10/30/2006

Okay, okay- carve your pumpkin! It’s not gonna rot overnight! ( I hope) I know I told you to wait, but- do it now, or forget it! Does anybody still roast the pumpkin seeds? Ever flavor them with garlic salt, or some other seasoning? Try it! Just don’t burn ‘em and then try to pass them off as sunflower seeds… Costumes better be set by now as well…people always ask, what could Sven be for Halloween? Well, let’s see what might be quick and easy…the Sven look is adaptable to a few costume ideas…a timely one would be Capt. Jack Sparrow from “Pirates of the Caribbean”-(like you won’t see enough of THOSE this year!) My hairstyle is just about there- I can just add some bangles, and a head scarf- and I already have the eye make-up. Maybe I can get a puffy shirt from the “Seinfeld” collection…another easy one would be Howard Stern- just get me a pair of sunglasses and a slightly saltier vocabulary (and a million dollar radio contract)…how about the guitarist Slash? Or Alice Cooper? Or Aunt Harriet Cooper from the “Batman” series (actually, I have been the “Penguin” before!) I know, there are people who say I just need a monocle and a cane to be Mr. Peanut- I’m pretty much a nut already…some people think I should just be a giant rubber chicken, and fling myself at others as vengeance! (Except people might suspect something when I’m just flinging myself at the cheerleaders, pirate wenches, Batwomen, zombie French maids…) the thing is- if I’m not Sven for Halloween, people are disappointed! So- guess what, I’m going as Goolie… Night before Halloween- and our next to last “Countdown” flick is a devilish double play- again, two of my favorites that you have to present “arm-in-arm”- they’re “Frankenstein” and “Bride of Frankenstein!” Again, part of the foundation of Universal –and , indeed, all horror cinema- the 1931 “Frankenstein’ featuring Boris Karloff as the Monster, is the one movie everybody thinks of the minute they hear “horror movie.” Boris’ amazing portrayal of the monster- frightening, yet so expressive, uncoordinated as if the limbs really aren’t his own, yet possessing such amazing strength…enabled just the name “Karloff” to send moviegoers running in fear- back to the box office! And- the even stronger sequel- “Bride of Frankenstein”- made 4 years later- is still one of the best Universal horror films ever made. Yes, there’s some wacky humor (Dr. Pretorius’ little people)- and one of the great scenes of all time- the Monster meeting the blind hermit and sharing a smoke and meal with him! Karloff added even more dimension to his portrayal of the Monster. I still love the introduction, warning viewers about the horror that they’re about to see! (You’ve even seen that parodied in “the Simpsons!”) Invite this couple over for your pre-Halloween viewing –“Frankenstein’ and “Bride of Frankenstein!” Stop by here tomorrow- it’s Halloween! Just don’t ring my doorbell and run, leaving a burning bag of “According to Jim” on my stoop… # # #