Hitch Park

New Blog Address

2012-02-13T23:05:00.000Z

Because the good folks at Google/Blogger/whomever don't allow you to make certain changes, I'm in moving Hitch Park to a new site on Blogger;

The Autumn Wood

All the existing posts and your comments from Hitch Park have been imported to Autumn Wood. I'm in the process of adding all the blog links that are here to the new site as well. I hope to see you in the Wood, so update your links/bookmarks and join me in the blog's new home.

Ali

Return of the Walking Dead!

2012-02-08T12:47:00.000Z

I'm one happy haunter! I found out today that The Walking Dead, Season 2 resumes here in the U.K. next Friday, February 17th on the FX channel.

Mark your calendars all you Brit horror fans!

February

2012-02-03T15:01:00.000Z

Winter. Cold. The blow out called Christmas is about six weeks gone by. Valentine's Day is being hawked in the stores. You count the weeks to Autumn, read blogs by like-minded folk, work your craft and dream in orange and black.

231 days to Autumn ...................

Year of the Dragon

2012-01-23T12:06:00.001Z

Here at Hitch Park, any excuse will do for a celebration. The Chinese New Year does nicely to break up a bit of old Winter monotony.

"The lunar New Year is by far the most important festival of the Chinese calendar. It is celebrated on the second new Moon after the Winter solstice.

This ancient holiday is rich with traditions, myths, and customs. It’s a time of renewal, with debts cleared, new clothes bought, shops and homes decorated, and families gathered for a reunion dinner. Chinese New Year is marked by fireworks, traditional lion dances, gift giving, and special foods.

According to the Chinese Zodiac, it’s the year of the Dragon! If you’re a Dragon, you are:
Robust and passionate. Your life is filled with complexity. You are compatible with the monkey and the rat; your opposite is the dog."

Thanks to the Old Farmer's Almanac for fact bite! I'm a Dog, according the the Chinese calender. Mr Hitch is an Ox. You don't have to it any weight, just so long as you make a party out of it.

Vegetable spring roll anyone?

The Raven Movie Trailer

2012-01-21T15:22:00.000Z

I can't quite picture Poe, a manic depressive among other things, as an action hero, but if your prepared to set aside historical accuracy, this looks like a great movie. Thinking about it, it's a brilliant concept for a movie and suprising that no one has come up with it before now.

To quote the Raven, "never more" ....

Get in the discussion about this movie over on The Halloween Forum!

The Midnight Meat Train

2012-01-15T20:09:00.000Z

Although released in 2008, I never even heard about this movie until the other day. I got the chance to see it this weekend, courtesy of NetFlicks. "Midnight" is based on a short story by Clive Barker, directed by Ryuhei Kitamura with Vinnie Jones as the killer and Bradley Cooper as the photographer who slowly gets pulled into the surprising plot. Not your average serial killer flick.

If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend!

It's Friday the 13th

2012-01-13T22:27:00.002Z

Believe it or not!

iPad Horror

2012-01-10T16:12:00.001Z

Simon Pierro is the first magician I've seen who uses what is essentially a computer as part of his act. Pretty cool too. I wonder if you could make it work as part a home haunt ..... oh the possibilities!

Happy New Year from Hitch Park

2011-12-31T07:55:00.008Z

All the best in 2012! I can hardly wait until October!

Bubba Returns!

2011-12-30T19:34:00.000Z

I don't know if you saw a little gem of a horror movie from 2002 called "Bubba Ho Tep", starring Bruce Campbell as Elvis Presley and the late Ossie Davis as "JFK". I sure do, I thought it was great.

Elvis battled the forces of evil in the form of an Egyptian mummy, come back to life. Well, Bubba returns in ...

Bubba Ho Tep 2, Nosferatu! Ron Perlman is playing the role of Elvis who, while shooting a film in Louisiana, does battle with a coven of female vampires.

Release date is still unknown. Depending what you read it's either in production or hasn't got funding yet. Well, it wouldn't be the first independent film to be slow in getting off the ground. This is a horse I'm happy to lay money on.

Merry Christmas Everyone

2011-12-23T11:16:00.000Z

From me and the minions here at Hitch Park, greetings and wishes for very Merry Christmas! I'm looking forward to 2012!

The Death Guide To Life

2011-12-18T19:51:00.001Z

So if you're not into the whole "holiday season" or are already fed up with it, thanks mainly to the retail industry's insistence on launching their last quarter of the year cash grab earlier and earlier, here's a site to put a smile on your face.

"The Death Guide To Life" is a blog with a difference. Also available to follow on Twitter and Facebook. Here's a few samples for you;

"At Christmas, we are reminded of the Theory of Relativity. The theory that time runs slower the closer you get to your relatives."

"It's the office party tonight. Nothing worse than a drunk zombie photocopying his arse. Unless he's photocopying an arse that's not his."

Darth Vadar felt his son's presence
See the original here

Don't forget to say hi to Steve when you drop by his site!

Krampuslauf Graz 2010

2011-12-13T12:10:00.004Z

In Austria they celebrate Krampus, a two legged, hoffed, horned mountain demon who once a year at Christmas Time, comes to the cities and snatches up naughty children. The demon uses his long tongue to wrap up the children and throw them into his basket. Apparently he eats them later.

Boy, if your kid isn't scared of Santa now, they will be after a dose of this character! Many, many thanks to Victor Ives aka The Undertaker at Haunted Hot Sauce for posting this first on Facebook.

Kill The Wabbit

2011-12-11T16:30:00.002Z

Christmas Carnage

2011-12-08T11:17:00.001Z

Ghoul Friday is one of my favourite Halloween artists and her blog is a great read. Today I would like to share a her true tale of horror ..... click the link below....if you dare!

"O Christmas Tree, Mine Enemy"

That's A Wrap

2011-12-06T17:30:00.000Z

So I was trying to do something for Creepmas but frankly, it's totally the wrong time to be blogging with a Halloween-Christmas theme. Why you ask? Because I work in retail (feel free to sympathize), so the combination of that and Christmas is not condusive to creative blogging.

