Riff Trax - MST3K Your Halloween...

I'll admit, I've seen John Carpenter's Halloween umpteen kerbillion times and I watch it at least once every October.

But I've never seen it with running MST3K-like commentary.

Check out Riff Trax for a unique take on your favorite horror films!

A brilliant idea by the guys that brought you the classic cult TV show and movie Mystery Science Theater 3000, Riff Trax let's you download an audio file of the guys doing running gag commentary on tons of movies-- including horror.

Unlike MST3K which had to acquire the rights to broadcast the film with the silhouetted robot commentators, this new system allows you to sync up their usually irreverent and always funny non-stop barrage of humor to your favorite films right in your home.

The horror section boasts classics such as: Night of the Living Dead, Halloween and The Wicker Man... newer titles like The Grudge... and guilty pleasures like Troll 2.
Yes, that's right, there's a "2" there.

For a varying nominal fee of under five bucks, it's a great new twist on your usual Halloween viewing fare.

Be sure to poke around the site for other Halloween worthy titles that aren't listed in the horror section (like Plan 9 From Outer Space).

Halloween Recipes: Fresh Bowl of Eyes & Stuffed Roaches

There isn't much that'll gross me out when it comes to "Halloween Recipes." Because what can you really do with ghosts, black and orange frosting and some creativity?
A gingerbread cookie house... a jack o' lantern cookie... a crunchy spider snack. Cute. But not gross.

Well whoever "Overduebook" is over at Flick is raising the bar for edible, Halloween, gross eats.

Check out the pics to really sell it. Known as "Fresh Bowl of Eyes" and "Stuffed Roaches" these things on first glance really turned my stomach.

But reading the comments to deduce how they were made shows how the right colored ingredients, a well placed sign or prop and some ingenuity can really sell something. And they're really REALLY easy to make.

That "Fresh Bowl of Eyes?" Is really just lychee fruit in a can that's been well drained and then filled with strawberry jam/jelly and topped with a blueberry. Poof. Pukeariffic.

The "Stuffed Roaches?" Dates, nuts and cream cheese. Put a sign and a rubber roach and you've got people cringing.

Brilliant.

Check out the rest of the Overduebook's photostream HERE on Flickr for other equally nauseating treats--- or try THIS Flickr link for Halloween recipes both cute and gross.

Make Your Own Skull Crushers Candy!

When I was a kid a friend of mine told me about these candies called Skull Crushers.

"They're white skulls, and when you bite into 'em, BLOOD pours out."

It was too much for me to process. I didn't believe him.
What adult would make something THAT cool and gross.

Well then he showed them to me. Sure enough we bit into them together and---- CANDY BLOOD OOZED OUT! Of a skull! Holy crap. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, check out sweetskulls.com here for a picture of the packaging.)

Well after a little internet scouring I still can't quite tell if they're still being made, or if they're a thing of the past. You can find them on THIS British candy website.
Buuuuut who wants to order liquid perishable candy across the pond.
That can't travel well.

Well your friendly neighborhood Halloween Addict HAS found a recipe to MAKE YOUR OWN Skull Crushers!

Head on over to Cut Out and Keep for the recipe with photos.

They're not going to hold your hand over at Cut Out + Keep. For instance, they basically tell you to use a skull mold... find it around Halloween. Hmmmoookay.
But the important stuff is there and before you know it you'll be doing your best giant zombie person who eats heads, impression.

It's a niche impression.
How many people are doing that impression?
Two. You and me.

You are WELCOME.

Halloween Snacks: Boo Berry & Frankenberry - Fruit by the Foot

So there I was, trolling my local grocery store ("Ralph's," if you must know) for Halloween items.

Sure they had the obligatory aisle of candy, all the usual suspects, nothing new.
Grocery stores are mainstream. You're not going to find anything crazy there.
A package of plastic spiders... a pumpkin carving kit... and too many candy bowls that have a hand that bends to grab you when you reach for it. Yawn.

