New Classic Monsters Fabric at JoAnn!

 

Many of you may recall the Classic Monsters fabric that was released 20 years ago.  That fabric became a “must-have” for Halloween and Universal Monsters enthusiasts alike.  Well, there’s a brand new fabric in town featuring all of your favorites, a few surprises, and the scariest thing of all — an homage to a Celine Dion song-driven theatrical motion picture!  Yes, there’s a brand new Classic Monsters Fabric available this year at JoAnn featuring the Universal Monsters!  Check out all of the classic monsters of the movies and a few BIG surprises – from The Wolf Man to The Mask of Fu Manchu to Godzilla!  All your favorites are here!  Retailing at $16.99, the fabric is now discounted along with other Halloween styles.  Hurry in before it disappears forever!

Classic Monsters Fabric at JoAnn

Godzilla on the New Classic Monsters Fabric

Fu Manchu on Halloween Fabric at JoAnn

Talbot Castle on Classic Monsters Fabric

 

Creepy Kroger: Halloween Finds at Your Local Grocer

Kroger is the largest grocery chain in America and operates food stores under various names including Fred Meyer, Fry’s, King Soopers, Ralph’s, and Smith’s.  They usually carry a decent selection of Halloween-themed food products, and this year is no different.  Check out the great Halloween Tombstone Pizzas featuring Dracula and Frankenstein…

Tombstone Halloween Pizza

 

In addition to offering up frightful food offerings, they have a number of devilish decor items that are also quite unique.  Check out this miniature haunted house.  It is one of three illuminated haunted house designs available.

 

Kroger Lighted Haunted House Figure

 

And check out this awesome pumpkin carving kit.  Unlike the usual pumpkin carving kit that may offer only a saw and a scoop, this is a full-blow playset.  This Pumpkin Pro Carve-a-Scene pack includes a saw, strobe light, ghost picks, and a grave yard.  Instead of carving a face, you carve a window into your pumpkin and use the decorations to build a scene.  How cool is that?

 

Pumpkin Pro Carve-a-Scene Pumpkin Kit with Ghosts and Graveyard

TJ Maxx, HomeGoods and Ross… Oh My!

The discount stores are offering up a whole slew of creepy creeps this year, mostly in the form of decorative Halloween busts and statues.  Two of the best are the Headless Horseman statue and the Frankenstein’s Monster bust.

First up is the Headless Horseman statue.  Available at Ross, this beautiful statue is quite heavy and elegantly sculpted.  It has more detail than the Horseman statues released at HomeGoods several years ago, and it is also a bit bigger.  It also features a lighted pumpkin head.  Coming in at $14.99, it’s a real steal.

Headless Horseman Statue

 

Next up is the Frankenstein’s Monster bust sold at TJX stores.  Available at select HomeGoods, TJ Maxx, and Marshall’s stores, this Frankenstein bust is a re-release of a bust from last year, but it has an all-new paint job.  Bearing a strong resemblance to our favorite man-made monster from 1931, this bust features gruesome green paint and lighted LED eyes.  A bit more pricey than the Headless Horseman, the Monster bust is definitely heavy and quite worth the price of $34.99.

HomeGoods, TJ Maxx Frankenstein Bust

Headless Horseman Statue

 

Now it’s your turn.  Tell us what you have found at the discount stores this season!

Monsterville: Target’s Universal Monsters Line

For those of you who don’t know, Monsterville is Target’s new line of officially licensed Monster Movie merchandise featuring the Universal Monsters.

I have managed to get mostly every piece I can find, and I can’t tell you how awesome they are. These are the best Halloween decorations I have found in a big box store in years! Not only do they have movie-accurate likenesses, but they play dialog from the films and trailers… Plus the stuff is just genuinely well-designed. Here’s what I have found so far.

First up is the Boris Karloff Mummy Head, probably the best piece. It moves side to side, the eyes light up, and it plays phrases from the movie and trailer when you walk by..

Target Monsterville Universal Monsters Mummy Talking Head

 

Next are the Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein Cloches (globes) The burning windmill is one of the best Halloween decorations I’ve ever owned. Such amazing detail! And the sound effects are great. The LEDs in these are super bright. They light up the whole room!

Target Monsterville Universal Monsters Frankenstein Cloche Globe

Target Monsterville Universal Monsters Bride of Frankenstein Cloche Globe

Target Monsterville Universal Monsters Frankenstein Cloche Globe

 

The Frankenstein, Mummy, and Creature Screamers are really awesome and a great steal at 5 bucks each! They each play about three movie phrases, lasting about 10 seconds each. The Mummy and Creature are my favorites. Really awesome little shelf-sitters! Again, these are crazy bright!

Target Monsterville Universal Monsters Frankenstein Mummy Creature from the Black Lagoon Screamers

 

The Frankenstein Door Greeter moves its eyes and mouth, says spooky phrases, and lights up as it greets Trick-or-Treaters at the door!

Target Monsterville Universal Monsters Frankenstein Door Greeter

 

Finally is another great piece, the Frankenstein Head in Dome. This is a really beautiful piece. Fantastic sound and lights, but an even better Karloff Monster sculpt. Sooooo cool! I cannot recommend these enough!

