What Halloween Means To Me Day 14: Jen and Sylvia Soska (Twisted Twins Productions)

If I have to tell you who the Soska sisters are, then you obviously have your finger nowhere even remotely close to the pulse of indie horror.  Jen and Sylvia Soska, aka the Twisted Twins, are a couple of the most exciting new faces of horror filmmaking to appear in some time.  They’re also a couple of really cool chicks and good friends of the blog.  They hit the scene in 2009 with their debut flick Dead Hooker In A Trunk, which won a load of awards on the festival circuit and was distributed on DVD by IFC.  It also landed on a lot of “top 10” lists last year, including coming in at #3 on my Best of 2011 list.  You can check out my review of Dead Hooker HERE.  Fast forward to 2012, and the girls are unleashing American Mary, starring Katharine Isabelle from Ginger Snaps.  Since its debut at the Cannes Film Festival Market, Mary has been making the rounds of the major festivals; while the Twisted Twins have been busy taking San Diego Comic-Con by storm, gracing the covers of various horror mags, and getting a ton of press.  Now, I’m not the type to say I told you so, but way back at the beginning of January I wrote “…2012 looks like it just might be the year of the Soska sisters.”  Am I good or what?  I’m happy to see  Jen and Sylvia achieving such success, as, while I haven’t met them in person, they’ve always maintained a killer relationship with their fans, including always being incredibly cool, friendly, and accommodating to the ‘ol Son of Celluloid.  I cheer for the villains in the movies, but in real life, it’s always cool when the true good guys, or gals in this case, win.  American Mary will be screening at Sitges, LA Scream Fest, Toronto After Dark, and Monster Fest; as well as touring Australia and New Zealand for most of November. The Twisted Twins can also be found at Son of Monsterpalooza Con and Aliens to Zombies con in LA late October.  Keep an eye on their site HERE to find out when they might be coming near you.  Personally, I absolutely CAN’T WAIT to see American Mary.  Ladies, if you’re listening…BRING MARY TO ATLANTA DAMMIT!!!  In the meantime, lets hear what Halloween means to the diabolical duo…

“I hate that Halloween only comes once a year. I mean, why the f**k do we have to celebrate Christmas for two whole months? Shouldn't we get at least a few days of grace to mourn the passing of another Halloween before we have glitter, ornaments, and some spokes model created by Coca-cola that's become some kind of false idol shoved down our throats? Part of the reason we got into making horror movies is so that we can have Halloween every and any day we want. It's the only holiday that is just purely about fun. You don't have to buy people presents; you don't have to do anything you don't feel like doing. For one night, you get to dress up like anything you want and be anyone you want to. For one night, it's okay to be whoever or whatever you want to be and people will just accept you for it. You can be scary, you can be sexy, heck, you can be both at the same time. We embrace or dark sides and venture out into the unknown, all of us, at all ages, and of all walks of life. It's beautiful.

People are too afraid these days. Afraid of trying, afraid of failing, afraid of the world, and mostly afraid of being afraid. We throw away all that shit on just one night and it's like the world becomes this beautiful place where we embrace our fears. I love Halloween because of everything it is. With censorship running rampant, we get a whole month of horror movies and not just on the wicked awesome channels that are brave enough to play them year round. Even the most conservative of channels suck it up and show some balls. It's a holiday that embraces and encourages creativity as we all know the very best of costumes are made at home through blood, sweat, and tears rather than being store bought. 

 Halloween is the place most of us had our first taste of independence. That first year when you get to go trick or treating with a group of friends draped in monsters' clothes rather than a parent or guardian. It feels more special than anytime of year. You can smell Halloween in the air. That crisp, autumny flavor in the air that bites back at you, but doesn't freeze you out like Christmas can. It's a season for rebels. We light up the sky with fire works and play pranks on our unsuspecting victims. At an early age, I must have fallen in love with Halloween as I can't remember ever not being in love with it. It's a holiday we celebrate at night, a real rarity. I remember always loving the tradition of it. The carving of our own pumpkins, the sewing of our costumes, all the while filling up on the most perfect bite size candies, watching an onslaught of horror movies.

I love the anarchy of it. The "anything-can-and-will-happen-ness" of it all. The creation and the unveiling. The embracing of our dark sides and that one night where anything is possible. Maybe its best that it comes only once a year. It's too special. Too sacred.

Unless, of course, if you become a horror movie director. Then it's all yours whenever you want it.

Something wicked this way comes,
Jen and Sylv”

 13 days ‘til Halloween, Halloween, Halloween.  13 Days ‘til Halloween.  Silver Shamrock.