X-Entertainment.com X-Entertainment UGO
X-Entertainment is still feeling pretty bad about those lobsters.

« X-E Visits Halloween Playland! [Main Index] King Kong Pops & Monster Keychains! »

10/09/2006: Halloween Playland’s Gift Shop!


I can’t believe how much crap I bought at the Halloween Playland Gift Shop. Too much to cover in one Countdown entry, so I’ll spread the remainders around the blog throughout the month. Click the words that are bold to read about my adventures in a gift shop that sells fertilizer and Devil’s Hearts right alongside one another.


One of the many items that didn’t make the cut for article-inclusion is seen above — a tub full of goo with a little Dracula figure inside. They call it “Halloween Putty.” Other canisters had other monsters and goo in other colors, but it’s tough to pick a witch over a widow’s peak, even if the witch came in a tub of much cooler red slime.

I didn’t have off work today. Our company trades Columbus Day for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. He had a dream, and his dream was robbing me of my rightful October day off. Now I’m going to have to get people to cough on me until it’s okay to stay home.


Posted by Matt. E-mail me!

Bookmark and Share


Discussion Thread: 97 comments

If you put a Pokemon Pumkin inside a dryer with your clothes and turn it on, it’ll make your clothes stained and smelly. Don’t believe me? Try it out and see.

Ghosted by Feet Cooker @ 10/10/2006 7:35 PM EDT

Speaking of Pokemon, I got a Mudkip ‘bobblehead toy’ out of one of those toy vending machines today. The head definitely doesn’t bobble, but I was appeased since I got the pokemon I wanted. $1 was way too much though, but I couldn’t resist. =)
It only included the latest generation of them, so no Venusaur. =(

Ghosted by Christine @ 10/10/2006 7:45 PM EDT

Yeah i understand what you’re saying Old E. Sometimes a little money can go a long way, especially at local farm hayrides n October Halloween specials, one of which i hope to go to the week before Halloween, not been to this before, looks good though. I just don’t have any young people to take so i’m afraid i’ll look a little out of place, being an adult n all lol, albeit a young one.

And yeah i do save my Halloween decorations, although alot of the last years got kinda trashed. See i throw the biggest and best Halloween parties anyone who comes to has ever seen. This years is in the UK where i’m originally from, felt like i’d change it up from being in the States every year.

But yeah last years got kinda outta control, and half the stuff was ruined plus transporting most of it to the UK was a lil difficult.

Ghosted by Dan @ 10/10/2006 7:47 PM EDT

At my company, we worked on Columbus Day, and I think we work on MLK’s birthday, depending on what day it falls on. The trade-off is that the company is closed on Fridays. The only time we work on Firdays is when the 4th of July forces us to close for one day in the middle of the week, and we have to make up for lost time. Other than that, three-day weekends every week!

Ghosted by Thomas @ 10/10/2006 8:18 PM EDT

Halloween in the UK sounds awesome. I would love to blow the froth off a couple with Dracula and his best mates.

Ghosted by Old E @ 10/10/2006 8:22 PM EDT

Anyone watching Spike TV’s Scream Awards? I think they start in like 5 minutes.

Ghosted by Rev @ 10/10/2006 9:02 PM EDT

I stand corrected. They start at 10

Ghosted by Rev @ 10/10/2006 9:02 PM EDT

Those Pokemon pumpkins look like peeled oranges.

Ghosted by jazzy @ 10/10/2006 9:09 PM EDT

Feet Cooker – How exactly do you know this? Making Pikachu Pumpkin pie by cooking it in the dryer?

Ghosted by Mara @ 10/10/2006 10:02 PM EDT

Interesting AskMetafilter question: Why is Hallowe’en so popular in America?
I’m sure we all have good responses for that one.

Ghosted by squee4242 @ 10/10/2006 10:07 PM EDT

I hear ya, Dan and Old E- it isn’t hard to spend a lot of money! Just today I spent about $50- on what? I’m not sure- I needed deoderant, then I found a cheap lipstick, then I was hungry, then I found a book that I have been searching everywhere for, etc. etc. I should seriously not leave the house- it’s the only way to NOT spend sometimes!

