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I’ve said this a million times, but I’ll go ahead and repeat myself for the first-time Neatorama reader: I loooooove Halloween. Halloween is like Christmas at the Conradt household. If I could keep my house decorated macabrely (I just made that word up) year-round, I absolutely would. Needless to say, I’m already in the mood for spooks and spirits. To help get you in the mood, though, we’ll explore the guts of classic horror movies you might find yourself watching on October 31.
Quick synopsis for those who haven’t seen it: The dead are mysteriously brought back to life and a mob of them swarm a farmhouse, where a bunch of people are holed up. Chaos ensues.
Would you believe this was supposed to be a horror-comedy? Well, you might, if you’re familiar with writer/director George Romero’s other movies. The first draft of what was then titled Monster Flick involved some teenage aliens who make friends with Earthling teenagers. Draft #2 is kind of a cross between draft #1 and the final Night: a man discovers a bunch of corpses in a field that were apparently used by aliens for food. Finally, draft #3 was pretty much the version that we know today.
It was produced for a mere $114,000 and has since grossed more than $30 million. Despite its popularity with audiences, critics didn’t much care for the film. When it premiered on October 1, 1968, Roger Ebert was upset that theater owners let kids in (there was no film rating system at the time). The New York Times said it was a “junk movie” and “really silly,” and other critics thought it was simply too gory. A few really loved it, though – Rex Reed said it was the epitome of a B movie turned into a classic. A few other quick facts:
• Taking a cue from Hitchcock, Bosco chocolate syrup was used as blood. George Costanza would be proud (or horrified, I’m not sure which).
• Similarly, when the zombies are eating bodies, they are really eating ham with Bosco on it. Ew.
• “Zombie” is never uttered. They’re usually referred to as “things”.
• Pay close attention to the graveyard struggle between Johnny and the zombie. Some of the moans made by the zombie are real – the actor playing Johnny accidentally kneed him in the groin at some point during the fight.
• The body discovered upstairs in the house was crafted by Mr. Romero himself. The eyes are made out of ping pong balls.
• Before George Romero wrote and directed horror movies, he edited shorts for Mister Roger’s Neighborhood.
Originally called The Babysitter Murders, Halloween was the movie that introduced us to Jamie Lee Curtis. Like Night of the Living Dead, John Carpenter and the makers of the movie were under some serious budget constraints – $325,000. There wasn’t much money for wardrobe, props or makeup, resulting in some pretty interesting stories. For example, the movie was filmed in California in the spring, not Illinois in the fall… which, of course, means no pumpkins or fall leaves. The crew managed to find some fake fall leaves, and after every scene was finished, they collected each and every one to be reused in the next scene that called for leaves. Also like Night, its tight budget made the fact that it grossed $47 million even more impressive (that’s something like $150 million today).
• The little girl who plays Lindsey Wallace is Kyle Richards – she’s Paris Hilton’s aunt.
• Because the budget was so low for the film, most of the actors wore their own clothes. Jamie Lee Curtis’ wardrobe cost about $100 and came from J.C. Penney.
• This is probably common knowledge by now, but if you haven’t heard, Michael Myers is William Shatner. His mask is, anyway. His trademark face is a $1.98 Captain Kirk mask, spray painted bluish-white and given larger eyeholes.
• Again, an homage to Hitch: Tommy Doyle, the little boy Laurie Strode babysits, is named after the Lt. Det. Thomas Doyle in Rear Window. Dr. Sam Loomis’ namesake is Marion Crane’s boyfriend in Psycho. Leigh Brackett, the sheriff and dad of Laurie’s friend, Annie, was named after a screenwriter who wrote for The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, among many other things (including The Empire Strikes Back). And there’s the obvious as well: Jamie Lee Curtis is the daughter of Janet Leigh, who starred as Marion Crane in Psycho.
• The famous theme song is written in 5/4 time, which is not very common. Carpenter wrote it himself. The movie credits “The Bowling Green Philharmonic” with the song, but in reality, it’s Carpenter and a bunch of his friends. He grew up in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
This one was based on a real-life incident (read about it here), although liberties were taken for creative purposes, I’m sure.
It has grossed more than $402.5 million worldwide and earned 10 Academy Award nominations, but only ended up winning for best sound and best adapted screenplay.
Like the other movies we’ve talked about, the original reviews were mixed. One critic called it the only scary movie he had seen in years, but The New York Times (which apparently doesn’t like any horror movies) said it was “a chunk of elegant occultist claptrap.” And the Rolling Stone critic said it was basically religious porn. But, on to the trivia:
• The famous staircase where Karras dies can still be found in Georgetown. The students that went to the University charged people $5 to stand on their rooftops and watch the stunt being filmed.
• When the movie first came out, some theaters provided “Exorcist barf bags”.
• Linda Blair received death threats due to her role in the controversial movie. As a result, Warner Bros. provided her with bodyguards for six months after the debut of the movie.
