Boing Boing » halloween

Davis Graveyard: totally kick-ass haunters

Cory Doctorow — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 02:34:06 +0000

Dan from the Journal of Ride Theory sez, "I hope someday your travels bring you to the Pacific Northwest around Halloween time, because you will absolutely LOVE the Davis Graveyard. It's an amateur yard display of near theme-park quality. And as a bonus for you and me, they have LOTS of Haunted Mansion references -- a full-sized horse-drawn hearse, a skeleton trying to get out of a coffin, a singing statue who briefly recites the Ghost Host's narration, and a replica of the frightened gravedigger. And that's just the icing on top of all the geeky pop-culture references on the gravestones, the excellent projected ghosts, etc. You would plotz."

I plotzed. Holy moly. The Davis family are the greatest human beings on the face of the earth. Why isn't there a Nobel Prize in Hauntology?

Davis Graveyard (Thanks, Dan!)

Pythor costume

Cory Doctorow — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 02:14:02 +0000

Jason and his wife made this totally kick-ass Pythor costume for their wee lad. It's beyond awesome. Also makes me feel like a bit of a bad parent for merely helping to assemble a(n admitted smashing) Wednesday Addams costume. But in a good way.

the making of pythor (Thanks, Jason!)

Venom body-paint

Cory Doctorow — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 00:59:55 +0000

Here's a Venom body-paint job that ups the ante on the two earlier versions posted here. This one was posted by a Redditor called Tapout189, who says it was found on Twitter. Anyone know who the original makeup artist and photographer were?

Awesome Venom Body Paint (imgur.com) (via Super Punch)

Haunted Mansion, the Little Long-Playing Record

Cory Doctorow — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 22:49:28 +0000

Here's the audio from Disney's classic "Story and Song from the Haunted Mansion," narrated by Thurl Ravenscroft, starring a young -- Andy Griffith show era -- Ronnie Howard. I had this in the original Disneyland Little Long Playing Record edition, and played it to death, as you might expect.

Metafilter's Hippybear has included links to lots of supplementary material in a MeFi post, too.

There's also a beautiful CD reissue from Disney, with excellent liner notes and additional data-tracks with the visuals from the original Little Long-Playing Record.

The Story Of The Haunted Mansion (via MeFi)

Father creates amazing witch makeup for his 11-year-old daughter

Mark Frauenfelder — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 21:04:35 +0000

Artist Bryan Silva says:

This is a Witch prosthetic for my 11 year old daughter. It was sculpted in Monster Clay and cast with Gelatin that I made based on a recipe from Matthew Mungle. This is a make up test application that I did. She's only in the prosthetic in this video, not her costume. We went to the Halloween store afterward and then to Target and she had all kinds of people looking uncomfortable. :)

(Via Cynical-C)

Rot: makeup stop-motion of a body in the dark

Cory Doctorow — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 15:00:03 +0000

"Rot" is Erica Luke's stop-motion makeup animation showing a corpse's decay in a dark, enclosed space. It's beautifully, creepily well-done.

Rot (via IO9)

BB Readers' DIY Costumes: Zombie Baby breaking out of womb

Xeni Jardin — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 02:00:16 +0000

In our Epic Halloween DIY Costume thread, Boing Boing reader Laz Burke shares this awesome photo of a zombie baby breaking out of the womb.

The physics of the weird geometries of the corpse city of R'lyeh

Cory Doctorow — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 01:49:30 +0000

Theoretical physicist and mathematician Benjamin K. Tippett has posted a paper called "Possible Bubbles of Spacetime Curvature in the South Pacific," which analyzes the account of Gustaf Johansen, the author of the manuscript embedded in HP Lovecraft's famous story The Call of Cthulhu, and tries to account for the weird geometries that hide "the corpse city of R'lyeh." It's got rendered diagrams and everything. Science!

