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https://nerdist.com/article/poltergeist-true-story-inspired-movie/
“They’re here.”
We all know the line. It’s one the spookiest and most famous in all of horror. It’s from the film Poltergeist, and that it comes from Carol Anne Freeling (Heather O’Rourke)—young and blonde and cherubic—makes it all the more terrifying. The “they” she’s referring to are ghosts who’ve come into her suburban house through a portal. And with them has come something known as The Beast, a dark presence that will eventually snatch Carol Anne through her bedroom closet and take her into another dimension.
But before all of that happens, the Freeling home experiences paranormal activity that one can liken to the poltergeists of the film’s title. Poltergeists are known as noisy spirits, prone to physical disturbances: raps on the wall, bent spoons, moving furniture. There have been thousands of real-life reported cases of poltergeist activity around the world. And one such case loosely inspired the film Poltergeist.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Herrmann House and the terrifying things that happened there back in 1958.
MGM/UA Entertainment Co.
What happened at the Herrmann House?
On the evening of February 3, 1958, a man named James Herrmann from Seaford, Long Island, N.Y., received a telephone call at work from his wife, Lucille. She informed him and she and their teenaged children, Jimmy and Lucy, heard a series popping sounds coming from various spots around the house. When they investigated, they found uncapped bottles of several substances completely upended in many different rooms—including a vial of Holy Water, which spilled all over a bedroom dresser.
Herrmann, skeptical of the whole thing, advised his family to stay calm and to keep the occurrences to themselves. He believed some prankster teenagers got inside and tried to spook the family. It was important to him to keep things under control. But five days later, the same thing happened again. And the next day, it happened again. This time, Mr. Hermmann watched in horror as bottles moved about his bathroom, as if dragged by some unseen hand. This time, he called the police.
When the police arrived, more bottles began popping throughout the home. They performed a series of tests to rule out radio transmissions or electrical disturbances, but the bottles were not warm or otherwise charged. Whatever was happening to them could not be explained with logic. On February 17, a priest came to the home to bless it.
MGM/UA Entertainment Co.
What was the public reaction?
News of the activity at the Herrmann house spread like wildfire and was the subject of an article in Life Magazine. People wrote the Herrmanns letters offering potential reasonable explanations, while others believed the activity to be the result of poltergeists. Whatever the case, more activity occurred, and officers even witnessed the moving of objects this time. To make matters all the more unusual, the Herrmann house was not your typical haunted house; it was a suburban model, purchased new in 1953. The Herrmanns were the only people who’d ever lived there. There was nothing to indicate the unfinished business of some previous tenant. So why did this seem like an otherwise traditional haunting?
That’s what Dr. J.B. Rhine, director of Duke University’s Parapsychology Laboratory, hoped to find out. He approached the Herrmanns after about a month of disturbances. Rhine believed that the presence of the teenage Herrmann children might have attracted the poltergeist activity. (Adolescents are usually present in home where poltergeist activity takes place.) He brought some of his colleagues to the house, and they studied it, interviewing the family and recording some of the mysterious occurrences.
However, shortly after their arrival, the activity ceased. All in all, there were about 70 documented reports of unusual activities in the house between February 3 and March 10. The family eventually moved away. Years later, daughter Lucille appeared in a documentary, Real Fear: The Truth Behind the Movies, which aired on the Chiller network.
(Another home that was the subject of the same documentary, the notorious Amityville Horror House, is only about seven miles away from the Herrmann house.)
MGM/UA Entertainment Co.
How did the events inspire Poltergeist?
Fans of the 1982 Tobe Hooper-directed, Steven Spielberg-produced horror film Poltergeist will recognize the Herrmann’s story. It sounds similar to what the Freeling family goes through. A young, happy family moves into a new suburban home with their children and quickly notice disturbances—noises, bent utensils, objects moving about. When the activity increases, they seek help from a local university’s parapsychology department, who come to investigate the house. Eventually, fed up with the lack of resolution—and the disappearance of their daughter—they seek out a psychic who helps them “cleanse” the house.
