Oct 25 2015

Music to Haunt By and Sounds to Scare By: The Return

There’s so much going on in the world of spooky ambient music. Nox Arcana just unleashed Gothic and Darkmood is currently hard at work on When Time Ends (which will feature a more “cinematic” feel). Midnight Syndicate is preparing to release a Christmas album while Grave Tone Productions is also hard at work on new material and have recently released “Jack the Jack O’ Lantern.” While not scary, its overall “children’s record” feel is rather charming. Dulcet Jones is also working on a new album and his single “Psychotica Fraidicus” is an interesting promise of things to come. Virgil Franklin is also back with his new release Halloween. I would also like to announce my upcoming change of style in my haunt music reviews! Longtime readers will remember how I make sure to include plenty of tips and suggestions for using certain tracks in haunted attractions, along with plenty of links illustrating what I mean. But after sharing a few brief tips on using music from Midnight Syndicate’s Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan soundtrack in haunted houses, I noticed it got far more hits than any “Music to Haunt By” article. In fact, people were spending more time reading it than they did for those articles! So now my reviews will focusing more on the music and have less links. I’m also trying to apply this method to my regular articles as well. So while you wait for the next crop of reviews, check out what last year had to offer:

Music to Haunt By: The Return
Music to Haunt By: Music For Haunts
Music to Haunt By: Dulcet Jones
Music to Haunt By: Atrium Carceri
Music to Haunt By: Spine Chillers
Music to Haunt By: Halloween Music Collection
Music to Haunt By: Virgil Franklin
Music to Haunt By: The Dead of Fall
Music to Haunt By: The Dead Matter: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

But that’s not all! Scary Visions and Sinful Audio have teamed up to provide some tips on using sounds in haunted attractions and the Textiles are offering a special download of one of the tracks they put together for a college haunted house. It’s a bit unconventional, but I can easily see it working in a boiler room scene or steampunk haunt. If you want something really unconventional you can snag Jack Hertz’s “Halloween Drones.” I recommend turning the volume down low enough so people can hear it, but can’t make out exactly what it is. Especially if you play it in a dark room or hallway.

UPDATE: The Textiles’ download is now gone. You can (as of this writing) still stream it at their official SoundCloud page.

Gravedigger’s Local 16 is not to be held responsible for the content on or anything that may occur (be it good or bad) as a result of visiting or downloading from any links given here. Attempt at your own discretion.

Oct 24 2015

6’+ Episode 161 is Up!

2013 Logo IconTo quote the description given at the new listing:

“Who’s that behind that mask? It’s 6ftplus! On an all-covers episode, we play cuts from CREEPSVILLE ’13, a tribute to FORBIDDEN DIMENSION. There’s also music from ZOMBIE GHOST TRAIN, HAUNTED GEORGE, THE NEBULAS, THE YOUNG WEREWOLVES. One of the dangers of trick or treating reveals itself in another MONSTERMATT MINUTE – or does it?”

Remember to email 6′+ (contact at 6ftplus.com) or leave a comment below about the show, whether you liked it or not. Tell your friends, leave a review on iTunes, but above all – enjoy.

You can find all episodes of 6′+ over at the official site as well as on iTunes and Stitcher. They’re also on Facebook, Twitter and SoundCloud.

Oct 24 2015

The Pumpkin Dance

You might have already seen the famous video of a man in a pumpkin mask dancing to the theme from Ghostbusters. Perhaps you saw one of the remixes or parodies. If you have not and are wondering just what in the world I am talking about, here’s the infamous video courtesy of KXVO 10:00 News:

In any case, you probably know nothing else about the video other than how it’s downright hilarious. It’s the sort of inexpensive time filler local news shows can’t get enough of and has the perfect amount of seasonal weirdness. You simply won’t find this sort of thing on twenty four hour cable news networks, that’s for sure! But who is the mysterious pumpkin man and just why did a CW affiliate in Omaha, Nebraska unleash him upon the world? Know Your Meme and Studio 360 have the answers.

Oct 23 2015

It Came From Wikipedia VIII

Have you ever wondered why Chris Sarandon’s vampire character in Fright Night is sometimes seen eating apples? It’s because he decided his character liked to cleanse his palate and had some fruit bat DNA!

