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10/26/2009: Halloween Mood DVDs: The Mega Review!

Wow, what a score! We visited our local “Halloween City” last night, which is sort of like a lower-rent Spirit in a much vaster space. Taking the place of a former Circuit City, it was an enormous warehouse full of costumes, decorations and totally random, awesome shit.

Unlike the Spirit stores, where everything is Spirit-branded and there’s just a more polished “feel” to everything, Halloween City serves more as a liquidator for old store stock. Yeah, all of 2009’s hottest costumes and decorations were out in full force, but with a Circuit City-sized store to fill, they also dusted off Halloween goods that I hadn’t seen in ten years or more. (One example: They had a few Robocop kiddie costumes leftover from the early ’90s.)

There was also a terrific section closer to the registers, filled will all sorts of cheap Halloween bric-a-brac. Really inane, old and pointlessly magnificent stuff, running the gamut from gag store X-ray specs to large bags of rubber millipedes with header cards that said “BUGS” and absolutely nothing else. The best part? It was all dirt cheap. I’m used to Halloween stores marking everything up by 5000%, but this random selection of oddities seemed more like a spooky yard sale. I snatched up everything that the lone $20 bill in my wallet could cover, and among the treasures was the focus of today’s post: Halloween Mood DVDs!

You know those “virtual fireplace” DVDs that stores sell during the Christmas season? Well, they have the same deal going for Halloween. It started with the “Ghoul Log” (sixty minutes of jack o’ lantern footage set to creepy music and thunder claps), but lo and behold, the collection has greatly expanded. Halloween City must’ve had 20 different mood DVDs on sale, but even at the low price of a buck each, I thought I’d live conservatively and stick with the eight shown above.

Since the same tired mix of spooky pop songs might not cut it if you want your Halloween party to be one for the ages, the idea is that you’d throw on one of these, and turn your television into the focal point of fright. Each of the titles has its own theme, but they all meet the same criteria: Creepy, with frightening visuals, loud and appropriate sound effects, and in select cases, bad techno music.

I really, really love these. They’re low rent productions, and what you’ll see and hear is often much more “silly” than “scary”, but they still go so a long way in setting the right mood. After all, you can’t leave everything up to rubber bats, animatronic Draculas and cotton spider webs.

Course, some of the mood DVDs are better than others, so before you run out to blow your bucks, you may want to read the reviews below.

Halloween Mood DVD #1: “Ghoul Log”
Description: “The fiery Jack-O’ Lantern featured in our Ghoul Log DVD is sure to scare up some fun this Halloween! Complete with spooky sound effects, this funky pumpkin will haunt the living through the night!”

The original, and still possibly the best. With twelve different songs and about as many different pumpkin movies, the “Ghoul Log” is probably the best choice if you want to add to your party’s spooky feel without totally drowning it out. (As you’ll see, many of the other DVDs are very overstated.)

The great thing about the Ghoul Log is that you don’t really need a party to play it. It’s subdued enough to work on any old night, even if you’re home alone with nothing but a book and a beer. You might argue that most folks don’t drink while they’re reading, but some do, and they’re exactly the type of people who’d be able to put up with the crackling sights and sounds of pumpkins-on-fire while they do it.

Also note that the fire shown inside the pumpkins seems a bit…out of scale. I’m almost positive that they just reused the “virtual fireplace” scene from an earlier Christmas DVD and threw pumpkin photos over it. Somehow, that makes me like the Ghoul Log even more.

Halloween Mood DVD #2: “Bone Chilling X-Ray”
Description: “Want to cause some fright this Halloween night? Do skulls and spiders give you the chills? Crawling with creepy creatures, these horrifying X-rays will haunt you to the BONE!”

This one is all-ambiance, only using subtle sound effects to convey its terror. I like its simplicity.

They’re using the term “X-ray” rather loosely, though. The stuff in the above clip is pretty on target, but the DVD is much longer than that, and includes many shots of random body parts and creepy animals to fill its running time. In a lot of cases, they’re not really “X-rays” so much as they are “pictures of stuff glowing green.” But then, I’d rather see pictures of bats glowing green than bat X-rays anyway. My complaint is weak.

