Strange Magic

  Lately I've had this strange obsession with magic- films about ghouls and demons, spooky things, paranormal activity (not the movie!) and I've realized magic is all around us. By magic, I don't just mean strange tricks and kooks, but I also mean beautiful majestical things like the moon and the stars as well as creepy crawly critters. So yes, this is a very delayed Halloween post, but here are a few spooky magic things I happen to like. Enjoy.

This post is JAM PACKED! On this post you will see (SO KEEP SCROLLING!):
1. A Playlist
2. Photos
3. Movie Reviews
4. Websites/Pages to Check Out

Do You Believe in Magic? from itsamodmodworld on 8tracks Radio.

1. "Do You Believe in Magic?" by The Lovin' Spoonful
2. "Magic Bus" by The Who
3. "Strange Days" by The Doors
4. "It's Magic" by Pilot
5. "Technicolour Dreams" by Status Quo
6. "Magical Mystery Tour" by The Beatles
7. "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic" by The Police
8. "You Can Do Magic" by America
9. "Magic Man" by Heart
10. "Strange Magic" by Electric Light Orchestra

Adapted from of a 1939 collage by Herbert Bayer. Reviser unknown.

Decided I'd try something new today and wear my old Harry Potter shirt. Plus I think black and white stripes make things look slightly spookier, don't you think?

Lisa Frank

My homemade googly-eye bow. My new favorite accessory!

Antonia Ordóñez (left) and Guadalupe Juarez-Ordóñez sitting on a half-moon prop for novelty photos at the Santa Monica Pier, 1920. Via Of Another Fashion.

Spooky Movies & Stories You'll Enjoy

Disney's The Sword in the Stone, 1963
The legend of King Arthur is one we all think we know, but don't quite remember the exact story. Through Disney's animated version, we get a focus on Arthur before his rise to royalty, mainly his shitty childhood and relationship with Merlin the wizard. The villain in this film, Mad Madam Mim, is seriously overlooked. If you're in need of an unknown Disney classic that stylistically looks like Peter Pan or Robin Hood, you'll enjoy The Sword in the Stone. So what if the story itself is a little dull? Disney definitely adds that extra oomph for this movie to make it onto this list. 

The Last Unicorn, 1982
This was definitely a childhood favorite of mine. I actually just rediscovered by DVD version and have practically had it on repeat ever since. The story itself is about a unicorn (voiced by the AMAZING Mia Farrow) who is the last of her kind. She ventures out with a bunch of other crazy fantasy characters in order to find out what happened to the other unicorns. As a kid, I loved this movie more than anything, and as a teenager, I still do. If you love unicorns, glitter, magic, or 80's animation, you may just fall in love with this movie.

Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School, 1988
Like The Last Unicorn, I recently found my VHS version of this film while digging through my old TV cabinet. Although creatively this movie lacks the plot of say, The Last Unicorn, as a kid, I always loved this movie. Although the title says Scooby-Doo, it's a little misleading; the only members of the mystery gang to make an appearance in this movie are Scooby, Shaggy, and Scrappy-Doo. Shaggy has recently accepted the job as a gym teacher to what he believes is an all-girls school- but its actually an all-girls ghoul school. Through cheesy 80's animation and slapstick comedy, Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School is easily one of my childhood favorites. Although it doesn't quite measure up today, I certainly loved this movie as a kid. 

The Craft, 1996
If anything, The Craft made me rethink my life and made me want to join the wonderful world of witchcraft. This film is about three teenage girls who take in another new girl as they discover she has the same witch powers they do. Together they are unstoppable- putting curses on those who bullied them, creating amazing spells like an instant hair dye one (which I would LOVE to have in real life, just saying), and bond together through their craft. I won't spoil any endings, but I must say this movie is just wonderful. A little dreary, but overall, a great watch and a must-see. 

Picnic at Hanging Rock, 1975
This film was all over Tumblr one day, so I decided to check it out: WONDERFUL IDEA. This movie is like the pre-Virgin Suicides, a wonderful story about a mystical group of girls who disappear seemingly out of thin air. The only differences are this story takes place in the year 1900, where the dresses were long and the style was beautiful. I absolutely LOVE the imagery in this film, from everything to the flowers they soak, their dresses, to the cake they cut. Stylistically it is a lovely film, where plot-wise it seems to be ever-so-slightly lacking. I do love this film though, so I recommend you check it out.

Sites to Check out:
Astronomy Picture of the Day, LOVELY imagery
Hubblesite Gallery, full of wonderful pictures from the Hubble telescope in space
Season of the Witch by Rookiemag
The Mad Mod's October Archive, full of Spooky Vibes