Krampus

I’m just not seeing enough Krampus out there each year. The anti Santa and nightmare fuel for European children dating back to something like 300 BC and here in the US since 2015. Krampus needs more representation this year and there are tons of Krampus options out there from the movie costumes to scary creative masks and full costumes. This is an old demon scene and although it takes a fair bit to pull it off there is no one way to do Krampus right so make it your own.

Check out some scary Krampus costume options here or click the images below.

Ghostface

Ghostface is one of those iconic and terrifying costumes and movie monsters. The killer(s) in Scream are literally wearing this now historic scary costume. This year there are several Ghostface variations and even child Ghostface costumes. Nothing sounds more frightening than being chased by 10 tiny Ghostfaces.

Get Ghostface costumes here

Cheddar Goblin

From the Cult Classic Nic Cage Horror movies Mandy comes the Cheddar Goblin. It’s way scarier than it sounds. I mean what is more terrifying than Mac and Cheese and Goblins?

Bring home this green Cheddar Goblin Mask to your little goblins for a cheesy good time at dinner or for any occasion! Straight from the cult classic horror film Mandy, a Full overhead Mask that is comfortable and easy to wear. Great for use for Trick or Treating, Home Haunts, Haunted Houses, or any party! Could this also be Yoda’s evil macaroni eating twin brother quit possible!

Get the Cheddar Goblin mask here

Michael Meyers Halloween

It’s never going to stop being scary. The dead facial expression. The immortal and unstoppable force of Michael Meyers. These Michael Meyers masks just keep getting more and more creepy each year. With another Halloween movie coming out just around the corner, you can rest assured this mask will instill fear in the neighborhood.

Get your Michael Meyers Masks here

Fulci Zombie

Based on one of the most iconic horror movies ever, Trick or Treat Studios is proud to present the Boat Zombie from the Lucio Fulci cult classic, “Zombie.” Pairs nicely with ripped up and bloody clothes. Outcomes are often screaming children and terrified neighbors. Isn’t that the point of scary costumes?

You can get your own Fulci Zombie mask here

Lil Stevie the Sea Horse

It’s the eyes that really do me in on this one. That and anything from the sea. Sea horror is just some of the scariest horror out there. The mouth moves on this oddly terrifying sea creature. Add some flippers or just a regular outfit and it’s sure to be a hit at that work party Halloween costume contest.

You can find this sea creature here.

Werewolf Full Costume

It’s a classic and this one comes with everything you need, even the feet. Another mask with a moving mouth and the good folks and Zagone Studios who make this know how to create great costumes. This is one you can leave in your will to the grandkids. The Werewolf never goes out of style!

Get your werewolf costume here.

Aliens.. UV Aliens!

We all got the memo that the government knows we got ourselves some aliens out there. Jordan Peele’s “Nope” really drives it home, see it if you have not yet!

UV Black Light Reactive Down to Earth Alien Costume Kit. A great alien mask that can double as an insect head that now reacts with black light. The Costume includes UV Reactive Down to Earth Mask, UV Green Skeleton Gloves and UV Green Skeletal Shroud. 

Become and alien here

Pinhead

Hellraiser’s smartest and most diabolical demon from another astral plane – Pinhead! The classic played by Doug Bradley is sure to win the herts and souls of everyone you meet.

Get your Pinhead Mask here

So Many More Options

Our friends at Horror Hub Marketplace have thousands of costumes for the whole family and even some hand picked options for some of the scarier costumes. Get lost in the many masks, props, costumes and collectibles at Horror Hub. The sights you will see….

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Tritone

Tritone’s love of horror and mystery began at a young age. Growing up in the 80’s he got to see some of the greatest horror movies play out in the best of venues, the drive-in theater. That’s when his obsession with the genre really began—but it wasn’t just the movies, it was the games, the books, the comics, and the lore behind it all that really ignited his obsession. Tritone is a published author and continues to write and write about horror whenever possible.

puzzleboxhorror.com

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The post Best Scary Costumes for This Halloween appeared first on Puzzle Box Horror.

Halloween in Haddonfield is one of the scariest horror movie settings of all time.  With a lot of parties and ‘trick or treaters,’ there are people wearing masks everywhere, making evil harder to detect.  Speaking of evil, everyone knows the iconic, mute, white-masked terror that is Michael Myers from the Halloween franchise. But where did Halloween creators come up with the story, plot and Michael Myers himself? What inspired one of the most popular (and deadly) horror movie slashers of all time, Michael Myers?  Is Halloween Michael Myers Real or based on a true story?

The Real Story Behind Michael Myers and Halloween

Like any successful horror movie franchise, Halloween has grown throughout time.  A horror franchise grows with its sequels according to the demand of the audience and appropriate plot advances. But a lot of what Michael Myers is today, is owed to his original creators…the writers and staff responsible for putting together the original Halloween film. Here are some of the most influential contributions to making Halloween and Michael a scary slasher genre leader that it is today!

Dark History of Evil

The idea of Michael Myers can be traced back to Samhain, and true evil itself.  Debra Hill, who co-wrote Halloween (1978) got into detail in one interview mentioning Samhain itself and that evil was unable to be killed or destroyed. In a traditional Samhain belief, the souls from the other side can come back for one night. This spawned the concept of Michael Myers, a Halloween (Samhain by another name) killer who would keep coming back. Originally, Michael Myers was referred to as “The Shape” by direct John Carpenter. This was allegedly due to Michael always lurking in the shadows in the scenes. The term “the shape” also has some interesting roots in witchcraft meaning that the devil or evil can take the shape of others or walk in the shadows near them. Coincidence maybe, but interesting none the less.

