It's that time again...

 

Another friggin season of "Face/Off". Frankly, I swore it off when Tate got second place for a SECOND jip in the Rookies/Vets/whatever season, but unfortunately that doesn't mean I don't still catch myself watching it anyway. I will say that last season was actually pretty impressive and I'm glad I didn't throw in the towel all together. I'd rather another season of "Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge" (spoiler alert on that link BTW)-- way more up my alley specialty-wise as an amateur prop and creature maker. The name is a mouthful, but I learned a lot of cool tidbits.

Anyway...

It's still ridiculous how fast the new seasons are  coming out and I swear I'm going to go blind if McKenzie doesn't tone down the wardrobe (as if being blonde and tan is blinding enough) but, yeah, I'll be watching.

Season 1382423791... (ok, I looked it up) Season 7 premieres tonight at 9PM (EST) on SyFy.


Click the pic for a 30 second preview of the new season.

"Because You're a Girl"

Where was this box when I was a kid? That's a girl on the box. A GIRL!! Man, I remember in the mid 90's when the "new" Creepy Crawlers commercials came out. I wanted one of these sets SO badly, but I didn't get one "because I was a girl" So much for that new fangled feminism within our family hierarchy.... Stupid ad execs gearing creepy crawlers commercials to boys, giving parents the wrong idea, making them think it was all about scaring their sisters and being gross...

Oh well. I make my own Creepy Crawlers now anyway. Who needs a stupid ole box set to help?



image source

Heads will Roll... in hysterics

I came across the trailer for a new Fox television series "Sleepy Hollow" on tumblr this afternoon:



Now, I try to keep an open mind about entertainment that falls into my genre of choice, but I couldn't make it through this trailer without cringing... and genuinely laughing my ass off.

Let's get this straight kids: the Headless Horseman taking on New York's finest (forgive me for not being able to decipher much details through the tears of hysterical laughter after about a minute in to this fantastical farce of cut and paste literary fiction) with an... uzi?! Was he crashing a helicopter with his trusty Hessian steed, trampling over the piled up, burnt out husks of cruisers as well?
Oh wait, I'm getting H.H. and John McClane mixed up, and why the hell not? Fox obviously has! It seems our favorite literary specter by Washington Irving has fallen victim to the same ridiculous, over-the-top, live action super hero fate that an equally favorite action star has succumb to in the last of the Die Hard oeuvre Hollywood strove to insult us with. Sure, I'll give anything a shot that Clancy Brown thought to grace even a speck of his time to-- the trailer holds no secret as to his fate so maybe I'll only have to sit through the pilot episode-- but I guarantee nothing and expect even less.

At least it's on television so the FREE part of it is ever so enticing, plus, it's Fox so there'll be more than enough commercials to distract adequately between the snicker-fits and frustrated sobs.

Let's Talk American Horror Story

No, I'm NOT referring to last weeks Thanksgiving fiasco with the fam and your painfully loud obnoxious Uncle Mitch who, upon hearing about your penchant for horror movies and contrasting affliction to consuming dead flesh, reenacted a scene from Texas Chainsaw Massacre with bits of turkey skin to push your buttons. If that was your initial thought in reading the headline, however, don't worry, it's a perfectly natural reaction. Especially this time of year.
As for your uncle Mitch, well.... send him to my house for Christmas. He'll be a welcome breath of fresh crazy, believe me.

No, I'm talking, of course, about the odd-daciously salacious catechism that is F/X's American Horror Story: Asylum. You know, the show I gushed about on its season 2 premiere back in October? Man, am I kicking myself for that one. I totally jinxed it...
Psychopaths, possessions and Zachary Quinto's school of Ed Gein. OH. MY. And that's only the people running the asylum! There are about 20 other crisscrossing overstimulatory cray cray back stories and plot line in this epic tableau of WTF to keep you reeling till the syphilitic cannibal mutations come home.

