TONIGHT! Horror Stalks the Airwaves!

Radio drama rises from the dead this Halloween as WMPG unleashes a triple set of tales of terror. From 8:30-10PM on October 31st all manners of ghouls, gods, and ghosts will infiltrate the eardrums of listeners with tales by Mind's Eye Productions/William Dufris, The Grist Mill, and an original by Portland's own FinalRune Productions.

A demon may be loose in the world, but no one believes him. A god forgotten since ancient days confronts an awestruck human. Two friends head to a haunted house and awaken an ancient evil. The terror is non-stop Halloween night as we hear H.P. Lovecraft's "The Statement of Randolph Carter," Joe Lansdale's "God of the Razor" (winner of the 2007 Ogle Award), and Frederick Greenhalgh's "Dark Passenger."

This live audio event is a collaboration of WMPG DJs Eric Poulin and Frederick Greenhalgh, the latter of whom runs a weekly show dedicated to audio theater called Radio Drama Revival! Listeners can tune in to WMPG at 90.9/104.1 FM, stream online at www.wmpg.org, or hear the podcast of the presentation after the fact at www.radiodramarevival.com.

Photo features Chris Reiling butchering a pumpkin while Philip Hobby screams in terror (see on YouTube )...

Curious? You can also hear the promo for the whole thing online.

Who is this William Dufris, and why is he trying to scare the pants off of you? He is a Maine native, hailing from Houlton. After a 13 year residency in the UK, where he had the distinct pleasure of regularly performing in a number of BBC Radio Plays, as well as producing for The Story Circle, he returned Stateside in 2001, only to discover a lamentable lack of audio theatre in the area. He immediately sought out a number of theater friends and acquaintances from his pre-UK days, with the intention of producing a localized War Of The Worlds, a la Orson Welles. However, the events of 9/11 put that idea to rest, and thus was born the series Nightmares On Congress Street (with its obvious allusion to Nightmare on Elm Street). His original plan to produce a 'live' horror disaster set in Maine finally came to fruition with "The Horror Of Walker Point." But don't rest easy... he still intends to realize his original plans for A War Of The Worlds, but for now...).

Thanks to Mr. Dufris for pointing out that tonight WKIT 100.3 FM in Bangor (Stephen King's radio station) will be doing a Halloween broadcast of some old Nightmare favorites, as well as a new piece from The Tales From The Crypt series.

Zombies Invade Biddeford!

Anyone who was in downtown Biddeford on Saturday night may have been alarmed to see small groups of zombies staggering down the street. Thankfully they were not ripping limbs from innocent pedestrians or causing carnage. They were on their way to the City Theatre for the premiere of the new zombie movie, "2", produced by local filmmakers,Emptyhouse Film.

For those who missed the event, here are some photos from the night, including some of the entrants in the zombie costume contest. Those who bemoan the lack of blood should keep in mind that contestants were asked not to douse themselves in blood, as it would not be a good idea to ruin the seats in the theatre.zombie poster art
Andy Davis on the mic
zombie Mr. T. pities the undead fool
zombie couples compete to be the best undead
some of the contestants in the zombie contest
all photos (c) Chris Wallace

more photos from the premiere of "2"

"2" was shot in Biddeford earlier this year involving a cast of more than 100 zombies, who gladly braved the frigid February temperatures to give their best impression of carnivorous stumbling death.

If you'd like to see behind the scenes photos of the making of "2", including makeup, zombie attacks, and lots of blood, here are some links.

photos from the zombie casting call and several days of filming

even more photos from filming

EVENT: Maine Zombie Film "2" Premiere 10/27

For those who have been following the saga of the Maine-filmed zombie movie, "2", or indeed those who are just hearing about it now, the wait is finally over!

