Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Night 10 of the Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway


Welcome to night 10 of the 4th annual Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway. Stop by our MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and enter to win a $250+ Prize Pack full of frightfully good treats from 7 spooktacular shops. In this post you will find details on how to earn extra entries with our Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt & Halloween Movie Marathon and test your movie knowledge with the Guess the Movie Game. Make sure to visit us each day during the giveaway so you do not miss out on any of the fun!

Dark Beauty Compact - Style B

Purchase any item(s) from Laughing Vixen Lounge through October 31st and get 10% off your order. Use code OCTOBER10 at checkout.



$1 from each sale at Laughing Vixen Lounge goes to support the Joy Cinema. A single screen theater in Tigard, Oregon that has been in operation since 1939. Purchase from LVL and help keep the classic cinema experience alive. See full fundraising details and the Joy's story HERE.


Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt
Our scavenger hunt works like a game of Clue. Every day you will be looking for clues to a different part of the mystery ~ Settings, Suspects, Rooms, Weapons and Escapes. They will be hidden (at the top of the description) in a listing inside one of our participating shops. On each daily post you will be given a hint as to where the clues are hiding. Once you find a clue go to the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and take the daily entry on the Rafflecopter widget. Today's entry will be at the top of the entry list while all past entries will be at the bottom of the list.
*Make sure you are finding today's clue! Submit the wrong clue and it will not count. They have dates. Shops have more than one set of clues hiding there so pay attention. 
*You may start the Scavenger Hunt at anytime during the giveaway and find past clues.
*You can earn 5 extra entries in the giveaway for each set of clues found.
*Please only post clues on the Rafflecopter widget. Anywhere else and they will be deleted.

Scavenger Hunt Special Giveaway!
Keep a list of the clues you find. On October 31st and November 1st you will be able to use the clues you found and submit your guess of how the murder happened. 1 random winner from any correct guesses will win a $50 Gift Certificate to Laughing Vixen Lounge and a $30 Gift Certificate to Deep Midnight Perfumes. If no one guesses correctly then 1 random winner from all submitted guesses will win their choice of Photo Pendant/Keychain from Laughing Vixen Lounge ($15) and a $15 Perfume Sampler Set (your choice of scents) from Deep Midnight Perfumes. Full details on how to submit your guess will be listed on October 31st. You do not need to find all of the clues to submit a guess but the more you find the better your guess.

Clue for October 27th
A murder has been committed! The body of Miss Death has been found at Raven's Perch Manor. Detective Heathmoor needs your help collecting the clues of the crime. Can you solve the mystery?

Night 10 ~ You will be collecting clues to the weapon of the crime.

Tonight's clue is hiding in Laughing Vixen Lounge.
Need a little help finding the clue? A spider's home.

There seems to be some confusion.
***The clue is in the shop listed above. It will be in one of the listings.
***The hint above is to help you find which listing the clue is in. DO NOT answer the above clue. Your entry will not count.
***The clue is not on this page.

Falling Leaves Charm Bracelet or Necklace



Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Movie Marathon.
Follow along with us for 2 full weeks of classic spooky movies. This year we celebrate "Classic Thrills Through the Years". Watch the face of horror as it changes from one decade to the next. Find some great watches for the season and receive EXTRA ENTRIES at the same time! On each daily post there will be a review of the next movie in our movie marathon. Leave a comment on the post with your opinion of that movie. Once you have posted go to the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and take the daily entry on the Rafflecopter widget. Today's entry will be at the top of the entry list while all past entries will be at the bottom of the list. Comment on all movies in the marathon and receive an EXTRA 20 ENTRIES at the end of the giveaway.
*You may start following the Movie Marathon at any time during the giveaway and post comments on past daily posts.
*Each comment will earn you an EXTRA 5 ENTRIES.
*Comment on each movie to earn an EXTRA 20 ENTRIES at the end of the giveaway.
*On October 31st or November 1st you must use the Magic Phrase (revealed on October 31st) and use it to unlock the entry on the Rafflecopter to receive the 20 entries. You must have commented on each movie.

Guess The Movie Game
Think you know your scary movies? Try your luck with this fun little game and receive EXTRA ENTRIES just for guessing. Each daily post will have a clue to the next night's movie. Leave your guess on the Rafflecopter widget, on the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST, for an EXTRA 5 ENTRIES in the giveaway. You do not need to be right just give it an honest try.
*Guesses must be made the same day as their clue to receive the entry.
*Entry will reset 24hrs after your last guess.
*Make sure you are leaving a guess for that day's clue. Guessing for a past clue that has already been posted will be deleted.
* Please only post guesses on the Rafflecopter widget.

Tonight's Clue ~ Beware "The Colony"!


Classic Thrills Through the Years ~ 1980s

Night 10 ~The Shining 



Tagline - A Masterpiece Of Modern Horror.
              The Horror is driving him crazy.


Stanley Kubrick (A Clockwork Orange and Full Metal Jacket) directed this film version of Stephen King's best selling novel. Released May 23, 1980 by Warner Brothers Pictures (Rated R). Recovering alcoholic, Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) has accepted a job as winter caretaker of the grand Overlook Hotel in an attempt to put his life back on track. The hotel manager warns him of the long and lonely winter ahead as he and his family will be alone and snowed in for the five month off-season. Jack assures him it's just what he needs to work on his writing. What Jack doesn't know is that he and his family are not the only ones inhabiting the Overlook! Muaahhhhhhh!

