7-Eleven’s Ghost White Gummi Slurpee!
This article will be short and sweet. Extreme emphasis on the sweet.
I dropped by 7-Eleven for an enormous cup of coffee, meant to be my fuel for an entirely different sort of article that I’d planned to write today. Suffice to say, my priorities have changed.
BECAUSE LOOK AT THIS:
The ghastly bears, the creepy forest background, the word “ghost” — it took me a minute to realize what I’d stumbled upon. When the image became one and it finally hit me, I lost control of every bodily function and could only communicate via singsongy riddles.
My friends, do you know what you are looking at?
AN ALL-NEW HALLOWEEN SLURPEE.
7-Eleven’s Ghost White Gummi Slurpee is made with Fanta, but a very specific type of Fanta that somehow tastes exactly like white gummy bears.
Gotta give 7-Eleven credit: I think about potential Halloween Slurpee flavors at least 15 times a day, generally at the top of each hour. Even with all of those daydreams, I never imagined something this bizarre but SO PERFECT. Read More…
The Official Ghoulies II Music Video!
Y’all have seen Ghoulies II, right?
No? WELL YOU SHOULD.
Here’s the deal: The first Ghoulies film is admirably weird and totally worth watching, but most of the movie’s fame stems from its classic promo art, which featured a little green monster popping out of a toilet.
Unfortunately, that artwork wrote a check the film couldn’t cash. The 1988 sequel, on the other hand, was exactly the sort of movie one would’ve expected from art like that. (And not just because it finally delivered on the promised “Ghoulie-in-a-toilet” scene.)
Set at a carnival and loaded with the titular monsters, Ghoulies II is one of my favorite creature features. It’s cheesy and it’s silly and it absolutely loves being those things.
I’d go so far to say that I’m obsessed with the movie… which is why it’s so weird that I only recently learned about its official music video!
I can’t say that heavy metal band W.A.S.P. is my usual cup of tea, I guess because their songs are big and loud, and I prefer moody tracks that throw me into crisis. If you’re not making me question everything, you ain’t going on repeat.
So while I’m not the right guy to have a broad discussion about W.A.S.P.’s discography, I can at least confirm that they have one rockin’ track… which just so happens to be married to the Ghoulies. Read More…
Purple Stuff: Escape from Castle Dracula!
Longtime readers know about my obsession with Castle Dracula, a famous dark ride that once graced the boardwalk in Wildwood, New Jersey.
I’ve been to Wildwood several times since Castle Dracula burned down, and if I’m being honest, it just ain’t the same without it.
New Purple Stuff logo by the amazing Matthew Skiff!
…which is why the subject of our latest Purple Stuff minisode is so special!
Jay from The Sexy Armpit is similarly obsessed with Castle Dracula, and we were both shocked to learn that there was an “escape room” attraction in Philadelphia that sought to continue Castle Dracula’s legacy:
Escape Empire: Dead by Dusk is a total throwback. You’ve probably seen some high-tech escape room attractions (they’re even popular in shopping malls now), but this one is intentionally low-fi and meant to have the vibe of truly old school haunts and dark rides.
Best of all, the owner is a major Castle Dracula nut who put an enormous amount of time into giving this place the same flavor. Hell, there are even decorations that came straight from the original attraction!
We had no idea what we were in for, but we ended up being so glad we went. Hear all about our latest adventure by clicking the giant play button down below!
You can also download this week’s minisode by right-clicking here.
Main takeaway from this show: The Halloween season is what you make of it. Don’t just sit around looking at the same stuff day after day. Don’t just go to the same five stores and then act disappointed when things feel flat. Get out there! Do things!
Enjoy the show!
Old Halloween Newspaper Ads, #3!
Here’s another batch of super old Halloween-themed newspaper ads, and a reminder that I love super old Halloween-themed newspaper ads. It’s nostalgia without the blinders on.
VHS Horror Movies!
(McCrory’s, 1988 & 1990)
Throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, it was common practice for store chains to sell spooky VHS tapes during the Halloween season — even if they normally sold no tapes at all!
Typically, you’d find a standing rack of “budget” horror tapes, all sold for the same price. This happened in stores as large as Kmart and as small as your local pharmacy.
These tape assortments were often right next to the Halloween costumes. Even if you were apprehensive about scary movies (and I sure was), it was impossible to avoid making eye contact with the monsters on those boxes.
When we were kids, the mere proximity to danger made Halloween more exciting! Read More…