PsychoHalloween.com

Not even Halloween costumes can get much more psychotic than a mass-murdering madman, and today’s post goes over the top 5 of all-time. As far as human evil goes, these men stared it straight in the face and laughed. They made the devil weep with envy over their deeds and utter disconnection with compassion and empathy. But enough talk about evil and blah, blah, blah – let’s get to the good stuff.

Theodore Robert ‘Ted’ Bundy (Nov. 24, 1946 – Jan. 24, 1989)

Between 1974 and 1978, Ted Bundy murdered scores of women all across the United States. While the total number of victims is unknown, Bundy admitted to 30 murders, and police expect the actual number is much higher. Bundy would approach his victim during the day, in a public place, so as to create trust, and then lead them back to his car, where he would club them in the head.

When Ted Bundy went to trial he had five court-appointed lawyers given to him, though he insisted on acting as his own attorney. The Judge, after passing sentence, said the following:

“It is ordered that you be put to death by a current of electricity, that current be passed through your body until you are dead. Take care of yourself, young man. I say that to you sincerely; take care of yourself, please. It is an utter tragedy for this court to see such a total waste of humanity as I’ve experienced in this courtroom. You’re an intelligent young man. You’d have made a good lawyer, and I would have loved to have you practice in front of me, but you went another way, partner. Take care of yourself. I don’t feel any animosity toward you. I want you to know that. Once again, take care of yourself.”

Javed Iqbal (1956 – 2001)

Hailing from Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, Javed Iqbal claimed to have killed 100 boys during an 18-month period. Before this killing spree, however, Iqbal was caught sexually abusing two boys, went to jail, and then got off on bail, which is believed to have led to the killing spree. Iqbal would charm boys on the street, and then drug, rape, and strangle them, cutting their bodies into pieces and dumping them into a vat of hydrochloric acid. The liquefied remnants of the bodies were dumped into the sewer, until neighbors complained about a smell.

Iqbal was caught and sentenced to death by hanging, but before the sentence could be carried out, he was found strangled in his prison cell. Pakistani authorities believe he committed suicide.

John Haigh (July 24, 1909 – Aug. 10, 1949)

Known as the “Acid Bath Murderer,” John Haigh was a serial killer in England during the 1940s. Although he was convicted of killing six people, Haigh claimed to have killed a total of nine. After the victims were killed, he dissolved the bodies in acid and sold their possessions for cash. Detectives soon discovered Haigh’s record of theft and fraud, which led to a search of Haigh’s workshop. Police discovered dissolved human remains, along with papers referring to various murders.

When Haigh was condemned to a cell in Wandsworth Prison, he asked if it would be possible to have a trial run of his death by hanging execution. The request was denied, and Haigh was led to the gallows on August 10, 1949.

Look, you want to scare someone half to death? You use phobias – it’s as simple as that. Phobias are psychological triggers that cause massive amounts of anxiety, often ending with a person breaking down. If you run a haunted house, these triggers are what you want to activate.

So without further adieu, here are the most common phobias:

• Acrophobia – Fear of Heights: Can’t get much more common than the fear of heights. Who wants to fall to their death? No one – that’s who. Some haunted houses have pulled this phobia off, while others fail
• Claustrophobia – Fear of Enclosed Spaces: Every feel that whole-body fear of being trapped? You move and squirm and scream until someone comes to help. Nearly everyone is affected by some degree of claustrophobia.
• Nyctophobia – Fear of the Dark: Nothing creates fear and anxiety quite like the darkness. Haunted houses understand this fact, and they use it without discretion. This fear stems from the unknown lying within that darkness, for anything could be waiting. Great phobia – love it.
• Ophidiophobia – Fear of Snakes: Indiana Jones understood this fear, and he’s the bravest man in the world. You think you’re better than the bravest man in the world? Nope! No one wants to have two snake teeth dig deep into the flesh, injecting poison into the veins. Screw that!
• Arachnophobia – Fear of Spiders: Imagine your body covered in spiders. Not too pleasurable, right? Yup, it’s actually horrifying, which is why it’s one of the most common phobias. It’s the same as the previous phobia, except with a smaller creature that’s harder to follow.
• Astraphobia – Fear of Thunder and Lightning: Loud noises and the sudden sight of lightning causes people to go crazy. They run and attempt to find shelter, securing themselves somewhere far from nature’s fury. But if you run a haunted house, you don’t have to provide shelter. Make them suffer beneath Mother Nature! Make them suffer!

Whether you’re making Halloween costumes or running a haunted house, these phobias are essential, because these are the psychological tools of fear. Use them, understand them, and then have fun with them. After all, Halloween is the celebration of horror, and what’s more horrifying than the medical classifications of fear?

Haunted houses are the best part of Halloween – no questions asked. There’s nothing like stumbling into the darkness of some stranger’s house, to be chased and yelled at by minions in Halloween costumes. Even just writing that sentence is psychotic, never mind that it actually happens. Isn’t Halloween great?

Throughout my many years alive on this bleak globe I have traveled to countless haunted houses. While all of them have left a scar on my memory, there are five that stand out among the crowd. These five haunted houses pack fear and fright into every square inch of the house, and now you’ll know where to go to find them.

