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10/03/2007: The Halloween Mood Table.

Ehhh, you know what, I’m just going to have to be honest here and admit that I’m not feeling the “daily Halloween madness” this year, for whatever reason. And I don’t foresee tremendous joy for writer or reader if I force myself to do it everyday just because I said I would. I’d rather just add the entries when it feels right, because then the entries will feel right. Hope you understand.

I think a part of the problem is that much of the stuff I’ve found is certainly worth writing about and paying tribute to, but not at any tremendous length. It feels like a bit of a backwards progression at this stage of the game to stretch 400 words into 2000 just for the sake of length.

So, count on daily updates from here on out, but with a bigger split between official Countdown entries and smaller blog entries. Let’s start on that right now.

See that table? It’s no ordinary table. Up until a few years ago, Halloween was an excuse to cover every square inch of my living space with as many decorations as possible. In more recent times, such efforts haven’t been practical. For as much gusto as I always have when I’m putting up the decorations, there has twice as much laziness when it came to taking them down. Year after year, I’d see rubber spiders and cardboard witches next to the television set while watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and that’s plain wrong.

So, some time back, I came up with a solution: That table. If I wasn’t going to cover my entire apartment with animatronic Draculas and Freddy Krueger window clings, I’d at least make damn sure to saturate each and every centimeter of that little table with pure, concentrated Halloween goodness.

The good news is that small, dingy tables are by no means a tool exclusive to me. I assume that everyone has access to a small, dingy table of some sort. If you’re facing the same kind of decorating woes that I once did, salvation is at your fingertips. With a little love, you can turn an ordinary little side table into the Halloween capital of the universe:

I call it…Halloween Mood Table. It’s got everything I need to keep my holiday spirit healthy, and its presence is a constant reminder to indulge in the many spooky activities that are only really fun to do before Halloween comes around.

If you decide to create a Halloween Mood Table, it’s important to make it just for you. One of the inherent problems with decorating for the holidays is the notion that we’re prettying up our houses for someone else’s eyes. Who gives a shit about them? It’s your money, your time and your table. Don’t worry about charming the people who may or may not visit your home this October…just worry about charming yourself.

And since that’s the goal, I’m a little hesitant to tell you how to create one. It should be a mood table of your design and your design alone. On the other hand, I’m not sure that life will ever throw me another opportunity to make use of my exhaustive experience in building Halloween Mood Tables, so it seems like too much of a shame to not offer at least a few tips.

Key features of any Halloween Mood Table include…

1) A pumpkin. You need a pumpkin. A real pumpkin, I mean — not some faux, junky one. If you look at the calendar year, there are very, very few opportunities to transform fruit into decorations. Don’t blow this one. I recommend saving the official big carving pumpkin for another afternoon, and just using a little one for your mood table. This is partly to save space for other things, but mostly because little pumpkins are hella cute.

2) Candles. Make sure the candles are on or in some kind of safe holder that will allow you to burn them without worrying about setting all of the other mood table stuff ablaze. At no other time of year is candlelight more fun and appropriate, so take fucking advantage my friends. I like to incorporate a mix of the standard Halloween novelty candles (shaped like demon heads, bleeding hands, whatever) and at least one that just smells good. I’ve got one of those “autumn harvest” Glade deals on mine. Makes our entire apartment smell like pie!

3) Candy. You want to have a reason to consult your Halloween Mood Table on a regular basis, and a nice bowl of candy is a good way to guarantee that. Try to have a variety of sweets that all fall under the trick-or-treat “fun-sized” variety. We’re too old to go trick-or-treating for real, so now we get to sort of knock on our own doors and ask for candy.

4) Books & DVDs. I have three bookcases full of books and a fourth dedicated entirely to DVDs, but I always pull a few out and add them to the mood table. Aside from heightening the overall ambiance, the idea is this: If they’re on the mood table, I must read/watch the book/DVD before Halloween. As such, I try to pick some of the more obscure books and shittier horror DVDs in my collection. It’s kind of a cheat to put your favorites on there, because you’d read/watch them anyway.

5) Decorations. Duh. What I try to do is use decorations that just aren’t cool enough to work as “standalones” anywhere else. Make sure there are at least a few things of real, personal worth. Stuff that’s been with you for years. Look close, and you’ll see that Shrunken Apple Head I made like 45 years ago. Stuff like that.

Halloween Mood Tables take about 40 minutes to build, but they’ll keep your holiday tank fueled for a full month. I urge each of you to go find a tiny table right now and fill it with spooky crap.

EDIT: Just for kicks, and after some suggestions, I turned this one into a “real” Countdown entry.

I spy the Shrunken Head!
Halloween Mood Tables are a good idea. But it makes me realize that I have to go out and buy some more decorations!

Wow, I’m so close to the top! Helloooooooo all you late posters down thereeeerrrr! Look how hiiiiiigh I am!!!

The table rocks. I especially like the apperance of Transyvania 6-5000 and the Jason doll. Also, where in the world did you get that mini-table that the demon head candle is sitting on? Assuming it’s not some optical illusion, it looks like you’ve got–going from bottom to top–Halloween table, then weird demon looking head thing, mini-table, demon head candle. It’s like the wedding cake of your nightmares.

Random note–Tomorrow is my last day at my current job before I move out of town on Saturday, and I was supposed to be at work about an hour and 45 minutes ago, and instead I’m doing this. Oops.

Ok so now i’ve actually read it, and sadly claimed my second place on the podium i can say this is probably my favorite article this year. Original, and honest haha. I’m definately lacking the feeling i had previous years this year. The only decorating i’ve done is stick a big partycity pumpkin face in the window and put a halloween background on my desktop.

