Faerie Lore and Legends

Unsure of why I was on the fence about seeing this spectacular marvel of southern horror lore and mythology … I’m so glad my AMC A-List pass lured me to see it, one of my current favorite at the cinema titles. It has its flaws, but otherwise spectacularly done. Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5*, Oisin Rhymour, Techno Tink Media: www.technotink.com/design/*

Midnight fog drapes the Mississippi Delta, thick with secrets and shadows. In Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners,’ the land itself feels haunted; cotton fields blanch under moonlight, echoing with sorrow and threat. Set in 1932, this horror epic stitches together the nightmares of the past with stories too real to quiet.

Coogler weaves horror and history into every dusty crossroads and winding river, forcing us to confront the darkness that lingers behind southern hospitality. Expect a film that wraps Southern Gothic chills around questions of guilt, family, and hope, while characters search for light in endless night. Movie lovers who crave atmosphere, history, and meaning won’t want to miss this haunting journey. Those who love cult classics like Rocky Horror may also appreciate how stories of place, time, and fear overlap in cinema history.

Story and Setting

The world of ‘Sinners’ swells with heat, dust, and memory, rooted deep in the haunted soil of 1932 Mississippi. Every shot breathes with the weight of history: rows of white cotton shimmer under a bruised sky, and every shadow hints at stories buried beneath. Both the place and its past aren’t just backgrounds, they press on every moment of the film, shaping its night of terror and reckoning. Through the eyes of twin brothers Smoke and Stack, homecoming turns into a collision of hope, guilt, and memory in a single, tense night where past and present bite at the same heels. At first I thought it was a spin-off from the Devil and the Fiddler at the crossroads, but wrong was I … as it weaved Irish folklore in with African American slavery mythos with a twist of True Blood.

A Southern Gothic Canvas: Cotton Fields, Dust-Choked Streets, and Vivid Imagery

‘Sinners’ paints the Jim Crow South with all the weight of lived experience. Rows of cotton stretch far beyond the eye, each plant seemingly thirsty for rain or redemption. The land itself becomes a silent character, heavy with the grief of generations. Dust creeps through open windows, curling around characters’ ankles like regret that can’t be swept away.

• Cotton fields and dirt roads serve as living reminders of both suffering and survival.
• Night falls heavy, and moonlight glances off shotgun shacks and silent porches.
• Small-town streets appear frozen in time, defined by segregation yet filled with the everyday hopes of those who live there.

Ryan Coogler’s camera lingers on these details, letting them settle in the viewer’s memory. The streets of Clarksdale and the Delta are so present, you can almost feel the humidity and taste the blues in the air. The movie’s use of historical setting deepens every emotional note, merging Southern Gothic visuals with horror’s classic tension. The choice to set the story in 1932 Clarksdale reflects real historical trauma—the history behind the film is just as rich as what’s on screen.

Smoke and Stack: Dualities of Brotherhood

At the heart of ‘Sinners’ are brothers Smoke and Stack, played with stunning range by Michael B. Jordan. Their return home is supposed to be a reunion, but it quickly becomes a reckoning.

• Smoke is quiet, all tight shoulders and inward glances. He carries the burden of memory and responsibility, haunted by ghosts only he seems to see.
• Stack radiates energy, quick to defend, laugh, and fight for what’s right. He seeks hope in forward motion, unafraid to ask hard questions.

This push-and-pull brings heat to every scene. Their bond; tested by both family secrets and the horror at their door, anchors the movie’s single-night timeline. Jordan brings out each brother’s pain and love: Smoke holds the past close, while Stack fights for the promise of tomorrow.

Their story becomes a lens through which the movie explores themes bigger than blood:

• Guilt versus forgiveness
• The weight of legacy
• Sacrifice and moral courage

If you’re a fan of complex sibling stories and tense family dynamics, this film sits comfortably alongside atmospheric horror classics like those found in our psychological thriller collection. The night these brothers face becomes a tightrope walk; past and present, love and fear, all currency in the film’s dangerous game.

To explore how ‘Sinners’ draws on the folklore, music, and vampire lore of Mississippi, you may want to check out this thoughtful breakdown of the movie’s cultural undercurrents.

Horror, Vampires, and Symbolism

Haunted fields and moonlit crossroads set the stage for terror in ‘Sinners,’ but the film’s monsters offer more than jump scares. Ryan Coogler uses vampires to unpack deep wounds; turning supernatural hunger into a living metaphor for exploitation and disconnection. Each scene with Remmick and his twisted followers blurs the line between myth and painful reality, pulling viewers into a chilling story with real roots.

The Monsters Among Us: Remmick, His Cult, and a New Vampire Mythos

Remmick is no velvet-caped stranger; he’s an Irish vampire who walks hidden roads and rules his followers with quiet menace. Coogler strips away much of the old vampire style and instead paints Remmick in sweat and dirt, embedding him right into the Delta’s pain. His cult moves through Black communities, preying quietlyal; most businesslike, on those caught at the rough edge of society.

Remmick and his group don’t just feed on blood. They seek out the gifted and the hopeful. The vampires steal more than life; they consume memories, skills, and the very essence that makes their victims who they are. The power is chilling: when the vampires strike, the town loses more than a body. It loses music, invention, and tradition. These scenes are hard to watch, yet strikingly honest about the cost of being haunted and hunted.

Coogler’s take stands apart from most bloodsucker tales by rooting his monsters in the realities of oppression. The cult’s attacks feel surgical, a cold machine set on draining life from communities that history has already bled dry. If classic films like ‘Blade’ or even rock horror icons flirted with genre tropes, ‘Sinners’ plants both feet in a world where the threat is real, close, and unglamorous. The atmosphere is soaked in dread, with myth and history never far apart. To dig deeper into the cultural meanings behind Remmick’s character, check out this insightful take on the Irish vampire’s symbolism.