The history of glow sticks is very fascinating. I am surprised how they neglected to mention how unused glow sticks have a longer shelf life if you don’t remove them from their foil wrapper.

I don’t know what is more surprising: the fact “Thriller” wasn’t written by Michael Jackson or how it originally had very little to do with horror movies! For more Jackson horror goodies, there’s the entry on the famous Thriller jacket and his work on the theme for Ben.

TerrorVision isn’t just an 80’s horror movie about an alien trapped in a television. It’s also the name of the shortest and cheapest television horror anthology series to date! Given how each episode was only 10 minutes long, it’s incredible how they didn’t try releasing it as a movie edit under a new name.

The twisted tale of how (and why) Lisa and the Devil eventually became The House of Exorcism for its American release is only slightly less bizarre than the plot of the film.

In addition to appearing in John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness as a homeless man, Alice Cooper also provided a song and one of the devices from his stage shows for use in the movie.

At one point during the creation of House of 1000 Corpses, the character of Dr. Satan was going to be revealed as an urban legend made up by the Firefly family to bring new victims to them. Similarly, it is believed Paul Naschy’s supposedly lost film Las Noches del Hombre Lobo is something he made up to pad out his résumé. Speaking of urban legends, let’s read up on the Devil’s Chair. You just might have one in your area!

The chronology of the original Omen film series is very…troubled. Either that or Damien Thorn had some major growth spurts.

According to the article on the podcast No Such Thing as a Fish, the version of Godzilla seen in Legendary pictures’ movie would urinate 12.9 million gallons each day if it actually existed. We can also read up on Bambi Meets Godzilla, Godzilla in pop culture and learn about all of the fictional locations in the Godzilla franchise.

Finally, you can have fun wasting time by reading the massive list of natural horror films, the only slightly less massive list of Cthulhu Mythos anthologies and learn all about chainsaws in popular culture.

Oct 22 2015

Still More Vile Verses

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Google Books is home to many a public domain poem. The image illustrating this article is from a poem called “Jack-o’-Lantern’s Story” and it is followed by another simply called “Halloween.” Please don’t confuse them with “Jack-O’-Lantern” by John Banister Tabb or “Halloween” by A.T. Frost. I’m also found of “Hallowe’en Happenings,” “A Halloween Memory” by Christopher Morley, “In October” by William Barnes Lower, “The Haunted House” by Thomas Hood and “Grim, King of the Ghosts; or, The Dance of Death” by Matthew Gregory Lewis.

Goodreads is offering Brian Rosenberger’s macabre collection Poems That Go Splat for free!

In addition to writing movie reviews for Braineater.com, Will T. Laughlin has also written works like “(Whispersoft, on cockroach feet…)” and the hilarious Poe parody “The Grackle.”

A poem inspired by Troll II actually exists. For a more traditional poem about trolls, I recommend Eve Hartlieb’s “The Troll.”

Frankenstein’s monster has inspired Edward Field to write several poems, including “The Return of Frankenstein.”

The Reader’s Guide to the Cthulhu Mythos is home to work like “Dark Paths to Arkham” by Ron Shiflet and Franklyn Searight’s humorous “Lovecraftian Cliff Notes” for “Cool Air,” “The Colour Out of Space” and “The Rats in the Walls.”

With both being Japanese, it is no surprise how people compose haiku about Godzilla. The Classic Horror Film Board has a thread on the matter, which led me to the Godzilla Haiku Tumblr account.

Michael Arnzen is best known around here for his amazing works of flash fiction, but he also dabbles in the world of verse. Amazon has quite the selection of his work available to read online for free. They also let you read “My Zoootch” and “The One Who Invented Trick Or Treat” from Shel Silverstein’s Every Thing On It.

Bogleech’s annual Creepypasta Cook-Off has resulted in poems like David Haire’s “Things,” Joseph Hartman’s “Tonight’s Arch” and Tweinge’s “Ignite” (among many others).

