Transmission Established…Come in Green Goblyn Project
Transmission Established…Come in Green Goblyn Project
Malice: Your sound is really something special. How did you find your niche’? What helped you get to your current sound?
Malice: How did The Green Goblyn Project get started? What inspired you all to form as a band?
Malice: When you were starting out did you have any inspirations? What inspired your look?
Malice: Your fan base is a pretty faithful one. Do you have any stories of your fans? Any interesting experiences?
Malice: Looking at your Myspace page you have quite the resume of performances. Do you have any favorite venues?
Malice: Of all the bands you have performed with, which are some of your favorites?
Malice: What are the goals for the band? Where are you all wanting to end up?
Malice: So, your going to Spooky Empire’s Ultimate Horror Weekend again this year. What are your expectations? What can we expect to see?
Malice: I’m sure you have heard of Spooky’s second show, May-Hem. Looking at your Tour dates, I can’t help but notice you have shows in Orlando, May of next year that coincide with the dates of May-Hem. Does this mean you are playing this show too?
Malice: Now I would love to take the time to ask some senseless, rather random questions. Are you interested?
Malice: Would you ever consider covering the song “It’s a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong?
Malice: Just for the sake of coolness, if you were ever approached with this idea, would you do it: Have Willem Dafoe sing a few songs with you?
Malice: Well it was a pleasure getting to do this interview. Thank’s for taking the time to sit down and answer these questions. Before you go, is there anything you would like to add?
Waking The Dead With Melissa Cowan
I’m such a lover of zombie films! I think a lot of it come’s from how they used to scare me as a child. (Hell beyond Spiders, they were the only thing that scared me on film as a child!) So when i get the opportunity to meet or interview a person that was in one of these films, I consider it a real treat. Today I get to show you one of those treats in the form of an interview with “The Walking Dead”‘s Melissa Cowan. Melissa has become quite the rising star in the Horror Con circuit. With Multiple convention appearances, photo shoots, her acting, and being a fantastic mother of two I’m lucky to have gotten the interview at all!! Honestly though people, to get to speak with this woman for any amount of time is to meet a truly lovely human being. So, it is with great pleasure I bring you this interview! Grab your shovels, because tonight we are going to be…
Waking The Dead With Melissa Cowan
Malice Psychotik: I’m here with Melissa Cowan of “The Walking Dead,” AMC’s new series by Director Frank Durabont. Melissa, your role as the “Bicycle Girl” has been causing quite the buzz in the horror community. How has that been?
Melissa Cowan: This has been an amazing experience. I had no idea that there would be so much hype and anticipation regarding my role as bicycle girl. I am thankful for the opportunity and all that has happened as a result of this. This has opened up the doors for me in ways that never crossed my mind, I am honored to have been apart of this and will forever be thankful. So obviously, there is a permanent smile on my face.
Malice: Your make-up in the press pics looks just…awesome!! About how long did it take to get in and out of?
Melissa: All together about 4.5 – 5 hours which is including a few breaks and it actually took another 2.5 hours or so to take all of it off. There were a lot of pieces, glue etc… In my opinion it was easy sitting there getting it applied to me, but as PITA to have it removed, just think what it would feel like to have hundreds of Band-Aids ripped off of your skin, from you arms, neck, stomach back etc…. OUCH!! LOL
Malice: So how exactly did you come across the role?
Melissa: Actually an extras casting company that I had been doing work with for about a year and a half contacted me requesting pictures, they had mentioned it was for a zombie role, however did not tell me for what show or the extent of it. Obviously I sent in my pictures, didn’t hear anything for 2 weeks, then one day got a call for interview/audition. Went in and interviewed/auditioned with Mr. Frank Darabont it was “love at 1st sight” and the rest is history.
Malice: As the first zombie in this series, you’re joining the likes of other first zombies like Bill Hinzman. Do you consider it an honor?
Melissa: Absolutely and I can only hope that I will have the success and adventures that they have, I hope that I can live up to my expectations and please everyone.
Malice: I’ve heard rumors through the ether that you may be getting more screen time on the show. Is this true? Maybe a back story or another part?
Melissa: All I can say at this point without breaking any confidentially agreements, is that yes if you look closely at some of the pictures and video footage that has been released you will see a familiar face. I also will say that I did enjoy working on this production as much as I did. J
Malice: So other than the walking dead, do you have anything else in the works?
Melissa:Yes, There are several interviews, photo shoots etc and also a few new projects that I am in talks of, can’t really elaborate on anything now, but all in due time. ;-P Also, as stated previously, I have been in about 6 TV shows and about 13 movies, most of which I just did background work, I did do a few “featured” roles within those. The next biggest thing that I have done compared to TWD, would be The Vampire Diaries, I was a tomb vampire, unfortunately for me the way that the show was edited etc, I was not “visibly” recognizable, due to lighting etc…. BUT, there is a “possibility” that I will be going back this season as a vampire, still waiting on the phone call, so I am very hopeful for that.
Malice: Are there any past films or shows that we should look for you in?
Melissa: Again, as stated most of these I work as an extra in.
Halloween 2 – coffee shop patron
Past Life – Spelling bee audience member
The Tyler Perry Show – audience member
Life As We Know it – neighbor
Due Date – Driver
Past Life – NY street scene
Past Life – Yoga girl
Lottery Ticket – upscale restaurant patron
Life as we know it – funeral mourner
Tyler Perry’s Hose of Payne – Homeless person
Lottery Ticket – Marta passenger
Vampire Diaries – Library patron
Vampire Diaries – 1950’s high school dance attendee
Vampire Diaries – Vampire X 2 (season 1)
Hall Pass – Neighbor
187 Detroit – street scene
Drop Dead Divas – Club scene
Hall Pass – Baseball game fan
Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns – Hospital patient
The Walking Dead– Bicycle Girl
The Walking Dead– zombie(s)
Coke Zero commercial – baseball fan
The Terminal – airport traveler
Ex-mas Carol – Hollywood party goer
Marry Me – neighbor
Marry Me – bar patron
Footloose – City Council meeting attendee
Malice: What convention appearances do you have lined up? I noticed you have one at Ultimate Horror Weekend?
Melissa: As of right now, I am confirmed for the following:
*Photo Shoot/interview with the magazine Barley Rotten Girls.
Check out the site here or the Facebook here
*Spooky Empire Horror Fest Weekend, October 8th – 10th in Orlando FL.
Check out the site here or the Facebook here
*Rock and Shock Festival, In Worcester, MA on October 15th – 17th
Check out the site here or the Facebook here
There is some more that I have been asked to attend, however I this time I am waiting on all of the details etc, but I should have all of that info posted soon.
Malice: Melissa if you don’t mind I would like to talk some about you. Tell me a little about yourself.
Melissa: I am 29 years old, married with 2 kids. I live in Covington GA. I helped manage a staffing agency for 5.5 years before getting into this work. I quit my job to stay home with the kids after an incident happened at my daughters day-care, started doing this work just to get out of the house and also for extra money. As time went on, I started getting featured roles and “better” things than just extra work, little by things started to go in the right direction for me.
As you can see I am one of those ‘feel good” stories about an “extra” that was able to make a name for myself. I take pride in knowing that all of this didn’t happen because I knew someone or whatever, I can honestly say that I worked my ass off and it’s all starting to be worth it.
This has been an amazing journey for me, one of which I PROMISE is not over, I am thrilled to have the opportunities presented to me that have been and can’t wait to be able to share more news with everyone, when the time is right!
Malice: What do you do for fun? Any Hobbies?
Melissa: LOL, after reading this question I sat here and started thinking and realized that no, I don’t. LOL….. I know how to cross stitch but haven’t done that in a LONG time.
My family loves outdoors and animals so we do spend a lot of time doing things related to that, typically everything that I do somehow or anther revolves around my kids, which at times leaves very little time for “me.”
Malice: Are you a fan of the Horror Genre? If so what are some of your favorites?
Melissa: Yes, I always have been, more so when I was younger compared to now. I don’t allow my kids (ages 3 and 6) to watch “scary” movies or even “violent” movies, so unfortunately for me there is a lot of movies that I want to see that I haven’t been able to, I do try to watch some of the “off limit” ones once they go to bed, but as I said I have a lot of catching up to do.
When I was in High School I watched tons of “scary” movies, including zombie ones, I tended to hang out with the guys that were big time horror fans so we always watched movies after school and stuff.
Malice:What are some of your personal goals?
Melissa: First and foremost, my apparent goals are to keep being a good mom and putting my kids and family 1st, which pretty much goes unsaid. Then obviously to keep making a name for myself, now that I have broken out of “just an extra” I am excited about the offers that I have gotten and would like to continue making my dreams come true. Would like to keep getting bigger and bigger roles, things like that. J
Malice: As tradition I would like to ask you a few “out of hat” questions. You ready?
Melissa: LET’S DO IT!
Malice: Have you ever had a paranormal experience?
Melissa: I don’t know if you would consider this paranormal or not, but one night when I still lived at home, before getting married and having kids, I was telling my nephew goodnight (whom was only about 5 or 6 at the time) and he told me to tell the “man in the closet” goodnight to. Of course I was a little freaked out and asked him what he was talking about. He goes on to tell me a name and describe what the “man in the closet” looked like. He described a guy that I was dating years prior before my nephew was even born; actually my sister was pregnant with him at the time that my boyfriend was killed in a car wreck. So when my nephew told me that name and what the person was wearing it freaked me out a little. I got a little emotional, confused, and angry that my nephew might have been playing a prank of me. My nephew goes on without hesitation to tell me not to be scared that he and XX talked all the time.
That’s about the extent of anything happening that I would consider paranormal. I do have some funny stories about me and some friends going to so-called haunted houses, which were anything from old vacant houses no one lived in to houses that were up for sale or rent. Some of these stories I still laugh at when I think about them today, one of my best friends and I actually laugh together about them some times!! LOL Maybe one day, I’ll have time to tell you one or 2!!
Malice: What’s the oddest Halloween outfit you have ever worn?
Melissa: Sadly, I can’t think of the “oddest” one, just normally do simple things. LOL Boring I know!
Malice: Have you ever had one of those awkward moments were you would rather be having a drill boarded through your skull than to be in the situation any longer?
Melissa: Back when I was a teenager and having to listen to the same lecture over and over, just because I was dumb enough to get caught again. LOL
Malice: Well I would like to thank you for doing this interview. It’s been a real pleasure! Is there anything you would like to add?
Melissa: Just would like to thank all of the fans for the support, fan mail, etc… You guys rock! Can’t wait to start meeting you all!
Also I am in the process of getting my website up and running should be completed any day now. It is www.melissadcowan.com
Also I have a Facebook fan page as well. The link to that is here.
There you have it My Freaky Darlings! Be sure to keep an eye out for Melissa in “The Walking Dead” and in “Vampire Diaries.” I hope some of you have the pleasure of meeting her in October.
Until Next Time, My Freaky Darlings,
Malice Psychotik
Dance All Night, With Vita DeVoid
If you have never had the thrill of sitting in on a show with Thee Vaudvillains, you don’t know what you’re missing. The first time I ever had exposure to this team was back at Screamfest 06′ (Now Spooky empire’s Ultimate Horror Weekend). I had never been to a Burlesque show, let alone a Vaudville style one! It was a real trip! All the ladies are very talented, and as the years go on they just keep getting better and the costumes keep getting more elaborate. With Ultimate Horror Weekend coming up on the 8th, I thought it would be a fantastic idea to hunt down someone for an interview. That someone is Vita Devoid. So guys and ghouls wipe that drool off your mouths, it’s time to…
Dance All Night, With Vita DeVoid
Malice: Today, I have Vita Devoid with me of Thee Vaudvillains. Tell us Vita, what have you been up to lately?
Vita DeVoid: Up to no good, if I can help it!
Malice: For those who are not familiar with Thee Vaudvillains, do you care to educate them?
Vita: We are Florida’s longest-running full-scale vintage Burlesque and Vaudeville show – performers come from all over the state to lend their unique and bizarre talents to our stage. We’re part glamour, part vintage, part comedy, and part freak show. Our acts range from drag, cabaret dance acts, singing, striptease, vaudeville comic acts, standup, fire performances, contortion, bellydance…You name it, we’ve probably got it! Our goal is to offer audiences something they’ve never had access to before, and to inspire people to go out there and try something just a little bit different for themselves.
Malice: How long have you been with Thee Vaudvillains?
Vita: I started casting for this production in March of 2006.
Malice: What is your favorite venue to perform at?
Vita: Cold Keg Niteclub in Melbourne. I also really loved The Church in Dallas, TX.
Malice: Let’s get a little personal. I want the readers to see a little more of you. How did you get your start in dancing?
Vita: Well it all started when…(enter foggy therapy session) I was a teenager in Vero Beach, and I got involved with the Swing dance scene. I started meeting dancers from all over the place, and really became obsessed with it. I started practicing every day with my friends and other dancers from the local studio and kept it up after I moved to Tampa. Eventually I started working as a GoGo dancer with different venues around the Bay, mostly in drag bars so that led me an opportunity to get involved with nightclub performance. The end!
Malice: What music do you prefer to use in your performances?
Vita: We try to use music that reflects a sense of nostalgia, modern artists that have a sound from the past. We’ve also branched out and used songs from Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie, so I can’t say we’re too strict on era-specific musical tastes, but lately we’ve been keeping it pretty old-school. Lots of Frank Sinatra and Broadway show tunes.
Malice: When you’re not captivating audiences with your dance, what do you do with your spare time?
Vita: What the hell is ”spare time”? That’s hilarious!
Malice: What are some of your favorite movies titles?
Vita: I love the Rocky Horror Picture Show, Wristcutters, To Wong Foo, House of 1,000 Corpses, Repo! The Genetic Opera, Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice…
Malice: It’s a bit of a tradition around my parts for me to ask a series of “Out of Hat” questions. You game?
Vita: Top Hat? Cloche Hat? Beanie Hat? Bowler Hat? Derby Hat?
Malice: What do you think of the movie Machete?
Vita: I haven’t seen it! But I’d like to – I think the casting is great on this movie, and the production team always pumps out really fun ass-kickery!
Malice:What is your favorite hair color?
Vita: I’ve always been a fan of Violet, actually.
Malice: Do you have any guilty pleasures?
Vita: How guilty are we talking? Eating cookies in bed guilty? Or my ridiculous obsession with cult films guilty?
Malice: Do you prefer Rum, Gin, Wine, Beer, or……Jagermeister?
Vita: It’s Jameson or nothing!
Malice: Do you have a chia pet?
Vita: No, but I think I own a ‘Clapper’.
Malice: Between the movies The Birdcage, To Wong Foo: Thanks for Everything, and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Which is your favorite?
Vita: Oooh…Crap. I’ll have to say To Wong Foo. I am a Vita, after all.
Malice: Well this has been a very fun time! Can’t wait to see you and the rest of the group at Ultimate Horror Weekend. what can we expect to see at the show?
Vita: Blood, Guts and Glamour!
Malice: Is there anything you would like to add?
Vita: This Spooky Empire Weekend is a five-year marker for us as a production and I’d like to thank our cast and audiences everywhere out there for their ongoing support of our weird little dreams – without all of you, we’re nothing – so cheers to the next five years!
If you want to check out Vita and the rest of Thee Vaudvillains, they will be at Spooky Empire’s Ultimate Horror Weekend in Orlando, Fl at 7pm. You can also catch them at the end of the month Saturday Oct 23rd at The Castle in Ybor City for Taboo Masquerade. Like I said if you have never see them before, you have to try it once. You won’t be disappointed…
Until Next Time, My Freaky Darlings,
Malice Psychotik
Dusker of the Month for October: Tex
Hello, my Freaky Darlings! You know what time it is. It’s time to announce who the Dusker of the Month is! Now I kept thinking to myself all this month, “Who the hell am I going to pick!?” I mean it’s October for crying out loud. The crown jewel month of the horror community! Almost like Miss November…or Mr November I’m not sexist! So this one was a bit of a thinker, I’m sure you will all love the person dearly. Guys and Ghouls, I present to you the Dusker of the Month for October! The Dusker of the Month is none other than, From Dusker Till Cons very own, TEX!! Yes, our fun-loving puppy lover is getting this prestigious title, and an interview with yours truly! And that interview starts….here:
From Dusk Till Con: Tex’s Bloody Interview
Malice: I’m here with the First Lady of From Dusk Till Con, Tex! How does it feel knowing you are the From Dusk Till Con’s Crown Dusker for the Month of October?
Tex: October is my favorite month, so this is pretty kick ass!
Malice: You excited for the up coming Spooky Empire’s Ultimate Weekend?
Tex: I can’t wait! We’ve had a blast each time we’ve gone and some of the best friends I have, I met at Spooky! It has and will always hold a special place in my heart.
Malice: You are the PR person for FDTC, how has that been treating you? I know you guys are involved with a pretty big convention on the horizon.
Tex: I’m a pretty social person, sometimes TOO social, so it’s come pretty naturally. It feels good knowing that I can help in this endeavor. I can’t wait to see what the future holds! It’s been a helluva ride so far, but I’m having a great time meeting new people and spreading the word any way I can.
Tex: As part of FDTC, you have been able to see the site jump from just a wee little thing to the colossus it is becoming. Where do you see FDTC?
Malice: It’s funny because when Mr. C originally gave birth to this baby of his, I’d say things like, “Wouldn’t it be cool if…” or “Can you imagine if…” speaking of things we thought were many years in the future if they ever happened at all, and in the last year they’ve all started to happen! Mr. C is definitely the more realistic between the two of us, and I’m the dreamer and to see these impossible dreams coming into fruition makes me think that maybe my $5.00 a week lotto habit isn’t so silly after all. LOL
Malice: Let’s get to you, what exactly do you do for a day job?
