Grave Matters--The Good. The Bad. The down right Zombified. 2013 revisted & beyond

One distressing crew!

Hello Kittens, It's been some time since I've had a free moment to sit these old bones down and stretch my rotten fingers out to recap last years Invasion, talk about some updates and bring you some general zombified and horrifying news. It's officially three months until what should be Village Invasion V--just seems like yesterday when the Village Invasion was just a zombie baby of an idea. Who knew that it would become a giant event that for one night in October would take over the quaint and quiet Village of Saugerties, NY. ( or as I like to call it--sauGHOULties)  I've been interviewed by all sorts of folks, horror and non-horror alike, been in a TV pilot, been asked to be a TV host ( even though that still hasn't gone anywhere--still, it's pretty zomberiffic and quite an honor to have even been thought of in that way!) I've even been an extra in Blondie's newest video, Mother and got to use my most zombitastic make-up skills for the band and their extras. There's so much other amazing crap that's happened that it's totally mind blowing and I'm glad I can share it all with you here in the Crypt. So without further adieu I bring you my latest installment in Grave Matters--The Good. The Bad. The down right Zombified; 2013 revisited and what the future holds for the Village Invasion.

So many of the undead!

My dreadful self and a tiny minion.

1. Village Invasion IV this past October 19th was an absolute scream. There were SO MANY OF YOU with a giant tally of over 4,000 zombies dragging their oozing corpses up and down the streets of sauGHOULties, NY. Whoa--you all seriously outdid yourselves! The Carnival of the Dead theme was a total blast and it was a horrific sight seeing so many of you embracing your dark inner zombie-carnie-clown-freak-selves. It was especially heartwarming, ( Yes--it did warm this cold zombroad's heart) to see so many kids just having the time of their little zombie hearts! In fact, so much so it's becoming even more popular with the families than I could ever have wished! With all the technical issues and the rain (which dampened only a few spirits) all in all--a success! Sadly however, with anything that grows in size, it also grows in liability and organizing as managing and dealing with funding for something this large can get out of hand rather quickly. I've had the pleasure of working with several folks in the town who have taken the event to the next level for sure, and for that I thank them--it's been amazing! Unfortunately no one wants the responsibility and liability of dealing with something of this magnitude. It looks like the prior idea of just having a group of zombie lovin' humans shambling through to help support local businesses has outgrown its shuffling grounds. I'm still working on secondary plans and ideas and maybe soon we'll have some less than sub-par news. Stay tuned, Kittens!

The streets overflowing with shamblers!

Some of our Brain-tastic Volunteers!

2. Did you get your uber collectible and one of a kind t-shirt from the Village Invasion III and IV? No? Well you're in luck! If you'd like one from 2013 AND 2012--We have 'em. They're $10 and all the proceeds go to our Small World Playground Fund which is to help rebuild our playground that the Boys and Girls Club uses in the Village of Saugerties, NY. For more info or to order these stellar limited event shirts please email: captaincruella@gmail.com and I'll be sure to get you one of these epically stellar T's!

3. Did you know that Goblin came to New Haven, CT this December? Yes, they did and myself along with Brian Solomon from the Vault of Horror got to catch these guys perform some of their gloriously eerie music. Many of you horror fanatics have seen Italian terror maestro Dario Argento's Suspiria, which weaves a menacing tale of witchcraft as a fairy tale gone horribly awry, and if you haven't--stop what you're doing and go rent this right now! So for those of you who have seen it also know that the soundtrack laid down by Italian musicians, Goblin combined with Argento's brilliant use of lighting and cinematography, is well accompanied by their creeptacular sound. Somehow chimes paired with whispered lullabies means ridiculously creepy!

4. Killer TV: There's been so many great series running, especially on FX recently that it's been so hard to pull my favorites from my rotten memory. Here's a few that I've recently gotten myself hooked on and hope you're watching too:

Do you smell bacon?

