Back to Vol. 5, Issue 2-3

By Dusti Lewars

When I was a child, I (like many other bored and curious suburban kids) owned an Ouija board.

I can’t say I necessarily believed in its power (though I sure wanted to). I’d seen others use them, very obviously manipulating the plastic letter indicator (the planchette) as they asked questions about marriage and wealthy futures. So while I enthusiastically used the board and talked to a spirit named Glen who claimed to have been a vet, I did so with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Then one of my best friends got a board, and insisted that his board’s spirit was related to my board.

My level of skepticism hit new heights.

I invited Jason to bring his board over, with the goal being that we were going to get in touch with a real spirit this time.

We assumed the position in a closed basement room: knee to knee, board balanced on our laps, each placing our twenty collective fingers on the planchette. My brother stood off to the side, teasing us unmercifully for believing in ghosts of any kind…then, as he quieted down and left us alone, messages started to be spelled out on the Ouija board.

What the heck is an Ouija board, anyway?

“Talking boards” were first dreamed up around 1886, when modern Spiritualism was in its heyday. Everyone, it seemed, was trying to communicate with the dead. Automatic writing (where mediums scribbled across reams of paper, hoping that somewhere among the scribbles a ghostly message would appear) and table tilting (having spirits use the rocking of a table to tap out messages from beyond the grave) were all the rage, but the discriminating medium wanted an easier, more sophisticated method of communication.
Enter the “talking board” – a piece of wood with the alphabet, plus the words “hello” and “good-bye,” printed across its surface. One or two people could quietly, privately converse with the spirit world by placing the board across their laps, lightly touching their fingers to a tiny arrow-shaped table called a “planchette,” and allowing the “planchette” indicator to move at will.

History didn’t capture the name of the person who invented this contraption. However, use of the “talking board” spread like wildfire through America, and in 1890, three men shared credit for the patent of a new invention called “Ouija” (purportedly taken from the Egyptian word for “luck”, but – since this word was taken from a spirit rather than a dictionary – it’s more likely a warped spelling of a Moroccan city, Ouija).

Out of these three patent holders – Elijah J. Bond, William H. A. Maupin, and Charles W. Kennard – only Kennard took the financial risk and started manufacturing Ouija boards for fun and profit. Sadly, neither lasted very long, and by 1892 Kennard’s company was in the hands of new management – William Fuld.

It is Fuld who is known in the history books as “the father of the Ouija board,” and Fuld who claimed credit for the creation of this wildly popular tool/toy. Fuld and his family enjoyed great success with this product, and it wasn’t until 1966 that Parker Brothers took over, using the original Fuld design until 1999, buying the rights to the Ouija patent and trademark.

Though there have been many beautiful and bizarre variations on the Ouija theme over the past 100+ years, it’s the Fuld design that most people are still familiar with. And certainly, it’s Fuld’s board that has been seen in such movies as The Exorcist, Thirteen Ghosts, and Witchboard.

The horror story appeal is an obvious one. (We are, after all, speaking with the dead here!) But is there any reason to be afraid of Ouija boards?

It depends on who you ask.

Some people absolutely believe that to tinker with a Quija board is to bring something evil into one’s life. Others accept the Parker Brothers definition – it’s a game, nothing more, nothing less. (‘After all,’ the argument goes, ‘if you were dead, would you be wasting your time making a little plastic arrow move across a lacquered board so that you can communicate with the living?’) Perhaps the planchette moves as a result of your subconscious desire to see your questions answered. A quick search on the Internet or in one’s local library will reveal many stories and much advice about how to safely go about communicating with the dead…if, of course, this is what’s really happening. (The jury will probably always be out concerning that particular question.)

My own belief is that it really depends on the people involved.

For example…my friend Jason was not (in my humble opinion) talking to a spirit At least, not until he and I sat down and worked with it.

You see, I watched Jason’s face intently as text started being spelled out by his Ouija board that day.

The words were, apparently, from a “new” spirit – Jason’s previous entity never made another appearance.

He got rid of his board soon after that. My Ouija, after being stored under my bed and inspiring a series of very disturbing dreams, ended up being unceremoniously thrown away, as well.

And my brother eventually admitted that the reason he had stopped teasing us was that, as he had been doing so, he felt a cold wind blow right through him and towards the board – and immediately after that, the planchette had started moving. Which was more than enough reason for him to decide that he wanted nothing to do with talking boards ever again.

Am I a believer now? Am I a believer?

Oh, yes. Absolutely.

www.museumoftalkingboards.com
www.prairieghosts.com/ouija.html

Back to Vol. 4, Issue 3

by By Dusti Lewars

The 1960’s were a magical time on television.

Vampires, genies, and witches claimed leading roles on prime time shows. TV viewers eagerly ventured into “The Twilight Zone” and “Night Gallery,” realms where reality warped into something foreign, strange. And a slick spaceship staffed by humans and aliens boldly took its audience to where no man had gone before.

Into this era, two families emerged from Middle Class Suburbia. The first, made up of a Frankenstein husband and an exotic vampiric bride, ventured onscreen in early 1964. “The Munsters”, based on traditional Universal Studios monsters, was silly, familiar, good-humored…but quickly overshadowed by their gothic kin that followed, the definitely human, daringly sexy, mysteriously spooky Addams.