Wikisource is a treasure trove of poetry perfect for an October evening. “The Pumpkin” is a wonderful ode by John Greenleaf Whittier while Emily Dickinson’s “I felt a Funeral, in my Brain” is much less cheery. Both Emily Pauline Johnson’s “The Wolf” and Eugene Field’s “Seein’ Things” deal with fearful subjects, but only one is serious. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow must have loved the fall season, seeing as how he wrote two different poems called “Autumn.” The first was published in 1828 and the other in 1845. Those preferring scary poems will appreciate “The Phantom Ship,” “The Mother’s Ghost,” “Suspiria” and “The Skeleton in Armor.” I also recommend Robert Burns’ “Epitaph for James Smith,” William Cullen Bryant’s “The Strange Lady,” Charlotte Fiske Bates’ “At Hawthorne’s Grave,” Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “The Raven,” Emily Brontë’s “A Death-Scene” and Robert Browning’s “Mr. Sludge, ‘The Medium’.”

Oct 21 2015

Fear For Your Ears VI

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Remember Popcorn Horror? It turns out they have a wonderful selection of free horror stories called Campfire Tales. Since I’m promoting audio linked to past articles, those interested in Hammer Chillers can listen to samples at the official Hammer Bandcamp page and H.P. Lovecraft’s The Dunwich Horror can be streamed in full on Spotify! The H.P. Lovecraft Radio Hour Volume 1 is also available on Spotify.

Deadman’s Lane is a gripping audio drama by Chris “Music For Zombies” Lambert which you can download for any price you wish. Plenty of streaming thrills can be had with volumes one and two of Henrique Couto’s Don’t Listen in the Dark.

Blind Fly Theater offers a mix of genres, but the horror stories especially stand out. Those preferring audio dramas should enjoy Tales of the Extraordinary, Precarious Audio Theater and Yara’s Haunt. Two Minute Danger Theater has a hilarious parody of The Shadow which has to be heard to be truly appreciated! The same goes for Oglio Records’ short drama promoting Eban Schletter’s Witching Hour. Did I mention it stars Paul F. Tompkins?

My Halloween season never feels complete without some tales from Edgar Allan Poe. ThoughtAudio.com has a wonderful audio book version of “The Fall of the House of Usher” and Textbook Stuff offers “The Pit and the Pendulum” (among other tales). SoundCloud has tons of great Poe adaptations, like Haberdashery’s musical version of “The Raven,” Anthony Shadows’ “Cask of Amontillado,” XpressRadioSketchShow’s “The Masque of the Red Death,” MLucas’ “The City By The Sea” and Cynthia Wong’s “Annabel Lee.” The Truth Podcast also has a great original audio drama called “The Death of Poe.”

Come to think of it, my Halloween season also needs a little extra H.P. Lovecraft in the mix as well. The mysterious cd999999 has “The Outsider,” Christopher Elderwood and raxil4 offer a fascinating take on “Herbert West–Reanimator,” Lukas Arbogast adapts “The Beast in the Cave,” SCHMUCKFENSTER brings us “The Statement of Randolph Carter,” Mark Nelson takes listeners to “The Nameless City” and Roxy Lalonde performs a less than serious take on “Polaris.” Speaking of less than serious Lovecraft, here’s Laugh Force Alpha’s ad for “Cthulhu Brand Children’s Vitamins.”

The Hole Behind Midnight is a complete audio book presentation of the dark urban fantasy for mature audiences by Clinton J. Boomer. The Byron Chronicles is another urban fantasy with horror elements, along with music by Midnight Syndicate!

Although Big Finish offers many free downloads of their Doctor Who audio productions on their SoundCloud page, they have even more available on their official website.

Astral Audio Entertainment has lots of great horror productions, but they really outdo themselves every October. Why? Because they do an audio Halloween countdown!

Chatterbox Audio Theater has their fair share of horror, as do Crazy Dog Audio Theatre, The Witch Hunter Chronicles and Age of the Zombies. Those preferring their horror in audio book form should check out Audio Realms and this alternate source for The NoSleep Podcast

You can find some nifty samples at AJ’s Audio Movies, Strange Interludes and AMFM Theater.

On a final note, no installment of this series would be complete without our podcast’s annual Halloween special.

