31 Days of Halloween: The Art of Eric Pigors

Eric Pigors is an amazing artist I’ve admired for many years who has a very dedicated fan base in the horror/gothic communities. He has had quite a career, spending 15 years at Walt Disney Feature Animation Studios doing art on such films as The Lion King, Treasure Planet, Aladdin, Hercules, Beauty and the Beast and most recently Princess and the Frog. Eric even sold an original feature idea to Disney called “Silly Hillbillies on Mars”.

After working at Disney, Pigors started his own company, called Toxictoons, where he has created his own monster-inspired art and animation. Pigors even made a seven minute animated film called, Let’s Chop Soo-E! that ran on MTV's Liquid Television. Pigors’ Toxictoons were released as stickers by Posterpop and by Mezco Toys under the line “Let’s Play in the Morgue”.

You’ve probably seen Pigors’ art on concert tour shirts he has done for Metallica, The Murderdolls, The Ghastly Ones, Genitorturers, Scum of the Earth, Psychocharger, 69 Eyes and many others.

Of course, with all his spooky artisticness, Pigors has created some truly memorable Halloween artwork, which you can enjoy below!

AND he has a fun app called MONSTERPIECES where you can design your own monsters!! Check it out on iTunes!

Don't forget to check out all the gruesome Halloween goodies on the Toxictoons' site!

31 Days of Halloween: Hallows' Eve and the Pumpkin Dream

Check out this super adorable short film made by a father and daughter team of Adam and Natalie Sager! I love the vintage spooky look of the film and simply adore its whimsical feel.

Hallows' Eve and the Pumpkin Dream from Adam C Sager on Vimeo.

More info via the Vimeo site:

This is a timeless and eerie tale, created with the hope of awakening within its viewers the childlike fascination and terror surrounding the creepiest day of the year—Halloween.

My eldest daughter and I wanted to make a little Halloween film to share with friends and family. The entire thing was envisioned, recorded, cut, and composited in about two and half weeks, and shot entirely on our little Canon PowerShot SD970. (Read more)

31 Days of Halloween: Pumpkin Pie Hot Chocolate

 [source]

October's cooler days and nights call for some tasty warm drinks to keep the chill off, especially when I'm lounging on the couch, watching a marathon of horror movies. Luckily, I've found some yummy vegan recipes online for some deliciously comforting autumn beverages!

Pumpkin Pie Hot Chocolate (source)

•    1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
•    2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
•    1/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice
•    1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
•    1/8 teaspoon almond extract
•    4 1/2 cups soy milk (or non-dairy milk of your choice)
•    2 teaspoons instant coffee powder

Heat up soy milk in 2 quart sauce pan on medium-low.

When milk is warm, add the vanilla and almond extracts. Stir.

Add all the dry ingredients, but start with the cocoa powder and WHISK constantly to get all the clumps out.

When desired temperature is reached, pour into mug and drink! Top with vegan whipped cream if you wish!

Pumpkin Spice Latte (source)

Makes 3 servings

•    2 Cups Almond Milk
•    2 Tbsp Canned Pumpkin or Pumpkin Puree
•    2 ½ Tbsp Agave Nectar
•    1 ½ Tbsp Vanilla Extract
•    ½ tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
•    3 Cups Fresh Coffee
•    Vegan Whip Cream, optional
•    Cinnamon Sprinkled on Top, optional

Brew 3 cups of coffee.

In a medium pot, whisk together almond milk, pumpkin puree and agave nectar on medium high heat until steaming. Remove from heat. 

Stir in vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. Using an immersion or regular blender, process for 15-20 seconds. If using a regular blender, hold a towel on top of the blender to prevent the steam from popping the lid off. Begin processing by pulsing first.

Divide pumpkin froth among 3 mugs, adding coffee on top. If you would like an extra pumpkin pie-like feel, add vegan whip cream with a dash of cinnamon on top!

Enjoy!