I’m definitely gonna create a Halloween mood table now, just to help myself a bit.

And i’m guessing that’s the first time you’ve lit that zombie candle you got Matt, no blood to report on yet?

Great Idea, I have more then enough Halloween crap. But its all fairly large. Maybe the fog machine will fit under the table…

Dan, if you keep calling this an “article” I won’t have to feel so bad about limiting the Countdown entries. Keep it up!

Yes, that was the first zombie lighting. I didn’t let it burn for long, but I started to see its waxy brain…I’m definitely in for good times.

Don’t force yourself to write, it’ll turn out crappy, and Halloween is supposed to be about fun! Just enjoy yourself and the season, and when you feel like writing, do it.

I can’t speak for anyone else here, but personally I think that small posts like this would be fine in the countdown as well. There aren’t any rules that say you have to write 2000 words, and besides, it’s your site, you make the rules. If I were you, I’d consider throwing this one on the countdown…

Thanks, and yeah, that’s pretty much it. Don’t want to churn out crap. Plus, I’m tired of the giant white font on the black page. I think of what articles will look like as I write them, and for some reason, knowing they will look like that makes every word I type feel like I’m paining my way through giant letters on a chalkboard. Small black Verdana on a white page is just easier, sometimes.

I don’t have a small dingy table. I am filled with dismay and chagrin. Of course, what with my computer desk, multiple bookshelves, and tiny apartment, I’m pretty sure that adding another piece of furniture to this place would cause a singularity that would collapse the universe. I mean, I’ve got shelves in here with three layers of paperbacks front to back. That’s gotta be causing some spacial distortion.

And i agree with Dr Sketch, you should stick this up on the front page as a bonafide countdown entry. It’s basically a nice little ‘how-to’ article on Halloween Mood Tables.

Which i believe weren’t an actual thing until this article, so that’s another bonus. There’s more to this article than you first thought Matt!

P.s. I think there’s now enough mentions of the word “article” on here to make it one by default. This could be the start of something wonderful ha.

I’m glad to see I’m not the only person with an Optimash Prime in public sight!

Matt- I am a little ashamed to say that I sold about half of my Halloween decorations at a yard sale this last weekend. I just had too much that I didn’t put out or didn’t like anymore, but with the sale of each piece I kept thinking, “I really hope Matt wouldn’t be disappointed in me for this.” But then I’d get the cash in hand and start thinking about other cool crap to get, so I didn’t feel TOO bad!

Stick a candy corn up each and every nostril, put on Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (or Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust) on your DVD player, some Dr Demento Hallowe’en programs on the stereo, a pair of Jack O’Lantern boxers (preferably on your head), and howl like Count Floyd for about fifteen minutes. That will help your mood quite a bit, believe you me.

Maybe the fact that it’s still humid and will be 82 tomorrow in the NY area that you’re not feeling Halloweeny yet? I know I’m not and I also LOVE Halloween. I’m just starting to slowly delve into my horror DVDs, but slowly….

LOVING the mood table, Matt. And as a student of a creative writing class, I agree that the best writing is the stuff that comes when the mood “feels right”. This is also an ARTICLE, in my opinion. A ‘how-to’ article, even.

As far as I was concerned this was an official Countdown entry. I had no idea it wasn’t till I heard otherwise. I still consider it to be. It’s definitly Countdown quality. And I agree, write what you’re inspired to write when you want to. It should be more about fun than obligation.

This is the first year that I might actually have the time and means to decorate a little–Not to the extent that I would like to, but more than I ever have before. I’ll have to run some of it by the new roommie, but I think she’ll be cool with it. I’ll be content just to leave it to the confines of my bedroom if I have to; Halloween Mood Table and all.

Ooh, and Friday night I get to do my first official Halloween thing–going on a spook trail ride! Oh, and for those of you who might be wondering, yep I’m still playing hooky from work. Was supposed to be there 2 and a half hours ago. Guess I better throw on some clothes and head out the door. Oh well, tomorrow’s my last day. I think I’ll just run out giggling and pushing people in the bushes!

Sorry for the dp, but it was nice to actually see some Jones Soda. I’ve read so much about it on the site, but as far as I know they don’t sell it anywhere around here. Where can I get my hands on some? It looks like a good time.

Ah, Halloween Jones. I was excited at the prospect of a candy corn-flavored soda when I first came across it a few years back, but it tasted more like syrup than candy corn. I was sorely disappointed.

Matt, I need to see that Zombie Head burn… Any chance of filming it or setting up a webcast of said burning? That would probably be the best thing that’s ever happened on the worldwide internets.

Sometimes I like the Verdana on White as oppose the the chalkboard flavor because somehow it seems more like your writing directly to us, the x-e’rs, instead of the random masses.

My eyeball prints are all over that table.
Do i see a pair of those ridiculous skull glasses that come w/candy in your candy bowl??

When my halloween mood needs a boost I get it from the more mundane, for me its mostly a nostalgia thing, I watch Halloween, Monster Squad, Goonies, Monster House, Night of the Creeps, anything with a small fake town in the midwest, and a slightly creepy vibe. I want to move to Haddonfield, Il. Also photo albums and costume planning help. I need to find a party first though… I beeter go watch Something Wicked This Way Comes before my mood fails.

