Welcome to Betty Boop's Halloween Party

Betty Boop's Hallowe'en Party (1933)
Starring: Bonnie Poe (as the voice of Betty Boop)

Director: Dave Fleischer

Rating: Six of Ten Stars

When a big bully crashes Betty Boop's Halloween party and threatens to ruin everyone's fun, the Spirits of Halloween come to the rescue.

"Betty Boop's Hallowe'en Party" is a cute tribute to Halloween parties. It's well worth checking out for anyone who can use a little cheering because Halloween is being "cancelled" in most places this year. Even if you're lucky enough to have Halloween and are able to go to parties, you'll still enjoy the opportunity to live vicariously through Betty and her pals. (The way Betty and her odd friends work together to decorate for her party is lots of fun to watch.)

You'll also see that "fan service" is a time-honored tradition in cartoons that dates back to at least 1933.

Every Day is Halloween!

This has been true every October for the past several years at Terror Titans where we celebrate 31 Nights of Halloween. Here at Shades of Gray... we're never quite sure what is going on, only that it needs to be in black and white!

Like the video for this fantastic version that Ministry recorded last year of their classic song "(Every Day is) Halloween". And while we're we fully aware the song is not about Halloween, we're presenting it here as part of our warm-up to the night of ghosties and ghoulies on October 31!





And here's the original version from the 1980s, set to clips from early Walt Disney cartoons!



(The cartoons featured in the video above are "Hell's Bells" and "The Skeleton Dance". Click on the links if you want to see the originals.)

The 31 Nights of Halloween are Almost Here

Starting tomorrow, you (and monsters all around the world) will be able to enjoy a mini horror film each and every night at 4:44PM (Pacific Time) at the Terror Titans blog until Halloween.

The Autumn chill will be felt here at Shades of Gray, as we will be offering a variety of posts to help you get in the mood for Halloween. You'll find spooky music videos, comics, reviews, and the annual visits from Vampirella, so be sure to check back frequently.

If you say the name three times...

Halloween Costume Ideas!

Everyone's looking for good costume ideas this time of year, so we're sharing what some people will be wearing to the Shades of Gray Halloween Party this year. Maybe you'll be inspired!


Dusty Anderson says the classics are always "in", so she's dressing up like a black cat.

Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are going as a loving Puritan couple.

Meanwhile, Myrna Loy's going as Perry Mason.

Helen Bennett says she's going as a mobile hot-spot.

Finally, Thelma Todd will be the Pearl in the Oyster. If we weren't having the shindig at her place, this costume wouldn't be practical.

This year's party is sponsored in part by the Associated Shades of Hades.

When do the dead party?

Halloween is coming...

... and Ann Rutherford is doing her part to spread some Halloween Spirit! How about you?

Picture Perfect Vampirella

Halloween is coming, and Vampirella wants to remind you to have plenty of candy in case she and her little friend stop by on the Big Night!

Plain White T's do 'Pet Sematary'

The month-long Halloween celebration is in full-swing over at my Terror Titans blog. In addition to daily short films, I'm posting a different band's interpretation of the immortal song "Pet Sematary" by the Ramones every few days.

This particular cover by the White T's seemed to fit in better here, however. I hope you enjoy it (even if the connection with "Frankenweenie" doesn't make much sense to me), that it will stir the Halloween spirit within you, and that it might inspire you to check out this year's 31 Nights of Halloween at Terror Titans!

Halloween is coming...

... and Dorothy Sebastian is getting the decorations ready and trying out costume ideas. How about you?

(And don't miss the 31 Nights of Halloween film and music festival, currently unfolding at our sister blog, Terror Titans!)

Happy Halloween!

Musical Monday: 'Pet Sematary' on Ukuleles

The 31 Nights of Halloween are almost upon us! While they will mostly unfold over at my semi-dormant blog Terror Titans, here' a little something to reanimate the Halloween spirit within you!

Halloween is almost here...

... and maybe this freaky song and video from Die Atwoord can help get you in the mood, with its equal part silly, sexy, and scary!

Halloween is Coming!

Here's Debbie Reynolds, wearing a Sexy French Maid costume and hugging a pumpkin. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever, so this is an all-in-one Trick-or-Treat?

No matter what, though, she seems like she's ready for Halloween! How about you?

Picture Perfect Wednesday: Halloween is Almost Here!

Myrna Loy is checking the cards. She thinks they are foretelling a frightfully fun Halloween for you and your friends! Are you ready?

Meanwhile, lots of preparations and rushing on brooms is taking place here at Shades of Gray! Like Anne Jeffreys, we're counting down the minutes to the Big Day!

There are 30 Days to Halloween...

... and Nancy Carroll is slightly annoyed that the Spirit of Halloween is already bugging her for candy.

Are you getting ready for Halloween?

Countdown to Halloween: 16 Days to Go!

We're halfway to the Big Night, and Vampirella has worked so hard as host of the Countdown to Halloween that she wore out her boots. Pardon her as she gets another pair.

By David Farley

By John Byrne

By Frank Cho

Countdown to Halloween: 22 Days to Go!

Today, I'm showing off the first sketch of the cover illo for "Secrets of the Witchkind," a d20 System product I designed for NUELOW Games that's releasing this week. You can see the final at the NUELOW Games blog by clicking here.


Sketch of cover for "Secrets of the Witchkind." Art by Bradley K. McDevitt

"Secrets of the Witchkind" was partially inspired by the classic television show "Bewitched." It chronicles the adventures of a witch who falls in love with a mortal, marries him, and tries to give up her magic. The first season is especially interesting, as many of the episodes almost seem like allegories for anti-racism and pro-equal rights arguments, and an interesting look into how gender roles have changed for married couples since the 1960s Does the sort of "normal housewife" that Samantha tries so hard to be even exist anymore?

To see previews of "Secrets of the Witchkind," or to get your own copy, click here.

Countdown to Halloween: 24 Days to Go!

For roughly three years, I posted weekly pictures and mini-profiles of horror movie actresses under the heading Saturday Scream Queens. This is the first of a couple similar posts that will be appearing here as part of the Countdown to Halloween.

Today's subject is Native American actress, dancer, model, and mother of two daughters, Cheyenne King. She's been in a handful of indie horror films, and she's someone I would like to see more of the same from. (You can read reviews of two of her films, as well as see a music video she starred in, at Terror Titans.)

Countdown to Halloween: 25 Days to Go!

Vampirella has selected the band that'll play at her big Halloween party this year. What sort of music will be playing at yours?