Thanksgiving

It's Turkey Day, Specters! I hope you all have a good time today. Instead of the usual picture of turkey like a lot of blogs, I'd thought I'd share something a little different but still related (sorta): George Carlin's "Fussy Eater" routine. Comedy gold.
Happy Thanksgiving all!

Eli Roth's Thanksgiving

This never gets old. (NSFW)

13 Days of Creepmas 2013:

Hello, Specters. I am very happy announce that I will be part of the annual blog event 13 Days of Creepmas. As retaliation for Christmas encroaching on Halloween every year, I, along with many others, will posting a spooky Xmas post every day from December 1st through December 13th. For those interested in participating, here's a link: http://creepmas.blogspot.com/p/how-to-participate.html I look forward to showing you some truly spooky sights, Specters. Until then...

"Your Blood is Rotten, Black as your Sins!"

Thought I'd re-feature the works of a favorite artists, Nick Kushner. All painted in his own blood.
Oh, and kudos to anyone who knows what movie I just quoted!

 www.thethirdangelsounded.com

Door to door religion

I got pestered by the Jehovah's Witnesses this morning. In order to be helpful to you, dear Specters, I've put this image together for all of us tired of the same people knocking on our doors asking us if we've found Jesus. Just print it out, stick on the door, and watch the fun begin.

Haunts of 2013, Part II

Well, here's the next batch of 2013 haunt vids. First up, the DC Cemetery:
Next, the Conifer Haunt: The 39th Street Cemetery: Now a pro haunt, Haunted Overload: And Finally, the Village Mire, parts I and II:

Freddy VS Michael, Parts I and II

This two part fan film put a big ol' smile on my face. Something really fun about watching these '70s and '80s horror icons facing off against each other. Although personally, I think the second one is better.

Wicked History: Ed Gein

This is part of a new series of posts I’m starting; I call it Wicked History. I’ll be covering the kind of dark, sinister, and sordid tales that you will NEVER hear in history class. Expect murder, madness, morbidity, and the bizarre to be the order of the day with this series. And to kick things off, I thought I’d start with a subject that has fascinated America since the day of his apprehension: Edward Theodore "Ed" Gein, the Psycho of Plainfield himself. And when better to do it on than than the 56th anniversary of his capture.

WARNING: This documentary contains some graphic and disturbing content. If you are squemish or easily offended, walk away now...

Haunts of 2013, Part I

Well, Specters, Halloween 2013 is now officially dead and buried, the Haunt community has begun to pack away its tombstones, bats and scarecrows. There is, however, an upside to all this: the haunt videos of 2013 have begun to appear in great waves on YouTube. As such, I've decided to start a series of posts showcasing some of my favorites. First up, we have Shingle Creek Manor:
Now, the Spider-Rider Haunt:
Now for a couple of walk-throughs. First, Rotten Apple 907's Haunted Wisley Manor:
Here's something a little more edgy - The Butcher of Provincetown:
And finally, Eerie Acres Cemetery:
That's all for now Specters. 'Til next time...

Save The Haunted Garden!

This is a message to Halloween and Haunt fans across the globe: our help is needed to save one of our own. The Haunted Garden, a family-friendly yard haunt from Maryland, is under attack from local government. It seems some Grinchy "neighbors" didn't like the amount of attention the haunt was receiving, and so they got a legal injunction to shut down the display.
This is complete and utter BULLSHIT. This display is actually very tame, very kid-friendly, not at all shocking or graphic in any way, yet some fun-hating sumbitch has decide that since they don't like the haunt, no one else should get to see it. To make matters worse, it seems the local government has chosen to fight dirty: since the haunt owners aren't willing to just knuckle under, Uncle Sam is trying to pressure the owners into closing through growing legal bills. Fortunately, there seems to be a resistance: people are signing the online petition to save the haunt (which you can sign here), and are donating to help with the legal costs. Hell, little kids with protest signs showed up to defend the Garden. Clearly, no one is going to let this go down without a fight.
Now, here's one last thing I'd like to add: I feel it is the obligation of every haunter and Halloween fan to do something about this. Whether it's signing the petition, donating, or spreading the word, do your part. In my opinion, an attack on one is an attack on all of us. This is a complete infringement on Freedom of Speech, protected by the 1st Amendment. If the government can dictate how one how can decorate, who's to say to say they'll just stop at one haunt. Who knows - yours could be next. Do your part and and don't let the Haunted Garden be buried alive!
http://www.savethehauntedgarden.com/

Support Sinister Shadows!