Tex: I play with puppies. No, seriously, that’s what I do in a nutshell. I’m a dog handler at Central Bark Doggy Day Care, so I basically supervise play time, help the dogs become socialized and keep the facility clean. It’s a dirty job at times, but someone has to do it!
Malice: What do you like to do in your off time?
Tex: I don’t get much of it! I try to spend as much time as possible with my family and friends. I go to a lot of conventions, watch horror movies, and I try to read when I can.
Malice: What are some of your favorite Cult Classics?
Tex: It’s always tough for me to pick favorites. Return of the Living Dead has been on heavy rotation in my DVD player lately. I’m a big fan of Rocky Horror Picture Show and I can watch Repo! The Genetic Opera a million times and never get tired of it, but frankly, my favorites list changes weekly!
Malice: I know back when we had dogs, Seras and me would call them the kids. What are your “kids” like?
Tex: We have quite a few kids! I guess I should go in order of when we got them. Mick and Duker are 7 year old brothers that I’ve had them since they were kittens. Mick is ornery. If he could talk, he’d sound just like Eric Cartman from South Park. Duker is a laid back cuddle bug. He’s the most mellow of our menagerie. Oreo Cat is 4. He (well, she?) is…I think the right word is transgendered. He had a kitty sex change about a year ago. Angus P. Turtle is our Florida Cooter. I found him when he was about the size of a silver dollar and now he’s a monster with an attitude to match. I think he secretly watched Godzilla movies. And finally, our bitches. Ripley is our black and white pit bull. She’ll be a year old on Halloween. She’s a bundle of energy, but she’s afraid of her own shadow sometimes. She tries to act like she’s tough though. And Grandma came into the fold just recently when we found her wandering around our apartment complex. She’s somewhere between 10 and 15 years old. Grandma is fearless, protective and loyal. She’s made herself at home with us, and we couldn’t be happier to give her a loving home to live out her days in. (Might have bit off more than you could chew with that one, eh! )
Malice: I don’t know if this is getting too personal, but how did you meet Mr. Chainsaw exactly?
Tex: We were introduced on a surprise fix up by a mutual friend. To say we didn’t click would be an understatement. We prejudged each other almost immediately and barely spoke two words to one another. A few days later, I made plans with this mutual friend and Mr. C came with. Again, we ignored each other. At the end of the night, when we were all walking out to our cars, I noticed the DVD for The Lost Boys in his backseat and we started talking about horror movies. The rest, as they say, was history.
Malice: What are some of your favorite dishes to cook?
Tex: As Mr. C will tell you, I don’t cook. I leave dinner preparation to him. What I do is bake from scratch, and my absolute favorite is cookies, especially chocolate chip, but Mr. C did say at one point that my White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies were better than sex. Not sure if I should take that as a compliment or an insult….
Malice: For as long as I’ve known you across the time of two boards, I’ve always noticed the “Free the West Memphis Three” thing on your sig. Want to tell us a little about it?
Tex: How much time have you got? I’ve been known to go on and on about this! Basically, it’s a murder case from the early nineties. Three teenagers were convicted for the murders of three little boys without a shred of physical evidence, in large part due to what amounts to Satanic panic. I’d recommend for anyone who’s even a little curious to visit www.wm3.org for more information. Or at the very least, check out a documentary on the subject titled Paradise Lost.
Malice: So it’s a bit of a tradition for me to ask anybody I interview…well a series of “Out-of-Hat” questions. Well being in since it’s October, I’m not going to ask you a small series…..I’M GOING TO ASK YOU AN ONSLAUGHT OF QUESTIONS!!! Shall we get this party started!?
Tex: Let’s do it!
Malice: Let’s start this party with a bang!!If you were going to die a Darwin Award type death, How would you meet your end?
Tex:I would be standing outside with a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other watching a tornado and get struck by debris.
Malice: Would you ever own a Racoon as a pet?
Tex: Sure, but I’d prefer a squirrel.
Malice: If you could tame, and make a pet of any mythical creature, which would it be? Why?
Tex: Hmm…I couldn’t pick a mermaid, cuz I’d have nowhere to keep it. I’d have to say a werewolf, that way when he’s a man, he can help me around the house and when he changes to a wolf, well he’d be just like another dog, and when he changes back, I can make him clean up his own poop. Plus, I could sick him on my enemies.
Malice: You have to choose one! Which would you eat? The Luther Burger (a quarter-pound Angus beef burger, topped with Wisconsin cheddar cheese and two strips of chocolate covered bacon, on a toasted Krispy Kreme doughnut bun), Cow Tongue, Prairie Oysters (buffalo testicles), Pickeled Pigs Feet, or Live Octopus?
Tex: As Mr. C can attest to, I’m a picky eater. I hate Krispy Kreme, so I’d have to honestly go with Prairie Oysters. In general, buffalo is pretty tasty.
Malice: If you could be any Marvel Super Hero out there, who would it be?
Tex: Shoot, I’m not to good with super heroes…I guess I’ve always been partial to Jean Grey.
Malice: What would you think of a Horror Theme Park?
Tex: Well, I like horror, and I like theme parks….so it sounds good to me!!
Malice: What would you call a cross between a Rhino, Puma, and a Coyote?
Tex: Coypumo
Malice: What sounds funnier!? Introducing Piranha to a swimming pool, replacing a scuba divers oxygen tank with Nitrous Oxide, OR replacing someones vitamins with Viagra?
Tex: Viagra. There’s nothing funnier than inappropriate boners!
Malice: Well this has been a truly fun experience! Hope it was for you too. Is there anything you would like to add for the Dusker masses?
Tex: For those fuckers?! Hell no!!! Just kidding, can’t wait to see you guys!
There you have it! Tex, this was a great interview! I hope you all enjoyed it, and find yourself just a little more enlightened. Also, be sure to check out From Dusk Till Con for all of the latest convention news. Including the latest news on the upcoming sensation, Days of the Dead. I’ve got a lot of stuff coming up soon! This month is going to be pretty kick ass! So all of you stay tuned!! You won’t belive what will happen next…
Until Next Time, My Freaky Darlings,
Malice Psychotik
Here Comes Thomas Churchill!
Here Comes Thomas Churchill!
Pamela Garret (played by Krista Grotte of Hershel Gordan Lewis’ The Uh-Oh Show and Brainjacked), a photographer for a busy newspaper company has just taken a life altering photograph.. After her boss, Cameron (Stephen Geoffreys of Fright Night, 976-Evil) hands her an easy assignment, she takes a photograph that will have her emerged into chaos. As she searches for help within her friend Dylan (Brooke McCarter from The Lost Boys) in a lost city filled with a dark mystery, in this insane situation she soon realizes that no one can help her. When trusting people around you is not an option, it’s her past that can bring her down. ..OK I said too much. Tony Moran (Carpenters Halloween 1 & 2)
, Edward X Young (The Green Monster, Mr Hush) and Mike Marino all have roles in the film. The film was a great project to work on…Paul and Lorie Weinroth of Chocolate Bunny Productions gave me total creative control in allowing me to bring what I wrote to life.
Malice: It looks like there are going to be a few hidden “Easter Eggs” (Example Steve Dash’s Character being named Det. Voorhees) Am I correct in assuming there are more?
Malice: As a writer I love finding out the little ideas that spark a story. What got you started on the idea for the movie?
Malice: I know it’s not out on DVD yet, but do you have any showings coming up on the Film Festival circuit?
Malice: Is there any date set for a DVD release?
Malice: Your also involved with a project I have been following lately, Mr. Hush. What is your take on the movie?
Malice: How did you come across Mr. Hush?Malice: You have another film announced too, Cold Plastic. What is that about?
Malice: Now I want to talk more about you, what got you into film?
Malice: One can only assume, when looking at your film history, that you are a horror fan. How long have you been with the genre?
Malice: What has been the thrill of your career thus far?
Malice: Jason Voorhees or Freddy Krueger?
Malice: The Crow or The Lost Boys?
Thomas: Wow…You know I will have to say The Lost Boys! Being I have Brooke McCarter (Paul in The Lost Boys) and G Tom Mac (The Lost Boys theme “Cry Little Sister”) are part of Emerging Past. So family stays with family…and Family is Forever.
Malice: “Family Guy” or “The Simpsons”?
Thomas: I love “The Family Guy”.
Malice: Alice Cooper or Marilyn Manson?
Thomas: Kenny G…just kidding…I like Gene Simmons!
Malice: Well that’s about all the time we have for today, Thom is there anything you would like to add before we finish?
Thomas: Yes…go to Emerging Past and Mr. Hush on Facebook, become a fan and suggest it to your friends as well. Go to my official website www.churchhillproductions.com, www.emergingpast.com, and www.mrhush.net for up to the minute news on our projects. Thank you very much.
I just want to say how awesome it has been getting to know everyone from these projects. You heard it here, make sure to check out Emerging Past at Spooky Empire’s Ultimate Horror Weekend in Orlando, Fl October 9th. If you’re not going to be there, hit it up at Mr. Hush: Weekend of Fear in Matamoras, Pa October 22nd-24th.Check out the Trailer below!
Until Next Time, My Freaky Darlings,
Malice Psychotik
Through the Looking Glass…A Look Back at Halloween Horror Nights: Reflections of Fear
If there ever was a year that I think Universal could have made a script out of the event story, this would have been the one. Reflections of Fear set a new precedent in the event as far as story telling went. Once they started the website, they would slowly peel back the layers of the Legend that is Bloody Mary. To take something as iconic as the Urban Legend of Bloody Mary and make it their own is just…well legendary!! The creative team also kicked it up another notch by having a fully interactive game go on at the same time of the event, The Legendary Truth. Never had Universal went into such detail over one of their characters! Never had they an icon that had been so omnipresent. Belive me when I say she was EVERYWHERE! So, My Freaky Darlings, hold on to your freak hats! It’s going to be a bumpy ride as i take you back…Back through the Looking Glass….
To fully appreciate this event, you have to know what went into it. The website started giving you diary pages of one Dr. Mary Agana. The good doctor was trying a new experimental way of curing fear. Her thesis was, to make her patient confront their fear head on. To put them in an inescapable situation where they either face their fear or die! I’m sure you can imagine what ultimate ends they met. As the journal pressed, you start to see Dr. Agana’s mind unhinge. She actually starts to enjoy seeing her patients suffer. She enjoys seeing them die, and relish in the fear they experience. The journals feature an audio, so that you can really see this take effect. Depending on how into the website you were, you could read into the side story of a Private Investigator, Boris Shuster. It was all just a fully immersive experience that painted such an interesting picture. Thanks to a website HorrorNights.be I’m able to post a link below to not just the Halloween Horror Nights 18 website, but also the Legendary Truth Website. For The Reflections of Fear site click here. If you want to see the Legendary Truth click here. That year they also did a very cool arrival. unfortunately, they didn’t do this for the public. It was a press night only event. Thanks to YouTube though, your able to see it below.
I’m going to start you off with atmosphere first. The whole event was about you being drawn through the mirror and into her world. Bloody Mary made her presence known everywhere. Universal even replaced the medallion that hangs in the archway with a giant LED mirror. In this mirror, Mary would talk to you. It added so much to the event seeing her up there, spreading her message of terror. I’ve taken the liberty of embing this video for you below:
A big part of this atmosphere was the Scarezones. Here’s what you had to expect:
Asylum in Wonderland- This zone took one of my favorite childhood stories in a direction I rather fancied. I loved this whole area! From the foul-mouthed Caterpillar to the demented White Rabbit, this area was some naughty good fun. They had these huge screens all around as you went though that projected various pictures. If you looked closely you might even see the Cheshire Cat. Most of the actors here were on skates. What did this mean? Only that they could sneak in and out of those screens to scare you that much more quickly. there were also a few mirrors in the zone. I wondered if they were just scene decoration or what they would do. My question was answered when a light flashed in it, and you see Bloody Mary. It was like Disney turned on its head!
The Skoolhouse- A very creepy atmosphere this one had. It took the idea that The Skool had in HHN 15 and made it better. They put so much detail into this area it was insane! They had a bus parked to one side, and even had a little walk through School House you could go into for a quick scare. There really is nothing like a group of scary demented kids plotting your demise. Seras assisted in a scare here too! I was filming the school and dropped my guard. The Teacher walked up behind me and just stood there. Of course Seras says nothing, and when I turn around all I can see in my LCD screen is the face of the teacher. This image has to be every paranormal investigators nightmare. I give him credit, but most of it goes to my loving Seras!There was also a very cool attachment to the area where the tree canopy was filled with glowing Jack-O-Lanturns. A very cool visual indeed! Made even better when they would all go out at once to the audio of Bloody Mary being said three times…
Fractured Tales- Another favorite of the night! This was Mother Goose off her meds! It was cool to see how they would take this and run. I belive they even had Mother Goose walking around (with a goose on her head). The had Little Miss Muffit with a giant spider on her, the Pied Pipper with a rat hanging out of his mouth, Little Red Ridding Hood with the Big Bad Wolf’s head in her basket, and many more. It was a laugh riot to see some of them. I kept calling the ogre a pissed off Shrek. He didn’t like that too much.
Streets of Blood- The idea here was really good. Taking history, and turning in the fashion of The Body Collectors. The area was supposed to make you feel like you have been transported to White Chapel where the Ripper murders took place. The story they paint is that it wasn’t Jack the Ripper that did the murders. Rather it wasn’t one person at all. That it was the Body Collectors harvesting organs. The street was populated by the Collectors and by a different Collector you hadn’t seen before. They looked like something out of an insane asylum, and acted almost like a dog. They even had an added element of hookers walking around, and without a seconds notice one of the Body Collectors would attack them in the street. The way this zone looked was very authentic. Even using street candles to illuminate the area in l00 of conventional lighting.
American Gothic- Surprising enough i didn’t spend much time here. I did like it! The dress was very cool, and the Scareactors did a good job. But to be honest I just wasn’t feeling it. I think the concept was great, they just limited themselves to much. Lizzie Borden was the only one mentioned, and best I could tell all the others were civil war soldiers. So if there were more there, I didn’t catch them. I will say the girl playing Lizzie gave quite the few people a good startle. It just wasn’t my thing.
Path of the Wicked- I’m not going to lie, I was giddy when i first heard this announced. The Wizard of Oz is such a cool movie, and the thought of seeing twisted characters from it (and Flying Monkeys) was too much. My only disappointment in this area, was the artistic freedom they took with the Flying Monkeys. They didn’t look like monkeys, nor did they have wings! The were more like demented flying squirrels. The effect that they had though was cool enough. As you walked through, they did have “Monkeys” Flying over head back and forth on a safety line. The Witch up in her tower chastising the passerby was pretty cool too. I loved what they did with The Scarecrow, The Tin-Man and the Lion. It added a very nice touch.
With the Scarezones being what they were this year, you had to figure they would deliver on the houses, right? well deliver they did! Maybe not as hard as I thought they could on some, but still a pretty good line up none the less. Now all of these houses were based off of a victim of Bloody Mary (See her journals on the web page.) To add an extra easter egg to each house as well, there is a hidden Bloody Mary in each. This was a fun little game to play as you went through the houses. Here’s what they had:
Scary Tales: Once Upon a Nightmare- This was the third in a series of these houses. So with a name like this, everyone had very high expectations. It delivered and then some! This was my favorite house of the night. I even had to do it twice one of the nights. In this house you went through Rapunzel, Goldie Locks, Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz…and that’s just to mention a few! My personal favorite scenes was the Mad Tea Party, (Alice, Mad Hatter, and Door Mouse all dance an rejoice over a disemboweled March Hair…intestine strung across the room) The Scarecrows corn field, (With Dorthy mutilated hanging from his post, and a Tin-Man that would squirt you with his Oil Can) and Goldie Locks and the Three Bears (Where you come face to face with a pissed off Papa Bear!) The Secret Mary sighting in this house was good one too. When you are walking through the Alice in Wonderland section, you walk through a hallway filled with mirrors. The only thing that pops out of the mirrors is the Red Queen screaming “Off with your head!”…all except one. When you least expect it, Mary jumps out of this one for the win!
The Hallow- here you take a journey into the heart of what Halloween is all about. Samhain runs free as he shows you the true traditions that forged this holiday. Now to some this could have been confusing. You have to know a lot of the lore to get some of the references. But they manged to still making it interesting enough, to where even if you didn’t know, you weren’t left out. One scare in the maze that got me was a room filled with little statue holding out a Trick R Treat bag. I’m just going through expecting them all to be statues (they are really tiny.) When one of the statues lunges at me. Little person Scareactor For the Win!! I also took the liberty to make goat noises at Samhain. Like most of the Scareactors I mocked that night, he didn’t like it. The Mary Sighting in here was possibly the coolest. They had a see through screen hung in front of you. What this allowed them to do, was project a ghostly image onto it of her walking into frame, smiling, then disappearing. It was very cool!
Dead Exposure- When I heard what this house was actually about, I got disappointed. Se rumors where it was going to be spirit photography. What it actually was is a black light filled house where all the zombies could only be seen when the black light flash goes off. I was surprised to find as campy as this one was, it was pretty damn good! There were quite the many moments where you would get surrounded, and because of the flashes you could see them until it was too late. There was one room in particular that got everyone. The whole room was filled with fake black paint zombies. There was still about five real ones though, and you couldn’t tell until it was too late. The story behind this one wasn’t bad either. Charlie McPherson was supposed to be the reporter covering this mass infection. The journey you take is actually supposed to be a journey through his pictures. This all of corse ends when you get to the last scene to see him being eaten. Great concept, I just wish there wasn’t so much empty space at the end.As for the secret Mary, I didn’t catch her in this one. From what I understand it was very hard trying to.
