Today in Halloween: Princess of Pumpkinland

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Here’s another look at vintage Halloween pictures from the world wild web.

I’m not sure what to make of the creepy, rough-hewn masks of yesterday we’ve seen in a lot of these old snapshots. Were mask-making skills so rudimentary more than a half-century ago? Or was a lot of detail lost in these photos? Was it possible to tell, face to face, the character or person the mask was based on?

In this one, a girl cradles a pumpkin while she sits among other pumpkins.

Her mask is a puzzler. The arched brows, full but frozen lips …. who knew there had ever been a market for Tallulah Bankhead masks?

Today in Halloween: ‘Mockingbird Lane’

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I’m just a wee bit tired of coy TV show titles. I suppose “Smallville” started it all. Here was a TV series – often enjoyable, especially toward the end – that seemed embarrassed to embrace its true nature as a Superboy story.

Other shows with titles that seem too cool for school in some ways included the Aquaman show that was kinda sorta inspired by “Smallville” and carried the title “Mercy Reef.” Sufferin’ Shad, but that sounds like something Aquaman would have exclaimed. It’s probably just as well the show never came to pass. It would be in its sixth season by now and Aquaman, who I’m sure would have had a cooler, subtler name, would have just begun talking to his pet clown fish.

So there’s precedent, title-wise, for “Mockingbird Lane,” the apparently failed NBC pilot that aired tonight as part of the network’s special night of Halloween programing that included an episode of “Grimm” and … a Chris Hansen show about busting would-be Internet hitmen and scam artists?

But, surprisingly, “Mockingbird Lane” was better than could have been expected. Or maybe a high level of competence should have been expected, considering it was co-written and produced by Bryan Fuller (“Wonderfalls”) and directed by Bryan Singer (the first two, good “X-Men” movies).

“Mockingbird Lane” was based on “The Munsters,” that silly sitcom that aired from 1962 to 1966. The show’s premise was that the Munster clan – Frankenstein-like Herman, vampiric wife Lily, son Eddie (a werewolf), Grandpa (a vampire, last name Dracula) and niece Marilyn (a cute, “normal” blonde – was a perfectly normal family, especially compared to the wonderfully twisted Addams clan. The comedy arose from the public’s reaction to the Munsters.

Apparently Fuller and Singer set out to remake the series, but in subtler fashion, and NBC was interested enough to buy an hour-long pilot but hasn’t okayed – and maybe won’t okay – an actual weekly series.

So tonight’s episode served to introduce and maybe bid farewell to the Munsters, who live at 1313 Mockingbird Lane. The plot revolved around the search for a heart for Herman, whose ticker is worn out because of his love for his family, as well as efforts to keep Grandpa from killing too many of the neighbors.

It took me a while to figure out what was missing from “Mockingbird Lane.” It was Fred Gwynne’s boisterous overacting and booming laugh as Herman. Jerry O’Connell was fine, maybe welcome, as a quiet and contemplative Herman.

The entire case was fine, especially Eddie Izzard as Grandpa. It was unimaginable he would follow the endearingly cornball lead of Al Lewis as the original Grandpa. Izzard instead played the old vampire patriarch as quietly menacing.

Random observations:

I liked the use of bits of the original show’s theme music throughout “Mockingbird Lane.”

Since O’Connell didn’t sport a traditional Universal Frankenstein head in the show, I enjoyed how they introduced him. With a lantern hanging behind him, Herman’s silhouette had a decidedly square look.

Izzard looked decrepit during the show, only reverting to his normal appearance at the end. It’s a nice touch.

Likewise the suggestion that niece Marilyn has got … something … going on besides being the boring “normal” girl. Anyone this into the smell of a decaying old mansion has a dark side.

Of course, we may never know for sure.

 

 

Today in Halloween: Don Post masks

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If, like me, you grew up reading Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, you remember ads featuring Don Post Studios masks.

Post, who died in 1979, was famous for creating deluxe, top of the line Halloween masks. Before Halloween was the industry that it is today, Post’s masks were the stuff of legend, the go-to masks for Halloween parties and trick-or-treating.

Post’s masks were not your typical dime-store stuff. Looking at vintage ads now, I’m surprised that some of them sold for nearly $10. That was a lot of money for kids in the 1960s but these were beautiful, full over-the-head latex creations.