What the Vampires Represent: Hunger, Exploitation, and Ancestral Loss

Coogler uses vampires to stand in for oppressive forces; systems and people that thrive by draining others. The hunger these monsters show isn’t just for blood. Each attack tears families apart, leaving behind an emptier world. The film makes the vampires’ feeding a layered crime: it isn’t just life that’s lost, but memory, skill, and hope passed down through generations.

Remmick’s hunger reflects the deep costs of exploitation:

• Stealing legacies: Every victim loses not just their life, but the gifts their ancestors struggled to preserve.
• Erasing history: With each feeding, the community grows weaker, as if old wounds are cut open all over again.
• Dividing the living: Fear turns neighbor against neighbor, fueling cycles of silence and grief.

This symbolism is powerful because it’s grounded in truth. The vampires in ‘Sinners’ are more than movie villains; they’re echoes of all the ways Black communities have faced theft, violence, and the loss of culture. By binding horror with these realities, the film calls out exploitation both past and present. For more perspective on how vampires have stood in for real-world power struggles and violence, see this thoughtful review on Black vampires in contemporary film.

Coogler’s approach ties in with other films that use horror to ask what happens when knowledge, craft, and roots are stolen from a people. If you’re interested in similar themes, you might explore movies that play with Gothic and symbolic motifs to critique cultural loss and violence.

The message runs through every haunting image: when monsters feed on memory and skill, entire histories are at risk, not just single lives.

Music, Ancestry, and Cultural Roots

Blues beats in every corner of ‘Sinners’. Ryan Coogler stitches the film together with songs of heartache, hope, and struggle; turning music into both a weapon and a shield. This section digs into how blues, spiritual traditions, and memory breathe life into the story’s haunted Mississippi, connecting the characters to each other and to a history both painful and proud.

Blues as Salvation and Danger: Highlight the links between legends like Robert Johnson, the story’s character Sammie Moore, and music’s role in the fight for liberation and identity.

Music cuts through the darkness in ‘Sinners’ just as it did for Robert Johnson at the crossroads. Sammie Moore, the film’s bluesman, draws on the same haunted genius, fingers flying across strings, voice cracking with every note of sorrow and resilience. The legend of Johnson selling his soul to play the blues finds eerie echoes as Sammie faces supernatural threats, questioning what he might give up to survive.

In ‘Sinners’, the blues isn’t just background music. It’s a living force.

• Song becomes shield; Moore’s music holds the vampires at bay and strengthens the community.
• Lyrics as protest; each verse carries whispers of rebellion against the systems that choke the Delta.
• Sound as memory; his guitar riffs stitch family stories, holding lost ancestors close.

Fans of cinema history will catch nods to film classics where music stands at the edge of danger and deliverance. The soundtrack of ‘Sinners’ is a direct response to the way Black musicians have shaped the sound, and power, of American film. For a snapshot of this heritage, explore how Black music shapes the silver screen and why blues, soul, and jazz always matter when watching stories like this one.

Sammie’s story is more than a tribute; it’s a call for liberation. Every guitar solo, every raw, trembling verse, becomes a stand against horror; both real and supernatural. In the world of ‘Sinners’, the fight for identity isn’t just physical. It’s played out in every note bent toward freedom, echoing through the fields at midnight.

Ancestral Bonds and Cultural Memory: Explore how the narrative uses spiritual reverence, memory, and the supernatural to enrich the film’s emotional core and cultural commentary.

‘Sinners’ doesn’t hide from the ghosts of the past; it listens to them. Through rituals, lullabies, and whispered prayers, the characters keep ancestral bonds strong; even as supernatural forces threaten to tear those ties apart. Spiritual memory, seen in the way family stories pass from eldest to youngest, becomes the heart of resistance.

Coogler’s film draws on real Southern traditions:

• Altars of remembrance sitting quietly in church corners and living rooms.
• Dreams and visions: characters receive signs; sometimes warnings, from ancestors.
• Music as invocation: songs become prayers, bridging the distance between the living and the dead.

This rich layering of spirit and memory gives ‘Sinners’ its pulse. It’s not just about vampires or cotton fields. It’s about remembering who you are, who your people were, and how culture endures; even in the darkest times.

Other Southern tales lean into the mystical, too. For readers interested in pop culture’s take on Southern phenomenon, The Commodore 64 and Rocky Horror story offers a fascinating example where memory, nostalgia, and genre collide.

The supernatural isn’t a gimmick in ‘Sinners’. It’s a way for the community to process trauma, to find hope, and to hold tight to sacred truths. The film sits beside others that use horror for spiritual reflection; whether it’s through haunting, resurrection, or music that beckons the old world back. Those interested in exploring more films where spiritual themes shape stories can check recommendations for modern movies with spiritual or supernatural tone.

This dance of song and story roots ‘Sinners’ deep in Southern soil. It’s what makes the film linger; like the sound of a distant guitar, promising that memory and hope can outlast any monster. For more on how Southern stories weave memory, myth, and culture, you’ll find kindred spirits in reviews of films with deep Southern and supernatural roots like those in our Gothic movies archive.

Style, Tension, and Performances

Ryan Coogler wraps every scene of ‘Sinners’ in mood so strong you almost taste the dust and dread. Here, style bleeds straight into story. Visuals haunt you long after the credits roll, and the quiet tension hums beneath each line. With the cast giving all heart, Coogler’s slow-burn suspense and poetry in motion transform a night of terror into a study of grit and humanity. Let’s explore how these choices shape the film’s impact and immerse you inside this gothic nightmare.

Cinematography and Mood: Haunting Visual Language

The camera in ‘Sinners’ does more than frame cotton fields and moonlit porches; it steals your breath and pins you to the earth. Every shot lingers on the stretch of sultry trees, letting moonlight slice through branches and drape silver across the Delta’s raw history. It’s a world painted in stark contrast: shotgun shacks lost in shadows, sweat-sheened faces flickering in lamplight, tension pooling in silent glances.

