This particular Halloweentober has flown by! It's the same old story, the older I get. But I went with the flow, watched a ton of movies and Halloween specials, ate more than my fair share of junk food, and enjoyed the Autumn season. I only managed to carve one pumpkin this year, transforming the gourd into a magical, mystical totem to ward off dark spirits. Here it is below. This past month I read a bunch of my Halloween short stories books, such as The End of Summer , by J. Tonzelli. And This is Halloween , by James A. Moore. I also picked up the book A Season with the Witch , by J.W. Ocker, while in Salem and briefly read through it. It's a great love letter to the Witch City. During the day T and I watched a bunch of spooky and funny Halloween movies, from Sleepy Hollow and Casper and Hubie Halloween to a few slashers and some Roseanne specials. We gorged on cheesesteak and ice cream (not at the same time, of course). It was an absolutely gorgeous Halloween today, with s...

Here's a link . This is a quick little read about Halloween and its development in the "New World". I've been a stanch believer that Halloween in America today is well and truly crafted here, though very much of traditions from the "Old World". But the conglomeration of the holiday is well and formed here in the States, from the carving of the first jack-o'-lanterns to trick or treating as a homegrown manifestation. A lot of these Halloween traditions were simultaneously developed up north with our Canadian cousins too, I'm sure. But with the bigger population Halloween became larger here in the States. And this story gives us some insight into the idea that while Halloween has some traditions that date back to pre-Christ times, what we celebrate here today in America is very much a melting pot of our own construction. This is important to me as this holiday is very much a part of the American experience and identity. If I have to say it aloud, I hav...

We just returned home from Salem, and I...enjoyed it. I did. We did. But I have to say that I fell for the trap that movies can do to your perception of a place. Watching Hubie Halloween or Hocus Pocus a dozen times had prepared me for a Salem that only exists in imagination and fiction. Arriving in Salem I expected a town where every house was decorated for turbo-charged Halloween. I thought every home would look like Hubie's, but what we found was that Salem, at least in the neighborhoods, and while unofficially the town of Halloween in America, looked just like home. Every home was not decorated, nor were half the homes. It was more like 1 in 10. It was sad, at first, until I realized I am a nearly 50-year-old dude with real world problems like bills and stuff. This should be the least of my problems. But it was a bit disappointing, I've got to admit. I had expected a living, breathing Halloween wonderland! I expected it to look like Hubie Halloween...

As a vampire aficionado I have always enjoyed the 1979 miniseries Salem's Lot . But over the past several years I've grown to Love this series. First off, before we really get into the meat and potatoes of this miniseries, we have to give props to Count Barlow. This Master vampire is the real deal. He is one of the coolest and eeriest vampires in television or film. Barlow's rat-like teeth, and like Nosferatu's Count Orlok's generations before him, strike an uneasiness down your spine. Recent rewatches of Salem's Lot I noticed just how scary the master really is. Watching this back in my younger days I sorta felt like Barlow was an imposter from the days of disco. Today however I think he completely instills fear in these characters and it's easy to see why. When we see the Master come through the kitchen window and kill the boy's parents, before his face-off with the shaman, the priest, Barlow's disgusting and horrific countenance are striking. Th...

This link is for a New York Times article from 1986 in which it was coming clear that Halloween was becoming the big business holiday that we know and love today. It's an interesting read, to see insight of Halloween from a time when I was just a wee tyke. During this time I was worried about my McDonald's pumpkin pail not being large enough for trick or treating. I was nine years old. I had real problems then.  This is the year that would see the first notch on the timeline which would give rise to stores like Halloween Adventure and Spirit Halloween to exist, and destinations like Universal's Halloween Horror Nights opened for their inaugural show. HHN is still going strong to this day at Universal Studios. And here's this little time capsule  courtesy of WEDF. And if you want to watch something a bit longer, here's Elvira and her Halloween Special from Salem, Mass.

Halloweentober is here, and to be honest it feels like it came out of nowhere! I woke up one morning, and it was October 1. That's usually how it works, right? So it's time to do the Spooky Season! I'm starting the spooky movies watchlist tonight with Rosemary's Baby. I own the Criterion Collection bluray and have for many years, but it's just never made it to my viewing list. Until now. I'm a John Cassavetes fan, and this is one of his I have yet to see. Decorations are going up as I type. I've pulled a slew of my original paper decorations from my days as a toddler and they're going up on walls presently. Vinyl copy of WNUF TV28 Frank Stewart Investigates is on the record player for some background ambiance, pumpkin and apple candles lit for that sweet autumn aroma. I Hope you all have a great October! Enjoy your Pumpkin Spice Lattes one and all!!