Interview: Bob Conge

Since 1985, the work of illustrator, monster figure-maker and creator of 3D shrine art, Bob Conge. has been displayed at galleries, museums and events around the world and, in 2004, he started Plaseebo, the figure-making studio and has produced some fantastically creative and stunningly detailed pieces since then. Recently, Horror Shock Lolipop had the opportunity to interview him about art, inspiration and of course, kaiju!

'The Awakening'

First of all, thank you for doing this interview with us.

It is a pleasure to have the opportunity of your soap box. Thank you.

Could you introduce yourself for anyone who may not be familiar with your work?

I am a "tinker" and a work in progress, with hopefully no end yet in sight.

tinker / verb /: fiddle with, adjust, fix, try to mend, playabout with, fool with, futz with; tamper with, interfere with, mess about with, meddlewith.

When did you first decide you wanted to be an artist?

The title of "Artist" is one I avoid, as I believe this can only be bestowed upon one by others. Those, who in my judgment I consider "Artists", have achieved the most meaningful expression of our species. The maker can not deem himself an ARTIST, the audience alone has this responsibility. Making images was not a decision for me, it is the only thing I was ever good enough at in which I could incorporate as subject matter every other thing in the universe.

What are your inspirations when creating your art?

I would not presume that which I create is "ART", the weight of such a charge would be stifling. I make images that are expressions of ideas I am interested in and the inspiration for those expressions bubbles up from past and present life experience, the good, the bad and the ugly to borrow from one of Clint's films. I find if one truly pays attention to life as it happens, you can not help but be inspired. I pity the distracted and detached who live in the empty promise of tomorrow.

Inspiration-wise, is it easier to draw commercial illustrations or those that you have complete freedom with?

While inspiration and easy have very little in common, both bear a greater bounty in an environment of freedom. It is all work, but the commercial arena involves many considerations that are often in conflict with creative freedom, such as time and money. Over the past five years, I have taken only a handful of commercial assignments and have enjoyed pursuing my own crooked path.

'War Masquerades As Innocence'

Some of your work seems to be critical of things such as politics and war. Do you think art is a powerful medium in which to express your views on these topics?

On a ship of fools, one vote can not hope to direct the voyage. In a world dominated by the power elite, greed, indifference and the mass media, my work is my only opportunity to express my views on all topics, including war and politics. I feel obliged by the opportunity of living, to put my views out there to the best of my ability.

Your art has been very well-received internationally. Why do you think that is?

A great investment of time and effort, sprinkled with as much honesty as I am capable of, a pound of networking, a ton of shameless self promotion and a lot of sweet luck.

Your work with Plaseebo often features kaiju. What attracts you to them?

Some sort of childhood connection via the Universal Monsters, Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, The Wolfman. etc. They were the most interesting stories / movies around at that time. Then in the 1980's I discovered the Japanese versions of monsters and began collecting the 60's and 70's Kaiju vinyl figures from their TV shows.

Do you have a favourite kaiju/daikaiju movie?

This may sound strange but I do not care for the Kaiju film genre. I am only interested in the monsters and some of the related stories.

Each Plaseebo figure often has a backstory to go with it. Do you write the story before or after the character is designed/made?

I do not have a set approach, the backstory can come first, develop while I am building the figure, come after the figure is completed, or some of each along the way. However the kernel of the story is always there right from the first idea sketch waiting to be fleshed out.

'Garumega'

What kind of tools and materials do you use when customising?

What ever works that day. I will use and try anything as long as I am confident the final piece will weather handling and time. I have no favorite tools or materials and always try to let the form I wish to create dictate how I should best express it. Most often when I start I do not have a concrete plan of how I will build the piece, but I find if I listen to the process in front of me it will tell me how to take the next step. So the figure sort of unfolds in front of me step by step over time. It keeps the work fresh and interesting because I rarely use the same process twice. Always something new to discover.

On average, how long does each piece take to make?

A few weeks but I am always working on as many as 3 or 4 at a time.

You've done numerous collaborations with other customisers. Which has been your favourite so far?

