Zombos' Closet of Horror

Christmas In Zombos' Closet Contest

The snow is piling up outside (okay, yes, not here yet, but work with me on this) and the chill is creeping across the shelves of Zombos' closet (other more nasty things, too, but I won't go into that now); so good heavens, it's time for another Zombos' Closet Contest!

Yule be glad you entered! No tricky riddles, mistletoe-smooching, or ho-ho-ho humdrum holidays here. Why let Santa do all the work when UPS and Zombos can tuck some holiday goodies into your Christmas stocking instead (or holiday gift basket of your choice)?

It's easy. Just email your name and address to me (zomboscloset@yahoo.com). I'll add your name to the Candy Cane Punch Bowl o'Chance and come Christmas morning (that's December 25th), I will announce the winner of the following incredible gifts:

Slightly used silver Dalek (over 12") with remote control (just don't exterminate anything with it)
Tardis Bank (save the universe one quarter at a time)
Flight of the Living Dead: Outbreak on a Plane squishy skull (yes, I've got a planeload of these)
Telco Dracula over 15" tall (he doesn't move anymore, sadly, but otherwise still quite handsome)
Jesus Hates Zombies: Those Slack-Jaw Blues Vol.1 and Featuring Lincoln Hates Werewolves Vol. 2
Medicom Planet of the Apes Lawgiver Statue figure (7" chimp with scrolls)
Set of Goosebumps Trading Cards
Destroy All Monsters DVD
Ghostbusters DVD
Countdown to Wednesday: An Inside Look at the Comic Book Biz DVD
Pulse unrated DVD
Superman the Lost Episodes cartoon DVD
Superman vs The Monster and Villains cartoon DVD
A Buddy Christ figure for your dashboard 
Sight Unseen graphic novel by Tinnell and Hampton (very good)
Morbid Myths graphic novel by Alterna Comics (not so good)
And whatever else I can stuff into the shipping box besides the Christmas spirit!

Good luck!

(Names and addresses are kept strictly confidential and are used only for this contest.)

Munsters and Monsters 2010 Calendars

There is always time for Universal Studios' Monsters. Celebrate the new year with movie posters from Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, Dracula, Creature From the Black Lagoon, and others in this wall calendar from Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC.

Of course, you may need more wall space if you want to hang up The Munsters 2010 Calendar, too, which features photos and  dialog from America's First Family of Fright's weekly television show.

Oh, no! Now where will I put my Three Stooges Calendar?

Confinement Retelling of The Yellow Wallpaper

The Yellow Wallpaper is one of my short fiction favorites. When John McCarty sent this news about his film based on Gilman's chilling, bizarre tale, well then, here it is...

"Completed in September, CONFINEMENT was created specifically for the educational video market – to which it is now being pitched – and for film festivals. It is a modern re-telling of “The Yellow Wallpaper,” the acclaimed short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935) that today is viewed as a significant example of late 19th-century macabre storytelling and feminist fiction, and is taught in colleges throughout the United States for both reasons.

"It is about a woman whose physician husband has determined she is suffering from depression and hysteria, and has shut her in the upstairs bedroom of their rental house to recuperate. There, she becomes fixated on the color and design of the paper that surrounds the room. The film portrays the impact of this confinement on her mental state as well as her eventual psychological deterioration. The original story is semi-autobiographical, and was written after Gilman suffered an acute attack of post-partum depression, another topical women’s issue."

Shot in HDV over the course of seven days in June 2009, the film, which runs 30 minutes, is thus ideal for showing in conjunction with courses (graduate or undergraduate) in women’s studies, American literature, media studies, even communication arts at in schools, colleges, and universities – the reason for our aiming at the educational (versus theatrical or commercial video) market, one that many independent filmmakers often ignore.

The film’s official website is at www.confinementmovie.com.

A Zombie Play With Brains In Pittsburgh

This zombie news just in...

Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Presents “A Zombie Play With Brains” - The Revenants, playing October 16 - 31, 2009.

The Revenants honors the long-cherished traditions of Pittsburgh’s rich zombie heritage as two young couples become barricaded in a suburban basement during a violent uprising of the living dead. As supplies run low and hopes dwindle, it is revealed that two of the spouses are infected and getting... hungry. Faced with the true meaning of commitment, husbands and wives must ask of each other: When does love die?

Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company presents the local premiere of The Revenants, an original horror drama by Scott T. Barsotti at its Downtown Cultural District performance space, 542 Penn Avenue at Sixth Street, Pittsburgh PA 15222, in the Jackman Building (the parking garage across from Heinz Hall, above Starbucks.)

Performance dates are October 16 - 31, 2009, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 PM and 11:00 PM. Two additional performances will be added during the run’s final week on Wednesday, October 28 and Thursday, October 29 at 8:00 PM.

Tickets are $17.50 general admission, or $35.00 for the October 31 11:00 PM performance, which will include a gala costume reception featuring surprise special guests.

For more information on Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company visit pghplaywrights.com.

