The Walking Dead: Coming Soon to AMC

Love zombies? Tired of watching zombies in mere 2-hour increments? Wish you could get your zombie fix on a regular basis? Then you're going to love AMC's new series, The Walking Dead. Watch the trailer, and mark your calendar: The series premiere is on Sunday, October 31.

My Halloween (Interview)

Are you feeling the late August Halloween itch? Then head over to Zombo's Closet of Horror, where yours truly was interviewed for the latest installment in the "My Halloween" series, where bloggers, authors and other Halloween fans riff on what they love about their favorite night of the year.

My Halloween: Spooky Little Girl

Elvira: Still Putting the Boob Back in the Boob Tube

I love Elvira. LOVE. Ever since I was a little girl, I thought she was the coolest; something about being really conventionally sexy (boobs!) yet dark, funny and totally self-aware really spoke to me then, and still does to this day. Plus, I still think being a horror hostess is the coolest job ever: You lounge on a velvet sofa and make lame jokes about movies. What's not to love?

People sometimes talk about Elvira like she's a relic of the '80s, but I don't think she ever went away. I mean, her show ended, but she made another movie, Elvira's Haunted Hills! She inspired a tangential Simpsons character, Booberella! C'mon!


I went to a 20th anniversary screening of Elvira, Mistress of the Dark a couple of years ago, and let me tell you, she still looks amazing in person. (Stay out of the sun and wear supportive bras, kids!) And her act is just as amusing as it ever was. Why is this relevant? Because - wait for it - Elvira's Movie Macabre is returning to TV this fall!

The show, which premieres on September 25 via THIS! Television and Trifecta Entertainment (check yer local listings), will feature 26 all-new episodes, each one showcasing a 2-hour horror film and Elvira's priceless introduction and commentary. Looks like the fall TV schedule just got a whole lot more...titillating. Watch the trailer here:

Freddy Krueger Returns to HHN at Universal

A third maze was announced by the good people at Universal for this year's Halloween Horror Nights extravaganza - A Nightmare on Elm Street: Never Sleep Again. The good news: There was a NOES maze in 2008, and it was awesome. The bad news: This maze - which promises to be "an all-new horror maze experience" - is based on the 2010 remake rather than the classic Freddy we all know and love. Here's a brief synopsis, via Bloody-Disgusting:

"A Nightmare on Elm Street: Never Sleep Again," will bring guests back on a nightmare journey to the town of Springwood, the scene of Freddy Krueger's unspeakable crimes. They'll wind through the ominously twisting corridors of the Barham Day Care Center, glimpse ghastly scenes of carnage among the young people of Springwood and face the ultimate showdown with Freddy in his infamous boiler room lair.

Sounds cool, but I can't help feeling a little apprehensive about the remake connection. Of course, I haven't seen the 2010 NOES yet, and maybe I should be a little more open-minded; X-Entertainment, one of my favorite websites, declared it "not the worst thing ever." (So presumably it's better than the Friday the 13th and Texas Chainsaw remakes then? Haha...eh.) What were your thoughts on the latest incarnation of A Nightmare on Elm Street? And are you looking forward to being tormented by Freddy at Universal this fall?

SLG on the Evil Book of Face

Just made a Facebook page for Spooky Little Girl! Despite my personal misgivings about the evils of social networking, I'm on it...and we all know you're on it too, so feel free to "like" the page for updates, news, links & more.

SPOOKY LITTLE GIRL on Facebook

Planning to Work in the Horror Industry? Win a $1,000 Scholarship!

If you're heading back to school this fall - or you're already enrolled - and your dream is to work in the horror film industry after graduation, you could probably use a little help with financing your education. (I mean, who couldn't? The cost of tuition is truly...terrifying. *cymbal crash*) Fortunately, there is now a scholarship, courtesy of Star Costumes, that will be awarded to one lucky student who is aiming to work in our beloved horror medium.

