http://www.halloweenforum.com/blog.php This is a discussion forum about Halloween, Haunts and Horror. en Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:09:53 GMT vBulletin 60 http://halloweenforum.com/fusion/misc/rss.jpg http://www.halloweenforum.com/blog.php http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/lhallow/189-getting-work-2008-projects.html Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:06:51 GMT Okay with the spooky tree out of the way, it's time to start working on the smaller projects for this years display. After last years display, we retired our old cemetery fence, toe pincher and pumpkin head scarecrow......all had their share of years of weathering and abuse.

The new fence is going to be my design. I purchased these finials as I didn't want to go with the typical skulls. I bought gargoyles for the posts and I'll be trying a heating method to "bend" some of the bars.

For the new toe pincher coffin I'll be using theScare FX plans and adding a cut out cross on the front. I plan to distress the boards and space them a bit further apart. The coffin is going to remain closed with just light shining from the inside.

Hubby is really on board this year and is always excited when he gets to build stuff. Our plan is to start this weekend.....so we'll see! ]]> LHALLOW http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/lhallow/189-getting-work-2008-projects.html http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/lhallow/188-spooky-tree-2008.html Wed, 03 Sep 2008 19:38:25 GMT This year’s big project was to create a big spooky tree for my cemetery. I came across a great tutorial on one of the threads and decided this method would be the cheapest way to go about making this prop. It ended up costing me $13.00 to make.

Here is what I used:
Various bones and skulls (free, every good haunter owns tons of bones)
Aluminum Foil - not even half a roll ( $1.a roll at Dollar Tree)
¾ of a roll of chicken wire ($7. a roll at Menards)
Old newspapers donated by my mom ripped into various sizes(free)
1 can of Great Stuff (free, left over from last year)
1 can polyurethane spray paint (free, had a couple cans left over)
6 cups of flour (free, who doesn’t have flour?)
24 cups of water (free, from the rain barrel)
6 cans of black spray paint ($.96 a can at Walmart)
½ can of brown spray paint (free, left over from last year)
Various acrylic paints for accents (free, I always keep staple colors)
1 plastic Jack O Lantern (free, someone was throwing it out)
1 piece of PVC to use as a base (free, left over from last year)
1 piece of scrap wood to put under the PVC (free)

First I spent a day making replicas of my various bones. I covered the parts I wanted to use in aluminum foil, making sure to get into all the indentations. I then made a batch of Paper Mache (1 cup flour to 4 cups water, stir until smooth, boil for 2 minutes stirring constantly and then let cool completely.) Coating one piece of paper at a time in the mache, I covered the aluminum foil with 2 layers of paper. Once dry, the skulls are done. Other bones may require cutting off the original and then another layer of mache to get them back together.

For the tree, I pretty much followed the tutorial mentioned above with only a few changes:

-I didn’t use Great Stuff inside the tree at all, I made a base out of PVC and plywood to give some support
-I attached my paper mache bones as I went along and used mache to hold them in place
-I used Great Stuff to create all the veining
-I sprayed the whole tree black first, then lightly went over the bark of the tree with the brown spray paint. I then went back and dry brushed the acrylic paint on all the veining, bones and the pumpkin
-I didn’t want any leaves on my tree and used moss and spider web to decorate it

Here it is about half finished:


Close up of one of my paper mache bones:


And...done:
]]> LHALLOW http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/lhallow/188-spooky-tree-2008.html http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/herman-secret/187-60-days-go.html Tue, 02 Sep 2008 04:56:14 GMT Where is the time going :eek: ? The days seem to be flying past and the project list doesn't get any smaller !!

So where am I at with projects...?

I have built my columns, now working on the tops and then need to paint them. Hope to have these completed by the end of this week.

Finally came up with a motor to use for my witch stirring the cauldron. It's a rotisserie motor, completely encased so hopefully will be weather proof. Cost $1.50 at Value Village :D - so now need to get that underway

I have completed the skeleton for my scarecrow and slowly working on corpsing him.