• Lots of other people were considered for the main roles – Anne Bancroft, Jane Fonda, Barbra Streisand, Shirley MacLaine and Audrey Hepburn were all in consideration for the part of Regan’s mother. Alfred Hitchcock was offered the screen rights and was offered the chance to direct, but turned them both down. The late, great, Paul Newman could have been Father Karras, and Jack Nicholson was in consideration, too. The studio wanted Brando for Father Merrin, but William Friedkin fought this pretty hard. He believe that the casting choice would immediately cause the film to be promoted as a “Brando flick”.
• When Ellen Burstyn is thrown across the room and away from her daughter, that scream of pain you hear is real – she fell on her coccyx and received a spinal injury that still bothers her to this day.
• Billy Graham apparently told people there was actually a demon living in the reels of the movie. I’m sure the producers didn’t mind this – more publicity for the film!
• The Exorcist couldn’t have been made without Groucho Marx. Long before he wrote the book, author William Peter Blatty was on the Marx quiz show, You Bet Your Life. He pretended to be a sheik who couldn’t remember how many wives he had, and Groucho totally bought it. His successful ruse earned Blatty $10,000. When Groucho asked how he was going to spend his prize money, Blatty said he was going to take a year off and work on a novel… which ended up being The Exorcist.
• You probably know that the substance used for Regan’s vomit was pea soup. But do you know what brand? Here’s a hint: not Campbells. Apparently the crew gave Campbells a try originally, but the effect wasn’t what they had hoped for. So they switched to Anderson’s.
• When the demon leaves Regan’s body, the awful sound you hear is pigs being herded to slaughter.
I’ve got more, but this is already getting a bit wordy, so maybe we’ll make this a two-parter. What classic horror movies would you guys like to know more about?
Singer/songwriter Jonathan Coulton was previously featured on Neatorama a year ago for his zombie song “Re: Your Brains.”
But I’m a softie for romantic ballads, such as Coulton’s sweet but sad tale of unrequited love between a mad scientist and a kidnapped damsel, titled “Skullcrusher Mountain.”
Especially moving are the heartfelt lyrics of the second verse:
Sheesh. Some women are just never happy, no matter how many abominations against nature that you clone for them.
I don’t know about you, but whenever there is some sort of financial crisis I’ve always been fascinated by those news photos of brokers with hands on their faces. Who are these people? Why are they in such distress? How much money did they lose? Why do periodicals always insist on using this exact same image to indicate economic turmoil?
Well, as with almost any marginal and vestigial interest, the internet has now produced a tumblr blog featuring exclusively these photos. No commentary, no explanation, just brokers with hands on their faces. The blog is only a couple days old, but already there are dozens of photos there for the broker-with-hands-on-their-faces starved part of your psyche. All hail the internet!
In 2006, Jeffrey Brown published a book of gag comics called I Am Going To Be Small. Matt Forsythe of Drawn! blog was reading it on the train home and found this eerily prescient comic – via Drawn!
If your killer drink needs something a little extra, how about ice cubes shaped like frozen AK-47 bullets? Here’s the Bullet Ice Tray (available on pre-order) at Find Me a Gift: Link – via Boing Boing Gadgets
I’m sure this is not new to some of you, but I’ve just learned that besides making pumpkin pie and those delicious roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin also makes a good … canoe!
While most families place a candle or light bulb in their carved-out
pumpkins, J.R. Hildebrandt can fit a chair and small heater in his.The Wisconsin resident has carved a canoe out of a pumpkin and is taking the 760-pound gourd to the water where he plans to paddle 150 miles for charity.
Link (with video clip) – Thanks Tiffany!
Just because you’re all into that fancy internet telephony and stuff, it doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy it in a fully retro manner. Here’s PAPPA*PHONE from Hulger: a solid walnut and brass phone that plugs directly into a Mac or a PC and works with all VoIP services (like Skype or GoogleTalk): Link – via Detangle.us, thanks Marilyn!
Street artist Banksy has a show in a Manhattan storefront he named The Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill, located at 89 Seventh Avenue South.
Banksy designed a pet shop that includes fish sticks swimming in a fish tank, a chimpanzee watching chimp porn, a fur coat playing a cat, and hot dog hamsters. One of our favorites has to be the Chicken McNuggets sipping barbeque sauce (image via wooster collective). With the use of animatronics Banksy is able to take his artform to a whole new level.
The show is open through October 31st. Link -Thanks, Jayne Howley!
A few weeks back you posted about the London Gorilla run. I work on behalf of the Gorilla Organization and wanted to thank you for sharing it on your blog, and to let you know we now have a post-run video now up on YouTube … with scenes of the run and interviews with our Gorilla runners!
-Thanks, Jez!
This is funny. I nearly busted a gut watching those clips. Enjoy!
Link: Metacafe
Photos: Thank you very MUNCH!, Wish Bone, I Know I Forgot Something, and American Gothic, all by James Kuhn (hawhawjames)
I am in awe with James Kuhn. The Michigan artist (and self-described drag queen, former nudist, born again Christian, and average 46-year-old guy … well, maybe not so average) has an unusual choice for art medium: his own face!
