Tag Archives: Halloween

Today in Halloween: AMC has a little bit of Fear Fest left

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amc fear fest

You know, I’m a big fan of today’s AMC. What’s not to like? “The Walking Dead,” “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad.”

But this time of year I miss the old AMC, the all-movie network that couldn’t really compete with Turner Classic Movies … except for the last couple of weeks of October, when AMC programmed virtually non-stop horror movies.

From the old Universal Monsters classics to Hammer horrors, AMC made me want to sit in front of my TV 24-7.

Well, a lot of the classics have fled elsewhere – I’m guessing TCM – and there’s a preponderance of “Friday the 13th” and “Halloween” movies during the final two weeks of October on AMC now.

But that’s okay. Cause you can never see John Carpenter’s classic “Halloween” too many times. And none of us have seen the offbeat “Halloween 3” often enough.

And yes, I’ll stop and check out a “Friday the 13th” movie, if only long enough to determine if it’s the one with Kevin Bacon.

There are a few schedules online for AMC’s lineup this year. True, too many of the timeslots are filled with inferior stuff.

But beginning with a “Walking Dead” marathon over the weekend leading up to the new season premiere at 9 p.m Sunday and great movies like “Slither” on tap, AMC will still give us some Fear Fest this year.

Today in Halloween: Collegeville costumes sign

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CollegevilleHalloweenCostumeSign

During the month of October, you’ll find a few references to Collegeville and Ben Cooper Halloween costumes in this blog and many other spots on the Internet.

As much as I enjoy the wide array of Halloween costumes and decorations and makeup and … well, stuff in general that’s available today, none of it has the charm and nostalgia that most of us of a certain age feel for the two top Halloween costume makers for a half-century, Ben Cooper and Collegeville.

Here’s a sign, not unlike you’d find in a Woolworth or W.T. Grant or some other store, advertising Collegeville Halloween costumes.

Collegeville, operating out of Collegeville, PA, was maybe the lower-rent of the two companies. Ben Cooper costumes were officially licensed and featured characters from “Star Wars” and comics and TV shows.

Collegeville costumes were a little cheaper – still the standard rubber mask with a string, but a little more generic – but just as dear to our hearts.

Halloween wouldn’t have been the same without finding this sign at your neighborhood store, letting you know that the promise of finding the perfect costume for trick-or-treating was just down the aisle.

Today in Halloween: Cute lil Darth Vader

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ben cooper darth vader

Who’s a cute Little Darth Vader? Who is? You are!

If you were the appropriate age to wear Ben Cooper Halloween costumes in 1980, and if you were a “Star Wars” fan, chances are good you wore this Darth Vader costume, offered by the company that year.

“The Empire Strikes Back” had come out that summer and Ben Cooper, the maker of half the nation’s Halloween costumes, had Darth Vader, just in time for you to tell the younger kid down the street who was dressed up like Luke Skywalker that you were his father.

Of course, the whole thing didn’t go off without a hitch.

hallow ben cooper darth vadar misspelling

Check out the spelling of Vader in the Cooper catalogue, here courtesy of plaidstallions.com.

Oh well. Not like it was the most popular movie series in history or anything.

Today in Halloween: Captain America goggles

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hallow cap goggles

I think I might have to break down and get these.

Readers of this blog might know that Captain America is, in some ways, my favorite superhero.

avengers 4

My earliest comic-book experiences revolved around a copy of Avengers 4, the milestone silver age comic in which Cap returns from the dead, given to me by a neighbor.

Cap’s costume in the big-screen movies often includes some kind of cowl/mask but often features just helmet and goggles.

You can get Iron Man or Spider-Man versions of these goggles, but really, they only make absolute sense for Cap to wear.

Or Halloween-night versions of Cap.

If I could only find a set big enough for my big Roysdon-sized noggin.

Today in Halloween: Michael Myers in the shadows

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halloween street scene

As Count Floyd would say, “Oooo, that’s scary.”

There’s something about a lone figure in the distance, in the darkness, that prompts chills.

That’s never been more true than when Michael Myers is lurking in “Halloween.”

I’m of the opinion that John Carpenter’s 1978 classic horror film “Halloween” is one of the best fright flicks ever.