Other projects on the go are ...

New Coffin dweller, have the head almost finished then need to make some hands.

Candles - using the battery tealights and PVC pipe technique

Gargoyles - have one head finished and the next one on the go ...

Projects that I havent started yet

Boarded up windows... may use styrofoam made to look like lumber. (or just find a couple of pallets :rolleyes:)

Would like to add another witch this year

May have to make some extra fence panels

Need to work out how to decorate the garage as we are adding this to our haunt this year.

And with all that also need to keep an eye on the forum. :eek:

I think I need to find an assistant !!!!! ]]> Herman Secret http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/herman-secret/187-60-days-go.html http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/dinosaur1972/186-troll-records-weird-tales-unknown-1973.html Wed, 27 Aug 2008 02:37:08 GMT
Troll Records – Weird Tales of the Unknown – 1973
GHOST STORIES
I finally got to the last of the Troll Records 1973 set of ghost story albums, and I’m glad I made it. These albums just don’t see to do much for me.

This one opens with Poe’s “The Black Cat”, another staple of weird-tale albums. “A Diagnosis of Death” and “John Bartine’s Watch”, both by Ambrose Bierce, follow. Last is “The Cat that Didn’t Purr”.

The first three are classic stories written in the 19th century … the language is therefore very old-fashioned. Reading these stories is a pleasure … listening to them is a bit of a chore. I can’t find the origin of the last story, but the only weirdness of the tale is talking cats. It has been years since I read any of Bierce’s short stories, and listening to this gave me an excuse to revisit them, and that’s about all this album did for me.

Yeah, it's still good. Get it. ]]> Dinosaur1972 http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/dinosaur1972/186-troll-records-weird-tales-unknown-1973.html http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/dinosaur1972/185-troll-records-great-ghost-stories-1973.html Wed, 27 Aug 2008 02:35:12 GMT Image: http://bp1.blogger.com/_EQXPQvxgn9A/Rk1GDU_54bI/AAAAAAAAANE/zc2Y9dlYzAw/s320/GreatGhostStoriesLPFront.jpg *Troll Records – Great Ghost Stories – 1973 GHOST STORIES* Figured I may as well complete the cycle here. “Great Ghost Stories” is the 3rd Troll Records ghost story releases from 1973 … at least the 3rd that I’m reviewing. “The Mysterious Shipwreck” is a bit long, and I doubt many young children could follow it. “The Golden Arm” is, of course, similar to “The Leg of Gold” featured on Vincent Price’s “A Graveyard of Ghost Tales” as well as the folk tale “The Hairy Toe”. “The Guitar Player” isn’t all that scary. “Here We Go!” is even less scary, but maybe kids would enjoy it. The same narrators, the same cheesy music, and the same sound effects are featured here as on the other Troll ghost story albums. But this time, the stories just don’t measure up. Halloweiner knows you want it anyway. (http://davesworld56.blogspot.com/2007/05/jason-posted-info-on-these-2-lps-here.html)
Troll Records – Great Ghost Stories – 1973
GHOST STORIES

Figured I may as well complete the cycle here. “Great Ghost Stories” is the 3rd Troll Records ghost story releases from 1973 … at least the 3rd that I’m reviewing.

“The Mysterious Shipwreck” is a bit long, and I doubt many young children could follow it. “The Golden Arm” is, of course, similar to “The Leg of Gold” featured on Vincent Price’s “A Graveyard of Ghost Tales” as well as the folk tale “The Hairy Toe”. “The Guitar Player” isn’t all that scary. “Here We Go!” is even less scary, but maybe kids would enjoy it.

The same narrators, the same cheesy music, and the same sound effects are featured here as on the other Troll ghost story albums. But this time, the stories just don’t measure up.

