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Film Friday: The Listening

Film Friday: The Listening

Freaky Fright-Filled Flicks for Film Fanatics

TGIF! The Horror Of Being Emily likes to start the weekend off right by featuring one spooky short film each week. Watch late at night with the lights turned down low to maximize the scary atmosphere. Grab your popcorn and enjoy!

Since my days curating ScareLA’s screening room, I have loved watching creative films from around the world. Short films are a wonderful way to start out as a filmmaker and demonstrate a proof of concept for longer works. It is much harder than you’d think to convey a coherent story in a short amount of time! I hope you enjoy this curated selection of the best fantastic horror, science fiction, and fantasy the internet has to offer. 

Want to binge more? Check out all my past Film Friday entries.

The Listening (Directed By David O. Perkins)

The Listening (Directed by David O. Perkins) had its Los Angeles premiere at Screamfest 2019. This tongue-in-cheek horror comedy was a hit with the audience and continues to make me laugh each time I see it. Anyone who has ever yelled at the screen when characters make stupid decisions in a horror movie will enjoy this fun little short.

Synopsis

A group of friends on their way to a remote lake house come across a stranger with some important information.

Watch the Movie

About Screamfest

Screamfest Horror Film Festival is America’s largest and longest running horror film festival. The festival runs for 10 days each year in October in Los Angeles. Screamfest, has launched careers – providing a platform for filmmakers and actors to showcase their latest work to enthusiasts and general audiences. Every week they upload a fantastic short horror film that has premiered in their festival to their Youtube channel. Horror fans please LIKE, SHARE, FAVORITE or EMBED their videos with your friends and support talented filmmakers on Screamfest’s official Youtube channel. Join me in supporting this amazing non-profit organization!

2024 Halloween Shopping

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

Read More »

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 »
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Casting Notice: Tales of the Wildermist Season 1

Casting Notice: Tales of the Wildermist Season 1

The Hollywood Guerilla Film Club is now casting various roles for an upcoming episodic cosmic horror series, Tales of the Wildermist. One of the episodes – To All My Haters – will be directed by yours truly!

This is a non-union production and actors of all experience levels are welcome to apply. If you are interested in auditioning for any role, please send me a message with your contact information, the role(s) you would like to audition for, and a link to your headshot and/or reel.

Tales of the Wildermist Roles

To All My Haters

MACK – 24 years old, white male. Up and coming “influencer” who makes videos of him being a success guru, and how to be more like him. He’s cultivated a following around the image he portrays but could never live up to.

BODY DOUBLE MACK

Crucifact (Bay Area)

ROGER – Homeless dissabled war veteran – 30-50

JUNIPER – Transexual prostitute 25-45

VAGRANT – Homeless Addict and Messiah 30-35

STORE CLERK – Eastern European 35-55

POLICE OFFICER – All reasonable ages and races

Cheater

HARRY – early 30s, male, academic

GAGE – late 20s, male, bad boy heart throb

The Meddler

STEVE – 30s husband, LA city type freshly moved to the suburbs

MISSI – 50s female, MAGA style white supremacist

TREVOR – 50s male Missi’s husband MAGA style white supremacist

TRACEY – early 30s working mom

Casting Call

PATOOTIE – late 30s Latinx male, no nonsense bodyguard that moonlights as a debt collector for the mob.

VANCE – 40s male. LA talent agent. Self involved, narcissistic, stereotypical fast talker producer type.

ROB – Producer, slimy, late 40s, sex predator.

ABBIE – young 20s, aspiring actress, auditioning for a big role and is attacked by predator producer.

Detox

NATALIA – 20s aspiring model, struggling mentally to cope with the demand of meeting the body requirements of her chosen job.

PHOTOGRAPHER – 40s male, stereotype asshole photographer, snobby accents Encouraged.

GUINEVERE – mid 30s female. Women’s health guru and MLM founder. Sells vampire repellent oils, detox teas, and energy crystals.

MODEL – 20s aspiring model at Natalia’s first shoot. Fierce. Loves shoes. Famous for how well she works the camera.

CASHIER – young 20s millennial female who loves her job. Hardcore Santa Monica new age stereotype.

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT – 20s female. Snobby, pretentious, and overwhelmed photographer’s assistant that treats her boss like a deity.

CAMERA ASSISTANT – 20s female.

Say My Name

LAYLA – 23 year old female ghost.

TRENT – 25 year old, white male. Washed up jock from high school. Bitter, recently unemployed, living out of his car, and dumped by his girlfriend.

ETHAN – Successful elite LA living programmer, nerdy rich, necrophiliac serial killer.

Robosexual

JACOB – 20s male, romantically inexperienced and socially awkward

IVY – early 20s athletic female, secretly an android

KEN – 50s male tech billionaire, mad scientist

2024 Halloween Shopping

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

Read More »

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
News

Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards 2021

Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards 2021

Since 2002, the Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards have been fandom’s only classic horror awards – decided by fans, for fans. Every nominee is recognized for significant achievements in horror for 2020. 

I am excited to announce that Haunter’s Tale: Volume II has been nominated in the category of “Book of the Year”! It was an honor to provide two of my short stories for this anthology and I am beyond grateful to be a part of this award-nominated compilation. 

Now it is up to you to help me and all the amazing haunters who contributed receive an award for our work. Vote for our book to help us win!

UPDATE

Thank you to everyone who voted in this year’s awards. Unfortunately, Haunters Tale: Volume II did not win, but it was still an honor to be nominated. You can view a full list of the winners HERE.

How to Vote

Voting is by email only. Send an email to David Colton, at taraco@aol.com by Sunday night at midnight, April 25, 2021. Simply include in the subject: “Rondo Awards!” In the body of the message, share that you are voting for “Book of the Year: Haunter’s Tale II!” Include your name and that’s it!
 
One vote per person, please. Every email must include your name to be counted. All votes are kept strictly confidential. No emails nor personal information will ever be shared with anyone.
 
If you would like to submit votes for more of the categories on the ballot, see the complete ballot list below:

Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards 2021 Nominees

1) BEST FILM OF 2020

  • BLACK BOX, directed by Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr. (Amazon Prime)
  • COLOR OUT OF SPACE, directed by Richard Stanley (wide)
  • COME PLAY, directed by Jacob Chase (wide)
  • THE CRAFT: LEGACY, directed by Zoe Lister-Jones (VoD)
  • FREAKY, directed by Christopher Landon (wide)
  • GRETEL & HANSEL, directed by Osgood Perkins (wide)
  • HIS HOUSE, directed by Remi Weekes (Netflix)
  • THE INVISIBLE MAN, directed by Leigh Whannell (wide)
  • THE LODGE, directed by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala (wide)
  • LOVE AND MONSTERS, directed by Michael Matthews (VoD)
  • MIDNIGHT SKY, directed by George Clooney (Netflix)
  • POSSESSOR, directed by Brandon Cronenberg (wide)
  • RELIC, directed by Natalie Erika James (wide)
  • THE RENTAL, directed by Dave Franco (wide; VoD)
  • SHE DIES TOMORROW, directed by Amy Seimetz (VoD)
  • SYNCHRONIC, directed by Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead (wide)
  • TENET, directed by Christopher Nolan (wide)
  • UNDERWATER, directed by William Eubank (wide)
  • VAST OF NIGHT, directed by Matthew Patterson (wide; Amazon)
  • WONDER WOMAN 84, directed by Patty Jenkins (wide; HBOMax)
  • THE WRETCHED, directed by Brett and Drew T. Pierce (wide)
  • Or write in another choice:

2) BEST TV PRESENTATION

  • BRAVE NEW WORLD, ‘Everybody Happy Now,’ 7.15.20, NBC Peacock. Rebellion grows against a genetic caste system. ‘If this place is so perfect, why is it upside down?’
  • CREEPSHOW, ‘Survival Type,’ 10.30.20, Shudder. Animated adaptation of Stephen King story. ‘How badly does the patient want to survive?’
  • DOCTOR WHO, ‘The Haunting of Villa Diodati,’ 2.16.20, BBC America. The Thirteenth Doctor encounters Mary Shelley at Lake Geneva. ‘’Nobody mention Frankenstein. Nobody interfere.’
  • DRACULA, ‘The Rules of the Beast,’ 1.4.20, BBC/Netflix. At a convent, Sister Van Helsing confronts the Lord of the Undead. ‘Why does death always come as such a shock to mortals?’
  • HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR, ‘The Great Good Place,’ 10.9.20, Netflix.  Adaptation of Henry James’ Turning of the Screw. ‘You young people have no idea what you are letting yourselves in for.’
  • INTO THE DARK, ‘Good Boy,’ 6.12.20, Hulu. Woman finds her support dog offers no support at all. ‘He can tell when I get anxious.’
  • LOVECRAFT COUNTRY, ‘Sundown,’ 8.16.20. HBO. Racism of 1950s South collides with creatures from another reality. ‘I’ve heard worse. I’ve been part of worse.’
  • THE MANDALORIAN, ‘The Rescue,’ 12.18.20, Disney+. Baby Yoda finds a master. ‘I’ll see you again. I promise.’
  • SUPERNATURAL, ‘Carry On,’ 11.19.20, The CW. After 15-years, the monster hunt comes to an end. ‘You knew it was going to end like this for me.’
  • THE TRUTH SEEKERS, ‘Shadow of the Moon,’ 10.30.20, Amazon. Racing an eclipse, the team finds one member is not what they seem. ‘Never send a human to do a super-being’s job.’
  • THE TWILIGHT ZONE, ‘The Who of You,’ 6.25.20, CBS All Access. A would-be bank robber eludes a cop by jumping from body to body. ‘Charge him with criminal hypnosis.’
  • THE WALKING DEAD, ‘Walk With Us,’ 3.15.20, AMC. Negan and Alpha have a reckoning. ‘It took you long enough.’
  • WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS, ‘Nouveau Theatre Des Vampires,’ 6.10.20, FX. A gala is really a trap for the Staten Island vampires. ‘He was getting more and more sad. I could smell it on him.’
  • Or write-in another choice:
3) BEST DVD/BLU-RAY OF 2020:
  • BRIDES OF DRACULA (1960; Shout!)
  • CAT AND THE CANARY (1939)/GHOST BREAKERS (1940, separate Bob Hope films, Kino)
  • CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1957; Warners Archive)
  • THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE (1961; Kino)
  • THE FACE IN THE WINDOW (1939 Tod Slaughter; Kino)
  • THE FLESH AND THE FIENDS (1960; Kino)
  • FRANKENSTEIN: THE TRUE STORY (1973; Shout!)
  • KISS OF THE VAMPIRE (1963; Shout!)
  • LEGEND OF BOGGY CREEK (1971; Barcelou)
  • MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM (1933; WB Archives)
  • WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953; Criterion)
  • Or write in another choice:

