It’s alive! This is my LiViNg journal of Halloween related activities I’ll be updating from October 1st to October 31st! Return every weekday to read my random seasonal ramblings and see what spooky nonsense I’m up to!
October 31st:
Well, folks, this is the big orange day! Life is often said to be about the journey rather than the destination. And it was especially true this Halloween season. It’s been a bit of a frustrating journey, with the 31st itself being the most frustrating. Our wedding being smack dab in the middle of October meant a lot of Halloween traditions had to be outright omitted. Which obviously comes with the wedding planning territory. But it’s also the main reason why I started this Daily Halloween Blog. As a way to not just share spooky activities; but to also reminisce about Halloween past. And writing this certainly helped evoke that cozy fall feeling I love so much about the season.
My final weekend leading up to Halloween was calm and cozy. We got dinner at a local dive bar. A “priest” took our order and Olive Oil was the bartender. I carved a Jack O’Lantern, watched Svengoolie and Hocus Pocus, ate too much fun sized candy, and my wife and I threw together a decent yard display for the trick or treaters. Here in the midwest, Halloween day was freezing cold and it even snowed! Despite the weather, we still got a decent amount of trick or treaters (about 1/3rd of what we usually get) as we had our Halloween music mix blasting and me as Michael Myers “haunting” (and shivering) the yard.
Yeah, we didn’t put together any costumes this year. And, sure, we missed a couple parties, pumpkin farms, and haunted houses. Our yard “haunt” was assembled quickly with not as much care as usual. And I certainly did not watch as many horror movies as I usually do. But I’m grateful to have what we have. Tradition is inseparable from nostalgia. Take Dracula and his casket or Dr. Frankenstein and the monster, you can’t have one without the other. As each new Halloween season approaches, I harken back to those of yesteryear. There was never any extravagance among my favorite Halloween memories. It was something as simple as taking in neighborhood decorations with my mother, attending my school’s fall fest with some friends, or carving a pumpkin on the kitchen floor.
And I believe that’s a big reason why Halloween has always remained special to me: it’s what you make of it. And Halloween doesn’t have the overwhelming pressure of, say, a Birthday, Christmas, or Thanksgiving. It’s the only holiday where you can watch Ghoulies Go To College alone while downing an entire bag of fun-size snickers and it’s considered time well spent.
I hope everyone had a nice time reading this daily blog. It certainly helped circulate some much needed Halloween spirit throughout my corpse. And I hope it had a similar effect on you as well. I’m already thinking about next year! Remember, Halloween is what you make of it! See you in 2024 and have a…
October 30th:
I distinctly recall the year realizing Halloween (as I know it) was over. The spooky season seeped in with little fanfare amongst my teenage group of classmates. The idea of costumes, trick or treating, and carving pumpkins suddenly became passé, something “kids” did which we certainly were not. An internal switch was flipped within my peers to abandon all the harmless fun associated with Halloween. Innocence traded for cartons of eggs and toilet paper. Trying to sneak booze and cigarettes; watch an R-rated slasher film solely for blood and sex.
In other words, it sucked.
I remember innocently asking my mom to take me to a costume store one weekday evening to browse for the big day. She reluctantly did, but chided me about being “too old” and asking “what for?” when it came to dressing up. The lack of care seemed like an infestation I couldn’t shake. A part of me thought it may have just been easier if I succumbed to my adolescence, listened to some Nirvana, and egg a neighbor like I’m apparently “supposed to”. I spent a few days before Halloween making a Marvel Comics Ghost Rider costume composed of an old leather jacket, tinfoil, and drugstore skull mask. I stepped out on a particularly cold and dark Halloween night to a barren street. I walked a few blocks alone in the cold with no one in sight. I ended up back home tossing my hastily handmade costume to the floor gutted. Realizing that chapter of my life was over.
Disappointed, I decided to distract my sorrows in our Windows ‘98 HP PC. I still remember a time where the internet was a tool. Slow and limited. Complex to most. A fad to some. New to all. The internet was often a place to many as well: the library, school computer lab, a friend’s basement. It wasn’t all instantaneously encompassing as it is today. The computer booted up; the dial up connected; and I was met with a festive AOL homepage consisting of Halloween-centric articles and even a “Halloween radio” to play. I indulged in the simplicity.
I sat in our folding chair, parts of my “Ghost Rider” costume still attached to me, listening to a low quality “Monster Mash” hum through cumbersome speakers. I read the history of Halloween, trivia on classic Universal Monster movies, played a spooky flash game or two, and visited ghost hunting message boards…partaking in what I can only describe as “20th century ghost stories told around a digital campfire”. It wasn’t the Halloween I was used to…nor the one I wanted. But things change and I had to make the best of it. It was the beginning of something new…leading to the internet becoming the force and lifestyle it is today. A supplemental “celebration” I suppose. And a modern tradition that, I’m sure, all of us partake in whether on purpose or not.
