Halloween's Michael Myers is now a Chia Pet. The novelty item, known for sprouting chia seeds in variously shaped terracotta pots for decorative purposes, has been around since the 1970s. The same decade also gave birth to Michael Myers, the masked serial killer in John Carpenter's classic horror film, Halloween.
Halloween was released in 1978 with Jamie Lee Curtis in her first starring role. An entire franchise followed, becoming one of the most iconic of the slasher horror genre. The series was rebooted in 2018 with its next installment, Halloween Ends, coming out later in October. Its famous villain Michael Myers' look has become iconic, and is instantly recognizable even among non-horror fans. The character's face was originally a costume mask of Star Trek star William Shatner as that was modified to create an uncanny and ghoulish effect that has haunted generations.
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Chia Pet has released a new collectible for the Halloween season that features a Michael Myers version of the product. The clay pot is fashioned after the horror villain's face from Halloween 2, recreating Myers' appearance in the last scene of the film with blood streaking down his eyes. "They say you can't control evil, but now you can grow evil with the Michael Myers Chia Pet," the description advertises. The new merchandise comes as part of a series of spooky pop culture references including Chucky and Pennywise from Stephen King's IT.
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Should Horror Movie Merch Be Actually Scary?
This new scary plant will not appeal to everyone. The gruesome Chia Pet announcement may leave some people wondering why anyone would want such an item as part of their decor. While some horror merchandise could be considered by most to be a tasteful homage to the macabre, but some of it, like this Michael Myers figurine, is downright terrifying. As society's fears evolve, horror iconography does become more familiar and the Chia Pet association can add a bit of comfort. Also, perhaps for horror film fans, fears diminish with frequent exposure to the genre's classic monsters who over time develop a kitschy quality themselves.
A Michael Myers Chia Pet is two clichés wrapped in one. The Chia Pet angle does lighten the mood by adding a twist of humor to the otherwise dark merchandise. While the squeamish Chia Pet collectors may want to forgo this one, Halloween fans will certainly be interested.