Coogler’s direction sneaks fear into the corners of each scene:

• Long takes hold us in place, stretching out suspense like the humid nights. The pressure grows with every heartbeat.
• Shadow and color become silent characters. Blues and bruised purples cloak tragedy and hope side by side, while dirty whites of the cotton fields snap against the darkness.
• Low, wide angles make figures look haunted, swallowed up by the land that remembers everything.

It’s not just beautiful; these choices unsettle. You feel the characters’ isolation in every empty dirt road, every ghost-light corridor. These visual strategies go hand-in-hand with the best horror traditions. For a deeper dive into how horror films use lighting, camera work, and color to spark emotion, check out this guide to the basics of horror cinematography.

The film’s rhythmic pacing; slowing for dread, racing for panic, pulls the audience deeper under its spell. Coogler builds an atmosphere that isn’t just seen but sensed. The effect is poetic, immersive, and deeply Southern. For movie-goers hungry for that blend of mood and meaning, ‘Sinners’ is a rare treat. If you’re into visually evocative horror, explore more genre standouts in this collection of psychological thriller movies.

Heart and Grit: The Cast

The soul of ‘Sinners’ comes into focus through its actors. Michael B. Jordan leads with a dual performance as Smoke and Stack, slipping between vulnerability and strength with ease. Every wince, every silent stare, feels honest. The weight of family history seems to etch itself right onto his shoulders. Audiences familiar with his work in intense dramas will notice the same emotional charge; only now, it’s sharpened by the threat of monsters in the night.

But he’s never alone. The supporting cast stands shoulder-to-shoulder, adding grit and warmth:

• Supporting roles; from the quiet resolve of elders to the unsteady courage of younger townsfolk, bring the community to life. You sense real history between them.
• On screen, chemistry sizzles. Tensions break into raw argument, tenderness, or desperate laughter; raising the stakes for every choice made in the film.
• Even the smallest role feels lived-in, shaped by the place and its sorrow.

Long pauses in dialogue, quick flashes of anger or fear; these choices are as important as any special effect. Coogler coaches every actor to fill space with meaning. The result: relationships that feel worn and real, amplifying the peril when monsters draw near.

Jordan’s partnership with Coogler grows stronger here, building on what they started in past films. This collaboration roots each scene in something permanent and human. To learn more about their creative bond and behind-the-scenes dynamic, take a look at this insightful spotlight on Coogler and Jordan’s evolving partnership.

Through their work, ‘Sinners’ never loses sight of what’s at stake; not just life or death, but the heart of a family and the survival of memory. The performances are a reminder that even in horror, grit and love can be the film’s sharpest weapons.

Legacy and Final Thoughts

‘Sinners’ punches through the noise of modern horror with a vision rooted deep in American soil. Ryan Coogler swings wide; aiming to rewrite vampire myth and tie it to the pain, pride, and music of the Black South. Long after the final frame, the film leaves a chill that’s more than fear; it’s memory and hunger echoing side by side.

Ambitions and Lasting Impact

‘Sinners’ dreams big. Coogler flips the classic vampire story on its head, turning monsters into metaphors that stick with you long after you leave the theater. Instead of simple scares, this film invites us to reckon with the shadows of real history and ask what’s passed down; both the wounds and the strength.

Here’s what stands out about this film’s reach and influence:

• It sets a new path for Southern Gothic horror; mixing ancestral pain, family ties, and supernatural threat in a way few directors have risked before.
• Its myth-building puts it alongside modern prestige horror, where meaning grows out of dread. The world of ‘Sinners’ feels lived-in, haunted by both fact and legend.
• Ambitions are high: this is a story that wants to matter, not just entertain.

Other filmmakers have settled into the safe grooves of spooky cinema; Coogler presses out into rough country. ‘Sinners’ joins films that leave deep imprints—where viewers return not for the frights, but for the questions and images burned in their minds. For readers who enjoy films that fuse myth and memory, revisiting gothic movies that challenge genre boundaries can help draw out these connections.

Modern Reception and Genre Standing

Reviews for ‘Sinners’ point to its bold moves and rich atmosphere. Critics at outlets such as Vulture call the film both “bold” and “distinct,” noting how it brings out the voice of the Black South while also holding back some classic horror punch. Not everyone finds the scares as sharp as the symbolism, but that’s almost beside the point. The film is discussed not just as a horror flick, but as a cultural moment.

Movie buffs and everyday fans on Reddit’s discussion threads praise the motion picture’s ambition, with many saying it hits a sweet spot between thriller and historical drama. Threads buzz with debate over what sticks out most; the eerie mood, the music, or the slow, patient storytelling.

The film’s biggest legacy may lie with genre fans hungry for art that cuts deeper than formula. ‘Sinners’ stands beside modern horror stories that challenge what the genre can achieve, touching the spirit as much as the nerves. Readers interested in atmospheric Southern tales mixed with spooky and smart storytelling will find plenty more inspiration in psychological thriller movies with similar moods.

Where ‘Sinners’ Stands in Modern Horror

Coogler’s film won’t please everyone. Some horror lovers will crave more blood and less heartache. But for those who want fear rooted in something real; where every shiver means something, ‘Sinners’ is a film that sets its own rules. It calls to those who see horror as a lens for truth, not just a source of frights.

The movie stands as a bold torch-bearer for smart, soulful horror. By fusing history, myth, and music, it leaves footprints other directors may one day follow. The story lingers, much like the pulse of blues guitar drifting across a midnight field, daring anyone who listens to remember what was lost; and what can still be found.

Reviewed

‘Sinners’ stands out as a bold blend of horror and history, binding the haunted soil of Mississippi with stories that refuse to be forgotten. Ryan Coogler uses fear not as an escape, but as a lens on memory, culture, and loss. Each frame pulses with lived experience; guilt, music, and hope woven tightly together.

