Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twin Peaks Parody

Vampires Suck (Blood)
Do you remember all of the somewhat cheesy, but fun horror shows that were on TV during the 90’s like Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Mark Frost’s and David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. Were you always a big fan of Special Agent Dale Cooper or a huge fan of Giles, Willow, Xander, and the rest of the “Scooby Gang”? Do you just love it when some good-old fashioned comedy collides with some of your favorite cult classics? Well, if the answer to some or all of these questions is a resounding “yes”, you may want to check out the Riot Theater in Boston this weekend.

This is because the Riot Theater is hosting an improv performance known as “BuffyProv! / Twin Peaks” from 8:00 P.M. to approximately 9:30 P.M. tomorrow night (Saturday, April 23, 2016). This event will let you see a group of incredibly amusing comedians perform their own unscripted parodies of all of your favorite characters and scenes from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twin Peaks. However, it is important to remember that even though there will be vampires, spirits, and all sorts of supernatural creatures, the only thing these slayers and monster hunters are really concerned with is making sure that you laugh yourself…to death. For more information on “BuffyProv! / Twin Peaks: A Double Feature of Improvised Parodies” and/or to order tickets for the event, please visit the BuffyProv Facebook page or the BuffyProv! / Twin Peaks Eventbrite Page.

Photo credit: Enokson via VisualHunt / CC BY

Edgar Allan Poe: Master of the Macabre

Edgar Allan Poe and HP Lovecraft
I’ve been reading a lot of H.P. Lovecraft lately, and one of the things that has stood out to me most about Lovecraft’s writing is just how much inspiration he derived from the works of Edgar Allan Poe. In fact, even though Lovecraft typically wrote about supernatural horror instead of the more worldly horror that is seen in most of Poe’s works, it is clear that Lovecraft had a profound admiration for Poe. This admiration is clear in Lovecraft’s writing not only because Lovecraft attempted to mimic Poe’s style in a number of his stories but also because Lovecraft made references to Poe and his macabre style regularly throughout his works. However, in order to truly appreciate the effect that Poe had on Lovecraft, you have to understand the power of Poe’s stories, and if you’re looking for a way to truly experience the power of Poe, you will definitely want to head over to Gore Place in Waltham on Saturday.

This is because Gore Place is hosting Edgar Allan Poe: Master of the Macabre at 2:00 and 3:30 P.M. on Saturday, January 23, 2016. This event, which is primarily intended for horror fans over the age of 15, will allow you to experience Poe’s “Masque of the Red Death” and several of Poe’s other works as if the literary scholar reading them was actually Poe himself. Best of all, you can get tickets to the event for half price ($7.50 instead of $15 a person for nonmembers) by ordering your tickets on the Goldstar Events website. For more information on Edgar Allan Poe: Master of the Macabre, please visit the Goldstar Events website or the Gore Place website.

Photo credit: gregveen via Foter.com / CC BY-SA

A Truly Terrifying Friday the 13th

A Raven Under the Full Moon Light
When you stop and think about it, we’re a strange species. I mean how many other species actively seek out things that frighten them? The answer, of course, is probably not too many because, when you get right down to it, humans are one of the the only animals that has shown any interest in scaring themselves silly at all. However, even though we appear to be in the minority, there’s nothing wrong with seeking out the catharsis that comes with a little controlled horror now and then. And, if you’re looking for a way to truly terrify yourself as the full moon rises on this Friday the 13th, here are a few things that you should definitely check out.

First, if you’re a video game fan looking for something that will give you nightmares, I highly recommend the Nintendo DS game, 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors. This game, which is often abbreviated as 999, is a visual novel in which you take on the role of a 21-year-old college student who finds himself aboard a sinking ship. However, your character’s problems don’t stop there for, shortly after you awake, you come to the realization that you have been kidnapped and placed on board the ship to participate in a disturbing game. The game, as the game’s title indicates, is to work with nine people to escape through nine doors within nine hours, and failure to do so (or failure to follow the rules) will lead to your untimely demise. If 999 sounds like something you just have to check out, you can find out more about the game on the Official Aksys Games 999 website or purchase the game from Amazon.

Secondly, if you’ve already played 999 or you’re just looking for an escape game that’s a little more “real”, you may want to check out Trapped in a Room with a Zombie. Trapped in a Room with a Zombie, which is presented by Room Escape Adventures, is a live-action escape game in which 12 people have 60 minutes to solve a series of puzzles. The only problem is that you and your friends (whether you brought them with you or just met them) won’t actually be alone in the room. In fact, there will be one extremely hungry zombie chained to the wall and his chains will get a little longer every five minutes. As a result, you need to be pretty fast. For more information on Trapped in a Room with a Zombie, please visit the Room Escape Adventures website.

Finally, if you’re a big fan of the AMC series, The Walking Dead, and you think dodging one zombie is child’s play, you may want to head over to the Westin Waterfront in Boston. This is because the Westin Waterfront is hosting Walker Stalker Con from 12:00 P.M. today (Friday the 13th) to Sunday, June 15th at 5:00 P.M. This event will allow you to meet a number of actors and actresses from The Walking Dead, including Jon Bernthal (Shane), Steven Yeun (Glenn), Lauren Cohan (Maggie), Michael Cudlitz (Abraham), Chad Coleman (Tyreese), and a bunch more. It will also give you the opportunity to meet some of the stars of The Boondock Saints and AMC’s Comic Book Men, attend a variety of panels, purchase a wide assortment of zombie-themed items in the Dealer’s Room, and more. For more information on Walker Stalker Con, please visit the Walker Stalker Con Boston 2014 website.

Photo credit: Luz Adriana Villa A. / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)