Another strong mood DVD. If the Ghoul Log is a little too “precious” and some of the other ones just too “insane,” this one is a happy medium. It sets the tone, but it won’t inspire a 20 minute deconstruction by your guests.

Halloween Mood DVD #3: “The Undead Come Alive”
Description: “Create the ultimate haunted house this Halloween night! Watch as your screen comes alive with terrifying images that will surely spook you and your guests! Not for the faint of heart!”

I can appreciate that this mood DVD is more “high concept” than the rest, but I’m not a big fan. This is partly due to my residual angst over its gross DVD cover, featuring clipart of a bleeding skull and parasitic flies. There’s a fine line between spooky and gross, and flies dining on a clipart skull’s blood crosses it.

The content of the DVD is extremely weird. It alternates between television static with annoying beeping sounds, and shots of completely random, horrific images. (Everything from clowns to nuns, old hospitals, broken toys and piles of bones.) It’d work if you were putting together some kind of haunted house walkthrough for brave trick-or-treaters, but as the background visual for a party, it comes on a bit strong.

On the other hand, it’s the only mood DVD that’s actually, honestly creepy. Watching it feels like the precursor to a call from Samara.

Halloween Mood DVD #4: “Sorceress”
Description: “What does the future hold for you? The mystical sorceress has answers to all your burning questions! Ask her anything, and watch as her responses magically appear before your very eyes!”

Hmm. I like the idea of a mood DVD version of the Magic 8-Ball, but this one’s pretty ineffective. Here, you’re supposed to ask the witch a question and wait for her to summon the answer in her crystal ball. Fine in theory, but awful in practice.

You can use your remote to stall the witch’s delivery of everyone’s fortunes, but there’s nothing lamer than stopping a party to have everyone ask a virtual witch if they’ll ever get married. That’s like being one of those asshole Thanksgiving hosts who insist that everyone talk about what they’re thankful for before letting anyone eat.

Course, if you put the remote down and just leave the DVD on, the cackling witch will continue to provide answers even when nobody’s asking her anything. There’s no mystique in that.

Halloween Mood DVD #5: “Messages From Beyond”
Description: “Don’t take your eyes off the moving skeleton’s hand as it carves spine-chilling messages to your unsuspecting guests…the strange sights and sounds will wrap you in a dark, forbidding doom!” (What the fuck?!)

I have a soft spot for this one, even if it’s a tad insipid. Here, a skeleton hand reaches up and writes one of many spooky phrases on a foggy mirror, such as “BEWARE” and “DON’T LOOK BEHIND YOU.” And yet, despite the macabre motif, there’s something undeniably friendly about this. Maybe it’s the way the skeleton alternates between “frightening” penmanship and handwriting that looks it belongs to a seven-year-old girl. It’s all so oddly inviting and cheerful, even considering the funeral march music and all of the disembodied, pained groans.

Mostly though, I love “Messages From Beyond” because the skeleton hand writes its horrible messages with such precision and joy. We never see the full skeleton, but you can bet that this hand belonged to a skull adorned with a red baseball cap and sunglasses.

Halloween Mood DVD #6: “Party Strobe Light”
Description: “This Halloween, prepare to be dazzled by the ultimate light and sound experience! Watch in amazement as the pulsating strobe light throbs along to the sinister sounds of the season. Your guests will go batty for this party treat!”

Yeah, I suppose sending your guests into epileptic fits could be construed as them going “batty.” What’s even more amazing is the copyright messaging at the start of this DVD, warning against unlicensed redistribution. Could you really sue someone over content that consists of nothing but a flashing white screen?

Serving as the virtual strobe light for your drug-addled Halloween hoedown, this mood DVD assaults the senses with eye-destroying visuals and a musical score that sounds like a B-side from the Mortal Kombat movie soundtrack.

Halloween Mood DVD #7: Haunted Night In The Museum”
Description: “This thrilling DVD features classic works of art — with a horrifying twist! Shock party guests and trick-or-treaters alike this Halloween as our Haunted Museum comes alive on your screen!”