I pushed my wobbly wheeled cart (why do I ALWAYS get the wobbly wheel?! It's statistically impossible!) down away from the orange and black-- resigned to just buy my food staples and go home.

I went down the cereal aisle looking to see if the General Mills monster cereals would turn up. I love the monster cereals. Grew up with them. Actually I grew up with Frankenberry. It was the only one my local, rural grocery store carried. I longed for Boo Berry. So much so that I didn't have my first bowl of it 'til I was a fully functioning adult approximately 11 years ago. Ohhhhh that first bite of Boo Berry. Nothing like fulfilling a childhood dream.
Where was I?
Ah yes!

It being Halloween time I always look forward to the smiling visages of my cartoon dracula, Frankenstein and ghost marshmallow cereal pushers.
But nothing in the cereal aisle.
Lame.

So imagine my surprise as I happened upon this standing display of Boo Berry and Frankenberry Fruit by the Foot in the juice aisle!
The juice aisle?
Ummmm juice is made from fruit... this is Fruit by the Foot... ummmm... you're reaching here grocery store dudes. Reachin'.

Now these treats are nothing new. Other blogs have posted about them for a number of years. But every time I read those other sites all I could think was "Where are MY sugar cereal rolls of goodness?!"
Ah... well... here they are.
Aisle 9.

So how do they stack up now that I've finally tried them?

PACKAGING:
The box is simple. Just the smiling visage of the appropriate monster in the applicable color. (Though I actually thought to myself, "Why don't they have Count Chocula too?... Oh... oh that'd be gross.")

Inside, the individually wrapped packages continue with the theme. I like that. Sure they could have just had silver foil and been done with it. But they took the time to carry over the design. They'd make good hand outs for trick or treaters because of that.
Nice work, Fruit dudes.

FLAVORS:
Boo Berry: Tastes berry-like. A flavor I would expect to find in Berry Flavored Skittles. Does NOT taste like the cereal. (Not that I care, but if there are purists out there.)

Frankenberry: It's strawberry Fruit Roll Up. Plain and simple.

Interesting note: I don't know if you can make it out in the photo, but Boo Berry has a wavy line down the middle of it that allows you to halve the strip when you pull it off. Something Frankenberry is lacking.
Why did they do this? Is it supposed to be a wavy-ghost line? Is Boo Berry too intense that you really should be taking moderate doses? Can I tie a bow-tie like Boo Berry wears using a wavy piece? Mysteries.

Boo Berry also has a flavor smudge down the side of it too. If I didn't know better I'd think they didn't clean the roll press properly. But I'm going to guess it's a flavor smudge of ghostly goodness.
Winner: Boo Berry! (Wait, was there a contest?)

Final verdict: I'm glad I tried 'em once. I definitely enjoy my monster cereal graphics at Halloween if I can't find the cereals. I think it'd be cool to hand them out to trick or treaters, but at $2 a box (on sale!) that could get costly if you have a high traffic house.

Lastly, I found this awesome standee at the front of the store! Discount tickets for Universal's Halloween Horror nights! It warms the heart to see Freddy Krueger's burnt visage staring me down.

What have we learned?

Look around your store! Just because there's a dedicated section to Halloween, doesn't mean there aren't some hidden gems too.
Important safety tip, thanks Egon.

Memoirs: Crappy Halloween Candy - A Look Back...

Matt over at X-Entertainment has begun his beloved Halloween countdown. Going on his 6th year, it really is a treat to read and had become part of my Halloween traditions. He inspires, entertains and amazes. Definitely check it out.

On his latest post the comments centered around bad Halloween candy (specifically Mary Janes) and what started as a brief posting by myself, sparked a lengthy memoir/rant that I thought other Halloween Addicts may find interesting.

I realized not too long ago to stop blaming the givers of bad Halloween candy. Not to condone it, but I believe that the giving out of crappy candy is a generational thing.

Let me explain: I grew up in a pretty rural area and my mom would only take me to the houses of the people in the area she knew. A lot of those people were in their 50s and they were giving out candy that THEY liked when THEY were kids.