Halloweiner knows you want it anyway. ]]> Dinosaur1972 http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/dinosaur1972/185-troll-records-great-ghost-stories-1973.html http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/dinosaur1972/184-troll-records-thrillers-chillers-1973.html Wed, 27 Aug 2008 02:27:41 GMT Image: http://bp1.blogger.com/_EQXPQvxgn9A/RtJFttwrj-I/AAAAAAAABEg/mxsU7euFPC0/s320/ThrillersAndChillersFront.jpg *Troll Records – Thrillers and Chillers – 1973 GHOST STORIES* Another of Troll Records four-album Halloween releases from 1973. This one is maybe not geared towards children as much as the first one I reviewed, “Scary Spooky Stories”, but the ghost stories are classics. The first is a “The Tell-Tale Heart” … a staple of ghost story albums. “The Monkey’s Paw” might actually be my favorite ghost story (though this is not my favorite rendition … Christopher Lee reads one that is absolutely chilling). I’d never heard “The Boy Who Drew Cats” before - it is a fairy tale from Japan. “The Open Window”, an old ghost story by Saki, is the last track. It’s terrific. The music is a little cheesy but probably appropriate 1973. There are just a few sound effects to enhance the stories. But the narrator bears the lion’s share of keeping the story interesting, and he does well. If you’re into classic ghost stories, this album does alright. Halloweiner doth provide (http://davesworld56.blogspot.com/2007/08/cool-kooky-hip-and-groovy-mini-scar.html).
Troll Records – Thrillers and Chillers – 1973
GHOST STORIES
Another of Troll Records four-album Halloween releases from 1973. This one is maybe not geared towards children as much as the first one I reviewed, “Scary Spooky Stories”, but the ghost stories are classics.

The first is a “The Tell-Tale Heart” … a staple of ghost story albums. “The Monkey’s Paw” might actually be my favorite ghost story (though this is not my favorite rendition … Christopher Lee reads one that is absolutely chilling). I’d never heard “The Boy Who Drew Cats” before - it is a fairy tale from Japan. “The Open Window”, an old ghost story by Saki, is the last track. It’s terrific.

The music is a little cheesy but probably appropriate 1973. There are just a few sound effects to enhance the stories. But the narrator bears the lion’s share of keeping the story interesting, and he does well. If you’re into classic ghost stories, this album does alright.

Halloweiner doth provide. ]]> Dinosaur1972 http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/dinosaur1972/184-troll-records-thrillers-chillers-1973.html http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/dinosaur1972/183-al-zanino-vampire-speaks-1957.html Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:23:10 GMT Image: http://bp3.blogger.com/_EQXPQvxgn9A/Rk4PFk_54fI/AAAAAAAAANk/OrTQKF7zeJY/s320/AlZaninoTheVampireSpeaksLPFront.jpg *Al Zanino - The Vampire Speaks (1957)* I wish I could find more information on Al Zanino … there isn’t much out there. This single was recorded by Zanino and Cliff Juranis in 1957. It looks like they collaborated on a Christmas single in 1950 as well … A Message From Santa … but that’s about all I can find. This single features some dialogue between Dracula and his Dwight Frye-ish lackey begging for blood, followed by a little speech by Dracula himself, and the flip-side has a lovely rendition of “All of a Sudden, My Hearts Sings” with lyrics re-written by Dracula (Zanino). I heard the side 1 – “The Vampire Speaks” - for the first time in the Ghouls With Attitude compilation from 2004, and came across side 2 – “In the Vampire’s Lair” – at Scar Stuff. It’s a quick 6 minutes of weirdness. The Dracula impersonation is good, especially the diabolical laughter. A few sound effects, some piano (low notes and high notes only, it’s like the middle 3rd of the piano was broken) … good old-fashioned spookiness. I like it. Get it from El Wiener de Halloween (http://davesworld56.blogspot.com/2007/05/al-zanino-vampire-speaks-in-vampires.html).
Al Zanino - The Vampire Speaks (1957)

