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Film Friday Movies

“The Lady and the Reaper” Short Film

“The Lady and the Reaper” Short Film

The Lady and the Reaper (2009) is an animated film by Spanish filmmaker Javier Recio Garcia. A Goya Award Winner and Academy Award Nominee, this short is a beautifully morbid tale about an old woman caught in the battle between a determined grim reaper and an overzealous doctor. The film’s comic take on death as well as a jazzy score by Sergio de la Puente, make this an enjoyable watch.

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57 Ghosts

Take part in a spirited séance aboard the historic – and haunted – Queen Mary with 57 Ghosts. From Master Magician and Apparitionist Aiden Sinclair, this 90-minute immersive experience takes

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Movies

The Thing’s Practical Effects

The Thing’s Practical Effects

John Carpenter’s  The Thing (1982) is lauded as a horror masterpiece – utilizing terrifying creature effects and a well-paced plot to keep audiences at the edge of their seats. For the few of you who have lived under a horror-free rock for the past few decades, the plot is this: Scientists in the Antarctic are confronted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of the people that it kills.

Now in this article, we’re not talking about that Thing, I am talking about the other thing, The Thing – the prequel. In a confusing title choice, 2011 gave us a prequel to The Thing called, well, The Thing. Although many had high hopes for the film, the final result was a bit of a letdown.

One of the major aspects creating the film’s hype was that director Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. insisted upon using practical effects for the various alien transformations. With the trend towards (often cheesy) digital effects in horror, fans were excited this wide release film would return to real effects.

Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc. was hired to create the animatronics, latex costumes, and other practical effects for the film. Their hard work is showcased in this video which chronicles their products from pre-production to their final incarnations on set:

Want another 15 minutes of slides detailing their work?

How about on-set footage of the Edvard-Adam Thing?

Awesome, right? Even with a poor script the movie should have been salvageable just because of these cool effects. I know just watching the above videos has caused me to sleep with a nightlight (and a flamethrower) for the past few nights.

Well, in the post-production process, the studio decided that computer-generated images would be used to “enhance” these practical special effects. Enhancements in and of themselves are not particularly egregious mistakes (in fact, when used in moderation they can truly work in tandem with practical effects), but entirely replacing certain animatronics with digital effects certainly was.

Of course, there are many reasons filmmakers use digital effects and CGI, and many times it is the only option to tell the story they are trying to tell – it just isn’t cost effective to build actual cars that turn into giant robots for Transformers . It is, however, a shame that many of Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc. creations were hid behind CGI and that some were completely removed from the finished film.

At least ADI released their behind-the-scenes videos, so everyone can appreciate their work – and have a few extra alien-related nightmares.

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Happy Halloween shopping 2024! For over two decades now, the Halloween shopping season has been my main time for household and clothing purchases. Each year, I love to shop around

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57 Ghosts

Take part in a spirited séance aboard the historic – and haunted – Queen Mary with 57 Ghosts. From Master Magician and Apparitionist Aiden Sinclair, this 90-minute immersive experience takes

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Music

Living Dead Girl – Rob Zombie

Living Dead Girl – Rob Zombie

Rob Zombie’s Living Dead Girl is a must-have on every hard-core Halloween Soundtrack. It has a pulsing beat, edgy instruments, and clips & references from old horror movies.

The opening line – “Who is this irresistible creature who has an insatiable love for the dead?” –  is from the trailer for Lady Frankenstein (a 1971 Italian horror film) and the opening musical cue is from Wes Craven’s The Last House on the Left. Later in the song, the words “What are you thinking about?/The same thing you are” are clips from Daughters of Darkness (a 1971 Belgian vampire film).

Zombie uses his knowledge and (seemingly) love for vintage horror to frame this rock song  as a perfect tune for horror-lovers. Even the music video for this film references other old films – using a visual style of sepia tones, title cards, and exaggerated expressions  that harkens back to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and other silent horror classics.

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57 Ghosts

Take part in a spirited séance aboard the historic – and haunted – Queen Mary with 57 Ghosts. From Master Magician and Apparitionist Aiden Sinclair, this 90-minute immersive experience takes

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Categories
Art Entertainment

The Horror Photography of Joshua Hoffine

The Horror Photography of Joshua Hoffine

If you type “horror photography” into your search bar, the first site that appears is for Joshua Hoffine. You might not know him by name, but you have probably seen his work.