To read more about the history of the film, see:

Post about the Fangoria article

"2" music video and trailer

Photos and stories about the filming

The fire that plagued the filming

Photos of the original zombie casting call

On Saturday, October 27th from 6:30 pm- 10:00 pm, the zombie film "2" will have it's world premiere at the City Theater in Biddeford, Maine. The event is open to the general public. Admission is $15/Adults and $10/Students and Senior Citizens.

"2" was filmed earlier this year at various Biddeford locations, including the Riverdam Millyard, Main Street, and the 3-D's Variety Store. Over 200 zombie extras helped create the eerie atmosphere of the film. "We were really surprised how many people from all walks of life came out to be zombies in our film, all the community support we received was amazing. We're very thankful", said Executive Producer John Lane.

On October 27th, the film will be shown in its entirety. The filmmakers will speak before and after the film. Those attending are asked to come dressed as "Zombies" for the pre-movie "Zombie Fashion Show". Prizes will be given for a variety of themes including "Best Zombie" "Best Zombie Couple" and more. "You don't have to come as a zombie, but when are you going to get another chance to come to a film's premiere as a zombie? We really want to make a night of it", said Producer Olin Smith.

"2" stars C. James Roberts and Molly W.B. Roberts as two survivors of a bio-terrorist attack that has turned everyone around them into Zombies. "2" is a feature-length film produced by Olin Smith of Motion Media, Executive Produced by John Lane of John Lane Films, and co-written and directed by Andy Davis of Emptyhouse Film. Music for the film was created by Portland band COVERED IN BEES. The film contains strong graphic content, adult themes and discretion is advised.

For ticket information, please call the Biddeford City Theater at: (207) 282-0849

A commercial for the event can be viewed here.
For information on "2" go to Emptyhouse Film's site.
For information on the Biddeford City Theater, visit their home page.
Email any questions to: emptyhousefilm[at]gmail.com

A limited number of press tickets are available for the screening. Footage and stills are also available to the press. The film's stars and crew are available for interviews. Please contact emptyhousefilm[at]gmail.com for more information.

NOTE TO ZOMBIES: DUE TO THE POTENTIAL STAINING OF FABRIC in the theatre, PLEASE DO NOT COVER YOURSELF IN FAKE BLOOD FOR THE EVENT.
-----------------------

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Doors open at 6:30 pm

Zombie Contest begins at 7:00 pm

Filmmakers speak at 7:45 pm

Film starts at 8:00 pm

Filmmakers speak at 9:30 pm


BE THERE!!!

Ongoing EVENT: Wicked Walking Tours

Gordan Tweedie is running a series of Wicked Walking Tours in Portland's Old Port and waterfront as the spooky season commences.

Tours are run daily, and are available in the daytime for more timid souls, at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and at night for more stalwart adventurers, at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday evenings through Nov. 17. As the flyer notes, “your credit is no good in the afterlife,” so tickets are cash only ($15; $13 for seniors and children under 12). Look for your guide at Bell Buoy Park, on Commercial Street between Casco Bay Lines and Flatbread Company.

For questions or to make reservations, call 730-0490, or check out www.wickedwalkingtours.com.

You can catch my review of the tour online at The Bollard. (Click here to go straight to the review.)

Photo by Michelle Souliere.

Halloween Awakened Spirits from the Library

"Give me the calm of Days decline,
to muse upon my own,"

...reads the frontispiece of the palm-sized Halloween, an artifact exhumed from the depths of the Portland Public Library's Special Collections. The volume was published in Hartford in 1847. The author, Arthur Cleveland Coxe (1818-1896), is simply attributed in the book as "A.C.C.," writes in the beginning stanzas of his narrative:

"I have been roaming in that Spirit-world,
and still my deathless love return'd to thee;
And still thy brow, thy locks in lustre curl'd,
And thy dear eye of beauty shone on me..."

Local Urban Legends

Some local urban legends collected by Mark LaFlamme are up on the Sun Journal website. Some, like "All is Well," might better be called "rural legends."

