Saturday, October 31, 2015

Night 14 of the Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway


Well my little ghouls and dolls we have come to the end of our 4th annual Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween. It is this Vixen's favorite time of year. I love to do this giveaway for all of you and, despite the late night cursing you may hear as I scramble to finish that night's post, I really do hate to see it come to an end. But it is Halloween so lets all go have a fiendishly good time tonight and raise a little scare! For tomorrow it will be time to pack up the cob webs, put the bats back in their cave, smash the pumpkins and, for heaven's sake, stop eating bags of miniature candies!

Have no fear, you still have until 10:00pm (PST) November 1st to get your entries in for all the giveaway fun. If you are arriving late to the party you can find all the info on the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST. For those who have been following all along this is the final post. Please give a big thank you to all of the shops that donated prizes this year and the blogs that helped spread the word. And thank you to everyone who joined in the fun. We hope it helped bring a little extra fun to your Halloween season. We will be back again next October to do it all over again.

Hemlock and Moonbeams Charm Bracelet or Necklace

Purchase any item(s) from Laughing Vixen Lounge through October 31st and get 10% off your order. Use code OCTOBER10 at checkout.


$1 from each sale at Laughing Vixen Lounge goes to support the Joy Cinema. A single screen theater in Tigard, Oregon that has been in operation since 1939. Purchase from LVL and help keep the classic cinema experience alive. See full fundraising details and the Joy's story HERE.



**Solve The Murder Mystery Now**
The body of Miss Death has been found at Raven's Perch Manor. Detective Heathmoor has caught a shadowy figure fleeing into the night. You have the clues now solve the mystery.
 
*You still have time to play the Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt. The clues will stay up through the end of the giveaway. See details on how to play on MAIN GIVEAWAY POST.

Because I completely forgot that there was supposed to be 2 shops hiding clues yesterday you can find the last Scavenger Hunt clue today. The entry is listed as Scavenger Hunt Clue #13 10/30 - Part 2 on the Rafflecopter.

Tonight's clue is hiding in Apocalypso.
Need a little help finding the clue? He likes to take a "bite".

San Antonio Sugar Skull Earrings

Hopefully you have been keeping a list of all the clues you have collected. You can now submit your guess of how the murder happened. 1 random winner from any correct guesses will win a $50 Gift Certificate to Laughing Vixen Lounge and a $30 Gift Certificate to Deep Midnight Perfumes. If no one guesses correctly then 1 random winner from all submitted guesses will win their choice of Photo Pendant/Keychain from Laughing Vixen Lounge ($15) and a $15 Perfume Sampler Set (your choice of scents) from Deep Midnight Perfumes.

How to submit your guess.
1. Pick one clue from each of the 5 categories -Settings, Suspects, Rooms, Weapons and Escapes. Use Miss Death as the victim.
Example ~ In the twilight, Mr. Blue killed Miss Death in the bedroom with a skillet then tried to escape out the window.
2. Find the "Solve the Murder Mystery" entry on the Rafflecopter widget on the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and leave your guess there. DO NOT post your guess anywhere on the blog or it will not count. Guesses must use the actual clues from the Scavenger Hunt or they will not count. If you have any questions just ask. You have until tonight at 10:00 (PST) November 1st to do this.


Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Movie Marathon.

**You still have time to play along. You have until the end of the giveaway ~ 10:00 pm (PST) November 1st ~ to leave your comments.**

*You still have time to follow the Halloween Movie Marathon. See details on how to play on MAIN GIVEAWAY POST.

We have made it to the end of our Halloween Movie Marathon with tonight's last film. Hope you have had fun reminiscing about these movies or maybe found some new ones to watch. You have until 10:00 pm (PST) November 1st to comment on the movie posts for an extra 20 entries in the giveaway. Once you have you can take the 20 EXTRA ENTRIES.

1. You must first leave a comment on each night's movie post with your opinion of that movie. If you have not your entries will not count.
2. On the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST, log into the Rafflecopter and find the 4 "Follow the Movie Marathon" entries. Rafflecopter only allows 5 entries each time so that is why you need to do all 4 to receive the 20 entries.
3. You will need to enter the MAGIC PHRASE "I survived the Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween" and the name you used to post your comments into each entry.


Laughing Vixen Lounge Halloween Crew
Skeleton Monkey, Frankengerbil and Flyin' Purple People Eater

While watching the movies on our list I couldn't help but think about...

What have we learned from watching horror films?
1. Only the skinny survive! If you can't fit through small openings you will never escape.
2. If you leave your window/doors unlocked or open then you should not be surprised when the killer appears in your house.
3. If you hear something outside at night don't go out and offer yourself up to it.
4. Do not touch things that fall from the sky.
5. If your wife is telling you something is evil, listen to her.
6. Never trust the local sheriff, gas attendants, doctor, etc. They are part of it!
7. Never say "I'll be right back". You won't!
8. Hit him again.
9. Don't sit with your back to the killer with your eyes shut thinking "It all OK now". It's not. You only hit him once and now he's standing up.
10. After the third time #9 happens...learn from it!

A Tree In Autumn Earrings

And now for our final feature...

Classic Thrills Through the Years ~ 1990s

Night 14 ~ Scream


Tagline - Don't Answer The Phone. Don't Open The Door. Don't Try To
              Escape.
              Someone's Taken Their Love Of Scary Movies One Step Too
              Far!
              From The First Name In Suspense Comes The Last Word In
              Fear


Directed by Wes Craven (Nightmare on Elm St., People Under the Stairs and Cursed) and released on December 20, 1996 by Dimension Films (Rated R). High school. All of the people around Sidney (Neve Campbell) start to die off. The killer seems to be someone who has seen one too many horror movies. Everyone is a suspect. Can you figure out who?

I really do love these movies. They shot a breath of new life into the horror genre with a perfect mix of scariness and comedy. It poked fun at the genre itself but in a very loving way and had an extreme sense of violence. I remember being a bit shocked by how brutal the first one was. As with anything else it becomes more common place after awhile but I still think it is shocking.

The movies have to work to find a reason for the killer to keep going as the sequels keep coming (Four in all as of now) but I think they do pretty good. The best parts are always the opening scenes. They are all wonderful but I think part 2 is the creepiest because it plays on the fear that even in a crowded room of people you still are not safe.

One of the best treats here comes in part 3. I've never been a big fan of Parker Posey but she is great at portraying Gail Weathers in the 3rd Stab movie. Watching her and the real Gail (Courtney Cox) together is too funny.

MTV recently aired the Scream TV series. While highly skeptical of it I ended up enjoying it a lot. It has nothing to do with the characters of the movies and is a stand alone story. But is very much in the style of the original films.

Scream 1, 2 and 3 are currently available to stream from Amazon and Netflix. 1, 2, 3, 4 and the TV series are currently available to rent from MGo, Vudu and (some) Amazon. And they all should be available on most DVD services. 


Take a look at the original trailer.