But what could inspire a show as bizarre as “The Addams Family”?

A raven-haired woman waits in the doorway of a decaying mansion. Before her stands a vacuum cleaner salesman; behind her, a bearded Boris-Karloff-looking butler.

The year is 1937. The image, a pen and ink cartoon, gracing the pages of The New Yorker magazine. The illustrator is New Jersey-born artist Charles Addams.

Not a particularly promising introduction. It’s not even one of Charles’ best-known cartoons. But a true lady is unforgettable, and so it was with the femme fatale that was to become Morticia.

In the 5 years since his work had started being published in The New Yorker, Charles had become known for his sometimes whimsical, frequently disturbing cartoons. But it was with the creation of “the Family” that a common theme began to develop in his artwork. First came the mistress of the manor, accompanied by the family servant; then, the husband, grandmother, children, and the Thing.

Inspiration for “the Family” came from what Charles knew. The image of Morticia reflected his ideal woman. Uncle Fester was a self-portrait of sorts. Lurch was created from traditional butler images; Grandmama, by Charles’ own grandmother. Gomez, Thing, and the children were pure fantasy. As for the family home – well, it depends on whom you ask. Some say that two houses in his hometown of Westfield, New Jersey, served as muse. Others point to his grandmother’s Victorian mansion. Still others believe that a building on the campus of his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA, is the true model for Charles’ art.

Charles’ cartoons continued to appear in The New Yorker for the better part of 50 years, giving his own unique perspective on Christmas, childcare, marriage, and suburbia living. Collections of these cartoons were published in anthologies, and it was here, in 1964, that ex-NBC executive David Levy discovered “the Family”. Levy moved quickly, setting up a meeting with Charles to pitch the idea of taking “the Family” to television. Besides Charles’ agreement, though, he also needed character names, and within a few days the artist provided a list of suggestions to Levy. This was the first and last time Charles would have any input into the TV series. Most of his names were kept – though out of a choice of Repelli or Gomez for the father character, the latter won out, and when it came to the little boy, the name of Pubert was rejected in favor of Pugsley, for fear that Pubert sounded vaguely like a dirty word. And of course, their creator’s last name worked perfectly for “the Family” – and the Addams family was truly born.

The show was pitched to various networks, with no takers, until “The Munsters” was picked up by CBS. Levy stormed back into the offices at ABC, angered by the signing of what he considered to be a fourth-rate “Addams Family.”

Days later, ABC announced that “The Addams Family” was coming to the air.

The birth of a show isn’t an easy process. Different angles were discussed: Should the butler be the focus of the storylines? Should the show be somber or wacky? Who should play which role?

This, above all, was probably the most important and difficult aspect of the show’s creation. Imagine if John Astin had indeed been cast as Lurch, as was originally suggested! What if Jackie Coogan had accepted the studio’s initial rejection of his audition for the part of Uncle Fester? And if Carolyn Jones hadn’t been able to shake her hesitancy of accepting the offer to play Morticia – it scarcely bears thinking about!

When the flurry of casting was over, the results were pretty much perfect. And the public agreed – from the initial wild approval of the 15 minute pilot to the 2 year run of the show to the movies, revival show, and cartoons that were to follow, the look set by the original cast has altered little over the 40 years that the Addams family has been seen on screens of various sizes.

But wait – the original show only lasted 2 years?

Indeed.

Though the show had a very strong following, occasionally even beating top-rated shows such as “Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theater,” the fact was that “The Munsters” was beginning to lose ratings, and ABC executives feared that “The Addams Family” would soon be following. The cancellation came as a surprise to all. The rush to the TV set to salvage souvenirs of the show evidences the strong following the show had attracted. To this day, very few of these items have been located; we know that one of Thing’s boxes was taken by Ted Cassidy (the actor who played both Lurch and Thing) and was bequeathed to Jackie Coogan’s son when Cassidy passed away; the one and only Uncle Fester costume was taken home by Coogan and eventually bought at auction by a fan. The only prop that’s survived and been used from the original show was the polar bear that lurked in the mansion’s foyer; this bear reappeared in the 1992 Addams family movie. All else remains missing.

So why is the Addams family still so appealing? Despite a failed reunion show in 1977, interest persists in bringing the Family back to life. Most fans know three movies were made in the 1990’s; not as many may know that there have also been 2 cartoon series, various games (including a wildly successful pinball machine) and, as recently as 1998, a new version of the weekly series aired on cable and ran for two years.

Why revisit this particular show?

When one compares “The Addams Family” to almost any other sitcom – even its contemporary, “The Munsters” – there are some very basic differences. The most obvious is the house. The mansion is an amazing creation in and of itself, decorated in a museum-like style that remains unique even today. It reflects the character of those who live there – people who are human and different and completely accepting of what makes each other different. For example, Morticia cares for and coos over her African Strangler plant – she loves it for what it is, nurtures it, and encourages it, just as she does her children and her husband.

The relationship between husband and wife in this show is uniquely passionate and open. Insecurity is discussed and dismissed. The possibility of a ménage a trois is flirted with. Sexuality is blatantly demonstrated. One would be hard pressed to find as red-hot a marriage as the one that is experienced by Morticia and Gomez!

