Directed by The Fiendish Dr. Phil Nichols, and featuring makeup effects design by award winning SFX makeup lab and creature shop FACADES FX, this production of FRANKENSTEIN is sure to satisfy the man made monster fans!
Production design is an homage to the HAMMER HORROR genre of Frankenstein films from the 1950's - 1970's as well as the illustrations of the great Bernie Wrightson! So come and see for yourself and experience horror!
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
FRANKENSTEIN'S MONSTERELLA
This year, The Fiendish Dr. Phil is cooking up a ghoulishly wonderful October surprise! He is directing and designing SFX makeup for a production of Victor Gialanelli's "FRANKENSTEIN."
Based on the immortal tale by Mary Shelley, this script follows the book very closely and sports an intelligent creature seeking to find out who he is, and why his creator made him then abandoned him.
During the course of this unfolding morality tale, we discover that the true monster is man's arrogance and huberous, and that Victor Frankenstein, is no innocent.
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| Louis Crespo as Frankenstein |
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| Michael Raabe as the creature |
Audiences can experience horror from October 12th - 27th at Houston's Country Playhouse. You can order tickets online.
Monday, October 31, 2011
HAUNTED HOUSE REVIEW: SCREAMWORLD (Houston, Texas, USA)
SCREAMWORLD- located on Sam Houston Beltway in North Houston, TX.
This year I attended annonymously with a friend who's birthday is on Halloween. We wanted to celebrate by doing something fun and scary.
Been there done that with watching horror flicks, made my own horror flick, and now am craving the live theatrical experience in my entertainment... so we decided on the time honored tradition of the Haunted House attraction.
As a veteran of Halloween and Haunt industry, I have many mass market halloween products with world wide distribution (REEL FX via Rubies Costume Co.), and was co-owner of a successful Theme Haunt back in 1997 (VAMPYRE HOUSE). Along with the Fiendish Dr. Phil, and our FX lab, Facades FX we have provided many prosthetics, masks and SFX rigs for Haunts around the world including Netherworld in Atlanta, and of course Screamworld itself. In 2003 we were contracted to do makeup and stalk arounds for Screamworld, and that was the last time I was there, before this past Saturday. And I have to say with resounding enthusiasm: WOW! It has really changed!!!
The haunt has grown, and the appointments have greatly improved with the newer technologies that have over the past decade revolutionized the haunt industry. As a professional I'll give my evaluation first, then lastly as a lover of all things Horror and Halloween.
Facility: Well organized and clean.
Parking: With a fee, but nicely organized, and easy access both arriving and exiting.
Ticket Prices: Within reason, and over all worth what you pay.
Decor, props and sets/dressing: Nicely done environments. More detailed, and I can see where they put the money in the sets, props and detailing. A lot of growth and improvement over the years.
Waiting time: Now this was a stroke of genius. The Monster Maze is an additional attraction included in the ticket price, but, it is routed at the entrance and patrons go through it *before* entering the line for the actual interior haunt. This was a fang-tastic warm up scream fest! Nicely done maze, with chain link fences and post beams, and plenty of creepy creatures stalking the corners and frightening patrons. A few DEAD ENDS where stalkers could corner the fearful for a heart pounding fright. I loved it.
Actual Line: Two options: Wait or Speed Pass (an additional fee). I'm being frugal, so I opted to wait, and I am glad I did. It was a great chance for me to watch the crowd, and experience the stalk around actors. Simple noise makers hidden in the palm of the actors offered up great startles to unsuspecting patrons who had been lulled by the wait in the line, or distracted by the video monitor showing "SAW." This put the Fun back in funeral.
The Haunt itself- without giving too many spoilers, it was dark, narrow, scary, without being too dark, so you didn't miss anything. Great props suspended from the ceiling swinging bodies, butchered hogs, you name it. Great industrial scare tools, oil drums used to bang on, and of course the classic chain saw. Why they even had a zombie world which you exited into as the climax of the haunt. FANGTASTIC! One thing I found to be so affective: Strobe lights... so anyone with a medical condition beware! They had a great disorienting affect and were used throughout the haunt! SINcerely Scary!
Makeup & Costumes: MUCH BETTER than in previous years. Use of prosthetics was pretty good, application was more than adequite for the haunt industry standard, and it was over all pretty cool.
Actors: VERY GOOD! the vets were easy to pick out as they had the scare ambush tactics down to a science. A couple that stood out were a zombie woman with a walker in a hospital environment....EXCELLENT use of the prop as a scare tool! CREEPY!!! And in the butcher shed, with the swinging hog carcasses, one of the butcher boys who coralled the highschool girl's soccer team that was in my group into a corner for the maximum BANG of the scare... SCREAM-PALOOZA! Nicely done!
Most all of the characters in the Haunt were interesting and very much in character... nicely done one and all.
As a fan: I found myself losing my professional pov of analyzing the haunt withint a few moments of being inside, and just experienceing the thrills. And for a haunt that can do that to me, and make me scream like a teenage girl:
As a veteran of Halloween and Haunt industry, I have many mass market halloween products with world wide distribution (REEL FX via Rubies Costume Co.), and was co-owner of a successful Theme Haunt back in 1997 (VAMPYRE HOUSE). Along with the Fiendish Dr. Phil, and our FX lab, Facades FX we have provided many prosthetics, masks and SFX rigs for Haunts around the world including Netherworld in Atlanta, and of course Screamworld itself. In 2003 we were contracted to do makeup and stalk arounds for Screamworld, and that was the last time I was there, before this past Saturday. And I have to say with resounding enthusiasm: WOW! It has really changed!!!