The Walking Dead. Not much to say here except, "they messed with the wrong people." Thrilled beyond belief for next season. Lets hope they don't kill off anyone we've invested in too soon this season, shall we?

The Strain. Anyone watching this? Thoughts? So far--I'm pretty hooked. After a string of sickeningly sweet and romantic love vampire stories I'm all in for a gruesome tale that's based on what I'd like to think a vampire truly is, a disease.

American Horror Story, Coven. Great season with witches however I am getting tired of the same actors just changing up roles. I know I'm gonna get a bullet to the head here for saying it but, Jessica Lange--must you play the same character in EVERY season? Geesh. The last episode will always stick with me when actress, Lily Rabe, (who plays character Misty) gets stuck in "hell" with her having to be in biology class and repeatedly being forced to dissect a frog. I can completely relate, only for me it's being stuck in I-95 rush hour traffic, over and over and over and over. If you haven't caught any of these--you should, Captain's orders!

Rosendale Zombie Fest zombies doin' the two step shuffle.

5. Appears the Rosendale Zombie Festival will be happening once again in Rosendale, NY this September 27th. You can swing by the good Captain's zombification station again this season. Get there early! I'll be arriving a few hours prior to the zombie parade's initial launch in order to bloody up those who lack their inner zombie. After you do the zombie-shuffle, head back to the park for a costume contest to see if your zombification makes the cut all while doing the death-dance to local bands and DJs.Typically there's a killer screening of  horror flicks which rounds out your night of all things horrifying at the Rosendale Theatre later in the evening. Make sure to bring some canned goods as like with the Village Invasion--this event helps to restock the local food pantry! See you there, Kittens!




Looking forward to writing more in the future and for those who expressed interest in helping to keep the Village Invasion alive, please contact me, Captain Cruella at:
captaincruella@gmail.com

Here's to another horrifying zombified season! Viva la Zombie!

The Official Village Invasion II Press Release & Map!

The Village of Saugerties is once again bracing for the ultimate zombie pub crawl, as the 2nd Annual Village Invasion is poised to take the Hudson Valley by storm on Saturday night, October 22. Last year, nearly 1,000 zombie enthusiasts from far and wide donned their ghoulish best to roam the streets and patronize local businesses. And this year, they’re coming back—hungrier, and in greater numbers. Not only that, but this year, the event will collect donations to help the victims of Hurricane Irene, which recently hit the Valley extremely hard.

“Some towns were completely washed away by the deluge here in the Hudson Valley, and it has left many homeless and even townless,” says event organizer Cruella Moxham, a.k.a. Captain Cruella. “I'll be setting up a donation drop box at select locations, with all the details of how you can help and what items are needed most.”

Nearby hotels are booking up, as Cruella gets the word out across a multitude of social media platforms including Facebook (http://facebook.com/CaptainCruella), Twitter (http://twitter.com/captaincruella) and Blogger (http://cruellascrypt.blogspot.com). The event kicks off promptly at 7p.m. along Main and Partition Streets, with many businesses staying open late to take part in the festivities.

Much like last year, this year’s event will offer many reasons for folks to show up and have a good time. For the second year running, Kingston-based funk-rock band Voodelic will be playing at Dave’s Wine & Coffee House. Additionally, just down the street at the Donlon Auditorium, Tyrannosaurus Rocks will be bringing down the house with what they call Zomstock, a parody of that other famous event that occurred in the area back in 1969. Also at the Donlon will be the night’s highly anticipated costume contest at 10p.m., with awards to be given out in categories like Most Gruesome Zombie and Best Celebrity Zombie (contest to be preceded by a performance from “Zombie Gaga”, winner of last year’s costume contest.)

