Movies: Beetlejuice 2... rumours?

Hello there little monsters!

Don't know if I should call this good news or bloody awesome rumours... because nothing's official or confirmed yet but there seems to be loads of talk about a sequel of the amazing "Beetlejuice" movie!

Actually there have been rumours and talking about this sequel for ages but apparently now they're becoming more intense and there's a high chance that it will make it to the big screen sooner or later.

There was even a script for it called "Beetlejuice goes Hawaiian", but the screenplay has been rewritten over the years several times, so who knows if it will be the final one.

I'm so interested in this sequel I'll keep you all up to date as soon as I have more info in my hands... until then, see ya little monsters! ;)

Art & How-to Guides: Jim McGee's Monster Drawings

Y is for Ygor

Originally hailing from the UK and now residing in Tokyo, Jim McGee draws familiar (and some not so familiar) faces from popular culture, in his own distinctive style. In 2010 he created a pictorial A-Z of monsters, featuring a plethora of characters from horror and science fiction, such as Vampira, Godzilla, Sadako, Ygor and  many more.

N is for Neko Musume and Nurikabe

V is for Vampira

Though the drawings don't always look like exact copies of the characters/actors, they aren't necessarily supposed to and it's obvious who they are. Every monster personality is represented wonderfully well, often with a dash of humor, which will make the drawings very endearing to fans of the genre. Another nice touch is the cameos and background extras that often crop up in McGee's work. For example, The Monster, The Wolfman and Una O'Connor are all in the background of the Ygor portrait.

G is for Godzilla

In addition to the monster art, there are also a multitude of tutorial and speed drawing videos on McGee's YouTube channel. It's not all spooky, with subjects ranging from Zombina (of Zombina and the Skeletones) to Tinkerbell, Frankenstein's Monster to Totoro, but it is certainly worth a look as he updates often, and is willing to take requests as well!

A still from 'How to Draw Zombina. Horror High School. Prof Fearstone'

Each video drawing is completed in 10 minutes, with extra characters/details being added if there's spare time and space. The above still features Zombina, with Professor Fearstone (a character McGee plays in 'Horror High School') coming to life in the background. Video tutorials on how to draw Zombina, Beetlejuice and Frankenstein's Monster are included after the cut below.

To see more of Jim McGee's work, you can visit the following sites:

Jim's very own A-Z of "Movie Monsters" on Facebook

Jim's Cartoon Tube on YouTube

Horror High School

Thank you to Jim for permission to use the images!

Valentine's Day: Top 15 Creepy Couples Part 1

Ah, Valentine's Day...it's pretty unappealing, from its cardboard candy-filled smugness, right down to its heart, which seems to only be full of cheesy cards, dreadful songs and hideous romantic comedies these days. Nevertheless, even in the world of horror and fantasy there's romance, so Erinia Spooky and myself (Lilia Tombs) have put together a list of some of our favourite creepy couples to mark the occasion!

Count Dracula & Mina

Originally a character created by Irish writer Bram Stoker, Dracula has become one of the most famous and enduring horror characters ever. Numerous films have been made starring the Count, but we're focusing on Dracula and Mina's doomed pairing in 'Dracula' (1931), with Bela Lugosi and Helen Chandler, marking the 80th anniversary of the movie today! You might believe Mina was under hypnosis whilst looking into Dracula's "two red eyes", but we're not buying it. Maybe next time you should choose a guy that doesn't leave hickeys!

Jack Skellington & Sally

Arguably Tim Burton's most popular characters, Jack Skellington and Sally appeared in 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'. Although they're not strictly horror characters, the King of Halloween Town and the kind and devoted Sally defintely have a place in this list, and in our hearts!

Gomez & Morticia Addams

Now to our favourite couple - Gomez and Morticia Addams of The Addams Family - perpetually in love, in each others arms and insane! They're both gorgeous, confident, bizarre and make being married with kids seem almost appealing (almost)! If you're going to shove your love affair in everyone's faces today, this is undoubtedly the best way to do it. Perfect!

Chucky & Tiffany

From the fourth installment of the Child's Play franchise, 'Bride of Chucky', comes Tiffany! Her love hate relationship with Chucky, is violent, bloody, crazy and, thanks to a "Voodoo curse", doll-shaped. Definitely everything a horror relationship should have. Bloody romantic!

The Monster & Bride of Frankenstein

Now to another relationship with a bride...The Monster (Boris Karloff) and The Bride (Elsa Lanchester), in James Whale's superb sequel to 'Frankenstein', 'The Bride of Frankenstein'. The Bride isn't exactly a willing participant in the pairing (and by this we mean she screams and hisses at the sight of him), but technically she had just been born. Well anyway, her loss, because we don't think you "belong dead", Mr. Monster. No, we love you!

Lily & Herman Munster

Not quite so involved with each other as Gomez & Morticia, but still very sweet, Herman & Lily Munster are the next on our list. They first appeared back in 1964 in 'The Munsters' second pilot episode - the first episode having Herman married to a Morticia-esque wife called Phoebe instead. (Maybe that explains why their son is a werewolf?) Still, ignoring the hidden wife and Eddie's questionable parentage, this creepy couple are about as wholesome and innocent as it gets in the world of horror. Aww...

Betelgeuse & Lydia

Starring Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder, 'Beetlejuice' is another  movie from Tim Burton, featuring the delightfully "strange and unusual" Lydia and the "ghost with the most". After he's called from the grave by his name being said three times, the young girl Lydia is almost forced to marry him in order to save her recently deceased friends, the Maitlands (er, it's better than it sounds, honest). Whilst Lydia seems unattracted to anyone at all, her groom will take anyone female; more than one if he can. Not exactly a perfect match, but we still think it's a great couple! Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse, Be..tter not just in case! ;)


More to come in Part 2!