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Post by Michael West on Apr 1, 2008 10:52:03 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]Horror Hound Weekend (March, 2008)[/glow] “Why do you write horror?” This is a question I get all the time. People ask it cautiously; certain I will regale them with some terrible tale of early childhood trauma, but the answer is quite simple really. I write horror because I am first and foremost…a horror fan. As I sit here in my office, I am immersed in the genre. Monsters stare down at me from the top of my desk, from my shelves and wall…the demon from Pumpkinhead, the Predator, every stage of the creature from ALIEN—from egg to adult, and in the corner, a life-sized (I assume) standee of Stephen King smiles its approval as I type away at my keyboard. Yes, I have always had a love of the dark, and from time to time, when I need my creative batteries recharged, it is good to gather with those who share my passions. Nothing sparks the muse to life faster than chatting it up with other writers who have been there and done that, and nothing re-fuels my love of the genre more than meeting the actors, artists, and creators who have given me so much joy over the years. So each year, as spring rains wash away the winter snow, it is not uncommon to find me spending my weekends at various conventions. First up in 2008, Horror Hound Weekend in my hometown of Indianapolis. The first person I see as I walk in the door is Special Make-up Effects artist, actor, director, and stuntman Tom Savini ( Friday the 13th, Dawn of the Dead, Creepshow). I’ve met Tom at many of these cons, and it is always a pleasure. “You’re becoming a perennial fixture at Horror Hound,” I tell him. He laughs. “I hope so.” This year, I had my two sons with me for the first time, and my 9-year-old was most interested in Fluffy, the creature from the crate in Creepshow. Tom took the time to explain to him how the effect was created, then signed a photo of himself with the creature. Across the large convention hall is Tom’s From Dusk ’Til Dawn and Grindhouse co-star Danny Trejo. I walk up to him and he points to my shirt. It’s a Machete T-shirt, showing Trejo in a mock movie poster for the film that never was. “Where did you get that?!” “Hot Topic,” I inform him. “I’m getting’ one of those.” I laugh. “You mean they didn’t send you one?” “No! But I’ve got to go get one.” The next person I meet is Doug Bradley (Pinhead from the Hellraiser films). Doug is a true gentleman, just a sweet, sweet man. We talk about the state of horror today, with the frenzy for remakes of true classics. “For me,” I say, “the only reason to do a remake is to take a lesser film and make something good out of it. Take Cronenberg’s The Fly, for example.” “Well…we could debate that one,” he says, then comes back with, “I love Carpenter’s The Thing.” I nod and smile, as John Carpenter’s The Thing is one of my favorite films of all time. Doug went on to say, “What really angers me, as a horror fan, is the talk I hear of a Nightmare on Elm Street remake without Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger. Robert is Freddy.” I couldn’t agree more. Next to Doug is his Hellraiser co-star Ashley Laurence. When I was a teenager, seeing the film for the first time, I thought she was a beautiful girl, but now, some twenty years later, she is truly gorgeous. Ashley and my 9-year-old hit it off immediately. She answers his many, many questions (if you know my son, you know he has no shortage of them), never talking down to him, and the rest of the day, whenever we walk by her table, she always asks how he is doing and who he is off to see next. We pose for a picture*, and when my son holds out both his arms, she laughs and says, “Let’s all do that.” *Author’s note: Pictures featuring my children have been cropped when possible. When not possible, I have chosen not to post them. I hope you understand. We then paid a visit to the vampires of Fright Night: Chris Sarandon (not pictured) and Stephen Geoffreys (Above). Now, in addition to being creature of the night Jerry Dandridge, Chris Sarandon provided the speaking voice for Jack Skellington. Those of you who know me are well aware of my fondness (What is this “obsession” you speak of?) for Tim Burton’s A Nightmare Before Christmas, so I was very pleased and excited to meet the Bone Daddy in the flesh. He was most gracious with his time, signing a large framed piece of Jack artwork and posing for a family portrait with my two children and me. And Stephen was very nice as well, discussing the pain of contact lenses and vampire dentures, and the joy of working with Roddy McDowell. He signed a photo of the scene where a cross is burned into his forehead, changing his famous line of “you’re so cool, Brewster” to “you’re so cool, Mike.” Needless to say, I was thrilled. We then met the lovely ladies of Return of the Living Dead, Scream Queen Linnea Quigley and Jewel Shepard. I think I have seen every film Linnea has ever done ( RotLD, Silent Night, Deadly Night, Night of the Demons), even taking joy in bit parts and cameos she’s done in Nightmare on Elm Street 4 and Innocent Blood. She was so pleasant, and we talked for quite some time, more about life matters than film, and once again, my 9-year-old was a charmer. He’d been waiting all day to speak to Linnea, and she was absolutely wonderful with him. Even now, several days after the fact, he can’t stop talking about it. In fact, we talked for so long that a line formed behind us and we finally had to say our thank yous and goodbyes. The beautiful Jewel Shepard was one of the highlights of the weekend. She had such a good sense of humor, and a very smart, very realistic view of life in the limelight. She’s had to miss conventions in the past due to weather-grounded planes and other catastrophes, but I was so happy she was able to attend Horror Hound. We took a picture together (Above), and then she asked if I wanted to take one more. Who am I to refuse? “This is for your MySpace page,” she told me, and then she placed my hands on her chest. It was…very nice. Another hightlight of the weekend was meeting the Cenobites from Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser II. Barbie Wilde (Female II) has written a novel herself, and it was great to talk shop with someone who had such enthusiasm. Simon Bamford (Butterball) was quite a lot of fun. He is a very thin, very energetic guy. Nothing at all like his pudgy, demonic alter ego. “I don’t know what I expected you to look like…” I began. “But not this?” he finished with a laugh. Doug Bradley and Barbie had each written a line of their dialogue on the photo I had them sign, and this prompted Simon to tell me that he originally had dialogue in the film as well. Unfortunately, fake teeth made his speech unintelligible, so they split his lines between Doug and Barbie. “Why don’t you just write down one of the lines you would have said,” I told him. He smiled. “I’ve never done that before. This will make it quite rare.” Nicholas Vince (Chatterer) was the last to arrive (prompting me to joke that he was using Jewel Shepard’s travel agent), but despite being stuck in planes and various airports for two days, he was full of good spirits. Instead of a line of dialogue, he drew a sketch of the Chatterer below his name. As we were waiting for Nick, Ashley Laurence and Doug Bradley decided to pick a fight with Kane Hodder (Jason from Friday the 13th Parts VII-X, see picture below). They would launch rubber bands at him from across the aisle, and he would turn around and launch them back. “What’s Jason gonna do?” Doug taunted, then he mimed Jason walking up to someone and stabbing them. “Can he make hooks and chains appear out of thin air with a wave of his hand? No. Who can do that, huh?” I’ve been to a lot of conventions over the years, for both professionals and fans, and I have to say that this Horror Hound was the one of the best that I have ever attended. It was well organized, the guests really seemed to enjoy being there, and I know that I enjoyed being there with them. Horror Hound will pay Indy another visit in August. I will be first in line. ;D
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Post by Michael West on May 14, 2008 16:13:33 GMT -5
Today, Dish Network made an unannounced and bone-headed move. The satellite provider has dropped Monsters HD, the first all horror channel, from their programming (along with every other VOOM HD network). What did they put in its place, you ask? The Weather Channel in HD! Totally pissed, I emailed my concerns to Dish Network, and I ask all horror fans to do the same. Here's the link: www.dishnetwork.com/content/customer_service/contact_us/email/index.aspAlso, if you are a Dish Network subscriber, you can call the customer service line to voice your concerns: 1-888-284-7116 Let your voice (and your chainsaws) be heard! BRING BACK MONSTERS HD!
