We are now only hours away from the celebrations – the candy, Halloween costumes, haunted houses, trick-or-treating, parties, and so forth. I don’t know about you, Reader, but I’m barely able to sit still. Watching the clock isn’t helping, either. Time needs to hurry up!

In the meantime, though, let’s take a minute to contemplate whether or not Halloween can actually be cancelled. Sound crazy? Not so.

After all, the White House announced at 1:54pm today that it cancelled its annual Halloween celebration due to “…hurricane damage to Washington, D.C., and the surrounding area…” And it’s not the only one.

The White House's decorations.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie actually “signed an executive order on Wednesday postponing Halloween celebrations across the state until Monday,” writes CNN.

“I’ve taken this action to minimize additional risks to lives and the public safety as we begin the process of rebuilding and recovering from Hurricane Sandy,” Christ told CNN.

In addition, residents in New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut have been asked to not celebrate Halloween on October 31, and many Halloween celebrations and parades have been cancelled or postponed.

However, while many on the East Coast have decided not to celebrate the holiday, some are using Halloween as a release from the recent devastation.

“We were already planning on having a party,” Brooklyn resident Adam Scher told CNN. “But now that nobody can get into Manhattan we are really having a party.”

Along with his business partner, Scher is holding a party within their public relations office in Clinton Hill.

“People need something to do tonight. Everyone has been cooped up inside for the past four days, and nobody has anywhere to go or anything to do, so why not provide them with some fun celebratory festivities!”

Yeah, New York may not be the best for trick-or-treating, right now.

But Scher is not alone in this determination to celebrate Halloween:

A 13-floor, 70-unit apartment building in Hoboken, New Jersey, is out of power and surrounded by water. They’ve been using smartphones to communicate with the outside world, and have been trapped for days. To entertain the kids, the residents all gathered in the lobby, encouraged the kids to dress in costume, and went trick-or-treating throughout the building.

If anything, the recent disaster has caused neighbors and friends to band together, to create a unique Halloween experience unlike any other.

So what about you, Reader? Are your Halloween plans cancelled or continuing as usual?

Since today’s blog post is the last before the actual day of Halloween, I felt it would be a great opportunity to look at Halloween through the numbers – money, data, percentages – a bunch of boring stuff that means a whole lot if you actually look at it.

A random pumpkin pictures appears!

Case and point: The total Halloween consumer spending expected for 2012 equals $8 billion. That’s right – Americans spent a collected $8 billion on costumes, candy, decorations, and all sorts of other goodies. That’s a monstrous chunk of change.

And there’s a whole lot more information to follow:

• Percentage of Americans celebrating Halloween this year: 71.5%
• Potential trick-or-treaters ages 5-14: 41 million
• Amount Americans spend on candy, costumes, and decorations: $79.82 per individual.
• Years since the premiere of the classic TV Special, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!”: 46
• Percent of pets dressed up like a pumpkin: 12.7%
• Percentage of adults dressing as a witch: 9.5%
• Estimated number of haunted houses that charge admission in the United States: 1,200
• Box office earnings of horror movies in 2011: $410.6 million
• Pounds of candy corn produced each year: 35 million
• Percentage of individuals who had objections to Halloween on religious grounds: 11%

Okay, let’s stop there and talk for a minute: I’m interested in that last fact, the one about religious objections to Halloween. The fact that some individuals still view Halloween as some sort of anti-religious / religious holiday is baffling, as the holiday has become one of the most commercialized holidays in American history. Just look at the first fact above – Americans spent $8 billion on Halloween this year.

Another interesting fact from above: only two-thirds of the American population plan on celebrating Halloween. What are the other one-third doing? Even if someone skips out on the trick-or-treating or handing out candy, many work places encourage wearing costumes for the holiday. How can someone just skip Halloween? It’s a holiday that runs deep in the American marrow.

Why so serious?

In fact, I have a hard time thinking of any other holiday that screams American as much as Halloween. We spend money on costumes that are worn only once or twice per year. We buy excessive amounts of candy crammed with sugars and artificial ingredients. We revel in gore and violence and fear.

And while all of this may appear to showcase Americans as self-absorbed and consumptive, the intent of these actions actually goes against such notions. Americans buy candy so as to hand them out to children, who are encouraged to enter into a world free from the horrors of reality. These children are shown that the world can be scary, yes, but scary can be entertaining. You can scream in fear and then laugh it off – a lesson that many adults could do well to remember.

Costumes allow expressions of internal desires and thoughts. The very ability to express such things runs parallel to the American culture’s love for personal freedom. We want to be able to wear silly costumes and run wild through the streets and be rebels or heroes or villains or whatever, because personal expression means something to Americans.

At its core, Halloween is a holiday about laughing in the face of reality and standing strong for personal expression. It’s about understanding that, yes, bad things happen and people die and hurricanes can wipe away your home, that’s a fact of life. But so is creative and personal expression, laughing, smiling, feeling the comedown of adrenaline after an intense fright, whether real or imaginary – all behavioral actions that come with intense euphoric emotions. They make you feel alive and energized. They make you feel human.

So I challenge you, reader, during the day of Halloween tomorrow, whether you are handing out candy or partying or trick-or-treating with a child, breathe deep the atmosphere and let life fill your veins.

Because it’s Halloween.

Because you’re alive.

To everyone else, let’s move on with the usual business!

So, since Halloween falls on Wednesday, last weekend saw all the big parties and all the sweet Halloween costumes. Maybe you went to one yourself. Maybe you won a costume contest. Maybe you did neither and are waiting for the big party come Wednesday. Whatever the case, keep on partying on, because this holiday season isn’t over.

To prove it isn’t over, today we’re showcasing some of our favorite costumes that have recently hit our inbox or the Internet. These are truly awesome costumes.

Full-body UV Demon.

The Simpsons.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Botched Restoration of Ecce Homo Fresco.

Tim Burton's Queen of Hearts.

Tim Burton's Mad Hatter.

Lisbeth Salander.

If you want to show of your costume, feel free to post it in the comments section below. We’re happy to see what you’re wearing for Halloween.

“This is a very real exercise, this is not some type of big costume party,” said Brad Barker, president of Halo Corp, a security firm hosting the October 31 training demonstration. The event will take place at a 44-acre Paradise Point Resort island in the San Diego bay. “Everything that will be simulated at this event has already happened, it just hasn’t happened all at once on the same night. But the training is very real, it just happens to be the bad guys we’re having a little fun with.”

Honestly, this summit sounds like a lot of fun.

In this specific scenario, “a VIP and his personal detail are trapped in a village, surrounded by zombies when a bomb explodes,” writes the Dallas News. “The VIP is wounded and his team must move through the town while dodging bullets and shooting back at the invading zombies.”

Sometime during the event, some team members will be bitten by zombies and must be treated at a field medical facility for decontamination and treatment. (I’m not making this up – it’s all true.)

“No one knows what the zombies will do I our scenario, but quite frankly no one knows what a terrorist will do,” said Barker. “If a law enforcement offices sees a zombie and says, ‘Freeze, get your hands in the air!’ What’s the zombie going to do? He’s going to moan at you. If someone on PCP or some other psychotic drug is told that, the truth is he’s not going to react to you.”

If this all feels somewhat familiar, your feeling would be correct. Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched a “Zombie Apocalypse” campaign, using the idea of a zombie apocalypse to inform people about realistic disasters.

Last month, the Homeland Security Department joined the campaign, “telling citizens if they’re prepared for a zombie attack, they’ll be ready for real-life disasters like hurricane, pandemic, earthquake or terrorist attack,” writes the Dallas News.

If only the public could observe the mock zombie apocalypse...

So what’s the point? Why spend so much money to create a zombie apocalypse, rather than a realistic disaster event?

“The defining characteristics of zombies are that they’re unpredictable and resilient,” said defense analyst Loren Thompson. “That may be a good way to prepare for what the Pentagons calls asymmetric warfare.”

In addition, writes the Dallas News, “organizers can also avoid the pitfalls of using a mock enemy who could be identified by nationality, race, or culture – something that could potentially be seen as offensive.”

The carving process began on October 20 and ended on October 21, during which Villafane and his team spent hours scraping, cutting, tearing, de-seeding, and constructing numerous pumpkin pieces, the most impressive being the aforementioned life-size zombie.

Villafane’s exhibit is part of the New York Botanical Garden’s Haunted Pumpkin Garden, an event that promotes the artistic uses of pumpkin in displaying the holiday’s themes.

Check out the video below the following photos to see Villafane working away on the life-size zombie.

Taking a look at Villafane’s artistic studio, Villafane Studios, one sees that the man’s passion for pumpkin art goes well beyond the New York Botanical Garden. Here are some of our personal favorite:

Honestly, these photos are bound to put you in the mood for Halloween. So let’s get into it:

Even Hannibal Lector needs to eat.

Nick Castle giving Michael a drink.

Putting makeup on the Pennywise.

Oh, Carrie, you so crazy.

Tony Pantanella gets a zombie ready on the set of "Night Of The Living Dead."

Freddy enjoying some tunes with the gang.

Nicholson doing what he does best: be insane.

Does his face actually taste of leather?

Toying around on the set of "Child's Play."

One tired Alien.

Now, it’s time to put this concern to rest, because Zillow recently released their fourth annual Trick-or-Treat Index, which ranks “…the top 20 cities around the country to get the best Halloween loot…”

The index ranks cities based on “four equally weighted data variables: Zillow Home Value Index, population density, Walk Score and local crime data from Relocation Essentials. Based on those variables, the Index represents cities that will provide the most candy, with the least walking and safety risks.”

Here’s the list:

One thing to note: Zillow follows the list by saying, “There is a common belief that wealthy neighborhoods are the Holy Grail for harvesting the most Halloween candy,” going on to describe their index as a “more holistic approach to trick-or-treating.”

As a child, my family fell into the idea of wealthier neighborhoods = more candy, because we believed wealthier families had more money, thus more candy to give. Unfortunately, wealthier neighborhoods are often more spread out, too, so you spent more time walking than actually raking in the loot. Nothing worse than swollen feet and a pillow sack full of more air than candy.

So, Fright fans, anyone disagree with this list? Anyone feel the need to defend their own city and why it should make the list? Let me know.

You know what that means! Halloween costumes, decorations, and props? Nope!

It’s time for me to be a wet blanket on everyone’s Halloween celebrations, by talking about safety precautions that both children and parents should be taking on Halloween.

Today, State Farm reported, “Kids have a greater chance of being fatally injured by a car on Halloween than any other day of the year, including the Fourth of July and New Year’s Day.” The company then listed findings from detailed analysis of their internal data:

• Over the past 21 years, State Farm found that one hundred and fifteen child pedestrian fatalities have occurred on Halloween. That averages out to 5.5 fatalities each year on October 31, which is double the average number of 2.6 fatalities for other days.
• Approximately one-fourth (26 out of 115) of accidents occurred between 6-7pm. Over 60% of the accident occurred in the 4-hour period from 5-9pm.
• Over 70% of the accident occurred away from an intersection or crosswalk.
• Most of the fatalities occurred with children ages 12-15 (32% of all child fatalities), followed by children ages 5-8 (23%).
• Young drives ages 15-25 accounted for nearly one-third of all fatal accidents involving child pedestrians on Halloween.
• Drivers ages 36-40 and 61-65 were involved in the fewest child pedestrian fatalities on Halloween. Together, these age groups accounted for nine child pedestrian fatalities (8%) in the 21 years of the study.
• Each of the last six years of the study (2005 – 2010) has seen Halloween child fatalities below the 21 year average of 5.5.

So what can parents and adults do to keep children safe?

Keep your little ones safe.

The most noticeable thing is to pay attention to children while walking on streets located away from intersections and crosswalks. The higher percentage of injuries in these areas may be associated with the decrease in attention parents give to their children, because they assume such areas are safer.

In addition, parents may want to hold off on trick-or-treating during the hours immediately after the 5pm workweek release. This increase in vehicular traffic may be the reason for an increase in accidents between 6-7pm, when people are anxious to get home and start their own holiday.

Of course, almost all of this is pure speculation, and in no way am I an expert at interpreting data or preventing pedestrian fatalities. The purpose of today’s post is simply to reinforce the importance of safety during Halloween.

I mean, you can’t make this stuff up: “A little girl wearing a black-and-white Halloween costume was mistaken for a skunk and shot by a relative at a party,” reports the LA Times.

Apparently the 9-year-old girl was wearing a black hat with a white tassel and hiding “over the edge of a hill outside the house where the party was taking place when she was spotted by a relative.” The relative then fired a shotgun at the girl, believing her to be a skunk.

If the girl were dressed in a skunk costume, would the relative have confused her for a black hat with white tassels?

Before anyone goes getting upset, the little girl was hit in the shoulder and was alert and talking when brought to the hospital. She appears to be doing fine, though she may have some mental scars associated with Halloween and black hats with white tassels.

As for the relative, police are not sure if charges will be filed. However, police did say that the relative had not been drinking alcohol.

But news of the incident sparked more than just shock at the girl’s accident: many have used the incident to speak about gun and animal rights. After all, this relative found it totally acceptable to use a shotgun on what he believed to be a skunk. Even if it were a skunk and not a little girl, is that kind of firepower necessary? Did the relative really have to shoot the skunk?

More importantly, how bad are this relative’s eyes?

Also, some individuals questioned the “wisdom of pulling out a loaded gun at a gathering with children,” states the LA Times.

I picture the hat similar to this one, just with white frills instead of black.

How anyone can mistake a 9-year-old girl in a black hat and white tassels for a skunk, I have no idea. Why someone would shoot a skunk with a shotgun, I also have no idea. It’s all kinds of crazy.

What we should take away from this situation is that safety should always be of an utmost importance. Halloween should always be about fun and entertainment, but we all have to do our parts to ensure it stays that way.

Anyway, hopefully you have all your Halloween decorations, costumes, and props set up, and now you’re putting the final touches on an upcoming Halloween party. Well, my party-hosting friend, we’re here to help you turn a good Halloween party into a great one, with our top 5 Halloween cocktail recipes. These drinks fit the holiday aesthetic, while giving guests the loosening up needed to relax and enjoy an evening of costumed fun.

So let’s get into it:

Pina Ghoulada:

Ingredients:

For the blood:

• 3 tablespoons corn syrup
• ¼ teaspoon red food coloring

For the drink:

• 20 ounces pineapple juice
• 1 can (15 ounces) cream of coconut
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 cup orange juice
• 10 ounces good-quality rum

Directions:

1. Pour corn syrup in shallow bowl. Dip a toothpick into food coloring, and stir a very small amount into the syrup to combine. Hold glass by the stem, dip rim into syrup mixture, and turn glass, coating entire rum. Turn glass upright, allowing mixture to drip down sides. Dip remaining glasses. Set aside.
2. Whisk together drink ingredients. Place 2 ½ cups ice in a blender, and add 1 cup drink mixture. Blend until smooth; add more pineapple juice, if mixture too think. Repeat with remaining ice and mixture. Carefully pour into prepared glasses; serve.

Candy Corn Martini:

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup candy corn
• 4 ounces Grey Goose Vodka
• Tonic water
• Garnish with orange sprinkles

Directions:

1. Place candy corn into glass and pour vodka over candy. Fill glass with tonic water and garnish with orange sprinkles; serve. Easy!

Shrunken Heads in Cider:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons coarse salt
• 8 large Granny Smith apples
• 32 whole cloves
• 2 gallons apple cider
• 2 (12-ounce) cans frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 2 cups spiced rum (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together lemon juice and salt; set aside.
2. Peel apples and cut each in half through stem; remove seeds and core. Using a sharp paring knife, carve a face, as desired, on the rounded side of each apple half. Place apples in lemon mixture for one minute; transfer to paper towels to drain.
3. Place apples, face-side up on prepared baking sheet and transfer to oven. Let bake until apples are dry and begin to brown around the edges, about 90 minutes. Remove apples from baking sheets and press closed into the “eye” sockets.
4. Combine cider, lemonade, and rum (if using) in a large punchbowl; float shrunken heads on top.

Hot Spiced Grape Juice:

Ingredients:

• 1 gallon grape juice
• 8 whole cardamom pods
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• ½ whole nutmeg, grated (1 to 2 teaspoons)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Serve immediately. Super easy.

Blood-Orange Cocktails:

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups fresh blood-orange juice (from 7 to 8 blood oranges), chilled
• 6 tablespoons Solerno, or some other orange liqueur

Directions:

1. Combine blood-orange juice and liqueur in a large pitcher. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Pour into small glasses or test tubes.

Crazy, right? It gets better:

“The decisions was first reported by the district (Seattle Public Schools) as being a preventative measure in the event that Halloween costumes could offend and upset students who come from other cultures,” says CBS Seattle.

Sorry kids, your costumes are too offensive.

Many parents are still confused as to why the decision was made, though. Are Christmas hats going to be banned come December? Are people going to be offended by the five-finger hand drawings of turkeys made by children and the less artistically inclined during Thanksgiving, because it depicts a practice enjoyed by one culture and possibly not all cultures?

