." The two have a moment where she is about to shoot him, but then she is attacked by a werewolf and there's some struggle and Sigourney Weaver and werewolf end up dying. SO...now we are back to just the two, and again, to save the Earth we think that the boy must die. EXCEPT WHAT IF HE TURNS TO HER WITH THE GUN POINTED AND SAYS, "I'M THE VIRGIN!" Boom. He kills her and the world is saved. Because let's face it, he was a much more believable virgin than the girl who we KNOW has had sex. And yes, I get that they are just icons of the greater "formulas" of horror movies, but if you really wanted to meta it out and then twist it up on its end, I think my ending would have ruled. Instead...they sit there, smoke some pot and wait for the world to end. Where are the convictions of these young horror movie characters these days!

So, Cabin in the Woods...worth a watch. Just don't blame me if you aren't thrilled with the ending. I would have obviously opted for something different. 

Who wants to see the movie with MY ending on it!?

I Got Weekend Fat on Garbage Snack Movies

I watched a lot of "new" movies this week. I'm still finishing Desperate Housewives, but sometimes I need a break. I can only describe a few of these movies in the same vein as this girl describes trying the new Candy Corn Oreos. Garbage Snacks. Which might be my new favorite term EVER.

They fought someone who was trying to destroy something.

The Avengers:
Maybe I'm just late to the game on this, but I was bored. Which made me really disappointed. You guys KNOW how I love Superhero movies! What I learned in this movie was that I love the part of those movies when they are discovering their new powers, but when they already have them, it's kind of boring. Plus...what is Scarlett's power? Whoring around? And has Mark Ruffalo ever lost his temper a day in his life?  Anyway, I hung in there through the whole thing, but I'm not gonna lie, I checked out from time to time, and that's unusual. Feel free to talk me into watching a second time. I would be up for it, if you can convince me.

Strings Attached.

Jane Eyre:
One of the ways I love to connect with people is to watch the same movies. Last week, a friend of mine happened to have this recorded so I decided to watch "with" her, and sure enough the Chinese Internet Gods provided the movie! I've heard about Jane Eyre my entire life, but honestly, I just lumped her into that category of movie that I hate. I can see why Jane Eyre is considered a heroine of sorts. She pushes past a traumatic history and comes out on the other side. Her love runs deep. But this particular movie was hard to buy. The woman playing Jane looks like a child. And Michael Fassbender...does not. It held my interest, and was a pretty straightforward story. It lacks the cleverness of Austen's plots (yes, I just gave her credit), but I can see redeeming qualities. If any of you out there LOVE Jane Eyre, please, send me your explanation/defense of it. I need to be convinced.

What's your favorite meta movie?

The Cabin In The Woods:
Um. Ok. So...a meta "horror" movie. Love the concept. And I think I enjoyed the subtle (sometimes too subtle) shout outs to horror films and film-makers from the past. But....ugh! It's like, didn't Scream already meta the horror movie genre before meta was even a thing? With the exception the two teenage hunks (a Hemsworth brother and Jesse Williams!) the rest of what's good about this movie happens in the lab. The idea that you could manipulate a game-like horror movie, with the entire staff making bets on what will happen and celebrating accordingly is kind of fun. But at some point this movie goes beyond meta, beyond horror, and just gets so far over the top. I feel the same way about this that I felt about Black Swan. SO MUCH POTENTIAL. And yet, the overtness, the beating us over the head with the point kind of made it fall short for me.

A real human being...and a real hero?

Drive:
I have never been so conflicted over a movie before. I watched it twice this week and assigned it to several of my friends to watch so that I could decide whether or not I liked it through talking it out with them. Here's what's up. Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan are amazing. Their chemistry is adorable/sexy in this movie. I thought this was going to be a movie about a man who drives a "get away" car, and that's how it starts. Gosling is perfect for that. His face is perfect for holding tension. But where the movie goes is surprising and a little frustrating. At times it felt like it was trying to be True Romance. It felt like it was trying to be 80's. It felt like it was trying. And maybe that's the thing that kept me from loving it. Critics have described it as a movie for hipsters, but who can even know...not like they would admit to liking it. And yet...even with my wavering opinion, I still think you should see it.

Have you seen any of these? What did you think? 

Scary Songs

There are very few moments in my life that are not accompanied by music. Music is my jam. My iTunes collection has about 7000 very diverse songs in it. Of course I have my favorite 1000 of those, (who can choose a favorite!), but there are many I never listen to at all. And then there are the skippers. You know what I'm talking about. The ones that you include on the playlists because you like them in theory, you like the artist, the title is familiar to you...but once it starts playing...you skip it. There are many categories these songs can fall into, but the one that will get a skip from me every time is the scary song.

I'm not talking about Monster Mash. I'm talking about the ones that haunt you. I'm talking Chris Isaak. I'm talking about the the song that starts playing in my apartment while I'm in the shower, and actually causes me get out of the shower to go change it because if I continue to listen, I will be thrown into a world of fear that someone is lurking around my home. This applies to the car too. It even applies to walking. The minute these songs start to play, my brain signals that something is not right and my fight or flight instincts kick in; I flee. I look around to make sure that the minor chords didn't manifest into any actual creepiness and try to keep going...but things are not quite the same for a few songs after that. Here are 10 songs that resonate that way for me. I have included videos, but try to just listen to the music apart from the visuals to get the full effect.

