I vividly remember standing in front of a cardboard cutout of her in the grocery holding a pack of Coors, so in my mind I early learned that Elvira = Halloween + beer, and there's nothing wrong about that. Sure, Cassandra Peterson's shtick was not completely original, the lovely Vampira came before her, but beyond becoming the sex symbol of the scariest holiday, she's also a local girl who grew up dancing in gay bars in my hometown of Colorado Springs.
Style Icons: Female »Elvira
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Movies »The House of the Devil
I've watched many a horror movie this past week in order to recommend the best to you, my dear friends; and while I can't claim that The House of the Devil is flawless, it is worth a late-night Halloween-week viewing and definitely the best of the bunch from the pile of DVDs I spent the week sifting through (which included the mouth-to-mouth vomit heavy Drag Me To Hell and the rather tedious When a Stranger Calls). A deliberate and effective homage to horror movies of the late seventies and early eighties (right down to the casting of thin and adorably Margot Kidderesque Jocelin Donahue as the heroine and titular fontography), HOTD is a slow burning film comprised of a series of extremely effective techniques. The skillful use of sound design, imagery, surprise and pacing results in genuine chills, but sadly the film misses the mark when it comes to the big reveal.
Maybe Ti West did himself a huge disservice by announcing the plot secret in an onscreen quote at the very beginning of the film, maybe it's just hard to make genuine scares out of clich?s; either way, by the end of the movie the dread the director worked so hard to evoke devolves rapidly into silliness… but at least its good and gory silliness featuring some of my favorite character actors: Mary Woronov and Tom Noonan.
Rather awesomely, the movie is currently available on-demand while it's still in theaters, making for a perfect night once friends and popcorn are added to the equation.
See more: Movies 2000s Halloween Horror
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Posted on October 26, 2009
TV Shows »Are You Afraid of the Dark
The decade before the word 'tween' was invented offered much in the way of young adult television and I myself have a sentimental soft spot for most of the shows preteens spent the 90s in front of (Breaker High, Swan's Crossing, Flash Forward, etc); so you can imagine I was looking forward to filling this week's TV pick with Nickelodeon's semi-forgotten spooky anthology series, Are You Afraid of the Dark??/p>
But from the wildly disappointed comments of fellow Netflix subscribers and Jim's own pretty clear memories of the show, I've learned that the “freaky favorites” double disc (the only one currently available on Netflix) is, contrary to what the title suggests, not representative of the best of the show at all. The three episodes on the DVD feature a “new” cast of kids making up the Midnight Society (an admittedly nerdy nocturnal story-telling club) who, according to Jim, are way lamer than Gary and the original dorks.
Still, it's a fun late afternoon view and, while the episodes we saw weren't particularly mind-blowing, this sweetly nostalgic Canadian show (one episode is actually about a demonic hockey stick) is certainly a hell of a lot better than most other horror anthology shows out there (the dreadful Hitchhiker and, what is bound to be my worst TV show of the year, Masters of Horror quickly come to mind).
Despite a seemingly vast fan base, the seven seasons of the show are particularly hard to find on DVD…
See more: TV Shows 1990s Children’s Halloween Horror
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Posted on October 26, 2009
Spend a Couple Minutes »Dog Halloween Parade
We love our local pet store, Unleashed (as you may well know) and I love even more the idea of their Dog Costume Parade taking place at McGorlick Park on Halloween! Cuteness will abound!
See more: Spend a Couple Minutes Animals Festivals/Conventions Greenpoint Halloween
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Posted on October 26, 2009
Drinks »Crystal Head Vodka
At first, everyone thought Dan Aykroyd's Crystal Head Vodka was some sort of viral video joke, a lead in for some new movie – possibly even the latest Ghostbusters everyone's been excited/nervous about… but we soon realized, once it hit liquor store window displays, that the product was very real and makes for one hell of a keepsake.
While the vodka itself came in second to our own non-scientific blind taste test (the cheap Polish potato vodka, Luksusowa won hands down) it's not bad and the container is awesome.
If you're an Aykroyd fan (and who's not?) you'll also be pleased to hear that he is speaking about Ghosts and Other Creepy Things at the 92nd Street Y tonight.
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Posted on October 26, 2009
Desserts »Pumpkin Pie
The perfect fall dessert, Pumpkin pie is usually associated with Thanksgiving, but after finding the best version I've ever had at Blue Stove (with home made whipped cream and a rich, caramelized bottom-crust with a hint of chocolate) I'm hoping to grab a few of them for my lucky Halloween party guests – we'll just call them dead jack-o-lantern pies.
Of course, if you are not near a bakery as good as ours, the classic Mrs Smiths has served me well for years.
See more: Desserts Baked Goods Halloween Pies
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Posted on October 26, 2009
Restaurants »Pio Pio Riko
Pio Pio Riko is well known for their incredibly affordable half-chicken meals that, while heavy, are yummy and offer one of the few worthy delivery options here in Greenpoint, but it's when one goes off into other, less explored areas of the menu, that the Peruvian delicacies really shine.
It always freaks people out when I order beef hearts, but maybe they're less scary under the Peruvian name Antichucos. Pio Pio's are tender and yummy and even the skeptical were impressed. I'd also recommend trying the ceviche that was surprisingly fresh and subtly flavored.
As I've mentioned before, it's also a great place to throw a party and, with actual hearts on the menu, would be a perfect spot for a pre-Halloween activities meal.
See more: Restaurants Greenpoint Halloween South American
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Posted on October 26, 2009
Style Icons: Male »Charles Addams
Whatever your opinion of the television series and movies that gained wider popularity and recognition than their source material, you really should take a look at the wry and darkly hilarious work of Chas Addams.
A beloved cartoonist for the New Yorker, who relished in presenting a humorously macabre image to the public (he'd have his photo taken with a collection of crossbows or wearing a suit of armor), Addams created his most famous fictional family with the help of friend Ray Bradbury.
I would leaf through my dad's collection of his cartoons and laugh and laugh as a little girl, and I still find them wonderful.
See more: Style Icons: Male Artists Halloween
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Posted on October 26, 2009
Hunks »Eli Roth
I've got to admit that I was a little embarrassed to find Eli Roth so irresistibly and rather inexplicably cute in Inglourious Basterds – not because he was playing a head-bashing 'Bear Jew', but because he's behind the revolting torture franchise, Hostel.?/p>
As a long-time fan of horror films, I have to say that I've just never gotten on the relatively recent torture bandwagon and greatly prefer other sub-genres and wish the fad would give way to better stuff (see this week's movie pick). And I never trust any dude with a vigorous and vainglorious daily muscle-man work-out routine.
Still, one can't always expect good taste to go with good looks.
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Posted on October 26, 2009
Albums »The Heretic Soundtrack
Exorcist II: The Heretic has the reputation as “one of the most notorious disasters in movie history” but it boasts an impressive Ennio Morricone soundtrack. Lacking even the great Brad Dourif and the image of an old lady crawling across the ceiling that factors so heavily into the enjoyment of part three, most people agree that the haunting music is the film's only worthwhile element.
I've been informed that this is a rare find, my friend Shaun purchased his CD at the excellent treasure trove Amoeba Records, but you can also pay a higher price on an Amazon import. If you're a fan of creepy Morricone dissonance and haunting melodies, it's worth the investment and time to track it down. It bounces from soft, almost romantic sounds to frenzied intensity. Definitely makes the work day more dramatic.