From Zombos' Closet

Vintage Halloween Photo

Cheetah Velour posted this wonderfully bewitching vintage Halloween picture last Halloween.

Halloween Honeycomb Witch and Cauldron

Another witch stirring a honeycomb cauldron decoration. This time with a green frog leaping out of the bubbling brew.

My Halloween: Dan Dillard

Five questions asked over a glowing Jack o'Lantern, under an Autumn moon obscured by passing clouds...in between mouthfuls of candy corn...author Dan Dillard writes mostly horror, but not always. Sometimes he writes about Halloween.

 

Why is Halloween important to you?

Not sure what it is about Halloween that is so magical. It could be the lore or the mystery. It's like our one time to become one with the paranormal and there's an odd feeling of safety about the day. Seems like I read that it was once a festival where families would light bonfires to warm the bones of their deceased ancestors who walked the earth on that evening. I like that idea. I'm also a huge fan of horror and the ghostly tales that seem to surround Halloween... and secretly I like the costumes and the candy. I like watching my children enjoy that aspect of it as well.

Describe your ideal Halloween.

My ideal Halloween would start with a well decorated house. That includes carved jack-o-lanterns. There would be a party with friends and family (in costumes of course). It needs to be a cool night, not too cold, and there has to be hundreds of kids bebopping from house to house with bags of treasure. Each of them ringing doorbells in hopes of scaring someone on the inside. After the kids come home with their loot, the wife and I get to watch a movie and steal all the Reese's cups.

What Halloween collectibles do you cherish, or hate, or both?

Wow, collectibles? I'm not sure. I love the figurines from the movies...Nightmare Before Christmas is a favorite. I'd love to have Jack and Sally maquettes... maybe Oogie Boogie as well.

When was your very first Halloween, the one where "you really knew" it was Halloween, and how was it?

My family always celebrated Halloween. I remember when I was really young seeing my brother dressed as the Hunchback... he had latex scars on his face and fake teeth and the whole nine... That was pretty cool. I might have been 4 or 5. Think I was superman that year.

At 7 or 8 years old, I wanted to be a Tusken Raider from Star Wars...I think my mother helped sew the costume out of a tan bathrobe and my dad made the gaffi stick out of wood and styrofoam...it was pretty awesome. Pop on a little vacuformed mask and I looked great in the mirror... I also remember being Batman, Freddy Kruger, a Ghostbuster, a werewolf, and this year I'm...wait, that's top secret.

What's the one Halloween question you want to be asked, and what's your answer?

Q: Where can I get your book?

A: That's a shameless plug. I hope to hear a bunch of hopeful "Trick or Treat" s... That will be enough.

But you can still buy his book, Demons and Other Inconveniences, and What Tangled Webs, too.

Halloween Witch and Honeycomb Cauldron

I don't think that poor frog stands a chance, do you? That skull doesn't look too happy, either.

Halloween Party: The Gross Out Game

I recommend playing this card game before you start eating your trick or treat candy. Here's a sampling of the 27 card set.

My Halloween: Scooby Stole the Snacks

Five questions asked over a glowing Jack o'Lantern, under an Autumn moon obscured by passing clouds...in between mouthfuls of candy corn...Sammy from Scooby Stole the Snacks leaves the Mystery Machine for a moment to talk about Halloween.

 

Why is Halloween important to you?

Halloween has always been the only time of the year where I could go out in a Scooby Doo outfit and not receive any weird looks from the general population. Also, it has been a great opportunity for my family, primarily my 8-year old brother, to actually have fun together. Plus, free candy! That's always a bonus. See, I go trick-r'-treating every year, and I just overall love that time of the year.

Describe your ideal Halloween.

My ideal Halloween? Well, honestly, I'm one of those simple people. My ideal Halloween would consist of it being on a weekend, so I wouldn't have to go to school. There would have to be homemade Halloween goodies, like my peppermint patty spiders and mummy hot dogs. My family and I would carve jack-o-lanterns in the morning, then relax and watch good old black and white movies, such as Bela Lugosi's Dracula. Then, we would go trick-'r-treating, and come home and indulge on all the free chocolate.

What Halloween collectibles do you cherish, or hate, or both?

