Oh bliss! How can you NOT love Fred Dekker?! The Writer/Director behind 'The Monster Squad' and 'Night Of the Creeps'?! Fred didn't have much news to share with us, but he answered questions about the making of his two most well known films. Confusion over the rights of his two cult classics are still mentioned as the reasons behind no official DVD releases. And he told us a bit about his aborted 'Monster Squad 2' idea, which would've featured... Godzilla!? He also said if he had the money, he'd love to do a bigger budget remake/sequel of 'Night Of The Creeps'. ( Ala Evil Dead 2) It was fun to finally see Fred at a Fango con. And look... he's sporting a kick-ass ATKINS T-shirt!!! (cont.)

Next up, we were handed pairs of 3D glasses as we entered the main auditorium for the 'NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD 3D' panel, which featured (from left to right) director Jeff Broadstreet, actor Sid Haig, Greg Travis, screenwriter Robert Valding, and makeup FX artists Dean & Starr Jones. We were shown the opening scene, along with a trailer in 3D!!! The 3D looked pretty good, considering the red/blue glasses gave me (and Mike) a headache. Mike C boldly claims, “It was the worst headache of my life and it lasted all day”. The film will be released with newer 3D technology, which won't require the old school red & blue glasses but something a tad more comfortable. The opening was really interesting. It began with a long shot of a road in black & white, and it made us think that we were about to see a re-enactment of the infamous opening of the original 'Night Of The Living Dead'. But then the camera pulled back and we realize that we're watching an old black and white television set, hence the actual movie is in color. The trailer footage that followed seemed pretty exciting considering the quick cuts. You can check out it at THIS You Tube link. (cont.)







Sid Haig remained on stage for the 'BROTHERHOOD OF BLOOD' panel, which also featured fellow actor Jason Connery and directors Michael Roesch and Peter Scheerer. They premiered the very first footage from the flick, which included a scene where the female lead tortures a vampire by pulling out his front fangs. The footage still required score and color correction, so I can't really judge the quality of the movie from what was shown, but it looked ok. I’m VERY picky with vampire flicks. Seeing Sid with fangs did made me giddy though! (cont.)









Next up was the ‘NIGHTMARE MAN ’ panel with (from left to right) writer/director Rolfe Kanefsky, actress Blythe Metz, actor Richard Moll (Bull!) and the beautiful Tiffany Shepis. After receiving an odd African mask in the mail, Ellen ( Metz) begins seeing a “being” that she refers to as the “Nightmare Man”. Is the “Nightmare Man” real? A ghost? Or a figment of her paranoid imagination? “NIGHTMARE MAN ” has been getting great notices wherever it’s been shown. A screening was held later in the evening and the room was packed. Look for a Fright Exclusive interview with the director later this summer. (cont.)

Director Jack Hill was signing at the Hollywood Book & Poster table. He signed a few items for our buddy John Torrani including a Spider Baby DVD and some posters. Mike C. completed his long date with 'DEATH SHIP' by having Jack sign it. He wrote the original story for 'DEATH SHIP'! “Werewolves on Wheels” and “Death Ship”? It’s really been quite a year for Mike C.

Fango's Ryan Rotten hosted the 'GRAVEDANCERS' panel, which featured FX artist Norman Cabrera, writer Bran Keene, composer Joe Bishara, actresses Megahn Perry, Clare Kramer and director Mike Mendez. This is the Mike Mendez’s follow-up to ‘The Convent’, which starred Adrienne Barbeau (who ironically was signing copies of her book at the Fangoria table in the dealers room.). “Gravedancers” is about a group of friends who discover a note on a deceased member of the group’s grave. They dance on graves in the cemetery and this rather upsets the ghosts. What makes this look unique is that the ghosts are all handled through live on-set creature effects that have only been enhanced by CGI. “Poltergeist” was referenced frequently by Mendez and Tony Timpone in describing the look of the ghost-creatures. So, we’re really looking forward to this one.









Jim Isaac, director of 'Jason X’ and ‘The Horror Show’ hosted a panel to preview his latest ‘SKINWALKERS’, a werewolf flick with actress Sarah Carter from the opening of Final Destination 2 and Smallville.

At 5:30PM, Fango premiered the new short film by writer/director Paul Solet ‘GRACE’. Paul was one of the winners for Fango’s Blood Drive Volume 2 with the short film ‘Means To An End’, so it was awesome to be able to see his follow up with the Fango audience. The short was great! Really creepy and unique. It features Liza Weil playing the very pregnant Madeline. Her & her husband (Brian Austin Green) are involved in a horrible car accident, which leaves her unborn child dead, and she decides to carry the child to term and deliver her dead baby. After the freakish delivery with a bunch of creepy nurses, the short 5 minute film ends with a bit of a shocker when baby Grace is born! Paul came on stage following the screening with bloody baby Grace herself and star Brian Austin Green. Eli Roth stood up in the audience and asked the first question, “Yea. Is there going to be a full length based on this short?” Paul replied, “Why yes… SIR. This short is a distillation of the first act of the film in order to raise financing for the feature film. Any questions from anyone I don’t know in the audience?” Overall, it was a great presentation and a really funny Q & A session. You can check out more info on the GRACE My Space profile HERE.

















Eli Roth and Paul Solet spend some quality time with baby 'GRACE'.



Wicked EFX's Jsyn with Paul Solet and their creation GRACE!



Jsyn with Paul Solet and storyboard artist Mike Carlo.



Blood Drive alumni Solet with filmmaker Will Rot.



"The Blood Pack" - filmmakers Adam Barnick, Will Rot, Paul Solet & Christopher Garetano.



Later in the evening, Fango’s guest of honor, actor LANCE HENRIKSEN was presented with a Fango Lifetime Achievement Award. Lance fielded various questions from the audience and paced back and forth like a stand up comedian. He told a few stories from his experiences on ALL the Aliens movies and how he thinks they only call him in when they can’t think of something else for the script. “Let’s call Lance up and see if he’s available. Put Bishop back in there.” He also spoke very highly of his experiences shooting the new Pumpkinhead sequels. He returns in both Pumpkinhead 3 & 4 as the ghost of Ed Harley, his character from the first film, and only did so on the strength of the scripts to both sequels. He shrugged when asked about the supposed ‘Near Dark’ remake, insisting instead that he and Bill Paxton really want to make a prequel to the original ‘Near Dark’.













Last but not least was an abbreviated version of CHARLES BAND ’s FULL MOON road show. It was essentially the same deal as what he did at last month’s Monster Mania convention (see THAT article HERE). He screened various clips from the Full Moon library, told stories about Gary Busey, and called up audience members to “direct” them in a scene. He closed off the show by auctioning off stunt puppets of Blade, Jester, and one of the dolls from ‘Doll Graveyard’. Pretty full first day!