And I only do it part time............ Happy Creepmas!

This is the state of the average mall Santa
by the time December 24th rolls round

Creepmas December 2nd

2011-12-02T12:41:00.000Z

Yeah, so I'm a day late. It's been busy around the Park, what with the seasonal insanity aka Christmas clamouring for attention.

Anyway, here we go. If it didn't feel like Winter in the Park before, it does now. Jack Frost was busy overnight. Everything is frosted over and the natives are scurrying around in their usual under-dressed-in-denial fashion. No one has the knack a Brit does for ignoring the thermometer.

And speaking of the Froster, this movie is new to me. From 1997 "He's chillin' and killin'". Now how can you not warm to a character with that tagline. If you've seen this flick, leave a comment and let me know if it's worthwhile tracking down.

Keep it creepy!

Introducing "Hitch Park"

2011-11-27T22:28:00.004Z

Good bye Holiday Hollow and hello "Hitch Park". Inspiration finally came when I saw that cartoon in the header. It was originally a spoof on the game Angry Birds and I couldn't resist.

Please notice the blog url stays the same http://holidayhollow.blogspot.com/. I've found from past experience that changing the URL invariably causes more trouble than it's worth, so there's no need to update bookmarks or links if you like to follow the blog.

There's a new background with grey brick, new colours and a tweaked layout. I'm still thinking about content and have some ideas in that direction. In the meantime, I like the look and feel of "Hitch", as I call it. I hope you will too.

Ali

Advent

2011-11-27T13:25:00.002Z

Here in the Park, it isn't always about Autumn or Halloween. I love Christmas too and look forward to this Winter celebration with as much pleasure as the night of tricks 'n treats. Today is the last Sunday in November and marks the beginning of Advent; the time of preparation and expectation for the celebration of the Nativity.

I'm always surprised to find out how few people seem to be aware of this date. But it's important to know if, like me, you know Christmas is much more than one day.

So welcome Advent and let the anticipation begin!

Casket In The Elevator

2011-11-25T14:56:00.001Z

Many thanks to my cousin Karen in Ottawa who sent me this hilarious gag. What a cool idea for a Halloween trick eh! You can SO tell by the look on people's faces, they DON'T want that coffin in the elevator with them. LOL! I only wish they'd had one or two men as victims because I wonder if the reaction would have been the same.

Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving & A Very Black Friday To You

2011-11-25T12:33:00.000Z

To all my American blog buds

Now see this is my kinda Black Friday!

The B Movie Weekend

2011-11-22T10:57:00.000Z

The regional MGM channel did a B movie weekend this week so I caught a bumper crop of really bad horror movies;

Once Bitten (1985) - with a very young Jim Carrey. I'd forgotten how awful 80s fashion was. The late Cleavon Little as the camp Sebastian is my favourite character in this slapstick movie.

Squirm (1976) - mutated worms eat residents of backwoods Georgia town, vastly improving property prices I'd have thought.

Monster Dog (1984) - Alice Cooper plays a pop star who nuts up to a pack of killer dogs in his hometown. I didn't know Cooper had ever been in a movie until I saw this. He's actually quite a decent actor.

Grave of the Vampire (1974) - Half vampire, half human finds and takes revenge on his vampire father. Wasn't as awful as I thought it would be, though I've seen better.

The Loves of Count Yorga, Vampire (1970) - was as awful as I thought it would be. All though Robert Quarry as the vicious fiend gave a good performance. The poster for this movie is a hoot too.

Swamp Thing (1982) - one of Wes Craven's better flicks in my view. The effects look really dated by today's standards, but the story is excellent. Adrianne Barbeau, Louis Jourdan and Ray Wise are fun to watch.

A Sunday in Autumn

2011-11-20T15:30:00.001Z

It's a wonderful mid-Autumn day out there today. A heavy mist is keeping it damp and just chilly enough you need a coat, but its not so cold you don't want to go out. Perfect walking weather too. It keeps the local idiots indoors so that what little public space there is can be enjoyed, undisturbed, by those of us who really appreciate this time of the year ie: Autumn!

view on Beacon Hill

There's still plenty to be seen in the Fall gardens and in the small woodlots and fields. Trees are nearly all leafless now. A few still have some stragglers hanging from brown, dripping branches. Mist beaded spider webs hang on houses, gates and bushes. Rowan and holly trees are full of berries. The seed heads of grasses and shrubs are dark and curling with damp.

beaded web

While Halloween may be over for another year, the Spirit lives on with a B-movie weekend on the MGM channel. Last night I set up the old satellite box to record such gems as "Count Yorga, Vampire", "Squirm" and "Grave of the Vampire".

Isn't this poster for Yorga a scream! Hope your having a great weekend.

This Old Blog

2011-11-18T18:45:00.001Z

So while doing a bit of housekeeping around the old Hollow blog, I noted it's been going since the Spring of 2009. Methinks it's time for an overhaul in both look and to some degree, content. I need to give this a lot of thought before making any significant changes though. I think the first thing to consider will be the name as I tend to sound like a Christmas site rather than a Halloween/horror themed one.

No disrespect to any Christmas bloggers out there, I hasten to say. I'm a massive fan of the Man In The Red Suit. I don't want a lump of reindeer poo in my Chrimbo stocking on December 25th!

Only 348 days until Halloween so stay tuned.

Grampires!

2011-11-04T15:56:00.000Z

I know I said no more posts until next Autumn but I came across this little gem and had to share! Billy Crystal and Helen Mirren ........

When Harry Met Sally 2 with Billy Crystal & Helen Mirren from Billy Crystal

Coming to a scream near you, Fall 2012.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T09:14:00.007Z

Have a great one all you Haunters out there! Except for a Christmas greeting in December, this is the last post from The Hollow until next September when we once again count down to Halloween.

See you again in 2012. Until then, keep it creepy!

Ali

It's Nearly The Witching Hour

2011-10-30T11:56:00.000Z

Gather round boys and girls. Let us sit by flickering candle light, watched by grinning jack o' lanterns. Come close and listen as we re-live this day, October 30th 1938, and the radio broadcast that may just be the most famous, or notorious, of the Halloween season.