I personally cherish my old glow in the dark plastic skeleton that I hang on my door every Halloween. It's cheap and simple, sure, but it's a classic. I don't particularly like those candy bowls that have the hand that grabs you when you reach into the bowl. It was creepy at first, but it's really getting old every year. I both hate/cherish those fake spiderwebs that you can hang on bushes, trees, etc. They're awesome looking, but just a pain in the butt to actually hang up.

When was your very first Halloween, the one where "you really knew" it was Halloween, and how was it?

The first Halloween I remember was the year I dressed up as a Hershey's Kiss. I must have been around 2-3 years old at the time. My mom handmade the costume and I was the cutest Hershey's Kiss ever. I don't quite remember how it was, but I'm sure it was enjoyable, since I was smiling in all the pictures my mom took of me that night.

What's the one Halloween question you want to be asked, and what's your answer?

Q: What is the worst possible outfit that you can find at any Halloween store?

A: Any outfit involving Jersey Shore, or Lady Gaga

Halloween Grow Your Own Mummy

Here's a Grow Your Own novelty a bit more family-friendly than the bloody hand. Again, great use of simple color and illustration on the card.

Halloween Monster Pooper Wind-Up

There is something giddily stupid about this wind-up monster pooping candy. Those candy poopers for Christmas, like the reindeer, or even the Halloween cat dropping these sugary dumps is more sensible in design. Although I'd rather it look more gruesome it does have a certain style to it, I'll grant you that. The catch-line is perfect: Wind me up and watch me go!

It would be more quixotically daring to have a rotting,worm-infested, puss-blowing zombie pooping these brightly colored candy treats, though, wouldn't it? Or maybe I've been watching too many horror movies.

My Halloween: Nathicana

Five questions asked over a glowing Jack o'Lantern, under an Autumn moon obscured by passing clouds...in between mouthfuls of candy corn...while Nathicana impatiently waits for the inevitable zombie apocalypse, she shares some Halloween spirit with us.

 

Why is Halloween important to you?

Candy. Lots of candy. OK, OK, not candy. Halloween is the only holiday I celebrate. I love that it doesn’t have all the baggage that the other holidays have; no worrying about gifts, no arguing with family members over a dried out turkey dinner, no secret Santa crap. It’s just pure fun. Honestly, it’s the only time of year where people seem to take pleasure in the holiday itself. Plus it lets me inflict my love of creepy things upon others.

Describe your ideal Halloween.

I’m pretty low key in my old age so I suppose my ideal Halloween is what we usually do every year. Two-day horror movie marathon (Hey, I grew up outside of Detroit: Halloween starts on Devil’s Night), then we have some friends over for a bonfire, and drinks. Maybe later we’ll terrorize the neighbors, howl at the moon, conduct a few virgin sacrifices. You know, nothing too exciting.

What Halloween collectibles do you cherish, or hate, or both?

They’re not collectibles but I just hate, hate those damn inflatable cutesy decorations people put on their lawns. They absolutely drive me crazy. Halloween is supposed to be spooky. Ugh, I’ll stop now before I go on a tangent about how I think Halloween has been sissified over the years.

Obviously, I love anything really creepy but my favorite item isn’t really a Halloween collectible. It’s a little statue of St. Francis of Assisi that I got from a church sale. It looks like it was created by Francis Bacon. It’s disturbing and hideous and it’s awesome. I don’t really have anything that would be considered a collectible when I think about it, mostly just decorations.

When was your very first Halloween, the one where you really knew it was Halloween, and how was it?

The very first Halloween that I remember distinctly was when I was seven. I was stuck at my Grandparents house sick with something or other so I didn’t get to go trick or treating. I did, however, get to stay up late that night and watch the local channel’s thriller double-feature: Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things and Night of the Living Dead. It was terrifying and gave me nightmares and I loved every second of it. That was the point where I began to love everything to do with horror, anything dark, macabre, or creepy. I might not have gotten any candy that Halloween but it was the best Halloween ever.

What's the one Halloween question you want to be asked and what's your answer?

Q: What’s your favorite movie to watch on Halloween?

