FRIGHT NIGHT

I usually spent Halloween night with a bowl of popcorn in one hand and a bowl of candy for Trick-or-Treaters in the other.  I watch Halloween movies and hand out goodies.

This morning I was thinking about some of my favorite Halloween movies and scenes that stuck in my mind; 1)  Charlie Brown's, "I got a rock," 2) the scene in Ed Wood where he sits in a diner and converses with the great Orson Wells, 3) the "Keep your eyes on the heaven," speech from numerous cold war alien movies.

Then I remembered Fright Night.

Okay, Fright Night wasn't a classic.  It was one of those teen, the adults don't understand us kind of movie.  The teens figure out that a neighbor is a vampire and enlist the help of the local TV horror movie host, a vampire slayer, played by Roddy McDowell.

When McDowell is convinced that they are up against a real vampire he relies on what he has learned hosting movies.  Armed with vampire fighting equipment, they face the neighbor.  When the vampire attacks, McDowell hold up a wooden cross.  The vampire responds, "That only works for those who believe."  McDowell's fate is sealed.

 For a cheesy movie, I thought the comment was profound.

Lately, I've noticed a lot of unbelievers quoting scriptures on-line.  Usually it is a meme with a single verse or picture from a Bible story, completely out of context from surrounding literature. It is much the way a political candidate might take a one-line from an opponent's speech and make it a sound bite.  The verse doesn't take into account history or culture.

The person who does this usually appears very self-righteous about quoting from a book he doesn't even consider sacred, much like McDowell holding up the cross in front of the vampire.

The words don't work for those who don't believe.  As in Fright Night, the outcome can be tragic.