Has anyone noticed that TV isn’t really holding up its end on this? They are supposed to have themed moody ads and shit. iwant McDonald’s commercials with the McBoo pails, and Simpsons halloween toys at Burger King, Monstervision, TV specials and Movie marathons. My local TV Horror Host, since ten years before I was born. Retired this summer, no more Dr. Madblood. sucks, I feel like that should be a part of my halloween but its gone now. TV needs to own up, I need some creepy.

Yeah, I agree with whoever said this is probably the best article so far (I’m too lazy to scroll back up or I’d give credit where it’s due). I actully do the same thing, although I didn’t have a dead-on snazzy name like “mood table” for it (at least I didn’t until now). Mine is usually in a corner of the room, so I also balance a framed horror movie poster on the back edge of the table, leaning it’s top against the wall. Makes it look kinda like an altar. This year it’s “Night of the Living Dead.” The one with the close up of the zombie child. Also, placement’s important because you want to be able to see the table while you’re watching spookshows on the TV. If I wasn’t at work, I’d post a pic somewhere and link to it.

I think you’re absolutely right, Vanbild-
The only thing even remotely halloweeny about TV is the occasional Horror flick on Cable…But even those are rare.
I remember being able to turn on the the TV late at night-EVERY night-and find a horror movie on. Especially around October.
What happened??

Great article. I have the perfect table for this…and then I think I’ll throw a christmas tree on top of it when Halloween is over…it can do double duty!

I set my DVR to tape anything with Peter Cushing, Bela Lugosi, Bruce Campbell… etc. and its great I got the Beast Must Die the other night, fun movie, but no commercial bumper acknowledging that the movie is being aired because of the season. I miss MonsterVision and all that. Blah, speaking of halloween movies, anyone got a good recommendation, I work at a video store and am running out of new stuff to watch. For the season I like to watch alot of 80’s stuff, cheesy, monsters, little gore, generally low budget, Monster Squad while not my favorite movie of the type is really a prime example. Any recommendations?

I’ve also noticed the lack of Halloween spirit on TV. Hell, they’re not even advertising fall-like things like sweaters all that much. I wish somebody would show some horror flicks, preferably ones I haven’t seen yet. I hate renting movies, but there’s a list as long as my leg of stuff I need to see…

Also, do they even show any of those animated specials anymore? I swear, I’ve missed It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown every fucking year for far too long now. I’ll tape it this year if it kills me!

Okay, I didn’t want to have to admit this, but I think I need to. My new apartment is awesome: it’s twice as big as my old apartment, it has a backyard, my cat can live with me, I can grill on the back porch, it’s closer to the college and my fiance lives with me… but I don’t like it as much as my old apartment when it comes to decorating for Halloween. And I’m really going to hate it around Christmas. The old apartment was so tiny, I could practically coat the walls and floor with Halloween decorations. Now, I feel the need to go out and blow a couple hundred dollars on more Halloween decorations just for the living room! I’m sad. So sad.

Anyway, this was an excellent article/blog post, Matt. That’s the way my kitchen table was at the old apartment. Despite the rest of the house being slathered with orange and black, the kitchen table was like my little Halloween Shrine. Now that table is out on the back porch, covered in dead leaves and bird poop and my Halloween spirit must be shoved underneath it.

Matt that was such an inspiration. More people need to realize that having things around that mean something to them, no matter how trivial or disposable it may be, can really make life more enjoyable.

Not to stray from the topic, but what are some things you guys have that would seem completely worthless to someone else but hold a lot of memories for you? One of mine is little PVC figurines from Disney World. They’ll always be on my desk.

Ps - I bought a McBoo at a garage sale the other day! Who would get rid of that this close to Halloween?

If I had to pick any one random item to save if the place was on fire, it’d be this kickass Easter Island Tiki statue my brother gave to me like 15 years ago. He says he got it from the Polynesian at Disney World like 15 years before that.

Wow, that’s cool. I don’t know if you’re a graphics nerd like me, but I have a vector eps file of the Polynesian logo. Haven’t used it for anything, but who knows when it could come in handy. I have it for the Contemporary too, let me know if you want a copy!

Haha, I have that Dracula and some of his friends. Things freak me out when I walk by them late at night.

Matt, I don’t know how you do it, but you just keep getting better and better.

You have always rocked, and you will always rock, but today you just rock all kinds of special.

You should just do shorter countdown entires if that is the case.
Look at the first year. those countdown entires were really short, yet you still had one every day. even this last blog post was more then enough to be a decent sized countdown entry.
while every articel may not be a winner if things are limited to being done this way, atleast there will be a full selection of countdown articles for posterity sake.

One of the best things in the countdown is reliving past articles from years past. That will be made nearly impossible if you move that to the blog.

sorry for the double post, but just wanted to add that another reaosn to do this is becuase the countdown articles just dont feel right when read on a white background without bricks in the back.

While I haven’t watched the show in full, around here we have “Macabre Theatre” with Ivonna Cadaver.

I wonder if stores basically putting up Christmas aisles at the same time Halloween ones has anything to do with it feeling less Halloweeny this year. Although my mom for some reason seems to be in the Halloween mood this year. We’ve been to a ton of places looking at various Halloween decorations. Plus, she been buying scarecrows this year (the cute smiling kind, but that still counts to me)

Guys, forgive me if I’m extremely late to the party and someone has already made mention of this, but Wal-Mart has Boo Berry- and Frankenberry-flavored “Fruit By the Foot”!!! Never seen it before, so I assume it’s brand spankin’ new.