A: Prince of Darkness. It’s an excellent film that I think is totally underrated which is a shame since it really has some great moments. Come on! “I have a message for you and you’re not going to like it. Pray for death”. That’s a freaking great line. I use it quite often, in fact.

Grow a Bloody Hand for Halloween

The marketing hype on this gruesome trick is zany fun: freak out your neighbors! Put it under a sibling's bed!

For a little rubber hand two inches in size (before growing), its visually striking display on this red, black, and white card package makes it irresistible. As well as the little bit of bone sticking out the end, which contrasts nicely against the red stump. How can you pass it up?

For an added treat, the disclaimer on the back is charmingly nonsensical: This toy is in no way intended to represent living people. Any resemblance is purely coincidental and not intended to harm anyone.

I suppose if you know someone who's all thumbs, they may be a little offended.

 

Halloween Beistle Witch Art-Tissue Centerpiece

As far as I know, they don't make these anymore. That's a shame. This witch strikes the right tone between spooky and Halloween party gal. Her glowing green-eyed familiar is quite a feline, too.

Halloween Electronic Witch Lantern

They may appear a little too happy but I still like these plastic Witch Lanterns. Though I must say I like the green-faced witch more. They make spooky sounds, too. I had a glass and metal pumpkin lantern back in the day: you know, when kids running around with glass and metal in their hands was permissable. I guess my fond memories of that potentially lethal lantern make me seek out even the plastic ones. But I do miss that sense of danger.

Halloween Beistle Cat Face Cutout

I picked up a few of these at the local card store I visit each year around this time. The woman who runs it worked in party goods for a long time and always seems to find Halloween cutouts you don't see much of anymore. She mentioned window-clings are the big thing right now. I suppose; but the big thing for me on Halloween is seeing Beistle cutouts, or Amscan's older ones. They are colorful, creative, and easily capture the spirit of Halloween in their images.

 

Halloween Skeleton and Tombstone Pop-Up Pin-On

Tombstones and skeletons go together like peanut butter and jelly.

Movie Review: Case 39 (2009) This Social Worker Needs Help

Zombos Says: Good (but formulaic)

It almost seems every horror movie this year has shown a kid hugging a pillow or a crucifix hanging on a wall--or both. Case 39 shows both, and adds Renee Zelwegger's puffy-pouting cheeks and coy eyes, which are better suited to her romantic roles. It also shows a little girl named Lillith (Jodelle Ferland) whose suspense-killing name is an obvious clue to her demeanor for any devout horror fan watching.

The 39th case in question concerns overworked Emily's (Renee Zelwegger) new assignment. Emily is a social worker who hates the overwhelming case load she struggles with but can't ignore any child in need. Lillith is Emily's 39th case and appears to be in need. Her parents want to kill her.

They almost do, but Emily's persistence manages to get Detective Barron (Ian McShane) involved just in time to stop them from roasting Lillith in the oven. Her parents head to the psychiatric ward while Lillith does a little social work of her own to eventually convince Emily to look after her. After Lillith moves into Emily's home is when those puffy-pouting cheeks work overtime with growing worry. Emily finally notices all those quirky things you should never ignore in a horror movie like: Lillith's parents locking themselves in their room at night with big honking bolts on their bedroom door; an ominous looking scratch in the wood floor; people start dying when phone calls are made from Emily's cell phone late at night; Lillith tells Emily she better provide lots of ice cream and nice things to say or else.

Here is where I take note of my disappointment. I thought Case 39 would try a different direction  for a change.  I hoped for a kid plagued by demons, not a demon-kid plaguing adults. We've seen evil kids before: pony-tailed Rhoda Penmark in The Bad Seed, sinister little Damien in The Omen, long-haired Samara in The Ring, and tightly-wound Esther in The Orphan. Ferland can hold her own against any of them, but the formula here ignores interesting possibilities an innocent child cursed by demon playmates can muster. Instead we have typical, all-purpose, no-seasoning-required scares coming from Emily's growing realization she was wrong about Lillith and her parents.

