HORROR-RAMA 2014 GAT PR Press Summary
Interviews
Thursday, September 18
Examiner Chris Alexander
Tuesday, September 23
Digital Journal Chris Alexander
Wednesday, October 8
Daily Dead Tom Savini
Thursday, October 9
The Suburban Tom Savini
Tuesday, October 21
Proud FM | Pearce Murray Show Chris Alexander
Tuesday, October 28
Horror in the Hammer Barbie Wilde
Wednesday, October 29
Horror in the Hammer Jovanka Vuckovic
Wednesday, October 29
Horror in the Hammer George Mihalka
Wednesday, October 29
Horror in the Hammer Tom Savini
Thursday, October 30
Digital Journal Lisa Marie
Thursday, October 30
Newstalk 1010 | Richard Crouse Show Lisa Marie, Barbie Wilde and Chris Alexander
Thursday, October 30
Sirius XM | Ward & Al Show Barbie Wilde, Lisa Marie and Chris Alexander
Thursday, October 30
Film Reel Lisa Marie
Thursday, October 30
Film Reel Lynn Griffin
Thursday, October 30
Film Reel George Mihalka
Sunday, November 2
Clapboard Jungle Tom Savini
Horror movie celebration set to haunt Toronto this November BY Cate Kustanczy SEP 24, 2014
http://www.digitaljournal.com/a-and-e/entertainment/horror-moviecelebration-set-to-haunt-toronto-this-november/article/404346 Toronto - Toronto's first annual horror movie celebration gets off to a screaming start come November. With a combination of panels, parties, and a selection of horror-lore guests, HORROR-RAMA hopes to make its bloody mark on the local horror culture scene. Hoping to capitalize on the fervor of Halloween, HORROR-RAMA, happening November 1st and 2nd, hopes to create a fun, inclusive environment for both longtime horror fans and newbies alike. Taking place in the busy Queen/Dovercourt vicinity, the fest will include a convention, two parties, a vendors market, and a special screening of Black Sunday at the historic Revue Cinema, hosted by its star, Barbara Steele. VIP packages, weekend passes, and day tickets are all available. Less a formal film festival than an overall celebration of horror film culture, HORRORRAMA's main attraction is its lineup of beloved fright
figures, which includes Canadian musician, actor, and performance artist Nivek Ogre, a founding member of industrial band Skinny Puppy who's appeared in the 2008 horrorrock opera musical film REPO! The Genetic Opera and the 2012 musical horror film, The Devi's Carnival. Also slated to appear is celebrated horror actor Barbara Steele, star of the classic Mario Bava horror film Black Sunday, as well as the 1961 Roger Corman film, The Pit and the Pendulum, playing opposite horror great Vincent Price. Along with various roles in various Gothic horror movies, Steele also appeared in Louis Malle's controversial 1978 film Pretty Baby, the early 90s iteration of TV series Dark Shadows, and more recently, Ryan Gosling's directorial debut, Lost River, which screened at the Cannes Film Festival this past May. Other guests include writer/actor/director and celebrated special effects artist Tom Savini (known for Friday the 13th, Dawn of the Dead, and From Dusk Till Dawn) and actor Lisa Marie, who played horror movie icon Vampira in Ed Wood and appeared in numerous Tim Burton movies, including Mars Attacks! and Sleepy Hollow. Festival Director Chris Alexander, who's also the Editor-in-Chief of longtime horror movie magazine Fangoria, recently exchanged ideas about why he founded the fest, how he chose its guests, and how horror-film culture reflects our own anxieties around mortality. Where did the idea to have a horror movie festival come from? I’ve worshiped strange cinema, specifically horror films, since I was three years old (I just turned 40), and I've devoted much of my personal and professional life obsessing over and intellectualizing this unyielding passion for all things macabre in the movies. Editing the world’s biggest horror film magazine means every day is a horror movie festival. but the idea to legitimately create a real deal fan convention, well... credit must go to Luis Ceriz, the madman who has successfully run Toronto’s Suspect Video for over 25 years. It was Luis who approached me at another event in London (Ontario) calledShock Stock, and pitched the idea to pool our resources – he with his brand, and me with Fangoria. Luis and I liked each other, and after over a year of discussions, we
pulled the trigger. HORROR-RAMA is the result. How did you decide the movies? HORROR-RAMA is not a film festival, but rather, a niche, almost bohemian, convention and culture celebration, with two days of parties, amazing vendors, and iconic artists who have shaped the way we absorb dark fantasy film. We are screening the incredible 1960 Italian gothic masterpiece Black Sunday in the midst of this madness, because we are bringing in the Grand Dame of sensual horror, Barbara Steele, who is the star of that film. To be able to screen Black Sunday with Barbara there, meeting the fans, and spinning stories of working alongside the great Mario Bava in Italy during the most fascinating period in its film history‌ it is both surreal and majestic. How did you decide the guests? You have a very compelling mix of classic and new stars. My work as a filmmaker, journalist and magazine editor has enabled me over the years to connect with many of my heroes and even call some of them friends. For this inaugural HORROR-RAMA, Luis and decided to assemble a tight team of not only great talent, but decent, interesting, and warm people, full stop. That’s the concept behind HORROR-RAMA: a fantastic, intimate experience for fans and artists to share space and have a great, memorable time. How do you think HORROR-RAMA complements or contrasts Toronto's other film festivals and conventions, not just in terms of content, but style-wise?
We are of course, not in competition with film festivals; rather, we are directly opposed to juggernaut conventions like Toronto’s mammoth Fan Expo, in which horror culture is a small component of a much larger event. It is our experience that horror fans are more exclusive. We LOVE what we LOVE, and don’t care for crowds or massaging our interests into the stew of other sub-genres. We’re too cool for 12 year-old CosPlayers posing for every lens pointed at them, and middle-aged men prancing around in Aquaman costumes. Toronto has never offered horror fans an event that isexclusively for them. We’re an anomaly, and we’re banking on that to draw the fans to our doors. Who's this fest for — horror fans, of course, but who else? With the guest list we’ve assembled, I promise that anyone who just loves cinema and bizarre pop culture will get a kick out of HORROR-RAMA. Again, we have Barbara Steele, known for her work in horror, yes, but also an actress who danced for Fellini in his masterpiece 8 1/2 and has won Emmys as a producer for things like the epic miniseries The Winds of War. She is far more than a scream queen — she is a titan of motion picture history. We also have Nivek Ogre who, for 30 years, has fronted the band Skinny Puppy, an outfit that literally invented a kind of music and performance art that influence generations of musicians, and commands an army of fervent followers all over the world. While Ogre is now starring in horror films – including, my own feature film, Queen of Blood – it is his work on the front lines of extreme music that defines him. The list (of guests) goes on. This is a deeply esoteric and exciting event. What's the appeal of horror movies? Horror movies, and the interest in them, has been a
component of cinema since its earliest days. We, as a species, are interested, curious and terrified about our own mortality, and with good reason. Horror literature, simple ghost stories, and cinema are reflections of our anxieties, and serve as mirrors, exaggerating our phobias, which, in turn (I think), allow us to appreciate living. Horror films can serve as parables to our cultural climates, and on a very basic level, offer a fantastical, aesthetically rich escape into dark, strange, beautiful, and bloodspattered worlds. Horror is always with us — it never goes out of style. And as long as we keep dying, and sadly, dying violently, the public will always be attracted to the horror film. Now, with the advent of technology and various mass media, we are seeing a wild spread of horror culture, in TV, video games, film, comic books‌ everywhere. How do you see HORROR-RAMA fitting into Toronto's cultural life? Check back with me on November 3rd!