So I would wind up with lots of yellow cellophane wrapped butterscotch hard candies...

White stripes (tolerable at Christmas... unforgivable at Halloween)...

Mini Zagnuts (I didn't even know what a Zagnut was... I opened up one and there was a SPIDER-WEB IN IT. God knows how long that had been in their cupboard!!!! I've still, to this day, never eaten a Zagnut)...

And the absolute worst of all: Necco wafers.
Oof.
(Varying licorice-like flavored chalky discs.)
Blech.
BLECH!!!!
Necco wafers were the candy that the kids in the back of the bus would thrown at you on November 1st. They are THAT hated by children that they are used as weapons.

Why didn't the old people know to just buy the brightly colored bags of Wacky Wafers or Jolly Ranchers or or or... ANYTHING else?
Seriously. Turn on a television. Read the newspaper flyers. Anything advertised is popular.
Even timeless classics like Snickers and Reese's they should know about. THOSE candies were around when Ike was raging against the machine.
I just don't get it.

BUT: all that crappy candy did one important thing. When you dumped your loot on the table that night it made the gems stand out that much more. It was like panning for gold.

"Crap... crap... crap... Hershey bar... crap... Eureka! A mini-Nerds box!"

Pumpkin Teeth - Give Your Jack o' Lantern a Grin

You carve a pumpkin every year for Halloween but no matter how ambitious your ideas you're restricted by how careful you need to be with the teeth. Can't cut 'em to thin, because they'll shrivel early and make your jack o' lantern's sinister grin into a vegetable's impression of your grandpa without his dentures.

God bless America where every niche market can be filled. Enter: Pumpkin Teeth.

These plastic teeth can be inserted in the orange gums of your latest edible autumn artwork giving it a sinister toothy maw that'll last through jack's life.

Available in small medium and large, the plastic teeth can be used every year.

Now go work on that vampire pumpkin you've always wanted.

How to Make Your Own Halloween Pumpkin Wallpaper

If you're like me, you're at your computer monitor for a good portion of the day for work, play and hobby. So much so that your desktop wallpaper becomes your electronic window that needs to change with the seasons and be decorated accordingly.

Well what better way to ring in the first day of Autumn then by making your own Jack o' Lantern wallpaper for your computer?

Webdesign.org has a pretty easy how-to for a make your own pumpkin jack o' lantern wallpaper.

Looks like all you need is Adobe Photoshop and the ability to follow pretty well thought out directions.

Check it out HERE.

Halloween Recipe: Crunchy Spiders

I'm not much of a chef, but nothing makes me want to become one more than Halloween recipes. There's just something about cookies shaped like things you'd normally hit with a book that makes cooking exciting.

Below is a well shot how-to video from Chocolate Bytes for "Crunchy Spiders."

They look pretty tasty and cute. But if something that wasn't a cookie and THAT size crawled out from under MY couch? Seriously. A book. Dropped. On it.

RE-POST: Free Halloween Fonts, Icons, Wallpapers & MORE!

I had posted about this HERE back in February when I discovered it but, so as not to miss out again because NOW is the time you need them, here's a RE-POST about FREE Halloween Digital resources courtesy of DesignBliss.com.

They've compiled a fantastic list of FREE Halloween wallpapers, icons, fonts, stock photos, templates, dingbats, Photoshop brushes and MORE.

Check it out by clicking the images or HERE.

Living Dead Dolls Series 16 - Halloween Theme Edition

"They've passed away, now it's time to play."

What if your Cabbage Patch Kid died and was buried in a Stephen King-like Pet Sematary?
You'd get The Living Dead Dolls.

Ahhh the Living Dead Dolls.
Such a simple idea that is executed so well.

What are they?
Well: take a doll ---boom, already creepy--- then make it into a gothic horror icon.
Creepy clown? Check.
Eyeless child? Check.
Zombie infant? Check.
Etc. Etc. and so forth.

