Perfectly horrible.

<-- -="" a="" back="" don="" e="" frank="" go="" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBl57wnZWhSf5tryXNTI6sDBfDl5QhXt5PZzJ28T0CNLz5P1yrL-loU8n7UDBTc_PIGBGde3AmELRM3bHiKTJhORdY6a4phskWIRv3frQ4we3aJPTeFo5DPL-D740CSK6fE2hSdszMFM/" just="" t="" tell="" waay="">(Elsa Lanchester's kids, you heard that here.)

In the true spirit of Halloween (my favourite Holiday) I admit I've been a bit more obsessed and in touch with my horror-lovin' roots than usual. This is perfectly normal behavior for me and it occurs every year. Yet, when I see the lack of decorated homes and know that the actual number of door-to-door Trick or Treaters I can expect diminishes each year - I still see costumes sold everywhere. And the ads for mall and strip mall sponsored events are in all the junk-mail flyers I get. So why are the scary things kids want to dress up as so few and far between? I mean firstly, let's define the type of scary I am talking about. Because one recent year, when little boys had those pimp costumes, and the little girls were dressing up in those Bratz doll costumes? Yeah to me, letting little girls run around the neighborhood dressed like that? Now THAT shit was scary. Plus, I simply recall that was called the "hooker" costume back when I was a kid, and it was a lame-o choice. One usually made by those who had raided the closets of either their older sisters who went to Disco-tech, or their Moms who were having a mid-life hoochie image crisis. Anyway, I mean horror-genre scary when I ponder all this.
And so, each year I gotta wonder.. Are kids just not into horror any more? Is it now deemed un-cool? Do parents feel it is abnormal to like the horror genre at an early age? I mean we had scads of that awesome stuff on the market when I was growing up. We (and well our parents to be more specific) were the target market audience for all that stuff. I'm just glad I haven't outgrown it.

And apparently this year my focus is on Frankenstein and the other Universal Monsters. Now maybe it's because I was familiar early on with this image from everything to my Uncle's collection of Aurora kits, to seeing the 1931 classic movie aired on Dr.Shock when I was just three. His daughter Bubbles was close to my age and she sat right along side him in many of the shows. So I just figured that's what all little girls watched on TV. Talk about being ahead of the curve for Daddy/Daughter go-to-work-day.

Click here for the old TV show intro.

I owe so much to this late, great horror host legend who died so young.(42) Were it not for all those Saturday mornings and the great Hammer UK and Universal films he showed, I might have never known the true meaning of a classic horror flick. I can clearly remember standing in a big line to get an 8x10 glossy autograph from him. (it was in N.J. at either a strip mall or a car dealership or bank, I forget the where now.) Ah, but I digress..what I meant to say was that deep down, from my early beginnings, I guess it's the classic Monsters I loved best then and still do. I thought this was all perfectly normal for a kid's eyes to covet.Maybe watching the Addams Family or The Munsters almost daily and seeing Eddie Munster clutch his beloved Wolfie doll did it. Or was it perhaps my later love of graphic novels taking place. With my introduction having been Bernie Wrightston's illustrated version of Frankenstein. Yep, that could have kept this cycle going well into my teens.Ironically, at 13, I had Mary Shelley's Grandaughter as my English and homeroom teacher. (no shit)
And so it's merely a commonplace occurrence to me that I had a still had thing for Frankenstein's monster going on through adulthood. It was apparent the Monster influence was still there in 2003, when I named my ex's Pharoah Hound/Boxer mix KARLOFF. (After his role in Universal's The Mummy) And also, because the alternate choices all being sucky, it won over. I mean who really wants to yell "Here Imhotep!" - "Hey Tutankhamen!" or even worse: "Come Ramses!" at the local dog park? Since I am on the subject of naming pets. One of these days, if the urge continues, I believe I am going to get a snake and name it Anaal Nathrakh - after the Charm of Making in Boorman's classic Excalibur, despite the obvious redundancy of that name for a snake. (Serpent's breath.) Hey, reciting that aloud got me out of jury duty once in N.J. - I'd say that's pretty magical.

Anyway, this and all of the other many cited reasons above are why I accept that I'm never going to change my gore-tastic, horror lovin' , darkie chic ways. And that's fine with me really. Why should I ? But here is some more recent photographic proof for your viewing pleasure anyway. A shot of me and Frankie in 2008. One that was also published in a magazine article/interview I did. I'm actually glad my horror roots *bleed into my Art and are associated with my public image/persona. (*No pun intended.)



That said, it didn't raise any eyebrows of mine that when I did a few low-cost mini's (all were priced under $25.00) for the U*NI*TY fundraiser show earlier in the month, I included some of the classic monsters for Halloween. One was a tiny little version of Frankenstein's Monster (al'a Universal Studios style.) Ironically, some guy had the nerve to ask me where I got the image from.Now I usually don't use photographic references much, and when I do I cite them or the photographer if at all possible. Sometimes it's a state-the-obvious-contest though. Is the common knowledge that this ones a pop-icon not a given? Much as I was tempted to tell him - Why no, I came up with the iconic Karloff-esque Frankenstein Monster's visual all on my own, you genius.- instead I just walked back behind my table and laughed, while asking him instead if he:"was a fucking lawyer for Universal?" Someone else actually bought that little Frankie piece and she seemed real happy with it. I'll bet she knew where the Karloff-ish image was from and was fine with some of the sale proceeds going to a good cause.

And then there's my love of Dracula. Both the novel and my favourite iconic image of him as portrayed by Bela Lugosi...Ah how
I wonder, as a serious actor (despite his addiction) what he would have thought of today's Twillight Bullshit? Anyway, here is my 2006 Halloween costume, I went as the literary character Mina Harker (just bitten and freshly 'turned') from Braham Stoker's classic Dracula. Sadly, only like 2 people actually got it.




Yet, I'll wager if I had the height and ample gozongas enough to have gone as Vampirella, I'm sure that would have been well recognized. Hmm, on second thought.. to complete the character transformation during the Harris years, I'd have had to throw in a labotomy in too. Oh well.

My 2001 - Vampi here.

Speaking of Vampi, Ohio Artist and founder of Elephant Stone Records Arabella Proffer has an original oil painting in her Etsy shop and up for sale. (just added the other day) “Vampirella” was publicly shown at “Identity Theft: Reinventing the comic hero.” An exhibition that took place last year, and one that I so wanted to be a part of once I'd heard it was happening. Anyway, I think it would look great as year-round decor if anyone has a spare $460.00 lying around.

Proffer's Vampirella

I love this piece. Personally, I like the 'disembodied hand' effect going on there with the wine glass.I don't know if it was intentional or not, but it reminds me of a kind of feminine version of The Addams Family's THING running around and serving her at a Vineyard Estate.


Stay Spooky,

K~