We're only a week away from the annual Rock and Shock convention, where horror and heavy metal go together like peanut butter and jelly with a fist to the mouth.  Worcester, MA will play host on October 15-17 to a monster three days of horror con and metal concerts. 

 Headlining the meet-and-greet end of things are Danny Trejo and George Romero, as well as guests such as Adam Green, the man the recently pulled from theatres HATCHET II;  Adrienne Barbeau;  Pinhead himself, Doug Bradley;  the girls of Rob Zombie's HALLOWEEN;  and badass David Hess.  Charles Band will bring his Full Moon Road Show along for the ride on Saturday.

On the metal end of things, the highlight will be on Saturday night, when Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper join forces for a legendary night of horror rock.  Look for Astro-Creeps, Dragulas, Cold Ethyls and Billion Dollar Babies in legions as these two acts collide in unholy matrimony.  I've seen Cooper a few times, and he always puts on a good show that is just as much horror theatre as it is music.  And any time GWAR is in town... all Hell is going to break loose.

Several ticket options are available for the show.  I say go for the full weekend, and take in a hellacious three days of scares and frights.

And check out Rock and Shock on their website.  I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

 --Phil Fasso

Phil Fasso:  You worked under Umberto Lenzi, Michele Soavi, Ruggero Deodato and Lucio Fulci.  What was different about each as a director?

Giovanni Lombardo Radice:  Lenzi was a pompous ass and I notoriously didn't get along with him and hated the movie. Soavi is a great friend of mine and I director I deeply appreciate. He is generous, creative, unpredictable, an artist. Deodato is sure of himself, brisk, straight to the point, but at the same time very funny and nice. Fulci was gloomy, nervous, unhappy, but a great professional, with a strong visual intensity.

PF:  Which monster do you find scarier:  cannibal or zombie?

GLR:  God...a cannibal might exist and I wouldn't wish to have tea with one....a zombie is surely more repulsive. Is there a third choice? I have seen a ghost once and I wasn't at all scared.

PF:  You've had your privates sliced off, your head slammed into a drill press, and you've died in a bird suit.  Why do you think you've always died so fantastically in the Italian horror films?

GLR:  As a young person I was the perfect victim: frail, neurotic, crazy....Growing up I got stronger and was less tortured.

PF:  A few years back, you played a priest in the remake of THE OMEN.  How do you think this film fits in with your exploitation catalogue?

GLR:  I enjoyed being in the movie and director John Moore (obviously a horror fan) treated me like royalty, even if it was a small role (but quite important to the plot). A good experience with the great joy of being in Prague, the most beautiful town I ever saw.

PF:  As you head toward the CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD reunion, what are some of your favorite memories of the film?

GLR:  The people. Meeting Michele Soavi and becoming his friend, having a crush for the perfect beauty of Antonella Interlenghi, being young, foolish, full of expectations and realising (it was my second movie) that filming would have been an important part of my life. As it was.

PF:  What do you think the legacy of CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD is, 30 years later?

GLR:  That you can obtain more success and hit the point with fantasy and atmosphere than with complicate technology  and special effects.

Hmmm, WWVCD (What Would Victor Crowley Do)?

I decided to man up, crank some old-school metal and brave the storm. And about 10 minutes later, I turned around. The rain was coming down harder than a bucket of HATCHET grue splashed against a tree. I couldn’t see a thing. It was the right decision. I didn’t need to be the one getting decapitated that night.

JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, AUGUST 31, 2010 – Coming to DVD this Halloween is filmmaker Michael Stever's Saturday Nightmares: The Ultimate Horror Expo of All Time!, a spine-tingling documentary short for horror film fans. The film takes an unprecedented look behind the scenes of the Saturday Nightmares Expo, which brought together the entire George A. Romero (Night of the Living Dead) family. The DVD also features such genre luminaries as Adrienne Barbeau (Creepshow), Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead), Roy Frumkes (Document Of The Dead), Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead), John Amplas (Martin), Joe Pilato (Day of the Dead), Louise Robey (Friday the 13th: The Series) and more.

Filmed at the March 2010 Saturday Nightmares Expo, produced by Mike Lisa and his wife Joanna Kuczek, at the historical and gothic Landmark Loew's Jersey Theatre, Saturday Nightmares: The Ultimate Horror Expo of All Time! takes viewers on a haunting ride as Stever gets up close and personal with many of the talented filmmakers and stars in exclusive backstage interviews, and also shows virtually every thrilling, blood-soaked moment of the Expo. Stever captures the set-up of the memorabilia and collectibles stands by the hard-working staff and volunteers, the panel discussion with Romero, Barbeau and others moderated by Roy Frumkes, and the long lines of fans, some adorned in full costume and make-up, waiting to get autographs of their favorite horror legends.

