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Top 5 Scary Halloween Costumes for 2018

Posted by Thrillvania in Haunted House Stories on September 19th, 2018
Tags: Halloween costumes for couples, Halloween costumes for women, Halloween costumes ideas, scary Halloween costumes

It’s official. The 2018 NFL season has kicked off. Pumpkins are popping up everywhere. People are stocking up on candy and cider.

And if you love everything to do with Halloween, you’re probably as excited as Michael Meyers here…

Pretty soon, things are going to get pretty spooky. If you’re looking to cause a scare this year, now is the time to start planning your costume.

We’ve all seen zombies, werewolves, and vampires. And don’t get us wrong. These classic costumes can be downright terrifying when done right.

But you may be looking for something a little more outside the box.

Are you looking for scary Halloween costumes that are as frightening as they are unique? Don’t wait until the last minute to start planning your scary costume this year. Here are 5 Halloween costumes ideas to help inspire the inner monster within you!

1. Demon

It’s no secret that humans have had a long fascination with the concept of demons for thousands of years. Ancient Greeks considered daemons to be benevolent, powerful entities. They were once seen as similar to ghosts and guiding spirits. When Christianity rose, demons started to have a malevolent connection with Satan.

No matter how you personally view demons, they can inspire very scary Halloween costumes. Sure, you could spend $60 on a devil costume or witch dress at Party City. But one of the great things about the demon costume is how DIY-friendly it is.

The horns, of course, are the highlight of any demon costume. There are lots of ways to create a horned headpiece. Some people have used aluminum. Others have used clay, paper mache, or even foam. You can also create devil horns and glue them to your forehead.

Every demon costume needs a creepy outfit to go along with it. And there are really no limitations to this. Women can wear anything from a black jumpsuit to a goddess dress and so on. Men can wear black suits, warrior costumes, or even loincloths if they want to go all out.

2. Voodoo Queen/King

Voodoo queens will be among the best Halloween costumes for women this year. And this Halloween, you can look both fabulous and scary as a fierce and ruthless voodoo queen.

The base of your costume will be a loose-fitting, long-sleeve dress. The dress can either be solid colored or patterned to your choosing. You can go for a look that’s inspired by Creole, 19th-century fashion. Or, you can even be a voodoo queen from another generation (you’re immortal, after all).

You’ll then need lots of beaded necklaces, bangle bracelets, and rings. Complement the rest of your jewelry with big hoop earrings or statement earrings. And don’t overlook the importance of a Creole-inspired headscarf or wrap!

Angela Bassett as Marie Laveau in American Horror Story: Coven
Photo from PopSugar

Colored contact lenses can make any voodoo queen costume look spooky. And there’s no shortage of lenses to choose from. White lenses can make you look possessed by a spirit you’ve summoned with voodoo. Reptilian contact lenses can make it seem like you’ve got the snakes on your side. Or, you can go for a basic red or purple lens to create a wrathful look in your eyes.

Go All out as a Voodoo Queen or King

There are a few options as far as accessories go. A fake skull or a faux voodoo doll are the go-to choices. You can also rock a toy snake around your shoulders.

Are you looking to find Halloween costumes for couples? Have your significant other go as a voodoo king! Here’s what they’ll need:

A black top hat (decorated with bird feathers)
A suit with dress shoes
A spooky cane with a skull head or covered in bird feathers

Skeleton makeup is the main feature of the voodoo king costume. After all, it’s inspired by Louisiana voodoo. And even the voodoo queen herself can arrive on Halloween clad as a skeletal version of herself.

3. The Demogorgon

Once a creature only Dungeon & Dragons fans knew, the Demogorgon is now a pop cult staple. All thanks to Netflix’s hit show Stranger Things. And if you’re a fan of the show and are looking for Halloween costumes ideas, bring the Upside Down to our world on October 31st.

In 2016, image artist Carl Leck debuted one of the best Demogorgon costumes anyone has ever seen. Leck created a headpiece that opened and closed with the flick of his wrist.

Carl Leck’s Demogorgon costume
GIF Source

We’re not saying you should go all out like Carl Leck (though it would be pretty awesome if you tried). You could certainly buy a Demogorgon costume. And though it’ll be a challenge, it is possible to create your own DIY Demogorgon costume this year.

Different Ways to Create a Demogorgon Costume

First, you’ll need a dark brown, dark green, gray, or black bodysuit. Then, cover the bodysuit with a mixture of these colors using fabric paint.