October 28th & 29th:
Tonight I finally carved a Jack O’Lantern! I say “finally” because we’re cutting it close to the big day, but..then again…I think I end up carving a pumpkin around this time anyway. I’ve only been doing this classic seasonal activity regularly for a little over a decade. I started by simply painting a pumpkin or two for display. Then I “graduated” to carving more complex designs (my favorite I recall being “Stripe” from Gremlins). The past 5 years though I’ve been keeping it classic: gut it, carve a face, and throw a few tea lights inside. Nothing beats a simple Jack O’Lantern face be it goofy or scary.
When it comes to pumpkin decorating what grabs your ghost? Do you buy those plastic appendage kits to simply jam into your gourd? I once watched a home’s Yoda Pumpkin rot and become one with the earth over the course of about a year on my daily lunch walks. Do you paint or use stickers? If you carve, do you go with a face? Or a more complex design? Do you throw away your pumpkin guts? Do you save the seeds? Do you use actual candles to illuminate your work? Or some sort of lighting mechanism? There are a lot of inexpensive options out there that make this age old activity so alluring. The Jack O’Lantern is the symbol of Halloween afterall; and it’s pretty radical that you create your own to represent Halloween every year.
October 27th:
You recognize this Jack O’Lantern pumpkin pail. I know you do. We all do. I’m not speaking in generalities either. This specific one. With the angular features and “sharp” teeth. Come fall, Its presence is expected. Available nearly anywhere from pharmacies and grocery stores to pop up Halloween and department stores. They often line the top of shelves like a plastic candy collecting army. It’s become an important yet overlooked staple of the Halloween holiday. A spooky symbol of youth.
But he’s gone.
His name is “Big Jack”. He was a plastic blow mold candy bucket manufactured every Halloween from 1980 to 2018. Born from a line of seasonal blow molds, “Big Jack” was produced by Empire Plastics from 1980 to 2000. Empire downsized in 2001 and quit the blow mold game, selling all their machinery to General Foam. General Foam took over making “Big Jack” until their closing in 2017, with new old stock selling into 2018. The machinery that produces “Big Jack” and various other classic Halloween blow molds were auctioned off to independent buyers. Yet many exist somewhere untouched and unwanted.
Perhaps you don’t believe me? Maybe you think I’m all hopped up on blow mold plastic and talkin’ crazy. Next time you head to the store take a look at the candy pails. You’ll find a variety I’m sure. You’ll find similar ones. Ones you may even for this exact one. But it won’t be “Big Jack”. Another Halloween icon turned into a relic. Time devours all, my fiends.
October 26th:
I saw a quick video a couple weeks back from one of the many nostalgic instagram accounts I follow consisting of Halloween footage from the 1990s collected from various sources off the internet. No sound. Nothing too skilled, just a simple post to evoke nostalgia in the viewers.
It inspired me to do something in the same vein but more my style. The footage is all taken by me casually either on various walks, in my own home, or on adventures. The music was pulled from this compilation I discovered 3 Halloweens back and am obsessed with. I tried to capture the nostalgic, warm, cozy feeling of the Halloween season with what I was surrounded by. A simple video experiment; but also a kind of “conclusion” to my personal season. I hope it all makes you guys want to sip some pumpkin tea and read some Poe.
October 25th:
Tonight we were lucky to catch a special Halloween screening of the director’s cut of 1986’s Little Shop of Horrors on the big screen. I watched this film at a very young age and remember it fondly solely for it being so loud and colorful. I’ve seen it a handful of times since and while I enjoy it…it’s not one of my favorite movies or anything like that. I’ve also never seen the “director’s cut” (nor did I know there was one). Generally, I’m not a fan of director’s cuts. And, as it turned out, I have no idea if I like this one because the distributor ended up sending the theatrical cut instead. The theater apologized, but I didn’t find it to be too much of a problem…as I was there basically for the candy and ambience.
Revisiting the film, I still rather enjoy it. Though I mainly perk up for Steve Martin’s scenes (especially with Bill Murray’s cameo) as he steals the show for the little time he has. Seeing it for the first time on the big screen, you can really see just how incredible the puppetry involving Audrey II is. Apparently Jim Henson (while uncredited) had a hand in it (ha!) being a Frank Oz directed film. Audrey II is a prime example of when people say CGI could be inferior when it comes to special effects.
Some trivia for this that surprised me: there was an animated series that debuted on FOX Kids in 1991. It’s simply called “Little Shop”, the main characters are children, and it had a rap intro. Sounds sacrilegious, right? But the art style and execution is surprisingly good. It has a sort of Rocky and Bullwinkle 1960’s aesthetic (which was when the original film was made). I had no idea this thing existed…but, heck, if I caught this on a Saturday morning I’d leave it on. There’s just something about 1990s cartoons where there seemed to be some extra magic, you know? Things that shouldn’t have worked in fact did.
Here’s the first episode of Little Shop for your viewing pleasure.
October 24th:
The pumpkin farms I grew up with were synonymous with large wooden characters (often) amateurly painted and staked into the soil to add some pizzazz to an already colorful fall fest. There’d be the classic monsters and creatures you’d expect…some complete with face holes for the perfect photo opportunity. Possible memory makers cut and painted from plywood. This isn’t necessarily a lost art even in 2023, but time takes a toll on these wooden creations especially in midwest weather. Not to mention some characters lose relevance entirely and vanish to make way for more modern trends that the children will recognize with a smile. Personally, I’ve taken note of this through the decades. Which is why I’m focusing on this Yogi Bear during a recent trip to the pumpkin farm.