Reflections Of Fear- In a un explainable move, creative put the icon house in the Jaws que. I didn’t think it belonged here, and was dreading it. To my surprise it worked! It worked so well I couldn’t have pictured it elsewhere. This maze took you through Dr. Mary Agana’s clinic. If you followed Legendary Truth, it was supposed to be like a paranormal investigation gone horribly wrong! Mary drags you into her world, where she shows you exactly what happened there. There was a moment that got Seras and me in this house. One of the last rooms you walk into, there is a Dr. Mary Agana’s standing in the corner. as she gets your attention, a Bloody Mary bursts out of the glass next to you. You got to hate the wonders of misdirection. For an icon house it did wonderfully. I just still have to imagine what could have been better had it been in a Soundstage…
Doomsday- I swear to you I was the only person in the world excited for that house! (Well, Seras too!) I had never seen so many people against a house like this. The concept was great. It just brought you back to enough scenes in the movie to go “Hey, i remember that…” But, for the most part it was a stand alone house. I loved the music in the house, and they way they dressed. I even loved the smell of the Bar-B-Qed man in one room (Offered to stay and help cook) The Scareactors here were as light-hearted as Psychoscareapy the year before. I just really enjoyed this house for what it was. They were my kind of people!
Body Collectors: Collections of the Past- I may have missed the first Body Collectors…my White Buffalo (the one that got away), but i wasn’t missing this one. This became my second favorite of the night! The story takes you back to White Chapel London during the time of the Jack the Ripper Murders. You quickly find out there is no Jack, only the Collectors. You get a chance to walk all the way into their lair, and see a hole room littered with past victims. I loved the buildings in this one. You could really see how hard the design team worked to make this a success.
“Creatures!”- This house had the potential to be the most terrifying one of them all, and dropped the ball!! I can not tell you how disappointed I was. It was set up to be sort of like Stephen King’s The Mist, and fell short about a Green Mile! There was nothing really scary about it. The facade was perfect, there was even a few tentacles taking over the bar from outside, but once you got in there was nothing to be afraid of. You were really confused as to whether you should be afraid of the towns folk or the non-existent creatures. The only scare I remember is a hallway where you are under shot-gun fire. They achieve this with sound effect and air mortar, but it just wasn’t enough.
Interstellar Terror- This pulled in as my third favorite of the night, but honestly the best detail wise. They built a freakin’ scale spaceship facade…you don’t get more detailed than that! Welcome aboard the MSO Columbus, where a strange artifact has turned the crew into maniacs!! Personally, I was more concerned with the crew hurting themselves then me. They were a self mutilating bunch. Carving strange symbols into their skin, blowing themselves out of air locks, and one that just couldn’t get enough of shocking himself (really cool effect.) there was an awesome effect in this maze where they made you feel like you were walking across a cat walk that could drop you hundreds of feet! It was also nifty to find out the artifact was made from an old model of the E.T. Spaceship. Mary was easy to spot in this house as she came of one of the warning monitors toward the middle of the chaos. A good pick me up after the disappointment that was “Creatures!”
So the shows this year weren’t fantastic. In fact there was only one good one worth seeing, and that was Bill and Ted. I don’t really feel that I have to break these down as I can sum up the other two rather easy. The Rocky Horror Picture Show- A Tribute was even worst than the year before. While the Brian Brushwood show was the same as the year before. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure I was really worried about. With rumors flying around about a rather inappropriate Heath Ledger joke, and the election being that year it had the recipe for disaster. But, I was proven wrong for doubting the Wyld Stallions. They pulled together a rather entertaining show. They touched on the political race, just enough to say they addressed it. There was no inappropriate HL joke, and really it went business as usual. I will dare say I enjoyed it better than HHN 17. Sorry I can’t post you a video, but unfortunately Universal Orlando has gotten pretty tight-lipped about video taping the show since 2006. I can tell you it had a few really good Miley Cyrus jokes. She get’s turned into Two-Face (big surprise there!) Altogether though, it was pretty well-rounded show.
My feeling on the whole event was one of wow! Never had I seen such a tight-knit story like this one. Like I said it set a rather high bar in that area! They found out exactly how high the next year for Halloween Horror Nights 19: Ripped From the Silver Screen. That year got some of the worst reviews I have seen in the last 5 years of the event. Fortunately for all of you, you won’t have to hear about it more than this. I did not go, so i can’t give you an honest shot on the event. All I can tell you is that judging from the website and the story I did see, it had nothing on Reflections of Fear. This year’s story will always live on in infamy, and we can only hope that they will met that bar this year with Twenty Years of Fear.
With the finishing of this review, we will start living in the present. Halloween Horror Nights XX: Twenty Years of Fear was unleashed last night and just finished hours ago. I’m curious to see what kind of FEAR was kicked up at the event…
Until Next Time, Mt Freaky Darlings,
Malice Psychotik
P.S. Here is a look at the commercial for that year! Watch and Enjoy!
Welcome to the Show…Recalling Halloween Horror Nights 17: Carnival of Carnage
In 2007, Jack was let back out of his box. What he brought with him, was The Carnival of Carnage! He also brought with him the New Line Cinema slashers Freddy, Jason, and Leatherface. It was a first in Halloween Horror Nights history with 8 mazes, 4 shows, and 1 scarezone that encompassed the whole park!! I won’t lie, it had its problems, but I do believe the scenery that came through and the houses they had more than made up for it. Not one house that year was a loser in my book, stealing my number one vote for houses. The parts that they did manage to dress came out wonderfully as well. It was like you really were walking into this massive Carnival. It even had a ferris wheel. The Website was also kicked up another notch, adding games to unlock content about the houses. They kept Horror Night fans glued to the computer every week in hopes a new game would go active. It was nuts, and the anticipation was off the chains and out of the straight jacket. So, without wasting anymore words, kick back, relax, and let me take you back….to Jack’s Carnival of Carnage!
The main story of the event was Jack taking over his old stomping ground, Oddfellow’s Dark Carnival and Emporium. Becoming the new Ringmaster of this Carnival, Jack felt it necessary to bring his own brand of mayhem to the show. He traveled long and far across the globe, gathering up acts along the way. Among these acts were the like of Freddy, Jason, and Leatherface. You soon found out though, that wasn’t all that was up Ringmaster’s sleeve. He was going to give everyone a show they wouldn’t soon forget…
I want to shake it up a little, lets start with the houses. The houses this year were nearly flawless. Even the one I did have problems with, I found later it was more a timing error (and not any where as bad as People Under the Stairs: Under Construction.) This is what the Carnival had in store for you:
Dead Silence: The Curse of Mary Shaw- I was one of a select few that really liked this movie. So when I heard it was being made into a house, I was just excited! This was an amazing trip through the movie. You go from the mortuary all the way to the Theater where Mary Shaw was murdered. The effects in this house were all-consuming. From the moment you walked into the mortuary, you were blasted with the smell of embalming fluid! Giving it that extra feel of realism. As you journey through the scenes, you have to beware of not just Mary Shaw, but her victims. Whether it be them coming out of a picture or springing from a trap door, those mutilated beings were sure to catch you off guard. One of the coolest effects I had seen at the time was in this house. There is one scene where you are walking across the rafters of the theater (really you are only about 2 feet off the ground.) Using mirrors they make you feel like you are 50 feet in the air with Mary Shaw staring up at you, just waiting for you to fall! The one scare that got me in the house was pretty sneaky. Using a play on the walls, you see Mary Shaw ahead of you coming toward you, in a blink of the eye she’s gone! So when you start looking around, BAM!! She’s right next to you! I thought this was a very cool use of a very old mirror trick. There was even a funny easter egg in the form of a picture of Elsa Strict, the Storyteller on her parlor wall. It was a very fun experience.
A Nightmare on Elm Street: Dreamwalkers- My favorite house of the night, Dreamwalkers was a trip through one of my favorite childhood horror flicks. The main story was you being exposed to an experimental drug called Sleepwell. Exposed is an understatement as you walk though a freakin’ fogged out tent of it. Thats when you are “transported” right smack in front of 1428 Elm Street. The House facade was every fanboys dream. Just like walking onto the set of the movie. You walk through a torn sheet, when you realize you are actually walking through Johnny Depp’s character’s bed (yes the room is on its side.) From here you are taken through some of the worst Nightmares in the series history. Complete with a trip deep down to the Boiler Room. One of the cooler scenes in the house is in the Boiler Room. You enter a section like a mirror fun house. If you hit it just right, you see three of you in front. The lights flicker, and one of them is replaced with Freddy. The guy is everywhere, around every turn, giving you no escape! There was a funny moment in particular in this house. When we were walking through the second scene, a Freddy got behind me. Now mind you I’m a fanboy walking in a dream world here, so I’m not paying any attention (although my friends behind me were glued to the action.) He took my pony tail up in his claws and said “How about a hair cut girly?” In retrospect that would have made my night, however I didn’t know what was going on until Seras tells me, “You going to let him talk to you like that?” Freddy if you are reading this, you are going to have to do better than that to get this Psychotik! Still my number one of the night.
Psychoscareapy: Home For the Holidays- This was hands down the most fun house of the night. Not scary, but FUN! Kind of like my perfect Christmas. The story here was the transport from the Shady Brook crashes in the suburbs. Letting loose all of the patients on an unsuspecting neighborhood of rich people during Christmas. The path the maze took was following the chaos they left behind. Memorable moments include a kitchen with a crazy baking cookies…made from skin! A workshop that took a terrible turn for the worse. Even a snowman…with an actually human head….a severed human head. It was funny to see Seras go through this house when she had a few in her. Dropped her guard terribly poor girl. We are walking through this house, and she is just wandering around enjoying the scenery. What she didn’t see was that the room filled with six patients, all circling around her. Needless to say she got had! They got her! Another fond memory of the night was walking through the workshop. I was really getting into it at this point. I started singing “Deck the halls with lower intestine…” When out of no where two maniacs drop from the ceiling upside down while another jumps from behind a box singing, “Falalala la! La La La La!!” That memory to this day still make me smile!
Vampyr: Blood Bath: This house was a vampire junkie delight. Instead of a dessert bar, you are given a Vampire night club (boy do those vamps like to party!) Universal really picked an awesome location for this house, as they landed it in Nazermans or what some may call Sting Ally. It gave the house an awesome indoor/outdoor thing. They even had a door man, and for the facade all they needed was a neon business sign. The entrance already looked like an alleyway. Made for a unique time. I will say though, the female vampires looked like they were trying to turn you on more than scare you. I actually turned to Seras when we first got in and said, “I’ll take the one with the Black hair. You take the Brunette!” In a awkward moment, there was one of the vampires that jumped out to scare Seras, only to stop short and apologize. Why? Well he thought we were two Scareactors. We’ve been mistaken by regular people, but never have we been mistaken by an actual Scareactor. Not really a lot of effects in this one. Although there was a scene with a vampire eating a poodle, and I swear it was animatronics because it moved. Other than that, the realism came from the natural setting.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Flesh Wounds- I went in to this house with pretty low expectations. Boy was I ever wrong! You couldn’t have told that from the facade. It was just a little weak for my taste. But once you got inside, it WAS the Hewitt residence. Complete with the sliding doors that could slide open at any minute. It was really cool to see this effect spring. Usually he had a victim in hand, dragging them back in! There was a scene that stopped a dude in front of us. He even threw his girlfriend in front of him! Leatherface was cutting through a wall with his chainsaw (complete with sparks from the wiring and beams.) When you walked through the kitchen there was a person chained inside the freezer. It was also a nice touch having the smell of soup beans in this area too. Like I’ve said, the smells are what sell you on the atmosphere. Even when you thought you were out of the woods, you still got snuck in for one more scare. As you exit, there is an all too familiar scene with sheets hung up on clothes lines. Well as you are trying to make it through, all of a sudden you hear a chainsaw rev up, and then here comes Leatherface! It made for a nice send off to say the least. I also can’t tell you how incredibly epic it was to turn around and look at him, just to see him spinning in place swinging his chainsaw.
Friday the 13th: Camp Blood- This house was a flop the first time through. The first time I hit it, it was still light out. Being in since it was in the Jaws que, you still see a lot of light coming in. Making a lot of the special effects not work. That being said, there were quite a few that relied heavily on the dark. The main story is, Camp Crystal lake is being reopened under new management. The new counselors, however, give you a proper hazing in the old barn where it is said Jason lives. Big mistake as the prank turns real, and Jason does start murdering people. You are met with several visuals from the series that would make any F13 fan grin ear to ear. this experience even comes complete with the shrine to Pamela Voorhees (how that head is still around, I’ll never know. One of the greatest effects they pull in the house is the one that relied a lot of you not seeing how it was done. The way it was supposed to go is, you walk into a room and Jason is on the upper level. A bright light comes on as he hurls a pulley hook at you, when the light goes out you don’t se it travel safely over head. When the light comes on Jason is no longer there, until you look down and he is right in front of you. THAT is how it was supposed to play out like the second time I saw it. The first time I saw it (with light) I walked into a room to see two Jasons standing there. In which one of the dumb goons tossed a rope at me that was tied to another line pulling it out-of-the-way. It was lame. The second time I went through the house though, when it was dark, I thought it was great.
Jack’s Funhouse: In Clown-O-Vision- You ever wanted to see what it was like to live in a psychedelic acid trip? Or an Andy Worhol taken over by twisted clowns? This was the house for you! This was the first 3-D house I had ever experienced. I really didn’t know what to expect. So I strolled up to it, put on my special Clown-O-Vision glasses and hoped for the best. There wasn’t really what you could call scenes, more like a series of rooms that looked like black light painting come to life. The floors were off set in some rooms, they used mirror tricks, trap doors. Everything you could expect in a fun house. Paintings jumped right off the wall! And then to some peoples surprise, the painting jumped of the wall and ran toward you! It was a real fun time. It definitely kept you off-balance, and I would have hated to do that one drunk! I did this one last on one of the nights, and I have to say it made a perfect end to your night. This house would have been a pretty good opener too, as it sets the whole circus atmosphere.
The Thing: Assimilation- There is nothing like stumbling into one of your favorite movies from the early 80’s. The story behind this house was the tightest of them all. It was sort of like a sequel. An expedition to Antarctica yielded the bodies of MacReady and Childs…but was it really them? What they did bring back to the Florida research facility was the same THING that caused the chaos so many years ago. When you walk into the facility, there are alarms going off and Marines trying to get you to follow them. You walk into the first room and see MacReady and Childs in stasis. However there is another chamber busted open. As you get further in, a lot of THING’s begin to take shape. Many of your favorite creatures from the movie are brought to life using animatronics. It’s really awe-inspiring the level of detail put into this house. During the middle of your escape you start to notice instead of the Marines helping you to an exit, they are SHOOTING at you! There is even a stomach churning part where the Thing is all around you and you feel something drip on to you from above. I was surprised when they decided to do this house (and thankful!)
Now as far as Scarezones go this year, there weren’t many. There wasn’t many because the whole event was one giant Scarezone! This is where the problem came. As good as an idea as this seems, it becomes problematic making sure that the whole park is dressed and there are enough Scareactors. So really it ended up turning into zones anyway. Creative really dropped the ball on this one. The only saving area where the one’s that were able to get the theming. Those areas were all at the front of the park. I did find the areas closest to Jack’s Carnival of Carnage the most entertaining. But beyond that, I just wasn’t wowed by the complete absence in most areas of the park.
The shows this year were a bit lacking too. Not my favorite year for them, but the Jack’s Carnival of Carnage became my favorite arrival show. Still out of four, one good one wasn’t enough.
The Freakshow- The only reason I say this show was lack luster is, it just didn’t deliver like the hype said. It was supposed to be a real Freakshow (or as close as possible.) The only act I really saw that was like a Freakshow was Enigma. He was out there as usual, not a bad thing. But I noticed about two weeks in the whole Freakshow thing was dropped in favor of Brian Brushwood. Not a bad illusionist, and he sort of fit in to the freakshow aspect, but it still wasn’t as grand as it was supposed to be.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show: A Tribute- This was doomed to start. You just can’t condense the masterpiece that is RHPS into a 30 minute slot…you just CAN’T!!! It just felt too rushed. I almost feel they would have done better by just showing clips. I just didn’t feel it at all. In my opinion the worst show in my 4 years.
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure- This was my least favorite year. They dwelled too much on the screwed up wannabe divas (Paris Hilton, Lindsy Lohan, and Brittney Spears) There were a few chuckles, but nothing that floored me. You found out more about a lawsuit over the previous years use of Jack Sparrow. So this year they made fun of it and substituted the characters from Blazing Glory. It just left you with a feeling of, ‘eh it’s ok….”
Jack’s Carnival of Carnage- This show was the best show that year, and my all time favorite arrival show. The level of detail that went into this show was insane. They even brought in an illusionist to work with this show. A damn good one I might add. Illusions included: A man being ripped in half, a person’s head being smashed in, climbing through another one’s torso…and that doesn’t even touch the most shocking. So rather than tell you…why don’t I show you! Look below where you will find the Arrival show in all it’s glory!!
