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Monday, October 31, 2016
A Haunting We Will Go!
'The reason I love Halloween is that unlike most holidays, Halloween is one you can make entirely your own. There are no pressures to decorate (which I do), or cook, (which I don't) there are no family meals or visits from the cousin you choose to avoid most of the rest of the year. There are no gifts to buy and there are not battles over whether the religious connection should or should not be in the play and you eat things you mostly try to avoid the rest of the year. Halloween is also the night you can dress as you would the rest of the year if only you could get away with it!'
Tye Briggs, FH (2012)
The hours between the end of school and heading out the door trick or treating almost had the feel of Christmas Eve. Excitement, anticipation and on October 31st, a wee bit of fear. I remember going out in the 80's, with my siblings, one hand holding my fathers hand, the other holding the plastic pumpkin. When I got old enough to go out with friends, my father remained at home and the plastic pumpkin had turned into a pillow case.
By the early 90's, I was still going out, but the pillow case was more of a suitcase for eggs and silly string and I joined my friends with the intentions of causing lots of trouble. Usually, the eggs ended up being smashed on the street, and the instinct to cause problems was over taken with the instinct to acquire as many mini kit kats as I possibly could.
Getting home was always anti-climatic, yet had it's own levels of joy. Taking off the costume, (and often the winter coat) putting my UNICEF box on the bureau, and piling the large quantities of candy onto my bed. I am sure I am not alone in separating the bars, the chips and candy kisses and disposing of any apples or tooth brushes that found their way into the bag. After trading with my siblings, (usually to get rid of the cheezies) the bars were eaten first. I love opening up those mini loot bags and seeing what was inside. Usually it was candy kisses and chiclets. I didn't eat that night were hidden in the back of my closet. Although it never did, I was always sure the candy was going to last me until Christmas!
Today Halloween is quite different. I still love it, but it's joy comes in the weekends that come before and after. Decorating, parties, trips to get a pumpkin and horror movie marathons. On Halloween night, I am usually rushing home to carve the pumpkin and give out candy for an hour or so. Then, I usually head to my best friends home and give out more candy and greet my God daughter when she returns from trick or treating. There is always a moment though, usually when I get back home later in the night. The wind is cool, the night, now quiet and that same feeling of arriving home with pillow case comes flooding back. Although I miss those childhood Halloweens, I never have to worry about running out of mini kit kats again...
One of the images below I have posted before, but went a-searching for more from the shoot. I never did find the source, but found two others from the series. If anyone knows anything more about the shoot, please let me know.
New Manhattan Studios: Models Gone Mad...
Mason
New Manhattan Studio's gorgeous ghouls mark several returns to the site. The studio's images have been featured each of the last three Halloweens, and I am hoping it is now a firmly planted tradition! behind the impressive make-up you may also recognize Ricardo, a model from NMS that I featured several times in the past. If you didn't recognize Ricardo's face, I am sure the site of his impressive body rang a bell or two...
You may not recognize our first caped sexy beast, but behind the make up is model and actor Mason O'Sullivan, a model I featured several times between 2009 and 2011. When Wes first sent on some teasers from his Halloween shoot I barely recognized Mason, and it wasn't until Wes included his full name that it all came together!
I have to thank Ricardo, Mason and especially Wes for getting together to shoot a Halloween themed shoot exclusively for readers of FH. Although the images may depict hot menacing models, I think it may have been Wes who went a little batty with my Halloween requests and fighting against his impulse to always shoot models looking their very best! Even with the capes, props and make-up, Ricardo and Mason remain two incredibly handsome little devils!
Ricardo
The Halloween session was long-discussed and planned for weeks. In the end it was a roll-with-the-punches imrov session with a sense of serendipity that I carried over into the editing. Mason one of the models I worked with in Los Angeles last month, was in town and we planned to do a studio shoot to follow-up on the work we did in a stunning home in the Hollywood Hills. I asked him if he’d be up to some Halloween-themed fun for part of his New York City session and he was all in.
As a back-up, I had lined up Ricardo, the body-building brother of our studio assistant and second cameraman, Alex. Ultimately I decided to shoot both models and booked their sessions back-to-back. The biggest problem that I had was that said assistant, Alex, was out of town. I had already put Mason on notice that he might be pressed into service prepping and steaming his wardrobe before the shoot. At the last minute, a talented young lady, who’s both an aspiring photographer and a makeup artist, was referred to me. She was able to arrive midway into Mason’s session so I seized the opportunity to use her makeup skills to add some ghoulishly-themed face paint.
Thanks to Ricardo’s early arrival, in the end we wound up with a couple of models in the studio at the same time and an unexpected chance to shoot the two of them on the paper together. It was a fleeting opportunity that ended within minutes when the clock expired on Mason’s session and he was off for an evening in New York, heading to his old stomping grounds on the trendy Lower East Side. Squeezing what was essentially 3 sessions with 2 models into 4 hours, would have been challenging enough. But taking another half hour out of the schedule for each make-up session severely limited the amount of time for any one session.