As always, Gravedigger’s Local 16 is not to be held responsible for anything that may occur (be it good or bad) as a result of downloading or streaming from any links given here. Attempt at your own discretion. Some downloads may not work in certain regions. Blah blah blah…

Oct 20 2015

Oddity Archive: The Sounds of Halloween

One of my favorite web review series is Ben Minnotte’s Oddity Archive. I love his looks at various audio visual oddities and how his theme music sounds like something from a giallo movie. Where else could you learn about failed video formats, obscure broadcasting standards and the like from a guy behind a cardboard box? I also enjoy his annual tradition of reviewing an old Halloween sound effects album. While most installments have been minisodes, his look at Hallmark’s The Sounds of Halloween resulted in enough material to form a full episode! Thanks to OddityArchive, you can experience it for yourself:

I wonder what he has in store for us this year?

Oct 19 2015

It Came From Amazon VII

There now exists a book full of VHS box art for cult films and I have never been more excited. The gimmick of making it the size of an old VHS case is nice and all, but I really want a coffee table book version.

If that first entry makes little sense to you, I hope the box art for Blood Castle clears things up for you.

Wait, so now the book market has jumped on the “Megapack” bandwagon popularized by DVDs? DVD megapacks were a success because having so many movies for so little money was unheard of. A “Megapack” of stories is just another budget anthology.

It looks like I missed a series in my list of Goosebumps clones.

If you want to recreate the aliens from Repo Man at home, then you are in luck. All you need are some condoms partially filled with water and these bad boys.

I love how the cover for the VHS release of Irwin Allen’s The Lost World makes absolutely no effort to hide the fact it used reptiles with rubber bits glued on as “dinosaurs.” I bet you could easily make your own toy versions of the monsters in this by combining animal toys with pieces of dinosaur toys.

Wow. So is “Dagon” an obscure baby name or has the stuffed animal industry fallen victim to the Deep Ones?

The Dead of Fall marked the first time Gravedigger’s Local 16 was ever referenced on a physical media release. According to Darkmood, the reissue of Halloween Descends and the upcoming When Time Ends will also include some shout-outs to us as well.

It looks like NECA’s Gremlins II: The New Batch toys have done so well they had to make figures based on unused concept art in order to meet demand!

This Alfred Hitchcock puzzle brings back a lot of memories. Not of that particular puzzle, mind you, but of another one in the line called “Robot on the Rampage.” The puzzles in this series had a gimmick where you had to read a short story setting up the mystery and then put together a jigsaw puzzle. Once the puzzle was complete, you had to carefully search it for the clue you needed. In the robot puzzle’s case, it was a key you needed to escape. Good times.

The existence of this wooden Godzilla puzzle baffles me. The color is all wrong and it looks more like the 1998 Tristar abomination than Godzilla. At first I thought it was merchandise from that movie, but then I found another version of it from 2013! What gives?

Music From the Monster Movies was actually pretty clever in how it tried to cash in on the publicity for Tristar’s Godzilla. Not only is the logo clearly inspired by the movie’s logo, but its use of a giant iguana referenced Zilla’s origin. Having it on all fours probably reminded some people of the rumors Zilla was going to be a quadruped. I believe this was later reissued with a few extra tracks and new cover art as Music From the Monster Movies & Super Heroes Too.

Something tells me the Godzilla figure in this bucket of toy dinosaurs was not licensed by Toho.

Marvel Comics owns the rights to all of the original characters they created for their Godzilla comic book. Have they released any of the monsters Godzilla battled to cash in on the Legendary movie? Nope. Perhaps an action figure of Dr. Demonicus since he turned up in other comics after Marvel lost their Godzilla license? It would make sense, but no. Instead the first licensed Marvel toy to take advantage of this was the “Meegan Alien” from the old Silver Surfer toyline, which is actually a “Megan.” I’m not kidding.

I usually enjoy their figures of horror icons based on their video game appearances, but NECA’s version of Godzilla seems really off to me for some reason. At least in terms of replicating the Big G’s appearance in the game, as the sculpting is great. But boy did I nerd out over this new, more screen accurate version of the classic Shogun Warriors Godzilla toy. I also understand there was a green color variant convention exclusive version available at one point.

A cute plush Cthulhu in Halloween gear. Words fail me.

Holy crap, they reused the cover art from the hilarious schlockfest that is Dracula 3000 for a serious book about vampires appearing in science fiction.

What’s weirder, a Mickey Mouse toy based on Runaway Brain or a Megazord based on Disney characters?