“Haunted Night In The Museum” is fantastic! Forget mood DVDs — this feels more like an extended teaser trailer for some horrific 1995 computer game that never quite made it onto a floppy disk. Here, we’re treated to a three-dimensional tour of an art museum, where all of the pictures hide some dark and deadly secret. (Many of the morbid paintings are based on real life works of art, too!)

It totally works, no matter how you use it. It’s eerie enough to drive an especially spooky Halloween party, but it’s also “quiet” enough to leave on in the background without running the risk of entrancing your guests into bored and steady comas.

Halloween Mood DVD #8: BOO!”
Description: “Welcome to the ghost show! Enter, if you dare. Watch in fright as ghouls and goblins swirl across your TV screen! The scary sights and sounds are sure to make your Halloween party guests shiver!”

Okay, so I guess we aren’t ending on a huge high note, but “BOO!” isn’t without its merits. It’s probably the safest Halloween mood DVD for a party that’s going to include young guests, so if you’re slated to play host for a bunch of children, look no further. Set to werewolf howls and really uppity folks yelling “BOO,” the video shows a misty, otherworldly dimension populated by the kinds of ghosts who more typically frequent the pages of awful Halloween coloring books sold at Dollar Trees nationwide. It’s not the kind of mood DVD that’s going to keep you awake at night, but maybe that’s the point.

Incredibly, there were even more Halloween mood DVDs available, and I can’t say that I’m not tempted to go back and collect the rest. They really make me wish that the 2009 Halloween season had more than one pathetic week left in it. For fans of the ghoulish, there are few things more alluring than October evenings spent with Ghoul Logs and witches who tell our fortunes. Love these, and so should you!


Posted by Matt. E-mail me!

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Discussion Thread: 90 comments

velouria_78: Thanks! I worked very hard on it:)

In lieu of DVDs that were created for the purpose of being viewed onscreen at a Halloween party, I’ll probably just rotate spooky movies all night. A Clockwork Orange, Poltergeist and the first Nightmare on Elm Street are among the lineup.

I just finished watching Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It always makes me so sad because I root for Dracula. He was just trying to get his woman back:’(

Ghosted by Cheetara @ 10/26/2009 9:28 PM EST


There are some cool looking zombie movies on Instant Netflix that I may check out for Halloween after taking my son out. I won’t stay up too late though cause I’m going to Fright Fest the day after. The last day of the year for Six Flags is always empty, and it’s basically extending the Halloween season for one more day. Yea!

Ghosted by Berdo @ 10/26/2009 9:58 PM EST


I have been shopping for art for my new place and I have finally found a winner! Especially the Freeling’s portrait. :)

http://www.1988crazy4cult3.blogspot.com/

Ghosted by Bill @ 10/26/2009 10:25 PM EST


Has anybody else had trouble finding diet cherry coke recently? All the stores in my area seem to be out of it.

Ghosted by ericnrosesmom @ 10/26/2009 10:53 PM EST


Bill, that website is fricking awesome. Wish I had the money for some art like that.

Ghosted by Annette @ 10/26/2009 11:38 PM EST


I feel like I need to hide my head here. I have been ignoring the internet for a bit now and have no idea where the blog conversations are going. BUT…those videos are amazing…AND I found a hoard of Mt Dew cans/bottles today dressed in Halloween outfits. Has anyone else seen/mentioned these yet?

Ghosted by kb @ 10/26/2009 11:47 PM EST


I’ll add to the awesome job you’ve done this year, Matt.

I have a new entry to the “Creepiest Place” survey: A pitch-black, rain soaked Six Flags Great Adventure. I went there on a school trip on Saturday. With the rain, we had the entire park to ourselves. But around 7:30, downpour occurred and refused to stop. We all left the park at 9, and as we were halfway through the parking lot, lighting strikes something about 200 feet away from us and causes a blackout. We knew it was a blackout since EVERYTHING went dark, with the emergency lights turning on within seconds along with simultaneous shrieks of genuine terror. As many of the rides were still able to operate, there seemed to be quite a few people stuck on said rides! Thankfully, we got the hell outta there.

Ghosted by Invader Norbert @ 10/26/2009 11:59 PM EST


The Undead Come Alive is my favorite!! I’m fascinated by those photographs of the dead from the 1800’s. So creepy and yet sweet at the same time.