We contend that all of the credible phenomena which Johansen described may be explained as being the observable consequences of a localized bubble of spacetime curvature. Many of his most incomprehensible statements (involving the geometry of the architecture, and variability of the location of the horizon) can therefore be said to have a unified underlying cause.
We propose a simplified example of such a geometry, and show using numerical computation that Johansen`s descriptions were, for the most part, not simply the ravings of a lunatic. Rather, they are the nontechnical observations of an intelligent man who did not understand how to describe what he was seeing. Conversely, it seems to us improbable that Johansen should have unwittingly given such a precise description of the consequences of spacetime curvature, if the details of this story were merely the dregs of some half remembered fever dream.
We calculate the type of matter which would be required to generate such exotic spacetime curvature. Unfortunately, we determine that the required matter is quite unphysical, and possess a nature which is entirely alien to all of the experiences of human science. Indeed, any civilization with mastery over such matter would be able to construct warp drives, cloaking devices, and other exotic geometries required to conveniently travel through the cosmos.

Possible Bubbles of Spacetime Curvature in the South Pacific (via JWZ)

BB Readers' DIY Costumes: Spider and Plague Doc masks

Xeni Jardin — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 01:15:05 +0000

In our Epic Halloween DIY Costume thread, Boing Boing reader Celeste says,

We've made masks again this year. My husband Jacob is a plague doctor. I'm a spider (ironically, my least favourite animal but I loved working on the mask!). More pics and a bit of info on how they were made here.

BB Readers' DIY Costumes: Mars and the Curiosity Rover

Xeni Jardin — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 23:44:49 +0000

In our Epic Halloween DIY Costume thread, Boing Boing reader Shannon Stewart says, "My husband and I went as Mars and the Curiosity Rover. Had a ton of fun making these babies and the costumes were a huge hit everywhere we went!"

BB Readers' DIY Costumes: Tardis Dress

Xeni Jardin — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 23:07:27 +0000

In our Epic Halloween DIY Costume thread, Boing Boing reader Chris Spurgeon says, "My daughter rolled her own Tardis dress!"

BB Readers' DIY Costumes: We are all Pussy Riot

Xeni Jardin — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 22:00:29 +0000

In our Epic Halloween DIY Costume thread, Boing Boing reader Becca Tarvin shares this photo of a gang of revelers dressed as Russian art-provocateur-heroes Pussy Riot.

BB Readers' DIY Costumes: 9 month old baby as a mermaid

Xeni Jardin — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 20:43:34 +0000

In our Epic Halloween DIY Costume thread, Boing Boing reader Jean Dunk shares this wonderful photo and says, "Here is my 9 month old as a mermaid." Here's a larger size.

BB Readers' DIY Costumes: Fish-Man from Ugly Americans

Xeni Jardin — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 19:37:39 +0000

In our Epic Halloween DIY Costume thread, Boing Boing reader Sarah Pérez shares these images and says,

This year I have become Fish-Man! The idea was inspired by the fish-man character, Toby, in the show Ugly Americans. I think the idea of a fish wearing pants is pretty hilarious, and luckily the costume turned out to be as funny as I hoped it would. I've already worn it out on the bus and train home from work and it made quite a few smiles all around :)
The head is chicken wire, screen door mesh, paper mache, foam and fabric. I also had to special order some very large pants which I velcroed to the fish head. Oh, and the eyes light up too-- they're those battery-operated closet push-lights ;)
I'll be walking in the 16th Annual Halloween on Halsted Parade this Wednesday in Chicago at 7pm CST. Hope to see you Chicago readers there-- Happy Halloween!

Her video of fish-man in action below.

BB Readers' DIY Costumes: Multicultural/Birthday/Gay Mummy

Xeni Jardin — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 18:10:57 +0000

In our Epic Halloween DIY Costume thread, Boing Boing reader Christopher Ing says, "Went as a multicultural mummy (a.k.a. the birthday mummy)."

BB Readers' DIY Costumes: Pirate Family (with adorable pirate baby!)

Xeni Jardin — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 18:00:18 +0000

In our Epic Halloween DIY Costume thread, Boing Boing reader Miss Emelia shares this awesome photo and says,

We're working Haunted Fox Hollow again, so our darling new baby girl is joining us in the pirate cove during the "light scares" hour. So far, she's done great. She's more giggles than Y'arrr, but we cheerfully tell the guests that she'll learn to swab the deck or she'll end up in the pirate's stew. When the little kids see that she isn't the least bit scared, it helps them get their courage back.

