Celebrating the 1st Cruella Anniversary--Direct from the Crypt!

Grave Matters

Grim greetings ghouls and boils! As you might know from reading my Facebook updates I've always got so much to talk about and it seems that I can never quite find the time to really post what's been brewing in my rotten head in bloggerville. After much zomBeriffic debating and an accidental decapitation, (totally my bad) I decided to take the advice of B-Sol of the Vault of Horror. I’ve broken my ramblings down into little snippets of brain bursts that spill forth from my extraordinarily evil mind. So without further adieu, I present to you my newest interweb folly I’d like to call… Grave Matters. Enjoy!

SUCKTASTIC.

·       I have been without cable television for just about eleven years now and I recently started watching a few HBO shows due to B-Sol turning me on to Game of Thrones and more recently, TrueBlood. While I thoroughly enjoyed the Game of Thrones, I can honestly say that even though I only watched one episode this past week of TrueBlood, if I didn’t see it again I certainly wouldn’t lose sleep over it. I guess I'm old fashioned in a sense where while I do enjoy the eye candy running around, I just can't handle all this sugar coated unbelievable supernatural crap. It feels like they just threw it all in there for the hell of it. I don't even know what it was attempting to do besides make it bad, and I don't mean bad in a good way. My first time seeing this I saw fairies, shape-shifters, witches, disco drag queens and vampires. All they needed were werewolves, which  I was later told by Mr. Solomon that indeed *sigh* they did have them, they just somehow didn’t make it into the season premier. Perhaps they thought their appearance might be too much?Really?!  You lost me Sookie. Sorry.

 

·       This past weekend the Terror Team stumbled upon Derby Day here in Connecticut, which just so happens to be the home of the fairly well known haunted Sterling Opera House. TAPS Paranormal Investigation Team and the Above the Realm Paranormal Investigation Team (who is the house PIT of this magnificently haunted place) have all investigated it and let me tell you, this was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had in a place that was purported to be haunted. We ended up getting our very own personal tour the following night, complete with perplexing photos, inexplicable sounds, first hand visual oddities and B-Sol with his very own encounter! Be sure to check it out over at the Vault of Horror's site as he posts this in a few days as we continue to weed through and upload all the data we collected.

You know you wanna taste of Troll II. Come on, have some.

·        TheAvon Theater in Stamford, Connecticut has some killer lineups this summer jam packed with some superb classics such as Alligator, It Came from Outer Space, Rabid and Troll II. Be sure to come and see us for Alligator on July 7th at 9 pm, win some Avon Theater passes and some other really swanky swag from some of the coolest online horror folks we know! This time I promise not even the end of the world will keep me from being there. Pinky swears!

·       The Village Invasion II-Crawl of the Dead is in full swing! Make sure to check in periodically here in the Crypt for more info, how to become a sponsor and all the creeptastic arrangements and events I’m working on to make this year bigger, better and BLOODIER! October 22, 2011 at 8 pm should be written down on your calendars. It’s the zomBipocalype after all!

·       Are you on Tumblr? If so, (shameless self promotion coming right up) go and follow Cruellasconcoctions! It's chocked full of unique and distinct cocktails either from the past or made with some pretty obscure liquors. Go check it out, but be warned...it's for those with discriminating palates.

·       I’d like to direct your attention to Post MortemFX, a new latex appliance and special effects design team that is going to slay the market with quality latex appliances and haunted house props. Owned and operated by JD Ellis and Brie Conn, these two evil forces proudly hand sculpt, pour, and paint every single appliance in house. They even have a spectacular collection of wounds a human might sustain from a zombie like myself. If you’re ever in their neck of the cemetery, Post Mortem FX appliances are currently being sold at Century Costumes in Orlando, Florida or you can order from them online. Their site is new so keep checking for updates as they post freshly concocted appliances regularly. If you do order from them, tell them the Captain sent ya!

Rock Bands and Zombies. On the set of a music video shoot!

Greetings kittens! As you may or may not have been aware I had been counting down the days until I was going to be dragging my corpse on to the set of a music video shoot. I was extremely excited as Blondie is a childhood favorite of mine, yes THE Blondie. Leading up to the big weekend I had been back and forth with the production company as to what I might be doing and how I could assist. I've worked in film before and have a background in special effects make-up. I was more than willing to be of help and realize now that I'll be rethinking those tactics if and when I ever do another shoot, I'll get back to that later.

The usual hurry up and wait game occured as it does at any shoot as the crew shot different scenes in seperate areas of the building and the surrounding areas. The time waiting did enable me to meet some really amazing people and I'd say out of the entire experience at least I walked away with that. I met another larger than life online presence, the fantabulous Isis Vermouth, who I secretly stalk online. Suppose my secret is out now kitten, I truly adore you! I did get to meet the band and hang with what I later found out to be some of their closest friends and learned that one of their sons is a fan of mine! Holy crap, really?!

