Salvation: Friday the 13th and Knights Templar

The story of the Knights Templar has always been one that has given me inspiration in writing. This was never more evident than when I crafted an entire epic poem, Salvation, centered on this legendary group. That idea was spawned long ago by this poem I penned in honor of Friday the 13th, where the Knights Templar take center stage.

If you don't know, on Friday, October 13th, 1307, French king Philip IV the Fair ordered the mass arrest of Knights Templar in the Kingdom of France. This event is considered by some to be the origin of the superstition about Friday the 13th being an unlucky day. The Knights Templar were accused of numerous crimes including heresy and treason. The end of the Knights Templar began on this day dreadful day. 

Triskaidekaphobia

Such a dark day in the world
Leaders defiled
The protectors destroyed in your name
Not by the masses that follow
But, from the hypocrisy of medieval royalty
For what - your secrets?
Jealousy? Fear?
Maybe it was just their shame from following the false prophet
The sinner who hid behind his disciples
And worse, women and children
Spouting lies of redemption
Preaching abstinence instead of indulgence
Creating turmoil in the perfect world
.. ..
Through it all, you stood tall
These destroyers of forged faith were blind
Failing to harness the power of your minions
By creating a day of homage of their transgressions
They granted you eternal life
History crying tears of truths in your name
You will never be forgotten
You Baphomet, will live forever
Like the Templar’s, your followers will bleed for you
Carrying on the traditions past down by the strong
Your enigma, a mystery to most
A companion to some
A day of fear to the meek
That day is today, Friday the 13th

.. ..

Released to the Masses - Salvation: A Templar's Quest for Redemption

With all of the excitement last week of finally seeing my first novel After the Static released, I missed talking about what is somewhat of a guilty pleasure for me. I love poetry, especially the epic verse contained in classics such as Inferno and Paradise Lost. This past April, as part of National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo 2017), I challenged myself to create my own epic tale and accomplished it with my next release Salvation: A Templar’s Quest for Redemption.

While this in no way could ever measure up to those classics, it is an interesting journey back in time for one member of the Knights Templar in an attempt to save their order from persecution. Sure, this one is only 30 Canto’s long, but it is a fun journey into darkness and another addition into the world of The Ridge.

Here is a synopsis of the epic poem:

Are the end times near? That is a sentiment shared by many throughout the centuries. That is also a refrain that forced Pope Anacletus to send one of his devout Knights Templar on a quest to ancient Levant in search of Baal, Moloch, and the Scepter of Golden Light in an attempt to redeem his order in the eyes of a splintered and corrupt church. Does he succeed, did he find Salvation, or was he overwhelmed in the depths of Hell?

If interested in reading this or After the Static, they are both on Amazon. You can pick up a paperback of Salvation for $6.99 or download the eBook for only $.99.

Night of the Seagulls (1975)

It seems as though the weather is changing yet again this winter. On Saturday, I could have worn shorts outside all day as the temperatures reached into the 60s. Now, we are back into the 30s with a chance of snow. What fun! Of course, the change in weather gives me a great excuse to sit back and enjoy the finale of one of the most famous zombie series out there. What is that movie? It is the 1975 conclusion to the Blind Dead series, Night of the Seagulls.

Plot/ The Knight Templars return in this fourth installment of the Blind Dead series. On this outing, the Templars haunt a fishing village, where they rise seven nights every seven years to claim their sacrificial offerings in return for the safety of the townspeople.

In this fourth and final installment of the Blind Dead series, the zombie Knights Templar again take center stage and wreak havoc. In fact, the Templars are probably at their best in the somewhat H.P. Lovecraft inspired (Dagon?) entry. While in my eyes, this one may not quite match the overall quality of the original; it does give it a run for its money and is arguably the best in the series. Not only is this one entertaining, but also it features better scripting, some solid performances, an atmospheric and creepy soundtrack, and in interesting storyline that seems more layered than the first three installments. Yes, the special effects may feel dated, the is not much character development, and the historic elements of the Templars seem to mix with a more occultist feel, but those small flaws really do nothing to bring this film down. In the end, this movie is the perfect climax to the series and a movie that cries Eurohorror.

