Oculus arrives in cinemas this Friday 13th and tells the story of a malevolent supernatural force unleashed through the Lasser Glass, an antique mirror in the childhood home siblings, Tim and Kaylie Russell.
To celebrate the release of the film we’re taking a look at mirrors and why there is often more to them than meets the eye.
– The superstition of when breaking a mirror brings seven years bad luck dates back to Roman times. They believed that breaking a mirror would damage the soul and life renewed itself every seven years. Some traditional ways of relieving this bad luck include grinding the shards into a dust so a reflection is no longer possible.
– Jewish families have been known to cover up all mirrors if someone in their house dies. This is done as they believe that the spirit of the dead will be trapped in the mirror and thus unable to move onto the afterlife. Similarly, other cultures cover mirrors when people are sleeping, preventing the dreamer’s soul from being trapped.
– Perhaps the most famous legend of mirror folklore is that of Bloody Mary. It was said that if you light a candle and chant her name three times into a mirror she would appear before you. If summoned properly she will often be seen as an evil witch or corpse, screaming and ‘stealing your soul.’
– Another legendary mirror tale is that of the Candyman. Very similar to the Bloody Mary, if you say Candyman five times into a mirror he will appear behind you. The story is apparently based on a slave from a New Orleans plantation who fell in love with his owner’s daughter. The slave was hunted down, had his hand cut off and was thrown into a beehive. Sadly, he died but not before he placed curse on those who killed him!
– Fancy seeing what your future husband will look like? Supposedly, if you eat an apple, while brushing your hair and you look into a mirror then an image of your future husband will appear behind your shoulder. Who needs dating websites when you’ve got a mirror, an apple and a hairbrush?
– “Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Who Is the Fairest of Them All?” Catoptromancy is a form of divination using a mirror to see other people or places. It is most famously used by the Evil Queen in Snow White!
– The Myrtles Plantation near Baton Rouge, Lousiana is supposedly one of the most haunted places in the world, home to many ghosts. One of these spirits is that of Sara Woodruff, who alongside her children died through poisoning. Unfortunately, a mirror in the house wasn’t covered up; trapping their spirits and it is alleged that you can often see the handprints of the family on the mirror.
OCULUS COMES TO CINEMAS JUNE FRIDAY 13TH
Be the first to comment