For movie lovers who crave atmosphere and weight, ‘Sinners’ offers more than scares. It’s a reminder that horror, at its best, shines a light on what matters most; roots, resistance, and the hunger to remember. Films that echo this style and ambition often appear in collections exploring gothic storytelling and cultural myth, rewarding fans who chase meaning as much as mystery. I’d give this a full 5 stars, but the only irritant in the film is the adding in of scenes and characters from the future, busting the timeline and era the film portrays. ~ 4.5 stars out of 5, Oisin Rhymour, Techno Tink Media – www.technotink.com/design/

Thank you for joining this journey through shadow and song. If you felt the chill and the call for deeper stories, share your thoughts; and keep an eye out for more films that haunt and heal in equal measure.

The legend of Black-Eyed Children, or B.E.K., is a modern urban legend of mysterious, ghastly, ghostly evil children who appear late at night with solid black eyes. It apparently first dates from Texas folklore in the mid-1990s. It is the ominous horror scare of the obstructed gaze of deep black eyes from young kids as images of demonic and devilish possession. Although a relatively “new” legend, they have been reported worldwide.

The original Texas legend was told by Brian Bethel, who claimed to have met the black-eyed children when he was out paying his cable bill in 1996 while living in Abilene, Texas. He stated he was sitting in his car outside a strip mall writing his check, and then a group of teenagers, wearing hoodies and possessing black eyes, came standing in his car – they asked him for a ride to their mother’s house to get money for movie tickets. However, the movie was already running, and the teenagers sounded older than the kids. He was scared and sped away when, looking back, the kids disappeared. He wrote about the encounter and published it in the Abilene New Reporter.

Many scholars say this urban legend has evolved from demonic descriptions of possessed children or could be examples of death personified as children. Children have also been an image of dark fae or fairies, shorter-statured humans with dark black eyes. They often have pale skin and appear to people in cars or homes, wanting to be in the vehicle or home.

The eyes are solid jet black, with no pupils, white, or iris, just totally black. The kids are often school-aged, ranging from kindergarteners to high schoolers. Often, their clothes are outdated, and they speak in a monotone voice, more mature than perceived age. They often repeat the same phrase and insist on being let inside the house or the car the appears before. They start innocent and evolve into more aggressive in their actions. Like vampires, they must be invited in to have power over an individual. When denied, they wander off. The accounts of these children allowed in led to the disaster unfolding, ranging from tragedy to destruction, cancer, and curses.

In Irish lore, these creatures are sometimes compared to changelings. Changelings in Irish faerie lore are fairy babies swapped for human children and are often riddled with evil actions or destruction. Water baby legends from Lake Tahoe, California, also share imagery and actions, such as when they cry to lure people to their deaths.

References:

• Bethel, Brian 2015 “Brian Bethel recounts his possible paranormal encounter with BEKs”. Abilene Reporter News. December 8, 2015.
• Cieslik, Emma 2024 Atlas Obscura: “Death as a Child: The modern legend of the black-eyed children”. Website referenced 10/23/24 at https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/black-eyed-children-urban-legend.
• Daily Edge 2014 “Here’s the actual story behind the black eyed ghost children”. October 2, 2014.
• Lockley, Mike 2014 “Black Eyed Child returns to haunt Cannock Chase”; Birmingham Mail.
• Mohsin, Maria 2024 “Legend of the Black-eyed Children”. Website https://www.tbsnews.net/splash/legend-black-eyed-children-55705 referenced on 10/23/24.
• PBS 2024 Don’t Let them in: The Urban Legends of Black-Eyed Children. PBS Broadcast video located at https://portal.knme.org/video/dont-let-them-in-the-urban-legends-of-black-eyed-children-oht8de/
• Wikipedia 2024 “Black-eyed Children Legend” website referenced at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-eyed_children on 10/23/24.

Image is of Creative Commons, Wikipedia: Black-eyed children. (2024, October 23). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-eyed_children

Multnomah County Poor Farm (Now McMenamins Edgefield) Troutdale, OR

photo by Ian Poellet – via Wikipedia.
The Multnomah County Poor Farm (built 1911) in Troutdale, Oregon,

Deep in the heart of Troutdale was an early 1900’s farm that housed the homeless, sick, poor, and unfortunate. It was a place for those desperate to come and stay in exchange for work.  Legend has it, many died while working the farm, and the place had a continual flow of people.  In 1990, the Portland chain McMenamins built a hotel, brewery, and venue atop the property and have had claims of strange happenings ever since. Room 215 is claimed to be the most haunted room on the property. The front desk has a log of strange happenings at the property.    www.mcmenamins.com

Bibliography:

• Tindrick, Ryan 2014 “11 Scariest Haunted Places in Oregon”. Website referenced 10/10/15 at http://articlecats.com/index.php/11-scariest-haunted-places-in-oregon/

The kids of Crosian Creek Road

Salem, OR

There exists an urban legend or ghost story of a little girl and boy apparitions walking along the road outside of Salem, Oregon. Legend has it the little girl was killed while walking across the road and ever since she’s haunted the roadway with her brother. Some say they see a ball rolling across the street with a girl chasing it, and a little boy waving them to slow down.

Bibliography:

• Tindrick, Ryan 2014 “11 Scariest Haunted Places in Oregon”. Website referenced 10/10/15 at http://articlecats.com/index.php/11-scariest-haunted-places-in-oregon/

The Bandaged Man

Hwy 101 near Cannon Beach, Oregon

There is a mysterious legend along with the coastal highway 101 on the Oregon coast – that of an apparition of a man walking along the highway covered in bandages. He is often seen on the side of the road or in one’s rear-view mirror. Some have claimed to see him in their backseat through their rear-view mirror. When they turn to look in person, he’s not there. The reports of this apparition go back to the early 1960s.

Most claim that the best way to see him is to go down the older highway 101 that runs parallel to the main highway through the forest. This is now an abandoned road not in use, and it is said to travel at night, as very few reports seeing him in the daylight. Some call this “The Bandage Man Road”. Most notably where Highway 26 intersects with Coastal 101. He is said to vanish just before reaching the town. His name is “The Bandage Man” because he’s a man with a bandaged face.