Matt! Good call. Do what feels right, my friend. And don’t listen to anyone that feels like they should have a right to dictate what you do. Let them run their own Countdown their way.
So what kind of books go on a Halloween Mood Table? I know, I know, individualism and all that, but give me a clue. I was planning on turning the little alcove our wet bar is in into the Halloween zone, but I have a dingy table that would be just perfect.

I don’t have any books that are pertinently Halloween. So instead, I have decided that my PS2 copy of Constantine is going on my table

Is a pumpkin a fruit or a vegetable? My girlfriend and I have had lengthy discussions about this. Anyone know? Not that it really matter but… Great post by the way.

“A pumpkin is a squash fruit that grows as a gourd…Although the pumpkin is botanically classified as a fruit (the ripened ovary of a flowering plant), it is widely regarded culinarily as a vegetable.”

honestly i much prefer the shorter articles, i rarely finish the longer articles anyway, and sometimes dread reading them when i see how much text is involved, sorry

I can honestly say that I have never really distinguished between the formal articles and the blog update things. Content is content.

I don’t spend as much time teaching James Monroe as I do George Washington BUT I DO TEACH MONROE. Dig?

Speaking of not feeling the daily Halloween-iness, I have yet to decorate my equivalent to the Halloween table: the classroom. Too busy I guess.

Mrs Manimal wont let me decorate the house so it is all I got.

i’m not really feeling the halloween spirit either but i think that’s just cuz it’s been a shitty year, and it seems especially hot/sunny

DJ D i think u can find jones soda at target, and that “mini table” looks like some type of serving dish to my eyes

Hey Matt, I noticed from the pic above and your comment that you have both the Black and Red Licorice Jones soda flavours. Have you tried either of them yet? Sad to say, I tried the Red Licorice flavour a week ago.

Nice table Matt without the spooky crap and with it. And you still have that shrunken head? Um ew?

I really i mean REALLY REALLY REALLY I want to go to the yakima county fair this weekend. My best friend can’t go he’s working (he works from 5 pm to 5 am weds through sun) I live in Hermiston Oregon. I don’t have a ride! So is there someone that is going that could give me a ride? I might be able to give you some extra bucks (to pay for carnival rides or whatever)

So lurkers, come out of hiding and email me, regulars email me too! Is someone in your family going? ARE YOU going? This is THIS Saturday and I want to stay until probably 11 (to see the performer) It just seems like I can afford to go but I don’t have transportation! So far yet so close to this! Maybe your not planning on going but this post motivates you to go? Thank you guys. There has to be just some decent people out there that aren’t assholes or serial killers that are going

They’re definitely selling Halloween Jones Soda at Target…I saw them the other day, and thought of X-E. Also, we just started decorating our dorm today…my roomie has decided that we have to compete with everyone else in our building, so it should be pretty awesome pretty soon. The folks next door have us beat at the moment though–they put a giant spider with cobwebs out in the hall.

That’s surprisingly awesome. I may have to just do that myself. Is that Transylvania 6-5000 I see there? Kramer at his best. Did you get that ’80s Campy Classics set too?

Modern Halloween decorations are starting to annoy me. They’re becoming too silly looking and, I dunno, “unclassical” I guess. I know Halloween shouldn’t actually be traumatizingly scary, but is it really so much to ask that a cardboard skeleton just look like a skeleton, without it having goofy crossed eyes and a big cartoony tongue hanging out?

I agree Monte I also don’t like Modern Christmas decorations. Use white lights instead of those colorful blinking lights that blink with the music or whatever! And the motorized santas augh…

I’m honestly surprised you still have the shrunken apple head. I’d have thought it would’ve turned mushy and started stinking by now, but apparently not if you still have it.

that campy 80s box set is the bomb, if u mean the one with transylvania 6-5000, elvira, return of the killer tomatoes, that weird grace jones movie, etc

I’m loving the table. It took me a good minute and a half to find Mr. Shrunken Apple Head!

His hair blends in so well with Jason. That in itself is spooky.

Matt, I really hope you picked up the spooky Mr. Potato Head. He’s so cool, and only 5 bucks!

I love this idea!! I wonder if I can convince my parents that our stylish glass coffee table needs to be turned into a Halloween shrine? I’m not entirely sure what I’d put on it though…we don’t really have a lot of decorations.

Maybe I’ll throw some of the fifty million horror movie DVDs I bought with money that I was saving for school this year on it.

Oh, and it’s totally cold and autumn-ish here!! It’s great, and it happened practically overnight too, about three weeks ago. Hot and summery to cold and blustery in about one day flat. I hate summer anyway, so I’m REALLY happy about it.

Hey Matt - is that some sort of Freddy Krueger chalice on your shelf??? That’s awesome.

Nahh, I don’t really need to use a table. I live in an apartment that’s not really that big of a deal to decorate, and while I do have a fair amount of Halloween stuff, it usually takes me an hour to put up and take down, tops. It IS a good idea for people with a lot of stuff to put out but not a lot of time to do so, though.

It made me happy inside to see everyone’s favorite Christopher-Lloyd-ish shrunken head once again.

hey, that table thing is a good idea. That way the stuffs not spread around the house when it’s time to clean up. I spent a day last week at Target with my son testing out all the sound effects props. It’s always the cheap and free outings that make him the happiest.

You know, it’s like they always say that Anything may happen on Halloween, Your dog could turn into a cat!
There may even be a toad in your bass guitar!

Shame about the countdown, I think you’re still a little tired from the extended summer megaparty. (that’s alot of updates!)

Awesome table, I think I’ll make something similar and fill it up with candy.
Does anyone plan on going to Halloween Horror Nights in either Hollywood, or Orlando? This year features three fantastic ghouls - Freddy, Jason, and Leatherface! I think Marry Shaw also has a spook house - but fuck her.

