The Halloween 'Zine: Inside scoops and a song parody
#6: The unforgettably eerie field trip that inspired Michael Myers' character
Hello, Superfans!
Weâre in Septemberâs home stretch, and Octoberâs flashing a wolfish grin while it waits to take center stage.
Itâs not in a rush, either. It knows itâs always worth OUR wait, and it wields its effortless, Taylor Swift-like gravitational pull on us responsibly.
Until then, weâve got some behind-the-scenes stories to stoke our spiritâŠ
Call of Duty-Halloween cash grab crossover
âReally?â
An incredulous Jack Reacher to the two goons considering attacking him after heâs just dispatched two of their fellow goons
Jack Reacher (2012)
Seems Deadpool and Wolverineâs massive success caught The Shapeâs attention. A hefty pile of greenbacks later, he was donning one of his vintage masks and sharpening a knife.
Sledgehammer Gamesâ The Haunting Event for Modern Warfare III and Warzone will see Michael Myers join forces with Terrifier and Trick âr Treat to invade the Call of Duty neighborhood.
Though this wonât be a silver screen adventure, Iâd expect the gameâs fans will enjoy slashing with the icons.
Of course, the icons could get bored and turn on each other, too.
Behind the scenes of Home Depotâs viral Halloween inventory
Home Depot knows theyâre on to something, and according to this Fast Company article, theyâre leaning into it.
Home Depotâs senior merchant of decorative holiday, Lance Allen, and his team recognized the generic boredom that passes for Halloween decorations at most retailers in 2019.
They wanted to be different.
So, they turned to classic horror movies, haunted houses, and Halloween trade shows for inspiration. They found it in larger items, only the prices would make Beetlejuiceâs eyes bulge.
They knew they needed to target a consumer-friendly price point.
So, after overcoming early internal resistance, they coordinated with their engineering and design teams to manifest it. Skelly was born.
Then, Skelly went viral. And Home Depot has staked its claim to some well-earned territory as another haven for Halloween decor.
Their collection continues growing, and they hope customers return each year to add to their collections as their budgets allow.
I hope the retailers who play it safe season after season take a lesson from this.
The inspiration for Michael Myers
Somebody dug up a body this Esquire article that explains John Carpenterâs inspiration for Michael Myersâ character.
It stemmed from a field trip Carpenter took to a mental institution during his college days. He encountered a 12- or 13-year old boy with the vacant stare we recognize as The Shapeâs.
When film producer Irwin Yablans approached Carpenter about doing a horror movie set on Halloween night about a psychotic killer stalking babysitters, he remembered the boy.
"It was unsettling to me, it was like the creepiest thing Iâd ever seen as a stranger.â
I love that Carpenter took this fleeting impression to disturbing places and crafted an iconic character from it.
Though some Halloween sequels have tried to explain Michaelâs motives, itâs NOT understanding that makes him more terrifying and fascinating.
Drop me a note if you disagree.
âDonât open the door! Donât open the door!â
Fuller, pleading with the officers forcing entry into motel rooms as he races toward the room where the killer has Venna bound, gagged, and booby-trapped
Joy Ride (2001)
Halloween karaoke corner
At the end of last weekâs edition, I hinted at a potential surprise for this week. I was hoping to finish a song parody so I could drop that single for you this week.
Well, Iâm dropping that single.
Itâs karaoke night, and the mic is yours. I donât sing. If you heard me sing, youâd not only agree, youâd beg me to stop. There are some things you just canât unhear.
Love to write âem, though, and I hope youâll enjoy playing them in your head.
Sing this to the tune of âSanta Claus is Coming to Townâ
You better watch out
And this is no lie
You better not shout
Or youâre gonna dieÂ
Michael Myers coming to town
Michael Myers coming to town
Michael Myers coming to town
Heâs making a fist
Around his big knifeÂ
Youâll see it up close
When he takes your lifeÂ
Michael Myers coming to town
Michael Myers coming to town
Michael Myers coming to town
He hears you when youâre screaming
He sees when youâre up lateÂ
He knows that heâs so bad, heâs goodÂ
So ya donât want to tempt fate
You better watch out
And this is no lie
You better not shout
Or youâre gonna dieÂ
Michael Myers coming to town
Michael Myers coming to town
Michael Myers coming to town
Michael Myers coming
Michael Myers coming
Michael Myers coming
Michael Myers coming
Michael Myers coming
Michael Myers coming
Michael Myers coming
Michael Myers coming
Michael Myers coming to town
Michael Myers coming to town
Michael Myers coming to town
Michael Myers coming
Michael Myers coming
Michael Myers coming
To tooooooooown
Youâve reached the end, again! None of that âearly victimâ nonsense for you. Youâre genuine âfinal (______)â material.
Hope you enjoyed this weekâs edition. Weâll look to finish September strong. Not in Karate Kid or Mortal Kombat fashion, either. Just sustain the seasonal momentumâŠ