Brilliant in its terrifying simplicity.

I've marveled at some of the dolls over the years, debating a purchase of a Friday the 13th or Exorcist themed one. But nothing has ever really caught my fancy enough to make a purchase.

'Til now.

Series 16 of the Living Dead Dolls has a HALLOWEEN theme!

There's a ghost, a pig faced pig-tailed girl, a werewolf/sea creature blend called "Mishka," a Masque of the Red Death-ish "Isabel" and my personal favorite: "Pumpkin."

You know my penchant for jack o' lanterns and Pumpkin gives you 3 for 1. You've got the jack o' lantern trick or treat pail, the jack o' lantern mask AND the pumpkin-faced child underneath the mask. With the mask on it almost reminds me of the Halloween III: Season of the Witch Don Post mask the children wear in that film.

Each doll comes with a trick or treat jack o' lantern pail and sports a creepy mask that when removed has a creepier face. Delivered to your door in a coffin with a death certificate.

I really like this series as it seems like they took a little inspiration from all the horror favorites across a wide cross section of fans. You can see the Universal monsters, The Shining, Poe, The Munsters, It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, Salem's Lot winks and the craftsmanship is superb.

Only a very affordable $25.99 apiece so head on over to Sideshowcollectibles.com to purchase! As always they're limited so get them before they're G-O-N-E.

How-To Roundup: DIY Halloween Yard Haunt Sites...

As Halloween Addicts get jobs and "disposable income" their need to take back their favorite holiday manifests in different ways.

Maybe it's the desire to work with one's hands... or a designer streak... or the plain glee from scaring the crap out of friends and neighbors but one such manifestation is the "yard haunter."

A yard haunters desire can be as simple as decorations in the windows or as complex as a Disney-inspired animatronic walk-thru complete with visual effects, cast of characters and hourly variety show.

Whatever level of Halloween committment you have, you may need ideas, or a mentor, or a how-to and that's where these webpages come in.

Give any of the following sites a gander to inspire or direct you into turning that humble abode of yours into a smoking, screaming, spooky house on haunted hill that any jack o' lantern would grin for.

http://www.halloweenmonsterlist.info/
http://garageofevil.ning.com/
http://www.stolloween.com/
http://www.hauntproject.com/
http://www.hauntforum.com/
http://www.instructables.com/

UPDATED: Almost forgot MAKE Magazines website!
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/halloween/

Universal Halloween Horror Nights 2008!

Remember how excited I was last year about the "horror hat trick" Universal Studios was pulling with their Halloween Horror Nights? Freddy, Jason AND Leatherface (even CHUCKY!) in one place??!!!
'Member?!
No?
Read THIS then.

Did Universal deliver to my excited expectations? Yes.
Yes it did.

So here we are again and Universal is about to deliver AGAIN. Freddy, Jason and Leatherface are all back. So's Chucky. How do they make it better? By throwing in the masked killers from The Strangers, THAT'S how. According to the website:

Plus there’s a new scare zone based on the hit movie, “The Strangers” and an all-new Bill & Ted’s Halloween Adventure.

Very exciting.
Though I wonder what a The Strangers "scare zone" is? Is that a nice warm candle lit living room with masked crazies in it?
Will I want to scream or settle in with a book?

How else are they upping the ante?
Well they're putting Freddy "loose" on the backlot AND putting him in an all-new Nightmare on Elm Street maze that you enter through the front of the Elm Street house!
Wow. Very cool.

Speaking of the backlot tour, it was definitely one of the high points of my trip last year. The trams drop you off at a point and you walk ON FOOT right next to the Psycho house and Bates motel. For a horror fan, you can't get any closer to a legendary screen classic than that.

One other item of note was the Universal Monster walk thru. I entered thinking it would be childish and lame but when I found myself walking on a ledge above a 3 story giant Frankenstein's monster lab, I thought "oh this isn't just thrown together." Do check it out when you go.