Being a fan of the book there are some aspects of this movie version that I don't care for. Jack seems to not like his family from the start and he almost changes into a crazy man overnight. A little more of a transition into madness would have been nice.

That being said I really do like this movie. It's creepy, creepy and then a bit more creepy! What really makes this movie creepy is the time period. I never could put my finger on it when I was a teenager as to why it left me with an unpleasant feeling. As I got older I began to realize it's the late 70's look of it. The colors and the patterns of the floors, walls and furniture. The color and the style of the clothing. And the fact that the film used makes the colors look a little off or maybe too vivid.

I liken it to when you were younger and you went to visit your grandparents. The ones that still lived in that old house with the furniture from many decades past. The one where you open the door and an instant musty smell filled your nose. That's how I think the Overlook would feel like now. While grand in it's day, now it's outdated and needs to be aired out. The dated wall paper would be pealing around the edges and the bathroom tiles would be old an worn looking. While it was high fashion when the movie was made now it just adds to the uneasiness of it.

I also love the mini series they made in 1997. It stared Steven Weber (Wings (TV) and Single White Female), a personal favorite of mine, and was very faithful to the novel. If you're a fan of the book this version should appeal to you. I thought it was great.

The Shining is currently available to rent from Amazon, MGo and Vudu and should be available on most DVD services. 


Take a look at the original trailer.



Some trivia about the movie
1. Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood in Oregon stood in for the exterior shots of the Overlook. Being from Portland I take great pride in seeing Timberline up there on the screen. It should be noted though that all interior shots of the hotel were filmed on a sound stage in London. So if you should visit Timberline don't expect the inside to look the same and don't expect to find room 237. Afraid that no one would want to stay in the room after the film came out, the management asked that the original room number, 217, be changed to something else. 237 was picked as there was no existing room with that number.
2. The opening scene of the Volkswagen driving is shot in Glacier National Park, Montana. The road is know as the "Going-to-the-sun" road.
3. The area that the set for the Colorado Lounge, where Jack does his typing, was built was also used as the Well of the Souls in Raiders of the lost ark.
4. The interior of the Overlook was made to look like bits and pieces of real hotels. The Colorado Lounge was modeled on the lounge at the Ahwanee Hotel in Yosemite Valley. It resembled it so well that people entering the Ahwanee often asked "is this the Shining hotel?"
5. The US version had Jack typing the same line "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" over and over. In the Italian version it's "He who wakes up early meets a golden day". In the German version it's "Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today". The Spanish version has "Rising early will not make dawn sooner". The French went with "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush".
6. Stephen King has said that the name was inspired by the John Lennon song "Instant Karma" which features the chorus "We all shine on".
7. Stanley Kubrick decided that having the hedge animals come alive (as they do in the book) was unworkable due to restrictions in special effects, so he opted for a hedge maze instead.   
8. There is a great deal of confusion regarding this film and the number of retakes of certain scenes. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the scene where Wendy is backing up the stairs swinging the baseball bat was shot 127 times, which is a record for the most takes of a single scene. However, both Steadicam operator Garrett Brown and assistant editor Gordon Stainforth say this is inaccurate - the scene was shot about 35-45 times. Brown does say however that the scene where Hallorann explains to Danny what shining is was shot 148 times, which is a world record.   
9. Stanley Kubrick considered both Robert De Niro and Robin Williams for the role of Jack Torrance but decided against both of them. Kubrick didn't think De Niro would suit the part after watching his performance in Taxi Driver, as he deemed De Niro not psychotic enough for the role. He didn't think Williams would suit the part after watching his performance in Mork & Mindy, as he deemed him too psychotic for the role. According to Stephen King, Kubrick also briefly considered Harrison Ford.   
10. Stephen King tried to talk Stanley Kubrick out of casting Jack Nicholson in the lead suggesting, instead, either Michael Moriarty or Jon Voight. King had felt that watching either of these normal-looking men gradually descend into madness, would have immensely improved the dramatic thrust of the storyline.   
11. The scrapbook that Jack finds in the novel makes a brief appearance next to his typewriter in the scene when Jack tells Wendy never to bother him while he's working.   
12. During the scene where Wendy brings Jack breakfast in bed, it can be seen in the reflection of the mirror that Jack's T-shirt says "Stovington" on it. While not mentioned in the film, this is the name of the school that Jack used to teach at in the Stephen King novel.   
13. Stanley Kubrick, known for his compulsiveness and numerous retakes, got the difficult shot of blood pouring from the elevators in only three takes. This would be remarkable if it weren't for the fact that the shot took nine days to set up; every time the doors opened and the blood poured out, Kubrick would say, "It doesn't look like blood." In the end, the shot took approximately a year to get right.   
14. During filming, Stanley Kubrick made the cast watch Eraserhead, Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist to put them in the right frame of mind.   
15. Every time Jack talks to a "ghost", there's a mirror in the scene, except in the food locker scene. This is because in the food locker scene he only talks to Grady through the door. We never see Grady in this scene.   
16. At the time of release, it was the policy of the MPAA to not allow the portrayal of blood in trailers that would be approved for all audiences. Bizarrely, the trailer for The Shining consists entirely of the shot of blood pouring out of the elevator. Stanley Kubrick had convinced the board the blood flooding out of the elevator was actually rusty water.   
17. Because Danny Lloyd was so young and since it was his first acting job, Stanley Kubrick was highly protective of the child. During the shooting of the movie, Lloyd was under the impression that the film he was making was a drama, not a horror movie. He only realized the truth seven years later, when, aged 13, he was shown a heavily edited version of the film. He didn't see the uncut version of the film until he was 17 - eleven years after he'd made it.   
18. Outtakes of the shots of the Volkswagen traveling towards the Overlook at the start of the film were plundered by Ridley Scott (with Stanley Kubrick's permission) when he was forced to add the 'happy ending' to the original release of Blade Runner.   
19. The "snowy" maze near the conclusion of the movie consisted of 900 tons of salt and crushed Styrofoam.   
20. Stanley Kubrick's first choice to play Danny Torrance was Cary Guffey, the young boy from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Guffey's parents apparently turned down the offer due to the film's subject matter.   
21. There were so many changes to the script during shooting that Jack Nicholson claimed he stopped reading it. He would read only the new pages that were given to him each day.   
22. For the scene in which Jack breaks down the bathroom door, the props department built a door that could be easily broken. However, Jack Nicholson had worked as a volunteer fire marshal and tore it apart far too easily. The props department were then forced to build a stronger door.
23. Prior to hiring Diane Johnson as his writing partner, director/producer Stanley Kubrick rejected a screenplay written by Stephen King himself. King's script was a much more literal adaptation of the novel, a much more traditional horror film than the film Kubrick would ultimately make. He was considering hiring Johnson because he admired her novel "The Shadow Knows," but when he found out she was a Doctor of Gothic Studies, he became convinced she was the person for the job.
24. There was no air conditioning on the sets, meaning it would often become very hot. The hedge maze set was stifling; actors and crew would often strip off as much of the heavy clothing they were wearing as quickly as they could once a shot was finished.   
25. The role of Lloyd the Bartender was originally to have been played by Harry Dean Stanton, who was unable to take the part due to his commitment to Alien.   
26. The image of the two girls in the hotel corridor was inspired by the photograph "Identical Twins, Roselle, New Jersey, 1967" by Diane Arbus.   
27. The idea for Danny Lloyd to move his finger when he was talking as Tony was his own; he did it spontaneously during his very first audition.   
28. For the scenes when we can hear Jack typing but we cannot see what he is typing, Kubrick recorded the sound of a typist actually typing the words "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy". Some people argue that each key on a typewriter sounds slightly different, and Kubrick wanted to ensure authenticity, so he insisted that the actual words be typed.   
29. There is a character named Richard Haloran in the film Dementia 13, about an axe murderer. It was produced by Roger Corman, who directed several of Jack Nicholson's early films.   
30. Stephen King got the idea for The Shining while his family were staying at the Stanley Hotel. They were the last guests before it shut down for the Winter. He saw a group of nuns leaving the hotel, and it got him thinking that the place had suddenly become godless. The King family stayed in Room 217, the haunted room in the novel but Room 237 in the film; a fire hose also resembled a snake (which doesn't appear in the film but does in the TV mini-series), and King had already been playing around with a story idea about a boy with ESP, so he combined the two plot lines.
31. The first of Stephen King's books to be banned from school libraries because of the theme of wicked parents.

