Our friend LJ’s spectacular artwork is in another gallery and the opening is this Thursday.
The gallery opening is also part of Dumbo’s 1st Thursday so you can visit a bunch of other galleries that evening. Should be a fun evening of art.
One week later the pumpkins are starting to show decay.
I was wrong about the jack o’ lantern display in my neighborhood. They actually put the pumpkins out on Halloween and leave them up throughout November.
Check out the Kane Street Pumpkins for yourself.
Oh Tim Burton, why did you have to go and marry the beautiful Helena Bonham Carter when you were obviously meant for me? Hell, I’d marry Helena Bonham Carter too if I had the opportunity!
Starting November 22, 2009 and running until April 26, 2010, you can see Tim Burton’s artwork and films at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
© Tim Burton. All rights reserved. Used without permission.
© Tim Burton. All rights reserved. Used without permission.
© Tim Burton. All rights reserved. Used without permission.
© Tim Burton. All rights reserved. Used without permission.
© Tim Burton. All rights reserved. Used without permission.
© Tim Burton. All rights reserved. Used without permission.
Did you know that originally, Jack o’ lanterns were were made from turnips and potatoes in Ireland? History.com has a fun section on the history of Jack o’ lanterns and Halloween.
In my neighborhood, every October someone would carve out a ton of baby pumpkins and impale them on their cast iron fence. As the month went on, the grinning or grimacing pumpkins would decay into shrunken heads. I went by there this evening to take some new photos but alas, no pumpkins. However, my friend Steve took a bunch of great photos last year. Here’s some old photos of the pumpkins during the middle of their decomposition:
Some jack o’ lanterns found on the web:
Gourds in Hell
Got the munchies
Crazy intricate Death Star
Some fun jack o’ lantern galleries:
Jack o’ Lanterns
Geeky Jack o’ Lanterns
Tips to carve your own:
Pumpkin-carving.com
Walt’s Pumpkin Carving Secrets
Pumpkin Masters
This time of year haunted houses pop up all over the US. Are you even surprised to learn that I love haunted houses? When I was a kid there was an old abandoned house that some clever folks turned into a haunted house tour, complete with costumed lunatics jumping out from behind closed doors and grabbing you. When you exited the house a guy with a chainsaw would chase you through the woods. Pure joy!
When carnivals came to town I’d always have to go through the horror funhouses. They were always so tacky and certainly worth a laugh. I think a little part of me always tried to scare myself with the idea that maybe, just maybe there would be a true madman hidden inside that would actually kill people.
Of course the mother of all haunted houses is Disney’s Haunted Mansion:
This Haunted Mansion ride in Luna Park, Sydney, Australia scared the bejeezus out of Dawn Summers. Or maybe it was just that skeevy guy following us around inside the ride.
October is the perfect time to curl up with a good book and a cup of hot apple cider. Here are some of my fav classic horror short stories/authors. I’ve provided links for you to read the works online but I’m a traditionalist and prefer the feel of crisp paper in my hands so I’ve also provided links to buy the books as well. Or visit your local library and check out the books for free.
Don’t forget to leave a light on when you go to bed…
This weekend hundreds of Brooklyn artists open their studios to general public. Be sure to visit our friend LJ’s studio this weekend at A.G.A.S.T. I love her work and wish I had lots of money and wall space because I would buy her entire Lock Series.
It will come as no surprise that I love Edward Gorey, you know, the guy that did the PBS Mystery! opening animation. One of his most famous works is The Gashlycrumb Tinies:
Two panels from the book:
One Halloween I dressed up as Zillah, maybe I should do another Tiny for this Halloween.
And for those in the Yarmouth Port, MA area, you can attend the 8th Annual Goreyfest this weekend. Sounds like fun!
October 11 is World Zombie Day - your chance to smear on some blood and gnaw on human body parts. If you live in the Pittsburgh area (I’m looking at you Dave) you can do your zombie-thang at the actual Monroeville Mall, featured in George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead.
Some of my fav zombies flicks:
This is on my list of movies to see - I think World Zombie Day would be a good day to do so:
And just for fun, here’s a great track from The Zombies
For you DIYers out there…
Wayne of the Woods offers free coffin plans as well as other coffin bookshelf options.
Or for the lazy, you can buy this classic coffin online:
If you are in New York City this weekend watch out for those slippery banana peels on the pavement, folks in Groucho glasses, or spraying water boutonniere’s - The Friars Club is hosting its inaugural Comedy Film Festival. Tonight kicks off the festivities with the US premiere of the Coen Brothers’ A Serious Man.
Check out the full schedule - lots of fun films to enjoy. I know I’ll be seeing quite a lot this weekend.
The only excuse we’ll accept is if you are a celebrity that has recently died. Otherwise you must come to our party!
Join us at the Bell House on June 29 at 7 PM for a FREE Night of Rock celebrating the launch of two new local Brooklyn-based businesses - King Killer Studios and xtrapulp, and the 4-year anniversary of a third local business – Realty Collective.
The evening will feature 5 bands, tacos by Calexico (first 50 tacos are free!), and we’re also going to hold it down with an actual free raffle. That’s right, show up and you can win stuff. Stuff!! Will be raffled!!
What else have you got to do on a Monday night other than keep it local and go bananas at a raffle?
You will raise the devil horns to these bands:
Wounded Buffalo Theory
Kabona Zombies
Mike Hunchback and the Weird Fantasy Band
CONDO
In Musth
Dj sets by Robot Hot Dog
More about the event online on facebook.
Join us at the Bell House on June 29 at 7 PM for a FREE Night of Rock celebrating the launch of two new local Brooklyn-based businesses - King Killer Studios and xtrapulp, and the 4-year anniversary of a third local business – Realty Collective.
The evening will feature 5 bands, tacos by Calexico (first 50 tacos are free!), and we’re also going to hold it down with an actual free raffle. That’s right, show up and you can win stuff. Stuff!! Will be raffled!!
What else have you got to do on a Monday night other than keep it local and go bananas at a raffle?
You will raise the devil horns to these bands:
Wounded Buffalo Theory
Kabona Zombies
Mike Hunchback and the Weird Fantasy Band
CONDO
In Musth
Dj sets by Robot Hot Dog
More about the event online on facebook.
Furiously working to get the Lighthouse International Film Festival program guide to print, Charlie called at the last minute to announce a new film to the lineup. All I heard was Cannes and Bastards so I immediately thought he had scored a coup and got Inglourious Basterds for the festival. Images of Brad Pitt at the beach seared my brain. Deanna was quite excited about the possibility as well.
However, the new movie was from 2008 Cannes, not 2009. So, no Brad Pitt but what looks like a crazy provocative flick - Los Bastardos
Even though Brad Pitt won’t officially be at LBI (who knows, he could own a beach house there) for the festival, you should still get down to LBI for a fun weekend of films, parties and the beach!
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