This Yogi Bear, in particular, has been at this farm for 32 years. The same spot. He even received a new paint job a couple years back. We used to take school field trips to this farm to pick our pumpkin for the season. Yogi would direct us where we’d be eating lunch for that day: in the repurposed greenhouse. Hey-Hey- The Eating Area is That-A-Way! What makes this so endearing is the amount of change that’s happened, not just in life, but at this particular pumpkin patch. So many personal staples are gone. History. Yet Yogi still stands. Not only as a director of where to eat that apple cider donut and hot dog…but, personally, as a symbol of youth and simpler times.
Reluctantly being a sort of cartoon connoisseur, this version of Yogi isn’t even the classic pic-a-nic basket grabbing bear you may know. It’s his “look” from 1991’s Yo Yogi! A short lived cartoon that reimagined Yogi and other Hanna Barbera characters as teens that worked at the local mall. A sort of “hip modern” take on these classic characters from the 1960s. If that popped collar, tie, and rolled sleeves combo doesn’t scream “1991” I don’t know what does. And here he stands in 2023. And, probably, to little attention from guests. A legacy probably as dead as the mall he worked in.
I smile when I see him. Because I assume every year may just be his last. I give an abridged history of this cartoon cutout to my wife. She politely smiles and nods albeit disinterested. I don’t blame her. Sometimes I’m disappointed with myself when it comes to my knowledge on these things. Yo Yogi may not exactly be a Halloween decoration, but has inexplicably evolved into a tombstone of sorts. A marker representing a time long gone. Placed firmly in the dirt for all to see.
October 23rd:
Tonight we attended a screening of 1927’s The Cat and the Canary as part of a local “silent film” club that meets once a month in a historic theater. This is only our second time attending something like this, but we were so delighted the first time we figured we needed to make it a regular thing…especially during October. It is an inexpensive date night and it’s so darn impressive to watch (and hear) a live organist bring life to the film right before you. Realizing how integral music is to a film in conveying emotion. One man “scoring” a nearly 90 minute film…in one take…timed to the actions on the screen. Incredibly impressive, man. And, unfortunately, soon to be a lost art.
Like most early films, The Cat and the Canary is based on a stage play. I’ve only heard of it at this point but, in doing some mild research, I was excited to learn that it is considered a cornerstone of Universal Studios horror as well as the “haunted house” genre. The director, Paul Leni, also directed The Man Who Laughs the following year…a movie well known amongst Batman fans as the inspiration for The Joker. The plot is a little slow and the laughs are far between, but it’s atmospheric and entertaining. I’m glad I got to experience The Cat and the Canary in a way it was meant to.
You can watch the movie (for free) here if interested!
October 21st and 22nd:
Tonight, we partook in a recent tradition of watching 1957’s “The Incredible Shrinking Man”. I first discovered this film only 5 years back through an episode of Svengoolie. A humorous premise coupled with the presumed silliness of 1950s sci-fi made me believe I was in for a laugh. But, instead, this film absolutely grabbed me and it has become one of my favorite movies period.
The first half of the movie being about the shrinking “sickness” is cleverly filmed. It’s silly, yeah, but there’s a seriousness to everything that you can’t help but empathize with our protagonist. And the second half of the film, taking place entirely in a basement, is just exemplary edge-of-your-seat thriller filmmaking. This (assumed) goofy ‘50s sci-fi turns into something profoundly thought provoking. Questioning the very foundations of our personal impact on life in the grand scheme of God’s design.
“The Incredible Shrinking Man” is a movie I recommend, not just for Halloween, but in general. In fact, I might know a place where you could watch it…flick’s on me, kid 😉
Also I got married this weekend but that’s not what this is about 😉
October 20th:
In Halloween terms, are you a makeup or mask person? Personally, I enjoy doing makeup for others…but I’m 100% a mask man. Although my early years of Halloween costumes definitely involved some classic makeup. I recall some days before school, sitting still on top of my grandparents washing machine while my mom made me into Dracula or the Wolfman with a cheap makeup kit bought at the drugstore. She always did a great job too, my favorite being the drizzle of “blood” running down from my mouth as Drac.
Halloween makeup kits were always fun to peruse whether I had any intentions on using them or not. An appliance always grabbed my interests; perhaps a warty rubber nose, bloody scar, or yellowed fangs. I loved the packaging of the models showing what your makeup could totally look like…if you had someone artistic enough applying it. I never saw anyone look as “spooky” as the person on the box but I suppose it was more about the journey than the destination. A few makeup kits I personally recall was a werewolf one purchased at a pumpkin farm when I was in 4th grade; as well as the yearly temptation for the “official” Freddy Krueger makeup kit: complete with latex nose and brow. Freddy was always on the costume list for me…even before I saw the films. It was just the uncomfortable idea of wearing, what seemed like, a gooey cake on your face for a day made me choose otherwise.