Some trivia about the movie
1.Billy's surname, Loomis, is the same as that of Donald Pleasance's character in Halloween (1978), which in turn was the name of Marion Crane's lover in Psycho (1960).
2. When the killer smashes his head through a window and Casey hits him in the face with the phone, Wes Craven is actually wearing the costume and was really hit in the face.
3. Tatum's house is right across the street from the house in Santa Rosa, California used in Pollyanna (1960). It is also across the street from the house used in Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt (1943). The house in the opening scene was next door to the house used in Cujo (1983).
4. Billy's surname, Loomis, is the same as that of Donald Pleasance's character in Halloween (1978), which in turn was the name of Marion Crane's lover in Psycho (1960).
5. On "The Directors" (2007), David Arquette revealed that he presumptuously turned down the role of "Billy" in favor for playing "Dewey", which was originally written as a hunky, leading man part.
6. The use of caller ID increased more than threefold after the release of this film.
7. The idea of the pet door in the garage came from Williamson's assistant. Originally, Tatum's death scene was to be a fist fight with the killer, and having the door come down on her neck.

Vintage Skulls Charm Bracelet or Necklace

Friday, October 30, 2015

Night 13 of the Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway


Welcome to night 13 of the 4th annual Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway. Stop by our MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and enter to win a $250+ Prize Pack full of frightfully good treats from 7 spooktacular shops. In this post you will find details on how to earn extra entries with our Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt & Halloween Movie Marathon and test your movie knowledge with the Guess the Movie Game. Make sure to visit us each day during the giveaway so you do not miss out on any of the fun!

Magic Potion Compact - Plasma Enhancer

Purchase any item(s) from Laughing Vixen Lounge through October 31st and get 10% off your order. Use code OCTOBER10 at checkout.


$1 from each sale at Laughing Vixen Lounge goes to support the Joy Cinema. A single screen theater in Tigard, Oregon that has been in operation since 1939. Purchase from LVL and help keep the classic cinema experience alive. See full fundraising details and the Joy's story HERE.


Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt
Our scavenger hunt works like a game of Clue. Every day you will be looking for clues to a different part of the mystery ~ Settings, Suspects, Rooms, Weapons and Escapes. They will be hidden (at the top of the description) in a listing inside one of our participating shops. On each daily post you will be given a hint as to where the clues are hiding. Once you find a clue go to the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and take the daily entry on the Rafflecopter widget. Today's entry will be at the top of the entry list while all past entries will be at the bottom of the list.
*Make sure you are finding today's clue! Submit the wrong clue and it will not count. They have dates. Shops have more than one set of clues hiding there so pay attention. 
*You may start the Scavenger Hunt at anytime during the giveaway and find past clues.
*You can earn 5 extra entries in the giveaway for each set of clues found.
*Please only post clues on the Rafflecopter widget. Anywhere else and they will be deleted.

Scavenger Hunt Special Giveaway!
Keep a list of the clues you find. On October 31st and November 1st you will be able to use the clues you found and submit your guess of how the murder happened. 1 random winner from any correct guesses will win a $50 Gift Certificate to Laughing Vixen Lounge and a $30 Gift Certificate to Deep Midnight Perfumes. If no one guesses correctly then 1 random winner from all submitted guesses will win their choice of Photo Pendant/Keychain from Laughing Vixen Lounge ($15) and a $15 Perfume Sampler Set (your choice of scents) from Deep Midnight Perfumes. Full details on how to submit your guess will be listed on October 31st. You do not need to find all of the clues to submit a guess but the more you find the better your guess.

Clue for October 30th
A murder has been committed! The body of Miss Death has been found at Raven's Perch Manor. Detective Heathmoor needs your help collecting the clues of the crime. Can you solve the mystery?

Night 13 ~ You will be collecting clues to the weapon of the crime.

Tonight's clue is hiding in Miss Bohemia.
Need a little help finding the clue? Start your morning with Mr. Darcy.

There seems to be some confusion.
***The clue is in the shop listed above. It will be in one of the listings.
***The hint above is to help you find which listing the clue is in. DO NOT answer the above clue. Your entry will not count.
***The clue is not on this page.

Wizard Of Oz Mug


Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Movie Marathon.
Follow along with us for 2 full weeks of classic spooky movies. This year we celebrate "Classic Thrills Through the Years". Watch the face of horror as it changes from one decade to the next. Find some great watches for the season and receive EXTRA ENTRIES at the same time! On each daily post there will be a review of the next movie in our movie marathon. Leave a comment on the post with your opinion of that movie. Once you have posted go to the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and take the daily entry on the Rafflecopter widget. Today's entry will be at the top of the entry list while all past entries will be at the bottom of the list. Comment on all movies in the marathon and receive an EXTRA 20 ENTRIES at the end of the giveaway.
*You may start following the Movie Marathon at any time during the giveaway and post comments on past daily posts.
*Each comment will earn you an EXTRA 5 ENTRIES.
*Comment on each movie to earn an EXTRA 20 ENTRIES at the end of the giveaway.
*On October 31st or November 1st you must use the Magic Phrase (revealed on October 31st) and use it to unlock the entry on the Rafflecopter to receive the 20 entries. You must have commented on each movie.

Guess The Movie Game
Think you know your scary movies? Try your luck with this fun little game and receive EXTRA ENTRIES just for guessing. Each daily post will have a clue to the next night's movie. Leave your guess on the Rafflecopter widget, on the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST, for an EXTRA 5 ENTRIES in the giveaway. You do not need to be right just give it an honest try.
*Guesses must be made the same day as their clue to receive the entry.
*Entry will reset 24hrs after your last guess.
*Make sure you are leaving a guess for that day's clue. Guessing for a past clue that has already been posted will be deleted.
* Please only post guesses on the Rafflecopter widget.

Tonight's Clue ~ "I'll be right back!"


Classic Thrills Through the Years ~ 1980s

Night 13 ~ Fright Night


Tagline - There are some very good reasons to be
              afraid...of the dark.
              If you love being scared, it'll be the night of
              your life.


Written and directed by Tom Holland (Child's Play, The Temp and Thinner) and released on August 2, 1985 by Columbia Pictures (Rated R). Charley Brewster (William Ragsdale) is a huge horror fan and loves to watch a little late night show called "Fright Night". So when he starts to insist that his new neighbor is a Vampire it's no wonder that no one believes him. Poor crazy Charley.

Of course Charley isn't crazy and his new neighbor Jerry Dandrige (Chris Sarandon) is a blood sucker. With the help of Peter Vincent "Vampire Killer" (Roddy McDowall), host of "Fright Night", Charley's two friends Amy (Amanda Bearse) and Evil set out to convince Charley that everything is just fine. They fail miserably and must spend the rest of the movie fighting the creatures of the dark.

Yes, the effects are a little on the dated side with this one but a lot of it is still quite good and the rest will make you giggle. If you're old enough to remember the 80's you'll find lots to cringe about while watching the outfits go by.

This plays out like a good old fashion horror film. The teenagers run around with no one believing them. The Vampire lives in the big spooky old house next door. They use all the classic Vampire lore in telling the story. It's a fun and creepy ride. Oh, and Charley drives one heck of a nice old Mustang that no regular teenager could actually afford.

What makes me so fond of this movie is Peter Vincent and Fright Night. I wish there was a late night show on just like it. I would so watch that! It may not be Roddy McDowall's best acting roll or movie but it is my favorite to watch. He plays Peter Vincent so well as a unhappy and scared man living behind his alter ego. As the movie progresses he finds the strength to live up to the name "Vampire Killer".