Obviously, Poltergeist is more sensationalized than the story of the Herrmanns. There are physical apparitions, Native American burial grounds, body-chomping portals, and skeletons popping out of the swimming pool. The film is also said to be “cursed. Stars Dominique Dunne and Heather O’Rourke both passed away very young, and other mysterious activity was reported on set. We can’t speak truth to the curse, but it’s definitely a story that follows Poltergeist more than that of the Herrmanns, the real people who loosely inspired the film.
“I never saw ‘Poltergeist,’” Lucille Herrmann told HuffPost Weird News around the release of Real Fear: The Truth Behind the Movies. “I felt I had my own nightmare.”
Featured Image: MGM/UA Entertainment Co.
The post The Terrifying True Story That Inspired POLTERGEIST appeared first on Nerdist.
“They’re here.”
We all know the line. It’s one the spookiest and most famous in all of horror. It’s from the film Poltergeist, and that it comes from Carol Anne Freeling (Heather O’Rourke)—young and blonde and cherubic—makes it all the more terrifying. The “they” she’s referring to are ghosts who’ve come into her suburban house through a portal. And with them has come something known as The Beast, a dark presence that will eventually snatch Carol Anne through her bedroom closet and take her into another dimension.
But before all of that happens, the Freeling home experiences paranormal activity that one can liken to the poltergeists of the film’s title. Poltergeists are known as noisy spirits, prone to physical disturbances: raps on the wall, bent spoons, moving furniture. There have been thousands of real-life reported cases of poltergeist activity around the world. And one such case loosely inspired the film Poltergeist.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Herrmann House and the terrifying things that happened there back in 1958.
MGM/UA Entertainment Co.
What happened at the Herrmann House?
On the evening of February 3, 1958, a man named James Herrmann from Seaford, Long Island, N.Y., received a telephone call at work from his wife, Lucille. She informed him and she and their teenaged children, Jimmy and Lucy, heard a series popping sounds coming from various spots around the house. When they investigated, they found uncapped bottles of several substances completely upended in many different rooms—including a vial of Holy Water, which spilled all over a bedroom dresser.
Herrmann, skeptical of the whole thing, advised his family to stay calm and to keep the occurrences to themselves. He believed some prankster teenagers got inside and tried to spook the family. It was important to him to keep things under control. But five days later, the same thing happened again. And the next day, it happened again. This time, Mr. Hermmann watched in horror as bottles moved about his bathroom, as if dragged by some unseen hand. This time, he called the police.
When the police arrived, more bottles began popping throughout the home. They performed a series of tests to rule out radio transmissions or electrical disturbances, but the bottles were not warm or otherwise charged. Whatever was happening to them could not be explained with logic. On February 17, a priest came to the home to bless it.
MGM/UA Entertainment Co.
What was the public reaction?
News of the activity at the Herrmann house spread like wildfire and was the subject of an article in Life Magazine. People wrote the Herrmanns letters offering potential reasonable explanations, while others believed the activity to be the result of poltergeists. Whatever the case, more activity occurred, and officers even witnessed the moving of objects this time. To make matters all the more unusual, the Herrmann house was not your typical haunted house; it was a suburban model, purchased new in 1953. The Herrmanns were the only people who’d ever lived there. There was nothing to indicate the unfinished business of some previous tenant. So why did this seem like an otherwise traditional haunting?
That’s what Dr. J.B. Rhine, director of Duke University’s Parapsychology Laboratory, hoped to find out. He approached the Herrmanns after about a month of disturbances. Rhine believed that the presence of the teenage Herrmann children might have attracted the poltergeist activity. (Adolescents are usually present in home where poltergeist activity takes place.) He brought some of his colleagues to the house, and they studied it, interviewing the family and recording some of the mysterious occurrences.
However, shortly after their arrival, the activity ceased. All in all, there were about 70 documented reports of unusual activities in the house between February 3 and March 10. The family eventually moved away. Years later, daughter Lucille appeared in a documentary, Real Fear: The Truth Behind the Movies, which aired on the Chiller network.