I wish I could find more information on Al Zanino … there isn’t much out there. This single was recorded by Zanino and Cliff Juranis in 1957. It looks like they collaborated on a Christmas single in 1950 as well … A Message From Santa … but that’s about all I can find. This single features some dialogue between Dracula and his Dwight Frye-ish lackey begging for blood, followed by a little speech by Dracula himself, and the flip-side has a lovely rendition of “All of a Sudden, My Hearts Sings” with lyrics re-written by Dracula (Zanino). I heard the side 1 – “The Vampire Speaks” - for the first time in the Ghouls With Attitude compilation from 2004, and came across side 2 – “In the Vampire’s Lair” – at Scar Stuff.

It’s a quick 6 minutes of weirdness. The Dracula impersonation is good, especially the diabolical laughter. A few sound effects, some piano (low notes and high notes only, it’s like the middle 3rd of the piano was broken) … good old-fashioned spookiness. I like it.

Get it from El Wiener de Halloween. ]]> Dinosaur1972 http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/dinosaur1972/183-al-zanino-vampire-speaks-1957.html http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/pinupvampire/182-back-la.html Tue, 26 Aug 2008 04:30:26 GMT So , I am back in LA for only afew days to do a benefit show called Cha Ching F or Cha Cha. It is for animals that have extremely high vet bills and their owners are unable to pay them. It is a very good cause I am honoured to have been asked, along with my partner to host and perform at this event. We will be there as the Flairowitz Sisters, Irene and Eileen Flairowitz. I went shopping today for some clothes for 'Irene'. I am so excited!! I am so excited that i am actually going to get up early tomorrow and gor shipping for the finishing touches for my costume for the event, which includes crystals and butterflies and matching gloves. :D So tomorrow will be a very busy day with the shopping, doing some practicing and them the show at night. I know I am new here, but I do hope if anyone reads this they will check out the event and attend. It is for a very good cause and I encourage everyone to go see the show. It should be a good one.
Cheers!!! ]]> pinupvampire http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/pinupvampire/182-back-la.html http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/dinosaur1972/181-sounds-terror-1974.html Sat, 23 Aug 2008 17:09:41 GMT Image: http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5883/1181/320/Sounds%20of%20Terror1.jpg *Pickwick Records - Sounds of Terror! (1974) Sound Effects* I’m not sure I remember this one from my childhood – it might have been too scary for our local small-town library. It opens with an out-of-place and Picket-less re-recording of “The Monster Mash”. I suppose they were hoping it would help sell the record. (It doesn’t.) The rest of the album is a nice little set of “situational” sound effects. Like the William Castle album, each track starts with a narrator of sorts describing what’s about to happen (“In his thirst for knowledge, Dr. Jekyll experimented with his own body by swallowing a diabolical chemical mixture …”), and then you are treated to what it might have sounded like (mixing the chemicals, drinking, transformation, plenty of diabolical laughter, screaming innocent woman, screaming ends, and more diabolical laughter). For a 1974 album, this manages to keep the level of corniness pretty low. Tracks such as “Burned at the Stake”, “The Exorcist”, and “Jack the Ripper” are pretty effective and plenty scary. Then again, “The Incredible Giant Crab” (two minutes of clicking, screaming, and celery-munching) and “The Blob” are pretty corny. You get about 20 tracks, and each track runs only about 2 minutes, so it’s a quick listen. Skip the bad “Monster Mash” remake, and listen to the rest – it has its moments. Monster Shindig (http://monster-shindig.blogspot.com/2006/02/sounds-of-terror.html) has it.
Pickwick Records - Sounds of Terror! (1974)
Sound Effects

I’m not sure I remember this one from my childhood – it might have been too scary for our local small-town library. It opens with an out-of-place and Picket-less re-recording of “The Monster Mash”. I suppose they were hoping it would help sell the record. (It doesn’t.)