Another realization I made through the years was noticing the same scary makeup models on the packaging. If you’re that person, what does that feel like? What if you buy your kid a makeup kit with you on it from when you were their age?!
“So, son, your grandma pushed me into child modeling at your age. I have nothing to show for it other than landing a Classic Vampire Makeup Kit gig at Dr. Pumpkin’s Special Effects Inc.”
That’s basically immortality!
October 19th:
I have an ever growing mix of a Halloween playlist that I listen to when the season is here, and every year I seem to connect with a particular song. It doesn’t have to be a newly discovered addition either, it could be a song I’ve heard a hundred times for three decades. This year “Love Potion No. 9” is the song in question…much to my surprise…as this is a song I’ve heard for decades and, while I enjoy it, it never truly hit me until now. “Love Potion No. 9” was written in 1959 by the team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. They wrote such hits as “Hound Dog”, “Kansas City”, “Jailhouse Rock” and “Yakety Yak” amongst many other hits. “Love Potion No. 9” was recorded in June 1959 and released in July of the same year by R&B group The Clovers. The first version happens to be my favorite but I’m sure most of us are familiar with the version by The Searchers released in November of 1964.
I’m partial to the sassy piano and voice afflictions of the original Clovers’ version. I also understand the lyrics as they’re better enunciated in the original version. But it doesn’t stop there as there are multiple covers of “Love Potion No. 9”. I truly don’t believe there is a bad version of this song.
Click below to listen:
Here’s the original version by The Clovers from July 1959.
Here’s The Searchers cover November 1964. Definitely the most circulated version you probably think of.
Herb Alpert and the The Tijuana Brass covered this in April of 1965. It sounds like a sultry spooky striptease.
The Coasters cover released in December of 1971. It’s groovy as heck and makes you want to boogie with a group of gypsies in a colorful New York club.
Lastly there’s Elkie Brooks’s cover from 1977. Her cover makes you feel like you’re walking into a smokey bar looking for murder leads as she seduces you on top of a piano.
Somehow, through it all, this became a “Halloween” song. It’s not spooky or Halloween heavy…but there’s a link to a potion. So that’s good enough I suppose. Yet I’ll take any reason to listen to “Love Potion No. 9”.
October 18th:
Deadly Friend is a 1986 horror film directed by the legendary Wes Craven. This movie has recently become special to me as it was so vividly embedded deep into my subconscious as a child never to be seen again until October 2022. I have a very evocative memory of sitting on my grandmother’s bed by myself one evening and being captivated by this film. I was completely enamored with actress Kristy Swanson and wanted nothing bad to happen to her throughout the film. I audibly yearned for her to turn out “okay” throughout.
Of course, if you’ve seen the film…something bad happens to her. And Deadly Friend is an absolute trip of classic 80s horror trash that my spooky soul runs on. It starts off as goofy robot-gone-bad suburban horror and then completely shifts gears about halfway through. And I love every moment. I later found out the odd tone of the film going from “boy and his robot pal” to suddenly “schlocky bloody horror” was because Craven made Deadly Friend with the intention of straying away from the horror genre and more into a sci-fi story of companionship. But, much to his chagrin, the studio was all “make this bloody and scary Nightmare dude.”
I was so enamored with this film that after I saw it, I immediately told my mom the entire plot through the filter of my limited child vocabulary. Confessing I was so sad for what happened to Kristy Swanson because “she was so cute”. For decades all I had to remember about this film was it was a horror movie with nighttime scenes starring a “cute” blonde girl and an ending credit theme so catchy, I remembered it 30 years later. For ages I just assumed it must have been 1983’s Christine as it has a similar aesthetic and the similarly striking Kelly Preston must’ve been whom I fell for back in the day.
Then, last year, I stumbled upon this wonderfully chaotic song on youtube that grabbed the thread of a memory, yanked it to the present, hotwired the nostalgia and got us running on that trail again. After 30 years, I was finally reunited with my Deadly Friend.
October 17th:
Tonight we watched Garfield’s Halloween Adventure which has become a yearly tradition for us. This cartoon was first aired October 30th, 1985 on CBS alongside It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. The special was aired every Halloween season through 1999; so there’s a reason why so many of a certain age may fondly recall this fall classic. As long as I can remember, I watched A Garfield Christmas every holiday season. But I actually haven’t had Halloween Adventure in my regular Halloween viewing rotation until the last 4 years or so. It starts off with a classic Garfield plot, but really takes a spooky turn in the last 10 minutes or so. From art style to narrative, it’s probably the most “off-brand” Garfield special…but with good reason and it’s still great for kids.
I grew up (and still am) a big Garfield fan. Not in the confusing “ironic” way so many seem to be nowadays either. I read Garfield every week in the funny pages. Watched his reaired specials and Garfield and Friends series. I genuinely enjoy his antics.
