Halloween Blues

Jenn Rose- Working in the Horror Industry

2012-02-29T19:29:00.000-08:00

As February winds down to an end and we bid farewell to another Women In Horror Recognition Month; we are joined by one last talented individual working in the industry.

Jenn Rose is the kind of busy woman that magically seems to find extra hours in a day to do just about anything and everything. On top of being an accomplished and very busy makeup effects artist, Jenn sells Horror Collectibles and Artwork and just recently directed her first short film, T is for Toss, for the ABCs of Death competition.

And on top of all that, she even found time to talk with us about her experiences in the horror industry. From growing up in love with sci-fi to tackling her first directing gig, Jenn shows us that the Horror biz isn't a man's world anymore.

How did you find yourself working in the Horror industry?

It was somewhat inevitable, I suppose. As a child, I was always a bit of a tomboy. And, I was always artistic. I had a huge love for dinosaurs, creatures and sci-fi. I was always crushing on the villains (Skeletor, Boba Fett, The Predator... the list is endless... and things haven't changed much, haha.) That love evolved into a love for Horror, and by the time I hit high school, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I was meant to be a monster wrangler!

Growing up, who did you look up too? Who were some of your inspirations?

I remember when I was little I used to watch the making of Thriller over and over again. Rick Baker was something of a super hero to me as a kid. Imagine my thrill when I had the opportunity to work for him a couple years back. Greatest... thing... ever. But really, my list of inspirations is ridiculously long. So many amazing people. And my inspiration wasn't limited to people either. I've always been a tad obsessed with natural history. Before monsters for me, it was dinosaurs, reptiles and insects. Deep sea life. Real life "monsters". There are things out there that are more fantastical than anything we conjure up in movies. I love it. Always have. I was obsessed! I really haven't changed much. Hahaha.

Did you have a great deal of support for your career choice?

Absolutely. My mother was very artistic. And both my mom and dad... my entire family really, have always been super supportive of anything I wanted to do. My husband is also an artist who works in the industry, so we help each other out a lot with various projects. I'm surrounded by a really great network of friends and artists, honestly.

Working in the business, do you think you experienced any challenges that were uniquely inherent to you being a woman?

I've had a time or two on set where an AD or a director would walk past me at first and come to talk to my partner or assistant because they were male. Maybe. Maybe I'm just scary. And there will always be that old fashioned soul here and there who is amazed to see a girl using a drill. Haha. But in all seriousness, sure, FX and horror are definitely male dominated industries. Just so, I do think talent and work ethic speaks for itself. Male or female... you have to work hard and love what you do.

You've worked on big productions and small ones, for you, was there any difference in how you were treated?

Honestly, no. I've worked with some amazing crews, both large and small. There are always those less than amazing experiences as well, but it doesn't seem to be dependent on how large or small a show is. Hahaha.

Recently you directed your first short, how long have you wanted to direct something?

Actually, I never really had any directorial aspirations. I toyed with some short ideas here and there, but that was usually the extent of it. I have a handful of friends who are aspiring directors, and I often help them out with their makeup, props, fx, etc. That is how I was introduced to the ABC's of Death competition in the first place. My good friend Erica Harrell was producing our friend Judson Scott's entry "T is for Twig", and I was providing the makeup effects. During pre-production for that, a joke between Erica and I quickly evolved into a short idea and everything just kind of fell into place!

T is for Toss from Erica Harrell on Vimeo.

What was it like taking on your first directorial project?

It was amazing. I had the luck to be working with some of my best friends and the entire experience was great! It was exhausting (I also handled the props, fx and helped orchestrate the set) but ridiculously fun. We had a lot of great people on board though, couldn't have done it without them. It blows my minds how many people were willing to offer their talents and how it all came together. I'm a lucky girl. Can't wait to do it again!

Having your range of experience, where do you see women still struggling in the industry and where do you seem them making great strides?

I don't know. It's possible that I'm a bit blind to it. I'm stubborn. If I want to do something, I find a way to make it happen.

I do think now days people in general have so much more independent power to go out there and create. Technology has exploded. Anyone can film something on their phone and the next day it's viral. Hahaha. There's no excuse! The world is ours for the taking!!! *cue thunder and lightening*

Where do you see yourself going in the future? Would you like to focus more on directing, being a makeup artist or perhaps finding a balance for both?

I would love to direct again, but I think I'm happiest when I'm sculpting and creating. There is so much I want to make... so, SO much. Just not enough time. Hahaha. I love being a makeup artist, I love doing lab work, I love painting and drawing. My roots are firmly planted in fx, but I constantly have side projects (creating items for my Etsy store, working on short films, photography, etc) and will continue to do so. I'm like a shark.. gotta keep moving.

Girl Scout Leader Removed Due To "Metal" Themed Site

2012-02-17T17:57:00.000-08:00

This is a story that raises an issue that many people are facing as the world becomes much more connected and our private lives begin to leak out into our public ones.

Stacy Hintz was the Girl Scout Leader for her daughter's West Bend, Wisconsin Girl Scout Troop, a position she had worked for four years. That all changed on February 9th, though, when her co-leader approached her and asked her to step down from her position. Why was a beloved Scout Leader suddenly asked to step down? Lets go back to the beginning.

Stacy had been performing her Scout Leader duties, her husband had been working on his own project. A website called "Wisconsin Sickness." In his own words, the website is described as:

A Mental Shed project created to expose and preserve the dark and disturbing underground world of Wisconsin art in all its forms, including art, film and the world-renown WI metal!

Readers on this site probably know what's up when they read a description like that, but to those of you who had their monocle pop off while exclaiming "My word!" Let me break it down for you: the website is essentially harmless fun that takes a look at the world of underground Metal (a style and music) in Wisconsin. If you're not sure what "metal" is, it's the thing that people confuse for being "Gothic."

All and all, the site would be pretty creepy if you weren't in to that sort of thing, but there isn't much there that one could claim is offensive. Even the section "Cannibelles," which features the women of Wisconsin Sickness in "Suicide Girl" style photo shoots, is fairly tame as it features no nudity. Just hot girls covered in fake blood. One of the ladies featured in the photos though, was Stacy Hintz. Once again, nothing nude, just scantly clad.

According to Mary Black, the Chief Program Officer of Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast (via Jezebel), Stacy had been e-mailing other members of the scouts program and had included in the signature of her e-mail, a link to Wisconsin Sickness. Which is a common thing for people with websites and businesses. Her co-leader clicked the link, took offense to what she saw, and asked Stacy to step down from her position on February 9th. She felt the site violated the values of the Girl Scouts through it's promotion of satanic imagery, demonic worship and (my favorite) zombie porn.

