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.

Return of the Crappy Movie Friday! And other news

AMC has been all over the place lately with Crappy Movie Friday Nights.

But, looks like they’re getting back into the swing of things this weekend.

First up we have Psycho.

No, not THAT one. The REMAKE (1998).

Look, if you’re going to go remaking a CLASSIC, and you’re going to do it shot for shot, and do your best to make everything exactly the same….MAAAYBE it’s best so just leave the original alone, eh?

The cast is a bit off, and color actually detracts from the feel of the original. Could have been great…but, it’s certainly a Crappy Movie.

Then, their double feature for the evening is The Fly II.

Alec first saw the OLD school The Fly about 2 years ago. And was horrror-stricken in watching the fly creature come into being. Something amazing about that film, even with the horrendous effects.

The Remake of The Fly doesn’t quite capture that magic at any single point. Yet, the sheer horror of Jeff Goldblum’s marvelous transformation into Brundle-fly more than makes up for it, and creates a spot dear to our hearts all it’s own.

However, The Fly II…well, there is very little redeeming in this film. Just more of the same, without the acting and chemistry of the first.

For those of us here in Utah, UEN is showing….drumroll…

Mars Attacks the World!

That’s right, FLASH GORDON.

Basically the entire serial crammed into a movie. Makes it fast and fun…and oh so campy.

So, pop that corn, and join me Friday night in a crappy movie marathon.

In other news…

Got a pleasant little surprise this week.

Pumpkinrot.

I first stumbled on Pumpkinrot back in ’06 while trying to make my own couple of scarecrows to disply old masks. And was amazed at Pumpkinrot’s scarecrows.

And, his story of entering the scarecrow contest each year, only to lose to some cutesy poo creation of much lesser (imo) quality each and every year struck a chord with me. Recalling ye olde Pumpkin Carving and costume contests at school. (I’m sorry, that spider pumpkin we made, 8 legs, web, and all, was much better than the humpty dumpty that won…and those kids in the storebought boring crap were never quite as creative…)

So, I’ve made it a point to see how that contest goes for him each year, and am consistantly inspired by the fact, he’s still entering, knowing full well some cutesy thing’s going to win.

Well, a friend of mine was bumping around pumpkinrot’s blog, and apparantly he took notice of our own little setup from ’07.

Had to delay the firing of the Witch skulls.

They were a bit damp in one spot still last night. Looked good this morning, so we’ll shoot for this evening if everything goes according to plan.

I’m sure Jen will be posting over on her page about the new furniture coming today as well…

Time to clean out the garage, and get ready to build a prototype of a victim soon…

Also considering a super secret project that will work for both witches and witch doctors, doable this year…

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
Published
Categorized as Skulls, Witch

If you can’t find it…

Turns out, my skulls aren’t quite big enough for this latest project idea for lighting the Witch’s area.

And, taking some measurements, I was unable to locate any for sale, either…

Well, if you can’t find it, MAKE it.

And, if I’m MAKING something, I’m going to take some liberties with it as well. I figured, if we’re passing this witch off as an ancient entity there from the dawn of time, let’s have the skulls represent that. Yet, Cro Magnan, and other skulls of antiquity were also off in the dimensions I need. (I considered buying one to cast)

So, I’ve certainly incorporated some aspects of the Cro Magnan brow into this. And, purposely have enlarged the eyes. The nose still needs some work, but I can’t until the rest of the clay is re-conditioned.

And, some details need to be added to the skull and teeth, but can’t until the thing dries a bit to allow some finer carving.

Shown next to the primary model for my skulls for reference (cast of a 21 year old Chinese female, in case anyone’s wonderdering)

From Halloween buildup 09
From Halloween buildup 09

Plan is to finish this thing off in the next few days. Fire it mid-week, and start on a cast of it by weeks end.

Any luck, and we’ll have a prototype of the idea in a couple weeks. We can go from there.

From Halloween buildup 09
Published
Categorized as Skulls, Witch

Perspective.

All this media attention. I hear the kids even halted classes to watch the festivities yesterday. Half of work was watching as well. (I was busy)

Goes to show the power of Halloween. He who sales the most masks always wins. Must be something about seeing all those kids in a particular person’s mask then voting a few days later.

Anyhow…

One thing key to being able to create a good haunt is the ability to put yourselves in others shoes. To view things as they would.

You’ll often seem me specifically taking photos at a 5 year old’s height, for instance. And, often exploring things that scare others, but not myself.

As Obi Wan said. “You will find a great many of the truth’s we cling to rely greatly on our own point of view.”

A good friend of mine happens to be a political cartoonist in Brazil. I have often found his perspective to be intruiging.

If you care to see more, his archive is here. (and it’s in Portugese. Google translate does a good job…)