1408 Movie - Stephen King knows that everyone loves a good ghost story, You know I love John Cusack

I love a good scary movie. Not the type where they just cut folks up, mind you, no, I like scary movies. Ones that make me feel like a little kid all over again listening to the Skinny Toe. You ever heard that one?

My sister Sue delivered the Skinny Toe story to perfection and even though it was the one I was always asking for and I knew just how it went, it was scary every time she told it. (Of course, it helped that she told it in the dark and I was about seven at the time.)
I have not heard it in years, and can't find it online anywhere(Well, I can find a lot of talk, but no references to how the story went), so I'm going to do a lot of "this is how I remember it" as I give you the gist of it...

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There was this old lady that was out in her garden working on the beans growing there.

And at the end of the row she found this odd looking bean laying on the ground so she took it inside and tucked it away in a box.

That night the wind came up and she was huddled in her bed and it was almost like the wind was talking. Then she heard a sound of footsteps. They were on the walk out front. thump... thump... thump...

The garden gate creaked on its old hinges. :crreeeeeeeekkkk:

Footsteps...thump... thump... thump.... coming up the walk. The front door opened, (open bedroom door)... and closed (slam bedroom door closed). More footsteps. thump... thump... thump... On the stairs. thump... thump... thump... Coming up. thump... thump... thump...

The little old lady pulled the covers up over her head, but she could still hear the footsteps in the hall. thump... thump... thump... And now she was certain she heard a voice on the wind. "oohhhhhhhhsssss... ooohhhhttttt.... yyyyy.... nnnnnyyyyyy... oooooooo...."

The footsteps were getting closer. thump... thump... thump... They were right outside her bedroom door... thump... thump... thump... The voice was clearer. "Whhoooo's goooot myyyyy skiiinyyyy tooooeeee?"

The bedroom door opened... (lower voice and creep closer to victims-- err audience). Someone stood in the doorway, the little old lady was barely peeking out from under her covers.

"Whooo's got myyyy skiiiny tooeeee?" (get really close to the poor victim) "YOU'VE GOT MY SKINNY TOE!"
(when yelping is finished)

The little old lady was horrified as she stared at the figure in the doorway. The figure stared back and said. "Wheeere's my skiiiny toe?"

The little old lady reached a trembling hand out and pointed to her closet where the odd little bean had been wrapped in cotton and placed in a small box. The figure moved to the closet, took the odd little bean out and left.

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I'm not entirely sure on the ending of the Skinny Toe, but I do recall the fellow got his toe back and went back to the bean patch. That's the sort of scary I like. Your good old fashioned ghost story. And that is why I like Stephen King. The man can scare you without having to resort to excessive gore. Well, okay, maybe there is excessive gore at times, but it's not gratuitous gore like in some flicks.

Right now I am really interested in what I have seen so far for the 1408 Movie, his newest one, which is based on King's book. Add in the fact that this movie has two of my favorite actors - John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson, and 1408 is a must see movie for me! You have to check out the trailer, shown below, and you'll understand why I say it looks like your traditional ghost story story rather than a gratuitous gore movie.



I may not make it to the theater, depends if I can get someone to help mom with dad when it comes out, but either way I'll be picking this one up on DVD because my dad (who can't go to the movies) is a big Stephen King fan and has been since King started writing.

So, yeah, definitely check out the 1408 Movie and if you get a chance let me know what you think. With John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson in it I can't see how it could be anything less than an amazing ride.

I'll quiet down now and go watch that trailer again myself. ;-) (Yes, I just want to see Cusack looking scared. What can I say? The man is beyond cute when he's scared and looking on the edge of going completely insane.)