Barbeau, star of such classics as Romero's Creepshow, Wes Craven's Swamp Thing and her former husband John Carpenter's The Fog, revealed that despite her wonderful experiences making these films, she doesn't like to be scared.  To see the extended interview with Michael & Adrienne, visit www.MichaelStever.net

Stever's love affair with the horror genre can clearly be seen in every frame starting with his spooky opening where he wanders the dark halls and stairways of the Loew's Jersey Theatre up to the roof where a scary dragon gargoyle awaits.

“This is not your typical behind-the-scenes video,” Stever said. “As the director and driving force behind this film, I wanted to capture this historical gathering while paying homage to the horror genre at the same time. I hope fans will appreciate this and continue to come out to the Saturday Nightmares Expo each year.”

Mike Lisa and Joanna Kuczek are the husband and wife team and dynamic duo behind the Saturday Nightmare Expo. Lisa was inspired at the early age of four by the classic films of Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and of course, Romero, leading him to an interest in filmmaking and character acting. With the horror genre as his real drive, Lisa formed the idea to produce a weekend-long event that honored the genre and celebrated his early influences, thus Saturday Nightmares Expo was born with the help of his wife. With a degree in graphic design from Rutgers University and a Masters in design from The School of Visual Arts, Kuczek gives the Expo its visual flare that has set it apart from the rest. Her company, Studio 8010 (studio8010.com), provides branding and identity services for aggressive startups and established companies.

Michael Stever has had a very busy and productive 2010 so far, working on a number of eclectic shoots including his directing of a new commercial for Boy Butter personal lubricant starring Hedda Lettuce, New York City's premiere drag-debutant. Stever also shot and edited the recent Actors Fund benefit reading of Valley of the Dolls. In May, he returned to The Drama Desk Awards as the ceremony's official cameraman for the second year in a row. Stever is currently developing his screenplay, "Ghosts of Zion," into his first feature-length film. Stever also worked for nearly three years as Unit Production Manager on the critically acclaimed documentary, Broadway: The Golden Age, and its two upcoming sequels.

Saturday Nightmares: The Ultimate Horror Expo of All Time! (TRT: 50 minutes) will be on sale for special price of $14.95 for a limited time right before Halloween 2010, and later at its regular price of $19.95. For more information, visit http://saturdaynightmaresthemovie.com/.
 
###
 
For interview requests with Michael Stever, and to request a DVD press screener to review Saturday Nightmares: The Ultimate Horror Expo of All Time!,
contact Brian Geldin at 917-549-2953 and brian@briangeldin.com.

Even better, see it live!  They're  screening SATURDAY NIGHTMARES: THE ULTIMATE HORROR EXPO OF ALL TIME!
in NYC on October 22nd and 23rd at Chelsea Cinema, on 23rd & 8th, right in the bloody heart of NYC,
it will be showing as a 'Double Feature' with John Carpenter's THE THING. 

 And look for more Saturday Nightmares exclusives on Icons of Fright, including Phil Fasso's review of Severs' DVD. 

 Saturday Night just got that more Nightmarish, and that's good for us all!

--Phil Fasso

I suppose Kevin McCarthy has shaped a great part of my life the last seven years.

When my friend Nicole called last weekend to tell me that Kevin had died, it took the wind out of my sails.  Father Time gets the best of us all, in the end, and he’d eventually caught up with Kevin at the grand old age of 96.  I’d come to think of Mr. McCarthy much the way I had thought of my maternal grandmother;  until she actually passed away on her 95^th birthday, I just sort of took it for granted that she was never going to die.  Not because I have any illusions about immortality, but because when elderly people hold up into their 90s, it tricks me into believing they’ll always be around.  But sure enough, I went on the net and found several short articles about how Kevin McCarthy had succumbed to pneumonia, and  man, was I bummed.

My experiences with Kevin McCarthy on the screen go way back to my early childhood, when I first saw INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS and was afraid to sleep for weeks (perhaps he’s responsible for my adult bouts of insomnia too, but I won’t hold it against him).  Later, I would come to know him from Joe Dante’s films, many of which he co-starred in, right up through LOONEY TOONS BACK IN ACTION (and I won’t hold my feelings for that debacle of a film against him either, as he portrays a black-and-white Dr. Miles Bennell in it).  There he was, in PIRANHA and THE HOWLING, older, but still distinguished.  And speaking of distinguished, I fondly remember seeing him with my first ex-wife in Eddie Murphy’s THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN, and reflecting back on BODY SNATCHERS.  Here and there, I’d see him on an episode of MURDER, SHE WROTE or THE GOLDEN GIRLS, and every time I watched him on TV, I would have the same smile.  I always liked Kevin McCarthy, no matter what role he was playing.  Dr. Bennell would always be the role that immortalized him, so much so that he reprised the role briefly in the 1978 remake.  But no matter the part, he had a certain charm, a dashing manliness and a suave style that I found very inviting.