The Demogorgon is from the Upside Down, an alternate dimension that’s dark, cold, sticky… and let’s just say downright scary. To make it look like you’ve come straight from the Upside Down, hot glue some fake moss and leaves.

You could also go all out and paint your body. And though the Demogorgon probably doesn’t wear clothes, we do recommend wearing a loincloth.
The most challenging part of this costume will be creating the Demogorgon mask. But if you’re up to the challenge, check out Ellimacs SFX’s Demogorgon mask. With a little time and elbow grease, you’ll be able to create your own and turn heads this Halloween:

Don’t forget your clawed hands!

4. Rosemary

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the debut of the horror classic, Rosemary’s Baby. The film stars Mia Farrow as Rosemary, who conceives and gives birth to the Antichrist.

Mia Farrow’s blonde pixie cut in the film was iconic both in 1968 and now. And it was her gaunt, sickly appearance that viewers find most haunting. Whether you’re a fan of the film, one thing remains certain:

Rosemary will be one of the creepiest Halloween costumes for women this year. And it’s also one of the more simpler scary Halloween costumes you can create.

Mia Farrow in Rosemary’s Baby
Time Entertainment

First, you’ll need any colorful, 1960’s-inspired mod dress. Or, you could wear a long-sleeved blue nightgown, which is what most people will remember from the film.

If you already have a pixie cut, you’re in luck! But even if you don’t, never fear. You can never go wrong with a short-haired, blonde man wig. There’s also nothing wrong with rocking your natural hair – long or short.

Different Variations as Rosemary

There are a couple of options when it comes to dressing as the mother of… well, the Antichrist. You could stuff your dress and pretend you’re pregnant. It’s easy to create a fake pregnant belly. Or, if you’re already pregnant, you can honor your baby bump as the iconic Rosemary.

You could also carry around a toy baby or push a black stroller, just like Rosemary does in the film. If you do carry a toy baby around, be sure to make it demonic looking like below:

A Rosemary costume wouldn’t be complete without a pale complexion and dark eye bags. Powder your face to make it look flushed of all life. Then, use a brown and black eyeshadow palette to make it look like you haven’t slept in weeks.

If you like the Rosemary’s Baby theme, have a friend or significant other go dressed as a devil (see point #1 for ideas). Rosemary with the Devil is not one of the more common Halloween costumes for couples. But you can poke fun at the concept of an evil family all while celebrating the classic horror film.

5. Cesare

Looking for spooky Halloween costumes ideas that are low-budget and last-minute friendly?

Look no further than 1920’s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari! The German silent is not only historically significant for laying the seeds of film noir. It’s also memorable for one creepy character who has haunted movie-goers for nearly a century.

Who Was Cesare?

In the film, Dr. Caligari awakens a young man by the name of Cesare from a coffin, where he has slept for the last 23 years. Cesare, under the spell of Dr. Caligari, goes on to commit murder. Cesare terrorizes his victims, leaving viewers questioning where the real mystery lies.

Dressing up as Cesare is quite simple. In the film, his character wears a black turtleneck with a white-as-a-ghost complexion. Cesare also has black lips and black triangles forming under his eyes.

Cesare from *The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari*
Basement Rejects

A Cesare costume pays a great homage to one of the first horror films ever made. The costume is equally easy and spooky. Men and women alike can channel the inner, sleepwalking monster inside them. And it’s perfect whether you attend a horror film screening or a haunted house this Halloween.

What about costume ideas for couples that celebrate The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari?

If you want to dress up alongside your significant other or friend, have them go as Dr. Caligari! His costume is also simple, as he wears a black suit, a black top hat, and round spectacles. Dr. Caligari also has wacky and long straw-like gray hair. He certainly looks the part of a mad scientist.

*The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari*
A View to a Queue

Cause a Fright with Scary Halloween Costumes This Year

Although it’s only still September, Halloween is surely well on its way. Whether you choose one of these costumes or go a different route, now is the time to plan!

What will you do this year to celebrate and show off your creepy Halloween costumes ideas?

Visit Haunted Houses This Halloween!

Haunted houses are the perfect place to show off your scary Halloween costumes. You can very well scare and impress bystanders with your costume when you go. You can also converse with fellow Halloween enthusiasts and share your ideas.

Interested in visiting haunted houses in the Dallas region? There’s no better haunted house experience than Thrillvania! You can choose to roam the haunted corridors of Verdun Manor. Or, you can dare to enter Cassandra’s House of Clowns or trek down Sam Hain’s Trail of Torment. Get your tickets today!

