A Hallowe'en Tree-t.

NO, not 'treaty', but treat!

And an incredible tree-t it is.

Now I've mentioned more than a few times over the years that I am an ardent admirer of Ray Bradbury, and of the work of his longest/greatest illustrating collaborator, Joseph Mugnaini. Surely anyone who has been around here for any decent length of time should know this.

Another name I've mentioned more than a few times is Shellhawk.

Beyond being 'one of us'-- a truly insane Hallowe'en Kid -- Shell is a fine potter, sculptor, painter, a real artisan, and she fills you in on her work and her life over at one the S&P's longest friend-blogs, Shellhawk's Nest, as well as proudly plies and trades in her craft at her Etsy store, Shellhawk's Creations. 

I have enjoyed her work and her friendship for years, being the proud owner of one of her famous Mini-boo figures, as well as one of her even more famous Jack O'Lanterns of unique, one of a kind designs.

I was also quite proud to be asked to contribute to one of her blog's wonderful themed guest-blogger series in 2012. You can read my entry as well as find the rest of the series here.

Well...

I have just been the recipient of a beautiful, serendipitous melding of Bradbury, Mugnaini, and Shellhawk, in one incredible labor of love that found its way to the ol' S&P, to take its place among the spooky detritus adorning the place...

What is it? Are you actually asking that?

It is a hand-painted, glazed, fired platter from the skilled hand and temperamental kiln of Shellhawk herself, depicting the perfect Joseph Mugnaini illustration of Ray Bradbury's beloved, enduring literary invention, The Hallowe'en Tree.

See for yourself -- the vintage Mugnaini original:

... and Shellhawk's beautiful tribute work:

Not that even Mugnaini himself could reproduce it stroke-for-stroke. For one thing, like an improvising jazz musician, you can't play the same genius solo twice.

For another thing, he's dead. Just sayin'.

Of course, being from Shellhawk, no one piece is ever delivered to its recipient all by its lonesome-if-gorgeous self...

Yes -- a black spiderweb with a rubber spider, two Hallowe'en pencils

(bats and pumpkins!) and a little jar of green slime! Bravo!

But this...

... is an orange and black dream on a plate.

I am just so very, very proud to be the keeper of this incredible piece of artistic Hallowe'en love. It will forever grace the S&P, reminding those whose eyes it catches to read more Bradbury, love more Hallowe'en, and keep and enjoy good friends.

A toast, to Shellhawk, to Mugnaini, and to Ray Bradbury...

DUMDUMSHREKPOP!

My deepest thanks, Shell.

Everyone else... GO to her blog and her store, will ya?

DDSpookyPlate!

Monsterpaloozin' my mind: The Ghoul Goes Western Electric, pt. 4

"... they're coming to get you, Barbra."

Here's another slice of the wonder that is Monsterpalooza -- and why this past show may have been the best yet.

 'Monsterpalooza '13' sign created by Mad Miranda and Your Humble Pubkeep.

Now, you can't have been loyal S&Pbrains this long and somehow missed that your Humble Pubkeep is a fanatic for the films of George Romero, and most especially his original 1968 masterpiece, Night of the Living Dead.

I've only written about it like a zombillion times.

I believe I have coined the phrase RomZoms to distinguish Romero's creations from the rest of the films/tropes/mythologies of zombiedom.

But we'll let future scholars argue over it another day, because tonight, I have a tale to tell.

Onward...

On Friday night, the first night of the 'palooza, we all attended a very fun panel discussion called Ladies of the Living Dead, featuring original cast members Judith Ridley (Judy), Judith O'Dea (Barbra) and Kyra Schon (Karen, the body at the top of the stairs, and other stand-in parts).

Historic.

L to R: Ridley, O'Dea, and Schon.

Led by documentarian (Autopsy of the Dead) and Night of the Living Dead expert Jim Cirronella, the discussion was essentially a room full of zombie geeks asking questions I am sure these ladies have fielded a thousand times a year for decades... but it was just so much fun!

Now, I knew months before that they would be there -- it was in fact a fairly historic moment for Night fans, since the three of them had never attended a convention at the same time -- and a thought hit me that I should do something to mark the occasion.