Interview with Chris Alexander No Online archive currently available
Stump the Chump with Chris Alexander No Online archive currently available
Derringer in the Morning – On-air mention https://soundcloud.com/q107toronto/cool-or-tool-chris-alexander-johnderringer-311014
Interview with Chris Alexander, Barbie Wilde and Lisa Marie https://soundcloud.com/richard-crouse-show/november-1-2014
“THE RICHARD CROUSE SHOW” ON NEWSTALK 1010 SATURDAY AT 4 PM! http://www.richardcrouse.ca/the-richard-crouse-show-on-newstalk-1010saturday-at-4-pm-10/ This weekend tune into the Richard Crouse Spooktacular on NewsTalk 1010 (4 – 5 pm on NewsTalk 1010, check local listings for a time in your area) as Richard and the panel– Chris Alexander, the editor of Fangoria and Gorezone magazines, actress and author Barbie Wilde from Clive Barker’s Hellbound: Hellraiser II and Lisa Marie from Tim Burton’s Ed Wood, Mars Attacks and Sleepy Hollow–discuss everything Halloween– What scares you the most? How can I get tickets to Horror-Rama? Why do people enjoy being scared at the movies? Why do ghouls just wanna have fun? And much more. Here’s some info on The Richard Crouse Show!: Each week on The Richard Crouse Show, Canada’s most recognized movie critic brings together some of the most interesting and opinionated people from the movies, television and music to put a fresh spin on news from the world of lifestyle and pop-culture. Tune into this show to find out what’s going on behind the scenes of your favorite shows and movies and get a new take on current trends. Richard also lets you know what movies you’ll want to run to see and which movies you’ll want to wait for DVD release. Click HERE to catch up on shows you might have missed!
Happy Halloween, Toronto horror fans get own convention Lynn Fenske 13.10.2014 http://www.examiner.com/article/happy-halloween-toronto-horror-fans-get-own-convention
Halloween weekend gets a horror-ific jolt this year with Toronto’s inaugural Horror-rama, a fan convention created especially for horror film enthusiasts. The hub of activity Saturday, Nov. 1 and Sunday, Nov. 2 will be 99 Sudbury in west Toronto. Zombies, vampires, and werewolves join cinematic monsters of every other description for the two-day celebration. Presented byFangoria Magazine and Suspect Video, the convention features guest stars, frightfully appropriate vendors, a film screening, and party. Newbies are welcome.
Event organizer Chris Alexander, a.k.a.Fangoria’s Editor-in-Chief, describes Horror-rama as a much needed alternative to Fan Expo where horror fans are a small component forced to mingle with “guys in Aquaman suits.” Not that horror fans are anti-social. They just need a celebration of their own, one that Alexander is readily crafting, in partnership with Suspect Video proprietor Luis Ceriz. Plans are to deliver “the kind of convention we as fans would like to attend,” comments Alexander. Alexander declares horror as the pop culture zeitgeist. In his vision Horror-rama is a “smaller, more bohemian niche celebration.” Alexander knows his audience and is prepared to deliver exactly what they are looking to experience. “They want the visceral thrill, they want to feel close to darkness, to their own mortality, but they don’t want to fully immerse themselves in anything violent or horrible.” As a self-confessed film geek, Alexander gives Saturday night over to the showing of Dario Argento’s 1977 horror thriller “Suspiria” at the Revue Cinema. Attending the screening is one of the film’s stars, sultry Italian Barbara Magnolfi. A postscreening party Retromortis 3.0 blasts into 3030 Dundas West with several horror film celebrities in attendance. If you are a die-hard horror fan, a curious observer, or a Halloween junkie looking to party all weekend Horror-rama promises to deliver something dark and delicious. Tickets for the event, including an allinclusive swag-laden VIP package, can be purchased via the Horrorrama website. Platinum sponsor for this inaugural event is Anchor Bay Entertainment Canada, distributors of several horror genre classics on DVD including “Walking Dead,” and “Halloween" complete collection. All are recommended viewing when contemplating your award-winning Halloween costume.
Horror-Rama By Charles Trapunski November 1, 2014
http://scenecreek.com/news/horror-rama/
Ever attend a convention and think, “Hey, I like horror. There’s just too many other genres here. I only want to see horror”. Well, if so, then you are in luck! Halloween does not end on October 31st. This year, the fun of Halloween extends into the 1st and 2nd of November, as Fangoria Magazine and Suspect Video are sponsoring Horror-Rama at 99 Sudbury in Toronto. There are many reasons to attend the festival, for which tickets are still available. There is the offsite screening of Suspiria on Saturday at 7p.m., with actress Barbara Magnolfi, playing at the Revue Theatre, (a great film). There is the costume contest, also offsite, taking place at 3030 Dundas St. And of course, there are the guests, like Patty Mullen, the star of Frankenhooker, special effects pioneer Tom Savini, and many, many more, but the best reason to attend Horror-
Rama is to be in the presence of Lisa Marie, appearing in her first Canadian convention of any kind. We spoke to Lisa Marie by phone where she was “out west”, and we instantly forged a connection with the mercurial actress and artist. When asked which roles for which she was most recognized, she replied with a trio of movies directed by Tim Burton in the 1990’s, Mars Attacks!, Ed Wood, and Sleepy Hollow. But Lisa Marie made it clear that she wants to be known for more than these collaborations, as she is currently undergoing a horror revival, and is proud of her upcoming movie We Are Still Here, which co-stars the legendary Barbara Crampton. She spoke of a bond with director Ted Geoghegan, as well as cinematographer Karim Hussain, who captured Canadian films Hobo with a Shotgun, and the gorgeous Antiviral. She spoke with enthusiasm of filming in upstate New York (subbing for New England) in the snow and cold, and the film being seen by fans. Lisa Marie spoke a lot about her artwork, saying that she likes to be in front of the camera before beautiful women, as well as behind them. She spoke of bringing a Leica camera to Toronto, and wanting to take as many photos as possible, as well as a plan to see Maps to the Stars by David Cronenberg, a fellow camera enthusiast. She made oblique reference to a set visit by Cronenberg to Mars Attacks!, where Lisa Marie was wearing about fifty pounds of hair, couldn’t move, and had to be zipped into her costume, but that Cronenberg did not say very much to her. When told that Maps to the Stars is about the alienation of Los Angeles, and how she too does not feel at home there, Lisa Marie was asked where she feels at home, and she replied in the abstract, of being at home in nature, and spoke frequently of her overwhelming desire to visit Niagara Falls. So horror fans, go to Horror-Rama and you will Fall for Lisa Marie.
HORROR-RAMA: George Mihalka (My Bloody Valentine) Loves Canadian Horror Fans http://www.horrorinthehammer.ca/2014/10/horror-rama-george-mihalka-mybloody.html
The legend they say, on a Valentine's Day, is a curse that'll live on and on...... Today is Halloween but all I can think about is Valentine's Day. My Bloody Valentine, to be precise. One of the greatest horror slashers ever made, and one of the best Canadian horror films ever put on film in the 1980s, the original My Bloody Valentine is a true cult classic that endures to this day. And this weekend at HorrorRama, Toronto's only all-horror fan convention, you can come geek out over My Bloody Valentine with its director and esteemed convention guest GEORGE MIHALKA. Mihalka will be appearing November 1st and 2nd atHorror-Rama, and the director of cult classics likeMy Bloody Valentine, Blue Man, and The Psychic has some exciting news about brand new horror projects in the works. Mihalka tells Horror in the Hammer, "I am currently developing a few horror projects: "Revelations" and "Death Rattle" to name a
couple. I have decided to come back to my roots and explore new stories to scare the bejeezus out of my fans. I will keep everyone posted as things move along. I will have some cool international and classic North American posters, cool postcards, and some never seen before 8x10 pictures from My Bloody Valentine to offer the fans who come and visit me at Horror-Rama.� Mihalka is no stranger to the horror fan community and has nothing but praise for the fans he meets at events like Horror-Rama. "Horror fans are the most loyal and dedicated fans of any genre," Mihalka says. "I love their eclectic tastes, their informed questions and opinions. Frankly, sometimes I think they know more about my film than I do." "Canadian horror fans are the most knowledgeable fans I have met," he continues. "Not only are they aware of what's going on in North America, they also have an astute knowledge of international films such as European, Asian and South American. I am always moved by the love and pride they display towards Canadian horror films, and of course their love of My Bloody Valentine never ceases to touch me... It makes me proud to have made a film that resonates so strongly with Canadian fans." Come share your love of horror and My Bloody Valentine with Mihalka and other exciting HORROR-RAMA guests such as Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead), Barbara Magnolfi (Suspiria), Nivek Ogre (Repo! The Genetic Opera), Barbie Wilde (Hellraiser II), Lisa Marie (Ed Wood), and so many more this weekend in Toronto: November 1 & 2.