Some tension is here, but it is straighforward and builds predictably, although Christian Alvart directs us through it with strong imagery as shown in the oven-stuffer attempt by Lillith's parents--which shows another use for duct tape I bet you never thought of--a jaw slamming hard enough into a refrigerator door for both to crunch, sparingly used (until the end, anyway) CGI-enhanced demonic features playing across innocent little Lillith's face when she gets mad, and token growls and voices not of this world. True to Hollywood Horror Think, Zelwegger even gets a chance to run screaming in the rain wearing little more than raindrops. She does have great gams, though.

Ray Wright adds a subtle twist to the story: how will Emily, a social worker, deal with a kid-looking monster everyone else sees as an innocent angel? But he never brings it to a boil after the simmering set up. If you've seen The Crazies and Pulse remakes, you already know his approach. It's adequately underwhelming, lacking any finer points of fear-making, like making us guess what's going to happen next instead of worrying about how creatively he can make people die.

The breakout point should have come at this scene: Lillith sitting across the table from psychologist Doug (Bradley Cooper); he thinks he's talking to a little girl who's scared, but she makes him fearful for his own safety. Wright follows the path of least resistance and uses the moment to set up a nasty death later. It's a wasted opportunity for mounting real tension,  just so the CGI boys could gimmick up another corpus exitus?

Still, those gams are worth a look.

My Halloween: Sideshow Cinema

Five questions asked over a glowing Jack o'Lantern, under an Autumn moon obscured by passing clouds...in between mouthfuls of candy corn...Fiji Mermaid of Sideshow Cinema steps out of the Black Lagoon to celebrate Halloween with us...

Why is Halloween important to you?

Halloween is important to me because as far back as I can remember I’ve always liked monsters, whether it be toys, songs, movies and such. That interest is still there to this day and thankfully there is a Holiday and a month that really puts that monstrous vibe out there for everyone to enjoy. As soon as I see the first Halloween store open, or decorations start to appear, it gives me that feeling of scary fun that only Halloween can bring.

Describe your ideal Halloween.

My ideal Halloween would be to set up some spooky decorations around the house and have some of the haunted house sound effects I’ve collected over the years playing on loop through some speakers positioned in the windows to set the mood. Dressing in costume to hand out treats seems like the only way to do the job right, so I’d pick out one of my costumes from the “Halloween” bin. I think surprising or giving a bit of a scare to the kids coming to get candy will help to pass on that fun of Halloween. If years down the road they can sit back and think about their own Halloween memories of the scary guy who was handing out candy then I’ve done my job of keeping Halloween alive.

What Halloween collectibles do you cherish, or hate, or both?

I don’t have any Halloween specific collectibles, oddly. I love the season so much, but there hasn’t been a collectible outside of various scary film characters that were put into toy figure form that I can deem as collectible and fit into the spirit of Halloween.

When was your very first Halloween, the one where you really knew it was Halloween, and how was it?

My first memory of Halloween was pre-school Halloween party/parade and dressing up as Dracula. My mom had some small little handmade witch cape with yellow moons and stars on it that I wore over some “Sunday best” type of clothing. My mom did my make up for me. I had the slicked back hair, white face and blood dripping down the sides of my mouth. I’ve looked at pictures of this day and the other kids are clowns, cowboys, Luke Skywalker and such. I look like the only scary kid in the bunch.

What's the one Halloween question you want to be asked and what's your answer?

Q: Do you have a Halloween playlist on your iPod and if you do what are you listening to?

A: Yes, of course. There are certain genres and artists I stick to with my general music listening, but when it comes to Halloween I’m all over the board. If the content of the song has any even flimsy Halloween reference, or scary topic, it shows up in the “Halloween playlist”. If it’s about Halloween or appeared in a horror movie, that grants it access to the list.

I’ll not bore you guys with my complete 2+hrs long list of songs, but here are some highlights. I recommend tracking these down if you don’t have them and adding to your own Halloween mix. They are sure to liven up any party this time of year.

• Tim Curry - “Anything Can Happen on Halloween”
• 3-Speed - “Once Bitten”
• John Carpenter - “Halloween Theme”
• Elvira - “Monsta’ Rap”
• DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - “Nightmare on My Street”
• Misfits - “Dig Up Her Bones”
• The Cramps - “Surfin’ Dead”
• Wild Beasts - “Hooting & Howling”
• Motorhead - “Hellraiser”
• Dru Down - “Bloodsucker”
• Henry Hall - “Here Comes the Boogeyman”
• Classics IV - “Spooky”

 

Halloween Pumpkin Candles

I've had these pumpkin candles since forever (or thereabouts). The faces are sinister, funny, and spirited. I keep them out all year long.