Six years ago, a group of kids dared a pre-teen to explore an abandoned well behind an ancient barn in Sabattus. The well was at the far end of a long-forgotten cemetery and it was reputed to be haunted. The boy was eager to impress his friends, however. He agreed to be lowered into the well on a rubber tire attached to a sturdy rope. His friends, giddy with excitement, lowered the boy down and down and down into the dark hole until he disappeared into the blackness.

After there was no sound from below and no movement on the rope, they hastily decided to pull their friend back up. But what they hoisted out of the well was not the young boy they knew as their friend - the lad's hair had turned pure white, his eyes were dark and wild, and he trembled with unimaginable terror. He babbled and cackled wildly and appeared to have aged decades in the few minutes down in the darkness of the well.

The boy never recovered from his madness. He is said to shriek sporadically from his padded room in the county mental institution. [Source]

Rumors of a haunted Maine library

The Britannica Blog has a Maine library on its list of haunted United States libraries. The text it quotes comes directly from page 560 of The Whole Library Handbook 4 by George M. Eberhart (also the author of the blog post), which you can see online at Google Books here.

To quote the source: "Eliot, William Fogg Library. A newspaper photo apparently shows a transparent skull floating above a staircase." This same quote appears on the Spirits of Maine page, with the addition of the following: "Also window randomly broke while kids were playing outside."

I haven't found anything else explaining this online. Perhaps an inquiry is in order.

Strange device is but a mirror

People get weirded out by just about everything these days. Proof?

Suspicious man causes brief stir at York inn
October 04, 2007 6:00 AM
by Dave Choate

YORK, Maine — Police said a suspicious man who left a strange object in an outdoor ashtray at the Stage Neck Inn turned out to be harmless.

York Police Sgt. Brian Curtin said the object was a mirror, partly obscured by leaves the man kept placing on top of it. The man was dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt and was behaving in a very suspicious manner, Curtin said.

Officers considered calling in a state trooper and bomb sniffing dog but quickly discovered that the mirror was harmless. The man was found wandering around the loading dock at the inn and was transported to York Hospital for observation.
...
[read full article here: Source]

Ban on the son of the man from the Girl from UNCLE

Will Harrison, who is the son of actor/singer Noel Harrision, who played agent Mark Slate on The Girl From U.N.C.L.E., is also the grandson of Rex Harrison. He's been attracting a lot of attention with his antics lately. To quote the Cinema Retro site:

Try to imagine a scandal that directly or indirectly involves:

Legendary actor Rex Harrison

The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.

The Sound of Music

A public park in Maine

Bipolar disorder

Attacking actors playing Nazis with spray paint

[Read the Cinema Retro writeup here: Source]

More on the event and the ones preceding it can be found on the Seacoast Online site:

On Tuesday he could be found at the counter in the District Court clerk’s office, trying to straighten out some paperwork for a series of misdemeanor crimes for which he was arrested over the past couple of months.

Behind him, security officers could be heard talking about his famous grandfather. To his left, a Herald reporter was asking questions about his famous father. To his right, a police officer was sticking around while a clerk figured out what to do about an outstanding warrant for his arrest.

“I feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone,” said Harrison, 35, with a broad smile.

The warrant for his arrest was for failing to appear at the court for one of the open charges against him and running the gamut from spray painting the word “God” on a local bridge, pushing someone, and street fighting — to playing a guitar in Market Square while calling women who passed by “rude names.”

“I’m bipolar,” Will told the reporter. “I had problems getting to my pills and it causes a mania when I don’t act like myself, which is really pretty civilized.”

He didn’t make the recent court appearance, he said, because he went to New York City to visit some friends and to check into Bellevue Hospital for mental health treatment. He picked that hospital, he said, because “it’s the classic.”

“No one wants to admit to being bipolar. There’s such a stigma,” said Harrison. “People with diabetes take insulin and there’s no problem. But it’s different when it’s the mind."

