Horrorlust Radio Episode #011

In episode #011 of Horrorlust Radio, I’m joined by Chop Shop creator, Steve Colwell.

In this installment of Horrorlust Radio, Steve and I held an in-depth discussion about Tod Browning’s Freaks. We also recounted details from our trip to the Motor City Haunt Club’s Haunted Garage Sale, observed the passing of horror icon Wes Craven and laid to rest an old favorite in Lost to Time.

I’m actively seeking sponsors for Horrorlust Radio, if you own or operate a haunted attraction or are otherwise involved or connected to the haunt industry and are interested in such an opportunity you can contact me at the following email address: horrorlust@bluestarproductions.net

Email any questions or comments to the address above or feel welcome to post any reactions to this podcast in the comments section below.

HORRORLUST RADIO: EPISODE 011

SHOW NOTES

Corrections: While Steve and I discussed the career of Tod Browning I accidentally stated that he was born in 1818 — that would make Browning a whopping 144 years old at the time of his death in 1962 which was obviously not the case. Tod Browning was actually born in 1880 and was 82 years old when he passed away.

This photo doesn’t include every member of the cast of Freaks but it was the most complete example I was able to find on the Internet. The mustachioed man center, back row is director Tod Browning to his right is Olga Baclanova who portrayed the villainous Cleopatra. The tall man in the back row is Henry Victor who played Cleopatra’s co-conspirator, the strongman Hercules. Front row, center is the Half-Boy Johnny Eck, not to be confused with the limbless Prince Randian who is pictured next to Eck on the floor.

The Hilton Siamese Twins also loom prominent in this photo, standing behind Prince Randian. To the twins’ immediate left is Daisy Earles who played the role of Frieda in the film but that does beg the question of who it is that is pictured on the opposite side of the photo standing in front of the pinheads, Elvira and Jenny Lee Snow. Harry Earles who was cast as Hans, one of the central characters of Freaks, cannot be found in this photograph. That is either Harry Earles in drag (which I doubt) or another member of the Earles’ Dancing Doll family.

A one of a kind photo for a one of a kind film.

From the Freak Show attraction at Terror Town, circa 2008.

The dried-up husk of a Fiji Mermaid.

The songs and audio clips featured in this episode are listed below in chronological order:

“A Nightmare on Elm Street” theme song by Charles Bernstein, 1984

A Nightmare on Elm Street Theatrical Trailer, 1984

“Carousel Ride” by The Midnight Syndicate (Carnival Arcane, 2011)

Nancy in the Bathtub from A Nightmare on Elm Street, 1984

“Freakshow” by Midnight Syndicate (Carnival Arcane, 2011)

Horrorlust Radio Episode #003

Wrestler, home haunter and haunted attraction enthusiast Mike Marvel serves as co-host for episode #003 of Horrorlust Radio.

In the third episode of Horrorlust Radio, Mike and I discuss the tradition of home haunting in all its various forms and then dig into the pros and cons of multi-attraction venues.

This episode also features the second installment of Lost to Time, a segment that highlights haunts now departed; you’ll also hear the birth of a new segment, Hosts & Hotties where we pay respect to icons of the industry from horror hosts to scream queens and everybody in between. The luscious Elvira, Mistress of the Dark is our inaugural honoree.

Mike and I also banter about the quality of haunted attractions during the month of September and even delve briefly into the crossover elements of professional wrestling and the haunted attraction industry.

I’m actively seeking sponsors for Horrorlust Radio, if you own or operate a haunted attraction or are otherwise involved or connected to the haunt industry and are interested in such an opportunity you can contact me at the following email address: horrorlust@bluestarproductions.net

Email any questions or comments to the address above or feel welcome to post any reactions to this podcast in the comments section below.

HORRORLUST RADIO: EPISODE 003

SHOW NOTES

Mike Marvel isn’t just a wrestler, home haunter and haunted attraction enthusiast, he’s also the man behind the scenes at Michigan Haunt Central on Facebook.

Brandywine Cemetery, the prominent home haunt cited during this episode, is located at 2727 Brandywine St. Ann Arbor, MI. 48104. Brandywine Cemetery will be open Thursday, October 30 and Friday, October 31 in 2014. For more information visit their website here: Brandywine Cemetery

I’ve included a scan of The Lab’s 2009 ad from the Fear Finder. My scanner isn’t quite large enough to capture the entire ad but you can enjoy 95% of this colorful, eye-catching advertisement.

Fear Finder, 2009

And for those of you who live under a rock, here’s a picture of the gorgeous Elvira, the first honoree in Hosts & Hotties.

She puts the lust in Horrorlust.