College Studies to Horror Slasher

John Carpenter attributes some of his inspiration for writing Michael’s evil nature from a trip to a mental institution he took with one of his college classes.  Supposedly (according to Carpenter), the patients housed at this Kentucky mental institution were the most seriously ill of all mental patients.  Many of the patients exhibited creepy characteristics. One patient in particular, a young boy, provided Carpenter with a truly evil and deadly stare.  This experience ultimately led to the creation of the hacking and slashing villain and Halloween horror star, Michael Myers.

In the documentary “Halloween – A Cut Above the Rest” Carpenter describes the boy in detail.

“This blank, pale emotionless face. Blackest eyes. The devil’s eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him and then another seven trying to keep him locked up, because I realized what was living behind that boys’ eyes was purely and simply evil.”

John Carpenter in “Halloween – A Cut Above the Rest”

Stanley Stiers

Another potential influence is Stanley Stiers. Stiers is a tragic story of babies switched at birth by a cruel nurse. When the parents found our Stanley was not their real son they abused and neglected him. The final straw was Halloween night when he was denied trick or treating while his sister was able to go. The young boy murdered his family and his sister with a knife. Some horror fan sites believe this is the true backstory of Halloween and Michael Myers, but we have yet to hear that confirmation from Carpenter himself.

Creating Haddonfield

The two writers, Hill and Carpenter, had to come up with a fictional town that Michael could return to haunt. Haddonfield is a real place, only it is located in New Jersey. Hill grew up in Haddonfield, New Jersey, and picked the name in honor of her hometown.  The street names throughout the movie were pulled from Carpenter’s hometown, Bowling Green. In fact, much of the script details were pulled together by combining the two writers’ childhood and hometown experiences together.

Character Creation

The writers decided it would be easiest to each be responsible for drafting the characters of their respective genders.  Thus, Debra Hill would write most of the female character dialogue and behavior; and Carpenter focused on Dr Loomis and Michael Myers. 

Additionally, some of the character names came from the Carpenter’s personal live. Laurie Strode was an ex-girlfriend of Carpenter’s. Michael Myers was the name of a producer Carpenter had previously known from another film.

A Terrifying Musical Score

A lot of the horror that takes place in a Halloween film, especially the original film, take place during super eerie sound tracks.  The suspense that builds during a Halloween film can almost directly relate to the background soundtrack, as the scarier the scenes: the scarier the music.  Carpenter played a huge part in the musical composition of the Halloween soundtrack and has suggested the soundtrack is one of the movies greatest assets.

Other Inspirations

Homage to Alfred Hitchcock is paid by way of two character names. Firstly, Tommy Doyle’s character was named after a policeman from Hitchcock’s 1954 “Rear Window.” And secondly, Dr. Loomis was a nod to character Sam Loomis (played by John Gavin) from Hitchcocks’ 1960 “Psycho.”

Final Words About Halloween’s Favorite Slasher

In short, Halloween is not based upon a true story although Michael Myers is based on real people from the writers lives. However, it does not require it be based on a real story to be truly terrifying. And there WAS real inspiration for the making of Michael Myers. And there were several other real-life inspirations in the making of the Halloween franchise. Regardless of how the original concept was derived, John Carpenter capitalized on a timeless fear, as the audience still turns up strong for a good Halloween sequel!

Are you a TRUE Halloween franchise enthusiast? Check out Surprising Facts About the Halloween Movies for some real Halloween Movie Trivia!

Tritone

Tritone’s love of horror and mystery began at a young age. Growing up in the 80’s he got to see some of the greatest horror movies play out in the best of venues, the drive-in theater. That’s when his obsession with the genre really began—but it wasn’t just the movies, it was the games, the books, the comics, and the lore behind it all that really ignited his obsession. Tritone is a published author and continues to write and write about horror whenever possible.

puzzleboxhorror.com

The post Is Michael Myers Real? appeared first on Puzzle Box Horror.

Some pretty great minds went into creating Halloween’s third film, Halloween Part III: Season of the Witch (1982).  Tommy Lee Wallace wrote and directed the film with contributions from Debra Hill and John Carpenter himself!  While this film was supposed to be the start of what they all hoped would become a Halloween anthology series (that would never be), it is most certainly a hidden gem of a horror movie altogether! The movie took a lot of risks to create a masterpiece that has developed a definite cult following some 30-some years later!  And the worst part is the more time that goes by, the creepier the movie gets…almost in a predictive sort of way!

Behind the Scenes: Halloween Part III

The creators of the Season of the Witch found a hidden fear in the fabric of society. The movie successfully showcases horror by way of brainwashing and mind-control, conspiracy and full-on hopelessness. Here are some of the most interesting facts in the making of Halloween Part 3: Season of the Witch…

Cameo Pharmaceutical

In Halloween (1978), Dr Loomis suggests a drug called “Thorazine” to Nurse Chambers. Thorazine is supposed to suggested to suppress Michael Myers’ mental and psychiatric disorders. In Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982), this same drug is prescribed by Dr Challis to Harry Grimbridge during his stint in the hospital!

Truly Hypnotizing

The creators were insistent upon the Silver Shamrock theme song and commercial playing as much as possible throughout the film.  Branding the film with the Silver Shamrock Novelties company logos, stickers, and themes was imperative in creating the fear that is experienced throughout the film. Ultimately, the Silver Shamrock theme song plays a total of 14 times throughout the movie!

Where Was Halloween Season of the Witch Filmed?

