Ghost Upon the Floor

  Last night the October film series visited an old friend. I had not seen M. Night Shyamalan’s now classic “The Sixth Sense” in I don’t know how many years, and I thought on a whim to add it to the Halloween film project. And I am so glad that I did. 

 Released in 1999, “The Sixth Sense” was a gigantic hit, that became a cultural phenomenon, and found critical success that landed it several Oscar nominations; an extreme rarity for horror films. In reading about the film after watching, I came across several articles that cite star Toni Collette as saying that she didn’t even really realize that it was a horror film until after she’d signed on, as she had been so drawn to the emotional aspects of the film. And boy, do I agree with Collette. 

 So much has been written about the twist, and for a 20 year old film, I just may discuss spoilers here. I remember being blown away in shock along with the characters when the twist is revealed back in theaters in 1999. But for me, the real brilliance of “The Sixth Sense” is how well the twist works even if you know it. 

 

This is absolutely a perfect film. The performances— lead by masterworks from young Haley Joel Osment as the child Cole who says he sees ghosts, and Toni Colette as his mother who is tortured by the unknown pain her son is going through— and, even, Bruce Willis as our lead Malcolm, the psychiatrist tasked with helping Cole is brilliant. This script is so brilliant, and beautiful, without one even half ounce of fat on it. It is a brilliant mix of so many real emotions— the humor, when cracked, is so funny and appropriate, each joke earned, and the scares and emotional pay offs are so beautifully earned it will bring tears to your eyes. Each ghost has a purpose, each interaction helps the characters along to where they need to be in life. I don’t think there is a scene in any horror film that hits harder than the scene Collette and Osment share in their car during a traffic jam, when Cole is finally ready to tell his mother her secret. 

 Watching this film again after so many years away, I was also struck at how restrained it is, how gorgeous and appropriate the music is— and, ultimately, how beyond good Toni Collette is in this. Colette has made a career of playing mothers in movies, and, in more recent years with films like “Krampus” and “Hereditary,” she has become something of the go to scream queen mother for horror films. And she deserves such acclaim, and is so, so good here. 

 I was so happy that I chose “The Sixth Sense” to revisit this October; one of my favorite horror— and all around— films. 

My last morning in Sleepy Hollow. Consisted of a few things. I had wanted to get proper photos of the Sleepy Hollow town sign, try and get as close as possible to the lighthouse, photograph another statue of Ichabod and the Horseman's ride I had seen the first night.

 It was cooler than the two days previous, but pleasant. Passing the cemetery again a last few times, I so badly wanted to go back in-- but knew there was no time.

 The lighthouse stands in the Hudson, looking neither very old nor new-- but seems perfectly suited for the waters off Terrytown and the Hollow. Because of confusion on my part and trying to find out more about the lighthouse online, I thought there might still be tours going on that Monday (though it was the Columbus Day holiday) but some more Internet digging showed the tours were done for the season. After some driving, asking a local person, and more driving, I was able to find a waterfront park that overlooked the lighthouse, almost directly. I didn't see the sign that you had to have a valid Westchester County resident's ID until I was on my way out, however.

 In the photos of the lighthouse, you can see the Tappan Zee bridge, some geese and New York City in the distance, miles away. The park was mostly deserted, dare I say ghostly-- and very relaxed. I could have taken photos there all day-- and, looking at how some of them turned out, I should have taken more-- but there was much more to be done before heading back home.

 I was able to stop by the village sign and snap some photos, and some of the local high school's sign (the school stands right behind the village sign). The high school who's team name, of course, is the Horsemen.

 I was able to find again the spot where this stone carving commemorating Irving's story was, by the front of the entrance to the "Horseman's Hollow" haunt. There is something small and serious about this carving-- and what struck me most about this was the decisive side the statue takes on the story. In the stone, which looks as if it would fit perfectly amongst the graves of the cemetery, the horseman chasing Ichabod has clearly covered his head with a sheet. One of the things I love most about the legend is that-- like all good ghost stories of its kind-- it leaves the reader, listener not knowing. Was Ichabod felled by the Horseman's specter-- or something more humanly sinister, at the hands of Brom Bones? I found it interesting that I finally really looked at this in the light of day. Here, it appears the sculptor believes the Horseman was not a ghost, but Brom Bones. But why, then, I always wonder, would Brom want to attack Ichabod-- after Ichabod had just lost Katrina to Brom? Did Katrina also reject Brom? Was Brom simply an insufferable bully? Or was the ghost real? For all its beauty, the story never tells you-- though this piece of art makes a guess.

 And so I left the Village of Sleepy Hollow, with one more stop to make it Terrytown before beginning the trip back across New York State, for home.

View my complete Photo Album here:

Leaving Sleepy Hollow

All Photos Copyright Bryan Ball Photography, All Rights Reserved. 