Upset about the sudden deicision to oust her, Stacy took to the internet to plead her case. Currently she has over 13 videos updating viewers on the situation. Here's the first one that started it all:

However, her complaints fell on deaf ears and on February 14th, Mary Black sent her an official dismissal letter. That Mary is a real heart breaker, amirite? Here's what she told Stacy:

Following an internal review, we are reaffirming the notice of February 9, 2012 removing you from all of your volunteer positions with Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast. This action is being taken due to violations of policy, including your endorsement, while in a Girl Scout capacity, of a website service that does not live up to the Girl Scout standards and principles.

Essentially, they were claiming that Stacy was let go because she was promoting her website through official Girl Scout e-mails. Though it's unclear if the Girl Scouts gave her the option of simply removing the link in her e-mail before dismissing her. After four years of dedication, you would think she would've gotten the opportunity to fix a mistake. This is why Stacy believes that she was let go because of her personal lifestyle, which had no reflection on her ability to be an effective Scout Leader. Which she addressed in a video following her official dismissal:

Since then, several parents have removed their daughters from the program and in the midst of the controversy, the co-leader has also stepped down. News organizations have also begun to take notice of the story and reactions in the media have ranged from being a serious examination of the situation to "Har, har, zombie porn."

Channel 4 in Wisconsin got an interesting quote out of Girl Scouts spokesperson, Tracy Wayson, who said that Stacy's performance as a leader didn't matter and that they "didn't look into her performance at all" as it wasn't part of their "fact finding mission."

So does this all boil down to a simple misuse of the Girl Scouts e-mail or is it a personal vendetta against a individual's lifestyle? If the link was such an issue, shouldn't Stacy's years of service have earned her a simple slap on the wrist and and a request to remove the link? Which would have been reasonable, since it's against policy to include personal business links in such e-mails. However, if this is a reaction to her lifestyle are the Girl Scouts in the wrong for trying to protect their "image?" Let me know what you think.

Friday Night Haunt- Out on the Pier

2012-02-17T16:01:00.000-08:00

This week it seems like the spirits are out hanging around the water. We have two cases involving spectral entities being spotted along shore lines and a pier and in each case there seems to be a storied history behind the ghostly apparitions.

Can you spot the ghost in our first picture above? If not, hit the break for a close up look.

This story comes from Joe. The image is reportedly of a nun known to haunt a local...uh...where the hell is she? I'm guessing some kind of industrial place. I can say for certain though that it's in Galway, Ireland. The local man who snapped the image said that he took thirteen other similar snapshots of the same area and yet this is the only one in which the figure appears. Experts believe the figure is that of a 19th Century Claddagh Nun. There's nothing worse than a creepy nun, just starring at you from across the water, probably judging you. Wanting to literally beat the hell out of you with a ruler. Here's an image of what a Claddagh Nun looks like

Yeah, creepy. So what do you think? Are we dealing with a nun who has unfinished business? Or is it simply just a trick of the camera? Personally I would've loved to have seen one of the images that didn't have the figure in it, just to so I can compare the two.

The next image comes from an English pier, where early morning fisherman have been reporting seeing a mysterious figure out on the pier that seems to appear and disappear at random. As of late there hadn't been any images of this supposed figure, but one young photographer claims to have gotten a snapshot of it.

Matthew Hales, 17, was out doing a time lapse of the tide for his college class. He had set up his camera so that it would face out towards the pier where he could measure the tide against the posts of the pier dipping into the water and the camera was set up to take pictures every 30 seconds. Upon reviewing the photos, Matthew realized that a figure seemed to appear in one of the stills and disappear in the next. Once again, there aren't any photos of the before and after to show the transition.

Assuming he's telling the truth though, it's hard to tell what we're looking at. It's far enough so it could be anything. It could be a man, or it could be a pile of things that look like a guy. However, one of thing is for certain. If it is indeed a man who disappeared in the next frame, he wouldn't have enough time to completely get out of frame. He looks like he's stopped and looking out, to go from that to out of frame in 30 seconds would be too short of a time frame.

So to future ghost photographers, please supply us with before and after pictures, it'll make life so much more interesting for me. To everyone else, what do you think?

Creepy Ass Surrealist Sesame Street Characters

2012-02-17T15:19:00.000-08:00

I stumbled across this collection of Sesame Street characters depicted as surrealist monsters over on Buzz Feed. It's like Tim Burton created the Sesame Street characters, but then had Stephen King write the pilot episode. Shit is weird son. Strangely The Count, who you would imagine to be the freakiest of them all, looks pretty much the same.

The art is by Kevin Eslinger who has quite a resume of skin crawling works over on his shop that's available for you to own. Hit the break to get a taste of more of his works.

Say Goodbye To King Size Bars

2012-02-17T11:13:00.000-08:00

In two years the age old tradition of rich people giving out king size candy bars around Halloween will fall into the stuff of myth and legend.

Mars Inc. (makes of delicious treats like Snickers and Twix) has announced that it will be getting rid of any candy bar that has more than 250 calories in it. Candy bars like the King Size Snickers have about 540 calories in them. The company stated that it should have all of their King Sized bars phased out by the end of next year.

There's so many aspects of this that are just wrong. Who does Mars Inc. think they are that they can simply "cancel" the annual tradition of rich people handing out big candy bars? What are the rich supposed to do now? Hand out regular candy bars? My God, that's just...inconceivable.

There's also a healthy dose of bullshit involved in the fact that they're doing this so that their company can be more "health conscious." You sell sugar coated diabetes in a nice looking package, there's nothing healthy about anything that you do. If you're going to sell the candy, then you might as well let the people indulge if they want to. In the end, this is less about concern for consumers and more about a false public image and profit. What do you think?

Our Totally Wrong Halloween Horror Nights 2012 Predictions

2012-02-16T18:28:00.000-08:00

I normally like to make my predictions later in the year, but since John Murdy has started the guessing game early, I figured why not?

Last year I did...okay. I managed to predict that Scream would make an appearance and I did guess that we would see two original mazes (La Llorona and Alice Cooper). I came close with The Devil's Rejects, but instead of getting a movie sequel, we just got the maze sequel. So lets just say I got three out of three, just because I'm so charitable. That's not too bad for random shots in the dark. Journey past the break to see my predictions for this year and tell me how far off I am.

1.) Woman in Black

There are three reasons I think this one is a strong contender for being a maze this year. For one, it had a strong box office debut and got great critical reception. That means that it has good public recognition and popularity. Then there's the fact that it has an iconic figure in the Woman in Black that could be used for marketing. Finally the movie has the makings of a great maze, it features a creepy secluded village and a haunted house for all the action to take place in. There's also the fact that it's quite similar to the La Llorona maze they did last year. It probably wouldn't be too hard to convert the Spanish sets in that maze to a British setting, so it would be a cost saving maze as well. There's so much here that is win/win for Universal.

2.) Alice Cooper Returns

Every year there's one maze that makes a grand return from the previous year and my money is on the Alice Cooper maze. For one, it was rated as the number one maze last year. Secondly, there's more material to be found in those records if John Murdy wanted to add/change some scenes in the maze. So it's entirely possible that this one could return in it's original glory or with a shiny new interior.

