October means all things cosy, pumpkin spiced and spooky enough only to leave us craving for the end of the month that much harder.
Millennials even believe that the month of October should just be renamed Halloween time because there are people who start prepping and putting up decorations right from the very first week.
Also read: It's Friday the 13th: Check out 5 best horror movies of all time
It's never too early to gear up for Halloween and how poetic it must be that this year, the 13th day of the month of horror, has fallen on a Friday! Feeding us all of our unquenchable Friday the 13th thirst, it's time to dig up about everything that made this day such an icon for eternity among the ever budding aesthetics of pop culture.
Let's go back and discuss the origins of the urban legend. After countless theories and superstitions, the easiest explanation that one can find regarding the ominous date in view of Christianity is the Last Supper. Thirteen people were sitting at the table and Judas himself was the 13th one. Following that was the crucifixion, which was on a Friday.
Since Halloween's popularity has spread all over the world, primarily as a result of American pop culture, it's not surprising that among Americans themselves, Friday the 13th is a common superstition. People are hesitant about the very day in general and this phobia even has a name – paraskevidekatriaphobia. It is associated with the phobia of the number 13 – triskaidekaphobia.
According to US-based Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute, an estimated 17 to 21 million Americans suffer from this phobia. This fear of the date had prompted multiple movies in the slasher genre.
But there are some pretty solid historical significances as well, attributing to the label of bad luck that is slapped to this day. Henry Sutherland Edwards' 1869 biography of Gioachino Rossini was one of the earliest references made to this particular day, as Rossini died on a Friday, that was also the 13th day of the month.
The excerpt read: "He Rossini was surrounded to the last by admiring friends; and if it be true that, like so many Italians, he regarded Fridays as an unlucky day and thirteen as an unlucky number, it is remarkable that on Friday 13th of November he passed away."
Also, about 20 years ago, Finland started dedicating one Friday the 13th in a year to observe National Accident Day. The day aimed at raising awareness about road safety, workplaces and in general day-to-day life.
And that's not all – over the years, this fear for the day lead to some skyscrapers completely omitting the 13th floor. And to add to the list, we all know what had happened to Apollo 13. However, the fear of this day has been primarily romanticised and promoted through multiple horror movies.
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The franchise was named "Friday the 13th" and revolved around a fictional, but notorious serial killer Jason Voorhees. The films were well made and only fuelled people's fear, and imagination when it came to what was so dreaded about the particular day.
There were 10 sequels of the movie and it collectively grossed more than $465 million at the box office worldwide. Naturally, it'd be wrong to not treat yourself to the trailers of each of those, once again. And if you're a stranger to the franchise, be prepared to be spooked.
These movies, even though were slammed by critics, became instant hits every single time. The infamous original Camp Crystal Lake where the actual Voorhees massacre had occurred is also holding a tour this year to commemorate the day.
Similar tours were held in 2011, 2013 and 2015 too. And a nearby town, Blairstown celebrates the day by holding shows of the slasher movie for the public.
The latest addition to the franchise and the stigma that revolves around the day is Friday the 13th: The Game, which is a survival horror game based on the same franchise, just in case one could never satisfy their desire for the infamous slasher.
And to make things more spookier for you on this day, here are the trailers of 2017's best horror movies lined up. Treat yourself!
