Creepy Classics

As the days get shorter and drearier, and Halloween approaches, let’s look at some creepy classics together.

I just finished reading The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (I will blog on this later this week), and am moving on to Dracula and Frankenstein. If you are interested in reading (or watching) these free creepy classics, check out some of these versions:

Dracula

The classic vampire tale, before Twilight and the millions of others.

• Read the Ebook
• Watch a clip from the 1992 version with Keanu Reeves and Gary Oldman
• Watch a clip from the 1931 version

Frankenstein

Frankenstein is the name of the crazy scientist, not the creature.

• Read the Ebook
• Watch the classic clip: “It’s Alive!”

Or, if you want a mash-up, here’s Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, which has them both.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Woven with mystery, this tale is more than meets the eye.

• Read the Ebook
• Watch the 1968 version for free

In my opinion, creepy isn’t the same as good.

I’ll be honest: I don’t look for creepy books to read. Sure, when I was younger I used to read collections of ghost stories and I even read a few Goosebumps, but I generally gravitate towards happy stories. In fact, I’m a little sensitive to overly dark material.

What draws me to these books is the deeper element that makes them creepy: they delve into the darker side of the human condition.

These books answer questions such as:

• What if you could live forever, at the expense of other human life?
• What if you could reanimate human flesh with science (or so-called natural philosophy)? Would the thing still be human?
• What if you could take a potion that would allow you to assume another identity, where you could give yourself over to vice, and then return to your former identity without repercussions?

I don’t like to dwell on the darker aspects of human nature, but I believe it is important to acknowledge them.

These tales call for introspection when we are tempted to judge the characters. We can examine our own dark sides and check our moral compass. As a Christian, self-examination and repentance of the sin of my darker side is important to me. Strength and purpose are found in seeing sin for what it is, and purposefully turning from it.

Join me as I take a look at these spine-tingling tales!