The haunt has grown, and the appointments have greatly improved with the newer technologies that have over the past decade revolutionized the haunt industry. As a professional I'll give my evaluation first, then lastly as a lover of all things Horror and Halloween.
Facility: Well organized and clean.
Parking: With a fee, but nicely organized, and easy access both arriving and exiting.
Ticket Prices: Within reason, and over all worth what you pay.
Decor, props and sets/dressing: Nicely done environments. More detailed, and I can see where they put the money in the sets, props and detailing. A lot of growth and improvement over the years.
Waiting time: Now this was a stroke of genius. The Monster Maze is an additional attraction included in the ticket price, but, it is routed at the entrance and patrons go through it *before* entering the line for the actual interior haunt. This was a fang-tastic warm up scream fest! Nicely done maze, with chain link fences and post beams, and plenty of creepy creatures stalking the corners and frightening patrons. A few DEAD ENDS where stalkers could corner the fearful for a heart pounding fright. I loved it.
Actual Line: Two options: Wait or Speed Pass (an additional fee). I'm being frugal, so I opted to wait, and I am glad I did. It was a great chance for me to watch the crowd, and experience the stalk around actors. Simple noise makers hidden in the palm of the actors offered up great startles to unsuspecting patrons who had been lulled by the wait in the line, or distracted by the video monitor showing "SAW." This put the Fun back in funeral.
The Haunt itself- without giving too many spoilers, it was dark, narrow, scary, without being too dark, so you didn't miss anything. Great props suspended from the ceiling swinging bodies, butchered hogs, you name it. Great industrial scare tools, oil drums used to bang on, and of course the classic chain saw. Why they even had a zombie world which you exited into as the climax of the haunt. FANGTASTIC! One thing I found to be so affective: Strobe lights... so anyone with a medical condition beware! They had a great disorienting affect and were used throughout the haunt! SINcerely Scary!
Makeup & Costumes: MUCH BETTER than in previous years. Use of prosthetics was pretty good, application was more than adequite for the haunt industry standard, and it was over all pretty cool.
Actors: VERY GOOD! the vets were easy to pick out as they had the scare ambush tactics down to a science. A couple that stood out were a zombie woman with a walker in a hospital environment....EXCELLENT use of the prop as a scare tool! CREEPY!!! And in the butcher shed, with the swinging hog carcasses, one of the butcher boys who coralled the highschool girl's soccer team that was in my group into a corner for the maximum BANG of the scare... SCREAM-PALOOZA! Nicely done!
Most all of the characters in the Haunt were interesting and very much in character... nicely done one and all.
As a fan: I found myself losing my professional pov of analyzing the haunt withint a few moments of being inside, and just experienceing the thrills. And for a haunt that can do that to me, and make me scream like a teenage girl:
I give it a score of: 9 SCREAMS out of 10!HAPPY HAUNTING SCREAMWORLD!
Monday, July 25, 2011
JUST IN TIME FOR HALLOWEEN! HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER IS NOW AVAILABLE!
Featuring the makeup artistry of "The Fiendish Dr" Phil Nichols, and designed for the beginner, intermediate or advanced makeup practioner. This is a great companion for the Reel FX line of latex prosthetics, or any pre-made latex prosthetics on the market. Starring The Fiendish Dr. Phil and Miss Monsterella, a cast of Ghouls, Cyborgs, Devils, Vampires and things that go bump in the night. Narrated by Miss Monsterella.
ORDER TODAY!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
JUST IN TIME FOR HALLOWEEN..
Our Award Winning Instructional DVD on how to apply SPFX Monster Make-up is going to be available on August 1st. "HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER" featuring the makeup artistry of the FIENDISH DR. PHIL and my narration with an intro by us will be available at http://www.creepyfeatures.com/ ! Designed as a great companion DVD to go with our "REEL FX" line of pre-made latex prosthetics & accessories, this DVD is a must have for anyone who loves Halloween & monster makeup!
The Fiendish Dr. Phil applies six monster character makeups & shares his professiona tricks & tips for completing high quality monster makeups. It's ideal for the beginner, intermediate or advanced makeup practioner.
Sections include:
- Fitting Pre-made SPFX denture appliances
- Applying pre-made latex prosthetics
- Blending techniques
- Coloring & shading techniques
- Detailing techniques (adding blood, wigs, etc)
- With a bonus slide show gallery of some of our Ghoulish creations
Running time approx. 55 minutes. DVD. English. Retail price: $24.99
Friday, July 8, 2011
HAUNTS of HOUSTON...
SCARE FACTOR- is it a scream?
ACTORS- Are they in character and putting the "fun" back in funeral!
DETAIL/AMBIENCE- sets/dressing & props--do they give me chills? I hope so!
MAKE-UP & COSTUMES- Are they SINfully Fangtastic or craptastic & El Cheapo?
CREATIVITY- overall haunt presentation and execution- a bloody ghoul time?
PARKING- Where can I park my hearse?
WAIT- Are your patrons dying to get in, or dying to get out?
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