The film was produced in California.  The gas stations are located off the Sierra Highway, and also in Loleta (both are still there). The hospital was in Sylmar, however, no longer remains. And the Silver Shamrock commercials were filmed in Sierra Madre.  The movie also uses the Rose of Shannon Motel and a manufacturing factory in Loleta. Random scenes are shot all over L.A. As well.

Voicing Cameo

Halloween’s previous films starred Jamie Lee Curtis.  She is also the phone operator in the third installment, Season of the Witch. The role is uncredited, but she sounds absolutely convincing! She is also the voice reciting the curfew.

Coining Witchcraft in the Computer Age

Several people, including the film’s director (Tommy Lee Wallace), credit Debra hill with the concept of introducing witchcraft to the computer age.  Witchcraft had not previously been used to fuse with or take over technology in the way it is used throughout the Silver Shamrock story.

The Masks Were Real

The three Silver Shamrock masks present throughout the film were mass produced as a part of a merchandising campaign. Don Post was selected for the job, as he had previously done similar merchandising for E.T. (1982), Star Wars (1977), and Planet of the Apes (1968).  The producers felt that if the masks were released early enough, fans would purchase them prior to the film’s release and wear them to the actual movie theater.

A Masked Plot

Tommy Lee Wallace, writer and director of Season of the Witch, explained that he had an intricate plan for the three masked sold by the Silver Shamrock Novelties company.  Each mask was going to represent another film in the series…thus connecting Season of the Witch (loosely) with the other movies in the franchise.  Unfortunately, after this third movie in the franchise totally bombed at the box office, Halloween would have to return to their cash cow, famed slasher Michael Myers, instead of merely leaving behind his mask.

Mostly Acting Newbies

Almost all of the cast of the third Halloween film were total newbies…only having previous credits as extras or cameo types of appearances. There were a couple bigger names, but ultimately the film relied upon newer, green talent. Amazingly, the acting itself is pretty alright and the movie maintains a fairly strong level of suspense. 

Halloween Cameo Appearance

Halloween (1978) itself receives a cameo appearance roughly 1:17 to 1:19 minutes into the movie. The movie can be seen played on a small TV as a Silver Shamrock victim sits strapped to a chair and locked in a room with a mask over his head.

The Silver Shamrock Theme Song

The Silver Shamrock theme song is based on the popular “London Bridge” song.  London Bridge was in the public domain, so it became a clear choice as a catchy, modifiable tune that people would recognize, remember, and be able to follow along with.

Robot Guts

Robot guts was seemingly new territory as the staff ended up using orange juice.  The high-in-vitamin-c citrus drink can be seen pouring from the robots’ mouths throughout the films.

Got Milk?

Although the crew used orange juice for robot blood, the Silver Shamrock factory was actually producing something much different before being cast in Season of the Witch.  A milk factory was used as the Silver Shamrock headquarters due to its availability, location ambiance and size.

Inspirations for Making the Film

There are obvious tips of the hat to both Don Siegel (Invasion of the Body Snatchers general concept) and George A Romero (Season of the Witch film title). Halloween itself (the holiday, not the movie franchise), deserves an applause, for without Halloween, none of Season of the Witch would be possible! The movie focuses on the sale of Halloween masks to would-be trick-or-treaters, days before…you guessed it! Halloween!

An Under appreciated 80s Horror Movie

Season of the Witch is one of the most original horror movies to come out of the 80s, despite drawing a lot of inspiration from even very popular pieces such as Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) and Season of the Witch (1972). The acting is pretty decent, believable. The characters are drawn perfectly.  The film style and natural fear is excellent, in traditional Carpenter-Hill fashion. And Tommy Lee Wallace totally knocks the ball out of the park when it comes to directing the movie. Regardless of its amazing feats, the brilliant attempt at reinventing the Halloween franchise came a little too early; Thus, Season of the Witch joins the ranks of underappreciated 80s horror movies.

And if it were still possible to actually buy Silver Shamrock masks, every fan absolutely would!

Tritone

Tritone’s love of horror and mystery began at a young age. Growing up in the 80’s he got to see some of the greatest horror movies play out in the best of venues, the drive-in theater. That’s when his obsession with the genre really began—but it wasn’t just the movies, it was the games, the books, the comics, and the lore behind it all that really ignited his obsession. Tritone is a published author and continues to write and write about horror whenever possible.

puzzleboxhorror.com

The post Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) appeared first on Puzzle Box Horror.

Michael Myers is one of the scariest figures in the horror slasher genre…and has claimed one of the highest horror movie killer body counts of them all! He is ominous, seemingly immortal and possesses terrifying presence! What if Michael Myers were chasing you throughout his childhood home?  What if you found yourself at a hospital late at night alongside Laurie Strode? What if you found yourself in Haddonfield on Halloween?

Would You Survive Michael Myers In Real Life?

Horror Enthusiast has created the Michael Myers Survival Points system in order to track your progress during a real life Michael Myers escape.  Making favorable decisions earns you positive points, while making mistakes may cost you your points (or much worse!).

You start out with Zero (0) points, unless your last name is “Myers” or “Strode,” in which case you start out with negative five (-5) points!

After you complete the quiz and tally up your score, you will be able to determine whether you would be likely to survive a real life Michael Myers chase or be the next resident of the Haddonfield cemetery!

Weapon to Use Against Michael Myers

Most survivors are not strong enough by themselves, thus a weapon in a horror movie is an invaluable asset. Michael Myers almost always has a large kitchen knife which can be seen gleaming in the background as he stalks his a victim. Having a weapon has sometimes helped a Michael Myers survivor find their way to safety. You may choose one (1) weapon to use against Michael Myers to aid your survival!