I was pleased that we were able to squeeze so much in, but I would have loved to have been able to work with the models to get something beyond the static set pieces that we had time to capture. I especially would have loved to have spent more time with the two models together but I am grateful that we had the six or seven minutes that allowed us to capture the handful of shots that we did. I am also grateful for the opportunity that this session provided for me to celebrate a red-letter date of the studio. Some of the photography that is now identified as early work for New Manhattan Studios was taken prior to 2011, but that Halloween was the day that I quit a previous job (and advertising career) to devote myself full-time to photography. It marked a return to my roots. I had started my career as a photojournalist and after years of commissioning, art-directing and supervising photography sessions, I intended to end my career by returning to the creative side of the camera.
Within months of hanging out the corporate shingle, Tye found the studio online and over the past five years his interest and support has had an outsized influence on both New Manhattan Studios and its creative product. I value his judgement, opinion and friendship, so I find it sweet that we can celebrate the studio’s five year anniversary with a gift of a Halloween session to celebrate Favorite Hunk’s tenth anniversary. Good going, Tye! Let me add my thanks to the thousands and thousands of photographers, models and fans that love the site. We wish you many, many more years of hot and favorite hunks!
'After you've gobbled him down you'd be left alone to regret it while covered in blood and guts. That's the hunger of a ghoul. That's our destiny.'
Tokyo Ghoul
New Manhattan Studio's gorgeous ghouls mark several returns to the site. The studio's images have been featured each of the last three Halloweens, and I am hoping it is now a firmly planted tradition! behind the impressive make-up you may also recognize Ricardo, a model from NMS that I featured several times in the past. If you didn't recognize Ricardo's face, I am sure the site of his impressive body rang a bell or two...
You may not recognize our first caped sexy beast, but behind the make up is model and actor Mason O'Sullivan, a model I featured several times between 2009 and 2011. When Wes first sent on some teasers from his Halloween shoot I barely recognized Mason, and it wasn't until Wes included his full name that it all came together!
I have to thank Ricardo, Mason and especially Wes for getting together to shoot a Halloween themed shoot exclusively for readers of FH. Although the images may depict hot menacing models, I think it may have been Wes who went a little batty with my Halloween requests and fighting against his impulse to always shoot models looking their very best! Even with the capes, props and make-up, Ricardo and Mason remain two incredibly handsome little devils!
Ricardo
Halloween 2016
by Wes, New Manhattan Studios
The Halloween session was long-discussed and planned for weeks. In the end it was a roll-with-the-punches imrov session with a sense of serendipity that I carried over into the editing. Mason one of the models I worked with in Los Angeles last month, was in town and we planned to do a studio shoot to follow-up on the work we did in a stunning home in the Hollywood Hills. I asked him if he’d be up to some Halloween-themed fun for part of his New York City session and he was all in.
As a back-up, I had lined up Ricardo, the body-building brother of our studio assistant and second cameraman, Alex. Ultimately I decided to shoot both models and booked their sessions back-to-back. The biggest problem that I had was that said assistant, Alex, was out of town. I had already put Mason on notice that he might be pressed into service prepping and steaming his wardrobe before the shoot. At the last minute, a talented young lady, who’s both an aspiring photographer and a makeup artist, was referred to me. She was able to arrive midway into Mason’s session so I seized the opportunity to use her makeup skills to add some ghoulishly-themed face paint.
Thanks to Ricardo’s early arrival, in the end we wound up with a couple of models in the studio at the same time and an unexpected chance to shoot the two of them on the paper together. It was a fleeting opportunity that ended within minutes when the clock expired on Mason’s session and he was off for an evening in New York, heading to his old stomping grounds on the trendy Lower East Side. Squeezing what was essentially 3 sessions with 2 models into 4 hours, would have been challenging enough. But taking another half hour out of the schedule for each make-up session severely limited the amount of time for any one session.
I was pleased that we were able to squeeze so much in, but I would have loved to have been able to work with the models to get something beyond the static set pieces that we had time to capture. I especially would have loved to have spent more time with the two models together but I am grateful that we had the six or seven minutes that allowed us to capture the handful of shots that we did. I am also grateful for the opportunity that this session provided for me to celebrate a red-letter date of the studio. Some of the photography that is now identified as early work for New Manhattan Studios was taken prior to 2011, but that Halloween was the day that I quit a previous job (and advertising career) to devote myself full-time to photography. It marked a return to my roots. I had started my career as a photojournalist and after years of commissioning, art-directing and supervising photography sessions, I intended to end my career by returning to the creative side of the camera.
Within months of hanging out the corporate shingle, Tye found the studio online and over the past five years his interest and support has had an outsized influence on both New Manhattan Studios and its creative product. I value his judgement, opinion and friendship, so I find it sweet that we can celebrate the studio’s five year anniversary with a gift of a Halloween session to celebrate Favorite Hunk’s tenth anniversary. Good going, Tye! Let me add my thanks to the thousands and thousands of photographers, models and fans that love the site. We wish you many, many more years of hot and favorite hunks!
