Playmobil Haunted House (5638)

I don't remember how I found out about this set. I think a fellow blogger posted pics of it. If so, sorry I forgot who you are but thank you!

The official product name of this set is Haunted House Play Box. I don't think it's so much a haunted house as a mad scientist lab but I guess you can't market that to young kids? Either way, they packed a lot of fun into it.

I've seen a few different Playmobil Play Boxes but never got my hands on one. The whole set packs up into this case with room to spare. The doors snap shut nicely to keep it all in. ProTip: Put all the bits in a Ziploc bag, that way if a little monster opens it up in a hurry, the bits stay together.

You can choose not to insert the pumpkin piece at the top to make the handle easier to hold, but really, why would you not?

It comes with two figures: a vampire and a Frankenstein-like monster, which I thought was a zombie at first. After strapping him into the equipment, it's obvious he's a reanimated corpse. Although I guess a zombie is too, right?

In addition to the figures, you get all sorts of lab accessories. Check out that distiller in the top left, it's even got a little Bunsen burner! The "slab" the monster is placed on is pretty neat too, it's got a translucent plastic "crackling electricity" effect. Then you have an assortment of bottles, a skull and bone, along with a raven, mouse, and scorpion.

One of the silly things I really like is that the side parts are ribbed which allows you to put the shelves at any height you want. The graphics on the sides are a nice little touch to the lab.

I'm not clear on why a vampire would want to make a Frankenstein like monster. I mean, if you need more friends, wouldn't you go out an make more vampires? Maybe he just doesn't want the hassle that comes with new vampires. You have to train them how to feed, how to apply sunscreen, and probably have to get more coffins for them to sleep in. #TransylvaniaProblems

Mr. Vampire is sharply dressed with a bat-tie and is rocking an Elvis pompadour like nobody's business. I can't really criticize the monster's fashion sense, he's pretty much stuck with what he was buried in. Of course, I'm presuming he was dug up and not a cadaver Vampy picked up somewhere.

For $20, this is well worth it if for no other reason than it gives my other Halloween Playmobil people some place to hang out in October. If you can't find it locally, you can order from Amazon and get a couple bucks off.

Be sure to visit all the participating Halloween bloggers by clicking the link below!

Halloween Web - Hallowholic

Back from the dead, the Halloween Web interview series trudges into its fourth year!

Today, we're joined by another Countdown to Halloween blogger, Maddy who runs Hallowholic.

Thanks for joining us, please introduce yourself.

My name is Maddy, and I've got a tattoo of Freddy's glove on my torso. Not really an important detail, but I like to brag about it. Even got Robert Englund to sign it at a convention a couple of years ago and had it inked. I've dabbled in a lot of things. Writing. Amateur filmmaking. Podcasting. Webcomics. Pretty much if it's creative, I've probably tried it.

What was Halloween like for you as a kid?

I mostly remember the costumes my mom would build, and the end-of-the-night candy sorting. I didn't (and don't like) most candies, sugars, etc. But I love organizing, and I will eat a criminally negligent amount of Reese's if I can get my hands on it. I didn't live in a lot of great neighborhoods growing up until maybe middle school, but my parents would always try to take us to nicer places. In Texas you're guaranteed to run into a suburb if you pick a direction and just drive. I don't know of a lot of kids who'd go trick or treating in the actual cities.

Maddy as Frida Krueger

Do you have any especially memorable Halloween nights?

When I was about 4, my mom built me a mermaid costume with a gigantic blonde wig and a 'jeweled' cone as the crown. Her friend took me trick or treating, and spent half the night trying to keep the wig on my head and picking me up when my fishtail skirt kept tripping me. There was a guy dressed as a witch with a really decked-up halloween display. Ghosts. Zombies. A gigantic cauldron with dry ice he was stirring. When I said 'trick or treat' he threatened to eat me. This is not something to say to a 4-year-old. I tried to run away screaming, dropped my wig, and tripped over my fishtail, scraping everything. That was pretty much the end of trick or treating for the year.

Do you have any favorite costumes?

All sorts. My mom was a costumer when I was a kid, before she decided to go into theatre teaching. Bride of Frankenstein was probably the best one, when I was about 8. A vampire bride was a close 2nd when I was 9. The wizard in the photo is my brother.

How do you celebrate Halloween these days?

I'll usually watch a few horror movies, pass out candy, and do the 31 days of Halloween challenge on my blog.

Any favorite movies or music in your seasonal rotation?

Fright Night 2 (1988), Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman, and Monster Mash are oddly consistent movies on my lists. As far as music goes, can't go wrong with the Suspiria or Return of the Living Dead soundtrack.

What is it about Halloween that keeps it with us as we get older?

It's the one holiday mostly dedicated to kids. Yeah, Christmas is wonderful, and everybody gets gifts, but the grown-ups aren't usually doing the trick or treating. The grown ups aren't having the pizza parties, or passing out the goody bags. It caters to your childhood, and make believe. There's no other day of the year that you're encouraged to wear a crazy costume, or go to new places and talk to new people in the same way. Being a horror addict also helps.

Inside the Spookster's Studio

The worst thing to get while trick or treating was pennies
My favorite thing to get was Reese's. Every time.

Where can people find you online?

At my horror blog, Hallow-Holics Anonymous. 

A monster-sized hanks to Maddy for joining us today!

See all the Halloween goodness by clicking the link below!

The Countdown Begins with October Awfulness

Happy October!

In case you're unaware, the annual Countdown to Halloween is upon us. Bloggers from around the web will be filling up your treat bag all month long, so be sure to check the list of participants over at the Countdown site.

To kick this year's festivities off with a bang, I'm having a contest!

You've heard of March Madness?
Well, this is October Awfulness!

October Awfulness is a bracket style showdown of the things nobody wants in their Trick or Treat bag at the end of the night. If you want to play, take a look at the bracket sheet and enter your picks in the form below before October 6th. Voting is open every week to determine the "winners". Every Friday I will post the updates and current leaderboard. 

Voting will be in the right sidebar.

NOTE
The Big Prize will only be awarded to a US shipping address. If someone outside the US wins, they will get a postcard from Salem MA and the top US score gets the Big Prize.
Voting is open to anyone, anywhere, even if you're not submitting a bracket!

You will get points every week for correctly guessing the winners of each bracket.

1st week - 1 pt ea (8 pts total)

2nd week - 2 pt ea (8 pts total)

3rd week - 4 pt ea (8 pts total)

4th week = 6 pt

Perfect prediction = 30 pts

And what will you win? In the spirit of Trick or Treating, you won't know until you get it!
But I promise it won't be anything this bad.

This will not work without participants so I'm asking to share this far and wide. Not everyone has to submit predictions but I think it'll be more fun the more people are actively voting. If it doesn't seem like we're getting enough votes by Friday, this will be scrapped and I'll figure out another contest.

Here are your October Awfulness "Sinful Sixteen"
It's the "Inedible Eight" vs "You Call That Candy?"
You can get a printable pdf here.

Click to enlarge

Make your predictions below!
Be sure to scroll down to fill in all fields.

Picks must be submitted before midnight Thursday, October 5th.

Be sure to visit all the participating bloggers by clicking the link below!