On a personal level, my association with Kevin grew in April, 2004, the first time I met him in person at the Chiller Theatre show.  My friend X had been trying to get me to go to horror conventions for years, but some circumstance or another always got in the way.  When he told me to go online and check out the guest list for that particular show, I figured it would be no different.  Man, was I wrong.  There were 3 people I wanted to meet:  Caroline Munroe from MANIAC;  wrestling legend Rowdy Roddy Piper;  and Kevin McCarthy.  Even if Munroe and Piper hadn’t been on the list, I would have gone just to meet McCarthy.  INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS has always been one of my favorite horror/ sci-fi hybrids, and much of the reason for that has always been because of his portrayal of the good doctor.

You have to understand, at the time I was absolutely star struck at the concept of meeting celebrities.  Here were people who had entertained millions, been on the silver screen, world-renowned gods and goddesses, and I was going to meet them, everyday guy Phil Fasso.  It took me at least a year of conventions before I started to feel relaxed and realize they were normal people just like you and me.  But if you had told me on that day in April that I would years later be interviewing some of them, I would have thought you insane.  On that day, in the tent in East Rutherford, I was absolutely in awe, and at the epicenter of that awe was Kevin McCarthy.

There he was, near the entrance to the tent.  Even at 90, he was a handsome bastard, still looking suave after all these decades.  Seeing him there, I fled.  I did several laps around the center area of celebs, trying not to tell myself that I was right on the edge of meeting a legend.  It took me several minutes to shake off the butterflies fluttering all over my stomach, relax my heartbeat, and step up to him.  And did he ever deliver.  I found myself confronted by scores of different 8x10s all, not in piles but scattershot all over his table.  With so many options, I naturally chose a shot of him and actor Larry Gates conversing over a pod.  All these years later, it’s still one of my favorite autographs.  As for Kevin himself, the years had definitely taken their toll on him.  His wardrobe was a little slipshod, and at times, his mind seemed as scattershot as his photo layout.  But those faults made him even more cool.  There he was, smiling for all the world, upbeat and as happy to meet me as I was to meet him.  When he mentioned that he had friends in Patchogue, where I had lived a short time prior, it made him even easier to relate to.  I walked away from his table, heartbeat racing again, with a beaming smile that lasted for weeks.  My first brush with celebrity had me jazzed.

I met Kevin several times after that, at Chiller, and at other shows.  Every time he was on a guest list, I swore I’d get him to sign something, and to get a picture with him (that first time, I didn’t have a camera with me, but I wouldn’t make that mistake again).  Over the years, I had him sign stuff from PIRANHA, LOONEY TOONS, THE HOWLING, his TWILIGHT ZONE episode, “Long Live Walter Jameson,” and of course, INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS.  I would have met him at the TWILIGHT ZONE convention in New Jersey as well, but his health wasn’t well at the time, and he cancelled.  Every time, there he was, a crumpled, old man who sometimes had trouble putting a sentence together, but a gracious, and yes, still dashing gentleman.

Meeting Kevin at that first Chiller gave me convention fever.  I started to attend lots of conventions every year.  I’ve travelled to Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Worcester, MA, New York City and as far as Dallas, Texas to meet and greet horror’s stars from George Romero to... yes, Joe Dante himself.  The last time I met Kevin was outside of Pittsburgh in the summer of 2007, at the Monster Bash.  For that convention, I did my very first piece for Icons of Fright, a report in which I praised McCarthy.  It’s led to many great things for me, given me the ability to review DVDs, cover other conventions, and interview some of those stars I would have been afraid to approach back in 2004.  I owe all that to Kevin, because without that first show, I wouldn’t have had so many of the opportunities I’ve had the last seven years.  If everything comes full circle in life, then it’s fitting that I’m posting this piece about my memories of him on Icons of Fright.  Not knowing that last time I saw him would be the last, I never got a chance to thank him, for so many great memories already lived and those yet to come.  But if you believe it’s never too late...

My paternal grandmother turned 96 a few days back.  She's succumbed to illness the last few months, and I don't know if she'll be with us that much longer.  Reflecting on her long life in the days after Kevin's death, I've come to the conclusion that people can shape the course of your life, and sometimes not even be aware they've done so.  I hope Kevin enjoyed every last minute of the life he lived, because he made my life that much better.

--Phil Fasso

So exclaims the homepage of Mike Baronas’ website, Paura.  And if you’re a fan of Lucio Fulci’s CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD, also known as THE GATES OF HELL, then Parsippany, New Jersey is the place to be this Halloween weekend.  Because Baronas is about to open those Gates and the stars are about to shamble out of Hell itself at the Chiller Theatre show.