Here are the details, courtesy of the Star Costumes Horror Scholarship page:

Star Costumes is awarding $1,000 to a student studying to work in the horror film industry.

Why a Horror Scholarship?

We love horror! We make our living selling scary costumes, makeup and masks, and we owe a lot of our success to the creative output of the horror industry. This scholarship is our way to give back, and to help the horror industry continue to terrify us in the years to come.

Currently, there are no other scholarships designed specifically for students planning to enter the horror industry. Our goal is provide assistance to help the brightest and most creative students meet their expenses and help launch their career in horror cinema.

Eligibility Requirements:

Horror Scholarship candidates must meet the following criteria:

• A citizen of the U.S.;
• with a 3.0 GPA;
• 18 years or older
• who's currently studying full-time at a undergraduate or graduate post-secondary institution.

The student must be studying in a field designed to prepare them for work in the horror industry. This could include careers such as:

• Makeup artist
• Special effects artist
• Costume designer
• Set designer
• Lighting designer
• Film sound artist
• VFX/CGI artist
• Postproduction specialist
• Film critic
• Screenwriter
• Cinematographer
• Director

Application is Easy

Just fill out our application form online, along with an essay. The essay provides chance to distinguish yourself from other applicants, and should be in the range of about 300-400 words. Suggested topics include:

• What sparked your interest in the horror industry.
• Your accomplishments and goals as they relate to horror cinema and related fields.

Application Deadline

The deadline to submit your application is October 31st, 2010. The winner will be notified on November 5th, 2010. Winner will need to provide relevant transcripts to verify GPA and enrollment.

The Ideal Candidate

We're looking for someone who can demonstrate their creativity and passion for horror cinema and distinguish themselves from other potential applicants. The best way to achieve this is through a unique and interesting essay.

Remember, the deadline is Halloween - and you can enter by filling out a form and submitting your essay HERE. Good luck!

All-New Vampire Maze at Universal

Even more Halloween Horror Nights scoop! Another maze has been announced - "Vampyre: Castle of the Undead." While the Universal mazes tend to stick to themes based on popular horror films, this maze will be based on an original concept. Are you looking forward to it or are you burned out on vamps this year?

Black Swan Trailer: Shades of Suspiria?

Here is the official trailer for Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan. It looks creepy and beautiful.

Translucent Black Capes Back on the Rack

Today is the 54th anniversary of Bela Lugosi's death. To pay him tribute, we made the short trek to his grave at the Holy Cross Cemetery, where he was laid to rest in his Dracula cape. Farewell, Bela. With all due respect to the silver screen's finest Frankenstein, you're still better than Boris Karloff.

TONIGHT: Was That the Boogeyman? 'Cropsey' on TV

Urban legends, abandoned buildings, the boogeyman...if any of these topics are of interest to you - and I know they're certainly near and dear to my heart - you won't want to miss the premiere of the film Cropsey tonight on Investigation Discovery. Two documentray filmmakers set out to discover the truth behind the legend of Cropsey, a former mental patient who was said to haunt the tunnels beneath the (very creepy, very abandoned) Willowbrook State School in New York. On August 13, 1987 (twenty-three years ago today) the body of a 12-year-old girl was found on the grounds of the school. Was Cropsey to blame? Is the boogeyman real? Find out tonight...

THIS WEEKEND: Zombies & Chainsaw Massacres at the Aero

There are some great double features coming up at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica and the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, courtesy of American Cinematheque's "Zombies, Chainsaw Massacres & Other Forms of Terror" series. It kicks off this Saturday, August 14 at the Aero, where they're screening a Tobe Hooper double feature of The Funhouse and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, featuring a Q&A with Hooper (moderated by Mick Garris) in between the films. Quick, someone go and ask him if he actually directed Poltergeist! I'm sure he never gets tired of that one.

