Saturday, October 31, 2009

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Put on your masks! It's time! It's time!




EPILEPSY WARNING: This video contains flashing lights of increasing speed. Some people are susceptible to epileptic seizures or loss of consciousness when exposed to certain flashing lights or light patterns in everyday life. Such people may have a seizure while watching certain monitor images or playing certain video games. This may happen even if the person has no medical history of epilepsy or has never had any epileptic seizures.

Rite of Exorcism

Demonic possession
Today as the veil between the living and the dead grows thin, it may be beneficial, even crucial, to print and keep this handy, along with the knowledge of the location of the nearest priest. And again, Happy Samhain!

(This is the Official Rite for expelling demons from people certified as being possessed by authorized Catholic priests.)

Rite of Exorcism

Boo!

CSI: NY Season 4 Episode 6
This episode, entitled "Boo", originally aired on Halloween 2007.

Zombie: Dawn of the Dead (1978)

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!


Last Halloween we featured Night of the Living Dead.
Tonight we feature Dawn of the Dead.

Director George A. Romero's epic sequel to his legendary Night of the Living Dead has firmly established itself as the equal of its ground-breaking predecessor. Though shot in 1978 -- ten years after the first films' release -- Dawn's story begins as if the events in Night had happened only a few months before: after shambling armies of the recently-dead take over every major city -- seeking warm human flesh for food -- the U.S. government imposes a state of martial law, sending in special National Guard units to attack and destroy zombie infestation where they find it.

This is the faster-paced European/Italian version edited by overseas distributor Dario Argento. It's the full movie, from a playlist.


Friday, October 30, 2009

Friday Night Frights: Dawn of the Dead (2004)

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Welcome to tonight's episode of Friday Night Frights.

Tonight's feature is the 2004 version of Dawn of the Dead, directed by Zack Snyder. The writers are George A. Romero (1978 screenplay) and James Gunn (screenplay).

A nurse, a policeman, a young married couple, a salesman, and other survivors of a worldwide plague that is producing aggressive, flesh-eating zombies, take refuge in a mega Midwestern shopping mall.

WTF is that???

Click to enlarge

Click to enlargeOne of these?

The Real Amityville Horror (2005)



The Amityville Horror
In December 1975, George and Kathleen Lutz and their three children moved into 112 Ocean Avenue, a large Dutch Colonial house in Amityville, a suburban neighborhood located on the south shore of Long Island, New York. Thirteen months before the Lutzes moved in, Ronald DeFeo, Jr. had shot and killed six members of his family at the house. After 28 days, the Lutzes left the house, claiming to have been terrorized by paranormal phenomena while living there.

Mediums and psychic investigators have claimed that there is a curse on the property, while others believe the gruesome history has been invented as a money-making scheme.

The Real Amityville Horror sets out to discover the truth about one of American folklore's most notorious mysteries and features George Lutz's last on-camera interview before he died in 2006.

Additional information can be found at Amityvillefiles.com.

This is the full documentary, from a playlist.


Disney's Halloween Treat (1982)


Here's Disney's Halloween Treat, first released on October 30, 1982.

It contains memorable scenes from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "Fantasia," "Lady and the Tramp," "Peter Pan," "One Hundred and One Dalmatians," and "The Sword in the Stone."

This is the full movie, from a playlist.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998)

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Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island finds Scooby and the gang on Zombie Island, where they are menaced by the ghost of Moonscar the Pirate and the island's most infamous inhabits - Zombies!!

This is the full movie, from a playlist.


Buried Alive

Click to enlarge
Buried Alive
Artist: Odd Nerdrum
1996
oil on canvas

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

The Smiling Spider

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The Smiling Spider
Artist: Odilon Redon (1840-1916)
1881
charcoal on paper
Musee du Louvre, Paris

The Book of Ceremonial Magic

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THE BOOK OF CEREMONIAL MAGIC

The Secret Tradition in Goëtia, including the rites and mysteries of Goëtic theurgy,
sorcery and infernal necromancy.

By ARTHUR EDWARD WAITE

London

[1913]


About the book

This book is the second edition of a work which in its first edition was titled, more provocatively, The Book of Black Magic and of Pacts. This book is an attempt to synthesize the procedures of all of the famous Grimoires. It draws on the Key of Solomon, the Grimorium Verum, the apocryphal Fourth Book of Cornelius Agrippa, and many others, including the famous Black Pullet, or Poulet Noir. While Waite is careful in his analysis of the various Grimoires, he treats the subject matter skeptically. The result is an unparalleled look at the details of ceremonial magic.