And I have this thing about the extra long fingers that Vampires sport in the movies. It creeps me out to no end. Why? I don't know why. It just isn't right! They have got them close to perfect in this movie (the best being Nosferatu 1922). Eeeeew!


Take a look at the original trailer.



Some trivia about the movie.
1. The character Peter Vincent is named for two well know horror actors Peter Cushing and Vincent Price.
2. Chris Sarandon is also known for voicing the character Jack Skellington in "A Nightmare Before Christmas".
3. A puppet that was created for, but not used in, another Columbia Pictures production, Ghost Busters, is visible in Fright Night.
4. The most successful horror film financially of the 1985 Summer season. Also the second highest grossing horror film of 1985. The first was A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge.
5. The fact that Amy resembles a lost love of Dandridge's was Chris Sarandon's idea. He wanted Dandridge to have added dimensions - and not just be some evil bad guy.
6. The film's genesis came in Tom Holland wanting to do a vampire story crossbred with The Boy Who Cried Wolf. Avoiding using special effects at the expense of good acting, Holland included plenty of humour, warmth and relationships. He also wanted to make it valid to a modern audience by rooting it in reality - hence the suburbia setting.
7. Although William Ragsdale and Amanda Bearse are playing teenagers, in reality Ragsdale was 24 and Bearse was 27 during filming.
8. When playing Peter Vincent, Roddy McDowall based his character on some bad actors from the films he used to watch as a child.
9. Much of the film's 9.5 million dollar budget was spent on special effects (it was the first vampire film to spend one million dollars on special effects).
10. Tom Holland's directorial debut.
11. The character of Peter Vincent claims he has been fired from hosting Fright Night because "all they want are demented mad men running around in ski masks hacking up young virgins." - an obvious reference to the Friday the 13th franchise. The bouncer (Nick Savage) at the club, who first confronts Jerry, plays one of the 3 motorcycle gang members killed by Jason Vorhees in Friday the 13th Part III.
12. Charlie Sheen auditioned for the role of Charlie Brewster, but the director decided his looks weren't right for the character, so William Ragsdale was ultimately cast. "Charlie Sheen was a hero," Higgins commented in an interview with The Projection Booth. "Bill Ragsdale in playing Charlie Brewster was the guy next door."
13. Writer/director Tom Holland conceived the role of Peter Vincent with Vincent Price in mind, but Price's health was declining and he was trying to shy away from accepting horror roles by that point in his career.

Mark Of The Vampire Necklace

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Night 12 of the Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway


Welcome to night 12 of the 4th annual Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway. Stop by our MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and enter to win a $250+ Prize Pack full of frightfully good treats from 7 spooktacular shops. In this post you will find details on how to earn extra entries with our Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt & Halloween Movie Marathon and test your movie knowledge with the Guess the Movie Game. Make sure to visit us each day during the giveaway so you do not miss out on any of the fun!

Retro Halloween Charm Bracelet or Necklace

Purchase any item(s) from Laughing Vixen Lounge through October 31st and get 10% off your order. Use code OCTOBER10 at checkout.


$1 from each sale at Laughing Vixen Lounge goes to support the Joy Cinema. A single screen theater in Tigard, Oregon that has been in operation since 1939. Purchase from LVL and help keep the classic cinema experience alive. See full fundraising details and the Joy's story HERE.


Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt
Our scavenger hunt works like a game of Clue. Every day you will be looking for clues to a different part of the mystery ~ Settings, Suspects, Rooms, Weapons and Escapes. They will be hidden (at the top of the description) in a listing inside one of our participating shops. On each daily post you will be given a hint as to where the clues are hiding. Once you find a clue go to the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and take the daily entry on the Rafflecopter widget. Today's entry will be at the top of the entry list while all past entries will be at the bottom of the list.
*Make sure you are finding today's clue! Submit the wrong clue and it will not count. They have dates. Shops have more than one set of clues hiding there so pay attention. 
*You may start the Scavenger Hunt at anytime during the giveaway and find past clues.
*You can earn 5 extra entries in the giveaway for each set of clues found.
*Please only post clues on the Rafflecopter widget. Anywhere else and they will be deleted.

Scavenger Hunt Special Giveaway!
Keep a list of the clues you find. On October 31st and November 1st you will be able to use the clues you found and submit your guess of how the murder happened. 1 random winner from any correct guesses will win a $50 Gift Certificate to Laughing Vixen Lounge and a $30 Gift Certificate to Deep Midnight Perfumes. If no one guesses correctly then 1 random winner from all submitted guesses will win their choice of Photo Pendant/Keychain from Laughing Vixen Lounge ($15) and a $15 Perfume Sampler Set (your choice of scents) from Deep Midnight Perfumes. Full details on how to submit your guess will be listed on October 31st. You do not need to find all of the clues to submit a guess but the more you find the better your guess.


Clue for October 29th
A murder has been committed! The body of Miss Death has been found at Raven's Perch Manor. Detective Heathmoor needs your help collecting the clues of the crime. Can you solve the mystery?

Night 12 ~ You will be collecting clues to the escape of the crime.

Tonight's clue is hiding in Junkmill.
Need a little help finding the clue? Flutter by night.

 There seems to be some confusion.
***The clue is in the shop listed above. It will be in one of the listings.
***The hint above is to help you find which listing the clue is in. DO NOT answer the above clue. Your entry will not count.
***The clue is not on this page.

ZoMBIE PIN-UPS - Digital Collage Sheet



Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Movie Marathon.
Follow along with us for 2 full weeks of classic spooky movies. This year we celebrate "Classic Thrills Through the Years". Watch the face of horror as it changes from one decade to the next. Find some great watches for the season and receive EXTRA ENTRIES at the same time! On each daily post there will be a review of the next movie in our movie marathon. Leave a comment on the post with your opinion of that movie. Once you have posted go to the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and take the daily entry on the Rafflecopter widget. Today's entry will be at the top of the entry list while all past entries will be at the bottom of the list. Comment on all movies in the marathon and receive an EXTRA 20 ENTRIES at the end of the giveaway.
*You may start following the Movie Marathon at any time during the giveaway and post comments on past daily posts.
*Each comment will earn you an EXTRA 5 ENTRIES.
*Comment on each movie to earn an EXTRA 20 ENTRIES at the end of the giveaway.
*On October 31st or November 1st you must use the Magic Phrase (revealed on October 31st) and use it to unlock the entry on the Rafflecopter to receive the 20 entries. You must have commented on each movie.

Guess The Movie Game
Think you know your scary movies? Try your luck with this fun little game and receive EXTRA ENTRIES just for guessing. Each daily post will have a clue to the next night's movie. Leave your guess on the Rafflecopter widget, on the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST, for an EXTRA 5 ENTRIES in the giveaway. You do not need to be right just give it an honest try.
*Guesses must be made the same day as their clue to receive the entry.
*Entry will reset 24hrs after your last guess.
*Make sure you are leaving a guess for that day's clue. Guessing for a past clue that has already been posted will be deleted.
* Please only post guesses on the Rafflecopter widget.

Tonight's Clue ~ The boy next door meets the Vampire next door.