1. Bates Motel & Pennhurst Asylum: Located in Philadelphia, PA, the Bates Motel includes a haunted house and a hayride. I don’t usually enjoy hayrides – too boring and mundane – but these two were insane. The hayride takes you through a 200-year-old forest, which is equipped with sound systems, pyrotechnics, costumed actors, and all kinds of crazy things. Plus, nearby is the Pennhursy Asylum, a haunted location that has been investigated by professional ghost hunters.
2. The 13^th Gate: Down in Baton Rouge, LA, they know how to stir up a mean pot of fear, as evident by the 13^th Gate. This haunted house spares no expense with their level of detail. Not only will you find real snake-infested swamps, claustrophobia rooms, voodoo shows, and a subterranean passage, but they also have an actual fear factory. What that means, you’ll have to find out.
3. The Darkness: St. Louis, MO, is home to the Darkness, a haunted house with a bone-chilling atmosphere. The Darkness includes animatronics, pyrotechnics, and an attention to detail that rivals high-end Hollywood movie sets. In fact, the ending of this haunted house dumps you into the Monster Museum, a collection of rare and unique horror movie items. If you love being scared and seeing expensive pieces of horror history, add the Darkness to your list of must-see places.
4. Headless Horseman: Next time you visit Ulster Park, NY, check out the Headless Horseman, an attraction that includes a haunted house and hayride. Again, not big on hayrides, but this one wasn’t bad. It’s not the same as Bates Motel – less haunt and more ride. However, it does feature a massive corn maze, six haunted houses, and food vendors. Grab yourself a date as crazy as you, and then venture into the Headless Horseman.
5. Netherworld: Atlanta, GA, is home to a legendary haunted house known as Netherworld. This haunted house has been said to have the scariest special effects, both noise and visual, and hires only the most badass of actors. Rather than follow the usual must-be-dark trope of haunted houses, Netherworld focuses on actual nightmares – spiders, snakes, and so forth. This place is so popular, it’s the only haunted house to presell tickets before it opens, because they sell out that fast.

There’s nothing more psychotic than blood, that’s why I keep a herd of goats in my backyard. You never know when the monster behind the wall is going to get hungry and demand a fresh coat of blood paint. Better safe than sorry, that’s what my dad always told me.

So here we go – making fake blood. It’s way cheaper than real blood and you can make as much as you need.

Ingredients:

• ½ Cup of Corn Syrup
• 10 Drops of Red Food Coloring
• 1 Tablespoon Corn Starch
• ¼ Cup of Water

If you have all three of these already, let’s get down to whipping up that gooey mess. Lay down a plastic sheet to keep the blood off the floor, because this stuff stains if you leave it too long.

Directions:

• Put 3 teaspoons of corn starch in a mixing bowl.
• Pour some of the corn syrup in the mixing bowl and mix. Once the mixture becomes firm, add the rest of the corn syrup
• Add ¼ cup of water and stir well. Add the red food coloring and continue stirring.
• Throw this concoction into the microwave and set that puppy on high for 2 minutes. (Everyone’s microwave is different, but you want the mixture to boil.)
• Take out of the microwave (warning: hot), let it cool, and you are done.

This mixture of fake blood is perfect for putting anywhere but on fabric and carpets. As long as the surface is firm and unable to soak up the liquid, this stuff comes out no problem. Use a sponge or mop it up. But whatever you do, make sure you actually clean it up, even if left outside. The sugars attract flies and your whole house will be covered by black vermin.

If you’re like me, you skip the trick-or-treating scene and head straight into the mucky madness of Halloween parties. The noise, costumes, music, and mingling with monsters, it all combines into an evening of utter fantasy. But there’s a huge difference between hometown and big-budget parties, and we have the top 5 craziest Halloween parties held throughout the year.

Number 5: Vampire Ball
Houston, Texas

The Vampire Ball celebrates the strangest and wildest costumes, tattoos, and body modifications. In fact, the ball has a specific prize for the individual with the craziest image. But the Vampire Ball goes further than a simple party: there’s a masquerade, a haunted house, concerts, and all sorts of strange food vendors. You won’t find this party pumping somewhere in your neighborhood.

Number 4: Freaks, Follies & Sideshows
New Orleans, Louisiana

Mardi Gras is only one of the major parties held within New Orleans, and the Freaks, Follies & Sideshows holds up to the city’s love of partying. This Halloween party spans four whole days, making it one of the year’s largest celebrations. Since the whole city gets in on the fun, the Anne Rice fan club party occupies one building, the Hotel Monteleone hosts the Ghoulish Gala, and loads of Halloweeners take to the streets for the Endless Night Festival.

Number 3: West Hollywood Carnival
Los Angeles, California

What started as a carnival of only a couple hundred people eventually grew to include approximately half of a million participants. The streets are stuffed with people partying long into the evening, and even longer into the morning, and everyone disperses into their own private party the next day. If you want to go absolutely insane this Halloween, join this party.

Number 2: New York’s Village Halloween Parade
Greenwich Village, New York

Leave it to New York to throw one of the best Halloween parties of the year. Something like 42 bands play live on the various Greenwich streets, while puppets dance and parade floats wander the streets. This event has been voted as “The Greatest Event on Earth for October 31” by Festival International, and it’s included in the book 100 Things to Do Before You Die.

Number 1: Fetish & Fantasy Ball
Las Vegas, Nevada

Before you go wandering out to Vegas for this party, know this: it’s an erotica ball, and anyone not wearing a costume is fined $40.  But the person with the best costume actually wins $1,200. This event has been named “One of the Top Ten Events In The World” by the Travel Channel, and it features laser cannons, haunted houses, stilt walkers, and all sorts of strange erotic sights. You can’t go much more crazy than this party, and if you attend, let us know how it goes.

Welcome to the deep dark world of Psycho Halloween! We’re into the darkest of the dark when it comes to everything Halloween. From the history of Halloween to creepy Halloween merchandise like decorations and super scary props, we love it. Keep checking back often for more posts about the best in macabre, dark, and the scary Halloween topics.