The interesting thing about the Darkness Falls action figure is how it (and the open mouthed toy variant) was based on concept art for the film and actually looks nothing like the version of “The Tooth Fairy” we see in the movie. It also reminds me of the “Human” and “Tree” versions of the Blair Witch the same company released. Presumably they are just as non-canon as the video games based on The Blair Witch Project which cross over with the video game
Nocturne and reveal the Blair Witch was not a killer!

Speaking of odd tie-ins with that movie, Josh’s Blair Witch Mix was marketed as if it were a mix tape made by one of the ill-fated film students from the movie. Too bad it included music which either came out after the year the events of the movie took place. The tracks including samples from the film helped ruin the “authenticity” as well.

Oct 18 2015

Creepy Cocktails and Devious Drinks III

cidermug

A mug of hot apple cider is just the thing for a cold autumn night. Thanks to iloveitallofit, you actually have quite the selection of different recipes to choose from!

“Spooky Fog Drinks” can be great fun for a party…just as long as you make sure nobody is actually served dry ice in their drinks and you read up on safely using it.

What’s better than Shipyard Pumpkinhead ale? Cocktails made with Shipyard Pumpkinhead ale! Thanks to YouTube, you can learn how to brew beer in a pumpkin and make “Ghoul Drool.”

Whipped Lightning has recipes for drinks like “Banshee,” “Rumkin,” “Trick or Treat” and “Pumpkin Pie à la Mode” while Barina Craft has plenty of ghost cocktails to choose from.

Is EveryDay Is a Crafting Day’s “Green Grog” a drink or food? Whatever it is, it looks delicious!

“Queimada” is quite the interesting drink. It is often brewed in a pumpkin while an incantation is chanted over it before ignition takes place. Yes, I said “ignition.” The eerie blue flames are a wonder to behold. Those daring enough to try it can find the recipe on About.com’s Spanish Food section.

Those preferring something less intense can head over to Celebrate & Decorate for some “Pink-eye Potion” and recipes for Halloween punch. Babble’s “Caramel Apple Cider Shooters” are also highly recommended. Older drinkers can opt for a “Bloody Sunday Cocktail” from BourbonBlog.com or a “Pumpkin Pie Martini” from We are not Martha. CocktailTimes.com and Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction also offer Halloween cocktail recipes.

Please drink responsibly!

Oct 17 2015

6’+ Episode 160 is Up!

2013 Logo IconTo quote the description given at the new listing:

“Our yearly all ambient and amtmosFEARic episode! It will put the creep into your Halloween! Psychos and punks beware because this episode is full of that creeping doom! With music from PRELUDE TO A NIGHTMARE, VERSE 13, DULCET JONES, DARKMOOD and so much more! The most frightening part? THE MONSTERMATT MINUTE!”

Remember to email 6′+ (contact at 6ftplus.com) or leave a comment below about the show, whether you liked it or not. Tell your friends, leave a review on iTunes, but above all – enjoy.

You can find all episodes of 6′+ over at the official site as well as on iTunes and Stitcher. They’re also on Facebook, Twitter and SoundCloud.

Oct 17 2015

Freaky Food II

orangejackolanterns

Given all the sugary treats which fill our diets during the Halloween season, it’s nice to throw some nutritious stuff into the mix. So why not try making a tasty “Orange Jack-o-Lantern” from American Cookery Volume 24 for your next dessert or snack? Elyse Salpeter also has a wide selection of healthy Halloween treat suggestions.

But if you want the more traditional sweet stuff, I still have you covered. The Country Gentleman, Volume 81 has a recipe for “Night-Owl Cakes,” Blue-Eyed Bakers has some tasty “Petite Pumpkin Spice Donuts” while Home For Halloween has “Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispies Treats.” I also found the official recipe for “Carol’s Cookies” from The Walking Dead on Twitter and Slash & Dine has some amazing “Edible Alien Eggs.”

Caramel and candy apples are a Halloween tradition, but Let’s Get Thrifty found a way to make them even creepier with their edible recreation of “Snow White’s Poison Apple.” Those looking for a way to enhance the treats they will be handing on Halloween will appreciate Family Fresh Meals’ “Spooky Spider Suckers.”

Halloween Forum has some great ideas for recipes one can make with a gelatin brain mold, along with the incredible galleries put together by talkingcatblues and Halloweenie1.