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Post by Michael West on May 15, 2008 15:59:41 GMT -5
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Post by Michael West on Jun 1, 2008 18:00:54 GMT -5
Not the Way I Wanted to Spend My Weekend Friday night, Indianapolis was hit by one of the worst storms I can remember, and my neighborhood appears to have received much of its fury. Wind buffeted West Manor, bringing with it torrential rains and hail. I had water pour in around some windows, running down the wall into my basement and ruining some ceiling tiles there, but other than that, and some ruined landscaping, my home was remarkably unscathed. We did lose power, however, and to stop my basement from flooding, I began to bring buckets of water up from the sump pit and dump them into the kitchen sink. I'd been doing this for hours when the neighbors behind us had their electricity restored at 1:00 am. "Won't be long now," I said, and I continued to bring up buckets. I was still bringing up buckets at 8:00 am when my wife returned home from a night of work at the hospital. By this time, I had been up for over 24 hours and was exhausted. Finally, I spoke to a neighbor who had power and asked if I could run extension cords from my sump pump to her outside outlet. Thankfully, she said yes and I was able to get some much needed rest. Much of the neighborhood looked like a war zone. Branches, shutters, aluminum siding, and other debris were strewn everywhere. Huge, decades-old trees were uprooted, split down the center, or stripped of their branches all together. As I laid down, the sound of chainsaws cutting up downed limbs filled the air. It was strangely soothing. When I woke up, the lights and air conditioning were back on, and it was time to get started on the cleanup. As far as writing goes, did not get much of anything completed. Working on two short stories for upcoming anthologies, a re-write of my novel, Poseidon's Children, and doing a bunch of reviews for my new gig as movie reviewer for Doorways magazine. Will keep you posted. ;D
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Post by Michael West on Jun 23, 2008 15:19:22 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]Mo*Con III[/glow] As faithful readers have probably already guessed, I go to a lot of conventions during the course of the year. Some are professional in nature--dealing with the craft and business of writing, others are more for fans of the horror genre, but the one thing they all have in common is that wonderful time after the con closes where everyone finds a place to hang out, talk, and just get to know one another. Sometimes its the official "Con Suite," other times the hotel bar, or even a small corner of the lobby. I love those times, getting to catch up with old acquaintances and start new friendships. It's a great feeling that usually lasts until the wee hours of the morning, but at Mo*Con...it lasts all weekend long. ;D Mo*Con III was held at The Dwelling Place (7440 N. Michigan Road/Indianapolis, IN 46268). It used to be a hard place to find, but author (and previous guest of honor) Brian Keene donated the above sign. The event was sponsored by my extended family, the Indiana Horror Writers ( ABOVE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: [Standing] President Bob Freeman, Founder Tracy Jones, and Jerry Gordon. [Sitting] Natalie Christl, Me, Mo*Con Princess Alethea Kontis, Con Ringmaster and Namesake Maurice Broaddus, Sara Larson, and Michelle Pendergrass. [Floor] Tiffany Proctor.). We meet every month (and fill our mailboxes with emails in between), but we never have as much fun as we do on these weekend retreats. On the first night, Featured Guest Mark Rainey (above) took fellow authors Kelli Dunlap, Alethea Kontis, and Lauren David on a treasure hunt ( www.geocaching.com ) in a local graveyard, where they were promptly stopped and questioned by police. It was here that Lauren uttered what may have been the catch-phrase of the con: "We're with the church." Luckily, we did not have to post bail money and the group made it back in time for a concert. The band was a Celtic Rock group named Mother Grove ( www.mothergrove.com), and they were incredible. At one point, lead singer Brad Sprauer started using his guitar like a DJ uses a turntable to scratch. (Sounds strange, I know, but it worked...and it was awesome.) Late in the set, author and friend Gary A. Braunbeck grabbed me by the arm and we spun around in a wild Scottish jig. Thankfully, all camera's were on the band and we won't see that on YouTube any time soon. Author Alethea Kontis holds a special place in all of our hearts. At one point during the weekend, I stated that she was "so sweet, she sweats Sacrin" and it's the truth. To honor the fun, joy, and inspiration she provides us throughout the year, we made her an honorary member of the IHW and dubbed her the "Mo*Con Princess." I the time that I've known her, I have never seen Alethea cry, but that brought her to tears of joy. Bram Stoker Award-winner Brian Keene was also named an honorary member of the IHW for his support of Mo*Con and our group over the years. This brief award ceremony was then followed by various panels, discussing faith, spirituality, and gender and how they impact our writing. After the panels, we had the official release of Indiana Horror Writers first anthology: Dark Harvest. Gary A. Braunbeck wrote a forward to the collection, and it was good to have him on hand for the grand unveiling. It was also fun to see guests who bought copies go from table to table to get signatures from each and every contributor. ;D Saturday night, it was back to Maurice's home for spirits and spirited conversation. Topics ranged from publication deals, to Dr. Who, to Ti Chi, and everyone had a blast. Sunday morning, everyone gathered for the morning church service at The Dwelling Place, and the topic of the sermon turned to one of my favorite films: It's a Wonderful Life. "Try to write your life story without including anyone else," the pastor dared. Impossible. We need our friends, our extended families. They lift us up when we fail, inspire us to keep going, and join us in the celebration of our success--because no success is possible without them. If you take nothing else away from Mo*Con, you take away the knowledge that friends are the most important thing in this world. I just hope I don't have to wait until Mo*Con IV to see all of mine again. With writer/editor Douglas F. Warrick (Left) and his friend Kyle, who stole a bunch of shirts out of my closet for the weekend! With writer/editor Chesya Burke. With friends Kelli Dunlap and Alethea Kontis. They're like the little angel and devil on my shoulders. (You guess which is which.) Practically crushing Kelli Dunlap. Writer/editor Nick Mamatas gives me a lift.