Vanbilderass: Yeah, I share your frustration with the lack of overall quality Halloween spirit on TV. Where’s our spooky McDonalds commercials and prime-time Halloween specials? The only station around here that’s getting into the spirit at all is Chiller TV, the horror cable channel. They’re running some movie marathons, but it’s not too impressive. I really miss Joe Bob Briggs too. I used to watch him all the time when I was a kid. As for movie recommendations, Monster Squad is one of my fave horror movies of all time. I got the special 20th anniversary edition that came out a while back and have been saving it for the right time when I can sit down and watch the movie and all the special features and such all in one go. I would also suggest Fright Night and the aformentioned Elvira: Mistress of the Dark and The Midnight Hour.

Tommy: I’ve got a blue Jansport bookbag that’s just completely attached to me. I take it just about everywhere I go. I’ve had it for about 16 years and it’s been all around the world with me. It’s got a hole in the top of it that’s been sewn up and come apart twice. I’ve given up on trying to keep it sewn together. It’s got an old, yellow “The Cure” patch and some buttons. It’s a Jansport with a suede leather bottom and when I finally decide to retire it, I’m going to get another blue Jansport bag exactly like it.

nogood Thanks for the Jones Soda tip. When I head to Target in a couple of weeks to finally go on my big Halloween shopping spree, I’ll have to check it out. Yeah, I really dig that serving tray, especially the yellow, shrunken head guy that’s holding it up.

We’re not doing much of anything at McDonald’s this Halloween. Kind of disappointing. We have the Monopoly game, but no Halloween stuff! Further updates as events warrant.

penmissile: I so wish I could make it to the Orlando thing. Damn my brokedness. Damn it all to hell. Oh, and it’s absolutely impossible for me to look at your name and not see “penismissile”. Just thought you’d like to know.

matt, you could write in 6 point San Fransisco font with a flashing pink and green background and I’d still read every word…just don’t stop writing!

I listened to Rocky Horror Picture Show at work this morning before we opened the doors. All of my coworkers stared at like I was some kind of thing

I’m never one for rushing or antagonizing you for making a short blog post into a countdown article, but I want more Ghost With The Most!

The “New” Halloween Jones Sodas intrigue me. Bubblegum in a “Scary” bottle? I’m in.

Don’t have a target nearby? Check Waldbaums, they actually sell Jones now too. I also found that Lemon Drop got an upgrade to REGULAR FLAVOR!

I’m actually sad that the case of Ecto Cooler didn’t mae it to the table…But the Optimash Prime and the Rankin-Bass DVD were also great finds in addition to the Shrunken Head.

Ok, so I must be blinder than usual, cause I’m not seeing the Optimash Prime. Where is he?

i may be way off.. but that bottle of black licorice Jones looks like it has a picture of you on it.. - i mean, i know anybody can submit those pictures.. but it reminds me a lot of some of the real old articles where you donned vampiric and other makeup..

Brian — It’s not me, unless I’ve been mistaken and I actually do look a heck of a lot like a zombified Christina Ricci. I wish. :/

That thing looks like an add on for a Sims game. Click that tile and watch everyone put on ghost sheets. It’s good to see you doing your best to not fizzle out and phone it in although the countdown revamp is disheartening. I’m still thinking about the jewish dracual debate spawned in the earlier thread though, so that keeps my spirits high.

I always wanted to get a photo onto a bottle of Jones. Didn’t they offer customizing at one time?
I just got to a desktop and caught up on a bunch of videos and whatnot. “Happy Halloween from the Ghostbusters” is so becoming my default LJ icon for the month. It will go well with the GIF of Ernie Hudson bout to get run over by the ghost train. And that Jason/Arsenio interview might be the greatest thing I’ve ever seen.

Jay: Don’t worry. All told, I probably won’t miss many more days than I usually do in October. I’m just giving myself a license to write well instead of fast.

And, to be honest, my attitude about the whole thing has vastly improved since posting this earlier today, so I don’t think it’ll be so bad.

That happens to me allot. I came up with this really good idea for a story I want to write, I just haven’t gotten started on it not sure why, just now feeling it.

wouldn’t it be rocking if someone gave away Halloween versions of the Jones cola glass bottles? A little heavy for the trick or treaters but fun

I want to get a bunch of those mini moon pies (and keep them away from Billy! ’shakes finger’) and hand those out to trick or treaters this year. I can afford to. Would that be neat?

I saw a Freddy Krueger mask and glove set for $10. I wanted it so much…and then I realized that I have no money. It broke my heart a little bit.

“Oh, and it’s absolutely impossible for me to look at your name and not see ‘penismissile’. Just thought you’d like to know.”

Not very Halloweeny, but I’m off to my old hometown for OKTOBERFEST Yeah boy!

Thx for the “Halloween Decorating Tips” Matt, Watch out Martha Stewart..There’s a new kid in town! Think I will designate a small part of my desk at work for a personal Halloween Mood Area!

Yeah, I think the whole TV aspect of Halloween has been slowly ebbing away for years. Hopefully we’ll get some decent marathons closer to the day itself.

Oh, and if you haven’t ever heard the song “Re: Your Brains,” you owe it to yourself to click my name.

What tv network has time to air anything Halloween related when they have such quality programming such as Cavemen and Carpoolers?

I’m not sure if this is available nationwide or just in the Seattle area. I’m pretty sure you can order it off the Jones Soda website if you’re insane.

