Category: Witch

STEVE!

Going way back to last January, I’ve been planning a shift of our theme towards my own version of Spider Woman.

Now, one of the features of Spider Woman was that she decorated her lair with her victims. Just how this was to be is entirely open to enterpretation.

And, I’ve been researching on some decoration with the deceased for quite some time.

From the Bone Cathedral…

From 2010 Buildup

To Aztec ruins…

From 2010 Buildup

To the Catacombs…

From 2010 Buildup

…And yet, I keep coming back to the Chachapoyas. People of the clouds…just how did they reach their cliff dwellings? Perhaps with assistance from Spider Woman? Perhaps this also influenced their mummification techniques? They sure look like they were bundled up by a spider…

From 2010 Buildup

Besides, if they’re good enough inspiration for Raiders of the Lost Ark, why not my little yard?

A little lessons learned from Bob, and Fred, and it should be possible to emulate a Chachapoyan mummy rather cheaply. But, what’s this Steve business?

Well…

Stardust

I recall barely anything from when Stardust came out.

Other than a faint impression I wanted to see it, it slipped away quietly with little to no fanfare. Few commercials marking it’s theater run. None that I can recall marking it’s DVD release. And, little to no critical acclaim.

A few weeks ago, however, I saw it was running, and set the DVR to record it.

This weekend, Kyle and I sat up late watching.

Not knowing what to expect, it was a pleasant surprise to find such a wonderful tale done in the lighthearted spirit of The Princess Bride.

The whole gamut of characters is well cast, and well performed.

What stands out best for me, however, was the witches.

These are the kinds of witches written of through the ages. Not corrupted by the more modern visions of crystal balls and green faced hags. These witches divine their magic through the entrails of animals, casting of runes, and voodoo dolls, for the use of spells has it’s price. And, at the end of the road, those witches are not all spells and magic, either. They can kick some ass in their own right.

Kyle has been, frankly, discouraged, by the whole idea of going the witch direction next year.

Thinking in his mind of the Wicked Witch of the West, and the fear I’ld dress him up all girly.

Once Stardust ended, however, he looked at me. “We GOT to do witches.”

Crappy Movie Friday 2/20, and other news.

Perhaps this is the end of Crappy Movie Fridays on AMC…

For, there is NO “Fear Friday” this week.

More likely, it’s a respit due to the Oscars, as they are playing the oscar winning The Usual Suspects in that time slot.

Come now, AMC, you could have dredged up some Oscar winning films that fit Fear Friday…

If you are lucky enough to have Showtime, Premonition is airing.

Can’t comment much on it, as we’ve not seen it yet. (tagged as a ‘wait till tv’ movie)

But, one can ALWAYS count on UEN…

This week, they are treating us to The Last Woman on Earth.

Roger Corman is a personal favorite of mine.

Low budget films something of a specialty with him, he still manages to get the major points across, even if you can nit-pick at the details.

Heck, we could do an entire series of Crappy Movie Fridays on just Corman’s work.

In other news, one would have thought the search for witches might have been over.

I’ve recently stumbled on another legend that corresponds with many of the Spider Woman legends. Yet, a lot of info is being deleted from the net, and only the most general info has been readily available. Anyone with information on the Mambabarang, please leave me a message, or an email.

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Categorized as Movies, Witch

Inspiration in odd places.

It’s been a week for finding inspiration in some really odd places.

The kids got on my nerves earlier in the week, and we had a no tv/gameboy night in the house.

In the ultimate show of contempt, I forced them to put up with it as I stuck my Niel Diamond collection into the CD player.

And, eventually we got around to Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show.

OH MAN! A traveling salvation show would be ALMOST as much fun to make for Halloween as my idea of doing a Snake Oil Salesman that we’ll eventually be getting around to.

There’s something about the whole thing brings a smile to my face. Yeah, more fun than scary, both of them, but there’s something about being up peddling cures of dubious validity that puts a smile to my face. I can see baffled children and parents alike on Halloween.

But, a preacher bringing back the dead on Halloween night would likely be a wee bit on the too sacreligious part, so we’ll stick to the snakeoil routine, of which we have a draft script here.

Been slowly collecting bottles for that idea as well. $$$ to build the stand is still a wee bit on the pricey side, though, so it’s stayed on hold for a few years now.

Then, one wouldn’t go into the Superbowl looking for Halloween inspiration, typically. But a couple commercials sure lean that way.

Talking Flowers.

One can’t help but think of Audrey II. (rare original ending, and likely one you’ll see in the stage musical, didn’t do well at test screenings)

I adore that movie. Have always wanted to make an area that’s something of a cross between the new Audrey II, and the OLD one that had the faces in the flowers. Carnivorous Pumpkins.

Maybe someday after I get a much larger air compressor, and can make a truly menacing pumpkinified Audrey II.

Also, apparantly, Death sales.

Curious how most of the western world views Death as a male.

Lady Sebastianne (La Santisima Muerte) is not but one more portrayal of Spider Woman.

Witch skulls

A couple years ago, the original, original sketch of the idea for the witch’s cauldron area composed of some “demon skulls”, with magic circles in their foreheads.

Yes, the drawing is pentagrams, but I never intended something so boring as a pentagram. It’s just easy to draw for everyone to get the general idea.

From Halloween buildup 09

I even had made a horned skull back then, and sorta half-attempted to cast it with some leftover latex. Wasn’t enough latex to make a stable mold, however.

I loved the thought of the magic circles, as it hearkens the mind, even if subconsciously, to that european brand of magic. The demon skulls meant to bring to mind the post-Christianity tales of witches sleeping with demons.

Since then, however, I’ve come much more interested in the Veve. Kyle’s design was fun to do, and inspired one family to hastily make their way past Kyle whilst praying in spanish. (sorry, I’m not fluent enough to pick up which prayer it was) I

From Halloween 2008

So, when putting the finishing touches on our witch skulls, I attempted a bit of a merging of the Veve symbology with the European style magic circles.

From Halloween buildup 09

Yes, we’ve dropped the horns. Sorry, Witches of Christianity, references to that set of folklore has been abandoned entirely for more ancient versions.

From Halloween buildup 09

Got the nose looking more normal as well…

From Halloween buildup 09
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Categorized as Skulls, Witch