3.) Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Possibly one of the most beloved of all Horror Night mazes, the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre maze blew both minds and pants off with it's insane scares. This year we're seeing the return of Leatherface to theaters (in glorious 3D no less) so it's entirely possible some smart guy in Hollywood might want a maze to accompany the release of the film. Of all of these guesses, this is the one I'd stake the most money on. In my mind, the only question is if the maze will be in 3D as well.

4.) The Year of Rob Zombie: Lords of Salem/Original Rob Zombie Maze/Halloween

I know, I'm a mad man for putting all of my eggs in one basket, but I feel like this is the year that Rob Zombie hits it big at Universal Studios. This year he has Lords of Salem hitting theaters, which he has expressed interest in turning in to a maze. Then there's an original Rob Zombie maze concept (probably like the Alice Cooper maze) that's been brewing for several years now. Finally, there has been some interest in making a Halloween maze built around Rob Zombie's version. Which would mean a more visceral Micheal Myers experience, much like the Friday the 13th maze that focused on the newer version.

5.) The Often Rumored Seventh Maze

If I learned anything from Billy Idol, it's that people want "more, more, more." And that dreads don't look good on any white guy. With the debut of six mazes last year, people are already wondering if there will be a seventh maze this year. I'm going to say....yes. Why? Because it's no fun to say no. And what could possibly be the seventh maze? Well this is the year of the possible apocalypse, that might make for an interesting maze choice.

So what do you think? Spot on or way off? Let me know.

Grant Wilson Exits Ghost Hunters

2012-02-16T17:07:00.000-08:00

If you were watching Ghost Hunters last night, you might've seen the intro which stated that there was going to be a shocking announcement during the episode. If you were gullible like me, you might've thought "Well surely such a juicy bit of info will be given away at the beginning!" Of course that wasn't the case and, unfortunately, I didn't have the time to watch. So imagine my shock when I got up this morning to hear the announcement that Grant Wilson will be stepping down from his role on Ghost Hunters and retiring his Flir Camera.

After eight long and very successful seasons, Grant has decided it's time for him to make his grand exit. Last night wasn't his last episode though, just the announcement of it. The actual final appearance of Grant will air on May 16th on SyFy.

Of course whenever someone steps away from something as successful as Ghost Hunters, the rumor mill starts chugging over time. Was Grant fired? Is Grant sick? Is he being hunted by a secret society because he came to close to the truth? The reality is much more mundane than any of that.

After doing eight years of something, even if it is popular, it starts to wear on you. Sooner or later you gotta start thinking "What am I going to do next?" And it looks like Grant might've been having those thoughts as he posted on the official TAPS site that he wants to pursue his passion for Graphic Design and return to school for that. You gotta think the opportunity to see more of his family is also a plus.

Can you imagine what it's going to be like for him to go back to school though? You know there's going to be some smart ass 20-something that's going to want to bring up Ghost Hunters and try to call him out on it.

So will this be the last of Grant? I seriously doubt it. Certainly he will be gone for a long while, but you just know there's going to be a "special" Ghost Hunter episode here and there where Grant pops up. Whatever the case though, we wish him the best of luck and hope the best for him.

Valentine's Day Blues

2012-02-16T16:44:00.000-08:00

How was your Valentines? A friend of mine wound up being dumped the day before which is the kind of thing you think only happens in the movies. Unless the guy you're dating is an absolute dick, don't you think you'd at least hang in there for Valentines, maybe see what you're going to get first?

Then I started to wonder how many other relationships prematurely ended on Valentines? How many of our readers are out there, crying into a carton of Ben and Jerry and watching The Notebook?

So I thought I'd show you that you're not alone and that no one is immune to heartbreak. Except me, of course, I'm a breaker. No one gets past the wall I've got surrounding my heart, no tears ever come out of these eyes because of a lost love. I certainly didn't have a meaningful two year relationship come to a screeching halt because of an adulterous lover. *Sniff* Don't let them see you cry Sam...

The Monster and The Bride

Probably the most embarrassing break-up ever endured. When you have your woman made specifically to be in love with you and to match your every need, it's kind of an amazing feat to send her running at the first sight of you. I mean, sure, The Monster isn't the greatest looking guy in the world, but The Bride has only seen only one other person to compare him too and being half-dead, she doesn't have too many options. She can't possibly be that judgmental. But she totally is.

The Creature and Julie Adams

We all like to say that the Creature was a beast trying to claim a beauty, but did anyone ever consider that it might've been the Creature who was slumming it? When you're the last of a certain breed you have to remember that every hour is happy hour at that point. You just have to latch on to the first thing with repurductive organs that you find. For all we know, the Creature could've been the George Clooney of his world and to him, this chick was like an Amy Winehouse, but he was willing to put that aside for the good of his race and allow this horrible looking creature to be his bride. So what happens? She flips out! In this case, that would be like the captain of the cheer squad being rejected by some kid in the AV club, it just doesn't happen! No wonder why he got all pissed and wigged out on everyone.

King Kong and Ann Darrow

The typical "What does she see in him?" relationship. Ann tries to show that Kong's really a confused and sensitive man, but that all goes flying out the window when he kidnaps her and holds her hostage while fighting off the authorities. There were clearly signs of his pent up aggression though. Whenever another man even looked at Ann, Kong would tear off in a fit and eat them. The writing was on the wall honey, you should've left him long ago.

Norman Bates and Mother

If these two crazy cats can't make it in this world, then who can? As we learn in one of the fabulous sequels, Norman Bates might have the hots for his Mom. During a "sensual" lotion rubbing scene, Norman gets a boner for her. To which she responds by having him wear dresses. Sometimes love is just crazy and weird. And icky to the point that you can't look each other in the eye the next morning. Unfortunately Mother has eyes for another man and Norman deals with the rejection by poisoning both of them. Love endures though as Norman keeps her mummified corpse around and wears her clothes whenever he feels lonely.

Halloween Twist on Valentines

2012-02-14T09:43:00.000-08:00

CARRIE BOUQUET

Long time readers might remember this from last year, but I thought there'd be no harm in sharing it with new readers.

Have a loved one who is in love with horror possibly more than they are with you? Why not surprise them this year with a themed bouquet that's guaranteed to please any horror fan. Best of all, it's super cheap (just don't tell them that) and a delicious treat.

Remember the iconic finale of Carrie? Just as she thinks she's finally being loved and adored by all, the douchebags drop a bucket of pig blood all over her and her beautiful bouquet. For this project you'll be recreating that bouquet using chocolate roses and, in place of pig's blood, a red candy coating.

Supplies:
-Chocolate Roses (You can find these almost anywhere this time of year. The cheapest would be the 99 Cent Store)
-Powdered Sugar
-Red Food Color
-Water

STEP ONE- Get Your Roses

This is what you're looking for, they can be found almost anywhere.