The Google Books preview for Crazy about Cupcakes by Krystina Castella shows how to make “Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes” and “Skeleton Cupcakes” while Better Homes and Gardens’ Halloween Tricks & Treats brings us the “Pizza-pede.” For those who prefer not to bake, YouTube has some tasty “Jello Eyes.”

Those looking for more adult tastes need to read Delish.com’s “Adult Halloween Party Ideas” and Pumpkinrot’s discovery of “Halloween Recipes For Adults (Or Brave Kids).” Pumpkinrot has a vast assortment of other recipes, including “Two Ingredient Pumpkin Cake” and “7 Layer Candy Bar Dip.”

Martha Stewart’s recipe for “Monster Mucus” is right up there with “Chuckie’s Upchuck” and “Flat Cat Cookies” from Emma Foster’s Easy and Fun Kids Recipes in terms of grossness.

Oct 17 2015

Video Store Day Is Here!

Truth

Today marks another year in the ongoing battle against blandness in viewing choices. Far too many retail stores are minimizing their physical media selections and that can’t be a good sign for rental stores. Although the stakes are higher than ever, there is still hope for those who enjoy more than just mainstream fare. More and more video stores across the world have been joining Video Store Day and the event’s official Facebook page is filled with success stories and tons of amazing articles to hit you right in the nostalgia.

You can learn more at the official Video Store Day website and check out their numerous lists of participating stores across the globe.

Happy Video Store Day!

Special thanks to Eyesore Cinema for use of the image!

Oct 16 2015

Hebert’s Spooktacular Events

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Location: 574 Hartford Turnpike, Shrewsbury, MA 01545 (Directions)
Dates/Times: October 17-18, 24-25 from 12:00 – 4:00 pm (Dates/Times and prices subject to change as years go by)
Admission: Free (but the Halloween Candy Camp costs $9.95)
Phone: (508) 842-5583
Website: http://www.hebertcandies.com/pages/halloween

I still remember my first encounter with Hebert Candies’ haunted house. I had been visiting their historic mansion as part of a tasting event when I noticed something special. It was an animatronic troll, whose movements stretched out some carefully placed fake spider webbing. But what really grabbed my attention was the sign in front of it, which promised this was only a preview of the things to come in the Haunted Candy Mansion. The sign also promised free candy to all the kids who went through it. I knew then and there I was going to come back for it.

When I came back weeks later, the mansion was all decked out. Visitors were brought into a hallway lavishly decorated to look like a haunted forest. Employees dressed as a black cat and scarecrow stood and handed out candy, all while wishing guests a happy Halloween. Most of the haunt used this format and it definitely kept the younger children from being scared. The only room to not utilize this (that wasn’t a static display) was the candy factory. After a short period of looking at the body parts mixed in with candy, a crazed chef suddenly charged into the room. His wonderfully hammy performance was probably intended to calm down younger children and I often wonder if this was a spur of the moment decision brought on by the actor noticing the large number of older kids going through the haunted house. Not matter what the reason for it was, it was a nice surprise. The majority of the props and decor used were very high quality, with the exception of a few plastic blow mold skeletons and some of the equipment in the mad scientist’s lab. But to be fair, the skeletons were often in comical situations and appeared to be a running gag throughout the haunt. The room designs showed a lot of creativity and made great use of lighting effects. Even though the lines were long, it was nice how the visitors were never rushed through the attraction.

As this was the first professional haunted house I had ever been to that wasn’t part of a fair, Hebert’s Haunted Candy Mansion holds a special place in my heart. It also holds a special place in my stomach thanks to the delicious candy and hot fudge sundae I had after completing the haunt. Bringing a pillow case was a great idea, as their size and strength was necessary thanks to all of the candy I snagged. Speaking with others who attended later versions of the haunted house has revealed it changed rooms and themes every year. It also started letting guests choose how scary of an experience they want. But one year Hebert Candies stopped running the event. As the company is under new ownership, I have been unable to determine when the event stopped (or when it first started). But I do know that it made its glorious return in 2014. Given how most haunted attractions never survive a period of inactivity, this is huge news! It also turns out there are far more activities for visitors than the single photo op when I went. Now there’s crafts, face painting, contests and so much more!