About the author

Arthur Edward Waite (1854-1942) was one of the foremost English occultists. A member of the famous magical order, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Waite published a number of important books on esoteric matters. One of his more enduring legacies is the Tarot deck he created.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

The Halloween Tree (1993)

Last year I posted an entry about Ray Bradbury's novel "The Halloween Tree", in which eight children learn the origins of Halloween customs while trying to save the life of their friend.


Here's the movie adaptation from 1993. It won Ray Bradbury a Daytime Emmy Award in 1994 for Ouststanding Writing in an Animated Program. This is the full movie, from a playlist.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Vincent (1982)


Vincent was written and directed by Tim Burton. It was narrated by Vincent Price.

A transcript of the poem can be read here.

When Vincent Price was asked what he thought of the short, he said that it was "the most gratifying thing that ever happened. It was immortality - better than a star on Hollywood Boulevard."

An early form of Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) can be seen in the upper-left corner of the screen at 4:45.


Young Vincent Malloy dreams of being just like Vincent Price and loses himself in macabre daydreams which annoys his mother.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

This Week in Horror: October 25 - 31

Halloween
October 25
1978 – Halloween released theatrically
1993 – Vincent Price (actor in many horror films) dies (b. 1911)
2000 – Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem released on the Nintendo GameCube in Japan

October 26
1979 – When a Stranger Calls (1979) released theatrically
2001 – Bones released theatrically

October 27
1989 – Shocker released theatrically
1989 – Castlevania: The Adventure released on the Game Boy in Japan
1995 – Vampire in Brooklyn released theatrically
1998 – Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 released theatrically

October 28
1951 – Joe R. Lansdale (winner of six Bram Stoker Awards for horror fiction) born
2005 – Saw II released theatrically
2005 – Masters of Horror premieres on television

October 29
1920 – The Golem: How He Came Into the World released theatrically in Germany
1973 – Return of the Blind Dead released theatrically
1993 – Return of the Living Dead III released on VHS
1993 – Demon Castle Dracula X: Rondo of Blood released on the PC Engine/TurboGrafx 16 in Japan
2004 – Versus released theatrically
2004 – Saw released theatrically

October 30
1938 – The War of the Worlds radio adaptation airs
1981 – Halloween II released theatrically

October 31 - HALLOWEEN
1961 – Peter Jackson (director of Bad Taste and Braindead) born
1974 – Phantom of the Paradise released theatrically
1991 – Castlevania II: Simon's Quest released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in Japan



Source: wikipedia Portal:Horror/This day in horror archive

Please leave a comment with any additions/corrections. Thanks.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Why Dogs Hate Halloween

Click on any picture to enlarge











How to See Ghosts

A Hornbook for Witches
In the 1970's, Vincent Price recorded a few albums for the Caedmon label, one of which included readings from "A Hornbook for Witches". From that album, here's the Minister of Sinister, Mr. Vincent Price, giving instruction on seeing the incorporeal.

How to See Ghosts or Surely Bring Them to You

Friday, October 23, 2009

Friday Night Frights: Nosferatu (1922)

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Welcome to tonight's episode of Friday Night Frights.

Tonight's feature is the silent classic Nosferatu (1922), based on the story "Dracula". It was directed by F.W. Marnau and stars Max Schreck as Count Orlok.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Saw Recap

Thanks to the Mark H. Harris About.com Guide to Horror and Suspense, we have a recap of all the Saw movies, leading up to Saw VI which opens this weekend. Select theaters around the country will be airing a marathon of all the Saw movies tomorrow, topped off by a midnight screening of Saw VI. Visit fandango.com or movietickets.com for tickets. A list of the theaters can be found here.

If you don't mind some spoilers, here's a recap of the story up 'til now, with the trailers.