31 Days of Halloween: Night of the Demons (2010)

Having experienced so many bad remakes, I was expecting the worst from Adam Gierasch’s Night of the Demons remake. I thought it would be a cheap rip-off, filled with pointless gore and tons of gratuitous T&A. I was expecting to be bored and possibly pissed while watching the film because although Kevin Tenney’s original isn’t the greatest horror movie ever made, it’s still a ton of fun and is a classic in its own right.

So color me surprised when I sat down to watch the flick and it was actually GOOD! I was first grabbed by the great holiday vibe of the film. It opens with a shot of the French Quarter in New Orleans on Halloween night and zooms through the costumed crowds before focusing on trick or treaters, pumpkins and the spooky mansion where all hell will soon break loose. And the decorations! Let’s just say the set design was impeccable in creating the perfect Halloween atmosphere!

Before I get ahead of myself, the plot is as follows:

On Halloween night, a group of twenty-somethings hoping to party the night away get trapped in an old, supposedly cursed mansion and unwittingly release demons who hope to possess and ultimately kill them.

Yup, it’s pretty close to the original story, but the remake actually takes the time to develop both the story and the characters more. It also explains the demons and how they came to be trapped in the house and what their intentions are in possessing the characters. I loved the backstory on the mansion and the setting of New Orleans. The story even manages to mix in some voodoo, hoodoo and black magic into its proceedings.

Not only was the story engaging, but the characters were also likable! I loved the party-girl twist they gave Angela (played by Shannon Elizabeth) and how each of the characters was more developed than in the original. They each had complicated relationships that added to the intensity of the film. Plus, the cast of mostly-recognizable faces (Edward Furlong, Monica Keena, Bobbi Sue Luther, etc.) did a fantastic job! There are even small cameos by genre-favorites Tiffany Shepis and Linnea Quigley (who starred in the original).

Once again, I absolutely adored the set design. The Halloween party at the abandoned mansion was amazing-looking, the costumes were great, and the killer soundtrack featuring Type O Negative, Zombie Girl, 45 Grave, Creature Feature, etc., added even more atmosphere. In fact, I realllllly wish they would release a Night of the Demons soundtrack because it would make a great backdrop to my own Halloween party!

The fun party atmosphere doesn’t last long, because the cops break up the party and only a small group remains…and it is they who inadvertently release the demons. And once that happens, all hell breaks loose! Speaking of the demons, their makeup was pretty impressive. I liked how each of the demons looked different as well. The only “look” I didn’t really dig was Angela’s – on her I actually prefer the original makeup. Besides the cool makeup FX, there are also plenty of creepy moments in the film, like when the demons crawl on the ceiling in a long, dark corridor and a demon reaches out of the darkness to snatch one of the characters. And, before you ask, yes, the infamous “lipstick scene” is alive and well in the remake, with its own new spin!

Going back to the story, writers Jace Anderson and Adam Gierasch did a fantastic job explaining the backstory of the mansion, its earlier inhabitants and the demons. I appreciated the mix of voodoo, hoodoo and black magic used in the story, but also appreciated how the survivors used tools around the house to fend off the demons. I thought this detail was very clever of the writers and in the story it works extremely well.

With all that said and done, I must say that Night of the Demons is one of the most fun fright flicks I’ve seen all year. It’s not your typical, dumbed-down horror flick remake, but rather a new take on an old favorite. It is so entertaining, clever and just plain fun that I dare say it even surpasses the original!

Last year horror fans found a new Halloween horror classic with the release of Trick ‘r Treat; this year Night of the Demons is the new Halloween classic!

Buy it on Amazon!

(Ed. note: This was originally posted on Fatally Yours October 25th, 2010.)

31 Days of Halloween: Lush's Halloween Bath Products

Lush's Halloween bath products are herrrrrre!! I have loved Lush's products for year's now, but their Halloween products always hold a special place in my heart! How can I resist natural, organic and vegan pumpkin soap, spiderweb bubble bath and ghostly shower gel?!

My annual favorites include their Pumpkin Soap (smells like clove, cardamom and fresh pumpkin), Cobweb Bath Bomb (smells like lavender, chamomile and a touch of blackcurrant) and Ghost Shower Gel (smells like rose and lilies)!