Bone Chilling X-Ray has to be my second favorite because everything in our house is skulls. My fiance and I have a strange obsession with the human skull. And the occasional emu knuckle.

Messages from Beyond is cool because I love watching people write. I have no clue why.

Haunted Night in the Museum…. I MUST POSSESS THAT HALLOWEEN-IFIED VERSION OF STARRY, STARRY NIGHT! My soul requires it.

Ghosted by Special K @ 10/27/2009 12:58 AM EST


And now that I’ve responded to the post, I would like to share that I spent last Saturday night in the dark, in the woods, wearing a werewolf mask (I’m terrified of masks on my head) and gloves (yup, scared of them, too) and trying to scare small children. At one point my mask settled against the back of my head and I about came unglued! But I still got 6 adults and made four kids cry (before I ran out of the Haunted Woods and traded my werewolf get-up for being locked in a cage screaming for help). I love volunteering at the zoo.

It made me think of you, Matt.

Ghosted by Special K @ 10/27/2009 1:05 AM EST


Ultraman: Yeah, you’re probably right. I don’t even get why I’m so surprised by it, I have watched a movie about a killer fridge before … I might have to track that lawnmower film down.

Ghosted by Kapprika @ 10/27/2009 1:30 AM EST


Is it just me or is Halloween relegated to just a week now on TV ? I’m not old but can remember back to a whole month of scary movies and specials.

Ghosted by retro-stoked @ 10/27/2009 1:49 AM EST


retro-stoked:
Yeah, it does seem like there isn’t quite the same level of Samhain-mania that I’ve seen in years past, part of this (IFC’s lack of normally great stuff in October) I was bemoaning back on page one. Sure, there’s a higher than average amount of horror/suspense films airing, but I’ve not seen the sort of “going all-out” fright-fests that used to occur this time of year. Seems like TCM, AMC, and Chiller are doing a little bit better than other stations, though. Sundance was pretty good this time of year, but I’ve no clue how much they’re doing this time, as I ain’t got the money to subscribe to the package that carries it anymore. :(

Chiller itself is a station that I’ve got a love/hate relationship with.
I love that I can watch old re-runs of Brimstone, Millennium, and Twin Peaks, but for a station devoted to horror/suspense programming, it sure tends to have a bland taste in movies. This is no doubt exacerbated by the fact that despite being a cable station, it edits everything down to network TV standards. I’m sure a great deal of that has to do with how they’re probably struggling enough as it is being a specialty station without having to worry about losing advertisers.
If it was a “premium” cable station that didn’t have such heavy restrictions and was more adventuresome in it’s selections (C’mon! Where’s the Argento? the Fulci? The sleazy ’70s flicks?), it would have the potential for being the greatest TV station ever. As it stands, I’m more enamored with the concept of a horror-themed station than I am with their execution of it. Far more likely to find something good on TCM on a Friday night.

Ghosted by Jugendsehnsucht @ 10/27/2009 3:04 AM EST


Matt,I know you’ve been busy but are you ever gonna post the rest of those di-orama entries?Cool dvd’s.I wish I found some place around here that sold them!

Ghosted by Liz B. @ 10/27/2009 3:07 AM EST


A few weeks ago my kids dug up the old “Snow White” VHS their aunt left for them. Although I am sick of the seven f*cking dwarves, the scene with the queen turning into a witch is absolutely horrifying!

Ghosted by Alexander @ 10/27/2009 5:33 AM EST


Invader Norbert: I thought they had back-up generators so the rides don’t stop?

Ghosted by Todd @ 10/27/2009 8:25 AM EST


AMC showed the original Halloween last night, so it officially feels like Halloween now.

Ghosted by tanta07 @ 10/27/2009 9:27 AM EST


Buckly!-Call me crazy,but I liked Halloween 6.That movie always gets a bad rap.It’s entertaining,so,in my book that makes it a good movie.I probably watched that one and part 3(yeah,I know.It isn’t even part of the story)more than any of the others in the franchise(my brother and cousins didn’t have the others at the time when I was getting into those movies(9-10).Bill-That artwork is amazing(although there were way too many Edward Scissorhands).All in all,a great representation to some terrific movies and some cool original art to boot. :)

Ghosted by Jason @ 10/27/2009 9:48 AM EST


Just to be clear.I got into horror movies around 9 or 10,I didn’t watch Halloween 6 when I was that age.Cuz that would mean that the movie would’ve came out in 1988,and I know that’s not correct.I believe the first time I saw prt 6 was around 1996.