For a "so bad it's good" watch I highly recommend the Bill & Ted's Halloween Adventure show. Imagine one of the current parody films like Epic Movie done live on stage... with no plot... and fart jokes. Seriously, check out this car accident of a show. You'll be talking about it for years.

So let's recap: Freddy, Jason, Leatherface, Chucky, The Strangers, Universal monsters and Psycho. All in one trip.

They really take care to make the mazes with a high Hollywood production value. It shows. In the costumes the Jasons and Freddys are wearing to the rooms you walk through. A woman being speared through the roof of a REAL VW Beetle? Wow.

This behind the scenes video is sort of a mini "making of" that shows the care they give to the event.

Not to mention some of the park's rides are still open like the Mummy rollercoaster, the Jurassic Park Ride without lights, etc.

My point is this: All in all the best bang for your Halloween buck is Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights.
Or should I say something more quotable like: The most screams for your dollar is Universal's Halloween Horror Nights.

Halloween Candy: Giant Chewy Nerds

Oh Mr. Wonka.
How you know the way to my heart.

So I couldn't help myself: I went to Target just to see how they were coming along with their Halloween selection.

Guess what? The candy's up. Mmmmm wonderful, delectable Halloween candy. Dress up the old candy in spooky colored bags bigger than my pillowcase and I can't help but want to buy wheelbarrows full.

So as I perused, fighting the urge to Scrooge McDuck in to the shelves and swim around, my eyes fell on WONKA CHEWY NERDS.

For those of you who read the site, you know my infatuation with these gems. If not, read up HERE.

There was a tag that said 3 for $5. And I knew that I was done. How much do I like these? Well I ate half a bag just driving home.
The Halloween edition bag is emblazoned with two Halloween colors: orange and purple and the nerds are dressed as a witch and a bat/devil/vampire-thing. I usually avoid purple in my Halloween but I understand it's need for slimy things and monsters. The bag foretells the flavors contained therein, for there are only two: grape and orange.
Two of the best flavors in my opinion. If you like Nerds and you like jellybeans for the love of god and all that is holy, pick yourself up a bag.

The fact that Giant Chewy Nerds are now available in 7-11s and convenience stores in pocket packs makes this bag only slightly less special. I'm so glad these are popular. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go buy the rest of the shelf.

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown - Remastered Deluxe DVD

From the "oh my god I can't believe I missed this last week!" file: It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown has been re-released as a Remastered Deluxe Edition on DVD as of last Tuesday, September 2nd.

It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown is staple Halloween viewing for me. I can remember vividly what an 'event' it was to sit down with fresh baked pumpkin seeds (from my newly carved jack o' lantern) and watch that spinning CBS Special logo and get all goosebumply.

Back to the DVD: I love the new pumpkin orange packaging. That'll stand out nicely in the Halloween section of my DVD shelf.

But the question you're asking is, "Is it worth it for the double dip?" Short answer: yes.

Long answer and reason why you should buy:
1) Inside the DVD is a code for you to redeem TWO songs on iTunes from the Charlie Brown's Holiday Hits CD. That's FREE CHARLIE BROWN MUSIC. Sweet.

2) It's been remastered. Does it look good on my standard def TV?
Ummmmm... sure.
Did the old DVD look good too?
Sure.
To tell you the truth, I'm not the best judge of these things. Unless there was a huge waving film scratch down the middle like in the old films we watched in elementary school, then I'm not gonna notice.
All in all: it looks good. I'll take it that they paid some tech guys good money to make it pretty-pretty.

3) The special feature, “We Need a Blockbuster, Charlie Brown,” about the creation of Great Pumpkin. It's a fairly standard doc with interviews with executive producer Lee Mendelson, Bill Melendez, Schulz family members, and historians. But it is great.

So there are your reasons. Pick it up. I'll be grabbing my copy (hopefully) when I hit Target next week.

Grindhouse Inspired "House of the Dead Overkill" Trailer

I want to take this time to thank Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez for existing on this planet.