Mike has represented guests at so many different conventions of late that it’s hard for me to keep up with posting them.  He’s recently been to Rue Morgue in Toronto and Horrorfind in its new location of Gettysburgh, these following a stop in Indianapolis back in April for HorrorHound Weekend.  In the upcoming months, he’s got Italian exploitation stars heading to Celluloid Screams in Sheffield, England;  Oslo Fright Fest in Norway;  and the Weekend of Horrors in Bottrop, Germany.  Not content just to represent Fulcimania overseas, this international man of zombie action will also show off some of these stars in his own backyard of Worcester, Mass. this October 15-17, at the very cool Rock and Shock, which I attended last year, and hope to again this year.

But by far Mike has pulled out all the stops for the Italian Invasion 3, for the 30^th anniversary of CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD. 

One word for you:  TINTORERA.

Back in the day, Icons of Fright ran a section called The Vault of the Forgotten and Obscure.  Feature writer Jsyn would discuss some of his favorite lesser known titles, many of which readers had likely never seen, and perhaps never heard of.  As well as introducing readers to these titles, the Vault made for a nice, nostalgic look at our beloved horror genre.  Horror fans can now thank Netflix for opening up the vaults. 

A few years back, Netflix introduced its Instant Watch feature.  As it worked originally, it provided members the chance to watch a limited amount of hours of media from their catalogue straight on the users’ computers.  The selection was small, and many of the films were niche titles, such as the excellent documentary KING OF KONG.  It was a neat feature, but I used it sparingly, because I don’t prefer to watch movies on my computer, and most of the available titles did little for me.

Since its infancy, Instant Watch has improved significantly.  Almost immediately, Netflix wisely dropped the hours limit.  They also broadened the means of transmission:  originally, the site sold a conversion box, so members could watch the films on their TVs;  the feature then became a feature on the XBox 360 through the Dashboard;  the Wii, by way of a free disc;  and more recently through Blu-Ray players, HD TV sets, and even 3G phones (a buddy of mine at work told me yesterday he can watch movies in the parking lot, on the walk between the office and his car). 

Just as importantly, Netflix majorly expanded its selections.  Though they still included niche titles, they started to add hundreds of titles per month, over the whole gamut of genres.  New titles sometimes arrive on a daily basis, as others expire.  Studios and DVD companies sign deals frequently, offering gems from their back catalogue.  What was once a quirky innovation on Netflix’ part has become an impressive undertaking.

Which brings me back to TINTORERA.  It’s likely you’ve never heard of this Mexican masterpiece, a low budget JAWS rip off that involves the real killings of aquatic life and the lifeless performance of thespian Hugo Stiglitz in tight shorts.  Admittedly, this movie is awful.  But I’ve had a thing for Stiglitz since the first time I saw him sleepwalk through NIGHTMARE CITY, one of the worst zombie flicks ever made.  When I looked up his films through Netflix years ago on a lark, I avoided wasting a slot on TINTORERA, because I was waiting on much better DVDs to arrive by mail.  But, here’s the beauty of the Instant Watch.  When I came across the flick last week on my XBox, I added it immediately, and watched it a few nights later.  I got much better films mailed to me, and still enjoyed the privilege of watching Stiglitz seduce bikini-clad women who in real life would be way out of his league, tight shorts notwithstanding.  Sure, horror fans can watch good flicks.  But here’s the perfect opportunity to view all sorts of titles that may not be so good, at no real penalty. 

And even if you don’t want to watch the unwatchably bad, there’s something for every horror fan.  Blue Underground, known for providing obscure gems, recently signed on and added Lucio Fulci’s CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD, Joseph Zito’s THE PROWLER, and George Romero’s underrated THE CRAZIES;  it’s a nice way to catch up with the original if you’ve only seen Breck Eisner’s remake.  Do you like Zito’s output?  If so, Paramount’s got something for you, as they just added the first eight FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTH films, including Zito’s THE FINAL CHAPTER.  Are you more into drive-in classics with the likes of Vincent Price on screen and Ib Melchior in the director’s chair?  MGM just provided eclectic titles from their Midnight Movies selection, including WITCHFINDER GENERAL, THE BEAST WITHIN and THE MONSTER THAT CHALLENGED THE WORLD.  And if you’re into evil puppets, demonic toys and Tim Thomerson, Full Moon is ready to please.

And it doesn’t end there.  Just to name a few, you’ll find titles such as CRAWLSPACE, LEVIATHAN, EVENT HORIZON, NEW YEAR’S EVIL and one of my favorite slashers, THE BURNING.  Even better, the Instant Watch includes some titles that aren’t even available on DVD.  So if you’re still holding onto that worn out videotape of THE HORROR SHOW that you never returned to Blockbuster in 1990, you’re in like Flynn now.