Do you remember this t-shirt?

This shirt was given to me by my Mama in 1988. I wore it for a year straight, it seems, and on every Hallowe'en since; if I include the extra Hallowe'en I gave the neighborhood during the September 2004 taping of the HGTV Extreme Hallowe'en special (and I do!), that makes 25 Hallowe'ens I have worn this very shirt!

I brought this special shirt with me to Monsterpalooza. I thought maybe I'd have Kyra Schon sign it, since she's on the damn thing and it is so cool.

Almost as we were heading out the door to make our way to Burbank, I thought "Wait, no Sharpie or paint pen is going to write on this threadbare shirt -- the white area is too washed out now, the black is... well, too black to see any writing. A silver or gold or even white paint pen would simply soak through and never hold up. What do I do?"

And I ran down to the dungeon laboratory and opened a drawer of painty things. There, laying atop the mess as if in wait for this moment, was a bottle of bright green slick fabric paint, with the tiny pen applicator tip.

Too perfect.

Come Sunday morning, the lovely V and I were at the show early, to turn on the Raybot and make sure he was working, and get ol' Eddie Van Bone at least looking good, if not moving at all (ugh, hard drives!).

And V said, "Now. Now is the time to get her to sign the shirt, before the doors open and the lines form. She might be at the table already!"

We walked to the celebrity table section, and sure enough, Kyra, Judith and Judith were all there, just about ready to begin one last long day of monstergeekery and autographs and pictures.

Judith O'Dea looked up at us first, with her big smile and friendly eyes, and immediately began talking to us like we'd known her for years. At one point she even asked if either of us knew what was "going on with The Masters?" Apparently having to spend that entire tournament weekend at a monster convention signing table was difficult for her golf-loving heart. I brought up the news and leader board on my Galaxy tablet and she perused it for a while, and thanked us for the "update on the civilised world!", she laughed. (I kinda have a crush on her, can you tell? A truly welcoming, wonderfully funny lady).

Then Kyra said hello as we came up to her table, and I told her the story of the shirt. She laughed, and thought it was very cool that "... you mean a Lennon Sister actually bought a t-shirt with my face on it?!" She then said "Oh, you're going to need some cardboard to back it..." and reached under the table and grabbed a piece of cardboard (apparently just waiting there?!) to give me. V and I slipped/taped the shirt over it, and brought her the pen.

Well, ALL three ladies were so wonderfully warm and friendly, and fun...

 Kyra Schon couldn't have been more 'normal' and cool. 

 Judith Ridley explained, "I am only writing 'Judy,' not Judith, to save on having to write more with the paint pen!" 

She was very sweet!

Ah, Barbra! Judith O'Dea rocks!

I could go on forever about how elegant and kind these ladies were, and are. But the end result for me, beyond forever having the memory of meeting three of the most important Scream Queens in my Hallowe'en Lovin' Heart... is this:

And now, officially retired from Hallowe'en duties, it is still on that same cardboard given me by Kyra, framed and mounted under glass next to my Romero zombie shelf...

... alongside my other original Night of the Living Dead treasures.

An honor.

And another splendid addition to the wondrous decor here at the Skull & Pumpkin.

To Kyra, and Judy, and Judith, a toast... raise 'em high now:

DUMDUMSHREKPOP!

Onward...

DDSP!

Monsterpaloozin' my mind: The Ghoul Goes Western Electric, pt. 2

Oh, my dear, beleaguered, patient S&Pbrains, I have finally found a moment to pop in and give a few nods to the people and the moments which made this past weekend's Monsterpalooza so fun.

First, let me introduce you to the Raybot, the Body Electric, ol' Botbury himself, my animatronic Ray Bradbury...

In his element, his workdesk loaded with toys, books, robots, dinosaurs, more books, skulls and pumpkins.

He would have loved this ol' pub, I think.

He worked, and worked well, all weekend long. People took pictures, stood awed, a lot actually shed tears for the remembrance of their love of this giant of fantasy and inspiration. I will post video of him when I get home (we're still traveling back from the convention). Quite the display.

Now, ol' Edward Van Bone, a returning champion from last year, didn't fare as well.