Hoffine’s photography mixes the horrific with the fantastic. Each image seems to come directly from our collective nightmares – from the thing under the bed to what lurks just around the corner. His art not only contains macabre antagonists, it also features elaborate sets that blur the line between reality and fantasy. The locations seem almost familiar, but include just touches of something off.

While creating these fascinating shots, Hoffine also includes friends, family, and even his own daughters to bring his vision to life.He constructs the movie-like sets and allows his subjects to act out the scene in front of the camera, causing each photograph to tell an all-to-familiar scary tale.

The images have been a source of nightmares and inspiration to many people in the horror/haunt industry. Visit Hoffine’s official website at: http://www.joshuahoffine.com/#/1 to see his entire collection.

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Happy Halloween shopping 2024! For over two decades now, the Halloween shopping season has been my main time for household and clothing purchases. Each year, I love to shop around

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57 Ghosts

Take part in a spirited séance aboard the historic – and haunted – Queen Mary with 57 Ghosts. From Master Magician and Apparitionist Aiden Sinclair, this 90-minute immersive experience takes

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Attractions Destinations News Theme Parks

Hatbox Ghost Returns to Disneyland

Hatbox Ghost Returns to Disneyland

In an April 10th, 2015 press release Disney Parks Blog announced that a long-lost member of the 999 happy haunts at Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion would be reappearing this spring – the Hatbox Ghost!

The “Hatbox Ghost” was an original member of the Haunted Mansion’s grim grinning ghosts when the attraction opened in 1969. Appearing in the attic scene near the Bride, he was dressed in a cloak and top hat and held a hatbox in his hand. As the Bride’s heart beat, the Hatbox Ghost’s head would disappear from his shoulders and reappear in the hatbox.

The Hatbox Ghost was removed shortly after the mansion’s opening due to issues with the effect. The illusion of his head changing locations relied solely on lighting effects, and because of its proximity to the Doom Buggies, guests could see the two locations of the head even when one was supposed to have disappeared.

Disney Imagineer Yale Gracey Posing with the Hatbox Ghost

With advancements in technology, Disney is now ready to give this ghost a second chance at (after)life in May 2015. There have not yet been pictures released of the new figure or details on whether the effect will be practical or digital in nature.

All fans can do is speculate while we count down the days until the Hatbox Ghost’s reappearance!

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Happy Halloween shopping 2024! For over two decades now, the Halloween shopping season has been my main time for household and clothing purchases. Each year, I love to shop around

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57 Ghosts

Take part in a spirited séance aboard the historic – and haunted – Queen Mary with 57 Ghosts. From Master Magician and Apparitionist Aiden Sinclair, this 90-minute immersive experience takes

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Categories
Games Legends & Lore Other Games

Hyaku Monogatari – One Hundred Candles

Hyaku Monogatari – One Hundred Candles

Hyaku Monogatari – One Hundred Candles (also referred to as “One Hundred Stories” – a literal translation from Japanese), is a traditional Japanese parlor game. Traditionally played on the eve of a full moon in the summer (a time Japanese folklore names as ripe with spirit activity), the game consists of a group of friends telling scary stories, and legend dictates that the evening culminates with the appearance of a spirit.

The exact origins of the game are unknown; records of the game can be found as far back as the 1600s, but the game is believed to be far older than that. Historians believe that the game originated among the samurai class as a test of courage. The book Yurei Attack! The Japanese Ghost Survival Guide by Hiroko Yoda and Mike Alt suggests that based on the name, “Hyaku Monogatari”, the game may have been based on a supposedly true story of an 11th century invasion of Kyoto by supernatural beings, “The Hundred Demons’ Night Parade”.

The tales of the supernatural and folklore that were told during these games became known as “kaidan”

Supplies

The game requires the following elements:

1. 100 candles – they must be slow-burning and able to stay lit for up to eight hours

2. A space with three rooms or two rooms with a long, dark hallway separating them

3. A group of friends with 100 scary stories to tell between them

4. A low table

5. A mirror

6. In the earliest versions of the game all the players must wear blue robes or clothing. In modern times, this requirement has been dropped, though there have been fewer spirit sightings in modern times – best to keep as close to the original as possible!