Classic Thrills Through the Years ~ 1980s

Night 12 ~ A Nightmare on Elm Street


Taglines - She is the only one who can stop it... if
                 she fails, no one survives.
                 If Nancy Doesn't Wake Up Screaming She
                 Won't Wake Up At All...
                 Sleep Kills


Written and directed by Wes Craven (Last House on the Left, The Hills Have Eyes and Scream) and released on November 16, 1984 by New Line Cinema (Rated R). The kids on Elm Street are having some unpleasant dreams. Funny thing is their dreams all have the same psychopath Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) in them. Oops! Now they are starting to die! Can Nancy (Heather Langencamp) and her boyfriend Glen (Johnny Depp) convince any adult that the man in their dreams is the killer. Hmmm...probably not. It's up to Nancy to find Freddy in her dreams and drag him out into her reality for a big bad show down.

This movie was like nothing else I had seen when it was new. Some of the images were just bizarre and freaky and the movie scared the beejeebies out of me! It became one of my favorite movies and I saw it way too many times to count. Plus there was that cute boy in it...Johnny something??

It spawned many, many sequels that got increasingly silly as they went along. That became part of the charm of these movies. The "camp" factor. I remember seeing a marathon of them back when number 4 came out. One movie theater showed all four in a row and everyone had lots of run with them. The original, dated effects and cheesy one liners included, is still a scary movie at heart. There was a remake of the original in 2010 that just did not manage to capture the "charm" of the original film. How can you have Freddy Krueger without Robert Englund and Wes Craven?

A Nightmare on Elm Street is currently available to rent on Amazon, Vudu and MGo and should be available on most DVD services.


Take a look at the original trailer.



Some trivia about the movie
1. Director Wes Craven claims to have named Freddy Krueger after a kid who bullied him in school and to have based his appearance on a disfigured hobo who scared him as a youth.
2. Johnny Depp accompanied friend Jackie Earle Haley to the auditions, where he was spotted by director Wes Craven, who asked him if he'd like to read for the part. Interestingly enough, Haley played Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010).
3. Wes Craven cast Joseph Whipp, who plays the inept sidekick of John Saxon's Lt. Thompson in this film, as the sheriff who endures David Arquette's inept Deputy Dewey in Scream (1996/I).
4. This was the first real movie by New Line Cinema. Before that, they were just a distribution company for college campuses.
5. Freddy Kruger was designed by Wes Craven to be the typical "silent" serial killer such as Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers. But in the sequels Freddy developed a cheeky persona that enabled him to be the black humored villain.
6. New Line Cinema was saved from bankruptcy by the success of the film, and was jokingly nicknamed "the house that Freddy built".
7. Over 500 gallons of fake blood were used during the making of the film.
8. For the famous blood geyser sequence, the film makers used the same revolving room set that was used for Tina's death. They put the set so that it was upside down and attached the camera so that it looked like the room was right side up, then they poured gallons of red water into the room. (The normal movie blood wasn't able to create the right effect for the geyser.)
9. This was Johnny Depp's first film.
10. In a deleted scene featured on the Laser Disc and VHS from Anchor Bay we learn that Nancy and many of her friends from the neighborhood weren't always only children, but had a brother or sister before they were killed by Freddy (during the scene in the basement just before Nancy's mother reveals she has Freddy's glove.)
11. Heather Langenkamp beat over 200 actresses for the role of Nancy Thompson, some of the other actresses who auditioned for the role of Nancy were Jennifer Grey, Demi Moore, Courteney Cox and Tracey Gold.
12. Wes Craven claimed to have drawn inspiration for this movie from 3 separate incidents involving young Cambodians, survivors of Pol Pot's genocidal "purges," all of whom died while apparently in the throes of a horrific nightmare. The story goes that first these young, otherwise healthy people would have a horrible nightmare, then refuse to sleep for as long as possible; when they finally fell asleep from sheer exhaustion they awoke with screaming and writhing, then died from a heart attack. In the last incident, the young man used a variety methods to try and stay awake that were incorporated into the film, including a hidden coffee pot. Some of the dialog between Nancy and her parents is based on this young man's attempts to convince his unbelieving parents that going to sleep would kill him.
13. Jack Nicholson and Robin Williams were both seriously considered for the role of Freddy Kruger.

I Married A Dead Man Compact

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Night 11 of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway


Welcome to night 11 of the 4th annual Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway. Stop by our MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and enter to win a $250+ Prize Pack full of frightfully good treats from 7 spooktacular shops. In this post you will find details on how to earn extra entries with our Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt & Halloween Movie Marathon and test your movie knowledge with the Guess the Movie Game. Make sure to visit us each day during the giveaway so you do not miss out on any of the fun!

Red Riding Hood Compact - Style A

Purchase any item(s) from Laughing Vixen Lounge through October 31st and get 10% off your order. Use code OCTOBER10 at checkout.


$1 from each sale at Laughing Vixen Lounge goes to support the Joy Cinema. A single screen theater in Tigard, Oregon that has been in operation since 1939. Purchase from LVL and help keep the classic cinema experience alive. See full fundraising details and the Joy's story HERE.


Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt
Our scavenger hunt works like a game of Clue. Every day you will be looking for clues to a different part of the mystery ~ Settings, Suspects, Rooms, Weapons and Escapes. They will be hidden (at the top of the description) in a listing inside one of our participating shops. On each daily post you will be given a hint as to where the clues are hiding. Once you find a clue go to the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and take the daily entry on the Rafflecopter widget. Today's entry will be at the top of the entry list while all past entries will be at the bottom of the list.
*Make sure you are finding today's clue! Submit the wrong clue and it will not count. They have dates. Shops have more than one set of clues hiding there so pay attention. 
*You may start the Scavenger Hunt at anytime during the giveaway and find past clues.
*You can earn 5 extra entries in the giveaway for each set of clues found.
*Please only post clues on the Rafflecopter widget. Anywhere else and they will be deleted.

Scavenger Hunt Special Giveaway!
Keep a list of the clues you find. On October 31st and November 1st you will be able to use the clues you found and submit your guess of how the murder happened. 1 random winner from any correct guesses will win a $50 Gift Certificate to Laughing Vixen Lounge and a $30 Gift Certificate to Deep Midnight Perfumes. If no one guesses correctly then 1 random winner from all submitted guesses will win their choice of Photo Pendant/Keychain from Laughing Vixen Lounge ($15) and a $15 Perfume Sampler Set (your choice of scents) from Deep Midnight Perfumes. Full details on how to submit your guess will be listed on October 31st. You do not need to find all of the clues to submit a guess but the more you find the better your guess.

Clue for October 28th
A murder has been committed! The body of Miss Death has been found at Raven's Perch Manor. Detective Heathmoor needs your help collecting the clues of the crime. Can you solve the mystery?

Night 11 ~ You will be collecting clues to the weapon of the crime.

Tonight's clue is hiding in Calluna Muse.
Need a little help finding the clue? Clip it up.

 There seems to be some confusion.
***The clue is in the shop listed above. It will be in one of the listings.
***The hint above is to help you find which listing the clue is in. DO NOT answer the above clue. Your entry will not count.
***The clue is not on this page.