(Another home that was the subject of the same documentary, the notorious Amityville Horror House, is only about seven miles away from the Herrmann house.)
MGM/UA Entertainment Co.
How did the events inspire Poltergeist?
Fans of the 1982 Tobe Hooper-directed, Steven Spielberg-produced horror film Poltergeist will recognize the Herrmann’s story. It sounds similar to what the Freeling family goes through. A young, happy family moves into a new suburban home with their children and quickly notice disturbances—noises, bent utensils, objects moving about. When the activity increases, they seek help from a local university’s parapsychology department, who come to investigate the house. Eventually, fed up with the lack of resolution—and the disappearance of their daughter—they seek out a psychic who helps them “cleanse” the house.
Obviously, Poltergeist is more sensationalized than the story of the Herrmanns. There are physical apparitions, Native American burial grounds, body-chomping portals, and skeletons popping out of the swimming pool. The film is also said to be “cursed. Stars Dominique Dunne and Heather O’Rourke both passed away very young, and other mysterious activity was reported on set. We can’t speak truth to the curse, but it’s definitely a story that follows Poltergeist more than that of the Herrmanns, the real people who loosely inspired the film.
“I never saw ‘Poltergeist,’” Lucille Herrmann told HuffPost Weird News around the release of Real Fear: The Truth Behind the Movies. “I felt I had my own nightmare.”
Featured Image: MGM/UA Entertainment Co.
The post The Terrifying True Story That Inspired POLTERGEIST appeared first on Nerdist.
Jim Cummings really loves to cast himself as a cop. In his sophomore directorial offering, he goes for a classic noir rendering of an alcoholic lawman and struggling father: John Marshall, who’s driven to distraction by the weight of a strange series of murders. It’s an emotionally hard-hitting and humorous portrayal that’s at the heart of his wintery horror, The Wolf of Snow Hollow. The chilling and often bloody genre flick also features the iconic Robert Forster in his final performance as Marshall’s long-suffering father and the ailing sheriff of the snowy ski town.
![[10/03 AM] THE winter WOLF OF SNOW HOLLOW Delivers a Wintery Noir Horror (Beyond Fest)_1](https://nerdist.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Wolf-of-Snow-Hollow-Review.jpg)
The Wolf of Snow Hollow begins and ends brilliantly. There’s around half an hour in the middle that will divide viewers as Cummings leans into the more human part of his story. Before that happens, though, we get a beautifully shot introduction to Snow Hollow. Epic aerial shots of snowy forests are liable to give you a chill.
The story begins as a young couple ventures to the town for a weekend break. American Vandal’s Jimmy Tatro shows massive range in a small yet vital role as the sole survivor of the romantic trip away. His partner isn’t so lucky, butchered at the hands of a mysterious killer. While most of the police force believes an animal or perhaps even something supernatural is involved, Marshall Jr. is convinced that the killer at large is human.
![[10/03 AM] THE winter WOLF OF SNOW HOLLOW Delivers a Wintery Noir Horror (Beyond Fest)_2](https://nerdist.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Wolf_of_snow_hollow_xlg.jpg)
Orion Classics
That mystery, along with John’s struggle with booze, is at the core of The Wolf of Snow Hollow, and it mostly keeps you engaged. Cummings is a talented director with an eye for making the mundane feel extraordinary. It helps that his daughter, Jenna, is played with emotion and attitude by Chloe East. She’s our in-road to John’s obsession and addiction, and she’s wonderful. There’s one particularly powerful scene that will hit hard anyone who’s loved an addict or supported a loved one struggling with addiction. East is the calm heart of the movie while still getting to be a teenager. Her performance grounds John’s arc, which can at times lean into the anxiety-inducing chaos of substance abuse.
Cummings fills John with a level of instability that makes him electric to watch even if it’s not for any good reasons. Forster is wonderful as his father; The Wolf of Snow Hollow marks his last role and it’s a beautiful swan song that he imbues with depth and empathy. Sheriff Marshall is terrified of aging, frozen by the idea of saying goodbye to the life and career he loves. It’s one of the many quiet explorations that gives Snow Hollow so much heart. And it’s unlikely anyone other than Forster could have done so much with such a small but still affecting role.