• If you would attempt to inject Michael with a powerful sedative that would knock him out instantly, add 8 points to your score.
• If you would choose to use a knife or piece of broken glass against Michael, add 10 points to your score.
• If you would attempt to hit Michael with a car or other vehicle, add 12 points to your score.
• If you would attempt to knock Michael out with a piece of furniture or other heavy object, add 15 points to your score.
• If you would attempt to shoot Michael with a pistol or a shotgun, add 8 points to your score.
• If you would attempt to wrestle Michael’s knife out of his hands to use against him, add 6 point to your score.
• If you choose to avoid an encounter, do not modify your score.

Hiding Place When Running From Michael Myers

It is impossible for nearly all survivors to run indefinitely…although the slashers seem to have endless streams of energy.  Hiding is therefore essential to a good survival plan, and where you hide against Michael Myers matters.  Michael is an expert at hide and go seek, so choose carefully! You may choose one (1) hiding place to help you survive a real life Michael Myers chase!

• If you would choose to hide in an inoperable vehicle, add 9 points to your score.
• If you would choose to hide in a barn, add 12 points to your score.
• If you would choose to hide under a desk or table, add 15 points to your score.
• If you would choose to hide in a dumbwaiter, add 5 points to your score.
• If you would choose to hide in a closet, add 9 points to your score.
• If you would never choose to hide, do not modify your score.

Escape Routes to Escape Michael Myers

Although Michael’s total body count is rather high, some survivors still slip through to the end and go on to live for a sequel! Most of the victims have tried to escape, but their escape route turns out to be a poor choice against “The Shape.” Those who get away typically have to run for a while and require a collaboration of creative escape routes to survive. You may choose two (2) escape routes in order to create your preferred combination for survival!

• If you would attempt to get into a car, knowing the keys are inside, and drive away from Michael, add 10 points to your score.
• If you would choose to call 911 and wait it out in hiding within a building (hospital, school, etc), add 7 points to your score.
• If you would choose to jump from a two story window, without knowing what was below, add 10 points to your score.
• If you would attempt to seriously incapacitate or kill Michael Myers in order to escape, add 15 points to your score.
• If you would choose to trap Michel Myers in any way (with a car, with a heavy object, with a noose trap, etc), add 15 points to your score.

Ways to Die Against Michael Myers

There are a lot of mistakes to be made when a horror movie slasher is chasing you. Michael Myers is a lot less tolerant of mistakes and will typically seize these opportunities to slay his victims. Unfortunately, these common mistakes will diminish the chance of survival!

Assuming He Is Dead

Many characters make the mistake of assuming Michael Myers is dead at one point or another.  This is a recurring theme, and one that winds up being fatal for many characters.  Whether it is hell reincarnated in human form, simple supernatural powers, Michael Myers does not seem to die.

If you would approach Michael Myers while he lay still in front of you, seemingly dead, with any reason other than to do him immediate harm, subtract 25 points from your score!

Celebrating Halloween

Almost all of Michael’s victims celebrated to some extent. Some victims even went trick or treating! Michael only seems to be interested in killing on Samhain (Halloween day itself), and thus, those out and about celebrating Halloween are at greater risk!

If you are a Halloween lover, subtract 25 points from your score!

Having Intercourse

Like many other horror slashers of his generation, Michael loves to kill those who are in a …compromising position!  People who become intimate in the Halloween movies are at an increased risk for becoming part of Michael’s never ending body count.

If you would find yourself in an intimate, ‘compromising position’ on Halloween day, subtract 20 points from your score!

Protecting a Potential Victim

There are a lot of kills that did not have to happen! Michael Myers oftentimes has to tear through a few unnecessary deaths in order to reach his true intended victim.  Because Michael is seeking out his family, those who stand in the way to protect or defend the targets, usually die themselves.

If you feel you would stand up for one of Michael’s families, a Strode or a Myers, subtract 15 points from your score!

Curse of the Working Man

Michael Myers is a very mobile slasher, and finds his way around in order to reach his targets.  Unfortunately, this means killing a lot of innocent people along the way who are key in him working his way to his victims.  He will kill doctors, nurses, paramedics, police, attendants, mechanics, and more.

If you have a job that involves helping others in any way (in person), you might come into contact with Michael Myers by sheer chance (bad luck), so subtract 10 points from your score!

Did You Survive Michael Myers?

Tallying up your Michael Myers Survival Points will indicate your likelihood of surviving a real life encounter with Michael Myers. 

+10 points…………… HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF SURVIVAL

4 to 9 points………… POSSIBLE CHANCE OF SURVIVAL

0 to 3 points………… SLIM CHANCE OF SURVIVAL

-9 to -1 points……… PROBABLY DEAD ON ARRIVAL

-19 to -10 points……DEFINITE DEATH

Below -20 points…. DIED BEFORE EVEN SEEING HIM

Remember, Michael has killed a lot of people and not all of them have realized what was happening until it was too late.  Many people mistake him for a peer, and many people believe he can be tamed. Michael’s kill count continues to go up, although nearly every kill has been spectacular.

Tritone

Tritone’s love of horror and mystery began at a young age. Growing up in the 80’s he got to see some of the greatest horror movies play out in the best of venues, the drive-in theater. That’s when his obsession with the genre really began—but it wasn’t just the movies, it was the games, the books, the comics, and the lore behind it all that really ignited his obsession. Tritone is a published author and continues to write and write about horror whenever possible.

puzzleboxhorror.com

The post Would You Survive Michael Myers If You Were In a Movie? appeared first on Puzzle Box Horror.