If it weren't for you two, we wouldn't have spectacular marketing like THIS. Below is the European trailer for Sega's "House of the Dead Overkill" for the Nintendo Wii.

The trailer is all kinds of fun with a distinctive grindhouse b-movie style complete with distressed film effects, scantily glad women, drive-in promotions, zombies and violence aplenty.

From the Sega website houseofthedeadoverkill.com the game boasts:

• Pulp Funk Horror Zombie cool, one of the most popular shooter classics injected with a whole new retro b-movie look.

• An utterly in-your-face zombie-dismembering blast
Non-stop light-gun style action on Wii, blow apart zombies for high-score thrills.

• Superb co-op action on Wii
Bring a friend and play the game as intended in your own buddy action movie as two of the meanest mofos in video gaming.

• Relentless, gore-drenched, over-the-top action
Only the coolest, most cold-hearted agent’s going to keep his head against the zombie flood. Use “Slow-Mofo Time” to make the perfect head-popping shot and “Evil Eye” to spot moments of opportunity that’ll send the whole environment up in flames.

• Wiimote reactions
Get knee-deep in the dead with motion-sensitive Wii-controls. Shuck a shotgun and when the zombies get too close, pistol whip jaws off or cave some heads in with the stock of your pump-action – all in stomach-churning close-up.

I tell ya what... I don't even know if the game is going to be good. But I can at least appreciate this trailer. Check it out below.

Vintage Holloween: How to Carve a Turnip Jack o' Lantern

If you're a fan of modern Halloween, you may or may not know the origins of some of your favorite iconography. Like jack o' lanterns.

There's a reason why we hollowed out a pumpkin, put a candle in it and carved a scary face on the front. The legend of the jack o' lantern originated back in Ireland... and there's a reason why we call it a JACK o' lantern. Here's one take on it compliments of HallowFreaks.com:

There are many lores and legends surrounding the origin of the Jack-O-Lantern. The most popular tale is that of a ne'er-do-well Irishman name Jack.

Well known for his drunken meanness, Jack got so intoxicated on a Halloween that his soul began to leave his body. The Devil saw an opportunity to claim a victim and promptly came to earth. Jack was desperate to avoid his fate so he begged the Devil to allow him one last drink. The Devil consented but stated that Jack would have to pay for his drink because the Devil carried no money. Jack claimed to only have a sixpence left and asked that the Devil assume the shape of a sixpence to pay for the drink. Then, tab paid, the Devil could change back to himself. The Devil considered the request reasonable and changed himself into a sixpence. Jack immediately grabbed the coin and put it in his wallet, which had a cross-shaped catch. The Devil was unable to get out and began ranting and cursing. They then made a deal that the Devil would be released if he agreed to let Jack alone for one year. The Devil agreed and Jack set forth to reform is behavior over the next year.

It wasn't long before Jack slipped back into his mean, drunken ways and the next All Hallows Eve the Devil appeared to Jack and demanded his soul. Once again, Jack was desperate to save himself and did so by tricking the Devil. He suggested to the Devil that he may want one of the delicious apples hanging in a tree nearby. He offered to allow the Devil to climb on his shoulders to reach the apples. Once the Devil was in the tree, Jack pulled out a pocket knife and carved a cross in the tree trunk. The Devil could not get out of the tree. Furious and desperate, the Devil offered Jack ten years of peace in exchange for freeing him. Jack insisted that The Devil never bother him again and he would be freed. The Devil resentfully agreed. Jack then returned to his old ways but before the next Halloween, his body gave out and he passed.

He was turned away at the gates of Heaven because of the meanness in his life. The Devil refused him at the gates of hell, stating that he would never bother him again and told him to return from whence he came. To help Jack see on his journey, the Devil threw him a burning lump of coal from hell. Jack put the ember inside of a turnip and it has been Jack's light on his eternal wanderings ever since. To protect oneself from Jack on All Hallows Eve, jack-o-lanterns were placed on porches and in windows, in hopes that Jack would take the light if needed instead of bothering anyone.

