Stop Motion Short ‘House of Monsters’ Kicks Off October with Howling Laughter

So, FINALLY, October is officially here and with it all the fiendish screams of monster-loving strange kids filling the internets. As with every year, we’ve joined up with our fellow “Halloweenies” over at the Countdown to Halloween for a month-long celebration of what I consider to be THE best holiday ever. This year I wanted us to kick things off with a brand new short film, House of Monsters, which shares a kindred spirit (and stop motion style) with Rankin/Bass’ seasonal favorite Mad Monster Party.

Produced, animated, written and directed by Dawn Brown, House of Monsters plot follows the Mummy as he searches for relief from his dry, itchy skin and finds nothing but trouble along the way. Brown, a 20-year veteran and Tim Burton collaborator, brings a tremendous amount of characterization to each character both through movement and sound – to which credit also goes to sound designers Mark Linden, Harry Snodgrass and Keith Christensen.

The full short, which was only unveiled today, marks the film’s debut outside the animation festival circuit (see above) where it’s already begun to receive praise for its artistic execution. Although House of Monsters only clocks in at 7 1/2 minutes, those seeking more will be happy to know that this isn’t the first time Brown’s monsters have come out to play. Be sure to check out the film’s predecessor, Midnight Snack!, it’ll be sure to curb your bloodlust… for now.

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This article is part of the Countdown to Halloween blogathon, a month-long blogging marathon dedicated to honoring the Halloween season. For more information and a full list of participating sites, please visit www.countdowntohalloween.com.