History of Halloween Celtic Roots

For many Americans, Halloween will feel as culturally homely as eagles and apple pies, although, (hold awed gasps) the tradition didn’t actually start stateside. The origins of this delectably macabre holiday date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who occupied the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France over 2,000 years ago, celebrated their new year on November 1.

The date was considered the end of the autumn period and symbolizes the emergence of winter, when herds were returned from pasture and land tenures renewed. Legend told that during the Samhain festival, the souls of the departed would once more return to their homes and those who had died since the last festival would have their souls pass over to the afterlife. Bonfires were lit atop hills to ward off evil spirits, and to give the folk a place to relight their hearth fires over winter. They would wear animal heads and skin masks to the ceremonies to avoid being recognized by those spirits, while sacrificing animals to appease the gods. It was believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between our world and that of the dead became thin, allowing them to communicate with spirits. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.

According to historical records,the Celts believed that the spiritual communication on Samhain enhanced the premonitory powers of the Celtic druids, allowing them to predict the future in a far more accurate way. 

Bats and Halloween

The widespread modern association of bats with Halloween actually has its historical origins too. The Samhain bonfires lit by the Celtic Druids attracted swarms of bugs from the surrounding wilderness which, in turn, drew flocks of bats to enjoy a rather fruitful supper. In later years, various folklore emerged citing bats as harbingers of death or doom. In Nova Scotian mythology, a bat settling in your home foretells that a man in your family will die. If it flaps around the place trying to escape, a woman in the family will pass on instead.

History of Halloween Roman Influence

According to other records, some Halloween traditions are actually rooted in ancient Roman history. By 43 A.D. The Romans had conquered and occupied most of the Celtic’s territory, bringing with them festivals such as Feralia, which took place in October and also commemorated the passing over of the dead to the afterlife. Another holiday, Pomona, was held in honour of the Roman Goddess of fruit and trees, which developed to this day as the reason why we bob for apples on Halloween.

A few Centuries later saw the further development of the festivals that would eventually become Halloween, as several Christian figures attempted to replace the pagan traditions with ones closer to God. By 1000 A.D., All Souls’ Day was announced on November 2 as a time for the living to pray for the souls of the dead. All Saints’ Day, or All Hallows, honored the saints on November 1. That made October 31 All Hallows Eve, which later became Halloween.

Halloween in The United Kingdom

Of course, old habits die hard, and people in England and Ireland mostly continued on as they had done, using the time of year to focus their attention on the wandering dead. They set out gifts of food to feed the peckish spirits, and as time went on and the tradition continued, folk would dress in creepy masks in exchange for treats themselves. The practice was called “mumming,” and was the beginning of a tradition we now know as trick-or-treating.

Trick or Treating in America

In America, the southern colonies were the first to adopt the original festivities resembling Halloween, these early renditions of the festivals being called “play parties”. Towns would gather to celebrate the harvest, swap ghost stories and read each other’s fortunes, with far more events and activities being added over the years.

By the 1950s Trick-or-treating had exploded in popularity around the US, and Halloween had become a true national event. Today the holiday is celebrated by over 179 million Americans who spend around $9.1 billion on it per year, according to the National Retail Federation. 

Halloween obviously remains a popular holiday in America and the UK today, but it actually almost didn’t make it across the Atlantic in the first place. Puritans shunned the tradition, disapproving of its Pagan roots, though once Scottish and Irish immigrants began to arrive in America in greater numbers, Halloween made its way back into the zeitgeist. The very first American colonial Halloween celebrations featured large public parties to commemorate the upcoming harvest, tell ghost stories, sing, and dance.

https://www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween

https://www.countryliving.com/entertaining/a40250/heres-why-we-really-celebrate-halloween/

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/halloween-ideas/g4607/history-of-halloween/

https://www.businessinsider.com/history-of-halloween-2017-10?r=US&IR=T

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Halloween

https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Halloween/

https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1456/history-of-halloween/

Joe Clements

Joe first knew he wanted to write in year six after plaguing his teacher’s dreams with a harrowing story of World War prisoners and an insidious ‘book of the dead’. Clearly infatuated with horror, and wearing his influences on his sleeve, he dabbled in some smaller pieces before starting work on his condensed sci-fi epic, System Reset in 2013.Once this was published he began work on many smaller horror stories and poems in bid to harness and connect with his own fears and passions and build on his craft.
Joe is obsessed with atmosphere and aesthetic, big concepts and even bigger senses of scale, feeding on cosmic horror of the deep sea and vastness of space and the emotions these can invoke. His main fixes within the dark arts include horror films, extreme metal music and the bleakest of poetry and science fiction literature.
He holds a deep respect for plot, creative flow and the context of art, and hopes to forge deeper connections between them around filmmakers dabbling in the dark and macabre.

linktr.ee/Joeclements

The post The History of Halloween appeared first on Puzzle Box Horror.

Each of the 4 masks are available exclusively on horrorhubmarketplace.com.

Balthazar Demon Mask

Balthazar is a vain and manipulative demon with a predilection for ugly ties. He enjoys bottled water, looking like a smug, impeccable bastard, and toying with people.The Balthazar Demon mask is an over the head mask with fur hair and huge horns. Perfect for theater, Halloween or haunted houses. It’s dark and it’s terrifying 

Mohawk Skull Mask

Moving mouth mask! What is more terrifying than a skull mask? One that has a moveable mouth. The sock mask design with the latex on top of the sock allows the wearer the capacity to make the mask move simply by making facial expressions. The sock acts as the buffer for the actor’s skin to the latex adding to the comfort. Very comfortable to wear with excellent visibility.