Check out the rest of his face paintings at his Flickr photosets (don’t miss the Moving Pictures video set, particularly the Flintstones one)
Photo: squirmelia [Flickr]
Thank God that’s just a sculpture, titled "Traffic Tree Light" by Pierre Vivant – found via popurls
So, a neutron walked into a bar and said "I’d like a beer, please."
After the bartender gave him one, he said "How much will that be?"
"For you?" said the bartender "No charge."
Clara Meadmore said that sex seemed a "hassle" and she’s glad that she has done without it for all of her 105 years!
Over the years many a centenarian has delivered their secret for a long life.
Not smoking, daily exercise, moderate drinking, being married (and sometimes not being married) have all had their champions.
But, at the ripe old age of 105, Clara Meadmore could trump the lot: a life of celibacy.
Miss Meadmore says she has always been too busy for relationships and thought of physical intimacy as a ‘hassle’.
Photo: Geoff Hichens/APEX
Call it a power nap. Call it a break. Whatever you call it, don't assume that somebody who sneaks in a few winks in the middle of the day can't also take care of business ... 1. Thomas Edison: Highly Inventive Napping
Prolific inventor Thomas Edison didn't like to go to bed at night. In fact, he didn't like to take his clothes off or change into pajamas because he thought it somehow interfered with his creativity. The solution? The "Wizard of Menlo Park" chose instead to sleep a few hours at night - often no more than three - then catch naps in the lab around the clock, whenever he felt tired. Colleagues referred it to as his "genius for sleep." After Edison built his laboratory and home together in Menlo Park, New Jersey, in 1876, he could indulge in his odd sleep habits with little trouble - except with his wife, Mary, who found his eccentric hours bothersome. But he kept on doing it anyway. Edison loved to stretch out atop a lab table when catching a quickie, but he was known to make do on a stool if nothing more comfortable was handy. 2. Warren G. Harding: Late to Bed and Early to Rise
His White House schedule, however, left him increasingly fatigued, perhaps signifying sleep deprivation, but also a sign of advancing heart disease that would kill him in office in 1923. Friends told Harding that he would be more rested if he stayed in bed in the morning but the president refused, saying that to do so would be "too much like a woman." Irwin "Ike" Hood, chief usher of the White House, recalled that instead, the sleep-deprived president would steal the occasional presidential power nap in the Oval Office. 3. Salvador Dalí: Surreal Sleep
Dalí wasn't above manipulating his consciousness in other ways, though. He reportedly took odd little catnaps that brought him right to the edge of deep sleep, but then jerked himself out of it. His method was simple: Seated in an armchair, Dalí held a metal spoon in one hand. Then, next to his chair, he'd place a metal pan. He'd quickly nod off, and as soon as he was relaxed enough to let go of the spoon, it would fall against the pan. The sudden clang waking him up, Dalí was immediately reacquainted with his subconscious, and went back to work. 4. Samuel Goldwyn: Cinematic Snoozer
According to biographer Arthur Marx, Goldwyn - the man behind such classics as Wuthering Heights and The Best Years of Our Lives - belived a 60-minute afternoon nap was the secret to good health. One day he recommended the practice to two writers working on a script for a Danny Kaye picture. "You ought to try it, too" he said. Then, realizing that he didn't want the scribes sleeping on company time, he added, "In your cases, eat a half hour, sleep a half hour." 5. Ronald Reagan: To Nap or Not to Nap?
But First Lady Nancy Reagan vehemently denied the accusations. What he did, Nancy said, was take a short break in the afternoon, away from staff, visitors, and the press. It was, after all, on doctor's orders after Reagan was wounded in a 1981 assassination attempt. Maureen Reagan, the president's daughter, also insisted that Reagan hated to take naps. So maybe the Gipper didn't nap in private, but as a president who was nearly 70 when he took office, he was definitely observed from time to time nodding off in public. Reagan even joked about falling asleep in cabinet meetings and once dropped off in the middle of a speech by Pope John Paul II. |
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 | From mental_floss' book Forbidden Knowledge: A Wickedly Smart Guide to History's Naughtiest Bits, published in Neatorama with permission. Be sure to visit mental_floss' extremely entertaining website and blog!
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Although
he seldom went to bed before midnight and frequently stayed up until 2
a.m., President Harding was not a very late riser. In fact, he always
got up at 8. 
Salvador
Dalí, the Spanish Surrealist painter, arrived at the startling
images of his most productive period - between 1929 and 1937 - using what
he called the "paranoiac-critical method." Apparently, this
involved fishing "delirious associations and interpretations"
out of his unconscious. It's less than clear how he accomplished this,
but he used no intoxicants. "I don't do drugs," he once said.
"I am drugs." 
One
of Hollywood's most prominent film producers for over 30 years, Sam Goldwyn
believed in hard work. Indeed, he demanded it from his employees. He also
believed in taking care of himself. Every day after lunch, Sam would take
a siesta, disappearing into a room adjacent to his office, changing into
pajamas, and sleeping for an hour. 
Ronald
Reagan supposedly took a nap every day. In fact, it was frequently mentioned
in newspaper columns and widely accepted as fact. 