5 Creepiest Urban Legends of the South

Posted by Thrillvania in Haunted House Stories on September 19th, 2018

America has a long, tangled history, but nothing stands out like the twisted past of the southerns states. These haunted legends might just be true, at least that’s what the locals say.

1. Alabama’s Dead Children’s Playground

In 1822, ground was broken for the first time at Maple Hill, an old cemetary in Huntsville, AL. Over 150 years later, the city of Huntsville elected to build a playground adjacent to the gravesite. It was intended to keep children busy while their parents paid their respects to the dead, but it quickly became something else entirely. Townspeople mentioned stories about the eerie things they have seen moving about the playground, including orbs of light scaling the slide and swings that move when nobody is around. Of course, legend says that the playground isn’t completely empty. The souls of the children buried in Maple Hill have chosen the playground as their final resting place.

There may be a reason for the townspeople’s fright. In 1960, a series of gruesome child murders took place in Huntsville. In fact, it is told that several of these murders happened exactly where the playground is located. Alabama locals seem to be pretty fond of the children’s spirits, though, because they protested when the town demolished the playground to expand the cemetery. The uprise was so severe, actually, that the city replaced the old stuff with all new equipment. Maybe the residents were concerned for the kids, or maybe they were afraid of the ghostly uproar.

2. Arkansas’ Dog Boy

65 Mulberry Street sounds like someplace out of a Dr. Seuss book, but it’s actually a real place in Quitman, Arkansas, and honestly, it’s a place of nightmares. Legend says that the street is haunted, but not by any friendly neighborhood Casper. No, this ghoul is a 300 pound thing of terror, half human, half beast. Legend says the spooky spirit, aptly named “The Dog Boy” can be seen glaring out of windows with doglike, glowing eyes, at all hours of the night. If you look too closely, he will chase you, snapping at your ankles until he gets a bone.

The story isn’t even all that crazy, considering past events. Somewhere on 65 Mulberry there lived a boy named Gerald Bettis. Bettis was frequently described as “troubled” and had some pretty terrifying hobbies: trapping, torturing, and killing local animals. People around town began calling him “the dog boy,” which may have provoked his final fright. Allegedly, Bettis held his elderly parents captive in their home, tormenting them the way he did his captured prey, until he eventually killed his own father. Of course, none of this has been confirmed, but that doesn’t stop the people of Quitman from walking a little more quickly on 65 Mulberry.

3. Mississippi’s Three-Legged Lady of Nash Road

This one is a little out there, but as far as Mississippi’s spooky legends go, you can never really be surprised. The three legged lady has several background stories, and they tend to chage with the time. Some say the severed the leg of her lover and sewed in onto her own body, while others believe she scoured Nash Road for her dead daughter’s body, only to find a rotting leg, which she fastened to herself as a keepsake. You may even hear that she stitched on her third leg so that she would be better fit to race you across a nearby bridge.

No matter the story, one thing remains the same. May locals have reported sightings of this terrifying woman, creeping down the long stretch of Nash Road. She isn’t too fond of visitors, and it is frequently said that she chases passing cars, beating on their hoods when given the chance. A strange woman chasing you down a dark road is terrifying enough, but the rotting third leg she haphazardly sewed onto her own body may be just a little too much to handle.

4. Georgia’s Lake Lanier Curse

Who knew there was a Bermuda triangle so close to home? Okay, so Lake Lanier north of Atlanta may not be as high capacity as Bermuda, but it is similarly famous for a series of tragic events, like unexplained disappearances and a multitude of boat accidents and fatal drownings. The fatality rate is much higher than similar lakes in the area, which has raised quite a stir for Georgians and travelers alike. Locals report seeing a mysterious figure advancing across the lake. Generally, the description is of a small framed woman, but her ghostly soul is apparently capable of some pretty gruesome acts.
The lake’s curse isn’t all fairy tale. It’s based on the discovery of a woman’s skeleton trapped inside her car at the bottom of the lake. It is said that she went missing, apparently by driving off into the manmade lake, in 1958, but her remains weren’t discovered until 30 years after the tragedy. Some point to other historical evidence when trying to explain these paranormal acts, like the displacement of families, businesses and hundreds of gravesites when the construction of the lake took place.