Then there’s the relationship between parents and children. Never are the parents made to look stupid; never are the children belittled or argued with. Even when daughter Wednesday runs away, she signs her note, “Love, Wednesday.” There are family problems to be resolved – but never does the viewer feel like there’s one-upmanship going on here. Always, love shines through.

That love isn’t reserved just for family members. There is a recurring theme of caring for strangers as well that’s refreshing and welcoming – even when said stranger doesn’t return that acceptance.

Ultimately, the Addams family is a wonderful bit of fantasy, an ideal that remains worthy of being sought out. And for those of us with a love for Halloween, finding these kinds of people in a haunted house comes as no surprise at all.

Strongly suggested reading:

The Addams Chronicles, by Stephen Cox
The Addams Family and Munsters Program Guide, by John Peel
http://www.theaddamsfamily.com

Back to Vol. 2, Issue 2

by Christine Smith

Halloween Pumpkins are very special to our family. Who knows how things start, especially on a farm (Insert 1). We have pictures when my two brothers were just babies of them sitting by a small pile of pumpkins by the road with a can and the honor system when we had too many to use. This was back in the early 60′s. In the 80′s we made the decision to have a “real” pumpkin stand and all the trappings to go with it.

A week before Halloween we start unpacking all of our acquired goodies to put on one of the areas finest free Halloween celebrations. It takes many volunteers. I have a couple of sayings, “I have never met a pumpkin I didn’t like!” and “Pumpkins are like children, all different, all special!” No matter if they’re bruised, broken stemmed, or have bad spots or flat sides – just carve and add a candle, turn out the lights and watch him (I usually think of pumpkins as “he’s”) turn beautiful and fulfilled! If you don’t have the same attitude we have you are not allowed to work at our stand. You must love pumpkins to be there.

By that week perfect pumpkins are pretty scarce. When we are picking for retail we are pretty selective. But, we assure the pumpkins we leave in the field that we will be back to get them for the very special night. No handle – just lay him on his side and put eyes and a mouth and leave the area for a nose. We never take out the top. Long before Martha Stewart made it trendy to take out the bottom or the back, we were doing it because that’s where they are usually rotten. We even have carvers who specialize in gutting spoiled pumpkins. They have pretty strong stomachs!

We have a faithful following who come out for three nights – first night to gut, next to carve, and last to set them out and light (Insert 2 and 3). We usually carve 300 to 400 pumpkins. My father invented the Big Dan Pumpkin Gutter. It consists of a drill with a special degutter on the end to make it easier to take out the insides, which is essential when you have hundreds to clean.

Our favorites are lumpy bumpy, odd shaped pumpkins. Make it green to boot and you have the best to carve. I go into the local school and show the children how to carve pumpkins. I’ve even got them looking for different shapes instead of the “perfect” pumpkins. When we pick in the field, we cut the longest stems possible. When a stem breaks in the field, we say its “the snap heard around the world.”

We have collected many ideas for Halloween night over the years. We may have a repeat performance the night after but we usually stay with the one night. It is free and we have hundreds of people attend. We give away popcorn and hot or cold drinks, depending on the weather. If someone wants to bring out something, we ask them to bring out a can of food for the local food bank. It takes two days to set up all the displays and then seven to eight people two hours to light all the candles.

For several years I’ve wanted to make a garland of small midsize pumpkins. All season we saved them. This was the year that it finally was a reality (see Insert 4). It was a hit!

I could go on about all that we do but the bottom line is that pumpkins are very special to this family. People say they look at pumpkins in a different light after we get through with them. Pumpkins are like black lab puppies&emdash;you just gotta love them!

Christine Smith lives in Winamac, Indiana.

Back to Vol. 2, Issue 2

Back to Vol. 2, Issue 1

Throughout history storytellers have been prized members of society. A good storyteller captures our attention and pulls us into the story so that we may experience any number of exciting emotions. Halloweenites’ favorite stories are suspenseful in nature, especially those that bring us face to face with terror. And what character is more terrifying than Michael Myers, the quintessential bogeyman in Halloween H2O; and who more appropriate to play the role than Christopher Durand, a savvy storyteller who just happens to be an actor and stunt man.

Without uttering a single word Durand uses his physical prowess to bring Myers’ chilling demeanor to life.

Durand explains, “I did not see any of the other [Halloween] films. In speaking with the director, Steve Miner, we wanted the character to be right but didn’t want to mimic [previous portrayals].” The director wanted Michael not just as a lumbering form, but more alive, more determined. Michael doesn’t run, he doesn’t rush. He’s relentless. The focus was on keeping the performance simple and clean, nothing fancy. On the Myers character Durand explains, “It’s your nightmare. He’s the bogeyman. He just keeps coming back and can’t be killed.” Through expert storytelling, Durand allows us to meet the monster of our nightmares. But who is the man behind the Michael Myers mask? You might be surprised.

