Halloween Addict

Sesame Street 40th Anniversary Halloween Videos

2009-11-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

If Google has taught us anything this week it's that Sesame Street is celebrating its 40th Anniversary TODAY.
That's right, on November 10, 1969 Sesame Street debuted and has been teaching kids for 40 years what NEAR and FAR is... how to count by a counting vampire called "The Count"... and that monsters sometimes like to be tickled.

In celebration of the anniversary there's an official star-studded Sesame Street YouTube page and below are the links and embeds to the Halloween-themed segments and sketches from the site.

I will say that I'm impressed that Sesame Street really has embraced the Halloween holiday much more than the Muppets. Sure the Muppets had scary guests like Vincent Price, Alice Cooper and Marty Feldman but Sesame Street actually used the WORD Halloween in their sketches.

Kermit News and Santa Claus:
HERE, in one of my favorite segments, is a News Flash with Kermit the Frog who attempts to interview Santa Claus. As you can see from the 1st post pic, he gets impostors including an Easter Bunny sporting a black cat, jack o' lantern and mask and a Witch who hops in giving eggs as presents.

Surprises in the Pumpkin Patch:
Crowd pleasers Elmo and Zoe are left to fend for themselves in a pumpkin patch where they are set upon by some "Surprise Monsters."
I really tried to make THIS short sound imposing, but that's as best as I can do.
Cuteness ensues.

Haunted House:
Two generic teens head into an old house and explain away the noises they hear in THIS quickie.

Bones Inside of You:
And what would a Sesame Street Halloween countdown be without an appearance by The Count?
Boring, that's what.
HERE our favorite, non-cereal, non-blood sucking counting vampire sings about those breakable things inside of each and every one of us. Except cephalopods.

If you're looking for some Halloween fun to keep on your shelf, there are a couple of Sesame Street Halloween specials out there, none of which I've yet seen, but c'mon it's SESAME STREET!
Check out the Amazon links below to purchase Sesame Street: A Magical Halloween Adventure and Sesame Street: Elmo Says Boo. Or you can save yourself a few bucks by getting the Sesame Street: Halloween Bonus Pack which includes both discs at a savings.

Lastly, but not leastly, and because I can't find anyplace else to put it HERE is a link to some printable Sesame Street Halloween coloring book pages thanks to i-love-cartoons.com. Sure they're for kids, but see if you can resist the urge to grab your orange Crayola and attack that pic of Oscar the Grouch with a grumpy jack o' lantern next to his trash can...

Color Design and Emotional Attachment in It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

2009-11-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

You may think that just about everything that can be written HAS been written about It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. But I'll be you haven't read THIS.

Over at Sluganimation.com there's a fantastic article by Justin Hilden that goes into the color design and theory of the Halloween classic and it's a pretty fascinating read.

If you're a fan of the Charles Schulz Peanuts special, whether you know it or not, you probably have some sort of emotional attachment to it, stemming from childhood or the sense memories it evokes. I know, myself, that for such a simply drawn cartoon it certainly takes me back to crisp Autumn nights on the east coast.

Reading the article made me realize that perhaps some of those feelings are being stirred up by the color choices and position of characters in the frame. As Justin analyzes:

Fences change from warm browns to cool blues. The green grass loses its yellow tinge and becomes more saturated. While we have been busy watching Linus wrestle his pumpkin homeward, the very air around the characters has changed and we can feel the coolness of night and a hint of the excitement that darkness will bring to Halloween.

It's an entertaining article and is backed up by various screen grabs used as examples.
Though it's a bit "looking behind the curtain" I think most of us are adult enough to be able to read the article and yet still enjoy the special in the years to come. It will probably make you appreciate It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown even more than you may already do.

Check out the SlugAnimation.com article HERE.

Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing Halloween Trailer

2009-11-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

"When darkness falls and thunder drums, something speedy this way comes."

I'm not sure if this is a new thing with all videogames, or just SEGA embracing the Halloween holiday (see also my SEGA Bayonetta post HERE).

SEGA has released a Halloween-themed TRAILER for their new racing game "SEGA All-Stars Racing."
It's pretty um, "Halloweeny" in its choices too. It starts out with a flash of a jack o' lantern over the SEGA logo and then the spooky narrator does a modified quote from Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes.
Bats fly across a full moon.
It's certainly got the goods... until the racers show up. Then it's pretty much a racing game commercial.

Further research reveals that there is a playable character from House of the Dead EX and a House of the Dead-themed track too. Which must be where the spooky imagery at the beginning of the trailer comes from.

Might be worth checking out for some Halloween gaming, or just enjoy from afar through THIS trailer.

Halloween 2009 - Web Site Banner Decorating Round Up!

2009-10-31T20:22:00.000-07:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ALL!

Being a web presence and constantly poking around on this wide-wide-world-o' webs, I started something last year that I hope will continue to be a tradition here at Halloween Addict and that is checking out the digital Halloween decorating that various websites do on October 31st.
Less talky and more looky, here's what's out there:

AOL went with a simple "spooky night" logo this year. A bit too simple if you ask me. If I didn't know what day it was I might guess "Christmas Eve over a graveyard."
And no animation this year?
Grade: C-

Compared to last year, which you can see HERE Google really reeled it in in 2009.
The simplicity works though, conveying the spirit of the season with ghostly translucent letters and a cellophane-wrapped jack o' lantern candy making up the "e." Simple yet effective... just like Google.
Grade: A

Yahoo seems to have scaled back the same logo they used last year. Still a haunted house in the foggy full moon night... still a couple jack o' lanterns with the same carved faces... but gone are the dancing zombies. Well I still appreciate the effort, but due to the scale back your grade also gets scaled back, Yahoo.
Grade: B-

YouTube goes with a similar color scheme to AOL this year. What is it with the blue, white and black scheme? No orange?
Pretty simple stuff here. Bats and a full moon. Not quite as phoned-in as last year, but still no real work being put in here.
Same grade as AOL this year: C-

Newcomer Bing put some effort into their first entry. A simple photorealistic bat hangs upside down by the black background search box.
Grade: B

But the gold star this year goes to AskJeeves.com. They've made their front page a huge Halloween-themed logo. In a clear homage to The Shining, it features a long hotel hallway with a pair of twin girls at the end of it.
But the Halloween twist?
The girls are holding jack o' lantern candy pails.
Brilliant.
AskJeeves took the crown last year too, and they are still on top.
Great job, AskJeeves.com.
Grade: A+

Honorable mention: Although Hulu didn't do anything to their logo, they did create a Huluween webpage and logo complete with glowing eyed bats. Nice job, good effort Hulu... buuuuuuut that wasn't the assignment.
Grade: B

Although Weather.com put in a half-assed clip art banner last year, at least they handed something in for the homework. Not so, this year. What happened Weather.com? 'Dog eat your logo?
Grade: F

MSN at least adorned their logo with a smiling jack last year. This year? Nothing.
Grade: F

That's the biggies. To compare with last year, read about it HERE.
Happy Halloween!