I love working with other designers and customizers. Each collaboration is unique making it impossible to have a favorite. This willingness to share the creative process with each other says more about the fearless commitment to our craft than the work its self. It seems a wonderful thing to have a group who can comfortably set egos aside for the greater good of their craft. It is also sad at the same time to realize this is such a rare occurrence in our world. Perhaps others could learn a thing or two from this lonely example.

Are there any other artists you'd like to work with in the future?

Yes, too many to mention.

You often describe yourself as a collector. What's your favourite collection that you have and why?

My favorite collection is the one I am looking at at any given moment. I do however have a few 20 century American paintings that I consider friends and I look at them every day.

'Munny Mummy'

What are your future plans for Plaseebo?

To go to work in the studio tomorrow.

Please could you give a message to fans of your work?

Thank you for your faith and support. The collector plays an integral role in the creative process, for without his support through purchasing the work, the process grinds to a halt and doors of opportunity slam shut.

Many thanks to Bob for giving us the interview.

For more details on Bob Conge's work and future creations, check the following websites:

Plaseebo

Bob Conge Official Site

Bob Conge Illustration Site

News - Leslie Nielsen Dies

RIP Leslie Nielsen

Canadian born actor Leslie Nielsen passed away on November 28th, 2010, in Florida, due to pneumonia, aged 84. As an actor, he was best know for his comedic roles, although Neilsen also appeared in some horror films, such as Dark Intruder (1965),  Creepshow (1982) and horror series like The Evil Touch (1973/4) and Night Gallery (1969-73) as well. Of course he also appeared in great Horror spoofs such as Repossessed (1990),  Scary Movie 3 and 4 (2003/06) and Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995). He will be greatly missed.

Food and Drink: Spooky Chocolate Molds

This delightful spooky chocolate mold was bought as a present for me from the "home and creative kitchenware" shop Lakeland. I assume it was produced for Halloween and so I'm not sure if they still make it or not, but there are many other places, such as FRED, that sell themed chocolate/ice cube molds that could be used instead.

It's made of ridgid but bendable rubber, which means that although it will keep the shape of the chocolate well, it's also very easy to pop out each one when you're done. The rubber material also helps to ensure that they don't stick to the mold. There are shaped ridges and raised areas in each section, meaning that it is really simple to add cute details just by filling them in with a different colour chocolate. I used a small paintbrush to do the details in dark chocolate and then, after leaving it to set for a few minutes, poured in the white chocolate to fill up the rest of the mold.

Make sure the chocolate is completely melted and smooth before you start, as this will give a better outcome. The finished products below might look a little messy, but that was because I used a paint brush that was a little too large for the gaps, not because of the mold itself.

Quick, simple, delicious fun!

Toys & Art: Plaseebo / Bob Conge

Creating pieces in various forms, including illustrations, figures and 3D art, American customiser and artist, Bob Conge, began exhibiting his work both in the US and internationally in 1985. Since that time, he has had his work shown at events and museums/galleries such as the Lahti VIII Poster Biennale (Lahti, Finland), Musee de la Publicite (Paris, France),  9th Colorado International Poster Invitational (Colorado, USA), Imiri Invitational / Kaiju Blue Gallery (Tokyo, Japan) and many more. As an illustrator, he has also worked for many well-known clients such as EMI Records, IBM, the Wall Street Journal and Sony Records, to name but a few.




Portrait illustration of Franz Kafka



A shrine art piece



 



In 2004, he started Plaseebo, which is a "shop ded­i­cated to cre­at­ing unique one of a kind col­lec­table fig­ures and design­ing orig­i­nal fig­ures for Ultra Lim­ited edi­tions". The focus of these figures is often kaiju, a Japanese word meaning 'strange beast' or 'monster', frequently used to describe characters such as Godzilla, King Kong, Gamera and even Frankenstein's Monster in movies.

A group of Plaseebo figures



Each figure is extremely detailed and many have backstories, giving them all their own unique character and adding to their charm. Some also have LED lights installed inside, giving them a glowing effect when in the dark, which looks quite stunning. The combination of the grinning features and unusual looks of figures such as 'War' and 'Skulloctopus' also make them extremely endearing characters, even if the subject matter might be a serious one. 