Oh, he looked sensationally sick and decrepit, thanks to the hard work of Henchman Henner, my niece Mad Miranda and my wife, the Lovely V. 

And for all of Friday night, he worked beautifully.

But Saturday morning, as he was warming up, he stopped talking. I found the minor problem right away, and fixed it... but not before somehow stepping on the notebook computer controlling him and his audio, and causing the hard drive to stop working entirely. No replacement was at hand, and even had one been, a complete installation and reprogramming would have been too prohibitively long a process. So, we just lit and posed him to beckon folks inside. Worked like a charm, actually.

He'll be back. 

Onward...

This is the fun, fanatical, sexy shaper of stoneware and prestidigitator of pumpkiny pottery, the delightful Shelley from one of the S&P's greatest friend-blogs, Shellhawk's Nest. Here she is with Raybot and the famous -- so famous I am breathless at having the honor of posting it here at this humble little pub -- Chris Aype!

Great to see you again, Shell and Ape!

My friend and make-up artist extraordinaire Casey Wong built a stunning full scale Phantom of the Opera piece, with Erik, Christine, and a beautiful old organ built from scratch (more pics later). It's always so good to see him and his ever-impressive monster creations. And "hi" to Mama Rhonda! Mahalo!

Of course, no Monsterpalooza is complete without a visit with one of my best bloggin' buddies and uniquely visionary artist Bob Lizarraga. His work just stuns me. I am happy and proud to say I own some of his works, a few gifts from a very cool Bob himself. Never get enough time, sir. 

Here's my nephew, my Godson, Young Will (you remember him, don't you?) with my friend, artist, puppeteer and producer Bill Diamond, discussing the finer points of inking in shades. Two peas, these guys, though three-thousand miles and a generation apart. Love it.

More motley monstergeekery in the form of some pretty outstanding and wonderful folks. From L to R, the actor, teacher and event moderator Perry Shields; mask maker, artist/designer Kim Reynolds; sketch artist and movie producer/director Frank Deitz; and long-time genre writer and opiner David Schow.

And finally, for the moment, my brother-in-Monsterdom, actor Daniel Roebuck, with my wife, the Lovely V.

There is much more to show you, and I will have it after our return to the Skull & Pumpkin this weekend.

For now, sleep is calling. So are the truckers outside -- cheap motels, I gotta tell you.

Until again, 

DDSP!

Rumors of my death...

...have been greatly exaggerated.

Well, not so greatly. I mean, I'm not dead, this is certain.

But for a moment there I sure felt pretty gone.

Oh dear S&Pbrains, I am okay, I have been merely struggling with something I am sure many of you have also experienced from time to time.

Depression.

It's one thing to love the image, another to feel like that image all the time.

The causes and cures are my own, and certainly none of your problem (or business, really), but I will say that it takes me out of my life for a time, every time. 

And I am heartily sorry for this ridiculous span of Skull&Pumpkin-less down time. 

I feel guilty for having followers, almost. I am afraid my own fears and folly will bring you all to breaking down the door of this li'l pub, chanting for my aching head, the lot of you a seething, swimming mass of monster-madness...

Now, don't worry, if you cared enough to worry. I am alright -- my incredible wife and family are always supportive and uplifting, and I am coming back.

Just kind of taking some alone time in a cold, sad Winter.

 I am also finding my Hallowe'en love slowly pulling me back into sanity, back to myself...

And I must come back, I must.

Not just for my own sanity... but because there's something wonderful coming in a little over a month...

... and I've got monsters to build.

Thank you for being patient, and for understanding.

Send me some good ol' fashioned Hallowe'en Loving vibes, would you?

I'll be back.

EDIT:
In honor of my first post in quite some time, and just to shake off the dust of Christmas, I have removed all the Christmas songs from the jukebox and replaced them with a few pieces I felt I needed to hear in my process of returning to life.
First, because I miss my friend Andy Williams, I felt the need for a little Days of Wine & Roses, this version by two other musical legends, Bill Evans and Toots Theilmanns -- if you have to ask who's playing what, you don't listen to jazz nearly enough.
Second, because I miss the sunny, windswept Fall, guitarist Will Ackerman's Shape of the Land lays in quite nicely.
Third, because I miss my childhood, the theme to Dusty's Treehouse. It was only on L.A. TV in the '70s, but was then picked up nationally on Nick in the '80s.
And finally, because I miss Disneyland and my favorite ride of all time, I give you the entire 22 minute audio bed for the Haunted Mansion -- every scream, rattle, clank and cackle. It's what you would hear if your Doombuggy paused at every scene in the ride until all the audio was played.

