Editorials
What Are Some of Your Favorite Halloween Decorations?
Recently, a house in the town of Parma, Ohio has come under some controversy for its Halloween decorations. Parents say their children are horrified and are being traumatized by the sight of fake children being impaled and strung upside down with syringes in their neck. Additionally, it should be mentioned that this house is less than a block away from a local elementary school.
Personally, I think it’s awesome. It’s the private property of that homeowner and they got really creative with their decorations. That kind of creativity is what should be focused upon and even taught to these children. Show them that it’s fake but that they can create whatever they want if they understand how things work.
As I was reading through various articles about this story, I found myself thinking of some of the best Halloween decorations I’ve seen over the years. So, I gathered a few below that I think really stand out above the rest for you to enjoy! Then, when you’re done looking at them, leave a comment with some of your own favorites!
This fucking horrifying witch woman
Look, I’m okay with things moving and flashing but it’s only so long as they stay out of my personal bubble. This monstrosity lunges forward and gets REAL close and intimate, all while shrieking and convulsing uncontrollably. If it hasn’t knocked me over on its flight towards my face, I’m probably Usain Bolt-ing it out of there.
Cerberus, the 3-headed dog that is the guardian of Hades
This one is nice. Unlike, the last evil woman, this decoration just sits there and creates an ambient and eerie decoration. Plus, the fact that it constantly can “breathe” out fog? I’d actually probably keep this one going year round. Take that solicitors!
Spiders (aka the “Nope, not going to that house” decoration)
To the people who do this, what’s wrong with you? Who hurt you? And why would you take that sort of aggression and spite out on your neighbors and their children?
Seriously though, I cannot stand spiders, so if this is in your yard then I’m not coming near your place. I don’t care if you have full size Snickers or bags of Sour Patch Kids. Not happening.
Jack o’Lanterns (the tried and true decoration)
Of all the Halloween decorations you can muster, these are honestly my favorite. They are, for me, the pure essence of Halloween. There is no other time of the year and no other event where you grab pumpkins and carve decorations into them. Their orange color and flickering visages just warm my heart and symbolize the holiday.
Editorials
‘The Vampire Lestat’ Concert Event Launches New Season With The Ultimate Expression Of Fandom
There are thousands of passionate fans decked out in gothic chic and champing at the bit like feral creatures. They’re screaming for Lestat, a legendary vampire-turned-rock star, as if the entire crowd has been glamored into submission.
The entire experience is magic, but not because some supernatural thrall has been activated. What’s going on is even more special. It’s the power of the effusive fandom that’s been authentically assembled by AMC’s sublime Immortal Universe, namely Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, now, The Vampire Lestat.
The Vampire Lestat is far from the first Anne Rice adaptation, and it’s not as if there’s been a lack of erotic vampire material for audiences to sink their teeth into. On June 2nd, during a one-night-only spectacle, New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre shook from Sam Reid’s bravado performance and an audience full of adoring fans who had already memorized Lestat’s songs.
It’s clear that The Vampire Lestat just hits differently than its predecessors. It’s become more than just a TV series at this point, and this opulent display of ego, swagger, and pure sex is the perfect way to premiere the new season and give back to the fans who helped make Interview with the Vampire/The Vampire Lestat such a breakout success. It’s exactly the sort of hyperbolized hedonism that would make Lestat cackle.
For all intents and purposes, AMC has successfully created the illusion that this concert/premiere is just one of the many destinations on Lestat and his band’s 54-stop tour that is simultaneously playing out on this season of television. It’s such a sophisticated and thorough level of interactive fan engagement that the audience doesn’t just understand, but also manages to accentuate through its involvement.
It’s a level of seamless synergy that’s not unlike the give-and-take relationship of vampire and victim.
Before the concert started, “LeStans” were sitting in the Beacon and flipping through a fake Rolling Stone issue with Lestat emblazoned on the cover, complete with interviews with the undead frontman inside. Other fans were admiring the vinyl pressing of Lestat’s EP as they walked past a section of undead band merch. Fandom and fantasy blur together, and it all becomes this elaborate, immersive experience. Fan celebration, erotic gothic fantasy, and a lavish rock concert transform into one beautiful thing.
To this point, AMC Global Media’s Chief Content Officer and President of AMC Studios, Dan McDermott, introduced the event by reiterating to fans, “You are the heartbeat of the series.” That’s abundantly clear on nights like this as that heartbeat collectively pulses to this performance. In terms of how AMC engages with The Vampire Lestat’s fans, it’s as bold a reinvention as the season itself.
This intuitive gamble speaks to AMC’s creativity in this department and a fandom that is eager to seize such opportunities. It’s the same innovation that led to zombie walks for The Walking Dead and real-life Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant pop-ups from Breaking Bad. It’s a great way to pump up the audience for The Vampire Lestat and then maintain that enthusiasm for the whole season.
For most series, a rock ‘n’ roll concert just doesn’t make any sense as a promotional tool. The Vampire Lestat finds itself in a very unique position where it can deliver an excellent concert at an iconic theater, but also use it to showcase The Vampire Lestat’s music by Daniel Hart (who was shredding on stage alongside Reid and the rest of their band) and, more than anything, Sam Reid’s endless charisma.
The way in which Reid feeds off of the crowd’s energy, modulating his performance and giving different sections of the Beacon life, is a perfect distillation of the series’ thoughtful relationship with its audience and how it’s become such a breakout success for AMC. AMC Studios President Dan McDermott emphasized that the fans are the reason that the show is still here and why an event like this is even possible. It’s rare to see a series in which every single cog in the machine is so perfectly attuned to its fans. Reid’s fans already cheer whenever they see him, so why not translate that to a concert setting?
It’s clear in this season of television that Reid was born to be a rock star, but it’s surreal to see him effortlessly command the stage — and the audience — at every step of the concert. He recites Shakespeare monologues and bitches out Armand between songs, all while the audience screams in support. For the duration of this concert, Reid is Lestat, and he’s given thousands of fans a memory that’s as immortal as any vampire.
Now bring on the encore and get this show on the road!
You must be logged in to post a comment.