4) BEST DVD/BLU-RAY COLLECTION

  • AL ADAMSON: THE MASTERPIECE COLLECTION (Severin). 32 remastered films.
  • COMPLETE LENZI BAKER GIALLO COLLECTION (Severin): Orgasmo, So Sweet…So Perverse, Quiet Place to Kill, Knife of Ice.
  • BELA LUGOSI: Murders in the Rue Morgue, Black Cat, Raven (Eureka)
  •  DEMONS/DEMONS 2 (1985/1986; Arrow)
  • FANTASTIC JOURNEYS BY KAREL ZEMAN (Criterion) Journey to Beginning of Time; Invention of Destruction; Fabulous Baron Munchausen)
  • FEAR NO EVIL/RITUAL OF EVIL (1969/1970; Kino)
  • FRIDAY THE 13TH DELUXE COLLECTION (Shout!) 12 movies and extras on 16 discs.
  • THE FU MANCHU CYCLE (1965-1969; Powerhouse). All five Christopher Lee films.
  • GAMERA THE COMPLETE COLLECTION (Arrow): All 12 films.
  • HAMMER FILMS (Mill Creek): 20 films in many genres, ranging from Revenge of Frankenstein to Scream of Fear and Creatures the World Forgot.
  • HE CAME FROM THE SWAMP: The William Grefe Collection (Arrow) Seven films.
  • INNER SANCTUM MYSTERIES (Mill Creek): All six Lon Chaney Jr. films.
  • THE OUTER LIMITS (Via Vision/Australia): Both seasons, including new features.
  • THE PUPPETOON MOVIE, Vol. 2 (Arnold Leibovit Entertainment). 18 stop-motion shorts from George Pal.
  • UNIVERSAL HORRORS COLLECTIONS Vol. 4, 5 & 6 (Shout!): House of Horrors, Night Key, Night Monster, Climax; three Jungle Womans, Monster & the Girl; Thing That Couldn’t Die, Shadow of Cat, Cult of Cobra.
  • Or write in another choice:

5) BEST RESTORATION OR UPGRADE

  • AFRICA SCREAMS (1949; 3D Film Archive) 4K scan from 35mm elements.
  • THE APE (1940; Kino) Rescued from public domain neglect.
  • THE BEAST MUST DIE (1974; Severin) Includes ‘Werewolf Break’ scene.
  • BRIDES OF DRACULA (1960; Shout!) Refreshed throughout; two aspect ratios (1:85, 1:66)
  • THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1957; Warner Archives) Color and details shine; eyeball closeup restored; three aspect ratios.
  • DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS (1971; Blue Underground) From a lost 35 mm print.
  • DAWN OF THE DEAD SPECIAL EDITION (1978; Second Sight) Three versions on four discs.
  • ELVIRA, MISTRESS OF THE DARK (1988; Arrow). From a 4K scan of original film elements.
  • FRANKENSTEIN: THE TRUE STORY (1973; Shout!) Original elements of full 3-hour, 6-minute version.
  • FRIDAY THE 13TH Part 2 (Shout!) Censored gore scenes restored.
  • HORRORS OF SPIDER ISLAND (1960; Severin) Uncensored version, and U.S. release.
  • LEGEND OF BOGGY CREEK (1972; Pamula Pierce Barcelou) Eastman restoration rescues film from sub-par prints.
  • LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE (1974; Synapse) From 35 mm negative.
  • LIZARD’S LEG AND OWLET’S WING (1962; Retromedia) Karloff, Chaney, Lorre in Route 66 episode.
  • MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (1964; Shout!) Original and extended cut.
  • MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM (1933; WB Archives) Early Technicolor corrected, imperfections cleaned throughout.
  • NOSFERATU (1922; Witch’s Dungeon) New musical score and commentary by Argyle Goolsby.
  • PANIC BEATS (1982; Mondo Macabro) Complete uncut version directed by Paul Naschy.
  • PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1964; Shout!) Restored TV version subplot.
  • TRAIL OF THE SCREAMING FOREHEAD: Director’s Cut (2007; Hydraulic) Restored footage; commentary by director Larry Blamire.
  • WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953; Criterion). Saucer wires gone; extensive visual and audio improvements throughout.
  • Or write in another choice:

6) FAVORITE COMMENTATOR

(A record number of commentaries in 2020, so the category is a bit loaded; here are examples of their work; please pick two nominees or write in others)

  • David DelValle (How to Make a Monster)
  • Samm Deighan (A Quiet Place to Kill, The Raven)
  • Kat Ellinger (Daughters of Darkness; Amazon Women on Moon; So Sweet…So Perverse)
  • Scott Gallinghouse: (House of Horrors, Jungle Captive)
  • Lee Gambin (Ghost Breakers; Cat and Canary)
  • Gary Gerani (Dark Intruder, Fear No Evil/Ritual of Evil)
  • Troy Guinn, Rod Barnett (Naschy’s Panic Beats)
  • Steve Haberman (Curse, Revenge of Frankenstein)
  • Bruce G. Hallenbeck (Capt. Kronos, Vampire Hunter)
  • Troy Howarth (Fury of the Wolfman, Orgasmo)
  • Sam Irvin (Frankenstein: The True Story)
  • C Courtney Joyner (How to Make a Monster; War of the Colossal Beast, w/ Don Glut, Eric Hoffman)
  • David Kalat (Battle in Outer Space, H-Man, Mothra)
  • Tim Lucas (Play Misty for Me; Danger Diabolik, Lost Highway)
  • Kevin Lyons (Brides, Vengeance of Fu Manchu)
  • Gregory Mank (Jungle Woman)
  • Scott MacQueen (Mystery of the Wax Museum)
  • Jean-Claude Michel (as translated by Bret Wood, Face at the Window)
  • Constantine Nasr (Curse, Evil of Frankenstein; Brides of Dracula)
  • Kim Newman, Barry Forshaw (Masque of the Red Death, When Worlds Collide)
  • Amanda Reyes, Bill Ackerman (Fade to Black, Pray for the Wildcats)
  • Gary Rhodes (Night Monster)
  • Jonathan Rigby (Brides, Vengeance of Fu Manchu)
  • Alan K. Rode (Mystery of Wax Museum)
  • Yvonne Romain, Leslie Bricusse, Mike Hill (Curse of Werewolf)
  • Steve Ryfle, Ed Godziszewski (H-Man, Battle in Outer Space)
  • Richard Harland Smith (Day the Earth Caught Fire, The Ape)
  • Tom Weaver (How to Make a Monster, The Ape, Monster & the Girl)
  • Or write in another choice:

7) BEST DVD EXTRAS

  • AFRICA SCREAMS (1949; 3D Film Archive) Vintage Abbott and Costello film, radio features.
  • AMAZON WOMEN ON THE MOON (1987; Kino) ‘The True Story of Amazon Women on the Moon’ featurette with Landis, Dante.
  • THE BEAST MUST DIE (Severin; 1974) ‘And Then There Were Werewolves’ feature by Troy Howarth.
  • BELA LUGOSI: Murders in Rue Morgue, Black Cat, Raven (Eureka): Videos by Kim Newman, Kat Ellinger, Lee Gambin.
  • CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1957; WB Archives): Four new features, including Dick Klemensen’s ‘The Resurrection Men: Hammer, Frankenstein and the Rebirth of the Horror Film’
  • DAWN OF THE DEAD SPECIAL EDITON (1978; Second Sight). Four feature length documentaries; new interviews.
  • FADE TO BLACK (1980; Vinegar Syndrome): Numerous extras, including commentary by actor Dennis Christopher.
  • FRANKENSTEIN THE TRUE STORY (1973; Shout!): New Jane Seymour, Leonard Whiting, Don Bachardy interviews.
  • FRIDAY THE 13th COLLECTION: ‘Back to Camp,’ revisiting the campsites by Michael Gingold, Glen Baisley.
  • FU MANCHU CYCLE (Powerhouse): ‘Tall, Lean and Feline,’ Christopher Lee feature by Jonathan Rigby.
  • THE HILLS RUN RED (2009; Shout!) More than a dozen interviews and new features,
  • HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER: Q&A with co-stars Gary Clark and Gary Conway at Monster Bash; Herman Cohen bio.
  • MAD MAX (1979; Kino): Director George Miller interviewed by Heather Buckley.
  • MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE (1932; Eureka): Hidden re-edit of the Universal film based on work by Tim Lucas, Gary Prange.
  • MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM: Interview with Fay Wray’s daughter; Alan Rode commentary on director Michael Curtiz.
  • NIGHT TIDE (1963; Indicator). Eight experimental short films by director Curtis Harrington.
  • THE OUTER LIMITS (Via Vision/Australia). TV promos, new commentaries by David J. Schow, Tim Lucas, Craig Beam.
  • SILENT MADNESS (Vinegar Syndrome): ‘Method to the Madness’ documentary.
  • TALES OF THE UNCANNY (2020; Severin): Eerie Tales (German; 1919), and Unusual Tales (French; 1949)
  • WAR OF THE COLOSSAL BEAST (1958, Shout!): ‘Size Matters: Bert I Gordon at AIP,’ directed by Daniel Griffith.
  • WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953; Criterion): ‘Movie Archaeologists,’ Craig Barron hosts unseen production stills and clips.
  • Or write in another choice:

8) BEST INDEPENDENT FILM OF 2020

  • AMULET, directed by Romola Garai. A homeless soldier is taken in by a mysterious duo. 
  • BAD HAIR, directed by Justin Simien. A new weave has a mind of its own. 
  • THE BEACH HOUSE, directed by Jeffrey A. Brown. Ocean holds a deep secret. 
  • BLOOD QUANTUM, directed by Jeff Barnaby. Canadian tribes are somehow immune to zombie invasion. 
  • THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN’T DIE, directed by Derek Carl. A parody remake of the 1962 classic. In color! 
  • THE DARK AND THE WICKED, directed by Bryan Bertino. Dying man’s visions shake a small town. 
  • DARKNESS IN TENEMENT 45, directed by Nicole Groton. Families struggle to survive a grim quarantine. 
  • EVIL EYE, directed by Elan & Rajeev Dassani. A mother suspects daughter’s boyfriend is a killer reincarnated. 
  • HOST, directed by Rob Savage. A séance on zoom has an unexpected visitor. 
  • M.O.M. MOTHERS OF MONSTERS, directed by Tucia Lyman. A battle against feared school shootings. 
  • THE MORTUARY COLLECTION, directed by Ryan Spindell. Anthology film based at a funeral home. 
  • NECROPOLIS LEGION, directed by Chris Alexander. Writer inadvertently awakens the soul of a vampiress. 
  • NOCTURNE, directed by Zu Quirke. A pianist is not alone at the keyboard. 
  • PELICAN BLOOD, directed by Katrin Gebbe. A mother’s struggle with a frightful child.
  • THE RECKONING, directed by Neil Marshall. Fear grows as a widow is accused of being a witch by her landlord.
  • SEA FEVER, directed by Neasa Hardiman. Monsters threaten a trawler West of Ireland.
  • SEEDS, directed by Skip Shea. A pagan cult takes hold in New England.
  • SCARE ME, directed by Josh Ruben. Storytelling in the Catskills gets far too real.
  • SPUTNIK, directed by Egor Abramenko. Russian cosmonaut returns with a strange visitor.
  • TALES FROM PARTS UNKNOWN, directed by Cameron McCasland. Four horrors, hosted by Dr. Gangrene.
  • 12 HOUR SHIFT, directed by Brea Grant. Search for a donor kidney turns deadly.
  • THE WOLF OF SNOW HOLLOW, directed by Jim Cummings. Utah shaken by killings during every full moon.
  • Or write in another choice:

9) BEST SHORT FILM

  • CLEAN, directed by Frank H. Woodward (12 mins). Self-quarantine isn’t enough for a germaphobe. 
  • HANGNAIL, directed by Colin MacDonald (3 mins.) A hanging piece of skin becomes a nightmare. 
  • THE MANNEQUIN, directed by Kevin Mendiboure (4:40 mins). Terrorized by an armless figure.
  • MANTIS, directed by Kourtnea Hogan (9 mins). A pick-up line delivers more than expected.
  • ONCE UPON A TYPEWRITER, directed by Levi Morgan (13 mins). A screenwriter finds a typewriter with keys of its own.
  • REBOOTED, directed by Michael Shanks (12:46 mins.) A stop-motion skeleton struggles in a CGI film world.
  • THE REMNANT, directed by Navin Ramaswaran (17 mins.) Con artists unleash a protective creature.
  • REPTILE HOUSE, directed by Tristan Risk (5 mins). Owning a snake is no picnic.
  • RITES OF VENGEANCE, directed by Izzy Lee (4:07 mins). Three nuns end a priest’s evil ways.
  • THE THOUSAND AND ONE LIVES OF DR. MABUSE, directed by Ansel Faraj (17:23 mins). Third installment of modern take on Mabuse.
  • Or write in another choice:

10) BEST DOCUMENTARY

  • CURSED FILMS, five-part Shudder documentary on mishaps and deaths surrounding Exorcist, Omen, Poltergeist, Crow, Twilight Zone.
  • HELL IN THE HALLWAYS: Making of Massacre at Central High (1976, Synapse), directed by Michael Felsher.
  • IN LOVE WITH TOYS, directed by Raymond Castile. Restored exploration of vintage monster toys and collectibles.
  • LUGOSI: THE FORGOTTEN KING (Expanded). 1985 documentary revised with an hour of new materials and interviews.
  • MEN WHO MADE HAMMER: 10-part series of profiles on Hammer creators by Dick Klemensen, Tony Dalton, produced by Constantine Nasr, spread over Shout Blu-Rays.
  • MONSTERS! MARTIANS! HORROR IN THE ATOMIC AGE, directed by Laura McCullough. Three-part oral history with nearly 50 interviews.
  • PHANTOM OF THE OPERA: Unmasking the Masterpiece, Special Edition, directed by Cortlandt Hull. Expanded look at 1925 film and those that followed, with 100 new photos, new bonuses.
  • RONDO AND BOB, directed by Joe O’Connell. How an art director’s obsession crossed paths with Rondo Hatton’s legacy.
  • TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE: The Making of Four Ghoulish Fables, directed by Michael Felsher.
  • TALES OF THE UNCANNY, directed by David Gregory. Dozens of interviews in overview of anthology films.
  • TOO MACABRE, revised making-of Elvira Mistress of the Dark, produced by Tony Timpone, creative supervisor Sven Webber.
  • TOTAL EXCESS: How Carolco Changed Hollywood, directed by Daniel Griffith, narrated by Larry Blamire (Total Recall, 1979, Lionsgate)
  • Or write in another choice:

11) BOOK OF THE YEAR

  • ALIEN INVASIONS: The History of Aliens in Pop Culture, by Michael Stein (IDW, hardcover, 176 pages, $34.99). Photos and commentaries on those hidden among us.
  • THE ANIMATED PETER LORRE, by Matthew Hahn (BearManorMedia, softcover, 414 pages, $30). Tracing the actor’s appearances in cartoons from Bugs Bunny to The Simpsons.
  • ASSAULT ON THE SYSTEM: The Nonconformist Cinema of John Carpenter, by Troy Howarth (Independent, softcover, 463 pages, $64.95). How director’s work confronts authority at every level.
  • THE BROOD, by Stephen Bissette (PS Publishing, hardcover, 690 pages, $43). Mammoth examination of David Cronenberg’s 1979 film.
  • CAROL LYNLEY: Her Career in Thrillers, Fantasy and Suspense, by Tom Lisanti (BearManorMedia, softcover, 770 pages, $39). The actress braved menaces on TV and in movies.
  • CHRONOLOGY OF CLASSIC HORROR FILMS: The 1930s, by Donald C. Willis (Midnight Marquee, softcover, 348 pages, $30). Horror’s cauldron, as it happened.
  • THE CURSE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES: The Basil Rathbone Story, by David Clayton (History Press, hardcover, 192 pages, $27.95) Actor’s struggle to go beyond the Great Detective’s image.
  • DRACULA A.D. 1931: Bela, Browning and the Birth of the American Horror Film, by Matthew Coniam (Hemlock, softcover, 182 pages, $45). Tracing the origins of film horror.
  • FLASH GORDON: The Official Story of the Film, by John Walsh (Titan, hardcover, 192 pages, $50). Inside look at the 1980 space opera, which was often improvised on set.
  • FRIGHT FAVORITES: 31 Movies To Haunt Your Halloween and Beyond, by David J. Skal (Running Press, hardcover, 216 pages, $24). Selections from a master fright historian.
  • HAUNTER’S TALE II, edited by J. Michael Roddy (Harker Press, softcover, 504 pages, $19.95). Stories, interviews and remembrances of haunts, ghosts and creators.
  • HOLLYWOOD’S HARD-LUCK LADIES, by Laura Wagner (McFarland, softcover, 233 pages, $39.95). Chronicling 23 actresses who suffered early deaths, accidents and other setbacks.
  • ITALIAN HORRORS, edited by Allan Bryce (Ghoulish, softcover, 200 pages, $38). Dark Side staff traces impact from 1950s to 1980s.
  • IT CAME FROM … The Stories and Novels Behind Classic Horror, Fantasy and Science Fiction Films, by Jim Nemeth and Bob Madison (Midnight Marquee, softcover, 340 pages, $30). The tales that gave birth to modern retellings.
  • MAKING OF THE MOVIE JAWS (revised edition), by Edith Blake (BearManorMedia, softcover, 228 pages, $24). Expanded edition, new photos.
  • MAX STEINER: The Epic Life of Hollywood’s Most Influential Composer, by Steven C. Smith (Oxford University, hardcover, 496 pages, $34.95). How the music for King Kong and other films changed storytelling on film.
  • MONSTER MOVIES, by David J. Schow (Cimarron Street, softcover, 279 pages, $14.95). Watching horror movies can shatter the boundaries of late night TV.
  • MUSINGS ON MONSTERS: Observations on the World of Classic Horror, edited by Rich Handley and Lou Tambone (Sequart, softcover, 310 pages, $19.99). Twenty essays explore the power of our favorite monster myths.
  • NO SYMPATHY FOR THE VAMPIRE: The Film World of Bela Lugosi, by Peter H. Brothers (CreateSpace, softcover, 272 pages, $18) Going beyond Dracula, analyzing 70 Lugosi film roles.
  • 1,000 WOMEN OF HORROR, 1895-2018, by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas (BearManorMedia, softcover, 600 pages, $44). Spotlighting women on camera and behind the scenes, many too often overlooked. Includes extended interviews.
  • POE PICTURES, by Bruce G. Hallenbeck (Tomahawk Press, hardcover, 256 pages, $35). Every Poe adaptation, from silent to today.
  • RAY HARRYHAUSEN, Titan of Cinema, by Vanessa Harryhausen (National Galleries of Scotland, softcover, 208 pages, $37.50). Stories behind models and effects in a planned exhibition.
  • ROGER CORMAN’S NEW WORLD PICTURES: An Oral History (1970-1983), Vols. 1 and 2, by Stephen B. Armstrong (BearManorMedia, softcovers, 232 pages/176 pages, $25 each). Covers more than 100 films including 37 interviews.
  • SCIENCE OF WOMEN IN HORROR, by Meg Hafdahl and Kelly Florence (Skyhorse, softcover, 264 pages, $14.99). From stunts to special effects, the stories behind female monsters and heroes.
  • SCORED TO DEATH 2: More Conversations with Some of Horror’s Greatest Composers, by J. Blake Fichera (Silman-James Press, softcover, 492 pages, $24.95). Talking with Bear McCreary, Holly Amber Church, Richard Band, 13 others.
  • SPOTLIGHT ON HORROR, edited by Eric McNaughton and Darrell Buxton (We Belong Dead, softcover, 408 pages, $56). The impact of 160 classic films.
  • WOMEN MAKE HORROR, edited by Alison Peirse (Rutgers University, softcover, 270 pages, $29.95). Collected essays on horror’s female perspectives.
  • Or write in another choice:

12) BEST HORROR ART BOOKS (new category)