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Post by Michael West on Jun 24, 2008 12:37:49 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]Horror Hound Weekend (Part 1): Tall Paul and the Mall[/glow] Sunday, June 22, 2008. My two sons and I are dining at a Taco Bell in the middle of nowhere. Suddenly, I hear: “Praise the Lord!” I turn just as the woman in the next booth lowers her cell phone. “Lisa just got saved!” she tells her friends. The others, in unison, respond, “Hallelujah!” As I sit witness to this conversation, two thoughts spring to my mind in rapid succession. The first is that my sons and I are dressed in Hellraiser shirts, and I wonder if this group will interrupt our dinner to try and “save” us as well. The second is that, oddly enough, our entire weekend could be likened to some sort of religious pilgrimage. You see, we’ve just been to the Mecca of modern horror: Monroeville Mall, the setting for George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead. It’s now Friday, June 20th. After a six-hour drive from Indianapolis to Pittsburgh, my sons and I head straight for the shopping center. Hard to believe, but 30 years have passed since zombies last shambled through these marbled halls. Much has changed in that time. Gone are the gun stores where our heroes armed themselves against the undead hordes. A food court now sits in place of the ice skating rink. Smooth glass panels have replaced the ornate wrought iron railings. And the famous clock tower fountain is now a trampoline ride. Looking around, however, I find a few things that still remain. The JC Penney where our heroes began to take the mall back from the zombies, where Ken Foree first uttered the line, “When there’s no more room in Hell, the dead will walk the Earth.” The pond and bridge where many zombies stumbled and took a bath. The hallway where our heroes took refuge. And while the make and model may have changed, you can still find a car in the mall if you need one. We find Toy Galaxy, the brick and mortar store for Time & Space Toys, and go inside. This could very well be the greatest store Man has ever known. I find toys I had and loved as a child sitting side-by-side with new collectibles I desperately want to add to my collection. We immediately walk up to the counter and ask, “Do you still have seats to the screening?” For the first time ever, Dawn of the Dead will screen in the mall where it was filmed. All proceeds going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, one of my favorite charities. There are only 500 tickets, however, so I have broken every speed limit in three states to get here in time to buy ours. “We do,” the clerk says with a smile. “Do you want the regular ones, or the gold pass?” “What’s the difference?” “With the gold pass, you’re guaranteed a seat and you get popcorn and drink all for $10.” “Give me three of those.” Tickets now safely in hand, we grab something to eat at the food court (ice rink) before heading to the Expomart across the street--site of the Horror Hound convention hall and screening room. Dawn of the Dead is not the only film I’ve been waiting for. No. Tonight is the World Premiere of Paul Davis’ Beware the Moon, a feature-length documentary celebrating John Landis’ 1981 Oscar-winning masterpiece, An American Werewolf in London. Paul Davis walks into a packed screening room. I can see why his screen name is “Tallpaul.” He appears to be all of seven feet. (In the above photo, he's sitting...I'm standing.) Behind him strolls David Kessler himself, actor David Naughton (Above). And last, but certainly not least, Werewolf director John Landis (Above). The three men take their seats right in front of me, and John lets it slip that Beware the Moon will appear on the Blueray edition of American Werewolf, due out sometime next year. This announcement is met with thunderous applause. When the lights finally dim, we are treated to 90 minutes of pure joy. BtM is funny ( very funny), but it’s also informative and nostalgic—everything you want from a retrospective on one of the greatest horror films ever made. I could not believe the people Paul was able to find and interview, and it was wonderful to see so many of the cast members after all these years. I love movies and the craft of filmmaking, and I cannot remember a finer tribute to the classic horror of my youth than this. Almost midnight when the screening ends, and we three weary pilgrims head to our hotel for some much needed rest. It has been a long, eventful day in the Mecca of Horror, but as I drift off to sleep, I cannot help but think the best is yet to come. [glow=red,2,300]TO BE CONTINUED…[/glow]
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Post by Michael West on Jun 25, 2008 11:23:58 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]Horror Hound Weekend (Part 2): Con of the Dead[/glow] Saturday, June 21, 2008. A cool breeze blows through the man-made canyons of The District—an open-air addition to the Monroeville Mall, the shopping center where George A. Romero filmed his classic horror film Dawn of the Dead. Rain drenched this Pittsburgh suburb last evening, but today…there is not a cloud in the sky. My youngest son turns 10-years-old tomorrow, and he is going through what I call his “zombie phase”: he loves all things undead. So, as we cross the street to the Expomart, site of Horror Hound magazine’s weekend-long convention, he is quite excited about who he will be able to meet. We walk through the doors, and it does not take us long to find our first zombies: Dawn of the Dead’s Clayton and Sharon Hill (Below). The husband and wife duo are so nice and down-to-earth. I have on my Dawn of the Dead hoodie, with Sharon’s “nurse zombie” featured prominently on the back, and they get a huge kick out of it. “Where did you get that?” Clayton asks. “Hot Topic,” I tell him. “Do they still have them?” “Not anymore.” I had a similar conversation with Danny Trejo at the March Horror Hound Weekend, and it always amazes me that actors don’t get at least one copy of all the items that feature their likenesses. Behind the Claytons sit Leonard A. Lies and Frank Serrao, the “machete” and “gray suit” zombies. Leonard signs my Dawn of the Dead poster and draws a little bloody machete on the bald-headed zombie. Then, when he finds out that it is my son’s birthday, he gives him a chocolate picture of himself as a gift. Frank also has a gift, a painting of himself with Sharon Clayton. He signs it, gives it to my son, and the boy’s eyes light up as if it is Christmas morning. “Show him your sweatshirt,” Clayton calls out, then tells Frank, “Sharon’s on the back.” I spin around so they can see, but a line is beginning to form, so I must soon shake hands and move on. Mike Christopher (Above), the “Hari Chrishna” zombie, is the next guest we meet. He is a funny, funny guy, and it is obvious that he relishes his cult icon status. He adds his signature to my poster, poses for pictures, then gives my son lessons on how to walk like a proper zombie. Next, we catch David Crawford (Above) as sets up his table for the day. David was one of the few non-zombie Dawn of the