Halloween Gaming: New DLC Tracks for Rock Band

2009-10-28T11:00:00.000-07:00

The party game Rock Band is releasing some new tracks to amp up your Halloween fun on the rocking sim.
Releasing this week as DLC are the following:

Rob Zombie – “Burn”
Rob Zombie – “Dragula”
Rob Zombie – “Superbeast”
Wolfmother – “New Moon Rising”
Wolfmother – “Pilgrim”
Wolfmother – “Sundial”
Wolfmother – “White Unicorn”
Wolfmother – “Woman”
Liz Phair – “Rock Me”
Morningwood – “Best of Me” *
Morningwood – “Sugarbaby” *
(All tracks are original master recordings)
These tracks will be available for purchase as “Rob Zombie Pack 01,” “Wolfmother Pack 01” and as individual tracks on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 system and as individual tracks on Wii.

Available on Xbox 360 and Wii (Oct. 27) and PlayStation 3 system (Oct. 29) with prices at:
$1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per track
$5.49, £2.49 UK, €3.99 EU (440 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for “Rob Zombie Pack 01”
$8.49 £5.25 UK, €6.59 EU (680 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for “Wolfmother Pack 01”
*Denotes $0.99 £0.59 UK, €0.79 EU (80 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) or $1.00 (100 Wii Points™) per track
$2.00 USD (200 Wii Points™) per track

Pretty cool to get a track from Zombie's Hellbilly Deluxe 2 album before it drops.
Sad that we don't get Alice Cooper's "Keepin' Halloween Alive." Seems like a natural fit. Maybe next year.

Halloween Costume Idea: SEGA's Bayonetta

2009-10-27T12:51:00.000-07:00

If you're into video games, you probably know of Sega's much-hyped sexy videogame heroine: Bayonetta.
If you read that last sentence and said "Who is Bayonetta" well I'll tell you as you asked so nicely.
According to the official Sega site:

Bayonetta, the game’s protagonist, is a graceful, gun-wielding witch who awakens after being entombed in a coffin at bottom of a lake for 500 years with no memory. As players embark on this quest with Bayonetta, they will begin to unfold the mystery behind her past and her purpose in the game, such as why she fights against angels and other countless fantastic enemies. In combat, Bayonetta uses weapons, magic, acrobatics and her larger-than-life hair to redefine the look and feel of the action genre. BAYONETTA is slated for release in January 2010 for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system.

Think of her as Lara Croft for the Millenium-set, with a healthy handful of Devil May Cry.

As the game isn't even out yet, you can be ahead of the curve this Halloween and wear a costume that is both bad-ass and sexy at the same time.

Sounds awesome, right? Well Sega has gone one step further in helping to promote the game by creating the BayonettaHalloween.com website. Here you'll find reference photos and tips on how to make your own Bayonetta costume including character sketches, suggestions for glasses, sample "mystery script" to print on ribbons and more.

The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror COLLECTION 1 on iTunes!

2009-10-26T23:41:00.000-07:00

It was not that long ago that I purchased a crappy VHS copy of all The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror episodes (up 'til that point) on eBay. It was grainy... the volume fluctuated wildly between each episode and sometimes seconds were chopped out due to the commercials being removed.
But I didn't care.
I finally had all the Simpsons Halloween episodes in one place to watch year after year.

Well... until technology made VHS obsolete...

Now, it's 2009 and we're in the midst of the digital revolution where I can buy crisp clean versions of the Treehouse of Horror episodes and watch them on a device that fits in my pocket instead of my shelf.

Life is good.

Fox, in a moment of brilliance, has released Treehouse of Horror Collection 1 on iTunes.
For just $9.99 you can get 6 full episodes of the Halloween episodes--- a savings of two bucks by buying the collection over individual episodes.
In a moment of madness you get a smattering of episodes across the 20 years of the specials.

Treehouse of Horror
- "Bad Dream House" The Shining parody.
- "Hungry Are the Damned" Twilight Zone parody.
- "The Raven" parodies... um... The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe.

Treehouse of Horror IV
- "The Devil and Homer Simpson" Homer deals with the Devil (Flanders).
- "Terror at 5 1/2 Feet" Bart sees a gremlin on the bus. (Twilight Zone parody).
- "Bart Simpson's Dracula" Mr Burns as Dracula (parodies Coppolla's Bram Stoker's Dracula)

Treehouse of Horror VII
"The Thing and I" the formerly conjoined twin brother of Bart.
"The Genesis Tub" Lisa is a god to sea monkeys.
"Citizen Kang" Kang and Kodos run for President.

Treehouse of Horror X
"I Know What You Diddly-Iddly-Did" parodies I Know What You Did Last Summer.
"Desperately Xeeking Xena" Comic Book guy becomes the super-villain to Bart and Lisa's super-heroes.
"Life's A Glitch Then You Die." The one where the world is doomed and the only rocket leaving earth has limited seating.

Treehouse of Horror XIII
"Send in the Clones" ... the Homer-cloned one. Like Multiplicity but funnier.
"The Fright to Creep and Scare Harms" a zombie one.
"The Island of Dr. Hibbert" parodies The Island of Dr. Moreau.

Treehouse of Horror XVI
"Bartificial Intelligence" parodies A.I.
"Survival of the Fattest" parodies The Most Dangerous Game
"I've Grown a Costume on Your Face" um, the one where everyone turns into whatever costume they were wearing... like that Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode...

You can also go on iTunes and purchase XIX and XX for $1.99 and $2.99 respectively.

Treehouse of Horror XIX
Treehouse of Horror XX

Click these words Treehouse of Horror Collection 1 to go right to the collection for purchase (I'll get 15 cents, which I will redeem for a Tootsie Roll.)

I think this is a great idea and I'm going to be sure to purchase the compilations in the hopes that we'll get a new compilation every Halloween. I used the word "compilation" too many times in that last compilation of words.

The DVD of V, VI, VII and XII is still available on Amazon too for well under ten bucks.

Halloween Safety Tips for Dogs

2009-10-25T11:02:00.000-07:00

CBS's Winknews.com has a good article up about guidelines for keeping your dog (and, really, most pets) safe this Halloween season.
There's some really good, solid advice that many may not think of like:

Reassure your dog. If your dog seems to feel unsettled by Halloween activities, just act as normally as possible. By over-reassuring your dog or giving him extra attention, you inadvertently can communicate to him that there must be something to worry about.