Shauna Heath, principal of the elementary school, sent out an email to all major media outlets. Here’s an excerpt:

“This decision was made by the entire staff after two deep and detailed discussions. The initial conversation was initiated by staff members who suggested that since Halloween falls this year on a half day of school, we not allow costumes. It takes students a while to change into their costumes, and students are distracted taking away from their already limited instructional time.”

Upon hearing the news, fourth-grader Leilani Nitkey said, “I was just really sad and I had to fight back years.

According to KIRO 9 Eyewitness News, the school has announced a “Harvest Party” that will replace the Halloween celebrations. Not quite as exciting, to say the least, but I guess it’s better than nothing.

This one may actually offend those trying to forget about Episodes 1-3.

“Some parents say that although Halloween has its roots as a religious observance, it’s now a secular holiday that shouldn’t be considered offensive,” says CBS Seattle.

Parent Hart Rusen said, “It seems like another one of those things where kids are no longer allowed to be kids.”

For those of us with little to no artistic ability, we can only stand back and admire the work of those willing to carve masterpieces out of pumpkin flesh. And today we’re looking at some of our favorite designs that have hit the Internet. So sit back, relax, and get ready for a whole lot of saying, “Wow, that’s awesome.”

If anyone has a pumpkin carving design they want to show off, feel free to post it in the comments. We may even feature your work in a future blog.

Obviously, here at FrightCatalog, we love us some costumes. The things are everywhere, and we’re practically swim in them. It’s ridiculous. And we love seeing individuals that have the passion and drive to create a homemade costume worth bragging about – costumes that are better than a white sheet with two holes cut out for the eyes. I mean, if that’s your costume this year, that’s great, I guess, but you better hope not to end up at the same Halloween party at this guy: aphatos, who earlier today posted step-by-step instructions on how he created a custom Freddy Krueger glove. (All captions are his directions on how the glove was created.)

Check it out:

the first thing i did was take apart one of the plastic gloves and trace the shapes for the fingers onto chipboard for a template (cardboard basically) to make sure the size was good, the smaller on if for the pinky.

i used a piece of 1 inch round bar and a dead-blow hammer to shape the metal. a dead-blow is a soft face hammer and wont mar the metal.

i did the same for the tips of the fingers, then used rapid rivets to make the hinges. you can't use pop rivets because they will lock the joints, and your fingers won't move...

again, i made a template for the blades from chipboard, then transferred the shape to the metal

i used a grinder and a flap disc to shape the blades

after i had the shape i wanted, i welded the blades to the fingers using low heat, its east to burn holes in the metal when you're welding sheet metal this thin

i used the same 1 inch bar to bend strips of sheet metal around to make the rings

after the rings were on, i joined the fingers to the back plate using rapid rivets again. i also used a torch to distress the metal at this point. that means i heated it almost red hot, then threw it into a bucket of water

the sheet metal will warp from the welding, so i had to open the joints up a little to make the fingers move freely.

And from the looks of it, this movie is going to be horrifying – and not in the jump-tactics kind of horrifying. No, this film looks to combine aesthetics with a tried-and-true story, revitalizing a classic for the modern era.

But enough chit-chat, watch the trailer, before it gets pulled for being leaked material.

Original Video- More videos at TinyPic

Many fans will claim the series leans more toward comedic horror, though others will quickly argue that films began as horror (The Evil Dead) and evolved into comedy (Evil Dead II, Army of Darkness). Regardless of where the films fall, one cannot argue the cult popularity that the series has reached, spawning video games, Halloween costumes, comic books, toys, and a musical that opened in Toronto in 2003.

The iconic Evil Ash.

But that’s not all: the film has now reached the critical mass so many fans detest, the remake/re-imagining phase. On the surface, such an act appears delightful, as it exposes a new generation to what they otherwise may have considered “dated” or “old.” On the other hand, many of the minutiae that made the original series so great could be lost during the remake’s translation, thus altering the original film’s intent or artistic meaning.

Then again, the remake of The Evil Dead, which is expected to hit theaters on April 12 of 2013, lists Sam Raimi as one of the four contributing writers, which are three more than the original’s one writer, Sam Raimi, who also directed the original. The remake lists Fede Alvarez as the director, putting even more distance between Raimi and his original creation.

Is this good? Is this bad? It’s hard to say, really. High resolution photos, such as the one located below, are starting to hit the Internet, already showcasing the differences between the original and the remake:

The remake.

The original.

Some defendants of the remake point toward Raimi’s involvement as a sign that the film holds good intentions. But a remake is a remake, and the stated purpose may be to use updated filming techniques to achieve a better version of the original film, but the underlying purpose will always be money. Why else would someone reuse a franchise as popular as The Evil Dead, and not create their own scenario? Was Raimi really not able to capture greatness with the original series? Looking at the current success the franchise as seen, that would be hard to argue.

Anyway, the remake stars Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci, Elizabeth Blackmore, Jessica Lucas, and Bruce Campbell (who is also producing the film). Here’s the film’s synopsis: Five Twenty-something friends become holed up in a remote cabin. When they discover a Book of the Dead, they unwittingly summon up dormant demons living in the nearby woods, which possess the youngsters in succession until only one is left intact to fight for survival.

Expect the film on April 12 of 2013.

Mockingbird Lane, the remake of The Munsters from creator Bryan Fuller (creator of Pushing Daisies), will premiere on NBC on October 26, just in time for Halloween.

But there’s some confusion as to whether this is a stand-alone reboot or the start of a series. According to the Los Angeles Times, the series reboot “didn’t make it past the pilot stage,” and NBC has been rumored to have already killed the project.

Hollywood Reporter, however, reports that Fuller tweeted news regarding NBC continuing the project.

I suppose we’ll simply have to watch the premiere episode to find out exactly what’s going on with this reboot. Regardless, of the show’s longevity, though, NBC has said that the reboot has a “darker edge and tone.”

“We wanted this to look like if Hitchcock was directed a Harry Potter film,” Fuller told Hollywood Reporter, claiming that he was “inspired to retell the Munsters story after seeing Tim Burton’s art exhibit in New York.”

“This is about embracing the freak of your family and being proud,” said Fuller, who hopes to incorporate famed monsters from Universal Studio’s horror library.

Here’s the reboot’s trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDmHcG8vq6Q

The episode is currently scheduled to air on October 26 at 8pm Eastern and Pacific times, followed by a Halloween-themed episode of Grimm. We’ll be watching. Will you?

Basically, it’s the green movement invading the dark depths of Halloween, trying to push its zen hippie agenda. What’s next? National Reuse Christmas Wrapping Day?

Stated on the holiday’s website, “Swapping half the costumes kids wear at Hallowen would reduce annual landfill waste by 6,250 tons, equal to the weight of 2,500 midsize cars!”

Okay, even I have to admit that that’s a lot of wasted Halloween costumes, and it doesn’t even include pet or adult Halloween costumes. Unfortunately, the official video of the holiday is…less than entertaining:

If you are actually interested in participating in National Costume Swap Day, here’s a list of towns and states that are holding swaps throughout October. And don’t fret – all official swaps must have “proper insurance and liability coverage,” just in case some kids get rowdy over the same costume, I guess. =

And for my Canadian readers, you can always check out the Canadian version of National Costume Swap Day, which, I assume, involves maple syrup and hockey and all those other stereotypical qualities that make you guys such excellent attic neighbors.

Anyway, we are not only 18 days until the big dark day comes storming down city streets, so I hope you are making final preparations. Decide on which costume to wear, which candy to hand out, and which decorations go where, because Halloween will be here before you know it!

Oh sorry – I forgot the best part: you’d be spending this time on a cruise ship sailing from Miami, FL, on October 28 to Nassau, Half Moon Cay, and Freeport, before returning back to Miami on November 2.

That’s right – Alice Cooper is welcoming you to join him and a bunch horror icons on the Ship of Fear, the largest “house of horror on the high seas.” For 5 days and 5 nights, you can enjoy the luxurious amenities of a Carnival Victory cruise while enjoying the company of your favorite horror icons.

Want to soak in the sun while asking Kane Hodder what it was like to play Jason? Have a question for Mary Lambert about what it was like to bring King’s Pet Cemetary to life? On this cruise, you’ll have more than enough opportunities to do just that.

Plus, the cruise features various activities, such as live music from Cooper and Snider, in-depth Q&A panels with cast members and filmmakers, a zombie prom, and a classic horror reunion that features many of the genre’s “biggest names in front of and behind the camera.”

List of expected cruise horror guests:

• Alice Cooper
• Dee Snider
• Joe Dante (Director of Gremlins)
• Don Coscarelli (Director of Phantasm series)
• Mick Garris (Director of The Stand)
• Mary Lambert (Director of Pet Cemetary)
• Belinda Balaski (The Howling)
• Reggie Bannister (Phantasm)
• Zach Galligan
• Ed Gale (Chucky)
• Kane Hodder (Actor behind Jason)
• R.A. Mihailoff (Actor behind Leatherface)
• Tony Todd (Actor behind Candyman)
• And more!

Lastly, the Ship of Fear will celebrate Halloween with Screech On The Beach, an event that takes place at Half Moon Cay, Carnival’s own private island, where you can party long into the evening with all the aforementioned horror icons.

Seriously, if you are in any way a horror fan, this is the way to celebrate your love for the genre. Plus, you can enter to win a free cabin – right now! So what are you waiting for? Stop reading this blog and go kick your name into the mix. I already put mine in.

First up, we got the Grape Eyeball Punch, a recipe taken from The Washington Post:

Start to finish: 2 hours (15 minute active)

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

• 8 cups grape juice
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tablespoon whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon whole allspice
• 3 one-inch slices of fresh ginger
• 3 cups green grapes, peeled or not
• 3 12-ounce bottles ginger beer or ale, chilled
• Alcohol of choice

Directions:

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the grape juice, cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice and ginger. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature, at least 1 hour. Strain out and discard the seasonings, then transfer to a large pitcher or punch bowl and chill until cold. Once chilled, add the grapes and ginger beer or ale. Done – add alcohol, and prepare for a wild ride. (Can be served as a non-alcoholic beverage, just negate addition of alcohol.)

Next, also from The Washington Post, we have the Orange Haze:

Start to finish: 10 minutes

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

• ¾ ounce orange liqueur
• ¾ ounce milk chocolate cream liqueur
• ½ teaspoon honey
• Orange zest, to garnish

Directions:

Pour the orange liqueur into a shot glass. Very slowly pour the chocolate liqueur down the side of the glass, then drizzle the honey over the top. Garnish with orange zest. It’s that easy.

Lastly, we got the most impressive creation from The Huffington Post, The Pumpkin Keg:

Start to finish: 30-45 minutes

Servings: N/A

Ingredients:

• 1 large pumpkin
• Carving knife
• Spigot
• Scooping spoon
• Beer

Directions:

Carve the top off the pumpkin and scoop out the innards, as you would when preparing to create a jack-o-lantern. Cut a hole slightly small than the spigot near the bottom of the pumpkin. Then push the spigot into the hole, ensuring it’s tight and snug. Finally, fill the pumpkin with beer. (I know, I know – this is blowing your mind. It blew mine, too.)

Kit Kats, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Butterfingers, Skittles, Tootsie Pops, Hershey’s Kisses, Reese’s Pieces, 3 Musketeers, Charleston Chews, York Peppermint Patties, M&M’s (of all bazillion varieties), Snickers, Krackel Bars, Mr. Goodbars, Jolly Rancher Chews, Nestle SweeTarts, Nerds, Blow Pops, Nestle Crunch, Twizzlers, Twix, Whoppers, WarHeads, 100 Grand Bars, Baby Ruths, Pop Rocks, Junior Mints, Dots, Mike & Ikes, Starburst, Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish, Jelly Belly Beans (again, of all bazillion flavors), Ring Pops, Fun Dip, PayDays, Heath Bars, Milk Duds, Almond Joys, Cow Tales, Raisinets—

No theater visit goes without one bag of these delicious morsels. And every friggin' time I tell myself, "Eat them during the movie, not before." Never happens.

The list goes on and on, and I’d bet that most readers know of or have eaten every single one of those candies. Hell, for many Halloween enthusiasts, wearing costumes and masks are only a means of receiving or handing out candy. These sweet morsels are the center in which all of the holiday’s activities revolve around, but there are many groups and organizations that feel this center on sugar is doing more harm than good. They have no problem with the masks or costumes, but this idea that candy must be essential for Halloween, they believe, should be changed.

As an example, a dental group in Illinois is trying to encourage kids to stop eating Halloween candy by offering money in exchange for unopened candy. In fact, they are paying as much as “a buck a pound for unopened candy.” All of this candy will then be “shipped to the men and women serving our country overseas.” Never mind the odd lesson being taught to children – e.g. that it’s okay for adults to eat candy, as long as they are serving their country – this kind of initiative is only one of many that hope to make Halloween a healthier holiday.

Be wary of the house handing out brownies. You may end up having a really, really good night.

Even the United States government has been pushing “Halloween health” tips that target the holiday’s consumption of candy. The most recent push came on October 6, in a press release that started, “The really scary thing about Halloween can be the amount of candy that children get to eat.”

The press release then lists tips to “ensure a safe and healthy Halloween for kids,” which range from parents being the candy-hating role model by moderating their own intake of sweets, to trading a toy or allowance for a child’s candy. The former example could work, maybe, while the latter gives the child a twisted incentive for collecting candy and using it as a trade item for something else with equivalently perceived value. Wouldn’t this then reinforce a child’s belief that candy is valuable? Very odd.

The last tip this press release gives is one that this writer as a child hated more than anything: “Think about giving out non-food treats such as stickers, toys, temporary tattoos, bubbles, small games or colored pencils. If you prefer to give out candy, choose bite-sized ones and hand out dark chocolate (it has antioxidants) or hard candy (it takes longer to eat).”

Any love for Abba Zaba?

Look, I understand trying to re-imagine the idea of Halloween and its obsession with candy, but if the best thing you have to replace candy with is bubbles, then you have to try a bit harder. That’s like saying you don’t agree with giving gifts on Christmas, instead handing out high-fives and positive one-liners like “You’re the man” or “Did you lose weight?”

It’s nice, I guess, but in the end you’re just an asshole.

Number 5: Pirates/Zombies/Witches/Vampires

Kicking off the top-5 list are the generic costumes: pirates, zombies, witches and vampires. These no-name costumes provide an iconic image that seems to never die. Year after year, these four groups remain favorites with all Halloweeners, often only beaten by temporary trends popular for the year.

You can tell he's a pirate by his beard.

Sure, sometimes one of the four groups will see a surge in popularity – The Walking Dead for zombie costumes, Twilight for vampires, or The Pirates of the Caribbean for pirates – but this surge is temporary. Still, even when one of these costumes fades out of mainstream attention, they never seem to go away. People love them. These are the outfits that our children may very well be wearing.

You can tell it's a zombie because it's a zombie.

If you’re going as any one of these outfits, you’re all set for a great Halloween evening. Unless someone lives under a rock, they won’t be questioning your outfit.

Number 4: Elvis/Marilyn Monroe

I know, I know – you’re wondering, “What the hell do these two have to do with modern times?” But that’s exactly the point: popularity is cyclical. Things come in and out of style, just look at today’s fashion. People want outfits that remind them of times long since gone past, and few individuals conjure up this sensation quite like Elvis or Marilyn Monroe, two of the hottest pop stars of all time.

It oozes sex appeal.

From individuals to couples, these two outfits are absolutely entertaining to wear. Each one comes with a personality that the wearer can replicate, which adds an extra layer of fun to the whole ordeal.

Boom - Marilyn.

Plus, both Elvis and Monroe had – how do I put this – scandalous lifestyles that made mainstream headlines. Using these scandalous headlines, such as Elvis not being dead and Monroe messing around with a president, can add even more costume possibilities. Have fun with it.

Number 3: Nicki Manaj/Katy Perry/Psy

Did you hear that Psy recently held a free concert in South Korea? It attracted something like 50,000 people. The guy’s so hot right now that I’m surprised he’s not on fire.

I hear Katy Perry sweats rainbows and cries unicorns.

You know who’s also hot, right now? Katy Perry and Nicki Manaj. These two pop divas are destroying the top-10 charts, much to this writer’s disappointment. Regardless, if women are looking for someone to emulate, these two are perfect. They have wacky fashion tastes, insane personalities, and a recognizable image that doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. Also, both of them appear to be somewhat crazy, which is great fun for those Halloweeners that enjoy being in character of their costume.

Number 2: Bane/Batman/Catwoman

I don’t have to tell you why these costumes are on this top-5 list, do I? Movie just came out. Christian Bale. The other actor with the face mask and the explosive nuclear device and the skin-tight outfit on Catwoman. Blah blah blah – Batman.

Look at all that Batman.

Going as any one of these characters is a surefire way to skyrocket into mainstream popularity. People know Batman. People love Batman. The same goes for Bane and Catwoman.

I...I don't know what she's doing...but I like it.