The season started off well enough. Good strong horror hocks from which to build greatness, plus they ripped off the arms of that Maroon 5 guy, which I've been waiting for someone to do for years. But then the pinhead disappeared after the big storm that hit Briarcliff (eerily the same week Sandy hit the East Coast in real life-- anybody notice that?) and shit hit the fan. The road split off into a thousand different splintered fractions of every pinch of the genre you could think of and the show ran off with any semblance of sanity and genius the writers may have had lingering from the first season. From French girls with axes to alien abductions and Ann Franks lobotomy,  after this season there won't be any randomly taboo ideas left to scrape off the bottom of the F/X barrel. I really have NO idea why I'm still watching-- a feeling quite familiar after the ridiculousness that was Lost round about the second to last season-- other than the fact that I'm kind of convinced the season finale will be heads and televisions across America spontaneously exploding after the flashing Sister Mary What-the-Frak's head starts flashing on the screen, the ghost of Connel Cochran laughing softly in the night....

Wait. Wrong movie.

Or is it?  HA! Think about that.


To sum up my feelings, in one word, I leave you with this:

Have you been watching? What do you think?

13 Favorite Faces of the Full Moon

In no particular order:

Reverend Lowe

played by Everette McGill, Silver Bullet

Lucian

played by Michael Sheen, Underworld

 

 

 

Oz

played by Seth Green, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Virgil Cuts

played by William Newman, Silver Bullet

Louie

played by Jon Gries, Fright Night II

Ginger Fitzgerald 

played by Katherine Isabelle, Ginger Snaps

 

 

 

Will Randall

played by Jack Nicholson, Wolf

George  

played by Russell Tovey, Being Human (U.K.)

Larry Talbot

played by Lon Chaney, Jr. , The Wolfman (1941)

 

Brigitte Fitzgerald

played by Emily Perkins, Ginger Snaps: Unleashed

David Kessler

played by David Naughton, An American Werewolf in London

 

 

 

Tony

played by Dana Ashbrook, Waxwork

 

 

 

Karen White   

played by Dee Wallace, The Howling

 

We interrupt this week's beastly broadcast for a quick reminder

I don't know how many of you got hooked on American Horror Story last year, but I know I did. I had my doubts going in, but once I started that first episode I didn't look back. Not once and I was treated to one of the most deliciously dark and crazy television series it's pretty safe to say I have ever come across. I've been waiting all summer long for its return and today, finally, American Horror Story will premiere Season 2: Asylum.

After last season, knowing this season is set to be an almost complete departure from the original plot, and how outlandishly and devilishly wild and twisted plotlines go with this show, who knows what we're in for, but here's hoping it's up to par with the evil and oddity I fell in love with.  I'd say an asylum setting with creepy nuns is a classic way to start. I'm excited to see Chloe Sevigny, Clea DuVall and Franke Potente are new additions of the season 2 "Asylum" cast, along with returning favorites Evan Peters, Jessica Lange and Zachary Quinto.

The more I think about it the more I realize I really, REALLY can't wait for this!


Tonight @ 10 on F/X
Commit yourself.


Click the pic for all sort of sneak peeks, trailers and behind the scenes extras.

Weekends to Die For

Every October, if I'm not watching SyFy for their "31 Days of Halloween" devouring anything horror that isn't Jeepers Creepers (1 and 2, back-to-back, over and over and OVER again), I usually have the Travel Channel on, watching whatever haunted attraction countdowns, weird travel destination shows or ghost stories may be on. Tonight will officially mark the return of "Weekends to Die For", Travel Channel's own countdown to Halloween.

Last year Making Monsters and The Dead Files made their debut, adding some girth to the rather moldy, but always enjoyed, line up of Halloween "specials". I'm shamelessly, and, in the case of The Dead Files rather morbidly (I think it's Amy's oddness), addicted to both. Lucky for me they'll both be back. Since Dead Files just wrapped a season however, they'll be checking in with a few special episodes, and I expect, countless reruns. Also, new episodes of Ghost Adventures persist continue in their new season which officially started September 14th (my loathe/love relationship with that show endures like the plague... I wish it'd kill me already!) , along with another new ghost-stalking show called Paranormal Paparazzi-- which I am already inclined to hate thanks to that horrid title.