Almost a ghastly mummy, he’s wrapped in bandages and apparently haunts the Cannon Beach community, based on urban lore. He’s described as a bloody figure of a man, covered in bandages drenched in blood, and the stench of rotting flesh follows him. He’s been said to jump into vehicles passing on the road out of Cannon Beach, especially into pickup trucks and open-topped vehicles, sedans, station wagons, and sports cars. He’s been claimed to have broken windows and leaving behind bloody bandages in his aftermath.

Some claim he is the unrestful spirit of a lumberjack who was sliced and diced in a sawmill accident nearby. He is said to have killed people along the highway and to have eaten the dogs of neighboring communities.

One of the original tales is about teenage kids “Parking and sparking” along the Bandage Man road. The boy had an old Chevy pickup and they were kissing when they felt the truck bounce with something moving in the back bed. They looked out the window to see a man in a bloody bandaged face with weird eyes. He began banging on the glass and top of the cab. The kid revved his engine, put it in gear, and raced away in terror to Cannon Beach to the safety of their parent’s service station in the greenhouse. He was gone.

The bandaged man has also been reported to be seen along the route from Lincoln City to Seaside. Some tag on that Bandage Man was a criminal shot by the police along the highway – he was transferred from the hospital to the jail, escaped, ran into the woods, and never seen again.

In the area are also tales about flying pots in Seaside, a haunted hotel in Nehalem Bay, and many mysterious apparitions in Astoria giving a great backdrop for films like Goonies, The Ring 2,  and The Fog as well as inspirations for Lovecraft film Cthulhu.

Bibliography:

• Alexander, Stephen 2014 “Haunted Oregon – Interesting before scary” Portland Tribune. Website http://portlandtribune.com/pt/11-features/229134-92235-haunted-oregon-interesting-before-scary referenced 10/12/15.
• Hagestedt, Andre 2006 “Oregon Coast Ghosts, and Other Paranormal Legends” Website http://www.beachconnection.net/news/ghost1006_0174.htm referenced 10/12/15.
• Shadowlands 2015 “Haunted Places in Oregon” Website http://www.theshadowlands.net/places/oregon.htm referenced 10/12/15.
• Tindrick, Ryan 2014 “11 Scariest Haunted Places in Oregon”. Website referenced 10/10/15 at http://articlecats.com/index.php/11-scariest-haunted-places-in-oregon/
• Sluggo 2009 “The Bandage Man of Cannon Beach” website referenced http://sluggosghoststories.blogspot.com/2009/10/bandage-man-of-cannon-beach.html on 10/12/15.
• Unexplained Mysteries 2015 “” website http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=81120 referenced on 10/12/15.

St. Lawrence Cemetery – Zombie Land PA  

 

Zombieland

Hillsville, Pennsylvania

Along the border of Ohio and Pennsylvania, in Lawrence County, just north of the small Italian immigrant populated village of Hillsville is an unsettling quiet and eerie region locals call “Zombie Land”.

Mainly “urban legend” than actual historic folklore are tales of the macabre, mystical beasts, deaths, and grisly murder. There is definitely a feeling of “odd” and “something not right” when entering these several mile strips of heavily wooded spots meeting farming, transportation, and industrial works along Lawler Ford Road a.k.a. “Zombie Road” or Route 224.

The Virgin Mary:

It begins around the old St. Lawrence Catholic Church which has long been converted to a private residence and its accompanying graveyard along route 224. There is an alcove with a statue of the Virgin Mary who has a creepy air about herself. Legend has it, she will greet visitors with open arms when it is safe to enter Zombie Land, and have praying hands when it is not. In the 1990’s it was reportedly vandalized and a plexiglass (or glass) window was installed to protect the statue.

St. Lawrence Church and Graveyard:

Some say the gravestones behind this church glow at night. Others say it is at the Presbyterian graveyard down the road. We’ve been to both, and outside of solar-powered grave lights, there is no glow. Others say it is a historic stone in the older part of the graveyard behind the old Church (St. Lawrence) that has a particular shine that reflects off the full moon or light from the house (old church). We unfortunately during our night visit did not see that section, although we did explore the two graveyards – seeing no glow, but experiencing the eerie ambiance.

The Hilltown Bridge:

Just down the road from the St. Lawrence Graveyard north is the Hilltown Bridge. The original Bridge in March 1913 was swept away and has since been replaced by a new concrete monster. It was torn down again in 2007 and replaced with a modern concrete span.

It is from this bridge that reports of unexplained lights moving around it and underneath like the Will o’ Wisp has been reported. Also, some say one can hear screams and gunshots from the bridge at night. It has also been reported to be a “crying bridge” with sounds of a crying baby underneath, with the urban lore that a mother tossed her child over the edge. It has reports of suicides being conducted from its rails.

The Killing Fields or “Murder Swamp”:

Just north of the Hilltown Bridge are the “Killing Fields” where at night many report hearing screams and gunshots. In the woods bordering the railway, some say there are “ghost whistles” to be heard late at night. If one park near the rails, strange things will happen to the car. It is also reputedly where a serial killer dumped more than a dozen bodies with decapitated heads in Zombie Land.

From 1921-1942, between Mahoningtown and New Castle, over 15 bodies were found in the swamp and may have been the same serial killer who conducted decapitations in Cleveland around the same time. There are many stories of the Italian Immigrants who settled in the area also killing many farmers, authorities, and residents leaving them in the Killing Fields to decay. It was in 1907 when several Italian men in Hillsville, believed to be associated with the Italian mafia/mob who proclaimed that “No person in the Hillsville district, either Italian or American, will give the slightest assistance to any officer desiring the prosecution of Italian offenders.” and it was then that a Hillsville farmer allowed an officer named Sealy Houk to use his phone to effect an arrest of an Italian found to have killed his cow.

It is believed that the officer was killed and dumped in the “Killing fields” of the region, discovered by a train passing by. Three days after Houk’s body was discovered, three Italian mob men went into the fields killing and pouching animals, aggravating and attacking (murdering at least one – William Duff) farmers who tried to stand in their way.

The Killing fields – Zombie Land PA

The Mines:

There are said to be various mines in the area used by the mafia from Youngstown to dispose of bodies. While traveling through the area, we only saw signs for “Limestone” mines.