Hell, you could go as a generic police office and just say you’re from the movie, and people will still love your outfit. Batman = Halloween costume gold.

Number 1: Michael Myers

What, did you think I’d let the whole list go without a single iconic horror character? Please, this is FrightCatalog, not some mainstream pop blog. Since Halloween is returning to theaters for this October, we’re expecting a massive surge in Michael Myers popularity. Those poor souls who have never experienced his horror now have a chance to see it on the silver screen.

The mask.

So that’s it, Frighters, the top-5 list of costumes that we expect to be burning up and down the streets this Halloween. I expect plenty of angry email telling me that I’m wrong. But that’s fine. Because I’m not.

Reminds me of the human bakery, in Thailand. This stuff is straight out of someone’s nightmare.

To be fair, the meat is not, in fact, made from human flesh. It’s mammalian meat designed in the shape of human body parts, though it still gives the whole meat consumption thing an eery vibe.

We here at fright catalog are getting more and more excited for the best day of the year, HALLOWEEN! And as we buzz around the office, fulfilling orders, answering calls and basically being the Christmas elves of Halloween- a certain conversation topic keeps resurfacing. Halloween movies of course!

As we all know, around this time each year there are always a few new Halloween movies that come out in theater. This Friday in fact marks the opening of Tim Burton’s newest film Frankenweenie! This is the story of a young boy who, like many of us, couldn’t seem to get past the death of his pet. Burton took this relatable experience and used it to make a new lease on the oldie but goodie story line of Frankenstein.

Which made us wonder- how many retelling of Frankenstein are out there anyway? How many cinema classics has Marry Shelly’s work of literature inspired? We certainly have many Frankenstein products like this costume with a classic look.

Naturally- this sparked a very long winded discussion in the office through which we came up with what we think are the top three representations of Frankenstein.

Of course there is the classic 1931 FRANKENSTEIN film directed by James Whale. This film in particular has a long history with censorship. In 31 when it was first released, many state censorship boards cut out the scene where the monster throws a little girl in a lake and accidentally downs her.  This is a pivotal moment in the plot however as it marks the moment when the monster realizes its own mortality- many suggest that without this moment the story is degraded to monster film.

Second there is the 1994 version of Frankenstein, featuring the man the myth the legend- ROBERT DINERO!
Maybe not his best look!

And FINALLY! LAST BUT NOT LEAST! Our personal favorite:
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN!
For any of the fright fans out there that have never seen this amazing, amazing piece of cinema, we HIGHLY SUGGEST IT! It has all the things you could ask for in film- great one liners, an epic dance number and the best of Gene Wilder!

At 9:30am today, a man identified as Gilberto Masias was driving around town while wearing a gas mask with grenades hanging from his neck. This freaked out some of the locals, who immediately called the police.

The police called the sheriff’s department, which responded by sending out a bomb squad to find the guy. After evacuating about a half-block area, the bomb squad members detained Masias, where upon they discovered that he was wearing a Halloween costume.

"Sir, I'mma have to ask you to tone down your costume's awesomeness."

But it gets better: bomb squad members also discovered an “inert grenade” in his car, according to UPI.com.

When asked about the gas mask and grenade, Masias claimed to be a costume shop worker wearing an “early Halloween costume,” so as to get into the mood for the month.

Now, let’s talk for a minute about this guy’s dedication to Halloween costumes. I understand wearing a costume around to get a feel for it, to get into the character, and so forth. But an inactive grenade? Where the hell does someone get an inactive grenade? And why would you carry it around?

Plus, the bomb squad claims to only have found one inactive grenade, yet locals claimed he wore a necklace of grenades. Did he purchase the necklace and accidentally end up receiving an actual grenade? If so, that’s awesome.

I wonder if the police would have reacted the same way if Masias were a woman.

Well, maybe not too awesome, since Masias was cited for possession of an inactive grenade.

Regardless, this is definitely a sign of things to come, this month. It’s time to bust out those costumes, people, because Halloween is only 28 days away. Get those Halloween decorations up, finalize those costumes, and start preparing for the madness, because it’s only just begun.

This zombie's sign is all too true.

The costumes ranking higher than zombies are witches (ranking #1, with 9.5% of the adult population), vampires (#2, with 5.2%), pirates (#3, 4.6%), and Batman costumes (#4, 3.7%). The Batman costumes come as no surprise, what with The Dark Knight Rises releasing this year, but the fact that one film can carry such pull as to push down a whole genre is surprising. Then again, people may just be getting sick of the undead.

What can we say? People love the Joker.

But before we go throwing around assumptions, let’s examine last year’s Halloween trends: Still in first place are witch costumes (with 13.4% of the surveyed adult population), followed by pirates (3.9%), vampires (3.7%), zombies (3%), and Batman costumes (2.2%).

According to rank, yes, zombie costumes have fallen in ranking popularity. But that doesn’t explain how zombie costumes came in at a lower rank while having a higher percentage than the year before. (In 2011, 3% of the adult population wore zombie costumes, while the 2012 survey lists 3.6% of individuals wearing zombie costumes.)

Here’s how it happened: Look no further than the number differences for the other categories. All of the costume genres ahead of zombie costumes fell in percentage between the 2011 and 2012 surveys. Basically, less total individuals were wearing zombie costumes, but more people were also wearing less of the costumes ranking higher than zombie costumes.

A bit complicated, but nothing too crazy.

Irradiated female nurse zombie? Love it.

So what’s the takeaway? Here’s what we think: Zombie costumes continue to be one of the go-to options for Halloween. Why? Well, they represent all of what Halloween has to offer – death, decay, fright, and a limitless ability to blend all of these elements with one’s own creativity. You want to be a burn victim zombie? Do it. Headless zombie? Go ahead.

Halloween is about wearing what you feel best accentuates your personality. If that’s a slobbering undead monstrosity, have a party, and screw what the data says about zombie costumes losing popularity.

The Huffington Post states, “This year, Obama masks are outselling Romney masks by more than 30 percent…” The site adds that numerous reputable Halloween retailers have monitored their presidential-themed mask sales over the years, with one company’s sales predicting the victor in the past three elections. If that’s true, it looks to be another term for Obama.

Need an Obama mask?

It makes sense: popular culture trends often dictate which Halloween costumes are In and which are Out. One can imagine seeing numerous superhero costumes come Halloween, especially those featured in recent successful full-length films, e.g. The Avengers and Batman. On the other side of this popularity coin, still using superheroes as an example, few individuals would walk the streets as, say, Black Bolt or the Thing. The lack of connection with mainstream audiences for the two previously mentioned examples can be seen by their lack of appearances on Halloween evening. The same goes for presidential candidates.

The presidential candidate that most connects with the mass public is reflected by the amount of masks sold by Halloween retailers. People want to wear the plastic face of a man they admire, not someone robotic and foreign.

Or a Romney mask?

Obviously, mask popularity is not universal. Some states prefer a specific individual’s face over another. For example, 100% of the GOP-themed Halloween masks sold in Alabama are of Paul Ryan, claims the Huffington Post, while Joe Biden leads the mask sales in North Carolina.

Now, let’s look back at some previous elections and their mask sales:

• Bill Clinton outsold Bob Dole by 71% to 29%
• George W. Bush outsold Al Gore by 57% to 43%
• Bush outsold John Kerry by 65% to 35%
• Obama outsold John McCain by 60% to 40%

There’s still time to sway the current Halloween mask sales percentages. Maybe you would rather see Obama’s numbers drop, or see Romney’s go down even further. Either way, your purchase could help predict this November’s winner. Choose wisely.

Season three of The Walking Dead returns on October 14, just in time to satiate one’s pre-Halloween zombie desires. Fans of the original comic will be relieved to know that finally – finally – the television show has made its way to the iconic prison, where character Michonne and The Governor are expected to join the story.

However, even though the third season has yet to hit mainstream television, AMC has announced that fans can expect a fourth season to follow, with an unannounced release date.

Actor Andrew Lincoln on the set for the show's third season.

As promoted on the official The Walking Dead website, AMC joined forces with the American Red Cross, creating an event titled “The American Red Cross Zombie Blood Drive.” The event claims that giving blood can help save lives during the zombie apocalypse. (A naïve statement, as giving blood could increase exposure to the zombie infection, e.g. a pre-outbreak infected individual gives blood, thus passing on the infection to someone who has not received a bite, causing the unbitten to become a zombie. Panic and hysteria ensues.)

Regardless, while giving blood is a great cause, it is clear that AMC’s intentions are not merely to have the mass public suddenly feel overwhelmed with generosity for giving blood to strangers. No, this public media attention grab also serves to showcase their The Walking Dead sweepstakes, which is free and open to everyone over age 21, even those individuals unwilling to donate blood.

The sweepstakes offers one lucky fan a chance to win a grand prize opportunity for a three day/two night trip to The Walking Dead fourth season filming set. The trip includes round-trip airfare for two – yes, two – people, hotel accommodations, ground transportation to and from the filming set, ground transportation around the city located near the filming set, and $500 spending money.

Not bad. But you better hurry to enter, the sweepstakes ends October 24. Click here to enter the sweepstakes.

After more than forty years of re-releases and international sales, the film has grossed approximately $256,147,434, making it one of the most successful horror films ever created. Since you’re reading this blog, I’m to assume that you 1) have seen this film and 2) absolutely love the hell out of it. Every self-respecting Halloween fan loves it, that’s a universal fact. It’s why we carry so many zombie costumes.

Now, a couple indie filmmakers and screenwriters are looking to turn this iconic classic into a theatrical play, though the idea is currently looking for funding via IndieGoGo.com, a site similar to Kickstarter. The theatrical re-imagining is titled Night of the Living Dead Live, and here’s what the creators have to say about the project:

“Night of the Living Dead Live will captivate audiences as they experience this classic told in the intimate setting of a live theater. This will bring the viewer closer to the story than ever before, as they are literally sitting in the house with the characters as they fight and kill their way through the marauding ghouls. At the end of the show everyone in the room will know what it feels like to experience a night with the living dead!”

In addition, to ensure the original film’s essence is not lost in translation, the theatrical play will be presented “entirely in black and white, from the set design right to the actors.” Here’s a short video of the creators discussing their passion for the project:

If the reader is wondering how an indie group found the rights to recreating Romero’s original, the film’s original distributor, the Walter Reade Organization, did not place a copyright indication on the prints. Back in 1968, United States copyright law required proper notice to maintain a copyright, and this never happened. Allegedly, Romero was given the opportunity to rename the film, make a few “creative edits,” and place a new copyright on the film, ensuring it would remain his, but for whatever reason he never did it, so the film entered public domain status.

But that does not necessarily mean the theatrical play is going behind Romero’s back. Quite the opposite, in fact, as the indie team lists George A. Romero as part of the team, titled an Executive Producer. One may interpret this as his official approval of the theatrical play’s production.

The play is being directed by Christopher Bond, the co-creator and co-director of the play Evil Dead The Musical. If you want to see the theatrical play come to life, chip in at the play’s IndieGoGo page.

Now known as one of the godfather’s of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction, and fantasy, King’s books have sold more than 350 million copies. In total, King has published 50 novels, with seven penned under the name Richard Bachman, and five non-fiction books.

In addition, he has written about two hundred short stories, many gathered in nine collections of short fiction. One would be hard-pressed to find someone who has never heard of Stephen King.

Still, even with so many stories already published, King shows no sign of slowing down. The man lives, breathes, and loves writing horror novels, and now is as good as any time to look at what one can expect from King’s future.

“Stephen King’s sequel to his horror novel The Shining is to be released on 24 September 2013, 36 years after the original was published,” states BBC.  The new novel, titled Doctor Sleep, follows Danny Torrance, the young boy in The Shining, who has been “drifting for decades, desperate to shed his father’s legacy of despair, alcoholism, and violence.”

After settling into a New Hampshire town, where he uses his “shining power” to comfort the dying, Torrance meets Abra Stone, a 12-year-old who has “the brightest shining ever seen.” One can assume that things spiral out of control from there, as often is the case with King’s novels.

But that’s not all for 2013: King is also releasing a second novel, one that follows his love for paperback crime novels read during his childhood. The novel is titled Joyland, and it hits markets three months earlier, in June, than Doctor Sleep.

As stated on Shelf Life, “Joyland takes place in a small-town North Carolina amusement park, where college student Devin Jones arrives at the park to work as a carny for the summer, but he ends up experiencing much more than he bargained for when he confronts the legacy of a vicious murder and the fate of a dying child.”

“I love crime, I love mysteries and I love ghosts,” said Stephen King, in a press release. “I also loved the paperbacks I grew up with as a kid, and for that reason, we’re going to hold off on e-publishing this one for the time being. Joyland will be coming out in paperback, and folks who want to read it will have to buy the actual book.”

If any other author denied e-publishing, their sales would tank. But this is Stephen King, the master of modern literary horror, and this kind of move only adds to his appeal.

Happy birthday, Stephen King.

The Unleashed – October 5

With a synopsis as large as this movie has, I don’t even need to say anything. It’s a horror, it’s coming out in October, and it features possession. Truthfully, it looks only okay. Nothing spectacular.

Synopsis: Madison Kennard, a troubled woman dealing with her dark past, must venture home after an 8 year absence following her mothers death. Almost instantly after her return, Madison must cope with the haunting memories of a childhood best forgotten. Lindsay, a childhood friend of Madisons with an adventurous nature, hears of Madison’s arrival and has every intention of reconnecting a friendship once had. Bizarre and unexplainable events occur within the house after old friends come together and dabble with the infamous Ouija board. Lindsay, being all too curious of the board and its undeniable power, gives into the persuasion of an unknown entity and allows it to possess her. Madison must overpower her deepest fears and find a way to release Lindsay and abolish the presence that haunts her.

Frankenweenie – October 5

Although not a traditional horror film – meaning an adult horror film – Frankenweenie brings the tale of Frankenstein to mainstream theaters, using a child-like story to tell the tale. Maybe I’m getting too old, maybe I’ve lost my childhood whimsy, but this movie looks like an instantaneous pass. However, Tim Burton is both the director and one of the six – yes, six – writers behind the film, so I may be passing judgment too soon. (Before one claims that I dislike the film due to its childish art direction, I would like to point out that ParaNorman managed to tell a great child-like horror story using cartoonish graphics.)

Synopsis: Young Victor conducts a science experiment to bring his beloved dog Sparky back to life, only to face unintended, sometimes monstrous, consequences.

Sinister – October 12

Sinister’s viral marketing has been popping up all over the Internet. From health warnings to new posters, someone is pushing this movie hard. Reading over the synopsis, though, I feel this film has a creative premise worthy of my money: found footage viewed not by the audience but by the characters, who then become haunted by supernatural horror. I’ll definitely be seeing this one.

Synopsis: Found footage helps a true-crime novelist realize how and why a family was murdered in his new home, though his discoveries put his entire family in the path of a supernatural entity.

Paranormal Activity 4 – October 19

According to IMDB, the plot for Paranormal Activity 4 is currently unreleased. Yeah, okay, like anyone who’s seen the previous films couldn’t guess the next plot. Let’s see. I’m guessing it involves camera footage, an invisible demon, maybe some kids, and a husband/wife team that ends up dissolving due to one of them not believing the other about the invisible demon, with the arguments leading to one of them becoming possessed and killing the other.

Synopsis: The plot is undisclosed at this time.

Silent Hill: Revelation 3D – October 26

While I disagree with the current 3D trend running deep in Hollywood’s veins, I’m interested in seeing how these visual elements play out in Silent Hill: Revelation.

Synopsis: When her father disappears, Heather Mason is drawn into a strange and terrifying alternate reality that holds answers to the horrific nightmares that have plagued her since childhood.

The film features Jennifer Lawrence, Max Thieroit and Elisabeth Shue and tells the story of a mother daughter pair who move to a new town looking for a new start. What they find is a terror that they never could have imagined….

But seriously guys, why is it always the last house on the street that has some ungodly horror residing within? We here at frightcatalog are trying to figure out what is behind Hollywood’s big obsession with the last house.  Think about all the movies that involve a house and being at the end of a street!

What about all the houses in the middle? Or the first house on the street? Or a house on a Cul De Sac?! Don’t any of people living in those houses get to have terrifying, dark histories?  We certainly think so! In fact, every Halloween it seems that those modest houses in America’s suburbs are always the ones that come up BIG with the decorations.

So this October Frightcatalog is initiating a call to arms! Let your FREAK FLAG FLY and let’s take back the scary! Let’s take back the morbid and the terrifying! No longer will we sit idly by and allow all of the ‘last houses’ out there to corner the market on fear. We want you to give it all you got this year and decorate your house!

Post your pictures on our Facebook page or in the comment section! Let’s make suburbia get scary!
And don’t forget to check out frightcatalog.com for some awesome decorations. We offer hundreds of spooky skeletons, inflatable giants and haunting specters to polish off all Halloween tributes! Like this inflatable Staypuff marshmallow man! We Know Dan Aykroyd would approve!