Jovanka Vuckovic to Make HORROR-RAMA a Scream (Interview) http://www.horrorinthehammer.ca/2014/10/jovanka-vuckovic-to-make-horrorrama.html
Want to know why I love horror conventions? You get to meet people that are not only horror fans but people who have been able to translate their horror fandom into a creative force. A lot of the celebrity guests at horror-cons are not just actors putting in their time on the behest of a PR firm; they are dyed-in-the-wool horror maniacs just like you. And we can't talk about Canadian horror maniacs without talking about author and filmmaker Jovanka Vuckovic. 5 Jovanka Vuckovic will be appearing this weekend at Horror-Rama: Toronto's only allhorror fan convention. Jovanka was kind enough to talk a bit with Horror in Hammer about her upcoming appearence, her new projects, and her unabiding love for all things horror and the fans who love it. HITH: What do you love about meeting and hanging out with horror fans? Jovanka Vuckovic: I've been going to conventions for many years both as a fan and a guest and I'll tell you the absolute best shows are the ones where you get to actually
spend real time with the other horror fans there. They come from all walks of life so it's interesting to connect, geek out over common interests and have a few laughs. I met a forensic anthropologist at a zombie convention once and I could have talked to him all day, he was so fascinating. Here's a man whose job is to identify human remains in criminal cases and he uses zombie films for escapism. Another was an ER doctor who said she loves vampires because the idea of everlasting life is so unappealing it helps her conquer her fear of death! People like them are the reason why I love meeting horror fans. They remind me that reading horror stories and watching horror films is actually a completely normal and natural thing to do. HITH: What do you love about Canadian horror fans? JV: There are no dedicated horror conventions here [in Toronto], so I'm grateful that Luis [Ceriz of Supect Video] and Chris [Alexander of Fangoria] have decided to finally fill that void with Horror-Rama. They promise a fun, relaxed atmosphere that reminds me of conventions past, where you could chat with people at your booth all day and then mingle with the same folks over a beer after the show as well. Everyone is just hanging out, celebrating the genre they love. HITH: What can fans expect if they come to see you at Horror-Rama? JV: I'll be promoting my next two film projects:XX, the first-ever all female horror anthology and the feature film adaptation of Clive Barker'sJacqueline Ess, starring Lena Headey of Game of Thrones. I'll also have copies of both of my books [Zombies!: An Illustrated History of the Undead & Vuckovic's Horror Miscellany], DVDs, 8x10s, posters and t-shirts and plenty of free hugs Meet Jovanka and other exciting horror guests such as Barbara Magnolfi (Suspiria), Nivek Ogre (Repo! The Genetic Opera), Lisa Marie (Ed Wood), George Mihalka (My Bloody Valentine) and so many more this weekend in Toronto at HORROR-RAMA: November 1 & 2.
www.horrorramacanada.com Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1r4Oja0 Twitter: https://twitter.com/HorrorRama
Horror Legend Tom Savini Wants to See You at HORROR-RAMA http://www.horrorinthehammer.ca/2014/10/horror-legend-tom-savini-wants-tosee.html Among all the amazing guests scheduled to appear at HORROR-RAMA this weekend for Toronto's only fan convention dedicated exclusively to horror, a bonafide horror legend will be walking the halls of 99 Sudbury. Tom Savini, the legendary special effects master behind Dawn of the Dead, Friday the 13th,Creepshow and so many more classic and influential films, wants to see you at Horror-Rama! We reached out to Savini to ask him what he loves about meeting and hanging out with horror fans. "It's like being in an aquarium and so many varieties of fish swim by for you to look at," Savini says. "Or a fancy artsy parade is constantly going by with fans from little kids to professional adults, doctors, lawyers, policemen, soldiers, and sometimes I learn an awful lot about what's going on in their lives, and the movies they like, and the effects or directing work of mine they love. We did some of these movies thirty years ago but as long as the companies still put out different editions and keep our name in the public eye there will be the many fans who come to these things." Fans of Savini's work can look forward to meeting and great the horror great as well as learning more about his exciting upcoming projects. "I am also working on a documentary on my work called SMOKE AND MIRRORS, Savini tells Horror in the Hammer, "and I will be showing a ten minute teaser of that. Also working on a large coffee table book of my life with lots and lots of behind the scene photos and interviews." Meet Tom Savini and other exciting horror guests such as Barbara Magnolfi (Suspiria), Nivek Ogre (Repo! The Genetic Opera), Lisa Marie (Ed Wood), George Mihalka (My Bloody Valentine) and so many more this weekend in Toronto at HORROR-RAMA: November 1 & 2.
www.horrorramacanada.com Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1r4Oja0 Twitter: https://twitter.com/HorrorRama
Time to Play: Barbie Wilde (HELLRAISER II) Talks HORROR-RAMA! http://www.horrorinthehammer.ca/2014/10/time-to-play-barbie-wild-hellraiserii.html Barbie Wilde is an author of erotic horror and former music and radio personality, but horror fans will know her best for her role as the Female Cenobite that bound our hearts for hell in HELLRAISER II. Barbie Wilde will be making her first-ever Canadian horrorcon appearance his weekend at HORROR-RAMA, Toronto's only all-horror fan convention. And much like her leather-clad pinheaded co-star, she has such sights to show you..... After making her first American convention appearance about 10 years ago, Wilde was amazed and delighted to discover the horror fandom's enthusiasm for Hellbound: Hellraiser II and the pierced and piercing female cenobite she played as part of Pinhead's tortured crew of fashionable super-butchers. But now she's coming home! "Well, the reason I’m thrilled to attend my first Canadian Con is that I’m Canadian! (Although a long-time expat.)," she tells Horror in the Hammer. "I’m excited about coming to Toronto because I feel that some wonderful work is coming from Canada as far as the horror genre is concerned. Not just from the likes of the genius of David Cronenberg (whose horror films kept me awake at night), but a new breed of talented filmmakers like Jen & Sylvia Soska (Dead Hooker in a Trunk, American Mary, See No Evil 2 and more), Jovanka Vuckovic (The Captured Bird, The Guest, Clive Barker’s Jacqueline Ess) and Chris Alexander (Blood for Irina, Queen of Blood)." Wilde herself has joined the ranks of acclaimed horror creators for her lauded crime novel THE VENUS COMPLEX, published by Comet Press. Wilde explains: "The book is a fictional journal of a serial killer, told from the male POV and I’ve received some
wonderful reviews so far. (Fangoria has even called me “one of the finest purveyors of erotically charged horror around”, which I’m really pleased about.)" HorrorTalk has called The Venus Complex a "poignant, funny, sexually-charged, hardcore critique of popular culture and a deconstruction of relationships, academia, and art." Barbie Wilde wants to see all you die-hard horror and Hellraiser fans in the flesh this weekend at Horror-Rama in Toronto. Not only will she have a large selection ofHellraiser II: Hellbound photos for autograph, she'll have a limited number of copies of THE VENUS COMPLEX for sale. Stop by her table to find out more and chat about Hellraiser II or her upcoming projects such as Zulu Zombies, for which she's writing a screenplay, as well as some of her other upcoming horror and crime stories to appear in anthologies such as Phobophobias, Grimorium Verum, Noir Nation, andNoir Nation 6. Wilde is also working on a new project to delight fans of Clive Barker's cenobite mythology. "I’m also working with artist and designer Eric Gross of the Followers of the Pandorics on a project called The Cilicium Pandoric," Wilde tells us. "This project has the full support of Clive Barker, because Sister Cilice, the character in the story that I wrote to accompany the project, is based on the mythology that Clive created in his novella, The Hellbound Heart, the basis of the Hellraiser franchise." Come meet, greet, and literally hang out with Hellraiser II star Barbie Wilde this weekend at Horror-Rama: November 1 & 2 in Toronto. Should she offer you a puzzle box while you're there, well, what happens next is up to you....