Click the icon and enjoy!

Introducing....

2011-10-29T16:56:00.001+01:00

..... our two jacks, Gill O'Teen and Cruella!

click to enlarge!

Relax .....

2011-10-29T11:35:00.002+01:00

A Creature of Darkness

2011-10-28T17:47:00.000+01:00

It is my great pleasure to present this short story, a tale of dark love, as told by the author herself. For your amusement and consideration;

Mutterings of a Mad Woman

Jack 2011 & See Dick & Jane & Dracula

2011-10-25T13:04:00.000+01:00

Introducing Gill O'Teen, the jack o' lantern! Carved him this morning. Can't wait to light him up tonight. I've got the seeds drying to salt and roast in the oven later.

If your kids are tired of the same old Disney ending bedtime stories, may I suggest this?

At fredflare.com

Are You A Monster?

2011-10-24T18:38:00.000+01:00

From the folks who creep you out with the tv series, The Walking Dead; try AMC's Monster quiz to find out what sort of monster you really are!

Are You A Monster?

Costume Idea

2011-10-20T12:12:00.001+01:00

In case your still deciding what to be this Halloween, may I suggest something from Pixar? Click the pic;

Linkage Here

Mini Owl Treat Boxes

2011-10-19T14:33:00.000+01:00

Many thanks to my fav owl-themed craft site, My Owl Barn for posting the pics and link to make these spooky owl treat boxes. They make great Halloween decorations too, if like me, you find the boxes last longer than the treats.

Mini Owl Treat Boxes

Holiday Snaps

2011-10-15T15:49:00.001+01:00

In keeping with our Cryptkeeper theme this month, I thought I'd post a couple of photos taken while I was on vacay two weeks ago.

Allow me to introduce the first photo by stating in no uncertain terms that I hate gnomes. That's right, I don't care if your grandmother has the creepy things in her backyard as garden ornaments. I can't stand the them. They creep me out. It's the eyes on them that does it. Evil personified those eyes are. I'd no more have anything even remotely associated with gnomes in my vicinity, let alone an actual gnome, than I'd cancel Halloween.

Now there's a house in Portland, Dorset where we go on vacation that has a front room window full of these vile creatures.

click to enlarge, if you dare!

I don't know who's wedding that scene is supposed to represent, but cute it ain't. I can just imagine the creatures coming to life and hanging the homeowners by that bunting. If I had my way, I'd hang them with it myself for the crime of bad taste. There's more trolls, I mean gnomes, in the side windows too. I couldn't bring myself to photograph them.

Dem Bones

This natty VW Beetle had this skeleton in the back window. One can only wonder why. Must be a hoot if the cops pull you over;

"Perhaps you'd care to explain the body in the back there sir?"

Happy Haunting!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-10-10T07:18:00.012+01:00

As you know (or don't know ....) I'm a Canadian abroad, and this is Thanksgiving Monday. I may not live in Canada any more, but that doesn't stop me from observing my native holidays. This year, I won't be home to celebrate as we usually do (thank you job. not!), but I'll get that turkey cooked sometime before Halloween. Honestly, my Brit friends have no idea what they're missing! Any excuse for turkey and pumpkin pie, says I.

Blessings of the Day and Happy Thanksgiving

A Crafty Halloween

2011-10-09T11:24:00.000+01:00

I know a fair number of artists who create in the Halloween theme. Amazingly talented individuals they are too. These three sites are particular favourites of mine;

The Owl Barn is THE site for, you got it, owl-themed craft and now Halloween is bustin' out all over the place there. You have to surf by and take in the wares; The Owl Barn

Cookies! Far too cute to eat, so you'd stay on your diet. Right?

Cupcake toppers

Handmade mask

The photos are just a tiny sample of what's available from various artists at the Barn.

I would also like to draw your attention to the fantastic items available on S.E.H.A. the Society of Eclectic Halloween Artists. I was lucky enough to win one of their prize draws last year and still wear the Halloween themed bracelet that was part of the prize package.

Mini Halloween Tree

Haunted House print

For just plain creepy and strange see My Ghoul Friday. A very comprehensive blog that will have you shaking your head with both horror and delight.

A creepy carousel

Underbiters. The name says it all.

Many thanks to the artists and blog owners for the use of the photographs. All credit given thereto.

Cryptkeeper 2011

2011-10-04T12:48:00.001+01:00

We're going to be delayed a bit on posts for this year's Cryptkeeper event. When I signed up to it I didn't know the first two weeks of October were going to be taken over by Life Outside The Blogosphere. An aspect of this includes limited Net access.

However I should have some posts up this coming Sunday and again the following weekend. In the meantime, click Vincent Price on the right to go the home of Cryptkeeper and see a listing of all the great blogs participating in this year's event.

Keep it creepy!

October

2011-10-01T09:08:00.000+01:00

..... season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.

If, like me, you are Canadian, you'll be welcoming the Thanksgiving weekend this month (Monday the 10th being the "offical" day) and of course, the holiday so many other like-minded souls have been waiting for this year, Halloween on the 31st! In between the two is several family birthdays as well.

Any wonder that October is for me, the best of the Fall.

Don't forget the annual "Cryptkeeper" event begins this month. Click the Cryptkeeper button on the right to go to Countdown to Halloween. There you'll find a list of participating blogs to visit and get yourself into the Spirit of the Halloween season.

Zombie Walk Is Here!

2011-09-30T08:04:00.000+01:00

If your reading this, it's September 30th and it's Blogger Zombie Walk Day. All zombies, all day! Click the button in the sidebar to go to the nut case responsible for all this madness.

So where'd the lovable shufflers come from you ask? Well, they first appeared in William Seabrook's 1929 novel entitled "The Magic Island", which introduces the reader to the ritual practices of voodo and witchcraft in Haiti.

Zombies then took centre stage in the 1968 movie "Night of the Living Dead", by the man who is generally considered to be the Godfather of the zombie genre, George "It Was Never About The Zombies" Romero. Have a read of my post from May 2010 about Mr R and the shambling hordes.