'Skulloctopus Rex' with LED switched on, in a dark room

If you like Conge's work, you can see his newly finished pieces 'Think Tank', which will be limited to 5 or 10 and, unique item 'War Monger', at the 'Contemporary Figure Modification' show. The event will be held in April 2011 at the TAG in Hollywood, California.



'War Monger'



'Think Tank'



You can also find out more information and keep up to date with news and future activities by visiting the following websites:

Plaseebo

Bob Conge's Official Site

Bob Conge Illustration Page

Thank you to Bob Conge for permission to use the pictures and information.
More images after the cut below↓

Science: Pumpkin Pie is Sexy!

Photo by Lilia Tombs

You've heard the saying 'a way to a man's heart is through his stomach' and it turns out that just might be more true than anyone realised. Well, perhaps it's not the way to his heart, but according to Dr. Alan Hirsch from the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Center in Chicago, the scent of pumpkin pie mixed with lavender does cause a significant level of arousal in men. The center's research showed that the aroma of pumpkin pie caused a 40% increase in penile bloodflow, compared with things such as cranberry sauce that only increased it by a mere 2%. Pah!

Photo by Valerie Everett

So, if you want to impress a certain special man in your life next Halloween, make him some pumpkin pie and light lavender scented candles in your jack o' lanterns for a double dose of turn-on!

News via: wpbf.com

How-To Guides: Fake Blood

To go along with his series 'A History of Horror', Mark Gatiss also appeared in this video, in which he demonstrates how to make a more realistic looking version of the fake blood they used in the classic Hammer horror movies. We'll definitely be trying this out soon, so we'll let you know how it turns out!

Art: Ugly Art by Ugly Shyla

Hailing from Southern Louisiana, Ugly Shyla is a surrealist fine art doll maker, whose beautifully dark creations have built up quite a fanbase during her career. Her work has been featured in publications such as Bizarre and SPIN and also used as props in the book 'Dream' by photographer John Santerineross.

Photo by Alas Vera

Each doll is hand-crafted, meaning that they are all one-of-a-kind and the quality is of a high standard. However, whilst they are dolls, due to the macabre themes and delicateness of each piece, they are not toys nor are they suitable for children, but are ideal for doll collectors and art lovers alike.

In addition to creative and unusual dolls, Ugly Shyla also makes unique jewelry, clothing and art, which are equally as intricate and interesting.

As if all that wasn't more than enough to keep her occupied, she is also an alternative model, and has done shoots with photographers such as Steve Diet Goedde, John Santerineross and Lithium Picnic.



To find out more about Ugly Shyla, keep up to date with her activities or to purchase her work, you can visit the following websites:

Ugly Art Dolls: http://www.uglyart.net/
Etsy Store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/uglyartdotnet
Ugly Shyla's Blog: http://uglyartdolls.wordpress.com/

Thank you to Ugly Shyla for permission to use the images.

More pictures after the cut below↓

News: Ingrid Pitt Dies

RIP Ingrid Pitt
21 November 1937 – 23 November 2010

Actress and writer Ingrid Pitt has died, aged 73. Pitt passed away on November 23rd, 2010 in a hospital in South London, UK. Best known for her roles in Hammer Horror films, Pitt gained a special place in the hearts of horror fans, with a reputation for being a beautiful, talented, strong and intelligent woman. In addition to the horror genre, she also appeared in numerous other movies and wrote several books.

Art: The Underground Market

'Amelia' by Zoe Black

The auction site Etsy and the stores it contains are always full of gorgeous, bizarre and unusual things that are largely one of a kind or at least hand-crafted. This entry is about one such store, The Underground Market, which is run by the artist/crafter Zoe Black. 



'Bitey the Vampire Bat' necklace by Zoe Black

The Underground Market sells original dolls/figures, jewelry and paintings in a largely adorable and spooky style.  Even though the works do fit into the 'creepy cute' genre, they're also quite unique at the same time, making them ideal for collectors or as gifts. The tiny painted details and embellishments further add to the charm of each item and you can even request custom made pieces as well.