"Sinister Shadows is a project to build the next generation amusement park attraction using a classic ride from 1933 as its foundation.

While other mainstream amusement parks try to entertain people by pushing the limits of what the human body can experience, we will take rides to the next level by building an attraction that will take the riders into a different world.

Our ride will not only create an immersive experience, it will make the rider a part of a story that will last ten times the length of the average amusement park ride.

We've been working on this project for ten years. So far, all of the funding for this project has come from the talented people building it...

Now we've come to the point where we need a big (15,000 square foot!) building to assemble all the pieces in.

Once this ride is built, it will change the way amusement parks build attractions from that day on! We will change the amusement park landscape as much as Disney has, and here's your chance to be a permanent part of it!"

www.sinistershadows.com

Christopher Lee

I couldn't think of a more imaginative title for this post, so there it is. I found this really obscure video of Christopher Lee singing opera in German and French, and reciting part of Poe's The Raven. It seems this was part of an experimental film from Italy in the 1970s. Bask in it's weirdness, and enjoy!

The Upper Berth - A Nautical Ghost Story

I remember finding this eerie short film through Season of Shadows (the late great John Wolfe's site). I remember the first time I watched it, being seriously creeped out by the whole thing. Enjoy!

Remember, Remember, the Fifth of November

Halloween 2013

Well, Specters, here we are. Halloween is over. Every year we hotly anticipate its arrival, yet the day itself goes by so quickly. Now it is day two of Día de los Muertos, and Halloween is gone for another year. Yet already, many of us are already planning for next year. I know I am.

My Halloween started out rather simply, enjoying a mug of hot chocolate (I drink it like other people drink coffee) and few pumpkin donuts from the bakery. Since I didn't have a haunt to set up this year, I rested easy during the day, trying to enjoy the day despite the crummy weather. As dark drew closer, I set up a CD player in my apartment window, and put in Midnight Syndicate's Vampyre CD. I had strewn some leaves around outside, and set up a folding chair to hand out candy from. I put together a Grim Reaper costume (thanks to my friend Sharon for providing the Creepy Cloth), and and sat down with a box bursting with candy waiting for the ToTs. And waiting. And waiting.

In the first hour of Trick or Treating, I only got a few people, six at the most, and I was feeling depressed as I sat there in the rainy drizzle. Determined to enjoy Halloween, I went inside, turned off the CD player, and put an unusual plan into action: I was going to reverse the order of things. Hauling my box of candy with me, I began roaming the neighborhood. Any house I saw that was decorated or looking festive, received a special visit from the Reaper: when I rang the doorbell, and someone came to the door with a bowl of candy, before the could say anything, I promptly placed a few handfuls of candy into their bowls. Then I turned smartly on my heel and walked away. If I encountered any groups of ToTs out and about, I was sure to give them some candy too. People some delighted by the whole thing. A mysterious cloaked figure dispensing goodies to passersby seemed appropriately spooky, I guess. The last house I visited had the best decoration in the whole town. Cornstalks, spider webs, witches, ghosts, pumpkins, orange lights, fog, an animatronic pirate skeleton; they had it all. I gave them all the candy I had left. I revisited the house later and got to talking with the owners; really nice people. When I revealed that I was the Reaper who had visited them earlier, the one lady ended up giving me a great big bag of candy. Very generous, and very cool. And at 8:00, as I walked about, there were fireworks. Yes, that's right, fireworks. Lots of them. The night sky was light up with the colors of autumn, and the air was perfumed with the scent of gunpowder. Finally, I went home, and collapsed into an armchair, exhausted (in a good way). Finally, I wound down the evening by watching Trick 'r Treat and munching on microwave kettle corn.

It was a good Halloween.