In what was kind of a last minute decision, my friend Freddie and I headed off to Monster-Mania in PA on November 10, 2024. This would only be my second time to this version of this convention, and my return to it after a two year hiatus. Since New York Comic Con (I am still working on editing pics, for those of you waiting to see my coverage on it) and Chiller were so recent, and still not having regular work (if one of you guys could help me to find one that I can work from home/ is good for someone who suffer from severe anxiety, please let me know!), I knew that I would be low on funds. Regardless, I knew we would still have fun. The good time we had ended up surpassing me expectations!
There was a Killer Klowns from Outer Space reunion, which was what main reason for me wanting to go. That cult classic is one of my favorite movies of all time. Three of the stars would be there, but I could only afford two. First, I met the lovely Suzanne Snyder. She was so sweet and personable, being all smiles and talking to us for a good amount of time. She also told us that she did the whole set-up for the Killer Klowns cast photo op, that was to go on a bit later that day. I am not one for photo ops. but it's clear that she did awesome work. As based on the pics she showed, it look like it would be cool as fuck for anyone who did take part in it.
The other cast member of that classic that I went up to was John Allen Wesley, who played her character Debbie's ex and current cop. He was also so nice! In fact, he was awesome and fun to talk with. Both were great to talk about my love for this masterpiece with.
My friend met a lot more celebs than I did, among them was the gorgeous Samantha Scaffidi of the Terrifier movies. The true highlight of the day came when the three of us were talking to her. I mentioned last seeing and meeting her at the first, and sadly only, Brooklyn Horror Con. She said that she remembered me! That was so awesome! Scaffidi is so sweet and amazing in person. If you have never met her, you totally need to change that.
Speaking of Terrifier, I got this awesome pic with a quartet of Art the Clown cosplayers! They looked so cool and the look of joy on my face is genuine as hell!
Below you will see the only autographs that I got. Both Suzanne Snyder and John Allen Nelson signed my Blu-ray copy of Killer Klowns from Outer Space (with the limited edition Halloween cover exclusive to Best Buy, you back when they carried movies and didn't suck ass):
And, being poor as fuck, I was only able to buy one thing, but man was it ever cool! It's this kick ass and super cute Mothra plushie! I actually saw it an earlier Monster-Mania, but was like oh that's cool let me get it later. When, I went to that dealer's booth get it, it had sold out! I was so disappointed. I kept looking for her at different cons (like this year's NYCC and Chiller) but to no avail. Until, I finally found her on that Sunday! I was so happy that I pretty much immediately bought her. I love that she has a long string to her hang her from, so that she can "fly" and protect my room from evil Kaijus!
And, so ends another great con. Did any of you go? If so who did you meet, and what where the highlights for you? Let me know in the comments section below. Also, this might be the last con that I will be attending this year, if so it was a good one to end on.
At the 2018 edition of WinterCon, I had the pleasure of talking to actor David Howard Thornton (who was wearing one of the awesome and official shirts made by Terror Threads). He plays the evil Art the Clown in the best slasher movie of last year, the phenomenal and gory Terrifier. We got to talk about the movie and more.
Title: Terrifier Writer/ Director: Damien Leone Cast: Jenna Kanell, Samantha Scaffidi, David Howard Thorton, Catherine Corcoran, Pooya Mosheni Year: 2017 (Released in 2018) Min: 82
We start with a prologue, where pretty talk show host Monica Brown (Katie Maguire) is interviewing a horribly disfigured woman. This poor woman survived an attack by a killer named Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton). Art, himself, is actually watching the show from his TV set, while applying his makeup. After the show, Monica is in her dressing room talking on the phone. She makes some mean and bitchy comments about the victim, only to have said victim come in and gouge her eyes.