 

The Frankenstein Bridge/sky hill road bridge: Zombie Land PA

 

Skyhill Road Bridge:

(aka Frankenstein Bridge, Hookman’s Bridge, Ghost Bridge, Graffiti Bridge)

A few more miles down into Zombie land on Skyhill Road is a small bridge that was built in 1917 crossing off the Coffee Run River. It also has been replaced in 2013 changing the eerie attraction. It became to be believed to be haunted by the “Bridge People” and the “Hook Man”.

Apparently, they were mutated zombie-like people who lived nearby that were bothered by people hanging around the bridge so would hunt them down to maim or kill them. It is believed that if one writes someone’s name on the bridge, the “Bridge People” or “The Hookman” would go murder them. The bridge is covered with people’s names and symbols. The Original bridge had wood railings where the graffiti would be, but now a metal railing, the graffiti is on the asphalt itself. Oddly, underneath the bridge are lover’s dedications and love notes scrawled on the walls. The Hate is above, the Love below.

We also saw the corpse of a dead deer lying halfway on the ground and in the water, half-wrapped in a garbage bag like an offering to the Bridge people. Someone else writing about the Bridge also stated there was a dead deer but that was back in 2016, so a different dead deer. It is said a young boy leaped from the bridge killing himself as a suicide.

Hate Graffiti atop The Frankenstein Bridge/sky hill road bridge: Zombie Land PA

The Zombie Torch:

Right around the corner from the bridge west is the Eternal Flame dedicated to the Zombies that haunt the woods. The mutant colored metal pipe protruding from the ground is just a stone’s torch from the road – it is an iron pipe venting fumes from the natural gas field below. If one lights the torch it will anger the Bridge People and the Hook Man, summoning them to cause death unto the one who lit it.

The Zombie Torch/Eternal Flame  

The Blood House, Bridge People, Hook Man:

Deep in the woods near the bridge and torch is the purported home of the Bridge People and/or Hook Man. It is said also to have been the home of a wicked witch named “Mary Black” who snatched and murdered children of the area, burying them in the fields.

It has long been burnt down and demolished by authorities and no longer exists. Others state that the Blood House is located off of Erskin Quarry Road and had a small graveyard attached to it. Some say the Witch was a woman who went crazy and hung her children. Others say it all happened when some mental patients escaped and settled in the area.

Others say the “Bridge People” were mutant-like residents of the woods who suffered from “hydrocephalus” or “water on the brain” that settled in the area along the Mahoning River to avoid being harassed for their deformities. They were also nicknamed the “Light Bulb Heads”.

An escaped mental patient nicknamed “Zombie” who was a serial killer supposedly lived in the woods along this road. Some claim that his bloodied hospital gown was once found on the road and murdered local kids. Other paranormal investigators call the “Bridge People” the infamous legendary “Shadow People” of lore. There is some belief that the “Hook Man” came from the Killing of Seely Houk written about above.

The Railroad Bridge:

Along Coffee Run, at Robinson’s Crossing, just north of the Manoning River, within Zombie Land, not too far from all the haunted locations is a Railway Bridge still in use by CSX trains was the scene of a grisly rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl named Shannon Leigh Kos.

Her boyfriend and two other 20-year-old boys brought her there, raped her, and stabbed her to death. They attempted to burn her body, but her remains were found by the bridge three days later. The sick criminals – William George Monday (21), David Christopher Garvey (20), and Perry Sam Ricciardi II (20) were arrested and convicted.

There are purported rumors that Robinson’s Crossing was once a popular “lover’s lane” but police reported many arguments and spats, domestic violence calls, etc. were popular there as well as abandoned dates they had to come to escort home. Rumors of suicides at this spot as well as the other bridges are also common.

The Glowing Green Man:

There are legends of a green man who had been burned in an industrial accident that lived in the area. Others say he was a local handyman who was electrocuted and had a light green glow to his skin. According to Jim Mosley, the Green Man not only existed but was someone whom he had met on occasion through his wanderings in Zombie Land and spent many evenings drinking with him at the local pub. His real name was Raymond Robinson.

A zombie land facebook fan page exists here: https://www.facebook.com/ZombieLandHillsvillePA/ and t-shirts are sold at a local beverage shop.

Dead deer dumped at The Frankenstein Bridge/skyhill road bridge: Zombie Land PA

Recommended Reading/Bibliography:

• Associated Press 2000 “Accused told police of Killing”. The Associated Press. Website referenced on 11/12/18 at http://www2.sharonherald.com/localnews/recentnews/0011/ln111600f.html

• Lawrence County Memoirs n.d. “Zombie Land – Hillsville PA” website referenced 11/12/18 at http://www.lawrencecountymemoirs.com/lcmpages/1073/zombieland-hillsville-pa

• Reddit 2016 “Gruesome Murder of a Girl I Knew NSFW” by u/nebbles1069. Website referenced 11/12/18 at https://www.reddit.com/r/nosleep/comments/462b6r/gruesome_murder_of_a_girl_i_knew_nsfw/

• Penn Live e2016 “From Hell’s Hollow to Zombie Land: 13 western PA places with haunting legends. Website referenced 11/12/18 at https://www.pennlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2016/10/haunted_western_pennsylvania.html

• Summers, Ken 2011 “The Strange History Behind America’s Creepiest Zombie Road Legends … and How You Can find them”. Website referenced 11/12/18 at http://weekinweird.com/2011/09/26/home-zombie-roads/

• Tinsley, M. Ferguson 2000 “This time, Zombie Land tale is true”. Post-Gazette Staff. Website referenced 11/12/18 at http://old.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20001031zombie1.asp

• Torisk, Emmalee C. 2013 “Urban legends haunt Zombieland” : Vindy.com. Website referenced 11/12/18 at http://www.vindy.com/news/2013/oct/29/urban-legends-haunt-zombieland/

• Warren, Louis S. unknown “The Hunters Game: Poachers and Conservationists in Twentieth-Century America”. Website referenced 11/12/18 at https://books.google.com/books?id=OfeB1wAdQHwC&pg=PA30&lpg=PA30&dq=killing+fields+hillsville

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GWYN AP NUDD

The ruler of the Welsh Fae or the “Tylwyth Teg” (Fair Folk) is Gwyn ap Nudd. He is also the King of the Dead, a sombre looking male who often is accompanied by an owl. He rules over a Middle Earth kingdom, beneath the Earth that is believed to be entered via the Welsh Lakes or through the Glastonbury Tor where he once ruled.