The living dead have even gained rock star fame, performing with the late Michael Jackson in the iconic Halloween music video "Thriller".

From Stephen King's "Book of the Dead" to Max Brook's "Zombie Survival Guide" to the hit tv series "The Walking Dead" and movies like "Zombieland", "Shaun of the Dead" and Zack Snyder's "Dawn of the Dead", which introduced the "sprinter" zombie, the list goes on. As does the debate over the Shambler vs The Sprinter.

No monster has endured or endeared itself to Joe Public like the zombie. Love 'em or hate 'em, their here to stay. And remember ................ double tap!

Know Your Zombies

2011-09-26T19:09:00.000+01:00

Thanks to my sister-n-law Lisa, who knows about my horror movie/Autumn/Halloween obsess......I mean interest.

A handy reference guide for the well-prepared Survivor.

The Thing 2011

2011-09-23T15:09:00.000+01:00

Due out in October, the producers of Dawn of the Dead have remade John Carpenter's "The Thing".

And get on over to Midnite Spook Frolic where the ever resourceful Johnny Thunder has a link for a free digital comic of the same name, available from Dark Horse Comics!

Thanks JT for bringing that to my attention.

Welcome Autumn

2011-09-23T09:54:00.000+01:00

It's September 23rd, the Autumnal Equinox and the official start of my favourite time of year!

"Scarecrows, corn rows, pumpkins on the vine

Leaves curl, winds swirl, Fall is right on time!"

5th Annual Festival of Zombie Culture

2011-09-17T20:43:00.000+01:00

Saturday, November 19th is the date for the fifth annual "Day of the Undead" at Phoenix Square, Leicester, England. I'm going to try to attend this year as the festival is one of the highlights of any U.K. zombie fan's year. A festival pass gets you over 13 hours of the most fun you'll ever have playing dead and are only £25!

More info here; Festival of Zombie Culture

A Woolly Halloween

2011-09-08T12:38:00.001+01:00

My friend Melanie Galloway is a talented knitter and crocheter from Yorkshire who has done some really sweet Halloween items which she is offering for sale.

We have jacks;

And ghosts;

All a bit different and all a fun way to decorate for the season. Hop on over to Melanie's blog page for more photos and info!

Zombie Times Are Here Again

2011-09-05T11:52:00.000+01:00

Oh the seasons they do change and with them a copy of September's Zombie Times in my inbox. If you don't already subscribe to this free e-zine, I have but one question; why not?

There's absolutely no reason not to. You get zombie news, reviews, great comps and this month's issue includes a first look at SFX magazine's short film; "Zombies The Ultimate Guide".

Win Zombie Felties, Bling and More!

Subscribe today! If you can't wait, pop along your email to buggula@gmail.com and I'll be happy to forward a copy onto you.

*images courtesy of Terror4Fun

September!

2011-09-01T12:25:00.001+01:00

Q. How do you mend a broken jack 'o lantern?

A. With a pumpkin patch!

A new month and only 21 days to Autumn folks. I hope everyone has had a great Summer, economic and weather-related crisis notwithstanding.

And did you see the Cryptkeeper 2011 button at the top of the page? Yes, it's baaacckk! Just click it to be dragged, kicking and screaming in feigned terror to Countdown to Halloween for all the ghoulish details. This also serves as a kick up my hinny to figure out what I'm going to do for this year's countdown.

P.S. and have a great Labour Day weekend!

August 17th - Cat's Night

2011-08-17T08:00:00.005+01:00

The term “Cat Nights” harks back to an obscure Irish legend concerning witches and the belief that a witch could turn herself into a cat eight times. But on the ninth time (August 17), she couldn’t regain her human form. How the date of August 17th got chosen is unknown. This bit of folklore is also where the saying, “a cat has nine lives" comes from.

Because August is a yowly time for cats, this may have prompted the speculation about witches on the prowl in the first place.

*thanks to the Old Farmer's Alamanc for this!

Frightfest 2011

2011-08-13T19:37:00.000+01:00

Yes boils and ghouls, it's that time again. Frightfest is back for 2011 with a new line up of fear-inducing feature films.

Frightfest 2011

London's Empire Theatre is again your host for four days of some of the best of the independent horror genre. Hey, it's a long weekend here in the U.K. What else are you going to do?

Can You Feel It?

2011-08-12T11:53:00.001+01:00

We're almost to the thirty day mark on the countdown.

With a few other like-minded souls otherwise known as Autumn Folk, I'm starting to feel the first faint, but familiar, stirrings of The Season. Autumn was always a stealthy Goddess, sending her messengers out in subtle ways. Glidinging in, soft-footed as a black cat. Leaving small signs here and there, if your soul is atuned to recognize them, that turn ones thoughts to that most welcomed time of the year; Autumn/Winter catalogues are appearing, local craft stores have started stocking a few Fall/ Halloween supplies. An ad in a newspaper yesterday from a hotel chain for a Halloween break.

Asters and prickly stemmed blackberries will soon make their appearance. The apple harvest begins and you can barely wait for that first slice of fresh baked Dorset apple cake!

It's out there........

Run For Your Lives!

2011-08-05T16:04:00.002+01:00

"Frog on the Pumpkin: Although I would be one of the first to die": "this sounds like an awful lot of fun! Run For Your Lives - 5K run in Maryland this October. Here are the details. Escape From t..."

You have to get over to Frog Queen's blog and read about this charity run, zombie themed of course! Camping is available. And here I thought bears were all you needed to worry about.

Red Hot Comp @ ShellHawk's Nest

2011-08-04T06:58:00.000+01:00

Many thanks to The Undertaker at Haunted Hot Sauce for spreading the love on this competition. Get on over to ShellHawk's Nest for a chance to win a bottle of Haunted Hot Sauce and a selection of 13 Gypsies Perfume.

Read the competition rules carefully and bring your zombie name with you! Yes, your zombie I.D. will be checked at the door.

Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights 2011

2011-08-03T11:05:00.000+01:00

Damn! Why can't I live in Southern California? Or at least be in the general vicinity this Halloween. You can bet this attraction will be a sell-out!