A workplace debate exploded today over what was the best and most exciting amusement park Halloween event in the US. Words were said, hair was pulled, blood was drawn and splattered against the walls. Finally a truce was called. Instead of ripping each other to shreds we decided to let you, the members of our extended Fright Family decide!
We are taking a poll here people!  Which is your favorite? Post pictures of all your Halloween fun in our comment section. We’ll choose the best pics and post them on the frightcatalog facebook page!

Cedar Point: Sandusky OH
Starting this Friday the frightful fun begins in Ohio! A great part of celebrating Halloween at Cedar Point is that it is accessible for everyone. There is a day time parade for kids and mascots of their favorite cartoon characters are all over the park! Plus this ghoulish attraction boasts 10 Haunted houses and numerous nighttime attractions.

Bush Gardens: Williamsburg, Tampa, and San Antonio
Each location offers something devilishly different! If your headed down to Virginia you had better bring your running shoes. The park in Wiliamsburg offers scare zones, gruesome showcases and spooky specters that wander throughout the park. There is also an option for the younger thrill seekers- the Forest of Fun filled with Sesame Street characters!

Tampa boasts several terrifying haunted houses including: Circus of Superstition, Blood Asylum, and the Zombie Mortuary.
Last but not least the Howl-O-Scream that takes place in San Antonio is one that will delight the whole family. Child friendly shows make the day an easy, fun filled adventure while ghoulish creatures haunt the park past 6 pm.

Fright Fest at Six Flags New England:
All of New England should be heading out to CT this October to check out the newest Fright Fest spectacular! The day is filled with activities for all the family! These include a Ghoulish Game show, a Trick or Treat Trail and a Midnight Mansion Slightly Spooky Daytime Tour! The adult fun begins at 6 pm when the park is overrun with creatures from the darkest corner of our imagination!

Universal Studios- Orlando Florida
This year’s Halloween Horror Nights promises to be one of the scariest yet with the addition of several new Haunted houses including AMC’s The Walking Dead: Dead inside. There is also a selection of several spooky shows like Bill and Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure. Finally to top off the terrifying experience there are legions of creatures crawling all over the park.

Don’t forget to post your pictures in our comment section!!! The people who have the scariest, happiest, or funniest pictures will be featured on our sight.

And don’t forget to check out frigthcatalog and all the awesome costumes we have available, like this terrifying clown costume!

“This will be the biggest run the film has had since shocking audiences in 1978, and makes for the perfect early kick off to next year’s 35th Anniversary celebration [of the film],” states ShockTilYouDrop.com.

In addition, Compass International Pictures, Trancas International Films, Screenvision, and HalloweenMovies.com collaborated to create a “one sheet for this October’s U.S. theatrical re-release of John Carpenter’s 1978 masterpiece, Halloween,” states HalloweenMovies.com. The poster, designed by artist Austin Hinderliter, presents “the ultimate evil in shadow and autumnal oranges,” perfect for the October season.

Starting today, a list of participating theaters can be found at HalloweenOnScreen. At the time of writing, no theaters are listed on the website, though one can expect theaters to be added throughout the day. Here’s to hoping one of those theaters is located near me.

With this kind of news, it’s definitely starting to feel like Halloween.

Now, to be a member of the fright catalog family a love of all things Halloween is a must! We try to incorporate an element of the spooky, ghoulish and terrifying into every aspect of our lives, including our diets!

And what is the ultimate Halloween treat? PUMPKIN SEEDS OF COURSE

Here are a few of our favorite Pumpkin seeds recipes. They are fun, easy to follow and best of all CHEAP!

1.  Sweet and Spicy Seeds!    

1 egg white
1/4 cup natural cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds

To begin, preheat the oven to 375.
Then mix the cane sugar, egg white, cayenne pepper
and sea salt a mixing bowl.
Add seeds and toss so that they are coated
thoroughly.
Put in the oven on a baking tray for 12 min
or until golden brown.

THE BEST PART OF THIS RECIPE IS THAT THE DIRECTIONS ARE THE APPLY TO THE NEXT TWO SNACKS AS WELL!  for the following two just repeat the steps above, exchanging the ingredients.

2.  Curried Pumpkin Seeds
1 egg white
2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh pumpkin seeds

3. Original Pumpkin Seeds
1 cup of fresh pumpkin seeds
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2  teaspoon of salt

We hope these goodies get you into the holiday mood, and remember if you are looking to carve pumpkins and make some delicious pumpkin seed treats, check out some of our great pumpkin products! Like these scary pumpkin teeth!

 And remember:
Happy Haunting!

Which got us to thinking about the upcoming apocalypse scheduled for December of this year. What if our demise is something like the T-virus? What would be a good way to survive a zombie infestation?

Surly movies offer a great deal of education on the subject.
For example, there is always the example of going to a military compound set by those brilliant characters in 28 Days Later. Then again, who wants to hang out with a bunch of stiff army types when they can just go to their favorite bar? The thirstier people out there might take a note out of Shawn of the Dead instead. But this begs the question- where is the best place to whether a zombie invasion?

Our top five places are:

1. An uninhabited island- preferably not of the desert variety, but instead one where it would be possible to grow and harvest crops.

2. A tree top cabin- This solution could work in any climate. An approach like this offers protection from the skies- you will be able to see your attackers before they see you! Plus, depending on the volume of zombies in your immediate area, a tree fort will allow for occasional scavenging, hunting and water collecting.

3. A boat- Clearly, the most logical vessel to choose if you decided to take to the  ocean would be a wind powered boat. Although cruising under power can be a lot more convenient and faster, you wouldn’t want to risk infection while you’re pumping diesel at the marina. Add in some fishing poles and a sea water purifier and sailing should be smooth.

4. An Oil Rig- The good thing about an oil rig that a boat doesn’t offer is the opportunity to stay put in one place. However when food runs low or if a mutation allows the undead to take to the water- mobility wins out.

5. An Empty Prison- Think about it- for all the security there is to keep people in, there is also an equal amount of protection to keep people (or zombies) out. Turn the prison yard into a little garden and you’ll be all set.

Then again Bill Murray might have just had the best idea, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em! That’s what his character did in Zombieland!

If you decided to take the Murray approach, check out some of the awesome Zombie costumes and masks we have a fright catalog! Like this Zombie Costume

Then, we settled on this adjective: it would be extraordinary. Imagine Mars witches free-floating on broomsticks, or bubbling cauldron props nestled inside craters. Think about freeze-dried, pumpkin-shaped candy. On Mars, would “scary” exist, or would it be absorbed by the atmosphere?

This website, NASA’s Solar System Exploration, features numerous videos of the historic landing, as well as images of Curiosity on Mars.

This Halloween, if you’re looking for a costume that is in line with current events, consider an astronaut costume from FrightCatalog.com. We have a great selection of costumes and accessories that will help you dream big – and, possibly, shoot for the moon (or Mars.)

Finally, we should keep in mind that Halloween and space exploration are not all that different. Both the holiday and the act of exploration are occasions to celebrate what is “beyond” us. Whether it’s the tale of Stingy Jack, which inspired the festive carvings of jack-o’-lanterns, or the landing the Curiosity rover, one of whose missions is to answer the question of whether life ever existed on Mars, both Halloween and space exploration are part of traditions that attempt to answer age-old questions.

We know, we know: It’s still August, and you’re busy soaking up the last beach rays until next year. Halloween might not be at the forefront of your mind, but it is in ours – and it’s less than ninety days away!

In preparation for the holiday, we want to discuss a topic most people shy away from: phobias. People don’t usually like talking about what makes them sweat – or itch, or vomit, or generally feel lousy — and we understand that. Here, in this blog post, our goal is to expose the most common phobias, as well as let you in on a few phobias of our own. Some of our phobias include a fear of vampires, instigated by a late-night viewing of 30 Days of Night on FX.

First, though, is a list of common phobias experienced by people living in the United States. This list was originally written by Jeanna Bryner, LiveScience Managing Editor, on March 28, 2011. For further explanation of these phobias, please visit http://www.livescience.com/13434-phobias-fears-acrophobia-heights-agoraphobia-arachnophobia.html.

10. The Dentist

9. Dogs

8. Flying

7. Thunder and Lightning

6. The Dark

5. Heights

4. Other People

3. Scary Spaces

2. Creepy Crawlies (Bugs!)

1. Snakes

If you want to encourage your fears – or face them – we have “Dr. Killer Driller” (dentist) costumes, snake and bug props, and plenty of mood-setters to transform an ordinary space into something frightful. All are available at www.frightcatalog.com.

Now, for the (potentially) self-deprecating part of this post: our phobias. Although not compiled in list form (who can truly rate their phobias using a numerical system?), they are as follows: running out of skim milk before breakfast; ordering the wrong kind of coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts; the abolishment of National Cat Day (October 29, super-close to Halloween!); and, finally, getting stuck in rush hour traffic during a thunderstorm. One of us FrightCatalogers is also fearful of numbers 10, 8, 7, 5, occasionally 4, 3, 2, and 1 from Bryner’s list.

So, what does this mean? It means, first of all, that adopting a dog is, perhaps, not a terrible idea. Secondly, it means that Halloween – a night which used to be known for its pranks and mischief – might not be so scary. Halloween is about FUN, candy, haunted houses, hayrides, and corn mazes. It’s about loving the thrill of the scare – and daring yourself to, however hesitantly, ask yourself this: What truly frightens you?

1. It is perfectly acceptable to dress like Tim Burton’s Jack and Sally in front of your parents.

2. Instead of dancing to Dion/Carey/Houston/Boyz II Men power ballads during your first dance, jam to The Rocky Horror Picture Show’s “Time Warp.” Watch your guests shriek with delight as they join in on the chorus’s signature line: “Let’s do. The time warp. Again!”

3. Pumpkin carving contests. Think about all the pumpkin seeds you’ll collect, which you can turn into frightfully delicious snacks to take on your Halloween honeymoon!

4. Guests are encouraged to wear costumes instead of formal attire. Pro: Guests are free to choose how spooky – or risqué – they will be. Con: See Pro. To save yourself (and your friends and family) from a potentially embarrassing situation, send out some Costume Rules with your wedding invitations.

5. It is a well-known fact that couples who have fun together are happier in both the short-term and the long-term. What holiday is more fun than Halloween?

6. You can use candy corn as tabletop confetti. You can eat candy corn.

7. Unless you live in an extremely hot climate, you can expect lower temperatures – and fewer bugs! – in October. Your veil will not act as a makeshift mosquito net.

8. The increased availability of pumpkin liquor, pumpkin beer (if you haven’t already, check out Southern Tier Brewing Company’s Pumpking Ale), and hard cider.

9. Silent Hill: Revelation 3D is scheduled for release on October 26, 2012. See it on your honeymoon or at your bachelor/ette party. Extra points will be given if you don a Heather Mason-style haircut.

10. FrightCatalog.com has many party supplies in stock for your Halloween wedding, including: glittery haunted house centerpieces, pumpkin-and-bat shaped confetti, inflatable cauldron coolers, “Fangtastic” invitations, skull pathway lights, and skeleton-and-spider detailed wreaths.

Frightfully forever yours,

FrightCatalog.com

The 2012 London Olympics is currently one of the hottest discussion topics. From Kenneth Branagh quoting Shakespeare at the Opening Ceremonies to an appearance by perhaps Britain’s most famous author of the 21^st century (Harry Potter’s mastermind, J.K. Rowling!), the Games fill people’s minds with thoughts of Olympic glory.

Here at FrightCatalog, Halloween is our priority. Like the Olympic athletes who eat, drink, sleep, and breathe their sports –thirty-six different sports in all are competing in London – we live Halloween. So, in honor of the Olympics, we thought we’d compile a list of our Olympics-inspired costumes in honor of this summer’s most talked about event. These costumes are available on our website, www.frightcatalog.com

1. Olympic Goddess Adult Costume

2. Toga Male Adult Costume

3. Roman Goddess Plus Size Costume

4. Roman Warrior Plus Size Adult Costume

5. Gladiator Adult Costume

(The first documented Olympics is dated at 776 BC and was held in Olympia, in the western region of the Peloponnese.)

6. Old Tyme Baseball Player Adult Costume

7. Everlast Boxing Adult Costume

8. A League of Their Own Rockford Peaches Adult Costume

(Boxing and baseball are two of the more popular Olympic sports.)

9. Cheeseburger Adult Costume

10. Coca Cola Bottle Tunic Adult Costume

(The nearly universal burger-and-Coke combo is expected to be a top food item for Olympic spectators.)

As for FrightCatalog.com, we are too busy gearing up for Halloween to focus on anything other than…Halloween. We would, however, appreciate a juicy burger and soft drink, preferably something similar to this:

In the flash video, two friends talk about a rumor of an Internet pop-up that asks, “Do you like-
-?” What makes this pop-up different than all the other pop-ups on the internet is that if you close this one, you will die.  One of them
is skeptical of the legend starts to search for it himself; however, after failing to turn up any information about it, he gives up and goes back to surfing the net as usual.  A short time later a message pops up on his screen asking “Do you like–?” It starts to automatically
reload and the voice becomes mangled until the boy realizes the question has changed to, “So you like
red?” The boy keeps trying to close the pop-up until the message changes again to, “Do you like the
red room?” Then, a website with a list of people who have died after seeing the message loads on his computer screen, with his name at the bottom.

The best part of this video is that after it has finished playing, the pop-up appears on your screen. It doesn’t take long for you to figure out what is going on, but for that brief moment it just might make you catch your breath.

 In 1998 74 people killed themselves in the forest; in 2002, 78.  By 2003, the rate had climbed and exceeded the 100 mark.  In 2004, 108 people killed themselves in the Sea of Trees and in 2010, 247 people at least attempted suicide, but only 54 completed the act.  It is said that suicides increase in Japan toward the end of the fiscal year, which is in the month of March.

 

In recent years, the local government has quit publicizing the numbers of suicides in order to downplay the forest’s association with suicide.  Every year since 1970 there has been an annual body search consisting of police, volunteers, and journalists.

The exact reason this forest is so popular for suicides remains a creepy mystery.

On the night of June 10th, 1912 this white house would turn to blood red.  On this night, the “Murder House” as it is known today, witnessed the Villisca Axe Murders, in which the entire family of Josiah Moore and two other guests, a total of eight people, were savagely murdered.

Here are the facts:

-Eight people were murdered with an axe that was left at the crime scene.

-All of the victims appeared to have been sleeping at the time of the attacks.

-All of the victim’s faces were covered with bedclothes after they were killed.

-The ceiling of the parent’s bedroom and the children’s room showed gouge marks believed to be caused by the upswing of an axe.

-A pan of bloody water was discovered on the kitchen table along with a plate of uneaten food.

-A slab of bacon was on the floor in the downstairs bedroom lying near the axe and a second slab of bacon was found in the icebox.

In the immediate aftermath of the slayings there were a few suspects, including a priest, however, no one was ever convicted of the crime.  Today, you can go to the small town and take a tour of the house, which was featured on a recent episode of Ghost Adventures.  Some locals believe that the ghost of one or more of the victims of this murder still haunt the house.  A documentary was made about the incident; titled, Villisca: Living With a Mystery, the film provides some of the most thorough information on the case.  There was even a book written by Roy Marshall called, Villisca, which also details the events.  As the 100 year anniversary has already come and gone, it seems unlikely that this mystery will ever be solved.

Here’s how to get the party started in five easy steps:

• Pick a theme – Zombies and vampires are popular Halloween themes this year.  No matter what you choose, make sure you go all out!
• Find inspiration – Search the web for costumes, décor, and Halloween props. Pinterest is a great site to find ideas and inspiration. You can create your own pin board to organize all your ideas online. And don’t forget to follow FrightCatalog.com when you’re there.
• Buy or build props – This is where all your ideas come to life. Props and decorations are an essential part of every home haunt. To add drama, don’t forget lighting, fog, music, and other scene setters.
• Make the guest list – Who do you want at the party? Are you hosting a haunted house for the neighborhood?  Will it be a quiet party for a close group of friends or a monster bash that lasts through the night? Get a guest list down on paper and decide on invitations. The possibilities are endless!
• Decorate & bake – When October 1st rolls around, it is officially time to start decorating. We recommend starting on the inside of the house and working your way out as it gets closer to Halloween.  Have as much of the food ready the night before as possible, you can always freeze and reheat!

So how soon is too soon to start your Halloween plans? There’s no such thing as too soon!

Bradbury was a science fiction pioneer, often credited with bringing the genre into the mainstream. Few managed to escape high school without reading at least one of his works. His works often delved into fantasy, horror, mystery, and gothic topics that were able to capture the imagination of readers young and old, and has inspired generations of artists and dreamers. He began his legendary career writing for pulp magazines, though he is probably best known for his collections of short stories.

Ray Bradbury has received numerous awards for his writing including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, an Emmy Award, a Pulitzer Prize, a National Medal of Arts Award, and he made an impact in space with an asteroid named after him and a crater on the moon named in honor of Dandelion Wine. Bradbury was a prolific writer whose works will continue to inspire and change the way his readers view the world.

