Halloween Lizzie Borden
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October and Lizzie Borden Go Together Like Peanut Butter and Jelly
First, a big thank you to followers and readers of Warps & Wefts as we mark the 600th post since 2007. Comments and emails are much-appreciated.
Well, just as seen posted here every October, Lizzie is back in time for Halloween in every fun house, horror venue, costume contest, and not more than a few really BAD films. Usually seen in a red and black dress with puffy leg-o’-mutton sleeves and red hair, she is swinging a bloody hatchet- or even more often an axe, and looking maniacal. Sadly, a really intriguing mystery goes missing in all the gore, and much misinformation about the case gets repeated as Gospel truth which makes a lasting impression. The true story is as scary as anything: two harmless old people savagely slashed and bludgeoned in the head right in the safety and comfort of their family home; home– a place which should be the haven of safety. If this can happen there- then who is safe? Horrifying thought. Rod Serling and Alfred Hitchcock got it right. Horror truly comes in the unexpected violence which intrudes into the safe and simple day-to-day, ordinary life.So this year, W&W is not going to comment on Halloween Lizzie doings all over America. Rather, try having a really good historical scare by reading the source documents on the case. The witness statements, inquest, preliminary, and trial are all available on Amazon, and some free online. And while you are waiting for your Amazon delivery, here is something interesting to read.
http://www.sacbee.com/2012/10/17/4919351/research-uncovers-evil-runs-in.html
Happy Halloween.
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Lizzie Reigns in October
October has always been a 4 star month for all things Lizzie, but this year as Halloween draws nearer, the case is everywhere. Tonight Ghost Adventures showcases their investigation at Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast Museum (Friday,Oct 21) at 9pm and Saturday Oct.22 12am or midnight on the 21st. The crew from CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood visited Lizzie’s last weekend (the same day Aron Houdini (relative of the famous Harry) came to entertain staff and guests. That segment will air on October 30th at 9 a.m.
But most thrilling of all, the long-awaited tome published by the Fall River Historical Society which will feature amazing new facts about Lizzie and her times is now launched and can be pre- ordered on the site.(November 21st availability). The anticipation for this thick volume, chocked-full of photos(over 500), some new ones of Lizzie, is going to fly off the shelves. Visit the website for all the latest information and content and order form. It’s going to be an exciting time ahead for all of us! http://lizziebordenparallellives.com/welcome/
Also visit the Facebook site https://www.facebook.com/pages/Parallel-Lives-A-Social-History-of-Lizzie-A-Borden-and-Her-Fall-River/217117611686628
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Harvest Moon over Second Street
As the evenings close in earlier and earlier, thoughts of Halloween and things that go bump in the night are in the thoughts of overnight guests at the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast Museum. Halloween Night always sells out well in advance, some rooms a year ahead. The orange glow of the street lamp casts an eerie light on #92 Friday night at 2 a.m. as guests returned from a night time tour of the city. The house has a jack-o’- lantern look as golden light pours through the windows in the dark.
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Lizzie Borden Cupcakes are a winner
Cupcakes have been a trendy foodie item recently. After the TV success of shows such as Cake Boss, Ace of Cakes, and now Cupcake Wars, it was only a matter of time before Lizzie made it to the cupcake competition. Iron Cupcake, an organization which celebrates the miniature morsels and hosts themed cupcake bake-off contests, has cupcake affiliate chapters all over. In October of this year, the Toronto branch had a Halloween competition. The entries were creative and tasty, and the competition was fierce,but in the end it was the Lizzie Borden display which won. The photo of the winning display below is from the “Cake Bites” web blog of Gabriella Caruso who was a competitor in the Halloween challenge. http://cakebitess.blogspot.com/2010/10/iron-cupcake-toronto-halloween.html
The white chocolate hatchet is spectacular and the cupcake shown on the ribbon and lace bedecked round platter in the background has a small skull on the top. Monica Law was the creator.
For more on the competition, read an article about the contestants and entries at the link below.
http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/11/27/bake-off-brawling-at-the-iron-cupcake-competition/
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Congratulations to Ric and Company!
The Alliance for Community Media has given Lizbeth the Award for Best Documentary. Congratulations to all involved in the project. The documentary will air this coming Saturday on PBS at 7 pm and Sunday at 11 pm. Some still shots may be seen below taken on the day of the shoot last Spring.
