Svengoolie Heralds the Coming of Halloween!

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(NOTE: Coverage of Svengoolie’s Flashback Weekend talk show with Robert Englund (in full Freddy make-up) will be posted on Halloween in celebration of  the holiday as well “Svengoolie Day” in Illinois. For the next two weeks we’ll lead  into the big day with posts on his “35th Anniversary Celebration” at the Museum of Broadcast Communications as well as the Nightmare on Chicago Street in Elgin)

For me, Halloween usually kicks off after I first spy the seasonal “Monster” cereals back on the store shelves. Shamefully, I still haven’t had a chance to grab them, though I did get a more direct introduction to the holiday courtesy of national horror host, Svengoolie. The appearance took place at Siegel’s Cottonwood Farms in Joliet, Illinois and the last time I saw him in that area was over two years ago during a Slammers game on a blistering hot evening (which I covered both in Scary Monsters Magazine and HERE). On this late September day the temps were much more forgiving though the clouds looked a bit ominous. I told myself it was just part of the Halloween “ambiance” and decided at the last minute to head over.

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John Carpenter: Purveyor of Poor Taste, Deranged Genius….Or both?

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Terror from Beyond the Daves is pleased to welcome back guest writer, Brandon Engel, for his fascinating perspective on a horror legend. 

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It’s all about personal taste. It’s easy to understand why audiences are either charmed or repelled by The Wizard of Oz, The Goodbye Girl and E.T.: The Extra-terrestrial. With “slasher movies”, although it’s easy to understand why many viewers reject such films, it’s a little more ambiguous why they attract such large cult followings.  What is the appeal? Perhaps, the best way to arrive at the answer is to look at the career of the man who is credited with cementing the slasher movie formula, screenwriter/director/producer John Carpenter.

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Jack O’Lantern Spectacular 2014 Part 1!

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Halloween is a particularly spooky time in Terror Dave Albaugh’s native New England.  He’s fortunate to also be working at a place that has a unique way of celebrating the holiday, The Roger Williams Park Zoo! Jack O’Lantern Spectacular is their big event and features a gigantic collection of skillfully carved pumpkins and we’ve featured it for the past several years (you can see last year’s introduction HERE). Like last year, I won’t be able to see it for myself so, like many of you, I’m relying on David to send us pictures from the big event (though this should not imply that pictures are a suitable substitute so, if you’re able to get there, DO IT!) . Because these are real pumpkins, they eventually die and new designs are sent in as replacements. So even if you are fortunate to attend one night, you’re bound to see something new via these posts. Every year has a theme and 2014 is “The Alphabet” promising a cornucopia of thrills from A to Z. The event began October 2nd and will run until November 2nd. And so, without further adieu…

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Face to Face with Bigfoot at the International Cryptozoology Museum!

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(Continued from Sunday 9-21-14) We no sooner entered The International Cryptozoology Museum when David started photographing every inch of it. Thank the Universe for digital cameras because there was so much to see that it soon became obvious this was one attraction warranting multiple visits. What amazed me was how  they were able to display so many interesting objects of varying shapes and sizes while still managing to have it all relatively organized. I didn’t see the need for us both taking a million pictures so I decided to leave that endeavor to him while I chatted with Sarah and made my way around the building.

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The International Cryptozoology Museum: You have to see it to believe it!

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Last weekend we Terror Daves met up for the second time this year and spent a few fun-filled days in New England. It’s always nice to shrink those nine hundred miles between us and enjoy some activities centered around our dual interests; animals and monsters. This latest adventure would be relatively short as I’d spent the previous week attending a zoo related conference in Florida. Shortly after my departure, temperatures north of the Mason Dixon Line plummeted and last Saturday I’d go from wearing sandals and sitting under an Orlando palm tree to wearing a sweatshirt and navigating through chilly Providence rain that same evening. Fortunately we didn’t have anything but sunshine and comfortable temps the remainder of my visit.

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