STEP TWO- Make Your Blood Mix

Mix about 4 tablespoons of Powdered Sugar with a 1/2 table spoon of water. You may need to make more, depending on how much of this you put on the roses and how many roses you get. I can't tell you how much food coloring to add, just keep adding it until you're satisfied. Make sure you beat the hell out of it, you don't want any chunky bits in your blood.

STEP THREE- Splash Your Blood

Lay your roses out on some wax paper and go to town. I decided to just use a fork and flick the blood mix all over the flowers. You can find your own best method. Once you're done with this, put the flowers in the fridge so the sugar will harden on the roses.

STEP FOUR- Present Your Flowers

I suggest putting them in some tissue paper that's been splashed with red food coloring. It'll help complete the effect.

Let me know how it goes for you and send me some pictures of how yours turned out!

Dose of Creepiness- Creepy Valentines

2012-02-13T17:22:00.000-08:00

I'd like to wager that, for most people, Valentines has to be the scariest holiday of them all. There's the whole stereotype about men who forget Valentines and then have to throw something together in a panic. That's a semi-realistic terror. However, I think women face the greatest fear of anyone at this time of season: being asked out by a creepy guy.

Sure that's a risk women face every day of the year, but around Valentines the creepy weirdos start to get especially lonely. Even the shrine they made in your likeness from various discarded items salvaged from your trash doesn't seem to cut it anymore. That's when they decide to finally contact you with a well-meaning V-Day card, hoping you'll reciprocate their love once you read their heartfelt words.

So, with permission from their parole office, they venture out to the local convenience store and pick out one of these lovely novelty cards that captures their never-ending affection. Read on past the break to see what you may be getting this Valentines!

Ah, creepy AND racist, a rare combination. I can't even begin to decipher what those words are trying to say, but the look in those eyes makes this message clear: your undies are going to mysteriously disappear at the laundry mat.

Perhaps you want to brooch the subject of experimenting with bondage with your loved one, but you're not quite sure just how to express your interest. That's it! Adorable cat tied to a chair! Surely she'll look at the card and say "Awww, Honey, of course I'll flog you tonight."

Nothing says love like overly implied cannibalism. This card is best delivered with cookies that have your hair inside of them. That way when your Valentine eats them, you'll be a part of them forever.

Those eyes. I just keep starring at them, waiting for them to move. And that's not even the creepiest thing about this Valentine! "I'm out HUNTING for a Valentine, are you game?" Jesus, sounds like the start to every 80s slasher flick. The worst part is that someone made this card, sat back and thought "Yes, this will win over any girl!"

Batman would probably be the last person I'd pick to express my love for another person. He's the ultimate stalker, he spent his entire childhood perfecting the art of not being caught rummaging through your garbage. So when you send a picture of Batman telling your Valentine that they can't hide from you, you're essentially telling them how fucked they are.

Were people in the old days naturally creepy or were they just more oblivious? I mean, this one is a little more acceptable. He's going to pursue his love, cute, until you start to wonder why he's bringing a musket.

IT RUBS THE LOTION ON IT'S SKIN OR ELSE IT GETS THE HOSE AGAIN!

Maybe this one is just all me, but I think it's kind of weird when you use siblings on a Valentine's Card. I know you can give a Valentines to a female member of your family, but there's still something icky about asking your sister to be your Valentine. I dunno, maybe that's just me. Thoughts?

I like to believe that this one is about breaking down the emotional walls we all build around our hearts, but it's just more fun to think it's about a superhero who uses his amazing abilities to terrorize a woman who wants nothing to do with him.

This card is probably more effective if your Valentine is reading it out loud. That way when they read "See the point?" You can perfectly time the moment you burst out of the closest wielding your butcher knife.

Ugh, WTF, seriously?

This one just gets creepier the longer I stare at it. First you got your creepy dude, then there's his weird ass message about wiping your pen on his pants and then...what the hell is coming out of the dog house?

I'm guessing "nailing" someone had a different connotation back then. Still, the whole thing has a pretty dire sound to it. Be mine...or else.

Friday Night Haunt- Ghostly Boy

2012-02-10T17:38:00.000-08:00

I like the title "Ghostly Boy." Sounds like some kind of underground rock band. "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the Chino Hills Pub for the very first time....GHOSTLY BOY!" And then crickets, followed by an awkward trio of 20 something year olds shambling on stage, fidgeting with their instruments and nervously looking at each other as they prepare to make rock history. And I've gone completely off track.

The image above was photographed by Leonard Low, author of the book "There Are Such Things," while visiting the Whittington Hospital in London. Seen below it seems like quite the charming place.

Okay, that's not the actual hospital, that's just some old extension of it. But if I showed you the fancy shmancy looking version, you wouldn't be creeped out.

So the story goes that the Whittington Hospital used to deal with lepers and small pox victims so, needless to say, they had many untimely deaths in the building. This prompted the nurses to be seriously freaked out about the lower parts of the hospital which have apparently been untouched. So Low went down into the lower regions (obviously a sucker for a nurse, can't blame him) and tried to investigate it.

When he got there he came across a light floating at the end of a long corridor. According to him, the light started moving towards him so he began snapping pictures of it. What resulted was the picture seen above with the image of a young child's face.

What do you think? Did Low capture the image of some poor child who died a very sad death or is it merely a trick of light and dust? You be the judge!

Women in Horror- Anissa Salazar

2012-02-10T16:24:00.000-08:00

In our continued examination of the role women play in the modern horror industry, Makeup Effects artist Anissa Salazar has volunteered to chime in and give her opinion on the state of things. We discuss her life and how she feels to work in the business.

Give us a little background about you.

I was born and raised in bright and sunny Southern California. Oldest of five. Passionate and driven.

What brought you to this career?

After highschool, I enrolled at Ventura College to study Anthropology. I was one elective class away from receiving my associates degree when I stumbled upon "Stage Makeup." I FELL IN LOVE with this course. I devoted all my free time volunteering as a makeup artist for ANY event at Ventura College. Whether it be a Student's one act play, or a fashion show for a design class. If you needed a makeup artist or hair dresser, I was there! 2 years later, after taking various theatre arts classes, I had received a proficiency award for "Makeup Artist'" and a scholarship from our Theatre Arts department. Being behind the scenes was and is my passion. Getting to see my work on stage and come alive was amazing! This was when I decided to attend the Paul Mitchell school, and study hair dressing, styling, etc. to further expand my knowledge as a hair stylist and makeup artist.

Did you have any influences or inspiration?

I can get inspired by just observing! Everything inspires me! Colors,shapes and textures. I will say growing up watching horror, sci fi, and fantasy films were definitely a huge asset.

