There is no question that one of the most enduring and influential Horror Hosts of all time was the late Bob Wilkins from the San Francisco Bay area. Less garish than that of many hosts, Wilkin’s style was about as simple as one could get; Just your average guy wearing glasses and sitting in a chair while smoking his cigar. Yet through his dry wit and demeanor was a charm that was undeniable.
If you attend horror events on a regular basis, sooner or later you’ll run into a t-shirt that reads: “I’d rather see a bad zombie movie than no zombie movie at all.” Filmmakers seem more than aware of that mindset, and they flood the market with zombie films that seem designed to be exactly that. But a group of filmmakers in Michigan are ready to break the mold this October when they begin shooting their new comedy, Dayplanner of the Dead.
While Zombies can trace their cinematic roots as far back as 1929, there is little doubt that the birth of the “modern” Zombie took place in the tumultuous year of 1968. Though I was still a couple years away from being born myself, I can not imagine what must have been going through the average American’s mind during that time. The Viet Nam War was raging, violent protests sparked throughout the nation, Martin Luther King & Bobby Kennedy were assassinated, Elvis staged a comeback, while The Beatles released their infamous WHITE album. What better time for the dead to return and devour the living?
September is always a transformational time for me. Not only because it’s the month of my birth but also because, for me, it represents the true beginning of the Halloween season. You always hear folks talking about the “Christmas Spirit” but rarely such sentiment in regards to All Hallows Eve. Well I’m hear to tell you it’s a very REAL phenomena and one I experience every year around this time.
Special thanks to John Bonior from “Scares that Care” for sharing these shots from last weekend’s event!