  • THE ART OF PULP HORROR: An Illustrated History, by Stephen Jones (Applause, hardcover, 256 pages, $40). Cheap pulp magazines carried some of the century’s most horrific fantasies.
  • FANTASTIC PAINTINGS OF FRAZETTA, by J. David Spurlock (Vanguard, hardcover, 120 pages, $34). Jumbo-sized collection of the master of fantasy art.
  • THE HISTORY OF EC COMICS, by Grant Geissman (Taschen, hardcover, 592 pages, $200). Thousands of illustrations, complete cover gallery and text.
  • HUNG, DRAWN AND EXECUTED: The Horror Art of Graham Humphreys (Korero Press, hardcover, 176 pages, $45). Forty years of posters and chilling images.
  • PETE VON SHOLLY’S LOVECRAFT ILLUSTRATED, (Clover Press, softcover, 208 pages, $29.99). The artist reimagines Old Ones, Cthulhu and other unthinkables.
  • ROD SERLING’S NIGHT GALLERY: THE ART OF DARKNESS, by Scott Skelton and Jim Benson (Creature Features, hardcover/softcover, 316 pages, $75/$95). Commentary and reproductions of every painting used in the series.
  • THE SKETCHY THINGS COLORING BOOK, by Frank Dietz (Independent, softcover, 123 pages, $25). For Monster Kids of all ages, the artist’s latest captures beasts and beauties.
  • VEREOR NOX: THE MONSTER ART OF FREDERICK COOPER (Softcover, 152 pages, $29.95). Collecting classic images of classic favorites.
  • Or write in another choice:

13) BEST MAGAZINE OF 2020

  • Bare*Bones
  • Cinema Retro (UK)
  • Classic Monsters of the Movies (UK)
  • The Dark Side (UK)
  • Delirium
  • Fangoria
  • Filmfax
  • Freaky Monsters
  • G-Fan
  • HorrorHound
  • Infinity (UK)
  • Little Shoppe of Horrors
  • Monster Bash
  • Monster Maniacs
  • Phantom of the Movies Videoscope
  • Retro Fan
  • Rue Morgue
  • Scary Monsters
  • Scream (UK)
  • Screem
  • Shock
  • We Belong Dead (UK)
  • Or write in another choice:

14) BEST ARTICLE (Please select two; one will win)

  • ‘Assisting Brian DePalma: Working on Dressed to Kill,’ by Sam Irvin,
    B–BS AND BLOOD #4. Personal memories, photos of working with the director on several films.
  • ‘Black Horror; History on the Big Screen,’ by Ernie Rockelman, HORRORHOUND #84. Tracking black horror milestones.
  • ‘The Brains of Hammer,’ by Mark C. Glassy, Ph.D, SCARY MONSTERS #116. When grey matter went beyond Frankenstein.
  • ‘The Carl Laemmles: The Birth of Hollywood Horror,’ by Alex Hopkins, CLASSIC MONSTERS ANNUAL 2020. The father and son who popularized the horror film.
  • ‘Carnival of Souls: Haunting Viewers for Six Decades,’ by Jason Strangis, SCARY MONSTERS #118. Some films are unforgettable.
  • ‘The Cat Creeps While the Canary Sleeps,’ by Gary D. Rhodes, WE BELONG DEAD #24. Early horrors examined.
  • ‘Dee Dennings,’ daughter of Richard Dennings & Evelyn Ankers, by Tom Weaver, an interview with exclusive family photos, CLASSIC IMAGES #545
  • ‘Dynamation Man of the Century,’ by Mark Mawston, SCARY MONSTERS #119. Celebrating Ray Harryhausen’s 100th Birthday.
  • ‘The Fabulous Worlds of Karel Zeman,’ by Woodson Hughes, FILMFAX #157. The surreal animations of the Czech filmmaker.
  • ‘Fears of a Clown,’ by Doug Young, THE DARK SIDE #212. The grinning madman of The Man Who Laughs.
  • ‘Growing Up with Al Adamson’s Dracula vs. Frankenstein,’ by Howard S. Berger, DELIRIUM #23. Celebrating a too often reviled film.
  • ‘Horror Comics, National Lampoon Style,’ by Tom Tesarek, MONSTER MANIACS #1. The magazine’s surprisingly horrific parodies.
  • ‘Horror Fan for Life,’ by BJ Colangelo, FANGORIA #7. How horror movies help fan Kelly Barlow fight through illness.
  • ‘The House of the Long Shadows,’ by Mark A. Miller and David J. Hogan, FILMFAX #156. Was Price-Cushing-Lee-Carradine film doomed to failure, or simply misunderstood.
  • ‘The Hyman Horrors,’ by Dennis Meikle and Bruce G. Hallenbeck, LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS #44. Producer Kenneth Hyman’s Hounds of Baskervilles, Strangler of Bombay and Terror of Tongs.
  • ‘The Invisible Man: A HorrorHound Retrospective,’ by Jon Kitley, HORRORHOUND #86. Tracks in the cinema snow.
  • ‘Is Godzilla a She?’, by Lucas Diano, G-FAN #129. Different theories on how Godzilla identifies.
  • ‘I Survived a Night in the House on Haunted Hill,’ by Rod Labbe, SCARY MONSTERS #117. The scare of a childhood.
  • ‘Lewton vs. Breen,’ by Clive Dawson, THE DARK SIDE #210. The close but tense relationship between Val Lewton and Hollywood censor Joseph Breen.
  • ‘Lost, Found, and Finally Unbound: The Strange History of the 1910 Edison Frankenstein,’ by Kelly Robinson, RUE MORGUE #194.
  • ‘The Making of Revenge of Frankenstein,’ by Bruce G. Hallenbeck, LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS #45. The most sophisticated of the Hammer Frankensteins.
  • ‘Monsters of Oz: Is the Wizard of Oz a Monster Movie?’ by Frank J. Dello Stritto, MONSTER BASH #40. Witches and monkeys and danger, oh my.
  • ‘The Old Dark House,’ by Nige Burton, CLASSIC MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES #18. Inside James Whale’s gothic comedy.
  • ‘Plague,’ by Rodrigo Gudino, RUE MORGUE #395. Pandemics and horror have a long history.
  • ‘Red Planet Hollywood: The Martian Chronicles on Screen,’ by Matthew R. Bradley, BARE*BONES #1. The NBC miniseries and what followed.
  • ‘Return of the Giant Monsters: Musings on the 21st Century’s Remarkable Kaiju Comeback,’ by Bill Bussone, G-FAN #127. Why giant monsters are bigger than ever.
  • ‘Roddy McDowell’s IT,’ by Matthew Banks, SCARY MONSTERS #118. The strange ‘Golem’ movie from 1967.
  • ‘Sick! Savage! Sensual! The Life and Ghastly Death of Al Adamson,’ by Michael Gingold, RUE MORGUE #193.
  • ‘Ten Years of the Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies: An Oral History,’ by Meredith Borders, FANGORIA #7. Inside horror’s house of learning.
  • ‘Transformation: How Godzilla Became Godzilla King of the Monsters,’ by J.D. Lees, G-FAN #127. The business deals behind the American version of Gojira.
  • ‘Trilogy of Terror,’ by Jim Ivers, SCARY MONSTERS #117. Incubus, Equinox and Season of the Witch make an odd trio indeed.
  • ‘When Clothes Made the Monster,’ by George Humenik, SCARY MONSTERS #119. Who were they wearing on the Universal sets? With a sidebar on Vera West.
  • ‘When the Phantom Crashed My Life: A Universal Monsters Awakening,’ by Ansel H. Faraj, WE BELONG DEAD #24. Beginnings of a Monster Kid.
  • ‘Wild Women with Steak Knives: The Weird World of Women’s Horror Filmmaking,’ by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, FANGORIA #8.
  • Or write in another choice:

15) Best Interview (award goes to interviewer)

  • Bruce Campbell by Dr. Gangrene, SCARY PRESENTS MONSTER MEMORIES (#116)
  • Nia Dacosta (Candyman director) by Andrea Subissati, RUE MORGUE #194
  • Sybil Danning by Chris Alexander and Lee Gambin, DELIRIUM #22.
  • Donnie Dunagan (Son of Frankenstein, Bambi), by Steven Turek, DieCast Movie Podcast, Ep. 12.
  • Dave Franco (director of The Rental), by Seth Rogen, FANGORIA #8.
  • Massimo Antonello Geleng, art director on Italian horrors, by Callum Waddell, THE DARK SIDE #213.
  • Rose Glass, director of Saint Maud by Danny Boyle, FANGORIA #7.
  • Gary Kent, stuntman, by Terry & Tiffany DuFoe, VIDEOSCOPE #113.
  • Jonathan Miller and Lawrence Gordon Clark (directors of adaptations of M.R. James stories), by Tony Earnshaw, THE DARK SIDE #213
  • Greg Nicotero (Creepshow TV), by Drew Tinnin, Dread Central
  • Julie Ann Ream (niece of Glenn Strange), by Dan Johnson, RETROFAN #11.
  • David J. Schow, author, by Frank H. Woodward, FILM SENSE podcast.
  • David Selby (Dark Shadows), by Rod Labbe, RETROFAN #11.
  • Richard Stanley, Color Out of Space director, by Jay Kay, HORRORHOUND #81.
  • Barbara Steele, career interview by David Cairns and Daniel Riccuito, SIGHT & SOUND, Nov., 2020.
  • Tony Todd by Jessica Dwyer, HORRORHOUND #84
  • Joe Zito/Barney Cohen (Friday the 13th Part 4), by Preston Fassel. Dread Central online.
  • Or write in another choice:

16) Best Column

  • Corrupt Signals, by Preston Fassel, FANGORIA
  • Exordium, by Michael Gingold, FANGORIA
  • Files from the Black Museum, by Paul Corupe, RUE MORGUE
  • Grey Matters, by Richard J. Schellbach, Mondo Cult Online
  • It Came from Bowen’s Basement, John Bowen, RUE MORGUE
  • Kaiju Korner, by Mike Bogue, SCARY MONSTERS
  • Kim Newman’s Dungeon, THE DARK SIDE
  • Ralph’s One & Only Traveling Reviews, by Richard Klemensen, LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS
  • R&D, David J. Schow, BARE*BONES
  • Rondo Remembers, by Ron Adams, MONSTER BASH
  • Scene Queen, by Barbara Crampton, FANGORIA
  • Strange Days by Jason Strangis, SCARY MONSTERS
  • They Came from the Krypt, by Jon Kitley, HORRORHOUND
  • Or write in another choice:

17) BEST MAGAZINE COVER

bare*bones #4
Design by John Scoleri
Classic Monsters
of the Movies #21
by Daniel Horne
The Dark Side #211
by Rick Melton
Delirium #25
by Ryan Brookhart
Fangoria Vol, 2, #8 by Nathan Milliner
Filmfax #156
Unused publicity shot for LIFE magazine
Freaky Monsters #33
by Arliss
G-Fan #128 by Mark Dos Santos
HorrorHound #86 by Jason Edmiston
Little Shoppe of Horrors #44 by Mark Maddox
MAD #16
by Bob Lizarraga
Monster Bash #39 by Basil Gogos
Monster Maniacs #1 by Bill Cunningham
 Scary Monsters #118 (Glow in the Dark) by Scott Jackson
Rue Morgue #193
by Graham Humphreys
 