The rest of the album is a nice little set of “situational” sound effects. Like the William Castle album, each track starts with a narrator of sorts describing what’s about to happen (“In his thirst for knowledge, Dr. Jekyll experimented with his own body by swallowing a diabolical chemical mixture …”), and then you are treated to what it might have sounded like (mixing the chemicals, drinking, transformation, plenty of diabolical laughter, screaming innocent woman, screaming ends, and more diabolical laughter).

For a 1974 album, this manages to keep the level of corniness pretty low. Tracks such as “Burned at the Stake”, “The Exorcist”, and “Jack the Ripper” are pretty effective and plenty scary. Then again, “The Incredible Giant Crab” (two minutes of clicking, screaming, and celery-munching) and “The Blob” are pretty corny. You get about 20 tracks, and each track runs only about 2 minutes, so it’s a quick listen. Skip the bad “Monster Mash” remake, and listen to the rest – it has its moments.

Monster Shindig has it. ]]> Dinosaur1972 http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/dinosaur1972/181-sounds-terror-1974.html http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/dinosaur1972/180-ruth-white-flowers-evil-1969.html Sat, 23 Aug 2008 15:10:15 GMT Image: http://bp1.blogger.com/_7St4jD20p0o/Ring6PSKR0I/AAAAAAAADcQ/C4poT0EBkQE/s400/cover.jpg *Ruth White – Flowers of Evil (1969) Weirdness* I find this one hard to describe. I was introduced to it by my favorite Halloween internet radio station, Never Ending Wonder radio. It is an odd recording of Ms. White’s readings of the collection of poems “Flowers of Evil” by Charles Baudelaire, set to sparse and unusual electronic music. Ms. White’s voice is often twisted and distorted by reverb and other audio effects (making her sometimes difficult to understand). Then again, when she’s reading words like “An angel – rash wanderer – tempted by the love of ugliness – lashing out like a swimmer in the depths of a huge nightmare – and struggling, o fierce anguish, against the gigantic undertow which grows seemingly like a horde of madmen …” … this is twisted and distorted stuff anyway. She doesn’t get to use her happy voice reading stuff like that. And the electronic effects bleakly enhance the mood. The eeriest tracks are “The Irremediable”, “Spleen” (with its backward-chanting effects), and the witch’s dance-like feel of “The Litanies of Satan”. Yeah … that sounds like a cheerful little ditty. If you have an ear for early electronic music (like Morton Subotnick or Mort Garson), you might find this a interesting listen. I encourage everybody to give it a listen – it’s a very unusual recording for its time. You can find it here (http://mutant-sounds.blogspot.com/2007/04/ruth-white-flowers-of-evil-1969seven.html), along with another of her albums which is just as electronic, but not nearly as spooky.
Ruth White – Flowers of Evil (1969)
Weirdness

I find this one hard to describe. I was introduced to it by my favorite Halloween internet radio station, Never Ending Wonder radio. It is an odd recording of Ms. White’s readings of the collection of poems “Flowers of Evil” by Charles Baudelaire, set to sparse and unusual electronic music. Ms. White’s voice is often twisted and distorted by reverb and other audio effects (making her sometimes difficult to understand). Then again, when she’s reading words like

“An angel – rash wanderer – tempted by the love of ugliness – lashing out like a swimmer in the depths of a huge nightmare – and struggling, o fierce anguish, against the gigantic undertow which grows seemingly like a horde of madmen …”

… this is twisted and distorted stuff anyway. She doesn’t get to use her happy voice reading stuff like that. And the electronic effects bleakly enhance the mood. The eeriest tracks are “The Irremediable”, “Spleen” (with its backward-chanting effects), and the witch’s dance-like feel of “The Litanies of Satan”. Yeah … that sounds like a cheerful little ditty.

If you have an ear for early electronic music (like Morton Subotnick or Mort Garson), you might find this a interesting listen. I encourage everybody to give it a listen – it’s a very unusual recording for its time.