Get yours while supplies last at LUSH.com!

A New Trick r Treat Short: Making Friends

Director Michael Dougherty has created another creepy cute Trick 'r Treat short film titled "Making Friends"! It was released by FEARnet today and features a cameo appearance by our favorite Halloween savior, Sam, as he assists a young boy with creating a frightening friend to take trick or treating.

Check it out below!

31 Days of Halloween: Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981)

Dark Night of the Scarecrow, a 1981 made-for-TV movie, has finally been released on DVD! This film has been called one of the best made-for-TV movies, so I set out to see how it has held up over the years. I was also excited to check it out since it takes place around Halloween!

The film is about harmless simpleton Bubba (played by the recognizable Larry Drake), whose closest friend is a young girl named Marylee (Tonya Crowe). Though Bubba is in his 30′s, he still has the mind of a child. Though he is perfectly harmless, a few local yokels, including mailman Otis Hazelrigg (Charles Durning), perceive him as a threat. When Marylee is attacked by a dog, the men assume Bubba harmed her and form a lynch mob to hunt him down. Bubba hides in a field dressed and trussed up like a scarecrow. The ignorant men find him anyway and shoot him. Soon after, they find out Bubba didn’t hurt Marylee but actually saved her life from the dog. They go to trial, but are acquitted of all murder charges when they plead self-defense.

Soon after, all four of the men see a scarecrow that looks eerily similar to the one Bubba was dressed up as when they killed him. At first, they believe that Bubba’s mother or the District Attorney or even Marylee is out to avenge Bubba’s death. But as they each begin suffering unfortunate “accidents”, they start to believe Bubba is back from the grave.

Dark Night of the Scarecrow is a very well-done film, especially considering since it was made for television! This release has been cleaned up and looks stunning – thanks VCI Entertainment! I really wasn’t expecting much going into this film, but I was really pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed the “revenge” aspect of the film. No matter who was doing the avenging, whether it be the District Attorney, Bubba’s mama, Marylee or Bubba himself, it was just satisfying to see the four hateful men get what they deserved!

I suppose I was expecting a slasher-esque storyline with a killer scarecrow slicing its way through a small rural town, but thankfully Dark Night of the Scarecrow avoided this. Instead, it really focused on the unlikable, greedy and ignorant murderers. As mentioned above, it sure was nice to see them become paranoid, then scared, then eventually meet their end!

Since the film was made-for-TV (and aired on the CBS channel, no less!) there really isn’t any blood or gore to speak of. Those looking for a bloody slasher had better look elsewhere! However, it doesn’t need gore to be a good movie and therefore succeeds in other areas. For one, I loved the Southern Gothic feel of the film. The scarecrow costume was definitely creepy and the scenes where it is stalking the local yokels were appropriately tense. I also loved that it was set during Halloween. A few scenes are set at a Halloween party with revelers in costumes and the climax is set in a pumpkin patch, making this movie perfect to watch this time of year!

The story, written by J.D. Feigelson, was engaging and I was enthralled the whole way through. There wasn’t a minute where I was bored, despite the slightly slower pace of the film. In addition, the characters were well fleshed out (every single one of the actors did a fantastic job with their characters) and I liked the variety of characters Feigelson gave us. The direction was also well done by Frank De Felitta (best well-known for being the author of Audrey Rose) and never once did it feel like I was watching just a made-for-TV movie. Instead, the film had a very cinematic feel and no doubt could have been released in theaters and made a pretty penny!

Dark Night of the Scarecrow is a Southern-fried creep-fest that’s a fun treat this autumn! It is one of the few “killer scarecrow” movies I’ve seen that is actually GOOD and worth seeing more than once. This film will definitely become a Halloween staple in my house and I look forward to the tradition of watching it every fall.

Buy it on Amazon!

(Ed. Note: This was originally posted on my horror site, Fatally Yours, on October 4th, 2010.)

31 Days of Halloween: Halloween Movies for Kids and Kids-at-Heart (Part 2)

Halloween brings out the kid in me, and since last year's post on Halloween movies for kids and kids-at-heart was so popular, I decided to do a part two! Below you'll find a list of some frightfully fun movies, cartoons and specials perfect for family-viewing on Halloween!