Outside the courthouse, Portsmouth Police Officer Rochelle Jones approached to present Harrison with a no trespass order barring him from Prescott Park for a year. He signed it, then explained the “spontaneous” act “with an art statement” he committed during the local theater production and leading to his banishment from the park.

Harrison said he put on a disguise of a cape and goggles, climbed onto the stage with a squirt gun and “squirted all the Nazis at the end.”

“It’s sort of like a pro-Aryan movie,” he said. “Even the music is like pro-Hitler. I found it slightly offensive.”

He then broke into a short chorus of Edelweiss.
[for the full article, please click here: Source]

The one thing that Cinema Retro got wrong? The park is in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, not in Maine. Ah well! It's still neighboring weirdness, at any rate. Just over the river!

Photo by Elizabeth Dinan from Seacoast Online.

Maine nude launches may be banned

We've posted about Maine's enthusiastic-in-all-weather nudists before, but this neat little gimmick at the Black Frog Restaurant in the Moosehead Lake area escaped our attention until now. It would be sad if it was discontinued by one person's prudery just as we found out about it. Sounds like a good old fashioned North Woods dare to me!

'Naked Lunch' May Be Banned in Maine
Oct 6, 3:18 PM EDT

GREENVILLE, Maine (AP) -- [...] A sandwich called the Skinny Dip, featuring sliced prime rib in a baguette roll, has been offered free of charge anyone willing to plunge naked from The Black Frog Restaurant's dock into a lake.

Since the free sandwich offer was introduced three years ago, owner Leigh Turner has found plenty of takers. "We've had two or three a week," he said.

But now the promotion is running into trouble: A patron apparently suggested to selectmen that the activity be banned.
[...]
The skinny dip was typically done at night, no frontal nudity was exposed to customers and a towel was readily available, Turner said. "Most everybody applauded" after the plunge, Turner said.
[for full story, please click here: Source]

No mention was made of whether the dip is done in all weathers.

Photo from the Black Frog's website.

Horror on the Radio Waves

I've been wanting to write a piece about this quiet little element in Portland's audio scene for quite some time, and the recent addition of an eerie William Hope Hodgson episode to their repertoire seems like the perfect opportunity. To quote Radio Drama Revival's blog:

This is the premiere broadcast of a new work by Mind’s Eye Productions, an excellent audio theater operation run locally by the celebrated audiobook narrator William Dufris. Dufris lends his amazing talent to his audio theater work and pairs it with excellent sound effects and eerie music, resulting in stories that will leave you unable to get out of bed for a while. Today’s story is a thrilling adaptation of William Hope Hodgson’s “The Derelict,” about a crew of sailors that finds a strange boat adrift in the endless ocean, and discovers all too gruesomely the reason for its abandonment.
[Source]

You can go to the Radio Drama Revival site to download the story and listen to it for yourself.

For years now, the folks at the Portland-based Mind's Eye Productions have been cranking out a slow but steady stream of Old Time Radio style recordings of horrific tales, under the series name of Nightmares on Congress Street. Their newest series is being released in 2008, under the title of Horrorscope, presented by Maine horror author Rick Hautala. I can't wait!

To see more about these audio theater series, check out their website, and listen to some samples!

Loren Coleman: At Home with Weirdness

Like myself, Kathryn Skelton of the Lewiston Sun Journal recently found herself with a chance to visit Loren Coleman in his Portland home, which doubles as the International Cryptozoology Museum. Loren reports on the visit here.

Kathryn's original article, with photos, is online at the Lewiston Sun Journal website.

Loren's collection is truly a treasure, and an intriguing and fun one at that. Perhaps some philanthropic local will offer him public space for the museum in the future! Just an idea, folks...

Photo by Amber Waterman of the Lewiston Sun Journal.

Weekly Photo: Horse-Drawn Milk

Our last photo was of a bunch of happy kids hanging out on the East End Beach raft, back in 1938.