![[10/03 AM] THE winter WOLF OF SNOW HOLLOW Delivers a Wintery Noir Horror (Beyond Fest)_3](https://nerdist.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/wolf-snow-hollow.jpg)
Orion Classics
The Wolf of Snow Hollow does lose its way slightly in the second act as we focus more on John and less on his mission to catch the violent threat to his town. But I found the third act to be supremely satisfying and enjoyable. Without revealing the movie’s secrets, it took a frightfully fun turn I wasn’t expecting; and utilized some very tangible practical effects. A drive-in world premiere at Beyond Fest means some lucky film lovers have checked the movie out. With the nights drawing in and the wind getting colder; The Wolf of Snow Hollow is a surprising and snow-covered chiller to add to your watchlist when it hits small screens on Friday, October 16.
3.5/5
Featured Image: Orion Classics
The post THE WOLF OF SNOW HOLLOW Delivers a Wintery Noir Horror appeared first on Nerdist.
Some of the most fun baby-related items to shop for will be your little one’s teeny tiny wardrobe. From onesies to sleepers and stretch suits to gowns, there are a lot of options to keep your baby clothed! (Feeling a little overwhelmed? Don’t worry- we’ve posted a whole list of essential items for newborns curated for you.)
Of course, clothing is one of the most important essentials for your new arrival, so you’ll want to get a head start on shopping, setting up the dresser, and getting everything ready. Though it may not be on your mind yet, soon after the baby arrives you will realize just how much laundry a tiny body can produce over the course of a day!
That’s why we’ve compiled this helpful guide covering how to wash baby clothes. We’ll cover everything you want to know, plus some things you didn’t even know you didn’t know!
Read on for answers to questions about pre-washing, clothing material types, cutting down on laundry, how to separate loads, how to launder cloth diapers, and so much more. Tip #1: not all baby clothes are created equal!
The Basics of Baby Clothes
Wardrobe-wise, there are a few things to consider. Based on your due date, you’ll need to coordinate your little one’s wardrobe for the season. So if the baby is due in autumn, your 0-3 month and 3-6 month clothes will consist of warmer items like long sleeve onesies, pants, warm layers, jackets, hats, and gloves. (Of course, you can throw some shorter sleeve options in there for baby to wear indoors, too).
Alternatively, if the due date is in spring or summer you’ll want lots of short sleeves and cooler materials like cotton and linen for those first few months.
Some of the basic clothing items you’ll need, regardless of season or geographic location, include:
- Diapers (disposable, cloth, or a combination of both)
- Onesies (one-piece garment with snaps at the bottom for easy diaper changing; can be paired with leggings for cooler temps)
- Sleepers (pajamas for newborns! These can either be footies or gowns)
Other clothing items and accessories may include short sleeve shirts, long sleeve shirts, pants, leggings, diaper covers, socks, sleep sacks, hats, gloves, coats, jackets, teething mits, blankets, and more.
Though baby clothing is adorable and practically irresistible, we would caution against buying too much clothing up front- especially in newborn sizing- for a few reasons. Of course, you will receive a lot of cute, tiny clothing as gifts, so anything you buy too far in advance may end up being redundant.
But also, many newborns actually end up fitting clothing in the 3-6 month range within a couple weeks of birth! Babies grow very quickly at these early stages, so it’s better to stock up on the basics like diapers and onesies, and wait until the baby is born before buying all of the adorable accessories.
Importance of Pre-washing
Once you have your basic clothing picked out, you’ll want to do as much as you can ahead of time to make the transition smoother after bringing baby home. This includes pre-washing! We know what you’re thinking: Do I really need to pre-wash all of these clothes? The short answer is yes, you need to pre-wash baby’s clothing, regardless of whether it is brand-new or used.