Playing Hyaku Monogatari :

For the initial set-up, pick one room to make comfy for your guests and another (preferably far away down a dark corridor)to fill with 100 candles. In the candle-filled room, also set up a low table and a mirror. Make sure this room is as dark as possible, so the only light will come from the lit candles. Right as your party begins, light all the candles.

The group arranges themselves in the non-candle-filled room and each participant will take  a turn telling the scariest story they can think of. Stories can be about ghosts, monsters, real-life horrors, etc. Each story should only be about 3-5 minutes in length (as you have 100 to get through in the evening – this game does take about 8 hours of your night).

After each story, the teller must walk alone to the candle room and extinguish one candle flame.  He or she must then kneel by the table and look into the mirror for one minute. This might not seem like a challenge for the first few trips, but as the night wears on, the room becomes darker and the scary stories begin to put one in a fearful state of mind.

After the 100th tale and the final candle is extinguished, the spirits are said to appear in the mirror. Will your group be brave enough to face them? Many groups choose to end their evening at the 99th tale to avoid welcoming the spirits into their homes.

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Happy Halloween shopping 2024! For over two decades now, the Halloween shopping season has been my main time for household and clothing purchases. Each year, I love to shop around

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57 Ghosts

Take part in a spirited séance aboard the historic – and haunted – Queen Mary with 57 Ghosts. From Master Magician and Apparitionist Aiden Sinclair, this 90-minute immersive experience takes

Read More »
Categories
Music

Make Out in the Graveyard – Matt Mahaffey

Make Out in the Graveyard – Matt Mahaffey

Make Out in the Graveyard by Matt Mahaffey is the end credit theme song for the underrated Nickelodeon movie, Fun Size. This cute upbeat tune mixes fun Halloween imagery with sexy lyrics about a Halloween tryst appealing to any fanatic of all things spooky.
Although appearing in a Nickelodeon film, this song is certainly appropriate for the adult crowd and a fun hit to spice up your Halloween playlist!

While you are at it, also check out Fun Size – it is actually a pleasant surprise. So why did it tank at the box office? It was probably poor advertising. The film has plot lines for every member of a dysfunctional (but endearing) family – from the young prankster son to the teenage daughter to the widowed mother (who is dating a college kid). Nickelodeon had no idea how to advertise such a broad film, so most of the trailers, commercials, and ads featured the younger family members’ plots – which made the entire movie seem like a childish misadventure film (and a film geared towards children and families as opposed to an older crowd). In actuality, although there are silly moments, the majority of the film has a more adult humor and is geared mostly to the teen/young adult crowd more than younger viewers.

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Happy Halloween shopping 2024! For over two decades now, the Halloween shopping season has been my main time for household and clothing purchases. Each year, I love to shop around

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57 Ghosts

Take part in a spirited séance aboard the historic – and haunted – Queen Mary with 57 Ghosts. From Master Magician and Apparitionist Aiden Sinclair, this 90-minute immersive experience takes

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Events News

Monsterpalooza 2015

Monsterpalooza 2015

March 27th-29th, Monsterpalooza returns to the Mariott Burbank Hotel and Convention center. Prepare for a weekend of Monsters, Celebrities, and Amazing Art.

Tickets run $30 per day or $70 for a weekend pass and can be purchased at the door on the days of the event.

The show hours are:

Friday: 6:00 p.m. -11:00 p.m.

Saturday: 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Sunday: 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

The show will feature a variety of Southern California’s best horror vendors – with artwork, DVDs, posters, props, makeup effects, and more.

Special Guests include George Romero, Linda Blair, and many more. Some special guests only attend one day of the show, so be sure to check the schedule.

This is the perfect way to spend a weekend for any horror lover. I hope to see you there!

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Happy Halloween shopping 2024! For over two decades now, the Halloween shopping season has been my main time for household and clothing purchases. Each year, I love to shop around

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57 Ghosts

Take part in a spirited séance aboard the historic – and haunted – Queen Mary with 57 Ghosts. From Master Magician and Apparitionist Aiden Sinclair, this 90-minute immersive experience takes

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Legends & Lore News

Friday the 13th 2015

Friday the 13th 2015

Friday the 13th is considered by most to be the unluckiest day of the year. In 2015, we have three Friday the 13ths to survive; a rare situation – most recently, it occurred in 2012 and it will not occur again until 2026.