Scott T. Barsotti Website

Hachette Book Group Chilling Contest

Just in time for a Halloween treat, Hachette Book Group is giving away the store. Well, okay, maybe not the entire store, but these five books will keep you busy reading for quite a while.

Two sets of five books will be given to two lucky winners.

Just send your email and mailing address (US and Canada only, sorry) to me at zomboscloset@yahoo.com, and I'll enter your name into the skull o' chance. The contest runs until November 1, then I'll announce the lucky winners.

Here's a rundown on the titles:

The Heretic's Daughter By Kathleen Kent

Sins of the Flesh By Caridad Piñeiro

When Ghosts Speak By Mary Ann Winkowski

BoneMan's Daughters By Ted Dekker

The Historian By Elizabeth Kostova

And 20 Random winners will be selected to receive a galley of Ted Dekker’s next book, THE BRIDE COLLECTOR!

Good luck!

Hammer Festival for Halloween

Here's something to scream about. I received an invitation to the Hammer Festival, but can't make it. Hopefully you can...

"This Halloween Idea Generation opens the crypt doors to launch London’s most frightening festival – the Hammer Festival.

The Hammer Festival brings together a terrifying programme of film screenings, ghost tours, readings, and an exhibition featuring never-seen before artwork from their classic and upcoming films, rare and original posters and behind the scenes photos from Britain’s most successful film company Hammer."

Idea Generation Gallery
27th October –15th November 2009
11 Chance Street, London E2 7JB

"The Hammer Festival will be an event you’ll want to get your teeth stuck into as the exhibition, forming the back bone of the festival, unearths images from Hammer’s classic subjects and genres including Hammer Horror, Frankenstein, Dracula, The Living Dead, Thrillers, Science Fiction and Hammer Glamour."

The Hammer Festival features film screenings, artwork from Titan Books, the Hammer Halloween Ball and fashion show, and more.

Download Official Press Release

www.facebook.com/IdeaGenerationGallery for up-to-the-minute, detailed information about the festival.

2009 Hot Zombie Awards Bite ZC

There are days when getting up at 3 in the morning to blog can be a royal pain: but not today.

Billy Loves Stu has released their first ever Hot Zombie Award winners, and ZC is one of the ravenous!

"And now, our final award of the night...drum-roll please...the HZA for The Hand's Down Coolest Freakin' Horror Blog In The World goes to, ZOMBO'S CLOSET OF HORROR!! Every day, day after day, The Master of all Horror Bloggers, Iloz Zoc, treats his readers to dark pleasures, movie reviews, and, profiles of fellow bloggers. And, if that's not enough, Mr. Zoc also runs that tree-house of terrors known as The League of Tana Tea Drinkers; a clearing house for the web's most crazed talented horror bloggers. Were it not for the kindness of Mr. Zoc, most Tana Tea denizens would probably be locked away in padded cells somewhere - however, Mr. Zoc brought us all together and turned us into a happy dysfunctional family of misfits. Thanks, IIoz!"

Here is the complete list of the 2009 Hot Zombie Award for Excellence in Horror Blogging winners:

• Best Blog Written by A Gay Man Trapped in the Body of A Sexy Young College Co-Ed, and that award goes to DAY OF THE WOMAN
• Blog With the Catchiest Title, EVAH! and it will not take much to figure out why, CHUCK NORRIS ATE MY BABY
• Best Blog By a Guy Named, Ryne goes to THE MOON IS A DEAD WORLD.
• Best Blog By a Former WWF/WWE Employee, and that award goes to THE VAULT OF HORROR !
• The Best Damn Written Blog That's So Good, It Puts Everyone Else to Shame, and that award goes to MONSTER LAND.
• The Gayest Gay Horror Blog in The World, GAY OF THE DEAD.
• The Best Blog By a Gay Man Obsessed with Jamie Lee Curtis, SLASHER SPEAK.
• The Blog With the Most Disturbing Header Picture, I LIKE HORROR MOVIES
• And me!

House of Silent Scream Guest Appearance

And Now the Screaming Starts was gracious (or tipsy) enough to ask for my contribution to their excellent series, House of Silent Scream, wherein he invites guest bloggers to write on silent cinema.

I went with Universal's the Cat and the Canary; a review and then some.

I'm honored that the mysteriously masked blogger, CRWM, asked for my guest post to appear on his always fascinating blog.

31 Days of Spookhouse Dave

Calling All Zombies for Halloween Show

Bring out your dead casting call...PURGATORIO wants you!

"Monday, September 14th for ZOMBIES, GHOULS, GREMLINS, VAMPIRES, WEREWOLVES, UNDEAD and all CREATURES OF THE NIGHT for New York’s premier Halloween experience, PURGATORIO (THE BOX PRESENTS/S.Hammerstein, R.Kimmel, R.Weiner, producers). Performances run October 15-31 in Times Square. Paid.

"CALL is Monday, September 14th, 12PM-6PM at 268 W. 47th Street @ 8th Ave.

Dress in full costume/makeup and bring your headshot/resume.

TO SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT please email headshot/resume to casting@weg-nyc.com.