For more guest details, full event listings, and tickets, visit www.horrorramacanada.com Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1r4Oja0 Twitter: https://twitter.com/HorrorRama
Have a Scream at Horror-Rama Nov. 1 & 2 http://www.horrorinthehammer.ca/2014/10/have-scream-at-horror-rama-nov1-2-2014.html Why does Halloween have to end on October 31st? This year, Halloween's going into overtime with HORROR-RAMA, Toronto's only allhorror fan convention. Presented by our awesome friends at Fangoria & Suspect Video, HORROR-RAMA is a celebration of genre and cult films by fans, for fans.
TORONTO: NOVEMBER 1 & 2, 2014 Special Guests Attending include: • Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead, Creepshow, Friday the 13th) • Barbara Magnolfi (Suspiria) • Lisa Marie (Sleepy Hollow, Mars Attacks) • Barbie Wilde (Hellraiser II) • Michael Slade (horror author) • Nivek Ogre (Queen of Blood, Repo! The Genetic Opera) • Jovanka Vuckovic (The Captured Bird) AND MORE: http://www.horrorramacanada.com/guest main.htm 99 SUDBURY - (99 Sudbury Street, Toronto) http://HorrorRamaCanada.com/ Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1r4Oja0 Twitter: https://twitter.com/HorrorRama The FIRST annual HORROR-RAMA fan event is a two-day horror film culture convention taking place in Toronto. This intimate celebration of all things that go bump in the night also includes a massive vendors market, 2 incredible, star-studded parties and a special screening of Dario Argento's classic Suspiria (considered one of the top horror films of all time), hosted by Magnolfi.
Convention - 99 Sudbury (99 Sudbury St.) Screening - Revue Cinema (400 Roncesvalles Ave.) Official Party – 3030 Dundas West (3030 Dundas Street W.) ADMISSION: $200 - VIP Pack - Includes admission to 2 Days convention + entry to official party + 1 autograph celebrity of your choice + entry to screening of Suspiria + 2 DVDs + 1 year subscription to Fangoria magazine + full year of rentals at Suspect Video and more! $40 – Admission to 2 Days of convention $25 – Daily admission $10 – Ticket to Official HORROR-RAMA party $10 – Ticket to screening of SUSPIRIA Tickets are available at http://horrorramacanada.com/Tickets.htm and at Suspect Video (605 Markham Street, Toronto) Sponsored in part by Anchor Bay Canada.
The work of a Wizard Walter Lyng
http://thesuburban.com/news/articles/?id=article04370
“Kevin Bacon’s death in Friday the 13th completely depended on the angle and the lighting,” says Tom Savini. “My books on makeup effects are called Grande Illusions because I think of them as magic tricks.”
He is known alternately as the King of Gore and the Master of Splatter and he’s largely responsible for the look of most modern-day screen zombies. Amongst serious horror fans, Tom Savini is definitely a household name and even if you think you haven’t heard of him, you’re probably familiar with his work. The man behind the original visual design of Jason Voorhees and a close collaborator of George A. Romero’s, Savini spent the better part of three decades working as an award-winning special effects and makeup artist before focusing more on acting.
Ahead of his special appearance at Toronto’s Horror-Rama taking place on November 1 and 2, Savini spoke with The Suburban from his home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about his career and his hectic schedule around Halloween. “The kids know not even to come to the house because I’m never here,” he says. “This year I’ll be up there and last year it was some place else. Halloween is like an appearance date. When I was a kid it was more important than Christmas, and that was up until very recently.” Although he didn’t get to work on Romero’s original Night of the Living Dead, Savini played an integral part in the making of its sequel, Dawn of the Dead. He brought to that project an intimate knowledge of human mortality, which he gleaned from his work as a photographer during the real-life nightmare of the Vietnam War. “If I hadn’t been a photographer in Vietnam, my work would look like any other makeup artist’s work,” he says. “I’m the only makeup artist that has seen the real thing. My time in Vietnam was a lesson in anatomy. My reputation comes from that. My stuff has to be anatomically correct. “If there’s a dead body, its mouth has to be open. I get so pissed off every time I see an actor and they think all they have to do to play dead is close their eyes. The jaw is always slack. The muscles don’t work anymore. But they want to look pretty for the camera.” Although he has worked on a wide variety of projects, it is this work from early in his career that Savini is best known for. “The point is to get your name out there,” he says. “There’s no such thing as bad publicity. I made Dawn of the Dead 30 years ago but I still go to conventions and, for the new generation, it’s like it just came out.” Also part of Dawn’s on-screen cast, Savini would go on to have several memorable roles in other films. Having worked closely with Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez on various projects, Savini has appeared in such films as Machete Kills and Django Unchained in recent years. His relationship with the two directors can be traced back to his role in 1996’s From Dusk Till Dawn, in which he depicted Sex Machine; a leather-clad barfly equipped with a bullwhip and a customized pistol affixed to his nether
regions. Recently the role was resurrected by Jake Busey for the Netflix TV series adapted from the film. “He played him as a complete stumblebum,” says Savini. “I still stand out as the macho, acrobatic, lethal Sex Machine.” Living to this day in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Savini says he’s fine with his current relaxed schedule of filmmaking. “If I was in LA, I might be making phone calls every day or knocking on doors, but I’m in Pittsburgh,” he says. “I take long vacations in between jobs.”
Although he’s made the decision to no longer lead any makeup or special effects teams for individual projects, he says he’s still up for consultation work. In addition, he continues to busy himself by training the future kings and queens of gore at his school.
Taking 16 months to complete, Savini’s Special Make-Up Effects Program just took on a new group of 67 students. “The Student’s attitude is ‘This is school?’ Because they’re having so much fun making they’re dreams come true.” Furthermore, he says the program prepares students for more than just a career in the movies. “It’s mask companies, toy companies, haunted attractions, museums, theatre… prosthetic labs. The training allows you to work in all those places.” With any luck, one of his current students may just become the next Greg Nicotero who, after learning from Savini in the ‘80s and ‘90s, went on to become a founding member of KNB EFX Group and who would eventually contribute significantly towards the success of AMC’s The Walking Dead TV series. “The best zombies being made today come from what Greg is doing.” With a documentary in the works on the life and career of Savini, it seems that his status as a legend is all but cemented. While the public may still be more familiar with the names of the directors and stars of iconic horror movies, Savini did as much if not more to lend artistic credibility to this gruesome genre.
For more information, visit http://www.savini.com
Horror-Rama Toronto’s Only All Horror Convention Coming November 2014 Buy Tickets Here http://horrorunlimited.blogspot.ca/2014/10/horror-rama-torontos-only-allhorror.html
Many guests such as iconic HELLRAISER female Cenobite "Barbie Wilde"(An amazing woman who also happens to be a brilliant writer) plus Tom Savini, Jovanka Vuckovic, Lisa Marie, Lynee Griffin, Nivek Ogre, Michael Slade, Paul Jones, Chris Alexander & George Mihalka. Special screening of "Suspiria" with actress Barbara Magnolfi (Olga) in attendance on Saturday, Nov 1, 2014 at The Revue Cinema (400 Roncesvalles Ave). You're Invited To Attend: "RETROMORTIS 3.0" - Official Horror-Rama After Party . . . Craft beer & specialty drinks, photo-ops, costume contest, retrorock & electro music, contest prizes, vintage pinball and more!
