Cemetery Tour (Day #6 of 13)

Note: This event is part of the "13 Days of Christmas." There will be more events for each day leading up to X-mas. (Info on all the upcoming events @ creepyxmas.com)

Hollywood Forever Cemetery Tour

Date: December 18th (Saturaday)
Location: Hollywood Forever Cemetery (meet at the flower shop)
6000 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles (map)
Time: 12:00 pm (high noon)

This special tour of the final address for many of Hollywood's famous (and infamous) former residents will be conducted by one of Los Angeles' living legends, Karie Bible, the current (and official) "Lady in Black."

The GHOSTs:

When Rudolph Valentino, the uber-star of stage and the silent screen died, a mysterious mourning lady dressed all in black with a veil, faithfully visited Valentino's marker (annually) to place a rose on it. This simple gesture became the stuff of legend as people began to come year after year just to catch a glimpse of her. The identity of this "lady" is difficult to determine, since over the decades, many women have also donned that same mourning outfit and repeated the ritual of visiting his final resting place. The idea of Valentino's "lady in black" seems to be a local tradition past down through the generations (as well as something often imitated). This bizarre practice is said to have even inspired the song "The Long Black Veil," which has been covered by Johnny Cash, The Band, the Dave Matthews Band, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and many others.

Strangely, this odd local occurrence has also led to possible super-natural occurrences. Over the years, there have been claims by tourists of an additional phantom lady in black seen entering the mausoleum of Valentino's tomb, when the witnesses follow her inside to snap a picture of this famous act, they find that she is nowhere to be seen, as if she vanished into thin air. Is this one of the former black-clad beauties doomed to making her rounds for eternity? If she is, than she is not alone, this historic cemetery in the shadow of Paramount Studios is said to be haunted by other spirits as well, including the ghost of actor, Clifton Webb.

Nihilist Film Festival (Day #5 of 13)

Note: This event is part of the "13 Days of Christmas." There will be more events for each day leading up to X-mas. (Info on all the upcoming events @ creepyxmas.com)

Date: December 17th (Friday)
Location: Echo Park Film Center
1200 N. Alvarado, Los Angeles (map)
Time: 8:00 pm
Admission: 8pm / Tickets: $5 / 1200 N. Alvarado

"Uli doesn't care about anything. He's a Nihilist." - Bunny Lebowski
"Ah, that must be exhausting." - The Dude

Those that have seen the LA-centric film, "The Big Lebowski," know there's nothing scarier than LA's Nihilists, especially during the holidays. Yes, nothing kills the "Christmas Spirit" like Nihism. 

Since the end of the year is usually a time of reflection (which is why the suicide rate is so high during the holidays), come out to the Echo Park Film Center, located off of (haunted) Route 66, and ask yourself "What's it all about, elfie?" at the...

NIHILIST FILM FESTIVAL
For the eleventh year, the Nihilist Cultural Foundation presents the Nihilist International Film Festival. The festival includes two hours of short films from around the country and around the world. The films range from troubling to hilarious, from profound to completely silly. Pretty much, something for everyone (except children and clergy). Festival Director Elisha Shapiro commented, “If you are tired of all those ‘namby-pamby’ film festivals with artsy film-school projects, grab your wig and keys. The Nihilist Film Festival dares to go to someplace different. How weird can a film get and still be entertaining?” As a special feature, all those who bring their own televisions and arrive fifteen minutes early will be able to include their appliances in the traditional ritual Blessing of the Televisions.Nihilist Film Festival director Elisha Shapiro is a Los Angeles-based conceptual artist. He is known for presenting the 1984 Nihilist Olympics and the 1999 Nihilism Expo. He was also the Nihilist Party candidate for Governor in 2006, for President in 1988, and for LA county sheriff in 1992.

Disney on Ice! (Day #4 of 13)

Note: This event is part of the "13 Days of Christmas." There will be more events for each day leading up to Christmas, itself. (info @ creepyxmas.com)

Date: December 16 (Thursday)
Time: 7:30 pm
Location: STAPLES Center
1111 S. Figueroa Street (map)
Admission: $16.00 (for the cheap seats)

What do you do the day after Disney died (December 15th)?
You put him on ice, of course!

DISNEY ON ICE: Let's Celebrate!

Ever since these costumed skating shows began touring, people have cracked jokes about the unintentional reference to the urban legend that Walt Disney's body (or maybe just his head) is somewhere (maybe under Disneyland) perfectly preserved, frozen in ice. Now, GHOULA is taking the same cheap shot at (along with some cheap seats to) this ice-tastic spectacle.

Let's Celebrate is a compilation show that is "one big colossal party on ice!" It's a "magical medley of holidays, celebrations, and festivals from around the globe," including a "Winter Wonderland" with Mickey & Minnie, a "Halloween Haunt" with several of the Disney Villains, and Alice's "Very Merry Unbirthday" (for baby Jesus).

Disney's Death Day (Day #3 of 13)

Note: This event is part of the "13 Days of Christmas." There will be more events for each day leading up to Christmas, itself. (info @ creepyxmas.com)

Date: December 15 (the day Disney died in 1966)
Location: Forest Lawn Memorial Park
1712 S. Glendale Avenue (map)
Time: 3:00pm

Warning: Despite this the number of celebrities that are interred here (more than any other cemetery) and their normally tourist-friendly attitude, the management strongly discourages "star gawking," so please keep a low profile, be respectful, follow all their rules, and do not ask about Disney's grave. (below is a map to his plot.)

We will be meeting at the site (map)
of Walt Disney's ...grave? ...marker? ...empty tomb? ...place where everyone claims his remains are kept (despite the popular urban legend that says his deceased body, or maybe just his head, is frozen and locked in a secret chamber under "The Pirates of the Caribbean" attraction). Then, we will informally explore the grounds of what has been lovingly referred to as the "Disneyland of Death" (even back in Disney's time). Like Disneyland, Forest Lawn is divided in to "lands," has story-book architecture, actors portraying historical figures, music from speakers hidden behind bushes, and a steady flow of tourists. Plus, like the real Disneyland, it has many ghosts (according to the numerous EVP's obtained by local ghost hunters.)

In 1912, Hubert Lewright Eaton began working (selling plots) at a dreary grave-yard in the new town of Tropico (now called Glendale). When he came up with the revolutionary idea of selling "before needed" plots (as in buying your own grave while you're still living), he made so much money on his commissions, he was able to buy the place, and become the boss. Which is what he did, because this man had big ideas for this little cemetery. For instance he wanted to remove the sad stigma associated with such monuments of death, so he eliminated the tombstones, recreated famous churches from around the world, installed exact replicas of masterpieces of art, displayed historical artifacts, built auditoriums for shows, and created a souvenir shop. Lastly, he removed the dreaded "c word" (cemetery), and changed the name of this final resting place to the more tourist-friendly "Memorial Park."

Evelyn Waugh's book, "The Loved One" (which later spawned a cult film also called "The Loved One"), lampooned the "death industry" with a fictional cemetery theme park with statues wired for sound, a gift shop with grave-yard post cards, and an actor portraying Abraham Lincoln wandering the grounds (obviously based on Forest Lawn). When the book came out, Eaton was not amused. His "memorial" empire was serious business. So, use this opportunity to come out and visit one of the weirdest (haunted) tourist attractions in Los Angeles (which is really saying something).

P.S. Currently there is an exhibit in their museum featuring the art of Marc Davis, one of Disney's "nine old men," whose concept art was instrumental in the creation of the actual Disneyland.