Makes perfect sense but I don't think I would have thought of that.
I tell you what if someone kept telling me everything was going to be fine over and over, I'D be suspect.
Read the full article HERE but here are the bullet points:

Bring your dog indoors.
Keep your dog restrained.
Reassure your dog.
Have your dog get used to costumes.
Check your dogs ID tag.
Keep candy away from your dog.
Protect your dog from candles and pumpkins.
Think twice about dressing your dog in a costume.
Consider carefully and be prepared.

Though the advice is specific to dogs, you can apply it to cats, ferrets, really any pet.
Have some Mad-Lib fun: replace the word "dog" in the above tips with "gerbil" as in "Think twice about dressing your gerbil in a costume."
You ever try to put a Freddy Krueger glove on a gerbil?
Man, they do NOT like that.

Nickelodeon's SHOCKTOBER Mini Site is Up!

2009-10-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

To paraphrase The Hudsucker Proxy:
"You know, for kids!"

Nickelodeon's SHOCKTOBER Mini-Site is up and running with some fun Nicktoon inspired wallpapers, buddy icons, e-cards, Halloween games (like "Puke and Plunder"... yes, seriously) and more.

There's even a schedule of Halloween episodes of the major Nick shows like iCarly, Zoey 101, Roxy Hunter and El Tigre.

I'm not gonna lie to you: I have no idea what I said in that last sentence.

"If it's Halloween it must be..." SAW VI Opens Today

2009-10-23T16:10:00.000-07:00

If it's Halloween, it must be SAW.

As I've mentioned HERE, the Saw movies aren't really my thing but I admire them for consistently putting out a film the week before Halloween EVERY YEAR. It's a business model that seems to work for them and a feat that I don't think any other horror franchise has attempted or maintained.

The reviews, typically, are abyssmal with major critics but, unlike Saw V, the horror community seems to be enjoying this latest entry.

Having not been on board since III, I simply will admire their marketing from afar and promise myself that I'll sit down and watch the entire series in one weekend to get caught up. I feel like there's a hole in my horror pop culture being out of the loop.

I like the teaser poster with the spiral merry-go-round but found the 2nd poster to be a little unclear. Took me a couple viewings to realize "oooooh they made the Roman Numeral 6 out of the device and cord... I get it."
Maybe my brain was clouded with processed candy-corn sugar.

Check it out and let me know how it is.

Awesome Halloween Poster and Costume Ideas from GOODWILL

2009-10-22T10:12:00.000-07:00

I've been driving around seeing this awesome poster slapped up on walls for some time and after taking a closer look I realized that it's for Goodwill!

Seriously, this is a poster I'd be proud to have framed year 'round.
Reading left-to-right you've got a jack o' lantern to start you right off, and then you get into the Universal monsters: Frankenstein's monster, Dracula... then you're back to generic Halloween fare with a ghost.
Back to a Universal-like mummy.
---I'm going somewhere with this, I swear---

Then a pirate: always a staple even before Jack Sparrow ever showed up.
Then we've got a green-faced witch.
I like my witches "green-faced."
Not sure why.
Maybe it's my admiration of the Don Post Halloween III: Season of the Witch masks.
Next: a skeleton. And a friendly skeleton at that. Always welcome the skeletons.
Then, in quite a coup, a hockey mask. Sure we all know it's Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th. But you're not seeing any Freddy Krueger faces on that poster. Oh no.
Up next: a devil face. Also a staple costume, like the pirate, since the '50s.
Our last Universal Studios-like monster: wolfman.
And then....... um... a... smiley face? Is that supposed to be something?
maybe it's a plain-faced Michael Myers-like character?
It's certainly not Scream-like.
Anyone?
Any ideas?

Lastly, head on over to the Goodwill New Jersey site at GoodwillNJ.org for some simple yet great costume ideas based on stuff you can find in Goodwill stores.
There are punny ones like:

Leaf Blower: Go outside and grab a handful of leaves that have fallen on the ground. Pin the leaves on your shirt and pants. Save one leaf and pin it on to the brim of a baseball cap so it hangs in front of your face. When someone asks you what you are blow the leaf hanging from your cap and say, "A leaf blower".

Character costumes like:

Betty Rubble: Go back to the Stone Age! Take a blue fitted sundress and cut the hem so it looks jagged. Wear a black wig done "Betty Style" with a bow or bone at top. Glue a small rock or bone to the top of the halter dress.

And "Easy Costumes" which are about as no-brainer as you can get:

Old Man/Woman: Dress in something old looking. Stuff some newspapers to create a large behind that juts out. Put baby powder in your hair to turn into a silvery color, Carry a bulky black purse and a cane. Complete the look with wire framed glasses and a hair net.

Just don't ask your grandmother for tips on that last one. Seriously that's just embarassing...

DC Universe Halloween Special 2009 Hits Stands TODAY!

2009-10-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

The post title really says it all: DC Comics (thems the guys that makey the Batman) are releasing the comic book version of a Halloween Special called: DCU Halloween Special 2009.
(How DO they come up with those clever titles?!)

Here's the info:

Written by Joe Harris, Billy Tucci, Jake Black, Franco, Adam Schlagman, Mandy McMurray and others Art by Rags Morales, Joe Prado and others Cover by Gene Ha

Darkness falls across the land as the DC Universe faces its greatest horror in this Halloween special filled with all-new stories! Watch as Guy Gardner [Green Lantern] continues his quest to share Halloween with the cosmos and his fellow alien Green Lantern Corps members. In another tale, Red Robin finds the true, deadly meaning of the sinister holiday while overseas on his quest to find Bruce Wayne. Meanwhile, Bizarro receives neither trick nor treat in his own backwards celebration of the spookiest night of the year on his home world. Plus, 10 other ghoulish tales to fill you with fright this Halloween!

On sale October 21, an 80 page one-shot, $5.99 US.

What story interests me the most in this rundown?
Bizarro.
If everything is backwards on Bizarro World (a square version of earth... I can't make this stuff up) does that mean Bizarro will be GIVING candy door-to-door?
Terrifying.

UPDATED: Halloween TV: It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown AIRDATE!

2009-10-20T11:22:00.000-07:00

Having missed the airing of The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror XX this past weekend, I got a little panicky about missing my annual viewing of It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown so I did a little digging and found the press release on ABC with the schedule.

UPDATED: The legendary Halloween special will be airing on BOTH Tuesday October 27, 2009 at 8pm ET with another Peanuts special and then AGAIN, on its own, on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 8pm ET on ABC.