Why is Halloween so popular in America? I dunno, but ever since the whole Salem witch stuff, Halloween seems right up your country’s alley! (and Canada’s as well)

BRICKER- Nice buy! I am jealous of all your stamps. I got a coffee at MCDs this morning and they gave it to me in a regular cup with no stamps, even though it was a medium and I should have gotten stamps….so, yes, I took it to the counter and asked for an empty cup to get my chance at the big bucks. They gave me an empty hasbrown bag, and I got Park Place! :)

Ghosted by Muppet Baby @ 10/10/2006 10:21 PM EDT

Yeah McDonald’s is pulling some crazy BS with Baltic Ave. I got 2 cups with 2 Baltic Aves in a row. Pretty shady.

Ghosted by Mystie @ 10/10/2006 10:49 PM EDT

WHOA! SCREAM AWARDS on Spike!

SERIOUSLY!

Ghosted by Fox @ 10/10/2006 11:09 PM EDT

Everyone has Park Place. The Railroads are the money melons.

Ate some really hot hot sauce today, check the blog, my stomach’s a-churnin’! lol

Ghosted by Invader Norbert @ 10/11/2006 12:16 AM EDT

From what I saw the Scream awards were aiight. As legendary as the VMA Pre-Show performance will always be, they did a better job here. Gerard still needs to work on owning that I Don’t Care more.

Right now it’s “i don’t care…” when it should be “I DON’T CARE!!!” Take a hint from Jesus of Suburbia. But who am I to say, anyway?

Ghosted by K- @ 10/11/2006 12:35 AM EDT

Holy crap, Norbert, I thought *I* was the only one who appropriated the phrase “money melon” for my own non-melon uses. YOU sir are the money melon.

Ghosted by Welsh Rabbit @ 10/11/2006 12:56 AM EDT

Going to Savannah for a couple of days to stay at the 1790 House. It is supposebly haunted but we’ll see. If anyone has been there let me know.I think supposebly is spelled wrong so ignore it. Long live Wild Wood, NJ! And Sea Isle. Actually “supposebly” looks really wrong all the way around.

Ghosted by Bill @ 10/11/2006 1:30 AM EDT

Oh yeah, where is the love for The Howling? I just watched that again and it still made me pee a little

Ghosted by Bill @ 10/11/2006 1:38 AM EDT

my chemical romance?

Ghosted by drbong @ 10/11/2006 2:01 AM EDT

never cared for the howling, checked out pulse recently – better than i thought it’d be. any movie with christina milian can’t be too bad

Ghosted by drbong @ 10/11/2006 2:03 AM EDT

it’s official. they killed the nightmare before christmas soundtrack. im really upset right now. somebody hold me:

http://www.myspace.com/nightmare3d

on a lighter note…they didnt have dracula in red slime? that would just seem to make more sense.

Ghosted by brianfax @ 10/11/2006 2:06 AM EDT

Wow, TWO hours worth of Scream Awards? Props to Spike for having the cojones, I guess. The show’s not half bad (gratuitous crowd shots of Robert Rodriguez and Naveen Andrews don’t hurt) but it is a bit easy to call who the winners are in each category (did any of the runners up even show?).
Dude, I cannot WAIT until Grindhouse comes out.

Ghosted by squee4242 @ 10/11/2006 2:21 AM EDT

What’s with all the Nightmare Before Christmas stuff these past few years? I remember wanting to see it when it was first released, eventually renting it, being bored out of my mind with it and then it just went away from everyones memory. I don’t remember talking to anyone who liked it back then but suddenly it’s all over the place and it’s even popular enough to warrant a 3D re-release. I know it’s not because Corpse Bride because I was seeing this hype before that, in fact, am I wrong to say that movie never would’ve been made if not for this recent boost of interest in this one?