Paulo Henrique dos Santos used industrial strength green paint, the kind typically used for ballistic missiles and nuclear submarines, to recreate the image of The Incredible Hulk. Later, when he tried to scrub the pain off, he realized that no matter how hard he scrubbed, the paint remained on his skin.

According to Brazilian site Globo Extra, dos Santos covered himself in the paint for a running event. He originally planned to use regular paint, but local shops were all sold out of the brand he wanted to use. This led him to discover the industrial strength paint.

After dos Santos realized the paint would not come off, pictures of his painted body hit the Internet, turning him into an overnight celebrity in the Vila Cruzeiro favela of Rio Janeiro. The most infamous, and hilarious, of the photos involve him and his mother double-teaming the paint.

To avoid potentially ruining bed sheets or mattresses, dos Santos slept in a room full of plastic bags. He also feared that the industrial paint would cause lead poisoning.

Thankfully, after a team of family members and friends scrubbed dos Santos for 24 hours, the paint finally came off and dos Santos is back to his normal self. It seems that dos Santos’s attempt to recreate the Incredible Hulk made him an incredible individual in the process.

On June 23, 2012, Darren Julien, a celebrity auctioneer, is expected to auction off Elvis Presley’s original crypt. The auction is part of the “Sports Legends and Music Icons” auction, which is expected to have 1,000 other items sold along with The King’s crypt, including Yoko Ono’s sunglasses and costumes worn by the Jackson 5.

The crypt.

After Elvis passed away on August 16, 1977, he was buried alongside his mother, Gladys, at the Forest Hill Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee. Two months later, Elvis’s body was removed from that first crypt and transported to his Graceland home, where he was buried again. The first crypt has remained empty since Elvis’s body was moved.

Bidding for the crypt is scheduled to begin at $100,000, and, according to Julien’s website, “This lot includes: the crypt where Elvis was once entombed; opening and closing of the vault and crypt for burial; memorialization inscription; and use of a small chapel for a committal service.”

The King.

Whether you have an unhealthy obsession with The King, or have a relative ready to kick the bucket in the next few months, this crypt is ideal for anyone looking to own a piece of history. Better start saving up the pennies, though, because this auction is sure to skyrocket well past the starting big of $100,000.

Calvin: First off, how was your Halloween this year? Do you ever don the Jason Voorhees outfit and scare the neighborhood kids?

Calvin: You’re the only actor to play three of the most iconic horror icons in the history of film: Leatherface, Jason Voorhees, and Victor Crowley. Is there something that attracted you to these characters?

Kane: I have often said that my actual personality is closer to that of a maniacal murderer than most people’s personalities, so the trip to that state of mind is a quick one for me. Sounds like a joke, but I’m serious. Most actors will tell you it’s more fun being the bad guy. I absolutely love it. Some people say I enjoy it too much.

Calvin: Of the three characters, do you have a favorite?

Kane: Jason put me on the map, so that character will always be very close to my heart, but I also love the Victor Crowley character as well. It’s always nice to originate a character and continue with his story.

Calvin: Your body language behind these characters, it’s horrifying, and really lends to the character’s personality. How difficult was it to immerse yourself into the mind of a sociopath?

Kane: It was easy. Very easy. What does that tell you?

Calvin: Does this sociopathic body language help when you play poker?

Kane: The body language doesn’t necessarily help while playing poker, but the history of my antics on and off the set, while playing the character help somewhat. My image of being unpredictable and crazy on the set makes poker foes worry about that stuff happening instead of concentrating on just poker. Anything to distract them is good for me.

Kane: I didn’t necessarily think it was a moral choice. I just always thought that if anything, Jason would identify with an animal. Not hurt it. Humans were responsible for what happened to Jason. Not animals.

Calvin: Alright enough morality, do you have a favorite kill scene?

Kane: Favorite Jason kill is the sleeping bag and favorite all-time kill is ripping the woman’s head apart by her jaw in Hatchet. Both are pure genius. Does that sound weird?

Calvin: In your autobiography, Unmasked: The True Life Story of the World’s Most Prolific, Cinematic Killer, you thank all of your fans for their love and admiration. That is, except for the guy who sent you a bottle of freshly squeezed semen. Care to talk about your reaction?

Kane: Utter shock, when I realized what it was. I guess he thought I would be flattered. Uhhh, nope. And I thought I was fucked up in the head.

Calvin: There’s a rumor going around that you’re a Juggalo and huge fan of the Insane Clown Posse. What attracted you to this crowd – music, style, maybe some lyrical message?

Kane: I just love the music and the attitude. Best concerts I have ever been to.

Calvin: Has your ghost hunting group, Hollywood Ghost Hunters, found anything recently?

Kane: Because of Mike Aloisi and I being on our book tour for the last 3 months, we haven’t had much chance to go ghost hunting. We were able to investigate Rolling Hills Asylum in the summer and we just spent a few days at the Stanley Hotel, which was very cool.

Calvin: Do you have any upcoming projects we should keep an eye out for?

Kane: We will be shooting Hatchet 3 in the next few months. I play an abused husband in a movie called The Afflicted. Chillerama comes out next week. I did a 3D horror version of Robin Hood in Germany where I play Little John. I’m a bisexual sadist in a film called Tag. I did an untitled comedy with Adam Rifkin and a prison movie with Tony Todd called Cut. Lots of fun stuff.

Calvin: As a parting question, do you have any advice for individuals looking to score horror roles?

Kane: Be natural with your violence….Or I’ll kill you….

Since the first day in 2009, World Goth Day has gone on to expand from its British roots to the rest of the world. As stated on the Huffington Post, “Club nights across the UK and USA are set to take part in Goth night. Events in Cape Town, California, Maine will draw in hundreds of leather-clad, makeup-laden party-goers, while in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, there will be a fundraiser for the Sophie Lancaster Trust.”

(Sophie Lancaster was bullied and killed because of her Gothic image. Sophie’s mother, along with numerous subcultures, created the charitable trust to combat prejudice and hate.)

Since May 22 often falls on a Wednesday, the World Goth Day unofficial website says, “It’s understood that May 22^nd might not be a convenient date for everyone to celebrate Goth Day (let’s face it; Wednesdays are a ghost-ship for any event at the best of times), so it’s more of a guideline than a hard & fast rule. Most good events happen on a weekend, but we’ll cross that bridge as the years go by.”

Maybe you could be crossing that very bridge this weekend.

If there was every a time when wearing intense makeup and dying your hair was appropriate, today is that day. Gather up your friends, throw on your darkest clothing, and party until the sun descends and rises again.

Bullockornis statues, Kings Park, Western Australia.

Many paleontologists believe that Bullockornis was related to geese and ducks. This generic relationship, in addition to the bird’s tremendous size and skull beak, is why Bullockornis eventually received the nickname “The Demon Duck of Doom.”

Skull.

Imagine one of these primordial creatures chasing you down a block, or using their massive beak to tear open your chest. After all, they were carnivorous, and standing approximately eight feet tall, there are a few creatures who would have taken on a flock of these birds.

That’s a fear you don’t see featured prominently in Halloween props: avian. More haunted houses needed to follow in Alfred Hitchcock’s footsteps. That man understood what it meant to use birds to scare audiences. If anyone uses birds in their haunt, let me know, because I demand more avian!

That’s right – a musical based off the classic cult horror film series The Evil Dead. The musical features plotlines from the whole Evil Dead series, but it primarily features the characters and storyline of the original Evil Dead film. The comedy and writing is more comedic than horrifying, like that of Army of Darkness.

The musical is also rather messy, featuring explosive blood and gore. In fact, the three rows of seats closest to the stage is called “the splatter zone,” because the musical includes explosive blood and gore. According to the website, “Blood flies. Limbs are dismembered.” Audience members sitting in the splatter zone are encouraged to wear trashy clothing, because they will get covered with gory props and fake blood.

For those individuals who dislike either Evil Dead or musicals, the website has something to say: “You don’t need to be a fan of Evil Dead to love this show. You don’t need to be a fan of horror to love this show. You don’t even need to be a fan of musicals to love this show. As long as you like having fun… this show is for you.”

Although the musical began back in 2003, in Toronto, Ontario, it has since spread all about the world, from Tokyo to Kalamazoo, becoming a cult classic of its own. Current and future productions are listed here:

• Vancouver, BC – Opens May 3, 2012
• Las Vegas, NV – Opens June 22, 2012
• Fredericton, NB – Opens July 7, 2012
• Wilmington, DE – Opens July 28, 2012
• Calgary, AB – Opens August 14, 2012
• Manitowoc, WI – Opens October 31, 2012 (Halloween!)
• Fort Collins, CO – Opens April 11, 2013

If you find yourself close to any one of the current or upcoming shows, definitely check it out. We’re expecting to hit one of them – won’t say which one – but you may see the Fright team in the splatter zone.

Undead abominations break new ground: There’s no doubt that zombies are huge right now, which make them ideal for decorating a lawn or yard. Here’s what I’m thinking: zombie props and body parts buried in the earth, sticking out enough to look like a poorly constructed graveyard. Accent the scene with green lights and smoke machines to create a swampy, murky feeling. But I want to go one further: dress myself in dark clothing that I don’t care about and bury myself in some loose dirt. When a trick-or-treater wanders by, I’ll leap out and scream and watch their face curdle. Glorious!

Flicking lights for fearful scenes: Like photography, lighting makes all the difference in a Halloween scene. Any professional haunter will say the same thing. But simple lighting can only heighten the scene so far – shadows, eye direction, pathing. Flickering Halloween lights, however, are designed to attract attention and create a spooky visual. For example, no one likes it when the electricity goes out, it’s spooky and horrifying, which is why lights designed to turn on and off at intervals would be ideal for a haunted house. I once designed a hallway with three lights on each side, with each light on a different interval. When one went off, another turned on, and so forth. It allowed attention to be focused off the actor creeping up behind the victims. Definitely going to do it again this year.

As we get closer to the Halloween season, we’ll continue updating our blog with ideas for haunts. If you have any great ideas you want to share, let us know and we may showcase your work. We love hearing from our customers.

And according to Rotten Tomatoes, The Avengers is now sitting at a 93% approval rating, which is only one percentage point lower than Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, a movie that revolutionized comic book films. Does this mean The Avengers is as good as The Dark Knight? Ask me tomorrow and I’ll give you an honest answer.

As a guy who doesn’t love comics, though, I’ve found myself pondering over the inclusion of Scarlett Johansson’s character, Black Widow. Where did she come from, and why did they not feel the need to give her a movie? I mean, I’d watch a Scarlett Johansson movie, even if it sucked. I’d watch it a dozen times.

But then the Internet answered me question:

Anyway, I’m all kinds of excited now and I still have a handful of hours until the movie drops. Guess I’ll go do something, like read or write or watch a horror movie. Actually, I’d rather watch another trailer. How about one with Loki and Tony Stark? That sounds good. Let’s hit it:

To get you in the mood for tomorrow’s Halfoween, today we’re showcasing imagery from the Whitby Gothic Weekend, an annual four-day event in England celebrating life’s darker, more mysterious side. Basically, the Whitby Gothic Weekend is a Halloween lover’s wet dream, featuring such things as drinking, dancing, music, and shopping, all with an alternative, horror-centric spin.

Enough chit-chat, let’s get pumped for Halfoween:

Attending guests wear clothing from various genres, including Romanticism, Victoriana, Cybergoth, and Steampunk.

Bane

Catwoman

Batman

Look at those costumes! They’re absolutely amazing, and I cannot wait to see them on the silver screen. Plus, Anne Hathaway is one smoking Catwoman – meow. (Now to figure out how to get my girlfriend into a Dark Knight Rises Catwoman costume.)

But are the costumes not enough proof for why this movie is going to make a financial killer? How about this: robots. Yup, leaked photographs from The Dark Knight Rises set shows the Batmobile turning into a bipedal robot. Boom:

Robots

More Batmobiles (Why not?)

Sure, the movie’s release is still months away (July 20), but I am beyond pumped for the trilogy’s finale. Plus, if The Dark Knight Rises actually manages to be better than The Dark Knight, it will be one of the few trilogies that each film was better than the last.

Now do yourself a favor: watch the trailer in HD. Don’t want to go look for it? Don’t worry, I did all the work for you.

The house is located at 306 French St. and has an asking price of $650,000, which is much, much higher than the city’s assessed worth of $313,200, though that price does not take into account the house’s historical value.

Robert Dube has owned the property since 1980, when he bought it for $60,000. Dube attempted to subdivide the property and build a one-family home on the lot, but neighbors protested and Dube ceased the subdivision.

The home includes fourteen rooms, seven bedrooms, and two-and-a-half bathrooms. The real estate listing also describes two sunrooms, seven fireplaces, tin ceilings, a grant entry foyer, original parquet, and mahogany moldings.

This is not the same house where Lizzie Borden’s parents were killed in August of 1892. That title is held by the house located on 92 Second St. in Fall River, Massachusetts.

But here’s the kicker: they’re amazing! I could actually see mainstream American offices using these things – as long as they don’t cost an arm or a leg. If the FrightCatalog gang can get in touch with Pense, we may even include some with this year’s Haunt Club kit (no promises). Imagine the satisfaction felt from tearing a zombie’s face open and pulling out its paper guts. Oh, I’m getting goosebumps.

Anyway, without any more rambling from me, let’s get on with the horrifying eye candy:

In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released their recommendations for how a family can prepare for a zombie apocalypse. These recommendations include 1) picking “a meeting place for your family to regroup in case zombies invade your home,” 2) keeping “an emergency kit in your house,” and 3) preparing “an emergency plan,” which includes “where you would go and who you would call if zombies started appearing outside your door step.”

Sure, those are all nice and dandy, but staying alive during a zombie apocalypse is harder said than done, which is why Polish architectural design company KWK Promes created the world’s first zombie-proof home, equipped with moving walls, a shifting security perimeter, and a retractable drawbridge entrance. Combine this beast of a house with the CDC’s recommendations and you’ll be sitting well during the zombie apocalypse.

But, according to films and books, too many people panic during a zombie apocalypse, for they did not prepare ahead of time – nor do they own a zombie-proof home. These individuals either cannot find food stores, or they wander into heavily residential areas and become lunch for the local zombies.

With the Map of the Dead, however, you never again have to worry about last-minute zombie apocalypse planning. This web-based piece of software uses the Google Places API to feature specific organizations and retailers that may be useful prior to or during a zombie apocalypse.

The Map of the Dead showcases the following places of interest: gun store, grocery store, convenience store, hardware, liquor store, shopping mall, outdoor store, military, police, radio tower, gas station, harbor, airport, hospital, doctor, pharmacy, dentist, cemetery, and campground.

Since it is likely that the Internet will crash during a zombie apocalypse, Map of the Dead even features a print option, so you can stick that trusty information right inside your emergency kit.

Will the zombie apocalypse happen? Probably not, but it’s better to not take any risks.

Check out the exclusive interview with Pretend for Real Studios in next month’s Haunt Club.

As a bonus piece of horror art, I stumbled upon the following poster while searching the Internet for news. The poster was made for Monsterpalooza, an event held down in Burbank, California. If you’re attending Monsterpalooza, look out for this beast hanging on the walls.

As strange and unbelievable as that may sound, there is an infamous medical case that delved into the reality of a bokor and its ability to turn people into zombies.

On April 30, 1962, Clairvius Narcisse, a Haitian man, checked himself into the Albert Schweitzer Hospital, complaining of body aches, fever, and a general malaise. Soon after checking himself in, though, Narcisse began coughing up blood. Physicians assigned to monitor Narcisse noted that he suffered from “digestive disorders, pulmonary edema, hypothermia, respiratory difficulties, and hypotension.” Over the next few days, his lips became cyanotic, or the color of blue, and he complained of tingling sensations all over his body.

Cyanosis of the left (observed) foot.

Come the morning of May 2, two physicians pronounced Narcisse dead. Marie Claire, Narcisse’ oldest sister, identified his body and signed off on the death certificate.

Narcisse was buried the next day.

Eighteen years later, Narcisse’s sister found him walking through a village marketplace, as healthy and vibrant as any other living individual. Narcisse explained that shortly before his “death” he felt a burning sensation all over his skin, like insects were crawling beneath it. He heard the doctors pronounce him dead and felt the sheet pulled up over his face, but he could not speak or move. He even had a scar from when one of the coffin nails was driven through the wood and into his face.

Buried alive, the ultimate nightmare.

Bleeding, motionless, Narcisse remained within the coffin, buried alive, until he heard digging and the coffin was lifted out of the ground. Men opened the top, grabbed Narcisse, beat him, gagged him, and dragged his lifeless body to a sugar plantation. There, Narcisse was introduced to the plantation’s owner, a bokor (sorcerer), who had poisoned Narcisse with a heavy combination of tetrodotoxin (pufferfish venom) and bufotoxin (toad venom). The alleged individual who administered the bokor’s poison was Narcisse’s brother, who had a grudge against Narcisse over land ownership.