Pink Alien Mask

This mask utilizes a foam insert to help keep the wearer comfortable and prevent the mask from shifting on the wearer’s head. The plastic eyes snap fit into the eye sockets. Hand poured, painted and assembled in the US.

The Halloween mask can be used comfortably and safely for a Trick or Treating costume, actor mask in theater, tv shows & movies, horror costume, haunted house masks, cosplay, advertising model, window display and costuming prop.

This pink alien variation is a limited run HorrorHub brand exclusive.

Dread Head Shrunken Head

Hang this shrunken head to keep the evil spirits from clogging up your mojo. This ghastly decoration is meant for indoor use, but can be placed outside to add creepy fun to your haunted house, graveyard scene, or Halloween home decor.

Tritone

Tritone’s love of horror and mystery began at a young age. Growing up in the 80’s he got to see some of the greatest horror movies play out in the best of venues, the drive-in theater. That’s when his obsession with the genre really began—but it wasn’t just the movies, it was the games, the books, the comics, and the lore behind it all that really ignited his obsession. Tritone is a published author and continues to write and write about horror whenever possible.

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One Halloween night, as the sun slipped beneath the horizon, the young children were coming back from their rounds through the little Yup’ik village on the tundra in Southwest Alaska. The teenagers had waited their turn and eagerly squeezed out of their home, as their mother told them they were allowed to leave. They raced through to each of the small houses that dotted the dark, decrepit, and narrow boardwalks that snaked through the village. Not all of them donned costumes and there was still not yet a flake of snow on the ground, a rare occurrence for such a chilly autumnal night. The tall grass line the boardwalk like two moving walls that whispered with the winds that rushed through the spaces between the houses. They grabbed candy within the first house, then came back out and started back off; at each of the doors, they held their plastic grocery sacks aloft, and they became more heavily laden with candies and treats.

After coming out of the fourth house they spotted something strange emerging from the tall grasses onto the boardwalk behind them—it was a traditional Yup’ik parka, the hood was up and the ruff obscured the view of the face within. It wouldn’t have been strange except for the fact that it had no visible feet or hands. The teenagers sprinted to the next house, scared to death and unsure of what the seemingly floating parka had really been, but they were unwilling to say anything about what they had seen to the adults that were now handing them candy.

Between each and every stop for candy, the teens stepped outside and the floating parka had appeared again, as if it was just waiting to scare them. They had all grown up hearing the traditional stories of ghosts and ghouls—all meant to teach them to be cautious in one way or another, as a way to keep them safe in their unforgiving lands. They had a sense that they were being pranked—as if to test their knowledge and preparedness, but not a single one of them could muster up the courage to approach the floating apparition or to try to figure out who was toying with them.

The far north side of the village is where the last batch of houses resided—the travel between where the teenagers were and where their last glimpse of the prized sweets laid was a lengthy weaving, dismally unlit sprawling boardwalk. This path took them directly past the hauntingly abandoned teacher’s quarters that the entire village regularly avoided being near and even speaking about in passing. They made their way down the boardwalk towards this last remaining treasure trove of candy, when the little parka appeared behind them once again. One of the teens looked behind them as they crawled into the artic entry of one of the houses and saw its silhouette looming alone between the spirit-infested teacher’s quarters and the house they entered, blocking their dark and dreadful passage home.

The teenagers reappeared cautiously from the house, but the little parka was nowhere to be seen–each house they exited they huddled together in fear that the ghostly figure would leap out of the shadows and attack them from the front or back, but it didn’t. Then one of the teens gasped and pointed, there it was in the darkness beneath a building, huddled behind one of the steel posts that propped it up from the permafrost–it sat upright, waiting for them. All at once, it sprang up toward them with a hideous scream and chased the teenagers down the boardwalk, growls emanated from the unending abyss of the hood. As the spirit overcame them, they recognized the dead black eyes that sat deep in his sunken frostbitten features; it was the village boy whose snow machine had broken through the ice on the river. The boy had then managed to climb out from what would have been a certain death only to succumb to the elements before anyone could find him, only a year prior.

Macabre Mary

Georgia-based author and artist, Mary has been a horror aficionado since the mid-2000s. Originally a hobby artist and writer, she found her niche in the horror industry in late 2019 and hasn’t looked back since. Mary’s evolution into a horror expert allowed her to express herself truly for the first time in her life. Now, she prides herself on indulging in the stuff of nightmares.

Mary also moonlights as a content creator across multiple social media platforms—breaking down horror tropes on YouTube, as well as playing horror games and broadcasting live digital art sessions on Twitch.

www.macabremary.com

The post Ghost Tales of the Arctic: The Frozen Spectre appeared first on Puzzle Box Horror.

Short Stories

The fictional short story works of the late Dennis Etchison have graced the public since 1961 and can be found in a wide variety of publications–including, but definitely not limited to The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Mystery Monthly, Escapade, Fantastic Stories, Fantasy Tales, and Weirdbook. Apart from his work in magazines, he was also featured in anthologies like Orbit, New Writings in SF, od Sterling’s Other Worlds, Prize Stories from Seventeen, The Pseudo-People, and The Future is Now. This is far from an exhaustive list, since his stories can also be found in many of the major horror and dark fantasy anthology publications that include Frights, Horrors, Fears, Nightmares, Dark Forces, Terrors, New Terrors, Shadows, Whispers, Night Chills, Death, World Fantasy Awards, The Dodd, Mead Gallery of Horror, Mad Scientists, Year’s Best Horror Stories, Midnight and many others.