S P E C I A L - GUESTS: Nivek Ogre (shown in the picture below) (Founder of the group Skinny Puppy) & the "Preacher" in Director Chris Alexander's "Queen Of Blood [2014]" HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II Iconic Female Cenobite "Barbie Wilde"(A talented actress who's also a brilliant writer) plus Tom Savini, Barbara Magnolfi, Jovanka Vuckovic, Lisa Marie, Lynee Griffin, Nivek Ogre, Michael Slade, Paul Jones, Chris Alexander & George Mihalka
Special Screening of "Suspiria" with actress Barbara Magnolfi (Olga) in attendance on Saturday, November 1, 2014 (7pm) at The Revue Cinema, 400 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, Ontario CANADA M6R 2M9 . You're Invited To Attend: "RETROMORTIS 3.0" Official Horror-Rama After Party . . . Craft beer & specialty drinks, photo-ops, best costume contest, retro-rock & electro music, contest prizes, vintage KISS pinball and more!
Iconic scene from legendary Italian "Giallo" Horror Cinema Director Dario Argento's SUSPIRIA (1977). Here, Jessica Harper (Suzy Banion) leans against the wall as she speaks with Barbara Magnolfi (Olga) [sitting down] in her apartment as she does her nails in Freiburg, Germany. Notice, the visual stunning wall paper and brilliant set decor.
Halloween is definitely going to run a little longer this year as Horror-Rama arrives in Toronto on Saturday, Nov 1, 2014 & Sunday, Nov 2, 2014. Many guests such as iconic HELLRAISER female Cenobite "Barbie Wilde" (An amazing woman who also happens to be a brilliant writer) plus Tom Savini, Jovanka Vuckovic, Lisa Marie, Lynee Griffin, Nivek Ogre, Michael Slade, Paul Jones, Chris Alexander & George Mihalka. You're Invited To Attend: "RETROMORTIS 3.0" - Official Horror-Rama After Party . . . Craft beer & specialty drinks, photo-ops, costume contest, retrorock & electro music, contest prizes, vintage pinball and more!
Many guests such as iconic HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II female Cenobite "Barbie Wilde"(A talented actress who's also a brilliant writer) plus Tom Savini, Barbara Magnolfi, Jovanka Vuckovic, Lisa Marie, Lynee Griffin, Nivek Ogre, Michael Slade, Paul Jones, Chris Alexander & George Mihalka. Special screening of "Suspiria" with actress Barbara Magnolfi (Olga) in attendance on Saturday, November 1, 2014 (7pm) at The Revue Cinema (400 Roncesvalles Ave). You're Invited To Attend: "RETROMORTIS 3.0" - Official Horror-Rama After Party . . . Craft beer & specialty drinks, photoops, best costume contest, retro-rock & electro music, contest prizes, vintage KISS pinball and more!
S P E C I A L - GUESTS! - HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II iconic female Cenobite "Barbie Wilde"(A talented actress who's also a brilliant writer) plus Tom Savini, Barbara Magnolfi, Jovanka Vuckovic, Lisa Marie, Lynee Griffin, Nivek Ogre, Michael Slade, Paul Jones, Chris Alexander & George Mihalka. Special screening of "Suspiria" with actree Barbara Magnolfi (Olga) in attendance on Saturday, November 1, 2014 (7pm) at The Revue Cinema (400 Roncesvalles Ave). You're Invited To Attend: "RETROMORTIS 3.0" - Official Horror-Rama After Party . . . Craft beer & specialty drinks, photoops, best costume contest, retro-rock & electro music, contest prizes, vintage KISS pinball and more!
Saturday November 1st & Sunday, Nov 2, 2014. Location: 99 Sudbury Street, Toronto - Canada. Halloween is definitely going to run longer this year as Horror-Rama rolls in! S P E C I A L - GUESTS - HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II Iconic Female Cenobite "Barbie Wilde"(A talented actress who's also a brilliant writer) plus Tom Savini, Barbara Magnolfi, Jovanka Vuckovic, Lisa Marie, Lynee Griffin, Nivek Ogre, Michael Slade, Paul Jones, Chris Alexander & George Mihalka. Special Screening of "Suspiria" with actress Barbara Magnolfi (Olga) in attendance on Saturday, November 1, 2014 (7pm) at The Revue Cinema, 400 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, Ontario .
The talented Jovanka also has appeared as a zombie in Zakk Snyder's "Dawn of the Dead" and George Romero's "Land of the Dead." One of the most influential women in horror today. Her presence at the helm also and opened up the doors for more women. Some of Jovanka's famous tattoos include horror icons Lon Chaney Sr., Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, Elsa Lanchester, Christopher Lee, Edgar Allan Poe & more. Other guests include HELLBOUND: HELLRAISER II Iconic Female Cenobite "Barbie Wilde"(A talented actress who's also a brilliant writer) plus Tom Savini, Barbara Magnolfi, Jovanka Vuckovic, Lisa Marie, Lynee Griffin, Nivek Ogre, Michael Slade, Paul Jones, Chris Alexander & George Mihalka. Special Screening of "Suspiria" with
actress Barbara Magnolfi (Olga) in attendance on Saturday, November 1, 2014 (7pm) at The Revue Cinema, 400 Roncesvalles Ave, Toronto, Ontario CANADA M6R 2M9 . You're Invited To Attend: "RETROMORTIS 3.0" - Official Horror-Rama After Party . . . Craft beer & specialty drinks, photo-ops, best costume contest, retro-rock & electro music, contest prizes, vintage KISS pinball and more!
Exclusive Interview: Tom Savini on Directing 1990’s Night of the Living Dead Derek Anderson http://dailydead.com/exclusive-interview-tom-savini-directing-1990s-nightliving-dead/
From a horde of zombie mall walkers to a young Jason Voorhees to the vengeful camp caretaker Cropsy and beyond, makeup effects master Tom Savini has for decades crafted iconic horror movie characters. The wizard of practical gore is also known for his work in front of the camera as biker Blades from 1978’s Dawn of the Dead and the whip-cracking Sex Machine in 1996’s From Dusk Till Dawn, but hardcore horror hounds also know the versatile artist from his time spent in the director’s chair on 1990’s Night of the Living Dead. Ahead of his appearance at the Horror-Rama convention in Toronto, we caught up with Savini to reflect on his reimagining of George A. Romero’s classic zombie film:
George A. Romero wrote the script for 1990’s Night of the Living Dead, but I understand he gave you free reign to make changes as you saw fit. Were there any big creative adjustments that you made when filming commenced? “I had seen Sigourney Weaver as this great woman hero in Alien and I wanted Barbara to become a woman action hero, too. So that’s when George wrote in the part about her leaving the house, getting dressed in the combat uniform and kicking ass.” What was it like working with Patricia Tallman to make Barbara a capable, independent survivor? “I went to college with Patti, and the first time I saw her she was kicking the shit out of her boyfriend in a fight class. The person she becomes in the movie is who she really is. She’s a badass stuntwoman. She did stunts for Star Trek: The Next Generation, doubling as Dr. Beverly Crusher in many scenes. When she was pregnant she did some stunts, including falling off the pirate ship in Star Trek Generations, so she’s always been a kick-ass person and it shows in the film. It shows that we’re friends and I’m taking advantage of her machoness.” After Duane Jones’ masterful performance in the original Night of the Living Dead, the character of Ben was a big one to fill, but I understand Tony Todd came into the audition and nailed it. Can you talk about casting the now-iconic Tony? “Laurence Fishburne and Eriq La Salle read for me, but when Tony Todd came in to audition, I handed him the script, and he walked outside for five minutes and then came back in without the script. He knew all the dialogue and produced tears. I closed the book right then and there and said, ‘This is Ben.’” The farmhouse that the original Night of the Living Dead was filmed in was torn down after shooting wrapped, but the farmhouse you shot your Night in is still standing in Washington, PA, and I understand you considered buying it at one point? “Yeah, it was for sale while we were shooting and they wanted $125,000 for it, but it included 80 acres, and the cemetery was up on the hill away from the house, and it had that big shed… I didn’t buy it, but somebody did. People still go there, knock on the door and look around, because it’s the Night of the Living Dead house.” The MPAA made you edit out quite a bit of gore, particularly with the gunshot
exit wounds, but if the same movie was made today that wouldn’t be an issue. What are your thoughts on the footage you had to cut in the editing room? “They never even put it in. There’s a 25-minute documentary on the DVD of my Night of the Living Dead and it shows that footage—mainly exit wounds on people getting shot in the head. With my name and George’s on the movie, audiences expected a gore-fest, but it’s actually kind of sterile as far as the blood and gore. I wasn’t involved in the initial editing. Columbia bought the picture from 21st Century while we were shooting it, which reduced our post-production time. Instead of ten weeks of post-production, we had about four weeks to rush the film out for a Halloween release. They took the film out to California and whenever the MPAA said ‘cut something,’ they did it. I would have argued, I would have changed the color of the blood, done something to keep more footage in there, but it didn’t happen that way.” A personal favorite zombie of mine is the “fresh” autopsy zombie with the suit split down the back… “They almost didn’t let me shoot that. They said we were running out of time, but I insisted that we had to get that guy in. That actor who played that zombie with the suit split up the back [Tim Carrier], he was the instructor that we brought in to teach our zombies how to move, but it became ridiculous because everyone was doing such over-the-top, outlandish stuff, we simply said, ‘Just walk slow.’” Each of Romero’s zombie films are viewed as reflections/dissections of the culture of their time period, and some have said that 1990’s Night of the Living Dead has an AIDS subtext. Can you share your thoughts on this link? “It’s the same link that George Romero had on the first movie. Not that it was AIDS, but it was communism and alienation. There’s a documentary called American Nightmare, and it talks about what was going on in the world when some of your favorite horror movies were being made and it’s amazing, especially in George Romero’s films, how much in the film reflects what was going on in the world. George didn’t have that in mind when he made it [1990’s Night of the Living Dead]. It’s something that happens after the movie is made. The audience attributes a film to somebody’s style or to something that’s going on, to some meaning. People do that. When we’re making the film, we’re not thinking about that stuff.”