Here is another photo from Portland's bygone days, courtesy of Abraham Schechter, who runs the Portland Public Library's Portland Room. This time our photo is from downtown Portland, in a park just off Congress Street, taken in 1942. This location is clearly recognizable -- let's see if anyone can pick it up! Click on the photo for a larger version to inspect details. The horse is really gorgeous. You probably needed that kind of strength to haul a wagon up and down the city's sloping ways.

Laughing All the Way Down 95N

Thanks to Adam Belanger, we have another fun vanity plate for your amusement. Belanger remarked, "I saw the NEFRTT license plate and was reminded of a friend from NY that said everyone in Maine has custom plates. I saw this one yesterday on 95N and wanted to share."Thanks Adam!

Enormous Pumpkin Demands Motor

The Cumberland County Fair celebrates it's 136 year beginning this weekend. Along with the midway, food, animals, 4H, and rodeo, the competitions attract many a fair-goer.

Each year my interest is piqued by the battle for the largest pumpkin. The orange gourds are so enormous, they could swallow a child whole - if they were so inclined and carniverous.

But what to do with a gigantic pumpkin after the Fair, you ask? I'm not sure, but a few years ago some people in the Maine Pumpkin Growers Organization came up with an ingenius idea for one such massive pumpkin. Use it as a motor boat.

Never thought I'd see a pumpkin zooming by on the river, but now I guess anything is possible.


If you want to see more photos of this unbelievable boat, head over to the
Pumpkin Boat Sea Trials page at the MePGO web site. And go see the Jabba the Hutt sized pumpkins at the Cumberland County Fair. Hurrah!

Weekly Photo: Summer Fun

Our last photo was of an ice truck on Federal Street (which no one guessed).

Here is another photo to give you a last taste of summer fun in bygone days, courtesy of Abraham Schechter, who runs the Portland Public Library's Portland Room. This time our photo is a waterfront photo, taken in 1938. I'm sure our modern, liability-lawsuit-happy society couldn't abide such fun nowadays, more's the pity. Click on the photo for a larger version to inspect details. See any familiar faces? You never know! Does anyone know where this photo view is from? Here's a hint that will give it all away -- it was taken from a Portland beach.

Joe Black update - Obituary and more

The Portland Press Herald posted a few kind words about Joe this week, and so they're online somewhere with the rest of this info, I'm going to put them in here for folks to read. His obituary is so short it's hardly more than two lines.

Joseph J. Black
BLACK, JOSEPH J. - 25, of Portland, Sept. 7, 2007. Memorial service, 6 p.m., Sept. 14, Norm's Bar & Grill, 617 Congress St., Portland. Benefit show, Geno's, 625 Congress St., Sept. 16.
[Source]

However, in other forums more was said...

SAYING GOODBYE TO JOE
Tonight 25-year-old Joe Black will be remembered and celebrated at Norm's Bar and Grill, 617 Congress St., starting at 6 p.m. The memorial service will be followed on Sunday with a benefit concert at Geno's, 625 Congress St., with a number of local bands performing.

Black died Sept. 7 when he fell six stories down an elevator shaft in the building where he lives. Police do not believe there was foul play involved.

Black was a vibrant musician and well-known in the Portland local music community, most recently as a member of the band Claymore Minds.

His family is asking people who knew and loved him to bring along any photos or stories to tell about him to either of the events.[Source]

-----------

Tribute People all across Portland's arts and music community were stunned to find out Claymore Minds guitarist Joe Black died last week. Police say Black fell down an elevator shaft by accident. Black's accident caught a lot of people off guard, and tonight friends and family are coming together to celebrate his life and help out his family. Tonight at Geno's Claymore Minds, Covered in Bees and Cryptic Overcast are playing starting at 8 p.m. It's a $5 ticket and all proceeds will go to help out Black's family.
[Source]

Thanks to Giselle Goodman and Justin Ellis, and thanks the rest of you, for not letting him go silently alone.

Joe Black benefit show SUNDAY

For those of you who knew Joe, possibly one of the nicest guys around, here is a final send-off for him, and some help for his family.