Target Monsterville Universal Monsters Frankenstein Head in Dome

Target Monsterville Universal Monsters Frankenstein Head in Dome

Feel free to post your finds here!

 

 

World Market’s Frankenstein Collection

The Universal Studios Monsters are invading Cost Plus World Market once again this year with some truly astounding additions to their home entertaining and decor collection.  The new offerings feature the Frankenstein family: the man, the monster, and the mate!  A brand new tote bag featuring the likeness of the great Colin Clive (Dr. Frankenstein) on the front and Boris Karloff (The Monster) and Elsa Lanchester (The Bride) on the reverse is available in stores now.

Universal Studios Monsters Home Decor at World Market

In addition to the new tote, a fang-tastic series of pillows is also on sale.  They feature Dr. Frankenstein, Fritz (his mad assistant portrayed by the amazing Dwight Frye), and the Glenn Strange Frankenstein Monster.

The pillows join several new trays, platters, and even coasters.  These designs are available online as well as at local World Market retailers.

Spook Spotter: Grave Surprises, Franken-Families and More!

Ghastly Greetings, Boils and Ghouls!   We’re baaaaaaaaaaaack with some of the best products available for purchase this Halloween season.

The following does not constitute an endorsement of any product or retailer.   It is for information purposes only.

Grave Solution

Hands down, the best tabletop animated Halloween prop available this year can be found at The Home Depot.  (A similar prop is also available at CVS).  Behold, the rising Grim Reaper and tombstone!

Rising Grim Reaper Tabletop Animation

This beautiful, animated table-top piece is reminiscent of the old Telco Motion-ettes and the 1990s Gemmy line of animated figures.  It features a Grim Reaper that pops up from inside a gravestone.  When you push the button or make a loud sound, the Reaper will rise from the grave and utter eerie phrases of doom, accompanied by a soundtrack of haunting music and crashing thunder.  Not only do the Reaper’s eyes illuminate, the tombstone also puts on a fairly elaborate light show, probably intended to be lightning to go with all of that scary thunder.

There are also some other great items out there that we feel you have to know about, including a set of Wilton candy cake decorations featuring Frankenstein, the Bride, and their family.  These can be purchased at Target.  Another must-mention item is the Halloween party plate and napkin set that is available for purchase at Rite Aid.  Check ’em out!

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And let us know what cool products you have found this year by leaving a message in the creepy Comments section below!

Spook Spotter: Monster Mayhem

It wouldn’t be Halloween without the Universal Studios Monsters and the General Mills Monster Cereals.  Therefore, today’s post is dedicated to these icons of the season.

The following does not constitute an endorsement of any product or retailer.   It is for information purposes only.

This year, there are a variety of Monster Cereals available.  The regular releases are available at most supermarkets, while Walmart has Family-sized boxes, and Target features boxes with exclusive artwork and a premium on the back of the box.  At Target, the boxes of Count Chocula, Boo-Berry, and Franken Berry all feature pieces of the Monsters’ Castle.  After you collect all of the boxes, you can glue the castle together.

Target is also carrying the extremely-delicious Count Chocula Treats this year.  CVS is another store that has them.  These are not widely available, so if you want them, get them as soon as you can.

Count Chocula and Count Chocula Treats

 

Meanwhile, World Market is offering up Universal Monsters popcorn, candy bars, lollipops, and these vintage soda flavors.  The bottles feature Boris Karloff and Elsa Lanchester in their iconic roles, along with new takes on the famous slogans that appeared on the 1930s movie posters.  Even if the Bride soda features the slogan from the wrong film (“It Comes to Life” is from The Mummy), it is still awfully amazing to see these characters on pop bottles.  Share your World Market finds in the comments section below!

Universal Monsters Soda (World Market)

 

Spook Spotter: The Best Halloween Decorations of 2015 II

Welcome, foolish mortals, to The Big Scare’s 2015 Countdown to Halloween.  Every other day, from now through October 31, we will be posting preposterously posthumous ponderings of the Halloween season.  We begin October with another installment of the Spook Spotter.

The following does not constitute an endorsement of any product or retailer.   It is for information purposes only.

World of Gods and Monsters

Last year, Cost Plus World Market debuted a line of officially licensed Universal Monsters dinnerware featuring The Frankenstein Monster and his Bride.  This year, they are expanding the line with all new platters, ceramic plates, and mugs.  World Market also carries vintage soda bottles featuring the creature and his mate, lollipops with The Mummy and the Creature from the Black Lagoon, as well as Bride of Frankenstein tote bags.  What’s really creepily cool is the fact that the ceramic plate of Frankenstein’s monster features an image of Glenn Strange in the role as opposed to Boris Karloff.  Glenn Strange as Frankenstein is more iconic and recognizable to Monster kids, as it was Strange, not Karloff, who was featured on the Monster Craze merchandise of the 1960s.  Hopefully we will see more Universal Monsters at World Market next year.  Perhaps they can cut a deal with Bela Lugosi, Jr. next year and do a Dracula line of dinnerware.  “I never drink…” wine glasses, anyone?

