(Credit: Jim Fisher)
Every neighborhood has a Skeleton Guy, and I’ve officially claimed the crown. Last year, I took the local Halloween title with Ultra Skelly—The Home Depot’s $279 app-controlled, animatronic skeleton. At 6.5 feet, it wasn't quite taller than the tallest person I've ever seen, but its cheesy dialogue, motorized moves, and light-up eyeballs were a hit with the endless parade of costumed, candy-seeking kids who stopped by my house.
But, as they say, go big or go home. This year, Home Depot refreshed its viral 12-foot Giant Skelly line, sending me the $299 LCD LifeEyes edition—a massive, attention-stealing titan with animated, hypnotic eyes. And for those looking to truly incite neighborhood envy (or a petty HOA war), there's a $379 version that packs a moving head, a glowing chest cavity, and full app-controlled banter.
After spending some time assembling, programming, and testing these plastic behemoths, I'm here to tell you what it actually takes to rule the block this Halloween.
Battle of the Bones: 6.5 Feet vs. 12 Feet of Animatronic Chaos
Ultra and Giant Skelly are kindred spirits, but they've got some variations in features, aside from the obvious height differential. Ultra Skelly (the 6.5-foot version) is fully app-connected and electronic. It includes built-in lights, prerecorded dialogue with a dinner theater Vincent Price vibe, four motorized movements (at the hips, neck, jaw, and right shoulder), and light-up eyes.
You can also record custom greetings (up to 30 seconds long) and add a voice-changing effect using the DecorPro control app (available on Android or iOS) via Bluetooth. And if you want to really impress trick-or-treaters, you can speak live through the app to greet visitors and comment on their costumes.
The app lets you manually trigger Skelly's movement and speech, and it also has a motion sensor that turns it into a Ray Harryhausen creation whenever someone walks past. The motion sensing works with a built-in timer: 8 hours on and 16 hours off, so you can ensure that Skelly greets visitors only at night. If you're worried about a local noise ordinance, just turn its volume knob down to zero.
Giant Skelly is 12 feet tall, a measurement that makes it more of a statement than a decoration. The $299 version doesn't have app connectivity; it ships with a wired remote to cycle through its eight different eye animations. It doesn't come with lights, though you can buy a $29.98 LED kit separately to give it some illumination. But if you're going to drop $330 on Halloween decor, you might as well spend a little more on the $379 app-controlled edition. It uses the same app with identical features, has built-in lights, and its head has two points of articulation (at the neck and jaw).
All versions of Skelly require AC power for their electronic features and are rated for both indoor and outdoor use, so you don't have to worry about bringing it inside on a rainy day. The electronics are sealed inside the body, and all plugs have gasket seals to prevent moisture from entering. It is a plug-in device, however, so you need to make sure you have a nearby outlet or a long extension cord available.
90 Pounds of Plastic: Logistics, Pickups, and Solo Assembly
No, Skelly doesn't come in a coffin. Both Ultra and Giant versions ship disassembled in a cardboard box. The Ultra variety is small enough to ship via a carrier like UPS or bring home from the store in an SUV. The Giant edition? That's another matter. Its box is huge and weighs nearly 90 pounds—The Home Depot shipped it to me via a freight service. I'm glad I didn't have to pick it up at the store because the box doesn't come close to fitting in the back of my Honda CR-V. If you want to get one from a brick-and-mortar store, you'll need a pickup truck.
Both editions are pretty easy to put together. If you know your anatomy, you might be able to piece things together by sight, but even though I've seen every episode of Bones, I opted for the instruction sheet—and recommend that you do too. The instructions are easy to follow with clear text and illustrations. Each component is labeled with a removable sticker, so you don't have to know the difference between a femur and humerus on your own.
It took me about an hour to put either version together. Ultra Skelly is a little easier to construct solo, simply because it's not entirely massive. The Home Depot strongly recommends that you have two or three people on hand to put Giant Skelly together, but I was also able to manage the task solo. The hardest part was getting the hips mounted to the legs, but once that's done, you can lay the big guy down to finish the job without having to get on a step ladder.
I'm Ready for Spooky Season. Are You?
At their core, both versions of Skelly prove just how much fun you can build out of basic components: a few simple motors, a Bluetooth speaker, and clever lighting. The only catch? Skelly arrives entirely bare-bones.
While Giant Skelly would require a custom tailor, I gave 6.5-foot Ultra Skelly a budget makeover courtesy of a 3XL Hawaiian shirt and hat from Goodwill. Add a seltzer can taped to its moving hand, and I had a tropical-vacationing skeleton living its best life on my lawn.
Candy can wait, but your lawn setup shouldn't. Ultra Skelly sold out ahead of the holiday last year, so if you want to be your neighborhood's Skeleton Guy (or Gal), it's worth it to start shopping early. I certainly won't judge if your lawn lights up before October—if pumpkin spice season can start in August, Halloween can start whenever you want.
About Our Expert
Images, and the devices that capture them, are my focus. I've covered cameras at PCMag for the past 15 years, which has given me a front row seat for the changeover from DSLRs to mirrorless cameras, the smartphone camera revolution, and the emergence of drones for aerial imaging. I have extensive experience with every major mirrorless and SLR system, and am also comfortable using point-and-shoot and action cameras. As a Part 107 Certified drone pilot, I’m licensed to fly unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for commercial and editorial purposes, and am knowledgeable about federal rules and regulations regarding drones.
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