From Zombos' Closet

Ghostober Halloween 2017 On Destination America

And another press release of particular interest for spookophiles...like me.

DESTINATION AMERICA LINES UP TRICKS AND TREATS

THROUGHOUT MONTH-LONG “GHOSTOBER” HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION

This October – make that GHOSTOBER! – it’s Halloween all month long on Destination America with a celebration of all things that go bump in the night with premieres and extra content so spooky viewers will never want to leave the safety of their living rooms.

The all-new series TERROR IN THE WOODS premieres Tuesday, October 10 at 10/9c with stories from real people whose wilderness retreats were cut short by paranormal encounters. A special two-hour episode airs on Halloween: Tuesday, October 31 at 9/8c. Leading into Halloween is also the world premiere of the two-hour special HELLTOWN on Sunday, October 29 at 9/8c, revisiting the mysterious evacuation of a small Rockwell-esque town in 1974.

But first, kicking off GHOSTOBER are the season finale of HAUNTED TOWNS on Tuesday, October 3 at 10/9c, the return of fan favorite A HAUNTING for season 9 beginning Monday, October 9 at 10/9c, and ongoing new episodes of PARANORMAL WITNESS on Sundays at 10/9c.

“Destination America, delivers all the chills and thrills in October leading up to Halloween and serves up stories of the paranormal all month long on every platform,” said Jane Latman, general manager of Destination America. “We are especially excited about our two new shows that are sure to elicit spine-tingling reactions, HELLTOWN and TERROR IN THE WOODS, tapping into nostalgic nightmares much like Stranger Things and It.”

On air and off, Destination America has lined up a goody bag of ways to celebrate the scariest season of the year. For a daily dose of special digital extras, check TheHauntist.com, the online destination for paranormal investigation, entertainment and news about all things creepy, spooky, and odd.

Halloween Television 2017

From the press release I saw this morning...

Fall is officially here, which means it is time for some “scary” good TV.  For your readers with an appetite for anything and everything Halloween and horror-centric, we wanted to share the following spooktacular series and videos from Indigenous Media’s 60 Second Docs; Eli Roth, Jason Blum and Jack Davis’ Crypt TV; Stage 13; Google Play; and SYFY:

• “60 Second Docs and Crypt TV Present Profiles in Fear, a Social Docu-Series” – Each 60 second documentary from 60 Second Docs and Crypt TV will profile unique stories about the cultures around the strange and unexplainable.

• “Amityville: The Awakening” – The terrifying revival of the popular franchise will debut exclusively for free for a limited time on Google Play.

• “Channel Zero: No-End House” - Inspired by Brian Russell’s “creepypasta” tale, this Nick Antosca-created anthology series tells the story of a young woman named Margot Sleator, who visits the No-End House, a bizarre house of horrors that consists of a series of increasingly disturbing rooms.  When she returns home, Margot realizes everything has changed.  Episodes air Wednesdays on SYFY.  Series trailer: http://bit.ly/2fqSZ9y.

• “Two Sentence Horror Stories” - A fresh and provocative anthology series inspired by the viral fan fiction, each episode is inspired by its own horror story told in two sentences and taps into universal primal fears — death, abandonment, and loneliness. The series is from Stage 13, part of Warner Bros. Digital Networks, and will post episodes every Tuesday on go90.  Series trailer: http://bit.ly/2flLzVd.

Schedule is as follows:

• Tuesday, October 3 -  “Ma” (directed by Vera Miao)
• “Two Sentence Horror Stories” on go90
• When Mona falls for Erica, the new neighbor next door, she learns how far Ma will go to keep her “perfect” Chinese daughter home.
•  Tuesday, October 3 – “Fear Engineer"
• “Profiles in Fear” on 60 Second Docs and Crypt TV
• “Terror Behind the Walls” is Philly’s #1 haunted house attraction, with visitors from 26 countries and all 50 states coming to experience a night of fright. Amy Hollaman, as the Creative Director, oversees all preparation, design, production, and performance elements of it.
• Wednesday, October 4 – “Channel Zero: No End House”
• 10/9c on SYFY
• Margot flees The Father with the help of Jules, Seth and JT. Meanwhile, Dylan attempts to deprogram Lacey and Jules falls deeper under the spell of a sinister influence.
• Tuesday, October 10 - “Snap” (directed by Danny Perez)
• “Two Sentence Horror Stories” on go90
• A notoriously cruel celebrity blogger dismisses a mysterious foe as harmless…until he wakes up to a video of himself sleeping on his own phone.