The Dark Country (1982)

In 1982, Etchison published his short story collection, entitled The Dark Country, which subsequently received both the World Fantasy Award for its title story–interestingly enough he tied with Stephen King for this award. For this collection he also won the British Fantasy Award for the Best Collection of that year, an award for which he had been previously nominated for his Late Night Shift (1981) collection. That would be the first time that one writer would receive both of those major awards for a single work. Possibly the most interesting part about the story of his first award-winning collection of short stories is how it very nearly got published over a decade earlier in 1971–but on the eve of the release of the publication, the company went bankrupt and Etchison had to wait for his first collection to reach his audience and be received to critical acclaim. He since published several more collections, some of which won Best Short Story, such as The Olympic Runner (1986) and The Dog Park (1994).

Novels

Aside from his brief time dabbling in the adult, erotic scene, Etchison’s first official novel was intended to be The Shudder, was meant to be published in 1980, the editor was very demanding when it came to changes to the manuscript that Etchison believed were highly unreasonable. Although a portion of the novel was published in A Fantasy Reader–the book of the Seventh World Fantasy Convention–in 1981, the novel as a whole sadly remains unpublished. That’s something that we as readers would nearly die to read!

Movie Novelizations and The Jack Martin Books

Between the 70s and the 90s, Etchison fell into the business of writing movie novelizations–not the best of gigs, given his awards received with his past publications–a form of writing considered to be a thankless form of writing. Arguably the only form that garners less appreciation is ghostwriting. Both forms offer poor pay, unrealistic deadlines, and a certain apathy that consumers approach the style of literature with.

Despite the early obstacles that he faced, Etchison became a renowned author of short stories, novels, and a highly regarded anthologist in his own right. Even Dennis Etchison had to eat though and the decision to churn out novelizations of an already established plotline became an easily defended one. Surprisingly, or perhaps not due to their popularity on-screen, these movie novelizations are now amongst his most popular works as an author. Die-hard fans of the HALLOWEEN franchise tend to hold those particular novelizations by Dennis Etchison, under the pseudonym of Jack Martin, in great esteem.

THE FOG (1980)

One of the only books that Etchison wrote under his own name, versus his pseudonym Jack Martin, was THE FOG (1980). This particular novelization is considered the best of all of them–not just of his movie novelizations, but out of all of his novels period. This may be due in part to the fact that while Etchison’s best work was in short story format, that this particular novelization had a creative voice and flow that went unmatched with the rest of his novel-length work.

The HALLOWEEN Franchise

Etchison wasn’t the author for the novelization of the first HALLOWEEN movie, instead, he followed Curtis Richard’s 1979 publication of HALLOWEEN with the sequel, HALLOWEEN II (1981). The novelization by Curtis Richard was rather impressive, which gave Etchison a fairly high standard of literature to match, even if he was operating under his Jack Martin pseudonym. Considering even just the content of the movie itself, with a storyline that just couldn’t be compared to the original movie, HALLOWEEN II and its subsequent novelization felt as though it were lacking. The quality that he had made himself known for, through his short story collections and THE FOG (1980), was simply not there.

There is something to be said for a good plot and storyline, but no one would ever say it about the HALLOWEEN sequel, because there wasn’t a comprehensive plot to be found. Truthfully, there is little of Etchison’s presence in the book at all, aside from chapter headings and brief moments where he let his writing personality shine through. This book, as well as the following HALLOWEEN III, pushed Etchison out of his comfort zone. As a more cerebral and non-violent horror writer, the fact that he had to write gory and bloody horror forced him to write material that would never have been seen in an original novel. Despite all of the pitfalls of these two particular novelizations, they managed to somehow be bestsellers amongst fans of the genre.

VIDEODROME (1983)

The final movie novelization that Etchison wrote under his Jack Martin pseudonym, was VIDEODROME (1983) a movie originally by David Cronenberg. After THE FOG (1980), VIDEODROME is considered one of his stronger novels, since the genre of horror that it falls under is more in line with the author’s writing style. Etchison’s strengths always came from the ability to create a palpable tension, the apprehension within a character and their motivations, as well as the atmosphere in which the entire story operates under. Unlike the slasher genre that HALLOWEEN belongs to, VIDEODROME capitalized on the fear of mental, emotional, and physical torture that suited Etchison’s talents just fine.

Editorial Work

Etchison not only excelled with his talent for writing–as shown by the many awards he won in that field–but he was also a talented editor, having received two World Fantasy Awards for Best Anthology. One of the awards was for MetaHorror (1993) and the second was for The Museum of Horrors (2002). Other anthologies that he edited include the critically acclaimed Cutting Edge (1986), Gathering The Bones (2003) as well as the three volume series Masters of Darkness.

Have you read any of the novels or short story collections that were authored by Dennis Etchison? Let us know what you thought about them in the comments!

Macabre Mary

Georgia-based author and artist, Mary has been a horror aficionado since the mid-2000s. Originally a hobby artist and writer, she found her niche in the horror industry in late 2019 and hasn’t looked back since. Mary’s evolution into a horror expert allowed her to express herself truly for the first time in her life. Now, she prides herself on indulging in the stuff of nightmares.

Mary also moonlights as a content creator across multiple social media platforms—breaking down horror tropes on YouTube, as well as playing horror games and broadcasting live digital art sessions on Twitch.

www.macabremary.com

The post Following the Literary Works of Dennis Etchison appeared first on Puzzle Box Horror.

Laurie Strode’s character (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) was a long running heroine in the Halloween franchise.  She is one of the most successful protagonists out of all the horror movie franchises…and thus, her death came as a shock to Halloween fans. The producers of Halloween: Resurrection (2002) decided they were going to kill off Laurie’s character.  So how is it that she is back and starring in the 2018 Halloween movie, released on October 19^th, 2018 and the new 2021 Halloween Kills movie?