I have many amazing mentors who influence me to keep pushing forward and chasing my dreams. Of course my parents are the two people who have impacted that greatly. Larry Bones is one of my many mentors. An amazing man who has taken me under his wing to educate me further in this industry.

What's it like to be a woman working in the industry?

Being a woman in this industry is not as difficult as it might seem. By saying that I mean just because I'm not a man. Doesn't mean I can't hand punch a wolf mask too! If anything I can do it better because I'm a woman and looking at our hairlines and faces is what we do. It's definitely nice when working on a project with a team of men. My input is not only helpful because it's from a female perspective, but also let's face it...women are prone to analyze even the most minute details. Which definitely comes in handy in this business where attention to detail is a must!

I love being a hair stylist and makeup artist, and this industry has so much to offer. It's just waiting for me to get my hands on it.

If there was one negative aspect about the industry that you would change, in relation to the role of women, what would it be?

Well, the one thing I would love to see change would be for more women in the industry be noticed and recognized for their hard work and performances being behind the scenes. Sure, we all work hard and things will come to those who wait but I think it's time we start seeing it. From magazines, to blogs. This blog, Women of Horror is definitely an opening door for that.

If you had any advice for young women who share your same passion and want to pursue it, what would you tell them?

For all women who have a passion for this industry as much as I do, and are just starting out, I would suggest doing their homework, By studying hair and makeup. Books, internet, credits, etc. today's researching methods are at the touch of a button. So many tutorials online, makeup blogs, tips and tricks for hair/wigs, etc. You don't have to spend $25,000 for education, you just have to set goals and drive yourself to them.

If you're a woman working in the industry and want to add your perspective to the conversation, please feel free to e-mail at thehalloweenblues@gmail.com

SyFy Face Off Recap- So Long Hotness

2012-02-09T12:23:00.000-08:00

Animals were the name of the game this week as the contestants kicked things off with special guest judge, Sam Huntington, from SyFy's Being Human. Their challenge? Create the most dynamic looking werewolf attack victim. And for some reason they did it in a very scenic looking countryside.

The results were fantastic though, there's no denying that. However, Becki produced the most fucked up looking Werewolf victim I've seen in a long time. It was absolutely grotesque, the model looked like she had been ripped out of some horrific car accident and thrown on set. So it was no surprise when Becki took the win and earned her immunity.

Now, is it just me, or does it seem like animals feature prominently into a great deal of Spotlight Challenges? I know this year we've only seen two based around animals, but it just feels like it's a real common task on the show. There was a unique twist with this one though as the artists were forced to combine an exotic animal with an equally exotic plant. Things were also made a bit more challenging as they were once again randomly paired off. Sue was placed with Becki and it looked like she nearly crapped a brick when she found out.

I don't know what was going on with Sue and Becki, but there seemed to be an immediate mistrust and dislike between the two. I almost felt like I must've missed an episode or something because they seemed pretty amicable before this. Though Becki does have a bit of a winning personality, so it's not too hard to imagine there being some tension erupting out of nowhere.

The uneasy teamwork between the two supplied this week's drama and wound up being reflected in their work which turned out to look like something someone had made for a college costume party. One of the judges actually said it "wouldn't win a third grade costume contest," but I gotta call bullshit on that. As someone who's worked with third graders, my mind would've been blown out of my skull if one managed to create something like what Sue made. Unfortunately, it looked to be far below the standards of a professional makeup artist and it caused her and Becki to be placed in the bottom two.

Joining them was my future wife and resident hotty, Athena and her partner Tara. Who produced a pretty bland product. It wasn't terrible, it was just pretty bad. I mean, you could see the underwear of the model under the paint job, totally not animalistic.

Despite Sue's massive slip-up, it was Athena's turn to hit the bricks. Although I gotta call bullshit on this ruling. If they decided to let Athena go because she landed in the bottom rung twice in a row, then they definitely should've dropped Jerry's ass for being in the bottom several weeks running. There's a massive disconnect there.

Regardless though, Athena has left us forever and there shall be a gaping whole in my heart where her curvacious figure once stood.

Oh and RJ was this week's winner. Sorry RJ, didn't mean to just throw you in like that. Your work was beautiful though, one of the best pieces I've seen on the show.

P.S. What was the point of having Vivica Fox be a guest judge? I get the connection of having a werewolf judge werewolf makeup. But what connection does Fox have to exotic animals and plants? She just seemed so out of place.

Damn Nature You Scary- Amazon Edition

2012-02-07T12:30:00.000-08:00

Starting tonight at 9pm Pacific, ABC is hoping to put the fear of the Amazon in you with their new show, The River. The show is about a young man searching the Amazon for his missing father with the aid of a documentary crew. What's unique about the show is that it's going to be filmed in the style of found footage films, which will certainly piss some people off and make others super excited.

And while ABC hopes to put a terrifying spin on the Amazon Rainforest tonight, we've decided to take a look at the five scariest things about the real life Amazon. Hit the break to find out what they are.

The Mosquito

Sure we may just consider it a harmless annoyance here in the states, but in the middle of the Amazon forest, the mosquito can be a killer. These little bastards can some times carry and transfer malaria and yellow fever to it's victims. The worst case scenario for yellow fever is that you can have liver damage and start bleeding in your mouth, eyes and in your stomach which can lead to what's known as "black vomit." Which is basically really dark and bloody throw up. Nice.

Strychnos Toxifera

The poison plant of choice for Amazon hunters/warriors. Don't worry, it probably wont give you a rash if you accidentally wipe yourself with it, but if a strong dose gets in your blood you'll die quite quickly. It's said that when a monkey gets hit with an arrow dipped in this poison, it has one more leap left in it before it drops dead. Warriors would sometimes coat their fingernails in the stuff so that in a battle, one scratch could mean death. And it wasn't a peaceful death either, essentially the muscles you use to breath with would slowly start to fail you until you died of asphyxiation.

Candiru

Whether it's an old wives tale or an actual threat is uncertain, but when you hear about what the Candiru is allegedly capable of, you wont want to take the risk. According to tales the Candiru, a small parasitic creature living in the Amazon, will swim "upstream" and embed itself in a mans urethra. Yeah that's right, this thng will sense the warm liquid of a man relieving himself in the Amazon and make it's way inside of the dude's penis. You don't even want to know about the removal process. That shit is scary!

Fer De Lance

Sure it's got a cute little name, but don't screw around with this snake. It's bite can cause severe necrosis of the flesh. If you don't know what that means, just think about an orange that has gone halfway moldy, now apply that image to a person. Yeah, it's freaking gross, go look it up. It can also shoot it's venom up to 6 feet away, that's a helluva distance.