Paranormal Paparazzi premiere: Tonight @ 7pm
Ghost Adventures (new episode): Fridays @ 9pm
Making Monsters season premiere: Sunday, Sept. 30th @ 8&9pm

FYI, their commercial is really cute, but sadly I couldn't seem to hunt it down online... if you happen onto Travel Channel keep an eye out for it!



Artwork by Jason Reicher

Face Off Top 5

I absolutely love the practical effects shows gracing the air waves of reality competition shows in the last few years. It's the closest I can get to a craft show that really encompasses my kind of glue gun. If I had it to do over again, I probably would've gone to Tom Savini's F/X school or someplace similar instead of studying photography and English at the obscure little college that I did. Instead, I worship at the prime time famed feet of  Monster Man's Cleve Hall on Syfy and Ed Edmunds of Distortions Unlimited on Travel Channel's Making Monsters (which, according to the online haunters rumor-mill, have both been renewed for encore seasons) and drool over the brilliance of the make-up effects artists that come to compete on Syfy's Face Off.

Or, in the case of Tate, from season one, I just drool. :)

*yum*

With the advent of the season 3 premiere tonight, I present to you my top 5 favorites of the last two seasons...

5. The scarecrows from the Return to Oz challenge were equal parts cool. The pumpkin top, however on Tara Lang's make-up was the detail that won me over completely.

4. Tate Steinsiek's werewolf for his re-imagined tale of Little Red Riding Hood for the final spotlight challenge "Twisted Tales" was pretty great. How can you not love Tate a werewolf? The fact that he went white with the design made me love him it even more. I didn't necessarily like the red LED eyes though, which knocks it down a few pegs for me. Still, if it weren't for Connor's damned air bladder in his Frog Prince make-up, Tate would've (and should've) taken home the grand prize.

3. From the season 2 "Burtonesque" challenge, RJ Haddy's bellhop was just flat out awesome. The interactive hat with the bell, the drawers built into the chest piece... amazing. Made Ve blush too as I remember.

2. Number 2 is a tie for me. Both are sweet treats from season 1 and 2. First being Gage Hubbard's interpretation of the Hansel and Gretel Story. The make-up, the costumes, the set-- all equally  and deliciously disturbing.

Season 2 Matt Valentine's ice cream man (another entry from the "Burtonesque" challenge) was just as scrumptious, though as I recall, he didn't feel 100% finished. You can't deny, it was still a stunner.

1. My personal all-time favorite make-up, hands down was season 1 contestant, Tom Devlin's "Teddy Told me to". The idea was so inspired! I really liked his style and his imagination was easily as up to par as Tate's. Too bad he didn't make it all the way to the final spotlight competition, I would've loved to see what he came up with.

HONORABLE MENTION: I may be a little biased, cause I love anything zombie, but I thought all the zombies (with the exception of Megan's perhaps-- Tom really got the shaft that episode) from the first seasons "Dancing Dead" episode were great-- the song was a little grating, but what're you gonna do? 

I especially loved the home invasion, housewife zombie.

(click the pic for a peak of the zombie concepts)

Hmm... I believe that was Tate's win for that one. Coincidence? ;)

What were your favorites from Face Off?



A sneak peak of tonights premiere can be seen HERE
The Dancing Dead video is HERE

Bustin' Makes Me Feel Good

Lurking in the dusty halls of nostalgia with The Real Ghostbusters today, I not only had the sudden memory of, but also managed to find.....

THIS!