RL Stine's The Haunting Hour: Don't Think About It (2007)

For 13-year-old goth girl Cassie, fitting into a new school and neighborhood isn't easy, but she entertains herself by playing pranks on the "popular" kids and her little brother, Max. As Halloween approaches, Cassie's search for scares leads her to a mysterious Halloween store and an unusual book called The Evil Thing. When Max begs her to read the book to him, Cassie finally gives in, ignoring the warning "Do Not Read Aloud." But it's when they get to the last page of the book and its clear warning about the Evil Thing - "Don't Think About It" - that the spooky adventure really begins.

I love the gothling babybat character of Cassie in this tween flick! Plus, it features Tobin Bell of Saw fame and a great R.L. Stine spook-tale!

Buy it on Amazon!

Ernest Scared Stupid (1991)

Everybody's favorite know-it-all, Ernest P. Worrell, scares up heaps of hilarious laughs in this frightfully funny comedy! The loveable lunkhead is in for a devil of a time when he accidentally unleashes an evil demon from its sacred tomb, causing the awakened foe to go on a devastating rampage. Ernest desperately attempts to prevent the destruction of town, but a 200-year-old curse renders Ernest Scared Stupid! And that's when the fun and adventure begin! Loaded with uproarious hilarity, and a host of outrageously kooky characters, this big-screen treat delivers off-the-wall nuttiness that's sure to drive you wild any time of the year!

If you are looking for more slapstick than spook this holiday season, definitely check out this silly flick! However, I do have a friend who swears the trolls in this movie give her nightmares and she still cannot watch it to this day!

Buy it on Amazon!

Bugs Bunny's Howl-O-Ween Special (1978)

The wascally wabbit encounters dimwitted witches and vacant vampires in this merry romp.

You cannot go wrong with Bugs Bunny's antics this Halloween! Who can forget Witch Hazel or Gossamer?! For an added bonus, check out "Hyde and Hare", Looney Toons' take on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde!

Buy it on Amazon!

Goosebumps: Attack of the Jack-O-Lanterns

This DVD contains three episodes from R.L Stine's popular Goosebumps series, but the one of note is the titular "Attack of the Jack-O'-Lanterns". The story follows four young kids as they go out trick-or-treating, but a night of treats turns into tricks as the friends face off against several sinister jack-o-lanterns.

Yes, this is a low-budget take on R.L. Stine's tale, but its heart makes up for its horrible effects and small budget!

Buy it on Amazon!

Tower of Terror (1997)

A hard-luck photojournalist whose unexpected encounter with an old woman leads him to investigate an unexplained, decades-old disappearance. It seems that one Halloween night, many years ago, five partygoers vanished in the elevator of the Hollywood Tower Hotel ... and ever since, their ghosts have remained trapped inside the dilapidated old building! In an action-filled story that delivers creepy fun for everyone, Buzzy ultimately teams with his niece to solve the mystery while managing to save their lives and capture the biggest story of the year!  

This is an often overlooked film that set at Halloween time in a haunted hotel that has been abandoned since tragedy struck there year's ago. Full of ghosts and action, this is a fun film to watch this time of year!

Buy it on Amazon!

Check out the original list of kid-friendly Halloween films HERE!

Check out my list of the top13 Halloween films (included some good selections for kids, too!) HERE!

What are your suggestions for kid-friendly Halloween movies?

31 Days of Halloween: 13 Haunting Halloween Songs

It's finally the beginning of the month that so many of us cherish...October! A time of bonfires burning bright and pumpkin faces in the night...a time for Halloween, my favorite holiday (and probably yours too)!! In 2008, I compiled a Halloween song list over on my horror site (now currently on hiatus), but I thought I would revisit that list and share it with you, since I still listen to these songs on a regular basis, especially in October!

