dual personalities

It is a commonly held superstition that Friday the 13th is an unlucky day.

According to Wikipedia, the number twelve, in numerology, is considered the number of completeness, as reflected in the twelve months of the year, twelve hours of the clock, twelve gods of Olympus, twelve tribes of Israel, twelve Apostles of Jesus, the 12 successors of Muhammad in Shia Islam, twelve signs of the Zodiac, etc., whereas the number thirteen is considered irregular, transgressing this completeness. There is also a superstition, thought by some to derive from the Last Supper or a Norse myth, that having thirteen people seated at a table results in the death of one of the diners.

Friday has been considered an unlucky day at least since the 14th century’s The Canterbury Tales, and many have regarded Friday as an unlucky day to undertake journeys or begin new projects. Friday is also the day when Jesus Christ was crucified, adding to its unpopularity.

Well, you may be thinking that I am going to pick a movie from the Friday the Thirteenth film franchise (there are 12) to watch tonight, but I have not seen any of them. Horror movies are not my bag. I saw Halloween once on TV. Please. I recently saw Psycho (1960) and, despite the actors’ best efforts, it was really very silly.

The best scary movies are the ones that could actually really happen–like Jaws (1975) or Rear Window (1954). But I have to admit that I like the early M. Night Shyamalan movies, especially The Sixth Sense (1999) and Signs (2002). They kept me guessing and were very creepy when I first saw them. I even liked Lady in the Water (2006) which features a favorite actor of mine, Paul Giamatti. The horror in these movies is all based on the personal heartbreak and loss experienced by the hero in each story. The story lines may be far-fetched, but the human loss is real and relatable.

I think I’ll watch Signs tonight.

So, Merrill… swing away.