 

• Thursday, October 12 – “Amityville: The Awakening”
• Available for FREE for a limited time on Google Play and released by Dimension Films in select theaters on October 28.
• The film follows Belle (Bella Thorne) and her family after they move into their new home, but when strange phenomena begin to occur in the house, Belle begins to suspect her mother (Jennifer Jason Leigh) isn’t telling her everything. She soon realizes they just moved into the infamous Amityville house where between illusion and reality lies evil.
• Friday, October 13 – “Monster Maker”
• “Profiles in Fear”
• Kevin McTurk of Spectral Motion is making monsters real. With his team of monster makers, he’s helped bring some of the most recognizable monsters to life. You’ve seen his work in movies like Birdman, Looper, Pacific Rim, and X-Men.
• Tuesday, October 17 - “Guilt Trip” (directed by JD Dillard)
• “Two Sentence Horror Stories” on go90
• After picking up a victim of police brutality, a Good Samaritan is forced to rethink her decision on the dark and isolated road with the stranger in her car. 
• Wednesday, October 18 – “Senior Tattooed Couple”
• “Profiles in Fear” on 60 Second Docs and Crypt TV
• In Melbourne, Florida, Charlotte and Chuck Guttenberg are septuagenarians with edge. Like “normal” old folks, they retired to Florida, dote on their grandkids and nourish their bones with proper diets. And, they are covered head to toe in tattoos.

 

• Monday, October 23 – “Crime Scene Artist”
• “Profiles in Fear” on 60 Second Docs and Crypt TV
• Photographer Sarah Sudhoff takes illuminating pictures of bedding, carpet and upholstery marked with the remnants of death. She attempts to slow the moments before and after death into a single picture before the stains are quickly removed by cleanup crews.
• Tuesday, October 24 -  “Singularity” (directed by Vera Miao)
• “Two Sentence Horror Stories” on go90
• After a transgender biohacker implants revolutionary technology into her own body, she is terrified to discover she can tap more than just the internet. 

 

• Monday, October 30 – “Horror SFX Artist”
• “Profiles in Fear” on 60 Second Docs and Crypt TV
• 17-year-old Tiffany Baze of Santa Rosa, California works two jobs and is your all American girl, except for her mastery of extreme special effects makeup. Tiffany is succeeding despite using materials that are household items (coffee beans for road rash looks and bananas for flesh), proving that breaking through is a matter of persistence.
• Tuesday, October 31 - “Second Skin” (directed by Ryan Spindell)  
• “Two Sentence Horror Stories” on go90
• When a street-smart young woman accepts an invitation to a luxurious spa, she discovers just how far the powerful patrons will go to stay on the cutting edge of beauty.

 

Universal Monsters at Target Halloween 2017

The last time I felt this giddy, hunting for Halloween swag, was with Spencer Gifts, when they were carrying cool stuff for Halloween. You know, before they got all weird and changed their stores some years ago, dropping the monster toys and novelties. While the Universal movies may be lacking, this Halloween is a Universal Monsters feast. Target has these nifty must-haves (well, okay, I saw them and realized I must-have-them) for your Halloween haunts. For an old Universal Monsters lover like me, it was paradise. The hard to find items are the adorable Mummy and Creature from the Black Lagoon dolls (you can see the Mummy in the photo). Um...I mean action figures.

The Face of Fu Manchu (1965) British Pressbook

One of my guilty pleasures growing up. I was completely terrified by first Boris Karloff's Fu Manchu (The Mask of Fu Manchu), then by Christopher Lee's portrayal. Of course today it is mostly stereotypical claptrap, but a fun nonsense, nonetheless. The pulp fiction of Sax Rohmer is still unique and worth a read , and Nigel Green's Sir Denis Nayland Smith is perfect. This is the first movie in the series of five and is the best. 

Comic reader version:  Download Face of Fu Manchu Pressbook

See more movie pressbooks From Zombos' Closet.

A. C. Moore Halloween 2017

The arts and crafts stores go all out for Halloween. Here are some of A. C. Moore's offerings this year.

CVS Halloween 2017

CVS has some killer Halloween decorations this year. 

The Wild Bunch (1969) Pressbook

I have yet to see this film. Some movies just need the right moment to enjoy fully. Here's the comic reader version:  Download The Wild Bunch Pressbook.

Halloween 2017 Boney Bunch At Yankee Candle

Very hard to resist these adorable boney characters. 

Monster Mania Issue 3, 1967

One astute reader's Mania Mailbag entry summed up Monster Mania's coverage pretty well: "...just the absence of corny puns in the picture captions is enough to gladden the heart of one like me who has grown up with horror movies and is sick of seeing them treated as kids stuff. Thank you." No kid stuff in this issue 3, just more Hammer coverage, a lengthy blow by blow description of The Wolf Man by Richard Bojarski, followed by production information, and lots of unmarred photos. The Monster Record Jamboree ad page will bring back memories for some of you, as well as The Sorcerer's Shop of goodies. How many of you ordered the Spyscope Pen (I did!) or the Haunted House Mystery Bank (I did!) or the miniature camera (yup on that one, too!) The Cobweb ad page shows more nifty swag: there's the Spooky Lite (yes, got that one), and the awesome Pin the Monster head (hung that on the back of my bedroom door and loved it). 

Comic reader version: Download Monster Mania Issue 3 (see more monster magazines in the morgue)

Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and Home Goods Halloween 2017

While I was in Newton, Massachusetts, I paid a visit to Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and Home Goods to check out their Halloween decorations. I was not disappointed. Here are some pictures to whet your trick or treat appetite.