At first, it may sound like overkill. After all, if you’ve purchased a pack of onesies from Target, Walmart, or Amazon, they’re already clean, right?
Not exactly. Babies have incredibly sensitive skin, not to mention the allergies or eczema that some babies suffer from. That means that even brand-new clothing poses a risk of irritating the baby’s skin, since new clothes contain dyes and bleaches from the manufacturing process. A simple pre-wash with a mild detergent will take care of that! (Don’t worry- we’ll talk detergents a little later).
Prep Dirty Baby Clothes
Washing baby clothes is a slightly different process from washing clothes for the rest of the family. Because baby’s clothing tends to be soiled more frequently, and by substances that are likely to stain, you’ll need to do some prep work before just tossing the clothes into the washer.
Hampers
First, you’ll want to invest in a reliable hamper. Since baby clothes are so small, you might want to wait until you have a full load before washing. But you also don’t want the clothes to get mildewy or moldy. Look for a hamper that is breathable. Soft, collapsible hampers are a great option for nurseries. Also consider purchasing a separate diaper pail, if you plan to use cloth diapers.
When to Wash
Hampers are helpful in collecting enough dirty laundry to make a load. But sometimes, you won’t want to delay washing if the clothing smells or is wet.
This is when some pre-treatment options come into play. If you’re handling a diaper blowout, you’ll need to get the clothing treated quickly. Here’s the best way to prevent staining and get those clothes in the wash pronto:
- Rinse the clothing off with warm water.
- Use a natural stain remover, or a product specifically made to be gentle enough for baby clothing (Oxy Clean, Dreft, etc. have baby-specific stain removers).
- Scrub the affected area of the clothing with a brush or sponge to work the stain remover in.
- Let sit for a few minutes.
- Wash and dry.
If you have several soiled garments that have spit-up, poop, or pee, you can treat and wash those items together. Try not to let them sit, as they will be more likely to stain (plus, they smell!).
For baby clothes that aren’t wet, but have been worn, you can store those in a hamper until you have a full load. Crib sheets and blankets should be washed at least once a week (though of course if they get soiled, you should change them immediately!).
Washing Baby Clothes
Like every other aspect of parenting, almost every person you ask will have their own opinion and way of doing things. And that’s okay! We’ve gathered some common tips here, but of course, not every method will work for every situation . But if you’re looking for some basic guidance to get you started, you’ve come to the right place.
Separating Clothing (Or not)
Opting to wash baby-only loads or to mix baby’s clothing in with your other laundry will depend on a few different factors.
We recommend washing your baby’s clothing in separate loads from the rest of your laundry if:
- Your baby has extremely sensitive skin, allergies, eczema, or requires special detergent (more on this later).
- You don’t do laundry frequently enough to keep up with the amount of laundry the baby produces.
- Your normal loads of clothing are washed with strong chemicals, strong perfumed additives, or any other specialty detergents (scent boosters, bleaches, etc.)
If there are just a couple of people in the house and you don’t produce tons of laundry, you can probably get away with mixing baby’s clothing into your normal loads, as long as you use a mild detergent that won’t irritate your newborn’s skin.
Detergents
As we’ve mentioned before, baby skin is incredibly sensitive to fragrances, dyes, and other irritants commonly found in detergents. Therefore, it’s best to wash all of baby’s clothing in a dye-free, hypoallergenic detergent with little to no fragrance. This type of mild detergent won’t be irritating, and will still get clothing very clean.
Alternatively, you could use a baby-specific detergent, but these can be more expensive and may not be necessary unless your baby has severe sensitivities.
Treating Different Clothing Materials
Many of the materials used for baby clothing are the same ones used for adult clothing. Common materials include cotton, cotton/polyester or cotton/spandex blends, and fleece. However, some baby items like adorable hand-knit items, rubber-soled booties, or other specialty accessories might contain natural or synthetic fibers that require special attention to prevent damage from washing.
Most items will have a tag with instructions for washing. But in the event that you have a unique item, your best bet will be to hand wash the item with gentle soap in lukewarm water, wring it out, and hang it to dry. This is the gentlest way to treat garments or items that might not survive the washing machine- especially meaningful items like handmade clothing or accessories, or stuffed animals.