'Better Than A Flea Circus' original painting by Zoe Black

 All the items featured in this post are currently for sale, along with lots of other macabrely delightful pieces, so hurry over there before they're gone!

Thanks to Zoe Black for permission to use the pictures.More images after the cut↓

Movies: Rare Exports

As much as I hate to admit it, it's now the middle of November, and Halloween has disappeared from most people's minds, as it does each year. Of course, there isn't really much difference for me, but sadly,  in general, the world is decidedly less spooky. So I suppose, in the UK at least, the next big celebration is...Christmas.

I have never enjoyed December 25th; not because of the religious elements, nor the annoying music. It's not even because of all the films that are so sickly sweet that just watching them is enough to cause sugar-induced vomiting. No. The reason why I dislike, and have always disliked, Christmas is simple...

SANTA.

Shoving innocent little animals into his sack

Okay, so I also hate the fact that Christmas is now being advertised not only in November and December, but also before and even DURING Halloween. Mainly, though, the problem is Mr. Jolly Red Nose there. "What?!" you say, "Santa? But he's just a magical, friendly old man that gives us presents!". Well you might think so, but you're wrong! Let's just think about this for a minute shall we?

1. He is watching you all the time. ALL THE TIME. Like a stalking serial killer, but worse.

2. He will sneak into your house, through the chimney, whilst you sleep at night. If you don't have a chimney, you can assume that he'll be smashing your windows with coal and picking your locks with his shiny Christmas knife (you know he has one).

3. He has a hoarde of evil minions (elves!) making toys traps all year, which he uses to catch puppies, kittens, children and housewives. Then again, maybe the elves aren't minions. Maybe they're being held captive and forced to work against their will.

And if that doesn't convince you, maybe the new movie from Finland, 'Rare Exports', will.

Yes, that IS Santa in a cage back there

Based on two earlier shorts by the film's writer and director, Jalmari Helander, 'Rare Exports' is set in the Korvatunturi mountains tells the story of a group of hunters that find out the true nature of Santa Claus, after he's uncovered by an archeological dig. Children start to go missing, and it soon becomes clear that Old St. Nick isn't the benevolent bringer of joy everyone thinks he is.

The movie is more of a dark comedy with occasional creepy scenes than a horror, but nevertheless, it shows the old man for what he really is, which is horrific enough. If you want to see for yourself, the UK release date is set for December 3rd.

Official Site: http://www.rareexportsmovie.com/

Movies: 12 Fantastic Possession Movies - Part 1/3

Whether it's a demon, a malevolent spirit, a paracitic alien or even the devil himself, the fear of something taking over your body/mind and using it to carry out its evil plans is something that's inspired countless writers and directors over the years. Whilst not all of the offerings in the 'possession' genre are wonderful, or even good, it has provided some amazing movies. They send shivers down your spine and have you sleeping with the lights on, or are extremely entertaining at the very least! 

The following films (1-4) are, for one reason or another, some of our favourites. Why 12 you ask? Why not!

The Shining (1980)

Based on Stephen King's novel of the same name, Stanley Kubrick's eerie psychological thriller, 'The Shining', is the story of a writer, Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) who becomes the caretaker of the remote Overlook Hotel, which is closed for winter, in order to try and remedy his writer's block. Jack moves into the hotel with his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and son Danny (Danny Lloyd), who has 'the shining', a term used for the psychic abilities of children.

Soon after the family arrive, Jack's behaviour changes dramatically and it  becomes clear that the hotel and its former residents are having an evil influence over him. Well-acted, visually superb and cleverly blurring the lines between the supernatural and madness, 'The Shining' is a classic of the genre.

The Evil Dead (1981)

Written and directed by Sam Raimi, 'The Evil Dead' is an amazingly well done and creative gore fest and the first film in the trilogy (followed by 'The Evil Dead 2' and 'Army of Darkness'). The plot centres around 5 college students who take a trip to a cabin in the woods,  only to find themselves hunted and possessed by demons, after unwittingly playing an audio tape of a summoning incantation from 'The Book of the Dead'.