Once Narcisse was in the bokor’s possession, the bokor gave him doses of Datura stramonium, a plant with effects that have been likened to “sleepwalking, a fugue state or psychotic episodes (particularly in that the subject has minimal control over their actions and little to no recall of the experience).”

Datura stramonium

Narcisse existed in this condition for two years, working on the bokor’s plantation, where others just like Narcisse were working, too. Each one had been poisoned, pronounced dead, buried, dug up, and then poisoned for prolonged periods of time, so as to function like that of a zombie. The workers toiled for hours, each and every day, until one of the zombie workers fought back and killed the bokor.

The zombie workers simply walked off the plantation, all of them free, including Narcisse, who wandered Haiti for the next sixteen years. He wrote letters to his family, but none of them believed they were real – how do you believe a dead man to be alive after two years of silence? It was only after Narcisse’s brother died, the one who poisoned Narcisse, when he returned to his family’s village, which is when his sister found him walking through the market.

Computer manuals are meant to be opened, and unless you’re a computer programmer or technician, most individuals would expect the manuals to be boring. But imagine finding a human skull carved into the manuals, rather than a list of numbers and unpronounceable techno-babble. That’s unexpected. That’s Maskull Lasserre. (This guy needs to get into the Halloween props business.)

However, even the most unexpected events have expected traits. The computer manuals, for example, are designed to contain exact and accurate information, not subjective opinions. When carving the human skull within the manuals, Lasserre paid great attention to the skull’s details. In fact, the carved skull has the exact proportions of the plaster skull used as the basis for the project. An exact and accurate human skull carved into books meant to hold exact and accurate information? That’s no coincidence.

Maskull Lasserre was born in Canada, in 1978, though he spent his childhood in South Africa. He later returned to Canada and received a BFA from Mount Allison University (Visual Art and Philosophy), and an MFA from Concordia University (Sculpture). His work has been exhibited across Canada and parts of the United States, and he recently participated in the Canadian Forces War Artist Program in Afghanistan.

While not the most popular horror character, The Tall Man utilizes a unique method of killing victims: flying spheres. Each sphere contains the brains of a dead body, in addition to various lasers, drills, saws, and other surgical weapons. The spheres zip and fly through the air, and when they find a victim, they attach tools to the victim’s forehead, drilling into the victim’s brains, killing them.

The Tall Man also has several superhuman powers, including superhuman strength and telekinesis. All in all, The Tall Man is a devastating horror character, one that is under-appreciated and underrated.

#5 – Jigsaw’s Traps

Out of all the horror icons on this list, none match the intelligence of Jigsaw and his traps. No other character works so hard to kill their victims, while leaving them a chance for freedom/redemption. The morbid creativity of Jigsaw’s traps feature unique and complicated death machines, equipped with knives, acid, electricity, and other deadly items. Jigsaw specializes in instilling agonizing emotional misery, which involves broken limbs, shredded eyeballs, squashed heads, torn ribs, and even more painful experiences. Sure, some victims escape and continue to live their lives, but Jigsaw always leaves an impression, both on the victim and the audience.

#4 – Michael Myer’s Kitchen Knife

While not as glamorous as other killing utensils, the kitchen knife is a powerful weapon when wielded by Michael Myers. Right from his introduction in the 1978 film Halloween, Michael Myers is seen favoring the kitchen knife over all other brutal means of killing people. Film after film, Michael continues returning to that faithful instrument, and countless posters and movie stills feature Michael and his trusty knife. Some horror icons enjoy flashy, over-the-top Halloween weapons, but Michael is a down-to-earth killer who loves to be close enough to his victims to use a kitchen knife.

#3 – Jason Voorhees’ Machete

Appearing as a hallucination in the first Friday the 13^th film, Jason Voorhees revolutionized the way people viewed the machete, his signature weapon. Longer than Michael Myer’s kitchen knife, the machete gives Voorhees the utility needed to hack through bodies, doors, and Amazonian jungles. Combine the machete with Voorhees’ eventual superhuman strength, regenerative powers, and near invulnerability, which were added in Friday the 13^th Part VI: Jason Lives, and this horror icon is an unstoppable killing machine.

#2 – Leatherface’s Chainsaw

Introduced in the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Leatherface is a mass-murdering psycho who wields a chainsaw. Gunnar Hansen, the man who portrayed Leatherface, stated that Leatherface is “completely under the control of his family. He’ll do whatever they tell him to do. He’s a little bit afraid of them.” After Leatherface takes the chainsaw to his victim’s body, he keeps the remnants and divvies them out to his family members. The bones are used to build the inside of their house, while the human meat is processed for barbecue and chili.

A roaring chainsaw is horrifying enough, but knowing the end result could see you made into minced chili is even worse.

#1 – Freddy Kreuger’s Bladed Glove

Wes Craven, the creator of Freddy Kreuger, said in an interview, “Part of [the glove] was an objective goal to make the character memorable, since it seems that every character that has been successful has had some kind of unique weapon, whether it be a chain saw or a machete, etc. I was also looking for a primal fear which is embedded in the subconscious of people of all cultures. One of those is the fear of teeth being broken, which I used in my first film. Another is the claw of an animal, like a saber-toothed tiger reaching with its tremendous hooks. I transposed this into a human hand. The original script had the blades being fishing knives.”

When Jim Doyle, the actual creator of the bladed glove, asked Craven what he wanted, Craven said, “It’s kind of like really long fingernails, I want the glove to look like something that someone could make who has the skills of a boilermaker.”

Add on Kreuger’s signature ability to kill victims in their dreams and this horror icon is far from being forgotten. The beauty of this weapon is its simple design: a glove with attached blades. It’s stranger than a mere knife, machete, or chainsaw, but it’s still frightening simple, unlike Jigsaw’s complicated puzzles. Portable and deadly, Kreuger’s bladed glove is the most memorable

SlipKnoT, a member over at Michael-Myers.net, collected the history of each mask used in the Michael Myers films. This history ranges from Halloween 1 all the way up to Rob Zombie’s Halloween 2 remake. So, without further explanation, let’s showcase what they found:

HalloweeN: The mask used in HalloweeN 1 was a store bought mask – the Captain Kirk mask. Sculpted from a life-cast of William Shatner in 1975, and sold in stores from 1976 to around 1979. The mask used was bought from a Halloween store, had its eyes cut larger, eyebrow and sideburn hair removed, the hair misted brown, and lastly, the mask was painted white by Tommy Lee Wallace. The mask was worn by Nick Castle, and was worn by Tony Moran in the unmasking scene. It was also worn by various crew members.

HalloweeN II: The mask in HalloweeN II was the same mask used in HalloweeN I. After filming H1, Debra Hill kept the mask very poorly under her bed. Because of the poor condition it was kept in, the mask discolored severely and that’s why it looks the way it does, aside from the fact that Dick Warlock (Myers, H2) had a shorter and wider face than Nick Castle (Myers, H1). Dick Warlock wore the mask.

HalloweeN IV: The mask used in H4′s origin has been argued. There are many theories about the origin, most commonly that it is a recast/retool of the 1984 “The Mask”, made by Don Post Studios. This version of “The Mask” was never licensed or trademarked, making finding them next to impossible. It should also be noted that this mask didn’t have eyebrows sculpted on – they were glued in place. The mask also had white hair placed on first, before it was misted black. The mask was worn by George P. Wilbur.

HalloweeN V: This mask strays from the original design because the director wanted Michael to have an “angrier” expression as opposed to the “blank” and “featureless” face we saw in previous films. When filming a scene, Pleasence (Dr. Loomis) accidentally hit Don Shanks (Myers, H5) in the nose, breaking it. As a result, they had to cut out the nose of the mask and add on a paper thin nose cut off of another H5 mask. The edges of the nose appliance can be seen clearly in a lot of the film. Don Shanks wore the mask.

HalloweeN VI: The HalloweeN VI mask had a very odd goblin type look to it. This mask was sculpted by John Carl Buechler. The mask used in H6 had chemicals rubbed inside and outside of the mask by a disgruntled effects artist, thus destroying most existing copies. This is what made the mask look different in the ending, and re-shot scenes. This is the second time the mask was worn by George P. Wilbur.

HalloweeN H20: There were a total of 4 masks used – an H6 mask, retooled by Brad Hardin, used in the opening scenes and a KNB mask, used for most of the primary shooting. As they were wrapping up production it was decided that the KNB mask wasn’t adequate. They hired the Stan Winston FX company to sculpt a new mask which they used to reshoot a lot of the scenes. Lastly, due to time or budget restraints they had to CGI over the mask in a couple of scenes. Chris Durand wore the masks.

HalloweeN Resurrection: The HalloweeN Resurrection mask looked a lot more sinister than masks before it, and it featured painted eyebrows, human hair, and clear features. Brad Loree wore the mask in this film.

Rob Zombie’s HalloweeN: The mask was sculpted by Wayne Toth and worn by Tyler Mane. It was actually sculpted on a lifecast of Tyler Mane, giving the mask most of Mane’s features. Toth didn’t account for latex shrinkage so the mask was very tight. In the scene where Michael first puts on the mask you can see where he goes from having the long wig hair to his natural short hair. Because of this, Toth actually had to glue hair inside the neck of the mask, to make it seem like Mane still had long hair under the mask. This is the very first mask to stray beyond just a “white face,” as this mask has a lot of “rot” and “deterioration” combined with shades of black, gray, and green in various places.

Rob Zombie’s HalloweeN II: The mask was again sculpted by Wayne Toth and worn by Tyler Mane. It was again sculpted on Mane’s life-cast, making the mask have strong Mane features. Toth sculpted this mask bigger than the H9 sculpt, so the mask would fit Mane more comfortably. As the time goes on the mask deteriorates further, till the point it is just a dirty brownish mask. Michael gets slapped and it causes a part of the mask to rip off, which causes the “Exposed” look we’re all so familiar with. This is the first film to have Michael’s face exposed through most of the movie.

But don’t get too excited. According to a recent interview with Empire Magazine, Ridley Scott is having issues with the film’s MPAA rating. Even though the entire Alien franchise has kept a steady R rating, Prometheus may see a theatrical release with a PG-13 rating.

“Right now I don’t know where we are,” Ridley Scott told Empire. “The question is, do you go for the PG-13, or do you go for what it should be, which is R? Financially it makes quite a difference, or the risk makes quite a difference, and yet you also have to apply the question — if you soften it, will you financially suffer? As opposed to just going for the throat and gambling. Essentially, it’s kinda R. The little bastards will still get in anyway, so what’s the difference? It’s not just about blood, it’s about ideas that are very stressful. I’m not an idiot, but I’ll do everything I can to get the most aggressive film I can.”

Before anyone gets all hot and bothered about the PG-13 and R rating difference, and that Ridley Scott seems to be selling out, let’s look at the official definitions and classifications for the ratings system. Ridley Scott may still be able to deliver an intense sci-fi thriller – blood, guts, death, the whole works – even with a PG-13 rating.

Taken from FilmRatings.org, here is the definitive classification for a PG-13 movie:

“Any drug use will initially require at least a PG-13 rating. More than brief nudity will require at least a PG-13 rating, but such nudity in a PG-13 rated motion picture generally will not be sexually oriented. There may be depictions of violence in a PG-13 movie, but generally not both realistic and extreme or persistent violence. A motion picture’s single use of one of the harsher sexually-derived words, though only as an expletive, initially requires at least a PG-13 rating. More than one such expletive requires an R rating, as must even one of those words used in a sexual context.”

So you can swear, but only once, and not in a sexual context. You can show a nipple, but only in passing, and not in a sexual context. You can include violence, but it cannot be “realistic and extreme or persistent violence.” (Tell that to The Hunger Games.)

All right, let’s check out the R rating classification, again from FilmRatings.org:

“An R-rated motion picture, in the view of the Rating Board, contains some adult material. An R-rated motion picture may include adult themes, adult activity, hard language, intense or persistent violence, sexually-oriented nudity, drug abuse or other elements, so that parents are counseled to take this rating very seriously. Children under 17 are not allowed to attend R-rated motion pictures unaccompanied by a parent or adult guardian. Parents are strongly urged to find out more about R-rated motion pictures in determining their suitability for their children. Generally, it is not appropriate for parents to bring their young children with them to R-rated motion pictures.”

As far as I can tell, that definition includes no restrictions. If your movie includes drug use, it’s cool. If you include a 10-minute murder scene, nice. If you want a sex scene that leads to a drug use scene and then finishes with a murder scene, more power to you!

Will Ridley Scott deliver a film as intense as Alien, even with a PG-13 rating? I don’t see why not. He’s an amazing director, and I have faith in his abilities. Am I disappointed that he may cut the rating down due to financial gains? Sure, but that’s his choice. I’ll see the movie regardless of its rating.

What about you?

Sound like a lot of money?

That’s because it is – The Hunger Games now holds the record for third biggest opening weekend for a movie, behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 and The Dark Knight. Even more incredible, though, is that the movie had a solid Saturday night showing, totaling $51 million in sales, which ranks second all-time behind Spider-Man 3 ($51.3 million).

As you can see, though, the two movies beating The Hunger Games for all-time best opening weekend are sequels. That means The Hunger Games now holds the record for highest grossing opening weekend for a non-sequel film, beating out the previous champion, Alice in Wonderland ($116.1 million).

In addition, $10.6 million of the total sales came from people viewing the movie on an IMAX screen. As stated on Box Office Mojo, that’s “a very impressive figure for a 2D movie that doesn’t include any footage shot in IMAX.”

Plus, the film can still make money off toys, DVDs, Blue-ray discs, clothing, and royalty rights for Halloween costumes. For Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation, this cash cow is set to be milked for many years to come, especially since this is only the first film of the trilogy.

Since the evacuation, the abandoned areas have been ransacked, vandalized, and then, in 2002, turned into an extreme tourist location for visitors. According to Alcon Entertainment co-Chief Executive Andrew Kosove, the extreme tourism trips taken to Chernobyl are what inspired the making of Chernobyl Diaries.

The film follows a gang of American tourists who take a day trip out to Prypiat, the closest abandoned city to the Chernobyl reactor. They take photos, laugh about being wild and crazy, and generally show off their American attitude toward historic monuments. But when the sun sets and it comes time to leave, their tour guide’s car doesn’t start and they’re stuck in the city, which happens to be filled with ravenous mutants.

Check out the trailer:

Chernobyl Diaries is scheduled to hit theaters on May 25, 2012.

“When you see this movie, kids are going to believe one day these turtles actually do exist when we are done with this movie. These turtles are from an alien race, and they are going to be tough, edgy, funny and completely loveable.”

In response the Internet exploded into a disarray of arguments revolving around seven words within Bay’s statement: “These turtles are from an alien race.” The original story depicts turtles succumbing to alien goo, which mutates them into anthropomorphic warriors. Bay’s claim of the turtles stemming from an alien race would essentially rewrite 30 years of TMNT history, and TMNT fans made sure to let him know about their disapproval.

Michael Bay defended his statement by saying, “Fans need to take a breath, and chill. They have not read the script. Our team is working closely with one of the original creators of Ninja Turtles to help expand and give a more complex back story. Relax, we are including everything that made you become fans in the first place. We are just building a richer world.”

But let’s be honest – Michael Bay is a pornographic director disguising as a film creator. The story and dialogue are only there to move the film onto the next money shot scene of explosions and big breasted women running in front of expensive cars. I doubt he cares whether the turtles are from space or from radioactive ooze. He sees a franchise worth turning into a pile of cash, and he knows people will see it regardless of the origin story.

The film is currently scheduled to hit theaters on December 25, 2013.

The film takes place in the same universe as Scott’s Alien franchise, though it is unclear whether Prometheus takes place before or after the series. As you can see in the trailer, Noomi Rapace wears the mantle of lead ass-kicking brunette, while Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, and Michael Fassbender act as her supporting team of space explorers.

As stated on MSN, “Scott has been tight-lipped about the movie, but says a sequel should be in order should this one successfully scare the goo out of audiences.”

Prometheus hits theaters on June 8, 2012, and we’re doing our best to create kickass corresponding Halloween costumes.

The film includes such big-name actors and actresses as Eva Green, Michelle Pfeiffer, Chloe Grace Moretz, Helena Bonham-Carter, and Jackie Earle Haley. The film is scheduled to hit theaters on May 11.

Two days ago Tom Six sent out this Tweet: #humancentipede3 will have a 500+ person pede. XXXXL American style!

The first film featured German actor Dieter Laster, who played a surgeon bent on creating a three-person human centipede. The second film starred Laurence Harvey as Martin, a parking lot attendant, who went one further and created a twelve-person centipede. There is no word of who will take the mantle of lead actor for the third installment. But at this rate, if there is a fourth film, we’ll likely see a human centipede long enough to wrap around the globe.

According to IMDB, Tom Six has cast himself as a supporting role for the final film of the trilogy. Filming starts this May and the American release will be sometime in 2013. I’m excited to see what kind of Halloween costumes come out after the film. “Gather up 499 friends and be the human centipede this Halloween!”