Some interesting trivia: This is the 43rd Anniversary of the special on television. It originally aired on October 27, 1966 on CBS. I will now pause for the CBS Special Presentation logo...

Ok, now where were we?
Ah, yes. Trivia.

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown didn't start airing on ABC until October 30, 2001.

And don't forget to read a previous POST of mine where Charles M. Schulz himself reveals in a 1966 interview about how he came up with the idea for The Great Pumpkin.

The full ABC Press Release is below for your reading enjoyment, but I think we pretty much know the synopsis of the storyline of the special. Really is there any one on the planet who's reading a synopsis of the special and going "Hmmm... what's this 'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown' special? Lessee... 'Linus hopes he will be visited by the Great Pumpkin this year.' Hmmm... well that sounds inviting..."

CHARLES SCHULZ’ ANIMATED CLASSIC HALLOWEEN

SPECIAL, “IT’S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN,”

AIRS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28 ON ABC

Animated Special Also to Be Broadcast in Spanish via SAP

The classic half-hour animated Halloween-themed PEANUTS special, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” created by late cartoonist Charles M. Schulz, returns WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28 (8:00-8:30 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. (Rebroadcast. OAD: 10/30/01 on ABC). The special will air in Spanish via Secondary Audio Programming.

Note: This program replaces the episode of “Hank” which had been scheduled.

Starring an unlikely round-headed hero and a unique cast of young characters wiser and wittier than their years, Charles Schulz’s PEANUTS is not just the best-known, most-loved comic strip ever created, but a true global phenomenon. The PEANUTS characters are featured in 2200 newspapers, in classic television specials and on re-mastered DVDs, on stage, in hundreds of books and across the Internet. They have inspired every kind of consumer product from T-shirts to toothbrushes. And while translated into 25 languages, PEANUTS has introduced a vocabulary all its own: “Good grief!,” “security blanket,” “Happiness is…,” “You blockhead!” As PEANUTS approaches its 60th anniversary in 2010, “Good ol’ Charlie Brown” and his inseparable gang remain as fresh and vital as ever.
Over the past four decades, the library of PEANUTS animation has received five Emmy and two Peabody Awards. It has also received one Academy Award nomination, three Grammy nominations and fifteen additional Emmy nominations.
In the 1966 half-hour animated special “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” The PEANUTS gang celebrates Halloween, with Linus hoping that, finally, he will be visited by The Great Pumpkin, while Charlie Brown is invited to a Halloween party. Cast members include Peter Robbins (Charlie Brown) and Christopher Shea (Linus). The cast also includes Sally Dryer as Lucy, Chris Doran as Schroeder, Bill Melendez as Snoopy, Kathy Steinberg as Sally, Tracy Stratford as Violet and Ann Altieri as Frieda.
The special was executive-produced by Lee Mendelson and created and written by Charles M. Schulz. Bill Melendez is the producer and director and Vince Guaraldi is the music composer.
This program carries a TV-G parental guideline and is broadcast with Spanish audio via SAP.

The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror XX

2009-10-19T23:14:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I blew this.
For the last several years The Simpsons annual anthology Halloween special called Treehouse of Horror has aired AFTER Halloween. Usually due to men throwing baseballs.
Although it's always vexed me that a HALLOWEEN SPECIAL was airing AFTER Halloween, its repeated delayed airing at least guaranteed this Halloween Addict one more evening of Halloween celebration the week after October 31st.

Well be careful what you wish for... you just might get it. And in a Monkey's Paw turn of events, this year's Treehouse of Horror XX--- that's the 20th Anniversary of the special--- aired BEFORE Halloween....... and I missed it.

Just today I began searching the web in anticipation of the November airdate, and then I saw Robert Canning's review up on IGN.com and thought "Oh god, no... It aired YESTERDAY."

BUT... thanks to the wonderful state of technology and the wide wide world o' webs, I have found it on-line LEGALLY on both Hulu and Fox.com.
Click the links in the last sentence to go watch for yourself.

Threadless HALLOWEEN T-Shirt Sale TODAY ONLY!

2009-10-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

You've heard me rave about Threadless t-shirts HERE, HERE HERE annnnnd HERE.

Well today, and TODAY only, Threadless is having a sale on Halloween tees, reprinting a bunch of retired designs and offerring some brand new ones like "The Horde." Snap up all their horror inspired stuff for a measley $10 a pop.

I've got my eye on "When I Was A Pumpkin" myself.
Go HERE and stock up.

Bill Cosby: Monster and Scary Stories Fan... and The Origin of Fat Albert

2009-10-18T10:09:00.000-07:00

You probably don't know this but Bill Cosby was a fan of monster movies when he was a kid. Frankenstein, The Wolfman, Dracula... he loved 'em all. Nowhere is this more apparent than his early comedy routines.

I can remember when I discovered Cosby's comedy when I was a kid of about 8 years old. One bored day I decided to rummage around the front hall closet (that's the one by the front door that we only seem to store stuff in, like bags of potatoes, bowling balls and huge winter coats) and down on the bottom, in the back where it's cold and dark, there was a box full of record LPs.
In amongst my mom's Beatles albums were 3 or 4 records by Bill Cosby. One had a photo of him on a go-cart. That's the one that caught my attention.

Called simply "Wonderfulness" I asked my mom what it was and she tried to explain that they were comedy albums, but I just slapped them on the record player and started listening. (I had a record player of my own for all the book and records I constantly listened to, like Disney's Haunted Mansion.)

I loved these albums because not only were they wonderful tales being told by a great storyteller, but also because Cosby was talking about stuff that I was going through as a kid myself. Specifically a love of monster movies and scary things, even though they terrorized us both.

On the "Wonderfulness" record I got to a track called "Chicken Heart." "Chicken Heart" tells the tale of 7 year old Bill Cosby who loved to get scared listening to old radio dramas. His parents know his penchant for getting scared listening to these tales so they forbid him too, because they know that he will become so terrified that he'll do something stupid--- like smear Jello on the floor so the monsters will slip up and not be able to get to him.

I can totally relate to this tale as when I was younger, I would constantly terrify myself. My drug of choice? Ghost stories.
Loved 'em.
Couldn't get enough of 'em.
And they would scare the crap out of me.
I'd consistently borrow the same 3 ghost story books from my elementary school library.
Seriously if you were to look at the interior library card you'd just see my name line after line with a different colored date stamp every month.
---Yes I realize I'm dating myself talking about library cards being stamped--- pay attention--- I'm telling a story here...
I'd also be drawn to any ghost stories available on TV which, at that time, mainly consisted of any ghost segments on either Real People, In Search Of or That's Incredible. (They were sort of like Unsolved Mysteries or the modern day A Haunting Discovery series.)
Well after watching any of these segments on TV, especially if I was left home alone, I would become terrified and would turn on all the lights in the house, any radio or stereo in any room and turn up the TV volume after having found some "friendly" channel.
Of course, when my parents came home from whatever outing they had been off to, they would scold me "What the heck do you have every light in the house on for?! Do you think we own stock in the electric company?!" Etc. etc. etc.