Weren't we just talking about colorforms yesterday? I used to love playing with this set, and can't say I hated the experience messing around with it today. It was the only non-girl toy I really had all my own. I had the token Barbies, tea sets and a couple Care Bears, but The Brother (as I sort of fondly call him behind his back) had ALL the toys I wanted- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Transformers, GI Joe stuff from the cartoon. He was constantly complaining that I was taking them or he was breaking them... cause he was a boy and they like to eviscerate their stuff, which is why I stole his toys cause he didn't appreciate them. For some reason though I got the Ghostbusters colorform!

Luckily, I was a pretty fastidious kid, so as far as I know everything's still in the set. I do have a feeling however there's supposed to be a couple more slime green footprints....

(Egons proton pack seems to have misfired...)

This background is just too cool. All those little details really make it.

(this guy was always my favorite)

Saturday Morning Scares

FearNet's new Saturday morning Fun House premieres tomorrow morning at 10am. I've cheated the getting up part and I've set up to record.




I remember watching The Real Ghostbusters way back when--you know, when cartoons were good. I had a crush on Eegon, Peter, and yes, even Slimer (he was friendly then-- imaging my surprise when I saw the real movie!)
Crypt Keeper and Eerie Indiana came later, after I'd discovered the fine art of sleeping in, but I caught an episode now and then.

I know I could easily get the DVD's or track everything down on netflix, but I'm kind of jazzed for this!

Darkly Dreaming...

It's that time of year again where I bust out with a Dexter marathon in order to prepare for the release of the DVD mid-August. We don't get those fancy high falootin' channels like Showtime or HBO, so while everyone else is getting jazzed for a new season of Dexter, True Blood et al, I'm feeling pretty left out, curled in a ball and sobbing, knowing I'm going to have to wait till it's all over, praying that nobody I know runs me over with any spoiler reports loitering by the watercooler come Monday.

Good thing that not only do I not talk to many people, the last water cooler I was anywhere near was in the house of a pair of Brussels Griffons I use to pet sit. Come to think of it they had Showtime, but luckily weren't very inclined to chit chat...

I did manage a glimpse of a couple episodes from the 6th season. And you can't avoid snippets about seasonal twists in storylines and new cast members when you pick up a copy of Fango, Horror Hound or stalk the halls of FearNet from time to time. I'm excited to see Edward James Olmos back in Miami and on the other side of the badge. Miami Vice was a (not very well kept) secret between my Dad and I when I was little. Costillo, Crockett and Tubbs were like a pastel clad, cocaine fighting extension of my Sesame Street family-- but way cooler. I also harbor a pretty massive crush on Mos Def, so seeing him alongside, Dex, Deb and Angel (as ill-fated as I already know his character to be) is just an added bonus.

To prep for a weekend of paper mache prop building planted in front of the TV with Dex, Deb, Angel and all the rest of them, AND to introduce a new, hopefully weekly installment of Twisted Treasuries on Daddy's Little Corpse, I came up with a little list of favs in honor of everyone's favorite serial killer.

This amazing Dexter poster print. I'd slap this up on my walls no problem. UNDER the plastic drop cloth of course...

                                               

by EscapeCapsule

My mom has one of those "Keep Calm Carry On" postcards hanging by the front door, but this pin is MY kind of calm:

by DropKickQueen

I love a good shopping bag to make all the housewives gawk and shoo away the kiddies. This would look great paired with my strawberry tote and Sad Psycho tee.

by UrbanPrey

Do you ever buy things especially for your cars rear view mirror? Well, I do. Dahlia loves her talismans and I think this would go wonderfully with the amazing gas mask charm I have there now, from Amanda at Neverland Jewelry.

by XercesArt

This one hits a bit close to home. I may not need this one. My mom's not much of a computer person... She gets so angry checking e-mails and... actually, that's all she does... that I predict one day we'll come down to look for her, the computer will be in pieces and this will be the only sign left of her, a bloody handprint left on the mouse pad.

by TwistedBelle

For more deliciously dark and dreamy Dexter inspired lovelies, check out the rest of my etsy treasury HERE
I love a man in blood-splatter. :)