With the short comings this one had, what it did have more than made up for it. In my opinion this was the best year for houses. The arrival show was at such a level it really made up for the other three (and the Enigma was there so hey…) This year was home to 2 of my top favorites (Nightmare on Elm Street: Dreamwalkers and The Thing: Assimilation.) As the Carnival died down though, you could feel something more on the horizon…something you could be sure would REFLECT your worst fears….
Until Next Time, My Freaky Darlings,
Malice Psychotik
P.S. Here is an Uncensored version of the commercial! Enjoy…
There’s No Place Like Home…Memories of Halloween Horror Nights: Sweet 16
With the book closed on Tales of Terror, the next volume is Halloween Horror Nights: Sweet 16. That year was the sweetest of sixteen’s! It brought all of the icons of the past together for one mega event. Jack the Clown, The Caretaker, The Director, and The Storyteller met for the first time for an all out blood bath. I really felt they kicked it up a notch this year. It was the first year I really got into the website. I’m glad I did, because it explained so much that was going on. There was a section they ran for the longest time that helped me connect with all the other events I had never been to. Dating all the way back to the very first, they set it up as an archive. As the year progressed, the site started getting more interactive content. Most of which helped you to understand the icon houses more, and how they tied in respectively. This year was also the first year the event had traveled back to the original Hacklot since 2001. So what was it like to have Horror Come Home?….
The whole idea of the event, like I said, was to bring all the major icons together for a Super Sweet Sixteen from hell! The Website was what got me the most. Each week peeling back another layer until the full thing was unleashed. I thought the whole icon get together was a fantastic idea! I had only started the event the year before, but had always seen merchandise from the earlier icons that peaked my attention. I was also pleased to see the event coming back to the Studios. Like I said I really felt that some of the scarezones the year before were hurt because of the already detailed, and very specific theming of the Islands of Adventure. Honestly I could go on and on, but I feel you will get a better feeling from the breakdown. So in the words of The Director, On with the Show…
Let’s start with the scarezones. The zones for this year were very detailed, ranging from Zombie Apocalypse to a Vampiric Masquerade. This year tops out as my second favorite for Scarezones. Here is the run down:
Horror Comes Home (Hollywood)- Right as you went through the gates, you were flowed to the right. This took you down a memory lane of all things Horror Nights. Various characters from the past 16 years were brought back to chill you to the bone! There really was no set dressing to the area. More they relied on it being dark and the thick fog creating a sort of venturing through old memories feel. The scareactors didn’t really jump at you (or at least not me). It was more like they were there on display. The scareactor to the left was my favorite in the area. Alice….with a chainsaw! (The Red Queen never saw it coming) This was my least favorite of the year, but I’m not going to lie, it was still pretty cool.
Harvest of the Souls (Sunset Blvd.)- This scarezone was a throw back the old Field of Screams scarezone in 2004. They more or less took the idea and made it better. The whole area was themed nicely with pumpkins and hay. The idea was supposed to be these creatures were all there to harvest (you guessed it…) your souls. The fog was very thick in this area, so it played on confusion. There was one point where I lost my whole group in the fog and it took at least 20 minutes to find each other. I got a very nice scare as a result of this. I would also like to add (because of my love for them) that on select nights they had a midget in a miniature creature outfit! This little guys had it going. To top things off, when I did see him he was darting around catching people off guard (and doing a bloody good job of it!) When something happened that to this day makes me smile. I’m not sure what this one particular person said to him, but all I remember seeing is this little monster kicking a dude in the shin and then running into the fog. It was one the most epic things I’ve seen! Still though I rated this third amongst the scarezones for me. The Fog was consistently to freakin thick. It really was a hassle losing your friends like I did. Especially when said incident, caused me to miss a showing of Bill and Ted.
Deadtropolis: Zombie Siege (New York)- I love zombies! Zombies have fascinated me from a wee young Psychotik, and it was cool to see them as a reality. To see a zombocolypse in New York City….was like walking onto the set of one of my favorite films. This zone was a tribute to the old house, Deadtropolis from 2004. They did a phenomenal job setting the mood. From the moment you enter you have military telling you to turn back. Spotlights on the roof tops coupled with sound effects gave you the feeling of helicopters zooming over head. Once you got into the heart of the city, you were met with the undead. The actors did a really great job of blending in to the surroundings. If you weren’t careful who you were walking around, you may find yourself walking right next to one. One of my funniest stories comes from this area. We were walking along the zone, my group and I, when I spotted a zombie hooker coming our way. I thought to myself “Dear God she is going to try to grab me, and Seras is going to deck her…” To my surprise (and hers) she attacked Seras. Now when I say attack, what I’m really trying to say is the zombie “Dry Humped”….I would also like to use the word “grind” and the phrase “Shake her fun bags.” It was too bad I didn’t have the camera! I was almost tempted to ask her to do it again. The area was also home to one of the coolest shows on earth! (But I will get to that later…) Still as great as this zone was, I have to say it was the second favorite of the night.
Blood Masquerade (Shrek Ally)- What is more perfect than a Scarezone with zombies? A Scarezone with Vampires!! Modeled after Castle Vampyr from 2004, (Noticing a pattern…?) this area was the most stunning. Both ends of the area had an alluring display of candles complete with a Queen of the Damned-esq vampire. What was cool is the use of special effects. The vampires would be posing all seductively, then without missing a beat lightning would crash, and a gust of wind would blow from under them! The effect sent many people screaming. There were also smaller pedestals set up with vampires dressed all in white. They would stand there, frozen like a statue. Then by hitting a button with their foot the same would happen, but for some reason it was that much worse! The whole thing was just visually pleasing, and they used the size of the area to their advantage. The Shrek Ally can get pretty narrow the more stuff you shove in it. So you were forced to walk right next to these creatures of the night. I saw the most screams delivered here. Easy choice for the favorite of the night.
This was my number one favorite for Houses. I really liked the idea of bringing back some of the older houses. For a Horror Nights freak like me, it was nice experiencing some of the greats that I had missed. The Houses were:
People Under the Stairs: Under Construction (Sprung Tent)- This house was very lack luster. Every event has at least one bomb, and man this was it. This house had not been seen since Halloween Horror Nights 2 & 3. Although the concept was kind of catchy, (walking through a house in construction that was being terrorized by….well you know who) it just never delivered. It’s like they took the old house, half built it, and then tried to use the failed Miner hats from HHN 15’s Terror Mines. The fog was another killer of this maze. It was so thick, you actually would miss scares because you couldn’t see the actors! The only cool thing I can add is the shot-gun effect. There is a guy in a gimp mask running around with a shot-gun. His gun didn’t fire your average bullets, but it did fire a blast of air that would scare the life out of you…if you could tell what it was. Easily the worst house of the night.
Psycho-Path: Return of Norman Bates (Sprung Tent)- This house was at the bottom of the list for me. Not because it was bad like the last one, but more because it just wasn’t as epic as the others. This house was started in HHN 4 and then again at HHN 9. What separates this maze from the previous two is, instead of going through the Bates Motel and residence, you venture though the twisted mind of Norman Bates. You start out walking through the doors of the Bates Motel, where you are greeted by Norman Bates. Two scenes in, it get’s weird. You walk through a vortex of spinning screaming faces and land in a room full of eyes,. That room I found interesting because they used an effect similar to Cold Blind Terror’s. The people in the room wore all black with the same eyes attached to them. Since it was a black light room, you couldn’t see the silhouette, and they could move around the room and you wouldn’t be able to keep up. Basically, one hell of a throwback house.
Dungeon of Terror: Retold (JAWS que)- The story behind this attraction was very interesting. Apparently the Dungeon of Terror, a throw back to the original maze from the first few Horror Nights came under new management. Elsa Strict, The Storyteller, purchased the Dungeon and reopened it promising to show passersby a thing or two about discipline. Now that sort of translated in the beginning. As soon as you walked in, Ol’ Storyteller was there to greet you. Then as you walked through, it just became this terribly gone wrong attraction with back woods murderers in pig masks. There were some nice effects. Of which there was one with a guy on a spin wheel being stabbed (which sprayed you with blood!) The back-wood people eating people. Then to put a nice cherry on top, you walk through an open room with bodies all tied to the roof together spinning. I believe they were made to look like brides and grooms. Mixed in with the dead, were a few alive which made for a good scare. It wasn’t my favorite of the icons house, but it was entertaining. The story was solid, and told you a little more about The Storyteller. (Which I thought needed to be done.)
RUN: Hostile Territory (Earthquake que)- This house was pretty damn cool! Although Eddie wasn’t mentioned in the commercials, he is still an icon. His thunder was stolen HHN 11. And although he had a bit part in a house in HHN 14, he has never been used to his potential. RUN was a lot like taking the bloodiest scenes from Saw and Hostel and forced them together for a battle to the death. Apparently Eddie RUN’s (Hee Hee Get it?) a warehouse where people can pay to watch people die. Well, at some point after entering the door, (I think you make it a foot.) YOU become the victim. There were many good scenes in this house. A lot of detailed gore. One was a room with a man swinging a lawnmower back and forth that would spin the blade and shoot “blood” on you. The best effect in the house was the electric chair scene. This scene you walk into and in the middle of the room there is a man strapped into a chair. As you get into the room, a person flips the switch and cooks the unlucky fellow. It was the strongest visual’s in the maze, and they sold it well. On your way out, you were greeted by Eddie and his oversized chainsaw. I’ll mention also, there were all kinds of trap doors around the house that had people drop it and scream “Run!” At one point we became stuck because of scaredy cats. We were told to Run 3 times. Finally we turned to him and said “Would if I could buster!” It was epic.
All Night DrIvE-In: Take 2 (Soundstage 23)- The Director is just an interesting character. Paulo Ravinski’s brand of realism was too much for his country. So he came to the America’s looking for a place to accept his work. This house was his second installment. This house brought you to The Thing, Hellraiser, Scream, Silence of the Lambs, The Ring and much more. I really loved the idea behind this maze. From the opening scenes where you walk through the directors cutting room, till you come face to face at the end. Each of the movies listed above had their best scenes exploited. In the Scream section you pass through the kitchen as Drew Berrymore’s character begs you for help, and Ghost Face springs from two different areas at random. Also in a moment of hilarity they add in the friend that get’s killed in the garage door (and she was still kicking!) The Hellraiser part was very hardcore, and you get dropped into it pretty quickly. The best visual in the house was for The Ring. You enter a busted up hospital room with strobing lights. I’m not really sure how this girl moved so fast, but she achieved the movie feel of appearing, disappearing, and reappearing before your eyes! And still as good as this house was, it still only made number 3!
ScreamHouse: Resurrection (Soundstage 23)- Albert Cain was the Caretaker of souls in 2002’s Islands of Fear. Twice before this house terrified guests. This Third time though, was something you weren’t soon to forget! One of the most massive of all the houses, Universal really pulled out the stops. The Facade outside was the exterior of a massive mortuary. Once you walked through the doors you entered a massive funeral parlor, where The Caretaker and some of his graveyard ghouls were there to greet you. You even have a cameo of his daughter Cindy preserved perfectly in a coffin. One very cool scene was just before you exit to the underground tunnels. There is a massive casket in the center of the room, with one of his fresher victims screaming to get out. The casket rocked and swayed, keeping everyone wondering what was going to jump out of it! The underground of the mortuary was very realistic. They used some kind of musty cedar smell (I think of HHN every time I walk past Garden Center). One of the coolest experiences we had in this house was with The Caretaker himself. As you would pass him, he would swing and snap his embalming scissors over your head. There was one point when he swung over a banister, and just barely missed us. Gave us a good jump, which is hard to do! As much as I loved this house, and as massive as it was, there was still one better…
PsychoScarepy: Maximum Madness (Soundstage 22)- Welcome to Shady Brook, were the patients are taken over and further warped by the sinister Jack “The Clown” Schmidt. This house was absolutely huge. I swear it took like 8 minutes to get through. This one, like Screamhouse, had a giant facade to help set the mood. You really felt like you were walking into an Asylum. When you walked in, you were greeted by a very disturbed nurse. From there it is a series of corridors and encounters with patients that have started worshipping Jack the Clown. My favorite scenes from this house were the main corridor, the poo room, and final room. The main corridor had a very cool effect. It was just after you met the nurse (who got you with her version of “Pop goes the Weasel”). As you walk down the hallway, you see all the cells are open and empty. As you get about halfway, the music over head dies out, and the lights fail. After a few seconds, you hear the end to pop goes the weasel, the lights come on, and a once empty hallway is filled with patients laughing hysterically. Towards the middle you come to the poo room (wonder why it’s called that?) This room is smeared in feces, and smells like it too! The most disturbing part was the “yum” written on the wall in it. Funny story, my friend Seth went through the house with us. As we got to the room, and smelled what it had to offer, the scareactors started in. He proceeds to lick the wall, where he then goes into a tangent about how it really is shit! I don’t know who was more disturbed us or the Scareactors. The Final scene with Jack the Clown was the most epic! The padded walls were all shredded and there were straight jackets strung across the ceiling. I was wearing my Jack the Clown shirt that night, so when Jack saw it he started pointing and giving me the devil horns. He even gave me a high-five, which was the most epic part of my night. This house has been on my number one for years. What was even better was when the guy behind me tried to give him one and he and three others jumped at him and scared the shit out of the guy! Wonder if someone collected that for the poo room later? Hmm…
So as good as the houses were, don’t you wonder how good the shows are? Well I can tell you they were refreshingly different. From a car-eating robot to a custom Cinesphere Spectacular directed by who else but The Director! This was the best year for shows, they were:
The Arrival- The Arrival show this year was my second favorite. The show was brought to you by Legend‘s Darkness (see left). Darkness would summon up the four icons from the ashes of horror nights past. When they would come forth they would each get a shot at a victim in a way that only that icon could. My favorite involved Jack the Clown…and an oversized blender (See video below). I give the show it’s props I really do. Especially the guy that played The Darkness. This guy had awesome presence and was a trooper walking around on stilts with giant horns on his head! I would like to describe more, but I assure you the video will do more justice.
Sweet 16: The Director’s Cut- This show was a first for Halloween Horror Nights. The year before, Universal added the Cinesphere Spectacular to the Lagoon. Four large movie spheres that they would edit together footage with fireworks for a completely unique experience that is absolutely breathtaking. So they let The Director in the editing room, and the result? A Cinesphere Spectacular with all your favorite scenes of horror, from Universal’s Legacy of Horror. altogether it was an experience like no other! Easily my favorite show in my Horror Nights history.
Robosaurus- There really is nothing like seeing a giant robot dinosaur eat a few cars and breathe fire. Especially when this robot is also eradicating a zombie horde! Robosaurus was a must see event! I really didn’t expect as much from this show. I mean how cool can a Robot Dinosaur be? Well, not only was he a robot Dinosaur, but he had a vehicle form! He was a freaking Transformer!! Anyway, when I saw where the show was on the map, I was curious as to how it was going to incorporate into Deadtropolis. It fit very well actually, and was themed to music from George Romero’s Land of the Dead. Just another epic show to round out a night full of them!
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure- The pentacle of everyone’s night, the slammers of all things pop-culture did again! The night was full of laughter in what was my second favorite Bill and Ted. There were so many YTMND references. Everything from Snakes on a Plane to “I’m the Juggernaught Bitch!” was represented. Universal even landed themselves in an axable position with their version of Jack Sparrow and Elizabeth Swan. (See Video’s Below. But Beware….you will laugh so hard it will change your world!)
The year was also home to some rather cool roaming attractions. The Chainsaw Drill Team was brought back to terrify guests. They were a group of militantly trained chainsaw weilding maniacs. They would be marched around by their drill sargent, and at his whim, would scatter and terrify those around them! The Rat Lady, was also brought back in a different way. She was carted around in a glass casket filled with her rats. But this time around she was followed by a ghoulish small marching band. Those two roaming shows really added to what became an awesome-dirty fun trip down Horror Nights Memory lane.
I loved this year, and it always gets my number one vote. Generally I tie it between HHN18 and this one. But as far as well rounded year, this one is full of win! Mtv “Super Sweet Sixteen” eat your heart out, because you got NOTHING on this one. So if you watched the Arrival video, you heard the mention of who would reign supreme. The answer to your question, may lie in next years event…
Until Next Time, My Freaky Darlings,
Malice Psychotik
P.S. Be sure to check out the commercials for that year below. The first is the original, the one most everybody saw on their TV and on the internet. The second is a fan made commercial that quickly became a favorite in the Horror Nights community. I wish the song in it was my theme song!! Enjoy!
Once Upon a Time…Remembering Halloween Horror Nights 15
So, I told you that Encyclopedia Psychotika was taking a turn for something different this October. That turn is taking me back to my roots. Back to the core that is Malice. Ladies and Gentleman, Monsters and Ghouls, that very thing that is different is….the one….the only….Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights! I have altogether 4 years experience with the event, and that’s averaging 2-3 visits for those years. That doesn’t even include all of the hours clocked sleuthing the old site The Vault and Wiki for all things Halloween Horror Nights. As you can imagine, I’m quite the self-proclaimed expert. That being said, before we jump into this year, let’s take a look back at HHN of old. As you might have guessed, my first folly into the event was Halloween Horror Nights 15: Tales of Terror. Let’s explore…
2005 was an interesting year for Malice. I graduated, I started out on my own, I met the love of my life, and I went to my first Halloween Horror Nights. I had always wanted to go, but never ended up able to. That year I was my own man, and by God I was going! HHN 15 was presided over by the ever watchful Storyteller, Elsa Strict. You really never found out much about Elsa that year. You didn’t even find out her real name until the next year. All you really knew is this creepy old lady was going to aid in dragging you into the world of Terra Cruentus. This world was populated by all different flavors of demons, monsters, and madmen. All of which were under the dominion of the ever sadistic Terra Queen. Now if your kind of confused here, this is why. That year the Terra Queen was supposed to be the Icon. She was even featured on some of the shirts. However, there was trouble with the Queens costume, and the idea was scrapped for The Storyteller. Ultimately the confusion could have been cleared up by simply setting the old biddy at the gate reading a book. Giving you the feeling of as she is telling you the story, you are stepping into the world of Terra Cruentus. Also this year was the second year that the event was spread across both parks. It was the first year though that all the areas were tied in. As random as they may seem, the ideas, they were actually all in different service to the Queen to make the blade for the Ultimate Sacrifice. If you were an avid internet hound, you could have played along on the website and with the event and got to go to an exclusive bash on Halloween night were you find the ultimate sacrifice was the Queen herself! The whole storyline was just nicely thought out, and very interesting how they tied it all in.