I have only one complaint about this abundance of obscure goodness.  Though Netflix provides the movies themselves, they don’t provide any of the extras, not even subtitles for English-language films.  Many of these titles offered only a trailer anyway, but with THE CRAZIES, you lose out on a great commentary with George Romero and Blue Underground’s founder, William Lustig.  Extras were one of the reasons I’ve loved DVDs for a decade now, and they gave the discs a definite advantage over VHS.  So if you like an Instant Watch film a lot, you may end up putting it in your mail queue anyway.  Maybe not such a terrible thing, but I hope that Netflix eventually takes the next logical step, and adds all a disc’s extras.

Jsyn hasn’t published an entry of the Vault of the Forgotten and Obscure in nearly two years, but that doesn’t mean that many of us, as horror fans, don’t have a love for those films of yore.  Fortunately, Netflix is catering directly to us through its Instant Watch, giving us the chance to catch up with old favorites, and introduce ourselves to films we’ve never seen before.  It’s forgotten and obscure at its absolute best.

--Phil Fasso

Mena's new outing is the prequel to his auspicious debut MALEVOLENCE, and is showing on the festival circuit.  If you love anything about horror, this is the film and the filmmaker for you.  Below is the schedule for the AC Film Festival, and check out Phil Fasso's glowing review of BEREAVEMENT.

Part One:  Welcome to Tromaville

I started this past Tuesday off by making cheese sandwiches.

Perhaps I’d better start from the beginning, as that probably makes no sense out of context.  This whole story begins back in February, when I was perusing Troma Films’ website.  Under their “Recent Press,” I found a contest.  Its premise was this:  write an explanation of why I love Lloyd Kaufman and Troma, and I could win a lunch with Lloyd himself. 

Almost immediately, Rob Pendergraft slid me a bottle of 5 Hour Energy Drink Black Label.  I felt like he was slipping me some kind of top secret contraband as I have never even tried the stuff, let alone this extra strength black label concoction.  He said he has been sipping on his own dose all day.  All day?  Those must’ve been baby sized sips.  I took a whiff and a sip out of this shrunken black bottle and almost gagged.  5 Hour Energy, my ass!  More like 5 Hour Regret because for the next 5 hours it seemed like I couldn’t get that nasty taste out of my mouth.  Pendergraft just laughed at me and took the bottle back, saving it for later as he was planning a drive home around midnight. 

Two weeks ago, fellow Booze Reviews writer Jack Conway let me borrow the first four volumes of Robert Kirman’s THE WALKING DEAD.  Before then, I had never read or seen the books.  I was quite aware of the new show AMC had announced based on the successful comic book series. The excitement seed had already been planted in my brain from the now old news that Frank Darabont was to helm the project as writer, executive producer, and director of the pilot episode.  That excitement seed quickly bloomed into a full blown monster excitement plant in my brain after getting through the first couple pages of the first issue of the graphic novel.  So when it was confirmed I would be attending the panel and press event for  AMC’s THE WALKING DEAD that would include Executive Producer Gale Anne Hurd, Frank Darabont, zombie makeup genius Greg Nicotero, and the cast...well...my obsession overtook me. 

The two weeks moved by slowly but finally it was time for Comic Con and THE WALKING DEAD panel. It was set to start at 11:30 am, so like a guy who likes to plan ahead, I got in line at 10:30 am.  To my surprise, the line was already packed and seemed to wind around a number of halls and then outside onto a patio area where the line proceeded to snake back and forth along separation ropes much like lines for rides at an amusement park.  There must have been at least one thousand people ahead of me in line.  The room the panel was to be held in had a maximum occupancy of two thousand people and I heard word that hundreds of people set up shop in there already for the panel which was currently underway.  Here I thought I was smart.  Get a good seat, sit through a panel you’re not interested in, and then you’re set with a prime spot for the panel everyone else is standing in line for.  Regardless, I did get in.  Just barely.  Not far behind me, they cut the line off and hundreds of people were turned away.

The panel was already under way and I was sitting close to the back of the room.  The moderator was already posing questions to the panelists and the first one that really stood out to me was directed towards Joel Stillerman, AMC’s Senior VP of Programming, Production, and Digital Content. 

When asked how he sees THE WALKING DEAD fitting into their original programming, he replied, “Well I think it fits in first and foremost because it is phenomenal storytelling which drew us to the material in the first place.” 

He went on to call the subject matter a quintessential AMC show that adds another layer that will mesh well with AMC’s cutting edge original programming.  He added, this is the first time AMC is launching an original show to their yearly  Frightfest program schedule which takes place in October.

Minutes later, Frank Darabont announced that  Bear McCreary, of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA fame, was now attached as the show’s composer.  At the mere mention of McCreary’s name, the crowd of fanboys and nergirls errupted in what sounded like a shared orgasm.  (note to self: watch BSG)

One shared scream of approval was followed by another as they announced they will show the never before seen trailer for the show.  The lights went out and this two and a half minutes of amazing happened:

Since watching it this first time, I have seen it now about 50 times.  Yet with each viewing, I still get the chills.  When the trailer was done and after the crowd erupted again in approval, the moderator asked FranK Darabont about the casting process.  This was one of the questions I had planned on asking.  In my mind, I could only imagine it was difficult to match the characters’ appearance on the comic books with the actors to appear on screen.  Darabont said he always goes to actors he has worked with before (ie: Jeff Demunn and Laurie Holden), then stated the remainder of the casting process was “quite a journey”.

