I hope this note finds you well, and that Autumn is in some part of its swing through your neck of the woods. My wife Laura and I got out on the road with Dad yesterday for a nice Sunday drive to take in the sunny day and all the fall foliage. We had an idyllic afternoon complete with a stop for ice cream, and a farm stand to pick up some last minute pumpkins for the porch. It’s an especially beautiful fall, and Halloween is right around the corner.
To celebrate the spooky season, per our usual agreement, I’ve been perusing the streaming services for scary movies. As I’ve mentioned in years past, being a child of the eighties, I have a special place in my heart for the slasher movies from back then.
I’ve always been more of a Jason guy, although I make a point to watch “Halloween” on or around Hallow’s Eve. That being said, I’ve already made my way through the first 6 of the Friday the 13th franchise! And in my opinion, there’s no reason to go further. In fact, one can leave out part 5 and have a top notch film fest featuring the hockey masked monster of Crystal Lake.
Along with the usual suspects, I’ve been digging into some older films.
I caught Frankenstein in Universal Pictures’ 1931 original, and in “The Curse of Frankenstein” from Hammer Film Productions. One night last week I stayed up too late watching Vincent Price in a couple film adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe’s standards.
These old pictures based on comparatively ancient tales from writers who set the bar for the genre inspired this year’s Halloween Pipe Release. Eight new pipes named after four authors and one of the works that cemented them in the horror lexicon.
Below is the entire collection. If you see one you like, check to see if it's still available
here. Hope you get all the treats you're looking for!
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
The Washington Irving pipe (top) pays homage to the author who brought American folklore to life. The warm, earthy tones evoke the nostalgia of autumn nights and timeless tales. Sleepy Hollow (bottom) has a tremendous size and imposing silhouette, evoking the foreboding energy of Irving's haunted valley. Its flowing shape brings the looming presence of the Headless Horseman to mind, while the rugged texture evokes the eerie, shadowy woods.
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Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The flowing lines of the petite Mary Shelley pipe (top) capture the haunting elegance of Shelley's imagination. The stark contrast of the dark bowl and bright stem evokes the tension between light and shadow, life and death—mirroring the Gothic themes that permeate her work. Frankenstein (bottom) is a green paneled pipe with a shape reminiscent of the iconic depiction of Frankenstein's monster in the classic film.
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The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
The partial rustication of the Henry James pipe (top) reflects the refined complexity of the author’s works, including the atmospheric tension of The Turn of the Screw, his iconic ghost story. The Turn of the Screw pipe (bottom) has a subtle, swirling grain that echoes the tale’s twisting narrative, while the smoky stem adds a touch of eerie mystery.
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The Tell-tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe
The tribute to the master of macabre, Edgar Allan Poe (top), evokes the tension in his stories—elegant yet unsettling. The deep hue of the bowl mirrors the dark depths of Poe's tales, while the grain of the briar suggests the feathers of his ominous raven caller. The Tell-tale Heart (below), with its blood-red stain and stem, pulses with intensity, much like the obsessive heartbeat in Poe's chilling tale. The vibrant color and irregular shape suggest both the literal heart and the madness within.
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