The Gunslinger

The change of hands was due to the film’s budget, which exceeded Universal Pictures’ comfort zone. Akiva Goldsman, the screenplay writer for the project, edited the script and cut $45 million out of the expected budget.

Brian Grazer, a producer behind the project, told MTV during an interview, “When people say no to you enough, then you have to lose money, which we’ve done without harming the scope of the film.” He then discussed the television series, “We’ll do the TV with HBO, and we’ll do the movie with… to be determined. We’ll do it right.”

Ron Howard is scheduled to fill the role of director. If the project were completed – all three films and the two television series – it would be the most ambitious undertaking since Peter Jackson consecutively filmed The Lord of the Rings movies. Good luck, Howard.

Javier Bardem.

Roland Deschain, the infamous Gunslinger star of The Dark Tower novels, will be played by Javier Bardem. Anyone who has seen No Country for Old Men will know why this actor is perfect for filling the shoes of Roland Deschain. However, as stated on Deadline, “Bardem’s participation would depend upon his availability, but he was firmly attached when the project was at Universal.”

Filming is expected to begin during the first quarter of 2013. Expect The Dark Tower Halloween costumes soon after.

And it is within those surrounding areas that a spider belonging to the Linyphiidae family is struggling to survive. Countless numbers of the spiders have taken to bushes, trees, tall grass – anything that gets them up and away from the floodwater.

The spiders are called “Sheet Weavers” due to the shape of their web. Normally, the webs are rather thin, not as dense and observable as the ones surrounding Wagga Wagga. The condensing of the spider population has created a gigantic sprawl of a web.

Sheet Weavers travel by climbing to the highest point, casting a strand of silk into the air, and waiting for a strong gust to pull them to a new, unknown destination. The problem in Wagga Wagga, though, is that so many spiders are trying this at the same time, creating a spider congestion.

Graham Milledge, entomology collections manager at the Australian Museum, said, “The behaviour is called ballooning – that is how [the spiders] disperse. They often land in the same place and that is why you get this large mass of them.”

Graham Milledge claims the spiders are harmless to humans.

With an all-star cast that includes Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Alice Cooper, Eva Green, and Jonny Lee Miller, this film is turning out to be one of the most anticipated releases of the year. May 11 cannot come fast enough.

“The story focuses on Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp), who was transformed into a vampire by a jilted lover (Eva Green’s witch Angelique) way back in the 1700s and buried. He’s just been dug up, and attempts to reintegrate with his descendants, led by Michelle Pfeiffer’s Elizabeth and Jonny Lee Miller’s Roger – despite the fact that Angelique is still around and still not in a forgiving mood.“

Also, Alice Cooper is said to have joined the cast of Dark Shadows, and he will be starring as himself in the film. According to The LA Times, “Cooper plays himself in the film, which is set in 1972 – Depp’s character, the recently revived vampire Barnabas Collins, hires the rock star to play a private ball at his seaside home in Maine.”

The film is currently scheduled to hit theaters May 11, 2012. If you are surprised by the immediacy of that date, you should be – the film releases in two months and it doesn’t even have a trailer yet.

Plot synopsis: “The story focuses on Collins, who was transformed into a vampire by his jilted lover, Angelique, way back in the 1700s and buried. He’s just been dug up, and attempts to reintegrate with his descendants, led by Michelle Pfeiffer’s Elizabeth and Jonny Lee Miller’s Roger – despite the fact that Angelique is still around and still not in a forgiving mood.”

The Doomsday Vault entrance.

But you won’t find weapons of mass destruction within the vault’s belly. Quite the contrary, in fact, for the vault’s sole purpose is to house and preserve seeds, in case of a global catastrophe. If the world’s agricultural populous were to die, those seeds give mankind a second chance to rebuild.

The Doomsday Vault opened in February 2008, and it currently houses more than 740,000 different seeds, though it has room for 2.25 billion. The seeds range from tulips to tomatoes, perennials to papayas, and the hope is to include every single breed of seed. In fact, as reported by TODAY, “there are more than 100 thousand different types of rice alone in storage.” The Doomsday Vault is no joke.

To ensure the vault survives all global catastrophes, its built far from tectonic activity and 430 feet above sea level. Even if the polar icecaps melted, the vault would be above the expected waterline. Unless new seeds are being delivered, the vault remains unmanned, for the seeds are preserved by the natural underground chill. But if you were to venture out to the vault, somehow making it past the arctic, polar bear-ridden landscape, a robust security system would be happy to see you off.

Rendered image of the vault.

The Doomsday Vault is said to have the capability of surviving for 20,000 years without the assistance of humans. If you want to thank someone for funding the project, look no further than Bill and Melinda Gates, whose foundation provided a bulk of the finances.

Now the horror world is buzzing with talk of the next sequel in the series, Piranha 3DD. That’s right – 3DD! Why the addition of a second “D,” you ask? Well, I could tell you why, or you could watch the trailer for yourself and figure it out:

My favorite part is the water-certified strippers. Hilarious. Anyway, here’s the plot breakdown:

“There’s something in the water…again. And this time no one is safe from the flesh-eating fish as they sink their razor sharp teeth into the visitors of the best summer attraction, The Big Wet Water Park.”

The release date has yet to be released, so keep an eye out for future updates.

Let’s do it:

Imagine yourself trudging through the darkness of a South American cave. Bats swoop back and forth from the ceiling, their echolocation screeches bouncing off stone walls. Beneath every step squirms a carpet of black beetles, thousands of them climbing over each other, in search of dropped food.

A red snake-like creature, about a foot long, slinks out of a crevice and up the cavern wall. Hundreds of little legs keep it attached to the cold stone, and when it reaches the ceiling, it hangs like a limp length of rope, legs squirming in the air. Its antennae scan the environment for vibrations. And the first bat unlucky enough to swoop by, that hanging rope comes to life as if it were made of lightening – snatches the bat right out of the air, pumps it full of poison, and devours the bat’s flesh over the next two to three hours.

This creature is Scolopendra gigantea, the largest centipede currently alive, measuring approximately 10 inches long, though it is known to exceed 12 inches. It is also known as the Peruvian giant yellowleg centipede and Amazonian giant centipede.

Here’s a video of Scolopendra gigantea:

The Caribbean Journal of Science published a study on Scolopendra gigantea and its effects on bat populations, titled Predation by Giant Centipedes, Scolopendra gigantea, on Three Species of Bats in a Venezuelan Cave. If you have some time and want to creep yourself out, give the study a read. For the purpose of this article, though, we’ll look only at what they said about the centipede’s eating habits:

During the 30 min of observations, the centipede fed without interruption, carving a wound in the bat’s lower abdomen. The bat also had a second and smaller wound on the upper back, which probably represented the initial bite of the centipede. The wings were lax, the exposed flesh was bloodstained, and the pelage (coat) was clean.

The creature delivers its venom via modified pincer-like appendages. Although not fatal to humans, the toxic venom can cause some nasty symptoms, including severe swelling, chills, fever, weakness, and, in some cases, necrosis (premature death of skin cells). Similar to other creatures who use toxic venom to catch prey (snakes, spiders, etc.), Scolopendra gigantea consumes nearly every bit of a caught meal, which can take up to three hours, depending on the body size of the prey.

So, if you find yourself within a South American cave and see something dangling from the ceiling, don’t grab onto it. Your body will be pumped full of poison and you will fall onto a carpet of beetles.

PS – Euphoberia, an extinct genus of myriapod, was about four times as large as Scolopendra gigantea. Most experts believe Euphoberia is a primitive centipede. Imagine that: a 4-foot centipede. Horrifying!

For example, today we received an anonymous email from a throwaway account, which sent us the following picture:

As you can see, that is an overweight zombie wearing a shirt that says America Dies On Dunkin. Quite frankly, I got a good chuckle out of it, because I love anything that pokes fun of big-business advertising campaigns.

But then I thought to myself, “How nutritionally bad is Dunkin Donuts?” And that’s when my FrightCatalog productivity dropped and my Dunkin Donuts knowledge exploded.

First, let’s take a look at Dunkin Donuts’ DDSmart category, which claims to be “Better-For-You Choices That Keep You Running.” Within this category is the multigrain bagel, the only bagel included in the DDSmart category. Now, since it is part of the DDSmart category, you’d imagine this thing should be great for you, right?

Wrong.

Here are the nutritional facts of the multigrain bagel:

• 390 calories
• 8 grams of total fat
• 0.5 grams of saturated fat
• 0 grams of cholesterol
• 560 milligrams of sodium
• 65 grams of carbohydrates
• 8 grams of fiber
• 7 grams of sugar
• 14 grams of protein

To give you a counter example, here’s a McDonald’s hamburger (warning – PDF file):

• 250 calories
• 9 grams of fat
• 3.5 grams of saturated fat
• 28 milligrams of cholesterol
• 520 milligrams of sodium
• 31 grams of carbohydrates
• 2 grams of fiber
• 6 grams of sugar
• 12 grams of protein

As you can see, the hamburger contains less fat and calories than the Dunkin Donuts bagel. Yes, you can argue the bagel needs the calories and carbohydrates to fuel an individual’s exercise, but who buys a bagel and doesn’t put cream cheese on it? For this example, we’ll continue along with Dunkin Donuts’ low-fat menu selection and use their lite cream cheese product.

In one packet (30 g) of Dunkin Donuts lite cream cheese:

• 130 calories
• 11 grams of fat
• 7 grams of saturated fat
• 30 milligrams of cholesterol
• 250 milligrams of sodium
• 3 grams of carbohydrates
• 2 grams of sugars
• 5 grams of protein

Here’s the combined nutritional information for both bagel and lite cream cheese:

• 520 calories
• 19 grams of fat
• 7.5 grams of saturated fat
• 30 milligrams of cholesterol
• 810 milligrams of sodium
• 68 grams of carbohydrates
• 9 grams of sugar
• 19 grams of protein

I don’t know about you, but these numbers are horrifying. Two hamburgers are about the same as one multigrain bagel and a thing of lite cream cheese. If I ate two McDonald’s hamburgers, I’m not running anywhere – I’m heaving like a beached whale under the San Diego sun.

So, anonymous FrightCatalog fan, thanks so much for sending us your photo, for I may have never been inspired to seek out this information. If anyone else has a story or photo they want to share, email me at dale@frightcatalog.com.

Unfortunately, according to ERC, the film’s release date has shifted. The film is now expected to hit theaters on January 4^th, 2013, far from the usual horror film season. This new date gives Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D a weekend all to itself, without any other large big-screen releases. The October 5^th release date would have saw the film go against Taken 2 and Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie.

Darren McGavin, the original Carl Kolchak.

Before the novel was even published, though, the television station ABC approached Rice with a contract to turn the novel into a made-for-TV film, The Night Stalker. Rice agreed.

The success of The Night Stalker allowed ABC to make a second made-for-TV movie, The Night Strangler. But when time came to create a third one, ABC denied, for they wanted a whole TV series. And so, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, a short-lived 1974-1975 TV series, was born.

And now, for whatever reason, Johnny Depp is making a movie based off the original 1974-1975 Kolchak TV series. According to Blood-Disgusting, the idea was born last summer, when Depp and his friend Christi Dembrowski were sharing fond memories of their respective childhoods. Both had been fans of the original Kolchak series, so they decided to create a modern-day adaption, which will star Johnny Depp.

Johnny Depp, the new Carl Kolchak.

According to Carol Pinchefsky of Forbes.com, Johnny Depp’s production company, Infinitum Nihil, is expected to be the driving creative force behind the film’s adaption. In addition, as reported by Fangoria, Depp has recruited the help of Edgar Wright, the director behind Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010).

However, Disney is the core financial backer of the film. While this may not seem like a big deal, Disney-backed films have to meet certain requirements. As Deadline wrote, “The subject matter [of the film] will be tailored to fit Disney’s family film mandate and likely a PG-13 rating.”

Lastly, this is not the first time the series has seen a modern-day revival. In fact, the Night Stalker television series was remade back in 2005, though it was cancelled after only six episodes due to low ratings.

The 2005 series.

Will the big-budget adaption do better than all of its predecessors? It’s hard to tell, because there isn’t even a written script, and the team is still looking for a writer to pen that potential script. Depp has a lot of work ahead of him.

But every morning we’re greeted by this guy’s eye lunging out of his head. We eat lunch and he’s watching us shovel mouthfuls of food. The last thing we see before we leave the office is, again, his bloody eye, right there on the hook, his face contorted in agony. We have whole hallways lined with these things, like a silent prop protest, and we just can’t deal with it anymore.

To clear out the excess stock of Torso On Hook props, we’re initiating a FrightCatalog.com Blow-Out Gore Sale, which features a 42% price drop for this – and only this – prop!

Click here to place your order.

Product Description:

• Measures approximately 4’ tall
• Rope attached to hook for easy hanging
• Head, hands, and hook made of latex
• White clothe covered in faux blood

Introducing: Jane Levy.

In an article recently released on TheInsider, Jane Levy expressed her feelings on the project: “I’m so excited,” she said. “I’m a big fan of the original. To me it’s the scariest movie, ever. But this one is really different. They’ve changed it a lot, but it’s still a pretty gory movie. My mom probably cant’ see it.”

While Levy’s claim of gore may scare away her mother, diehard fans are still worried that the remake will tarnish the original’s image. FrightCatalog.com fans have already openly shown their distaste through comments made on articles previously covering the film’s updates.

Levy (left); Campbell (right).

But hold on a minute. Before people continue whipping themselves into a foamy rage, look at who’s producing and lending their creative direction to the remake: Bruce Campbell (star of the original) and Sam Raimi (writer and director of the original), the two heavy hitters who made the original such an astonishing piece of work [citation]. There was no cloak-and-dagger plan to oust Bruce Campbell from the role as lead actor. Quite the contrary, in fact, for Bruce has been part of the project all along.

“We are going to remake it. The first one,” Bruce told BloodDisgusting, back in November of 2011. “And people are a little iffy about that [but] we wanted to remake a movie with better effects and we’re better at telling stories now… There’s no ‘Ash’ character and that pisses people off [but] we didn’t want to have the direct comparison. I wouldn’t want to put an actor in that position.”

So we have a level-headed Bruce Campbell using his cinematic experience to guide the film’s direction and a star who is excited to take on the role of a new Evil Dead lead character. But can we really expect a thrilling remake of what is one of the most iconic cult classics of all time? Let’s go back to Bruce:

“You can expect to have a damn scary horror movie,” said Bruce Campbell, to TheInsider. “There’s no Ash character – The Evil Book is going to torment a new set of kids, so it’s a remake, or a re-imagining or … a re-whatever word you want to use. It’s going to be re-scary.”

Not everyone will agree, though, that the original was meant to be a frightening experience. Sure, Evil Dead was pitched as a horror film, but the low-budget backing of the film made for some hilarious moments. And according to what Jane Levy told TheInsider, she agrees: “I think the humor in the first one came from the special effects of the time. I don’t know that they meant it to be funny … this [remake] is not funny. It’s definitely dark.”

No one can deny that we live in an age of rehashed, recycled, and remade films. (There are 10 Halloween films. Nightmare on Elm Street was remade in 2010. The Thing saw a half-assed prequel emerge in 2011. The list goes on and on.) But, based on what Campbell and Levy said, the Evil Dead remake/re-imagining/re-whatever may be a closer-to-home telling of the original story, without the low-budget special effects hindering the film’s vision.

If Campbell and Raimi are seriously putting their necks on the line with this remake, all we can do is cheer them on and hope they don’t ruin their reputations. The film is rumored to hit theaters on April 12, 2013.

Good luck, guys.

Anyone familiar with the work of Gil Elvgren, the iconic American artist of pin-up girls, will see similarities in Tarusov’s work. Unfortunately, the calendar is not available for purchase – it is merely an experiment with styles and imagery. UPDATE: As commenter Austin pointed out, the calendars are for sale! “You have to email apocalyp2012@gmail.com if you live in the United States and tell them how many copies you want and the mailing address. They cost $25.00 + shipping!” (Thanks Austin.)

But the pictures definitely give some great ideas for new womens costumes.

NOTE: Some pictures may be NSFW.

Back during the prohibition era, the streets of Chicago were torn between two rival gangs, Al Capone’s South Side Italian gang and Bugs Moran’s North Side Irish gang. On the morning of February 14, 1929, Valentine’s Day, five members from Bugs Moran’s gang and two local gang collaborators were lined up against the back wall of the garage at 2122 North Clark Street and executed. The executioners were gangsters hired from outside Chicago by Al Capone, who wanted the attack to be a complete surprise.

The executing gangsters were dressed in varying styles of clothing; two dressed as police offers, while the rest wore suits, ties, and general businessman attire – not the usual gangster costumes. Two of the shooters used Thompson sub-machine guns, one equipped with a 50-round drum and the other a 20-round box magazine. The shooters sprayed round after round into the seven gangsters lined along the wall, even continuing to shoot after the victims fell to the floor. The coroner’s report claims some of the executed gangsters were literally torn apart by the volley of bullets.

An artistic representation of the massacre.