The songs and audio clips featured in this episode are listed below in chronological order:

1. “This is Halloween” by Danny Elfman (The Nightmare Before Christmas, 1993)

2. The Return of the Living Dead  Theatrical Trailer, 1985

3. “Living Walls” by Midnight Syndicate (The 13th Hour, 2005)

4. Trash from The Return of the Living Dead, 1985

5. “Born of the Night” by Midnight Syndicate (Born of the Night, 1998)

Horrorlust Radio is Hatched

I’m pleased and excited to bring to you the inaugural edition of Horrorlust Radio! My plan is to release a new episode of this podcast each and every week throughout the Halloween season and then once-a- month beginning in December. Each episode will be featured here on Horrorlust but will soon be on other forums as well such as iTunes.

I’m actively seeking sponsors for Horrorlust Radio, if you own or operate a haunted attraction or are otherwise involved or connected to the haunt industry and are interested in such an opportunity you can contact me at the following email address: horrorlust@bluestarproductions.net

In this frist episode of Horrorlust Radio I’m joined by my brother, Jason, to discuss sensationalism and hyperbole in haunted attraction advertisements. We also debate how those same ads, in addition to various news outlets and previous visits form customers’ year-to-year expectations of haunted attractions.

This episode also features the debut of two original Horrorlust Radio segments, Lost to Time and Oddments & Urban Legends. The former pays tribute to haunted attractions that are no longer in operation, today we lay to rest the beloved Extreme Scream. In the latter segment we debate the merit of various urban legends, focusing this week on whether or not mummies were once used to fuel locomotives.

Also, we delve into the origins of modern haunted attractions and what role the Jaycees has played in popularizing this unique form of entertainment. Finally, we recount the harrowing tale of our fabled 2010 visit to Demonic Demons in Detroit.

Email any questions or comments to the address above or feel welcome to post any reactions to this podcast in the comments section below.

Welcome to Horrorlust Radio.

HORRORLUST RADIO: EPISODE 001 

SHOW NOTES

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is a three-part series of children’s books, which as the title suggests, contains spooky stories derived from urban legends and folklore. Written by Alvin Schwartz and illustrated by Stephen Gammell, the book was originally released in 1981. The series continued appropriately on October 31, 1984 with the release of More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and concluded with the 1991 release of Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones.

Pure, unadulterated nightmare fuel.

The Woods of Darkness promotional video that was mentioned briefly during the podcast was shot during the course of the 2010 haunt season. The operators there began using it the following year and credited their surge in attendance that season to the video. The Woods of Darkness is located at 11665 Haggerman Road in South Rockwood, Michigan.

Here is a link to that video: Will You Survive the Horror of the Woods?

During the Oddments & Urban Legends segment I referenced a poem by Charles Webb, here’s a link to a Slate.com article where you can not only read the poem but also here the author read it himself: Mummies to Burn

Lastly, the musical pieces and audio clip featured in this episode are referenced below in the order that each played during the podcast.

“People Who Died” by Jim Carroll Band (Catholic Boy, 1980)

“Gargoyles Over Copenhagen” by The Nekromantix (Return of the Loving Dead, 2002)

Peter, from George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead (1978)

“Life is a Grave and I Dig It!” by The Nekromantix (Life is a Grave and I Dig It!, 2007)

Horrorlust Radio: The Next Evolution

This past spring I added interviews to the Horrorlust mix and now with fall in rapid approach, I’m pleased to announce the impending arrival of a podcast. Horrorlust Radio is an idea I’ve been working on for several months and I’m thrilled that it will premiere at the onset of the 2014 haunt season.

Horrorlust Radio will include haunted house reviews, music and horror news. In addition the podcast will feature original segments such as Lost to Time and Oddments & Urban Legends. The former will highlight defunct haunted attractions while the latter will explore the veracity of strange and mysterious tales.

A new episode of Horrorlust Radio will be posted once a week throughout the Halloween season, beginning with the first in mid-September. Once the haunt season has concluded new episodes will likely be posted once a month year-round. Each episode of Horrorlust Radio will be hosted by myself and I’ll be joined by a rotating cast of personalities. The inaugural episode will feature fellow haunted house enthusiast, the Disco Devil as my co-host.

The program will be housed here, on the Horrorlust blog of course, but also on iTunes. I am looking for sponsors so if you’re an owner/operator of a haunted attraction or otherwise entrenched in the Halloween and haunt industry, you can advertise on Horrorlust Radio. I’ve put together flexible pricing options that allow potential sponsors to buy spots on a per episode basis or purchase a discounted package that would encompass the entire haunt season. For more details email me here: horrorlust@bluestarproductions.net