"Halloween Horror Nights & Alice Cooper Too! "

Thanks again to the man who's always one step ahead of the rest of us, Johnny Thunder over at Midnite Spook Frolic for the heads up.

Lammas

2011-08-01T08:00:00.002+01:00

I still remember posting for Lammas last August. Is just creeping old age, or is Time moving a damn sight faster that it used to?

Anyway, August 1st is Lammas Day and marks the beginning of the harvest. In old England, loaves of bread were baked from the first-ripened grain, consecrated in churches, and eaten.

Lammas is very old; it derives from the ancient English festival called the Gule of August, which marked the beginning of the harvest, traditionally August 1st. The early English church kept this pagan dedication of the first fruit but converted it to Christian usage.

- thanks to the Old Farmer's Almanac for this seasonal fact.

Happy August!

Once Upon A Time in the 70s

2011-07-26T17:06:00.001+01:00

A girl who looks a lot like me, only a few decades younger, went to the movies and saw this guy. Nice Oscar Wilde disguise there Vince.

And this movie;

And then one day I saw this;

And that was it, I was hooked. Everyone had to start somewhere. Where did it all begin for you?

2011-07-19T11:19:00.000+01:00

Ok, I HAVE to share this post from Wendy over at The Halloween Tree

Haunt Your Own House

Without getting into masses of detail (Wendy has done that much better than I could), you can commission artist Lew Lehrman to paint a picture of your home (or anything else you like I expect) in full Halloween regalia! They say a picture speaks a thousand words and the stories behind each painting do just that.

The examples in the gallery are wonderful. Pop over to The Halloween Tree to read the full post and please take the time to visit the artist's site. I think this is my favourite, hard as it is to pick one;

Chosen One by Lew Lehrman

The Walking Dead, Season 2

2011-07-19T10:20:00.000+01:00

Ooooh, the weather outside is frightful! Another non-Summer here in England, so while I watch the cold rain beat down what appears in the Hollow Post? An announcement from AMC that Season 2 of The Walking Dead will shamble across your television screens this October. That is if your in the U.S.

Fans here across the Atlantic will have to wait a while, (I think. We might get lucky and have it at the same time as the American release date) to take up where the story left off in Season 1; the destruction of the CDC building and our band of survivors once again seeking sanctuary.

Walking Dead, Season 2

Another reason Autumn is THE season!

Guess Who's Another Year Older?

2011-07-14T07:00:00.002+01:00

Wiser, no. Older, yes.......I suppose it's too late to get my birthday changed to October 31st?

Smile!

2011-07-03T09:09:00.002+01:00

Hug A Tree!

2011-06-30T13:48:00.000+01:00

Thanks to JT over on Midnite Spook Frolic for the original post to this awesome collection of creepy trees. I think this one is my favourite.

Click the link to go to Environmental Graffitti and see the rest.

July

2011-06-30T11:11:00.002+01:00

I love the month of July. Partly because it's my birth month (and that of my brother) and partly because Summer is well and truly settled in. Even if it doesn't always feel like it in this very temperate of climates called England.

There's two dates for your calender if you're looking for an excuse to party;

July 1st - Canada Day

I may be an ex-pat, but I still observe the official birthday of my country. On this date in 1867, the British North America Act declared the Dominion of Canada to be open for business. At the time it didn't encompass the massive amount of land the country has, as we know it now. It included what used to be called Upper Canada (the province of Quebec), Lower Canada (the province of Ontario) and the Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. The rest came later, with Newfoundland being the last province to sign up to the deal and then not until 1949.

The holiday was celebrated, but wasn't known as Canada Day until 1982. We were never in hurry about this sort of thing. Even the now familiar Maple Leaf flag didn't get official passage until something like 1965. You can't rush these things.

And just as your recovering from that blow out, it's time for the American holiday of Independence Day!

July 4th Independence Day

BBQs, parades, fireworks, you name it, like Canada, America celebrates it's birthday with the same enthusiasm. In 1776 the Continental Congress, sitting in Philadelphia, passed the famous Declaration of Independence. Making the 13 colonies (that would later expand to 50 states) independent of English rule. The rest, as the saying goes, is history.

Happy July!

Summer Solstice

2011-06-21T19:57:00.001+01:00

In the Northern Hemisphere it's now officially Summer. Only 91 days until Autumn!

Have a great Summer haunters!

City "Not Ready For Zombie Invasion"

2011-06-10T15:15:00.000+01:00

Leicester City Council has been forced to admit "provisions to deal with an attack, often seen in horror films, were poor." BBC News link below;

Leicester City Zombies!!

I foresee copies of Max Brooks' "The Zombie Survival Guide" becoming a rare book item!

2011-06-10T13:34:00.002+01:00

INSTALLING BRITISH SUMMER.. ███████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 44% DONE Installation failed. Pl try again. 404 error: Season not found.

I thought this was funny, though I suspect the natives won't. See this is why Autumn is my favourite time of year. It's consistent. It shows up when it's supposed to and feels like it should.

2011 Halloween Zombie Apocalypse!

2011-05-31T18:41:00.001+01:00

This is the first event on the Hollow 2011 Haunt calender and what an event it's going to be.

Chose up sides and get your shotgun (or your shuffle) ready!. Get on over and get ready for Zombie Apocalypse 2011!

Apocalyptical Link!!

Don't forget to follow all the action via Twitter as well.

Fright Night Gets Remade

2011-05-13T21:45:00.002+01:00

Fright Night 2011

More Fright Night (2011) Videos

My opinion, going by the trailers? One word/ crap. I've always loved the 1985 original with the late Roddy McDowall and Chris Sarandon as the Fiend. Not only do I not recognize the characters in this version, the plot seems to have been thrown out the window too.

Fright Night 2010 won't be getting a screening in the Hollow.

Name That I-Scream

2011-05-13T18:49:00.000+01:00

This was a surprise; it popped up on Twitter earlier today. Sainsbury's is a big U.K. grocery store chain and it looks like their doing a very early Halloween contest. The tweet said;

"Enter Sainsbury's #Halloween I-Scream #competition and design the UK's scariest ice cream http://ow.ly/i/bu0Y Entries close this Sunday!"

