- A Celebration of Halloween Film and Brews -
Fall is upon
us, and with it comes not only the first eye-rolling batch of Christmas
decorations, but the spirit of Halloween.
Many of us are past the
days of trick-or-treating. Memories of odd-smelling masks and late-night
stomach aches have long ago been saved into our brain's nostalgia section. But
age opens as many doors as it closes. Though we lost the spoils of annual
trick-or-treating ventures, in their place has opened a world of equally
satisfying treats: the Fall seasonal beer selection. These treats can be sweet,
fruity, dark or light, packed with spices or even chocolate. Some of them taste
like pumpkin pie in a glass. Others are robust, malty affairs with a hoppy bite.
The variety is huge. Staggeringly so, even. What's the best choice for an
evening at home? A Halloween party? Dinner with friends?
 |
| Well, take your pick... |
Aside from
trick-or-treating, Halloween also arrives with a slew of old scary movies on TV
and at the neighborhood RedBox. Despite enjoying horror now, I can easily
remember being quite the 'fraidy-cat as a child. Call it the result of an
over-active imagination, but the nightmares many scary movies gave me through
up an entertainment barrier. But as much as I tried to stay away, there was
always this odd fascination. I'd scour the horror section of the video store
just to analyze the cover art on all the VHS tapes. Some of them were enough to
scare me without even needing to see the movie. Despite the chills, there was something
about being frightened that sparked a curiosity in me. Not until I grew older
did I begin to genuinely have fun watching the films that terrified me only a
few years before.
No secret: Halloween is
my favorite holiday. Even when I avoided most creepy movies, those that
centered around Halloween were popular residents of my VCR. To this day, I get
excited to see these spooky features pop back upon TV. Some of these have
become seasonal staples that I'll watch every year.
And what better way to
enjoy a Halloween film than with an accompanying seasonal brew? Well, that and
the addition of a few friends. If scary movies and beer have anything in
common, it's that they're best enjoyed socially. And so I had an idea: to
celebrate the holiday and the many films and beers associated with it, I'd
delve into some of my seasonal favorites and share them with you.
And
so I present "31 Days of Drafts and
Darkness", where I'll review a Halloween movie and pair it with a
beer each day from Oct 1st-Oct 31st!
Let the games begin
Some quick rules:
1.)
Every day leading up to October 31st, I'll post a new dual-review on my blog:
http://quixotesheir.blogspot.com/.
Each review will feature
a Halloween-themed film and an accompanying beer I recommend you enjoy while
watching said movie. Not every review will center on a horror film, so anyone
opposed to scary movies will have something to enjoy alongside the gore-hounds
and genre fans.
I'll also try to
note whenever a film is available on Netflix for ease of finding/viewing.
Here's how each movie
review will break down:
The
Plot - A basic breakdown
of the film's storyline and major characters to give you an idea what the movie
will entail. Consider this section the skeleton of the review. It'll provide a
framework with which to build off. I'll be sure to keep things brisk and
simple, so no worries about spoilers.
The
Flavor - If the plot is our
review's skeleton, the Flavor is its heart. Here, I'll go into vibe and atmosphere,
delving into the deeper themes running throughout the film. Is the movie a
thoughtful commentary on human excess and corruption or are we here to watch a
bunch of Spring Breakers get chewed on by monsters? The overall Flavor(s) of
each flick will then lead us to...
"Best
Paired With..." -
Here's where I set up the conditions for the optimal view experience. Is said
film better watched alone at 3 a.m. or with a group of friends on a Friday
night? Would it make a good first-date movie or send your companion fleeing
from your twisted tastes? Is the movie in question family-friendly? Remember,
more than just scary movies will make this list.
And finally
Partnering
Beer - Taking into
account the movie's themes, I'll make my recommendation for the perfect beer to
enjoy while watching the film.
2.) Some of my movie
choices will be well-known, but for the most part I'll try to stick to
cult-classics and under the radar gems. Some of these films and beers have
already been talked about by authors/filmmakers on websites like I-Mockery,
Cracked, Cinemassacre, Thatguywiththeglasses, and
countless others, so I'll be sure to put my own unique spin on their
interpretation. Beer helps.
Speaking of which...
3.) My choice of beer
will go along with what I feel are the movie's themes, atmosphere, and general feel.
The goal is to match up the flavor of the film to that of the beer. Thus, a
dark, brooding movie will likely feature some smoky porter or the like. I'll
try to feature as many Fall varieties as I can get my hands on so you'll be
able to try them before the Winter brews start popping up. However, some of my
choices will be year-round styles, so I'll be sure to note which brews are
seasonal and which can be picked up anytime.
4.) Lastly, my ultimate
goal of this little project is to have fun celebrating the Halloween season. As
such, don't expect many torture-style flicks to show up. This list is to help
folks have a good time rather than feel like they need to shower after the
credits.
Please
let me know what you think of the movies/drinks I review and potential
recommendations. I welcome your comments and of course, if you've
recommendations, send them my way as well!
Stay
tuned for my first entry on October 1st!
Cheers, fellow creatures of the night!
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