Relentless Pursuit

Like Michael Myers, Durand is relentless is his pursuits. Whether it is learning a new hobby, such as woodworking, or living in France for a year at age 13, Durand is a very determined person. This trait served him well when he decided to enter the movie industry. While there is no school for performing stunts, Durand, a native of Los Angeles, combined his skill in martial arts, gymnastics (which he began at 18) and rock climbing and hustled his way onto studio lots. When necessary, he would sneak in or jump fences to be where the action was. He states, “once you get your foot in the door, you learn from each other and expand.” Since landing his first role in Cameron’s Closet in 1986, he appeared in many films, including Armageddon, Forest Gump, Star Trek: Generations, Demolition Man, The Mask, Tango and Cash, The Last Boyscout, Encino Man, The Crow, The Doors, Rapid Fire and many others. Whatever the challenge, Durand is prepared to do whatever is necessary to succeed.

Power of storytelling

Durand uses stunts to provide the physical slant on storytelling. When done properly, stunts are an important part of the overall story. Yet without a good story on which to build, stunts become meaningless. Besides bringing stories to life through performing, he is also writing screenplays, giving him the chance to tell stories from the other side of the camera.

His love for storytelling, along with history, attracted Durand to archeology while at UCLA. He found in the artifacts the remnants of history that links the story of humanity through the ages. Regardless of the source, the power of storytelling is a strong attractor for Christopher.

Without a doubt, Durand loves his work. Working on H2O was a great experience for him for several reasons. For one, working with the crew. He states, “it was lots and lots of fun. One of the most fun crews and definitely a nice crew. Usually I’m in one day of the whole run and bounce around between jobs. It was nice to stick with one crew the whole time.” For another, friends and family have been extremely supportive of his work on the film. The high level of fan support has overwhelmed him. What’s most surprising is the diversity of the fans who come from every walk of life, from lawyers to policemen.

Halloween, the holiday, is a joyful time for Christopher. He especially loves the trick-or-treaters and “the absolute joy in the eyes of the 3-4 year olds who are so excited and innocent.” It’s this level of joy that Durand rediscovers daily in his work. “I love my business ’cause I get to play everyday I work. It’s about creating and having fun and being with other nice people and being nice to people. Life’s too short. People have to relax a little bit.”

So in unmasking Michael Myers, we find a creative, fun loving person. A person who brings passion to everything he does. The question remains, will we see him again as the notorious horror figure? We hope so. After all, there’s no stopping the bogeyman. . . or Christopher Durand. RS

Back to Vol. 2, Issue 1

Back to Vol. 1, Issue 4

One of the most positive things that happen around Halloween are fundraising events. Two groups who successfully aligned their causes with Halloween are profiled here to share with us the lessons they’ve learned.

The Hartford Halloween Parade to Benefit AIDS Project Hartford (CT): AIDSWALK

AIDS Project Hartford was in need of revitalizing its October fundraiser. Hartford had lost it’s main Halloween attraction, a haunted house, to New York City, and Hartford’s business district was undergoing a revitalization project. The ingenious solution-a Halloween Parade-benefited all three groups. The idea caught on like wildfire and was a smashing success.

Joseph Downton, Director of Development & Public Relations for AIDS Project Hartford, gathered others who would help the cause in January ’98. The first and strongest collaborator was the local Warner Brothers (WB) affiliate in New Haven, WB59-TV.

Looking to promote one of its feature shows and actor, WB helped Downton secure a well known celebrity to serve as the parade’s Grand Marshall – Anthony Steward Head (Giles) from the popular WB Show Buffy the Vampire Slayer [left]. Upon hearing of his participation, Head’s fans launched a pledge campaign for the event. As a reward for their efforts, fans who came to the event, one from as far as West Virginia, were provided a private “tea” with the star. WB, being a client of local radio station KISS 95.7 FM, was helpful in recruiting morning disc jockey, Courtney, to serve as honorary chair of the event. Later, another station was recruited, WHCN/Classic Rock. Nationally renowned famous artist Guy Gilchrist, creator of the cartoon strip Nancy, contributed artwork [see Insert 2] for promotional brochures, T-shirts and pledge sheets.

Sunday, October 25, 1998, the day of the Halloween Parade, brought a perfect warm, bright, sunny day. The 600 participants (90% in costume) were escorted by the Fire and Police Department as they traveled a two mile course through Bushnell Park. Coverage by Hartford TV station WFSB and The Hartford News further helped the event’s visibility.

By all accounts, the parade was a win-win situation. More than $30,000 was raised for AIDS Project Hartford. People came together for a great time, and left Hartford with a new civic event. In the process, the community received a new message about people with AIDS- now is the time to get up and move on with life. It helped show that people with AIDS have hope for living and remaining valued members of society. Halloween Oldies Dance, Western Pennsylvania Chapter of the Lupus Foundation, Pittsburgh, PA.

Six years ago Gerry Tonti created a successful fundraiser event for his local Lupus Foundation by putting together something he liked to do with something of good use.

Tonti,who always loved Halloween, found himself unable to participate one year when he broke his elbow. His wife Shelly recommended he contact the Lupus
Foundation to do some volunteer work. After reading about doing an Oldies Dance for a Halloween party, he approached the Foundation about using the idea as a fundraiser. The idea struck a harmonious note and soon Tonti found himself chairing the event.

In a labor of love, dozens of volunteers, local celebrities and businesses come together to produce the Annual Halloween Oldies Dance. Work begins in January with the search for sponsors. Some of the funds are used to purchase door prizes and help pay rental space for the event. Local restaurants contribute by donating food. A festive black on orange program which lists contributors is distributed at the dance. And, the Lupus Foundation places public service announcements.