Bride of Frankenstein Plate (World Market)

More of the Night He Came Home

HomeGoods (A TJX Company) has come through again this year with some amazingly haunting display pieces for your home of horrors.  Take a look at this skull pumpkin, very reminiscent of the jack-o’-lantern featured in the opening sequence of John Carpenter’s Halloween II.  This terrifying display piece features a dramatic display of color-changing illumination.  Perfect for any fan of Halloween or Halloween.  Other pieces for sale at the TJX stores include spooky busts, haunted miniature hearses, snow globes, and glass pumpkin candle holders (pictured in the gallery at the end of our post).

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Mind-Blowing Blow Molds

The final item featured in our Spook Spotter today is a mind-blowing find – a vintage blow mold cat and jack-o’-lantern being carried at…  Wait for it…  Walmart.

The king of big box stores is carrying mass-produced reproduction vintage blow molds.  The first of these is the famous Hobo Jack-O’-Lantern.  The next is the cat with the jack-o’-lantern on its back (pictured here).

Vintage Reproduction Blow Mold (Walmart)

These blow molds have not been seen in dime stores in years, but now they are back.  Granted, they aren’t 10 cents anymore, but they are better than 99% of the other Halloween decorations out there and definitely worth the $9.00 price tag.

Now, check out other great finds from this season in our ghastly gallery…

Glenn Strange Frankenstein Plate (World Market)

Vintage Blow Mold Reproduction (Walmart)

Bride of Frankenstein Plate (World Market)

Lighted Owl Statue (Ross Dress for Less)

Glass Pumpkin Candle Holder (TJ Maxx)

Glass Pumpkin Candle Holder (TJ Maxx)

Lighted Owl Statue (Ross Dress for Less)

Universal Monsters Week | Mezco, Trick or Treat, & WOWindows

The following does not constitute an endorsement of any product or retailer.   It is for information purposes only.

The only authentic Halloween decoration featuring the Universal Monsters this year is a pretty nifty WOWindows poster featuring Boris Karloff as the Frankenstein Monster.  But — have no fear — there are plenty of other Universal Monster items out there this season.  So, hold on to your electrodes, as we recap the shocking offerings.

Diamond Select Toys is supposedly wrapping up its Universal Monsters line of toys, ending on a disappointing note with a non-likeness, no-need-to-be-licensed Van Helsing figure.  Although Diamond is coming out with an amazing Creature from the Black Lagoon figure next year, as well as a nice Son of Frankenstein, without any signs of Dracula’s Daughter, Son of Dracula, Werewolf of London, Kharis, or any supporting characters, it’s time to turn to other toymakers for our fill of Monster goodness.  And it looks as if Mezco is slowly taking away Diamond’s luster with its expansive offerings: Universal Monsters Living Dead Dolls and stylized figures.  This October saw the release of the amazing Dracula Living Dead Doll.  The Mummy stylized figure, which follows the ghastly Monster and Creature figures released earlier this year, will come to life soon.

However, the grandest of this year’s Universal Monster items are not even officially licensed by Universal Studios.  Nope.  Instead, they are licensed through the estates of the individual actors.  Trick or Treat Studios, the up-and-coming leader of the Halloween mask-making world, has unleashed two great masks: The Bela Lugosi Mask (based upon Lugosi in the DRACULA play) and the Phantom of the Opera Mask featuring the likeness of the Man of a Thousand Faces, Lon Chaney, Sr.  These two incredible masks deserve to the be the first in a long line of masks based upon the actors who invented the monsters.  Unfortunately with Universal involved, one never knows if “what should be” will be, but we’ll see…

Universal Monsters Week | Monster Hot Wheels & New Stock Art

The following does not constitute an endorsement of any product or retailer.   It is for information purposes only.

The official Universal Studios Monsters are back from the grave, this time adorning some sweet rides from Hot Wheels.  These creepy cars are now available at select grocery stores, such as certain Kroger stores and Winco, and will probably be found in the Halloween aisles.  In total there are six vehicles: Creature from the Black Lagoon Low Flow, Dracula Neet Streeter, Bride of Frankenstein ’59 Cadillac Funny Car, Frankenstein Double Demon Delivery, The Wolf Man Volkswagen T1 Panel Bus (not pictured) and The Mummy 1934 Chrysler Airflow (not pictured).

And what is interesting about them is that they feature new artwork for our Monster friends.  Instead of the horrible CGI monstrosities created at the beginning of the last decade, these monster toys feature characters with a more “hand-illustrated” look.  And while none of them look much like the original characters (or, God forbid, actors), it is a step in the right direction, even if it means eliminating the Wolf Man’s dog snout (poor choice, indeed, Universal).  Perhaps these line-art versions of the Monsters will be seen on other products in the future.  Maybe the CGI-looking, computer-drawn abominations from 2002 will finally be gone forever…  Only time will tell.  All I know is that I’d give almost anything to have these 1997 versions back.  Or the 1991 Monsters…  Or the Aurora Monster Model art…  But anything is better than the ones we’ve had to endure for the past decade.  That is certain.  We’ll be back Friday with our final look at the Universal Monster products of 2013.