Dead guests. His character, Dr. Foster, has one of the film’s most memorable lines, “It gets up and kills!” He writes this line on my poster, then poses for a picture with my son in character, explaining how best to survive the zombie apocalypse. *Author’s note: Pictures featuring my children have been cropped when possible. When not possible, I have chosen not to post them. I hope you understand. Another David sits nearby, David Early (Above). Mr. Early shared the screen with Crawford’s Dr. Foster, playing television interviewer Mr. Berman. He was also Mr. White in the final Creepshow segment, “They’re Creeping Up on You,” and it’s that role we really talk about. “So what did you say when George Romero called you up and said, ‘Look, I want you to do this part, but all we’re really going to see of you is your eye and your mouth through a magnifying glass?” In the film, White is seen almost entirely through a huge peephole. He gave a wide smile, his affection for the director quite obvious. “I said, ‘I can’t wait. Let’s go. Let’s do this.’” Joe Shelby (Above left) and Tommy LaFitte (Above right) are the final Dawn of the Dead guests we see that morning. My son looks at LaFitte and asks, “What zombie were you?” He smiles and says, “You seen the movie?” My son nods. “You know the zombie that bites the girl on the neck?” He frowns at that and I have to laugh. The first time we tried to watch the film, that’s the moment that sent him running up the stairs. We next find Griffin Dunne (Above), the undead Jack from American Werewolf in London. This is Griffin’s first convention ever and he appears to be enjoying himself. He signs my Werewolf poster, a still from the film, and writes, “Be serious, would you!” Next to Griffin is the lovely Romy Alford, producer for Paul Davis’ documentary Beware the Moon. I tell her how wonderful I thought the film was. She smiles. “You saw it?” “Yes, I sat behind you.” “Oh yeah. You laughed a lot.” “Sorry.” “No, it was good. You have a very distinctive laugh.” I think I blushed at that. Allan Trautman (Above) is seated across the hall. Allan played the iconic “Tar Man” in Return of the Living Dead. He was one of the highlights of the weekend, such a nice, friendly man. We talked for quite a while and he signed my poster as well as a still of the Tar Man in all his glory. “To Mike,” he wrote, “a writer with BRAINS!!!” Finally, we see that there is no line at Ottaviano Delluacqua’s table. Ottaviano (Below) played probably the most iconic undead creature in history, the worm-eyed corpse from the Italian film Zombie . Like Griffin Dunne, this is his first con. He speaks very little English, and I speak very little Italian, but he knows “Mike” and I know “Grazie.” Having now met all the zombie guests at the con, we start to leave for lunch. Toy Galaxy has set up a lounge, serving hot dogs to all convention guests, and we want to get over there before they are all gone. Suddenly, there is a hand on my shoulder, and a voice I don’t recognize is calling my name. [glow=red,2,300]TO BE CONTINUED…[/glow]
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Post by Michael West on Jun 26, 2008 12:52:10 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]Horror Hound Weekend (Part 3): Halloween Chainsaws, Fluffy Heads, and Other Weirdness[/glow] “Michael? Michael West?” I’m in Pittsburgh, enjoying my time at the Horror Hound Weekend convention with my two sons, when someone taps me on the shoulder. I assume it must be someone from the registration desk, or perhaps even the security staff, and for an instant, I wonder what it is that I could possibly have done (or not done) to warrant their attention. Then, I turn around. Behind me is a woman in a white top and jeans. It takes me a moment, but I soon recognize her as ~Ladyblue~ ( www.myspace.com/Ladyblue6371, Above left.), from MySpace and various Horror message boards. “I thought it was you,” she says with a smile. “My husband has your story. Would you sign it for him?” I chuckle at that. Here I am, amid all of these horror icons and celebrities, and someone wants my signature. “Sure. I’d be happy to.” At that moment, Noigeloverlord ( www.myspace.com/noigeloverlord, Above right) walks over with a copy of APEX: Science Fiction and Horror Digest in hand. “I originally bought it for Brian Keene’s story, but then I read yours and loved it!” “Glad you enjoyed it.” I sign my tale, “To Know How to See,” then we pose for pictures. “It’s nice to finally meet you both.” This entire time, the couple’s son is chatting with my youngest. Faithful readers will know that my boy is by no means shy, and soon the children are best friends—asking to have their pictures taken together as well. It always amazes me how you can meet total strangers at these Horror Hound conventions, strike up a conversation, and leave feeling as if you have known the people forever. Soon, we have to say our goodbyes, and my sons and I head for the steps. All day long, the staircase has been like an oven. Sun streams through a wall of glass, and doors seal the area off at both ends. Now, however, the stairs are hot for an entirely different reason. Half-naked women lay sprawled across the railings, striking very seductive poses. There is a man with a camera, sitting on one of the steps, acting frustrated as people walk past and interfere with his shots. I have been to a lot of conventions in my life, and I thought I had seen just about everything there was to see, but this is a completely new experience. My sons tug insistently on my arms. “Come on, Dad!” They are still at the age when food is more important than girls, and they’re hungry for lunch. When we return from Toy Galaxy’s convention lounge, the women are gone, but Daeg Faerch (Above), the young Michael Myers from Rob Zombie’s Halloween has just arrived. His appearance has changed a bit since I saw him last. He’s taller, thinner, but despite his young age, you can tell he is serious about the craft of acting. You can actually see him get into character before each camera flash—the smiling, laughing child giving way to a more brooding, mysterious persona. Halloween star Danielle Harris (Above) is also in attendance for the weekend. She is such a sweetie, and lucky for me, she has copies of the Halloween 5 poster on her table for signing. This is one of my favorite posters from the entire series, with Michael’s knife blade morphing into the clown costume worn by Harris’ Jamie. After posing for pictures, Danielle gets into a huge debate with my youngest son about Michael Myers, and I finally have to pull him away from her table before she thinks I’m raising a little serial killer of my own. Bill Moseley (Above) is the next guest we visit. The man cracks me up! I have the poster for Texas Chainsaw 2 with me and he breaks into his Chop Top character as he signs it. He then picks up one of the “plates” he has for sale and explains to my sons how it was molded from a cast of his head. I also have Bill sign a picture from the Night of the Living Dead remake he did for director Tom Savini. The film was in color, but the still is black and white, just as the original motion picture