Tag Archives: Halloween

Film Fridays The Top 5 Nerdiest Halloween Costumes, Plus a Bunch of Cool Dark Crystal/Labyrinth Concept Art

by Jeff Nau
November 4, 2011 - 10:35 pm

‘Tis no easy task, choosing the geekiest costumes from this past All Hallows’ Eve — especially since all things nerd are now mainstream, pseudo-trendy and thus downright unavoidable (excluding England circa 1979, who thought Doctor Who costumes would be popular?). Ed. Note: We did our best to eschew superhero outfits, video game characters and human Tetris blocks as they seem to have become more prevalent over the years.

5. The Google Maps Orange Guy: These two guys loved the Google Orange Guy so much, they decided to put together a costume, from what looks like stuff you could get at your local Rite Aid. The costume itself isn’t that interesting, but the video detailing its conception is pretty cool.

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Characters Gallery Hungry? Halloween Never Tasted so Good (HARD Characters Gallery)

by Mike Bucher and E.M.S.
November 1, 2011 - 1:08 pm

Boo! Did I get you? Well, either way, we all know that “it,” Halloween, only happens once a year and I think we can all agree that it brings out the kid in us. There is something great about dressing up and slamming sugar that never gets old, no matter what your age… plus we only get so many chances to let the weird out nowadays…

While exploring this past weekend’s HARD Haunted Mansion festival, ChinaShop managed to capture some weirdness as well as some of the kids in costume to share with you hoping it will keep your sugar buzz rolling a few more minutes. Enjoy, tallyho and happy Halloween.

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Film Fridays Dear John (Carpenter)…

by Jeff Nau
July 15, 2011 - 8:07 pm

John Carpenter and Jack Burton

About 30 years ago, an ingenious little horror flick came out. One that perfectly captured that paranoia meme in all of us: racial, social, and even that requisite cold-war kind so many sci-films had captured already — yet this one had it all, and even more so.

It was called The Thing, and marked the continued movement of John Carpenter (Halloween, Escape From New York) into the well-deserved spotlight, and most significantly, his ascension to status of cult sci-fi/horror film Messiah (Carpenter, get it? Haha, sometimes I just nail ‘em). And alas, the man seems to have disappeared completely from sight.

And now The Thing is being re-made, with Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Sorry, it’s a prequel — whatever the f*ck they’re calling it. And who knows, it might be good. But the point of all this rambling is that we want you back, Mr. Carpenter, like the Jackson 5 song goes. As more than just an executive producer. We want you back, even if you’re just doing your best Asia impression and singing in your kimono.

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Featured Gallery Oddity Johnny Love’s Haunted Manor

by Nicole Pajer and Sidney Bensimon
November 3, 2010 - 3:01 pm

Johnny Love is such a cheerful name.  It sounds like a happy-go-lucky radio announcer on one of those oldies stations. Little do you know that when you meet Johnny Love, he has a dark and mystical infatuation with skeletons, black cats, graveyards, spider webs, bats, ghosts, and witches.  His favorite holiday is Halloween and he has dedicated a large portion of his life towards bringing his beloved dark side to life. He’s spent an unfathomable amount of money on frightening décor, has storage units filled with Halloween decorations, and his birthday and Christmas lists consist of ‘presents’ including antique radios, skulls, and vintage chandeliers.

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Event Featured Gallery The Freaks Come Out At Night: Holly-ween 2010

by Dustin Downing
November 3, 2010 - 11:18 am

Each year on Oct 31, the freaks take over the streets of West Hollywood and turn Santa Monica Blvd into what is quite possibly the King Kong of all costume parties.  This year, ChinaShop was there to capture the Chaos.  Take a peak (if you dare).

Halloween in West Hollywood

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Gallery Music HARD Haunted Mansion

by Dustin Downing
November 2, 2010 - 12:36 pm

Every couple months in Los Angeles, a few thousand people have a quaint get together titled simply, “HARD“. It is here were they are entranced by the finest envoy of eclectic electro this side of the Mississippi. Well, unless HARD is on rotation in New York.

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Event Gallery The Costumes of WeHo’s 23rd Halloween Carnival

by Zoetica Ebb
November 2, 2010 - 12:34 pm

In LA, you get quite a few options at Halloween-time, ranging from low key to BA-BLAM. There are the neighborhood dives with drink specials and scary movies on the telly. There are the swanky clubs, the “balls”, the costume parties in the hills. There is the Hollywood Forever cemetery’s Dia de Los Muertos festivities, the spoooky Griffith Park hay rides, and the haunted houses, too. All this is well and good, but if you want to catch some serious Halloween spirit, the annual West Hollywod Carnaval the the ultimate in fun.

WeHo Carnival 2010

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Oddity WeHo Halloween Carnaval: The Freaks Come Out at Night

by Jeff Nau
November 3, 2009 - 2:06 pm

carnivale superheroes

Another Halloween–and hundreds more hordes of freaks, fruits, and assorted miscreants, all coming out of the woodwork to flood Santa Monica Blvd. for the West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval. What began as good-natured fun with my fellow Angelenos turned something which all-too-eerily resembled a pesky L.A. traffic jam— one side of the street, you’re packed alongside the others like a human sardine; move to a lane that looks clearer and be caught between sweaty cavorting bodies in fleshy gridlock. Then a horde of H1N1-infected pigs come trampling your way, squashing into you and sending you sprawling onto the street. Even Beaker from The Muppets got in on the act.

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Gallery Oddity Ebb and Gore Halloween Costume Hunt 2009

by Zoetica Ebb
November 3, 2009 - 1:16 pm

This Halloween I dressed up in my anime finest and, along with Chris Gore, set out on a quest to find the best costume and the spookiest atmosphere. Our destinations: Club Ruin‘s Grimm Fairytale Ball and a house party – which would yield the best outfits? Mine was Major Kusanagi from Japanese manga and animation, Ghost in the Shell, while Chris and charming date channeled Roman Polanski and his underage love interest. To my chagrin, Chris didn’t heed my suggestion of wearing polyester pants.

Zoetica Ebb

After two night of scrupulous research the results are mixed. Ruin, a nightclub held at the lavish Monte Cristo in LA’s Koreatown, invited its guests to dress in fantasy gear, while the party was all about the geek chic.

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