Spectral Illusions Dark Ride

A CGI version of a dark ride. How cool would it be if this thing was real?

Masks

"We all wear masks, and the time comes when we cannot remove them without removing some of our skin." - Andre Berthiaume

Source:

Pumpkin Cheesecake

An assortment of vintage Halloween pinups.

The Butcher of Plainfield

Today marks this birth of Edward Theodore Gein, born this day in 1906. Body snatcher, murderer, necrophiliac, and cannibal, he inspired the classic horror films Psycho, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Silence of the Lambs. He eventually died in 1984.

Advice to Live By

Remember kids: Always wear gloves, and leave no witnesses.

Eight Makes Hate

The first teaser for Quentin Tarantino's new film, "The Hateful Eight":

A New Era

Tomorrow, August 25th, 2014, marks the beginning of my career as a college student, at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, in Indiana, PA. I will be pursuing an English Major with an emphasis on Creative Writing. This probably going to take up the vast majority of my time for the next four years, but I'll try and keep my blog posts as frequent as possible. Wish me luck!

Shelli

Yesterday, I received a phone call from my mother. My dog Shelli, who was getting on in years, had suffered a stroke. She had been in bad shape for a while, but now she had reached the end of her road. My mom, as she was calling me, was taking Shelli to be put to sleep. I didn't even get to say goodbye. I hadn't seen her since Christmas 2012. Needless to say, I'm not doing so well. I'm trying to keep my mind occupied, but it's rough. I will be attending the viewing today to see her one last time. I was told she died peacefully, with her favorite stuffed animal, Sheepy, under her chin.

I remember when we got Shelli. She was six at the time. Her previous owners' kids had gone off to college, and they wanted to give her to a family with young kids. I was 11 at the time. I wasn't used to dogs, especially as one as big as Shelli, but she was such a sweetheart. She became part of the family, in the way that only a special pet can. I will miss her more that I can say.

Goodbye, Shelli.

2000 - 2014

31

In the five days leading up to Halloween, five strangers are kidnapped, only to wake up on the 31st in a strange place called Murder World. There they must use their wits to out run and out kill their opponents (a gang of murderous clowns) for the next 12 hours if they have any hope of escape. 

The next film by Rob Zombie. I can't wait to see this thing!

Click here to become a backer of the film: 

The Bone Church

What I wouldn't give to see this place in person.

Le Cafe L'Enfer

A 19th century Parisian nightclub themed to Hell itself, that entertained it's patrons with horror themed cabaret performances and had molten gold and silver flowing through the walls of it's "grottoes". Eat your heart out, Planet Hollywood.

The Houses October Built

From Variety.com:

Image Entertainment has nabbed North American rights to The Houses October Built and will release the thriller simultaneously in theaters and on video-on-demand. The film centers on five friends who set off on a road trip to visit haunted house attractions, only to come face to face with something more blood-curdling that fake thrills. It premiers in October in 10 markets, including New York and Los Angeles.

All I can say is a) Why did it take Hollywood so long to make a movie about haunted houses? and b) I can't wait to see this thing! 

Music Video Monday: "House of 1000 Corpses"

By Rob Zombie.

Now Begins the Battle of Grandin Road

Thanks to Shellhawk of Shellhawk's Nest for bringing this my attention. Every year for the past three years the company Grandin Road has ripped off the hard work and ingenuity of home haunters. The first year, it was Grim's cloaked ghost:

Grim's Original

Grandin Road's Rip-Off

The second it was William Bezek's Skeleton Dolls:

William Bezek's Original

Grandin Road's Cheap Knock-Off

This year, it was Terra Lair's "Beloved" tombstone (comparison graphic by Shellhawk's Nest):

And what has Grandin Road done when someone has pointed out their unscrupulous methods? They threaten the haunter whose hard work has been plagiarized with lawsuit unless the posts exposing Grandin Road's wrongdoings are taken down.

The time has come for us haunters to band together and stop Grandin Road's exploitation of the work of haunters. No more should we allow them to profit of our creativity. We must take a stand. Spread the word, expose this scam and help undue to the wrongs committed by Grandin Road. Post on their Facebook page (politely, if you would) and help stop this plague of corporate greed and corruption. I myself will posting daily on their FB page until something is done. Enough is enough. Let the battle begin.

Tasty Fried Chicken

Who doesn't love clowns?

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Merrick & Dread's Carnival of Darkness approaches...

Damnation Most Vague

An original poem of mine. I hope you like it!

