Now THIS is the spooky season done right!
How I would love to fly on a magic bearskin to Michigan for Fort Fright, an annual Halloween celebration held at Fort Michilimackinac this weekend. Clearly the Loup Garou is planning to attend.
The French Canadian version of the werewolf is a slightly less gruesome version of the creature — his affliction is often tied to a lapse in his Catholic faith and practice, and can be temporary.
Here’s the caper:
Lanterns light your way through an 18th-century fort and fur trading village overrun by werewolves, witches, goblins and ghouls. Storytellers weave spooky folktales near bonfires and treats such as hot mulled cider, cookies and candy can be found throughout the site.
That’s my jam.
Fort Michilimackinac was the sight of some serious frightfulness in 1763, when a contingent mostly of Chippewa used a game of baggataway (lacrosse) as a ruse to get into the fort and slaughter most of the garrison..
Warriors plan their attack on Fort Michilimackinac. Art by Robert W. Griffing.
It was a brilliant ploy and an important strategic victory — and it was also a very nasty business. (Hear the tale at The Frontier Partisans Podcast — The Posts
Fall).
Wouldn’t be surprised if the the site truly is haunted…
For a fine examination of werewolf tradition, I guide you to Lane Batot’s two-parter from a couple of years back…
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I see that Australia is marking the 40th anniversary of the film The Man From Snowy River, which has high standing on the syllabus of Frontier Partisan cinema. I wanted to use an artist’s of the iconic image of Jim Craig plunging down the steeps in pursuit of the brumbies for the cover of Warriors of the Wildlands — just because it is so visually arresting. Couldn’t afford it, and Lynn Woodward’s design featuring Frederick Russell Burnham’s weapons and trophies was a better fit anyway. But damn that is a breathtaking sight!
The riding in that movie is unsurpassed. It may make me feel old, but I think I’d better bring it out for a 40th anniversary (whut?) re-watch.
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SAS: Rogue Heroes is about to drop in the UK — we’ll get it in a few months. Based on Ben McIntyre’s excellent book and helmed by Steven Knight of Peaky Blinders fame, this one is eagerly anticipated at Frontier Partisans HQ. Here’s a new trailer.
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Speaking of elites…
The Magnificent Manurhin MR73 Revolver — the totemic sidearm of elite French counterterroism units — is now more accessible to Americans. Not in price ($3,300!) but in proximity. Beretta USA is now importing them. Like the Rigby Highland Stalker, the Manurhin is aspirational — I am quite content with my Smith & Wessons… but I also love to admire these magnificent arms from afar.
lane batot says
Along with decades roaming the woods at night with a pack of wolf hybrids, I got quite a bit of experience portraying an(imbecile) werewolf in numerous Haunted Houses over the years–except when I was portraying a rogue gorilla(the old gorilla suit used being versatile for use in Haunted Houses AND perpetrating Bigfoot sightings…..) I introduced an idea to every Haunted House I participated in, to use what we called “plants”–people actually working with us posing as paying customers(yep–they got in line and paid and went in with the actual customers), that got “killed” throughout the experience(fake blood and all!), until only perhaps half of a group made it out alive! We traumatized a lot of people with this convincing tactic! The last time I did this was on a Haunted Tram Ride during Halloween in the Zoo(after regular hours at night) where I now work–I was the Alpha of an entire pack of werewolves! We had our “plant” situated in a particular seat, so we knew who to grab and drag off the Tram and dismember in front of the other guests! It would have been rather interesting, of course, if an innocent had taken that seat by mistake! This scenario worked so well that people(who understood the set-up) went through the ride again and again, just to watch us mutilate yet another victim!
lane batot says
And gawd, how I love “The Man From Snowy River”! I saw it during the first run in theatres, all those years ago(40?????? DUH-YAM!)–after which I took some friend’s horse(half quarter horse X half mustang) for some wild rides of my own through our own “Blue Mountains” of Southern Appalachia! Me and that horse(Toni the pony!) were BEST of pals–when she saw me coming, she KNEW we were going for a wild run! And you COULD NOT run her enough! Yeah, she was the type to take the bit in her mouth and GO!!!! And when she did–you better hold on tight! The ONLY horse I ever knew who, you turned her to go back home, she FOUGHT you to keep going! She was INDEED a TRUE Mountain Horse! I had to constantly stop and retighten the cinch, as she wanted to RUN up and down every slope, and I learned the hard way to recheck and tighten that cinch regularly with her!…. I saw awhile back(online) where they have horse riding tours where they filmed the movie(Jim’s original cabin is still there!), and Jim himself(Tom Burlinson) will sometimes accompany the groups! And that Mountain Horse he rode–at least a few years back, was STILL alive, but retired and not ridden anymore, but there for the touristas to meet! I would assume she’s gone now(sigh….) And this is another movie for which I LOVE the Soundtrack–got it on record album AND CD!
JimC says
I have to revisit the soundtrack, too.
Quixotic Mainer says
I don’t think anyone who has seen the movie will ever ride down a steep grade without at least wishing they had the soundtrack going! My trail horse of choice right now is a very stout quarter horse/Hanoverian cross, we did a jaunt across the blueberry barrens about this time last year that had a few ditch jumps. No brumbies though!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klK_tHy_PdA
I don’t know if you’ve seen this, but Ian from Forgotten Weapons interviewed the founder of GIGN. They talk a lot about the Manurhin, and why the Manurhin. It comes down to a truly excellent duality of sang froid marksmanship coupled with responsibility and respect for life. You can’t do much better!
Ugly Hombre says
Well in Haiti the Loup Garou… is real, in your face and not to be scoffed at. According to buck sergeant Pierre, native of Port au Prince- you best not fooking trifle with them. After about four San Mig’s before heading down town to have some more- “mag beer muna tayo”! in the medical barracks Clark A.B. close to Halloween.
“Man! I told you! I told you the Zombie is real! You’ve never been there- in the states your whole life! You can’t know and that’s not all! The Loup Garou is real too I’ve seen them, I’ve seen them and I have SEEN what they can do- If you see one will you believe it- or call out your eyes for lies!”
The room got quiet Pierre was not kidding, missed a chance to learn something there but never did follow up. Lots of things in my youth like that. Pierre ran off with my Bob Marley records latter but paid me back.
Not long after that we almost got shot on Halloween down town dressed up as goblins and hitting the beer bars security guard with a shot gun thought we were robbers. Pinoy did not know nothing about Halloween back then. lol
Ugly Hombre says
Sorry old man sign of being one is tell the same story over and over and over again . lol
Wonder what happened to Pierre and Jomo.?