As costumed cavorters make their way around town, they will encounter events happening at many other nearby establishments. Sugartown Vintage Boutique will be presenting a special screening of cult classic The Evil Dead, hosted by award-winning blogger Brian Solomon of TheVaultofHorror.net. Meanwhile outdoors, the Vincent Price favorite The Last Man on Earth will be projected for all to enjoy. Acclaimed artist Peter Smith will have his works on display, including his popular zombie T-shirts. Local bars like the Partition Street Wine Shop, Main Street Restaurant and Dutch Ale House will be doling out zombie-themed cocktails. The Village Apothecary will even be joining in the fun, handing out doses of the “zombie cure” to the public.

“I'd like our gathering to be the very first zombie event where we literally take over an entire village,” ambitiously proclaims Captain Cruella, who has become a bona fide internet celebrity over the past year thanks to the Village Invasion and other activities, including the series of horror films she hosts at the Avon Theatre in Stamford, Connecticut. “Through dedication to the cause and all things horrifying, I know that my followers and I can do it. And it’s all for a good cause. So spread the word and Viva la Zombie!”

Over the course of the past decade, zombies have infiltrated pop culture as never before, with movies such as Resident Evil, 28 Days Later and Shaun of the Dead gaining cult followings; just one week before the Village Invasion, AMC will present the season premiere of its Walking Dead TV series—further proof that the zombie has hit the mainstream. Part of the phenomenon has been the rise of a colorful and devoted subculture of zombie-lovers that has helped popularize public zombie walks worldwide.

Those interested in participating in this year’s Village Invasion are encouraged to visit http://www.crawlofthedead.com/crawls/info/village_invasion_ii/ for more information, as well as the official Facebook event page (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=133979686675020).

Click the map for a larger, printable version!

Grave Matters II

It's that time once again ghouls and boils for a brainy babbling of epic proportions from the one, the only, the very dead Captain Cruella of the Carnivorous Cadavers. There's quite a bit on my mind this time so grab a cocktail, sit back and enjoy the slimy slippery slope!

• The Village Invasion II-Crawl of the Dead is in full on promotion mode and I'm delighted to tell you about the additional shops opening their doors for your corpses to shamble through this year. The Dutch Ale House, Main Street Restaurant, Inquiring Minds Bookstore, Sugartown Vintage Boutique, Dave's Coffee and Wine Bar, The Hudson Valley Dessert Company, Partition Street Wine Shop and the list just keeps growing! I'll be presenting a map once again and giving shout outs to the shops, pubs and restaurants participating in this years Crawl. In these online mentions I'll be talking about what they'll be offering to all you ghouls and boils with detailed information about their devious plans. I'll also be discussing the gifts I've been fortunate enough to receive from online and local merchants who love all things horror, and what treats are in store for the winners of the costume contest. ( And I'm always willing to accept more! Hint, hint...)  I'm also embarking on a very special donation drive for those who were flood victims from Hurricane Irene. If you weren't aware, some towns were completely washed away by the deluge here in the Hudson Valley and has left many homeless and even townless! I'll be setting up a donation drop box at select locations with all the details of how you can help and what items are needed most, so keep checking in! As always, we'll be crossing our rotten fingers for good weather as I've been planning and plotting with Brian Solomon, of The Vault of Horror, and Perri Naccarato of The Computer Guys, some movies to be projected on the Reis Building in the parking lot where the Crawl will begin. Speaking of The Vault of Horror, be sure to visit Cruellas Crypt along with his blog to see what horrendous plans he has up his sleeves for this night. It's sure to be gorrific! See you in Saugerties, NY on October 22nd at 7 pm, Kittens! And as always, Viva la Zombie!

You can imagine that this much water is never a good thing.

• Exciting news! You might have seen several posts about the Vault Keeper and I about us traveling to NYC to be in a pilot for a television series. Well it looks like things are moving right along and you might end up seeing our faces on yet another medium--cable television! Many thanks to Double Wide Media for the camera time and to the uber talented Kevin Maher for asking us to participate. He either thought we were perfect for it, or just perfectly nuts. Check out this photo for the promo! -Faints-

• The Rosendale Zombie Festival in the quaint little town of Rosendale is nearly upon us! My best ghoulie, Lara Hope, convinced me that a zombifying booth was in order. So this year I'll be there with my very own SFX table. Come drag yourself to my booth, say gaaaaaargh! and for $5 you will get the whole gory treatment! Booth opens at 11 am. So get there early and pick up a Village Invasion II flier and keep on spreading the infection!

