Author: Tritone

Tritone's love of horror and mystery began at a young age. Growing up in the 80’s he got to see some of the greatest horror movies play out in the best of venues, the drive-in theater. That’s when his obsession with the genre really began—but it wasn’t just the movies, it was the games, the books, the comics, and the lore behind it all that really ignited his obsession. Tritone is a published author and continues to write and write about horror whenever possible.

Is The House That Ghosts Built Based On a True Story?

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Scary Movies and Series

What Is The Inspiration Behind Winchester (2018)?

The haunted house horror movie Winchester (2018), draws its inspiration from a very real house, like many horror movies based on true events , that create an authentic horror story!  The trailer is quite exhilarating. The cast includes Helen Mirren as Sarah Winchester and Jason Clarke as Eric Price, both excellent choices for the roles within the house.  So, how real is the Winchester house story and to what extent is the new Winchester movie ‘based upon a true story’? 

Here are some of the most authentic facts about the Winchester House which are clearly also referenced or used in the new 2018 movie about the haunted mansion.

Sarah Winchester

Sarah Winchester is a real person. She was the wife of one of the creators of the Winchester rifle, a gun used to kill a large number of people during war.  She truly inherited the wealth of the Winchester estate upon her husband’s death.

Winchester Mystery House

The actual Winchester House itself exists and is now a historic site in San Jose, California.  This house is referred to as the “Winchester Mystery House” in real life and truly was the personal residence of Sarah Winchester.  The house was built after she inherited her wealth and after she began building the house, construction continued until her death.

Sarah’s Spiritual Torment

Sarah Winchester claimed to be tormented and haunted by the spirits…the ghosts of the people killed by the Winchester rifle.  Adam Coons, self-proclaimed psychic, was responsible for guiding Sarah to build the house as a way to “trap” the ghosts in rooms and overcome the haunts. According to Coons, the curse was on the Winchester family.  Sarah continued to build the rooms in the house to try and trap all of the spirits who were haunting her family.

Available to Tour

Sarah Winchester Drawing in a black shroud

The Winchester Mystery House is so very real, that it can be toured. That’s right: it is possible to schedule and tour the mansion by the hour! In fact, they even do something special around Halloween time! Check out the official Winchester Mystery House tour!

Other Movies Like Winchester (2018) “The House That Ghosts Built”

Although this movie may seem like it is banking off of an original concept (and it may very well be the best one yet, its release will tell), but it actually is not the first movie to be made about the Winchester House.  Rose Red (2002) is also (more loosely) based upon the Winchester mansion.  The Rose Red story is fiction, however, involving name changes and plot changes…but Stephen King did actually consider shooting the film in the actual Winchester House.  Had the rooms themselves not been so small, it very well likely would have been produced in that very house!

Nonetheless, the Winchester (aka The House That Ghosts Built) trailer release shows a very promising film…one that will give Rose Red and all haunted house horror movies a run for their money! Could we have a new ‘best horror movie about haunted houses’ after all?  The movie’s official release date is February 2, 2018.

Fun Fact: The name “Dr Eric Price” given to Jason Clarke’s character, could be a tip of the hat to the Haunting of Hill house, The haunting, and the House on Haunted Hill…all of which have some connection to a ‘dr’ in the house, or a brilliant or otherwise wealthy male “Price” character.  In all instances, the character is always summoned to the house for one reason or another. Similarly, Winchester (2018) summons Dr Eric Price to the haunted mansion.

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Is Jason Voorhees Immortal?

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Lifestyle Scary Movies and Series

Can Jason Voorhees Be Killed? [Friday the 13th Trivia]

Is the Friday the 13th Slasher an Immortal Killer?

Jason Voorhees is a sincerely strong horror movie slasher. Fans have watched him sustain unbelievable blows and violent damage to literally stand motionless.  He has even been lit on fire (Freddy vs Jason, for example), to simply walk forward with his blade as though it were not happening at all! Friday the 13th fans have been debating Jason’s mortality and when exactly he became the impenetrable monster that he is today.  Horror Enthusiast thumbs through the volumes of the Friday the 13th franchise to discover whether Jason Voorhees is immortal…or not!