Blood Splatter Small Photo Pendant

Monday, October 26, 2015

Night 9 of the Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway


Welcome to night 9 of the 4th annual Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway. Stop by our MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and enter to win a $250+ Prize Pack full of frightfully good treats from 7 spooktacular shops. In this post you will find details on how to earn extra entries with our Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt & Halloween Movie Marathon and test your movie knowledge with the Guess the Movie Game. Make sure to visit us each day during the giveaway so you do not miss out on any of the fun!

Boo Necklace

Purchase any item(s) from Laughing Vixen Lounge through October 31st and get 10% off your order. Use code OCTOBER10 at checkout.


$1 from each sale at Laughing Vixen Lounge goes to support the Joy Cinema. A single screen theater in Tigard, Oregon that has been in operation since 1939. Purchase from LVL and help keep the classic cinema experience alive. See full fundraising details and the Joy's story HERE.


Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt
Our scavenger hunt works like a game of Clue. Every day you will be looking for clues to a different part of the mystery ~ Settings, Suspects, Rooms, Weapons and Escapes. They will be hidden (at the top of the description) in a listing inside one of our participating shops. On each daily post you will be given a hint as to where the clues are hiding. Once you find a clue go to the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and take the daily entry on the Rafflecopter widget. Today's entry will be at the top of the entry list while all past entries will be at the bottom of the list.
*Make sure you are finding today's clue! Submit the wrong clue and it will not count. They have dates. Shops have more than one set of clues hiding there so pay attention. 
*You may start the Scavenger Hunt at anytime during the giveaway and find past clues.
*You can earn 5 extra entries in the giveaway for each set of clues found.
*Please only post clues on the Rafflecopter widget. Anywhere else and they will be deleted.

Scavenger Hunt Special Giveaway!
Keep a list of the clues you find. On October 31st and November 1st you will be able to use the clues you found and submit your guess of how the murder happened. 1 random winner from any correct guesses will win a $50 Gift Certificate to Laughing Vixen Lounge and a $30 Gift Certificate to Deep Midnight Perfumes. If no one guesses correctly then 1 random winner from all submitted guesses will win their choice of Photo Pendant/Keychain from Laughing Vixen Lounge ($15) and a $15 Perfume Sampler Set (your choice of scents) from Deep Midnight Perfumes. Full details on how to submit your guess will be listed on October 31st. You do not need to find all of the clues to submit a guess but the more you find the better your guess.

