It’s almost here! That’s right, I’m talkin’ ’bout Halloween! My favourite day of the year. If you’re looking for a few fun ideas on how to make the most of the forthcoming haunted holiday, join me below for a look at Apps, Movies & TV, and Music that will all help to set the proper mood!
By the way, the header image I used is the cover art for the Halloween Triple Feature (on Blu-ray). I didn’t discuss it in detail in the movie section below because slasher movies aren’t really my thing, but for those that are interested, the set includes the following 3 films: Halloween 6: Curse of Michael Myers, Halloween 8: Resurrection, & H20. For more Halloween themed movie & TV options, keep on reading.
FUN WITH HALLOWEEN APPS
When it comes to having a fun and happy Halloween, there are a ton of cool apps out there that can really add to the excitement. I’ve just been playing around, for example, with The Walking Dead: Dead Yourself (see Author Box image below). This app is free, and it’s easy to download (I’m on Android, so I used Google Play). Somehow I had never used this app before… You simply take a selfie and it automatically turns your image into a nasty looking zombie. You can even select among different zombie effects until it looks just right. It’s fun!
Other possibilities include Angry Birds Halloween, Costume Generator, Ghost Radar, & True Ghost Stories from Around the World. And that’s just a fraction of the apps that are out there! Once I started researching Halloween themed apps, I found that there were countless options available that speak to every possible Halloween related interest. Many of the apps aren’t free, but with the typical price being only 99 cents, they’re not about to break the bank for most people (unless you really go overboard!!).
If you’re lacking a smart device to play around with apps on, here’s a link to Best Buy’s Tablets & iPads page. I’m personally partial to the one in the photo. It’s the Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 9.7″ 32GB Android 5.0 Lollipop Tablet with Helsinki Prime Processor – In White. It’s got everything you’ll need to enjoy all the latest apps (and I don’t just mean Halloween ones), yet it’s not at the super high end of the tablet price range. Of course, your Android smart phone or Apple iPhone will also work with the many Halloween apps that are available, so you’ve got plenty of options. After all, you don’t want to miss out on cool apps such as Scary Sounds, which I’m sure is pretty self explanatory (as well as perfect for the big day!).
HALLOWEEN MOVIES & TV SHOWS ON BLU-RAY & DVD
If horror flicks are your thing, then I’m sure you’re already well aware of the awesomeness that is The Blair Witch Project. If you haven’t yet picked this title up in Blu-ray format, then this is your chance to own the one and only Blair witch Project: (Blu-ray Combo Edition). This online only item is sure to get you into the full swing of Halloween (and possibly even scare you out of your boots). When 3 brash college students set off for the woods of western Maryland to make a serious documentary on the decades of mysterious events (including murders & strange disappearances) that are linked together by the legend of the “Blair Witch,” things don’t quite turn out as planned. All that is ever found is the mysterious lost footage of their terrifying adventure. This brilliantly conceived film, which was shot on a shoestring budget and went on to achieve massive success, both critically and commercially, is undoubtedly one of the best horror films ever made. And yet, there’s scarcely any blood and guts to be found. The Blair Witch Project instead achieves its massive doses of fright by allowing audiences to imagine their own most horrifying bogeymen. When I first saw this film, it absolutely blew my mind! It was (and remains) the perfect film to raise one’s Halloween spirits (and who knows what other spirits as well?).
If you prefer to avoid the horror film genre but would still like to have some good old Gothic Halloween fun, then maybe the Criss Angel: Mindfreak – Halloween Special will be more to your liking. In this special edition DVD release of Angel’s popular Mindfreak TV show (which aired for 6 full seasons on A&E and produced a total of 96 mind-blowing episodes), you’ll be astounded and titillated by Angel’s special selection of Halloween themed illusions and magic tricks, and all without any fear of passing out from fright! This video (which comes in Full Screen format) features 50 minutes of Angel’s most fitting Halloween material. Having since moved on to his own Las Vegas magic show (done i collaboration with Canada’s own Cirque du Soleli), Angel has become one of the biggest names in the Illusionist genre. Right up there with David Copperfield, Penn & Teller, and David Blaine, Angel can now only be seen giving one of his 8-10 weekly performances of Criss Angel: Believe at the Luxor Hotel and Resort on the fabulous Las Vegas Strip. What this means to you, then, is that this DVD is one of the only ways to enjoy Angel’s magic this Halloween—unless you’re headed to Vegas, Baby!
Then again, maybe you prefer to have a downright tame Halloween? If so, what better way than to spend it with Spongebob Squarepants and friends? That’s right, this Halloween you can get spooky with the Spongebob Scarypants Collection. This 2 DVD set (released in September, 2014) combines Spongebob episodes from 2 previously released sets (seasons) & features all of your favourite underwater goofballs in a total of 17 Halloween-themed episodes. Also included here are 2 additional (Bonus) features. You’ll see the infamous Spongebob Squarepants himself, Patrick, Squidward, Gary the Snail, the Flying Dutchman (the pirate ghost), and many more popular under-the-sea characters. If you prefer laughing with glee to whimpering in fear this Halloween season, then the Spongebob Scarypants Collection may be your ideal starting point. See, that’s the great thing about Halloween: It can be horrifyingly scary, infinitely intriguing, moderately mind-bending, deliciously decadent, or fabulously fun! Halloween can be anything you want it to be, whether it’s scary ghosts and ghouls you like, or just some wholesome good fun. Either way, there’s no shortage of material to watch that will help you get into the spirit.
MUSIC & THE SOUNDS OF HALLOWEEN
If you decide to throw a Halloween party this year, or just want to create an effectively spooky ambiance in your Halloween’d up yard, then you may well benefit from a technology upgrade to Wireless & Bluetooth Speakers or purpose built Outdoor Speakers. It’s been a few years since I last set up a spooky sounds CD in hopes of creating a haunted house atmosphere on Halloween. My main reasons for not doing so were moving around quite a bit for school and / or living a few floors up in access restricted buildings. The day will come again, however, when I’m in a position to set up a haunted house the likes of which has never before been seen. And I can’t wait! Maybe when that day comes, I’ll play scary Halloween sounds throughout my front and back yard using this pair of Polk Audio Atrium 4 80-Watt All-Weather Outdoor Speakers. With its all-weather capabilities, its 80 Watts of power, and its Speed Lock mounting brackets (for mounting the speakers almost anywhere, regardless of vertical or horizontal placement), an outdoor speaker set like this one can have any backyard Halloween ready in no time flat!
With Halloween just two weeks away, now’s the time to get the decorations up and put a plan into action. Whether you choose to give (or attend) a Halloween costume party, stay in and dole out candy before settling down for an evening of frightening films, or go on an extended Trick or Treating circuit with the kids, don’t delay your planning to the very last minute or it may be too late to find all of the freakishly fun items you’ll need to have a spectacularly spooky time. Happy Halloween!