On the surface, it sounds like many other 'college kids in the woods being killed' movies, but Raimi actually manages to create something very unique and hooks the viewer from the outset with a combination of an entertaining plot, endearing cast (including Bruce Campbell as Ash and Betsy Baker as Linda), strange camera angles and grisly effects. There really is nothing quite like it!

The Exorcist (1973)Possibly the most famous movies in this genre, the film adaptation of William Peter Blatty's novel 'The Exorcist', directed by William Friedkin,  provoked hysteria and shock amongst movie-goers at the time. Even now, it still has the power to scare jaded modern audiences, even if it isn't really as frightening as its reputation would lead you to believe.

The film starts at an archaeological dig in Iraq, at which Father Lankester Merrin is present. After finding a small artifact - the head of a strange figure - Merrin goes onto find a statue of the demon Pazuzu. The main story, however, begins in Washington D.C. Well-known actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) begins to notice unusual and concerning behaviour in her daughter Regan (Linda Blair) after she has played with a Ouija board. Regan's behaviour steadily becomes worse, but after tests show nothing wrong with her brain, Chris is told that her daughter's problem is most likely psychological. After more violent seizures and terrible behaviour, as well as unexplained happenings in the house and the murder of the director of the film she is working on, it becomes blatantly obvious that Regan's problems are superatural in nature. Chris then decides to enlist the help of the church in the form of  a priest having a crisis of faith, Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), and Father Merrin, who is also an experienced exorcist. Regan's condition becomes drastically worse, and when asked who she is, she calls herself the devil, but she is, in actual fact, possessed by Pazuzu. The two priests must then face both the evil possessing Regan and their own fears and self-doubts in order to save her.

Paranormal Activity (2007)
Oren Peli wrote, directed, edited and was the cinematographer for this massively successful, creepy low-budget flick. Like 'The Exorcist', 'Paranormal Activity' also has a huge amount of hype surrounding it, but this does no favours for either because some movie-goers are then disappointed, as they expect far too much from what would otherwise be considered great films.

The story takes place in the house of Katie (Katie Featherstone) and Micah (Micah Sloat) (Peli's own house in real life), presenting itself as 'found footage', and was filmed entirely with a handheld camera in order to make it appear more realistic. The couple begin experiencing some minor strange happenings and Katie believes that it is a spirit that has haunted her since childhood causing the disruptions. The couple then contact a psychic for help and he suggests that rather than a spirit, it's a demon that is attached to Katie. He suggests that the two of them should contact a demonologist that he recommends and that they should not provoke or interact with with demon. However, Micah instead decides to set up a camera in their bedroom at night, when the majority of the activity happens, in order to catch the entity's prescence on film. Just as the psychic said it would, the interaction with the demon seems to enrage it, and Katie begins showing more and more severe signs of possession. The couple then try to contact the demonologist, but are unable to reach him and must try to deal with the situation themselves.

More to come in parts 2 & 3!

Trailers for 'The Shining', 'The Evil Dead', 'The Exorcist' and 'Paranormal Activity' after the cut↓

Fashion: FRIGHT-RAGS

Are you a horror addict? Do you thoroughly enjoy showing the whole world what you love? Looking for something scary to wear but sick of still being in last year's Halloween costume?  If so, then you need probably need to take a shower! But after that, you should visit FRIGHT-RAGS, who've been selling "kick-ass horror shirts" since 2003. They also have a few stickers and posters too.

From 'Freaks' to 'Scanners', 'Zombi' to 'The Evil Dead', this online store has a wide selection of t-shirts and hoodies to suit virtually any scary movie taste (okay, maybe not, but they do have a lot). All the vintage shirts are also customisable, meaning that you can choose the colour, length of sleeves and, whether or not to have the featured print "distressed". You can also choose to have the designs printed on girls shirts if you want something a bit closer fitting.