Brazilian Wandering Spider

One of the deadliest spiders known to man. This guy is called the wandering spider because it just doesn't hang out in one place, it likes to travel around and see the world. Which is what makes it so troublesome, because they love to hangout where the humans are at and will often times wander in to your home. The spiders venom contains a potent neurotoxin and can cause asphyxiation. The worst part though? The spider bite contains a powerful chemical that can give you an erection for hours on end. So great, not only are you dead because of a stupid little spider, but now when your family finds you you'll be sporting your most impressive woody ever. On the flip side of this, if you survive the bite, you can possibly wind up being impotent afterwards. WTF nature?

Concepts for Hotel Transylvania

2012-02-07T11:21:00.000-08:00

In celebration of the Super Bowl's record high 111 Million viewers, Sony Pictures decided to release some early concept art for Cee Lo Green's Mummy character from their upcoming monster themed animation, Hotel Transylvania. The film stars Adam Sandler, Miley Cyrus, Kevin James, David Spade and a bevy of other actors Sandler tends to feature in his film. The real selling point is that the film will be directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, the guy behind such classics as Samurai Jack and The Power Puff Girls.

Genndy has always had a unique style of animation in his productions, so it'll be interesting to see if that translates well into this CGI work. So far the concept art revealed hasn't been too inspiring, but I'm sure seeing it in motion will be a whole other experience. Hit the break to see some of the other character concepts.


Adam Sandler's Dracula character

Dracula's daughter played by Miley Cyrus

Women in Horror- Rachel Dubin

2012-02-06T13:19:00.000-08:00

As a gender ambiguous pumpkin, I'll be the first to admit that I know nothing about what it's like to be a woman in the horror industry. I imagine that it's not as strange as it was in, lets say the 40s, to see a woman with a personal and career minded interest in the horror biz. Though I have no idea if everything is sunshine and roses.

So being an inquisitive fellow, I decided to go out and find someone who could shed some light on the situation for me. Enter Rachel Dubin, a Make-up Effects artist who works at Universal Studios as part of the Bone Yard Effects team. Rachel was kind enough to chat with me about the climate of the horror industry and what it's like to be a woman in a business that was so male dominated not too long ago.

How long have you worked at Universal Studios and with Bone Yard Effects and what do you actually do there?

I've worked at Universal Studios for the past two years, this is my third year working there. I'm a Special Effects Make-Up Artist. I started out doing special effects, some other people start with blood or they start in the airbrush department or doing beauty, but I started right away with effects.

This last year I had specialized make-ups that could only come to me, so I was the only one that could touch them, no one else could do those make-ups. So it was kind of like a honor (laughs) to be able to have my own make-ups that no one else could touch!

And what attracted you to this kind of work?

(Laughs) I've been terrified of horror movies for all my life, but when I was younger one of my best friends wouldn't hang out with me unless I watched horror movies with her and it killed me, I couldn't sleep. I would go to my mom and say "I can't sleep, I can't sleep!" And she said "Just think about them cutting the scene and the make-up effect artist working on this scary person." And I said "What do you mean make-up artist? I thought it was real!" I was really young.

When I was in high school I took a Sci-Fi class, because I was really fascinated by it, and the teacher was interested in make-up effects as well. Half of the course was about it and I don't think he was supposed to be teaching it, but it was like how to do this and how to do that and I knew I needed to be a part of it. I knew I could teach myself very quickly how to do special effects so I bought my beautician license, made sure I was California certified and then taught myself everything else.

And are you still friends with this person who forced you to watch horror movies?

(Laughs) Yeah, she's still my best friend!

What does she think about your where you're working now?

(Laughs) She thinks it's really cool what I do. She loves it, she loves looking at my work and she's always showing people pictures of it on her phone. She thinks I'm crazy though because here I was, this little kid who wasn't able to sleep because she would traumatize me with horror movies. We'd hang out when I was 9 or 10 years old and she'd be like "Lets watch this horror movie that'll scar you for life." But it molded my career, so I actually owe her one.

So it sounds like you've had a lot of positive support, but were there points when people were like "But you're a girl and you're going to do that kind of work? It's weird."

Oh yeah, I've had that actually happen to me a lot. I worked in a lab and I wasn't taken seriously. I know it's because I'm female, because there were a lot of girls that worked there that did have a lower rank and the males were given more responsibility. Also because of the way I dressed. I'm very girly and that doesn't fit the typical female who would be in the industry. It was like "Who is this sunshine girl that thinks she can do horror make-up?" But I was treated like that, I wasn't given any responsibility and I basically didn't learn anything while I was there and that was the whole reason I wanted to work in that lab, because it was very reputable. Luckily, after I had been there for months and I wasn't learning anything and I wasn't doing anything except for hair work, Larry (owner of Bone Yard FX) gave me an opportunity to work for him and after working with him everything's been great. (Laughs) So it definitely worked out, but I had to go through that in the lab and on set as well.

Really, on set too?

On set too. When I was starting out, and I've only been doing this since '07, but when I was working on set every team make-up artist would be a male and they were like "You're my assistant." I had to say "No I wasn't, I was hired separately. I'm doing my job." So you have to be tough, you have to stand your ground because if you don't they'll walk all over you. It takes a strong man to let a strong woman do his job. And Larry doesn't care. Half the crew, if not more, are female and that's what I love about it. He's given women an opportunity to do something that usually men do. And that was one of the first things I noticed, because I came from this lab that let the girls just be looked at for fun. (Laughs) Just sit there and cut hair while the men gawk at them and do the fun jobs.

What's it like finally working in an environment that has a lot of women working together?

Working with all these women at Universal was scary at first cause you think "Oh my gosh, it's going to be catty! There's a whole bunch of women who want to do the same thing and get ahead." But honestly this crew, and I've been apart of other crews, is more like a family than my actual family. (laughs) It's very tight knit. If you need help, someone will come and aid you. People will give you pointers and not in a vindictive way. I don't know how he (Larry) managed to hire all these great people. Usually there's one or two in the crowd that you're like "Ugh, this person is ruining my day." But everyone in the crew is amazing, it's a healthy environment.

What do you think of the progression of women in the industry? When you think back to the older days women were usually regulated to being the damsel in distress and then you got to like Alien and women started becoming the heroes and now we see women as directors and writers and people working behind the scene. Do you think it's come a long way and is there more to do?

I still think there's a lot more to do. We're still not getting paid as much as men, just in general. I do think we've come a long way from back then. We were just helpless beauty icons, which was fine, but not a lot of women feel that way. I don't, I would never want to be the damsel in distress, I want to be the worker.

I think it needs to be improved still, because like I said this happened in the lab two years ago and it's still gender bias. I was interviewing for Face Off a couple of months ago and I said the same thing. In this industry, because it's so male dominated since there are a lot of men that do special effects, it's really hard to get past the men. You really need to have a support team and a strong backbone and you need to give it your all, more than a 100%, because you are a woman. Which is sad, but it's true. I think with shows like Face Off that show that there are women in the industry, that is helping. Cause then people are like "Oh yeah, there are women that can do this." I do think we have come a long way and we can still go a lot further.