In celebration of this superstitious day and paraskevidekatriaphobists everywhere, here are a few of the most common legends and lore associated with Friday the 13th:

Origins of 13 as an Unlucky Number

Thirteen is often considered an unlucky number in many cultures. In Christian mythology, thirteen men gathered at the last supper – with the thirteenth guest, Judas Iscariot, betraying Jesus shortly thereafter. (Coincidently, Jesus was then crucified on a Friday).

Norse mythology also includes an unlucky dinner celebration by 12 gods and a 13th party crasher, Loki, god of mischief and trickery.

Another theory of why thirteen is shrouded in so much superstition is its relation to a “complete” number, twelve. We have twelve months, our day is divided into two twelve hour segments (a.m. and p.m.), there were twelve apostles,  twelve gods of Olympus, twelve tribes of Israel, etc. Thirteen adds one more to this perfect number, breaking the completeness.

Friday as an Unlucky Day

Maritime folklore deems Friday as an unlucky day in general (regardless of the numerical day of the month it falls on). Sailors believed it an ill omen to begin a voyage on a Friday.

Christianity has many examples of the unluckiness of Friday. Aside from being the day on which Jesus was crucified, Christian mythology also places these events as occurring on Fridays: Adam and Eve being banished from the Garden of Eden, the death of Adam and Eve, and the destroying of the Temple of Solomon.

Predating these Christian beliefs, even Norse mythology has a slight aversion to the day. The day was named after the Norse goddess Freyja (also known as Frigg), the goddess of love, beauty, wisdom, war, death, and magic. Most likely because of the connection to war, death, and possibly magic (which usually wasn’t filled with cute unicorns and happiness in those days), Fridays were considered poor choices for weddings.

Actual Events Occurring on Friday the 13th

So, is the 13th actually an unlucky day? Of the many scientific studies on the subject, none have factually proven that the day is “unlucky”. Of course, if you become overly paranoid and frantic, you do risk in creating a self-fulfilling prophesy, but there are not concrete links to increase in “unlucky” accidents on Friday the 13th.

However, history does have some varified morbid occurrences on Friday the 13th. For example, on a Friday the 13th in 1307, King Philip IV of France raided the homes of the Knights Templar and arrested thousands of men (a very bleak and horrific occurrence). Additionally, Tupac Shakur, Julia Child, and Tim Russert (beloved news anchor from Buffalo, New York) all died on a Friday the 13th.

In the end, we all have our own beliefs and superstitions. To some Friday the 13th is a horrible day filled with nervousness and fear, to others, it is just a regular end of the workweek day. Either way, I hope that you have a wonderful day today and only a few black cats cross your path.

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Happy Halloween shopping 2024! For over two decades now, the Halloween shopping season has been my main time for household and clothing purchases. Each year, I love to shop around

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57 Ghosts

Take part in a spirited séance aboard the historic – and haunted – Queen Mary with 57 Ghosts. From Master Magician and Apparitionist Aiden Sinclair, this 90-minute immersive experience takes

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Categories
Creative Writing

All Hallow’s Eve

All Hallow’s Eve

by Emily Louise Rua

Sudden shrieks fill the night

The revelry has begun

My street is alive with titillating terrors

The familiar place I knew is gone with the sun

A macabre world is here

Surrounded in mystery and shadow

Candlelit and ghostly

The Witching Hour is upon us

Jack-o-lanterns grin

Skeletons dance in the autumn breeze

Ghouls run door to door with devious intentions

As the dead come out to play

Sweets may prevent debauchery

For a time

But as the night wears on, my light might run out

No one is truly safe from fright

A harvest moon rises over the trees

Cool apple cider in my hand

The magic of the evening bewitches me

All Hallows Eve

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Happy Halloween shopping 2024! For over two decades now, the Halloween shopping season has been my main time for household and clothing purchases. Each year, I love to shop around

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57 Ghosts

Take part in a spirited séance aboard the historic – and haunted – Queen Mary with 57 Ghosts. From Master Magician and Apparitionist Aiden Sinclair, this 90-minute immersive experience takes

Read More »