Ghosted by Jason @ 10/27/2009 9:51 AM EST


Halloween III: Season of the Witch is hands down the greatest of the series and possibly the greatest “Halloween” film of all time. I would even say that it is greater than “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” Any film where stupid masks use magic power to turn children’s heads into bugs is alright with me. And it has fucking robots!

“Party Strobe Light” appears to be an unlicensed knock-off of Tony Conrad’s landmark 1956 experimental film The Flicker.

Ghosted by jeff_himself @ 10/27/2009 12:00 PM EST


Just making sure we all know that It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is airing TONIGHT @ 8pm on ABC- and no sweat if you miss it, because it’s on TOMORROW @ 8pm too.

Also, just making sure we all know about DracSearch.com too- you now have no excuse to use Google for the rest of the month.

Ghosted by KyleInc @ 10/27/2009 12:05 PM EST


Okay, so I could not find a fake coffin for my front yard display (not one for a reasonable price, anyway), so instead I’ve decided to have a stuffed dummy zombie coming out of the ground.

My idea is to stuff an old shirt and maybe put dowel rods in the arms so they stick out, and maybe another rode into the ground to secure it down. Any suggestions on how to pull this off effectively?

Ghosted by tanta07 @ 10/27/2009 1:39 PM EST


mandy_Reeves, those fried butter balls sound wondermous! I want some!

Bill,that artwork is awesome. Which one was the “Freeling’s portrait?” I would have liked to see more Kevin Smith stuff.

Ghosted by Teddy Ray @ 10/27/2009 2:43 PM EST


I think I saw it on the main art gallery. It’s mine, for sure. ;)

F13 part 2 is on Spike. I think this week is one of my favorite of the 52. Glad I planned to work from home for it. Now about working…

Ghosted by Bill @ 10/27/2009 2:57 PM EST


Has anyone seen “Theatre Macabre” yet? It’s like bad late-night cable horror meets MST3K… pretty fun. Check it out- http://www.ubatv.com/Channel.aspx?Show=3d

Ghosted by BelmarBenny @ 10/27/2009 4:36 PM EST


I want number three SO BADLY. I’m hoping to find it within the next week for my halloween party- in the meantime I may just have to make do with our VHS copy of Nosferatu.

Ghosted by kittymao @ 10/27/2009 4:41 PM EST


jeff_himself:
Ha! Totally forgot about that Conrad short, didn’t he do the music on an early Buchla or something? Either way, it definitely has to have the better soundtrack.

Starting at 5:00 (PST) TCM will be playing Poltergeist, followed by The Power, The Haunting, and Village of the Damned.
AMC is currently running the original Halloween, and is following it up with Halloween 4, Halloween 5, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and And Now the Screaming Starts. I haven’t seen that last one before, but from the look of the trailer, it should be a fun schlock-fest.

Ghosted by Jugensehnsucht @ 10/27/2009 6:48 PM EST


Unbelievable! You top yourself every year, sir! I tip my hat and expose my brain matter to you!

Ghosted by Mike83 @ 10/27/2009 7:45 PM EST


I miss you guys. Work sucks.

Cheetara: Loving that punkin.

Jugendsehnsucht: “If it was a “premium” cable station that didn’t have such heavy restrictions and was more adventuresome in it’s selections (C’mon! Where’s the Argento? the Fulci? The sleazy ’70s flicks?), it would have the potential for being the greatest TV station ever.”

AMEN! I just wish I got Fearnet with my cable package, but it’s not offered at all here.

Jason: Nice to know I’m not the only Halloween 6 fan around here. I think it gets a bad rap too. I like them all actually, aside from Resurrection, which I’m trying to pretend didn’t happen. I’m not counting the Rob Zombie ones either, cause that’s just a whole different thing.

