Halloween Weeny-Witch Party Book
I posted the advertisement for Squire's Arlington Skinless Hot Dogs. In the ad you could send away for this party book. I saved you the trouble.
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Halloween Advertisement for Wurlitzer Music
Sure, you have your Amazon Prime Music, Spotify, Pandora, iTunes, and on and on and on. Back then, we had Wurlitzer. Eat your heart out.
Them! (1954) Movie Pressbook
Here's the 20 page pressbook for Them! And some interesting tidbits from the Wikipedia article on the movie:
- Actor James Whitmore wore "lifts" in his shoes to compensate for the height difference between himself and James Arness. It has also been noted that Whitmore employed bits of "business" (hand gestures and motions) during scenes in which he appeared to draw more attention to his character when not speaking.
- The Wilhelm scream, created three years earlier for the film Distant Drums, is used during the action sequences: when a sailor aboard the freighter is grabbed by an ant, when James Whitmore's character is caught in an ant's mandibles, and when an overhead wooden beam falls on a soldier in the Los Angeles storm-drain sequence.
- The giant ants were constructed and operated by unseen technicians supervised by Ralph Ayers, and were actually purplish-green in color. During the climactic battle sequence in the Los Angeles sewers, there is a brief shot of one ant moving in the foreground with its side removed, revealing its mechanical interior. This blunder has been obscured in the DVD releases of the film. (Wow, I've seen this movie a few times and never noticed. Will be looking next time.)
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Pressbook: Black Dragons (1942)
The best part of this pressbook for Black Dragons is the Bela Lugosi product tie-in to Remington. Who knew even Dracula needed to shave?
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Pressbook: Night Monster (1942)
Here's the Realart re-release pressbook for Night Monster, a tidy little thriller from Universal, with tons of atmosphere and stylish camerawork to enjoy. You can read my movie review here.
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Press Photo: Anoka Halloween Parade 1949
Here's a Tribune press photo showing the Anoka, Minnesota, Halloween parade marching along Main Street, October 31st, 1949. I love the sign that reads "the house that Jack built." Definitely a monsterkid in the skeleton costume.
Double Bill Pressbook:
The Monster That Challenged the World
and The Vampire
The design of the caterpillar-like creature in The Monster That Challenged the World is on my shortlist of favorite monsters of the 1950s. Although the script resorts to the usual 1950s woman in peril and is totally helpless until the man arrives but he gets into trouble so she screams a lot until more help arrives scenario, it's still a worthy B Movie staple. This pressbook shows the fantastic poster art and fun ballyhoo used for promoting this double bill of "blood-curdling monsters of the age!"
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Double Bill Pressbook:
The Monster That Challenged the World
and The VampireRead More »
Halloween 2015 Sighted:
Spirit Halloween Store
and the Zombie Subway
Spirit Halloween is doing a scary subway display this year, and I finally got to see it in all its gory. This store is at the Source Mall on Long Island. The mall, facing stiff competition from others close by, and hit by its anchor stores leaving, is pretty spooky all by itself. The top floor is mostly shuttered shop fronts, and the food court is now more a snack instead of a meal kind of place. But the Spirit Halloween store has the advantage of using a large, previously vacated space, so the merchandising is spectacular (if you’re a Halloween fanatic, that is). Now if only I had room for all this stuff…
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Halloween 2015 Sighted:
Spirit Halloween Store
and the Zombie SubwayRead More »
Halloween 2015 Sighted: Walgreens
Some inviting items this year on the shelves at Walgreens. Among the dancing skeletons and animated Medusas, there's an adorable pumpkin pop-up Grim Reaper and a nifty candy dish with a drop-down spider. Giant skull and clown heads will round out any scary decor, and the Day of the Dead and Nightmare Before Christmas decorations get their own endcaps.
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Vintage Halloween Hotdogs
and Weeny Witch Masks
I don't often equate skinless hotdogs with Halloween witch masks, but when I do, I want weeny witch masks. Just not the ones shown here, since THEY AREN'T WITCH MASKS!
Vintage Halloween Brach’s Candy Advertising
What's really frightening about this ad are the children's costumes. At least one kid has the right idea. Must be a monsterkid.
Vintage Halloween Necco Wafers Advertising
Skip the wafers: that Necco OK Double Bar looks darn tasty.