Handsome Devils: Behind the Scenes
I hasten to point out that it is against the studio’s genetic code to show our models in anything less than their very best. We’re not at all sure that “ghoulish” makeup meets that test. So that the viewers can appreciate the men beneath the makeup, we are including a handful of shots that the studio has done sans makeup. Our work with Mason in both New York and Hollywood will be released in early 2017, as will the most recent session with Ricardo, previewed here.
Wes, New Manhattan Studios
Ricardo is featured in two New Manhattan Studios publications, including a recent issue of Captured Shadows. Viewers wanting to see more of Ricardo (and dozens of other models) at New Manhattan Studios can click here.
Sunday, October 30, 2016
A Favorite Hunks Halloween (Part 1)
Fright Night by Gizmorian
Tonight's posts are Part 1 of my Halloween features, check back tomorrow for more!
Frisky Frolic: Sea Green Nails and Baby Blue Undies
Since first discovering his Halloween themed images in 2012, JayBee from Frisky Frolic has made a Halloween appearance each year since! JayBee's images are colorful, creative and incredibly sexy and his work, a highlight to feature, especially at Halloween!
Frisky Frolic's Halloween on FH:
Thrilled To Death (2015)
Imaginary Heroes (2015)
Of Mice & Older Men (2015)
Emulation (2015)
Fallen Angel (2014)
Quinn Jaxon: It's a Bird (2013)
Black on Black (2012)
The Phantom Phallus (2012)
All Hallows' Eve by Cooks Photography
Earlier this month I featured the work of California based photographer Hal Cooks and and his incredible shots of Matt. (Top of the Cove) When I asked Hal if he had any Halloween themed images, he sent back these shots blending some of the best elements of the season, with some of the best elements of the male form!
If black wings symbolize fallen, red wings must definitely represent sex...
Triple Feature:
With all of the mentions in the news, Clowns may not be that popular this Halloween. But when the clown is Michael, and the clown suit doesn't include pants, I am sure we can make an exception! I have featured model, writer, blogger (Entertain Me) in several previous posts. (two are featured HERE: & HERE:) Today... it is time to add actor to Michael's already long and impressive resume.
The California based writer has had appeared in small roles in three horror related projects and when Halloween was approaching, I asked Michael to share a some behind the scenes details from the flicks, and details on his on screen deaths! Michael appeared as leather wearing Daddy (sadly keeping his leather on...) on television The Lair as well as films The Summer of Massacre and Terror Tunes 3. M
The Lair:
I have always been a huge fan of horror ever since I was a kid. Vampires are my favorite archetype. So when I got to be featured as Leather Daddy Vampire on The Lair it was pretty awesome. One of the cool memories from it was working with famed low budget horror director, Fred Olen Ray. Once I got on the set we were in and out within an hour.
The Summer Of Massacre:
One of the things on my bucket list was to be killed violently in a horror film. My wish came true in The Summer Of Massacre. I play a cop in the segment Son of the Boogeyman. Guess what? The Boogeyman kills me by squeezing my skull in until it explodes! I remember attending the premiere with my then boyfriend, it was the first time I had seen myself on a big screen as my part came up he sensed my tension and grabbed my hand to hold it. Seeing myself up there was surreal!
Terror Toons 3:
The most interesting thing about this production was seeing the finished product. All the acting and reacting was done with no sets and only representations of Dr. Carnage the homicidal cartoon that kills me and the other doctors in the ER. It was nothing on set, but the finished film was amazing visually
Horror Hunks: Simon Scuddamore in Slaughter High
I went back and forth on whether to feature actor Simon Scuddamore, and his naked humiliation scene from 1986's Slaughter High. The scene certainly fits the horror hunk theme without a doubt. The film opens with high school beauty Carol Manning luring the school nerd, Marty Rantzen (Scuddamore) into the girls locker room with the promise of sex.
After poor Marty gets naked, Carol opens the shower curtain to a group of students laughing and filming poor Marty's embarrassment. Marty tries to run away, but is dragged back across the locker room floor and into the bathroom for a swirlie, just to top off Mary's humiliation.
Although he played a student, actor Simon Scuddamore was actually 27 at the time of filming, and it must have been a bit of an awkward scene to film given he was completely naked through most of it, while his clothed co-stars drag him around hang him upside down. Director Mark Ezra reports Scuddamore was great on set, the only problem they had was his scheduling. Scuddamore worked at a school for disadvantaged children, and didn't want to disrupt their schedule or risk losing his job by taking time off to film the movie.
My reluctance to post this piece wasn't about the scene itself, although it was brutal on the cruelty/humiliation metre. My reluctance was that I didn't want to exploit this particular horror hunk's true life tragic ending.
According to reports, Scuddamore suffered from a drug addiction, and although Ezra reports he remained clean throughout the shoot, the young actor sadly committed suicide shortly before the films official release. It is not thought his death was connected to the film, or the locker room scene, but it adds a layer of pain, not to mention morbid reality to the scene and the entire film.
Above is the locker room scene, but if you want to watch the entire film, it is on Youtube (with Greek subtitles) HERE:
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