Neat eh? See, I knew we'd get the British public converted to Halloween freaks. It was inevitable.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T20:06:00.000+01:00

And yes, there is a horror movie of the same name! I give you the poster for the 1980 original.

Happy Mother's Day!

It's Ghost Ship Day!

2011-04-21T13:57:00.000+01:00

I'm just finding this out now or I'd have spread the word sooner. Sail on over to Johnny Thunder's Midnite Spook Frolic for all the bumpf on this tribute to a horror movie classic, John Carpenter's "The Fog"!

There are several blogs participating so be sure to check them out!

"Machete" Review or ......

2011-04-07T16:05:00.000+01:00

...... "What Happens When You F**K With The Wrong Mexican".

I've wanted to see this ever since hubster and I spotted the trailer months ago. I love Grindhouse and Machete is directed by the same man who gave us Death Proof and Planet Terror ie: Robert Rodriguez.

Danny Trejo is the ex-federale out for vengence on drug lord Steven Segal who's backing corrupt, bigoted senator Robert de Niro (who'd a thought you'd ever see him in a movie like this eh? Cool!)

Former Miami Vice star, Don Johnson, Cheech Marin (not a blunt in sight on this one), Jeff Fahey, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez and Lindsay Lohan (as a druggie, how appropriate) also star, along with a great supporting cast who all look like they were recruited right off the street for the movie.

It's action from the word go with our hero severing heads as a Federal Agent out to rescue some tart who's actually on Segal's payroll. I won't give away all the plot, but things go from bad to worse for Machete until he meets Luz (played by Michelle Rodriguez), a street vendor and leader in The Organization, which helps Mexican nationals enter the U.S. and get them work and citizenship.

Anything pointed and razor sharp is weapon of choice for Machete, including a Weed Whacker and a corkscrew. There's some really funny moments through out the film too. The only spoiler, in my view, is Segal's badly acted death scene. I mean Bad with a capital B. Yes the Bad Guy Gets His. You didn't seriously think he wouldn't did you? Fortunately you aren't made to suffer through that too long.

The Hero gets the girl (you guess which one, because he has all of them at one point or another in the movie) and off they go into the Mexican night on a chopper that takes you back to the 70s.

The movie has an 18 rating. Language, nudity, moderate sexual scenes and lots and lots of bloody violence.

The Hollow rates it 8 out of 10.

April Fool's!

2011-04-01T16:36:00.001+01:00

So it's April 1st and I thought I should find a horror flick or two that takes April Fool's as the theme. I couldn't recall one I'd seen, so Google-Bing here we go and quicker than you can say ZOMBIE!, I find the appropriately named "April Fool's Day". Circa 1986 and 2008.

Love the do there sister

Don't you hate Rich Kids?

The synopsis on both movies tells you that their the teeth-grindingly teen-centred slasher fare that has you rooting for the Bad Guy. You know the feeling; oh for God's sake, just kill the lot of them so we can all go home. That sort of thing.

Then I Binged a bit further and discovered Halloween Addict did practically the same post as this one last year. So for any of you sharp sticks out there, no I haven't plagarized. Someone else was quicker off the mark than me and I figured I'd better give credit where due. The Great Pumpkin has a naughty and nice list too you know. If you fancy giving either of these a viewing, H.A. recommends you go with the original.

Anyway, it's April 1st. Fool around or not, but if you do, watch it doesn't come back and bite you in the ass.

Blogkeeping Note; I finally got the blog's banner link for Hauntcast updated. Mouse on over to Johnny Thunder's Midnite Spook Frolic for a read of the hilariously named "Tranny World" post for all the latest on Hauntcast.

A Day To Remember

2011-03-29T22:17:00.003+01:00

To celebrate our eight wedding anniversary today. Guess who's drank most of it.....plus a few photos taken today of Spring, blooming all over the place here.

Not sure, but I think this is a Goat Willow tree in bloom.

Primroses

The Upper Green, Tettenhall, full of daffodils and trees in bloom. Next time I'll remember to bring my Sanyo with me to get a better shot. One of my favourite cemetaries, St. Michael's, is near here. I spotted this gravestone there today, one of the oldest dates yet. And it didn't look like it belonged there. We were wondering if it had been relocated from another area in the cemetery.

It reads "John Faulkner, January 26, 1747, aged 16".

Captain America Hits The Big Screen

2011-03-24T11:35:00.002Z

Thanks to "Puzzler" for tweeting this look at the new Captain America flick, coming out this Summer. Personally, I think it looks pretty good. You can never have too many superheroes. I prefer this video to the two on YouTube too by the way.

"Captain America"

Scroll down the page a bit to get to the video trailer.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T08:00:00.003Z

Personally, I don't like the look of leprechauns and what's with the green beer?

Fnar of the Week with Vimrod

2011-03-09T12:55:00.000Z

Knit Yourself An Exorcism

2011-02-20T19:11:00.000Z

Who needs tea cosies when you can get really creative.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-13T07:00:00.004Z

Photo Time!

2011-02-09T19:48:00.000Z

St. Michael's cemetery

I got some new gear to take photos with this past Christmas, so of course I thought it'd be a grand idea to torture the rest of the blogosphere with my efforts. All graveyard and church shots of course. It wouldn't be fittin' to showcase anything else now, would it. Click on the photos to open them in a new window and get a better view of the detail.

St. Michael's in Tettenhall, West Midlands, UK. The church was established in
Norman times. The present church is supposed to be a part of the original foundation,
and was enlarged in 1825.

Small crypt built right into a slope in the St. Michael's graveyard

Another nice shot of the cemetery

This is my favourite statuary in the cemetery.
The white one in the background is great too.

Groundhog Day!

2011-02-01T14:31:00.001Z

It's February and tomorrow is Groundhog Day. German in origin, though I doubt the Germans ever did it with the comic bent of Punxsutawney Phil. Who'd of thought you could make a commercial success of anything but a cartoon rodent eh?

