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.

Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

Read More »
Categories
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!

Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

Read More »
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.

Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

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.

Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

Read More »
Categories
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!

Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

Read More »
Categories
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.

Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

Read More »
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

Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

Read More »
Categories
Film Friday Movies

“Suckablood” Short Film

“Suckablood” Short Film

Although Disney and modern children’s programming have watered down fairytales, the original stories were much darker. They were meant to scare us straight, keep us from venturing to far into the woods or do dangerous things; they were meant to help us grow into functioning adults and keep us safe. Coming from these dark places of magic and fantasy, they are a perfect inspiration for modern horror.

Suckablood is the 5th film in the Bloody Cuts Horror anthology. This dark, gothic bedtime story (obviously inspired by the German tale, “The Story of Little Suck-a-Thumb”) is directed by Ben Tillett. The visual design is amazing and the macabre rhyming narration creates the perfect fairytale atmosphere.

I first saw it on the big screen at Screamfest Horror Film Festival, now I am sharing with you via Youtube.

Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

Read More »
Categories
Attractions Destinations Theme Parks

Disney’s ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter

Disney’s ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter

Disney theme parks are not usually known for attractions that terrify guests. One of the greatest exceptions to this is Disney’s ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter (often referred to as just “Alien Encounter”). From June 20th, 1995 – October 12th, 2003 this scary theater in the round style show frightened audiences with the scariest alien Disney has ever designed.

No, not this Guy. Poor Skippy.

This attraction took guests into X-S Tech (yes, the name is a bit of a pun and helps to set a mood of dark humor) where the founder of the company was ready to demonstrate a new form of technology to help intergalactic travel. His opening spiel included many lines of dry humor, my favorite being, “Profit is just a by-product we’ve learned to live with”.

The second pre-show area featured a robot known as Simulated Intelligence Robotics or “SIR” – voiced by Tim Curry – who showed how the teleportation technology worked by transporting poor Skippy (the cute alien pictured above) from one side of the room to the other – with only minimal side-effects (Skippy was pretty singed after his trip). Then SIR showed how the technology can indefinitely suspend subjects in teleportation. The audience heard one last cry from poor Skippy before being herded to the main show area.

Photo From Disney Marketing Pamphlets

The main show area was theater in the round style, with a large “teleportation tube” in the center of the room. Guests would sit in chairs with shoulder restraints (used during the attraction to imply that the alien was climbing over the audience, create intimate directional sounds of the alien breathing, and have the alien “taste” guests’ hair).

When the director of X-S tried to teleport into the theater, a slight error occurred, causing a horrific alien beast to arrive instead. The alien inevitably escaped, ran rampant through the theater, and guests barely made it out alive from their encounter. All the while darkly humorous dialogue from both the X-S staff and “other guests” were heard. Some memorable lines include, “Don’t eat me, eat that guy!” followed by a loud crunch. Or when the alien first appeared, “It’s ugly”, “It’s horrible”, “It’s my mother in law!”

The experience was one of the most immersive and clever in Walt Disney World, but its cult following was not enough to keep Disney from closing the attraction due to its excessively scary nature. In November 2004 the attraction was toned down and re-themed to become Stitch’s Great Escape, a horrible assault on the memory of this once great attraction.

We can no longer experience the magic of this show, however we can still reminisce while watching videos on Youtube. Here is a full walk-through of the show:

Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

Read More »
Categories
Music

Halloween Spooks – Lambert, Hendricks & Ross

Halloween Spooks – Lambert, Hendricks & Ross

One of my favorite jazzy Halloween songs is Halloween Spooks performed by the jazz trio, Lambert, Hendricks & Ross. Vocalists Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, and Annie Ross create a melodic chorus and fun scat impressions of a ghost, witch, and demon, all set to a fun jazz beat.

This song encapsulates the fun of the holiday with the tongue in cheek chorus: “Halloween Spooks outside my window. Halloween Spooks behind the tree. I wish that the children could see, but I can’t find them for the life of me, and there’s Halloween Spooks outside my window pane.

Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

Read More »