The Spooky Season (Part 1) Yesterday was the first day of the spooky season--October 1, to be precise--and I have been busy curating my yearly mini-film festival for the month. As I've stated on many occasions, this is my favorite time of year. For one thing, the leaves start changing in earnest the closer we get to Halloween--or that would be the case if we lived someplace that actually had a change of seasons. I pretend that it's getting cooler outside (it's actually 93) and that the trees are preparing to dazzle us with orange, gold and red hues before drifting lazily to the ground with the encroachment of winter. I suppose I have an infatuation with chilly climes. And then there are the pumpkins carved into jack-o-lanterns, the swarms of trick-or-treaters, and the inventive party costumes when the big night rolled around. I suppose it's just nostalgia for my youth, but, oh, what fun it was. Anyhow, I actually started my film festival a few days ago with Nosferatu: