A party to die for

Costume designer spends months boning up for Halloween

By KARL SCHWEIZER

Herald Writer

EVERETT — You can say this for Daniel Lorentz: When he throws a Halloween party, he definitely strives for realism.

No cheesy Frankensteins and not-so-scary ghosts were to be found at this costume designer’s Everett home on Saturday.

Instead, a hanged skeleton greeted visitors coming through the door of this suburban house that had been converted to a monument to death.

A corpse languished behind the wrought-iron gate of a long-forgotten "mausoleum" in the corner of the living room. Dead leaves covered the floor, giving the illusion of a chilly graveyard.

Out back, a drained fishpond served as a "mass grave," inside of which sat a weathered skeleton and assorted other bones. A hand desperately reached up through the loose earth. Lorentz took in the scene with macabre approval.

"I like the way the skeleton is weathered and rotted like that," he said.

But the grossest of all was a rotting corpse Lorentz designed and had on display in his bedroom. It hadn’t been "dead" quite long enough, judging by the strips of rotting flesh clinging to the skull.

The whole horrifying show was the culmination of months of work for Lorentz, a costume designer who, at 21, has big dreams of creating special effects for a living, perhaps with a Hollywood studio. For him, the five months he spent preparing his house for the Halloween party was just good practice for that future career.

Lorentz said he fell in love with special effects after watching Michael Jackson’s "Thriller" video.

"I was in awe of the corpses, the makeup, the special effects. Michael Jackson was cool back then," Lorentz said.

Lorentz began studying for an art degree at Everett Community College, where he designs his real-looking corpses and other grisly effects. He is also an assistant manager for the Spirit Halloween store, where he keeps a close eye on what is available in makeup and costumes.

For Lorentz, the entire year is just a long period separating Halloweens. If he could, he’d make his living off Halloween.

"What I really want to do is buy a property with an old, spooky house on it and build it into a huge, old mansion," Lorentz said.

He offered that he would decorate it with all kinds of corpses and trapdoors and do a "top-notch, theatrical haunted house."

That way, he could celebrate his favorite holiday all year.

Halloween "is better than Christmas!" he said.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Snohomish County prosecutor Kara Van Slyck delivers closing statement during the trial of Christian Sayre at the Snohomish County Courthouse on Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Jury deliberations begin in the fourth trial of former Everett bar owner

Jury members deliberated for about 2 hours before Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Millie Judge sent them home until Monday.

Danny Burgess, left, and Sandy Weakland, right, carefully pull out benthic organisms from sediment samples on Thursday, May 1, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Got Mud?’ Researchers monitor the health of the Puget Sound

For the next few weeks, the state’s marine monitoring team will collect sediment and organism samples across Puget Sound

Everett
Everett considers ordinance to require more apprentice labor

It would require apprentices to work 15% of the total labor hours for construction or renovation on most city projects over $1 million.

Craig Skotdal makes a speech after winning on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 in Tulalip, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Craig Skotdal: Helping to breathe life into downtown Everett

Skotdal is the recipient of the John M. Fluke Sr. award from Economic Alliance Snohomish County

Paine Field Community Day returns Saturday, May 17

The youth-focused celebration will feature aircraft displays, talks with pilots and a variety of local food vendors.

Jonathon DeYonker, left, helps student Dominick Jackson upload documentary footage to Premier at The Teen Storytellers Project on Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett educator provides tuition-free classes in filmmaking to local youth

The Teen Storyteller’s Project gives teens the chance to work together and create short films, tuition-free.

Kamiak High School is pictured Friday, July 8, 2022, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Mukilteo police respond to stabbing at Kamiak High School

One juvenile was taken into custody in connection with Friday’s incident. A victim was treated at a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

A Mukilteo firefighter waves out of a fire truck. (Photo provided by Mukilteo Fire Department)
Mukilteo council places EMS levy lift on November ballot

The city is seeking the funds to cover rising costs. The local firefighters union opposes the levy lift.

Everett
Federal prosecutors: Everett men looked to sell 7 kilos of fentanyl

Prosecutors alleged the two men stored fentanyl and other drugs while staying in a south Everett apartment.

Vehicles travel along Mukilteo Speedway on Sunday, April 21, 2024, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Mukilteo cameras go live to curb speeding on Speedway

Starting Friday, an automated traffic camera system will cover four blocks of Mukilteo Speedway. A 30-day warning period is in place.

Arlington head girls basketball coach Joe Marsh looks to the court as the Eagles defeat Shorecrest, 50-49, to advance to the state semifinals at the Tacoma Dome on Thursday, March 5, 2020. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
Joe Marsh, Arlington High School girls basketball coach, dies at 57

Marsh, considered one of the state’s all-time great high school basketball coaches, lost a four-year battle with stage 4 prostate cancer on Wednesday.

Patricia Robles from Cazares Farms hands a bag to a patron at the Everett Farmers Market across from the Everett Station in Everett, Washington on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Everett Farmers Market to return Sunday for 2025 season

Every Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. until Oct. 26, vendors will line Wetmore Avenue from Hewitt Avenue to Pacific Avenue.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.