A Weekend of Horrors! Los Angeles, CA - August 2002 - with Photos!

Gunnar Hansen, Leatherface from the texas chainsaw Massacre! Just one of the horror icons I met at Fangoria's  weekend of horrors.

One of my favorite memories, ever, was when I attended Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors in 2002. It was my first horror convention and it rocked my fucking world! Walking in the convention center, I was filled with geeky joy. Like really, I spazzed, big time! It was overwhelming to witness what seemed like thousands of other horror fans young and old wearing shirts with images from domestic and foreign slasher, monster, and zombie flicks. Hundreds of vendors selling horror movies from around the world on VHS and the newest media format, DVD. Tables were set up blanketed in horror movie swag! I knew right then my measly bank account would not be safe this weekend. It really wasn't as I recall I overdrew a significant amount, no regrets! 

There was a moment when the noisy crowd seemed to quiet in a wave headed right towards me, and I wondered what was going on? As the silence spread in my direction, so did the people part. That's when I saw. . .him. Bruce Campbell, THE KING of horror movie royalty, was parting this crowd like Moses parting the Red Sea in that old movie about rules. Bruce was the main reason I was attending. He was my favorite actor, from my favorite film series, The Evil Dead. I had actually written Mr. Campbell several years earlier when I gained access to the internet using a free AOL trial. I wrote, “Dear Bruce Campbell, I would like you to send me your autograph.”   Months later I received a post card with a black and white publicity photo from when he starred in the FOX television series, Brisco County Jr. On the back was written, “Hey” followed by his autograph. SWOON. Eventually, he passed right in front of me, followed by convention staff. I nearly fainted.

 Bruce was there this weekend to give a panel talking about the paperback edition of his autobiography, If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B-Movie Actor, as well as promoting his upcoming film projects, Buba Ho-Tep, and his directorial debut, The man with the Screaming Brain. 

After I composed myself from basking in Bruce glory, I went to meet more horror icons, as well as buy some merch and movies. I found a booth ran by Rotten-Cotton, who specialized in making officially licensed shirts, stickers, and patches of Italian and B-grade horror movies. I bought a Return of the Living Dead shirt with a drawing of the character Trash, and a button up Dawn of The Dead work shirt. At different booths, I purchased DVD copies of Battle Royale, and Ichi The Killer (probably bootlegs). At another table, I bought a VHS copy of a Japanese movie I'd never heard of called Stacy: Attack of the Schoolgirl Zombies (definitely a bootleg). 

There were a boat-load of horror celebs I wanted to meet. I started with Heather Langenkamp, the first Freddy Krueger final girl, from A Nightmare On Elm Street. It was an honor to meet her. She was really sweet, and I stepped on her foot when standing for a photo op with her. I moved on to Bill Moseley who was famous for playing Leatherface's brother, “Chop-Top” in Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Part 2. He had already filmed Rob Zombie's directorial debut House of a 1000 Corpses, but it was in limbo at the time and hadn't been released yet. He had us cracking up, yapping in his Chop-Top voice. Furthermore, he kindly signed a photo with one of his famous TCM2 lines, “Lick my plate, you dog dick!” 

There were several famous people attending not as guests, but as fans. I spotted, director of The Blues Brothers and Twilight Zone the Movie, John Landis. Porn star Ron Jeremy (yuck). Mick Garris who adapted many Steven king books to film, and Michael Berryman, who starred in The Hills Have Eyes, Weird Science, Star Trek IV: The Voyage home. Actually, I later found out Michael was a guest. I just happened to see him walking around and asked if he'd take a picture with me. He did, with his large hands across my neck, mock strangelingly. After I was released from Michael Berryman's clutches, I was looking around just taking everything in when I made eye contact with someone very recognizable, whom I had no idea would be attending. Glenn Shadix! Most known for his role as Otho in Beetlejuice. I was stoked and he could tell! He gave me a huge smile, and gestured me over. I exclaimed something like, “oh man, I had no idea you were going to be here! I love you!” Glenn laughed and we talked for a few minutes. He was an angel of a human. I was more than a bit heartbroken when he passed away in 2010.Rest in piece, Glenn, I still freaking love you!

I met some legends that weekend. George A, Romero, the man who invented the modern zombie. Who made the classics, Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and Day of the Dead. I like his other movies too, Martin, The Crazies, Season of the Witch etc. I was sure to catch his panel discussion, where he told us about his being fired from directing the Resident Evil movie. He said it was because after The Matrix became a hit the studio wanted him to rewrite his script and make a more action packed, more "Matrixy" Resident Evil film. He told them her doesn't make those types of movies. In the same room as George was make up effects legend and actor Tom Savini. Of course, I appreciate his contributions to gore and make up effects for Friday the 13th, Dawn and Day of the Dead, and Maniac. But I was psyched to meet Sex Machine! The leather clad biker with the cock revolver, fromone of my favorite movies, From Dusk Till Dawn!   There was a moment I truly wish I had used my camera. For I saw Tom, summon George Romero over to him to show him an action figure made after his biker bandit char-acter from Dawn of the Dead. There were these two legends of horror in the middle of this room, smiling ear to ear, giggling like children at a toy. I felt like I was the only person besides them who witnessed this precious 60 seconds. 

It was now time to meet Bruce Campbell, formally. I bought a copy of his book for him to sign. It went like this. I walked up to his table and said, “Hi, can you sign this?” I handed him the paperback, he replied “easy-peasy.” and signed it Writing “Hey, Brad” followed by his familiar signature, just like the one from that postcard years before.

   So star-struck was I, that I'd forgotten to have him sign a photo from Army Darkness I bought for my mom. So I later got back in line and had him sign, “To, Julie. . . Gimme Some Sugar.” A favorite quote from Army. Bruce's panel discussion was one of the funniest events I've seen in my life. It was beyond brilliant! My favorite moment was when he reenacted the scene from Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn, where his hand, after being bitten by his girlfriend turned deadite, becomes possessed, and starts attacking him. Here was Bruce punching himself, pulling his hair and even did a front flip, landing hard on his back! 

There was a Q&A session where he addressed the most important question. When the hell was Evil Dead 3 coming out?! He told us, his loyal fans, that the problem was there was no money in it since the third film Army of Darkness was a theatrical flop. However, he would reprise his role as Ash if he were given the opportunity to do so. We never did get an Evil Dead 3. We got an amazing series that lasted 3 seasons, Ash VS Evil Dead. 

After the convention wrapped up there was a cocktail party with Elvira Mistress of the Dark. We couldn't afford that, so instead we went to a rock and roll wrestling show. Featuring a luchador wrestling match followed by a performance by The Ghastly ones. Topping off the bill was a Misfits tribute band called Plan 9. It was a great way to end the day. I've been fortunate to attend a few other horror conventions since then. Met more remarkable horror celebs, but that Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors in August of '02 is a highlight of my life!  

More info on that Fangoria Weekend of Horrors here:https://www.creationent.com/past_events/fangoria2002/fangoria2002.htm