TV: The Walking Dead

For those of you who may not know it yet; the American comic book series "The Walking Dead" has now been adapted into a TV series, which premiered on October 31st. Even though only two episodes have been released so far,  it has already been announced that there will be a second season due to the big success this TV adaptation is having.

These comics related the trip of a few people trying to survive a Zombie Apocalypse. It's mainly centered around Rick Grimes, a local police officer, who falls into a coma after being shot. When he wakes up days later at the hospital, he finds it totally abandoned and full of corpses... and zombies.

I have to say I didn't have the chance to read the comics but the two episodes released until now are really worth watching. So, if you like zombies or just have nothing better to do, give it a try.  This series is as delicious as some big braaaaaaiiiiiiiiiinnnsss......

Events: Abertoir Film Festival

The Abertoir Festival in Aberystwyth, Wales, is an exultation of horror, celebrating it's 5th birthday this year, from November 10th - 14th. It's happening at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre , with guests incluing Robin Hardy (director of 'The Wicker Man', 'The Wicker Tree'), Gavin Baddeley (author of ‘Lucifer Rising’, ‘Dissecting Marilyn Manson’, ‘Goth Chic’ and ‘The Gospel of Filth’), The Damned and Zombina and the Skeletones. Films such as the cannibalistic 'We Are What We Are', homage to giallo 'Amer',  an advanced screening of the 'I Spit On Your Grave' remake, and the classic 'The House on Haunted Hill', plus much much more. It's sure to be an amazing event for all who attend!

Schedule:

WED 10th NOV

1700: Countess Dracula + Talk by Dr Kate Egan
1915: We Are What We Are + Short Film: Intercambio
2145: Dream Home (Screening sponsored by the Lampeter Confucius Institute)
0000: Mutant Girls Squad

THURS 11th NOV
1245: Dead Hooker in a Trunk + Short Film: The Familiar
1500: Iron Doors
1700: The Violent Kind + Short Film: Glow
1915: Siren + Q&A (World Premiere)
2130: Djinns (aka Stranded) + Q&A
0000: Mystery Grindhouse with Nicko and Joe’s Bad Film Club

FRIDAY 12th NOV
1100: Fired (UK Premiere)
1300: Wake (UK Premiere)
1515: Amer + Giallo talk by Dr Mikel Koven
1800: The House on Haunted Hill
2015: The Damned: Live in Concert


SATURDAY 13th NOV
1100: Short Films Competition pt 1
1330: Screenwriting Masterclass with Nicholas David Lean
1545: Gavin Baddeley – A History of Vampire Hunting
1700: Vampires + Q&A
1930: A Warning to the Curious – Two Ghost Stories by M R James
2200: Exorcismus (aka The Possession of Emma Evans) (UK Premiere)
0015: I Spit on your Grave


SUNDAY 14th NOV
1100: Short Films Competition pt 2
1330: The Silent House
1530: The Cat and the Canary (with live piano accompaniment)
1745: Robin Hardy – The Wicker Tree Preview
1930: Rare Exports (followed by closing ceremony)

See the official site for more details!
You can also follow them on Twitter.

Movies: The Innocents

Based on Henry James' novella, 'The Turn of the Screw', 'The Innocents' (1961), is a stylish pyschological horror from British director Jack Clayton. The film is set in Victorian England and stars Deborah Kerr as Miss Giddens, a young woman who is hired to work at a mansion as a governess to a brother and sister (Miles and Flora).

Miss Giddens becomes increasingly disturbed and unsettled by the strange, adult behaviour of the two children in her care. After she begins to see the ghostly figures of a man and woman, both deceased, who used to work at the mansion and had spent a great deal of time with the children, it soon becomes apparent that there is much more to the story.

By today's standards, 'The Innocents' is quite slow-paced, with plot details filtered in gradually throughout the film, but the tension and unnerving atmosphere built up during this time is essential to the film's style and mood. The fear and shocks are not achieved by including copious amounts of gore and violence, but with the clever use of lighting/shadow and subtle soundtrack, together with the creepy demeanor of the two "innocents".