Ways Jason Voorhees Has ‘Died’ (Ways They Tried to Kill Jason)

Can the hockey mask-wearing Friday the 13th slasher be killed? Following all of the ways people have tried to kill Jason Voorhees throughout his movies makes the answer clear!

Drowning

Although it is later explained that Jason Voorhees survived the childhood tragedy, most fans believed and still believe he died in Crystal Lake.  Technically, he survived the drowning…and although it is not clear if he was immortal at the time of the near-drowning, it has been speculated he was born immortal.

Dismembered

Many people, including Tommy Jarvis (a character in some of the movies), thought that dismembering Jason Voorhees would kill him.  Unfortunately, Jason is immortal and he survived dismemberment.

Explosive Firing Squad

Jason Voorhees suffers some pretty extreme gunfire and literally blows up as a result. The FBI unloads a ton of fire power on this horror movie slasher.  None of the agents who fired at Jason that day would ever suspect he would be back yet again!

Swallowed By Hell

Jessica Kimble (a character in one of the movies) uses a magical dagger to strike Jason, sending him straight to hell. Still, hell would eventually spit him back out to slash again!

Atmospheric Disintegration

Of the many insane ways horror movie slashers meet their “demise,” being burned up alive in Earth’s atmosphere HAS TO BE THE CRAZIEST!  Jason still returns after his outrageous death in Jason X (2001).

jason voorhees drawing from Friday the 13th holding a machete.

Jason Has the Last Laugh

Although many sources claim that Jason Voorhees is definitely dead…his constant re-emergence at Camp Crystal Lake has been evidence that he is here to stay.  Jason has literally come back from hell itself in order to torment again.  One time, another killer (Freddy Krueger), even had the power to bring him back.  No matter how many times fans may think he is dead for good, he seems to return! Jason Voorhees also maintains the title ‘deadliest horror movie slasher’ (highest body count)!

This horror movie slasher may live on forever through his glorious on-screen kills…however, he has also become a cultural horror icon, as each year, millions around the world enjoy a hockey mask costume for Halloween. One thing is definitely certain, Jason Voorhees is immortal one way or another!

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Is Freddy Krueger Immortal? [Nightmare on Elm Street Trivia]

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Lifestyle Scary Movies and Series

Does Freddy Krueger Live Forever?

Freddy Krueger is an intimidating, nightmare-intruding horror movie killer! Being one of the only “reality manipulating” slashers, he holds a lot more power than the traditional horror movie slasher.  In almost every Nightmare on Elm Street movie, they try to kill Freddy Krueger for good…but Freddy always seems to come back!  Freddy’s repeated return to the big screen leaves Elm Street fans everywhere wondering…

Is Freddy Krueger Actually Immortal? Is there any way to kill Freddy Krueger for good? What are the most effective strategies to survive a Nightmare on Elm Street movie?

Ways Freddy Krueger Has Died (or Been “Killed”)

Freddy Krueger is an intrusive, finger-knived slasher who just keeps coming back.  Still, here are some of the ways his victims have tried to take him out…

Death From Being Forgotten

When an entire town disbelieves in Freddy Krueger or otherwise “forgets” him, he is unable to kill.  Freddy Krueger gets his power from the fear his victims feel and think after hearing horror stories about the finger-bladed slasher.

Drag Him Out of the Dreamworld

The Nightmare on Elm Street killer thrives in the dream world, where his power truly vibrates.  With that said, many victims have discovered that Freddy Krueger can be pulled out of the dreamworld and into reality, where he is much weaker. And while he is still a very agile fighter in the real world and quite dangerous…at least the victims stand a better chance!

Killed by Fire

Although Freddy’s “real life” demise came from being burned alive while trapped in the boiler room…he was also burned alive, after being dragged into the real world at the end of the first movie.