Clue for October 26th
A murder has been committed! The body of Miss Death has been found at Raven's Perch Manor. Detective Heathmoor needs your help collecting the clues of the crime. Can you solve the mystery?

Night 9 ~ You will be collecting clues to the weapon of the crime.

Tonight's clue is hiding in Deep Midnight Perfumes.
Need a little help finding the clue? An angel's transportation.

There seems to be some confusion.
***The clue is in the shop listed above. It will be in one of the listings.
***The hint above is to help you find which listing the clue is in. DO NOT answer the above clue. Your entry will not count.
***The clue is not on this page.

SPIDER CIDER Perfume Oil



Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Movie Marathon.
Follow along with us for 2 full weeks of classic spooky movies. This year we celebrate "Classic Thrills Through the Years". Watch the face of horror as it changes from one decade to the next. Find some great watches for the season and receive EXTRA ENTRIES at the same time! On each daily post there will be a review of the next movie in our movie marathon. Leave a comment on the post with your opinion of that movie. Once you have posted go to the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and take the daily entry on the Rafflecopter widget. Today's entry will be at the top of the entry list while all past entries will be at the bottom of the list. Comment on all movies in the marathon and receive an EXTRA 20 ENTRIES at the end of the giveaway.
*You may start following the Movie Marathon at any time during the giveaway and post comments on past daily posts.
*Each comment will earn you an EXTRA 5 ENTRIES.
*Comment on each movie to earn an EXTRA 20 ENTRIES at the end of the giveaway.
*On October 31st or November 1st you must use the Magic Phrase (revealed on October 31st) and use it to unlock the entry on the Rafflecopter to receive the 20 entries. You must have commented on each movie.

Guess The Movie Game
Think you know your scary movies? Try your luck with this fun little game and receive EXTRA ENTRIES just for guessing. Each daily post will have a clue to the next night's movie. Leave your guess on the Rafflecopter widget, on the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST, for an EXTRA 5 ENTRIES in the giveaway. You do not need to be right just give it an honest try.
*Guesses must be made the same day as their clue to receive the entry.
*Entry will reset 24hrs after your last guess.
*Make sure you are leaving a guess for that day's clue. Guessing for a past clue that has already been posted will be deleted.
* Please only post guesses on the Rafflecopter widget.

Tonight's Clue ~ Typing... type... type...... type....


Classic Thrills Through the Years ~ 1970s

Night 9 ~The Amityville Horror



Tagline - "For God's Sake, Get Out!"


Directed by Stuart Rosenberg (Cool Hand Luke and Brubaker) and released on July 27, 1979 by American International Pictures (rated R). When the Lutz family (James Brolin and Margot Kidder) moves in to their dream house they have no idea the Hell that awaits them. As strange events start to happen the family is desperate to save their house and their sanity.

When something seems too good to be true it probably is. So when George and Kathy Lutz are offered their dream house at a huge discount something is probably wrong. And there is! The family before them was brutally murdered in the house. The Lutzes decided they can live with the history and purchase the house. It does not take long before they regret their decision. The Lutz family lived in the house, also known as "High Hopes", for only 28 days. Their experiences there will become the stuff of horror legend.

Much has been debated about the accounts of what happened at the house at 112 Ocean Ave in Amityville, NY as told by the Lutz family. What is true? Unfortunately the brutal murders were real. 13 months before, Ronald DeFeo Jr. shot and killed six members of his family in the house. His defense was an insanity plea saying he heard voices. Yes, the Lutz family was a real family who purchased the house in 1975 after the DeFeo's. In 1977 the book The Amityville Horror, written by Jay Anson and based on the recorded accounts told by George and Kathy Lutz, was published and become a huge bestseller. George and Kathy maintained their story, changed on some accounts for the book and movie, was true and did happen to them. They both took a lie detector test and both passed. Their son, Daniel, was interview for the documentary "My Amityville Horror" and insist that it all happened.

The Real Amityville House -1974

Now days the consensus is that the story was fictional. One of the most damning accusations came from William Weber, the defense attorney for Ronald DeFeo Jr., who claimed in a People Magazine article in 1979 to have had a meeting with the Lutzes where they "created" the story over many bottles of wine. According to the Lutzes they met with Weber hoping to find out more about the events that had happened in their house. They agreed to tell him their story thinking that their experiences in the house may help his client receive the medical help he needed if, in fact, he had been under the influence of the presence in the house. But when Weber wanted to enter into a book deal with them that included part of the profits going the Ronald DeFeo Jr., the Lutzes declined. Could it just be hard feelings and greed that led to the claims that it was all a hoax?

There is an interesting site that has tried to show an accurate account of what happened to the Lutzes and sort out what did not take place. If you are curious you can find it here. It does provide some interesting information. What sticks in my mind is how even the children, now grown, have never waived from the events being true. And for both George and Kathy to pass the lie detector test if it was a hoax is pretty impressive.

The Real Amityville House - 2005

Whether or not the story is true it made for one heck of a good horror story. The movie may be a bit dated by today's standards and might not be as action packed as people are used to but do not let that fool you. It is a great haunted house story with all the chills needed to give you the creeps. But if you really want to get the full freaked out experience then you have to read the book. It ranks right up there with the Shining as a story to not be read at night!!!

The movie spawned many sequels but none of them are really worth the watch. In 2005 there was a big budget remake with Ryan Reynolds and Mellisa George. At the time the makers of the film were boasting how they were going to be faithful to the book in their adaption. While Reynolds and George were great in the roles, and the movie had a good retro look, it varied greatly from the book. Sometimes so much it just made you shake your head in disbelief. Hollywood needs to remember that simple can be more effective than over the top.