As a sort of cartoon connoisseur, the “ghostly” encounters of Garfield’s Halloween Adventure definitely seem rushed and incomplete. There’s a lot of recycled animation throughout the special, but the style takes a (more complicated) shift once they get to the spooky mansion. There’s a complete lack of sound effects, some bizarre pacing choices, and poor reused animation cycles that don’t make sense for the plot/predicament. I notice these every year, and it makes me wonder if there had to have been a rush to meet the deadline. I know it’s just a silly old Garfield cartoon…but that’s honestly why I notice. Because these issues don’t stick out in the other specials. But I’m just being picky.
Regardless, I still recommend Garfield’s Halloween Adventure; especially if you have young kids and want something safe yet spooky for them to watch. In fact, Garfield himself uploaded it and you can watch it here.
October 16th:
It’s (pretty much) the halfway point to Halloween! I hope all the Halloween-heads that keep returning to read my Boo-Blog are having a fulfilling season primed with rubber bats and foam appendages. Ironically, I decided to write this daily countdown this year because I wasn’t able to have as bustling of a season as I usually do. Yet I figured since I’m not able to do a lot of things I’d like, I can at least write about them as a way to relive and share.
Since we’re speaking of a “halfway” point and “time” being a loose theme, I happened to find an old Halloween picture of myself trick or treating as a clock. I received a lot of clothing (and Halloween costumes) as hand-me-downs from my older cousin. That’s why I always looked about a decade behind when it came to style. And it’s also why I’m dressed, bewildered, as a clock. I didn’t want to be a clock. But, I suppose, it was time.
What’s not pictured is the fact that I have a plush “winding” mechanism attached behind me. And it was indeed wound by various strangers throughout the day much to my disliking. I recalled seeing an older child dressed as Spider-man trick or treating whimsically. I remember being filled with disappointment and jealousy to the point where I thought the titty-looking things on my head would ring in a rage. “Why can’t I be Spider-man?!” I thought to myself. Sulking in my round cumbersome clock body approaching each door for treats. I was a parrot the following year. Again, another hand-me-down costume. It took a few years for me to finally get a choice (Dracula). Despite all that, I’m glad I have the picture to laugh at. Time does heal all wounds afterall.
October 14 & 15th:
When decorating, I display this set of Mcdonald’s Halloween Happy Meal toys from October of 1995. I place them snugly under my television for the season. I bought them up in a zip lock bag for $12 years back at a flea market. The set features all the Mcdonaldland characters with snap-on Halloween costumes! I don’t remember having these particular toys in my youth. But I can recall a certain fondness for Mcdonalds not only for myself, but for many adults around my age. And it’s no surprise when looking back at Mcdonald’s Happy Meal marketing throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Mcdonald’s advertisements towards kids were less commercial and more short film. In fact, food rarely appeared in many of these “commercials”. Most of the time your show was interrupted with a mini “show” of the current adventures of Ronald Mcdonald and his gang of colorful characters. In this particular case, the “short” was about what Ronald was going to dress up as for Halloween. It was even a two parter!
The result is a whole generation linking Halloween with Mcdonalds. Whether you get that warm fuzzy feeling from these toys, Boo Buckets, plastic Mcnuggets dressed as Mummies, or even “spooky sounds” cassettes. If you feel it you can’t deny it. So much so that, nearly 30 years later, these Happy Meal toys go alongside my various other Halloween decorations.
October 13th:
Woah, a Friday the 13th in October! How spooky cool. The last time we had one of these was in 2017! Perhaps you think you have a greater chance today to get killed inside a sleeping bag by a man in a hockey mask. That may be true! Yet Jason Vorhees wasn’t the first thing that popped into my head while writing about today. It was actually Donald Duck of all people (?).
A video I watched regularly as a child was Donald’s Scary Tales released in 1990. A collection of 6 scary Walt Disney cartoons starring mostly Donald Duck. The cartoon I’m bringing up, in particular, is 1939’s Donald’s Lucky Day in which Don is attempting to deliver a package on Friday the 13th with every instance of bad luck slowing him down. In child form, this may have been my first instance of grasping what Friday the 13th was and what “bad luck” entailed. Either way, I happen to have the entire VHS right here that you can watch for free complete with tracking. The entire compilation is great nostalgic Halloween fodder that includes 1929’s The Skeleton Dance and Pluto’s Judgement Day in which Pluto the dog burns in fucking hell.
Cartoons aside, today should essentially function like Jason Vorhee’s birthday: the patron saint of murdering near-naked teenagers. Like Frankenstein being an icon for classic horror films, Jason has evolved into a similar function for the slasher era. The next “evolution” in horror (or devolution depending on who you talk to) The first Friday the 13th film releasing in 1980 and the hockey masked wearing Jason we all know debuted in 1982. The time in between the first Friday the 13th film and today (43 years) is encroaching on a similar timespan from Universal’s Classic Monsters to the slasher genre kicked off by 1978’s Halloween. Crazy to think.
As for other goodies, I recorded a podcast episode on the journey of the Friday the 13th NES game about 5 years back. Hopefully you didn’t walk under any ladders or break any mirrors to celebrate!
October 12th:
We made a quick trip to a local pumpkin farm on this chilly rainy afternoon. Not ideal, but with this month being so incredibly busy we have little choice when it comes to Halloween traditions this year. I’ve been visiting this particular pumpkin farm for as long as I can remember. And despite so many changes through the decades, I still get a warm fall feeling when pulling into the parking lot.