Skull Beaded Bracelet



Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Movie Marathon.
Follow along with us for 2 full weeks of classic spooky movies. This year we celebrate "Classic Thrills Through the Years". Watch the face of horror as it changes from one decade to the next. Find some great watches for the season and receive EXTRA ENTRIES at the same time! On each daily post there will be a review of the next movie in our movie marathon. Leave a comment on the post with your opinion of that movie. Once you have posted go to the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and take the daily entry on the Rafflecopter widget. Today's entry will be at the top of the entry list while all past entries will be at the bottom of the list. Comment on all movies in the marathon and receive an EXTRA 20 ENTRIES at the end of the giveaway.
*You may start following the Movie Marathon at any time during the giveaway and post comments on past daily posts.
*Each comment will earn you an EXTRA 5 ENTRIES.
*Comment on each movie to earn an EXTRA 20 ENTRIES at the end of the giveaway.
*On October 31st or November 1st you must use the Magic Phrase (revealed on October 31st) and use it to unlock the entry on the Rafflecopter to receive the 20 entries. You must have commented on each movie.


Guess The Movie Game
Think you know your scary movies? Try your luck with this fun little game and receive EXTRA ENTRIES just for guessing. Each daily post will have a clue to the next night's movie. Leave your guess on the Rafflecopter widget, on the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST, for an EXTRA 5 ENTRIES in the giveaway. You do not need to be right just give it an honest try.
*Guesses must be made the same day as their clue to receive the entry.
*Entry will reset 24hrs after your last guess.
*Make sure you are leaving a guess for that day's clue. Guessing for a past clue that has already been posted will be deleted.
* Please only post guesses on the Rafflecopter widget.

Tonight's Clue ~ Sweet dreams!


Classic Thrills Through the Years ~ 1980s

Night 11 ~The Howling


Tagline - Imagine your worst fear a reality


Joe Dante (Piranha, Gremlins I/II and Explorers ) directs this film version of the novel by Gary Brandner. Released on April 10, 1981 by AVCO Embassy Pictures (Rated R). A TV reporter, Karen White (Dee Wallace), is traumatized by an attack from a serial killer that she can not quite remember. At the suggestion of her doctor, Karen and her husband Bill (Christopher Stone) take a little retreat into the woods at The Colony. Maybe here she can get her memory back. Does she really want it back? Does she really want to know the truth about The Colony? Does she really have any choice? We know better.

Karen, a television reporter, has been communicating with a serial killer. When he invites her to meet him she can not resist. Wearing a wire, and with supposed surveillance watching her, she walks into a darkened room for the meeting. When things go wrong, and her backup takes it's time arriving, Karen experiences something terrifying in the dark. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, she can not remember what it was. On the advice of her therapist Karen and her husband take a much needed vacation to a little community in the woods called The Colony. But The Colony will turn out to be a whole new nightmare.

In 1981 Hollywood released three Werewolf movies, Wolfen, An American Werewolf in London and The Howling. An American Werewolf in London won an Academy Award for groundbreaking effects and the other two movies fell quickly out of people's minds. That is unless you are a lover of these movies. While An American Werewolf in London is a great film, The Howling deserves to stand shoulder to shoulder with it in horror film history. Forgetting the "oh, I can not believe what I'm seeing" bad cartoon Werewolf love scene and the way too puppy dog Werewolf at the end, The Howling is a really good Werewolf movie. It plays like an old fashion horror story with plenty of good scares along the way. While FX master Rick Baker did leave The Howling production to work on An American Werewolf in London, this movie has some great Werewolf transformation scenes. The Howling goes with the Werewolf that stands on two legs which is always very creepy. The transformation scene with Eddie in the office is some of the best in horror history. Along with the scares The Howling blends classic Werewolf myth, lore and pop culture references to the story. If you like Werewolf films, or just a fun horror film, you can not go wrong with The Howling.

The Howling did spawn an amazing amount of bad sequels. I mean BAD. None of them have anything to do with the original and are all stand alone stories. I have watched most all of them but some were just silly and painful. Though some were a little less bad than others.

I could not find The Howling available to stream or rent on any of the usual places (though many of the sequels were there) but it should be available through most DVD services.

 
Take a look at the original trailer.



Some trivia about the movie.
1. Many of the character names are named after Werewolf movie directors.
2. There is a book placed near a phone during one scene: Allen Ginsberg's "Howl".
3. A photo of Lon Chaney Jr. (The Wolfman for Universal Pictures) is seen on the wall in the doctor's office when Terri calls Christopher.
4. The book Bill is reading in bed is "You Can't Go Home Again" by Thomas Wolfe.
5. One character is seen eating from a can of Wolf brand chili.
6. There is a picture of a wolf attacking a flock of sheep above Karen and Bill's bed.
7. The art director had previously worked on "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and many of the set dressings were used here in "The Howling". Most noticeable is the corpse sitting in the arm chair at the bookstore.
 8. This film and Howling IV: The Original Nightmare are both based on the same novel by Gary Brandner. Interestingly, "Howling IV: The Original Nightmare" actually represents the more faithful adaptation of the book than this film does. There are 3 Howling novels.
 9. Legendary Horror B Movie director Roger Corman has a cameo as the man waiting to use the phone box after Dee Wallace.
10. Originally Rick Baker was doing the special effects for the film, but he left the production to do An American Werewolf in London. Baker left the effects job for this film in the hands of assistant Rob Bottin. Both this film and "An American Werewolf in London" were released the same year and both received praise for their makeup work.

Magic Potion Compact - Werewolf Hair Rejuvenator

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Night 10 of the Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway


Welcome to night 10 of the 4th annual Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway. Stop by our MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and enter to win a $250+ Prize Pack full of frightfully good treats from 7 spooktacular shops. In this post you will find details on how to earn extra entries with our Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt & Halloween Movie Marathon and test your movie knowledge with the Guess the Movie Game. Make sure to visit us each day during the giveaway so you do not miss out on any of the fun!

Dark Beauty Compact - Style B

Purchase any item(s) from Laughing Vixen Lounge through October 31st and get 10% off your order. Use code OCTOBER10 at checkout.



$1 from each sale at Laughing Vixen Lounge goes to support the Joy Cinema. A single screen theater in Tigard, Oregon that has been in operation since 1939. Purchase from LVL and help keep the classic cinema experience alive. See full fundraising details and the Joy's story HERE.


Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt
Our scavenger hunt works like a game of Clue. Every day you will be looking for clues to a different part of the mystery ~ Settings, Suspects, Rooms, Weapons and Escapes. They will be hidden (at the top of the description) in a listing inside one of our participating shops. On each daily post you will be given a hint as to where the clues are hiding. Once you find a clue go to the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and take the daily entry on the Rafflecopter widget. Today's entry will be at the top of the entry list while all past entries will be at the bottom of the list.
*Make sure you are finding today's clue! Submit the wrong clue and it will not count. They have dates. Shops have more than one set of clues hiding there so pay attention. 
*You may start the Scavenger Hunt at anytime during the giveaway and find past clues.
*You can earn 5 extra entries in the giveaway for each set of clues found.
*Please only post clues on the Rafflecopter widget. Anywhere else and they will be deleted.