Now that you are familiar with the event, let us talk about the Scarezones. Each Scarezone was themed to the houses around it. Overall they achieved greatness with this effect, with the exception of one. Here’s my impression of them.
Terra Guard Run (IOA Port of Entry)- This area was a good mood setter. You entered through the gates and were met by very tall demon-esque creatures on stilts. The Fog was very think, almost giving you the feeling of being transported into the book. As I said before, this area would have been ten times better if the would have added the Storyteller at the beginning of it. This area lead you to the Terra Throne where all the blood sacrifices were made. Like I said, this really set the mood for me.
Blood Thunder Alley (Marvel Island)- My favorite area of the event. An area that looked to be Mad Max and From Dusk Till Dawn’s love child. Vampire Bikers everywhere. Dancing girls in cages. And Chainsaws….oooh the CHAINSAWS!!! Ultimately the best one as far as design.
North Hollow (Toon Lagoon)- This was the coolest area looks wise. An area filled with strange beings that would jump out of the fog at you. The cool part came from the laser light effect cutting through the fog over your head making it look like you were covered in a sheet of green fog. The only thing I would really complain about is the lack of scares in this area.
Cemetery Mines (Jurassic Park)- I feel this one won my vote for the most scares. With the thick jungle atmosphere, it was easy to hide bush men. And the mole people! Don’t get me started. I made a pet of one and named him Spike. All in, I think the scareactors in this area did a good job of reacting to the people (I made my pet attack a flock of blondes…yes I’m that good!). There was a second part to this zone too, although I don’t feel they made it prominent enough. The Body Collectors could be seen marching through the area, after “harvesting” some fresh organs. It kind of made me take a step back at first because they looked like the Silent Gentlemen from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Fire Pits (The Lost Continent)- This area was supposed to be the Medieval aspect of the event. Using the theming of the area, they were able to really nail it on the head. However I was left wondering why this part was so devolved. They were in the middle-ages, and still mastered the craftsmanship to make chainsaws. That part was a bit inconsistent. The trolls were a nice touch, but the stench from the chainsaws and the fumes from the gas torches coupled with entirely too much smoke, I was really never able to enjoy this zone.
South Hollow (Suess Landing)- This area was the problem child. They came up with the excuse about halfway through the event that this area was only to be open on peak nights. I know because I went once earlier in the month and two other times. I only saw them attempt this area once and it sucked. The area was populated with the same characters as the North Hallow. There really was no other theming then that. In fact when I went through, there were no lights, no nothing. I got concerned because I thought the park was closing. They dropped the ball here, that’s for sure.
The Houses that year also hold a special place in my heart. One of my top 5 actually comes from this year. Here was my impressions:
Demon Cantina (Carnage Warehouse)- I loved this house above all others that year. I’m such a fan of From Dusk Till Dawn, there was no way I COULDN’T love this you. Your setting is in an old out west bar (much like the one in the movie). Before you walk in they had a barfing man animatronic outside, giving you either the gross out factor or simply just to distract you. The whole bar is over run with vampires, from the bartender to the patrons. A few scenes to note is the exploding toilet in the bathroom scene (which to add to the gross out factor has what seemed to be a dead body sitting on it). The strobe section is really what caught me and my group off guard. The effect the strobes gave make the vampires look like they were moving around the room at blinding speed. Then the whole house ends with the Devil himself (or what seems to be). I just couldn’t get enough of this house.
The Skool (Thunder Falls Terrace)- The Skool left me with mixed feelings. Although I did enjoy the thought of a Skool being taken over by the students, and the little ones in turn making a mess of everything (and everyone!) I just didn’t feel it was executed as well as it could have been. The maze really relied too much on making you jump because of a loud noise rather than trying for an honest to goodness scare. I did enjoy the teacher being hanged at the very end with a bag over her head. The anything I could think of was Alice Coopers “Schools out.” I will give them kudos for making sure all of the Scareactors were pint-sized. (Not midgets, just really short.)
Blood Ruins (Soundstage 22)- Of course the soundstage houses are generally the best. They have the most room, and creative can get an extra head start on them if need be. Blood Ruins really sold the atmosphere that the Fire Pit was going for a hundred fold! Then you walk in, you are met with the facade of an old village ravaged by the plague and death. Bodies strung in front of the gates and this odd burning smell. (That smell get’s stronger later and you find it’s burning flesh…is it bad it made me hungry?) As your walking through, the villagers reach out for help in some cases. Most though are hell-bent on killing you, or hitting you with a side of beef in one instance. There were plenty of little easter eggs through the house. One of which was the Egyptian Book of Life (the gold one from The Mummy). I’m not sure why it was the Book of Life. Maybe it was for irony? At any rate, it was a solid house with solid scares. The only problem was the amount of stuff in some areas. There was one section of the house where I remember people nearly falling over, because some idiot in front knocked a bunch of props over. Props that you almost couldn’t see because of how dark it was.
Where Evil Hides (Soundstages 18 and 19)- Where do I start? This was a fun house. As close as you could come to an icon house that year. Where Evil Hides was an assault on your childhood fears. Whispers, open doors (a whole hallways of them!), the boogeyman, etc… The facade was that of an old house. Much you would expect to see in any neighborhood. A HHN 15 version of Michael Myers could be seen stalking the front yard (After all he is the boogeyman, right?) The most notable scene was a childs room. You walk into the room to see a little girl sitting on the bed and pointing at the wall. Well, when you fell for it and looked, you were met with a werewolf that would roll out from under the bed and pounce for the scare. (Another time it was a Leatherface-esque maniac bursting out of the closet.) It’s also notable that this house was two stories (You can’t face all your childhood fears without a trip to the Attic). The Trip upstairs brings you face to face with the Storyteller in a scene from the commercial (see below).
Cold Blind Terror (Soundstage 20)- If you have ever dropped acid and been on a bad trip, you’ve experienced this house. Modeled after the Disorientorium from the year before, this maze brought you through a total onslaught to your senses. Unfortunately, at that point in the night, me and my goofy troop put my darling Seras to the front of the line. (We gave the house too much credit!) There were a few scenes that impressed me. One was a black and white patterned room with strobes and people dressed just like the walls. Made the walls look like they were moving. My favorite room had one of the coolest effects in the world. You walk into a solid white room with 2 statues in the middle. On the wall there is a cluster of those really bright 3 million watt flood lights. When those go off, you can’t see because of your eyes being so used to the light. When they come back on the statues are gone and two men dressed like the statues are in the room. This is the part I couldn’t explain. Somehow, one managed to get in between Seras and me, and one in front of Seras. They got right in my face without touching me or Seras, and we were less than 3 inches apart when the lights went out. Other than that room you went through a series of lame scenes (backlight room with scareactors on skates, room filled with bubbles…and nothing else, and a room where I swear the scareactors forgot about, because nobody was there!) I will say it made me laugh though.
Unfortunately, I was unable to hit 2 of the houses. I don’t know how I managed to miss them, I think because my time management skills were not as they are today! I can however tell you what they were about:
Body Collectors (Jurassic Park Discovery Center)- I heard this house was the favorite. It really killed me to miss this one. I think I missed it because I could never find the entrance. The only entrance I ever found was the express, and I kept getting lost finding the other. The story here was about a group of sadistic madmen that call themselves The Body Collectors. (Guess what they did?) These psychos would harvest organs, blood, and bone to aid in making the Terra Throne Blade. I’ve seen pictures, and have gone to the second version of this house (I will get to that later!) That being said I can tell you it must have been super impressive. This house is my White Buffalo (…the one that got away…)
Terror Mines (Poseidon’s Fury)-The rumors of this house is what kept me cautious . The hype however was better than what I’ve heard from others. The hype was you were going through the mines with the only source of light being a miner’s helmet (A light source that would go out in intervals). This didn’t translate well. Only every fifth person got a hat, and it didn’t work all the time. The mole people as cool as they were, never really popped in this house. From what I’ve heard the concept was there, they just didn’t pull it off. Maybe because they had to theme around the ride Poseidon’s Fury? At any rate, this was voted everyone’s least favorite.
I would also like to mention the shows. This was back when there wasn’t a whole lot of emphasis on them. There were only two, and one was more of an arrival show than anything.
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure- There is no HHN without this show. It has become as integral as the houses themselves. This year was one of the best. In some aspects I consider it the best. If you have never been, this show is an assault on anything and everything po culture (NOTHING IS SACRED!!) 2005 gave them plenty of ammo (Star Wars, Batman, Willy Wonka, Dukes of Hazzard, The Ring, Family Guy, etc… and even the Fast Food Icons!!) It was definitely a you had to be there moment. Trust me if you find it on YouTube….it’s worth a watch!
The Terra Throne- Every HHN has an Arrival show. For this year you were welcomed to the world of Terra Cruentus by the Terra Throne. This was where they made nightly (OK Hourly) blood sacrifice to the Terra Queen. The ceremonies were presided over by the Queens lacky Eel Mouth. He would wander through the crowd spouting off his speeches of praise for the Queen. Planted actors were then taken to the altar for sacrifice by different mutilation ranging from knife to chainsaw!
The only thing I have really left out was the Rat Run. It was a large chain link fence area that really had no point. There were air blowers throughout it so people passing by could offer their own little scare. Or sometimes they were on the reverse, and you could get them! The whole thing was built around a tower where Jack the Clown would taunt and harass you. There wasn’t a whole lot of point to it, but it was fun for a laugh.
My overall opinion of the event was one of awe. It has been the last event to be over in Islands of Adventure. I’m kind of glad they stopped the two park thing. It made it very difficult to get from one end to the other. I also feel that you are limited in your scarezones in IOA because of the different island themes. Universal is a little more neutral in that respect. I have fond memories of that year, and as they say you never forget your first. Make sure you check out the commercial below for the event. This is the end of this tale….but only the prelude to the next chapter….
Until Next Time, My Freaky Darlings,
Malice Psychotik
A Change in Plans…
Hello, My Freaky Darlings…
Well as some of you may know I had a few plans coming up in October. I was going to Spooky Empire’s Ultimate Horror Weekend. There I was going to get some really good interviews, catch some really good shows, and review a convention. Life it seems has interrupted those plans! That is not what fate has chosen to put in my way. I’m a little disappointed. I was looking forward to meeting some good people and delivering My Freaky Darlings some pretty cool interviews. As those aren’t happening, I do apologize. There is still some rather cool coverage coming up from some rather epic people. But as far as the extra-special cool interview I originally promised you, it is no more…….but did you really think i would let that stop me My Freaky Darlings…..
This Mad Man is cooking up something monstrously epic for you! It’s time this Psychotik goes back to his roots. Back to the start of where my October fun came from. I’m going to offer you an epic review, but it’s going to be on something I’m an expert at. As far as interviews go, hang on to your freak hats, because I’m lining up some stuff I’m sure to impress. My plans might have been changed, but I’ll still deliver you the madness you crave….Hang on to your seats, this is going to be a truly FRIGHTENING ride!
Sadistically Yours,
Malice Psychotik
P.S. I hope you all enjoy the new layout….
Ladies and Gentleman, Steve Dash!
Very few people can start a new in the film business at 66 years old. I’m had the pleasure of interviewing such a man. Steve Dash is a true Phoenix from the ashes. Out of nowhere he has hit the scene again and hard with several lead and supporting roles in up and coming films. So far he has come back with roles as a Mob Boss all the way to a Control Freak Cop. And the man still has more to come! I hope you all find this interview as enlightening as I have. So with out another word or further delay…..
Ladies and Gentleman, Steve Dash!
Malice: I’m here today with Steve Dash. You all may know him as the REAL Jason in Friday the 13th: Part 2, but truth be told he is so much more than that. So, Steve Dash, it looks like you have been busy lately. With several films coming out and more on the way I’m sure. How do you make time for it all?
Dash: Yes I am busy and I am fortunate that I can take as much time as needed to do film work. I worked pretty steady back in the 80s & 90s and had to re-establish my self in 2009 when I got back in the business. Like I said I was fortunate that my reputation preceded me and I was able to work again.
Malice: So I was looking at the trailer for Trust Me, I have to say you make a really convincing Mob Boss. Can you tell me anything about this movie?
Dash: I was doing a film 13 with Jason Strathom, Ray Liotta and several other named stars.
It’s a film about Russian Roulette and gambling on who will live and who will die. It’s not like the Friday the 13, I am one of the many gamblers who is betting on which contestant will win the game. While shooting the film a fellow by the name of Roberto Rizzo, a writer, saw me on set and asked me star in his new film Trust Me as mob boss
Frank DeLeo. He liked the way I carried myself as a bad guy and that’s why he offered me the role. I took it and we shot a short version of hoping to get money to complete the film which we are doing now.
Malice: What kind of research did you do for the role? Any specific inspiration?
Dash: I did nothing, I was just me. I was brought up in an Italian neighborhood in the Bronx and have been around wanna be mobsters all my life, it was easy
Det. Vorhees in Thomas Churchill's Emerging Past
Malice: Another film that looks quite interesting is Emerging Past. How did you come across this role?
Dash: I got a call from my friend Tony Moran who was the first Michael Myers. He told me he was asked to do this horror film Emerging Past and only make a cameo appearance. He told them he couldn’t as he was on the west coast but suggested they call me as I was on the east coast where they were shooting, they were thrilled and didn’t know I was in NY
I called David Madison who was the producer and he explained that they wanted to have several horror names for the film to promote it better for release. He had Tom Churchill the director call me to set up a date we could shoot, we got together and I became Detective Vorhees name taken from the Jason character I played in Friday the 13th: Part 2.
Malice: Is there anything you can tell us about “Det. Vorhees”?
Dash: He is a control freak who comes onto a horrific murder scene in a basement when a photographer comes on the scene and is snapping pictures. The way it was shot is very dramatic and I give kudos to director Tom Churchill for taking such a small part and making it larger than life on-screen.
Malice: I’ve been keeping close tabs on the upcoming Mr. Hush, ever since I had the pleasure of sitting down with the Director Dave Madison. All of the characters in this movie I find interesting. What kind of character is “Mac”? How is he involved in the story?
Dash: “Mac” is a great character, he is the guy in the film that breaks the tension of what is going on and shows the leading character (Brad Loree) in a very personal way. He’s a very take charge kinda guy, when Mac comes on screen the movie moves in another direction and then all of a sudden you are back in the suspense of what is going on
Malice: Having acted in the movie, what’s your take on the movie? What do you think viewers can expect?
Dash: Since I have only read the script and was privileged to be on set during some of the other shots, it looks like a good horror film. I can tell you this, it’s different. I expect it to be good, otherwise I wouldn’t have done it.
Malice: With Weekend of Fear being your last convention, is there anything your going to miss?
Dash: No nothing, I have done so many conventions over the last 5 years to satisfy my ego that I feel it is time to focus on my new film career. Don’t get me wrong Jason was my ticket but I have a lot more to give and hope to go in that direction.
Malice: I’ve always been interested in stunts. To act the hit is one thing, but to take it is a completely different ball game. You were a stunt driver in Night Shift (1982), is it easier doing acting stunts or vehicle stunts?
Dash: Remember I was an actor first and a stuntman second. I was fortunate enough that one of the top stunt coordinators in the country, Cliff Cudney, took a liking to me and helped me be a stuntman. I think being an actor first was a big help. Back in the 80s I was only 1 of maybe 5 guys that could act and do stunts at the same time. Being able to do both saved film companies lots of money because they didn’t have to hire a stunt double.
Malice: I also couldn’t help but notice you’ve done stunts in one of my all time favorite movies, The Ghost Busters. You stunted for William Atherton, also known as Walter Peck if I read correctly. What type of stunts did you do? You weren’t the one covered in marshmallow at the end were you?
Dash: Yes, I was, I doubled him so he wouldn’t get the junk all over him. I also was involved in the big car crash, when all the cars merge into each other as the ghost comes over the building, I was driving a taxi in the mess.
Malice: Of all the roles you have played, which one is you all time favorite?
Dash: I have to say Frank DeLeo in Trust Me, first of all it was my first lead in a film and second a lot of the script was written with my personality in mind.
Malice: It was nice of you to take the time with me Steve, before I go is there anything you would like to add?
Dash: I am now 66 years old and on a new film career. I have decided to do only films where I get a credit in the front of the film not the back, in other words I will only do roles that have some meat in them and I can express my creative juices to show what I can do. You would be surprised at how many characters I can portray. In October I am playing a southern sheriff in a film called Alive in Reywood, I hope you interview then when I am finished with that film.