I didn't care. I'd weather the storm because all the light and noise was the only thing that would keep me sane and cover up any noises or scares any ghosts who were in the house were going to make. In my mind, ghosts hated light and the friendly drone of Dallas.

But, back to Bill: So I related to his "Chicken Heart" tale. It made perfect sense.
Of course you would smear Jello on the floor to trip up the monsters, Bill. It's brilliant in its simplicity if you ask me.

Another bit that touched on his love of monster movies was from his album "Revenge." It's called "9th Street Bridge" and tells of Bill and his friend who would buy a ticket to a monster movie and then hide in the front row in showing after showing, neither brave enough to glimpse the monster. They'd stay that way until his mother would show up and drag them out of the theater. Then one night, his mom didn't come get them... and they had to walk home... alone... in the dark... across the 9th Street Bridge.

"Revenge" is also the album that has the debut of Cosby's beloved Fat Albert character. In a tale called "Buck Buck" Cosby not only introduces the character to audiences but, as he puts it on the album "Now I told you THAT story so I could tell you THIS one," spins a second yarn about trying to scare Fat Albert with a giant Frankenstein statue.
In another bit of brilliance Cosby even has a tag-back to "9th Street Bridge" that links the bits together.

Listening to a master comic tell stories of monster movies, JuJyfruits and childhood innocence is both hysterical, and a trip down memory lane. You feel like you grew up with him even if your childhoods were decades apart.

So after you've watched your annual viewing of Fat Albert's Halloween Special on digital DVD dig that record player out of the basement and give 'em a spin complete with all the pops and hisses that go with antique vinyl.
Or make your life easy and just rip the CD's (links are below) and add 'em to your Halloween playlist.
Heck, here's links to two of the tracks as MP3's from Amazon.com.
9th Street Bridge
Buck Buck
Isn't technology EASY?!
They're a great addition to your Halloween mix, and something fun to get you in the spirit in October.
Now don't go setting anything on fire...

Halloween Gaming: Army of Two: The 40th Day Halloween Trailer

2009-10-17T17:57:00.000-07:00

I love Halloween commercials.
And as an appreciator ("appreciator"???) of all things Halloween, when a videogame puts out a teaser trailer for its super slick sequel and makes it Halloween specific for no other reason than its fun: I'm there.

Army of Two: The 40th Day has done just that by putting their two main characters in a teaser for the new videogame that has a joke, jack o' lanterns and pumpkin pails for trick or treating.

Check out the trailer HERE.
And even if you're not a videogame junkie, you can use the screengrab above as a reference for carving your own fantastically creepy Army of Two jack o' lanterns. Brilliant.

The game is available for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, Sony PSP blah blah blah CHECK OUT THOSE JACK O' LANTERNS AT THE BEGINNING!

REVIEW: Paranormal Activity - In Wide Release TODAY

2009-10-16T14:54:00.001-07:00

Last Friday I finally went to see Paranormal Activity.

For those living under a rock or, put politely, just out of the loop, Paranormal Activity is an independent film by first-time writer/director Oren Peli that made a big splash at Slamdance and Screamfest last year.

The film garnered an on-line buzz and was soon scooped up by Paramount Pictures. Originally to be remade by the studio, after some test screenings it was deemed to be working just as it was and in a brilliant stroke of marketing: was pushed through Twitter and Eventful.com as a "Demand it in your town" event.

The rest, as they say, is history and after numerous sold-out screenings in a handful of cities, the film goes into wide release TODAY.

The film centers around a couple living in sunny San Diego who believe their house to be haunted by someTHING and they set up a video camera in their bedroom to record any goings-on while they sleep.

THAT... is all you're going to get about the plot.

I do this to try and mitigate a hype that befell a similarly themed and shot movie called The Blair Witch Project. Similar in many respects to Paranormal Activity, I feel the over-hype and large media push backfired against what was a very small, simple, scary film.
And really, that's all this film is too.
Using nothing more than four actors, one video camera, and one set Peli delivers a well executed, excellent thriller that will scare you to your core.
Is it the end-all, be-all of horror? No.
It IS a must-see in the theater event that causes audiences to "scare-bond" an event only a small handful of good horror films deliver.

My advice: go with a few people and, if it's not too late, be on a personal media blackout.
Don't read reviews, don't talk to people about it, don't watch the trailer--- just go.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Side note: To add to my Halloween season experience in seeing Paranormal Activity not a day or so away from the supposed dates the events of the film took place (early October) but the Arclight in Sherman Oaks erected a wall of back-lit vintage and modern horror posters to peruse while coming/going from the theaters. Here's a few pics for your enjoyment. Arclight, if you're reading, great job.

Vintage Target Domo Halloween Recipe Flyer... All the way from 2008!

2009-10-13T08:22:00.000-07:00

Last year Target's Halloween theme involved Domo, the Japanese TV character. See my post about it HERE.

In the Target Halloween aisles was a little freebie "take one" flyer featuring Domo in a few Halloween disguises and Halloween "recipes" that seemed to use all the Halloween items Target was selling that year.

So I give to you, scans of last year's Target Domo "Treats Tips and Tricks" pamphlet.

So now that Target's moved on to the Skelanimals this year, what's Domo doing for work?
7-Eleven.
In a non-Halloween push Domo is slathered all over 7-11 merch like it's a new Star Wars film. See all the packaging HERE.

Jeez, that guy will do anything for a buck...

AMC Announces FEARFEST '09 Schedule!

2009-10-12T11:42:00.000-07:00

It's finally up!
AMC TV has finally posted their Fear Fest (or is it "FearFest" with no space?) lineup for 2009. Lots of usual suspects but some interesting twists on old favorites.

I've been a fan of Fear Fest on AMC since it was called Monster Fest back in the day. Look at me. Old Man AllHallowSteve. Get off my lawn.
ANYWAY, I can remember filling up tape after tape (that's VHS my friends) of whatever year had all the Universal monster movies and Halloween franchise films complete with mad-scientist-lab bumpers.
Those were good times.

Then they changed it to "Fear Fest" and the monster films gave way to scary films... I guess hence the name. Read that last sentence and picture Tom Bodett saying it. It'll be much more charming.