To kick off the Halloween season, I always make a Halloween music mix. My mixes don't have your typical Misfits' "Halloween" song (or covers) and Michael Jackson's "Thriller" is no where to be found. Forget about "Monster Mash!" Though I do love those songs, everyone hears them repeatedly every time they walk into a Halloween store! So, instead, I try and unearth some industrial, goth, and EBM-type songs to set the perfect mood for a eerie All Hallow's Eve.

There are many morbidly macabre songs perfect for Halloween, but below are some of my all-time favorite Halloween songs (check out last year's post on 13 Alternative Halloween Songs!)!

13 Haunting Halloween Songs:

1.) Ministry - "Every Day is Halloween" (available on Early Trax)

"Well I let their teeny minds think 
That they're dealing with someone who is over the brink 
And I dress this way just to keep them at bay 
Cuz Halloween is everyday... It's everyday..."

The title pretty much says it all...Every Day IS Halloween for some people...including me! I love how this song celebrates being different and being true to yourself year-round.

2.) God Module - "Spooky" (available on Let's Go Dark)  

"Don't ever change I like it spooky 
Zombies eating brains 
I like it spooky 
Serial killers 
And the insane 
I like it spooky 
Angry ghosts, 
Rattling chains 
I like it spooky"

For me, this is the titular Halloween song! With a sample from Trash's death speech in Return of the Living Dead, this song just oozes Halloween spirit! I consider this song kinda like my theme song. Also check out "Orange and Black" by God Module, off the same Let's Go Dark album, which features samples from John Carpenter's Halloween.

3.) AFI - Fall Children (available on All Hallow's EP)  

"Fall children fill the streets at dusk 
At last, it will all begin..."

This is old skool AFI from their All Hallow's EP (which also includes a cover of the Misfits' "Halloween") and is a fast-paced punk song that begins with a very eerie intro reminiscent of a dark October night.

4.) Nine Inch Nails - Dead Souls (Joy Division cover, available on The Crow: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)  

"They keep calling me..."

This Joy Division cover was originally written by Ian Curtis about spirits calling to him. How much more macabre and morose can you get? Nine Inch Nails' cover of this song is a bit heavier and Trent Reznor's harsh vocals are a perfect match to the tortured lyrics.

5.) Marilyn Manson - This is Halloween (available on Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack)  

"This is Halloween, everybody make a scene 
Trick or treat till the neighbors gonna die of fright 
It's our town, everybody scream 
In this town of Halloween"

From The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack, Marilyn Manson's take on "This is Halloween" is the perfect balance between frightening and fun. Danny Elfman's lyrics are just so joyful and infectious that you can't help but sing along, even though Manson gives the song a darker edge! And everyone wishes they lived in Halloweentown...I know I do!

6.) Rasputina - Transylvanian Concubine [Marilyn Manson Mix] (available on Transylvanian Regurgitations EP)  

"Look into their eyes and you'll be a Transylvanian Concubine. 
You know what flows here like wine. 
Stay here with us It's just time. 
Transylvanian Concubine..."

Elegantly eerie...whenever I hear this song I can't help but think of the Brides of Dracula seducing Jonathan Harker in Bram Stoker's Dracula. A perfect song to accompany a sexy outfit on Halloween.

7.) The Cure - Lullaby (available on Disintegration)  

"On candystripe legs the spiderman comes 
Softly through the shadow of the evening sun 
Stealing past the windows of the blissfully dead 
Looking for the victim shivering in bed"

Definitely one of The Cure's creepier songs (and one of my faves!), "Lullaby" is the perfect nightmare scenario of being visiting by an unspeakable evil during the night. Though probably one of the slower songs on this mix, "Lullaby" is haunting and puts me in the mood to spook!

8.) Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Red Right Hand (available on Let Love In)

"On a gathering storm comes 
A tall handsome man 
In a dusty black coat with 
A red right hand"

This songs just evokes evil and makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up...

9.) Siouxsie and the Banshees - Halloween (available on Juju)

"The night is still 
And the frost it bites my face 
I wear my silence like a mask 
And murmur like a ghost 
"Trick or Treat" "Trick or Treat" 
The bitter and the sweet"

NOT a cover of the Misfits' "Halloween", instead this is a nostalgic look back at childhood. The "Trick or Treat" chorus is just too fun to pass up, though you can hear Siouxsie's longing for the old days in her voice.