Another sampling of Rachel's work

Thank-you to Rachel for taking the time to do this interview with me. If there are any other ladies out there who would like to talk about their feelings regarding the state of women in the horror industry, please feel free to contact me at thehalloweenblues@gmail.com

Dose of Creepiness- Did You See It?

2012-02-06T10:29:00.000-08:00

Last week's "When You See It" pictures were such a hit that I thought I'd return the feature for one more week. This time though there's a video version of it. Test your survival skills and journey past the break to see how long it takes you to spot the danger. And be sure to watch the video all the way till the end. Trust me, it's worth it.

Trick of the Week- Big Game Edition

2012-02-05T12:28:00.000-08:00

It's Women in Horror month, it's time for the Trick of the Week and it's also Super Bowl Sunday! What's the one thread that could possibly connect all three of those things? Lucy from The Peanuts of course. There is no greater prankster than Lucy. Just think about the mental manipulation it takes to get the same guy to fall for the same prank week after week. Now, of course, we could just say Charlie Brown was a dumb-ass and that might be true, but I think it's better to give Lucy the credit for being so deviously clever.

And with that, lets hit the break and see some of the best sports related pranks circling the web this week.

Woman in Black Review

2012-02-04T13:14:00.000-08:00

The Woman in Black follows the story of Arthur Kipps, a man down on his luck after the death of his wife and faced with the challenge of raising his son on his own. When the opportunity to earn some extra money arises, he jumps on the chance and is sent to the dilapidated Eel Marsh House to settle the affairs of a recently deceased widow. Arthur soon learns though that there are dark secrets inside of Eel Marsh House connected to the deaths of children in the nearby village.

While Harry Potter's Daniel Radcliffe may be out making an impact on the stage, in the world of cinema he is still widely recognized as the boy wizard. Will his performance in Woman in Black help break people's perception of him or shall he be forever typecast? Continue past the break to find out.

What's been most amazing about watching the career of Daniel Radcliffe is seeing him grow as an actor. As a child star he was about as good you could hope. Through the awkward teenage years you could tell he was struggling to grow as a thespian. Now as a full fledged adult he has really come in to his own. At the start of the film you may joke to yourself "Harry Potter can handle a ghost, no biggie." But you'll quickly forget about that character as you become absorbed in the plight of Arthur Kipps. Daniel owns the role and blends well into the Gothic scenery.

Speaking of the visuals, it must be said that the locale they chose for this is the very defnition of hauntingly beautiful. The Eel Marsh House is your standard haunted house fare with furniture covered in white sheets, cob webs dripping off of chandeliers and creepy relics left over from previous residents. The surrounding area is gorgeous though, from the quaint village that looks constantly overcast in gloom and despair to the windy thin road cutting through the marsh and up to the manor. All of it visualizes the feeling of isolation and loneliness that Arthur is enduring in his stay in the sad little village.

It should be noted that the film manages to construct a very competent ghost story. And while that may sound like an insult, when was the last time you saw a decent ghost story? I don't really count the Paranormal Activity series as a "ghost story" per se as it's not a true portrayal of one. It's been quite some time since we've seen one that has skillfully crafted a ghostly legend like the Woman in Black.

By the way, if you want a sense of what the Woman in Black is like, she's very similar to the concept of La Llorona. If you're not familiar with her, she's a hispanic "boogeyman." The tale behind her is that she either lost her children or killed them herself and she roams around looking to take kids to replace the ones she lost. It's very similar to what the Woman in Black does in this film.

Of course, when a film manages to be just "competent" that implies that there are some flaws to be found. In this case there are several, but they aren't hugely glaring. For instance, I think it's impossible to buy Daniel Radcliffe as a father of a young boy. It's not his fault, he's just too damn young looking. Maybe after a few more years that pretty boy face will start to wear and he'll be able to play age appropriate roles, but as is he looks like he's still in high school.

One that's slightly larger though is that the film is a bit "paint by numbers." And what I mean by that is that it comes off as being a bit predictable at points. Maybe it's because I've seen so many horror movies, but it's like listening to a song and being able to guess where the tempo is going to change. Instead here you can guess when the scares are coming and when the quiet moments are trying to mislead you. Still though, the film does manage to create one last surprise that will catch most people off-guard at the end of the film.

The scares are hit or miss in terms of originality. The film switches back and forth from using sudden loud noises to scare the audience and a creepy ambiance to unsettle them. Of course it's the more subtle scares that stay with you long after the film is over. No one goes "I'll be up all night thinking about that bird that came out of nowhere and made a loud noise." They're more likely to remember the lingering figure of the Woman in Back stalking behind Arthur. That's the kind of thing that keeps you looking over your shoulder when you're back at home. So while the film has it's share of cheap and good scares, there's enough of a mix to leave you feeling satisfied by the end.

So should you go see the Woman in Black? If you're looking for a solid scary movie, then yes I would highly recommend this film. However, if you're asking me if this is the best movie to see this weekend then I have to say no. I know this is a bit of a curve ball, but I also had the chance to see Chronicle and I gotta say that movie was amazing. It's not a scary film though, so I wont be officially reviewing that one. However, it is really good. With that being said, it all comes down to your taste. Do you want to be scared? Watch Woman in Black, you wont feel ripped off and it's a good way to spend your ten bucks.

Friday Night Haunt- Possessed By The Oily Ghost

2012-02-03T13:01:00.000-08:00

Imagine you're doing an interview with someone who was a witness to a ghostly encounter when suddenly they start freaking out and screaming "It's here again!" I think that's when I'd say "Well thanks for your time, we gotta get going."

That's what happened in this Malaysian news report where the interviewer was talking with a witness who had a close encounter with an Orang Minyak, or an oily ghost. The ghost is said to be a person who practiced in the dark arts and was turned in to a creature. Some consider this creature to either be ghostly or an actual physical thing. Whatever the case, most believe that in order to break it's cure or earn a wish, the oily ghost has to rape 40 virgin women. It kind of has a relation to the Incubus.

During the course of the interview, the young woman suddenly became possessed or was channeling the spirit of the Orang Minyak and began demanding a virgin be brought to it. To see the interview unfold hit the break.

If I have one thing to say about this video it's this: Did they really need to add the blur effect?

Face Off Recap- Confidence is a Killer

2012-02-03T07:03:00.000-08:00

The most hyped up aspect of this week's episode was the fact that the artists would be building their "horror monster creations" inside the confines of the Linda Vista Hospital, one of the most haunted hospitals in California. The contestants picked the phobias that they would be bringing to life and were told to go sit in a room by themselves to sketch out their design for thirty minutes. This whole ordeal (explanation and all) lasted a total of 5 minutes. Really? The most hyped up aspect of the episode was only 5 minutes? I thought they would at least do some of their sculpting inside the hospital as well. Even having the reveal there would have been something. Sadly, 5 minutes in Linda Vista was all we got, seems like it was hardly worth the drive.