You heard it Ghouls and Guys! Keep on the look out for Steve in some of his upcoming films. There will be a showing of Emerging Past at the Freak Show Film Festival which will take place on October 9, 2010 at 3:30PM at Spooky empire’s Ultimate Horror Weekend. For all of you fans up north,the premier of Mr. Hush at Mr. Hush Weekend of Fear will be October 23, 2010. Both movie’s look to be absolutely incredible, and I can’t wait to review them both! That’s all for today…
Until Next Time… My Freaky Darlings,
Malice Psychotik
((For the full collaborative interview between Trash Cinema Collective’s Primal Root and myself, head on over to From Dusk Till Con))
Dusker of the Month for September: Athena Hollow
It’s that time again! Time to unveil the next Dusker of the Month. That Dusker is Athena Hollow!! Yes Ghouls and Guys, our very own multi-tasking, super mom, porn star is September’s Dusker. So let’s get to know her. Let’s look a little into the very psyche of her mind. Let’s just….
Take It Off! Getting Personal with Athena Hollow
Dusker of the Month for September, Athena Hallow
Malice: We have a real treat for Dusker of the Month this month. She’s our very own video game loving, anime watching, horror fan, Super Mom, web designing, Adult Model…..ATHENA HOLLOW everybody! So Athena, I have never asked this before….How did you stumble upon From Dusk Till Con? (Yeah, that’s the question…what did you think it was…perverts…)
Athena: Actually, it’s because of my Father in Law. He informed me of the FM convention. I checked out the site, and at the time, the official forum was being hosted on FDTC. I signed up and found myself surrounded by people like myself. That alone is a scary thought… more than one person who thinks like I do. Needless to say, I stuck around and *ALMOST* got to meet a lot of you while in town for said con. Unfortunately, life sucks and it didn’t work out. Oh well, always other conventions 🙂
Malice: One of the hardest things about getting to know someone on a forum is you only see whats posted. You never get to see the whole story! Tell us a little about yourself…
Athena: Well, I live a relatively boring life, all things considered. I used to be fun and adventurous, but then I became domesticated somehow. I do however still lead an exciting life by everyone else’s standards. I guess that’s because I get paid to look at hot naked chicks all day.
I’m 25 years old, have a 4-year-old daughter, I’ve been with the same guy for 7 1/2 years, involved in porn for 7 of that and make websites for a living. Not really glamorous, but it works for me 🙂
Aren't the little ones darling...?
Malice: What kind of music are you into?
Athena: I really listen to a lot of different music. It’s hard to narrow it down. Lots of classic rock like Rush & Skynard. Also, J-Pop/Happy Hardcore and acts like Tub Ring, Mindless Self-Indulgence and mc chris. I’m an oddball and not ashamed to admit it.
Malice: Are there any films that have caught your interest?
Athena: Oh man. LOTS of movies have caught my interest. Lately, movies I *want* to see are Inception, Scott Pilgrim & the new Predator flick. Movies I *have* seen, that really struck me, were Salt, Diary of a Wimpy Kid (hilarious, btw) and I finally watched The Mist. Goddamn that movie is a mindscrew.
Athena as Hinata....
Malice: You’re a fan of anime. Which one’s capture your eye?
Athena: I prefer the more obscure anime and one season mainstream anime. The best I’ve found are FLCL, Saber Marionette series & Angel Sanctuary. If you want super gory anime that makes no sense whatsoever, Angel Sanctuary is where it’s at.
Malice: What about video games. Which ones press your buttons?
Athena: Fallout 3 is one of the best games I’ve ever played. Zombies, Super Mutants and scorpions that can rip you in half with one flick of their pinchers. Currently though, until Fallout: New Vegas comes out, I’ve been playing a lot of Dungeons and Dragons: Online. It’s free, it’s fun and I can get nearly anyone I know to play it for those reasons.
Malice: How often do you frequent the convention circuit? Any favorites?
Athena: I actually am terrible. I have yet to get to a single horror convention. (I know, I know). I am a gaming con kinda girl. That being said, I have gone to Gen Con a few times and there’s a local Bi-Mon-Anime/Sci-Fi-Con that I used to go to regularly.
I do, however, plan on going to the Indianapolis cons next year. Luckily, I *should* be able to get Press Passes and go for free, which means more money for autographs and swag!
Tinker who?
Malice: So I’m interested, what got you into adult modeling?
Athena: Honestly, it started as a 9th grade English assignment. We were told to write an essay on what we wanted to be when we were adults. I wrote mine about how I wanted to become a famous singer. (sidenote: I’ve been involved in music since a very young age. I’ve done talent & solo competitions for years, and actually placed in the top 3 every time, if not 1st.) I knew I’d need some sort of ‘edge’ to get noticed immediately, so I figured “Fuck it. I’ll do porn! It worked for Pamela & Tommy Lee!” So called ‘negative’ publicity is the best way to get your name in every newspaper, tabloid and internet blog. It was a sound theory. My english teacher even gave me an A for such thorough planning and originality.
Once I turned 18, I applied to my first site, got accepted and actually have been active on the site since then. The rest just kind of fell into place.
Malice: How long have you been at it?
Athena: It was 7 years this past July. Long time, for most people in the adult industry, let alone in the niche I work in.
Malice: What made you decide to open your personal website, Geek Girls Online?
Athena: It was actually my fiance’s idea. He’s still not too happy with the fact that I just sort of took over the project, back in the first few months. I knew that if I were running things, it would bode better for the future of the site, since I had a background in the adult industry, was relatively known and had a penchant for ethical pornography.
Malice: Have you gotten any strange requests? Anything just out there?
Athena: All The Time! The weirdest are the guys who want me to ‘laugh’ at the size of their schlong. I just don’t get it. They want me to do this while I’m camming, in public chat, where everyone can hear me laughing. Oh, and the guys that want to roleplay family stuff. Those guys freak me out just a wee bit. Which is an impressive feat, in and of itself.
Malice: What are your hopes for the future of your site?
Athena: Eventually, I would like to integrate a more social aspect of the site. I also have been working on setting up games to integrate into the site, but that has been proven to be a bit more difficult that we could imagine. Also, daily articles for the GeekZine (our currently monthly magazine) would be nice. Oh! And a presence at all major gaming conventions would help to make it a more household name.
Malice: So it’s a tradition here that I ask you a round of totally out the pocket questions….are you game?
Athena: Always!
Malice: A nun and a Trucker walk into a Church….Can you finish the joke?
Athena: The trucker enters a confessional booth and states “Forgive me father, for I have sinned”
The priest responds “What are your sins my son?”
The trucker says “I have cheated on my wife with a man named Sam”
The priest says “Say seven holy marys and all will be forgiven”
The trucker thanks the priest and leaves the booth.
The nun walks to the priest and asks to join his church.
The priest responds “What is your name my child?”
The nun responds “My name is Sam.”
(You never said I had to finish it so it was funny!)
Malice: Would you consider a photo shoot….with a midget furry?
Athena: I most definitely would, as long as they were dressed up as an Ewok.
Malice: Would you rather do a spread as Princess Zelda or Tifa Lockheart of Final Fantasy VII?
Athena: Tifa. Zelda is a bitch that keeps getting hijacked. I assume we’d get halfway through doing it and Ganon would break through the door and interrupt.
Malice: If you got to pick your end would you:
A) Get sucked dry by a vampire B) Be Eaten by a Were-Wolf C) Mauled by a Zombie D) Killed by James “Buffalo Bill” Gumb
Athena: Zombie. I wouldn’t have to chance being a twinkling bastard, no waiting till a full moon and dealing with an obviously painful transformation and my skin is sun damaged, so Buffalo Bill would HATE me.
Malice: In closing do you have anything you would like to add?
Athena: Um. Jeepers Creepers sucks. That is all.
Malice: Where’s your one place for Madness on the Web?
Athena: What’s the best place to go for zombies, insanity and mayhem? Encyclopedia Psychotika! (You mean, there’s other places to go??)
There you have it folks! If you are interested in Miss Athena Hollow and feel you can’t get enough, you can follow her blog, Demented Rants or catch her on Twitter. Also be sure to check out her site Geek Girls Online. Hope you all enjoyed the interview. There is much more madness to come….you won’t want to miss a second. But for tonight…
Until Next Time, My Freaky Darlings,
Malice Psychotik
Meet Vernon Mortensen…
It’s not everyday that you see a totally original idea for a zombie film. Today I had that day! Vernon Mortensen is Director and Producer of Universal Dead. He is also a former U.S Navy SWCC. It is a real pleasure to sit down with an American Hero and one hell of a Director. With only three short webisodes, this film has me wanting more. So without delay, I present an interview on behalf of From Dusk Till Con preformed by yours truly…
Meet Vernon Mortensen…
Malice Psychotik: So today I have the honor of interviewing not only a phenomenal director, but a former member of our county’s Navy. We’re here to talk about his web series Universal Dead. We’ll get to that in a minute. First I want to talk about you. You were an US Navy SWCC, what is that exactly?
Vernon Mortensen: Navy Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (or SWCC, pronounced “swick”) are organized into Special Boat Teams and usually work with US Navy SEALs and other special operation forces. We are experts in Special Operations but are masters of Maritime Special Operations and operate and maintain an inventory of state-of-the-art, high-performance assault boats used to conduct special operations missions. We are experts in covert mobility.
Navy SWCCs and SEALs go through separate but similar training. Navy SWCCs must pass a 22 week course in order to earn a spot in the Teams. Only about 20% of the students pass this unforgiving course to earn the coveted SWCC warfare badge. Most students quit because the training is just too mentally and physically difficult.
A Navy SWCC must become an expert in weapons, tactics, engineering, combat medicine, radio and satellite communications, land and sea navigation, air operations, water rescue, wilderness and ocean survival, and so much more!
It was the best job (next to filmmaking of course) that anyone can have!
Malice: What made you decide to do film? Was it something you decided while in the service, or had it always been in the back of your mind?
Vernon: When I was in High School, my father’s cousin was a Teamster at Universal Studios and he took me to work with him on the set of Back to the Future for two weeks. That’s when I decided I wanted to make movies. The Navy career came first, but I always knew I would make movies for a living sooner or later.
Malice: What kind of films do you like?
Vernon: I like them all! I always have a special place in my heart for sci-fi/horror, but I’m a filmmaker… I love them all. I have a boxing movie called The Kid: Chamaco starring Martin Sheen, that’s in theaters across the USA right now (http://sites.google.com/site/chamacofilm/). My film company, Unconventional Films, is also making a western called “The Sorrow” this year.
Malice: Do you have a preference when it comes to zombie films?
Vernon: The original Day of the Dead set the benchmark in my opinion.
Malice: Your theory of the zombocolypse it, uber original! Why Physics? Why that over infection?
Vernon: That comes from my business partner and the writer of Universal Dead, Kelly Parks. Kelly is the world’s only Ex-CIA/Rocket Scientist/Stand-up Comic/Screenwriter and is a very smart (like MENSA smart) aerospace engineer and all around science geek.
When Kelly and I were kicking around the idea for Universal Dead, he always had a problem with the whole “infection theory.” An infection doesn’t explain how a zombie can sustain a shotgun blast to the heart and keep coming at you. No, that really bothered Kelly, so like any good scientist; he sat down and developed a workable theory of physics that explained how zombies behave. It really is brilliant.
Malice: Universal Undead has a pretty original concept. Where did you draw some of your inspiration from?
Vernon: Kelly is a huge fan of the book “Flatland” by Edwin Abbott Abbott. There’s even a reference to it in the 3rd episode. The book inspired him to develop the theory that Dr. Vattaber (Doug Jones) gives us in Universal Dead.
Aside from that, the story is different from most zombie movies because it does not take place on “Day Zero” or the days soon after the apocalypse starts. Universal Dead takes place five years after “Day Zero” and these people are all that’s left of the human race. Tight-knit communities of survivors have formed and usually, but not always, under the supervision of the remaining military units, and these people don’t fall for the usual zombie non-sense (as you see in the “bite check” scene in episode 1).
These people are damaged! They have baggage we can’t even imagine and that makes for very interesting characters.
Malice: Are you planning on keeping this idea in a webisode format, or do you think you will move to something bigger?
Vernon: We have just signed contracts with one of the lot producers at Paramount Studios. We are going to be making Universal Dead as a 3D movie to be released by Paramount sometime in late 2011.
Malice: At any rate, you really have my anticipation up for the next webisode. Can we expect to see it soon?
Vernon: Sorry, our deal stipulates that we stop releasing episodes until the movie comes out… but hey, Universal Dead is gonna be a 3D movie… UD3D!
Malice: Let’s move to your production company, Unconventional Films. How did this idea come about?
Neil Trusso, one of the other partners in Unconventional Films and Producer of Universal Dead, is a former Navy SEAL. Neil and I were deployed together to the war-torn African nation of Somalia in 1994, as depicted in the movie “Black Hawk Down,” and while we were there, Neil and I started making comic books. I would write the stories and Neil would illustrate them. That was the beginning of our collaboration and the beginning of Unconventional Films.
And BTW, there are four real US Navy SEALs in Universal Dead who play our Navy SEALs; Craig Sawyer (History Channel’s Top Shot) Cade Courtley (Spike TV’s Surviving Disaster) Joe Baker (Afghan Knights) and Rob Guzzo (Transformers 3).
Kelly Parks and I met years later at a meeting of the professional organization, San Diego Filmmakers, and we really hit it off. While we were producing our first web series, The Crusader (www.watchthecrusader.com ), we made Kelly a partner. Kelly wrote and directed most of the episodes of The Crusader and really impressed us so we asked him to join our insane asylum.
Everything else is history…
Malice: What else can we expect to see from this company?
Vernon: We have more horror/sci-fi projects in the pipeline, and as I mentioned before, there’s our boxing movie, The Kid: Chamaco and our western, The Sorrow. We have a ton of co-productions in the pipeline with our sister company, Rogue Arts. They [Rogue Arts] are mainly an indie drama company, but with the boxing movie The Kid: Chamaco, they are venturing into the “genre” movie world with us and they now want to be a part of a few of our upcoming genre movies including our western.
Rogue Arts is quite a success story. The owner, Kirk Harris, is a great friend and has been running this company; successfully I might add, for over 15 years! That’s quite a track record for an indie company. Rogue Arts has a huge catalog of movies and is always making new movies.
Malice: Well it’s a trademark of mine to ask a round of off the wall questions. Are you game for some madness?
Vernon: Sure…
Malice: What are your feelings on a Zombie Apocalypse? Thinks it’s possible?
Vernon: Well the science is there, as Kelly Parks proved… but I think the closest thing we will probably ever experience, or have a real possibility of experiencing, is a pandemic scenario. In a pandemic, the rule of law eventually collapses as government succumbs to the same disease that’s killing everybody else. At this point, the people who are left, the survivors, revert to being animals and all humanity is lost. This is a scenario that I could see actually happening on a global scale… scary!
Malice: In a zombie crisis, what’s your weapon of choice?
Vernon: I’ve actually given this a lot of thought. Zombies are very different from the adversaries a military man like me is used to confronting. We don’t have issues like zombies wearing body armor, or using intelligent tactics against us. Wounding a zombie does no good and is a waste of ammo. Knocking a zombie down might save you some time, but guess what? The zombie will get back up and come after you. The only thing that matters is damaging the brain and impairing brain function.
I would choose a weapon with a military caliber and one of the lighter calibers so I could carry more. If you know where to look, the military has bunkers full of ammo all across the USA. Because I’d only need to focus on penetrating the skull and damaging the brain, bigger, heavier calibers like 7.62 or 12ga. are out. So, I’d probably settle on an M4 in the 5.56 caliber. I’d probably have a suppressor (most people call them silencers but there is no such thing as a silent gun) so that I could minimize the attention I’d call to myself if I did have to shoot a zombie. Maybe I’d even add a fast target acquisition system like an “Aimpoint” or an “EOTech.” For long distance I’ve always been partial to the ACOG (I had one on my M4 in the Navy). Availability of parts and simple operation and maintenance are also big considerations.
With the M4 the options are endless!
Malice: Do you like Predators or Aliens?
Vernon: I like it when Predators fight Aliens!
Malice: Lucio Fulci or George Romero?
Vernon: Fulci is good but Romero all the way… except for Land of the Dead. Hated that one!
Malice: This was a very enlightening conversation. Thank you for doing this interview. It was honor on so many levels! A great director and an honest to God Patriot. Is there anything else you would like to add before we finish?
Vernon: Just one thing…
Those of us who made Universal Dead are big zombie fans! We set out to make a movie/web series that would make us and the other fans out there very happy and it appears that we have succeeded so far. We are very, very humbled by the response we’ve gotten and would like to thank our fans and assure everyone that we will do our best to make UD3D into a kick ass movie (not like most 3D movies) and to take it somewhere interesting and new.
Thanks for watching!
Vernon….
Thank you very much for the interview Vernon! Now if anyone else wants to hunt down those juicy webisodes, feel free to look at THIS. There you can get a little history and view the original Webisodes. Trust me, it will be well received. Also, don’t forget to keep an eye out for this film in 2011. Universal Dead in 3-D off all things. I know I can’t wait!
Until Next Time, My Freaky Darlings,
Malice Psychotik
The Root Du Jour
OK, so I was very brave the other day. I tried a meal that was so strange, I couldn’t belive my taste buds. Before I tell you the details of how to make it, I’ll tell you how the idea sparked.
So the other day I was talking to one of my partners in internet social corruption, The Primal Root. He was telling me about his plans for the night, when he mentioned he was going to have his favorite hamburger treat. It was a Hamburger topped with banana, pineapple, and peanut butter! I was just dumb founded. How do you figure out these things go well on a hamburger? It was then I made the solemn promise to try this for myself. After all, I pride myself on the unusual tastes that I myself posses (Oriental Meatloaf anyone…?) I even said I would make it a custom meal devoted to tastes inspired by him. I added to this meal a drink Root introduced to me a couple of years back, called the Stiff Root. What was the verdict?