He left Glastonbury when the Christian missionaries began converting Britain to their way and turning the humans away from the Old God/desses and spirits. Even Saint Collen preached against Gwyn Ap Nudd – decrying that he was not a King of the Faeries nor the King of Annwyn the Underworld. This upset Gwyn who requested the Saint’s presence at Glastonbury Tor. The Saint reluctantly met with him armed carrying holy water. When he arrived upon the hill he discovered troops of minstrels, comely youths, and graceful pretty maids with King Gwyn ap Nudd atop his golden throne. Gwyn offered Collen the feast but the Saint refused the Fairy food knowing eating such would trap him in Faerie forever. He then sprung up and doused the King with holy water causing Gwyn to disappear.

The son of Nudd, God of the Dead, Gwyn ap Nudd is one of the many Faerie Kings who serves the Underworld and the Dead. Other God/desses that do this are Barinthus, Arawn, and Finvarra. Sometimes the Land of the Fae is equivalent to the Land of the Dead in Celtic Folklore. These worlds are accessed from caves, wells, under lakes/pools, tors, and fairy mounds. These gates represented the power of the Fae – life, and death, all power and fertility. The Dead are celebrated on Samhain, Yule, and Lughnasad when these doors are commonly found open.

Gwyn ap Nudd rules the Cwn Annwn, the red-eared white Faerie Welsh Hounds of the Underworld, and Wild Hunt. THey ride out on wild and stormy nights to pursue the souls of the Newly Deceased. From a distance, their howls sound like lamentation and get softer spoken the closer they come to their victim.

Bibliography / Recommended Reading:

• Croker, Thomas Crofton undated “Fairy Legends and Traditions”. Website referenced on 12/23/13 at http://books.google.ie/books?id=3jCPRo9GAE8C&pg=PT133&lpg=PT133&dq=Gougane+Barra+fairy&source=bl&ots=zVDgcqoGvM&sig=EGQByEFSCrbPtok_RMVoMgdye7s&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VBG4UuJRqaztBt6bgOgC&ved=0CIIBEOgBMAs#v=onepage&q=Gougane%20Barra%20fairy&f=false. Library of Alexandria: unknown.
• Croker, Thomas Crofton undated “Fairy Legends and Traditions of the south of Ireland”. Website referenced on 12/23/13 at http://books.google.ie/books?id=ltoDAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA274&lpg=PA274&dq=Gougane+Barra+fairy&source=bl&ots=y2RVZLcpEv&sig=0VH_Ip4ZQp_uexpefGt3yHAMPuQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VBG4UuJRqaztBt6bgOgC&ved=0CIUBEOgBMAw#v=onepage&q=Gougane%20Barra%20fairy&f=false
• Mercian Gathering undated “Bad Faeries” website referenced 12/24/2013 at http://www.merciangathering.com/bad_fairies.htm.

“Shadow Hills” – Haunted South Ridge and Fontana area, California

According to the Inside the Inland Empire web site and various other ghost hunting blogs, the South Ridge area of Fontana is quite haunted. It has been nicknamed “Shadow Hills”. One family off of Jurupa street claim much paranormal activity in their home. Foot steps up the stairs with no one around, doors slamming on their own, microwave fan turning itself on, lights flickering, a little girl spirit on the stairs, spirits demanding the family to “Get Out”, apparitions of blood in the shower, zombies, and shadow creatures in the yard. Shadow creatures are commonly reported around the Inland Empire, especially at Mt. Rubidoux. Several of their neighbors off Jurupa street also claim a lot of activity. Rumor has it, there occurs a lot of moving in and out of the Jurupa street neighborhood. Stories and reports extend off Jurupa into the houses along Cypress, Coleen st, oleander ave, corner of Woodcrest drive, and Citrus. Some of the hauntings were reported in brand new homes without former residents. Apparitions of a little boy wearing a striped shirt, plumes of smoking rising up from the closet floor, feelings of being touched, jiggling door knobs, and chairs moving on their own. Some conclude that these houses are built atop an ancient Indian burial ground, although the reportings and activities don’t necessarily support such a theory. A house on the corner of Oak Park Elementary reports seeing a 1800’s dated apparition of a woman wearing a bonnet, lights turning on and off, voices, shadows, stuff moving around, etc. Another resident nearby also claims seeing women with white bonnets and powder blue dresses in their homes in the South Park district at 17203 Avenue Del Sol. A South ridge resident claimed poltergeist activity – reflections of people standing behind the sofa when the tv was off, doors opening and closing, banging in the walls, etc. Also reports on Heritage by various neighbors one claiming a mirror in their house on the east wall was a portal for entry as dictated by a psychic investigating the activity. A haunted house report on 14774 Mountain High Drive off Canyon Crest with apparitions of a silhouette atop the stairs, shadow beings, voices, etc. Another house below baseline near Beech Avenue reports of shadow beings, a little boy made of rock in the fire place, a little girl running about. Again more legends of houses built over a Indian Burial Ground. One claims their house was built above John Redcorn’s burial ground and had a apparition of a woman. Others report sightings and activity off Argentine by Oakwood Drive and behind the Pancho Villas.

