The Halloween Society
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halloweensociety.bsky.social
The Halloween Society
@halloweensociety.bsky.social
The Halloween Society was an influential group dedicated to masks, monsters, & the media macabre. Today, co-founder Ron Magid is torchbearer and memorist of the society. Book here: https://www.halloween-society.com/book
DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (1920)

Next week begins our series on early (very early) horror films, so we thought we’d send you into the weekend with this still of John Barrymore’s alter ego in one of Ron’s favorite silent horror flicks. Weekend viewing, perhaps?
January 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM
And now, a word from our sponsor…

Just dropping in to say the best way to start the new year is with a copy of THE HALLOWEEN SOCIETY, VOLUME 1:  UNEARTHED!

Or VOLUME 2: UNMASKED, if you gave them Volume 1 for the holidays 🎃

Hope you're having a great 2026!

www.amazon.com/Halloween-So...
January 7, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Mask Monday
Young Ron goes primate-ive! (1970s)

Young PLANET OF THE APES fan Ron Magid prepares to open the door to the far-flung future of 2026. Shall we join him?
January 5, 2026 at 5:00 PM
THE INVISIBLE MAN (1933)

You can be crazy, invisible, or living in a snowy town, but not all three if you want to get away with murder, as Dr. Jack Griffin (Claude Rains) discovered in this classic horror flick

And who remembers Ed Begley Jr.’s hilarious turn in AMAZON WOMEN ON THE MOON?
January 2, 2026 at 5:04 PM
Happy New Year!
Going ape with General Ursus aka Ron Magid (c. Y2K)

We’re not going to say this was us last night, but we’re not going to say it wasn’t, either…

Hope 2026 brings you plenty of joy, and even more bananas!
January 1, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Happy New Year’s Eve!
MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM (1933)

Michael Curtiz’s pre-Code color(!) mystery-horror film follows a scarred wax museum sculptor (Lionel Atwill) and an intrepid reporter's (Fay Wray) New Year’s Eve adventure.

Have a safe and wonderful last day of 2025!
December 31, 2025 at 5:03 PM
THE BEGINNING OF THE END (1957)

This turkey–er, gem–from late, lamented schlockmeister Bert I. Gordon is a literal take on DAY OF THE LOCUST, featuring an über serious Peter Graves fighting gargantuan bugs. A fitting selection for this last Monday of the year
December 29, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Happy Boxing Day!
Outer Space Men (Colorforms, 1968)

Colorforms (yes, them) created these “bendy” action figures to work with Mattel’s Major Matt Mason line, which only had one alien. Classic example of filling a (alien) niche!

The toy designer has a great site: melbirnkrant.com/outerspacemen/
December 26, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Merry Christmas! Ho-ho-oh no!
TALES FROM THE CRYPT: “And All Through The House” (twice!) 🎅

Kick back with hot cocoa and watch both versions of this infamous EC Comics slayer Santa story, the 1972 Amicus film starring Joanne Collins and Richard Donner's 1989 HBO TV episode (S01E02)
December 25, 2025 at 5:02 PM
All I Want for Christmas Is…
Haunted House game by IDEAL (1962)

Standing 14” tall (waist-high to the kids who played with it), this 3D haunted house had a jewel in the attic, monsters behind every door, and a cardboard owl spinner (originally a plastic box, before those kept breaking)
December 23, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Mask Monday
Cortland Hull's holiday card (1987)

Halloween Society member Cortland Hull established his own wax museum, The Witch’s Dungeon,  in 1966 at age 13. Cortland was tutored by a murderer’s row of great FX masters like Dick Smith and Don Post Sr. More here: preservehollywood.org/history
December 22, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Do you see what I see?
RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE (2010)

Sure, you have your GREMLINS and NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, but do they posit Santa as an imprisoned, slumbering elder god? Leave it to the Finns to turn Christmas into two kids racing to keep Saint Nicholas from rising…
December 19, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Looking for a last-minute stocking stuffer / Hanukkah gift? Give the gift of horror history with THE HALLOWEEN SOCIETY, VOLUME 1:  UNEARTHED!
www.amazon.com/Halloween-So...

And if they already have that, impress them by giving them Volume 2! 🎃

Happy holidays!
December 17, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Mask Monday
THE GOLEM: HOW HE CAME INTO THE WORLD (1920)

To celebrate Hanukkah, we bring you Der Golem! The beautiful mask of this creature from Jewish folklorewas sculpted by Dante Renta and released by The Halloween Society circa 1983
December 15, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Happy Hanukkah on Sunday!
Do you see what I see?
CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE (1944) 

Robert Wise’s first directing credit is a ghost story where the lonely daughter of original cat person Irena (Simone Simon) conjures up her mother’s spirit; the story climaxes on Christmas Eve
December 12, 2025 at 5:02 PM
All I Want for Christmas Is…Ben Cooper rubber monster toys (1973-1980)

The great Ben Cooper costume company distributed these two “jiggler” toy lines: the House Haunters "generic" monsters and Creature People insectoids. Even Godzilla (the final jiggler)! Thanks to www.TheGalleryofMonsterToys.com!
December 10, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Mask Monday
HOUSE Premiere (1985)

When the Halloween Society was hired to trick out the HOUSE movie premiere, you get Big Ben (David Lady) and Ron Magid flanking a friend who’s just hanging around (Vol. 1, p. 497)
December 8, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Krampusnacht
HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! (1966)

Rejoice! Tonight, Krampus comes to collect the naughty children!

Today we’re going with the American Krampus: Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch! The original animated version will always be first in our hearts
December 5, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Do you see what I see?
ANNA AND THE APOCALYSPE (2017)

A holiday favorite, this zombie Christmas musical about the end of the world at a Scottish high school is scary, funny, and sometimes truly touching (“Merry Christmas, Dad”). Favorite songs include “Break Away” and “Soldier of War”
December 3, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Mask Monday
Happy Holidays from The Halloween Society!

Joe and Alice Reader and their House of Horror Studios creations circa 1988, bringing you the Halloween Society’s best wishes for this holiday season

Can't you hear them singing, “Do you see what I see?”...
December 1, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Happy Black Friday! Consume!
THEY LIVE (1988)

Look, we have nothing against Black Friday, we just want to make sure everyone knows what it means. Happy shopping!

And keep those sunglasses on, if you know what we mean ;)
November 28, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Happy Thanksgiving! (for the US folks)
The biggest turkey of them all: NIGHT OF THE LEPUS (1972)

Ron’s favorite horror movie turkey makes #1 because “the terror consisted of gigantic bunnies, who are very cute even when they're blown to pieces by little humans!”
November 27, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Turkey Time
THE RAVEN (1935)

Ron says "Starring terror titans Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, this Universal classic makes the list because Lugosi’s Dr. Vollin, a self-proclaimed Edgar Allan Poe expert, can’t seem to make a single statement about Poe that isn’t completely wrong!"
November 26, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Mask Monday
Dr. Ravensclaw's House of Horrors

Carnival barker Dr. Ravensclaw (a 24yo Ron Magid) brings Halloween to this Thanksgiving week. Dr. R appeared at several of Rich Correll’s haunted house fundraisers for the John Thomas Dye School in the mid-80s (Vol. 1, chapter 7)
November 24, 2025 at 5:03 PM