Mad World-Gary Jules 
Maybe it's the Donnie Darko association, but this song is hands down the most haunting song I have ever heard. There's something about the simplicity of the song. The piano carries the music that moves up and down the scale, and when Gary's slightly raspy voice hits the very center of the notes with no wavering, he hangs on them just a second too long. This song is not about flair. When the violin comes in and the lyrics begin to talk about children, the song nails the formula for a truly haunting song.

Thriller-Michael Jackson
When MJ is actually singing, Thriller is not that scary. In fact, it's a fun pop song! When the drums kick off the repetitive bass line it's the perfect foundation for the lyrics that tell us a story of what it's like to be afraid of something. But just when you're comfortable with what's happening, Vincent Price decides to open his big mouth and it's all downhill from there. Sound effects of graves and zombie marching, plus an old pipe organ, create an ambiance that takes me back to being 5 years old again, hiding my eyes behind my fingers praying that MJ doesn't come glare at me with his yellow eyes later tonight.

Roman's Revenge-Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj is not right. And I mean that in the most Southern sense of the words. This song is not for the faint of heart. It's haunting for a very different reason than most of the songs on this list, and the only song on this list that I don't make a habit of skipping. I don't skip it because it's great to exercise to. Anyway, the song features Eminem and one of Nicki's alter-ego's, Roman. The two of them rap some pretty risque lyrics that will hurt the ears of any woman with sexual sensitivities. And also there might be some barking in the song.

Hazard-Richard Marx
I love Richard Marx. A friend of mine growing up used to brag that he was her 13th cousin. I was jealous. Something about the hair...and also that song that everyone used to play on the piano...I will be right here waiting for you. Such a beautiful love song. But THIS one is not that. Hazard tells the story of a young woman, Mary, who goes missing in a small Midwestern town. The music itself is simple and minor, but the lyrics leave room for questioning whether or not Marx committed the murder, which leaves the listener with an uneasy feeling.

Sweet Dreams-Marilyn Manson 
The original version of this song is not totally off the hook for being creepy. But anything in the hands of Marilyn Manson is bound to plunge into the deepest darkest places. The guitar plays the familiar rhythm of the song as we know it, but Manson's voice comes almost monotone. When the drums and band kick in, it's heavy and oppressive. Then, all of that drops out and Manson practically squeaks out the lyrics through his teeth, adding in a few lines with a childlike voice before he takes it up an octave, screaming "SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THESE..." It's really a nightmare. And I double dog dare you to watch the video.

Total Eclipse Of The Heart-Bonnie Tyler
Even though this epic song has become a joke...especially with the literal version of the video coming out a few years ago, but it still holds a scary place in my heart. The song itself has that "Meatloaf" feel to it, and the repetitiveness of "turn around" gives it a little added eeriness. This one might make the list due simply to associations. It plays a subtle but important role in one of my favorite concept scary movies, Urban Legend. But I think the real trauma of this song comes from a drama I was made to perform over and over when I worked at a Christian camp. It's no secret that weirdly emotional and overly dramatic things go down Christian camps. And this song turned into some kind of struggle between Jesus and Satan...and well...now I've freaked you out too.  

Hotel California-The Eagles
When my mother wanted to learn to play Guitar Hero, this is the song she started with. It took her hours to get past the first few measures. That was 3 years ago. To this day, I cannot hear the intro of the song without feeling haunted by it. But even aside from my mother, this song is creepy! The super repetitive music is haunting, but add to it the lyrics and this is one hotel you want nothing to do with...and it goes on and on and on....

The Late Great Planet Earth-Plumb
If you are not familiar with Plumb, you should be. Their (her) music is under the Christian category, but in the same way of Switchfoot...in that it's really pretty good. I suggest that you start with the album, candycoatedwaterdrops. This particular song is on that album, and it always leaves me with a weird feeling. It starts with a static countdown and then the full band kicks in with this guitar riff that is played through the whole song. Punctuated here and there are some symphonic overtones that make it a little more epic and haunting. Oh, and if you couldn't tell from the title, the song is apocalyptic which of course gives it an added measure of doom. Everybody, save yourself.

The Nights That The Lights Went Out In Georgia-Reba McIntyre 
Having grown up in the South, but lived many places, I can tell you that nothing is as frightening as something with the label, Southern Gothic. This song is just that. It tells the story of a murder and has all of the elements that we love about the South: hangings, backwoods lawyers and judges, blood, anger, guns, and porches. If you've every actually driven through South Georgia, you know the last thing you want is the lights going out. The way Reba sings the song is almost whispery, and like a lot of the songs mentioned here, the repetitiveness is what gives it the thrill. Plus the ending is chill inducing.

Uninvited-Alanis Morissette
On Jagged Little Pill, Alanis has a "hidden track" that I would actually like to add to this list, but it's a little obscure. Just listen to the entire album, and you will see what I mean. She's basically an intruder in someone's house. The stalker quality, not to mention a total absence of music, is terrifying. Oh, and it comes out of nowhere. You think the cd is over, you're sitting in silence, and suddenly Alanis is right there again, singing about her weird obsession with someone. You know what...I was gonna mention Uninvited, but I think I will just leave it with the hidden track instead.  I think it's called, "Your House."

What songs give you the heebie-jeebies? 

Which songs haunt you?