Be Careful What You Watch
A Macabre Monday Guide to Staying Safe This Summer
Summer has me thinking about drive-ins. Old school horror movies. And that got me thinking about cursed footage.
There’s something primal about cursed footage. The idea that an image, once seen, can infect the mind. That watching something is not passive, but an invitation. A contract. Once the film starts, you’re part of it.
In fiction, cursed media is everywhere. The Ring, where a VHS tape brings death in seven days. Cairo (Kairo), where ghostly transmissions bleed into the land of the living. Antrum: The Deadliest Film Ever Made, a mockumentary that claims to kill those who view it. But the most terrifying part? Sometimes, cursed footage isn’t just fiction.
1. The Exorcist (1973)
Audiences fainted, vomited, and fled from theaters. Reports of a fire on set, deaths of actors’ family members, and even a priest being called in to bless the set cemented the atmosphere.
2. Poltergeist Trilogy (1982–1988)
After multiple tragic deaths, including young star Heather O’Rourke (age 12) and Dominique Dunne (murdered at 22), this classic horror franchise became infamous for “The Poltergeist Curse”. The use of real skeletons in the swimming pool scene only added fuel to the fire.
3. Cannibal Holocaust (1980)
So realistic that director Ruggero Deodato was arrested on suspicion of murder. He had to prove the actors were still alive, and was later fined for actual animal cruelty on set. The film remains banned in multiple countries.
4. The Curse of Atuk (Unfilmed script)
Though never filmed, this comedy screenplay is blamed for the deaths of John Belushi, Sam Kinison, John Candy, and Chris Farley, all of whom were attached to the lead role before dying unexpectedly. (I mean, I thought it might have something to do with cocaine, alcohol, the insane lifestyle of comedians. But hey, what do I know?)
The moral of the story? Be careful what you watch…
…and act in, and the screenplays you read. And write. Books probably belong in there too. Maybe just stay inside, and stare at the wall. There. Now you’re safe ;)
A Prompt
While digitizing old film reels for a local archive, you discover one that isn’t listed in any catalog. As you watch, you realize the footage shows events from your own life. You see scenes that you have never told anyone about. Then it starts to show you things that haven’t happened yet.
The Weekly Digest
A selection of last week’s memorable Macabre Monday offerings:
- gave us some horror flash fiction, “The Jar Under the Bed.”
- posted an entry in her June summer music series. It’s a strange summer horror inspired by Yellow by Coldplay.
- and released a joint prompt. The prompt was "An Un-Traditional Haunted House"
- released Part 5 of his latest serial, Carnival of Deepest Desire.
You always come up with the best prompts! Thank you so much for including Amber Eyes in the Macabre Monday roundup this week.
Thanks for the mention!