At this point, members of the cast came out:

Andrew Lincoln plays Deputy Rick Grimes

Sarah Wayne Callies plays Lori Grimes (Rick’s wife)

Jon Bernthal plays Shane Walsh

Laurie Holden plays Andrea

Emma Bell plays Amy

After the cast made their short introductions, Executive Producer Gale Anne Hurd (Producer of Terminator and Aliens) announced Norman Reedus and Michael Rooker as the two newest additions to the cast. 

Frank Darabont and Robert Kirkman both touched on the interesting ideas and choices that will make the graphic novels and TV show a separate entity.  Mr. Darabont’s unique story choices at some points in the story will surprise even the most hardcore fans and keep the story fresh.

It was around this point of the panel, when random zombies started making their way up and down the aisles.  It was only later on at the press conference, that Jon Bernthal confessed his urge to jump over the table and start taking them out with whatever weapon was nearby.  He stated that once you are in this zombie apocalypse reality the show throws you into, it almost becomes a second nature instinct to whack any zombie, even a fake one, in the head with an axe.  He went on to say, “It’s all fun and games and there’s all these people but I will not hesitate stomp your head in.”  I’d like to go on record and say if there ever is a zombie apocalypse, I want Jon Bernthal in my group. 

Soon the panel ended and I headed over to the press event. 

When asked how each of them got involved with the project, Jon Bernthal said after reading the script, he called his agent and said he’d give anything just to be a zombie extra.  He went on to discuss the hard process in finding the right Rick Grimes but as soon as Andrew Lincoln walked in to read for the part, they knew.  Apparently those auditions were held in Frank Darabont’s garage, true story. 

When asked the same question, Sarah Wayne Callies confessed she thought she didn’t get the part but described the script as “ludicrous, exciting, and impossible”.  She then continued on about the experience with, “just to charge at a cliff and jump off at full speed and hope you have wings on your back and as an actor it’s exciting to try something that’s such a risk and this show is.“  She went on to say each episode of the show is a surprise where one week’s genre may be action and the next may be drama; one week there may be hundreds of zombies where the next may not have any. 

Andrew Lincoln contributed his input stating the show and comic book story alike represent to him a modern twist on a classical fable. He then further compared the compelling human drama in the ongoing story as a play where the genre is a visual embodiment of our society ‘s mortality.  He continued further by calling it “A beautiful allegory”, “Messy”, and  “Shambolic”. The other two cast mates soon started laughing saying he just made that word up.  Bernthal blamed it on Lincoln being British but Mr. Lincoln insisted shambolic is indeed a word.  He said it means festival.  But before anyone could question how that made any sense, our time was up. 

These actors were so cool and down to earth, I was a bit tempted to ask them to get beers with me later. 

 

Next Frank Darabont and Greg Nicotero joined us at our table and I can tell they were very happy to sit down and rest in this cool air conditioned room.  Earlier in the panel, they both spoke of the intense heat in Atlanta, Georgia where the production is taking place.  Temperature of up to 110 degrees led Nicotero and some friends to run and jump in the San Diego ocean as soon as they arrived in town from wrapping a shoot the same day at 5:30 in the morning.  He said it was freezing cold and liberating compared to the heat they were getting used to. 

From the first sentence Frank Darabont spoke, I remembered how much of a cool guy he is.  He’s a film nerd at heart.  He’s not just a director but a fan and you can totally tell.  He started reading The Walking Dead books five years ago and has been adamant about getting this show made ever since. 

When asked about his reaction to the experience bringing this project to Comic Con, he said, “The excitement seems to be much greater than I had anticipated.  A bigger deal than I had thought.  There’s sort of a greater cultural buzz forming here which is like, fuck no pressure huh!?”  Greg Nicotero then added, “When we all watched the trailer for the first time today it was overwhelming.  I got chills and choked up.  Everybody had that same reaction.  It’s really been fantastic.” 

 

 

 

When asked about the zombie work in this project, Frank chimed in, “Great kudos to Greg who is the Zombie King.  All his zombie experience has led him to this.  This is going to be the jewel in that zombie crown.  Greg put his best on the table like whatever he wanted to do with a zombie all these years, we had the opportunity to do something cool with it.  He even played a zombie eating a deer.  The makeup they crafted for himself is fucking great, it’s my screensaver at home now.  It’s so messed up, it’s just great.  I think it’s going to be on the cover of Fangoria.”