Return of the Evil Dead (1973)

After spending the afternoon relaxing, I decided to kick back and find something different to help me pass the evening. One search of Shudder and I found it. That film was the 1973 entry in the Blind Dead series, Return of the Evil Dead (AKA Return of the Blind Dead)

Plot/ 500 years after they were blinded and executed for committing human sacrifices, a band of Templar knights returns from the grave to terrorize a rural Portuguese village during it's centennial celebration. Being blind, the Templars find their victims through sound, usually the screams of their victims. Taking refuge in a deserted cathedral, a small group of people must find a way to escape from the creatures.

The Blind Dead series is one of my favorites from the 1970s. I love the tie between zombies and the legendary Knights Templar, which have a mysterious history (at least their last days). While this movie is not perfect, suffering from many of the low budget elements that plague the other entries in the series, it is a step up in quality from the first entry. The performances are decent, the scripting and dubbed dialog isn’t bad, and there are a few action packed moments. Of course, some of the effects do not stand up to time and some of the cinematic choices seem to drag down the tension. In the end, this one is a sound picture and a movie that helps pass some time on a quiet night. If you are looking for some vintage low budget zombie action, give it a shot. This is an entertaining series that should be seen by all zombie fans.

The Da Vinci Code (2006)

After taking a few days off from the blog, I decided that I needed to spend some time catching up with some different movies. With that, I went on a retro type binge and watched a few movies that I had not seen in some time. The first of those is the controversial 2006 thriller The Da Vinci Code.  

Plot/ Professor Robert Langdon is in Paris on business when he's summoned to The Louvre. A dead body has been found, setting Langdon off on an adventure as he attempts to unravel an ancient code and uncover the greatest mystery of all time.

Being based on a huge best seller that just happens to be one of the most controversial books of the 2000s, there was no way that this movie could ever live up to the stir that was created when the book was released. As a movie, it is a fun, thought provoking watch that has just enough parts drama, thriller, and action film to draw every viewer in. The scripting is solid, the cast and performances are wonderful, and the cinematography and visuals pull everything together in a manner that makes everything flow together. Yes, there are some slower moments sprinkled into to the flow that were unnecessary and the long runtime, while needed, may turn some viewers off. 

Of course, one cannot talk about this as a book or movie without discussing the storyline. For many, this subject matter is taboo, and an impossible topic that has been thoroughly chastised as heresy by different religious sects of Christianity. However, from different research materials that exist on the topic, the subject matter does not seem that far outside the realm of possibilities. Could Christ have had a wife? Anthropologically, that answer is yes. Still, because of the documents sequestered inside the depths of the Vatican Vaults, we will never know for sure what the true story is unless the Pope decides to open those doors and allow all of the forbidden gospels to breathe. Honestly, if the Bible is a book of history, why is it being censored?

In the end, this movie has aged well and I actually enjoyed it more today than when I did upon its original release. If you have not seen it, it is a movie that you should check out. Just watch it with an open mind.

Tombs of the Blind Dead (1972)

Shudder is such a great discovery. As a horror fan, I have no idea why I have not made it there before the past week. Next up for review is another great find from days gone by, the 1972 entryway to the Blind Dead franchise, Tombs of the Blind Dead (La niche del terror diego).

Plot/ In the 13th century there existed a legion of evil knights known as the Templars, who quested for eternal life by drinking human blood and committing sacrifices. Executed for their unholy deeds, the Templars bodies were left out for the crows to peck out their eyes. Now, in modern day Portugal, a group stumbles on the Templars abandoned monastery, reviving their rotting corpses to terrorize the land.

As with everything classic entries into Eurohorror can fall into the love/hate category, and this entry is no different. The first movie in the Blind Dead series, this one lays the groundwork for one of the great franchises in horror history. Honestly, who does not love the idea of the zombie Templars? Personally, the legend of the Knights Templar is one of the greatest mysteries of all time, and a story that definitely has something deeper going on. While this film is not a gorefest, there are some interesting kills, and it has a tremendous amount of atmosphere that works with the entirety of the storyline. Yes, the pacing is a touch slow (with focus on mood and atmosphere vice action), the performances are uneven, and the effects are not mind blowing, but those are somewhat expected from that era of cinema. In the end, this movie is definitely more cerebral than action and relies on storyline and atmosphere to achieve its potential. Not for everyone, this one will definitely appeal to fans of early European horror and early zombie flicks. Those fans should give it a shot if they have not seen it.  