The Amityville Horror is currently available to rent on Amazon and Vudu and should be available on most DVD services.


Take a look at the original trailer.



Some trivia about the movie.
1. Due to all the unwanted fame the book and film had brought upon the real house in Amityville, the current owners have replaced the "evil eyes" windows with normal rectangle-shaped windows.   
2. At the time of its release the film was one of the highest grossing independent films of all time and American International Pictures' biggest hit.   
3. While shooting the scene where Kathy is startled by the red eyes in the window, director Stuart Rosenberg wasn't impressed by Margot Kidder's reaction. According to Kidder, Rosenberg then tried to hold up a "a day-glo orange stuffed velour pig with glass eyes" in an attempt to startle Kidder. She said the result was only hysterical laughter, not fear.   
4. Stars James Brolin and Margot Kidder visited the real Amityville house as part of a publicity junket.   
5. Contrary to popular belief, Lalo Schifrin's score for this film was not the legendary rejected score composed for The Exorcist. The rejected Exorcist score has subsequently been released on CD and is completely different in every respect.
6. The outdoor scenes of the movie were not filmed in Amityville, Long Island, but rather Toms River, New Jersey. Local police and ambulance workers played extras.   
7. This film's theatrical success was followed by two theatrically released sequels - Amityville II: The Possession an official sequel/prequel; Amityville 3-D, not an official sequel; and five direct-to-video low-budget sequels released from 1989 to 1996. 

Cute 'n Spooky Halloween
Small Photo Pendant - Style H

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Night 8 of the Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway


Welcome to night 8 of the 4th annual Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway. Stop by our MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and enter to win a $250+ Prize Pack full of frightfully good treats from 7 spooktacular shops. In this post you will find details on how to earn extra entries with our Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt & Halloween Movie Marathon and test your movie knowledge with the Guess the Movie Game. Make sure to visit us each day during the giveaway so you do not miss out on any of the fun!

Bats and Cats and Spiders... Oh My!!!
Charm Bracelet or Necklace

Purchase any item(s) from Laughing Vixen Lounge through October 31st and get 10% off your order. Use code OCTOBER10 at checkout.


$1 from each sale at Laughing Vixen Lounge goes to support the Joy Cinema. A single screen theater in Tigard, Oregon that has been in operation since 1939. Purchase from LVL and help keep the classic cinema experience alive. See full fundraising details and the Joy's story HERE.


Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt
Our scavenger hunt works like a game of Clue. Every day you will be looking for clues to a different part of the mystery ~ Settings, Suspects, Rooms, Weapons and Escapes. They will be hidden (at the top of the description) in a listing inside one of our participating shops. On each daily post you will be given a hint as to where the clues are hiding. Once you find a clue go to the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and take the daily entry on the Rafflecopter widget. Today's entry will be at the top of the entry list while all past entries will be at the bottom of the list.
*Make sure you are finding today's clue! Submit the wrong clue and it will not count. They have dates. Shops have more than one set of clues hiding there so pay attention. 
*You may start the Scavenger Hunt at anytime during the giveaway and find past clues.
*You can earn 5 extra entries in the giveaway for each set of clues found.
*Please only post clues on the Rafflecopter widget. Anywhere else and they will be deleted.

Scavenger Hunt Special Giveaway!
Keep a list of the clues you find. On October 31st and November 1st you will be able to use the clues you found and submit your guess of how the murder happened. 1 random winner from any correct guesses will win a $50 Gift Certificate to Laughing Vixen Lounge and a $30 Gift Certificate to Deep Midnight Perfumes. If no one guesses correctly then 1 random winner from all submitted guesses will win their choice of Photo Pendant/Keychain from Laughing Vixen Lounge ($15) and a $15 Perfume Sampler Set (your choice of scents) from Deep Midnight Perfumes. Full details on how to submit your guess will be listed on October 31st. You do not need to find all of the clues to submit a guess but the more you find the better your guess.

Clue for October 25th
A murder has been committed! The body of Miss Death has been found at Raven's Perch Manor. Detective Heathmoor needs your help collecting the clues of the crime. Can you solve the mystery?

Night 8 ~ You will be collecting clues to the room of the crime.

Tonight's clue is hiding in Laughing Vixen Lounge
Need a little help finding the clue? She's Big and Mean!!!

There seems to be some confusion.
***The clue is in the shop listed above. It will be in one of the listings.
***The hint above is to help you find which listing the clue is in. DO NOT answer the above clue. Your entry will not count.
***The clue is not on this page.

Custom Halloween Charmed Earrings



Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Movie Marathon.
Follow along with us for 2 full weeks of classic spooky movies. This year we celebrate "Classic Thrills Through the Years". Watch the face of horror as it changes from one decade to the next. Find some great watches for the season and receive EXTRA ENTRIES at the same time! On each daily post there will be a review of the next movie in our movie marathon. Leave a comment on the post with your opinion of that movie. Once you have posted go to the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and take the daily entry on the Rafflecopter widget. Today's entry will be at the top of the entry list while all past entries will be at the bottom of the list. Comment on all movies in the marathon and receive an EXTRA 20 ENTRIES at the end of the giveaway.
*You may start following the Movie Marathon at any time during the giveaway and post comments on past daily posts.
*Each comment will earn you an EXTRA 5 ENTRIES.
*Comment on each movie to earn an EXTRA 20 ENTRIES at the end of the giveaway.
*On October 31st or November 1st you must use the Magic Phrase (revealed on October 31st) and use it to unlock the entry on the Rafflecopter to receive the 20 entries. You must have commented on each movie.