When the casting of Michael Rooker and Norman Reedus was brought up, Mr Darabont went on to inform us neither of the characters those actors play are in the original comic at all.  They are all his invention and Reedus is hanging in there as one of the ensemble cast members.  He said he’s added an extra character or two that’s really going to shake the ingredients up a bit more. Nicotero continued, “The explorations were so well integrated in the script I couldnt remember if it happened in the original books or not.  It’s really exciting, the fact that Frank is so respectful of the flavor that Kirkman laid out.  But its like OK we’ve got a little bit of time so let’s go down this road and check this out for a little while and then we’ll come back over and get back into the key Kirkman moments like the zombie eating the deer which you talked about.”

 

Finally, the most important question was asked of them:

What would be your weapon of choice in the Zombie Apocalypse?

GN - Weapon of choice in zombie apocalypse? The Atom Bomb.

FD - You can’t use an Atom Bomb cuz you’re not gonna survive using it!

GN - How do you know?

FD - You have to take the question seriously.

GN - It was the first thing that came to my head.

Frank Darabont then smiled and paused.

“I would want the assault rifle that Al Pacino used in HEAT. The one he took out Sizemore with. And a van full of ammunition to go with it.”

At that moment, the interviews came to a close.  I walked up to Mr. Darabont and he remembered me from my drunken NOES: DREAM WARRIORS fanboy freakout I had with him at a birthday party some years back.  He smiled and hugged me.  I thanked him for bringing Robert Kirkman’s genius to the screen.  I am now, more than ever, bursting with zombie nerd excitement.  October can’t come quick enough, if you ask me.

As he walked out and we packed up, I couldn’t help but add Mr. Darabont to my now growing list of people I’d like to fight off zombies with.  I bet he’s real handy with a pump action shotgun.

AMC’s THE WALKING DEAD Series Premieres in October 2010 As Part of AMC’s Fearfest. 

 

-Aaron Pruner

 MEDIA ALERT!!!
 
Anchor Bay Entertainment Shines
at 2010 San Diego Comic Con!
 
WHAT:              Anchor Bay Entertainment at the 2010 San Diego Comic Con International
 
WHEN:             Thursday, July 22nd through Sunday, July 25th
                       
TIME:                Events Thursday – Saturday (see schedule below)
 
WHERE:           San Diego Convention Center
                        111 W. Harbor Drive
                        San Diego, CA 92101
 
DETAILS:          Fan favorite Anchor Bay Entertainment reaches out at the 2010 San Diego Comic Con, taking place July 22nd through the 25th at the San Diego Convention Center!  Anchor Bay Entertainment will have a major presence at the SDCC – globally acknowledged as the world’s greatest and largest genre convention!
 
Fans stopping by the Starz/Anchor Bay booth #3345 at Comic Con will experience:
 
Comic Con Premiere of official Altitude theatrical trailer at Anchor Bay booth;
Comic Con Premiere of official theatrical trailer for Hunt To Kill with Steve “Stone Cold” Austin;
Trailers for upcoming Anchor Bay Entertainment releases including the I Spit On Your Grave remake, Adam Green’s Frozen, The Stranger with Steve “Stone Cold” Austin, Dolph Lundgren is The Killing Machine, and Tekken. Upcoming Manga releases previewed include First Squad and Redline.
Authentic production props from “Spartacus” prequel
 
In addition, fans who come by the ABE booth will be eligible to win prizes, including Blu-rays™, DVDs and signed posters!
 
The following Anchor Bay Entertainment-sponsored events will allow fans to meet, greet and talk with their favorite ABE stars and filmmakers!
 
Thursday, July 22nd
3:00 – 4:00pm                           Frozen poster signing at Anchor Bay booth (#3345)
                                                Meet writer/director Adam Green (Hatchet, Spiral, the upcoming theatrical Hatchet 2), signing posters from the September 29th Blu-ray™/DVD release of Frozen from Anchor Bay Entertainment. Green will sign Frozen posters, plus any additional Adam Green title-related items.
 
 
Friday, July 23rd
11:00am – 12:00pm                   The Stranger poster signing with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin
                                                Anchor Bay Entertainment booth #3345
                                                Come meet wrestling and action superstar “Stone Cold” Steve Austin at the ABE booth, signing posters from his recent ABE release The Stranger, available on Blu-ray™ and DVD. Steve also stars in the upcoming ABE release Hunt to Kill.        
 
3:15pm – 4:15pm                      Spartacus prequel Panel (Room 6BCF)
                                                Relive the television phenomenon, as Starz Channel previews the Spartacus prequel, as well as the upcoming Blu-ray™ and DVD release of “Spartacus: Blood and Sand - The Complete First Season.”  Andy Whitfield, Lucy Lawless (“Xena: Warrior Princess”), John Hannah (the Mummy trilogy), Viva Bianca and executive producer Steven S. DeKnight give fans a glimpse into the exciting backstory of the ancient Roman saga.
 