Picking a rating for a haunted attraction aimed at the younger set is hard, especially when all I have to go on are memories from when I visited in 1996. It’s rather fitting how the very haunted attraction which led to my trying to visit a new haunt every year (which in turn led to my annual haunt reviews) is the last one I’ll be reviewing based solely on memory. I don’t know if you still trick or treat in it or how scary it is. Perhaps you can tell me when you go. You can also tell me if they still have the troll advertising the event or if he’s actually in the haunted house this time. In any case, I’m sure you’ll have a lot of fun with your family if you go.

Final verdict: 3 skulls out of 5

Special thanks to Hebert Candies for use of the image!

Oct 15 2015

Grim Reaper Drone Prank

Comedian Tom Mabe came up with a great idea for a prank: Get a hexacopter drone, hang a Grim Reaper decoration under it using a generous amount of fishing line and then send it after people in a park! You can see the hilarious results yourself thanks to his MabeInAmerica channel:

He also did another spooky prank video which includes a look at how the effect was accomplished. I suspect this might have been due to the sheer number of people who thought the first prank involved putting a costume over a drone and flying it. Trust me, you don’t want to try that method.

My mind is reeling at the possibilities for this kind of thing at outdoor haunted attractions. Having a ghost come flying out of the woods would be a great scare. The issue would be keeping their eyes glued to the ghost and not looking for its method of locomotion. Hiding the sound of the drone using music or sound effects would be easy. Finding a way to make it retreat in a way which seems natural and doesn’t involve passing over the patrons would be a bit more difficult. The last thing you need is for the drone to malfunction and crash onto someone. The air regulations I mentioned the last time I pitched something like this could also be a factor. But I do hope someone figures out how to make this a reality. The effect is just too cool to pass up.

Oct 14 2015

How To Review Haunted Attractions

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Let me start off by stressing how the intention of this article is NOT to make people duplicate my reviewing style. Given the flaws in it which will be shared below, I actually want people to avoid making the same mistakes I did.

Step 1: Reading Reviews

Reading the work of other haunted attraction reviewers is incredibly important. Not only can does it let you decide on your reviewing style, but it can also help you find haunted attractions in your area that you might have missed while searching on your own. Make sure to check out Mad Martian. Not only does he go into detail about what guidelines he uses to make his final ratings, but he has some great advice about when to attend a haunted attraction for the best experience.

Step 2: Creating Your Rating

I personally advise not using a rating system and adopting a more relaxed “Yay or Nay” approach. There’s much less chance of getting a “broken” system that way. Trying to pin down the exact number of stars (or in my case, skulls) is a pain and I do it out of tradition more than anything else. No matter what you do, it helps to visualize the best and worst haunted attractions you have ever been to. Imagining what you would consider to be the best and worst haunts can work as well. Consider what would make each better or worse.

Please keep in mind you will be grading on a curve. A charity haunted house is not going to be the same as a professional haunted house. The cost of admission (if any) must also be considered.

Step 3: Showing Up

I put my own twist on Mad Martian’s advice about when to attend a haunted attraction: Go towards the middle of its run and at least a half hour after opening. The idea is that the performers will be fully warmed up and not be burned out like they would be at the end of the night (or the season). Sometimes haunted attractions will put aside a special night which only allows reviewers and members of the press. Sometimes admission is free and sometimes there is a discount. The problem is there is no guarantee the high quality performance given on such nights will be carried on for the rest of the time it is open. Some attractions might purposefully phone it in on every night except for the press night since they already got the review they wanted! You don’t want to be caught in that sort of situation, as people will stop trusting your reviews if they keep getting ripped off by deceptive haunts. I never let a haunted attraction know about my visit in advance since I want the same experience as everyone else.

Step 4: Good Patron Skills

A good experience at a haunted attraction can only be had by those who behave properly. wikiHow and Bertram Bertram show everything a visitor should never do. Even something as simple as taking a picture can ruin a haunted attraction. A surprised person could potentially fall and injure someone. Not only could the flash or noise ruin the immersive experience for anyone in the room, but the performer could be shaken out of character and have trouble entertaining the next visitors to the room. If you require pictures or video for your review, be sure to ask permission (more on that later).

Those recording videos should remember you really can’t call yourself a critic if you purposefully scream at every little thing and call that a “review.” Such behavior also ruins it for other patrons. It is also important to keep in mind how, as time goes on, you will become more and more desensitized to scares. A good reviewer can still identify a creative and effective scare without being scared themselves.