Absolutely delicious! The Flavors in this meal were off the chart! The hamburger had such a different, but very cool taste to it. The peanut butter, pineapple, and banana’s complement each other so well…it was divine. Couple that with a nice glass of Stiff Root and a side of Nathans fries…it was just awesome. Want to make one of your own?
It’s important to know I will never give you exact measurements on spices. I myself do not know how much i put in. I just season to taste.
This is a truly EPIC meal...
The Root Du Jour
1) Mix 1bs hamburger meat with one egg, onion powder, garlic powder and pepper in a bowl. Roll into balls and then make into patties. It will yield 4 medium-sized patties. Cook them on a skillet on high heat to preference.
2) Spread peanut butter on both sides of the bun.
3) Cut banana into slices. Place on the peanut butter.
4) Spread pineapple on top. I used Crushed, but really it doesn’t matter.
5) Serve with Nathans fries and a Stiff Root
Stiff Root is Half and Half Jagermeister and Root Beer Schnapps. Serve in a glass for full effect.
If your brave enough to try it, I promise a good meal…and a pretty good buzz too!
Sadistically Yours,
Malice Psychotik
Allow Me to Introduce Dave Madison…
The other day, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dave Madison. Dave is the Director of an up coming independent film, Mr. Hush. He is also the promoter for Mr. Hush Weekend of Fear. I have to say, I’m very impressed with this movie and the convention. The movie looks fantastic, and the convention line-up is pretty tight. They even have the privilege of being Steve Dash’s last show. It was great being able to chat with Dave, he’s such a down to earth guy and real genre fan at heart. I truly feel that it’s people like him, that will lead the horror genre in the direction it needs to go. So without wasting another key stroke, done in the name of From Dusk till Con, and interviewed by yours truly…
Allow Me to Introduce, Dave Madison…
That's Dave in the Middle...
Malice Psychotik: So we will get to the movie and the convention in a moment, but first I would like to ask some question about you if you don’t mind. I think it would be pretty fair to say that you are a fan of horror film. Why Horror? What got you into the genre?
Dave Madison: As a product of the 80’s, I was exposed to some of the finest horror films ever made. In addition, my older brother, Bob, who was like a father-figure to me, adored the classic Universal films. Every Halloween, these films would be shown on the local PBS station; it is one of my fondest childhood memories.
Malice: What are some of your favorite Horror films?
Dave: I have a real passion for the Universal classic films such as Karloff’s Frankenstein, Lugosi’s Dracula and Chaney’s Wolfman. Fright Night is one of the finest horror films ever made with just the right amount of scares and wit. Halloween is driven by the great performances of Donald Pleasance and Jamie Lee Curtis. The Lost Boys was a great popcorn, summer vampire film that was beautifully shot. Near Dark made smarmy cool and American Werewolf in London was terrifying as our hero never really had a chance to win. Other great horror films, in no particular order, are Frank Langella’s Dracula, Evil Dead, the original King Kong, and Needful Things.
Malice: Is there anyone in the genre that you look up to specifically?
Dave: No, oddly enough, I think Frank Capra was the finest film maker that ever lived. I would have loved to have worked with the late Roddy McDowall, Donald Pleasance or Vincent Price.
Malice: Let’s move to Mr. Hush. I’ve seen the trailer, and I have to say I’m impressed! It looks really good, and I can’t wait to see it. What was your inspiration for the film?
Dave: Mr Hush is the perfect storm of films that have inspired me over the course of my life. I like to think it is smart and witty like Fright Night, well acted like Langella’s Dracula, and paced like a great Carpenter film.
Malice: What has been your favorite part of the film making process?
Dave: The writing. It is really rewarding to see your characters come to life by extremely talented actors and actresses.
Malice: You have a pretty tight cast going on with this film. What helped you pick some of them?
Dave: After knowing most of these people for a while, this particular script was written to the strengths of these fine actors. Stark, for example, brings Stephen Geoffreys back to what he is beloved for by genre fans, classic horror with a touch of dark humor.
Stephen Geoffreys in a scene from Mr. Hush
Malice: Any on-set stories you can share with us?
Dave: Sets are kind of like Vegas, what happens there stays there!
Malice: What advice do you have for anyone trying to get into the business of film? Anything you have learned?
Dave: Keep working at it and if you have talent, it will eventually come to you. And the most important thing you can ever learn is never take yourself too seriously.
Malice: I would also like to discuss your convention. What got the idea started for the convention?
Dave: The genesis of the convention came when I was pondering how to introduce the next cultural horror icon to as many people as possible. The Weekend of Fear is really just a celebration of our beloved genre where new film makers, veteran film makers, actors, actresses and fans can convene for a weekend of fun. What is most important to me is that we stay true to our genre.
Malice: Do you attend other conventions? If so, do you have any favorites?
Dave: I have attended a handful and all have been fun.
Malice: Is there any special events that you think will stand out at your show? Anything you think fans are not going to want to miss?
Dave: So much fun, so little time. Here are a few not to be missed: Friday night’s Masquerade Ball – if you have not partied with Brad Loree (Michael Myers in Halloween: Resurrection), you haven’t lived! Steve Dash (Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th Part 2) will be making his last convention appearance- if you have not had a chance to meet this horror icon, he is truly a fan favorite. Stephen Geoffreys and Tiffany Shepis discussing Corey Haim’s last horror genre film, New Terminal Hotel, should be very interesting. And of course, the world premier of Mr Hush. Plus there will be more surprises.
Malice: Your guest list looks great! Will you be adding anymore to the list? Any hints?
Dave: There are more to come and they are all from the horror genre. wink wink
Malice: This being the first show, where do you see the show going? Do you have any goals for the show to grow?
Dave: I hope that every autumn, people converge on northeastern PA to celebrate the greatest genre in film today. But truly the most important thing is that everyone has fun!
Malice: Alright, before we wrap this up, it’s become a trademark of mine to ask a round of completely random questions. Would you be interested in participating in the madness?
Dave: Sure
Malice: If you could be any infectious disease, which would you be?
Dave: mono
Malice: Who do you think would win between Lestat (from Queen of the Damned) and David (from The Lost Boys)
Dave: Lestat was a buttercup so it would be David, hands down. But David would fall quickly to the mighty Evil Ed.
Malice: How much wood could a wood chuck chuck, if a wood chuck could dual wield chainsaws?
Dave: 2 cords
Malice: Have you ever had something so good, it made you want to smack a man named “Rufus”
Dave: Sal’s chicken parm
Malice: Well, I want to thank you for doing this interview. You have been awesome and it was a pleasure having you. I really look forward to see Mr. Hush when it’s ready. Is there anything you would like to add?
Dave: Thanks for the time. It was great. I hope everyone loves Mr Hush. We made a film that is very different from the types of horror films Hollywood pumps out today. We’re not in 3D, and we’re smart with a touch of dark humor. It is exactly the direction the genre should be going in. And I can’t wait to see everyone at the Weekend of Fear- we will have a blast.
Well that wraps up the interview with Mr. Madison. I look forward to seeing Mr. Hush. I just can’t wait to hear more news. If anyone else would like to keep up with the movie or the convention, you can catch the news on the website at MrHush.net.
Sadistically Yours,
Malice Psychotik
A Moment to Ponder…
To know me, you would know I come up with some rather interesting thoughts. I figured, why not take the time and share those ideas. So, the other day I sat down and wrote some of the first things that came to mind. Just some random ideas that I figured I could explore here for you all to see. This is what I came up with:
1) What if Japanese Anime was real life?
Could you imagine? Think of all the endless possibilities. Now the reason I didn’t isolate it to one anime for a reason. Just in general. Japanese Anime brings to life some of the most creative, impossible ideas I have ever seen. Wether it is a teenage girl being transported to feudal Japan via a well (Inuyasha), or an alternate universe where Alchemy triumphed over Physics (Full Metal Alchemist) . It would all make life very interesting. Even worlds like Poke’mon or Yu-Gi-Oh! would have potential to spice up life a little. Come on a world where all of life’s battles are solved with a dual between super powered monsters, or a card game? Much better than what we have right now, that’s for sure. For the sake of discussion though, why not limit it down to three worlds I think would be fun. I say I have to go with Naruto, Bleach, or Full Metal Alchemist. Why those? Simple really! Ninjas are freakin’ awesome! Watch or Read Naruto and that will paint a much bigger picture for you. Bleach? Well I’m already a believer as far as the paranormal is concerned. Taking that idea, and coming up with a secret group of “Soul Reapers” to hunt down the good and help them pass, and vanquish the evil…..well intrigues me. It’s like they are souped up Ghost Busters.Only instead of a proton pack, they use their very own spiritual energy. Finally, we come to Full Metal Alchemist. This story is a lot like us anyway. Hell, the whole world is supposed to be a parallel universe to our own. The difference, Alchemy advanced further than Physics. Same world, funn-er science. Works for me!!
2) What if I came to work dressed as The Joker?
I’m interested to know. Honestly, I expect a lot of strange looks from old people. But would it make people nervous. What about the really rude people? If you got all “Joker” on them, would they really keep running their mouth?. I could see it now, “Listen buddy! I want you to get your ass back behind the counter and shut your fuckin’ mouth!” “How about a magic trick instead? I’m going to make this pencil….disappear…” Even something as simple as them starting to cuss you out, and just giving the those familiar looks would be a gas for me! I’m sure in a day you would have some people questioning your mental sanity, but on the complete positive side, you may have one of the least stressful days of your life. “You idiots never get anything right! I don’t know why I come back here, because you are all a bunch of Fuck Ups!!” “You wanna know how I got these scars?”
3) How great would it be to put an angry badger in the back seat of someone’s car?
I’ve heard of people putting anything from snakes to spiders in someone’s car. However, I have never heard of someone putting an angry badger in someone’s car! I for one am for this! I could just imagine someone getting off of work. It’s been a hard day, they’re tired. They get into the car, lock the door, and start the car. Then they hear it, the low pitch growl of pissed off badger that has been in the car for at least on hour. They turn to grab the door, then it’s to late, the badger unleashes hell. This is the kind of situation that you wait around the corner with a video camera, because this HAS to go on YouTube. I see it going viral within an hour. The real question is, who gets this done to them. It has to be someone that has REALLY pissed you off. I don’t really think the badger would kill them (Then again I don’t know much about badgers other than they are cool and real easy to piss off) Still, the thought alone makes me laugh. “Whats that sound…? OH GOD IT’S A FUCKING BADGER!! GET IT OFF ME!! GET IT OFF! WHY GOD!? WHY!!!!?”
4) Has anybody’s life been saved by House?
Some might say this is a ridiculous thing to think about, but I beg to differ. That show deals with so many long shot cases and exotic disease it’s hard to belive how it couldn’t. Now I know Hugh Laurie hasn’t personally saved anyone like that, but surely there are real doctors out there that watch the show. I just wonder if there ever has been a person that went to the E.R with on of these of the wall illnesses, and because of the show, it was recognized. For example, Johnny Trainwreck over here goes to the E.R and they can’t figure out whats wrong with him. He’s been in for 2 days, and he’s declining. This guy is dying fast. Then a doctor (Let’s call him Dr. Television) goes, “Oh my God! I just figured it out! He has the same symptoms as such and such, so on and so forth, from House the other day!”
5) Why are there no Pocky vendors at horror conventions?
You know I think this is the one thing missing that could quite possibly set the difference between an awesome convention and a truely epic convention. If you’ve never had Pocky, you haven’t lived! It’s the greatest treat ever invented. Almost like the recipe was created by God him/herself and delivered to this life to give all a true taste of heaven. Maybe I’m over exaggerating a bit, but they are really good. And there are literally hundred of different types. All kinds of flavors and styles. The only thing that could top it would be having Ramune with it! And before you all start saying, “But Malice, those belong at anime conventions!?” Well I say fuck you in your conservative, right-wing ass! I want my Pocky and Ramune! Something that delicious should not be limited to just anime conventions. I mean, are you really going to let the anime conventions have ALL the fun!
Well that’s all I really have to ponder about for now. Not really sure what you should be taking from all of this, but then again you don’t either so I suppose we are even.
Until Next Time, My Freaky Darlings,
Malice Psychotik
Psychotik Playlist of the Week 08/08/2010
So another week has gone by, and here it is, The Psychotik Playlist of the Week! So this week I thought maybe I would give everyone a taste of country. OK so the radio has been on a country channel at work and that’s all I had in my head. doesn’t hurt to add a little diversity to the mix. I’m sure you will all love it. Give a listen, and I hope your Monday goes well because of it….
So I realize that this isn’t the full song to Free Bird. But the song is sooooo long, and this is the PERFECT use I’ve ever seen for this song.
sadistically Yours,
Malice Psychotik
Seras “Super Spider Slayer” Psychotik
I owe this to my woman. Some may not know this, but I’m a severe arachnophobia. I can’t handle the things! Just something about them, I don’t know. I thought long and hard about posting this story. However, I decided that I’m OK with admitting my phobia, and I’m OK with admitting what an awesome wife I have!
So this is what happened. We were heading out to run some errands yesterday. Seras and the baby head down stairs first oblivious to the thing that lurked less than a foot from where they passed. I came down after them and what did I see down that stairwell? A huge wolf spider hiding in the corner. It froze me! I couldn’t move any further! So I called to Seras down stairs. She put the baby in the car, then came to talk me down. This is the first time a reaction this strong has ever happened. I came down the stairs, slowly as not to get it to do that sick scudding thing they do. Every step I took though, I came closer to a full on panic attack! I might also want to mention she told me there was another spider around the corner on the wall. This is the one she thought I saw. Boy was she shocked to see the over sized eight legged demon in the corner. She told me about the little one, but I don’t think it registered she meant the same type. So I stuck to the wall and made it down the stairs. She grabbed my arm, and I went to round the corner, only to face down another one legs spread wide. I think it was instinct that took over. I grabbed hold of her arm and ran down the stairs with her attached. I know how terrified I am of them, and I’m not about to leave anyone while I run away. That being said, it took the next half hour for me to calm down from the attack. During this time, Seras told me she had no problem killing them. She wasn’t about to let them terrify me, and she didn’t want to risk one of them getting ahold of the baby (No need to have two arachnophobics running around). So we go do our thing, get our groceries, and a very large can of Black Flag. The next part of the story is the epic battle of how Seras has earned her title.
When we get back, Seras says she is going to go up stairs and scope it out. She takes her trusty can of spider death and enters the arena. The big one, we will call this one The Boss, was near the arch of the stairwell out of reach. His lack was busy guarding the steps on the second set of stairs. Seras quickly drew her weapon and fired! She hit it so hard there was puddles of the stuff on the steps!! Next came the Boss Battle. She went up to the apartment to get a broom. The plan was to coax it down the wall, so she get blast it. The Boss wasn’t going down without a fight. She threw the broom at it a couple of times, and all it did was run in circles. I by this time, was brave enough to help get the broom back up to her. The last time she tossed the broom, it hit next to it. Well at the same rate the broom fell, it ran down the wall. Right as I went to pick up the broom, Seras yelled, “Baby, Run!!” As I looked up, it rounded the corner and I had a Close Encounter of the Eight-Legged Kind! I swear I could count the eyes. What did I do? Well I did what she asked, I ran! Not wanting to be ambushed she asked me if it was still on the wall outside. I looked and saw nothing. The only thing I could guess is it ran into the mail drop (Boy would the mail man have had a surprise). With the coast clear, she proceeded down the steps. It was an ambush! The Boss ran at her to make one last stand! She drew her weapon and fired! He kept coming!! Around this time, the neighbor came from his apartment to see what was wrong. He ran up the stairs and offered the assist. The Boss was defeated. All was well in the world. We brought everything upstairs, and calmed down.
What did I learn from this experience? Two things: 1) Seras is the best wife an arachnophobic could ask for 2) The reason giant-ass spiders exist, is to remind even the biggest, toughest, strongest manly man out there, at heart, your still a prepubescent 13-year-old girl!
Until Next Time, My Freaky Darlings,
Malice Psychotik
Psychotik Playlist of the Week 8/3/2010
Alright it’s late I know! But this one is going to be a gut buster. This weeks playlist is not so much music as it is just some really funny crap! Everyone needs to laugh. It’s the healthiest medicine in the world. So sit back, relax, and let the doctor give you the medicine….
Hope you all have managed to catch your breath through all of that! Enjoy the funny!!
Until next time, my freaky darlings,
Malice Psychotik
Dusker of the Month for August: The Primal Root
It’s that time again! Time for the Dusker of the Month for August! This month is none other than………THE PRIMAL ROOT!! In getting named Dusker of the Month for August, our very own Primal Root was subjected to an interrogation by yours truly (Exactly what kind of honor is this?). Seriously though, Root was an awesome interview. I had a lot of fun doing this. Thank you Root for letting everyone else get to know you a little better. (As if seeing your testicles wasn’t close enough!) So without a second more delay I present you with…
Root of the Damned: The Primal Root
Meet The Primal Root...
Malice: We have our Dusker of the Month here, The Primal Root! You are such a colorful character, I’m not sure where to start! So, what do you say we start with astrophysics?
Root: I think that’s a phenomenal place to start, Malice. My current research into quantum mechanics has led me to the startling conclusion that-
Malice: HaHa! I was joking with the first question! (However I see this as a viable conversation for later) Anyway, How goes things? How does it feel being Dusker of the month?