BB Readers' DIY Costumes: Marshall Lee + Fionna from Adventure Time

Xeni Jardin — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 17:36:51 +0000

In our Epic Halloween DIY Costume thread, Boing Boing reader slippy0 shares these snapshots and says, "Mine really isn't that fancy, but the stars aligned and gave me a week of time to work on props. I was Marshall Lee from Adventure Time, and decided to make his axe-bass instead of just painting a 2D cutout. The results aren't amazing, but they're more than I planned to do, and very DIY. I went with my friend who was Fionna. We got a lot of compliments. :) "

BB Readers' DIY Costumes: Gotham City Rockers

Xeni Jardin — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 17:30:07 +0000

In our Epic Halloween DIY Costume thread, Boing Boing reader eyesfingerstoes says, "Me and about 30 of my cronies are hitting the Portsmouth (NH) Halloween Parade this year as the Gotham City Rockers - all hand made interpretations of Denis Medri's Rockabilly Batman concept drawings. Link to the process I used to make my Leather Batman Cowl here."

BB Readers' DIY Costumes: Weeping Angel and Tiny Dalek

Xeni Jardin — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 17:20:33 +0000

In our Epic Halloween DIY Costume thread, Boing Boing reader Christine Cobos shares snapshots of the "Weeping Angel" she made for her daughter, and the Dalek she made for her son, an obvious Doctor Who fan.

BB Readers' DIY Costumes: Seymour from "Little Shop of Horrors"

Xeni Jardin — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 17:02:17 +0000

In our Epic Halloween DIY Costume thread, Boing Boing reader Charles Pieper (tumblr, Twitter) says, "This year I am going as Seymour from 'Little Shop of Horrors' and yes indeed I made Audrey II as well!"

So very brilliant, Charles!

BB Readers' DIY Costumes: Living Roy Lichtenstein painting, by Gina Menduni

Xeni Jardin — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 16:51:30 +0000

BB reader Gina Menduni made this genius Roy Lichtenstein costume for Halloween 2012. We are gobsmacked, Gina! Thanks for sharing it in the epic DIY Halloween costume thread!

BB Readers' DIY Costumes: Animal and Son of Anarchy, by BrotherPower

Xeni Jardin — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 16:11:02 +0000

Boing Boing reader BrotherPower shares this work-in-progress shot of the Animal costume he's making for his 8-year-old.

"I just finished the oversized drumsticks and the spiky wristbands today."

Below also from BrotherPower, "Here's my other son's Golden Age Cap (store-bought jumpsuit, modded Quidditch goggles and helmet liner, custom shield) and my scratch-built SAMCRO cut. I'm lucky Halloween comes but once a year or I'd never get anything done!"

More: Share your DIY Halloween costume in our epic 2012 thread!

How the sugar industry defends itself against claims that sugar is unhealthy

Xeni Jardin — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:08:52 +0000

Happy Halloween! Mother Jones has a video and multi-part "long read" feature with Gary Taubes on how the sugar industry works to fight research that links sugar consumption with chronic diseases. Taubes is the author of "Good Calories, Bad Calories," and is working on a book about sugar.

In "Big Sugar's Sweet Little Lies," Taubes explores the industry's campaign to "frost its image, hold regulators at bay, and keep scientists from asking: Does sugar kill?"

There's a document dump here with internal memos revealing a strategy to safeguard sugar from "opportunists," "pseudoscientists," and "enemies."

Also, "How a Former Dentist Drilled the Sugar Industry," some classic creepy vintage sugar ads, and a timeline of "sugar spin."

Right, then. Enjoy your trick-or-treating!

BB readers' DIY Halloween costumes: Narwhal, by Sarah Jones

Xeni Jardin — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:00:37 +0000

Brava, Sarah! "Sorry to be a party pooper but it should probably be attached closer to your mouth since it's actually a tooth," wrote one commenter. "Yes, but it would have interfered with my beer drinking," replied Sarah.

