CUCURBITA MONSTROSA

Good evening. The brilliant Terri Hardin was on the team that
designed and puppeteered the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man for
Ghostbusters, and helped build the still-suits for Dune. She designed
and puppeteered the Foster Farms chickens, but she also — and I found this out at the book signing at the West-Hollywood Book Fair organized by my friends at Dark Delicacies in Burbank — carves a mean
pumpkin.
Check out the one she was carving at the Fair:

Terri-at-the-bookfair

Of course, I immediately hit her up to carve one of the Daily Monsters, and she was kind enough to say Yes. Last Wednesday I packed up my camera and drove out to Terri’s studio in Burbank, where I filmed her as she carved a Monster cameo into one of the biggest pumpkins I’ve ever seen (or helped carry, for that matter). Take a look at the
two-minute-version:

She pumkinized Daily Monster 80!
You know, the one on the cover of the Monster Book.

A little side note: I initially used the beginning of “The Monster” by Buddy Rich & Gene Krupa as the score for this little clip, but the clever YouTube servers detected my wanton copyright infringement (and even identified the track), so I put a quick something together in Garageband. Buddy Rich & Gene Krupa it ain’t. Forgive the percussive lameness. Click on the link to listen to the original track here. It’s 11 minutes you won’t regret.

Here’s a close-up of the beast on my hearth later that evening, all nice and lit up:

Pumpkin-closeup

Amazing, isn’t it?

Terri actually produced a very cool DVD that explains her carving method in a really easy, step-by-step way, so if you feel the urge to get a-carvin’ then order one for yourself. Terri will get it to you in time to let you show up your neighbors this Halloween. (Or to woo somebody, perhaps? What says L-U-V like a giant orange gargoyle?)

Here’s what Terri has to say: “Everyone is an artist! If you’re the type of person who believes you don’t have an artistic bone in your body, you need to buy this DVD. Even if you’re not sure of your pumpkin design, just wait until you place a light inside it. You‘ll love what you’ve done. I‘ll show you, step by step, how to create fantastic and dimensional sculpted pumpkins.” It’s Open Source Pumpkins, people! Is it any wonder that 344 loves Terri almost as much as 344 LOVES YOU

4 Comments

  • 21 October 2008 4:56 pm

    Really, #80 is a great multi-tasker isn’t he? He can do just about anything.
    Thx so much for the link to the original music…..It’s just wonderful….

  • 21 October 2008 6:25 pm

    Awesome monst-o-lantern! Only a week and a half till my favorite holiday! ::giddyness::

  • 22 October 2008 9:29 am

    I always think of 80 as the 3M–the Main Man Monster. 😉 Terri is amazing! What a shame that the season for doing this kind of thing is so short. 🙁 But what a treat to have in it!

  • 24 October 2008 6:59 am

    I love Halloween. It’s my favorite holiday. Nice looking pumpkin too! Number 80 is a rock star. The question I pose to #80 though, is he a Barack star?
    Happy early Halloween Stefan!

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