Fashion: Hammer Horror Socks

These spooky socks, made by Hammer Films, feature Christopher Lee as Count Dracula (Dracula and Taste the Blood of Dracula) and The Creature (The Curse of Frankenstein). They pretty fantastic and, although I don't know if I'll actually wear them, they were given to me as a fun novelty present and I love them! 

Giveaways: Halloween Giveaway!

Halloween is fast approaching and so, ghoulish creatures, the Horror Shock Lolipop Halloween Giveaway is here! There are 3 prize packs available: The Halloween Pack, The Vampire Pack, and The Zombie Pack. You can enter via the Rafflecopter gadget below, or in the Contests section, until October 25th 2012. Open to everyone, from any country, whether you follow the blog or not :D

The Halloween Prize Pack

The Halloween Pack includes:
1 x Mister Mumbles (Invisible Fiends 1) by Barry Huchison (book)
1 x Boo Berry lip balm
1 x Sugar Skulls key clips (black)
1 x Sugar Skulls key clips (cream)
1 x Ghost with pumpkin candle
1 x Coffin soap
1 x Silver Bullet mints
1 x Grey Web soap
1 x Orange Pumpkin soap
1 x Ghost with pumpkin soap
2 x Glowsticks
3 x Little Pumpkin soaps
6 x Candy bracelets (2 pumpkins, 2 skull & crossbones, 2 skull & crossbones clock)

The Vampire Prize Pack

The Vampire Pack includes:
1 x Dracula (1931) on DVD (region 2)
1 x Count Chocula lip balm
1 x Garlic Mints
1 x Death Mints
1 x Coffin soap
1 x Bat soap
4 x Gargoyle soaps

The Zombie Prize Pack

The Zombie Pack includes:
1 x Zombie Housewives of the Apocalypse by Sharon Day & Julie Ferguson (book)
1 x Zombie Mints
1 x Franken Berry lip balm
1 x José ~ a Skull soap
1 x Ribs on a Rope soap
2 x Brain soaps
3 x Finger soaps
4 x Candy bracelets (2 skull & crossbones, 2 skull & crossbones clocks)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


If you don't want to enter, but still want to get your hands on these treats:
All soaps, candles, and glowsticks from The Soapy Shop of Horrors.
All mints and lip balm from Cyber Candy.
All Sugar Skulls from The Works.

And don't forget, you can still get 10% off everything at The Soapy Shop of Horrors webstore, until November 1st, by adding the code SHOCK on the shopping cart page!

NBC is reviving Dracula!

Hello there little monsters!

I'm bringing you some awesome news today!

NBC is bringing back Dracula, Bram Stoker style! Tired of the new Twilight-like vamps and this whole new "generation" of sparkly creatures, NBC has put the producers of Downtown Abbey in charge of 10 episodes of this new series which will be set in Victorian London.

And it gets even better, because the goregeous Jonathan Rhys Meyers will be the one

embodying our beloved Dracula! I haven't been able to find a release date but we will keep you up to date as soon as there's more info.

Here's a little summary of the plot:

" The series finds Dracula posing as an American in Victorian London. Though he feigns a desire to introduce modern science, he actually seeks revenge. His plans are disrupted when he falls in love with a woman who seems to be his reincarnated wife. "

I'm expecting GREAT things from this new TV series... what about you, girls and ghouls?

A-Z Challenge: D is for...Dracula Pop-Ups!

D is for...Dracula Pop-Ups!

Again, this entry has been backdated because I missed some days of the challenge, but regardless of that, today D is for...Dracula Pop-Ups! Although I wish I had random spooky haunted house hydraulic pop-up decorations around my house to show you, I don't. So instead, I bring you this adaptation of Bram Stoker's classic Gothic horror novel, 'Dracula', in the form of a graphic novel / pop-up book.  

Much to my delight, I received this book as a birthday present last year, along with a pop-up version of Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' by the same company and another 'Dracula' pop-up book by a different publisher. This one is a collaboration between three people: Clare Bampton (story adaptation), Anthony Williams (illustrations) and David Hawcock (pop-ups).

Back view of the pop-up below

Having read the original novel and watched so many film adaptations that I've lost count (no pun intended), this one was quite a fun, visually impressive format for 'Dracula' to take. Both sides of the pop-ups are printed, so there's no white card on the back showing up to ruin the atmosphere, and they are also extremely intricate. In addition to the main pop-up in the centre of each double page spread, the side panels also fold out to reveal more of the narrative and numerous mini-pop-ups. 

The main downside to this book is that is simply isn't long enough to encompass the entire story properly and so only major plot points are included. It still makes sense as a whole, but it feels somewhat rushed and incomplete at times, which you don't get with serialised graphic novels, as they are far longer.

I think it would probably be better suited to older children or possibly even younger teens, as a precursor to reading the novel, rather than older teens and adults. Having said that, I still adore the elaborate pop-ups, and it's a fairly unusual and aesthetically pleasing addition to my horror collection! 

This post is part of the A-Z Blogging Challenge.

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!

Events: Sir Christopher Lee Given BAFTA Fellowship

BAFTA (The British Academy of Film and Television Arts) are honoring Sir Christopher Lee today, for his outstanding contribution to film by making him an Academy Fellow. He'll join the likes of other BAFTA Fellows such as Alfred Hitchcock (1971), Sir Alec Guinness (1989), Dame Maggie Smith (1996), Sir Anthony Hopkins (2008) and many other greats from the world of film & television. I'm sure I don't need to explain to any of you who Sir Christopher is, since he's been in so many films (over 250 since 1948!), but just in case you don't know....during his long career, he's played roles as varied as Frankenstein's Monster, Count Dracula, Sherlock Holmes, Lord Summerisle ('The Wicker Man'), Saruman ('Lord of the Rings'), Jinnah and Count Dooku (Star Wars).

Daily Express article about the Fellowship

Even though he's said in interviews that whilst he's thankful for his roles in horror, he's not really fond of the genre, he's still one of my favourite actors to have appeared in it and a very inspirational person. Congratulations Sir Christopher~!

BAFTA article

Toys: Clockwork Horrors

Christmas brought some delightful creepy cute and horror themed gifts scuttling their way to me this year. These 6cm high  Clockwork Horrors, sold by Hawkin's Bazaar, lurched like little zombies! They come in four designs - Dracula, a pumpkin head, a skeleton and Frankenstein's Monster (not pictured, as sadly, I don't have that one...yet).

Although their balance isn't fantastic unless they're on a flat, smooth surface and they are a little bit noisy, they're well-made, fun toys and you don't have to wind them up much to make them go. Clockwork Horrors would make excellent party bag fillers or equally interesting things to keep on your desk to procrastinate with. 

Animation: Pet of Dracula

Even Dracula can't resist the hypnotic stare of a cat!