The costumed dance is enthusiastically supported by local celebrities. Participants over the past six years include: Karl Hardman and Marilyn Eastman, two stars of the original movie Night of the Living Dead; “Terminal Stare” and “Stefen, the Castle Prankster” from Chiller Theater (a favorite local TV program); The Pittsburgh Post Gazette Town Crier, Emily Bell; and, Star Trek fans known as the “Klingons” who volunteer as entertainers.

Tonti urges others interested in arranging Halloween fundraisers to contact local celebrities to appear at your event. He’s found them very receptive to requests and eager to help.

The Halloween Oldies Dance was Saturday, October 24 from 7:30 p.m. to Midnight. For a mere $15 donation guests were provided an evening of fun, food and frolic as they danced to music provided by a DJ. Quite popular was the “Horror Movie Theme” game. The DJ plays the beginning of a track and guests identify the movie from which it came. The winners got prizes.

Capstoning the night was the best costume(s) contest judged by a panel of local celebrities. The winners receive trophies donated by a local trophy retailer. Many door prizes are awarded, ensuring no one goes away empty-handed. Everyone leaves the dance happy with new found friends, prizes and the satisfaction that they’ve helped others in need.

A relentless desire to help others and a passion for Halloween are the critical ingredients that make Joseph Downton and Gerry Tonti successful fundraisers. The lessons they’ve learned are yours for the taking. So, next spring when your mind turns to thoughts of Halloween, why not consider holding a fundraiser for your favorite not-for-profit group. I can’t think of a better reason to have a Halloween party!

Irene Crovetti-Lewitz and Pamela Howland contributed to this article.

Back to Vol. 1, Issue 4

By Rosemary Ellen Guiley, Ph.D.

© Visionary Living, Inc. 2002

You open the door on Halloween and there before you stand the good, the bad and the ugly-fairies, superheroes, villains, creatures, monsters, even terrorists. You know them by their masks.

Halloween is an evening of fun and entertainment, and masks are essential to the party. But did you know that masks have a long history as a sacred and mystical bridge to other dimensions and worlds?

You’ve heard the adage, “you are what you eat.” When it comes to masks, you become what you wear!

Conceal or reveal?

Masks are ancient and powerful mediators between the worlds-the living, the dead and the spirit. We have worn masks from the beginning of our recorded history. At first glance it may seem that the main purpose of a mask is to hide and disguise, but actually it’s true purpose is to reveal what is hidden, and thus to transform.

We use the term “unmasking” to refer to exposing the truth. There are many stories about beauty hidden by masks of ugliness. The Phantom of the Opera and Beauty and the Beast are two well-known examples. In both cases, the hero suffers from his outer ugliness. People see only the superficial, and turn him into an outcast. He lives in an imprisoned world. The Phantom hides in the subterranean tunnels of Paris; the Beast is a lonely recluse in his forbidding castle. The true beauty of the ugly hero’s soul can be unmasked only by true love.

One might assume, then, that the hidden secret truth is more desirable than the mask, but such is not always the case. In Todd Browning’s 1931 film, Freaks, a beautiful circus trapeze artist consents to marry a dwarf who is madly in love with her. She doesn’t love him; she can’t even stand him. Her real intent is to murder him and get the fortune he has saved. At the wedding ceremony, attended by the other circus “freaks,” she cannot hide her revulsion and makes fun of them. The freaks vow revenge. They succeed in transforming her into one of them-an ugly “freak.” Her beauty has been her mask, and when it is taken away, it reveals the true ugliness of her soul.

In both types of stories, however, the end result is the same: we are shocked by what the mask hides, and thus we are transformed to see a truth in a powerful way.

A bridge to the gods

Ancient peoples understood well the power of the mask. Evidence of mask-wearing in prehistoric societies shows that masks may have been intended to magically transform the wearer in order to achieve or acquire something. Perhaps the first prehistoric masked dancer is the “Sorcerer,” a Neolithic-Age cave painting at Trois Freres in France. The masked figure is half-human and half-animal, wearing stag antlers and poised in dance-step. The image suggests a ritual for a successful hunt. His mask reveals and liberates the animal nature within the man, which would have enabled him to come into contact with supernatural forces or the spirit of animals and petition them for help.

Masks have been with us throughout our history in our rituals, liturgies, theater and folk art. The mask has been revered as a sacred object of power, a living thing that either has its own persona or represents the persona of another being. It enables the wearer to bring to life, and even become, the persona or spirit being represented by the mask. While the mask is on, the wearer is no longer completely himself, but shares his identity with that of his mask. He has freedom-and permission within society-to act differently, even outrageously. The transformation has its limits and controls: the wearer cannot go beyond the bounds of the mask itself, and is transformed only during the wearing of the mask. When the mask comes off, it’s back to “ordinary” reality.

The transformative power of the mask can be explained in Jungian terms. A mask connects its wearer to archetypal powers residing within the collective unconscious. The mask is a mediator between the ego and archetype, the mundane and the supernatural, the sacred and the comic. It connects the present to the past, the individual to the entire collective of race, culture, country-and humanity.