Horror Enthusiast has probed the Halloween rumors and creator interviews to determine the truth behind Jamie Lee Curtis’ reemergence as heroine Laurie Strode.

Why is Laurie Strode in the New Halloween movies?

The creators of this new Halloween movies are laying down some pretty good ground work and they all seem to be on the same page.  Danny McBride has been interviewed about the 2018 movie (he was co-writing it, so his opinion is of sincere value) and has claimed it is not a remake.  He explains that they are not picking up after Rob Zombie’s remakes. In fact, it ignores them, and many other movies in the franchise as well.

The real reason Laurie Strode has been allowed back into the franchise, is because the new movie ignores all previous films besides the first two movies. This means, all Michael Myers history after 1981 never happened for this new film.*  As far as script writing goes for Halloween (2018), Laurie Strode never died to begin with.

Additionally, McBride has offered some more insight to the inspiration behind the new Halloween movie, and it all starts with his own likes.  McBride states that he has always loved the Halloween franchise, and that the first movie has been on of his all time favorites.  He says the simplicity behind the original movie led to efficiency probably meant to describe the entire movie] and that he wants to create a “straight-up” kind of horror in these new Halloween movies.

*It has been suggested that McBride and team may also choose to completely ignore the second movie in the franchise as well, Halloween II (1981). This would mean picking up after Michael Myers falls out of the second story window in the first film, gets up, and walks off.

Halloween (2018)

It is important to remember that Halloween (2018) is not meant to be a remake of anything. It is a continuation of a story.  So much of the telephone game has created rumors that this is a remake of the original Halloween movie, even incorrectly listed on IMDB as a “reboot of the original film” (at the time of writing this article anyway).

Released in October 2018 release, Halloween 2018 became an instant classic. A team of true Halloween movie lovers like Carpenter, McBride and Green all working together, along with bringing back Jamie Lee Curtis, means creating a masterpiece that has horror fans everywhere more than excited!

Tritone

Tritone’s love of horror and mystery began at a young age. Growing up in the 80’s he got to see some of the greatest horror movies play out in the best of venues, the drive-in theater. That’s when his obsession with the genre really began—but it wasn’t just the movies, it was the games, the books, the comics, and the lore behind it all that really ignited his obsession. Tritone is a published author and continues to write and write about horror whenever possible.

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The post How is Laurie Strode in Halloween Movies If She Died? appeared first on Puzzle Box Horror.

Halloween is a long running favorite slasher franchise and Michael Myers is a ruthless killer. While he may steal most of the limelight, there are many cameos present throughout the Halloween movies.  Some of the celebrity appearances and cameos are more obvious, while others are more subtle and can be almost impossible to detect without knowing to look for it.  A true Halloween fan will have a “palm face” kind of moment when confirming some of these cameos for themselves.

List of Celebrity Cameos in the Halloween Movies

It is always fun to see other celebrities and parts of the crew show face throughout the movies. Check out the full list of celebrity cameo appearances throughout the entire Halloween franchise.

John Carpenter

The creator of Michael Myers and Halloween himself, John Carpenter, both directed and wrote the original Halloween (1978). He also had a cameo in the masterpiece as the voice of Annie’s boyfriend (a character named Paul).

He declined a cameo offer for Rob Zombie’s Halloween II (2009) remake.

Dana Carvey

Dana was given a small cameo role in Halloween II (1981) and then went on to bigger roles, including starring in the “Wayne’s World” franchise with Mike Myers (no not the Halloween movies’ killer).

Nancy Kyes (aka Nancy Loomis)

Halloween I and III featured a cameo from an actress by the stage name “Nancy Loomis.” Loomis is also the last name of Dr Loomis in the actual movie itself (just a coincidence).  She plays one of Laurie Strodes friends, Annie Brackett, in the first film and second films.  She then plays Dr Challis’ ex-wife in the third Halloween movie.

Alan B. McElroy

Famous and talented writer, Alan B McElroy, can be seen playing a state trooper cameo role where the ambulance crashed early in the fourth film, Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988).

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Sarah is seen for a brief second or two on TV as two girls enjoy Scream 2 (1997) in Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998).

Jamie Lee Curtis

Jamie lends the voice of the curfew announcer and phone operator in the 3^rd movie, Halloween III: Season of the Witch  (1982).

She was also obligated via contract to cameo in Halloween Resurrection (2002), however, enjoyed the script and production so much she filmed a full 4 days and had a much larger part in the film.

Rick Rosenthal

Director of Halloween: Resurrection (2002) made a cameo appearance in the movie himself as a college professor. His cameo can be found rather early in the film, about 16 minutes in.

Last Words About Cameos Throughout Halloween

There are a lot of Halloween movies, and a lot of opportunities for a celebrity cameo appearance. Ironically, with how many opportunities the Halloween franchise has had for cameos, it has kept non-cast involvement rather light.  In fact, some movies do not appear to have a cameo at all! 

If you think you have found a new cameo that is not present on this list, please comment below so we can add it!

Tritone

Tritone’s love of horror and mystery began at a young age. Growing up in the 80’s he got to see some of the greatest horror movies play out in the best of venues, the drive-in theater. That’s when his obsession with the genre really began—but it wasn’t just the movies, it was the games, the books, the comics, and the lore behind it all that really ignited his obsession. Tritone is a published author and continues to write and write about horror whenever possible.

puzzleboxhorror.com

The post Halloween Movie Cameos and Celebrity Appearances appeared first on Puzzle Box Horror.