I love this idea! I have to make a table tonight!! And then it can be a Thanksgiving table and a Christmas table and then I guess I’ll have to think of something to do with it between January and September next year.

I think this is my favorite countdown entry so far this year!! The countdown has gone really far to get me into the halloween spirit, I read all the old entried again and it is truly all hallow’s eve in my soul. I’m not sure what it is, but I’ve been very into the ghoultide season this year- had my orange lights and pumpkin candle going for weeks now. And my netflix queue is full of scary movies so i’ll be fully stocked until the 31st.

Wia, if this one is a real countdown entry, why is it not on this year’s countdown entry list.

Thanks so much for the countdown, Matt. I moved to Germany in May and the lack of Halloween-ness here is absolutely heartbreaking.

Btw, was that bleeding zombie candle lit in that pic? *wants a video of said candle being all oozy*

Anywho, just got back from Wal Mart and saw one of the most awesome things ever. Since I haven’t had much time to post, I haven’t had much time to read other posts, so pardon me if this has been mentioned already, but they have two new (at least new to me) Fruit By The Foot flavors:

Frankenberry (strawberry, obviously) which I didn’t buy so I’m not sure of the clever re-name.

Boo Berry “Razzle Boo Blitz” which I DID buy because, well, Boo Berry is only the world’s greatest cereal. Fact.

Matt, something else for the mood table: The Paul Lynde Halloween Special, out this week on DVD!!!

Srsly, though, my local CVS is actually supplying some of this years dose of Jones Halloween Soda. Been low on cash lately, but, as soon as I saw them I HAD to buy all four kinds!

Haven’t tried them yet, letting them cool in the fridge for bout an hour as I hate drinking soda warm as well as having ice-cubes get in the way.

OMG Matt, you have to watch this! This is the perfect idea for that bleeding Skull Fountain, if you don’t mind just using it for a fountain, and not as a punch bowl…

That Paul Lynde special sounds amazing! I’d like to try those Fruit by the Foot flavors too, since I can never bring myself to buy a box of the cereal, knowing I’ll never eat it.
Nobody ever reported back on how Cavemen was, did they? I had a convo with my buddy about it:
Not me: Did you watch the Cavemen show?
Me: no! I heard it was lame ahead of time so I didn’t but now I wish I had
Not me: It was really bad
(some discussion about what racial stereotypes they’re taking advantage of)
Not me: Quote from Cavemen: Are you on her top 8 on FaceSpace?
Me: The fuck? facespace?

Now I’m kind of preoccupied with the whole facespace thing. I get not wanting to say MySpace, with the whole rival network thing, but just use Facebook instead!! So lame.

Hey Shuan, you around? Did you like the newest Reaper? I wondered if it would still be good without Kevin Smith directing, and I was glad to see it was.

I somehow posted a message meant for this entry in the one for the Judd Dracula thing. I think that’s a sign that I should not stay awake for 28 hours.

That’s why I love it when Matt takes pictures like that Mood table you can almost spend hours finding every little detail. That picture when you posted a list of things you wanted us to find in the picture, that killed at least 2 hours! It was a lot of fun, you should do that again sometime.

I like that too, Goob. When I notice stuff in the background that I can remember reading about on the site previously, it makes me feel special for some reason.

And I still haven’t been able to get an Optimash Prime, though my fiance has a Softimus Prime, which is pretty rad.

Monte, it’s not lack of sleep that made ya do it.
The ‘drop a comment’ link on the countdown article version of this entry is incorrectly linked to the Judd Dracula article.
Are you listening Matt ?

Reading my comment back the “are you listening Matt ?” sounds rude. I didn’t mean it that way, I meant it friendly-ly.
I’m so worried about being misunderstood on here!

The DVD market and distribution rights are where the movie business makes it real money now. In fact currently the only reason theatrical releases still exist is to create interest for when the DVD comes out.

I totally think the Doc Brown Shrunken Head should be the “host” of next years Halloween Countdown.

Ya know what, screw it, he should be the narrator of the Advent Calender this year. Image how awesome he’d look with a Santa hat.

knegative it seems like anymore it comes out really quickly. I am surprised at some of them like Noah almighty, ark almighty or whatever that movie is called lol. And the Transformers movie. I remember reading all you guys telling me how you liked it/didn’t like it.

Free at last, free at last!!! Today was my last day at work! I’ve been training at my new job for the last 3 weekends while working Mon-Fri at my current job and today not only was my last day at my old job, but it finally ended my long stretch of working 25 days somewhere (at one job or another) straight without a single day off. I’ll spend tomorrow cutting the grass around here and packing, then Saturday I move. Sunday I’ll sleep. A lot.

I had a great day. Told my job to shove it. Then went to see my godmother, who’s an optician and she hooked me up with an eye exam and new contacts. Then we went out to dinner and had my fave type of food in the world–Japanese hibachi–then I came home, hopped on here, read a little, posted this, and now I’m off to bed. Oh, and at work, since it was my last day they gave me a card and one of those big pizza sized chocolate chip cookies. I love those things. Sorry for the completely unrelated post. Just wanted to spread the ‘take this job and shove it’ cheer.

Oh, and the Countdown’s getting better and better. I’d love to see the Paul Lynde thing. Talk about a “Fruit by the Foot.”

Seriously Matt you need to add one of those remember me check boxes. That would help out.

Ok, so I just saw a VISA commercial about Christmas shopping. What in the f–k?

To be more clear, I don’t remember hearing much in the way of criticism or praise for it before its quick exit. There was mention of it over at Shrine, but it wasn’t anywhere near the normal level of discussion.