And don't forget about "Drop Undead: Zombie Weekend," three days of arm-battling, eye-gouging, shark-wrestling fun:

• Peter Jackson's Dead Alive and Cemetery Man on Friday, August 20 at the Egyptian
• Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness on Saturday, August 21 at the Aero
• Night of the Living Dead and Lucio Fulci's Zombie on Sunday, August 22 at the Egyptian
  

Lio = Best Comic Ever

Haha, this is great. Especially because it looks like Frankenstein is shtupping the mummy in the first panel.

HAUNT UPDATES: La Llorona at Universal & More

Another exciting update about Universal's Halloween Horror Nights: The legend of La Llorona will be coming to life at HHN this year! From the official press release:

According to the legend, a beautiful Mexican woman fell in love and married the most handsome man in the village. She bore two beautiful children, but her husband soon fell in love with another woman. Blinded by jealousy, the woman ran with her children to a river, where her faithless husband was courting his new love. Enraged, she threw her children into the river, where the current carried them away. When she realized what she had done, she threw herself into the river as well.

But the woman did not leave this Earth. Late at night, in the deep woods, or by a small creek, children can hear her weeping, searching in vain for her lost children. “La Llorona,(“the crying woman”) they call her, for she frequently wails “My children, where are my children?” Her frail, drenched body is a chilling sight; any child wandering alone is sure to be snatched as her newest victim.

At the 2010 Halloween Horror Nights event, La Llorona will stalk guests as they make their way through the Universal back lot as part of the all-new “Terror Tram” experience and she’ll also terrorize her own “Scare Zone,” hiding within the shadows of a gauntlet haunted by the ghosts of her dead victims.

The L.A. Haunted Hayride website has also gone live for 2010, with plenty of updates, including ticket information, creepy backstory and the exciting news that the accompanying Haunted Haymaze will be more along the lines of a Knott's/Universal fright maze this year, as opposed to last year when it was just...bales of hay. (Psst: I wrote the review for CreepyLA that the LAHH links to in their press section!)

And, finally, I love yard haunts (a.k.a. private haunts and/or house haunts), and the Valley has some great ones. So why have I never heard of Burbank's Rotten Apple 907 before!? This year's theme is "Nightmare Museum" - sounds promising, to say the least. What are your favorite house haunts in the L.A. area? If there are any more I should know about, do tell!

WITCH BALL at Zombie Joe's (Opens Friday the 13th)

A new production is set to open at Zombie Joe's Underground Theatre in North Hollywood next weekend, on Friday the 13th: Witch Ball. Described as a "thrilling new adventure that follows a mysterious Witch Ball's two hundred year journey through time and space, collecting spirits, ghosts and demons along its perilous path." The play will be performed every Friday and Saturday at 8:30 PM through September 11th. For my money, ZJU puts on the best horror-themed stage productions in Los Angeles; check out their ongoing Urban Death series if you haven't already.

LA Haunted Hayride Moving to Griffith Park Zoo

The Los Angeles Haunted Hayride was one of my favorite haunted attractions in 2009, and I've been waiting patiently for updates on the 2010 incarnation. Today, my patience was rewarded! According to the LAHH Facebook page, the hayride will now take place at the old zoo in Griffith Park - a location that is rumored to actually be haunted. Here's the announcement:

We are proud to announce that The Los Angeles Haunted Hayride has moved to GRIFFITH PARK's OLD ZOO!!! In this NEW PHENOMENAL location, LAHH will be bigger and better than you can ever imagine. The Woods are darker, The Carnival is bigger, The Haunted Haymaze is heart stopping, and the HAUNTED PROPERTY...IS REAL!!!!

I'll miss the secluded feeling of the old location at the King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas, but I'm excited to see how the new spot will add to the fright, and of course I'm thrilled that everything will be "bigger." (Let's just hope the prices don't go up!)

House of 1000 Corpses at Halloween Horror Nights!

The first maze announcements for Universal Studios Hollywood's annual Halloween Horror Nights event are beginning to trickle out, and Rob Zombie fans should be pleased: There is going to be a House of 1000 Corpses maze...in 3D, no less. Looking forward to more news in the days and weeks to come!