Who, Me? Part 7: Emerging From Their Chicagoland Crypt, It’s Count And Countess Gregula!

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By: Jamie Lee Cortese

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Later on that first day at the convention, my family had to practically tear me away from Horror Host Alley in order to bring me into the massive MaskFest room.  Now, I have to admit, I did see some amazing masks there, and I really did enjoy exploring that room!  I met two of the Killer Klowns from Killer Klowns From Outer Space, and also saw, but didn’t get a chance to speak to, the male and female leads from the film.  The Klowns were both very kind, and were more than willing to take a picture with me when I bought their autographs!  They also both confirmed something I had read on the Internet and had been wondering about for a while:  Apparently, the Chiodo brothers have been attempting for a few years… to make a sequel to Killer Klowns From Outer Space!  I’ll be on the lookout!

Another highlight of the MaskFest room was The Late Dr. Lady’s table.  Recognizing his name from The Daves’ blog, I went over and had a very nice talk with him as I perused the surprisingly varied merchandise he was selling.  My family ended up buying a couple of funny-yet-fully-functional weekly pill cases, each of which bore the warning, “DANGER: MAY CONTAIN EXPERIMENTAL MONSTER TRANSFORMATION PILLS.”  We also bought a Horror Hotel CD.

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Can this PLEASE Be the Final, Final Destination?

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It was a mostly teenaged/young adult crowd that joined me for a viewing of FINAL DESTINATION 5 on its opening day. I popped on my 3D glasses and prepared myself for the “ride” that is guaranteed whenever one sees a FINAL DESTINATION film. Before I begin on my take of the movie, lets address the “3D” aspect. Its a common feature these days and with varied results; In most cases its unnecessary, in some cases disastrous (CLASH OF THE TITANS), while effective in a clever few (PIRANHA & MY BLOODY VALENTINE remakes). Horror films, by their very nature, should be ideal for this medium. The whole idea of something coming at you and causing you to jump is all part of their standard operating procedure anyway and 3D simply gives it extra punch. I did not feel, however, that it made a huge difference in this one.

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“Dark Night of the Scarecrow” – The Soundtrack!

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Shortly after the 4th of July, I stopped over at our local TARGET store and was annoyed to see that they’d already begun their “Back to School” sales. Although I understand the motivation of businesses for engaging in this long-standing practice of “pushing the holidays,” it still doesn’t prevent me from routinely rolling my eyes and getting irked by it. “Back to School” in July? Sheesh, let the poor kids enjoy their summer!

Behind the large bins of notebooks, pens, and Elmer’s Glue (all supplies that will be as scarce as water in a desert a few short weeks from now) was a few items indicating yet another holiday was in the department store wings. Unlike the advent of a new school year or even Christmas, however, I greeted this occasion more as a welcomed friend along with the knowledge that a monster & horror fan’s favorite season is just around the corner.If you are reading this blog, its a good bet that you will agree that Halloween is one of the BEST holidays along with all the wonderful Fall festivities associated with it!

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Mr. Lobo and Dixie’s Excellent Adventure!

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I was happily surprised to run into Mr. Lobo and Dixie at the annual FRIGHT NIGHT FILM FEST in Kentucky! As mentioned in our recent Atomic Age Cinema piece, horror hosts were slated to appear at this event but Mr. Lobo wasn’t one of them. Needless to say, the sight of the spectacled host wearing his signature suit & green/black striped tie was a welcomed one at that! I found the mastermind of Cinema Insomnia chatting with Blake Powell, the guru behind Midnite Mausoleum, and wasted no time interrupting the two late night TV mavericks.

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RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES: Definitely worth going “ape” over!

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Yesterday I attended an afternoon showing of the new film RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES.  Before the lights dimmed and viewers were reminded to silence their cell phones, I was immediately struck by the diverse audience this film attracted. There appeared to be equal numbers of black, white, young, old, teen couples, and even middle-aged genre fans (wink). Perhaps the finest example of the generational appeal the APES brand carries was illustrated by a man in his sixties assisting an elderly gentlemen to his seat beside me. He apologized as the older man’s cane fell on my feet and I smiled and asked if he was a big fan of the original PLANET OF THE APES. “Oh yes,” he said. “I’ll never forget the day my father took me to see it and now I’m taking him!”

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THE RETURN OF FANGORIA!

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img475Latest issue of FANGORIA!

Last year I posted a blog expressing my disappointment with what had once been my favorite horror/gore magazine (a post you can check out HERE). Over the last few years, the iconic FANGORIA  seemed to go from subversive pleasure to mainstream “sell out.” Disillusioned readers (such as myself) began flocking to newer alternatives such as Horrorhound and Rue Morgue (Horrorhound becoming my new favorite). My devotion to FANGORIA was such that this did not come without a certain level of “guilt.” In fact, I held on to the magazine long after most of my fellow horror friends had given up.

As stated in the aforementioned article, I allowed my subscription to expire and assumed (as I walked away cold turkey) that it would be a long time before I’d ever open another issue.

Never say never!

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