My wife grew up in the rural midwest, so she opened my eyes to the authenticity of pumpkin farms; and the Chicagoland ones I grew up on are about as authentic as Olive Garden is to Italian dining. I realize that as they’re located in a bustling suburb. And, no, I don’t see any surrounding “farmland”. And, sure, all the produce and bakery are labeled as being from somewhere else entirely. And not a single pumpkin is growing on a vine. At one point, though, it was a farm. I get it. It’s now essentially a small fall themed grocery store with an overpriced petting zoo and dilapidated spookhouse. But you can’t let that damper your enjoyment of this tradition! Let us “city folk” live in ignorance I suppose.
Concerning these Chicagoland pumpkin farms, the cynic in me has created a tradition of spotting all the chic pinterest women decked out in the latest trendy fashions. Smokey Bear hat fastened; humorously navigating through the gravel and dirt in their impractical footwear; oversized wooly warm toned flannel; smartphone in one hand, Starbucks cup in the other. Scanning for that perfect fall selfie spot. God bless ‘em.
There will be a time where I stop going to these entirely. I’m no longer the demographic. Yet I still get the nostalgic feeling. Memories washed up this time of the year of simpler sunny fall days at the pumpkin “patch”. A conjuring akin to witchcraft. And, in time, it will fade. But, for now, this will do. This will do just fine.
October 11th:
I have a couple standards when it comes to partaking in Halloween treats: Reese’s pumpkins, apple cider donuts, those little sour pumpkin gummy guys, and the newest addition: Witch’s Brew Kit Kats.
Witch’s Brew Kit Kats was the only good thing to come out of 2020. It’s a simple mini kit kat but the wafers are coated in green marshmallow cream instead of chocolate. I originally gave them a buy because I thought they were a repurposed tie-in to the Ghostbusters: Afterlife movie that was delayed to the following year. The green “slime” look and marshmallow flavor is 110% on brand Ghostbusters afterall. I’m not sure if any of that is confirmed or I’m making it up, but as far as I’m concerned it’s head canon to me.
Ghostbusters aside, they stand on their own and have already become a Halloween staple in my household. There was some fear originally, as we didn’t spot them in various Halloween candy aisles this year (their 4th seasonal appearance) and thought they may be done for! We’ve only been able to find them in Target stores. If you get your hands on a bag or two, I recommend sticking them in the freezer as I believe they taste better cold.
October 10th:
I’m always in the mood for Halloween chachkies. Pins, pens, rubber squishy creatures, keychains, candy dispensers, fangs, fingers. If you’re here you know what I’m talking about. Dollar stores have a decent amount of things like this, as do some “dollar” or “party” sections in certain stores. The little checkout “maze” in every Spirit Halloween store is the main reason I go into them. It’s not everyday you can grab a little tin of mints in the shape of Michael Myers’s mask, some Freddy Krueger socks, and a Overlook Hotel magnet.
Yet I gravitate towards more “generic” Halloween standbys. Nothing beats a classic sheeted ghost, pumpkin-headed-person, or the simple vampire. In Target’s “dollar spot” section I found a pile of simple “wind-up” toys. Amongst the skeleton, Pumpkin-man, and Witch (?), the Frankenstein monster stood out to me most. For $1, I thought I’d indulge myself for nostalgia’s sake. I recall always walking out of a pumpkin farm or school/park district Halloween party gripping something similar. Most revered had to be a rubber Crypt Keeper topper on one of those plastic tubes holding candy corn. Despite being a total scaredy cat as a child, I absolutely worshipped the Crypt Keeper in all his rotting glory.
Looks like little wind-up Frank will adorn my desk for the rest of the spooky season. The most fitting for a windup feature, as his shambling is quite on point for his character wouldn’t you say?
October 9th:
Tonight my wife recommended one of her newly discovered horror films: The Blair Witch Project.
I introduced this film to her a couple years back. We binge quite a bit of horror movies in the fall evenings, and The Blair Witch Project was one of my “bottom of the barrel” recommendations. It’s not that I don’t like it, quite the opposite, it’s just that it produced a “tired” genre of found footage films that I personally moved past. But it proved itself fresh in my wife’s eyes and, decades later, proved why it was so successful in the first place. Therefore it found itself in our Halloween horror movie rotation.
I vividly remember seeing The Blair Witch Project when it was originally in theaters. With how the film immediately spawned so many parodies and imitators I can see why many may scoff at it. But when it was fresh, The Blair Witch project was mysterious and chilling. A true example of minimalist horror and letting your imagination run wild. The film’s fantastic viral marketing was also groundbreaking in terms of internet publicity which, in 1999, the internet was a privilege and tool rather than an intrusive lifestyle like today. “Missing” posters of the film’s characters were distributed amongst movie goers. It had “interviews” on a *gasp* website! Even a mockumentary was produced and aired prior to the film’s release.
