I love to make bad Halloween props into good ones. I’ve done it several times with cheap props I’ve bought the day after Halloween for $20 and turn them into something special. You can check those out here. CVS and Rite Aid are notorious for having some pretty bad animated Halloween props that no one buys that end up getting marked down on November 1 every year. I take them, fix them up and put a mask on them to make them something that is actually scary. Now Spirit Halloween is stealing my thunder and actually offering 5′ metal frames so you can build your own Halloween prop.
There’s a lot of things I like about this idea and a few things I don’t. Let’s get to the pros. This makes building your own prop really easy. All you have to do it pick out a costume, mask and a prop if you want him to hold something. Then you dress him up and he’s all done. All you need is your imagination and some money in your bank account to bring you prop to life.
You can find masks, costumes and props on eBay or Spirit Halloween to make your prop into whatever you want. If you wait until November 1 you can find all of the above really cheap at just about any big box store that sells Halloween merchandise.
Despite the great idea of making a DIY prop there are still some things that concern me. Buying a mask, costume and props can be pretty expensive. Masks cost anywhere from $20 to $300 depending on how realistic you want to get. A costume can be about the same in price depending on how far you want to go to make your prop look like an actual person.
Another concern in the size. Five feet tall is ok if you want to make a clown or zombie but if you wanted to make him into Freddy Krueger or Jason Voorhies he’s going to look pretty short when your guests show up at your Halloween party expecting to be scared. I want to see the prop up close before I pull the trigger on buying him. I think if they made the DIY prop a foot taller and he stood six feet tall, it would work a lot better and make for a more lifelike prop.
Also, the prop’s arms don’t move and he doesn’t turn. It’s basically a statue that you set up. I realize for only a hundred bucks there is only so much the prop can do but it would be nice if he moved a little when someone came close to him.
One thing that I always hate about Halloween props is that there is no meat on the frame. Once it’s put together it’s bony and skinny. I always stuff my props with bubble wrap or old clothing around the chest and arms to fill them out. That’s something petty but I always notice it.
I might buy the DIY prop but I want to check him out up close before making the decision. Waiting until the day after Halloween has never failed me and I’m sure I’ll go that route again this year to add new props to my collection.