The Magic Sword (1962)

I was searching for something different after the indie time travel flick 41 last night, and different is definitely what I found. Wanting something with a crusades type feel, I stumbled upon the 1962 low budget entry The Magic Sword, and that is what I decided on for my next review.

Plot/ The son of a sorceress, armed with weapons, armor and six magically summoned knights, embarks on a quest to save a princess from a vengeful wizard.

I wanted something Medieval and that is what I got with this one. While by today’s standards, this B-movie would suffer greatly. However, if viewing it inside the prism of the era of filmmaking, one would find this an fascinating journey into fantasy with some interesting effects, vivid imagery, and a solid cast that took on the low budget entry and made it likely better than it should have been. Yes, the scripting and dialog are laughable at best, some of the plot is insane, and some of the performances were uneven, but those add something to the schlock or cheese factor of this film. In the end, this one may not be the greatest of the era, but it definitely had some intriguing moments that made it entertaining. This one is certainly not for everyone, but if you are searching for a low budget schlockfest from the 1960s, give it a shot!

Legend of Hell (2012)

After Knights of Badassdom, I was in a medieval mood and wanted to enjoy something else from that genre. After a walk through Family Video, I found what I hoped would be a perfect serious compliment. That movie was the 2012 German entry Legend of Hell.   

Plot/ An archaeologist discovers an ancient artifact and scroll that starts a series of events that kills her several times over in various time periods, past lives and locations. It seems that the artifact and scroll are linked to a gateway to hell. Various hellish creatures pour in throughout history, it looks like the gateway has been opened. The archaeologist teams up with warriors and guides from the past to try to close the gate.

This was another movie that I had never heard of but was swayed to rent it by the cover. Having recently entered into a few Knights Templar discussions, it struck a cord. Unfortunately, I should have stopped there; I may have been better off. Sure, this movie is not terrible; it is just not very good. The storyline has some interesting moments, but not enough to save it. The acting is uneven, the effects good and bad, the characters flat, and there is truly nothing new. Yes, there are some good battle scenes and some decent gore, but that is about it. In the end, nothing inside this movie makes it jump out. As with any movie, there are some entertaining moments, but too often the slow pacing and confusing storyline get in the way. There are definitely better choices out there.

Snow White - A Tale of Terror (1997)

The daughters have been caught in a marathon of Once Upon a Time on Netflix. While I do find the show interesting, there is definitely something missing.  Maybe it is because the stories are being driven by Disney and their happiness parade, something that reminds me too much of their influence society, where there are never losers and everyone receives a trophy. Life is not a fairy tale, there are winners and losers! To maintain some of this fairy tale feel in the house last night, I decided upon the 1997 fairy tale Snow White a Tale of Terror.

Plot/ This Gothic version of the Grimm brothers' story takes place in a world of brutality and mayhem, where nature is savage, no one can be trusted and black magic is a power to be feared. 

Too many people in this world forget the true nature of the classic Grimm Fairy Tales; instead the automatically associate some of their classic stories with the Disney adaptation. During that process, they lose the reality set by these writings. This adaptation of the classic tale of Snow White is dark and atmospheric, with solid make-up effects (incredible actually), outstanding performances, interesting social context and many elements lost by the Disney Company. Of course, it does lack some character development and there are some inaccuracies toward the time period, but the does not bring it down in any way. In the end, this is one of the better adaptions of a Grimm Fairy Tale, and a movie that is quite entertaining. Check it out, it makes for an entertaining escape from reality. 

Triskaidekaphobia - For Friday the 13th

Triskaidekaphobia

Such a dark day in the world
Leaders defiled
The protectors destroyed in your name
Not by the masses that follow
But, from the hypocrisy of medieval royalty
For what - your secrets?
Jealousy? Fear?
Maybe it was just their shame from following the false prophet
The sinner who hid behind his disciples
And worse, women and children
Spouting lies of redemption
Preaching abstinence instead of indulgence
Creating turmoil in the perfect world
.. ..

Through it all, you stood tall
These destroyers of forged faith were blind
Failing to harness the power of your minions
By creating a day of homage of their transgressions
They granted you eternal life
History crying tears of truths in your name
You will never be forgotten
You Baphomet, will live forever
Like the Templar’s, your followers will bleed for you
Carrying on the traditions past down by the strong
Your enigma, a mystery to most
A companion to some
A day of fear to the meek
That day is today, Friday the 13^th
.. ..