Ghosted by dohopoki @ 10/11/2006 4:13 AM EDT

Better watch it, dohopoki- you might have some angry XErs on your case now- them’s fighting words! Although, I can’t jump in on anyone’s side, since I STILL haven’t seen ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ despite always wanting to.

Yeah, I agree with Invader Norbert- the Railroads are where the money’s at. I’ve got 2 of them, and I assume I will never get any more.

Ghosted by Muppet Baby @ 10/11/2006 8:30 AM EDT

it’s official. they killed the nightmare before christmas soundtrack. im really upset right now. somebody hold me:

Pssshhhh… don’t even say that. Manson singing This is Halloween makes me wanna touch myself in places I shouldn’t touch in public.

Ghosted by Mystie @ 10/11/2006 9:36 AM EDT

Doho, I’d venture a guess that you might be underestimating the initial popularity of Nightmare. When the toys started showing up a few years ago I got the distinct impression that they had been long awaited.
Big thumbs up for the Scream Awards. The corny jokes, the gore, the audience full of fans who are actually into it rather than row after row of bored celebs, the predatory birds, it all added up to a fun time. Still standing by my “only winners bothered to show” position but that’s no big deal…I do wonder if there were any awkward exchanges backstage between Manson and McGowan. If anybody missed it they’re replaying it Sunday and Tuesday (at 2 am!).

Ghosted by squee4242 @ 10/11/2006 10:51 AM EDT

Only one thing sold me on “Grindhouse”, and that was:

MACHINE GUN LEG!

Ghosted by kingklash @ 10/11/2006 11:59 AM EDT

My son and I have been having a mini-Tim Burton fest this week with watching Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride and tonight, Beetlejuice. I have to be in a certain mood to watch Nightmare and Corpse Bride. I have always went back and forth as to whether Edward Scissorhands is a “Halloween”-y movie. We watched Sleepy Hollow a couple weeks ago to get this season jump-started.

Ghosted by freudguy @ 10/11/2006 12:03 PM EDT

The Scream Awards were pretty good. A little cheesy and predictable (Brandon Routh as best superhero?), but not bad. The best parts were the sneak peeks at Saw III and Grindhouse, which looks so freakin’ good I don’t know if I can wait until next spring. The Machine Gun Leg bit was awesome and that dude on the bike getting liquified by the car was splatacular. Not to mention the fake trailer for the Machete movie.

Ghosted by Chris Martin @ 10/11/2006 12:24 PM EDT

You can’t forget about Ed Wood. That’s one of my favoites. It’s kind of a Halloween movie….. sort of….

Also, I remember going to see Nightmare Before Christmas in theaters when it first came out, and I loved it. I was 9 or 10 that year. I remember, even though I never asked for them I got a couple action figures for Christmas. I also got the soundtrack, and I still have it to this day. The funny thing is, I haven’t watched it once since then, and I don’t really want to.

Ghosted by Deuce @ 10/11/2006 12:24 PM EDT

I just went out to get in my car about 2 hours ago, and found THE ENTIRE BACK EN WAS SMASHED! Somebody hit me this morning in our parking lot! So, I have been with the cops and talking to insurance companies on the phone for the last two hours- this totally ruins my day AND my weekend- I was planning on driving home to Quebec, but my car is what the cops call “undrive-able” right now. Christ. I HATE not having a car. I don’t have collision insurance, but that shouldn’t matter, since I was PARKED and SLEEPING when it happened, right? I mean, it is no way my fault, right….?

Ghosted by Muppet Baby @ 10/11/2006 12:35 PM EDT

Muppet Baby: That really sucks! People are such assholes!

Ghosted by IHAQ @ 10/11/2006 3:07 PM EDT

Ow. Ow. Ow. Wow. Marilyn Manson? Fiona Apple? She Wants Revenge? Fall Out Boy?

Are you trying to kill me, brianfax?

I have always loved Nightmare Before Christmas. I will never buy any merchandise. (although when my tape breaks I’ll probably get it on DVD.) Tim Burton just isn’t cool anymore. I’m going to pretend he died in 2003.

