DAVID J. SKAL: Death Makes A Holiday: A Cultural History of Halloween - Wolfman Productions
Once
upon a time Halloween was a quaint, homespun celebration, Now itÿs
evolved into a multi-billion-dollar mega-holiday, with an economic
impact exceeded only by Christmas. A carved pumpkin and a little
trick-or-treating used to be sufficient celebration. Today, Americans
expect to be chased through theme parks by chainsaw-wielding maniacs.
Now,
the worldÿs leading horror historian will answer all those questions
you were simply afraid to ask.
David
J. Skal, the critically acclaimed author of The Monster Show
(þThe best book on horror movies I have ever read,ú according to
Robert Bloch, author of Psycho) and Hollywood Gothic
(which Newsweek called þThe ultimate book on Dracula,ú) now offers
a colorful, irreverent and frequently very funny slide lecture based
on his new book, Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of
Halloween. With rare and compelling visuals, Mr. Skal digs deeply
into the vaults of this perplexing but always popular celebration.
He examines Halloweenÿs ancient roots in harvest rituals and human
sacrifice, the fascinating and surprising origins of Halloween icons
like pointy-hatted witches, black cats and jack-o-lanterns, and
recounts the chillingly true story behind all those urban
legends about the razor blade in the apple. He takes you on an eye-popping,
cross-country guided tour for a behind-the-scenes peek inside the
some of the best haunted houses. He chronicles how Salem, Massachusetts
exploited its witch-hunt history to become Americaÿs premier Halloween
destination, and explains why John Carpenterÿs Halloween
became one of the most successful independent films of all time,
creating the slasher genre in the process. And finally, he demonstrates
how the events of September 11 may have transformed October 31 forever.
David
J. Skal has lectured extensively on genre cinema at leading colleges
and universities. His media appearances have included Entertainment
Tonight, Joan Rivers, Charlie Rose, The CBS Evening News, and
National Public Radio's All Things Considered.
Books
and display materials available. Nationwide media appearances October
2002.
David
J. Skal, the critically acclaimed author of The Monster Show
(þThe best book on horror movies I have ever read,ú according to
Robert Bloch, author of Psycho) and Hollywood Gothic
(which Newsweek called þThe ultimate book on Dracula,ú) now offers
a colorful, irreverent and frequently very funny slide lecture based
on his new book, Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of
Halloween. With rare and compelling visuals, Mr. Skal digs deeply
into the vaults of this perplexing but always popular celebration.
He examines Halloweenÿs ancient roots in harvest rituals and human
sacrifice, the fascinating and surprising origins of Halloween icons
like pointy-hatted witches, black cats and jack-o-lanterns, and
recounts the chillingly true story behind all those urban
legends about the razor blade in the apple. He takes you on an eye-popping,
cross-country guided tour for a behind-the-scenes peek inside the
some of the best haunted houses. He chronicles how Salem, Massachusetts
exploited its witch-hunt history to become Americaÿs premier Halloween
destination, and explains why John Carpenterÿs Halloween
became one of the most successful independent films of all time,
creating the slasher genre in the process. And finally, he demonstrates
how the events of September 11 may have transformed October 31 forever.
David
J. Skal has lectured extensively on genre cinema at leading colleges
and universities. His media appearances have included Entertainment
Tonight, Joan Rivers, Charlie Rose, The CBS Evening News, and
National Public Radio's All Things Considered.