Step 5: Obtaining Permission

Always, ALWAYS as for permission to use a camera inside of a haunted attraction before doing so. Many owners of such attractions hate it when people use cameras in their attractions. Do not let the lack of signs forbidding their use or employers who only give you dirty looks rather than tell you “No” fool you into thinking otherwise. A single photograph could get potentially get you thrown out of a haunt. So when you arrive at the haunt, be sure to ask for someone with authority and ask for permission. If taking pictures inside is not an option, they might set aside some time for you after closing in order to get what you need if they know you are going to be reviewing it.

Alternately, you could email them the day after you visit and ask for permission to use images from their website or social media feeds. Sometimes they might even have a special stash of photographs they keep for just such an occasion they don’t publish online for unknown reasons. They are more than happy to offer them to you in exchange for not taking pictures inside the haunt. You might want to neglect mentioning you already visited the haunted attraction when you contact them. Having a positive review of something already posted also helps. Getting permission for images also helps prevent haunt owners from threatening copyright infringement lawsuits in an attempt to get a negative review taken down.

Step 6: Miscellaneous Advice

If you are doing reviews for a website which isn’t solely dedicated to haunted attraction reviews, please include a “haunted attraction” tag in your reviews. This allows interested people to find all of your haunt reviews quickly and easily. Focusing less on snark and more on how a haunt can improve will make the owners more likely to listen to you. It is up to you if you want to look up discounts to include in your reviews, but I think it helps get more people to attend.

Occasionally checking up on attractions you have previously reviewed is also a good idea. You never know when one might shut down, change location or make changes important enough to include in an update. The last thing you need is a reader getting angry at you since some information in your review no longer applies. Including a disclaimer like “Dates, times and prices subject to change as the years go by” also helps prevent this. Some haunted attractions don’t use professionals to take their publicity images and you might get situations where time codes or other unflattering details are shown in them. I recommend getting permission to remove or crop out things like that. Finally, pick out what works best for you. This article tries to provide as much general information as possible and contradictions are bound to occur if you try to do everything.

Oct 13 2015

Tricks and Treats VI

witchlantern

Not sure whether or not you want to make a paper pumpkin or witch decoration this year? Get the best of both worlds by making a combination of both using these handy instructions.

Facebook has a ton of great decorating ideas. Home Haunters shared some great advice on making “Bloody Handprint Window Clings,” World Of Horrors has some labels and origami skull, Handmade Halloween has a great lighting idea and Andrew’s Black Books has amazing tutorials and scare ideas. Considering what he’s giving away for free to promote his book, imagine how incredibly the stuff you have to pay for is!

Babble also has a wonderful selection of scary prop ideas for haunted houses and yard haunts. Those planning on using LEDs in their props absolutely have to bookmark the guide “How to Buy LEDs on eBay.”

Stacy Nelson’s 10 On-Set Secrets: Halloween has loads and loads of decorating advice and project ideas. The previews available on Amazon and Google Books make this very clear.

Have you ever wanted to recreate the Jack O’Lantern seen in the opening credits of John Carpenter’s Halloween for your front steps? Michael-Myers.net has just the pumpkin carving stencil you need.

Decorating your computer for Halloween is something far too many people overlook when planning for the big day. Thankfully Shallow Valley Funeral Home has the perfect free desktop for you!

Anyone who has read comic books or horror magazines from the 1970’s will remember the garish ads for the “The Monster Fan Club” (aka “The Horror Fan Club”). Jason “Scar Stuff” Willis is offering an almost complete collection of scans from the kit and I highly recommend checking it out.

Speaking of 70’s horror, I just found a website chronicling the filming of Snowbeast. In addition to continuing my tradition of sharing behind-the-scenes stories of horror movies in these articles, it also gives me an excuse to link to Snowbeast Records’ free Halloween compilations. Those preferring a more traditional selection of Halloween music should enjoy Amazon’s free download of the soundtrack to Unpleasantville.

Gravedigger’s Local 16 is not to be held responsible for the content on or anything that may occur (be it good or bad) as a result of visiting any links on those sites (or constructing a project that’s detailed on them). Attempt at your own discretion.

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