Looking back, is there a favorite moment or a particular challenge you had while making Night of the Living Dead? “Time. We just didn’t have enough time. If you look at my book, Grande Illusions, I put the storyboards in there of all the stuff that we didn’t get to do because of not having enough time. Night of the Living Dead was the most horrible experience of my life. I couldn’t wait to go home in the morning. I just didn’t want to be there because they kept slapping my hands: ‘You’re not allowed to do this. You’re not allowed to do that.’ And my wife divorced me three weeks into shooting, so I was afraid of losing my daughter. There was a lot of turmoil. We’re lucky that we got what we did on the screen.” ——— No matter what your stance is on 1990’s Night of the Living Dead, the film is a memorable living dead entry that continues to be discussed 24 years after its initial release, while its director, Tom Savini, has endured the past quarter of a century with an impressive, multifaceted career that is still going strong today. You can meet the legendary actor/director/special effects guru just after Halloween, as Tom Savini will be a featured guest at the first annual Horror-Rama in Toronto along with Barbara Steele, Lisa Marie, Michael Slade, Nivek Ogre, and many more. Sponsored by Fangoria and Suspect, Horror-Rama takes place on November 1st and 2nd at 99 Sudbury. For more details, visit: • http://horrorramacanada.com/index.htm
Return of Fangoria Magazine Editor-in-Chief Chris Alexander Discussing Horror-Rama 2014, Fango #337, Gorezone, The Babdook & Horror Culture http://www.horrorhappens.com/#!oct-21st-show-conversations/crnn
31.10.2014
On-air mention by Scott Penfold No online archive available
On-air mention by Mark Wigmore No online archive available
Horror-Rama Dave Gammon http://horrornews.net/89908/horror-rama-october-21-2014/ A very rare circumstance transpires this year as Halloween falls on a Friday. Many of us horror aficionados who celebrate Samhain year round are exhilarated to the point of ecstasy with an additional two days to pay homage to all things horror. Fangoria and Suspect Video and Culture proudly presents Horror-Rama, Toronto’s only all horror convention Saturday November 1 and Sunday November 2. Located in the heart of downtown, 99 Sudbury Street will host the festivities that will surely create nightmares to cherish forever. Just a lurking glimpse into the celebrity guest line up and vendors at this spookextravaganza: Guests:
Barbara Magnolfi-Italian Horror Star ( Suspiria, Sister of Ursula) Barbie Wilde-Horror Actress/Author (Hellraiser 2, The Venus Complex) Tom Savini-Horror Legend (Dawn of The Dead, Creepshow, Friday the 13th) Nivek Ogre-Shock Rock Legend (Skinny Puppy, Repoi, Queen of Blood) Patti Mullen-Exploitation Icon (Frankenhooker) Michael Slade-Horror Author (Headhunter, Ghoul, Burnt Bones) Paul Jones-FX Legend (Hellraiser 3, Nightbreed, Silent Hill) Jovanka Vuckovic-Author/Filmmaker (Jacqueline ESS, The Captured Bird) Lisa Marie-Actress/Model (Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Mars Attacks) Alex Kavanagh-Costume Designer (Survival of The Dead, Repoi, Saw) Lesleh Donaldson-Horror Legend (Curtains, Funeral Home, Deadly Eyes) George Mihalka-Horror Director (My Bloody Valentine, Eternal Evil) Lynne Griffin-Horror Actress (Black Christmas, Curtains) Greg Lamberson-Indie Film Legend (Slime City, Dry Bones) Brett Kelly-Indie Film Legend (My Fair Zombie, My Dead Girlfriend)
Vendors:
Fangoria-1st in Fright since 1979. Come meet editor Chris Alexander and his crew and pick up back issues and more.
Suspect Video-Toronto’s leading source for DVD’s in horror and exploitation. Twisted T’s-Check out the one of a kind apparel in all its demented splendor. ZomCom.ca-“Where childhood nightmares are made” Makers of Baby Rots a lot
and Trophy Ear Necklaces. The Gift Crypt-Makers of horror, gothic, rockabilly, pin-up and steampunk items. Rob Sacchetto’s Zombie Portraits-Zombify your personal portraits with blood curdling results. Horror Writers Association-Non profit organization of writers and publishers around the world., dedicated to promoting dark literature. Black Fawn Distribution-Canadian Indie Film distribution selling Discopath, In The House of Flies, Silent Retreat just to name a few. Pixie Fashions-A wide array of hair accessories, necklaces and housewares and even customized digitizing and embroider of your ghoulish delights. Steve McGinnis Horror Illustration-Depicting terror imagery his work has donned the pages of Fangoria, Gore Zone, Gore Noir and Heavy Metal Sounds will be debuting his first Graphic Novel at Horror Rama. Alternate Cinema-Decorated purveyors of such studios as Campmotion Pictures, Shock-O-Rama Cinema, After Hours Cinema and more. Find your rare gems previously elusive to the Great White North. Zombie Jesus-Acquire all your 13 Flames Empire merchandise such as comic books, graphic novels, t-shirts and more. Chris Roberts Art-Rare prints, fridge magnets, etc from this rare commodity reuniting with Horror-Rama after several years of seclusion in the convention circuit. The Vault-Merchandising and marketing of the most obscure scream filled DVD’s, VHS, magazines, masks, CD’s and more. Eye Sore Cinema-Queen Street’s very own emporium of the eclectic, bizarre and blissfully creepy DVD’s and blurays. The Blood in The Snow Canadian Film Festival-Announcing its entire line up for Canada’s only homegrown horror film fest this year. Shock Stock-Jake and James of Vagrancy Films to promote their very own terror and exploitation convention in 2015, London, Ontario.
