An Unorthodox Halloween – Page 47

Ideas….always ideas…

One thing about me is I’m always on the look out for some new ideas.

My wife and I were out shopping a couple weeks back, and I ran into this…thing…in a really oddball store. (yes, couple weeks, it was on my wife’s camera and took me a while to pilfer it.)

From 2010 Buildup

Now I knew instantly there had to be some way to incorporate something with that same feeling into Halloween. I also studied it’s rather interesting construction, appearing to be simply rope wound over a form with a wooden mask and shells glued into place. (and a price tag of a few thousand)

I snapped the pic and moved on, not dwelling on the idea.

Then, a few nights ago something strange happened. I was sitting here watching South Pacific. (yes, the musical) And, there came on a scene with something rather not at all like the statue above. And somehow, the vision here, mixed with my initial ideas on that statue, and some cutesy stuff one of the neighbors does, and the three have jumbled around in my addled brain to produce this rather interesting idea. IF the weather ever clears up for a length of time, I’ll show it to you as it’s just plain too hard to explain at the moment.

On the Stele front, after the weather tried to mess up our last update, we managed to save the panels, but weather has really delayed the continuation of the effort.

I did manage to get the panels attached to one of the Stele, however.

From 2010 Buildup

With any luck I’ll get the second attached, and we’ll be able to start on the fronts. I need LOTS more paper to make into mache, however…

Out of touch.

It’s become apparent that someone, somewhere is out of touch.

And, it may well be me.

I sat down this weekend and finally got around to watching The Wolfman.

From 2010 Buildup

Now, I am normally a person who is opposed to remakes, I’ll admit. But, I was actually excited to see Universal remaking the Wolfman. If there was a movie that deserved a fresh coating, this was it. And, it was getting the big budget treatment as well, not some low budget sidetrack. I was hoping for a horror film to enjoy, with my kids, in the theater.

Even hearing about the problems, I remained optimistic. Even with the decision to go CGI, I maintained my hope for the film.

And then, the news came. Wolfman was to be rated R. For Gore. And Universal was actually thrilled with this, hailing the rating as a sign that The Wolfman was serious old school horror.

Now, maybe I’m lost here, but when has gore and ‘R’ rating become synonymous with horror?

Wolfman, Dracula, and the Mummy were certainly not overtly gory.

Now, I’m not opposed to an R rating by any stretch. But to do that to a classic movie monster? On PURPOSE? You’ve got to be joking.

Well, gone was the plans to be in the theaters with the kids opening night. This was relegated to rental status, where I still held some hope this was all some kind of sick mistake by overprotective ratings people.

Sadly, that is not the case at all. With promising twists to the story, rather great detail to the setting, and actually pleasant special effects overall, the film became infatuated with presenting detailed scenes of the werewolf disemboweling someone somewhere somehow. This, in place of actually attempting to build some kind of ACTUAL horror with mood, pacing, or proper staging of a scene.

I know there are indeed those that feel if it’s not R, it can’t be horror. I happen to disagree. Gore, for gore’s sake, is not frightening, nor does it inspire horror. Yes, there is a place and use for it, but the genre is practically screaming for some REAL old school attention. Films that the teenage market is free to seek out.

Or maybe I’m just out of touch.

Then again, considering the box office numbers, just perhaps, Hollywood is…

Stele work

It’s been slow going around these parts.

Plans for the year are needing to be changed, and some choices are going to need to be made, but it’s all for the best in the long run.

Our stele have been presenting me with quite the conundrum of late. Just how to do the sides.

Inspiration struck from the shipping dept at work, throwing out some…well, corrugated cardboard, but it’s flexible.

So, we made some templates out of this stuff, and have just finished a HUGE batch of mache to get the sides coated. From here, we’ll be able to curve another piece to fit over the fronts.

From 2010 Buildup

Had enough mache left over to finish up under the mouths on the stele as well. Hoping the hot weather scheduled for this week will help these dry swift, so they’ve been left out on the driveway, where we get the most sun. Oh, sure, the neighbors may wonder, but I think most of them are used to odd things at my place by now.

For those keeping track at home, these things have now gone through at least 4 different types of paper mache. From Celluclay to several home brews, this latest being paper pulp, wood glue, and joint compound. We’re getting closer to circling in on a favorite, but it’s not there yet, hence the no recipes of yet.

Hitting the town…

My wife and I skipped town this weekend to see a local shadow cast of Repo! The Genetic Opera.

From Repo

Of course, we had no idea what to expect for such a thing. It could be a packed house, or empty. We stopped by to purchase tickets at roughly 3 in the afternoon, and were told they expected a line to start forming around 10:30. So, we were there, first in line.

From Repo

What’s more, they allowed me to bring the camera provided I ask the cast first. They were ok with it as well, so I was shooting pics in throughout. Unsure the size of the theater, and not wanting to have to pack everything back to the car if I was denied, I only brought my telephoto lense. I wish I had brought my shorter one. But, we know better for next year.

Our (very funny) security for the night.

From Repo

As we were pat down prior to the show, I told my wife I only take her out to the best places…

Anyhow. I chose the camera I did, largely based on reviews stating just how well it performs in low light situations…well, ya know, I seem to have a few of those…

I can’t imagine a more difficult lighting situation than attempting to snap photos of actors with the shifting lighting created by a projector. I must say, I am impressed.