Perhaps, by modern standards, the film falls flat and unimpressive for younger generations. Maybe it was a case of “just having to be there”. But I’m glad I was. Was it real? Did this actually happen? The film’s credits are barren. What does the Blair Witch look like? I know someone who said you could see her in the background! No one seemed to know the truth at first. And that’s what made the film so powerful. The filmmakers conjured up the legend of the Blair Witch out of imagination but the movie became a legend in its own right.
Recalling the final shot of the film and closing “ambience” still gives me GOOSEFLESH.
October 7th & 8th:
Tonight we cuddled up by the non-existent fire and watched season 2, 3, and 4’s Halloween episodes of Roseanne. Roseanne is one of my favorite television shows but anybody familiar can tell you their Halloween episodes were “must-see” television back in the day. The early seasons being my personal favorite, the writing is sharp, witty, and delivered by a cast that seems supernaturally natural in their roles. Seriously, watch the first 5 minutes of an early Halloween episode and tell me their chemistry isn’t sitcom perfection.
Being a favorite show aside, the passing of time has made these episodes even more special. Each one becoming a little time warp of quintessential 1990s midwest Halloween. From the decorations to the costumes to the pop culture references…everything comes together to make you realize why you love Halloween so much today…because there was plenty to love back then. Each episode (usually) revolves around the theme of the family scaring each other to be the “master” of Halloween pranks. What may surprise some is how heavy the “gore” is in these specials. With blood, guts, and appendages…it made me harken back to how “gore” obsessed Halloween was in the 1990s. Obviously due to the rampant popularity in the slasher genre and its constant “envelope pushing” when it came to violence. Which, if you grew up in the 1990s, the surge in violence “plagued” us through every kind of media that existed. Were they wrong? No. As a boy growing up was it awesome? Heck yes.
My favorite episode is the season 3 episode 7 entitled “TRICK OR TREAT” which has become more relevant than ever as there’s a plot thread about Dan being upset with his son wanting to dress as a witch (a girl’s costume) for Halloween. Not to mention Roseanne dressing as a man and hanging out at the local bar is one of my favorite scenes in the entire show. I have the episode for free right here if interested.
I’m still going to make Dan’s Three Stooges costume someday. I swear!
October 6th:
What’s your go-to candy when it comes to trick or treaters? Chocolate? Gummies? Suckers and sour stuff? Are you one of those people that give away popcorn balls or some elaborate homemade snack?
I once received a gallon of milk from an Indian couple while trick or treating. They seemed as confused by the fall tradition as I was when receiving their “treat”. As a kid I found it bizarre but, as an adult, it’s pretty practical. I actually wouldn’t mind if “adult” trick or treating involved getting household necessities. Walking down your block dressed up as a vampire collecting paper towels, gently used produce, and generic brand Clorox wipes. Maybe head to the “rich” neighborhood, I hear they’re handing out avocados and full sized dish soap!
I made a quick trip to the Dollar Tree this morning and was disappointed to see those traitors went nearly full Christmas by early October! They had one single measly picked-over aisle of Halloween goodies. Regardless, dollar stores always have the best candy. Probably because it’s not always a name brand so the have to lean into the Halloween aesthetic to get your attention. The two bags that jumped out to me were BLOODY BITES which are absolutely awesome. They’re the classic glow-in-the-dark plastic vampire fangs that always dig into your gums after 5 seconds coupled with oozy candy “blood” goop. I can just imagine kids getting these making an absolute mess of their costume. This would definitely be the treat that parents snatch away for “later”. But it’s so classic Halloween!
The second bag was essentially Pop Rocks but GHOUL AID flavored! Complete with Kool Aid man in his Dracula costume. I vaguely recalled Ghoul Aid being back in jammer form. That’s basically Capri Sun since apparently parents are too lazy to make 40 second sugar water? I looked into this particular candy and apparently it hit the Halloween scene in 2019. Makes sense for it to trickle down after its initial debut. That’s so dollar store.
October 5th:
I read this October edition of REMIND Magazine which is all about witches in pop culture. The magazine is a fun nostalgic read focusing on popular culture from the 1950s thru the 1970s (with some 80s and 90s thrown in). Last year, REMIND Magazine was suggested through a Facebook Ad with a subscription fee of $12 for 12 issues. I assume this ad targeted me because I behave elderly and all my FB friends are baby boomers. I’ve been giving issues away to older generations that would appreciate it more than I, as that’s who it’s geared towards, especially with its mailaway ads for knick knacks every grandma and aunt would have displayed within their dusty wooden cabinets. But this Halloween issue definitely kept my attention.
This magazine has only been around since 2017 and delving into their October back issues, they had a tradition of spooktacular covers featuring The Wolfman, Mummy, Dracula, Michael Myers, and The Munsters. No offense to Elizabeth Montgomery but following up with Samantha from Bewitched as the face of your Halloween issue is a choice.
But the issue itself has a insightful dive into witches in pop culture. It has a great article on the history and impact of Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, as well as some neat-o suggestions of witch-related movies and songs going back to the 1920s. Like 1928’s Witchin’ Hour Blues by Tampa Reid to get into some truly vintage spooky feelings. I was also surprised at the amount of Buffy The Vampire Slayer coverage as well as a recommendation of Dario Argento’s Suspiria! Pretty cool to see it recognized in a mag like this. The layout is a cozy throwback as well. And I found some good music to add to my personal Halloween playlist. I honestly don’t know if they carry this in any stores, but for $1 delivered to your door, its worth it…especially this month.