In case you missed it, here is what has been going on. Strange Maine it is, but some of the saddest Strange Maine I've ever seen.

Joe's death is finally in the paper.

Click here to read the Press Herald article.

I'll post the text here in case the link eventually expires, so folks can read it. To see it in print is a strange feeling. Barely a hint.

Missing man found dead in elevator shaft
By David Hench, Portland Press Herald Staff Writer
September 10, 2007 12:52 PM

Portland police say a man who was reported missing Friday was found dead Saturday night at the bottom of an elevator shaft in the building where he lives.

Joseph Black, 25, was found at the bottom of an unused elevator shaft at 18 Casco St. Police do not suspect foul play, but instead believe Black fell the six stories – 74 feet – by accident.

Black had been on the roof of his apartment building Friday night shortly before he disappeared and there were indications he may have fallen then, Lt. Tony Ward said.

Friday night at 6:00 is the get-together at Norm's on Congress Street for a memorial gathering. So far as I know the family is not holding any kind of public funeral service, and it is their hope that everyone can gather and toast Joe at these two meeting points. They are also hoping that anyone with photos of Joe will bring them to share.

It makes sense to find out that Joe was the youngest in his family. It's strange to hear him referred to as a "missing man." He was a perennial boy more than anything. So damn excited about everything, even when he was trying his damnedest to be cynical and hard. He could never quite seem to manage it convincingly because of all his enthusiasm. Here's to Joe, and here's to those left missing him.

EVENT: Poultrygeist premiere TONIGHT!

Well, there's nothing more strange than a Troma film, and this one has a touch of home in it. Covered in Bees, local punk friendlies and rabblerousers, are featured on the soundtrack, so Lloyd Kaufman, indy-filmmaker supreme, has gone out of his way to throw a Maine premiere of the movie here in Portland!

Go to the 7:30pm showing of the film at Nickelodeon Theatre on Temple Street, and follow up with a bang-up rock and roll show at Geno's tonight. Save your ticket stub, and save $2 on the $10 cover charge. They'll be serving hot wings for snacks!

Be forewarned, this tale of chicken zombies is not for the faint of heart, as Troma delights in pushing the envelope of acceptibility (which we love them for, but which might be upsetting to the unprepared).

Who: Covered In Bees, Confusatron, and Bass Box

When:
Friday Sep 07, 2007
at 7:30 PM, the Maine premiere of Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead by Troma Video, hosted by director Lloyd Kaufman
at 9:00 PM, the Tromafest show with all those crazy musician guys and Lloyd Kaufman as guest of honor

Where:
at 7:00 PM, at Nickelodeon Theater, 1 Temple Street, Portland (view map)
at 9:00 PM, at Geno’s Rock Club, 625 Congress Street, Portland (view map)

Linus, the unusual Rapunzel horse!

This great image comes from Buckles Blog. His site is a host for the discussion of Circus History from all over the world -- well worth checking out! On August 30th, he posted this scan of a photo postcard he has of this remarkable show horse. At the left of the image is the imprint of the photographer who printed it, namely I. L. Hammond and Co., of 129 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, Maine.

(NOTE: That same location is known today as the Osgood Building, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Description states that it was built in 1892 by architects J. L. Coburn & Son. The white enamel brick front was brought from Leeds, England, and is unique in the State of Maine. I'm not sure what year the photo of Linus is from.)

On the photo is notation of the length of Linus' magnificent measurements -- his mane is 14 feet long, and his tail is 12 feet 3 inches. Whoa! What a beauty.

Dick Flint from Baltimore added an illuminating comment about the horse's history, and his relation to the state of Maine. "Linus was bred in Marion, Oregon, about 1884, then acquired around 1890/91 by C.H. and H.W. Eaton, brothers from Calais, Maine, who were the most successful promoters of the horse. Linus was 3/4's Clydesdale and his advertised weight was 1435 lbs."