Living presence

In cultures where the mask is treated with reverence, mask-making is a respected and skilled art. For example, in Bali, masks play major roles in rituals and performances. The masks are carved from wood. Before carving is begun, the sculptors meditate on the purpose of the mask, the persona in the mask itself, and the performer who will wear it. The performer also meditates upon the mask prior to wearing it. He may even sleep with it next to him in order to incubate dreams based upon its appearance and persona, which will inspire his performance to greater depth.

The challenge of the Balinese performer is to literally bring the mask to life-to make the wood seem elastic and capable of illuminating its fixed expression. Actors who have the gift to animate their masks are respected as “having taksu.” Taksu means “place that receives light.” Actors who have no taksu are called carpenters-they just push wood around the stage.

Good or evil?

In most cultures, masks symbolize beneficent spirits: nature beings, deities, the ancestral dead and the animal kingdom. North American Indians have used masks to represent evil spirits, over which the medicine men are believed to have power. Similar attribution is made in Ceylon.

Masks play important roles in religious, healing, exorcism and funerary rituals. Sri Lankan exorcism masks, for example, are hideous in order to frighten possessing demons out of bodies. Among North American Indians, bear masks invoke the healing powers of the bear, considered the great doctor of all ills. In funerary rites, masks incarnate the souls of the dead, protect wearers from recognition by the souls of the dead, or trap the souls of the dead.

In the West, however, masks have lost much of their sacred and deep symbolic meaning. Once, they were integral to Greek drama, both secular and liturgical medieval ceremonies, the Renaissance court masque, and 19th century mime and pantomime.

Today we see masks as entertainment props rather than as living things. We focus on the superficiality of masks rather than on the essence of what they represent. We look at masks as concealers rather than revealers. They hide flaws and ugliness. They also hide our true identity when we want to get away with something-criminals and vigilantes use masks to avoid being recognized.

Halloween secrets

Historically, the true intent of Halloween masks is to frighten. The practice of wearing masks and disguises stems from ancient beliefs that on this night the souls of the dead and unfriendly spirits walk the earth. It is desirable to conceal your true identity from them so that they do not follow you home. Masks also frighten them away.

In contemporary times, most of us are more entertained than frightened by scary masks. By wearing them, however, we may be reaching into the collective unconscious to express our secret, inner fears and shadow side. The masks let us reveal the asocial self-the monster within and also our deep fear of death. Halloween is one night when, through masks, the underbelly of human consciousness is permitted to be displayed without disapproval. The mask may even relieve some deep collective stress. We are able to face what we otherwise don’t want to see. As we party away in our masks, we may not be consciously aware of these strange dynamics.

We can learn a great deal about a person by the mask he selects. What is the message being sent by the mask? What is the mask concealing and revealing? Is a vampire mask a statement by a disempowered person for a desire to be powerful over others? Does the fairy queen mask speak to someone’s true thoughts that they are not as attractive as they wish? Or perhaps that they wish they had a magical power?

Our choice of masks may unconsciously reflect something moving within the deep currents of a collective consciousness. For example, in 2001 Osama bin Laden masks were popular. This popularity might have been more than just a commercial cashing-in on the terrorism attacks of September 11. Perhaps we were attempting to confront the evil we feel he represents, and to reduce its power to a comic, and thus more manageable, level.

Next Halloween, give some extra thought to the mask you choose. Remember that the mask reveals more than it conceals!

Rosemary Ellen Guiley, Ph.D., is the author of 30 books, including The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits and Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft. Her website is www.visionaryliving.com

Back to Vol. 1, Issue 3

When you think of Halloween, what celebrity comes to mind? If you’re like millions of us, Elvira-Mistress of the Dark, is one of the first on your list. Since unveiling her character in 1981 as host of a local television program (Elvira’s Movie Macabre) in Los Angeles, Elvira has become known world-wide for her brassy style (among other things). She is affectionately known as the “Queen of Halloween.” Her trademark look and persona have made her an international symbol of the playful side of Halloween-hence we honor her with a new designation of our own, “Champion of Halloween.” Receiving honors is not new for Elvira. Over the years she has been honored in many different ways by many people (see “Elvira’s Resumé“).

As Mistress of the Dark, Elvira has strutted her stuff in a wide variety of mediums. Here’s just a sampling of venues that have helped make her the superstar she is today.

Stage

• Routinely performs in a review style show featuring music, dance and comedy at Knott’s Berry Farm’s Halloween
• Haunt which had an attendance of 140,000 people in 1997.
• Appearances at Disney/MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida for both her “Halloween or Bust” and “Trick and Treats” tour.

Television

• Recent appearances include MTV, Nash Bridges, E! Entertainment, Talk Soup, Hard Copy, Access Hollywood and K-CAL’s Halloween Scream. In all, she has appeared on over 500 television shows.