was shot. “They’re coming to get you, Mike,” he writes. We then take the still over to Tom for his signature. “Can you write ‘Cut!’ above your name?” I ask. Savini smiles. “Cool idea.” A few tables down from Tom sits his one-time make-up assistant, Darryl Ferrucci (Below). Darryl had the honor of donning the “Fluffy” costume for one of my favorite Creepshow segments, “The Crate.” I show him a still that Savini signed for me back in Indianapolis—the artist being mauled by his own creation. Darryl signs the photo, but admits that he’s not the one pictured. “That’s the hand puppet,” he tells me. “There was a suit, and a hand puppet for when we actually had to bite someone.” Our discussion then turns to the film C.H.U.D.. “Yeah…wow.” Ferrucci laughs. “There was noooo money for that one.” He describes the process of making the Geiger counters and other props from scrap bits and pieces, then admits that he actually appeared on screen. “You know the hand at the beginning? The one that reaches out of the manhole and grabs the girl’s leg?” “Yeah.” “That was me,” he tells me. “I even have a picture somewhere of me with the hand on and all the fog machines under the manhole.” He pauses, then looks at me and says, “You know, if I’m gonna do more of these conventions, I should print some of those up. People might be interested. I mean, you know C.H.U.D., right?” “Oh yeah. I love C.H.U.D. I’d buy that one from you in a heartbeat.” And I hope Ferrucci appears at another Horror Hound soon, so I can be true to my word. When we pose for pictures with a “Fluffy” head that sits on his table, I ask if we can hold the sculpture up for the cameras. “Uh…I would, but it’s not mine,” Darryl cautions. “It’s Greg Nicotero’s. He’s just letting me borrow it for the weekend.” Greg Nicotero (Above). Effects-guru extraordinaire. The man has been responsible for the effects in some of the latest and greatest fright films, including last year’s Grindhouse and The Mist. Across his desk sits a row of zombie heads, reproductions of undead faces from Dawn through Diary of the Dead. Greg is as nice as he is talented, taking time to explain how some of the effects were accomplished, then posing for a picture where our heads and the zombie heads formed a line of busts. He even signed a still from one of my favorite films of all time, Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead 2. “I’ll swallow your soul!” he writes. As we shake hands, I ask him if he will be attending the Dawn of the Dead screening in the mall that evening. “I’ll be there,” he tells us. It is getting late. The convention floor is closing down for the day, and we head over to Monroeville Mall for a bite to eat. Soon, they will erect a huge screen where the famous clock tower fountain once stood. Soon, for the first time ever, they will show Dawn of the Dead in the shopping center where it was filmed. And I can’t wait to see what happens. [glow=red,2,300]TO BE CONTINUED…[/glow]
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Post by Michael West on Jun 27, 2008 9:53:45 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]Horror Hound Weekend (The Final Chapter): No Dark Moments[/glow] The Dawn of the Dead Mall Screening Has Been Cancelled!!!!!!The Dawn of the Dead Mall Screening Has Not Been Cancelled, But Horror Hound Is No Longer Sponsoring It.There May Be No Dawn of the Dead Screening in the Mall Itself. And so it went. As soon as I discovered that my schedule would allow me to drive back to Indianapolis on Sunday rather than Saturday night, thus enabling me to attend a screening of George A. Romero’s horror classic in the shopping center where it was filmed, the message boards became abuzz with rumor and conjecture. Reports surfaced that there were rights problems, that there was in fighting between sponsors, that the Mall was evil and no longer wanted to be associated with flesh-eating zombies. Then, two days before the Horror Hound Weekend convention, came the final word: The Dawn of the Dead Mall Screening is Back On!!!!!!On Friday, June 20th, after reading all the details I could find, my two sons and I had raced across two states to purchase our tickets. Toy Galaxy (Below), the brick and mortar store for Time & Space Toys, was now in charge of the screening. And for ten dollars each, all for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, we were guaranteed seats to history—not to mention refreshments. Now it was Saturday, June 21st, and after a full day of activities at the Expomart across the street, we’re back inside Monroeville Mall, where Romero unleashed the undead 30 years before. I don’t think anyone on the planet could be as enthusiastic about the upcoming screening as my youngest son. You see, tomorrow is his birthday, and he’s told everyone he meets—from “nurse zombie” Sharon Clayton to effects master Tom Savini—that he will be 9-years-old when the movie starts at 11pm, and 10-years-old when it ends. He is convinced this is some sort of record and quite proud of the achievement. When we arrive on the scene, volunteers are bringing out huge rolling pallets loaded with folding chairs. I elbow my oldest son. “Look familiar?” Every year, for the 500 Festival Parade in Indianapolis, his scout troop spends the morning setting up these same chairs. I see someone who appears to have authority and we approach. “Need any help?” I ask. “Sure,” he says. We need to fill in the space between these columns.” My sons and I dive in, helping the other volunteers set up row after row (Above). “We need a some strong pairs o’ hands over here!” I turn to see what looks like a giant black innertube on the marbled tile (Above). Another man has a large sheet of white fabric spilling across his arms, clearly looking for help with it. I run over to him, help him lift the mesh-like fabric off the floor. “This is the screen,” the man tells me. “We need to clip it into place.” We spread the fabric out and lay it in place, filling in the hole in the center of the black innertube. There are metal clips on every side. We start on opposite ends and work our way around to the middle where we find… We’re off one. Frustrated cursing follows and we look around to see where one was missed. Of course, it was on my side. Part of the innertube was folded over, hiding the clip. I undue a large portion and begin again until everything is lined up. Now, we’re ready to inflate the screen. We attach the innertube to large fans (Above) and turn them on. Air rushes in, and it is obvious fairly quickly that there is another problem. The innertube is essentially a huge A-Frame, and the black tubes that form the supports are twisted like a giant black pretzel. We try several times to untangle it, and between each attempt we must unhook the screen from the fans and let the air back out. I check my watch and it is after 9 pm. Soon, they will start letting people in to take their seats, and I wonder what the response will be if we can’t figure out how to erect a screen. Finally, we manage to untwist it and the screen fully inflates (Below). Soon, the floodgates open and the ticket-holders file down the escalator into the make-shift cinema. Some