Scream #58
Design by Imran Kelly
We Belong Dead #24
by Daryl Joyce

18) BEST WEBSITE OF 2020

  • Anatomy of a Scream Horror from an inclusive perspective.
  • Attack From Planet B A horror and sci-fi news wire.
  • BlackHorrorMovies Too long ignored, revelations abound.
  • Bloody Disgusting Tracking horror across all platforms.
  • Bloody Pit of Rod Musings on monsters and horror.
  • Collinsport Historical Society Barnabas shall never die.
  • Confessions of a Cineslut Kat Ellinger’s savvy reviews.
  • Daily Dead An all-service horror site.
  • Daily Grindhouse News and interview from horror’s edges.
  • David’s Basement of the Bizarre Just about every horror need.
  • Diabolique Online magazine includes Daughters of Darkness.
  • Dread Central Horror’s front page.
  • Dr. Gangrene’s Mad Blog Deep dives into old horrors.
  • Final Girl Stacie Ponder’s cinema survival guide.
  • The Frankenstein Lens Monster scholarship, unseen photos.
  • The Homicidal Homemaker Home economics meets horror!
  • Horror and Sons Classics to modern horror, reviews and more.
  • It Came From … Musings from nostalgia curator David Weiner.
  • Kaiju Battle Latest news from the world of giant monsters.
  • Kindertrauma Your childhood ends here.
  • Latarnia Fantastique Euro and world horrors.
  • Mondo Cult Horror is just the beginning.
  • Monster Kid Clubhouse A gathering place for classics.
  • Monster Pieces George ‘E-Gor’ Chastain’s gallery of illustrations.
  • Monsters After Midnight A monster magazine approach.
  • Ravenous Monster Devouring all things monstrous.
  • Scared Silly Paul Castiglia’s tribute to classic horror comedies.
  • Sin Street Sleaze John Harrison walks the backstreets of horror.
  • Universal Horror & Classic Creatures A Facebook page with rare photos and more.
  • Universal Monster Army Ultimate destination for models, toys, collectibles.
  • Video WatchBlog Tim Lucas on the magic of cinema and life.
  • World of Monsters Formerly Monster Magazine World.
  • Or write in another choice:

19) BEST MULTI-MEDIA SITE (Podcasts, video)

  • Bill Makes Podcasts William Mize talks the fantastic.
  • Bloodbath and Beyond Reviews, interviews, unboxings.
  • B-Movie Cast Long-running podcast still going strong.
  • Colors of the Dark Rebekah McKendry and Elric Kane return.
  • Count Gore De Vol’s Creature Feature Dungeon offers films, interviews, contests and rarities.
  • Cult Radio a Go-Go Pioneers of the horror-talk genre.
  • Dinosaur Dracula A wild take on monsters and mayhem.
  • Eerie Late Night Radio Home of THE MONSTER CHANNEL.
  • The Evolution of Horror Podcasts trace roots of horror.
  • Frankenstein Minute Podcast now dissecting BRIDE (1935) minute by minute.
  • Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing Colossal Podcast Lots of talk about monsters and creepy Hollywood.
  • Hellbent for Horror Smart podcasts with authors and talents.
  • Last Podcast on the Left All things horrific.
  • Literary License Podcast Tracing journeys from book to screen.
  • Made for TV Mayhem Amanda Reyes tunes in television terror.
  • Mobile Horror Companion Horror podcast to take with you.
  • Monster Attack Jim Adams’s podcast focuses on classic monster movies.
  • Monster Kid Radio Derek Koch dissects classic horrors.
  • The Movie Crypt Adam Green, Joe Lynch talk artist-to-artist.
  • Movie Meltdown Geeks talk cinema old and new.
  • Naschycast Troy Guinn, Rod Barnett know their Naschy.
  • Night of the Living Podcast Long-running horror podcast.
  • Nightmare on Film Street Provocative takes on horror.
  • Octoberpod Thanksgiving Road Trip Edward October’s chilling audio drama.
  • The Online Movie Show Phil Hall’s takes on Hollywood.
  • OSI74 Homebase for horror hosts old and new.
  • Planet 8 Podcast of the fantastic.
  • Post Mortem with Mick Garris Interviews with top fantasy creators.
  • The Projection Booth Horror from high above the balcony.
  • Ray Harryhausen Podcast Latest from the Ray Harryhausen Foundation.
  • Record All Monsters Family doesn’t run from giant monsters.
  • Redfield Arts Audio Poe, Lovecraft, Sinbad and more.
  • Spooky Dudes Podcast The edgier side of horror films.
  • Trailers from Hell Joe Dante and friends host vintage trailers.
  • Twilight Zone Podcast There’s the podcast up ahead.
  • Vid-O-Rama Arfon Jones paints tributes to VHS era.
  • The Vortexx A gathering of horror hosts.
  • Or write in another choice:

20) BEST VIRTUAL EVENTS OF 2020

  • BIRTH OF THE AMERICAN HORROR FILM. Virtual lecture from Orange County Library by Gary D. Rhodes, discussing his book.
  • BLOBFEST: Virtual events included Best Theatre Runouts of the past, Blob screenings, Miss Blobfest contest, online vendors.
  • CELEBRATING RAY HARRYHAUSEN AT 100: Online events included global chat during Jason & Argonauts, fan survey of his top creatures, panel discussions.
  • ETHERIA FILM FESTIVAL: Usually held in Hollywood, nine short films aired on Shudder, and digital discussions later.
  • HAUNTED BARN LIVE: Joey Vento’s films and prop displays streamed live.
  • HORROR HOST LIVE (DEAD) PANEL: Streaming discussion of hosts past and present with Doctor Fearless, Marlena Midnight, Ormon Grimsby and Prof. Griffin.
  • KAIJU CONLINE: From King Kong Escapes to Ultraman panels, kaiju fans had free access to an online experience.
  • MISKATONIC INSTITUTE OF HORROR STUDIES: Online presentations of sessions on Lovecraft, Women and Made-for-TV movies, Pete Walker and more.
  • MONSTERAMA VIRTUAL CON: Three days of panels and interviews with Masters of the Outer Limits, Dracula historians, filmmakers, comic book legends and more.
  • MONSTERS: The Life and Afterlife of Monstrous Creatures: Anderson University (SC), multimedia course by Dr. Candace Weddle Livingston introduces vintage horror to students.
  • NYC HORROR FILM FESTIVAL: Instead of theaters, 61 films plus panels offered on Eventive, Roku and Apple TV.
  • THE SCREAMING SKULL: Made-for-TV movie with David McCallum streamed free by UCLA Library Film and TV Archive.
  • SCRIPTS GONE WILD: All-star table readings online of Star Trek, Bride of Frankenstein, Gremlins and Stripes. Beer, too.
  • TRANSYLVANIA TONIGHT: Cabinet of Dr. Caligari streamed with newly assembled soundtrack and title cards by Countess Carita (Stefanie Kokai).
  • Or write in another choice:

21) FAVORITE HORROR HOSTS OF 2020

  • Al Omega (Creature Features)
  • Arachna of the Spider People (Beware Theatre)
  • Baron Mondo, El Sapo and Mittens (Nightmare Theatre)
  • Big Chuck and Lil John (Cleveland)
  • Bobby Gammonster (MonsterMovieNight)
  • Bone Jangler and Nocturna (The Monster Show)
  • Count Gore DeVol (Creature Feature)
  • Deadwest (animated host of Screaming Soup)
  • Drac and Countess Carita (Transylvania Tonight)
  • Dr. Gangrene (Cinetarium)
  • Dr. Paul Bearer (Tombstone Tales)
  • Elvira (Mistress of the Dark)
  • Fritz the Nite Owl (Channel Z)
  • Gruesome Graves (Haunted Hotel)
  • Halloween Jack (Haunted Theatre)
  • Ivonna Cadaver (Macabre Theatre)
  • Joe Bob Briggs and Darcy the Mail Girl (Last Drive-In)
  • Karlos Borloff (Monster Madhouse)
  • Keymaster Slasher Poe (Dead Vault Horror Show)
  • Lamia, Queen of the Dark (Horror Hotel)
  • Lilith Von Bloodworth (Mondo Creepy TV)
  • Lord Blood-Rah (Nerve Wrackin’ Theatre)
  • Marlena Midnight (Midnight Mausoleum)
  • Miss Misery (Movie Massacre)
  • Mr. Lobo (Cinema Insomnia)
  • Nigel Honeybone (Schlocky Horror Picture Show, Australia)
  • Octavian Hallow (Haven Falls Horror Fixx)
  • Penny Dreadful (Shilling Shockers)
  • The Mummy and the Monkey (Hairy Scary Hangout)
  • Ritchie & Triv (The Midnight Movie)
  • Son of Ghoul (Ohio)
  • Svengoolie (Me-TV)
  • Vincent Van Dahl (Creature Features)
  • Zelda, Bird & Theo (Off-Beat Cinema)
  • Or write in another choice:

22) BEST GRAPHIC NOVELS OR COLLECTIONS

  • BASKETFUL OF HEADS, by Joe Hill and Leomacs (DC hardcover) A woman on a bridge in the rain, with a basket.
  • BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA STARRING BELA LUGOSI, by El Garing, Kerry Gammill, Richard Starkings, Robert Napton (Legendary Comics hardcover). Authorized by the Lugosi estate, he stars in a retelling of the classic tale.
  • COUNT CROWLEY: Reluctant Midnight Monster Hunter, by David Dastmalchian and Lukas Ketner. (Dark Horse, softcover). A horror host finds part of her job is not a joke.
  • THE CREEPS SPOOKTACULAR (Warrant). Annual collection of best stories from Warren-like magazine.
  • EDGAR ALLAN POE’S SNIFTER OF BLOOD Vol. 5, by Paul Cornell, Kek and Alan Robinson (Ahoy, softcover). Original takes on Poe’s grim library.
  • FRIGHTMARE CITY, by AC Turner and variety of artists. Web comic explores the fearful secrets of New York City.
  • HELLBOY: The Return of Effie Kolb (Dark Horse softcover), by Mike Mignola and Zach Howard. A visit to Appalachia.
  • THE ICE CREAM MAN, Vol. 5: Other Confections, by W. Maxwell Prince, Martin Morazzo (Image softcover) Strange flavors indeed on his neighborhood rounds.
  • JOHN CARPENTER’S TALES FOR A HALLOWEEN NIGHT, VOL. 6, edited by Sandy King. (Storm King, softcover). Variety of creators offer chilling stories.
  • KILLADELPHIA: Sins of the Father, Vol. 1, by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander (Image softcover). Hunting vampires in the birthplace of liberty.
  • LON CHANEY SPEAKS, by Pat Dorian (Pantheon, hardcover). Recounting the true life of the Man of a Thousand Faces.
  • STAY ALIVE, by James C. Harberson III, Mackie Wildwood, Stephen Baskerville (Markosia softcover). A struggling actress is target of a deadly reality show.
  • STOKER AND WELLS, by Steven Peros and Barry Orkin (Our Gal Pictures, softcover, 96 pages, $19.99). In 1894, lives are changed when the two authors meet in London.
  • Or write in another choice:

23) WRITER OF THE YEAR (Whose work stood out in 2020?) (Write-In Category)

24) BEST ARTIST OF 2020 (Write-In Category)

25) BEST FAN ARTIST OF 2020 (The Linda Miller Award)(Write-In Category)

26) MONSTER KID OF THE YEAR

This is Rondo’s highest honor: Who did the most in 2020 to advance the cause of classic horror scholarship, film preservation or genre creativity?