Did it just sink like a stone, or was it decent? I’m the kind of guy who is going to see almost any superhero/comic movie and enjoy it on some level. Unless I actively dislike the subject matter/character. E.g., Superman.

I don’t really mind that movies are getting to DVD quicker and quicker, overall. I can’t fathom living in a time when there was no way to watch movies at home. So, they watched it in the theatres (mostly likely once) and then maybe it ended up on TV eventually? I don’t know. It seems horrific in my head. Not being able to watch movies over and over *shudder*

Man, the Planet Terror DVD isn’t out for another week and a half yet. It’s okay though, because I went to Big Lots for mood table stuff and I got a DVD containing Revolt of the Zombies, Night of the Living Dead and best of all, Hard Rock Zombies, where the band apparently rises from the dead “to stop Hitler by rocking one final time”. Plus a friend lent me the book I Am Legend, about post-apocaplyptic vampires, so I’m stocked.
DJ D, congrats on making it through! Good luck at your new job.

Speaking of new television shows, I hope I am not the only one that decided to watch Pushing Daisies Wednesday night. I thought it was pretty damn awesome. The first ten minutes of the pilot were fantastic. I will say that I am not convinced it will ever be better than it was during those first ten minutes, or that they can stretch out the quirkiness over an entire season (or series run), but I really liked it.

RE: Cavemen: Am I the only one here that actually watched it? No, not that I am proud of that or anything. It was actually one of those moments where I was flipping through the guide menu from my cable provider and I saw the program had just started. I had nothing else to watch and thought to myself, “oh yeah, that cavemen show that I first read about two months ago and thought it was a horrible, yet priceless idea.” There was nothing particularly memorable about the premiere. It mostly revolved around interracial jokes, err sort of, and was forgettable. It was like one of their commercials had been extended to 30 minutes, and broken up by even more commercials. It wasn’t the worst thing I had ever seen… but that is easy to say since every joke on the show has been witnessed by every casual TV viewer at least 78 times in the last year. It is a bit like hanging out with your friends after you’ve paid them each $500 to act like cliche male sitcom characters, and oh yeah, wear fake cavemen makeup as well.

Pushing Daisies on the other hand… that may actually be good for a few months. Recommended.

Weird. Folks are selling several hundred pumpkins from a lot about a block away from my house. If that doesn’t get you into the Halloween spirit, I don’t know what will.

got the planet terror dvd and it’s nice

that and death proof are must haves imo

i liked fantastic four 2 alright, liked it a lot better than the first one which was practically unwatchable to me + jessica alba looks especially hot with her fake blue eyes and blonde hair

i don’t think these dvd rushes indicate a flop anymore, that’s just the way they’re doing it now. they probably figure they’ll be pirated anyway so they’re gettin them out there as soon as possible.. and as somebody mentioned for the smaller movies a theatrical release is pretty much promo for the dvd these days

Well, it’s a different world these days. DVD is a lot bigger business than VHS ever was, and there are signs that even direct-to-DVD might not be the same shallow money trench it once was. Just look at how it’s affected titles like Family Guy, Futurama, and Firefly. Futurama is releasing what amounts to a new season on DVD, and there are persistent rumors that Firefly might do the same.

It will be a shame if we end up telling our grandkids about the old movie palaces we used to go to, and I still go to the actual theater at least once a week, but DVD releases might just represent a niche in which beloved but non-mainstream titles can thrive.

And good lord, that post couldn’t see the actual topic of discussion on a clear day. Hurrah tangents.

i feel u tho. the movie theaters in my area still seem to be doing ok, but it’s kinda sad seeing all the video rental places closed up. both the blockbuster and the hollywood video in my neighborhood have shut down this year. i guess everybody’s moving on to netflix, downloading, etc..

I’m kind of annoyed they’re releasing the Grindhouse movies seperately, but it doesn’t surprise me at all. Why not milk as much out of it as you can? I think I’ll wait on the eventual box set with both movies and fake trailers all together. Oh, and how are they handling the trailers then? Does Planet Terror have any of them attached?

squee4242: …”to stop Hitler by rocking one final time.” That’s it. I’m sold. I have to see this movie.

Magic Toy: I saw Pushing Daisies and thought it was great! I agree too, I wonder if they’ll be able to keep up the quirkiness of it without it becoming stale. My prediction is eventually, maybe several seasons from now if it lasts that long, Chuck will eventually want to die (i.e. leave the show) and they’ll get their kiss, or his ability will change somehow and he’ll be able to touch her without her dying. Hell, even Mulder and Skully eventually had their moment, well sort of–if not for that pesky mutated bee.

There are so many movies out there that gain nothing from the cinematic experience. To me, unless it’s an epic movie with dazzling photography, or an action movie (or maybe something like a horror movie that is improved with the group dynamic), it just doesn’t make sense to pay $10+ a ticket and spend at least 90 minutes in a chair I can’t get comfortable in, near people who’ll probably distract me somehow. I’d rather wait a couple months, have it show up at my door for a fraction of the price, curl up on the couch and watch it in my PJs. I did hear that theater owners are raising a big stink with the studios, claiming that the quick turnaround is hurting their sales.

Does anyone know where I can get a list of Halloween TV specials or movies? I’m trying to find the name of one that was on TV in the early 90s. I only remember that one of the main characters was a little boy whose mom had died.