A big part of that was Carpenter’s “less is more” approach to showing Michael Myers. The killer was forever slowly fading into sight from a dark doorway or standing motionless across a street or down a sidewalk or in a backyard.

Or, even worse … approaching slowly from that distance.

Goosebumps.

Today in Halloween: Family Circus, is that you?

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hallow 1960 family go round

I happened upon this tonight and thought I would post it even though I don’t know the story behind it yet.

But hey: Halloween.

Regular readers of this blog know there’s some fascination out there for Bil Keane’s Family Circus newspaper comic panel. A lot of people come to the blog looking for Billy – or is it Jeffy? – and his circuitous route through town, always marked by a twisting dotted line.

So I found this intriguing. I can’t find much in the way of explanations that make me believe that Keane’s panel was called Family-Go-Round before it was Family Circus.

So I’m wondering if this wasn’t some weird aberration. It happens.

Anyway, here, purportedly from 1960, is Bil Keane’s take on trick-or-treating.

Today in Halloween: Dystopian ape?

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hallow animal farm ape costume

Today in Halloween revives that long-cherished tradition in which I take an iPhone photo of some odd Halloween decor or costume and share it here with you.

Today: When  will the crass commercial exploitation of George Orwell’s dystopian and allegorical novel end? When, I ask you?

Oh. I guess the “Animal Farm” brand on this gorilla costume probably doesn’t really refer to George Orwell’s 1945 precursor to his classic “Nineteen Eighty Four.”

I personally can’t wait to see the “Brave New World” shark costumes.

Today in Halloween: Marvel Madness

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hallow marvel costumes ad

I intended to wait until Oct. 1 to begin this year’s crop of Today in Halloween posts, but I jumped the gun a little when I came across this vintage Marvel comics ad for Halloween costumes at the great Blog of Monster Masks.

I’m guessing this was sometime in the 1970s considering the prices – $3.19 for Spider-Man and Hulk costumes! – and the reference to Marvel writer/editor Marv Wolfman in a joke we could totally see coming.

As someone who perused every page of my favorite comics, this kind of exclamatory ad is so familiar from Marvel back in the day.

And bonus: The costumes are flame retardant for safety!

I hope to post something Halloween-related here every day. And you can check out the past couple of years’ worth of posts by clicking on the Halloween tag.

Naked haunted house? No thanks

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naked and scared challenge

We’re not quite ready for this blog’s run-up to Halloween yet – that’ll be in a few days – but I couldn’t resist posting this.

A friend of mine mentioned this on Facebook today and I had to look it up to see if it was real.

So Shocktoberfest, a Pennsylvania haunted house attraction, has come up with the Naked and Scared Challenge, a haunted house that you walk through … naked.

Here, see the press release for yourself:

Naked and Scared Challenge

Think you’re brave? Experience The Unknown haunted house with ZERO protection! We dare you to take the Naked and Scared Challenge only at Shocktoberfest!

Inspired by the hit show “Naked and Afraid” on the Discovery channel, Shocktoberfest has created The Naked and Scared Challenge to test your fears and phobias on a whole new level. For the first time ever you can now experience the Unknown Haunted House totally naked! See if you have Gymnophobia- the fear of being nude. Naked and Scared tickets are limited. Online ticket purchase recommended.

Procedure and Disclaimer

Procedure: The Naked and Scared Challenge allows participants to go through the Unknown Haunted House Nude or Prude (either totally nude or with underwear). It takes place at the end of the night after all customers have gone through the attraction. Participants must be 18 years of age or older and must sign a waiver. Participants undress in a semi-private preshow building, experience the Unknown Haunted House, and then exist into a semi-private fenced courtyard where they will get dressed. Participants are never in view of minors or non-participating customers. Naked and Scared Challenge is not offered on Sundays.

Disclaimer: Shocktoberfest has created this experience so their customers can explore a new level of fear. This is about fear and pushing oneself out of their comfort zone. This is not about sex. No sexual misconduct, inappropriate or disrespectful behavior will be tolerated.
*Please note there is an additional cleaning charge if we scare the p*ss out of you!

I totally understand the idea behind this. How vulnerable would that feel, being naked and having creepy guys in masks jumping out at you?

There’s an underwear-inclusive version for “prudes.”

Check that press release for the number of times the phrase “semi-private” is used. Uh-huh.

But I wonder, how many people would actually do it?