Guess The Movie Game
Think you know your scary movies? Try your luck with this fun little game and receive EXTRA ENTRIES just for guessing. Each daily post will have a clue to the next night's movie. Leave your guess on the Rafflecopter widget, on the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST, for an EXTRA 5 ENTRIES in the giveaway. You do not need to be right just give it an honest try.
*Guesses must be made the same day as their clue to receive the entry.
*Entry will reset 24hrs after your last guess.
*Make sure you are leaving a guess for that day's clue. Guessing for a past clue that has already been posted will be deleted.
* Please only post guesses on the Rafflecopter widget.

Tonight's Clue ~ 3:15 will never be the same.


Classic Thrills Through the Years ~ 1970s

Night 8 - Halloween (1978)


Tagline - The Night he came home
              He's come back
              The trick was to stay alive

Written and Directed by John Carpenter (The Fog, Starman and The Thing) and released on October 25, 1978 by Compass International Pictures (Rated R). In 1963 little Mikey chops up his sister on Halloween for no apparent reason. Now it's 15 years later and Michael has come home to Haddenfeild, IL for another round. Escaping from the institution he had been living in, Michael Myers (Nick Castle) returns to his home town to wreak havoc on a group on teenagers. Our leading teen, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), is great at ignoring all the obvious signs that something is wrong and just going about her day. The little boy she is babysitting keep telling her he sees the boogieman outside but he's told to shut up. As all of Laurie's friends start to die around her she starts to realize that indeed the boogieman does exist. And he doesn't die very easily!

This film just works. Slightly dated which adds to the creepiness, a very scary villain and a bunch of dumb teenagers. I mean really, if they were not dumb we would not have much of a movie would we?

The music is great and completely creepy. The atmosphere is perfect and the suspense is high (unless you've seen it too many times and know where everything happens). I love the way Michael just appears out of the dark. Sometimes you don't even realize he's there right away. It really is one of the only characters that truly scares me. While I wonder why I would continue to watch something that bothers me on a certain level, I always find myself coming back to it year after year. I guess we need that healthy dose of fear and preferably on the screen where it can not actually hurt us!

The original and it's sequel are both great. Part 3 has nothing to do with any of the characters from the original but as a stand alone movie it is OK. Not great but decent. Part 4 was the first one I ever saw and I still like that one. Part 5 and 6 get pretty darn bad but part 6 was Paul Rudd's first movie so that's fun. Part 7 or H2O was to be the final chapter of the series. I love this one and it's a fun and great end to everything. But it was too much of a success that Hollywood had to make Part 8. Watch it once if you haven't seen it so you can say you saw them all then forget about it! The remakes of I and II by Rob Zombie... you either like it or you don't. Some of it is fine but overall I'll stick to the originals.

Halloween 1978 is not currently listed anywhere I could find to stream or rent directly but it should be available on most DVD services. Or check channel AMC as they are showing all but H20 multiple times through Halloween.


Take a look at the original trailer.



Some trivia about the movie.
1. This was Jamie Lee Curtis' film debut.
2. The movie was on such a tight budget that they used the cheapest Halloween mask they could buy. It happened to be a Captain Kirk mask that they spray painted, teased up the hair and readjusted the eye holes. Somehow it makes me feel a little less scared if I just remember it's William Shatner's face there. How can that not make you giggle?
3. The movie the kid's are watching on TV is 1951's The Thing which John Carpenter would remake in 1982.
4. The character of Laurie Strode was named after John Carpenter's first girlfriend.
5. There are some names that are taken from Psycho in this movie. Dr. Loomis shares the same last name as Marion's boyfriend in Psycho. There is a character here named Marion Chambers a combination of two Psycho characters. And of course, Jamie Lee Curtis is Janet Leighs' daughter.
6. Halloween was shot in 21 days in April of 1978. Made on a budget of $320,000, it became the highest-grossing independent movie ever made at that time.
7. According to screenwriter/producer Debra Hill, the character of Laurie Strode was named after John Carpenter's first girlfriend.

Magic Potion Compact - Tipsy Pumpkin Liquer

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Night 7 of the Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway


Welcome to night 7 of the 4th annual Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway. Stop by our MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and enter to win a $250+ Prize Pack full of frightfully good treats from 7 spooktacular shops. In this post you will find our last Featured Shop ~ Apocolypso, details on how to earn EXTRA ENTRIES with our Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt & Halloween Movie Marathon and test your movie knowledge with the Guess the Movie Game. Make sure to visit us each day during the giveaway so you do not miss out on any of the fun!

Poison Label Purse Hanger - Cyanide

Purchase any item(s) from Laughing Vixen Lounge through October 31st and get 10% off your order. Use code OCTOBER10 at checkout.


$1 from each sale at Laughing Vixen Lounge goes to support the Joy Cinema. A single screen theater in Tigard, Oregon that has been in operation since 1939. Purchase from LVL and help keep the classic cinema experience alive. See full fundraising details and the Joy's story HERE.


Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt
Our scavenger hunt works like a game of Clue. Every day you will be looking for clues to a different part of the mystery ~ Settings, Suspects, Rooms, Weapons and Escapes. They will be hidden (at the top of the description) in a listing inside one of our participating shops. On each daily post you will be given a hint as to where the clues are hiding. Once you find a clue go to the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and take the daily entry on the Rafflecopter widget. Today's entry will be at the top of the entry list while all past entries will be at the bottom of the list.
*Make sure you are finding today's clue! Submit the wrong clue and it will not count. They have dates. Shops have more than one set of clues hiding there so pay attention. 
*You may start the Scavenger Hunt at anytime during the giveaway and find past clues.
*You can earn 5 extra entries in the giveaway for each set of clues found.
*Please only post clues on the Rafflecopter widget. Anywhere else and they will be deleted.

Scavenger Hunt Special Giveaway!
Keep a list of the clues you find. On October 31st and November 1st you will be able to use the clues you found and submit your guess of how the murder happened. 1 random winner from any correct guesses will win a $50 Gift Certificate to Laughing Vixen Lounge and a $30 Gift Certificate to Deep Midnight Perfumes. If no one guesses correctly then 1 random winner from all submitted guesses will win their choice of Photo Pendant/Keychain from Laughing Vixen Lounge ($15) and a $15 Perfume Sampler Set (your choice of scents) from Deep Midnight Perfumes. Full details on how to submit your guess will be listed on October 31st. You do not need to find all of the clues to submit a guess but the more you find the better your guess.

Clue for October 24th
A murder has been committed! The body of Miss Death has been found at Raven's Perch Manor. Detective Heathmoor needs your help collecting the clues of the crime. Can you solve the mystery?

Night 7 ~ You will be collecting clues to the room of the crime.

Tonight's clue is hiding in Apocalypso.
Need a little help finding the clue? Sleeping Beauty's foe.

There seems to be some confusion.
***The clue is in the shop listed above. It will be in one of the listings.
***The hint above is to help you find which listing the clue is in. DO NOT answer the above clue. Your entry will not count.
***The clue is not on this page.


Featured Shop ~ Apocalypso
Apocalypso is run by Faith from Crazyville, NJ. Her shop is filled with designs inspired by Day of the Dead, Vintage and Retro.

Follow Your Heart Necklace

How did you choose your shop name?
"I have a fantastic group of creative friends and I begged them to brainstorm a funky fun retro vibe’d name to go with my new Day of the Dead jewelry line. My friend came up with the name “Apocalypso” and I had Hula Tallulah so, now we’ve got two etsy shops; the original Apocalypso by Hula Tallulah and Hula Tallulah’s “Sirens and Starlight”. The friend with the winning name was made a generous gift to thank her."

Death Becomes Her Bracelet

Why did you choose to make/sell what you do?
"I tend to make things that I want for myself. I think that those are the items that sell the best. If you really love it, chances are someone else will too!"

Day of the Dead Sugar Skull Earrings

What inspires the designs/creations you make?
"I have really varied taste and I love to combine my retro/vintage love with my post goth and rockabilly taste and mix in a little gypsy."

Morning Night Shade Barefoot Sandal

 What new designs/creations would you like to add to your shop in the future?
 "I think I will add more Gypsy inspired designs; eclectic mixes of materials and pieces that can be layered."

Sputnik Spiked Ear Cuff

The magic maker, Miss Faith herself.


You'll have a chance to win a $25 Gift Certificate from Apocolypso. Enter now on the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST.

Tattooed Lady Ribbon Bracelet or Necklace

Since it's Halloween the shops share their favorite spooky movies.
"Alfred Hitchcock’s “Shadow of a Doubt” with Joseph Cotton and Teresa Wright. I’ve been an old movie junkie since I was a little kid. I loved how the movie starts off so rosy and happy and the suspicion starts creeping in. I think we’ve all know that person who you absolutely adore until you’ve grown up enough to see they weren’t who you really thought!"


Visit Apocalypso on EtsyFacebook
Check out Faith's new shop "Sirens and Starlight" on Etsy.

Mermaid Sisters Earrings



Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Movie Marathon.
Follow along with us for 2 full weeks of classic spooky movies. This year we celebrate "Classic Thrills Through the Years". Watch the face of horror as it changes from one decade to the next. Find some great watches for the season and receive EXTRA ENTRIES at the same time! On each daily post there will be a review of the next movie in our movie marathon. Leave a comment on the post with your opinion of that movie. Once you have posted go to the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST and take the daily entry on the Rafflecopter widget. Today's entry will be at the top of the entry list while all past entries will be at the bottom of the list. Comment on all movies in the marathon and receive an EXTRA 20 ENTRIES at the end of the giveaway.
*You may start following the Movie Marathon at any time during the giveaway and post comments on past daily posts.
*Each comment will earn you an EXTRA 5 ENTRIES.
*Comment on each movie to earn an EXTRA 20 ENTRIES at the end of the giveaway.
*On October 31st or November 1st you must use the Magic Phrase (revealed on October 31st) and use it to unlock the entry on the Rafflecopter to receive the 20 entries. You must have commented on each movie.

Guess The Movie Game
Think you know your scary movies? Try your luck with this fun little game and receive EXTRA ENTRIES just for guessing. Each daily post will have a clue to the next night's movie. Leave your guess on the Rafflecopter widget, on the MAIN GIVEAWAY POST, for an EXTRA 5 ENTRIES in the giveaway. You do not need to be right just give it an honest try.
*Guesses must be made the same day as their clue to receive the entry.
*Entry will reset 24hrs after your last guess.
*Make sure you are leaving a guess for that day's clue. Guessing for a past clue that has already been posted will be deleted.
* Please only post guesses on the Rafflecopter widget.