are even dressed as zombies, with tattered clothes and full prosthetics. As they take their seats, the carnival-style music from Dawn of the Dead’s end credits pours from speakers, filling the mall. It is all quite surreal. And then it is time to start the festivities. After a brief welcome, Mike Christopher (Above), the “Hari Chrishna” zombie, takes the microphone. He thanks everyone for coming, the regales us with a tale of how he researched his character. He actually dressed up as a Hari Chrishna and tried to get the mall security guards to buy incense. Castmate David Early (Above) then takes center stage. Just as he did earlier in the day, he expresses his affection for George Romero and the work they created. He is clearly impressed by the turn-out, and the enthusiasm fans have for the film after all these years. A third man then rises from his chair and begins to speak. “You might remember me,” he tells us. “I used to be a little taller. My name is Jim Krut, and I was the ‘helicopter zombie.’” My sons and I look at each other at that moment, our eyes wide. On the message boards, someone posted that Mr. Krut (Above) would not be there until Sunday, but when we got to the convention, the staff I spoke to had said he wouldn’t be there at all. Jim goes on to say how he would not let his daughter watch the film until she was 16. The crowd booed him at that, and my youngest son looked up at me with a smile, again proud of the fact that he was probably the youngest person to ever see the film. Krut said that they watched the movie together, and after the early scene where zombies are shot one after the other, his daughter asked, “You don’t get shot, do you Dad?” He shook his head and said, “No honey. Just watch.” The audience erupted with laughter. (In his famous scene, Jim Krut has the top of his head taken off by a whirling chopper blade.) [ After the cast members speak, representatives from Horror Hound stage an auction to further benefit Make-A-Wish. Items go to the highest bidder, including stills signed by Greg Nicotero and Tom Savini, “THE DEAD WALK!” newspaper signed by all the zombie guests, and a replica of the airport zombie signed by Nicotero (Above). I’m surprised and delighted be the fierceness of the bidding. The items all find good homes, and a worthy charity will reap the rewards. As the pre-show festivities wind to a close, I expected to see the lights to dim, allowing the program to continue on in the dark. They don’t. We’re told that the lighting is all computer controlled; that the Mall could not (would not?) change the programming, but it is hoped that the lights will dim at 11pm. They don’t. The show goes on, however. When the title hits the screen, mad cheers explode from the crowd. Then Romero appears as the television director, and there are more wild applause. And when David Crawford says “It gets up and KILLS,” we all say it right along with him. But when the movie switches to the early, dark scenes in the projects, the glare of the overhead lights makes the action muddy and incomprehensible. Excited conversations turn suddenly to dissatisfied and angry grumbling, and when it becomes obvious to everyone that the lights will never go out…many just get up and leave. Later, I would learn that some even had the audacity to ask for a refund of their money—money earmarked for a children’s charity. I shouldn’t be surprised, however. I used to manage movie theaters, and I once organized a showing of the ALIEN trilogy to benefit an AIDS charity in Indianapolis (this was before Resurrection and AVP). The night of the event, several people asked for their money back, complaining that other audience members were saying lines of dialogue aloud and cheering when important or memorable moments occurred on-screen. Because of this, they claimed they could not enjoy the movie. What I told this ALIEN crowd, and what I wish I could have said to those who abandoned the mall like rats from the Titanic: this isn’t a movie…it’s an experience. You don’t attend a screening like this to merely watch images displayed on a screen, you come to meet other fans, to clap and cheer for your favorite scenes…you come for a party. And those of us who do stay are treated to a wonderful party indeed. The picture and sound quality improve as the night wears on, and the group who sit behind me actually work in the mall. They are quick to point out how things have changed and what modern stores have replaced the defunct shops depicted on screen. “That’s where I smoke,” one of them admits with a laugh, pointing to the stairwell where our heroes hide out. Near the end, Toy Galaxy comes around with coolers on carts, tossing free drinks to everyone who remains on the floor. I feel bad for them. I really do. After all the trouble they had to go through to put on this party, after all the effort that went into getting the area ready in time for the show, it is a shame that the mall lighting has to mar such a wonderful evening. Sunday, June 22, 2008. After the late-night screening, we are slow to rise. Eventually, however, we do find our way over to the Expomart and Mr. Jim Krut. What a wonderful guy! He adds his name to my Dawn of the Dead poster and we talk about our children, about the screening the night before, and finally, about our respective drives home. He is four hours away. Me…six hours, and unfortunately, it is time to get started. As we leave Pittsburgh, I ask my sons if they’ve had a good time. And from the back seat, my youngest—now ten-years-old—calls out, “It was the best weekend of my life!” I couldn’t agree more. Like the screening the night before, there was never a dark moment. We make our return to Indianapolis, knowing that Horror Hound Weekend will soon follow. Each event has been better than the last, and I for one cannot wait to see how they top themselves this August. [glow=red,2,300]The End[/glow]
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Post by Michael West on Jul 1, 2008 10:34:48 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]"To Know How to See" can now be seen LIVE![/glow] As faithful readers may know, APEX: Science Fiction and Horror Digest issue #12, featuring my story "To Know How to See," sold out in record time. But fear not! The story is now featured on the on-line version of the magazine. You can read it by clicking on the link below: www.apexbookcompany.com/apex-online/ 2008/06/short-fiction-to-know-how-to-see/ Enjoy! ;D
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Post by Michael West on Jul 8, 2008 12:23:53 GMT -5
Had a wonderful time at InConJunction last weekend. Met some faithful readers and found some new ones. Full report coming soon. ;D In the meantime, I've been dealing with my wisdom teeth. Yes, I still have them. My dentist has been trying to get me to have them taken out for years, but I hate dentists, and I hate surgery, so I've been hoping to keep them in my head, hopefully be buried with them, but it doesn't look like that will happen. Nope, in a week, I will have to have them cut out. Bad news= Surgery Good news= Good drugs and maybe some uninterrupted time to write. Will keep you all posted.