Saw (2004)

Adam and Lawrence are chained in a bathroom, victims of Jigsaw, a serial killer who puts people in deadly traps so they can appreciate life. Lawrence is told he must kill Adam by 6 o'clock; he's given a bullet for a gun held by a dead body in the center of the room, the loser of a previous "game." Lawrence's wife and daughter are held captive in their home by Zep, Lawrence's co-worker, who will kill them if the doc fails. Lawrence's family escapes with help from ex-cop David Tapp, but Zep kills Tapp and goes to the bathroom to kill Lawrence, who has sawed off his leg in order to escape. Adam kills Zep before realizing that he's a pawn; the real killer is John Kramer, the body lying in the room, who shuts Adam in the room to die.





Saw II (2005)

Police find Jigsaw, but he holds them at bay with video of eight people -- including Detective Matthews' son Daniel and Amanda, the only escapee from Jigsaw's games -- trapped in a house filled with a deadly gas. The eight try to find an antidote to the gas that's locked away in a safe, most dying from traps in the process. One of the eight, Xavier, stalks Amanda and Daniel when he realizes that numbers to the safe's combination are printed on the backs of their heads, but they manage to kill him. Matthews forces Jigsaw to take him to the house but ends up chained in the Saw bathroom, discovering that the events on the video had happened way earlier and that Amanda is now Jigsaw's protege. She locks him in the bathroom to die.





Saw III (2006)

Six months later, the games continue, but cops Rigg and Hoffman find that the new traps are uncharacteristically inescapable. A sick and dying John/Jigsaw has two people kidnapped: Jeff and Lynn. Jeff's test is to decide whether to save the lives of three people he blames for the death of his son (he doesn't), while Lynn has to keep John alive until Jeff is done (she does). Amanda, disillusioned by John's plan, shoots Lynn (thus failing John's test of compassion) and reveals that she set up the inescapable traps. Jeff, who turns out to be Lynn's husband, shoots Amanda and then kills John (thus failing his test of forgiveness). As the door to the room shuts, he realizes that John is the only person who knows where Jeff's daughter is hidden.





Saw IV (2007)

John and Amanda are dead, but there's a new killer, who kidnaps Hoffman and places him in a trap with Matthews before informing Rigg that his two colleagues will be killed in 90 minutes. However, he warns Rigg to walk away. Rigg's reckless heroism leads him through a series of tests in which he must either help or hurt people trapped in the killer's games. FBI agent Strahm, on Rigg's trail, questions John's ex-wife Jill, who reveals that he was a caring man who became cynical after a robber caused her to miscarry. Strahm tracks Rigg to a factory and encounters Jeff from Saw III, killing him in self-defense. Rigg's arrival triggers Matthews' death, with Rigg shot in the process. Hoffman reveals himself to be the killer as Rigg dies.





Saw V (2008)

Hoffman places Strahm in a trap and rescues Jeff's daughter but is surprised when Strahm is found alive. Hoffman is hailed as a hero, and the police declare the killings over, but Strahm suspects of Hoffman. He discovers that Hoffman killed his sister's murderer and made it look like Jigsaw did it, incurring the wrath of John, who blackmailed him into helping with the games. Hoffman meanwhile plants clues that make Strahm's boss, Erickson, believe that Strahm is Jigsaw's accomplice, while also setting up five new victims in a trap. Strahm tracks Hoffman to a warehouse, where a recording tells him to get into a box, but instead he shoves Hoffman inside, not realizing that the room's walls will close in and crush anyone not inside the box.



Previous post about Saw V can be found here.



Saw VI (2009)

Special Agent Strahm is dead, and Detective Hoffman has emerged as the unchallenged successor to Jigsaw's legacy. However, when the FBI draws closer to Hoffman, he is forced to set a game into motion, and Jigsaw's grand scheme is finally understood.



Previous post about Saw VI can be found here.


If you see Saw VI, please feel free to post a review of it in the comments section of this post to share with others. Thanks!

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Halloween Events

ValleySCARE

It's that time of year again! Halloween is only 13 days away!

There are some Halloween event links in the EVENTS section to the right, below the TRANSLATE ME flags.

StarTribune.com has an online map of Halloween events in the Twin Cities area, including the surrounding suburbs. Happy Haunt Hunting!