You can find it here, along with another of her albums which is just as electronic, but not nearly as spooky. ]]> Dinosaur1972 http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/dinosaur1972/180-ruth-white-flowers-evil-1969.html http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/dinosaur1972/179-various-artists-monster-party-2000-2000.html Sat, 23 Aug 2008 14:24:36 GMT
Various Artists – Monster Party 2000 (2000, of course)
Music

Was Halloween Hootenanny, the 1998 album compiled by Rob Zombie, so popular that it inspired a similar release? Sure seems like it … this album reminds me of Hootenanny a great deal.

Creepy voice introducing the album? Check. (Though they may have saved a few bucks not using Zacherley. Too bad.) Surf-guitar rock and roll music throughout? Check. Mix of instrumentals and … um … not instrumentals? Check. Outro by creepy voice? Check. So, is this faux-Hoot worth listening to? Yes, yes, a thousand times, yes.

The best of modern horror-rockabilly - Satan’s Pilgrims, Deadbolt, Los Straightjackets - are all represented. There are plenty more bands I’ve never heard of, but they all sound good. In particular, there is a surf-music version of the theme to Young Frankenstein that is absolutely brilliant. So, if you liked Halloween Hootenanny, you should have no problem liking Monster Party 2000.

Here's a link for sharing goodness. ]]> Dinosaur1972 http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/dinosaur1972/179-various-artists-monster-party-2000-2000.html http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/roguepixie/178-damn-do-i.html Sat, 23 Aug 2008 05:03:06 GMT LOVE me some Halloween :D LOVE me some Halloween :D ]]> roguepixie http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/roguepixie/178-damn-do-i.html http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/dinosaur1972/177-day-earth-stood-still-soundtrack-1951.html Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:55:28 GMT Image: http://www.oldkingcole.com/reviews/soundtracks/tdtess.gif *The Day the Earth Stood Still – Soundtrack (1951) Soundtrack* Bernard Herrmann was an American composer who gained most of his fame scoring motion pictures. His most famous movie scores were for Alfred Hitchcock (such as Psycho and Vertigo and Ray Harryhausen (such as Jason and the Argonauts and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad). I’m a fan of many of these movies and these movie soundtracks, but my favorite is “The Day the Earth Stood Still”. No, it’s not a horror movie, so calling it “Halloween” music is a stretch. But consider that the relationship between horror and sci-fi was strong in the 50’s ... the “science gone wrong” movies of that era are fine examples. And consider that TDtESS is “psychological sci-fi”, much like “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”. The film’s message – that mankind is doomed if it does not change its ways – is frightening, as are many of the Gort scenes in the film. Regardless of how Halloweenish you might find it, I almost always listen to this music during my favorite time of year. Herrmann’s liberal use of two Theremins (a treble and bass) is probably the most noticeable feature of this soundtrack. They are used as principal instruments, carrying the melody in several tracks. Herrmann uses other unusual instrumentation such as electric strings, electric and Hammond organs, and prepared piano (piano with objects placed on the strings to change the sound). These instruments convey the sense of mystery and fear that the movie requires. Nearly every track on the soundtrack makes for good October music. If you leave out the opening 20th Century Fox fanfare and two military chorales from the middle of the film (when Bobby takes Klaatu on a tour of Washington DC), you’ve got a little more than a ½ hour of unique and slightly spooky sci-fi music. And if you haven’t seen the film, hurry up and see it before the remake comes out this December. You saw (or judging from box office takes, you merely heard) what they did to “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” in 2007 … ugh. And this one has Keanu Reeves. Need I say more? I think this is still available to purchase, so no sharity.
The Day the Earth Stood Still – Soundtrack (1951)
Soundtrack

Bernard Herrmann was an American composer who gained most of his fame scoring motion pictures. His most famous movie scores were for Alfred Hitchcock (such as Psycho and Vertigo and Ray Harryhausen (such as Jason and the Argonauts and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad). I’m a fan of many of these movies and these movie soundtracks, but my favorite is “The Day the Earth Stood Still”.

