Tag: Halloween

[Victoria, BC] In Saanich for Evil Acres — Take 2015

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

1607035_386482928176879_630313543971803379_nfrom 7 to 11pm daily
continues to Oct 31st
10375 Wilson Rd.
North Saanich, B.C.

In the month of October, some residents of Victoria, BC make a ritual out of going to Evil Acres, a haunted attraction located near Victoria Airport. Part of the joy is in entering the Slaughter House. This spooky abode has changed from what I remember last year. There’s a room that is truly dark, and you have to feel around to find the way out. There’s no joy in going through this home alone (although you’ll get the best experience out of the ‘solitude’ of the situation; some of the best horror stories involve divide and conquer) and I had to wait until two buddies of mine had time so we can go to this spookfest together.

I’m rarely disappointed, even though my stoicness is tough to break. When my writing partner James Shaw is tough to entertain in a concert, I’m harder to freak out when it comes to these walk-through tours. Yes, I can be startled but to get that creeped out feeling, it better be 100% real. That’s just one of the many reasons why I became a paranormal investigator. Although I know most ghosts can not harm you, the feelings you get when something happens and your logical mind can’t figure out, the spine-chilling feeling will just not go away!

Continue reading “[Victoria, BC] In Saanich for Evil Acres — Take 2015”

[Victoria, BC] Building Heart in Kaleidoscope Theatre’s 2015 Fundraiser: A Little Shop of Horrors

little shop square

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Tickets can be bought at the McPherson Theatre Playhouse (3 Centennial Square, Victoria, BC) at the box office or online.

Showtimes:
OCT 30, 8PM
OCT 31, 8PM
NOV 1, 2PM

Kaleidoscope Theatre‘s Halloween spectacular is not just taking place in the support of bringing youth to the arts. It’s also a major fundraiser for the theatre company to keep their programs running year-round. Artistic Director Roderick Glanville leads this year’s production of Little Shop of Horrors and he recounts his youth as one of simply finding the right place to belong when the academic side of the education system didn’t quite hold his interest very well. Fortune would find him discovering theatre at the suggestion of his teacher and he loved it.

“From that point on, throughout my whole schooling. I was involved in every theatre program, did every single show (all the way through middle school and high school), excelled in all communications and theatre and formed my own,” said Roderick.

Frequent attendees of this autumn-centric show will find familiar names in this production. This director knows that he should not stress them out since they are volunteering their time to put on a Halloween treat for the theatre-loving community of Victoria, BC. He likes to see performers come back and not feel burnt out because of how stressful last year’s event went. The point is to have fun, and it’s shown in The Addams Family Musical and Rocky Horror, which played in the past two years.

Continue reading “[Victoria, BC] Building Heart in Kaleidoscope Theatre’s 2015 Fundraiser: A Little Shop of Horrors”

Scaring up Tourism in Victoria, BC with Horror Escape

horror-escape523 Broughton St.
Victoria, BC V8W 3E2
Phone: (250) 644-6679

I can only imagine what trying to escape from a haunted room can be like if demons were real. Downtown Victoria‘s latest attraction is Horror Escape and it has a great concept that can get thrill seekers excited for. There’s two themed rooms to challenge puzzle solvers to unlock. They aren’t easy. As the ambient background music gets more intense, that’s when the worry starts to creep in as the clock edges closer to the witching hour.

Being able to immerse yourself into the environment is important to get the total experience down. You’re introduced to the room and its history by the host where next, you’ll be led into the chamber to find the entryway to the next room locked. Nearly every set piece is a clue to how it’ll unlock, and if a magnifying glass was offered, some items might stand out more than others. Having good night vision helps, as most of it is hidden within low light situations. Objects to finding the solution are provided if you know where to look.

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[Victoria, BC] Rocky Horror Show: Its Good To Relieve a Little … Tension

By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)
Revisions by Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

rockyhorror2Rocky Horror Show
McPherson Playhouse
Oct. 31 – Nov. 1, 2013

Kaleidoscope Theatre lets it all hang out as sexual promiscuity mixes with fetishes, classic Hollywood horror and a little alien fun. With Rocky Horror Show — a benefit performance in support of continuing this groups effort to bring the Arts to the youths of Victoria — lines are blurred between hero and villain. And perhaps we are all just people wanting to be understood.

The Rocky Horror original stage show saw success at London’s Royal Court Theatre before going on to greater success in the United States, thanks in part to producer Lou Adler. With UK show director Jim Sharman and original star Tim Curry as Frank N’ Furter (later replaced by Paul Jabara) transferred to the US, the rest of the cast was filled with Hollywood and Broadway performers. Pre-Bat Out of Hell Meat Loaf would play the roles of both Eddie and Dr. Scott.

Continue reading “[Victoria, BC] Rocky Horror Show: Its Good To Relieve a Little … Tension”

Happy Halloween From Otaku no Culture!

By James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

That candy is obviously sugar-free. The poor child in the corner has died from malnutrition because of it.
That candy is obviously sugar-free. The poor child in the corner has died from malnutrition because of it.

We here at Otaku no Culture would like to wish all of our readers a safe and happy Halloween!

In this photo is Denise Pearson, award-winning professional Johnny Depp impersonator. Here she is as Captain Jack at Carnevil 2013, a event run on borrowed property by neighbourhood parents.

PIXAR’s Toy Story of Terror. Is It Scary Enough?

The new ABC Special, Toy Story of Terror is a fun filled homage to the horror classics by keeping the ideas PG-13.

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

toy-story-of-terror-posterjpg-884509_160w

The new ABC Special, Toy Story of Terror is a fun filled homage to the horror classics by keeping the ideas PG-13. There are a few moments that the well-versed fan of horror will pick out, but for the young ones, there’s nothing absolutely scary about it to make one go hiding under the sheets. Well, maybe the screams, but they are well earned. The humour is right on par with PIXAR’s feature film products,

Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), Rex (Wallace Shawn) and Mr. Potato-head (Don Rickles) all return for a nightmare filled romp. The tale seems to continue from where the third Toy Story left off. But when the build ups are wonderfully marginalized by Mr. Pricklepants (Timothy Dalton), to see his observations come true is just wonderfully hilarious. His understanding of what the horror genre of yesteryear is about is spot on. Writers John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton did a great job at penning this screenplay.

These days, horror does not have to be about visceral terror or in-your-face shocks. Everything done here in Toy Story of Terror is old school—the frights are implied. The question of what true horror is from a toy’s perspective is nicely done. Jessie shows that even she has fears too. Most of it centers deals with how neglected she was back when she was abandoned in Toy Story 2. Her character development defines much of this story’s plot, and if more episodes spotlighting each character are made, the potential for more Toy Story related tales may well be in store in the years to come.

To say too much more about this new product would just spoil the fun that ensues. Hopefully ABC will see to repeating this funhouse filled romp every year. Despite the fact that PIXAR shut down their Vancouver, British Columbia office, which was set to produce more Toy Story shorts, the fate of the franchise seems uncertain. At least the Emeryville headquarters will continue on strong.