Hypnocil

Hypnocil is one of Freddy’s indirect weaknesses. The fictional “Elm Street” prescription eliminates dreams, effectively eliminating Freddy Krueger’s back door entrance to slaughtering endless Elm Street victims.

Holy Blessings

Freddy Krueger is pure evil, and thus hates all things “church.”  When anointed correctly with holy water or otherwise blessed, Freddy Krueger cannot sustain power.  The catch? His bones have to be blessed and they are buried in a super creepy automobile graveyard.  Bring a cross.

Steal His Power

In one movie, a heroine successfully ‘steals’ the power from some of her fallen friends.  Before Freddy knows what hit him, she beats his butt, sending him away for a long time.  The down side, is that only some people seem to have the power to absorb skills and abilities from their dead friends.

Distraction

Krueger is a softie for attention. In fact, he absolutely loves the limelight! So any opportunity for attention usually takes priority for the glove-wielding slasher.  Victims have used his vanity and attention-loving weakness as a way to escape him or otherwise take him out.  One time, he was even beheaded after being distracted.

Trapped Souls

Freddy’s power gets greater as he absorbs the souls of his victims, trapping them in his evil forever. However, sometimes it is possible to find ‘cracks’ in Freddy’s spirit, freeing the trapped souls enough for them to fight back.  When the souls fight back, they fight back hard, typically dragging Freddy back to hell.

Freddy Always Comes Back

Painting of the Nightmare on Elm street house

The Nightmare on Elm Street slasher is one tough killer. No matter how they try to take Freddy out, he always comes back.  Freddy is even seen winking, taunting the audience in 2003 as Jason carries his head out of the water. Part of the problem people do not realize when trying to kill him, is that he is pure evil himself. Bottom line: Freddy Krueger is immortal, despite being able to die in the real world.

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How Were the Saw Traps Invented?

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Scary Movies and Series

The Making of the Saw Movie Traps

The Saw movies are some of the scariest horror films to ever screen.  This is probably because a lot of the torture and traps found in the Saw movies could be replicated in real life and rely on no special powers. Saw bred a new type of horror killer, one that was smart, mechanically inclined and strategic.  Jigsaw is so good at being a horror slasher that he has even overcome his own death to continue killing from beyond the grave.

So how were the Saw prop-traps made? How did the crew and engineers put together these terrifying contraptions that Saw fans enjoy in all of the films?  Horror Enthusiast has paused every scene to inspect every bolt and every spring to find the origin of the Saw trap designs.

How The Saw Traps Were Made

Although each movie features different cast and crew, a lot of the ideas behind creating torture devices that inflict “unimaginable pain” on human beings seem to spread from movie to movie fairly easily. Here are some of the things that are known about the creation of the traps in the Saw movies.

Must Force Victims Into Action

The Saw traps have one hugely common theme: they force a victim into action which poses imminent danger for their life. Most of the traps bring the victims very close to death, if not actually killing them. Because of the risk, the victims must be forced to act. 

Capable of Death

Just about every trap risks the victim’s life completely. There is no chance of survival if the victim fails to beat the game.  Many of the traps deploy an unsustainable injury in the event the victim loses.

The Game Must Be Beatable

Any AUTHENTIC Jigsaw trap is supposed to be able to be won by the victim. This is to provide motivation for the victim to want to fight for their life.

Timed Traps

Many of the traps are timed, so that there is a reason to act with urgency.  This ensures a victim cannot simply “ignore the situation” or “wait it out,” but that the situation requires their attention.

An Instruction Manual

Jigsaw never leaves his victims in the dark, in the sense that they do not know what is going on. Each victim is informed, nearly right away, that they are there because of actions they have taken (or failed to take) in their life.  They are informed (usually by audio or video tape) that they have a chance to survive if they survive playing a game. Each trap is briefly explained with an idea of how to beat it. Only the determined shall survive!

Super Scary Looking

While Jigsaw may inform the victims of their imminent doom, nearly every Jigsaw trap is self-explanatory. The terrifying metal, teeth, blades, razors and needles used in the Saw movies are meant to strike fear in the heart but also show the audience exactly what is at risk.