More: Share your DIY Halloween costume in our epic 2012 thread!

A wearable ghost story: Castle Magpie

Cory Doctorow — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 14:30:30 +0000

Jamin Hoyle sez, "Castle Magpie is a self-contained, wearable ghost story that takes place in a haunted Scottish castle. It took six months to plan and six months to build. I was inspired by all sorts of things, the Haunted Mansion, Tasha Tudor, the Spooky Old Tree, the Goonies, Tin Tin, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. I hope you like it. It was a lot of fun to build."

OK, this is the single best thing I've seen this year. Including the Curiosity landing. Holy. Goddamned. Crap.

Once upon a time in a hilly corner of Scotland, among the barley fields and salmon streams, there lived two small children. Billy was clever and intrepid and wrote swashbuckling adventure stories in the margins of his math notebook. His sister Rachel was younger but no less daring. She was a master of tree-climbing and star-gazing and poetry. They lived in a smartly whitewashed stone cottage a short walk from the warehouse where their father oversaw barrels of aging golden whisky.
One afternoon in early autumn the children took advantage of a rare day of sunshine by riding their bicycles out of the village. They wound through the glen until they came to an overgrown path. Billy said, “I’ve never seen that lane before.”
Rachel said, “Shall we see where it leads?”
Billy considered his bright gold watch. “Of course we should,” he said.
They rode deep into the forest. When dripping green branches began to graze their necks and ears, they started pushing their bicycles single-file, Rachel in the front and Billy just behind. The path turned sharply to the right after crossing a little rushing stream and ducked through an arch set into a crumbling wall. Beyond the wall was a small clearing and in the middle of the clearing was a tall stone tower house. Their track led to the tower’s front steps. Rachel said, “I’ve never seen this castle before.”
Billy considered his gold watch again and asked, “Shall we see if anyone is at home?

Castle Magpie (Thanks, Jamin!)

Monster mask ads: 1950s-70s

Cory Doctorow — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 07:51:13 +0000

A fantastic vintage ad set from the ever-reliable Man Writing Slash: this one, a collection of old ads for fright masks and associated novelties.

Halloween Masks - SIX Different Ads!

Open thread: your DIY Hallowe'en costumes?

Xeni Jardin — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 20:10:39 +0000

Each year here at Boing Boing, we invite you, dear readers, to share your plans for fun home-made costumes. So what's it gonna be for you (and/or your children) in 2012? Frankenstorm Sandy? A Mars Rover? Honey Boo Boo? Do tell, in the comments.

[UPDATE: You guys, sorry, but Disqus is not behaving well today with image uploads. If you leave a comment with a photo of your costume here, and the image doesn't show, consider sharing it via a third-party image hosting site link?]

Photo: "Day of the Dead," shared in the BB Flickr pool by Chris Wilson. Make-up by Gretchen Wilson. Hair by Chaunah Macewicz.

HOWTO make a gingerbread Haunted Mansion

Cory Doctorow — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 19:19:04 +0000

The always-excellent Haunted Dimensions has excellent directions for making your own gingerbread replica of the Phantom Manor, Disneyland Paris's answer to the Haunted Mansion, along with a gallery of others' haunted gingerbread creations. Yum!

Haunted Dimensions- Gingerbread Dimensions (Thanks, Francesco!)

Daddy-daughter power-loader costume

Cory Doctorow — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 17:56:29 +0000

Jason Smith made this awesome father-daughter power-loader costume for his baby daughter, who gets to play Ripley as they stalk the night streets. This is parenting at its finest.

Dad and Baby Daughter Alien Power Loader Costume: Now With Video

Haunted Mansion model-kit ads

Cory Doctorow — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 13:54:57 +0000

Man_Writing_Slash has plundered a haul of Haunted Mansion ephemera from Monster Memories, including a pair of ads for the (absolutely fabulous) old model-kits.

Disney Haunted Mansion toy ad & sound files