I’m sorry about your car, Muppet Baby! Do you want to borrow mine?

Will Mr. T cheer us all up?

Ghosted by Katherine @ 10/11/2006 3:08 PM EDT

Plane crash in Manhattan, pretty weird.

Went last night and bought a shrunken head. It is weird how those things are popular this year.

They had some awesome stuff though. In particular, the severed head in the bucket of blood fountain is the winner of over the top halloween decorations this year.

http://tinyurl.com/fuujy

Ghosted by Bricker @ 10/11/2006 3:46 PM EDT

Dohopkoi, I thinkyou’re underestimating the fan base. I saw The Nightmare Before Christmas when it came out. I was fifteen, and it’s been one of my favorite movies ever since. I would have KILLEd for a t-shirt when I was in high school, but I didn’t get any of those until just a few years ago. The soundtrack was only the second c.d I ever owned, and of course I still have it.

The Corpse Bride I enjoyed equally, and was in the works for a long time. In part, I’m sure, because it takes so long to build these movies. I remember reading that Tim Burton was going to make a stop motion movie called the Corpse Bride, and assumed it was based on the Washington Irving short story. I think that was at least five years ago.

I still buy NMBC stuff. When I go to Disneyland, neat promo stuff on ebay from Japan, etc. I simply love this movie.

Ghosted by LemonWitch @ 10/11/2006 4:01 PM EDT

So I wrote this little Holoween rant for my page. What do yall think, I know It still needs to be corrected, but hows the message look

So one of the best holidays is just around the corner, and yes I do
consider Halloween a holiday, in fact I will be so bold enough to throw
in Halloween as part of the holidays that go along with thanks giving and
Christmas.

So there have been some people who have been trying to piss on my
holiday spirits by saying Halloween is for kids or Halloween is evil. Well
lets step back an analyze what Halloween really is, and I don’t mean in
the historical sense of the meaning, I mean in the regular what the fuck
Halloween is for you.

Ok first will come up with a rebuttal worthy to challenge even the most
pious of Christians. These people say that celebrating Halloween is
evil. Oh yeah, what makes it so evil? Is it because kids dress up like
monsters and super heroes, one night out of the year and get to walk
around getting candies? Oh yeah… I see allot of evilness going on
there… Damn them damn them to hell! But some will still argue that it
is because it is the devils night, and that evil lurks in the shadows.
Listen says who Halloween is what you make it up to be, Christians have a
celebration called Halleluiah night, celebrated on guess what night?
That’s right kiddies on October 31. Now doesn’t that sound like a cop out
move? Actually it sounds kind of hypocritical. I mean come on they are celebrating some thin on OUR night of fun, but there just changing the name of it to suit there needs, but there still celebrating some thing on the 31! Now before some holy roller tries to smash me on that, let me just say I know they aren’t celebrating Halloween for the sake of the devil, but neither are kids and post facto kids who are still celebrating it. They are celebrating it because its fun!

Next are the people who say, your to old to be celebrating it, and
that’s bull shit to. As a parent it is my job to instill the spirit of
Halloween to my children, which is a bonus because I get to live
vicariously through them and get a deeper satisfaction of it when all is
said and done. Halloween is about candy for kids, hell its about candy
for adults to, let me explain….( and you knew I would) Halloween is
the only time of the year that a women can dress like a total whore, and
its ok! Even the most unadulterated of women can dress like one of the
pussy cat dolls and its a ok! She won’t be judge because the Halloween
law protects them. And vice versa for women, who enjoy seeing guys
dressed like a roman gladiators.
So back to candy for adults…. it’s called eye candy, so u see candy is
involved for all age groups.

The important thing to remember that we as Halloween believers don’t see
it as a religious event, we don’t go out and sacrifice small children and
then have blood orgies, and speak in tongue, wishing in the lord of
darkness, we see it as a one day out of the year event to dress up in
costumes we think are cool, to be able to have our own month of spooky
happenings, all this fun and its still social expectable to the open
minded. So the next time some hater tries to hate on my Halloween, ill give them a
smile and wish them a happy holiday and let them ponder on what the hell
just happened.