Literature

• Elvira’s Nightmares, a series of humor/horror/mystery novels published by Berkley Publishing (Putnam) and written by
  Elvira with her writing partner-in-crime, John Paragon (writer/director of Pee Wee’s Playhouse). The third book will be released in early ’98 which accompanies her two previous books, Transylvania 90210 and Camp Vamp.
• Elvira’s Comic Book by Claypool Comics is in its fifth year publishing the Elvira, Mistress of the Dark comic series.
• DC Comics publishes Elvira’s House of Mystery, a series of 12 comic books
• Marvel Comics comic book version of the film Elvira, Mistress of the Dark

Film

• Encounters in the Third Dimension for nWave International. In the film Elvira performs the song Haunted House, the first music video shot in IMAX-D. Scheduled for release in ’99.
• Documentary entitled Thrill Ride shown at IMAX theatres around the world.
• Feature film, Elvira, Mistress Of The Dark

Video

• Elvira’s Thriller Video, a LIVE Entertainment release home video series.
• Rhino Home Video 15-title series, Midnight Madness.
• Ketchum Vampires through Celebrity Home Video, a full-length animated feature about vegetarian vampires

Musical Recording

• Rhino Records releases include Vinyl Macabre, Elvira’s Haunted Hits, Elvira presents Monster Hits, Revenge of the Monster Hits, and the single 3-D TV by Elvira & the Vi-tones

An entertaining new way for folks to experience Elvira’s campy sense of humor is by visiting one of her official haunted houses, Elvira’s Nightmare Haunted House. Built in association with Ray Productions, last year she opened the flagship house in Atlanta with another opening in Fort Lauderdale this year. Having seen the haunted house, I can assure you that you’re in for a spooktacular good time!

What intrigues us about Elvira is no mystery. For men, she’s the ultimate vamp- sexy, smart and sassy. For women, she’s the woman we dream of being-assertive, independent and talented. Hers is a persona everyone loves! She has won the hearts of millions of men and women world wide. Luckily for us, Elvira has so much talent and charisma that we’ll be able to enjoy her for many Halloweens to come. For more information on Elvira; including complete bio, fan club info and list of Elvira-bilia, visit her website at: www.elvira.com.

Back to Vol. 1, Issue 3

Back to Vol. 1, Issue 2

Capturing the spirit of Halloween is a challenge. Yet, “Halloween… The Happy Haunting of America” achieves this difficult task with humor, wit and visual artistry befitting the holiday at it’s best. A presentation of Chuck Williams Productions and Whiz Bang Entertainment, this video gives us a comprehensive tour of Halloween celebrations across America. In a mere 50 minutes we’re given a lifetime of Halloween memories.

Haunted Attractions

For starters, we’re given a behind-the-scenes look at some of the most distinctive haunted attractions in the country. Included on our “tour” are:

• Horror Hotel, Chatfield, Ohio
• Mucklebone’s Monster Museum, Marion, Ohio
• 

  Spookyworld, Berlin, MA; America’s only horror theme park

• Haunted School House/Haunted Lab, Akron, Ohio
• Witches’ Dungeon Horror Museum, Bristol, CT; the longest running Halloween exhibit in the country
• Chamber of Chills, Universal City, Hollywood CA; a joint venture between Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment and Spencer Gifts

Ghoulish Celebrities

Sprinkled throughout the presentation are interviews with ghoulish celebrities such as Robert (Freddy Krueger) Englund, Alice Cooper, Sarah Karloff (Boris’s daughter), Ron Chaney-the great grandson of Lon Chaney, Sr., Doug (Pinhead) Bradley, and Angus (Phantasm) Scrimm. Their insights on Halloween celebrations, both past and present, provide a fresh perspective on the greatest play day of the year. Notably, Robert Englund explains the popularity of Halloween by adults who are of the “boomer generation” (himself included) is because “(they) remember it with such fondness and remember the innocence of it so well that we don’t want to give it up.”

Halloween Artistry

The aspect of artistry at Halloween is a strong theme in the video. For example, in the segment with Don Post, Jr., of Don Post Studios, we are given an intimate look at the inspiration for masks and how they have changed over the past few decades. Henry Alvarez, wax sculptor and independent Halloween mask designer in California, tells us of the liberating effect of masks. Cortlandt Hull tells us of his humble beginnings as a teenager. His dream was to build not model but life-size replicas of his beloved movie monsters. In 1966, at the mere age of 13, he opened Witches’ Dungeon in Bristol, CT after six intense months of design and construction. The result was a venue that 30 years later continues to delight thousands of folks each year in what is touted as an annual “scare-a-thon.” Bob Burns (Sci Fi Buzz), film archivist/Halloween expert, shares the story of his incredible home haunts which thrilled and delighted his neighbors in California at Halloween for 15 spooktacular years. Scene footage of his home make any good Halloween enthusiast yearn to go trick-or-treating at Bob’s house!

Halloween Historical Perspective

A refreshingly accurate history of Halloween is offered by historian Taylor White. He tells of the origins of Halloween as a celebration of the harvest by Celts dating as far back as 2500 years. On a more recent note, the reason behind the American custom of trick-or-treating is explained as being a way to reduce vandalism and pranks by mischievous youths.

The lure of movie monsters is explored beginning with Universal Studios “Horror Cycle” in 1925 with the Phantom of the Opera starring Lon Chaney. In trying to understand our fascination with macabre movies our host, Daniel Roebuck, speculates “we all want to be scared.” The monsters we have come to love over the years are re-introduced to us and we remember why our fondness for them is timeless.The wonderful traditions of the American Halloween celebration are lovingly displayed in “Halloween…The Happy Haunting of America.” It is a treat for Halloween enthusiasts that keeps giving year after year.

