Samhain Approaches...

Tomorrow is October 1st, the beginning of the shadow season where the veils between the worlds grows thin and those from the Other Side may walk among us, hidden in plain sight. I have many exciting things planned for the month of October, starting this weekend with my journey to Phoenix, AZ, to meet face to face at long last my friend Sharon Day, of Ghost Hunting Theories, and Julie of Above the Norm. During my time in the Southwest, we will be visiting a corn maze, marathoning horror movies, carving pumpkins, conducting a seance to attempt to contact the late great John Wolfe, and on Saturday we will be attending Rob Zombie's Great American Nightmare in Scottsdale, AZ. I will also, as I have previously mentioned, be attending the Sacred Ink Halloween Extravaganza on November 1st, in Indiana, PA. It is at that event I will attempting body suspension for the first time. I have few other things I want to try to do this October, but I will not be stating them here as there is a chance they won't happen. I do, of course have a lot of things
planned for the blog during the Dark Month, with a special post kicking things off tomorrow. Halloween is coming, Specters. Be ready for it.

Music Video Monday: You Will Know My Name

By Arch Enemy:

Rob Zombie's Great American Nightmare 2014 - Scottsdale, AZ

Some teaser pics of Rob Zombie's Great American Nightmare, a Halloween/haunted house festival in Scottsdale, AZ, which I will be attending on October 4th with Sharon Day of Ghosting Hunting Theories. So stoked about this trip!

Michael Myers goes to Halloween Horror Nights

A look at the new "Halloween" maze at Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando.

Vlog #5: Pulp Fiction 20th Anniversary

This past Tuesday was the 20th anniversary of Quentin Tarantino's masterpiece Pulp Fiction. To mark the occasion, I made a Royale with Cheese and got my concentration broken.

The Summoning

A look at the new haunt at Pittsburgh's The Scarehouse:

Smile and the World Smiles with You

A promotional still of Conrad Viedt as Gwynplaine in The Man Who Laughs.

One of the bizarre crimes in the annals of American history...

Vlog #4: Plans for Halloween 2014

In which I ramble on about my plans for the Halloween season, with numerous random tangents.

Behind the Mask

A look at the making of the masks used in Rob Zombie's remake of Halloween:

There's something out there... something in the corn... something moving...

An amazing scarecrow makeup tutorial by MadeYewLook.

The Hessian Rider

"The dominant spirit, however, that haunts this enchanted region, is the apparition of a figure on horseback without a head. It is said by some to be the ghost of a Hessian trooper, whose head was carried away by a cannon-ball, during some nameless battle of the Revolutionary War, who is ever and anon seen by the country folk hurrying along in the gloom of night, as if on the wings of the wind. His haunts are not confined to the valley, but extend at times to the adjacent roads, and especially to the vicinity of a church at no great distance. Indeed, certain of the most authentic historians of the regions, who have been careful in collecting and collating the floating facts about this specter, allege that the body of the trooper having been buried in the churchyard, the ghost rides forth to the scene of battle in nightly quest of his head, and that the rushing speed with which he sometimes passes through the Hollow, like a midnight blast, is owing to his being belated, and in a hurry to get back to the churchyard before daybreak."

- Washington Irving, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1820)

Image Source:

An American Werewolf in London

A sneak peak at the AAWiL haunted house at Halloween Horror Nights - Hollywood. Video by Theme Park Adventure.

The Houses October Built - Trailer

Well Specters, the official trailer for The Houses October Built has been released, and I must say, while I'm not a fan of found footage (OK, if it vanished from cinema never to return I'd be happy indeed) but this looks like a lot of fun. I'm going to try and catch it. Are you?

Lustmord

50 Days...

Vlog #3: Pumpkin Cider

In which I kick off the Halloween season by trying Pumpkin Cider for the first time.

Hollywood Haunter

Their recently re-edited 2012 haunt video. Really, REALLY good stuff.

Strange Works

I am currently constructing a new face... I shall post picks when I am finished...

The Gothic

An excellent video discussion on the literary genre known as "Gothic" by the British Library.

Music Video Monday: Daze

By Poets of the Fall

The King of Hell

A happy 60th birthday to Doug Bradley, best known for his portrayal of Pinhead/the Lead Cenobite in Clive Barker's Hellraiser.

A sad day for Haunters

Recently found out that the legendary House of Shock Horror Show in New Orleans, LA, will be hosting its final season this Halloween. Really bummed to see it go. House of Shock had an enormous influence on the haunt industry, and was truly an innovator. My only regret is that I never got to see it in person.

Spirit Halloween Store 2014

Yesterday I made the first trip of the season to the Spirit Halloween store to admire the wares and plan my purchases. Here's some pics and video I took while I was there. Hope you dig them. And if you drop by the store in Indiana, PA, tell them HalloweeNut sent you!

Digging that they went for the look of ancient ruins.

Dem Bones, Dem Bones, Gonna Walk Around...

Always warms my blackened heart to see some Dia de los Muertos merch for sale.

"A clown can get away with murder..." - John Wayne Gacy

I think I will have to purchase a few of these to decorate my apartment with.

The video took of the projection FX they had for sale:

Teller of Fortunes

He is Coming...

Nightmare NYC

Check out this super-creepy trailer for the Nightmare New York Haunted House:

A Family Portrait