 

A large part of the credit for the wonderful visuals created goes to the cinematographer, Freddie Francis. He used a striking combination of deep focus and hard, strong lighting, which achieved strange, dark shadows and allowed the viewer to see both what happened in the foreground and background equally well during certain parts of the movie. Oppositely, the depth of field is also used to blur an apparition in the background in a scene by the lake, which comes later on in the film. This helps to add to the uncertainty about Miss Giddens' sanity, as Flora claims she cannot see the figure, and the audience too cannot see it entirely.

In addition to the fantastic aesthetics, the acting is quite outstanding too. Martin Stephens, who also appeared in 'Village of the Damned' where he must have refined his spooky little boy talents, plays the role of Miles amazingly well and, at times, it really doesn't seem like you're watching a child on the screen at all. Deborah Kerr also gives a great performance, sometimes switching from smiles to concerned facial expressions to full-blown hysterics all in the same scene, although she does over-play it a little occasionally.

'The Innocents' is defintely a must see for fans of psychological horror and suspense movies, as it is one of the best of its time and has aged extremely well. Anyone who likes to be entertained with more than just blood and guts, or those who enjoy a little ambiguity at the end of the feature will also find it of interest.

The trailer is quite dreadful and takes away from the tone of the film, so instead, below are two scenes featuring Flora and Miles.

Movies: Paranormal Activity 2: Tokyo Night

We've all become used to movies from Asia being remade or reworked in the US, but this time, the tables have been turned! Well, sort of. It's not a remake, but distributor Presidio Corporation are working on a Japanese language sequel to 'Paranormal Activity' -  'Paranormal Activity 2: Tokyo Night'. Starring Aoi Nakamura and Noriko Aoyama as siblings, the sequel picks up right where the first movie left off:  

"The project is a direct continuation of the events of Oren Peli and Jason Blum’s original and takes place in Japan as a girl who visited San Diego as an exchange student unwittingly brings the evil that haunted Katie Featherston into her family’s house. The film chronicles the young woman’s videotape recordings in their house and the shocking realization of the supernatural force that her family must defeat."

The acting in the trailer looks a little weak, but it's pretty interesting to have an additional sequel to the same movie, and hopefully 'Tokyo Night' will do the series justice. With the release date cautiously set for December, it won't be long before we can find out!

News via: Dread Central and Tokyo Hive

Magazines: Shock Horror

'Shock Horror' is a new, bi-monthly magazine featuring all things horror! With movie and game reviews, interviews, articles, tattoo showcases from Haunted Tattoos, comics and more, it makes for a great read at a reasonable price (3 pounds). They also listen to reader feedback and try to improve their content based upon it, which should mean that the content will develop and change over the issues. Personally I loved their features on Vincent Price and Christopher Lee, as well as the tattoos section. The reviews were also quite varied, and the inclusion of video games, books and music means that there's something for everyone.

However, I do hope that Shock Horror doesn't become another "let's have a bunch of naked women (or indeed, men) to sell more copies" kind of magazine. I love scream queens and zombie pin-ups as much as the next person, and obviously they should have a place in the magazine too, but for me, that's not what the main focus should be. Luckily enough, so far it isn't!

The magazine is available in various UK stores and also internationally through the 'Shock Horror' website. Both Erinia (in Spain) and myself (in the UK) have ordered both issues from there and the delivery was very quick and we didn't have any problems. For issue three, they're also asking for pictures of readers' Halloween costumes at the moment, so hurry over there and you could see yourself in print!

Horror Shock Lolipop: Our Halloween~

We hope you all had a wonderfully ghoulish Halloween and showed the dead around this world on their special day! All of us at HSL are in different countries, but we celebrated it in our own ways!

Erinia Spooky, in Spain, dressed as Hi-Na from SaTaN...the evil Alice look is creepy and cute!

Then in New York, sad Oasis dressed as a mummy/zombie (stealing all the candy!)

And then there was me, in the UK...I didn't need to dress up ^.~

The very amazing corset is from Boom! Boom! Baby!

Luciel didn't take any photos, but the little horror did carve this spooky friend with me:

Did any of you dress up or carve jack o lanterns? We'd love to see some photos!