Special VIP tickets with an onslaught of amenities, keepsakes and chance of a lifetime experiences are available. Individual ticket and weekend passes are also available. For further event information and inquiries be sure to go to http://www.horrorramacanada.com/
Fangoria and Suspect Video Present: Retromoris 3.0 15.10.2014 http://neocanta.com/lounge/blog/fangoria-and-retromoris-3-0/ We will be broadcasting LIVE from 3030 Dundas West, at the Retromortis Halloween/Horror-Rama After Party, hosted by Johnny Revelation! Come check it out, but if you can’t make it, tune in to our Rock Broadcast to hear what you’ve missin’!!! Lots of awesome guests, cool prizes, you have to be there!
New Horror Convention Horror-Rama coming to Toronto http://dailydead.com/new-horror-convention-horror-rama-coming-toronto/ Film conventions specifically for horror films are few and far between, so we here at Daily Dead were excited to learn that a brand new convention tailored for horror fans is taking place in a couple of months. Fangoria, Suspect Video, Anchor Bay Entertainment and Raro Video are sponsoring the event that features film screenings, parties, plenty of vendors and all of those important special guests.
“Werewolves, demons and vamps…oh, my! This year, Halloween runs into OVERTIME! FANGORIA & SUSPECT present HORROR-RAMA Toronto HORROR-RAMA is a one-of-a-kind counter-culture film convention. Dedicated only to HORROR. The FIRST annual HORROR-RAMA fan event is a two-day horror film culture convention taking place in Toronto. Featuring appearances by such storied, fright-night icons such as Tom Savini (Friday the 13th, Dawn of the Dead), Barbara Steele (Black Sunday, 81/2, Shivers), Lisa Marie (Mars Attacks, Ed Wood), author Michael Slade (Headhunter, Ghoul), shock rocker Nivek Ogre(Skinny Puppy, REPO! The Genetic Opera) and more. This intimate celebration of all things that go bump in the night also includes a massive vendors market, 2 incredible, star-studded parties and a special screening of Mario Bava’s classic Black Sunday, hosted by the legendary Steele.” Horror-Rama takes place on November 1st and 2nd, meaning your favorite holiday gets to last a little longer this year. Day, weekend and limited VIP passes are available. For more details and info on how to get tickets, visit: http://horrorramacanada.com/index.htm
Horror-Rama! Jay Clarke http://www.thehorrorsection.com/2014/11/horror-rama.html Halloween was extended this year, as the first two days of November heralded the inaugural edition of Horror-Rama, Toronto's Only All-Horror Convention. I didn't know what to expect from this, but I have to tell you that I was pretty damn impressed. It's no secret that Toronto horror fans have been a little disillusioned by what the Fan Expo has become, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the fans came out to see what Horror-Rama had to offer. It wasn't a huge space, but it was well laid out, so it never felt super packed.
I'd liken Horror-Rama to the intimacy of Shock Stock (James & Jake were also there touting their 2015 lineup), but without their signature sleaze, so it made things here a little more accessible. Horror-Rama was put together by the two biggest supporters of grass roots horror in the city, Fangoria editor Chris Alexander & owner of longtime video landmark Suspect Video, Luis Ceriz, so success was perhaps a foregone conclusion. I was certainly caught off guard by the
amount of great wares on the show floor. I thought I had become immune to such things over the last year, but the fact that the hundred and fifty bones was quickly gone from my pocket would prove otherwise. Of course, there were the usual suspects, Mike from Hollywood Canteen...
And Zack from The Vault...
And Twisted T's...
But, there was this mask vendor called grimstitchfactory.com who just happened to have a table of rare VHS randomly kicking around. Like super fucking rare.
As soon as I had them in my hand, it was like other collectors came out of the walls and were hovering over me like vultures. I don't know this guy got this stuff, but Spine is something I never thought I would see in the wild.
Aside from the vendors though, Horror-Rama also had an impressive, and surprisingly fresh, roster of guests. This is no mean feat considering rival shows have been bringing horror icons into town for a decade now. Barbie Wilde was a really interesting lady, who has, since Hellbound, written a lot of fiction influenced by the dark and sensual canon ofClive Barker. When Schwartz & I talked to her at her table, we asked about a certain snap of an unfilmed scene. “Well, there was going to be this scene where Kirsty & Tiffany run into these doctors at the Institute, and then they morph into Pinhead and the Female Cenobite. So they got us dressed in the scrubs and out in front of the cameras, and then they realized they didn't have the money and time to do the morphing effect properly, so it was never filmed.” There was also appearances by Mary Beth Rubens and Lesleh Donaldson, who basically saw as much of the early eighties slasher boom as Jamie Lee. I, of course, could not resist asking the latter about her time working on Deadly Eyes. She said what pretty much everyone else involved with the production says, which was “It was cold. And seeing the dogs in those suits was really something.” She couldn't remember the name of the theatre they shot in either, so the search continues...
The best get for the festival in my opinion though, was Nivek Ogre, frontman for the legendary industrial band Skinny Puppy. You know, a few days out, and I'm still reeling from what a nice, personable and approachable guy he was. Not a shred of ego. His Q&A was awesome, and he talked about overcoming his fears, the ups and downs of the music industry, learning where “the line� is and the whole incident with their music being used to torture prisoners at Guantanamo. I never, ever ask questions at Q&A's, but with Ogre sitting less than three feet from me, I had to put up my hand. I essentially just told him that, for me, horror films and Skinny Puppy were intertwined due to their use of sampling, so I asked about how that began and what was their process in choosing;
“That's a bit of a dark and funny answer, in that there is no craft or method to it. Before Skinny Puppy started and we were writing Back & Forth and just playing around with four tracks, my weekend's were spent with Bill Leeb from Frontline Assembly, and we would literally stay up from Friday to Sunday night watching horror films. So completely out of our heads, they just all bled together. And that's where I got into Italian horror, which is just so disjointed anyway, then when you add drugs to it, it just becomes a mess. So we were combining all those things in our heads and when it came time to put all these things down in music, there was just that recall. And there's happy moments, as well. One was Deep Down Trauma Hounds with the Warner Brothers thing. And that was just something that was literally, while we were recording in the studio, it was on TV. We'd do that a lot too, Stairs and Flowers is the same thing. There'd be something on TV and we'd just channel it in and just play it, and it would work out. I have no fucking idea what that one is, I could ask Cevin (Key) but I don't think he'd even know.� A great guy that Schwartz & I could have listened to for hours.
Tom Savini was at the show, and did Q&A's on both days. I have seen him speak many times now, so it was cool he related some stuff I hadn't heard before. He is working on a few video games, the most intriguing Summer Camp, and is still trying to get Death Island off the ground. Savini also told a crazy story about what really happened during that period Planet Terror shut down production. It involved a dozen fifteenfoot high painted murals of Salma Hayek. Yeah, I know...
The last Q&A I attended was that of rising talent Jovanka Vuckovic. Now with a young daughter in tow, I don't see her around town much anymore, but that doesn't mean she hasn't been super busy. She is still putting together the pieces on adapting the Clive Barker storyJaqueline Ess, and is set to start shooting her segment for the all-female anthology 'XX' next month. She revealed at the event that her short will be an adaptation of the Jack Ketchum story, The Box. Jovanka seemed really optimistic about the landscape of women in horror, ever-growing closer to a time when people won't need to put the word “woman” in front of “filmmaker.”
But wait, there was more! The Blood In The Snow Film Festival announced their full line-up. And much like TAD, this one looks like their strongest yet. In addition to the Shorts Showcase, which has my good friends Justin McConnell and Darryl Shaw showing their work, my frequent collaborator Mike Pereira is also premiering his latest, The Ressurections of Clarence Neveldine in front of the closing film. I'm also looking forward to midnight screening of Justin Decloux's Teddy Bomb and Kingdom Come starring Lively himself, Ryan Barrett.
I don't know how Horror-Rama did financially, but everything I saw looked like a rousing success. The fans were stoked, the vendors were happy and the guests looked like they were having a good time. Congrats to everyone involved, as this was one hell of a weekend!