 The season of the ghost is now upon us. Again? I've written about this before, of the uncanny connection between the Christmas holiday and the day which is the reason for this blog existing. The progression is a natural, if not often thought of one; All Hallow's Eve is celebrated on the verge of the major change, the summer's abundance ending, with the fear and knowledge that the end is coming, the nights growing longer, on the ever chilling wind. Halloween leads into the season where our weather is (in climates which allow) the coldest, the most severe, the darkest. And this is where Christmas happens.

 Christmas itself is a study in contrast. What is generally celebrated as the feast of light, good-will and peace among women and men happens in the dead of winter, when the earth and world are barren and frozen. Families travel to be together during the times of the year which can bring the harshest weather for traveling, and there is a mad rush to give-- to others, our family and friends.

 I think Charles Dickens lighted onto this concept of what Christmas was, and penned "A Christmas Carol." For the modern world, it's hard to imagine a Christmas season without "A Christmas Carol"-- whether in the original novella form, or the numerous film and television adaptations the classic has seen. What would appear the definitive story about the celebration of Christmas is, frankly, a story where a miserable man is literally haunted by Christmas personified as actual, from-the-grave ghosts. In other words, "A Christmas Carol" is about a man, Ebenezer Scrooge, who is so miserable and cold to the world he lives in Christmas sees no choice but to terrify him, and shake him out of his wicked ways. While Scrooge is alive, his soul is dead. And while his ex-business partner Marley is dead, he returns to Scrooge with a message more alive than the both of them.

 It would appear Mr. Scrooge needed a little Halloween to show him what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

 What works so perfectly about the tale is that Christmas is so full of ghosts-- the ghosts of our past, our childhood, those and that which have come before. The year-ending season is a time to stop. And think. About the Christmases of the past- who was with us, what we might have done, and what we may have wished we had done. While Marley serves as a frightening specter to Scrooge because, in life, Scrooge knew him, and now must witness the ghostly fright that is his existence after death-- the Ghost of Christmas Past haunts Scrooge (and us) because of the many forms the ghost takes. Often depicted as a candle, or with either a candle or candle-stopper, the ghost always haunts, fragile and fleeting, because she was here-- and will always remember. Never be able to be changed.

 Her successor, the Ghost of Christmas Present, was and has continued to be a manifestation of the modern Christmas spirit-- a very much St. Nicholas/Santa Claus type of spirit-- bearded, joyful and abundant in laughter, good will (and size.) But at the same time, the ghost is deeply reflective, offering biting critiques on society, in addition to his jovial nature. This ghost's haunting is different-- haunting to Scrooge and us all by making us aware of our surroundings-- the joy of the season, the suffering of the less fortunate in the world, like the Crachitt family. And lastly, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come haunts us when we think of the ghosts of the past, the ghosts of the present-- and what they mean if they remain unchanged. This ghost, nearly always depicted as a Grim Reaper or similarly hooded figure (and, in an original twist in the recent Disney animated adaptation, as simply a shadow never seen) scares-- or, rather, makes him aware-- Scrooge into the knowledge of the nature of his ways, by literally bringing him to the grave. Where all the memories of Christmases past and present will end, without opportunity to change them for the better.

 And so. While Christmas has become not only a Christian holiday, but developed a secular following and celebration around the season of giving gifts-- I wish you a Merry Christmas. And all the comes with it.

Happy haunting, if your need be.



Images: Behind the Thrills & Brett Helquist

Mason Winfield is my friendly neighborhood ghost story teller. A historian, folklorist and "paranormal generalist," Mason publishes on a range of subjects, not the least of which are ghosts and the paranormal. Mason also runs a series of ghost walks and haunted pub crawls throughout Western New York; one of which, conveniently, walks itself right through my neighborhood. What makes Mason such a a good source of ghostly tales is his focus on the story over the proving of the paranormal. In his books, lectures and walks, Mason beautifully relates the tales he has gathered, and is always open to hearing some of yours.

He has written an incredibly interesting piece on his blog about his own Christmas ghost. Without hesitation, I would recommend it for anyone who has ever been connected to and loved an animal.

For another good introduction to his work, I'd recommend reading his post on "The Children Who Came Back." I first heard him mention this phenomena on an October night ghost walk on a small town street. The group was standing in front of a house, Mason telling a story, and a street light went out. This caused him to mention the tales he had heard of the little people. Little people who came for children at night. The way he told the story sent waves of goosebumps all over me. Instantly, I remembered what I'd long forgotten: nights as a child when I could not sleep in my bedroom, because the sense of dread I felt that the little people were coming across our lawn to climb up to my window, and take me, was too much.

I have no idea where I got these ideas from, of little people coming to take me, but that did not stop me from often running down the hall and sleeping in front of my parents bedroom, curled up in a corner with a pillow and blanket, because I couldn't bring myself to tell my parents the people were coming for me over the lawn. Apparently, I found out from Mason, I was not the only one.