Real Mechanical Designs

With the exception of SOME of the traps in the newer films, almost all of the traps are real, mechanical designs. That means, no CGI. An authentic Jigsaw trap should be made of metal, not pixels.

The Traps Must Be Safe

knife chair trap from the saw movies

The crew ensured that although the traps may have looked incredibly dangerous…they were in fact, very much safe for the actors themselves.

Final Engineering Notes: Saw Movie Traps

Jigsaw may have had a team of engineers and special effects people to help him make his traps in the movie, but the truth is, there is no limit to the creativeness in human innovation.  If more Saw movies were made, more traps would be devised and boundaries, pushed. The traps featured in the Saw movies thus far have been gruesome and claimed many victims. While they claim Jigsaw (2017) was the last of the franchise, there always seems to be “another final chapter” and another house of traps, right around the corner!

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Does Jason Voorhees Have a Weakness?

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Lifestyle Scary Movies and Series

What Is Jason Voorhees’s Weakness?

Does the Friday the 13th Killer Have a Weakness?

Jason Voorhees always seems to survive any attempt on his life.  He has been dismembered, blown to smithereens and even disintegrated…yet he always returns!  Still, all horror movie killers seem to have a weakness and there almost ALWAYS seems to be a way for the supreme protagonist to somehow make it out alive as well.  Therefore…as Freddy Krueger himself wanted to know…

Does Jason Voorhees have a weakness? Can he be controlled?

Ways to Beat Jason Voorhees If You Were In a Movie

Horror movies can be hard to survive for anyone…however, an undereducated victim always dies faster.  Understanding some of the weaker parts of Jason Voorhees will increase the likelihood of surviving a Friday the 13th movie. Here are some of Jason’s greatest weaknesses used to defeat him.

Afraid of Water

Freddy vs Jason (2003) created a dynamic between nightmare master Freddy Krueger and horror movie slasher Jason Voorhees. Freddy realizes after he brings Jason back from hell to terrorize and kill that Jason is running wild and needs to be better controlled.  Thus, Freddy ends up probing Jason’s brain to find what is feared the most.  What Freddy discovers is that Jason’s traumatic childhood drowning created a fear of water. This fear for water allows Freddy the best advantages in controlling Jason.

Low Intelligence

Jason always seems to be outwitted. No matter which Friday the 13th movie, he is nearly always led to be the fool.  Whether being controlled by Freddy, victimized by the his peers for his mental deficiencies, or falling into a trap…Jason Voorhees can’t seem to get ahead in the thinking department. One of the best ways to survive and/or control Jason is by taking advantage of his low intellect and inability to solve complex problems.

A Soft Spot for Family

Jason Voorhees in a hockey mask from Friday the 13th movies

As the saying goes “even bad men love their mama” and Jason Voorhees does have a soft spot for his mother.  Jason and his mother had a close relationship, causing her to murder on his behalf for an entire movie (she is the real killer in the first Friday the 13th movie, not Jason).  Jason’s weird shrine to his mother is evidence that they have a very special bond.  Freddy uses this bond to his advantage, pretending to be Jason’s mother in his dreams in order to wake Jason up to slaughter on his behalf.

Sleep

Yet another exploit discovered by Freddy Krueger in Freddy vs Jason (2003), Jason is vulnerable when he is sleeping. Freddy even sacrifices one of his possessed victims in the movie in order to stab and inject two needles worth of high-powered tranquilizers to knock Jason out for transport.

But Jason Is Still Kicking!

The movie Freddy vs Jason (2003) may have led fans to believe water is Jason’s weakness, he definitely survived a childhood near-drowning experience and haunts teens at a camp in the woods called “Crystal Lake.”  Ultimately it would appear that Jason Voorhees’ only weakness is his low intelligence. Still, however, that has not stopped Jason from maintaining the highest kill count of all horror movie slashers! If Jason Voorhees has a true weakness, it has yet to be properly exploited…as he keeps coming back to kill and kill again!

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