First of all a lot of classic horror films are hitting the big 3-0 as in 30th Anniversary this year. Which ones?
How about a little xenophobic tale called Alien. 30!
How about a little haunted house movie called The Amityville Horror. 30!
How about one of the first horror movie parodies called Young Frankenstein. Thirty-FIVE! Ha. Tricked ya.
Side note: I can't believe those movies are 30 and over. I'm getting old...

The site HERE gives a quick summary as follows:
- 4 Alien movies.
- 3 Halloween movies.
- 2 House on Haunted Hill movies.
- 1 Digitally Restored Night of the Living Dead

So let's break it down and see what we're really getting this year.

Halloween movies: The first (EXCELLENT), the 4th and the 5th.
Though I'm not really a fan of 4, I acknowledge it's significance by it being "The Return of Michael Myers." It's also got Dr. Loomis and some pretty good cinematography. The mask looks crappy though. I know... I'm a Myers mask snob.
5, though... oof... that's when things started going downhill in my opinion.

House on Haunted Hill movies:
I sorta like the remake of House on Haunted Hill... 'til the digital black stuff shows up.
Return to House on Haunted Hill is pretty forgetful. Seriously, I've seen it twice (once in last year's Fear Fest) and can't remember a thing about it.

Alien movies:
As I mentioned it's the 30th Anniversary of Alien. That's exciting. I haven't seen that movie in awhile and look forward to revisiting it.
Aliens reinvented the wheel and is also a classic. "They mostly come at night... mostly." Great stuff.
It would be great if they ran the Director's cut of Aliens with the Vulcan gun scenes, etc. Guess I'll just pop in my DVD...
Alien 3 is something I saw in theater and didn't like it. It's grown on me a bit over the years, perhaps due to the fact that I have a creative crush on David Fincher.
Alien Ressurection... also saw it in the theater but this one didn't grow on me. Especially that basketball scene... seems silly. It's been a long time, though, so maybe I'll check it out again.

I'm not exactly sure what the Digitally Restored Night of the Living Dead is. I hope that just means it's been cleaned up and not the 30th Anniversary edition of the film that I've heard about with newly shot scenes inserted in 1968 original.

Classics:
The Shining
The Fly
The Amityville Horror

The Rest:
Return of the Living Dead - One of my all time favorites and I return to it every year regardless of whether or not it's on cable.

The Frighteners - Peter Jackson, Michael J. Fox, Jeffrey Combs, Dee Wallace, John Astin and a giant Grim Reaper! I always think I love this movie, then I watch it again and I'm always left wanting... I don't know... more. It's missing something. A fun thing to have on while you do something else.

Films I haven't seen and therefore may check out:

Jack the Ripper
The Brain Eaters
Exorcist The Beginning (I really want to do a double feature of both versions of this movie. Just to see how different the two Directors made it...).
Raising Cain - I remember the cover of the video box back in the day, but never saw this. I like the Lithgow, though.
The Innocents
Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster
Blood of Dracula
The She Creature
And Now the Screaming Starts - Never seen this. Why does the screaming start? And why so formally? Hopefully my questions will be answered.

I'm most excited about The Beast Must Die.
I can't believe this is on the schedule, albeit at 4am.
This movie is a "so bad it's good" film that I recommend you check out with a bunch of friends for a fun viewing.
Don't read anything on it if you haven't seen it.
Just get ready for your "werewolf break."
Set your TiVos...

No matter what my opinions are of the lineup I'm always excited to have constant scary movies playing when I turn the TV on in late October. Sure I've got a lot of these films at home on disc, and sure some of them could be deemed "crap filler" but like hearing your favorite song on the radio, there's just something about the serendipity of stumbling on a movie playing that makes it that much more endearing. And for the films that are garbage, it allows me to check out those films for free, freeing up my Netflix queue and/or my wallet.

I find it interesting that they're only running the original John Carpenter's Halloween on the 27th at 6pm and on the 31st at noon.
I approve of their choice of running Night of the Living Dead from 6pm 'til midnight on Halloween eve. I think it's a good "show closer" and it'll allow people to come and go as they please on Halloween and tag back in later.

Full schedule is below or go the Fear Fest page HERE.

Go set your DVRs, or make time to plunk down in front of the set the last week of October.
I'll see you there.

Friday the 23rd

8:00 PM Alien (1979)
10:30 PM Aliens (1986)

Saturday 24th

1:30 AM The Return of the Living Dead (1985)
4:30 AM Jack the Ripper (1959)
6:15 AM The Brain Eaters (1958)
7:30 AM The Fly (1958)
9:30 AM Dracula (1979)
12:00 PM Exorcist: The Beginning (2004)
2:30 PM Alien (1979)
5:00 PM Aliens (1986)
8:00 PM Alien 3 (1992)
10:30 PM Alien: Resurrection (1997)

Sunday the 25th

Monday the 26th

Tuesday the 27th

12:00 AM Thir13en Ghosts (2001)
2:00 AM Raising Cain (1992)
4:00 AM The Fly II (1989)
6:15 AM Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster (1965)
8:00 AM King Kong (1976)
11:00 AM Wolf (1994)
2:00 PM Raising Cain (1992)
4:00 PM Thir13en Ghosts (2001)
6:00 PM Halloween (1978)
8:00 PM Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
10:00 PM Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)

Wednesday the 28th

12:00 AM Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)
2:00 AM The Frighteners (1996)
4:30 AM And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973)
7:30 AM Puppetmaster (1989)
9:30 AM The Return of the Living Dead (1985)
11:30 AM The Frighteners (1996)
2:00 PM Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)
4:00 PM Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
6:00 PM Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)
8:00 PM House on Haunted Hill (1999)
10:00 PM Return to House on Haunted Hill (2007)
11:45 PM Exorcist: The Beginning (2004)

Thursday the 29th

12:45 AM House on Haunted Hill (1999)
2:45 AM Return to House on Haunted Hill (2007)
4:30 AM Blood of Dracula (1957)
6:00 AM The She-Creature (1956)
7:45 AM Sabretooth (2002)
9:45 AM Piñata: Survival Island (2002)
11:30 AM House on Haunted Hill (1999)
1:30 PM Return to House on Haunted Hill (2007)
3:15 PM End of Days (1999)
6:00 PM Thir13en Ghosts (2001)
8:00 PM Young Frankenstein (1974)
10:30 PM The Amityville Horror (1979)

Friday the 30th

12:45 AM House on Haunted Hill (1999)
2:45 AM Return to House on Haunted Hill (2007)
4:30 AM Blood of Dracula (1957)
6:00 AM The She-Creature (1956)
7:45 AM Sabretooth (2002)
9:45 AM Piñata: Survival Island (2002)
11:30 AM House on Haunted Hill (1999)
1:30 PM Return to House on Haunted Hill (2007)
3:15 PM End of Days (1999)
6:00 PM Thir13en Ghosts (2001)
8:00 PM Young Frankenstein (1974)
10:30 PM The Amityville Horror (1979)

Saturday the 31st

1:00 AM Thir13en Ghosts (2001)
3:00 AM Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)
5:00 AM Blood of the Vampire (1958)
7:30 AM Young Frankenstein (1974)
10:00 AM Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)
12:00 PM Halloween (1978)
2:00 PM Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
4:00 PM Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Meyers (1989)
6:00 PM Night of the Living Dead (1968)
8:15 PM Night of the Living Dead (1968)
10:30 PM Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Survival Guide: Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights 2009

2009-10-11T00:09:00.000-07:00

As a frequent screamer at Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights, I can say I've learned a few things in my many times attending the park's October event.