No, it’s not a horror movie, so calling it “Halloween” music is a stretch. But consider that the relationship between horror and sci-fi was strong in the 50’s ... the “science gone wrong” movies of that era are fine examples. And consider that TDtESS is “psychological sci-fi”, much like “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”. The film’s message – that mankind is doomed if it does not change its ways – is frightening, as are many of the Gort scenes in the film. Regardless of how Halloweenish you might find it, I almost always listen to this music during my favorite time of year.

Herrmann’s liberal use of two Theremins (a treble and bass) is probably the most noticeable feature of this soundtrack. They are used as principal instruments, carrying the melody in several tracks. Herrmann uses other unusual instrumentation such as electric strings, electric and Hammond organs, and prepared piano (piano with objects placed on the strings to change the sound). These instruments convey the sense of mystery and fear that the movie requires.

Nearly every track on the soundtrack makes for good October music. If you leave out the opening 20th Century Fox fanfare and two military chorales from the middle of the film (when Bobby takes Klaatu on a tour of Washington DC), you’ve got a little more than a ½ hour of unique and slightly spooky sci-fi music.

And if you haven’t seen the film, hurry up and see it before the remake comes out this December. You saw (or judging from box office takes, you merely heard) what they did to “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” in 2007 … ugh. And this one has Keanu Reeves. Need I say more?

I think this is still available to purchase, so no sharity. ]]> Dinosaur1972 http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/dinosaur1972/177-day-earth-stood-still-soundtrack-1951.html http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/dinosaur1972/176-william-castle-thrilling-chilling-sounds-fright-supernatural.html Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:52:18 GMT
William Castle - Ghost Story - Thrilling, Chilling Sounds of Fright & the Supernatural (1972)
Sound Effects

I have a deep appreciation for the film projects of William Castle. Castle made horror films in the late 50’s and early 60’s, and nearly every film involved some kind of gimmick to get people into the theaters. “House on Haunted Hill” was filmed in “Emergo” … at the climax of the film, when a skeleton emerges from a vat of acid, an inflatable skeleton attached to a wire floats over the theater audience. In “The Tingler”, some theater seats were wired with joy buzzers set to go off when the Tingler got loose in the movie. And in “13 Ghosts”, a ghost viewer with red and blue cellophane strips would either vividly show the ghosts (for the brave movie-goers) or remove them (for the chickens). Castle would do just about anything to get butts in the seats. He was a showman.

Each track features the sound of some innocent soul who finds him or herself in a bad situation … meeting up with a man-eating flower, a vampire, a zombie … and the listener is treated to what follows. It gets a little corny at times, but it’s all in good fun. I’m pretty sure I’ve heard some of the sound effects on other albums … some of the screams, howling beasts, and laughing goblin sounds are familiar.

No, it’s not that scary. It has all the standards you can hear on any spooky sound effects album … howling werewolves, screaming women, wind, organ music, etc. Think of it as an updated “Chilling Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House”, only the situations are a bit scarier than a creaky bridge or a burning fuse. It’s not a showstopper, but it’s fun.

Man ... I can't find a share for this one. I'll put it on 4shared. ]]> Dinosaur1972 http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/dinosaur1972/176-william-castle-thrilling-chilling-sounds-fright-supernatural.html http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/runwolf/175-first-blog-post.html Sun, 17 Aug 2008 21:31:15 GMT Okay, this is my first haunted blog post.

I've got a couple of projects I'm actively working on at the moment. I completed a pirate ship earlier in the summer made out of a 14 foot long canoe. For halloween we will be distressing it and manning it with 16 inch skeletons and a fog machine to make it a bit scarier. It will be a static display.

I'm working on a grim reaper head out of monster mud. I've got the basic understructure finished, and will be mudding it this week I hope.

And I'm working on some spooky hands for some other projects. Liquid latex and bic pen hands.

I'll post photos as time goes on. ]]> Runwolf http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/runwolf/175-first-blog-post.html