Steveawiggins

LATEST ARTICLES ( 4557 )

• Powerful Belief

  

  Even someone who’s spent a lifetime studying religion can’t know every single sect. People are far too creative in that regard, and some belief groups are fairl... Read more

  Posted on 15 July 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Fun Homework

  

  I recently discussed the two Kolchak movies: The Night Stalker and The Night Strangler. In those posts I noted that I’d not grown up with Kolchak. My reason... Read more

  Posted on 14 July 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Carnival Days

  

  Carnival of Souls has been receiving renewed attention of late, so I decided to watch it again to see if I’d missed something the first time. Indeed, I had. Read more

  Posted on 13 July 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• A Kind of Shine

  

  Sometimes you just can’t not comment.  A few weeks after Donald Sutherland—known by some of us for his horror roles—passed away, Shelley Duvall has died.  It... Read more

  Posted on 12 July 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Doing Without

  

  I’m a creature of habit.  Although I’m no internet junkie (I still read books made of paper), I’ve come to rely on it for how I start my day.  I get up early an... Read more

  Posted on 11 July 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Book Or Movie?

  

  I’ve read a few of Paul Tremblay’s novels. He’s a horror writer with literary style—often a tough sell (at least in my experience.) Horror Movie is a... Read more

  Posted on 10 July 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Hungry for Choice

  

  I was recently asked to speak to a senior seminar about Holy Horror (many thanks for the invite!). One of the questions asked was how/why I chose the movies I... Read more

  Posted on 09 July 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Sudden Monoliths

  

  Okay, so I’ve been captivated by the monoliths.  You know, the ones that even make the New York Times. These artistic pieces show up, unexpectedly, and... Read more

  Posted on 08 July 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Monster of Aging

  

  Movies with no likable characters, or none with any redeeming personality traits, are difficult to remain awake through. At least on sleepy weekend afternoons.... Read more

  Posted on 07 July 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Or Plastic

  

  I’m no fan of plastic.  When looking for a house a non-negotiable with me was vinyl siding—nope.  In our neighborhood several houses have plastic fences... Read more

  Posted on 06 July 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Shifting Gears

  

  The question’s very basic: do you pay with cash, or by watching commercials. When it’s the same three commercials the whole way through—for products you’d... Read more

  Posted on 05 July 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Storming Fourth

  

  Our founders picked a day of uncertain weather to declare independence.  One gets the sense that people were more stoic about the weather in those days.  Of... Read more

  Posted on 04 July 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Life After

  

  Robert T. Bigelow is wealthy enough to speak his mind.  A hotel and aerospace entrepreneur, Bigelow has made no bones about his belief that aliens are among... Read more

  Posted on 03 July 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• A Land Forgotten

  

  In case anyone’s noticed (which I doubt) that I’ve been discussing a spate of 1950s sci-fi/horror movies, I have a confession to make. Several years ago I neede... Read more

  Posted on 02 July 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• More Than Dark Shadows

  

  The Television Horrors of Dan Curtis is one of those books that makes me feel less alone. Jeff Thompson is not only a true fan of Curtis’ voluminous quality... Read more

  Posted on 01 July 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Sweet Tooth

  

  Often our luxuries come at someone else’s cost.  I personally don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but I do enjoy dark chocolate once in a while.  (Milk chocolate... Read more

  Posted on 30 June 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Following Irving

  

  I’m growing fond of staycations.  Maybe it’s because I’ve become such a creature of habit that major disruptions seem daunting, but I still like a change of... Read more

  Posted on 29 June 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Praying for Mantis

  

  Now this is a Cold War movie. And I mean “cold.” The Deadly Mantis is one of those movies that hovers between “so bad it’s good” and just plain “so bad.” I was... Read more

  Posted on 28 June 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Mustard Monster

  

  Speaking of mustard seeds, as a child something troubled my literalist brain. Mark 4.31, “It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the... Read more

  Posted on 27 June 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY

• Cryptid Caper

  

  I don’t recall how it got on my fiction reading list—I probably saw it on Goodreads—but I picked it up because it was short. And surprisingly, multiple copies... Read more

  Posted on 26 June 2024 POLITICS, RELIGION, SOCIETY