Sightings of a chariot drawn by horses coming down the street, a figure in a trench coat with glasses, off Green Vista drive behind Southridge middle school. Reports of an area with creepy trees and bomb shelters with a ghost of a girl wearing a hospital gown also declared. Off of Woodcrest drive there was a family sighting a gnome in one of the bedrooms. This gnome was spying on the resident while he was sleeping, was no taller than the electrical socket, wearing weird dirty sport coat and a evil Leprechaun smile. There is the fabled Victorian style manor at 4701 Sierra Avenue in Hesperia (can be seen from the 15) reportedly haunted. Some say the house was relocated from where it was originally built atop a ancient burial mound. Some say the ghosts moved with it (house originally was in Redlands built in 1888 for Judge George E. Otis by D.M. Donald). One report of a spirit of a giant angry man who hurled a trespasser onto stones causing severe injuries to the man reporting it. Some say the owner confirms the hauntings.

Along highway 66 originally, the foothill boulevard is believed to be haunted by a young man in a striped shirt carrying a long stick or buggy whip, he is reported to cross the street when cars approach then disappears. Sometimes he is accompanied by a black dog. (GPS 34.10648057912253, -117.47255516122095)

Green Acres cemetery has reported occurrences of blood appearing on the table between the three marble chairs in the southeastern part of the cemetery every Halloween. East end of 7th street (GPS 34.039240814445115, -117.39045982811149) Also at the Agua Mansa Pioneer Cemetery there are rumors of a mother that haunts the bend around this cemetery and is the spirit of the mother who drowned her 6 children. According to Hispanic legend she is known as La Llorona or the Weeping Woman searching for the children she murdered. The spirits of two people who were executed here also reportedly haunt the cemetery and have been known to be the cause of fatal car accidents on this bend (2001 Agua Mansa Road – GPS 34.0420097, -117.36421819999998)

On Valley between Fontana and Colton there are reports of a man covered in black often walking the roadside. Reports of decayed children walking about at night. Multiple ghost sightings reportedly around Jurupa Park or Martin Tudor Park.
The Big Lots store (formerly Pic n Save) at the corner of Foothill Boulevard and Sierra is reportedly haunted with reports of several ghosts flickering lights, making noises, voices, knocking things off shelves, pulling of employee’s hair, etc. Some say the Ghost of a former Pic n Save employee named Manny haunts the store.

Along the Thompson Creek Trail, some report shadow beings following them when hiking this trail, and that skulls appear in the clouds above. Also that trees and bushes bleed on occasion. Some say they have had visions of levitating boulders, invisible walls blocking the path, and violent images. GPS 34.1290555, -117.7222145. Also the old boy scout’s cabin that burnt down up there is reportedly haunted.

Properties:
• Aqua Mansa Pioneer Cemetery
• Aqua Mansa Road (2001 Aqua Mansa)
• Argentine
• Avenue del Sol (17203)
• Beech Avenue
• Big Lots store (Foot Hill boulevard and Sierra)
• Citrus Street
• Coleen Street
• Cypress Street
• Foot Hill Boulevard and Citrus Ave
• Green Acres Cemetery
• Heritage
• Jurupa Street
• Mountain High Drive (14774)
• Oak Park Elementary
• Oakwood Drive
• Oleander Ave
• Sierra Ave (4701)
• Southridge Middle School
• Thompson creek trail
• Valley between Fontana and Colton
• Woodcrest Drive

References:
• Ghosts of America unknown “Fontana, California ghost sightings” http://www.ghostsofamerica.com/9/California_Fontana_ghost_sightings.html website referenced 5/22/2015.
• Haunted Hovel unknown “Fontana, Ca. / Renne / Sierra Ave off the 15 fwy.” http://www.hauntedhovel.com/fontana-ca-renne-sierra-ave-off-the-15-fwy.html. website referenced 5/22/2015.
• Haunted Places unknown “Haunted Places in Fontana, California” http://www.hauntedplaces.org/fontana-ca/ Website refrenced 5/22/2015.
• Inside the IE.com unknown “Haunted House in South Ridge Fontana”. http://www.insidetheie.com/haunted-house-fontana. Website referenced 5/22/2015.
• Palmer, Chuck 1982 “Old House has new home”. The Sun Feb 15, 1982. DM Donald built the home in 1888 in Redlands for Judge George E. Otis.
• Wikipedia unknown “Shadow Hills California” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow_Hills,_Los_Angeles website referenced 5/22/2015.

If you’ve experienced sightings in this area, please share here.

cross-posted from http://roguevalleymessenger.com/art-culture/spring-arts-preview-medford-artist-launching-irish-language-zombie-comic-book#.VPNcyPnF-Gx

– Published February 17 2015

SPRING ARTS PREVIEW: Medford Artist Launching Irish-language Zombie Comic Book

“They’re coming to get you, Barbara!” the classic line from George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead would have read a little differently had the film been written by Medford-based zombie fans, Tj and Linda O’Connor––something more like, “Tá siad ag teacht a fháil duit, Barbara!” which might read like zombie speak if your Irish Gaelic is a little rusty.
The third-generation Irish-American couple has fused their seemingly unrelated passions for their family tongue and the zombies who want to eat that tongue (along with everything attached to it) into an Irish language zombie comic series, Tá na Mairbh ag Filleadh (roughly translated, The Returning Dead). In the spirit of sharing their love for the brain-eating shenanigans of the celtic undead, the O’Connors are raising the funds to publish their web comic as a graphic novel.
Reading Irish children’s books to their two-year-old daughter inspired them to add to the cannon. “There are [Irish language] books out there, but there’s not that many comic books,” says Tj O’Connor, “So I wanted to do a zombie comic book in Irish because it’s kind of something that doesn’t really exist.”
The couple is bringing up their children as bilingual Irish and English speakers. “We both growing up had family members who spoke Irish,” says Tj, “That’s how we both started learning it when we were children. So I always speak Irish to my kids.”
The O’Connors are hoping to fund the printing of the graphic novel through a Kickstarter campaign closing in early March. If the project is funded, the O’Connors hope to finish the book shortly thereafter, so the ginger zombies may be coming for your kids by summer. You can get updates on the project through Kickstarter and read some of the comics (English translations are available) at occomix.com(link is external).