My condolences to those of you who will be digging out from under the latest Winter storm, and therefore will think Phil and his pals can go jump.

It's also Chinese New Year on the 3rd with 2011 being the Year of the Rabbit. If you go in for astrology, the Rabbit isn't looking too auspicious. If you don't, well you won't care anyway and will stick to getting a take out to mark the occasion.

Chow mein anyone?

Post Share!

2011-01-20T19:11:00.001Z

I had to re-post this find originally posted by Johnny Thunder over on Midnite Spook Frolic;

Who Needs Hermes When You Can Carry Dracula On Your Arm?

A big thank you to JT sharing this fashionista find!

Winter in the Hollow

2011-01-11T17:41:00.000Z

A new year and once again we begin the slow count down to Autumn, my favourite season, and Halloween, my favourite holiday. It's not that I don't enjoy the other three seasons or the holidays that fall in them; birthdays, Easter, Thanksgiving and especially, Christmas. But Winter has barely settled in on this side of the Atlantic and already I'm eagerly anticipating Spring. Mostly because December has been virus central and then some. We usually manage to scare off the microbial beasties, but this Winter some have managed to slip past the Gate Keeper.

I really enjoyed participating in Cryptkeeper 2010 and look forward to doing it again this year. Plenty of time to think about a theme for 2011. I say that every year, "plenty of time", the months whiz by and bam! I'm scrambling.

So until September it will be mostly housekeeping on the site and the odd post marking the Solstices and Equinoxes as the New Year unfolds month by month, season by season. A great big Thank You to all the Hollow followers for your interest and comments. Here's to an amazing Halloween in 2011.

Ali x

Happy New Year

2010-12-30T05:16:00.000Z

Here's to another great year. From our haunt to yours, Happy 2011!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T14:56:00.004Z

To my family, friends, fellow haunters and bloggers, heartfelt wishes for a very Merry Christmas. All the best in 2011 from everyone here at Holiday Hollow!

Cheers,
Ali

December Triple Feature!

2010-12-19T16:30:00.003Z

December 21st marks the Winter Solstice, that brief moment in the Earth year when our planet's axial tilt is farthest from the Sun. It's also at this point that the pattern of shortening days and longer nights begins it slow reversal.

In Northern climates, this is a welcome milestone on the calendar and various cultural observances have been held over the millenia to mark the occasion.

This year is extra special as the Solstice will coincide with both a full Moon and a total lunar eclipse. A lunar eclipse only occurs when the Sun, Earth and Moon are aligned exactly, or very closely so, with the Earth in the middle, blocking the Sun's light onto the Moon. For this reason, there is always a full Moon the night of a lunar eclipse. Unlike a solar eclipse, the Moon doesn't go into shadow but rather, will appear a reddish or copper colour. This happens because the Sun's light must first pass through the Earth's atmosphere, before reaching the Moon. Depending on the density of the atmosphere (pollution is a factor, as well as volcanic dust, which is responsible for a very dark red Moon when an eruption occurs close to an eclipse), the Moon will appear more or less red in colour.

Here's an interesting little factoid: this eclipse is the first to occur on this date since the 17th century! It will be visible after midnight Eastern Standard Time on December 21 in North and South America. The beginning of the eclipse will be visible from northern Europe just before sunrise.

Oh, and by the way, that bright object in the southern December sky at nightfall is the giant Jupiter. With clear skies, a pair of binoculars and a bit of luck, you might even spot one or more of Jupiter's more prominent satellite objects or moons; Io, Callisti, Ganymede and Europa.

Six days 'til Christmas folks!

The Kingdom of Witches

2010-12-15T14:09:00.005Z

A great big thank you to Ghoul Friday for sharing this wonderful short animated film, circa Halloween 2008.

Apologies for the bit of a squeeze on the picture. You can view the original on YT here; The Kingdom of Witches

St. Nicholas Day

2010-12-04T20:17:00.002Z

I can't say enough good things about this wonderful site, devoted to Nicholas, patron saint of sailors, archers, merchants, students and children. He is the model for our modern day Santa Claus, who's English name comes from the German, Sankt Niklaus.

There's a wealth of information on the site about Nicholas, including listings of churches worldwide that commemorate his feast day (usually December 6th), activities for children and, as I just discovered today, a wonderful screensaver. It includes a countdown to Nicholas's feast day and postcards from around the world, depicting the good saint.

Follow the link here; St Nicholas Centre

Nicholas; a man of compassion, justice and faith.

Advent

2010-11-28T18:49:00.002Z

Advent, the fourth Sunday preceding Christmas Day, marks the beginning of the Christmas season. It is the period of waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity.

German Lutherans introduced the Advent calendar, though I suspect the original calendars differed markedly from the commercially produced chocolate ones that fill the stores today. More ecumenical calendars can be found or made though. I have one made of wood that I bought from a local church. When it's completed, it depicts the Nativity scene.

The Hollow Christmas tree is up now. Nothing like a good quality artificial tree if you like to start decorating sooner rather than later. Personally I don't think you should use real trees unless you get a potted one that can be planted outdoors after Christmas in a suitable location. However I appreciate that most communities now have Christmas tree recycling services to ensure the spent trees are put to good use, rather than just dumped into landfills. Which is probably more than can be said for disposing of an unwanted artificial tree. And let it not be said that I advocate the demise of Christmas tree growers and sellers!

So make a list, check it twice, and enjoy the Season!

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T18:16:00.000Z

Guy Fawkes Night

2010-11-03T17:08:00.004Z

Also known as Bonfire Night here in England, Guy Fawkes Night is on November 5th. It commemorates the discovery of a plot by a group of Roman Catholic conspirators to blow up the British House of Parliament on November 5, 1605.

Fawkes was the lead conspirator, a soldier knowledgeable in the use of explosives. With him were twelve other men. The idea was to assassinate the English king, James I (originally James VI of Scotland) who was a Protestant, and restore the realm to Catholicism.

