While I’m scared to even touch myspace code—let alone try out it’s new layout—the Dance Party Massacre Fanpage on facebook has recently been redone.
New photos, RSS Feed (from this blog), Posted Items, Favorite Pages, and more. Facebook allows for features we can’t do on this site, so when you’re on facebook check in and participate with us on our page!
Now if only I could turn the background BLACK…
-Alex
A week or so ago there was an Art Swap in my office for the holidays. I decided to put together a special DPM package for one (un)lucky winner.
I took a box, covered it in blank paper and managed to concoct a pull-off top. I created a wallpaper of old film posters and covered the inside in it. The bottom was filled with candy and buttons and eyeballs and vampire fangs with the present lifted on a platform beneath it all.
The prize was 3 shirts from the line, and a mix CD to play at their next party (plus getting to unwrap it all!). I put a Warning Label on the outside to dismay anyone who might not enjoy a gift like this… and to generally make people wonder WTF it was.
I would send out every shirt like this in the mail if I could!
Attention Australian customers, we made it to your shore!
Fabulous Nobodies (FABNOB) is a new Australian online t-shirt retailer. They stock a range of gear from overseas labels, with the focus being on emerging brands that have yet to make it to Australian markets. So if you don’t want to pay international shipping fees, now you don’t have to!
Dance Party Massacre is among the select lines being offered and I thank Rohan for carrying us. Being among other labels I respect like Seibiei, Imaginary Foundation (so good), Glamour Kills, and Hecklewood we like our spot at FABNOB!
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“DPM’s brilliant juxtaposition of dance parties and horror films – combined with their upbeat attitude – resonates well with FABNOB and Australian consumers. Dance parties Down Under will never be the same again!”—SOMEBODY (FABNOB Crew)
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Thanks,
Alex
Why I haven’t posted about a singular horror movie, or talked specifically about a film in general, surprises me. The whole idea behind Dance Party Massacre would not exist without my obsessive nature over horror films and the genre they sit in. It might have been my subconscious trying to sway me from pigeonholing the line into a “horror line”, but I’m sort of over that now, so here we go on some films I saw recently.
THE SIGNAL
I heard some buzz about this movie, but it took me a while to actually check it out. I think there’s buzz in the horror film community, and then there’s general movie buzz, and I hadn’t heard much about this movie besides on horror sites.
AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHY.
This little movie managed to pull off something creative, original, and definitely entertaining. It’s one of those movies that’s hard to give it a genre stamp. It’s not really horror. It’s not action. There seemed to be a lot of underlying themes behind why things were happening, and it warrants a second viewing to see. There’s just some movies where you watch them and know there’s something there—That the people had a vision.
THE STRANGERS
Heard good stuff about this film and caught it at Redbox. I watched it alone in the living room, and I have to say it was freakin tense! What this movie manages to do is spin the cliches enough that what you’re watching seems original, even though it’s a fairly standard “young white people getting stalked by a masked killer” scenario.
What this film did best was keep you in suspense. There’s scares, and jumps, and gore, but inbetween them I never felt comfortable enough to just breathe a sigh of relief. While the common POV of the killer is so often used since Halloween, The Strangers really makes it so you feel like you are the victim being haunted the entire time.
And it’s CREEPY CREEPY CREEPY!
RETURN TO SLEEPAWAY CAMP
A completely huge reason why I love the horror movie genre, besides the interesting metaphors it can create, is the devout following it has. I don’t think there’s any other genre that holds conventions, holds Horror Nights at Universal, has magazines solely on the subject, and creates endless sequels.
For this reason we have Return to Sleepaway Camp—a 4th entry in the sort of well-known Sleepaway Camp series, and 2nd direct sequel to the original which was made back in 1983 with the most previous entry released in 1989.
This is a film that had a 4th entry begin production and then stop halfway through, but somehow we managed to get another (after countless delays) in 2008. There’s even talks of another two in the works!
Watching this film was just like watching the others. The movie felt dated, the movie wasn’t that good (I hate that annoying fat kid), the plot was mah, but it felt like what it should be. That might sound bad, but it fit with this series. It felt nostalgic, and it was all the better because I still can’t believe I was watching a modern-day sequel to the 1983 Sleepaway Camp.
It’s a testament to the fans of this genre, and it gets me going. I would be so happy to have fans like that on anything I create.
-Alex
Hey everyone,
Just a quick recap of things I saw in Boston this weekend for annyyoone that cares.
Friday night I stopped by LAB Boston to check out their joint show with Proletariat. It was 100 Artists with 100 Pieces all for under $100. I stopped by to check out my bud Kenji’s work, but ran into other friends who had art in the show like Fish McGill and Brian Butler. The place was packed, there was free beer, and most of the art was pretty well-made. It was worth checking out fo sho.
(By the by, LAB is currently not carrying Dance Party Massacre. While (from what I gathered) it sold well there, Kim and Todd need to get in gear for a new order, so we can have another party there when we release new stuff. 
If you’re looking for DPM in Allston stop by Horror Business which is currently carrying it.)
TBG’s annual photo booth.
Since the world is in a recession, my full-time place of employment decided against a Holiday Party, but luckily The Barbarian Group did not and I snuck in on my friend’s invites. It took place at The Paradise Rock Club and was a smashing good time.
Thank you, thank you Barbarians. You are a good bunch.
Sunday I squeezed in checking out Mass Market 3. I’ve sold Dance Party Massacre at the event the past two times, but it never seemed to hit the mark. I opted out this year, but many vendors did not and the people came to see. Mass Market is much more of a DIY, craft, vintage market so if you’re into that visit it next time.
I did run into the guys from Beasted who had a table. Sheel said he’d pass along Dance Party Massacre to Karmaloop, so who knows? Maybe you’ll see DPM at the Kazbah in the future!
PEACE OUT.
Alex
I just came across this—a friend sent it to me.
100 Illustrated Horror Film Posters Part 1 and Part 2
It’s all so good!
They’re illustrated, so notice that means NONE OF THEM ARE CURRENT. Maybe that makes sense with the advance in technology. And maybe I only like these because they look vintage. But I think when you have to spend countless hours drawing and painting with no “Undos” then maybe your composition and ideas turn out better too.
-Alex
PS-I did my Senior Thesis on the stereotypes of film poster design, so I’ve looked at quite a few. Check out The Movie Poster Toolbox to see how easy it is to create your own.
If I lived in Las Vegas, my guess would be I’d be checking out Indie Krush for all the good events around town. They’ve hosted parties called Blood Orgy and Nightmare on Fremont Street!
They asked me some quick questions and featured the line on the site. THEY ASKED ME WHAT HORROR MOVIES I LIKED TO DANCE TO.
I liked that.