Post’s masks have taken on a life of their own that has continued through the decades. Some of us fondly remember the masks Post created for the ersatz “Silver Shamrock” company for “Halloween III: Season of the Witch.”

His William Shatner mask was, famously, used as Michael Myers’ mask in the first “Halloween” movie.

Of old-school Post masks, I will always think of his Tor Johnson mask, based on the 1950s wrestler/actor in classics like “Plan 9 From Outer Space.” It’s the scary fellow at the top of this item.

Here’s to Don Post and his masks, Halloween fixtures.

By the way, there’s a blog out there with everything you could possibly want to know about monster masks. It is http://monstermasks.blogspot.com/

 

‘Evil Dead’ remake: Trailer is released

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Yeeesh.

Yes, Sam Raimi’s horror classic “The Evil Dead” is getting remade. Raimi, who more recently graduated to the likes of the (also recently rebooted) “Spider-Man” movies, is producing the remake, which comes out in April 2013.

Some observations on the “red band” – or age restricted – trailer:

Yes, yes, we all know that the original “Evil Dead” preceded “Cabin in the Woods” by about three decades. But I can’t get over how much this trailer reminds me of the horror movie set-up – certainly not the behind-the-scenes story – of “Cabin.”

First … there’s a cabin in the woods. Yes, I know. Right out of the original “Evil Dead.”

But there’s the whole “Don’t go into the basement” and “Don’t touch anything from the basement” deal. Again, I know what was below the trap door was part of the original movie. But still. It just conjures up memories. Just saying’.

Not surprisingly, this is one gory movie. Any movie that features a tongue-splitting is gory.

Questions about the ‘Iron Man 3’ trailer

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So the teaser trailer for “Iron Man 3” came out today and the Interwebs got mighty, mighty excited.

We see Tony Stark in action. We see some sinister doings by Iron Man suits. We see beloved gal pal Pepper Potts having a bad day.

We see Tony Stark himself having a very bad day. Besides getting the heck blown out of his Malibu digs, Tony obviously takes a beating himself.

We get our first look at the Mandarin, the longtime Iron Man foe played in the movie by Ben Kingsley. We even get a look at his rings.

A few big questions come to mind.

What’s up with the kinda sorta Captain America shield tattooed on the neck of the Mandarin? We’re assuming that’s the Mandarin since we saw Kingsley sporting a hirsute look not unlike the wearer of this tat, which has an “A” in the middle to differentiate it from Cap’s shield.

Is Tony suffering from post traumatic stress disorder? He mentions the battle of New York – as depicted in “The Avengers” – and indicates he’s still troubled.

What’s happening with Happy Hogan? The quick glimpse we set of Jon Favreau’s character looks pretty dire.

Who’s in the Iron Man suit that’s menacing Pepper and Tony? Or is that one of the rumored remote-control suits Tony supposedly creates for the movie?

What the heck happens that destroys all those earlier Iron Man suits?

What’s Tony doing out in the snow?

Director Shane Black’s movie reportedly isolates Tony and gives him huge obstacles and challenges to overcome. The trailer sure makes it look like that’s the case.

Here’s looking forward to May.

 

 

 

Today in Halloween: More creepy costumes, decorations

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It’s spooky how close we are to Halloween. So it’s time for more iPhone photos of cool Halloween masks, costumes and decor.

Above is one of the coolest pieces of decor I’ve seen this year. There’s plenty to find creepy about clowns. But this freaky skeletal horror clown is enough to give anybody nightmares.

Aww, it’s a … Halloween vampire jack-in-the-box featuring a vampire. Hmm.

What would we do for a cheap Halloween costume without Michael Myers masks? Or should I say William Shatner masks?

Here’s a strange one. Slobbering dog. You provide the slobber, buddy. I guess this is for those parties where you want to be called a “dawg.”

Oh my god! They’ve killed and scalped the Hulk! Oh the humanity!

While we’re in the cranial portion of the Halloween costume shop, how about them zombie brains? How have them zombie brains been treating you?

If you’re a fan of Marvel Zombies, I’d suggest pairing the zombie brains above – and a loin cloth – with this mask for your pal: A zombie chimp. You could go as Zombie Tarzan and Zombie Cheeta.

