October 30, 2009

Halloween 2009 Round Up



Time, alas, is running out on this year’s big Countdown to Halloween. Click the link to discover a cornucopia of blogs, many of which, I guarantee, you’ll want to bookmark and continue following. Congratulations and thanks to John Rozum who, with a generous assist by Shawn of Branded in the 80s, has pulled off a truly spectacular blogging event!

This year, I really enjoyed the photographer blogs, notably All Eyes and Ears —which is outstanding year-round, not just at pumpkin season. Visit and you’ll see beautiful cemetery gates and tombstones, creepy statues and eerie topiary, and The Tomb of Frankenstein, no less, decorated with a baby pumpkin.

I also loved Warren Harold's THAT… was my foot. His Halloween-themed photo series was both haunting and humorous, which is the whole idea of Halloween, isn’t it.

Frankenstein is always popular at Halloween, natch, and numerous blogs carried Frankenstein film reviews, film stills, and Frankenstein merchandising. I love the Frankenstein image — at the top of this post — from a General Telephone ad of 1970, found on The Gallows. And then there’s this giant-size Frankenstein toy from Imperial, courtesy of Geek Orthodox.


Boris Karloff was also in evidence in many Halloween posts throughout the Countdown. Consider the outstanding caricature by Scott Brothers reproduced here.

And, speaking of Karloff, there’s the Boris Karloff Blogathon, coming this November 23, right here on Frankensteinia! Reaction to my announcement has been flat-out flabbergasting. Check the list of scheduled participants on the sidebar, currently standing at 68 blogs, and still growing!

Film critics, pop culture bloggers, horror experts and Karloff fans will review films and discuss Karloff’s life, career and his ongoing influence. There are artists who will be creating original pieces, illustration and 3-D art, especially for the Blogathon. We’ll even have foreign language bloggers participating, with contributions in Spanish, Portuguese, French and German!

I am amazed and grateful for the interest shown already, and I can hardly wait for the great Boris Karloff Blogathon!

Meanwhile, have a spooky weekend. Happy Halloween!


3 comments:

Dane said...

Pierre, thank you for your kind words! I am really touched. I thought you might like the Frankenstein's grave photo - and I'm pleased you noticed the baby pumpkin up there, I think that really makes it. :)

And thanks for the heads up re: "That ...was my foot" - it's an instant favorite.

Wings1295 said...

A very Happy Halloween to you, too! :)

Max the drunken severed head said...

Thanks to you and "The Gallows" for the photo at the top of the post.

I have not seen that General Telephone ad from 1970 since that year (I was 8 then.) It was published in magazines like LOOK. I saw the ad in a magazine at my elementary school library, and I'd stare at and stare at it (I was a weird kid!) I was fascinated by the fact that it was THE Monster (you know, UNIVERSAL's monster, not Hammer or others), and it was printed large and in color! Detailed, too, and on glossy paper. I'd only seen The Monster in grainy B & W newsprint before then.

It was nice to see this incarnation of the Monster once more. But I wish I knew the name of the actor in the makeup.

Maybe it's better I don't. That way, this Monster still has some mystery for me.