Much of the haunt community I've run across seems to be around my age. As kids, we grew up in the 70s, and graduated high school in the eighties. We still remember analog clocks, having to tie our own shoes (no Velcro), a time when there was no Internet (*gasp*).
I remember listening to several ghost story-type albums repeatedly as a kid. The Alfred Hitchcock LP was a big hit with me, as was the classic Disney, Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House. There was one I haven't pictured here, as I haven't located it quite yet. It was an album of stories narrated by Vincent Price. I would love to find that on either LP or CD! The laugh, the timing, the voice... It all came together to give me chills and keep me awake, hiding under the overs at night.
And my parents wonder why I love Halloween so much!
Anyway, he has his Forbidden Crypts site, which will take you to several of his other sites, including his "free sounds" site. Lots of fun things to peruse there, including this, which I will sign off with.
A big "THANKS!" going out to Spooky Madison for posting this on Haunt Space. There's also a bunch of other bloody-themed stuff here.
You may have already seen the bloody shower curtain and bath mat set going around the blog-o-sphere. I wrote to the company who tell me that ThinkGeek.com should have them available at the end of this month or the beginning of May for those of us in the U.S. I can't wait!
I may have done a quick post on these folks awhile back, but due to a case of hormone brain, I can't remember!
Davis Graveyard is one of the haunts I most admire. The props are not only well-made and look great, but they're clever, too: the little detail of a child's polyester Superman costume hanging off the end of a bony finger comes to mind.
Like many in the haunt community, Jeff and Chris Davis spread the love wherever they can. From teaching gravestone make-and-takes to hosting a fundraiser for the local high school dance troupe, the Davises represent the generosity of spirit I've come to love in haunters.
Jeff has recently written an article for Haunted Attraction Magazine about how to recreate his video projected head project. As something of a newbie to haunting at this level, and someone who is only just learning about animatronics and other fun elements for my haunt, I really appreciate clear directions. (Clear directions keep me from burning off my eyebrows.) Like other haunters, he helps you to discover your inner MacGyver by pointing you in the direction of eBay and things you already have around the house.
Well, I'm off to my CalHaunts meeting today, to learn some nifty new things. I can't wait!
For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about... Where have you been? Crawl out of the dungeon once in a while!
The book is How to Haunt Your House by Shawn and Lynne Mitchell. Every page is filled with ideas and pictures of various Halloween props and gags. My favorite so far is the "Pepper's Ghost" illusion, which is a great way to add a flickering ghost to your haunt. There are step-by-step instructions of sand-casting techniques (which can yield a poseable hand or a nice, spiky graveyard fence finial). There's also a recipe for Monster Mud, which seems to be a staple of the haunter's tool box. The only down side to this is if you're the frustrated English teacher type, as there are some typos and grammatical errors. (This seems to be common in the self-publishing world.)
However, the pictures are very clear, and if you're not feeling as inspired to get going on Haunt 2009 as you'd like, this book will get those juices re-animated. It's really worth the money! Pick it up here. It's not available on Amazon or at Barnes and Noble yet, but fortunately Lulu will give you a good purchasing experience.
Spring has sprung officially here in California. The ducks and geese have been here for the winter, and over the weekend, I had my first sighting of a mama and her chicks. Last week, as I was taking pictures of my latest skull, I heard quacking. Serious quacking. (I think she was saying, "I'm an eagle! I'm an eagle!")
"Where the heck is that coming from?" I wondered. The wetland area is very close by, but not that close... I looked up, and there she was: on the top of the neighbor's garage, silhouetted against the sunrise. Later that week, Mr. ShellHawk and I took the dogs out for a walk. We saw this little character chillin' in the shade of an oak tree. One day, I'll get up early and get some pictures of that oak. It's one of my favorites in the area. I do love the Spring.
Well, it's back to school and work, etc. I hope everyone had a lovely holiday with those nearest and dearest.I caught this little gem while on Spring Break last week. It's completely unsurprising that Guillermo Del Toro (Hellboy II, Pan's Labyrinth) has made a really good haunted house story.
A woman returns to her childhood home, a seaside orphanage, with the intentions of turning it into a hospice for special needs children. During a meet and greet party for prospective clients, her adopted son disappears, and she is convinced the ghosts of her childhood friends are the ones who took him. Strange events hurtle her to a twisty ending that I honestly didn't see coming.
Every moment of this film is beautifully shot, the pacing is perfect, and the acting drags you into rapport with the characters quickly. As disappointed as I have been with the horror genre's offerings of late, I was so very happy to get the first genuine case of chills running up my spine that I've had in a very long time. Creepy, bloody only when it tells the story, The Orphanage is a horror movie you really shouldn't miss. It is subtitled, so only one martini for you, or you'll miss something!
Much of the haunt community I've run across seems to be around my age. As kids, we grew up in the 70s, and 
graduated high school in the eighties. We still remember analog clocks, having to tie our own shoes (no Velcro), a time when there was no Internet (*gasp*).
here, as I haven't located it quite yet. It was an album of stories narrated by Vincent Price. I would love to find that on either LP or CD! The laugh, the timing, the voice... It all came together to give me chills and keep me awake, hiding under the overs at night.
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