27) SPECIAL RECOGNITION

Who deserves special recognition for achievements that may have been overlooked or don’t fit into other categories?

28) THE MONSTER KID HALL OF FAME

Name as many as six fans, pros, writers, artists, researchers, horror hosts or others who over the years have made a permanent mark on the world of classic horror appreciation. 

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Categories
Legends & Lore Other Games

Halloween Divination Games

Halloween Divination Games

According to legends of yore, Halloween night is the time when the veil between the living and spirit worlds is the thinnest. This not only means that you may see a spook or two cavorting about, but also that you may be able to use some of the otherworldly energies to peer into the future. Halloween divination games have been popular activities at Halloween gatherings throughout history.

Typically centered around finding love and foretelling one’s fate in the coming year, a variety of fortune-telling games were developed using items that were widely available long ago. Apples, garden vegetables, candles, and mirrors could all be used to glean insight into the future for those who dared to sneak a peek on Halloween night.

So gather your friends and give some of the below Halloween divination games a try this coming Halloween!

Halloween Divination Games Using Apples

Apples were used in many dishes during the harvest season – apple pies, apple cidar, apple sauce, plain ol’ apples themselves, etc. Being so common, it is no surprise that unwed young ladies used apples in their fortune-telling games. 

The Apple Peel

One game involved the peel of an apple. An unbetrothed girl would peel an apple in one long unbroken strand. If the peel broke, then she would have to start again with a new apple until she could peel the entire apple without breaking the peel. Then with her right hand she would throw the peel over her left shoulder. The shape the peel landed in on the floor would indicate the initial of the young lady’s true love. Whether it was the first initial, last initial, or middle initial was often left up to interpretation as the girls often already had a young man in mind.

This is one of my favorite dividation games and I still do it each time I bake an apple pie just to make sure it still lands in the initial of my Honey-Bunny’s name – which it always does (even if I have to squint very hard to see it).

Apple Seeds

So what happens if you have the attentions of two equally nice suitors and are unsure of which one to choose? If you have two apple seeds, you can try a quick dividation game to determine which one is the better match. Wet two apple seeds and stick one to each eyelid. The first one to fall off indicates the person who is not right for you. 

Of course, sometimes you may find yourself twitching one lid just a little more than the other to guide fate to a particular conclusion!

Apples and Mirrors

Many Halloween divination games have slightly different variations. Here are two of my favorites that use both apples and mirrors to catch a glimpse of your true love’s face:

Just before midnight on Halloween, place a candle by a mirror in a darkened room and light the wick. Face the mirror and cut an apple into nine slices. Eat eight apple slices while gazing into the mirror. Save the final piece and at the first stroke of midnight offer it to the mirror. If the spirits accept your offering, the face of your true love will appear over your shoulder in the mirror.

Another version of this game is slightly less complex. Sit in front of a mirror at midnight. Eat and apple while combing your hair. Your true love is said to appear in the mirror behind you. I prefer the version with a little more ritual, but this is a great quick game for the casual fortune-teller.

In either version, however, beware. If you see a skull in the mirror, it foretells that youi will die before marrying.

It never hurts to give fate a little nudge in the right direction.

Kaling

Fruits do not have all the fun when it comes to being a part of Halloween games. Kale vegetable gardens were also plundered for fortune-telling means. 

Young men and women would take turns walking backwards and blindfolded out into a vegetable garden. They would then pick out a stalk of kale and bring it back into the party. Once all the players had picked their kale, they would examine each person’s stalk. The kale’s characteristics were said to mirror the picker’s future lover: rich & sweet, or shriveled and bitter. 

The game could also continue by hanging the kale in a row above a doorway. The first person to walk through the doorway would share a name with the person who will marry the player to have picked the first stalk. The second person to walk through would share a name with the person to marry the player who picked the second stalk, and so on.

Nuts & A Fire

A Scottish Halloween divination game used nuts and a toasty fire to foretell one’s future: Name two nuts after a specific couple then place them into the fire. If the nuts burn together, it foretells that the couple will have a happy life. If the two nuts crackle and spring apart, then the couple is doomed to quarrel.

Irish Barmbrack Cake

A delishously fun and easy Halloween party game was baking Irish Barmbrack Cake and adding large charms for guests to find (make sure all guests know there are charms in the cake, or you may have a choking hazard).

You can find a recipe for this traditional Irish dish at Allrecipes.com.

When the cake is served, each guest checks to see if they have received any charms in their slice. The charms received indicate what awaits them in the coming year. Common charms include:

  • A Key for Travel
  • A Ring for Marriage
  • A Coin for Wealth
  • A Thimble for Spinsterhood

Irish Barmbrack

Brooke Elizabeth
Barmbrack is a traditional Irish cake eaten on holidays. After pouring into the prepared pan, it is tradition to add objects to the barmbrack which symbolize certain things for the person who receives each in their slice. Thoroughly clean objects before adding them to the barmbrack. These objects can be pressed into the bottom of the loaf after baking instead: coin-wealth or good fortune; ring-will marry within the year; bean-poverty; pea-will not marry within the year; matchstick-unhappy marriage; thimble-single for life.
Prep Time 2 hrs 15 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Cooling 2 hrs
Course Dessert
Cuisine Irish
Servings 12
Calories 294 kcal

Equipment

  • 9-inch Bundt Pan

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ½ Cups Chopped Dried Mixed Nutes
  • 1 ½ Cups Hot Brewed Tea
  • 2 ½ Cups Flour
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • ½ tsp Ground Nutmeg
  • ½ tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 ½ Cups Sugar
  • ¼ Cup Lemon Marmalade
  • 1 tsp Grated Orange Zest

Instructions
 

  • Soak the dried fruit in the hot tea for 2 hours, then drain and gently squeeze out excess tea.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch Bundt pan. Stir together the flour cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda; set aside.
  • Beat the egg, sugar, marmalade, orange zest, and tea-soaked fruit until well combined. Gently fold in the flour until just combined, then pour into the prepared Bundt pan.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until the top of the cake springs back when lightly pressed. Allow to cool in the pan for 2 hours before removing. Continue to cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Press the objects of choice into the cake through the bottom before serving.

Notes

Recipe from AllRecipes.com

There are a mirad of other fortune-telling games you can play on Halloween to predict your fate for the coming year. Which are your favorite? Have you ever played any? Did they accurately predict your fate? Let me know on Instagram & Twitter @EmilyIsHorror !

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Emily News

Don’s World of Horror & Exploitation Interview with Emily Louise Rua

Don’s World of Horror & Exploitation Interview with Emily Louise Rua

In February we celebrated Women in Horror Month. Blogger Don Anelli reached out to dozens of female filmmakers to interview for his blog – including The Horror of Being Emily’s very own, Emily Louise Rua! Don’s World of Horror & Exploitation is a blog that features news and interviews relating to horror & exploitation films. It was an honor to be featured! Women In Horror Month Interview. In this interview I discuss how my love for horror began and many of my current horror & Halloween endeavors.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

An upcoming filmmaker and novelist, Emily Louise Rua is making a mark on the industry as she manages to work between the various fields of writing, directing or being involved in various genre-related projects. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about getting into the industry, the filming of 9 Ways to Hell and her other projects.
 
Don: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you get into horror in general?
 
Emily Louise Rua: I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love horror! My life has revolved around horror and Halloween from the start. My dad enjoyed the old Universal monster movies and he passed on that love to me pretty early on. I learned to read from Alvin Schwartz folklore books (initially Ghosts! and In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories and eventually the Scary Stories trilogy) then by third grade I was onto Stephen King. My poor teachers had to endure me injecting horror into every single school project (from English papers to science projects to essays on Amish economies), and I spent my free time writing horror stories, making short films, and doing Halloween craft projects. 
 
…..

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Emily News

My History of Halloween & Horror: Part I

My History of Halloween & Horror: Part I

The Horror of Being Emily serves as a creative outlet for my love for all things scary and spooky. I hope that through sharing news, recommendations, and opinions I can spread awareness for talented artists and vendors, promote Halloween, and empower others to join the Halloween & horror community. There are many amazing blogs covering these topics already, so what makes my perspective different or suggestions credible? I am fortunate to have experienced the Halloween & horror industry as both a fan and a professional. I really do add spookiness to all aspects of my life! So to help you understand my perspective on this interesting world, here is my history of Halloween & Horror:

Homemade Halloween Costumes Sparked Creativity Early

Every child loves Halloween, but my parents went above and beyond to foster my love for the holiday and all the creativity that comes from it. From my first Halloween, my Mom created intricate handmade Halloween costumes and accessories. (She would later become a professional costumer & seamstress.)

Little Emily Godzilla on Her First Halloween in a Costume Made by Her Mom

She took inspiration from popular costumes and my interests over the years to craft unique costumes with attention to detail. When I was a witch as a toddler, she made a matching handmade doll for me to carry. When I couldn’t decide whether to be Daisy Duck or a princess, the Princess Daisy Duck costume was born.

Two images of "Princess Daisy Duck" and an image of my second Halloween costume, a witch with a matching doll.

The process to create these costumes took weeks, sometimes months. She would start with sketches, create a mock-up, and then use fabric, foam, and wire to make costumes that grew more elaborate each year. No idea was too silly or out of reach – although some took more planning and interpretations than others. Even peculiar requests like being our family’s black cat, Colette Uno Rua (a.k.a. “Pookie”), resulted in a fantastic giant cat costume.

A homemade black cat costume. Our black cat (right) for scale.

These early lessons not only gave me basic sewing skills that continue to assist me in my creative efforts, but also taught me how to look at things a different way. And come up with unique solutions on a budget!

