Today's Misdemeanor: Vandalism
You never really know what the villain is intending until it shows up written in blood, paint, or lipstick- preferably across a large surface like a wall, your car windshield, or your bathroom mirror (which would be both breaking & entering and vandalism- and pretty frickin creepy in either case)
I tried to think. I really did. But I could come up with absolutely NO instances from my past where I resorted to vandalism to get my point across. It’s just not my style. I mean, how the hell are you supposed to get even if your intentions are written in BIG RED LETTERS somewhere? I don’t know about you, but you’d think for a villain- it’d be like shooting yourself in the foot.
Yet even 16 year old Voldemort went a little nuts with the bloody spray paint in ‘The Chamber of Secrets’. And he still managed to lure his victim into his domain. Which means the vandalism plot device in thrillers is mostly there for…the thrill. And it works!
What are some of your favorite/least favorite/creepiest/funniest vandalism scenes in movies and literature?
To catch up on other Creepy Misdemeanors- click here.
24 comments:
hehe. I once WATCHED my class mates cover our principal's front yard with toilet paper after graduation. I didn't have the guts to participate ... lol
I can't think of any vandalism scenes. My mind went blank.
I DO remember being in 2nd or 3rd grade and writing my name on one of the columns at school. They were covered, I thought it was okay. I used pencil though, so it's notlike I did any damage!
I got caught that first time and turned into a major narc!
I can't think of a vandalism scene either? Maybe you could give us some to watch!
I can't think of any either. Think think think. Nope still not there.
And I, of course, would never do anything like that. Though the temptation has been there on the odd occasion, but fortunately I don't wear red lipstick (or any lipstick) or carry red paint with me. :D
One example I've seen recently was on the last episode of 'Pretty Little Liars'. I don't know if it was in the books or not but there was a break in and the message was written in lipstick...across the bedroom mirror. Very original. lol.
Hmmm . . . I can't think of any either.
Wait . . . going way back, there is the one from Newsies. ;) But they had their picture in the paper for it, so it was hardly secret. . . . Ah, Christian Bale . . . but I digress.
I hate to sound like a broken record but I'm coming up empty too!!! Yikes!
I don't have any vandalism memories, which I can say is a relief, I don't want to be labeled as a bad child!
As for the vandalism scenes I loved Chamber of Secrets by far!! I don't know how the villians do it, but the hero's are always looking for trouble! Guess that's why I'm not a hero, I'm not stupid enough to walk into the line of fire! Just sayin'
OMGosh, I suck right now. Can't think of one and I know there are plenty. You do, however, bring up a good point. I'll have to keep vandalism in my brain while writing.
"Bad Wolf" - Doctor Who the 9th Doctor Who series. These words appear in graffitti form throughout - leading up to a climax to DIE for! :-)
Take care
x
True about Vandalism, I really cant make it work on my characters too, but if dully used, it can work, as in HP.
My creepiest moment in all books I`ve read was with Twilight.
Edward can`t sleep so he watches Bella do it. He stalks her the whole book man! AND SHE LIKES IT! WTFFFF!!!! I know, when we are in love, we like even the scariest things, but godamn it, that was just too far for me...
I am totally drawing a blank on vandalism scenes! But, I have always adored train vandalism for some reason. I think it looks cool.
The only things I vandalize are notebooks. :D Although I like the idea, and hopefully will someday be able to use it in a novel. :) If the message is vague enough, it can actually help the villain, I think.
Um...drawing a total blank. I can't believe it! I know there have to be about a gazillion of them. Sorry to let you down. :-)
Speaking of Harry Potter and vandalism, I love the Weasley twins messing around with Percy's badge.
I think bad guys resort to vandalism because there's this need to take credit for the "genius" of what they do, while still not wanting to get caught. It probably keeps them from spilling it aloud.
LOL all I can ever think of is actual graffiti when driving through Detroit years ago. It read FREE CHAIRMAN GONZALES but then someone added in a different spraypaint WITH EVERY PURCHASE! I don't know why but my husband and I still laugh at that years later. I mean, perhaps Chairman Gonzales should have been freed (I have no idea). But writing it on an underpass in Detroit? How does that help?
I threw an egg out a window once. That's about as 'vandalist' as I got!
Happy Monday!
Okay, this post made me laugh. I loved the picture and the point you made. Excellent!
I loved the HP vandalism you featured in this picture.
I also really enjoy the vandalism in one of the Sherlock Holmes books, I can't remember which one. But I loved the way that the manner in which the blood on the wall was written, the words chosen and everything about the crime scene lent details as to who the killer was. I thought it was brilliant!
If you want to hear a funny vandalism story, here's a personal one:
Just this year, there was this hole in the wall created by the students at my high school (they are a violent bunch) and one of my friends took a piece of paper and scribbled, "To Narnia!--->" He posted that paper to the wall, near the hole.
Everybody who saw that died of laughter, including myself.
Write on!
REDRUM!
Ooooohoooohoooo! And it had to be READ BACKWARD to get its meaning! Though I also love the Chamber of Secrets stuff because of the riddle about Ginny actually DOING IT. It was BRILLIANT!
(and I haven't resorted to vandalism either, but I DO leave notes on the bathroom mirror if there is anything my kids can't forget to do)
This happens on tv muchisimo... 'Psych' on USA has used the vandalism clue ploy before... lipstick on the mirror.
I really don't get why you'd leave a clue if you were the guilty party, but it still is pretty creepy...and if I found a lipstick note or blood message on my wall I'd call the police and not follow the clue...this is why I'm not the MC in a novel/tv series/etc, in case you were wondering :)
hAhah hilarious post! but yes, I do that. Angry red lipsticks on former boyfriends' mirrors. I'm mature that way
My favorite scene in a book or movie? Gads. I got beat to REDRUM, of course.
So on to second place...
I'll plug one of my un-pubs.
It's a novel about a little boy whose dad kills himself. After finding his pop hanging in the barn, he takes a baseball bat to the mirror and chest in the master bedroom.
Later on he burns down the house, but that was an accident because his squirrel caught on fire.
Yes, I wrote it like that.
I love vandalism.
- Eric
Ooo! I just saw the lipstick on the mirror trick on Pretty Little Liars last week. And it was creepy!
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