• If you follow my daily zomBie shenanigans I'm sure you're more than aware of my human counterpart and Vault Keeping partner, the brainy half of the Terror Team, Mr. Brian Solomon, who just so happens to be participating in the ridiculously hilarious Kevin Geeks Out, Rip-off Cinema! at 92YTribeca on Thursday, September 15th at 8 pm.  Here's a paragraph I pulled from his Facebook page talking about the event, if this doesn't make you want to go...you're just not fit to eat! Kevin Geeks Out is the comedy-variety show hosted by writer-comedian Kevin Maher—a confabulation of vintage film clips and videos, new finds, guest experts, games and curiosities. To geek out with Kevin you don’t need to be a geek, you just need to love cool stuff This month, Kevin Geeks Out about Rip-Off Cinema, chronicling the “knockbusters” that attempt to capture the magic of E.T., King Kong, War of the Worlds and other big-budget blockbusters. The two-hour cultural cavalcade includes trivia, snacks, prizes and guest speakers presenting rare film footage and TV clips you won’t find on YouTube or Netflix! I've had the opportunity to brain storm with The Vault Keeper about the Halloween rip-offs he'll be covering, and let me tell you...it's not to be missed! You can buy tickets here and we hope you drag yourselves out and mingle with us!

Village Invasion Part Deux - Bigger, Better, BLOODIER!

**cue evil music**

Greetings, Kittens! I find myself once again here in the Crypt to talk to you all about a little shindig I'm putting together. You may have heard of it... The Village Invasion-Crawl of the Dead... II?

Yes indeedy! It's happening once again in the quaint Village of Saugerties, New York! It's going to be bold. It's going to be big. And best of all? It's going to be bloodier than before! I have all sorts of devious plans hidden up my sleeves and I'll be working diligently alongside my partner in crime and Terror Team-mate, Count Brian Solomon of The Vault of Horror, concocting all sorts of ghastly goodness for all you boils and ghouls.

As always, we cannot do this alone! We need YOU, my dear minions, to make this event more zombilicious than before. Bring us your worst, your most gruesome, and above all help us spread the infection. This is your zomBirthday kittens, so let's celebrate all that's macabre with a garbled party cry of "Braaaaainsssssss!"

If you have a business you think would benefit from our endless promotion, or are a local business owner in the Village of Saugerties, and you'd like us to talk incessantly about you leading up to the Village Invasion II-Crawl of the Dead event being held on Saturday, October 22 at 8p.m., please contact us! We're always looking for sponsorship for prizes, and we're currently working up a promotions package to give us zombie overlords a way to keep bringing satisfying and meaty substance to the masses. We promise we won't disappoint you kittens. As you already know--we're practically VIRAL!

Welcome to My Insanity... AND to the Ghouls Yule

It's beginning to look a lot like zombies! They're in every store...but the scariest sight to see is the zombies that will be on your own front door....

That's RIGHT! I'm at it once again. Am I totally out of my mind? YES! Nevertheless, I'm tirelessly working my fingers to the bone on the Ghouls Yule--coming to Saugerties, New York on December 11.

The event is shaping up nicely, and I'm asking all the unique boutiques and great shops in the village to stay open later for a little holiday shopping. After you've bought that special ghoul the perfect gift, be sure to swing into the restaurants and pubs for some dinner and drink specials with a delightfully dark twist. Live music is in the works for multiple locations, and ghouls of good cheer will be out roaming the streets to celebrate the season.

Be sure to dress in your ghastliest and join along in the festivities! Keep checking in on Facebook, and my new blog for daily updates and further information. I look forward to another zomberrific time, and can't wait to see all of you again! Viva la zombie!