On a dark and stormy night in Hollywood, I ventured in to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery for a night of ghouls, haunts, and The Raven. The screening event could not have asked for better weather – while venturing from my car to the Masonic Lodge where the film would be shown, clouds rolled in and blackened the sky adding an entirely new layer of ambience.
Once inside the Masonic Lodge, the mood was further set with dim lighting, candles, and live piano music that filled the entire space with hauntingly beautiful tunes. There was even a live raven for guests to take pictures with! Soon after the space was full and guests had had their fill of raven pictures, snacks, and violi vodka drinks – we all headed in to the theater area for a conversation with those beyond.
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The ceremony opened with a performance by Tony award winning poet Lemon Andersen, which was beautiful and set the stage for the next segment – a Crossing Over like experience with one of the top mediums.
Now, I’m a skeptic when it comes to these things but regardless of that they can be a lot of fun. The first group that he honed in on wasn’t very receptive to it and didn’t have any one to connect with beyond the grave. He moved on after prodding for a little too long, but the next target was far better at connecting. This woman had lost her father and he was speaking to him about birthdays, grandkids, and more. While I’m not sure I believe, I hope that experience was meaningful to to her and not upsetting or annoying. After speaking with her, he busted out a few gadgets to listen to the spirits – white noise, phonetic spell-outs, etc. Eventually the crowd grew restless and it was time to start the film!
With such a great event, it’s a shame that The Raven was ultimately a disappointment.