Root: Things are going well. I’ve been keeping tremendously busy and so far things are going just peachy. There have been no fatalities. It is both an honor and a privilege to be chosen to represent From Dusk Till Con as the Dusker of the Month for August 2010.
Malice: Now I know you are a lover of film and music. What films have you seen lately? Any music out there that catches your attention?
Root: I try to squeeze in as many movies as I possibly can in my spare time looking for really good trashy films as well as seeing whatever’s playing at the theater. And though I recently saw Inception, and enjoyed it, the one film I can’t stop talking about is Black Dynamite. I saw it for the first time a few days ago and it’s just drop dead hilarious. I’ve always been a big fan of the blaxploitation genre of the mid-late 70’s and Black Dynamite is a fantastic send up of the form and a loving tribute. It’s a must see.
My musical tastes are all over the map, but there are two bands I’ve really been listening to a lot lately. Them Crooked Vultures, who have a dirty, gritty sound to them I really like. Very I-Don’t-Give a-Shit and overtly sexual. It’s mojo music. I also recently got into The Drive-By Truckers. They’re an alternative southern rock band from Atlanta Georgia and their stuff is just excellent. Again, gritty, dirty music about the underbelly of America’s heartland and the plight of the blue-collar working class. It’s music that reminds me of where I’m from and I’ve always been a fan of musicians who can tell a good story.
Malice: Now most everyone has heard of your baby (Trash Cinema Collective) How did this labor of love start?
Root: Oh man, the Trash Cinema Collective was something I’d had in my head for a while and it sparked to life over a conversation I was having with a friend of mine back in 2009. We had recently watched Troll 2 and Samurai Cop, and she mentioned to me how much fun she had watching, laughing and cracking jokes over these movies and how we should make it a monthly event. I coined the name for our group (The Trash Cinema Collective) and the idea just took off from there.
I wanted to create a website that would feature reviews, videos and articles about any and all things related to Trash Cinema. A group of people who appreciate and understand why it’s so much fun to hang out in a group, tip back a few cold ones and have some good-natured fun at the expense of some trashy movies.
Malice: Is there any of your Reviews that stand out against the rest? Any favorites?
Root: Wow, that’s a difficult question. Jeez… um…. I suppose it’s like having to pick your favorite child. I love all of them for various different reasons. The Queen of the Damned Rotten Review is one Jessica and I hold close to our hearts because we bonded over that movie when we started dating. All those jokes are ones we came up with together while watching the movie.
What looks to be the fan favorite is, the A Nightmare on Elm Street part 2 review I did back before the release of the remake. Something about that episode has really stuck with people. It could be the quality of the jokes, the visual gags, the skits, my balls being visible in a shot, really it’s anyone’s guess why that one has been so successful.
My two personal favorite is either Scanners 3: The Takeover or Blood Freak. Both films are just so unbelievably ridiculous that they just lend themselves perfectly to the Rotten Reviews. Also, both episodes are very skit heavy which help to keep me from getting bored with the project. Exploding my own head in a Scanner battle and groping The Topless Turkey Monster have been the high points of my career.
Malice: Where do you want to see TCC in the future? Any Goals?
Root: I would love to see the TCC reach and even wider audience and earn some more fans. I’d like for the collective to keep growing and gain more contributors to the site and it would be great to one day get a sponsor. I don’t want to blue sky too much and give the wrong impression because I love what I do and I am very happy to simply make people laugh. And hopefully turn them on to some stranger, trashier, forgotten cinema.
Ah, the zen of Root...
Malice: Do you play any video games? If so what are some of your favorites?
Root: I am the lamest gamer you’ll ever meet. I won a Wii and a Game Cube and I play old arcade games and NES games on both almost exclusively. I’ve recently been playing the hell out of Super Castlevania IV and Super Metroid. My favorite video game of all time is Ms. Pac-Man.
Malice: Hey now, the classics are just that. No Shame here. Now I know you have a soft spot for zombie movies. What is the epitome of a zombie film for you?
Root: I can enjoy a zombie movie on two different levels. I love the old school Romero style like night of the Living Dead where the rules are set in stone and there’s a great amount of social commentary to go along with all the shambling and flesh-eating. But I also love stuff like Return of the Living Dead and Zombieland, living dead films that don’t take themselves so damn seriously. Not that both those films don’t have anything to say about the time in which they were made…but that’s a whole other question.
The epitome of a zombie film for me? It’s gotta have brains.
He bites.....literally!
Malice: Now if you don’t mind I would like to shift gears. I would like to ask you some random, off the wall questions. Is that cool?
Root: Absolutely, babe.
Malice: Here goes, What are your feelings on genetically engineered super ninja cats?
Root: I’ve never seen one. But I guess that’s the point.
Malice: If you got to pick who killed you out of this list of people, who would it be? Why?
A) Jason Voorhees B) Freddy Krueger C) Jack the Ripper D) Marv Albert
Root: A) Jason Voorhees. Without a moment’s hesitation I will always pick Jason as my killer. not only is he an artist of brutality he’s also the ultimate nerd villain. He’s the advocate for the outcast, the ones who feel they don’t fit in. There’s no nightmares, no morality fueled death traps, no Jason is just going to kill you because he’s pissed off, angry, unloved and alone. Jason can crush my skull between his bare hands, put a machete through my face or swing me against a tree any day.
Malice: If your Uncle Jack was on an elephant,………would you shoot him in the face?
Root: Without a moment’s hesitation.
Malice: Assassin Space Chimps take over the world! What do you do?
Root: Prepare Banana Pudding and use it as a peace-offering. I’m sure they could use a PR guy.
Malice: BUT! You have a really bad case of jock itch?
Root: Oh, well in that case, I would just add some Nilla Waffers.
Malice: Who would win in this fight, Chev Chellios VS. King Leonidas?
Root: Chev.
Malice: Bill Compton or Eric Northman?
Root: I’m Team Sam.
Malice: Alright, that was fun! Well we are just about done with your interview. Is there any stories you want to share? Anything that would give us insight into your very soul?
Root: I will leave you with a proverb that has served me well over the years…
One Goat in your Hand
Is Better than Ten Goats on your Roof.
Malice: Before you go, where’s your number one stop for madness on the web?
Root: Encyclopedia Psychotika, baby!
Rock on Root
Thanks goes to The Primal Root! Thank you for a great interview. It was a pleasure having you. Remember people, the next time you are feeling a little trashy on the web, head on over to Trash Cinema Collective and get your fix!
Until next time my freaky darlings,
Malice Psychotik
Discovery Channel’s: The Colony
I’m generally the first one to say reality shows like Survivor suck. There are only so many times you can see people get betrayed, people breaking down from the stress, etc… etc… ad nauseum….before you want to take the producers of this show out back, and beat them! However, when I first got a load of the trailer for this one, I was pretty impressed. The Colony is a new take on the Survivor type reality show. Instead of “Can you survive this random wilderness” it’s more like “Can you survive a world fallen apart from a super contagium that is killing EVERYTHING!”
It was like love at first fright! Finally, someone comes up with a realistic show about survival. What if your world was turned upside down by a super virus that is killing everything (and everybody) you love, would you survive it? So far looking at the available videos, they make this very realistic. From scrounging for supplies, to setting up camp, and even coming across a group of hostiles! I can’t wait to get into this series more. I’ll be sure to check more out and report back later. For now, I leave you with a link and urge you to check this out. The only thing I would improve so far, is the addition of zombies (Then again they don’t call me Psychotik for nothing!) There are 6 episodes on the web page. The show first aired last Tuesday, and looks like it will continue Tuesdays at 10pm.
Sadistically Yours,
Malice Psychotik
Mark Ruffalo to be The Hulk
Well it’s official, as of San Diego Comic-Con, Mark Ruffalo is going to step into the role of Bruce Banner in 2012’s The Avengers. The announcement was made public at a group panel involving the full cast. They even announced Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye. You can look here for an article from the N.Y. Daily News. What are my thoughts on the matter?
Well I’m really sad to see that it didn’t work out for Edward Norton. He played an awesome Bruce (Much better than Eric Bana). It was awesome how much of a throw back he gave to Bill Bixby. What can you do though? Regardless of whether it was money or because Marvel just honestly didn’t think he was an ensemble player, it’s just a damn shame to see the role changing hands again! That being said, I’m curious of What Ruffalo is going to bring to the table. I can’t say that I have seen a role of his that I didn’t like. I guess he is just one of those actors. Maybe that will help him stick! Only time will really tell. He has some big shoes to fill, that’s for sure. Norton was just perfect for the role. The only other actor out of The Avengers line up I have felt was that perfect is Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark. The only thing i can add right now, is I don’t see Bruce Banner when I looks at him. (But then again I didn’t see The Joker when I looked at Heath Ledger either) On the positive side, sometimes it doesn’t matter how much you look like the character as long as you can sell it through acting. Mark is a great actor, so I feel he can pull this off. It looks to be clear, so far, that he will do everything in his power to make an awesome follow-up to Nortons Hulk. He has released in statements that he really didn’t like the terms he got the role. Going on then, to compare the situation to a modern-day Hamlet. Personally I’m going to go ahead and reserve judgment for a little later.
Until Next Time, My Freaky Darlings,
Malice Psychotik
Fox is Here! An Interview with Rob Fox
This past week I had the privilege to interview a good friend of mine. He is also author of Z-Day is Here, the short story Recess, and soon to be Z-Day is Here: One Year Later, none other than Rob Fox! I can’t tell you what an honor it was, and how glad I am that he took the time to do this interview. I really think you are all in for a treat here. So, as they say in Celebrity Death Match, “Let’s get it on!”
Isn't he Glorious....
Malice Psychotik: So Rob, you started your first book as a blog back in 07′. Did you ever think it was going to become a book?
Rob Fox: Not only did I have no idea it would one day make it to book format, but it wasn’t even going to make it past 5 days. I did it for a school project and only had to show five days worth of blog. Somewhere around day 3, I was getting emails from people telling me they really liked it and wanted to read more. There were many times I had thought about just stopping – when I would have a really crappy day or when I ran out of ideas, but I felt like I couldn’t let the fans down. I really think when you read the book, there is a definite moment where the story structure and plot really start coming together, and that moment is when I decided to get it published when I finished it.
Malice: What inspired you to start Z-Day?
Fox: Well, other than wanting a good grade, I just honestly didn’t want to write another boring celebrity blog or a “Hi, my name is Rob” type blog. I wanted something different. I believe I had watched a zombie movie the night before or had a zombie dream the night before. Whatever the case may be, I had zombies on the brain.
Malice: One of the things I think makes your work stand out so much is your use of real life people for the basis of your characters. What made you decide to do this?
Fox: I started out doing it because I saw the main character as being me and what would really happen to me on those first days. Then I realized I probably wouldn’t have made it past the first day, so I decided to bring my friends into it. More as my special “Thank You” to them for being a friend. Later on in the book and in other projects, it helps me in giving my characters a real personality.
Malice: Now I know Z-Day 2 has been in the works for some time now. How is it coming along?
Fox: Ahh the dreaded “Z Day 2” question! I started Z Day 2, which will actually be called “Z Day is Here: One Year Later”, shortly after the first book was released. I wrote about 3/4 of the story then was asked to assist in writing a screenplay. I put Z Day 2 on the back burner to work on the screenplay, which took almost 6 months to complete. Once that screenplay was written and turned in, I had an idea for another screenplay that I wanted to get written. I finished that one in about 2 months. While I was doing some re-writes on the second screenplay, I went back and started reading Z Day 2. I was not pleased with where it was going, so I trashed everything I had written and started over. I am currently about 1/4 through rewriting the story, but I am much happier with this one and I believe whoever reads tis one will be happy I started over too. My goal is to have the second book finished by the end of the year. Ultimately I would love to see it out by October, but I think that is a little ambitious.
Malice: Since you’ve started down this road of being a writer, you’ve done a few con appearances. Which one has been your favorite?
Rob: Wow, that’s a hard question. I have had a complete blast at every single con I have attended, but I would have to say that “Spooky Empire” tops my list. I was a member of the forum when all this writing stuff began and I owe my success to everyone on that board, so when I was able to be a guest there, it was like being at home with all my friends. That convention will always have a special place in my heart
Malice: Of all the stories you have written thus far (Short or book) do you have any favorites?
Fox: As much as I LOVE “Z Day is Here”, and I do love that story, I would have to say that my all time favorite story I have written is called “Recess”. It is published in the anthology “Dead Set: A Zombie Anthology”. I wrote the story based off of a painting about a group of kids fighting off a playground full of zombie children. The painting is one of my favorites and being able to bring those pictures to life and using kids that I know in the story really helps make it my favorite.
Malice: Now, you mentioned that you were working on screenplays, have any of them been filmed yet?
Fox: I have two being filmed right now. One is “A.C.E. The Zombie” and the other is “American Undead”. I have a third screenplay that I am trying to sell now..and working on a secret script that I can’t talk about yet…but its gonna be HUGE.
Malice: Wow, I can’t wait you are going to have to tell me when you are allowed details. Now that we have talked about the writing, let’s talk about the man! Who is Rob Fox?
Fox: Hmmm, Rob Fox is a big geek. Anyone who really knows me knows how much I love Sci-fi, horror, and comic books. To me, Superman is hands down the best Super Hero. Also, I am a writer that doesn’t read. I mean I know how to read, I just can’t concentrate enough to read a full novel.
Malice: Well it has become obvious that you like horror movies! What are some of your favorites? Any recent movies tickle your fancy?
Fox: Well, my all time favorite is the 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake. I own the movie on Blue-ray and have worn it out. I am also a huge 80’s slasher fan. Freddy, Jason, Mike, and Leatherface were my friends growing up, so I still love them.
Malice: What about the music scene, anybody out there dazzle you? What are you into?
Fox: I love all types of music. On my MP3 player, you will find anything from Slipknot to Kenny Chesney and some Eminem throw in for good measure, though my favorites are Rob Zombie and Linkin Park. I find myself listening to them both while writing.
Malice: Now I have seen your personal pages, (and heard many a story from you as well) you have met a fair share of celebrities. Which one has been your favorite?
Fox: Meeting Rob Zombie was a dream come true for me, but all I could mutter was “You Rock, Rob”, but of all I have met, I would say Betsy Palmer. My wife, Darcy, and I met her outside of the Spooky Empire convention, after the zombie walk. We were covered in face blood and had contacts in. She gave us a big hug and talked with us the entire way to her room. Later, we went to see her at her table. She was extremely nice to us and very much down to Earth
Malice: Anybody who has met you knows you KNOW how to party! Do you have any real epic memories you would like to share?
Fox back at Screamfest 07'
Fox: I once passed out on a National Monument and got banned from the country I was in…that’s about all I can say about that!
Malice: Would you mind if I asked you some random nonsense?
Fox: Yes, I mind! What kind of a person do you think I am?! But go ahead!
Malice: Here we go! What is your opinion on Furries?
Fox: Opinion as in would I? Have I? Or should I? Yes, Yes, and Yes. I have thought about writing a story about furries…and if you read really carefully you will find a reference to a Furry in Z Day!
Malice: If you were forced with a decision; Eat 3 KFC Double Downs in one sitting OR Punch a midget named “Holis” in the face which would you do? Why?
Fox: Funny story behind that…I went to KFC to get a Double Down. I have been trying to watch my awesome figure, but I decided that I would throw caution to the wind, so I pull into KFC very excited, and realized they were closed!!! I was so pissed that I went and punched a midget hooker named “El Tomeka”. So, I guess I would rather eat KFC Double Downs….since I still have not had one
Malice: Jason Stackhouse or Lafayette Renyolds?
Fox: Wait, to do? Or which one am I more like? I am so confused.
Malice: Do you think we should raise awareness to Midget Biker Gangs that plague the south-east U.S.?
Fox: I think raising awareness to midgets in general is probably a good idea. Now please don’t think that I dislike midgets, because that couldn’t be further from the truth. But I also think that raising awareness to the biker midgets is especially important, I mean what is scarier than a group of midgets on their little mini-bikes riding around your car?? And don’t even get me started on walking into Midget biker bars. I have heard stories about people walking into those bars and limping out, with huge bruises on their shins.
Malice: Would you Describe yourself as a leopard, a wolf, a mongoose, or a llama?
Fox: I would call myself a lleapolfgoose. I am a great mix of them all.
Malice: Well that’s enough crazy!! Rob, I just want to tell you what a pleasure it was doing this interview. Is there anything you would like to add?
Fox: Just like to say that if you have not read it yet, check out “Z Day is Here”, you can get it on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com , and other book stores. Also, thanks for chatting it up with me. It is always a pleasure.
Malice: One last thing, Where’s you number one stop for madness on the web?
Fox: WOW, that’s a tough one. It is a toss-up between http://www.nabainc.org and Encyclopedia Psychotika
Well that’s a wrap folks! Remember to check for your copy of Z-day is here at Amazon.com and at Barnes and Nobel.com
Until Next Time, My Freaky Darlings,
Malice Psychotik
Psychotik Playlist of the Week 7/25/2010!
Alright. I’m a little early this week. (Guess that makes up for late last week!) This week I think I will theme it after anime! Enjoy!
1) Orange Range- “Asterisk”
2) UVERworld- D-Techno life
3) Logos Naki World
4) Mr. Big- Shine
5) Nightmare- The World
6) Nightmare- Alumina
7) One Winged Angel
8) Ready, Steady, Go!
9) Rewrite
10) Lost Heaven
(If I manage to turn even one person on to one of these songs, I will feel accomplished!)
Encyclopedia Psychotika 