I’m annoyed that while I’m watching all the Charlie Brown stuff tonight they’re showing commercials for some new Christmas animated movie. And I just heard Charlie Brown use the word “homies” in one of the commercial bumpers. Ugh.

I’m finishing up my Halloween decorations shopping either tomorrow or Thursday. Hoping to cash in on some of those last minute markdowns, but I’m also bummed that I’ll be assaulted by the encroaching Christmas stuff. I’ll just put my hand up to the side of my face and pretend I don’t see it as I walk by. I refuse to acknowledge it yet.

Ghosted by DJ D @ 10/27/2009 9:01 PM EST


DJ D: Thanks! Next year I may do the Green Lantern symbol.

Ghosted by Cheetara @ 10/27/2009 9:04 PM EST


Took my daughter trick-or-treating at our local Walmart tonight. They were taking free pictures of kids in costume and passing out cookies and candy all over the store. If your store offers this I recommend it.

Ghosted by ericnrosesmom @ 10/27/2009 9:27 PM EST


Posting in a bit, including some new Die-O-Ramas. :)

Ghosted by Matt @ 10/27/2009 9:55 PM EST


Woot! Carved the pumpkin while Tiny Claws watched. Her second halloween, but first Jack-O-Lantern. It looks awesome I must say – but I used a pattern. DVR’ing some awesome horror movies thanks to the post above about TCM. Finally feels like Halloween. I wonder when I’ll get pumped about Christmas.

Ghosted by Terror Claws @ 10/27/2009 9:55 PM EST


I’m almost certain the skeleton and the art gallery are old freebie screen savers for Windows 95.

retro-stoked: I too dream of a Horror equivalent of TCM that shows the best and rarest instead of the cheapest and least offensive. The idea of Bava or Argento or one of Carpenter’s more “uppity” movies getting shown uncut on American television sets me all giddy and drooly.

Ghosted by Phen @ 10/27/2009 10:04 PM EST


Phen: That’s just the sort of thing I had in mind! Surely if IFC can get away with playing uncut version of Ichi the Killer, there could be SOME station out there that would be willing to show stuff like Le Frisson des Vampires or the Tombs of the Blind Dead films!

Ghosted by Jugensehnsucht @ 10/27/2009 10:39 PM EST


Those DVDs…it’s amazing what some people will expect you to pay money for sometimes.

Anyway, two web sites worth visiting:

WiiPicross.com has decorated its puzzles for Halloween! It’s not much: The logo has a spider web, and the filled-in squares have ghost and monster faces.

This year’s H*R Halloweeen teaser is up! It’s even got some dialogue from Homestar this year. The Poopsmith looks like he’s dressed as Electro, and Homsar looks like Harpo Marx.

Ghosted by TB Tabby @ 10/27/2009 11:03 PM EST


@Tabby: I think Homsar is Harpo as well. His hair isn’t tall enough for Marge Simpson, I’ll tell you that. But I don’t know about Poopsmith, he seems more like Boswer to me. Notice the spikes on his back.

Coach Z is definitely MC Skat Kat

Pom Pom is a Pukka from Dig Dug

Homestar is Probably Austin Powers

Strong Mad is most likely the fat guy from the Dire Straights “Money For Nothing” video. The top of his head matches the hat!

Strong Sad might be Mega Man. Notice the shape of his head, and that the Bros. Chaps threw us off by obscuring the left arm, where the Mega Buster would be.

The Cheat = The Lorax. Only pop culture character in existence with that muzzle

Ghosted by Invader Norbert @ 10/27/2009 11:25 PM EST


Am I the only one who’s brain is wired weird enough to make the Ghoul Log/Gulag connection *before* they made the Ghoul Log/Yule Log connection?
“Uncle Joe demands you carve your pumpkins harder and more efficiently, comrade!”

Ghosted by Jugensehnsucht @ 10/27/2009 11:37 PM EST


man i saw those which were sold at a halloween store that use to be a compusa ha

Ghosted by Adam @ 10/29/2009 5:33 AM EST


Last!

Ghosted by Teddy Ray @ 11/26/2009 7:48 PM EST


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