Scavenger Hunt Special Giveaway!
Keep a list of the clues you find. On October 31st and November 1st you will be able to use the clues you found and submit your guess of how the murder happened. 1 random winner from any correct guesses will win a $50 Gift Certificate to Laughing Vixen Lounge and a $30 Gift Certificate to Deep Midnight Perfumes. If no one guesses correctly then 1 random winner from all submitted guesses will win their choice of Photo Pendant/Keychain from Laughing Vixen Lounge ($15) and a $15 Perfume Sampler Set (your choice of scents) from Deep Midnight Perfumes. Full details on how to submit your guess will be listed on October 31st. You do not need to find all of the clues to submit a guess but the more you find the better your guess.

Clue for October 27th
A murder has been committed! The body of Miss Death has been found at Raven's Perch Manor. Detective Heathmoor needs your help collecting the clues of the crime. Can you solve the mystery?

Night 10 ~ You will be collecting clues to the weapon of the crime.

Tonight's clue is hiding in Laughing Vixen Lounge.
Need a little help finding the clue? A spider's home.

There seems to be some confusion.
***The clue is in the shop listed above. It will be in one of the listings.
***The hint above is to help you find which listing the clue is in. DO NOT answer the above clue. Your entry will not count.
***The clue is not on this page.

Falling Leaves Charm Bracelet or Necklace



Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Movie Marathon.
Follow along with us for 2 full weeks of classic spooky movies. This year we celebrate "Classic Thrills Through the Years". Watch the face of horror as it changes from one decade to the next. Find some great watches for the season and receive EXTRA ENTRIES at the same time! On each daily post there will be a review of the next movie in our movie marathon. Leave a comment on the post with your opinion of that movie. Once you have posted go to the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and take the daily entry on the Rafflecopter widget. Today's entry will be at the top of the entry list while all past entries will be at the bottom of the list. Comment on all movies in the marathon and receive an EXTRA 20 ENTRIES at the end of the giveaway.
*You may start following the Movie Marathon at any time during the giveaway and post comments on past daily posts.
*Each comment will earn you an EXTRA 5 ENTRIES.
*Comment on each movie to earn an EXTRA 20 ENTRIES at the end of the giveaway.
*On October 31st or November 1st you must use the Magic Phrase (revealed on October 31st) and use it to unlock the entry on the Rafflecopter to receive the 20 entries. You must have commented on each movie.

Guess The Movie Game
Think you know your scary movies? Try your luck with this fun little game and receive EXTRA ENTRIES just for guessing. Each daily post will have a clue to the next night's movie. Leave your guess on the Rafflecopter widget, on the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST, for an EXTRA 5 ENTRIES in the giveaway. You do not need to be right just give it an honest try.
*Guesses must be made the same day as their clue to receive the entry.
*Entry will reset 24hrs after your last guess.
*Make sure you are leaving a guess for that day's clue. Guessing for a past clue that has already been posted will be deleted.
* Please only post guesses on the Rafflecopter widget.

Tonight's Clue ~ Beware "The Colony"!


Classic Thrills Through the Years ~ 1980s

Night 10 ~The Shining 



Tagline - A Masterpiece Of Modern Horror.
              The Horror is driving him crazy.


Stanley Kubrick (A Clockwork Orange and Full Metal Jacket) directed this film version of Stephen King's best selling novel. Released May 23, 1980 by Warner Brothers Pictures (Rated R). Recovering alcoholic, Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) has accepted a job as winter caretaker of the grand Overlook Hotel in an attempt to put his life back on track. The hotel manager warns him of the long and lonely winter ahead as he and his family will be alone and snowed in for the five month off-season. Jack assures him it's just what he needs to work on his writing. What Jack doesn't know is that he and his family are not the only ones inhabiting the Overlook! Muaahhhhhhh!

Being a fan of the book there are some aspects of this movie version that I don't care for. Jack seems to not like his family from the start and he almost changes into a crazy man overnight. A little more of a transition into madness would have been nice.

That being said I really do like this movie. It's creepy, creepy and then a bit more creepy! What really makes this movie creepy is the time period. I never could put my finger on it when I was a teenager as to why it left me with an unpleasant feeling. As I got older I began to realize it's the late 70's look of it. The colors and the patterns of the floors, walls and furniture. The color and the style of the clothing. And the fact that the film used makes the colors look a little off or maybe too vivid.

I liken it to when you were younger and you went to visit your grandparents. The ones that still lived in that old house with the furniture from many decades past. The one where you open the door and an instant musty smell filled your nose. That's how I think the Overlook would feel like now. While grand in it's day, now it's outdated and needs to be aired out. The dated wall paper would be pealing around the edges and the bathroom tiles would be old an worn looking. While it was high fashion when the movie was made now it just adds to the uneasiness of it.

I also love the mini series they made in 1997. It stared Steven Weber (Wings (TV) and Single White Female), a personal favorite of mine, and was very faithful to the novel. If you're a fan of the book this version should appeal to you. I thought it was great.

The Shining is currently available to rent from Amazon, MGo and Vudu and should be available on most DVD services. 


Take a look at the original trailer.