October 4th:
I can really go for some Mountain Dew Pitch Black come Halloween again. My best friend and I were practically powered on that while recording our seasonal episodes of the It’s Alive! Podcast. I mean, a soda themed to be the Black Lagoon…complete with the Creature offering it to you?! That’s not an idea; that’s an epiphany.
That being said, I purchased a 12 pack of Mountain Dew Voo Dew 2023! That means that I enjoy the flavor, as opposed to last year. For the past 5 years, Mountain Dew releases a white soda called “Voo Dew” around the Halloween season that features a mystery flavor. My favorite being 2021’s “basically Starburst” flavor. This years flavor tastes similar and I’m not going ahead just yet to look up what it is online. I wish there was more of a dramatic “unveiling” on a later date when it came to the flavor. Now it’s like when someone says “Guess what?!” and they immediately say what it is giving you no time to actually guess. But I digress, have you guys seen this creepin friggen mummy on the box?!
The black light-like artwork is always awesome. I’m not above displaying a framed soda box. But with this Mummy, it was love at first fright. The Mountain Dew medallion, Randy Savage sunglasses, Thriller pose, and pink mohawk?! He looks like a relative to Curly from Goosebumps and I want him tattooed all over my body. This mummy has become the mascot for Halloween 2023 for me (maybe beyond).
I shall call him Mummy Dew.
October 3rd:
I picked up some photos at Walgreens today (that’s something you can still do apparently) and decided to take a look at the Halloween offerings. I always seem to make my way to this pharmacy around the Halloween season as it was a staple of my childhood days. My mom was never the shopping type and only ever entered stores for necessities, so the local Jewel-Osco and Walgreens were often the only stores I entered weeks at a time!
Walgreens, in particular, was a place where quite a bit of my childhood Halloween costumes came from. I recall a rack of those thin fabric character “smocks” with an attached plastic mask. I remember coming across Barbie, Looney Tunes characters, and asking my mom if I could be Superman that year. It certainly had to be the end of the lifespan of those particular costumes. If I couldn’t get a costume, then I’d bargain for a rubber bat or skeleton. Preferably the ones that were “glow-in-the-dark.”
The pharmacy offerings seemed more robust back then, but that doesn’t take away the fact that I still like to browse. I wrote an article about the “Drugstore Halloween” last year; and a lot of the products still apply this year. I even found the same lone “Ghost Face” mask hanging on a peg. This has become a ritual born solely out of nostalgia, as what’s available is about as hollow as a jack o’lantern to me…so perhaps some year I’ll stop altogether. But, for now, I’ll haunt the aisle thinking of memories long since dead.
Like, you know, a ghost. Halloween-y, right?
October 2nd:
I watched Hulu’s “No One Will Save You” tonight on account of an interesting and simplistic premise. I’m weary when it comes to modern horror as I don’t find the screenwriting very sensible and scare factors seem tired. And I lower my commonsense when it comes to the horror genre as is. “No One Will Save You” is about a young woman who isolated herself to the edge of a rural town out of guilt. Then aliens begin to mysteriously visit her.
There’s barely any dialogue. The film does a good job at conveying emotion and story through actions and cinematography. The alien designs harken back to a “classic” look that’s been lost in the last few decades. I enjoyed a good amount about the film but overall it just didn’t do much for me. Our protagonist’s arc was a bit muddled; as was the ultimate “goal” of our alien invaders. I felt, like a lot of modern horror writing, an interesting premise and alluring style takes precedence over meaning and motivations.
It’s a brisk 90 minutes and wastes no time grabbing your interest. I’m not adding it to my regular spooky movie rotation, but I’d throw it out there for a sci-fi horror fan that wants fresh meat.
October 1st:
An unusually late start for me, but I finally decorated my home to get in the mood. Usually by late September, my home is decorated, I’ve inhaled a disgusting amount of apple cider donuts, been to at least 2 pumpkin farms, and guzzled 2 jugs of apple cider. But with my wedding being in October, a lot of traditions and festivities have taken a back seat. Expected, of course, but it is what it is.
I dialed back the decorating slightly this year as well. Not that it’s a long process, but I simply feel I won’t be home enough to appreciate it. But to not decorate at all would be a stark betrayal to the Halloween Gods that I simply couldn’t live with. I also realized how many batteries I go through in a season. I think that may be the scariest part of the season personally.
Lastly, to highlight what’s become one of my favorite and most unique decorations: Drac’s Tomb in a Room. A Halloween response to the “Elf on the Shelf” tradition; conjured up by children’s author Kristen James. I heard of this through a Universal Studios Monsters Instagram account 2 years back and had to indulge. I recommend grabbing one from the author herself. It could start a great tradition for your little trick or treaters. Not to mention I’ll suck up anything Dracula when it comes to the Halloween season. Get your mind out of the gutter.
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