Finally, werewolf hands. As in, “Get your damn werewolf hands off me.”

More next time.

Today in Halloween: The return of Count Chocula

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It’s that time of year again. Time for the return of the ultimate trio of monster cereals.

Count Chocula, Franken Berry and Boo Berry, of course.

I was at Target today and snapped the picture above of a Count Chocula box. It was part of a display, near the checkout, of the three General Mills monster cereals.

Talk about your impulse buy aimed at 30-, 40- and 50-somethings.

Although there are plenty of indications General Mills makes the three cereals year-round, they seem to show up on store shelves every fall.

General Mills’ own website makes the connection to the fall release of the cereals:

Remember the excitement of autumn back in your childhood years?

Fall brought pumpkins, falling leaves, and a fun holiday when you could morph into anything you desired. With a mental image of the character selected, you devised a brilliant Halloween costume idea. There were parties, caramel apples, and chewy peanut butter kisses, and breakfast.

Monster breakfasts.

Count Chocula and Franken Berry were introduced not for Halloween, though, but in March 1971. Boo Berry, a ghostly figure, came along in December 1972.

General Mills doesn’t say so, but the cereals were almost certainly intended to capitalize on the rebirth of interest, beginning in the late 1950s and continuing into the 1970s, of the classic Universal Studios monsters like Frankenstein, Dracula and the Mummy.

That interest had been kicked off by the release to television of the “Shock Theater” package of 30s and 40s Universal horror classics.

While I was fond of the cereals, I don’t remember some of the spin-offs and freebies. Like a record, “Monster Adventures in Outer Space,” that must have been included in cereal boxes.

Anyone else remember the two discontinued monster cereals? I can’t say that I remember either Fruit Brute or  Fruity Yummy Mummy.

They were introduced at a later date and didn’t have a long shelf life. Pun intended.

The monster images changed somewhat over the years. Above is an earlier Count Chocula image.

One thing that hasn’t changed? The monster cereals are “part of this nutritious breakfast!”

 

Today in Halloween: ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’

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Considering what a clever show Joss Whedon’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” was, it shouldn’t be surprising that its treatment of Halloween would be exceptional.

More than a few series use “Halloween” as an easy holiday to hang an episode on. “Community” and “Roseanne” got some good laughs out of putting their characters into freaky costumes and situations.

But part of what made “Buffy” Halloween episodes special was the premise that Halloween was indeed different for the Scooby Gang and the rest of the people living on the Hellmouth.

Halloween, the characters note, is something of a night off for real-life creatures of the night and the people who battle them. Self-respecting vampires like Spike consider Halloween “amateur night,” kind of the way big drinkers feel about New Year’s Eve.

The series’ second-season episode, “Halloween,” finds Buffy, Willow and Xander going out in costume to trick-or-treat. What they don’t know is that the costumes are cursed and make the wearer adopt the traits of the outfits. Buffy’s old-timey lady costume turns her into a shrinking violet. Willow’s ghost costume turns her into … a ghost.

It’s a great episode, the first of three set on Halloween that the series featured.

Random observations:

Xander’s guise as a soldier – and his instant depth of knowledge about the ways of a warrior – are retained, in a way, after the episode ends. His skills come in handy in later episodes.

The episode introduces not only costume shop/chaos worshipper Ethan Rayne, an old frenemy of Giles, but gives an early indication of Giles’ past as much more than a stuffy old watcher.

We once again see Oz, Willow’s future significant other, as the series continues to tease us with important characters still to come.

Today in Halloween: Who’s a cute little Frankenstein?

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Could. Not. Be. Any. Cuter.

Seriously, our latest dip into vintage Halloween costumes is probably the cutest picture yet.

The devil on the left is pretty doggone cute.

But the Frankenstein on the right? Wow.

Maybe it’s the cute grimace in the mask. Or the cheesy tunic.

But I personally think it’s the upraised hands, fingers curled in monster-ific fashion.

Awwww!

Bonus points if anybody can identify the costumes. I did Google image searches to see if the costumes were from Collegeville or Ben Cooper, big makers of kids costumes in the 1950s and beyond, and didn’t come across them.