10.) Switchblade Symphony - Witches (available on Bread and Jam for Frances)  

"Your dreams are filled with blood and gore. 
Now they're right outside your door. 
They're gonna get you."

An eerie, languid and sexy song with strong horror imagery featuring witches, skeletons, spiders, monsters and goblins, "Witches" and its hypnotizing beat will have you conjuring some "toil and trouble" of your own... 

11.) Velvet Acid Christ - Haunted (available on Hex Angel: Utopia-Dystopia)  

"Tonight, tonight I slowly bleed 
Haunted by the will of unease 
Shattered by the sound of your screams 
Tonight, tonight I watch you plea."

Perfect for dancing the night away with that boil or ghoul you met on the dance floor...if you don't mind a song about bloody murder...

12.) Voltaire - Dead Girls (available on Almost Human)  

"Dead girls like me 
Can't you see? 
Only dead girls like me 
Oh, dead girls like me 
Can't you see? 
Only dead girls don't walk away from me 
Sad as it seems..."

Halloween just isn't complete without Voltaire, and his goth cabaret music is a delightful companion to the season. His "Dead Girls," about, ahem, necrophilia, is excellent for a gross-out good time yet still maintains a dapper style!

13.) Type O Negative - All Hallow's Eve (available on World Coming Down)  

"Be spiderwebbed and glazed in frost 
She wears death - beautifully 
More stunning now - than in her life - on a bed - of autumn leaves 
Into her eyes and quite surprised I whispered don't you leave 
Sing macabre songs and well dance ‘til dawn - on All Hallow's Eve"

Mmmm...what's more romantic than resurrecting your dead lover on All Hallow's Eve? Peter Steele's (RIP) deep voice, the song's slowly rising tempo and the evocatively creepy lyrics are perfect for Halloween!

And there you have it! A list of 13 of my favorite Halloween tracks!

Now, this is just an example of my ideal Halloween songs, but there are many more out there and I'm well aware of that. So before you jump in to say, "What about [blank]?!" please keep in mind that my list contains selected suggestions for your spooktacular October and isn't by any means a complete list of all Halloween-themed, scary music. However, if you do have your own personal favorites, please feel free to list them below!

Listen to this playlist on 8tracks!

31 Days of Halloween: Vegan Halloween Treats from Sweet and Sara

Despite what you may have heard, it isn't too terribly difficult for a vegan to indulge in candy and other sweets during the month of October (and beyond). We have all sorts of delicious and cruelty-free options to choose from (my faves include any of the drool-worthy GoMaxGo candy bars, the yummy Chocolate Dream candy bars, Oreos [yup, they are vegan!], Twizzlers and Sour Patch Kids! Pst...read all about my faves in last October's candy post HERE) and when in doubt we can whip up our own batch of vegan sugar cookies or vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!

Sometimes, though, we feel like really treating ourselves! I love baking, but I am so busy the month of October that sometimes it's just nice to have some vegan Halloween treats shipped to me rather than making them myself!

Boo! A very vegan Halloween to you!

My #1 go-to vegan treat company for this is Sweet and Sara, who specialize in vegan marshmallow sweets! And during Halloween season (and almost all other holidays), they come out with some adorable items! This year they are offering some boo-tiful marshmallow ghosts and bewitching chocolate-dipped marshmallow black bats!

I'm batty for these creepy cuties!

Not only that, but this year they also have pumpkin spice marshmallows!! Can you imagine how AMAZING that would taste, perhaps in some nice hot chocolate on a chilly fall night? Mmmmmm...yummy!

Pumpkiny goodness in marshmallow form!

Lots of health-conscious grocery stores sell Sweet and Sara treats (though they always sell out extremely fast, so definitely snap some up if you spot them!). You can also order their goodies online, and they even ship internationally so everyone in the world can get some delectable vegan Halloween treats! Hoo-ray!

Thanks, Sweet and Sara, for keeping the vegan Halloween spirit alive with your amazing products!