Fated For Horror From the Start

My Dad is a life-long horror fan and couldn’t wait to pass along that love as soon as I could watch movies & tv. Very early on he introduced me to the best monster movies ever made: Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolfman, and Godzilla. I knew all their characteristics and weaknesses by heart in case I ever met one out in the field. My Dad and I watched horror movies on broadcast tv, VHS, and even old 8mm film prints on a dusty old projector.

By the time I was four, I had rented Chopper Chicks in Zombietown so many times from our local video rental shop, my Dad decided to just start buying movies to save money. Thus our horror, sci-fi, and fantasy film collection began. We bought all sorts of spooky films beginning with VHS tape and transitioning to DVDs and Blu-rays as technology progressed.

As of March 2021, our main collection is nearing 3,000 titles. I have my own, 600+ film collection (with many duplicates) as well, since it is hard to borrow films when I live across the country.

As I grew older my Dad and I started to go to every horror movie convention within 8 hours of Western New York and he introduced me to filmmakers, makeup artists, and actors. He encouraged me to make my own films, enroll in afterschool writing courses, and pursue art.

Lessons in Creating the Fantastic

When I was about six years old, I wanted a swing set – one of those rickety PVC pipe swings with a metal slide attached. So my dad went above and beyond to make something wonderful. He researched all the playgrounds in Western New York, had me describe my fantasy play area, and then built me a two-story castle. It contained swings, a curly slide, tunnels, a climbing net, a playhouse, puppet theater, and working drawbridge. Where others may have taken the easy route, my Dad created an extraordinary world for the imagination to thrive. That experience transformed my understanding of what was possible. It showed me that we can make the world a fantastic place through hard work and creativity.

My father also taught me about building fantastic places through my favorite part of the Halloween industry – haunted houses. I cut my teeth on haunted attractions with The Haunted Catacombs in Buffalo, New York and a variety of year-round horror wax museums in Niagara Falls, Canada. When available we also took lights-on tours to see how the monsters were made and the sets constructed. Then, each year I could choose one haunt within a 7-8 hour drive to visit. We traveled to the Eastern State Penitentiary, Spooky World (Foxboro, Massachusetts), haunted hayrides in Canada, and more. I am thankful we were able to see so many unique styles of haunts and now classic attractions. From professional to home haunts, there was always something to learn and inspiration for future projects.

Becoming a Horror Filmmaker

A post production supervisor in her natural habitat.

I am forever grateful for the help and guidance of my professors, and their patience as I turned in project after project with odd themes and characters – everything from monsters under the bed to a peculiarly possessed chair. Film school is not essential to becoming a filmmaker, but for me this opportunity helped me to refine my craft and give me the scholarly tools to add depth and meaning to my works.

Why My History of Halloween & Horror Matters

My history of Halloween & horror – especially these early years – has shaped my approach to the holiday & genre. I will always associate Halloween and horror with creativity, family, and endless possibilities. I create this blog to highlight news, events, and more that I find noteworthy. Having spent my entire life researching, enjoying, and participating in these areas, I strive to sift through the enormous amount of information and content out there so you can find some of the best in one place: TheHorrorOfBeingEmily.com.

Stay spooky!

 

Want to know more about me?

Emily Louise Rua on IMDB

Read My Short Stories in Haunters Tale: Volume II

Follow My Latest Film – 9 Ways to Hell

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Categories
Food

5 Ways to Make Spooky Meals

5 Ways to Make Spooky Meals

If you spend any time searching for Halloween food on Instagram or Pinterest, you will find a cornucopia of ideas for spooky meals. Sometimes, however, these recipes and designs require far more skill than the average person possesses. Or, they at least take a lot more time and effort than makes sense for an every day meal.

Custom Wedding Cake by Dessert Deli. Photography by Knight Studio. This took hours to make and years of practice to get it to look (and taste) that good.

Not all of us can be Martha Stewarts or Christine McConnells, but there are many easy ways to transform ordinary breakfasts, lunches, and dinners into spooky meals the whole family will enjoy.

Here are some of my favorite easy techniques to add some Halloween-flair to your foods:

1. Use Skull Baking Pans

Skull-shaped Cornbread.

One way to add some spookiness to your meals is to use pans with Halloween shapes. Since you have to use pans to make cakes, cornbread, cupcakes, muffins, etc., it is quite easy to switch out a plain square or circular pan for a skull-shaped pan. There are different sizes of pans you can use, from mini skulls to larger ones (like pictured above). Other common Halloween shapes include ghosts, tombstones, and pumpkins. Have fun shopping around during the Halloween season and you can pick up great tools to use all year long!

I used the NordicWare “Haunted Skull Cakelet Pan” for the above-pictured cornbread. Be sure to generously spray or grease the pan and the bread pops out quite easily.

2. Add Halloween Sprinkles

Aside from flour, rice, and sugar, one staple of my pantry is Halloween sprinkles. I am a sprinkle addict and can’t help but to add these sugary toppers to all my desserts and sweet foods. Whether you choose traditional sprinkles in orange and black or specialty shapes like leaves, bats, bones, or pumpkins, sprinkles can add a touch of Halloween to any dessert. I also use them for hot cocoa and smoothie toppers (along with ample amounts of whipped cream).

3. Turn Your Mushrooms into Skulls

I'll never be able to eat plain ramen noodles again!

Mushrooms have the perfect shape to carve out some Tim Burton-esque skulls. All it takes to do this is a knife and two fondant tools. I use the “Large Ball” and “Flower Leaf Shaper” fondant tools to carve the face.

HOW TO CARVE A MUSHROOM SKULL
  • Cut the mushrooms in half. Lay the mushrooms flat on a cutting board. Use the knife to cut 3-4 vertical strips on the stems (it is fine if the knife goes all the way through here). Gently make a thin slit horizontally across the vertical strips – do not cut all the way through, only cut halfway or less. These lines are the teeth.
  • Using a flower leaf fondant shaper, dig two little holes for the nostrils. Just pressing down lightly with the tip of the tool generally will suffice.
  • Using a large ball fondant tool press down on the head of the mushroom to create the eyes. Push down very gently. Sometimes you have to press then release a few times to get the proper indent. If you press too hard, the mushroom will split. Split mushrooms are still salvageable, but they look more like decomposing skulls instead of fresh ones!

These mushrooms can be used in soups, pizzas, salads, and more.

4. Use Cookie Cutters to Create Spooky Shaped Foods

Despite the name, cookie cutters are not just for cookies! If you have a variety of cookie cutters in various sizes and shapes, you can easily cut your food into spooky designs for your meals.

Pumpkin-shaped biscuits are my go-to for breakfast sandwiches or dinner roll sides. Mini cutters on sour dough bread make cute toppers for chili or chowder soups. You can even get creative with pizza and combine cookie cut-out pepperoni and mushroom skulls.

Combining these two easy techniques make a unique and fun Halloween-themed pizza. Just make sure not to include garlic if you have any vampires over for dinner!

5. Carve a Design

Bat Bread

Like most people stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, I too jumped aboard the bread-making bandwagon. From plain white bread to herbaceous stuffing loaf bread, I baked many loaves. Although they turned out well (after my first few tries), they just didn’t feel spooky enough. One day when I was about to score the top of the loaf, I got the idea to carve a spooky image instead of just scoring in a straight line. I enjoy making bat bread, but you can also design a smiling jack-o-lantern or other Halloween image.

This makes for a fun presentation and adds spooky Halloween fun to an otherwise completely normal dish.

Tell Me About Your Spooky Meals

 

That’s it for my 5 simple ways to add a little spookiness to your daily meals. I look forward to sharing more tips in future posts.

Now I want to hear from you! How do you add touches of Halloween to your meals? Let me know on Instagram & Twitter @EmilyIsHorror

 

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Food

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting

Some days you just need a little dose of Halloween, even though it is only March! These Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting will satisfy those spooky cravings. The pumpkin spice flavoring and sweet frosting are no tricks, just treats!

A pumpkin with a smile as big as my own after baking these fun treats!

The Pumpkin Cupcake Batter

I am one of those people who can’t help but take a look at the on-sale items in the grocery store. After the holiday season, I always seem to find large cans of pumpkin puree on sale. Why normal people seem to abandon all love for pumpkin spice after November, I’ll never know – but I am unable to leave an on-sale can of pumpkin without a home. Thus, my pantry tends to have an excess of pumpkin.

Cupcakes are a great way to use up some pumpkin puree and bring a little Halloween cheer to any time of the year. This batter recipe also tastes very muffin-like, so in the past I have also foregone the frosting and used the batter to make sweet breakfast muffins for on-the-go mornings.

The batter ingredients are:

  • 3/4 Cup Butter (softened)
  • 1 1/2 Cups white granulated sugar
  • 1 Cup Brown Sugar
  • 3 Eggs
  • 15 oz (1 Can) Pumpkin Puree
  • 1 Cup Buttermilk
  • 1 Tsp Vanilla
  • 2 1/3 Cups Flour
  • 1 Tbsp Nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 Tsps Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 Tsp Ground Ginger
  • 1 Tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
  • 3/4 Tsp Salt (or 1/4 Tsp Salt if you have used Salted Butter)

Directions:

Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare your muffin pan with cupcake liners (preferably Halloween printed ones!)

Step 2 – In a large bowl, mix the softened butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Step 3 – Beat in each of the three eggs. Add the pumpkin, buttermilk, and vanilla.

Step 4 – In a separate bowl, combine the flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Step 5 – Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix in about 1/3 of the dry ingredients at a time.

Step 6 – Pour the batter into the cupcake liners. Each liner should be filled no more than 3/4 of the way to the top.

Step 7 – Bake 20 – 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 8 – Cool for 10 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

A decomposing skull atop a beautifully composed cupcake.

The Cinnamon Frosting

A cinnamon frosting is a perfect pairing for pumpkin puree. This particular recipe also works well on cinnamon buns. Both recipes are surprisingly versatile!

THE INGREDIENTS:
  • 8 oz Cream Cheese (softened)
  • 1/2 Cup Butter (softened)
  • 4 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1 1/2 Tsps Vanilla
  • 2 Tsps Ground Cinnamon
DIRECTIONS:

Step 1 – In a large bowl, mix cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Beat until completely smooth.

Step 2 – Frost the cooled cupcakes. Best within 2-3 days.

The Candy Pumpkin Toppers

Get out your favorite candy mold and make some pumpkin toppers. For these, I just brought some water to a boil, placed a glass bowl over the pot with the boiling water, and melted white candy melts with a few drops of orange food coloring. It is best to actually buy the color melts you would like to use, but since I only had white on hand, I improvised. The directions state to not add any other liquids to the melts, but I am a rebel. The color was not very pronounced, but it looked a little better than pure white pumpkins.

