Horror - a personal fascination

Friends who know me well, also know that I love the genre of Horror in films and books. You may call me perverse, deviant or troubled - but to me, a well crafted piece of dark thematic work - touches a primordial raw nerve within, as much as the notion of "God" does. And what better place to be discussing the genesis of this morbid crooked fascination than in a hot Sauna - simmering at 140 degree Fahrenheit, with sweat dripping from every pore of ones body, and salty drops of it cauterizing the eyes as it slides unimpeded down ones face. We were three of us : Jason, Peter and me - all enthusiasts of darkness, and subject of conversation was the Devil ;and Movie directors Roman Polanski, William freidkin , Wes craven , whose work presented evil in a most chilling manner on screen.

"You see" I said " Lucifer was after all a fallen angel. One of God's favorites. And what after all was his crime?. He decided not to obey Man - God's new fancy toy. And for that petty crime he was banished to Hell ( which incidentally is God's own backyard); and from there he wages his daily battle with Man's psyche - pulling it hither and thither, distorting his composure, making him miserable. He rebels against God through his creation. This Gentlemen is Christian theology in a nutshell. Interestingly, almost all world mythologies visualizes demons as an intrinsic part of Godhead. Either they are cast away, curse or punished for an indiscretion, or they are an alter ego of God head itself. The polarities of life - so to speak"..

All of us agreed that "Exorcist" was probably the most intense spine chilling theological thriller to have ever graced the screen. The slow transformation of a beautiful young girl to a state of absolute abomination - defying all social, ethical and religious barricades - even today, sends a chill down one's spine, if one dares to watch it alone. I personally thought William peter Blatty's book was disturbing enough, but the movie transcended the intent of the book. Next in line is Polanski's "Rose Mary's baby". It had nothing of that visual terror that Exorcist invokes, but in a silent manner - by way of lighting, settings, terse dialogues and imperceptible changes in relationship between an Husband and wife over the sacrifice a new born baby - evil unfolded. This one is for Connoisseurs. And lastly "Nightmare on elm Street". Wes craven's brilliant exploration of the darker side of sleep. Dreams were always supposed to mean beautiful things, but Craven turned that principle on its head. - Anybody who falls asleep goes into nether world haunted by Freddy Kruger - waiting to terrorize them. A terrifying gem of a movie!!

If anyone had walked into the sauna at that moment; they would have assumed that we were discussing matters very esoteric, important and life saving. Little would they have realized that here were three educated naked individuals talking passionately about the devil and its manifestations in this seething heat of a sauna..

God bless....