Tonight's Clue ~ The night HE came home.


Classic Thrills Through the Years ~ 1970s


Night 1 ~ The Texas Chainsaw Massacre



Tagline - Who will survive and what will be left of them?
              Can you survive ...it happened


Directed by Tobe Hooper (Salem's Lot, Venom and Invaders from Mars) and released on October 1, 1974 by Bryanston Distributing. A group of teens are traveling the back roads of Texas wanting to visit the old home two of them grew up in. Running low on gas they try the local gas station but they are out. When they reach the house they decide to visit the neighbors to see if they have any gas they can borrow. Bad idea!

The movie opens with a narrator telling of happenings in a small Texas town in the summer of 1973. Graves at the local cemetery have been opened, bodies removed and missing and one disturbing display left. Many people are making their way to the graveyard to check on their family members. It is made to play as if this is an actual incident and the film is an account of the horrific events that followed.

A group of teens are driving to visit the cemetery to check on two of the teens grandfather's grave. They also plan to stop by and check out the old family home. On the way to the house they pick up a hitchhiker. Then very quickly get rid of the hitchhiker!!! They then stop for gas at the local gas station. The station is out of gas. Tanks won't be filled 'til later. Why don't they come on in for some BBQ?!! They decide to go to the house since it is not far away. When they arrive at the house they notice the neighbors have a generator running which means they should have some gasoline. Let's go see if they will share. *I have a very bad feeling about this idea*

The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre still holds up as one of the truly great horror films. One of the main reasons is that it is simple yet very effective. The look of the film is gritty and very low key. There is no glitz and glamor of today's slick looking horror films. While there is blood and violence it is actually pretty tame compared to today's R rated films. It is all there, it is all implied but you do not really see anyone being gutted or chopped to pieces. It is not needed. What you do see if plenty creepy.

While the chasing and killing is tense and creepy the part of the movie that really stands out, and makes this a chilling experience that will not soon leave you, is the mentality of "the family". These people are just so wrong. The big dinner scene at the end is disturbing, horrifying and wrong. Wrong, wrong and wrong! It is the effectiveness of these characters that make the movie more than the average slasher film. It may make you wonder why one would watch this but it does what most horror films fall short of... leaving you with a lasting impression that will creep you out every time it crosses your mind. Hmmm... maybe that is not such a great thing. Oh well, to late for this Vixen. 

It was possibly the first real slasher film. It certainly started a long string of movies in the 1970's which featured a very distinctive style of brutality and realism. This movie is in no way a true story but it did borrow from real life serial killer Ed Gein. Mr. Gein, like Leather Face, did make furniture out of human skin and sold what the locals considered the best sausage around. Knowing things like this only add to the creepiness of the film.

This movie spawned 3 sequels and 3 remakes/re-imaginings. While none of them are great number 2 has Denis Hopper, number 3 has Viggo Mortensen and number 4 has Matthew McConaughey and Renee Zellweger. The first remake is fun enough and follows the original fairly well.

Fun facts -
The narrators voice at the beginning is actor John Larroquette who is well known for his role in the TV show Night Court.



The house that was used in the movie is a functioning restaurant. As of this review it is open as the Grand Central Cafe and is part of The Antlers historic hotel in Kingsland, Texas. Eating dinner in the actual room the dinner scene took place? Yep, no sound stage here. It was all filmed right in the house. It is so wrong and yet I have to go!!! This is now on my bucket list. Find the cafe here and the hotel here.

I have also included a short video below that is a fun look at the actual shooting locations.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is available on most DVD and DVD Streaming services.

Take a look at the original trailer.



An interesting video showing the filming locations.



Some trivia about the movie.
1. The movie wasn't released in Australia until the early 1980s.
2. When it was first released, the film was so horrifying that people actually walked out on sneak previews for it.
3. The film was rejected by the British film censors in 1975, but it did get a limited cinema release in the London area thanks to the GLC (Greater London Council). It was banned again in 1977, when the censors' attempts to cut it were unsuccessful, (for the purposes of a wider release), then it was banned again in 1984, due to the growing controversy involving 'video nasties'. In 1999, after the censors finally changed their policy, they took the plunge, and passed it uncut, for the cinema and video, after 25 years, since they first banned it.
4. The film was originally entitled "Headcheese", but was filmed as "Leatherface", then changed again at the last minute to "Texas Chain Saw Massacre".
5. Due to the low budget, Gunnar Hansen had only one shirt to wear as Leatherface. The shirt had been dyed, so it could not be washed; Hansen had to wear it for four straight weeks of filming in the Texas summer. By the end of the shoot no one wanted to eat lunch with Hansen because his clothing smelled so bad.
6. Tobe Hooper intended to make the movie for a "PG" rating, by keeping violence moderate and language mild, but despite cutting and repeated submissions, the Ratings Board insisted on the "R" rating for the effectiveness of what is onscreen and what is implied offscreen. Hooper had a similar ratings problem with the sequel.
7. According to John Larroquette, his payment for doing the opening narration was a marijuana joint.
8. Some urban legends say that the the "real" Texas Chainsaw Massacre took place near Poth, (a small town about 50 miles south of San Antonio). This is false. The film is fictional and based loosely on the life of Wisconsin serial killer Ed Gein (as is the classic Psycho (1960).

Vintage Skull Compact- Style A