Once thoroughly melted, pour the chocolate into the candy mold. Press the candy down and make sure that there are no air holes. Then, pop that mold in the refrigerator for at least half an hour, and then use them to top your cupcakes once they are frosted.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting

Use your pumpkin puree to make these sweet Halloween treats.
Prep Time 25 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Course Dessert
Servings 24 Cupcakes
Calories 266 kcal

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer
  • Cupcake Liners

Ingredients
  

Pumpkin Cupcake Batter

  • 3/4 Cup Butter softened
  • 1 1/2 Cup White Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Cup Brown Sugar
  • 3 Eggs
  • 15 Oz Pumpkin Puree
  • 1 Cup Buttermillk
  • 1 Tsp Vanilla
  • 2 1/3 Cup Flour
  • 1 Tbsp Nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 Tsp Ground Ginger
  • 1 Tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
  • 3/4 Tsp Salt or 1/4 tsp if Salted Butter was used

Cinnamon Frosting

  • 8 Oz Cream Cheese softened
  • 1/2 Cup Butter softened
  • 4 1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
  • 1 1/2 Tsp Vanilla
  • 2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

Instructions
 

Pumpkin Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare your muffin pan with cupcake liners .
  • In a large bowl, mix the softened butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Beat in each of the three eggs. Add the pumpkin, buttermilk, and vanilla.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix in about 1/3 of the dry ingredients at a time.
  • Pour the batter into the cupcake liners. Each liner should be filled no more than3/4 of the way to the top.
  • Bake20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
  • Cool for 10 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cinnamon Frosting

  • In a large bowl, mix cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Beat until completely smooth.
  • Frost the cooled cupcakes. Best within 2-3 days.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.
Keyword Cinnamon, Cupcakes, Frosting, Pumpkin

 

 

 

 

Need something savory before this decadent dessert? Try my Vampire-Repelling Shrimp Scampi.

Or, if pumpkin spice isn’t your thing, try Chocolate Coffee Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Buttercream Frosting.

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Categories
Home Decor

My Halloween Kitchen

My Halloween Kitchen

Home is where the Halloween heart is, and the heart of my home is my Halloween kitchen. The space is where we cook our meals (and all the sweets I love), play board games, work on craft projects, and spend a lot of our time. Therefore, I knew I had to make it reflect our interests and passions.

My inspiration for the space was the Halloween imagery from vintage Halloween cards. Over the years I slowly added more and more spooky touches. It is an ever-evolving space that gets better each year!

Welcome to My Halloween Kitchen

My favorite area of the kitchen is our dining area. I created my own Halloween chandelier from tin tea light candle holders. The main picture on the wall is a limited edition print of “The Skeleton Dance” from D23 a few years ago. A hand-made Day of the Dead garland from my great aunt hangs above it. There is a custom-decorated kitchen island (from IKEA) in the background. The nun skeleton came from HauntX in 2007 and has haunted my kitchens throughout college and beyond.

My plate set is 222 Fifth Wiccan Lace from Home Goods. I, unfortunately, was behind the eight ball on this one and had to scour eBay for my set. The pumpkins are drink-safe led light ice cubes.

Here is a close-up of the IKEA kitchen island. I used mod podge and Martha Stewart craft paper to give it the Halloween design. The yellows and oranges fit perfectly with the rest of my decor. I am quite happy with how easy it is to clean and how well it has held up over 5+ years of use.

Since I hate blank white walls, I love to add lots of wall art to spruce up my apartment. The spiderweb artwork is a real spiderweb that the artist found hiking in a wooded area in Western New York with real WNY preserved leaves. I do not have her name, but you can find her vending at Canal Fest of the Tonawandas every year.

Cooking & Prep Areas

My oven area. The picture and utensil holder are DIY projects I completed myself. The owl holders are from Masters3Sisters on Etsy. I spend a lot of cooking time in this area, and can’t help but smile every time I look up at the cute owls and my Haunted Mansion print oven mitts.

I used vintage Halloween stickers from Amazon.com and mod podge on a plain brown ceramic holder to make this beautiful custom utensil holder. It is little details like this that elevate the theming. When you want to make a room unique, look out for plain items that can be enhanced. It makes all the difference!

A framed vintage Halloween postcard print keeps my sink area on-theme. A cat candy dish makes the perfect sponge holder (just bleach it weekly to keep germs at bay). Of course, I have to have lots of Bath & Body Works soap on hand.

A Work in Progress

Now for my work in progress, my prep area and hydroponic garden. The gravestone print features one of my favorite morbid poems:

"Remember me as you pass by. As you are now, so once was I. As I am now, soon you will be. Prepare for death and follow me"

The skeleton picture is from Spirit Halloween. The skull picture was a thrift store find (it had an original price tag on it as $200, but I got it for $15). I love thrifting for decor pieces – it is a great way to find unique items. Additionally, when I thrift items, I feel less afraid to use them for DIY projects since I did not invest as much in them.

Yes, you can also see my 8-Foot ceiling spider peeking over from the horror-movie themed living room – but that is a whole other story!

Other little touches include skull glasses atop a Home Goods serving board, and a vintage Halloween trinket box.

Date Nights & Holiday Meals

As cool as my kitchen is (to me at least), things get even more spectacular for holidays and date nights. My ample supply of tablecloths, centerpieces, dinnerware, and LED lights allow me to set unique tablescapes. Here are just a few:

 

 

I hope you enjoyed a tour of my kitchen. It is ever-evolving, so I will post again after the next major round of changes.


Do you have any suggestions of cool kitchen items? What does your kitchen look like? Let me know on Instagram & Twitter @EmilyIsHorror

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Categories
Music

Valentine’s Day 2021 Playlist

Valentine’s Day 2021 Playlist

While most people celebrate Valentine’s Day with rom-coms and pink hearts, those of us with an affinity for horror & Halloween do things a little different. Instead of Jack and Rose, we prefer Jack and Sally – and the power couple of Gomez & Morticia can’t be beat. Thus, I dedicate this “Love at First Bite” Valentine’s Day 2021 Playlist to all you horror & Halloween lovers out there.

The Song List

When my Honey-Bunny and I started dating, he was not into horror or Halloween. I made sure all that changed rather quickly! Now he has learned that the way to my heart is not with flowers or jewelry, but with pumpkin & skull-shaped baking supplies, horror DVDs, and jack-o-lanterns. He loves music, so I decided to put together this Valentine’s Day 2021 Playlist so we can have mood music while we eat our homemade Valentine’s Day dinner. I hope you all enjoy it as well!

Valentine's Day 2021 Playlist Song Explanations

“Just Like a Ghost, You’ve Been Haunting My Dreams”

Spooky is the classic Halloween/horror love song. I would be remiss if I left it off this Valentine’s Day playlist. The jazzy tone is a perfect way to start the evening – the cool of the evening, when everything is getting kind of groovy.

I first heard this song on a goth compilation cd from a record store when I was in Jr. High and fell in love with it immediately. From the opening piano to the stunning vocals, this song is amazing. The clever lyrics are a fun blend of macabre imagery and a love song.

There is no one I’d rather spend an evil night together with than my Honey-Bunny!

There are a plethora of versions of I Put a Spell on You. The most notable are the original version from Screamin’ Jay Hawkins and Bette Midler’s Hocus Pocus rendition, but for those who want something just a little different, this version by Sylvia Black is a nice change of pace. Black has an alluring voice and the musical accompaniment is slow and jazzy.

Now that we’ve set the mood with three jazzy songs, it is time to pick up the pace. Ice Nine Kills takes inspiration from horror film classics for their songs. With Love Bites the inspiration was An American Werewolf in London. So howl at the moon with your lover while listening to this rocking duet.

Sometimes you just have to be silly. I can’t help but smile when I hear this song from the Disney Channel hit, Zombies. In a reimagining of the classic Romeo & Juliet story, Zombies chronicles the ill-fated love between a cheerleader and a zombie. Someday is the first love song duet and its horror icon imagery makes it a cute Valentine’s song for us horror lovers. What could go so wrong with a girl and a zombie?

“Frankenstein and Dracula have nothing on you. Jekyll and Hyde join the back of the queue”

Every once in a while, you need to remind your significant other who wears the pants in the relationship. Female of the Species is my subtle way of reminding my Honey-Bunny that I am the one running things around here!

As every relationship is a melding of two people, so is this list. My Honey-Bunny had a few recommendations for spooky-adjacent love songs he enjoys. This delightfully devilish song showcases Cake’s fun alt rock sound. He also appreciates the message that although all this lovey-dovey stuff is attractive to the fairer sex, there is an alternative motive as well.

This is my Honey-Bunny’s second suggestion. It is a little gruff for my tastes, but it does fit the horror/Halloween theme. Compromise is certainly important in a relationship! This is a fun, upbeat tune – so grab your partner and shake them bones!

Love can drive you crazy, especially when you are in a relationship with a monster – or someone who is obsessed with horror & Halloween. This is another high-energy tune to have fun with!

This is another cover song, with Sam the Sham and the Pharaoh’s recording the original version. I like the more modern twist. My Honey-Bunny and I first encountered this song from the film Cursed back when we were in high school (we had a date night at the movies). Therefore, this song as a personal connection to us as well as fitting with the Valentine’s horror theme.

I remember enjoying the rest of the soundtrack as well – I should check it out again soon.

I mentioned it at the start of this article, and I will reiterate it here: Gomez & Morticia Addams are the power couple of the horror & Halloween world. Haunted Heart was the featured song in the new animated Addams Family film, and the passionate, jazzy tune embodied their ghoulish romance.

“It takes the Batman, Wolfman, Frankenstein or Dracula to put her in the mood for love”

Although horror fanatics tend to be seen as more of a modern occurrence, the 1950’s had its share of b-horror movie fanatics. This cheesy song from The Diamonds chronicles one man’s attempts to woo his horror-loving girl. My Honey-Bunny can certainly relate to this poor man’s plight.

While this is more of a traditional love song, its focus on love enduring after death is sweet. The somber, heartfelt melody is a fitting way to end a romantic evening. It certainly makes me want to cuddle close with my Honey-Bunny!

And That’s the Valentine’s Day 2021 Playlist!

Did you like it? What songs are on your Valentines’ playlist? Let me know on Instagram and Twitter @EmilyIsHorror

Don’t have someone special to share the day with? Check out my Anti-Valentine’s Day 2021 Playlist for Singles Awareness Day tunes.

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