Enjoy some new tracks.

Again... I'll be back.

DDSProcess

My calendar changeth over.

Waiting on Guy Zombardo & the Orchestra to play in the new year...

A prosperous, joyous 2013 to you all!

DUMDUMSHREKPOPthechampagne!

Give me a break?

NO, I say!

I'm just busy.

I know, dear S&Pbrains, that I have been markedly absent from this humble little place for a while, but it really is strictly about my workload and my mind being... well, my mind!

I do want to assure you all -- if it's at all important to you -- that I am not "taking a break from blogging" or "going through a rough patch" or even "reevaluating my life".

I'm just... busy. And a kind of busy that keeps me from fully immersing myself into the darker -- and way more fun -- side of my life.

I can also assure you that come Christmas, everything will get back to what passes for normal around this spooky ol' place.

(I am also trying to locate a better audio hosting site for our jukebox and radio, which should explain why there has been no change to either for some time -- Podbean has decided my paid account no longer merits uploading multiple files at once, and adding five or ten mp3s one at a time? Yeah, not going to put up with that when I have paid to not have to hassle with it).

The Skull & Pumpkin, like all aspects of our Hallowe'en and Horror love, is always alive and well, even if your humble pubkeep has vanished for a time.

More posts to come, promise.

I mean... hell, Monsterpalooza's coming in April... and I have this feeling that Ray Bradbury and Uncle Forry might be having a nice chat together somewhere in that Museum...

I  hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving.

Please keep coming in, relaxing, perusing the library.

See you very soon.

DDSPatience!

The Hallowe'en Tree, pt.6

Good day to you, loyal S&P-brains!

I imagine you are all quite full of Hallowe'en and are ready for a brief stretch of holiday-free weeks before the end of the year madness overtakes us all.

I certainly could use it.

But I did want to show off some of our fantastic fright night scenes from last week.

It was a beautiful night, the weather was perfectly Hallowe'en. Not too cold, not too warm, no rain, slight breeze, cloudy skies with a nearly full moon. Just beautiful.

First to enjoy the weather and the night's festivities, our animatronic graveyard group.

Capt. Lantern, Ficketts, Nevermore the Raven, and

the Lean Bros. & Ghoul swing quartet.

Some tombstone detail. We sure lost some greats this past year.

Our kid-friendly Boo Corner, showing Mad Monster Party (along

with The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Legend of Sleepy

Hollow, It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, and other

Hallowe'en specials all night long).

But the real attraction for just about everyone who visited that night had to be our amazing

Hallowe'en Tree.

It really turned out to be something special...

Almost 100 pumpkins, carved and sent from family and friends all over the country, to honor the passing of Ray Bradbury, and celebrate our love for All Hallow's Eve.

Just stunning.

At the base of the Tree was our longtime 'host' of the haunt, the Great Pumpkin.

And just around the tree trunk from him stood the brooding, ancient and wickedly wise ol' being, Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud.

I'd like to think ol' Ray would've loved it.

Just above and beyond our Tree, in a dormer window, floated one of many wandering revenants...

... and in the same window, not long after, could be found our little black kitty, Hallowe'en herself, watching our goofy goings-on in the yard below.

Yes, she's wearing a little orange/black jester's collar.

No, she's not summoning Satan.

As far as I know.

The next day, I had to get a good sunshine shot of our Hallowe'en Tree.

Just beautiful.

Hallowe'en 2012 is in the history books, and I had a fabulous week.

I hope each of you enjoyed your Hallowe'en.

Still cleaning up...

DDSP!

Happy Hallowe'en.

It happened again.

God bless it, the day is here.

