Halloween has become a big annual event. Just like it was when we were kids and maybe that’s the reason why. No matter what role in adult life we have assumed, the day (or more appropriately the night) offers transcendence into another persona. For one day (or perhaps weekend) we become something other than ourselves. Time out of mind.
A half-century ago we awaited the day with anticipation, not as much as Christmas but eager, nevertheless. Those plastic faces with the rubberized string that attached to your head were available but we thought those cliche and preferred whatever was handy to smear on our faces, a la Alice Cooper. Rummaging through old clothes in the back of the closet found something reasonably ghoulish and armed with a bag of some sort, we roamed the neighborhood after dark looking for the house with the best candy.
Photo: 1976 – A reason to stay out late in Hickory but “don’t dare come alone.” (Courtesy HDR)
There was always a curfew so not too much mischief. In those days most we had lots of freedom. Lots.
One reason to come home was to see the run of films on TV scheduled for the night. In those days, four movies were standard. The lineup usually started off with Frankenstein, the one with Boris Karloff as the creation. Then came Bela Lagosi as Dracula. Both were made in 1931 and sufficiently creepy, in a good way. It never seemed to occur to us that these films were from a previous generation and really much milder than say, Psycho. At the time, we wanted obvious monsters, not the ones that could be inside of us. It was a simpler calculation.
After the two biggies came The Mummy (1932) and The Werewolf (1956). Chomping Sweet Tarts and mini-Snickers into the wee hours helped keep us awake for the late, late show but I never made it to see the fate of the man scientists turned into a beast. A bit bleary from the wear and tear the next day at school, some brave soul who had stayed up to see the conclusion always filled me in, though.
Halloween ramped up in the 1970s. During the decade, scarier themes sought to move past Lagosi and Karloff. Take for example, this advert for the movie bill at the long-gone Terrace Theater in Hickory. For those who don’t remember, it was located behind the old Catawba Mall. They did everything possible to entice screamers. “One showing only” suggested fear of missing out was worse that having the bejesus scared out of you. Wanna win a “dead body” or a free pass to another film by staying for the whole thing? If you could “take it” you were in the running. The screening even came with a guarantee to be “horrific.” The event was so freaky that they didn’t even tell you the name of the movies. Texas Chain Saw Massacre? Legend of Boggy Creek? Don’t know, didn’t show up for the double feature.
Candy was free in the neighborhood.