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Post by Michael West on Aug 2, 2008 13:41:46 GMT -5
July was quite the busy month. Did a lot of research on Tibet and wrote a story, "Sanctuary," for an upcoming anthology. It turned out very well, much better than I expected, and my first readers have all sung its praises, but it's out of my hands now and in the editor's inbox. *fingers and toes crossed* Also in negotiations on another project that I'm very excited about. Hope to have news on that soon, and of course, when I know...my faithful readers will know too. With a few projects done, and a few others at breaking points, finally got a chance to take the family on a nice, long-overdue vacation. Flew up to Wisconsin Dells and stayed in a cabin in the hills. (I know, I know...made all kinds of Evil Dead/Cabin Fever references...especially during the pancake breakfasts. ) Took a boat ride (above) down the Wisconsin River and got a good look at the odd rock formations that make this area such an attraction. (below) I was here once before, when I was as old as my oldest son. At that time, the boats and souvenir shops were all the place had to offer. How things change. Now they have a huge theme park, Mount Olympus (above). A huge water park and five Greek mythology-themed roller coasters, including Hades (below), which dives hundreds of feet into underground tunnels and unseen twists and turns before racing back into the light of day. It's rated number three in the world. Makes me wonder if I could survive numbers one or two. Got to spend the afternoon heat riding water slides and splashing around in the giant wave pool, well...until Poseidon showed up. Boy, was that guy pissed! (Above. My son actually took this photo. Probably the best one any of us took all week long!) Once we got dried off, we went racing on the various go-cart tracks in the park (below). In the past, the tracks I've been to have been ovals or mock road courses. Not so at Mount Olympus. They actually have multi-level tracks that go below lakes and up through huge Trojan Horses. Very cool. ;D Spent one night at the Ho-Chunk Nation casino (above). The running joke among the locals is that you go in with money, but the games take the "Ho-Chunk." In my case, it was the truth, but the wife was able to win some back. It was nice to get away from it all and just hang out with friends and family (above--I'm the one on the right). My wife kept after me about always checking my cell phone for a signal (there wasn't one for most of the week), and I was going through major Internet withdrawal, but it was a good time. A much needed break from work and day-to-day obligations. ;D Well, now I'm back. West Manor is still standing, the Internet is still working, and my laptop is all warmed up--ready to churn out more stories for everyone to enjoy. I better get started.
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Post by Michael West on Aug 27, 2008 23:35:18 GMT -5
As a local horror writer, and someone who has attended and written at length about Horror Hound Weekends past, I was interviewed by the Indianapolis Star for their weekly magazine (due out today). These Horror Hound Weekend stories, featuring organizers and fellow Hoosier Doug Jones, also appear online via the links below: www.indy.com/posts/11089www.indy.com/posts/11086www.indy.com/posts/11087Can't wait for this weekend! ;D
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Post by Michael West on Aug 31, 2008 23:42:30 GMT -5
[glow=red,2,300]Horror Hound Weekend (August 2008)[/glow] Another Horror Hound Weekend. My third this year. And yet, I find that I am just as excited today as I was last year, when the magazine launched its series of conventions here in Indianapolis. While there are some returning friends--the great Tom Savini, Kane Hodder (Jason of Friday the 13th VII-X), and some of the zombie actors from George Romero's Dawn of the Dead, there are many new faces. The first person we see as we enter the hall is anther West, Dr. Herbert West, Jeffrey Combs of Re-Animator (Above). "Where did you get that shirt?" he asks. "Fright Rags," I tell him. "That's great...with the hands holding the heart, and the head up there with the bat wings." "You're on here too," I tell him, pointing to a shadow in the background, holding a glowing syringe. He laughs, then signs my Re-Animator poster and an Australian mini for Frighteners. "So..." I ask, "Is House of Re-Animator still a possibility?" He shakes his head, looking disappointed. "It's dead." "Really?" "Yeah. Too many people with money saying 'no.'" When he signs my Frighteners mini, he uses his line, "My body is a roadmap of pain." I smile. "Not, 'I'm an asshole with an uzi?'" "I have written that before," he laughs. Next to Jeffrey is his Frighteners co-star, Jake Busey (Above). "How are you?" I ask. "Fine," he says. "It's early." "Jetlag?" "No, not really. I'm just not a morning person." You would never know it. Busey has a wide grin and is quick to share the fun he had making The Frighteners. He turns to Dee Wallace (Below), his love interest in the film, "We adlibed that whole thing, didn't we? Jackson just let us go." Dee Wallace is wonderful. Just wonderful. She's funny, and very honest. I show her a lobbycard I have from The Howling, one Director Joe Dante signed many years ago with a funny comment. In the time since, Robert Picardo and Producer Mike Finnell have added to it, and now it is her turn. She points to the poster image in the corner. "You know, that's my mouth." "Is it?" "Yeah, you can see my fillings." She then shares with me a behind-the-scenes story that relates to the still, and as she writes, says, "This is going to sound so catty." "No," I tell her. "Go for it." Next...a real thrill. The legendary Dick Miller (Above). Dick has been in just about everything over the years. Piranha, The Howling, The Terminator, V, Gremlins, Night of the Creeps, Pulp Fiction...you name it, and he has probably had a supporting role or cameo. "Sir...it is a real pleasure to meet you." I hold out my hand. He shakes it. "And it's a pleasure to meet you. I've been waiting for you all day." We laugh, and he starts to sign my items, but when I unroll my Night of the Creeps poster, his jaw drops. "Oh my," he says, "that's amazing!" And that's exactly what I'm saying on the inside when he signs it. Then he moves on the Howling lobby card, and his co-star, Belinda Balaski (Below) leans over. "Look at this," Dick says, showing her what others have written. "I know," she says, "I've heard about it. Now I have to think of something." Belinda is so sweet, and so much fun. We chat about everything from HD television to the films she has done for Joe Dante. On her table is a still from Amazon Women on the Moon, and I let her know that it was just on HBO2 last week. "Was it?" I nod. "I got it on TiVo. I hadn't seen it in widescreen before." "Oh, that's wonderful," she tells me. "That means a residual check is coming." And then we