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Lizzie Borden on your iPhone?
It was bound to happen sooner or later. Here’s the announcement as written:
“Syfy is launching it first Ghost Hunters iPhone app according to a press release issued by the Network. The app will use the iPhone’s GPS capabilities to guide the user to more than 100 locations investigated by the Ghost Hunters team, which are open to the public. The app will direct users to the nearest haunted hotels restaurants, museums and tourist attractions and will include the history of the location and the results of the Ghost Hunters’ investigation of the location.
The app will include locations such as Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay, Calif., Lizzie Borden’s House in Fall River, Mass., Mansfield Reformatory from The Shawshank Redemption in Mansfield, Ohio, St. Augustine Lighthouse in St. Augustine, Fla., and The Stanley Hotel from The Shining in Estes Park, Colo.”
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Belle of Fall River
Amherst, Mass. may have its “Belle” a.k.a. Emily Dickinson, but if it’s October in Massachusetts, with Halloween just around the corner, Emily takes a back seat to Miz Lizzie. Stand by for a plethora of programs on the sharpest gal in town from the Discovery Channel, PBS and the Travel Channel. Jeffrey Arrowood, an attorney and former police chief will appear on Discovery Channel’s “Ghost Lab,” acting as prosecutor in a trial scenario at 8 p.m. Oct. 28th. The filming was done this past May at the house on Second Street.
http://www.nwfdailynews.com/news/local-33950-attorney-ghosts.html
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October Mutton Eaters is now Online
October seems the right time to publishThe Victorian Celebration of Death
The Borden Funerals
Those Victorians sure knew how to mourn and how to keep Loved Ones around for years after the funeral through Memento Mori. To find out more about the customs of the era, and the Borden funeral in particular, visit the link for October Mutton Eaters online. Why did Lizzie wish her grave “bricked over”. What is a mort-safe?
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Lizzie Borden is Halloween’s New Pin-Up Girl
As Halloween draws nearer every year, there seem to be more and more “Lizzie sightings”. Whether in haunted corn mazes, horror theme attractions, Halloween costumes or a proliferation of Lizzie Borden-based plays- the little gal with the hatchet is everywhere from August right through to All Saints Day!
The Discovery Channel has set the Ghost Lab show of the investigation of the Borden house for Oct 25th, with a preview on the 19th. The Travel Channel repeated its look at America’s Most Terrifying Places again this past weekend, Nance O’Neil is coming to a close this weekend in Manhattan and coming soon- a new play, Lizzie Borden Took An Axe, by Garrett Heater will be the debut production of a brand new theatre group.
http://blog.syracuse.com/entertainment/2010/10/new_theater_company_stages_ori.html
Stay tuned for all-new Lizzie & Family productions coming this Fall on the Discovery channel, a landmark book on Fall River and Lizzie coming from the Fall River Historical Society, and the Borden case documentary shot by Ric Rebelo this past spring will be airing Saturday, October 30th at 7pm on Rhode Island PBS– the day before Halloween. And Sunday night, the 31st, is ALWAYS a special night at #92 Second Street and is sold out a year in advance!
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Lizzie Borden: Now A Halloween Fixture
With Halloween soon upon us, haunted houses, haunted hayrides and other ghoulish attractions are busily preparing costumes and features. In recent years Lizzie Borden has become a fixture at many of these horror attractions. She is usually portrayed in black and red clothing with a large bloody axe swinging wildly, and covered in gore. Poor Lizzie. You can imagine what she would think of this portrayal. The Taunton Gazette, the publication from the city of her 10 month incarceration has published an article on Lakeville’s entry for Halloween 2010. http://www.tauntongazette.com/lifestyle/lifestyle_calendar/x861574152/Lakeville-Haunted-House-preparations-underwayHere are a few options available this year, this one titled a Lizzie Borden Wedding Dress from Amazon.com-and with a KNIFE.
Here’s a better -looking version available at http://www.retroscopefashions.com/lolita1.html
And here are a couple of Halloween Lizzies from 2009 (sorry the credits are unavailable)
To see this live-action Halloween prop, visit Dave and Tracy’s photobucket video of this tombstone’s “special feature”. http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v630/DaveNTracy/Lizzie%20Borden%20Tombstone/?action=view¤t=012-1.flv
There will be more.