Back to Vol. 1, Issue 2

Back to Vol. 1, Issue 1

Festivals are a day for rejoicing. In playing together we unite as a community, if only for a brief time. And what better reason to celebrate than Halloween. Each October thousands of cities around the world host festivals. For some communities the celebration takes the form of a costume party at the local recreation center. Others may celebrate with a carnival or a parade. For Halloween enthusiasts the chance to combine costumes, candy and general merriment with their fellow ghouls is a dream come true.

So, where are the best festivals? Which communities around the world play host to the ultimate Halloween celebrations-the kind of event devotees dream about attending. At the top of that list is the city affectionately called “The Witch City.”

Imagine, if you will, an entire city devoted to celebrating Halloween. Now, imagine that celebration occurs not just on Halloween but for a full 24 days. Sound too good to be true-well, it’s not! Such a festival occurs each October in Salem, MA during their “Haunted Happenings” event.

First celebrated in 1982, Haunted Happenings began as the dream of Joan Gormally, former Salem of Commerce Executive Director, and Susannah Stuart, former Director of the Salem Witch Museum. They envisioned Haunted Happenings as a way to both extend the tourist season in the area beyond labor day, and also bring national and international media attention to Salem. Originally a three-day weekend affair, the popularity of the event grew to a full 11 days in 1992 and last year occurred over 24 days beginning October 10 through November 2. Referred to by Mayor Neil J. Harrington as “The Ultimate Halloween Destination,” Haunted Happenings welcomes tens of thousands of Halloween enthusiasts each year.

Hundreds of events occur during Haunted Happenings that provide something for every member of the family. Besides Salem’s Permanent Attractions (see Insert), special events include parades, psychic fairs, costume balls, haunted houses, and tours of Salem’s great historic sites (see Highlights of Salem Haunted Happenings) take place.

Salem provides the perfect setting to celebrate Halloween. Congratulations to the folks who help make the festival a success each year. They have clearly met their goal of having an event where people can come and enjoy themselves and learn about Salem and its unique history. We salute Salem as one of the Ultimate Halloween Destinations!

For more information about Salem Haunted Happenings contact the Salem Chamber of Commerce (978/744-0004).

Back to Vol. 1, Issue 1

Back to Vol. 5, Issue 1

by Alf B. Meier

On a damp evening in the hills surrounding Darmstadt, Germany I first saw Frankenstein Castle. It is much like other castle ruins that dot Germany‘s heartland, yet I had the eerie feeling something about it was different. Could it be only the prejudice toward the name Frankenstein, fostered by Mary Wollenstonecraft Shelley‘s famous novel I had read as a kid. Or was it the movies loosely based on this novel I had seen in my childhood?

The building was originally used as some kind of highway precinct to control and tax the traffic passing through. It was not much of a castle at that time, consisting only of the west tower and a perimeter wall. As time went by, powers and frontiers shifted.

The once insignificant castle located on an insignificant hill (named Frankenstein) became part of a frontier fortification. A defense perimeter wall and drawbridge were added in the 14th century. A comfortable house was built inside and the tower was abandoned as the living quarters. During this period the von Breuberg family probably changed their name to von Frankenstein.

The last additions to the castle were the family chapel and the second defense perimeter wall, completed in the early 16th century. The von Frankensteins stayed in possession of their castle until after the 30-Years-War, but then moved to the Baden region, where their offspring are still considered esteemed citizens.

Frankenstein Castle quickly fell into disrepair.

Peasants used the family chapel and crypt as a stable. The main buildings were used first as a military prison and later as an asylum for disabled veterans, when the definition of asylum was more intended to mean “put away” than “taken care of.” It must have been quite a disturbing view to see all those ragged casualties of war, fed slightly more than they needed to die and slightly less than they needed to survive, occupying the run-down castle.

Does Frankenstein Castle fit into Mary Shelley‘s novel as the castle‘s historian claims? Maybe. The fact is Mary Shelley used to attend the reunions sponsored by Lord Byron, where scientists, writers and other artists would discuss, among others, scientific—and sometimes not so scientific—progress.

At one time a topic was a treaty from one Erasmus Darwin on animating non-living objects. This monograph describes the treatment the eccentric Dr. Darwin subjected a glass noodle to, up to the point it started to “develop a life of its own.” This discussion incensed the imagination of all attending, turning to visions of living cabinets and chairs and at the end, someone suggested something about creating a being by this method.

Shelley’s thoughts on the matter went deeper and she started writing the novel Frankenstein, or a Modern Prometheus, which appeared two years later.

The fact that Shelley‘s stepmother was from the general area of the von Frankenstein family castle, (the Odenwald hills between Frankfurt and Heidelberg) makes some historians believe she was influenced by the dark tales of the castle.

In any case, Frankenstein Castle does not need additional visions of horror created by writers. New roofs were put on whatever buildings were still standing and century-old manure was removed from the chapel—which was completely restored and rededicated. Today it serves as a wedding chapel used by the local priest.

While the castle is not a major tourist attraction by any means, it is worth an afternoon visit if you‘re in the area. There is no entrance fee, but the gates close at darkness. The von Frankenstein family’s gravestones are adjacent to the castle. Wear comfy shoes for the uphill climb from the parking area and don‘t forget your camera!

Photos by Alf B. Meier

Back to Vol. 5, Issue 1