The down side to all this is that I was so busy being asked to help with make-up that I started to feel like that's all I really ended up there for. I showed up as myself, Captain Cruella, as I was asked to do. I'm not a gory zombie nor am I a 1980's club going personality. I'm me. I'm unsure that my look fit what they were needing and instead of asking me to change to fit the look, they just ended up not knowing what to do with me. It went from me asking if I could assist to me being the make-up go-to person. I wouldn't have minded but after 7 hours of that I decided it was really time to bail, especially since I'm not being paid for time as make-up person and no one was reimbursing me to replenishing my supplies. I showed up on time, in costume and ready to go, unlike the majority of extras that I ended up doing make-up for--who by the way will be in this music video. Seems kind of shitty right? I'm not a diva but I did really feel slighted and it ruined my happy to be here feeling. I ended up walking off set when the producer yelled cut during a club scene. I couldn't go on pretending I was excited to be there as that feeling had diminished hours before.

To end on a positive note, overall I did have a great time. The people were fantastic and it was an experience of a lifetime. Even though I know I won't be seen in this video at least my skillful make-up work will be and I can now add a Blondie music video under my rotten belt. Viva la zombie and keep on rockin'!

Here are some more shots from the music video shoot, enjoy kittens!

Don't mind us we're just laying about with the other dead bodies.

Some of the beautiful people in thrilling outer wear.

Isis Vermouth and her zombilicious partners in crime.

What's a little blood between best ghoul friends?

The lovely Estelle hanging with Allen Midgette, the real Andy Warhol impersonator!

The Gore Gore dancers!

 

Mingling with the props on our down time.

Trying to stay warm on set which is sort of silly since we're all a bunch of the undead.

And here's the music video. I some how managed to be in it for about 5 seconds. Yay!

Blondie-Mother

Plus here's some footage from behind the scenes!

Blondie behind the scenes

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!

TShirtBordello Takes Over the Crypt

HELL-o Kittens! I know it's been quite some time since I've posted here in the Crypt. I'll use the excuse that I've been very busy working on new projects, which isn't all that far from the truth, as it's a real reason for my absence lately. I'll be blogging a bit about that in future posts detailing all the gory goodness I've been in the thick of. However, this post is about my ghouls over at Tshirtbordello.com.

Don over at the Bordello was sweet enough to send me a care package so we could share some really great prizes at some of the events myself and Count Brian Solomon of The Vault of Horror have been hosting. The package arrived a few weeks ago, and here's a look at all the goods.

Upon opening my package, the scent of pure awesome came wafting out and yeah, it was indeed just that. I received several T-shirts, some kick-ass posters, key chains and this really killer zombie outbreak tape. (I'm thinking that I'm gonna need more of this, Don--the town I'm currently stalking is kinda big.)

Anyway, I'm pleased to say that the T-shirts were printed on heavy cotton, and the prints were outstanding. The posters, especially the Zombie Outbreak one, were printed on high-gloss, thick paper, and may not make it out of the Crypt, as I've grown rather attached to them. As for the key chains, I get complimented on them regularly. Who knew you humans actually looked at my car keys?

Currently, Tshirtbordello is running a special on their T's. It's buy-3-get-1-free, and if you sign up for their newsletter, you're automatically entering into the running for a daily free T-shirt giveaway! As far as I'm concerned, free T-shirt equals fantabulous, kittens. Also, if you send them a shot of yourself wearing one of their gorrific threads, you could wind up famous or infamous, and end up on their new site. As for me? Yup--I'm hooked. Now all I need is this, and my wardrobe will be complete.

Thanks to Don Meyers for being majorly zomBlicious and sending this zombie broad a box full of treats, instead of tricks. We here in the Crypt hope to see all of you kitty kats at one of our future events, and who knows? Maybe you'll end up with a Tshirtbordello redrum T-shirt like mine!

Tshirtbordello on Facebook
Tshirtbordello on Twitter

CRYPTCAST! Talking Nunsploitation with Miguel Rodriguez!

Greetings, kittens, and welcome to another very special podcast directly from inside the Crypt. This time, B-Sol and myself were joined by none other than our beloved West Coast counterpart, Mr. Miguel Rodriguez of the outstanding Monster Island Resort podcast. I gave Miguel the option of choosing anything in the world he would want to talk about--so I guess I should've expected he'd come up with something outrageous and interesting. And he certainly didn't disappoint...

Have a listen below, as Miguel, Brian and I go in-depth on that most maligned and misunderstood of exploitation subgenres--NUNSPLOITATION! That's right, we're getting into the habit right here in the Crypt, so join us, won't you? In addition to the embedded player, you can go right here to directly download the Cryptcast for your listening pleasure...

CRUELLACAST! EXCLUSIVE Interview with Filmmaker "Zombie" Dave Reda!

I may be the undead Captain of the Carnivorous Cadavers, but never let it be said that I'm the only zombie superstar out there doing my thing. On the contrary, there are a handful of individuals who are nearly as fabulous as myself, and one of them is surely "Zombie Dave", a.k.a. Dave Reda. Dave is a California-based filmmaker who has been making quite a few waves as of late with his most recent short film, Horror of Our Love. My Terror Teammate Brian Solomon of The Vault of Horror and I recently had an opportunity to chew the fat--and the gristle--with the mastermind of Elftwin Films... Listen in, won't you?



Download directly right here!