CLICK HERE FOR THE MAP

This Week in Horror: October 18 - 24

The Ring
October 18
1976 – Burnt Offerings released theatrically
1980 – Motel Hell released theatrically
1985 – Re-Animator released theatrically
1996 – The Dentist released theatrically
2002 – The Ring released theatrically
2005 – Day of the Dead 2: Contagium released on DVD

October 19
1990 – Night of the Living Dead (1990) released theatrically
2004 – Zombie Planet released theatrically

October 20
1889 – Bela Lugosi born (d. 1956)
1942 – Night Monster released theatrically

October 21
1988 – Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers released theatrically
2003 – Castlevania: Lament of Innocence released on the PlayStation 2 in North America
2005 – Doom released theatrically

October 22
1982 – Halloween III: Season of the Witch released theatrically
1988 – Monsters premieres on television
2004 – The Grudge released theatrically

October 23
1942 – The Mummy's Tomb released theatrically
1959 – Sam Raimi (creator of the Evil Dead series of films) born
1987 – Prince of Darkness released theatrically
1998 – Brimstone premieres on television
2001 – Thir13en Ghosts released theatrically

October 24
1962 – Eyes Without a Face released theatrically in the United States



Source: wikipedia Portal:Horror/This day in horror archive

Please leave a comment with any additions/corrections. Thanks.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

The Wolfman (2010)

The Wolfman
The Wolfman will be released in theaters February 12th.

Set in the late 1880s, the film keeps the plotline of the original, with Lawrence Talbot (Benicio del Toro) reuniting with his estranged father (Anthony Hopkins) following the disappearance of his brother. The film details events during Lawrence's past that led to his conflict with his father; and the setting is changed from the mythical Welsh village of Llanwelly to the English village of Blackmore and the city of London. The official synopsis states Talbot was traumatized by his mother's death as a child, while Gwen Conliffe (Emily Blunt) is his brother's fiancée. Following his brother's disappearance, Talbot hunts a murderer, which turns out to be a werewolf, and the curse is passed on.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

A Nightmare on Elm Street
New Line Cinema will release their reboot of A Nightmare on Elm Street in theaters on April 16, 2010.

Here's the trailer.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Paranormal Activity

Paranormal Activity is now playing. Click HERE to see if it's showing in your area.

After a young, middle class couple moves into what seems like a typical suburban "starter" tract house, they become increasingly disturbed by a presence that may or may not be demonic, but is certainly most active in the middle of the night. Especially when they sleep. Or try to.

Here's a couple trailers.




Thursday, October 15, 2009

Saw VI

On October 23 Saw VI opens in theaters.

Here's the red band 'Carousel' clip.



Here's the trailer.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Drag Me To Hell

Drag Me To Hell was released on DVD today.

Director Sam Raimi (Spider-Man and The Evil Dead Trilogy) returns to the horror genre with a vengeance in the film that critics rave is "the most crazy, fun and terrifying horror movie in years!" (Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly).

Here's the trailer.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

This Week in Horror: October 11 - 17

The Evil Dead
October 11
2002 – Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance released on the Game Boy Advance in the European Union

October 12


October 13
1989 – Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers released theatrically
1998 – Fallen released theatrically
2006 – The Grudge 2 released theatrically

October 14
1944 – Udo Kier (actor in many horror films) born
1994 – Wes Craven's New Nightmare released theatrically
2005 – The Fog (2005) released theatrically

October 15
1981 – The Evil Dead released theatrically

October 16
1987 – Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II released theatrically
1992 – Candyman released theatrically
1998 – Bride of Chucky released theatrically

October 17
2003 – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) released theatrically



Source: wikipedia Portal:Horror/This day in horror archive

Please leave a comment with any additions/corrections. Thanks.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

This Week in Horror: October 4 - 10

Clive Barker's Hellraiser
October 4
2002 – Red Dragon released theatrically
2004 – Zombie Honeymoon released theatrically
2005 – Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow released on the Nintendo DS in the United States

October 5
1919 – Donald Pleasence (actor in many horror films) born (d. 1995)
1952 – Clive Barker (author, director, and artist) born
1962 – Tod Browning (director of Dracula and Freaks) dies (b. 1880)
1999 – Angel premieres on television
2001 – Joy Ride released theatrically
2005 – Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis and Return of the Living Dead: Rave From the Grave premier on television

October 6
2006 – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning released theatrically

October 7
1849 – Edgar Allan Poe dies (b. 1809)
1994 – Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation released theatrically

October 8
2001 – Castlevania Chronicles released on the PlayStation in North America

October 9


October 10




Source: wikipedia Portal:Horror/This day in horror archive

Please leave a comment with any additions/corrections. Thanks.