Flaunting Saw, Halloween and My Bloody Valentine Universal Studios Hollywood drew me in to my 5th or 6th (I've lost count actually) time attending Halloween Horror Nights and by the light of a Full Moon on October 3rd (seriously, what better night to go?!), my fellow Halloween Addicts and I ventured once more into the breach.
(See pic... that's a Full Moon over the park... always looks bigger in person...)

I'd like to pass on my tips and knowledge for making the most of this excellent attraction. It's a pretty straight-forward bluntly honest look at the attraction and how to get the most out of it. Although this particular guide is aimed at the Hollywood park, you can really apply the tips to just about any attraction you may go to.
I'll be building off the Universal Studios mailing list e-mail "tip sheet" that was recently sent out. I hope this Survival Guide serves you well...

TIP 1: ARRIVE EARLY

I agree wholeheartedly.

We were there on the 2nd night of Horror Nights opening and the crowds were THICK. It only gets worse as the month goes on.
More people, means more time in line.

More time in line, means less time to get your money's worth and see the park.
So take that "arrive early" to heart. Both in time of day and day of month.

The park opens at 7pm, you should plan to BE there by 6:30.

Even though we had pre-purchased tickets, the throngs are so thick that it still took us 45 minutes to get through security, past the ticket booths and to the turnstiles.

If you've got the dough, go for the "Front of the Line" pass. It is exactly what it says. You get in special line that has maybe 20 people in it as opposed to 100 or more.

TIP 2: PARKING

It takes you 30 minutes or more just to inch your vehicle into the parking lots. The freeway exit for Universal starts stacking up with cars at 6:30pm and beyond.

I know a guy who parked on Ventura Blvd. and walked in because it was faster and cheaper than following the herd in and out at the end of the night.

If you took the Metro and crossed the street to get in, know that you're going to wait at least another 15 minutes just to get on the tram to take you to the top of the steep hill where the entrance is.

Get some exercise. Walk up the hill.

Seriously: the clock is ticking and there's no organization by staff at the bottom to get on the trams. A new tram pulls up and people swarm to get on. If you're not pushy and a complete jerk, you're going to miss the first couple.

Walk it.

It only takes about 5 minutes, gets the blood going and will help work off the giant Simpsons donuts you'll eat later in the park.

TIP 3: PLAN YOUR NIGHT

This is war. You wanna see as much of the park as you can to get your money's worth?
Well you're going to have to listen to me and do as I say.

The park opens at 7pm and closes at 2am. That gives you only 7 hours to get through everything. Sounds like a lot but get there late and start waiting in line for one maze for an hour and that time quickly evaporates.

Check out a scan of the map and plan your attack.

SUB-TIP: Go long, I'll throw to you!

For frequent theme park goers, this is common sense and old news, but people sometimes forget and newbies don't know any better:

Go deep into the park.

Amateurs walk in the door and hit the gift shop first or stop at the first maze they stumble on.

At Universal Hollywood, you have to go WAY deep into the park. That means all the way in to The Simpsons Ride, then hang a left and down three sets of escalators to where the SAW maze is.

OR you can bear RIGHT at The Simpsons Ride and head down the escalator to the Backlot Terror Tram tour.

Either one of these should be your first choice.

TIP 4: PURCHASE A FRONT OF THE LINE PASS

I mentioned this earlier, but here's the the truth of it: it's expensive. And, actually, it gets more expensive the closer you get to Halloween ($99 earlier in October, $119 later in October).

Supply and demand, I guess.

To be completely honest: In my experience it is physically impossible to see every single show, maze and ride in the park in one night with a general ticket.

There I said it.

That said, I've never done the FOTL Pass and still got to see ALL the Halloween Horror Nights mazes before I left.

I've been to Universal before so going on Jurassic Park The Ride IN THE DARK is not something I need to do.

SUB TIP: Go see the things that aren't evergreen.
Pretty self-explanatory but The Mummy rollercoaster, Jurrasic Park The Ride, The Simpsons Ride, Terminator 3D, etc. are all there year 'round so you can go back and catch them anytime. You're paying to go to Universal Halloween Horror Nights, so make sure you get what you pay for.

TIP 5: STAY CONNECTED

Universal has a note to text a number for specific info on your specific attending night. I didn't use this service so I can't really comment on how useful it was.

Instead, I'm going to expand on the "Stay Connected" theme:

Make sure everyone in your group has a cell phone and knows how to text (Grandma, I'm lookin' at YOU).

The park is big, loud and dark. You're not going to hear someone say "hey wait up!" and if you run off to get a churro expecting to find your people somewhere later, you are sadly mistaken.

Why must they know how to text?

Because you won't be able to hear the message or the person on the phone. It's much easier to read "Heading to Tram. Meet at Simpsons." Again: I'm speaking from experience.

TIP 6: DOWNLOAD IPHONE APP

I'm an iPhone owner and was very excited about the prospect of gauging line length, checking show schedules and such from my illuminated handset than straining to see in the fog-filled dark from a wrinkled paper map shoved in my pocket.

Unfortunately for me and my group, the app wasn't up on iTunes on opening weekend so we had to have a go the "old fashioned" way.

The app is now up and though I've downloaded it to my phone, I can't get it to work right. It could be as simple as I wasn't IN the park and tried using it during the week when Horror Nights wasn't up and running. Don't know.

If the app is to blame, I'm sure they'll have it ironed out by next year and I look forward to using it.

If I'm to blame, then I would love to hear from someone who used it during their night and see how well it worked.

Chime in in the comments if that's you!

TIP 7: RAIN OR SHINE

I've been lucky enough to not get caught with tickets on a night when Los Angeles gets rain. That may sound laughable thinking of Southern California weather, but just about every October LA is hit by some sort of water from the sky.