Cloth Diapers (Not as daunting as they might seem!)
A lot of parents swear by cloth diapers, and it’s easy to see why- they can save you some serious money over the first years of your baby’s life, plus they eliminate the harmful chemicals that are found in some disposable diapers. They also have the added benefit of being much better for the environment, since disposables take hundreds of years to decompose in landfills.
At the same time, if you’ve never done it before, cloth diapering sounds like a hassle and a mess. But you’d be surprised by how simple it is to use and wash cloth diapers once you get a system down!
Types of Cloth Diapers
There are several different types of cloth diapers available today. Here’s our list of the best cloth diapers. Many parents who opt to cloth-diaper actually use a few different styles for different purposes.
- All-in-one diapers: one of the most common types of cloth diapers found today. These diapers have a water-resistant outer layer and absorbent inner layer which can be washed easily after use. No covers or inserts necessary.
- All-in-two (Hybrid) diapers: The all-in-one, deconstructed so you can (sometimes) re-use the outer layer without having to wash the entire thing after every change. Consists of a water-resistant outer layer and a detachable inner layer.
- Pocket diapers: an interesting new twist on traditional cloth diapers. The water-resistant cover has a pocket, where you can slide a prefold diaper or other absorbent material. This allows you to only change the padded section, which you can remove from the cover. These can be a bit messier than other cloth diaper options but do allow you to customize the type and amount of absorbent material you need.
- Prefold diapers: the original cloth diapers. Just a rectangular piece of cloth that you fold into a diaper shape, fasten, and pair with a leakproof diaper cover. This allows you to change just the prefold cloth rather than the entire diaper and cover each time.
- Fitted diapers: essentially the prefold diaper, new and improved. Fitted diapers are shaped like a modern diaper and have elastic surrounding the legs and snap closures. They are also thicker and more absorbent, but still have to be paired with a diaper cover.
How do I wash them?
Not all cloth diapers are made the same. Some consist of a liner and a cover- unless the cover is soiled, you don’t need to wash it. However, you should always wash the insert after it has been worn, even if it isn’t soiled.
There are many different approaches to washing cloth diapers, but let’s face it- you’re a new parent, and the last thing you need is to try and research the best way of cleaning your baby’s diapers! Let’s keep things simple.
Here is one easy method that will get your cloth diapers clean and free of (most) stains:
- Rinse the diaper and get it very wet.
- Spray the soiled diaper with a stain removing solution.
- Allow diaper to soak (you may want to designate a specific pail just for diapers). It can sit for up to a day with the stain removing solution, while you gather enough diapers for a load.
- When you have several diapers ready to wash, run the diapers through the rinse cycle on your washing machine (should be a cold-water option).
- Add a gentle detergent and run the diapers through a normal wash cycle.
- Hang diapers to dry (preferred) or run the dryer on the delicates setting.
Time and Money Saving Tips
A few other general tips on washing your baby’s clothing:
- Try to avoid using bleach or fabric softener on baby clothes; not only could these harsh chemicals irritate baby’s skin, but they are also likely to shorten the life of the clothing by breaking down the fibers over time.
- When possible, hang clothing to air dry rather than using the dryer. It might take a little longer, but the clothing will last longer and you’ll save money on your electric bill.
- Waiting until you have enough clothing for a full load will save you time and money.
- Compare the ingredients of name-brand and generic detergents. You might be able to save a few dollars while using a generic detergent that is made of identical ingredients as the name brands!
- Pre-sort your baby’s laundry to save time while also preventing stains or odors from setting in. Use one hamper for wet and soiled clothing, one pail for cloth diapers, and another hamper or basket for dirty sheets or blankets. That way you can prioritize what you need to wash first, and never experience the dreaded feeling of running out of clean baby clothes, or worse- diapers!
The post How To Wash Baby Clothes (Including Cloth Diapers!) appeared first on Geek Baby Clothes.