I am the shadow which moves down the street,

I am the silent plague,

I am the destroyer of worlds,

I am damnation most vague

I hear your ignorant scorn,

I hear your taunts and jeers,

But to you I bring one thing:

I bring you what you fear

I am the Monster you all want,

I am the freedom you despise,

And while you move to the Master’s drum

I mock you with my eyes

To Hell with your God! To Hell with your Satan!

These Masters I do not serve,

I blaze my own path

And I do so with great verve

I sit upon the skulls of the fallen

And bask in their ill fate,

I do not mourn for them

For they have earned my hate

Knives and razors and guns

And other delightful toys,

They do such an excellent job

Of cancelling out the noise

Of your “beauty” I want none

For it to me is dull,

And only the truly beautiful

Shall be safe from my wrathful cull

I am the shadow which moves down the street,

I am the silent plague,

I am the destroyer of worlds,

I am damnation most vague.

The House

A poem by HP Lovecraft.

RIP Robin Williams, 1951 - 2014

When I first heard the news, I didn't want to believe it. I thought it was just another tasteless internet hoax. But I soon realized this was no bad joke. This was for real. I may not have know the man, but I do feel a sadness at his passing. Fare thee well, Mr. Williams. Thanks for all the laughs.

Mr. Jones

An awesome costume from the movie of the same name. The scarecrow you see in the foreground was built by the master himself, Pumpkinrot.

The Ecstasy of Madness

A scene from Metropolis (1927).

Haunted Mansion Week, Day 7: 45th Anniversary

Well Specters, the 45th Anniversary of Disney's Haunted Mansion is here at last! On this day, in 1969, the grandfather of the haunted attraction industry opened it's doors to the public, and history would never be the same. I sometimes wonder if the Imagineers who created the Mansion had any idea what they were unleashing into the world? If they knew what they created would be the beginning of a new industry, and (for many people) a way of life? Granted, the Mansion isn't sole responsible for the rise of haunted attractions (Coney Island and Knott's Scary Farm deserve some of the credit) but it certainly accelerated things, and changed the way haunts were thought of. No more black walls and cheap rubber masks - haunts could now be living, breathing works of Art. To me, that is the legacy of the Haunted Mansion, and why I celebrate it.

For our final entry in Haunted Mansion Week, I though it appropriate to celebrate the people who have kept the Mansion alive (undead?) for so long: the fans. It is they who gave the Mansion it's status, who cemented it's legacy, and who made sure that the Mansion, unlike other Disneyland attractions, is still alive and well 45 years after it opened. There is the most obvious fan tribute, the excellent and always informative website www.doombuggies.com, but there is so much more. There are fan films:
There are makeup tutorials:
And of course, there are Haunts based on the Mansion:
One man even lives in his own private Haunted Mansion!
If one thing can be concluded from all this: Disney's Haunted Mansion is here to stay!

Haunted Mansion Week, Day 6

For the second-to-last day of Haunted Mansion Week, I thought we'd take a look at the Music. It's a known fact among Mansionites that (almost) every piece of music heard through out the ride is a variation on the ride's theme song, Grim Grinning Ghosts. It is heard as a funeral dirge in the foyer, a waltz, a creepy piano tune, and jazzy jamboree in the graveyard (Fun Fact: the organ seen in the ballroom is in fact the organ from Captain Nemo's office in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea). In fact, the only scene that doesn't use the Grim Grinning Ghosts theme is the Attic, which instead had a version of "Here Comes the Bride" as it's soundtrack. And of course, who could forget the iconic narration by Disney veteran Paul Frees?
When the Mansion was brought to Paris as Phantom Manor, the score was rework into a lush, Gothic orchestral score that would be right at home in a film adaptation of Phantom of the Opera. Paul Frees was replaced as Ghost Host by the famous horror actor Vincent Price, who did his own narration exceptionally well.
The Mansion has also inspired a few sound effects records that have become desirable among collectors of vintage horror records:
The influence of the Haunted Mansion and it's soundtrack should not be underestimated. Truly the first real "Halloween music", and can be heard as the soundtrack to countless haunts every year. And besides, what Halloween fan (including yours truly) hasn't wanted to waltz among the ghosts in the ballroom and lose himself in that delicious organ music?

Haunted Mansion Week, Day 5

So far, we've covered the History of the Mansion, the spinoffs, and the Hat Box Ghost. Today, we're going to take a look at the Bride in the Attic. For some reason, this single scene (to me), is the single creepiest scene in the entire ride. Something about that faceless bride with the beating heart.... *shudder* So, I've assembled a collection of goodies related to this scene, including a ghost story that came out a while back. Enjoy!

The music from the attic: A Ghost Story: Part One: Part Two: Part Three: For more information, go to http://doombuggies.com/myths2.php