Take a few seconds to check your weather report and pack a parka if it's looking like rain. Though all the mazes are under some sort of roof, the tram and park itself is not.

TIP 8: THE RUNDOWN
Let's get down to brass tacks. Here's what you should go to once you're in.
Hit all the major mazes. There are 3 every year.

How do you know what the flagship/tentpole "big three" are? Usually it's the faces plastered all over the marketing.
This year it's Saw, My Bloody Valentine and Halloween.

(Universal is going to try and make you think that Chucky's Funhouse is a major maze, but don't be fooled. More on that later.)

The "big three" (I'm enjoying this term and will continue to use it) usually have the most attention to detail and have numerous actors, scares, scenes, etc.

If you only see three mazes, make sure it's these three.

Scare Zones:

Here's the deal with "Scare Zones"... it's usually just an area of the park that you walk through that has costumed people jumping out at you. Sometimes they've decorated the existing buildings and structures to tie in to the theme. There's usually a lot of fog... don't let your guard down... ever.

Universal will try and bait you to head for that area using licensed characters like Shaun of the Dead, and Jigsaw but they shouldn't be sought out... only experienced as you walk through them on your way to bigger and better things.

Sub Tip:

If you're with someone who is terrified easily, let them know that the "scareactors" will feed on this and not let up. They're trained to seek out those who react the most. So screaming and backing away is only going to make them focus on you.

If you've learned nothing from the original Nightmare on Elm Street, it's that demons get their power from your fear. If you need a break, don't act afraid. Walk tall and smile and they quickly lose interest.
I've seen this actually work. One year, when an exhausted member of our party had had enough and was approached by both a Jason AND a Leatherface, she simply said with a smile "You're adorable! I just want to hug you!" and they turned and left.

END OF THE NIGHT...

Chucky's Funhouse:

Remember what I told you about Universal trying to make you think that Chucky's Funhouse is a major maze?

Here's the secret: Any other month of the year, there is a year-round maze called "Universal's House of Horrors" as part of the park. When you walk through for the first time, it's very impressive with grandiose sets based on the Universal Monsters.

Whenever Halloween Horror Nights rolls around, they take the same maze and just add whatever second-tier characters they have. Last year was The Strangers... this year it's Chucky.

It's just not really worth it if you've already been through it on a "normal" day. The characters are added like a garnish.

My advice: Hit this on the way out or skip it entirely and either go through your favorite maze again or on one of the rides (Mummy, Simpsons, etc.). Lines should be short enough that you can breeze through in about 30 minutes or less.

So there you go. Do I think Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights is worth it? Absolutely.
The fact that they license official characters for their mazes means that you're going to get to see, walk through and interact with your favorite horror franchises. Plus their attention to detail is unparalleled. (I'll have a full review of this year's mazes coming up).
With a group of friends, attending this annual event certainly has become a Halloween tradition that I continue to enjoy every year.
Get your scare on at Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights. You'll be glad you did.
Click HERE for tickets!

National Pumpkin-Pie-Filling Shortage!

2009-10-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

Dear, god, man what shall we do??!!!
Human sacrifice... dogs and cats living together... MASS HYSTERIA!

According to THIS article in the LA Times, the U.S. is experiencing a pumpkin-pie-filling shortage due to poor weather that reduced last year's crop.

Libby's, who allegedly owns 80% of the canned pie filling market, (aren't there anti-trust laws to prevent that???) usually uses surpluses from the previous year to stock shelves.
Guess what? No surplus.

The article goes on to talk about people who had to go to three or four stores to find some.

We here at Halloween Addict take anything having to do with pumpkins VERY seriously so we've provided this "action list" for you to peruse.

What YOU can do:
1) Cry.
Sure it's selfish, but sometimes just letting it out makes you feel better.

2) Buy fresh pumpkins and make your own!
It's delicious!
It's fun!
It'll make you feel like a Pilgrim!
Seriously, save those jack o' lantern guts.

3) Hoard.
Find a bunch and then hold onto it 'til November when the Pumpkin King returns and canned Libby's pumpkin pie filling becomes currency. All hail Lord Humungus!
............... It could happen.

Lastly:
4) Enter the 21st century.
Why go to a store, when you can order online and a nice mail carrier or UPS person will bring it right to your door!
Look at this: I've found cases on sale at Amazon.com.
Go.
Buy.
Make pie.

Joonbug: One Stop Shopping for Halloween Parties in NYC

2009-10-08T00:17:00.000-07:00

New York.
The city that never sleeps.
And if you're going to pick a night to not sleep, it should be Halloween.

The problem with living in a major metropolitan area isn't that there's no cool Halloween Parties, it's FINDING those cool Halloween Parties.

Enter: Joonbug.

This innocent sounding site is a mecca for all the Halloween party listings in NYC. And I mean ALL THE LISTINGS. Seriously, from pubs to penthouses, this site lists it all.

So get your costume, check joonbug.com's NYC Halloween listings site HERE or at halloweenguide.com and then hail a cab.
Oh and wear something skimpy, you'll get a cab faster.

Cost Plus World Market Halloween Sweepstakes and 10% Off Coupon

2009-10-07T23:52:00.000-07:00

I must say, I'm impressed with the number of Sweepstakes that are tying into Halloween this year. Then again I'm just a sucker for any stunt with some bat graphics slapped on it.

So far I've found sweepstakes for M and M's, Home Run Inn Pizza and now Cost Plus World Market. Go to spooktacularsweepstakes.com and enter your e-mail address for a chance to win a $10,000 World Market Gift Card.
Pshooo. That's a lot of candles and wicker.

And just for entering you'll get e-mailed this 10% off coupon. Or you can skip the sweepstakes, allowing me to win, and just print the coupon below.
Or, save a tree, order online and use the code: HGTVOCT09 .

Amazon Has DVD and Blu-Ray Halloween Sale!

2009-10-06T10:57:00.000-07:00

I mentioned this in my Twitter feed but in case your attention span is longer, Amazon is having their annual Amazon Halloween DVD Sale

Always a good time to stock up on your scary movies for the month and even the rest of the year. Prices go as low as $5.49 and Blu-Rays can be slashed up to 50%.

Just poking around myself, I'm eyeing:
28 Weeks Later
The Birds: Collector's Edition (Classic Hitchcock. My 2nd fave behind Psycho.)
Poltergeist: 25th Anniversary Edition (Yeah, I can't believe I don't own this either...)
Session 9 (I love films shot at REAL locations...)
Silent Hill (I loved the games... and this film looks fantastic which helps me overlook the story flaws...)

Buy through THIS LINK and I'll get a nickel.