Lori: Yeah, I totally agree. I’m fairly selective in what I bother to shell out my $10 and 2 hours of my time in a theater to see. Usually if it doesn’t have some sort of horror/sci-fi/action element to it I don’t bother. I try to pick movies that can take full advantage of the screen and great sound system you get in there. There are loads of quirky comedies or dramas that I would like to see when they come out but like you said, seeing them on a big screen really doesn’t enhance them at all so why shell out all that money? And am I the only one that loves going to the movies in the middle of the day on like a Tuesday when there’s nobody there? It’s like my own little private viewing.

Sound like “Mission From Mars.” CGI Martians come to Earth one Hallowe’en and help a single-parent family save a old mill/candy factory from Polly Holliday and Richard Moll. Sponsored by M&M/Mars. Climatic scene: Boy skips a stone across the dry lake bed, and with each skip, the lake fills up a bit more.

i still want a double set too, seeing the extra scenes are cool but overall i liked the theatrical version better

Matt, if you haven’t been yet or soon to be going, the Travel Channel has a new show about the ghosts of Gettysburg tonight. Just FYI.

Candice: I remember that one! All I’ve ever been able to remember was the candy corn.

Question for everyone: Does anyone else give Halloween presents? My fiance thought I was insane when I asked him what he was getting me for Halloween. I thought lots of people gave gifts…?

Special K: I believe you should get gifts only if you have the most sincere pumpkin patch around.

I actually buy my husband cards, candy, and sometimes silly gifts (glow in the dark workout pants with pumpkins on them), but he’s German and doesn’t like Halloween very much (except for carving pumpkins), so I don’t expect anything, lol.

My girlfriend and I get eachother Halloween presents. In fact, we literally spend more money buying skulls with blinking red eyes and ghost pillowcases in October than we do on anything for Christmas.

Well, as much as my parents hate Halloween, they always bought me, like, a ghost beanie baby and some snap beads or something. So I thought people always gave gifts for Halloween until I was about 17 years old.

This is the first I’ve heard of buying presents for Halloween, but I’m all for it. I guess it’s cause my birthday is 2 days after Halloween and if I get any presents around that time it’s for my birthday anyway. But, I think I’m going to see if I can talk my friends into this whole Halloween present thing. Sounds like something we would be doing anyway.

This Halloween gift thing is a foreign concept to me, and I’d like to hear more about it. Are gifts exchanged at day or night? Are they wrapped?

I usually put the gifts in a trick or treat bag, but I don’t wrap them. It’s always fun to put the candy stuff on the top and wacky stuff under them. The person who gets the bag is excited about the candy, then slowly gets more weirded out as he digs deeper. (’She doesn’t really expect me to wear this, does she? This is too bizarre.’)

I’m vehemently opposed to giving gifts on Halloween. Between birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, weddings, etc., I can’t take another holiday when we have to shell out more cash. Besides, isn’t giving trick or treaters candy enough “giving”?

I kinda feel the same way, KJX. I don’t need another gift-giving holiday to make me feel guilty for never having enough money to buy people shit.

Also, I really wanted to see Pushing Daisies, but I work until 11PM every night, so I won’t be able to catch it until it sees a DVD release. Boo.

Oh, and channel 43 is showing 28 Days Later either tomorrow or Sunday afternoon (I forget) and sometime later that day they’re showing A Nightmare on Elm Street 2. Sounds awesome and Halloween-y (and heavily edited), but I probably won’t get to catch that, either…

When I was little, my parents put my gifts in my trick or treat bag before I went out so I could “discover” them. After that they lost all creativity and just put them on the coffee table with a card. Then they stopped doing it altogether when I started getting “weird” because they thought they were encouraging it. LOL

I don’t think you have to give elaborate gifts for Halloween, just fun stuff to remember the holiday by that will last longer than candy. Maybe a t-shirt or some goofy Halloween socks, silly things like that. Candy gets eaten, but those ghost and pumpkin beanie babies mom and dad gave me when I was 12 go with my Halloween decorations every year. I’ve given Halloween gifts to boyfriends in the past… on year I bought a guy the Vampire Dictionary and gave him a card. This year I’m not sure what I’ll give my fiance, but it will be something small and non-edible so he can keep it and remember our first Halloween together.

My family is so enamored of Halloween that when you look in out garage to see the decoration bins, of the maybe 15 out there, 3 are for Christmas but about 8 are for Halloween (and counting, Target’s got some neat tombstones this year). Since I now have my own bedroom, I’m decking that bitch out this weekend with everything scary and witchy (halfway there; my Silent Hill posters have stopped peeling themselves off my wall).

As I write this, David Attenboruough (sp?) is telling me about a pod of killer orca murdering a grey whale. Man, I love Blue Planet.

I know how it can be to feel burnt out Matt. I just hope that you do the Christmas Advert Calendar this year. I know you didn’t want to do it last year. I’ve got a lot of commercials that you can have Matt. How can I send them to you?

I gotta say, normally I love Halloween but it’s really dull this year. My Target doesn’t seem to have as many decorations as years prior and what they do have is repeats or nothing exciting (except the maggot that makes noises!). And all the other stores seem to be following suit. Is it just me? I fear for the future of Halloween. And now I feel like this is the beginning of a bad movie.

What’s really weird that I have been abnormally nostalgic lately. I’m feeling like I did when i was in middle school (roughly a million years ago), really excited for the fall season. I’ve had to quit my job for school but despite the increased stress, I’m feeling pretty good about this Halloween.

Its prolly cuz we just got a house after living in an apartment for about 5 years. I’m so stoked with anticipation over scaring kids while they get candy; we haven’t had kids come for candy in aforementioned years.

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