Some trivia about the movie
1. Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood in Oregon stood in for the exterior shots of the Overlook. Being from Portland I take great pride in seeing Timberline up there on the screen. It should be noted though that all interior shots of the hotel were filmed on a sound stage in London. So if you should visit Timberline don't expect the inside to look the same and don't expect to find room 237. Afraid that no one would want to stay in the room after the film came out, the management asked that the original room number, 217, be changed to something else. 237 was picked as there was no existing room with that number.
2. The opening scene of the Volkswagen driving is shot in Glacier National Park, Montana. The road is know as the "Going-to-the-sun" road.
3. The area that the set for the Colorado Lounge, where Jack does his typing, was built was also used as the Well of the Souls in Raiders of the lost ark.
4. The interior of the Overlook was made to look like bits and pieces of real hotels. The Colorado Lounge was modeled on the lounge at the Ahwanee Hotel in Yosemite Valley. It resembled it so well that people entering the Ahwanee often asked "is this the Shining hotel?"
5. The US version had Jack typing the same line "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" over and over. In the Italian version it's "He who wakes up early meets a golden day". In the German version it's "Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today". The Spanish version has "Rising early will not make dawn sooner". The French went with "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush".
6. Stephen King has said that the name was inspired by the John Lennon song "Instant Karma" which features the chorus "We all shine on".
7. Stanley Kubrick decided that having the hedge animals come alive (as they do in the book) was unworkable due to restrictions in special effects, so he opted for a hedge maze instead.   
8. There is a great deal of confusion regarding this film and the number of retakes of certain scenes. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the scene where Wendy is backing up the stairs swinging the baseball bat was shot 127 times, which is a record for the most takes of a single scene. However, both Steadicam operator Garrett Brown and assistant editor Gordon Stainforth say this is inaccurate - the scene was shot about 35-45 times. Brown does say however that the scene where Hallorann explains to Danny what shining is was shot 148 times, which is a world record.   
9. Stanley Kubrick considered both Robert De Niro and Robin Williams for the role of Jack Torrance but decided against both of them. Kubrick didn't think De Niro would suit the part after watching his performance in Taxi Driver, as he deemed De Niro not psychotic enough for the role. He didn't think Williams would suit the part after watching his performance in Mork & Mindy, as he deemed him too psychotic for the role. According to Stephen King, Kubrick also briefly considered Harrison Ford.   
10. Stephen King tried to talk Stanley Kubrick out of casting Jack Nicholson in the lead suggesting, instead, either Michael Moriarty or Jon Voight. King had felt that watching either of these normal-looking men gradually descend into madness, would have immensely improved the dramatic thrust of the storyline.   
11. The scrapbook that Jack finds in the novel makes a brief appearance next to his typewriter in the scene when Jack tells Wendy never to bother him while he's working.   
12. During the scene where Wendy brings Jack breakfast in bed, it can be seen in the reflection of the mirror that Jack's T-shirt says "Stovington" on it. While not mentioned in the film, this is the name of the school that Jack used to teach at in the Stephen King novel.   
13. Stanley Kubrick, known for his compulsiveness and numerous retakes, got the difficult shot of blood pouring from the elevators in only three takes. This would be remarkable if it weren't for the fact that the shot took nine days to set up; every time the doors opened and the blood poured out, Kubrick would say, "It doesn't look like blood." In the end, the shot took approximately a year to get right.   
14. During filming, Stanley Kubrick made the cast watch Eraserhead, Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist to put them in the right frame of mind.   
15. Every time Jack talks to a "ghost", there's a mirror in the scene, except in the food locker scene. This is because in the food locker scene he only talks to Grady through the door. We never see Grady in this scene.   
16. At the time of release, it was the policy of the MPAA to not allow the portrayal of blood in trailers that would be approved for all audiences. Bizarrely, the trailer for The Shining consists entirely of the shot of blood pouring out of the elevator. Stanley Kubrick had convinced the board the blood flooding out of the elevator was actually rusty water.   
17. Because Danny Lloyd was so young and since it was his first acting job, Stanley Kubrick was highly protective of the child. During the shooting of the movie, Lloyd was under the impression that the film he was making was a drama, not a horror movie. He only realized the truth seven years later, when, aged 13, he was shown a heavily edited version of the film. He didn't see the uncut version of the film until he was 17 - eleven years after he'd made it.   
18. Outtakes of the shots of the Volkswagen traveling towards the Overlook at the start of the film were plundered by Ridley Scott (with Stanley Kubrick's permission) when he was forced to add the 'happy ending' to the original release of Blade Runner.   
19. The "snowy" maze near the conclusion of the movie consisted of 900 tons of salt and crushed Styrofoam.   
20. Stanley Kubrick's first choice to play Danny Torrance was Cary Guffey, the young boy from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Guffey's parents apparently turned down the offer due to the film's subject matter.   
21. There were so many changes to the script during shooting that Jack Nicholson claimed he stopped reading it. He would read only the new pages that were given to him each day.   
22. For the scene in which Jack breaks down the bathroom door, the props department built a door that could be easily broken. However, Jack Nicholson had worked as a volunteer fire marshal and tore it apart far too easily. The props department were then forced to build a stronger door.
23. Prior to hiring Diane Johnson as his writing partner, director/producer Stanley Kubrick rejected a screenplay written by Stephen King himself. King's script was a much more literal adaptation of the novel, a much more traditional horror film than the film Kubrick would ultimately make. He was considering hiring Johnson because he admired her novel "The Shadow Knows," but when he found out she was a Doctor of Gothic Studies, he became convinced she was the person for the job.
24. There was no air conditioning on the sets, meaning it would often become very hot. The hedge maze set was stifling; actors and crew would often strip off as much of the heavy clothing they were wearing as quickly as they could once a shot was finished.   
25. The role of Lloyd the Bartender was originally to have been played by Harry Dean Stanton, who was unable to take the part due to his commitment to Alien.   
26. The image of the two girls in the hotel corridor was inspired by the photograph "Identical Twins, Roselle, New Jersey, 1967" by Diane Arbus.   
27. The idea for Danny Lloyd to move his finger when he was talking as Tony was his own; he did it spontaneously during his very first audition.   
28. For the scenes when we can hear Jack typing but we cannot see what he is typing, Kubrick recorded the sound of a typist actually typing the words "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy". Some people argue that each key on a typewriter sounds slightly different, and Kubrick wanted to ensure authenticity, so he insisted that the actual words be typed.   
29. There is a character named Richard Haloran in the film Dementia 13, about an axe murderer. It was produced by Roger Corman, who directed several of Jack Nicholson's early films.   
30. Stephen King got the idea for The Shining while his family were staying at the Stanley Hotel. They were the last guests before it shut down for the Winter. He saw a group of nuns leaving the hotel, and it got him thinking that the place had suddenly become godless. The King family stayed in Room 217, the haunted room in the novel but Room 237 in the film; a fire hose also resembled a snake (which doesn't appear in the film but does in the TV mini-series), and King had already been playing around with a story idea about a boy with ESP, so he combined the two plot lines.
31. The first of Stephen King's books to be banned from school libraries because of the theme of wicked parents.

Blood Splatter Small Photo Pendant

Monday, October 26, 2015

Night 9 of the Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway


Welcome to night 9 of the 4th annual Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway. Stop by our MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and enter to win a $250+ Prize Pack full of frightfully good treats from 7 spooktacular shops. In this post you will find details on how to earn extra entries with our Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt & Halloween Movie Marathon and test your movie knowledge with the Guess the Movie Game. Make sure to visit us each day during the giveaway so you do not miss out on any of the fun!

Boo Necklace

Purchase any item(s) from Laughing Vixen Lounge through October 31st and get 10% off your order. Use code OCTOBER10 at checkout.


$1 from each sale at Laughing Vixen Lounge goes to support the Joy Cinema. A single screen theater in Tigard, Oregon that has been in operation since 1939. Purchase from LVL and help keep the classic cinema experience alive. See full fundraising details and the Joy's story HERE.


Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt
Our scavenger hunt works like a game of Clue. Every day you will be looking for clues to a different part of the mystery ~ Settings, Suspects, Rooms, Weapons and Escapes. They will be hidden (at the top of the description) in a listing inside one of our participating shops. On each daily post you will be given a hint as to where the clues are hiding. Once you find a clue go to the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and take the daily entry on the Rafflecopter widget. Today's entry will be at the top of the entry list while all past entries will be at the bottom of the list.
*Make sure you are finding today's clue! Submit the wrong clue and it will not count. They have dates. Shops have more than one set of clues hiding there so pay attention. 
*You may start the Scavenger Hunt at anytime during the giveaway and find past clues.
*You can earn 5 extra entries in the giveaway for each set of clues found.
*Please only post clues on the Rafflecopter widget. Anywhere else and they will be deleted.

Scavenger Hunt Special Giveaway!
Keep a list of the clues you find. On October 31st and November 1st you will be able to use the clues you found and submit your guess of how the murder happened. 1 random winner from any correct guesses will win a $50 Gift Certificate to Laughing Vixen Lounge and a $30 Gift Certificate to Deep Midnight Perfumes. If no one guesses correctly then 1 random winner from all submitted guesses will win their choice of Photo Pendant/Keychain from Laughing Vixen Lounge ($15) and a $15 Perfume Sampler Set (your choice of scents) from Deep Midnight Perfumes. Full details on how to submit your guess will be listed on October 31st. You do not need to find all of the clues to submit a guess but the more you find the better your guess.