After the shooting stopped, the two false police officers led the fellow conspiring gang members out by gunpoint, so as to look like an arrest was taking place. The gang members then fled the scene.

But a local neighbor, Mrs. Landesman, sensed something was not quite right, so she sent one of her tenants to go look at the scene. The tenant became sick at the sight of seven bodies bleeding all over the garage’s floor, and he called for an ambulance.

Model scene of massacre.

Frank Gusenberg, one of the men gunned down, was still breathing, and emergency medical staff immediately rushed him to a local hospital. After the doctors stabilized Frank, police asked him to describe who shot him. He replied, “Nobody shot me,” even though his body had clearly sustained fourteen bullet wounds. He died three hours later.

This event drew mass attention to the gang activities within Chicago, and some attribute the event with the eventual downfall of Capone’s mob.

But here’s an interesting question: What happened to the garage where the massacre took place?

In 1967, the garage was demolished and is now a landscaped parking lot for a nursing home. As for the bricks that once comprised the wall where seven men were gunned down, those 414 bricks were purchased by George Patey, who painstakingly dismantled the wall, numbered the bricks, and then shipped them to his home in Canada.

George Patey and the brick collection.

In 1971, Patey opened the Banjo Palace nightclub, where he installed the bricks in the men’s restroom. Patey shielded the bricks with a Plexiglas shield, which he painted targets onto, so as to encourage men to use their urine to reenact the massacre. The nightclub closed in 1976.

In 1978, Time Magazine reported that Patey reassembled the wall and put it on display in a wax museum. The museum featured a scene of gangsters shooting each other in front of the wall. But the wax museum later went bankrupt.

The wax museum scene.

The bricks were then placed in storage until 1997, when Patey tried to auction them off. A Las Vegas casino offered $175,000 for all of the bricks, but Patey refused. In 1999, Patey tried to sell off individual bricks and managed to get rid of approximately a hundred.

Patey passed away on December 26, 2004, with the brick collection going to his niece, who then sold the remaining bricks to a Las Vegas mob museum.

Synopsis: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is a re-imagining of the 16th President’s life that depicts him as an axe-throwing, highly accomplished killer of vampires — an obsession of his since those bloodsuckers supposedly took the life of his mother. Lincoln eventually learns that the vampires have fled to the southern states of the U.S. and are concocting a plan to conquer and enslave the entire country — this in turn leads to the Civil War between the Union and the Confederacy, the latter of which the vampires are aligned with.

Now onto the good stuff!

Christophe Gans.

Although there are no raw details of the plot currently available, Gans has said, “”Although I will keep to a form of storytelling of this timeless fairy tale that is in keeping with the same pace and characters as the original, I will surprise the audience by creating a completely new visual universe.”

Vincent Cassel.

Since the project is still in such early days of development, there is no news as to what genre the film will fall into, though one can expect to be horror. After all, Gan is the direction behind Silent Hill. Assuming Gans continues down the path his previous work has taken, this film will not be filled with Disney princesses singing songs and performing choreographed dances.

But no more messages came from Barker’s Twitter account – only silence. Why was Barker in the hospital? Was he all right? What happened? Days passed, yet no news came.

Clive Barker in 2007 at the EMP/Science Fiction Museum in Seattle.

Then Clive Barker’s official website put out this message:

“My friends, Clive here. I’m at home now after a while in hospital, thanks to a nearly fatal case of Toxic Shock brought on by a visit to my dentist. Apparently this is not uncommon. In my case the dental work unloaded such a spillage of poisonous bacteria into my blood that my whole system crashed, putting me into a coma. I spent several days in Intensive Care, with a machine breathing for me. Later, my Doctors said that they had not anticipated a happy ending until I started to fight, repeatedly pulling out the tubes that I was constantly gagging on. After a few days of nightmarish delusions I woke up to my life again, tired, twenty pounds lighter but happy to be back from a very dark place. And here in the world I intend to stay. I’ve books to write, films to make and paintings to paint. I seem to have come home with my sight clearer somehow, and my sense of purpose intensified. Thank you all for your messages your prayers and love. What better reason to wake to life than knowing I have such friends? Again, thank you. My love to you always. Clive.”

It’s strange to see a legend as big as Clive Barker succumb to a freak accident. It reminds us that underneath all of those novels and films and paintings Barker is as human as the rest of us. From all of us at FrightCatalog.com, we wish Barker the quickest of recoveries.

Shawn Levy, director behind Real Steel, Night at the Museum, and Date Night, was expected to take creative charge on the film, transforming the script into a cinematic experience.

However, according to Vulture, “…Fox recently balked at making Levy’s planned remake of Frankenstein at an $80 million budget…” Since Chronicle only held a budget of $15 million, one can see why Fox would be so hesitant to fund an $80 million project – that’s quite a leap of finances, no matter how well Chronicle did in theaters. So, for now, we must remain content with traditional Frankenstein costumes, but maybe soon we’ll see some science fiction cyborg Frankenstein groaning onto the silver screen.

Clearly, the company is calling out Welker, the wide receiver for the Patriots, who dropped a crucial pass late in last Sunday’s Super Bowl game. And it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see what the message here is: Pawngo.com thinks Welker is all Butterfingers.

The company put out a Twitter message, “We’re giving Boston a late morning snack to get over Sunday’s loss #butterfingers.”

Here’s a picture of people clamoring for their Butterfingers:

If you’re in Boston, go get yourself a late snack!

If you have not seen Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, Hinzman is the zombie shambling through the graveyard in this scene:

In addition to Hinzman’s infamous role as the original Romero zombie, he also worked on such films as There’s Always Vanilla, The Crazies, and Hungry Wives. In 1988, Hinzman wrote, edited, directed, and starred in Flesh Eater, in which he plays the same role as Zombie #1 from Night of the Living Dead. Hinzman was a frequent attendant of the Halloween convention circuit, often attending in costume as the famed Romero zombie.

Josephine Streiner, another actress in Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, also passed away today. Josephine played another of the many ghouls within the film, and it is her car that Barbara wrecked while trying to escape the graveyard where Hinzman first appeared.

Both of these individuals will be greatly missed, for they contributed to one of horror’s greatest films. From all of us at FrightCatalog.com, we wish their families peace and solace.

Due to the show’s day-time schedule, the show amassed more episodes (1,225) in its five-year lifespan than most other science-fiction/fantasy genre television shows, including Doctor Who and the entire Star Trek franchise. In 2007, Dark Shadows ranked #23 on TV Guide’s Top Cult Shows Ever list.

Johnny Depp starring as Barnabas Collins.

Now, nearly fifty years later, the series is set to see a silver-screen revival, with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp leading the theatrical project. This is another of many films Burton and Depp have worked on together, previously including: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Corpse Bride (2005), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), and Alice in Wonderland (2010).

The Dark Shadows cinematic release is scheduled for May 11, 2012 – so only just around the corner. Not much is known about the actual plotline of the film, other than the general plot synopsis: “A gothic-horror tale centering on the life of vampire Barnabas Collins and his run-ins with various monsters, witches, werewolves and ghosts. Based on the cult TV series.”

And, of course, Depp has again taken to visually transforming himself for the role of a character. We saw him become madness and mayhem as the Mad Hatter, eccentricity and genius as Willy Wonka, and horror and despair as Sweeny Todd. Now Depp brings us the sophisticated elegance of a Victorian vampire, as Barnabas Collins.

But Depp’s thrill of becoming a character goes further than merely playing dress-up. In fact, Colleen Atwood, the woman behind Depp’s Barnabas Collins costume, says, “[Depp] has it in contract that he gets to keep all his costumes.” Each and every costume Johnny Depp has ever worn for a film is archived in his Santa Monica showroom.

The cast.

Will the silver-screen adaptation of Dark Shadows attract the same cult status as the original series? Come May 11, 2012, we’ll find out.

As stated on our Facebook yesterday, the FrightCatalog gang is down here in Houston, Texas, covering Halloween Expo 2012. But since we’d be nothing without our faithful customers, we want to share the experience with you! So, here’s the first update of the convention:

The Expo opened at 8 AM, but they wouldn’t let anyone in until 9 AM, so we all just stood around for an hour. Nothing really happened. Some people mingled, attractive models in skimpy costumes walked through the crowd, and that’s pretty much it. Here’s a video of the entrance:

Once inside, I wandered over to the California Costume Collections booth, where I found this astonishing vampire mask and wings costume:

Yup, the wings move on their own. It blew my mind how cool these would be to wear around. Technology is definitely entering the Halloween industry, and I cannot wait to see what else is in store.

Also in the California Costume Collections booth were these Get Your Zombie On! costume kits:

Each kit includes the necessary makeup and accessories to transform your face into a ghoulish horror, as seen on the models above the displayed kits. Simple, easy-to-apply, and perfect for any zombie-loving Halloween fan.

But enough about California Costume Collections and their sweet products. I wanted to find some high quality weapons, and the Charades booth definitely delivered:

As you can see in the video, I squeezed the hell out of that foam hammer and it didn’t budge an inch. A Charades representative said they make the weapons specifically to give the wielder some heft, because “lightweight weapons don’t feel awesome enough.” The hammer, for example, has a metal rod running through the handle. No cheap materials, no unsatisfied customers, that’s the way to run a Halloween business.

Next I set my sights on the Forum Novelties booth, but I barely made it away from Charades when this terrifying attraction caught my attention:

That’s a 15′ clown costume worn by the president of Beyond Sales. The costume is fully moveable – wrists, arms, head, back, legs – and the president claims to have snowboarded down a mountain while wearing it. On the table is a DVD player showing clips of him rollerblading around Vancouver, Washington.

Then I finally made my way over to Forum Novelties, where they showed me their latest line of Halloween monster masks:

I had a good laugh when I saw the Obama mask at the end of the line. A political monster is still a monster, I guess, depending on your views.

And lastly, while heading away from the booths to write up this post, I stumbled upon what I can only call the “Demon Baby Ring of Death”:

So, that’s it for now, Fright Fans, but there will be plenty more coming up later today and tomorrow. If you want to see anything specific, like more vampire or zombie stuff, drop us a comment and we’ll check it out.

But Twilight is a singular occurrence, right? Vampires and werewolves are the only ones to have felt the soft, seductive hands of the romance genre, right? I mean, there’s no way someone could write a financially successful romance novel about, say, a zombie, right?

Wrong.

This is where I introduce you to Warm Bodies, a zombie romance novel.

The book.

Here’s the plot, according to Wikipedia:

“R is a zombie. After a zombie apocalypse, he slowly moves through an America made up of collapsed buildings, rusted cars, shattered glass, and hollowed-out high-rises. He can speak only in grunts and simple syllables and craves human brains to get high on the memories they contain. After eating the brain of a suicidal teen, R is overcome with love for the teen’s companion, Julie Grigio. R rescues Julie from certain death by his zombie pack and takes her back to his lair. She eventually leaves, and R follows her to back to Citi Stadium, the largest remaining human habitation.”

Somehow, the book has earned enough attention to garnish a film adaptation, which is expected to hit theaters this year. While I applaud the concept of zombies eating human brains to get high off memories, I cannot express any joy toward this novel or film. Zombies are the over-milked fad of recent years, and now the genre comes face-to-face with romance.

The movie.

If anything, let’s hope this movie kills the zombie fad and we can move onto the next horror icon to become popular, whored out, and then mixed with romance.

Each doll is individually crafted, not made by a machine in some foreign country. The dolls range from a Day of the Dead nun to a vampire girl with mouths for eyes – and these are only two of the thirty options available.

If you have any kind of love for the macabre, these dolls should seize your heart with horrifying joy. We listed the dolls online on our eBay store some days ago, with the prices starting at one penny – one penny! – but the auctions still have some days to run. Check out some of the dolls listed below, and then toss your bid into the mix.

Click a picture to jump to the doll’s eBay page (or click here to head to our eBay store):

But according to recent news released on HollywoodReporter.com, Columbia Pictures is now closing a deal with Darren Lemke, the writer behind Jack the Giant Killer, to pen the big-screen adaptation of these children’s horror books.

The producers behind the film are Neal Moritz, along with Sony-based Original Film group, and Deborah Forte, a member of Scholastic Entertainment.

Known for its classic sci-fi/horror stories, Goosebumps has helped bring horror to countless children, without stuffing in the usual horror tropes of gore, sex, and blood. Adult horror books often leave whole sections to describing dead bodies and body parts, while Goosebumps seeks to make its audience laugh, not cringe.

While it is unclear as to which of the Goosebumps books will see big-screen action, it is clear that these studios are taking their time with its creation. One can only hope that the finished product is worth the Goosebumps name.

Tuesdays, though, are transitional days, carrying you from the dreadful start of the week to the glorious midweek hump known as Wednesday. The only other transitional day is Thursday, which has the looming boon of Friday being only 24-hours away, followed quickly by the weekend. No, Tuesdays are the worst of the weekdays – the epitome of a nine-to-five lifestyle; the bane of an exciting life.

Thankfully, we here at FrightCatalog.com share this distaste for Tuesdays, so we’re always on the lookout for something to put a pep in our Tuesday step. Today, on this Tuesday, we stumbled upon a video that crams sixty-four horror films into a five-minute trailer.

Give it a gander, let the familiar horror films flow through your fleshy eyes, and remember, the weekend is only three more days away.

Most audience members left the film feeling like this woman.

Sierra/Affinity and their partner Incentive Filmed Entertainment will fund and produce the project, while William Brent Bell will continue his work as the film’s director. Seeing as how The Devil Inside is currently sitting at a 6% on RottenTomatoes.com, maybe this time Bell will actually make a good movie and not rely on a heavy advertisement campaign to produce sales.

According to Variety.com, “Details are under wraps other than the style of filmmaking the team brought to The Devil Inside [will] be applied to another horror mythology.” So if you hated the found-footage style of The Devil Inside, you may want to stay clear of the next project created by Bell and Peterman.

In addition, the same producers that worked on The Devil Inside will see a return with this new project, which includes Steven Schneider, Matthew Peterman, and Morris Paulson.

The CEO of Sierra/Affinity, Nick Meyer, said, “From day one we have been huge fans of this filmmaking team and the way they have crafted a unique movie-going experience with The Devil Inside. These are filmmakers we know and trust and they bring an original voice and style to our next project that will once again introduce audiences to a new expectation of what one can define as a genre film.”

Steven Schneider, one of the executive producers for The Devil Inside, said, “It’s a little premature. Everybody is processing what happened – the remarkable weekend we had – and feeling really good about that.” Schneider continued, “Certainly the filmmakers and Lorenzo (di Bonaventura) and I would all love to explore [a sequel] with the studio and I think we believe that there is absolutely the potential to carry forward out storylines from the original. It would be a rather organic and fun process – and one that would lead to great results.”

Steven Schneider.

To give you an idea of this guy’s career history, he also produced Paranormal Activity 3 and Insidious, and he was the executive producer for Paranormal Activity 1 and 2. Basically, the guy loves mediocre horror movies that are hyped to hell and back, causing them to actually produce revenue.

But let’s add some context to what he just said: Lorenzo di Bonaventura was another of the executive producers for The Devil Inside, but di Bonaventura was also the producer for the Transformers franchise and Salt, two financially successful film projects that received mixed reviews from audiences.

These two guys, di Bonaventura and Schneider, are in the film business to make money – that much is clear – but does Schneider really believe that people will want to see a second The Devil Inside film?

They fooled us once with the first film, but they have to be seriously disconnected from reality to believe that they can fool us twice.

To put that 7% into perspective, Twilight received a 49%, and that movie catches all kinds of flak. Someone must have sold their soul – no pun intended – to get The Devil Inside to the #1 spot.

I admit that I did not see the movie this weekend, nor do I plan on seeing it anytime soon. Hell, not even Redbox’s prices are low enough for this film. I watch a horror movie to be scared, not to have the horror come from actually sitting through the film.

But here’s the question: How did a movie this bad, this openly hated by critics, become the #1 seller in the box office? It had no 3-D elements, and there wasn’t a single blue alien fighting to save a tree.

Was it the nearly 4-minute red band trailer? Were people hoping the film would be like The Exorcist? Maybe it was the news of a filmgoer possessed during the premiere of the film. Whatever it was, this film’s box office results were clearly the product of masterful marking skills.

So now I want to hear from our audience members. Did anyone enjoy this film? Would you recommend that your friendly FrightCatalog.com blogger see the film and give an impression?

If enough people say yes, I’ll do it – I’ll watch a critically hated film, and then I’ll write about the experience.

The two companies have their sights set on Kimberly Pierce as director. Pierce is best known for her work on the 1999 drama / romance / crime film Boys Don’t Cry, which Pierce directed and co-wrote.

Since it has been nearly forty years since the release of the original Carrie, Hollywood has taken it upon themselves to update the film for a new generation. The remake script was written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, who recently rewrote Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark on Broadway. Rumors claim that Aguirre-Sacasa wrote the remake as a version of Carrie that is more like the original Stephen King novel.

As long as this remake is nothing like the sequel The Rage: Carrie 2, it may actually turn out to be all right.