My Thoughts on the Horror-Rama Convention November 02, 2014 http://www.terrorintoronto.com/blog/2014/11/2/my-thoughts-on-the-horrorrama-convention
Today I stopped by Toronto’s only all-horror convention HORROR-RAMA. Created by Suspect Video’s Luiz Certiz and Fangoria’s Chris Alexander. After a year of discussion they formed like Voltron to “create a niche, very cool and controlled two-day festival exclusively celebrating film culture”. From what I saw, I’d say they succeeded. If you kind of like scary movies, or are a die hard fan like WHY HORROR?’s TAL ZIMERMAN, who I spotted at the ATM (no doubt grabbing more cash to buy hard to find videos and vintage posters), there was something at HORROR-RAMA for everyone. I am not much of an autograph hound, but if you're into that sort of thing there was an impressive amount of celebrity guests on hand willing to say hello, and sign some autographs (for $25 or so). Some of the guests that attended during the festival were Barbie Wilde (Hellraiser II), Tom Savini (pretty much every awesome 80's horror film
that you've ever seen), Nivek Ogre (Skinny Puppy), Lisa Marie (Ed Wood, Mars Attacks), and director of My Bloody Valentine (George Mihalka). Kalen Davidson, who plays Wendigo “the stag monster” from Hannibal was also added to the bill at the last minute. I’m not really a convention guy. We’ll, I thought I wasn't. Having only gone to the largest convention that takes place in this city twice a year, I have avoided conventions every since my first visit to that show a couple of years back. The crowds at that show were so large that you couldn't talk to the people you were with, or the vendors, or hear yourself think. Being armpit to armpit with strangers is not the type of thing I like to pay upwards of $70 for. Fighting to get a spot to see some of the goods the vendors have for sale at often obscene prices, was also a very frustrating experience. Horror-Rama was the antithesis of that other festival. Only $25 per day, no pushing, no shoving, just genre fans hanging out. I found a lot of stuff that I never heard of, but should have including a Zombie porno parody’s of Evil Dead on VHS, axes signed by celebrities, and a VIP access card to a strip club in Florida from the 1980's. The dealers were extremely friendly. Most were glad to just stand and chat, not pushing their wares too hard on the buying public. Illustrator Steve McInnis was very adamant that he will be coming back next year (and from what I heard and saw, would be shocked if the convention did not return in 2015). HORROR-RAMA hosted two private rooms away from the main floor. THE ANCHOR BAY SCREAMING ROOM played films throughout the day and hosted a preview of the titles playing at the upcoming BLOOD IN THE SNOW FESTIVAL. In the HORROR-RAMA HANGOUT room, guests were able attend Q&A’s with some of the celebrity guests such as Tom Savini. Unfortunately due to some incorrect information I received from one the volunteers, I was led to believe that the Q&As were only open to VIP attendees, however after the convention wrapped I was notified that this was not the case. Next year I will make sure I catch some of them. I want to thank Luiz, Chris, and all the volunteers that helped put on a really fun and comfortable convention. If HORROR-RAMA returns next year, I’ll be there bright and early, bringing a lot more cash to beef up my DVD/Blu-ray collection.
Interview with George Mihalka 04.11.2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjqHNu9xh4A
Barbara Magnolfi Suspiria interview 06.11.2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMDeDB80xoM
Saw Costume Designer Alex Kavanagh interview 14.11.2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5MMYAtnG_o
Projections: A spook-tacular night at the Royal Jason Anderson 30.10.2014 http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/2014/10/30/projections_a_spo oktacular_night_at_the_royal.html Missing the big night but not to be outdone, Fangoria magazine and Suspect Video devote the rest of the weekend to the inaugural edition of Horrorama, a two-day horror convention with a variety of guests and events. Among the visiting luminaries is actress Barbara Magnolfi, who introduces a showing of Dario Argento’s Suspiria at the Revue on Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. Your week-long sugar-induced stupor begins anytime thereafter
TORONTO EVENTS: 8 things to do this weekend (Oct. 31-Nov. 2) 10.31.2014 http://www.insidetoronto.com/community-story/4952378-toronto-events-8-things-to-do-this-weekend-oct-31-nov2-/
5. Post-Halloween, there's the two day HORROR RAMA at 99 Sudbury. Taking place Saturday and Sunday, it's an inaugural horror film convention featuring the likes of Tom Savini of Friday the 13th and Dawn of the Dead fame. Also featured in the following media outlets:
http://www.mykawartha.com/community-story/4952378-toronto-events-8things-to-do-this-weekend-oct-31-nov-2-/
Nuggets : VHS Smackdown http://chickenoutfitmedia.ca/nuggets-vhs-smackdown/ Another exciting week for Chicken Outfit Media. I’m in the home stretch for the completion of Chicken Outfit Issue #2 – a mere five more pages, then some tweaks and up it goes on CreateSpace for ordering. As we’ve mentioned, we’ll be rolling out #2 at Toronto’s Horror-Rama on November 1st, starting at 12pm. Joe Deagnon will be appearing in Creator’s Alley with Paranoid Tales : The Comix Anthology, Chicken Outfit #1 and the new issue, hot off the presses. You can find out more about HorrorRama here.
2001: A Space Odyssey will be celebrated with a massive TIFF Bell Lightbox retrospective Ian Gormely
http://metronews.ca/voices/backstage-pass/1198163/2001-a-space-odysseywill-be-celebrated-with-a-massive-tiff-bell-lightbox-retrospective/
Horror fans unite For those looking for more visceral thrills this Halloween weekend, look no further than Horror-Rama. The two-day scare-fest, held at 99 Sudbury, has a host of events for horror fans. For a full list of events, check out horrorramacanada.com Saturday night screening of giallo thriller Suspiria at the Revue Cinema with an appearance from cast member Barbara Magnolfi
Saturday night you can attend a costume contest at 3030 Dundas St. W.
Screenings of future horror classics Avenged and the Devil’s Incarnate.
Appearance from Tim Burton muse Lisa Marie.
This is Halloween 31.10.2014
Matthew Kirshenblatt http://matthewkirshenblatt.wordpress.com/2014/10/31/this-is-halloween/ In this post from GeekPr0n blogger, Matthew Kirshenblatt, he give his itinerary for Halloween horror hotspots. Excerpt about Horror-Rama below. And then the next day I will be going to Horror-Rama: an all-horror convention where I want to explore and particularly meet Jovanka Vuckovic: the brilliant upcoming director of the Jacqueline Ess film adaptation.
“THE DOOR” MOVIE – PHOTO SHOOT 14.10.2014 http://www.brandonmarshphoto.com/blog/2014/10/14/the-door-movie-photo-shoot/ “The Door” Theatrical Premiere – October 30th @ The Carlton Theatres – 20 Carlton Street, Toronto, Ontario – 7pm to 9pm. YOU CAN NOW PRE-ORDER “THE DOOR” @ THE BLACK FAWN DISTRIBUTION STORE I’ve been excited for this announcement. After working with Black Fawn Distribution at Fan Expo I was asked to come shoot a cover for one of their upcoming films, “The Door”.
This was a unique photo opportunity for me and I had a blast shooting it. The cover image was edited by Silent Q Design, styling & assisting on set was Chad Archibald, Director of the film, Patrick McBrearty and of course our model and the star of the film Alys Crocker.
The films first release is today on www.TheDoorMovie.com, iTunes and Vimeo On Demand for rent. Black Fawn Distribution will be selling DVDs at various conventions across Canada and through their website on October 28th. I will also be joining Black Fawn Distro at HORROR RAMA – “Toronto’s ONLY All-Horror Convention!” So be sure to stop by!
Don’t miss your chance to win this awesome giveaway from Black Fawn Distribution! – Enter the “Ultimate Indie Horror DVD Giveaway” and win $125 in prizes – Click for Details
We’ve gathered social media reactions here:
https://storify.com/gatpr/horror-rama-1
Pictures by GAT can be found here:
http://bit.ly/1ATMlyw
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