Saturday, July 24th
3:00pm – 4:00pm                      Altitude poster signing at Anchor Bay booth (#3345)
                                                Watch the skies! Stars Jessica Lowndes (the new “90210”) and award-winning graphic novelist Kaare Andrews will be signing specially printed Comic-Con exclusive posters for their upcoming high-flying thriller Altitude, coming soon on Blu-ray™ and DVD from ABE. Altitude follows a group of five teens on a weekend getaway aboard a small plane that suddenly turns deadly. Minutes after the group takes-off, an unexplained malfunction sends the aircraft climbing out of control and into the heart of a mysterious storm. Unable to get their bearings or contact the ground, the survivors gradually realize they are locked in combat with a terrifying supernatural force.

Stevan Mena Week was such a success that we had to extend it!  This weekend concluded the Long Island International Film Expo.  And Icons of Fright is proud to announce first that Stevan Mena won Best Director for his new film BEREAVEMENT, which won Best Feature. 

It’s rare for a horror film to win these art house film festivals, but Mena and BEREAVEMENT triumphed over their competition.  We at Icons hope this will propel the film to get a great deal and eventual release.

Stevan Mena is a talented director and a gracious man.  It’s great to see the good guy come out on top.  His is a career worth following, and we wish him the greatest applause on his most recent success.

 Hello everyone.  I hereby announce I will be heading down to the massive San Diego Comic Con in the coming week.  This is a massive, 4-day event and this year marks the first year that Icons Of Fright will have a presence there.  I will be there Friday and Saturday and shall do my best to give you all my unique perspective of the TRON- and Star Wars- slathered, comic book flavored, video game obsessed, zombie infested, and pop culture induced Cosplay craziness of this mega-show.

My itinerary is already full.  Between the events, the parties, the drinking, the lack of sleep, the picture taking, celebrity sitings, walking the floor of the Convention, the bar hopping, the panels, the collectibles, and the drinking - these two days will prove to be a quite a doozy.  

Stay tuned for Comic Con exclusives on but not limited to:

AMC’s THE WALKING DEAD - panel and Q&A with cast and crew followed by exclusive press coverage where yours truly gets once again to try not to make an ass of himself in front of Frank Darabont

<-Click Here To Listen To Part 1

<-And Here To Listen To Part 2

To celebrate tomorrow night, as part of Stevan Mena Week here at Icons, we suggest you take a look at our very first interview with Mena himself.  A gracious guy, he's been more than kind to Icons and our readers.  His first talk with us focused on Mena's debut film MALEVOLENCE, and his inspirations for his vision.  Icons founder Mike Cucinotta, Rob G and Vin get in-depth answers from Mena in what turns out to be an enjoyable chat.

Check out their discussion here.

"If you haven't heard of writer-director Stevan Mena... YOU WILL!!!"

And if you haven't been reading about all things Stevan Mena during our Stevan Mena Week, you're just not trying hard enough.

--Phil Fasso

As these reviews are a part of Stevan Mena Week here at Icons of Fright, we suggest you enjoy both.  And come out and support Mena at tomorrow night's screening of BEREAVEMENT.

As part of our Stevan Mena Week here at Icons of Fright, we present Phil Fasso's review of Mena's second film, the brutally funny BRUTAL MASSACRE: A COMEDY.  Phil found it to be a hilarious satire on the multitudes of problems a low budget film director will face.

Read Phil's glowing review here.

And support Stevan Mena by pre-ordering tickets for the premiere of his next film BEREAVEMENT here.  If you live on Long Island and love horror, let's promote and support our local talent.

Malevolence: Bereavement First Look from Adam Barnick on Vimeo.

The first trailer does an excellent job on selling the film, by enticing the viewer with just enough information to pique interest, without giving away too much. The voice over discusses absolution and redemption at the beginning, and then the trailer goes about its way setting up its characters and their situation. Cross this with a sense of horror as a maniac walks around an abandoned warehouse, knife in hand, impressionable boy by his side. As a character goes missing, actor Michael Biehn decides to go after her. Will he cross paths with the knife-wielding killer? The trailer then flies into a bunch of quick cuts, and finally settles on our killer as he spouts one more line of cold dialogue. It's a nicely cut piece that builds to a crescendo of action.

Ironically, the one aspect it soft sells is crucial to the synopsis of the film: the kidnapping and subsequent imprisonment of young Martin Bristol. The second trailer establishes this at its beginning, and plays down the action elements; a much more subtle piece, its eschews the standard horror elements in lieu of its greater purpose, to espouse the true to life horrors of kidnapping a child. It also takes pains to show how that incident can promote the destruction of an American family in its wake; several scenes play out how a family can crumble under the strains of loss.

Taken together, the trailers provide two diverse views on the film, and should draw in two different audiences, as both are effectively done. It will be interesting to see which trailer the film more closely resembles, or if it's a perfect union of the two.

--Phil Fasso