I think what I wrote last year is so apt that it bears repeating. And since Hallowe'en is a day that takes place outside of time, I feel like every Hallowe'en is part of the same long, wondrous day and night, like we're just picking up from where we left off the year before.

Friends, family, all Autumn People... this is for us.

Always...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

It is here.

Our day, and most thrillingly, our Night.

It is the New Year celebration of an ancient world, and an ancient celebration of what has come and gone, what may lie ahead, and what our place will be in whatever comes.

It is the birthday of childhood fears, but the anniversary of casting those fears away, all at once.

Even as it changes with time and tide, it has never disappointed.

It calls us to come out and play again, to talk and laugh and scream and chase and run as the children we still are, will always be, no matter how we try to hide it.

It sets the sun a pumpkin orange, carries leaves on a woodsmoke wind to tap our windows, scratch our memories, to tickle and reawaken our love -- our need -- for the Tall Tale, the Scary Story, the Fright.

It is yours, and it is mine, and it connects us across miles.

It does not teach us to fear -- we already know fear quite well. It doesn't say 'See? Here are horrors you wouldn't know but for Me.'

No. Like all Fantasy, which is itself a child of our darkest primal nights, it does not teach children that there are dragons. They already know that.

                                             It just shows us all that dragons can be slain.

It is our secret satisfaction at the puzzle unsolved, our continuous joy at the Great Mystery, for it is the stating and confronting of our most primal fear... and because it is the facing of our own death, it boldly and blessedly reminds us to live while we are alive.

                                                                It is Hallowe'en.

It is today, and tonight. God, what a gift.

The Skull & Pumpkin wishes all of you a meaningful, magical, and mystical Hallowe'en, wherever you may be.

A toast, raise them up high now:

DUMDUMSHREKPOP!

The Hallowe'en Tree, pt 5.

 

"The pumpkins on the tree were not mere pumpkins. Each had a face sliced in it, each face was different. Every nose was a weirder nose, every mouth smiled hideously in some new way. A thousand grimaces and twice-times-a-thousand glares of fresh cut eyes. Each blink held the remnant holiday spirit of years gone by."

Ray Bradbury, The Hallowe'en Tree, 1972

Until tomorrow...

The Hallowe'en Tree, pt. 4

A short treat for all you dear S&Pbrains -- a quick video teaser of just a few of the beautiful pumpkins we're receiving for our Hallowe'en Tree, as they flicker and glow on the main stairs of the ol' Skull & Pumpkin...

I can't wait to see how it looks with all of them dangling like leaves from the gnarled old tree...

Onward.

DDSPumpkins!

Your cheatin' blog...

... is gonna tell on you.

Actually, they ain't no cheatin' goin' on -- and why am I using redneck talk?

I just wanted everyone to take a gander over at ShellHawk's Nest, and be sure to follow her October-long guest blogger series, Favorite Urban Legends.

Currently, my own humble contribution (thanks for the invite, Shell!) has just been posted there, but since I haven't posted here in a little while, I thought perhaps some of you might think I'm cheatin' on the S&P with ShellHawk's Nest.

Nope. We're just good friends.

But if you want to follow this fun guest blogger series and read up on The Hook Killer of Lovers Lane, now's a good time.

Go on. I'll see you back here when you're done.

You're still my true love, you ol' Skull & Pumpkin.


DDSPromise!

The Hallowe'en Tree, pt. 3

Happy Almost-Autumn, or, as I have never called it until now, 'Falmost.'

Work is always calling at this time of year, and even if I always state my belief that there are far worse problems to have than lots of work, it does make the free moments to enjoy Fall that much more rare and special.

And as for making Hallowe'en, it takes its toll.

But I will not be stopped.

Just a few things this time around, but important progress.

First, Mr. Moundshroud has found some color and detail...

"He looks like the 'Salem's Lot vampi-*SLAP!* No he doesn't.

He needs to find some pupils.

I think. I don't know. What do you think? Does he need pupils?

Also, guess what?

The pumpkins are beginning to arrive...

 Thank you Paul, Gianna, Todd, Devin, Aidan and all the others here and on their way.

I sure hope we can make something that will live up to our vision.

And with a little Hallowe'en magic I'm sure we all can.

More to come.

DDSProgress...