Mr. Hyde Behaving Badly

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1932) picture courtesy of Professor Kinema.

Halloween Ring Light-Ups Witch, Cat, Skull

What every fashionable ghoul like you needs to wear on Halloween night: flashing ring light-ups adorning your claws. The witch, skull, and cat are made by Illuminix. They can either blink slow, or fast, or you can leave the red light on. I don't recall who makes the metal skull ring in the middle, but you twist the skull a little to turn on his eyes, which change colors as they blink. The witch has all the right colors and demeanor to be Halloween-witchy, but the black cat is my favorite. His eyes glow red (but the battery's too weak to show it in the photo).

Movie Review: Let Me In (2010)

Zombos Says: Very Good

Abby: "You have to hit back."
Owen: "I can't. There's 3 of them."
Abby: "Then you hit back even harder."

Between the idealized romance-fantasy of Twilight and the fetishistic terror romp of 30 Days of Night lies Let Me In, Hammer Studios' English-language remake of Let the Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in), a movie that returns the vampire to its cursed existence.

Abby (Chloe Moretz) is a peculiar 12-year old girl who says she's not a girl. During the night she quietly moves into the apartment complex where Owen lives, accompanied by her sullen father. Owen (Kodi Smit-McPhee) is a peculiar, lonely boy, bullied at school, and wedged in the middle of his parent's divorce. He lives with his mother, who is very religious and hangs a crucifix on the wall. He also eats Farley's and Sathers Now and Later candy, in what possibly may be the most seemless product placement done for a film. It's Owen's only constant and cheerful companion. He sings the jingle in-between chews, "Eat Some Now. Save Some for Later." Abby can't share in Owen's enjoyment eating Now and Later because human blood is the only thing she can stomach; but both share an isolation, a need for companionship and acceptance, and both are caught between uneasy nows and always certain laters.

Abby is a vampire that doesn't kill for herself, although when aroused she attacks viciously, tearing throats apart and ripping off heads. Her father (Richard Jenkins) collects blood for her by waiting behind car seats and surprising his victims. He drains their blood into a plastic jug.  His joyless laters are filled with killing for Abby and he's been doing it for a long time. He hates it, but why doesn't he stop? When the butchered bodies turn up, a detective (Elias Kotias) investigates, believing a Satanic Cult may be involved.

Both Abby and Owen are lifeless: she's dead and he lacks vitality. When they first meet, she's shoeless in the snow because she doesn't feel the cold. He has no friends at school and the apartment complex is filled with adults, so he spends his time alone in the courtyard chewing Now and Laters and avoiding the bullies at school. Owen can't emotionally grow up and Abby physically can't; she doesn't even remember how old she is. He probably wants to forget how old he is. He's so unhappy he puts a mask on and coldly pretends to stab imaginary bullies with his newly bought pocket-knife. Both Abby and Owen share a dark side, too.

Matt Reeves keeps us close to everyone, only briefly opening our view to see the turmoil Abby's curse brings, or to watch her from a distance as she easily scales a hospital's facade. She is a traditional vampire: her bite spreads the curse, sunlight is her enemy, and she must be invited into a room. When Owen asks her why she must be invited in she cant' explain why, but shows him what happens if she's not. The tone of the movie is dark and subdued by its close framing, which helps highlight the sudden moments of terror when they come: Abby's victim in the hospital awakes to sunlight as a nurse opens the curtains; Owen is held under water in the school's swimming pool at night; Abby transforms and attacks when the need for blood overtakes her; a car rolls over and over as seen from inside it.

It's unusual for a remake to be this good, this measured. Let Me In is an unusual vampire movie. It captures the sordidness of being cursed as a vampire and leaves no wiggle room for romance, blood substitutes, medical explanations, or sadistic predator delight. Abby travels in a box, sleeps in a bathtub, and smells funny. Unlike Bella Swan, the last thing on Abby's mind is wanting to be a vampire: now or later.