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The 2008 nominees for induction into the Halloween Hall of Fame includes 10 Halloween legends who have demonstrable influence and significance within Halloween history -- from movies to pop culture to makeup and costumes, these individuals are worthy nominees for the 2008 class of the Halloween Hall of Fame.
Jamie Lee Curtis: Born in Los Angeles, CA on November 22, 1958. Curtis' film debut was in the classic 1978 horror film Halloween, playing the role of Laurie Strode. The film was a major success and was considered the highest grossing independent film of its time, earning status as a classic horror film. Curtis was subsequently cast in several horror films, garnering her the title of a "scream queen". She went on to star in many other films in different genres but continued her role as Laurie Strode in Halloween II (1981), Halloween III Season of the Witch (1982), Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998) and Halloween: Resurection (2002). Fun Halloween Facts: Jamie is the daughter of film legends Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis. The Halloween filmmakers did not know who her parents were at the time they cast her. Ed Wood: Edward Davis Wood, Jr. (1924 – 1978) was an American motion picture director, screenwriter, actor and producer. More famous in death than he was alive, the cross-dressing Wood is known as the "worst director of all time." He went down in Halloween history with recognition in the Michael Medved book The Golden Turkey Awards and continued with the rediscovery of many of his previous works. During the 1950s, he produced a number of low-budget horror, sci-fi and cowboy films known for their "unsophisticated special effects, idiosyncratic dialogue, eccentric casts and outlandish plot elements," according to IMDB.com. Although he achieved moderate success with these films, his popular waned after the death of his biggest "star" Bela Lugosi. His cult classics include Glen or Glenda (1953), Bride of the Monster (1955), The Night the Banshee Cried (1957), Final Curtain (1957), Night of the Ghouls (1959) and Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959). Fun Halloween Facts: He was portrayed by Johnny Depp in the 1994 Tim Burton movie, Ed Wood. Mary Shelley: Mary Shelly (1797-1851) wrote the novel "Frankenstein" when she was only 19 years old after Lord Byron and friends challenged her to write a ghost story. The inspiration for the story reportedly is based on a dream she'd had a year earlier that her stillborn child was brought to life by the warmth of a fire. Fun Halloween Facts: Her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, is considered the first feminist. Rick Baker: Born in 1951, Richard Baker was the very first recipient of the Oscar for Best Make-Up for "An American Werewolf in London" in 1981. He has won 6 Oscars and has been nominated 13 times. He is responsible for the special effects makeup for such classic movies such as Star Wars (1977), King Kong (1976) The Nutty Professor (1996), Batman Forever (1995) and Ed Wood (1994). He also was responsible for the makeup in Michael Jackson's Thriller video. Fun Halloween Facts: In high school he also would go to drive-in movies showing Planet of the Apes, change into a gorilla outfit he made and sneak up to occupants of cars watching the movie to scare them. Wes Craven: Wesley Earl Craven (1939) has secured a place in Halloween history as the "king of horror." The director and writer is best known as the creator of many horror films, including the Nightmare on Elm Street series, creating one of the most frightening characters of all time -- Freddy Krueger. His first film, The Last House on the Left, helped launch the resurgence of fright films in the 1970s. And, more recently, his Scream trilogy redefined horror for a new generation and went on to gross close to half a billion dollars worldwide. Other horror credits include Swamp Thing, The Hills have Eyes, The People Under the Stairs and Vampire in Brooklyn. Fun Halloween Facts: The Freddy Kruger character is rumored to be named after a boy who used to bully Craven in high school. Tim Burton: Timothy "Tim" William Burton (1958) is an Academy Award-nominated film director, writer and designer known for the quirky and gothic atmosphere of his films. Early in his career, Burton worked at Disney and was given the freedom to work on personal projects including the 27-minute live-action Frankenweenie. Although it was deemed unsuitable for children, Paul Reubens (Pee-Wee Herman) saw it and tapped Burton to direct Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985). A surprise box-office hit, it led to the supernatural comedy Beetle Juice (1988), which led to Burton being entrusted with the high budget Batman (1989). Quirky films such as Edward Scissorhands (1990), another hit, and The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), as well as Corpse Bride (2005) define Burton's style and place him among the top directors in Halloween history. Fun Halloween Facts: Burton’s films often have a Gothic feel to them, often including Christmas and/or Halloween scenes. Sam Raimi: Sam Raimi (1959) came onto the radar of film fans with his low-budget, dark humor horror film The Evil Dead (1981). The success of the Evil Dead films started him on a road to success that included such box office classics such as The Quick and the Dead (1995), Army of Darkness (1992) and most recently the Spider Man movies. Also an actor and producer, Raimi has appeared in a number of television shows and produced television and big screen hits including The Grudge, Xena: Warrior Princess and Young Hercules. Fun Halloween Facts: Raimi usually wears a jacket and tie on the set of his films, a tribute to Alfred Hitchcock. Vlad III The Impaler: Vlad III the Impaler (1431-1476) was a Romanian ruler best known for the exceedingly cruel punishments he imposed during his reign and for serving as the primary inspiration for the vampire main character in Bram Stoker's popular Dracula novel. His Romanian surname is Draculea. His nickname as "the Impaler" originated from his preferred method for executing his opponents, impalement. Normally the stake was inserted into the body through the anus and was often forced through the body until it emerged from the mouth. Medieval Transylvanian pamphlets characterized him as exceedingly cruel. Fun Halloween Facts: His Romanian surname Draculea was derived from his father's title, Dracul, and means "The Devil" Fred Gwynne: A 6' 5" stage, screen and television actor,
Fred Gwynne (1926-1993) is best known in Halloween history for
his character in "The Munsters" (1964) as the Frankenstein-like
patriarch Herman Munster. While filming the Munsters, which lasted
two seasons, along with wearing heavy boots with four-inch lifts
on them, Gwynne had to wear 40 - 50 lbs of padding and makeup
for the role and he reportedly lost 10 pounds in one day of filming.
When The Munsters was cancelled, Gwynne returned to the theatre
to avoid typecasting. He also appeared in numerous movies: My
Cousin Vinny (1992), Pet Sematary (1989), Ironweed (1987) and
Fatal Attraction (1987). John Carpenter: John Howard Carpenter (born January 16,
1948) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, film
score composer and occasional actor. Carpenter has worked in numerous
film genres, and is considered one of the most accomplished and
influential horror and science fiction directors in Hollywood.
Some of the classic and most famous horror films he has directed:
Halloween (1978), The Fog (1980), The Thing (1982), Christine
(1983). |
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