5. The Louisiana Rougarou

The legend of the rougarou predates Louisiana voodoo history. A Rougarou is known as a tall, ghoulish creature that resembles the modern images of a werewolf, but it’s origins are stamped somewhere in Europe. Apparently one of the beastly creatures has made quite the journey, because hundreds of people have reported sightings over the region of French Louisiana. In these parts, he is more commonly known as the “loup-garou.”

Legend has it that he treks the sugar cane fields and swampy regions of the state in search of human blood. The southern origin of the Loup-garou is controversial. Some say it was inspired by Catholic tales about turning into a werewolf when you misbehave, while others like to think the tall beast is the creation of a local witch who cast spells on commoners to curse them with lycanthropy. Either way, you may want to steer clear of the swamp, especially during a full moon.

If these bone chilling locations aren’t in your plans this Halloween season, grab a couple of haunted house tickets to the scariest haunted house in Texas. But hold onto your hats, because Cutting Edge will give you the thrill of your lifetime.

Top Ten Scariest Movies of All Time

Posted by Thrillvania in Haunted House Stories, Scary Movies on September 16th, 2016
Tags: best haunted house, Dallas haunted house, Halloween events, Halloween ideas, Haunted House, Thrillvania Haunted House Park, Thrillvanie

Now that’s there’s a chill in the air (not really, this is Texas, but we can dream, can’t we?) we’re thinking about autumn and Halloween and scary stuff. To get you in the mood (97 degrees outside or not) we’ve gathered together the very best scary movies!

10) Psycho

Yes of course, the shower scene, blood or not, is terrifying. But so are Norman’s taxidermy and sandwiches. He might be a homicidal maniac with Mommy issues, but let it be a lesson to you: Stock up on Red Bull when you go on the lam so that you don’t get drowsy and have to stop at sketchy motels.

9) Mothman Prophecies

Based on a true story (always scary) this film features a town with strange occurrences that may be caused by aliens. Point Pleasant (!) has UFO sightings, ominous whispered voices and menacing winged creatures. Like most horror movies, you’re left with a slew of “What the…?” questions at the end, but the answers are all gruesome.

8) The Shining

A scary movie without a Werewolf, bloody elevators or a Kardashian? Yep. Cabin fever, scary women in bathtubs, axes, hallucinations, an open bar, typewriters. You’ll never want to stay in a swanky hotel or room 237 ever again.

7) The Omen

Little kids are spooky even if they’re just drinking juice boxes and hauling massive backpacks (what could possibly be in those things?). But Damien, the little darling of The Omen has some serious anger/revenge problems and weird telekinetic hate powers. Suddenly you’ll be scared of your 10-year-0ld nephew Kyle.

6) 28 Days Later

Yeah, yeah zombies are scary, but most are slow and sluggish. If you don’t trip and fall like a little girl you’ll get away. No worries! But not so with the zombies in 28 Days Later. They will sprint like a thoroughbred and suck your brain out before you can say ‘Wes Craven’.

5) Shutter Island

A mental hospital on a deserted island? What could possibly go wrong? Radical treatments, locked doors. hurricanes. Sounds like fun! Leo DiCaprio plays the investigating U.S. marshal Teddy Daniels who starts to disintegrate mentally and emotionally. He is not “king of the world” this time.

4) Night of the Living Dead

The original quintessential zombie flick that creeps you out just because these undead monsters are so relentless. Like One Direction fans. And no matter how invincible you think you are, it’s always the case that you forgot to securely board up some random window. They will get inside and do that scary zombie-outstretched arm thing at you. And more!

3) The Blair Witch Project

If you were lucky enough to see this before all the hype, you could truly believe that it was a real video made by a trio of Scorsese wannabes who can’t even find their way out of a cluster of trees. Still, that last shot of the dude hanging on a meat hook or whatever will keep you from camping, glamping or playing hide-and-seek for a long time.

2) The Exorcist

Spinning heads, green vomit, that foreboding music; it’s all just a day in the life of a priest. Ack! Huddle in a corner with holy water ‘til it stops. Has anyone seen a spare rosary, yo? Be careful walking down those stairs….

1) Love, Actually

And finally, the most terrifying movie ever in the whole history of cinema is Love, Actually. Can you believe people cry like babies while watching this? Not only is it threatening, it probably makes peoples’ heads explode—which is a hot mess, plus terrifying in its own right. Brains! Where’s my Mommy? Help! Eek!

There you have it, go to Netflix and stream some of these movies and you’re sure to feel all oogy. And be sure to visit Thrillvania which is way scarier than all of these films put together. Opens 10/1 !! Get you tickets now.