However one of the conspirator's brothers-in-law received an anonymous letter warning him to stay away from Parliament. The letter was shown to the King on November 1 and a search turned up the explosives. A further search also turned up Fawkes, who initially refused to implicate his co-conspirators. Under torture he recanted, named them and all 13 were later arrested and executed for treason.

In January of the following year, 1606, the Thanksgiving Act was passed to commemorate the foiling of the then named "Gunpowder Plot". The act remained in place until 1859 but despite it's repealm the custom of Guy Fawkes Night remained a yearly celebration throughout much of Britain with barbeques and fireworks.

More recently, the interference of over-zealous Health & Safety acts, along with economic pressures has seen a major decline in the number and size of Bonfire Night festivities.

That's A Wrap!

2010-11-02T14:51:00.005Z

The candy has been scarfed, the haunts are quiet once more, Jacks are slowly going moldy and the screams of delight and terror fade away for another year. Halloween 2010 was mostly a great success, from what I've heard from fellow haunters on both sides of the Atlantic.

There were a couple of firsts this year for those of us at The Hollow. We've been here nearly ten years now and for the first time ever we had trick or treaters AND two other houses on the street were decorated and handing out candy! Four ghoulies appeared at our door, bags in hand. I was so excited.

If this sounds small potatoes to you, you need to understand that for the most part, Halloween isn't celebrated in England. What little there is tends to be confined to school activities or private parties. We're pioneering Halloween on this side of the Atlantic.

To everyone who stopped by the blog during the Cryptkeeper 2010 Challenge, many thanks. I hope you enjoyed our Trailers of Terror theme.

We look forward to bigger and better for Halloween 2011!

War of the Worlds 1953

2010-10-31T06:00:00.001Z

It's here! Halloween has arrived and we're at the end of our horror movie trailer festival. Time for one last screening, then don your costume to join the other ghost, ghouls and beasties in celebrating the spookiest, most enchanting time of the year.

It just wouldn't feel like Halloween in The Hollow without a screening of Orson Welles 1953 "War of the Worlds". I also include the original radio broadcast which aired on October 30, 1938. I was fascinated to be able to find the broadcast in working order. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

It's been my pleasure to be your host this month. Have a safe and spooky Halloween!

War of the Worlds

Or listen here:

Night of the Living Dead 1990

2010-10-26T06:00:00.000+01:00

Although not directed by George Romero, he co-wrote the script for it, this remake of his 1968 zombie flick is great to watch.

John Carpenter Double Feature!

2010-10-24T06:00:00.000+01:00

It was too hard to choose either "The Thing" or "The Fog", so I decided to post a double bill. Enjoy!

Easy Candy Apples

2010-10-22T06:00:00.003+01:00

Treat time again campers! You can't sit glued to the big screen all the time. So let's get out to the kitchen and make a batch of this classic Halloween treat.

Rumour has it an American, William Kolb, made the first batch of candied or, as their known here in England, toffee apples in 1908. But he was experimenting with it as a Christmas treat, rather than for Halloween. The rest is sweet history.

What you need:

15 popsicle sticks
15 apples, preferably a sweet variety
2 cups white sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1-1/2 cups water
8 drops red food coloring

How to:

Lightly grease cookie sheets. Remove any stems from the apples then insert sticks into the fruit.

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine sugar, corn syrup and water. Heat to 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 154 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard, brittle threads. The experts advise you DO NOT stir the mixture, rather gently swirl the pan as it cooks. Remove pan from heat and swirl in the food coloring.

Holding each apple by its stick, dip and swirl in the syrup, coating evenly. Place on prepared sheets to harden, about a half hour.

Hint: you can roll the tops of the still wet apples in nut pieces to make a crunchy layer.

Halloween 1978

2010-10-20T06:00:00.001+01:00

One of my favourite John Carpenter films with a theme tune that you never forget. It also helped establish a young Jamie Lee Curtis as the "Queen of Scream".

The Exorcist 1973

2010-10-18T06:00:00.000+01:00

Controversial at the time and one of the highest grossing films of it's genre, you either loved The Exorcist or you hated it. I read the book by William Peter Blatty before I saw the movie and was scared silly. The film came to town at least three times before I got the nerve to go see it and well, I found it more of a gross-out than a scare.

But that's just my opinion. Regardless of what you think, this deserves a place in the Hollow Theatre line up.

Psycho 1960

2010-10-16T06:00:00.001+01:00

No horror review is complete without this Hitchcock classic! It's worth it for the score alone.

Night Of The Living Dead 1968

2010-10-14T06:00:00.002+01:00

Cry of the Banshee 1970

2010-10-12T06:00:00.000+01:00

Two gentlemen I have to thank for starting me on my lifelong love of horror and thrillers; the deliciously dark Mr Edgar Allen Poe and my very favourite spine tingling actor, the late Mr Vincent Price.

"Cry of the Banshee" was the first Vince Price horror movie I saw, screened in a tiny community hall in rural New Brunswick. Scared me silly!

Thanksgiving

2010-10-10T06:00:00.000+01:00

It wouldn't be October in the Hollow without a post about Thanksgiving. Unlike my American friends, I celebrate the holiday more than a month earlier; on the second Monday of the month. Supposedly this is because of an earlier harvest in Canada.

Canada's First Nations people, in common with Native Americans, held harvest festivals long before the arrival of Europeans in North America. The earliest recorded "Thanksgiving" and several thereafter, were not about harvest but rather survival. In the 16th century, English explorer Martin Frobisher, held a ceremony of Thanksgiving in Newfoundland to commemorate his safe return from the search for the fabled Northwest Passage.

French settlers, arriving in the 17th century with Samuel de Champlain, also held large feasts of thanks, forming the "Order of Good Cheer" and sharing the meal with the native people.

Thanksgiving as we know it today is thought to have originated with American immigrants to Canada. After the American Revolution in the latter half of the 18th century, American citizens who still held loyalties to Great Britain, moved to Canada. They brought the custom of the modern Thanksgiving with them. While the holiday was an annual observance, it wasn't until after the First World War that the date was finally fixed to October 11th.

And the rest, as they say, is turkey!