But really isn't it ALWAYS Halloween, Halloween, Halloween! šŸ‘»

So, Brett Kavanaugh?

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image

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oversized sweaters
coping with inevitable decay

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(Music is better than the graphics.)

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Trilogy of Terror (1975)

This made for TV anthology film, directed by Dark Shadows and The Night Stalker creator Dan Curtis, stars Karen Black in three separate stories in which she is menaced by a date rapist, her own sister, and the infamous Zuni fetish doll.

Sometimes praised as the best made for TV horror movie ever, well, I guess you had to be there. (If I had to pick a best from the classic pre-cable era, Iā€™d probably go with Spielbergā€™s Duel, although there are lots I havenā€™t seen.) The first tale is scripted passably well, but plays poorly in the age of Cosby and Kavanaugh with a rather unfortunate twist at the end. The second is a talky but yet thinly plotted slog which is completely obvious practically from the beginning. I was not terribly surprised to discover it was based on a one and a half page story. Itā€™s the third tale that makes this film worthwhile. (It starts at 45:48.) Joe Dante and Sam Raimi may have stolen some of this episodeā€™s thunder, but thereā€™s still life in that little dummy yet. (Iā€™ve talked some smack about the first two episodes, but I think I should point out that Karen Black is quite good throughout.)

There was a sequel broadcast on the USA network in the 90s. Unfortunately, no one was ever foresighted enough to green light the ultimate sequel/crossover, Terror in the Plaza Suite, which ideally would climax with Walter Matthau and Lee Grant attempting to use the Zuni fetish doll to scare their daughter out of the bathroom and into her wedding dress.

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I havenā€™t seen that movie in far too long, but can confirm that the third segment in that movie is an absolute treasure.

There was a brief homage to that movie in Ooga Booga, a Troma-style horror/comedy, with a Karen Black cameo, but I do not recommend watching it. The conceptā€™s okay (young black man murdered by a racist cop possesses a Zuni-fetish-type doll who goes on a bloody rampage of revenge), but the executionā€™s terrible. Characterization is paper-thin, thereā€™s gratuitous female nudity and rape, and the special effects are crude and lackluster. Thatā€™s two hours of my life (and $2) Iā€™ll never get back. Seriously, it was awful.

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So, itā€™s no Black Devil Doll from Hell?

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Hard to tell from that trailerā€¦ Ooga Boogaā€™s production values are better, but itā€™s probably about the same level of intelligence.

If only it had been better writtenā€¦ it could have made a much better statement on racism. But itā€™s sketched out, not enough depth of character or plot to make any real impact.

(And yes, thatā€™s Stacy Keach as one of the bad guys, a corrupt judge. Hope he got paid well for it.)

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Oh, Keach is surely in it for the artā€¦

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Lights-on and lights-off views of my Autumnal Tree, which will get ornaments added to and taken off of it, as is suitable to the holidays of the season. I have a black rose as a topper, added after these photos were shot. Any other ideas for toppers? Itā€™s got to be lightweight.

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Something paper craft? An origami pumpkin?

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Actually, I have an origami kit for kids my mom mustā€™ve bought back in the 1990s when I didnā€™t live with her and my dad; it was probably on clearance or something at Michaelā€™s or whatever craft place she was shopping at back then. But the paper that came with it is 5" x 5"; maybe a stacked pumpkin person?

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Something like Jack Skellington, maybe? Make a pumpkin-shaped head with origami and use pipe cleaners for the body?

Or make an origami horse and do a Headless Horseman?

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Iā€™m talented but not THAT talented! Iā€™d dress my kid for Halloween in a green garbage bag and tell him to go around and tell folks he was a species of mold.
(not really; I swiped that from Erma Bombeck.)

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Groovy. (Psychoā€™s original trailer)

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request to stay at our airbnb

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Jezebelā€™s yearly scary stories:

Always a fun time!!!

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