Clue for October 26th
A murder has been committed! The body of Miss Death has been found at Raven's Perch Manor. Detective Heathmoor needs your help collecting the clues of the crime. Can you solve the mystery?

Night 9 ~ You will be collecting clues to the weapon of the crime.

Tonight's clue is hiding in Deep Midnight Perfumes.
Need a little help finding the clue? An angel's transportation.

There seems to be some confusion.
***The clue is in the shop listed above. It will be in one of the listings.
***The hint above is to help you find which listing the clue is in. DO NOT answer the above clue. Your entry will not count.
***The clue is not on this page.

SPIDER CIDER Perfume Oil



Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Movie Marathon.
Follow along with us for 2 full weeks of classic spooky movies. This year we celebrate "Classic Thrills Through the Years". Watch the face of horror as it changes from one decade to the next. Find some great watches for the season and receive EXTRA ENTRIES at the same time! On each daily post there will be a review of the next movie in our movie marathon. Leave a comment on the post with your opinion of that movie. Once you have posted go to the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and take the daily entry on the Rafflecopter widget. Today's entry will be at the top of the entry list while all past entries will be at the bottom of the list. Comment on all movies in the marathon and receive an EXTRA 20 ENTRIES at the end of the giveaway.
*You may start following the Movie Marathon at any time during the giveaway and post comments on past daily posts.
*Each comment will earn you an EXTRA 5 ENTRIES.
*Comment on each movie to earn an EXTRA 20 ENTRIES at the end of the giveaway.
*On October 31st or November 1st you must use the Magic Phrase (revealed on October 31st) and use it to unlock the entry on the Rafflecopter to receive the 20 entries. You must have commented on each movie.

Guess The Movie Game
Think you know your scary movies? Try your luck with this fun little game and receive EXTRA ENTRIES just for guessing. Each daily post will have a clue to the next night's movie. Leave your guess on the Rafflecopter widget, on the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST, for an EXTRA 5 ENTRIES in the giveaway. You do not need to be right just give it an honest try.
*Guesses must be made the same day as their clue to receive the entry.
*Entry will reset 24hrs after your last guess.
*Make sure you are leaving a guess for that day's clue. Guessing for a past clue that has already been posted will be deleted.
* Please only post guesses on the Rafflecopter widget.

Tonight's Clue ~ Typing... type... type...... type....


Classic Thrills Through the Years ~ 1970s

Night 9 ~The Amityville Horror



Tagline - "For God's Sake, Get Out!"


Directed by Stuart Rosenberg (Cool Hand Luke and Brubaker) and released on July 27, 1979 by American International Pictures (rated R). When the Lutz family (James Brolin and Margot Kidder) moves in to their dream house they have no idea the Hell that awaits them. As strange events start to happen the family is desperate to save their house and their sanity.

When something seems too good to be true it probably is. So when George and Kathy Lutz are offered their dream house at a huge discount something is probably wrong. And there is! The family before them was brutally murdered in the house. The Lutzes decided they can live with the history and purchase the house. It does not take long before they regret their decision. The Lutz family lived in the house, also known as "High Hopes", for only 28 days. Their experiences there will become the stuff of horror legend.

Much has been debated about the accounts of what happened at the house at 112 Ocean Ave in Amityville, NY as told by the Lutz family. What is true? Unfortunately the brutal murders were real. 13 months before, Ronald DeFeo Jr. shot and killed six members of his family in the house. His defense was an insanity plea saying he heard voices. Yes, the Lutz family was a real family who purchased the house in 1975 after the DeFeo's. In 1977 the book The Amityville Horror, written by Jay Anson and based on the recorded accounts told by George and Kathy Lutz, was published and become a huge bestseller. George and Kathy maintained their story, changed on some accounts for the book and movie, was true and did happen to them. They both took a lie detector test and both passed. Their son, Daniel, was interview for the documentary "My Amityville Horror" and insist that it all happened.

The Real Amityville House -1974

Now days the consensus is that the story was fictional. One of the most damning accusations came from William Weber, the defense attorney for Ronald DeFeo Jr., who claimed in a People Magazine article in 1979 to have had a meeting with the Lutzes where they "created" the story over many bottles of wine. According to the Lutzes they met with Weber hoping to find out more about the events that had happened in their house. They agreed to tell him their story thinking that their experiences in the house may help his client receive the medical help he needed if, in fact, he had been under the influence of the presence in the house. But when Weber wanted to enter into a book deal with them that included part of the profits going the Ronald DeFeo Jr., the Lutzes declined. Could it just be hard feelings and greed that led to the claims that it was all a hoax?

There is an interesting site that has tried to show an accurate account of what happened to the Lutzes and sort out what did not take place. If you are curious you can find it here. It does provide some interesting information. What sticks in my mind is how even the children, now grown, have never waived from the events being true. And for both George and Kathy to pass the lie detector test if it was a hoax is pretty impressive.

The Real Amityville House - 2005

Whether or not the story is true it made for one heck of a good horror story. The movie may be a bit dated by today's standards and might not be as action packed as people are used to but do not let that fool you. It is a great haunted house story with all the chills needed to give you the creeps. But if you really want to get the full freaked out experience then you have to read the book. It ranks right up there with the Shining as a story to not be read at night!!!

The movie spawned many sequels but none of them are really worth the watch. In 2005 there was a big budget remake with Ryan Reynolds and Mellisa George. At the time the makers of the film were boasting how they were going to be faithful to the book in their adaption. While Reynolds and George were great in the roles, and the movie had a good retro look, it varied greatly from the book. Sometimes so much it just made you shake your head in disbelief. Hollywood needs to remember that simple can be more effective than over the top.

The Amityville Horror is currently available to rent on Amazon and Vudu and should be available on most DVD services.


Take a look at the original trailer.



Some trivia about the movie.
1. Due to all the unwanted fame the book and film had brought upon the real house in Amityville, the current owners have replaced the "evil eyes" windows with normal rectangle-shaped windows.   
2. At the time of its release the film was one of the highest grossing independent films of all time and American International Pictures' biggest hit.   
3. While shooting the scene where Kathy is startled by the red eyes in the window, director Stuart Rosenberg wasn't impressed by Margot Kidder's reaction. According to Kidder, Rosenberg then tried to hold up a "a day-glo orange stuffed velour pig with glass eyes" in an attempt to startle Kidder. She said the result was only hysterical laughter, not fear.   
4. Stars James Brolin and Margot Kidder visited the real Amityville house as part of a publicity junket.   
5. Contrary to popular belief, Lalo Schifrin's score for this film was not the legendary rejected score composed for The Exorcist. The rejected Exorcist score has subsequently been released on CD and is completely different in every respect.
6. The outdoor scenes of the movie were not filmed in Amityville, Long Island, but rather Toms River, New Jersey. Local police and ambulance workers played extras.   
7. This film's theatrical success was followed by two theatrically released sequels - Amityville II: The Possession an official sequel/prequel; Amityville 3-D, not an official sequel; and five direct-to-video low-budget sequels released from 1989 to 1996. 

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