Ghosted by mjsgrass @ 10/11/2006 4:08 PM EDT

For you New Yorkers
http://www.hudsonvalley.org/halloween/blaze.htm

Ghosted by threebeesatdisney @ 10/11/2006 4:43 PM EDT

Perhaps I am under estimating the initial fan base but I know no one around me at the time was into it. It came in 93 according to IMDb and I didn’t see this fanbase come about out until around 2004. So, I literally forgot about the existance of this movie for about 10 years and never had a single conversation that brought it up in that time.

Ghosted by dohopoki @ 10/11/2006 6:11 PM EDT

I don’t want to think about chicken while I am eating Doritoes.

Ghosted by Old E @ 10/11/2006 8:14 PM EDT

when Nightmare Before Christmas came out my parents wouldnt let me see it. now it is one of my favorites!

also…what happened to mr.T’s gold chains? its just not mr.T with out them, you know?

Ghosted by mightypiratekalypso @ 10/11/2006 8:34 PM EDT

i know this movie has had a cult following shortly after it’s release, i remember my mom had for some reason gotten me a bunch of toys from the movie, i was like wtf? and returned them for store credit to get video games or whatever.. and found out about a year or 2 later some of those toys had gone up in value to like $70-100 each?! cuz of all the people rabidly into the film trying to collect the merchandise – and the dolls were a short run, this was at least 10 years ago

Ghosted by drbong @ 10/11/2006 8:48 PM EDT

Yeah, all my high school friends were hugely into Nightmare back in the far off days of the late 90’s (ran with the goth kids) so you must’ve just missed the hype, doho. I guess that’s why it’s “cult” and not just plain old “classic”.
Muppet Baby, that totally sucks. I witnessed a hit-and-run recently and got so much satisfaction out of calling the 5-0 and busting the jerk. Hope things work out, good luck!
I didn’t need to be sold on Grindhouse (perhaps that’s obvious) but MACHINE GUN LEG! would’ve done it…I’ve actually been avoiding digging for info on it because it makes the wait for spring even more interminable, so it was an awesome and total surprise to see Danny Trejo kicking ass, taking names, and making time with fine ass tricks. Robert Rodriguez is so my hero. As for the Scream Awards, my money’s already on Dexter to win Best TV Series next year.
(Mr. T stopped wearing his gold chains after Hurricane Katrina, as a show of sensitivity if I’m not mistaken)

Ghosted by squee4242 @ 10/11/2006 9:49 PM EDT

I should go ahead and mention too that I never had any idea there were any toys for the movie until just this thread. Were they of quality?

Ghosted by dohopoki @ 10/11/2006 10:34 PM EDT

Maybe “Pokemon Pumpkin” is the actual name of that breed. I know it sounds weird, but it’s possible someone bred a psychedelic pumpkin and named it in 1999.

I got a little bit of Thanksgiving news for you. This year for the 80th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, they have brand new balloons of Flying Ace Snoopy and Pikachu as well as a giant Energizer Bunny float. Oh yeah!

A new ‘Chu? I thought for sure this would be the year in which he’d retire, but apparently not. Pikachu must be going for Garfield’s record.

Ghosted by Mars @ 10/14/2006 2:53 AM EDT

mozilla don’t work nowhere and firefox is bein bitched out

Ghosted by yo @ 10/17/2006 8:11 AM EDT

I must be a complete and utter Halloweiner but dear god after reading that I want one of those adorably creepy little rats so so so bad. And it can’t be just ANY stuffed rat. It has to be one from a gift shop that reeks of fertilizer and stocks rubber body parts.
Also mjsgrass is completely right. There’s a Christian school over here that celebrates ‘fall dressup day’. This makes me sad enough to break out my sad emoticon. :(

Ghosted by Dani @ 10/19/2006 1:29 AM EDT

Add A New Comment!


This entry was posted on Monday, October 9th, 2006 at 10:44 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.