We then cut to, Halloween night, where two beautiful friends, drunk Dawn (Catherine Corcoran) and Tara (Jenna Kanell) are heading home after a clearly fun night. They soon encounter Art, who is carrying a large, black, plastic bag with him. Victoria is rightfully creeped out by him, but Dawn doesn't take it very seriously. When, they both head to a pizzeria for a bite to eat, the clown also walks in quickly there after. Dawn still finds it all rather funny and even takes a selfie with him. Soon after, he does something that is enough to get him kicked out of the eating establishment (we quickly learn that he left the bathroom covered in shit and piss!). The girls eventually go their own way.
Unbeknownst to them, the employee and the manager (whose decapitated head gets carved like a fucking jack-o-lantern!) of the pizza joint get slaughtered by Art. Meanwhile, their car's tire has been slashed. Tara thinks its the scary looking clown, but Dawn doesn't believe it is. Either way, they end up calling Tara's sister, Victoria (the lovely Samantha Scaffidi) to pick them up.
Tara needs to take a piss really badly, so she ends up going in a nearby building. Soon there after, Dawn hears on the radio about two people getting killed at the pizzeria that they just left by a clown! It soon dawns on her (pardon the pun) that Tara was right all along! It's too fucking late though, as Art is in the car. He soon turns his attention to Tara, and will do the same with Victoria when she finally arrives at the rat infested, dump of a building, where the majority of the remaining film will occur at.
Let's not mince words here, Terrifier is the best slasher movie since Hatchet II, hands down! This is 80's inspired splatter done right. It's brutal, uncompromising, and gory as fucking hell. The movie has been garnering strong word of mouth and reviews and is rapidly gaining an ever growing cult following, all of which it rightfully deserves.
Writer/ director Damien Leone has crafted a movie that doesn't simply play oving tribute to stalk and slash movies of their golden age but manages to surpass many of them. This is due to the fact that he doesn't have some cookie cutter bullshit that does the same tired shit over and over again. He also does not play it safe taking it to a far more extreme level than many of the weak ass Friday the 13th sequels and their ilk never had the guts to partake in.
Leone is also very apt at adding much tension and suspense. The pacing is fast and tense, resulting in a short running time that flies by. Most of the time when I watch a movie of this type I just sort of look at the screen and not much else. Watching this one, though, I was screaming at the screen and the characters, telling them to run, hide, fight back, whatever the scene dictated. I don't think there is a better sign that you have done a good job, then getting the audience to shout and be invested in what is happening onscreen.
To achieve this you need to care about the characters and for them to be played by a talented cast. The girls aren't just there to provide eye-candy, though they are certainly gorgeous. You actually don't want to see them die. Most of the cast are unknowns, save for the gorgeous Catherine (Return to Nuke 'Em High Vol. 1 & 2, Sociopathia) Corcoran, who is one of my personal favorite, current scream queens.
But, extra praise must be given to David Howard Thorton. He is perfectly terrifying as Art. Without saying a single word, he manages to be menacing and utterly bone-chilling. His creepy ass smile will fucking haunt you. And, for those of you who are scared of clowns, be prepared to clean the shit from your undies. Cause, Art manages to be more disturbing than Pennywise is on his best day.
Of course, it also helps that his look is unsettling to begin with. Also solid are the gore FX. Decapitation, slashings, stabbings, blood spurting gunshots, eye gouging, cannibalism, and bludgeonings hit the viewer with no mercy. Included in these acts is a snatch to head bisection that is more than likely the year's most memorable and shocking kill and probably one of the vicious kills by a psycho killer since the glory days of Lucio Fulci. Throw in a little bit of nudity, courtesy of Corcoran, and you have something that gives you everything you want and more.
Terrifier is a killer slasher movie and destined to become a modern, cult classic. The movie is brutal, vicious, and does not fuck around. It is also a shit load of fun and keeps you invested throughout its running time. Suspenseful directing and characters you actually give a flying fuck about played by a solid cast help things even further. And, here is hoping Art becomes the next big slasher villain, especially as how he is bought to life by Thorton. Distributed by horror website Bloody Disgusting, Terrifier is currently streaming on Amazon. It is an absolute must for those who like their throwback horror movies to be as uncompromising as possible.
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