Creepy eh?

eHow.com has a step by step guide on how to carve a turnip for a jack o' lantern. Check out the article with pics HERE. And, really, if you already know how to carve a pumpkin, a turnip is the same difference.

So this Halloween why don't you embrace your vintage Halloween ways and carve a jack o' lantern out of a turnip or rutabaga?
Might be an interesting challenge.
And it'll weed out the Pumpkin Masters trace-a-holics from the die-hard carvers.
I'm just sayin'.
Step up carvers.
Let me see you put a Spongebob on a TURNIP!

Target Halloween - Domo's World Screamiere

Maybe this makes me an uber-consumer but, to me, nothing really trumpets the arrival of the Halloween season like Target filling up their seasonal aisles with all things black, orange and scary.

Until that happens, though, I can head over to Target.com to see what their Halloween on-line presence has this year. And THIS year... it's all about Domo.

For those of you who may not know, Domo began as a mascot for a Japanese TV station and through the help of the internet has become a bit of an icon himself. Basically a brown fuzzy square of a monster with a constantly open maw, baring teeth.

Over at Target.com you can see a 2 minute short film featuring Domo and his Halloween adventures. The short is very Tim Burton-esque with tons of jack o'lanterns, candy, costumes, monsters, a full moon and all done in stop-motion. It definitely captures the spirit of Halloween while still being cute and fun enough for everyone. Very G rated. For film buffs, there's even a "Making of" that shows the crew making the short.

A good way to get in the spirit of things. I like it enough that I'd add it to my Homemade Halloween Special if I knew how to rip it.

Halloween Party - Skeleton Disco Ball

You know what separates your 70s themed Halloween party from a "That 70s Show" party?

Skull Disco Ball.




Style points: check.
Scariness: check.
Seventies: check.

Now get going, and remember: no "Kelso" costumes.

Papier Mache: Scary Halloween Yard Decorations

When I was in 7th grade art class I made a Papier Mache version of Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th Part IV. It only measured 8" tall and was pretty much a faceless blue guy with grey boots and a hockey mask.

The most detail I put into it was in the mask which I prided myself on having the strategically placed breathing holes done with a Sharpie and the obligatory axe mark to coincide with that chapter's continuity in the series. The rest of the um, "sculpture" was a nebulous anthropomorphic blob.

The people at Stolloween are much, much better at Papier Mache than I am... will EVER be.

Scott Stoll is a self-professed Halloween and horror enthusiast who builds his own props for his Halloween yard decorations which, according to his "About," he tries to make bigger and better every year. God bless 'em.

You KNOW that Scott's gotta be the must-go-to house by Trick or Treaters on Halloween. The detail to the work is amazing and you'll be shaking your head saying "I can't believe all these marvelous sculptures are made from newspaper and flour."

Check out his site at www.stolloween.com for step by step how-tos and inspiration on making giant scary pumpkins, zombies, skulls, cauldrons and more.

Halloween Craft - DIY Gross Squishy Eyeball Doorbell

If you're going to have trick or treaters, you may as well make them work for it. I mean if they're threatening you to give treats or you'll get tricks you have to return fire, right?

How abouuuuuut making them poke a squishy eye to make the doorbell ring?
(That doesn't sound too bad given that they'll be getting candy for doing it, no?)

Modd3d.com has a do it yourself how-to on making a working Halloween gross squishy eyeball doorbell prop.

I only wish I had a doorbell. Mine would be a witch's voice saying "You'll poke your eye out." Or Bart Simpson saying "Ow, quit it."

Halloween Viewing: Highest Grossing Horror Films of All Time

Zooped.com has a posting of the Highest Grossing Horror Films of All Time.

Buuuuuuut "highest grossing" doesn't always mean they're good.

For instance: The Haunting remake and Van Helsing are on there and those movies are TER-RI-BLE.

BUT there's vindication in that Jaws and The Exorcist are #1 and #2.

Check out the full list HERE and earmark what you haven't seen for your Halloween viewing this year.