both laughed. Next came another moment I was waiting for: a chance to see director Joe Dante (Above). Being a child of the 80s as I am, I have grown up with Dante's films. Each one became like a family reunion. Dick Miller, Robert Picardo, Kevin McCarthy would be on the screen, and the late great Jerry Goldsmith would be guaranteed to provide one of his best scores. After he signs my Gremlin's poster, I show him the Howling lobby card. He reads the comments others have added to it over the years, and his smile grows wider and wider. Afterward, we meet the star of Gremlins, Zach Galligan (Above). He signs my poster, and the ear of a Gizmo belonging to my son's friend. It has been almost 25 years, but Galligan look the same as he did when he played Billy Peltzer. "Is this your first time in Indianapolis?" I ask. "You know, it is," he says. "This is the first time I've ever been to Indiana." "Well, I'm glad you were able to come." "I am too. I'm enjoying it." Next, we find the Wishmaster himself, Andrew Divoff. Andrew is a great guy. Very friendly, and he obviously loves what he does. He has had roles in everything from Neon Maniacs to Indiana Jones, but we mainly talk LOST. "Are you back this season?" I ask. "Or will you have to shoot me if you say anything?" He laughs. "There are rumors, but I haven't heard anything yet. I would love to do it. I love that character." Fans of the show might wonder how his character, Mikhail Bakunin, could come back, seeing how he was shot with a speargun, then blown up by a grenade. But this is LOST we're talking about. Anything is possible. There are so many vendors at Horror Hound; rare posters, T-shirts, and collectibles around every corner. Sure, there are some CDs and DVDs that are bootlegged, just as there are at any genre convention, but there are also some real finds. My favorite: a statue of the ALIEN emerging from the bowels of the Nostromo, complete with hanging chains. Speaking of chains... It is while we are trolling the booths that we meet the Asylum House ladies. They are nice enough to pose for a picture (Above)... ...right before they put me in the stock and whip me within an inch of my life. We then see Doug Jones ( Hellboy 1-2 / Pan's Labyrinth). Doug (Above) is a native Hoosier, and one of the nicest, sweetest men you will ever meet. I hand him a copy of this week's Indy.com newsweekly, one that features interviews with both of us. (For the interviews and related Horror Hound story, follow these links: www.indy.com/posts/11089www.indy.com/posts/11086www.indy.com/posts/11087) "When I walked up to the writer for my interview," I tell him, "You were just getting off the phone with him." He laughs. "Oh, how funny! Thank you so much for this." We talk shop a bit, but the line is long, the longest of the convention, and soon we have to move along. He signs a still of the Angel of Death from Hellboy II. The photo has a golden tint to it, and he decides to use a gold paint pen. "You'll have to let this dry a bit longer, but it really looks great." And boy, does it ever. ;D One of the real highlights of the weekend was Michael Biehn (Above). Earlier, when the lines were long, there was not much time to talk. He signed posters from ALIENS, The Terminator, and Grindhouse, we shook hands, and I was on my way. Later, however, as the crowds died down, my sons and I are talking nearby, and Michael strikes up a conversation with my youngest about his Karate. "Show me what you got," Michael tells him, standing up in a fighting stance. After my son throws a few punches, the actor smiles and asked him if he wants a picture.* It is about this time when Tom Savini walks over with a cell phone. "Someone you know wants to say 'hi.'" Michael takes the phone from Tom, then looks up at him, questioning. "Hey, Arnold," he says into the receiver. The conversation goes on for a bit, but it soon becomes obvious that this is not actually the Governor. Michael hangs up and hands the phone back. "Whoever that was, he was good." My young son then asks me for money to buy a "Zombie Hunter" cap from one of the vendors. "What's he want?" Michael asks. My son explains, in great detail, what it is that he's found. Michael then hands the boy $5. "You don't have to do that," I tell him. Michael shrugs. "Hey, it means nothing to me, but it's going to give him something he can remember." My son looks up at me, wondering if it is OK. "What do you say?" I remind him. "Thank you!" And then he is gone in a blur. When he returns, he shows Michael his hat, a small werewolf action figure, and some zombie warning signs. "You got all that for $5?" Michael asks him, just as amazed as I am. My son nods excitedly. "Now I have seven things to remember you by." It is now close to 6pm, and the new film Dance of the Dead is showing in the screening room. The room is packed, and when the film hits the screen, it is pure demented joy. This is, hands down, one of the best horror comedies ever made. EVER. And I cannot wait until the DVD release in October so that I can add it to my collection. The movie is followed by a sneak peek at footage from the Friday the 13th reboot, due out Friday, February 13, 2009. This is the same teaser that was shown to audiences at Comic Con. You might have seen it on the Internet, all blurry and tilted. It was wonderful to be able to watch it clearly. When the lights came up, Derek Mears (Above), who plays the new Jason, spoke at length about the experience of making the film (Below). Derek is a film geek at heart, and the joy he feels playing a horror icon is clearly evident. When asked how it felt to put on the mask for the first time, he grinned and said, "It was like taking Excalibur from the stone." When the Q&A ends, my youngest still has a question, one Tom Savini had drummed into his head over the years. He wants to know how there can be a Jason when the boy drowned in the very first film. I say, "Go ask him." And so my son, who has never had a bashful day in his life, walks up to Derek (Above. My son is the short one on the left, still wearing the "Zombie Hunter" hat Michael Biehn bought for him). "This is what they call a reboot, or a relaunch," Derek explains. "Have you seen the new Batman?" "Yeah." "It's like that. It's starting over, like the other films didn't happen." This satisfies my son, and from what I've seen, I'm hopeful the film will satisfy us all. And with that, it is time to leave. It has been another Horror Hound Weekend to remember, and with a Night of the Creeps reunion looming in Detroit, I'm certain it will not be the last. *Author’s note: As always, pictures featuring my children have been cropped when possible. When not possible, I have chosen views where their faces are obscured, or have not posted them at all. I hope you understand.
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Post by Born of Darkness on Sept 1, 2008 12:54:41 GMT -5
Looks like you had a really good time. Whipped?!?!
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