This was the first time we got to see the artists fly on their and it was quite a revealing experience. So far it's all been cooperation and artists leaning on one each other to produce the best product they possibly could. Now we get to see who may have been leaning a bit harder than others.

The episode also produced one of the greatest moments of irony seen so far. Brea had been, apparently, talking up her game throughout the episode in an attempt to psyche out Beki. To which Jerry said that her over confidence would lead to her downfall. And if anyone would know anything about being over confident, it'd be Jerry who proudly proclaimed that he'd be winning every challenge in the first episode and went on to place bottom in every episode so far.

Brea felt she had every right to be confident though. Her character was based around a chemical burn victim and her company specialized in creating fake burn victims for medical practice. So it was quite shocking when she created this piece:

With the puffy cheeks and adorable face, it looked more like a zombie chipmunk than a horror movie killer. And unfortunately the judges felt the same way which got her placed in the bottom three with Jerry (surprise!) and Athena.

I gotta take a moment to say this: Oh my God, Athena is smoking hot. I know it's bad, but after seeing her in her leopard print outfit during the elimination, I was rooting for her. It would've been devastating to lose a beautiful sight like Athena and be stuck with more Jerry.

Thankfully the judges voted in my favor and spared Athena. Jerry also managed to sneak by again and instead Brea was sent home. And while I thought they were right to cast her out, I can't help but to think that after 4 episodes of placing in the bottom, how long can Jerry be allowed to continue? Brea at least had a win to her name, Jerry can't make any sort of claim.

The real surprise upset came when it was time to pick a winner. It came down to Becki, Ian and Rayce who all produced some astonishing works. In particular, I think Becki really knocked it out of the park who not only created a fantastic parasitic creature, but also did it faster than anyone else. However, despite the praise the judges bestowed upon her, they went with the rookie Ian (dudes only 22 years old) and gave him the win. I don't want to take anything from Ian, his work was good, but I think Becki was robbed. Her work was just beautiful and I think that when it comes down to the finale it'll be her and Matt going head to head.

Great Moments of Women in Horror

2012-02-02T21:39:00.000-08:00

Last House on the Left (the 1972 version at least) is shocking by anyone's standards. I saw this one a few years ago and I shouted "Dammmmn" no less than 4 times, which is an impressive achievement for an older film.

Last House puts women in the unique position of fulfilling multiple roles in one film. You got your victim, your villain and your avenger. It's an interesting set up that casts women in so many different lights at once and it provides me with a rich assortment of moments to choose from. However, there can only be one defining moment that reflects the power of women in horror. For that I have to choose the scene that makes most grown men cry.

If you've never seen Last House on the Left this will be a spoiler for you, but here's the set-up: Estelle's daughter was raped and murdered by three deranged criminals that are on the run. It just so happen that these three criminals have taken up residence in her home. When she learns what they did to her daughter, she and her husband spring in to action. Below the break you'll see Estelle's horrific act of vengeance.

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February Honors Women in Horror

2012-02-01T12:39:00.000-08:00

Horror is a boys game. At least, that's what you think growing up. It was the boys that did the icky stuff, that tried to scare and chase the girls with disgusting bugs and grotesque things on sticks. It was the boys who would experiment and play with fake blood and slime. It was the men who would save the day and beat off the horrible monsters that plagued the darkness.

Then I saw Aliens. Not the first one mind you, that was before my time, but the more bad ass sequel by James Cameron. Aliens, for me, showed that a woman was just as fearsome and powerful as any man. That there was no gender requirement to be a hero in a movie. Thankfully I learned that at a young age, because growing up in the 90s there were a slew of horror movies where women were taking center stage and kicking ass.

It was when I became a tutor that I quickly learned that the girls loved to do all the icky things just as much if not more so than the boys. I remember offering to teach a class of first graders on how to make fake blood and the majority of the ones that wanted to learn were the girls. It was a shocking realization that I had at an unfortunately later phase in life. I wish I had known girls like that growing up, but now thinking back, maybe there were girls like that, but there wasn't anyone to give them the opportunity to show their interest. Not to sound like a revolutionary leader or anything, but I did receive some strange looks and laughs when I suggested that perhaps the girls would be interested in partaking in gross science and not just the boys.

It was also working with kids that I met a very special young lady. A second grader who loved horror just as much as me. Every other day she would come in all excited about a horror movie she had seen the night before and would want to talk about all the gritty details with me. This kid saw everything from the classics like The Exorcist and Nightmare on Elm Street to more modern films like Frozen in the short span of time that I knew her. She even drew the basis for the current sad pumpkin that I use as my logo.

These days, as horror fans, it's easy to see the involvement of women. They've gone beyond being the damsel in distress, even beyond simply being the heroine. They're also the people behind the camera. The directors, the writers, the make-up effects artists, etc. The role of women in horror has grown in leaps and bounds and it's become such a leveled playing field in such a short amount of time that it's rather astounding. That's why this month we honor the women in horror who paved the way for our current generation of filmmakers and those that continue to pave the way for young girls who want to be future filmmakers.

Badass Abraham Lincoln Vs Zombies Poster

2012-01-31T15:07:00.000-08:00

Say what you will about The Asylum, but they know how to create an awesome idea. I mean, Sharktopus? Still haven't heard an idea more kick ass than that. This poster for Abraham Lincoln vs Zombies though, it comes pretty damn close. Below the break you'll see the most awesome depiction of a U.S. President since Teddy Roosevelt reading on the back of a grizzly bear.

Hit the break to check it out.

What Was Too Gross for Fear Factor?

2012-01-30T11:55:00.000-08:00

Being someone who deals with a lot of relatively gross subjects in the world of Halloween and horror, you would probably think that I had a pretty strong constitution. I thought so too. I mean, I've eaten some weird shit over the years, things that made others run and cry. Well, I think i've finally met my match.

While reading about this story and then writing about it, I've gagged about 5 or 6 times. This has to be the hardest thing I've ever written about. So in case you're of similar weakness, I've included the picture after the break.

Here's the deal. On NBC's Fear Factor, contestants were challenged with drinking down a big glass of donkey piss and....semen. Yeah, a tall frothy glass of semen. Well needless to say, that caused some heads to turn and fearing a public outcry the network has decided not to air that episode tonight. Which is strange since I'm fairly certain they've eaten animal penis on the show, so I'm not sure why drinking the semen would be any worse.

The real bad part about all this though is that one of the contestants did actually drink down the whole thing, but didn't win the challenge because they didn't drink it fast enough. Aint that a bitch? And now to top it off, the world doesn't get to see them do it. They just got robbed left and right. Guess it doesn't pay to drink animal semen any more.

Below the break you'll find a lovely picture, provided by TMZ, of what the contestants would've drank. Be warned, it's as bad as you'd imagine.

Seriously, it's super gross.

Okay, I warned you.