Years ago, when the TV show Face Off premiered, Dawn and I started watching it but didn’t get past a few episodes because of the fake drama present in these “reality” shows. We just wanted to see the talent and the creative process, not some feud that was created by editing and pushed by the show. Same goes with the Skin Wars. If they would take all that crap out of there and just spotlight the talent, I’d be watching every week. Anyway…throughout the weekend, there were always someone getting put into makeup, usually pretty elaborate too, not just the makeup, but full costumes as well. Each day, these poor models would be sitting in the chair first thing in the morning to have this work done on them, some of it taking most of the day. Then they would parade around through the vendor room for a bit, only then to sit back down and have it all removed! And they did this each of the three days. Such troopers! But it gave fans attending something to stop and watch for a while, getting to watch some incredible talent on display.
Author Archives: Jon Kitley
Mystery Photo 4-29
If it was already obvious, our last photo was a little shout out and tribute to Rondo Hatton, mainly because the annual Rondo Awards was just finishing up the voting last Sunday. And now (hopefully) tonight the results of the voting will be announced. Of course, we can talk about the Rondos without giving thanks to David Colton for keeping the Rondos going with all this hard work! As for the photo, it was from House of Horrors (1946), where Hatton appeared in his second to last film. Congrats to the following that sent in the correct answer: Hoby Abernathy, Todd Barwick, Cate Cameron, Aaron Christensen, Rick Hayden, Troy Howarth, Erik Martin, Gavin Schmitt, Michael Shields, Todd Warren, Kristin Wicks and Greg Wojick.
Now this week’s photo is a tribute to someone else, but not that it ties in with anything other than he help mold my childhood. So take that as a hint, if you can. As always, please don’t post your answers here so others can have a chance at guessing. Instead, just send your guess to us in an email, to jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!
Monsterpalooza – Part 2: Displays
On Friday, we finally make our way over to Monsterpalooza. We were technically dealer “helpers” so we got in right away, and thankfully so because the line to get in was freaking huge each and every single day of the 3-day event. A little advice to those coming to this show, be prepared to be on your feet a LOT! With a concrete floor, it plays holy hell on your feet, legs, and back. At least I know it did for us. Plus, there’s not a ton of places to sit down either. Normally, as vendors, we get to sit behind our table more than wander around so it’s no big deal. But not being at a table, I really felt the effects of it by Friday night and really aching by the time Sunday was over. I think I need to take a vacation to recoup from this vacation!
Monsterpalooza – Part 1: Screaming at Dark Delicacies
The last time I was in California was in 2003, for a Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors, so it was about time I made a return. Our friends Don England and Chris Kuchta have been setting up at Monsterpalooza for a few years and I was always hearing great stories about the show, from celebrity sightings to just seeing some amazing makeup jobs, props, artworks, and other interesting things on display. So my wife Dawn and I decided to take a little mini-vacation and head out to our first Monsterpalooza. On the Thursday before the show, we were on a plane heading to the West Coast.
Book Review: The Creature Chronicles
The Creature Chronicles: Exploring the Black Lagoon Trilogy
Published by McFarland, 2014. 408 pages.
By Tom Weaver, David Schecter, & Steve Kronenberg
This should be a very simple review. If you want to know anything about Creature from the Black Lagoon, or its two sequels, Revenge of the Creature and/or The Creature Walks Among Us, then just buy this book. Just about anything and everything you need to know about those films is in this book. Tom Weaver, along with Schecter and Kronenberg, have researched and compiled so much information, from the cast and crew, premieres, design teams, press, music, down to all the screenwriters involved in them, all here in this book. It even has an introduction by Creature star Julia Adams.
Little Shoppe of Horrors #42 Coming!
Richard Klemensen has been putting out Little Shoppe of Horrors for 47 years. Let that sink in a minute. Close to a half a century. If that doesn’t show the passion this man has, for his love of Hammer Films, as well as other British horror films, to keep going this long I don’t know what else would. Not to mention that the information within the amazing artwork he always has for his front and back covers, is top-notch, filled with plenty of information and stories about these classic movies that we love. So why not continue to support these independent, old-fashion, print magazines, and help keep them alive, by ordering the newest issue of LSoH now!
What is in the new issue, you ask? Ever hear of Village of the Damned, starring George Sanders and Barbara Shelley? It’s one of the best of British horror cinema from that era and is the cover story of this new issue. With an amazing cover by Steve Karchin, you’ll get to learn all about the making of Village in the Anthony McKay’s essay. There is also an interview with Max Rosenberg, who was co-founders of Amicus Films, as well as part 1 of The Hammer Diaries of Christopher Wicking. Wicking wrote three films for Hammer and worked for them for almost three years, where he kept a diary when he was a Script Supervisor. So you’ll get to read all the insights of went on during the early ’70s as Hammer was struggling to stay afloat.
All this and all the usual great things that make this one of my favorite magazines and one that I pick up religiously. I’m still in the process of ordering all the back issues that came out before I started buying it with issue #8, back in…1984!!!
You can place your order now by heading over to their website HERE. Keep showing your support by ordering your copy now! Issue #42 will be shipping out May 6th.
Mystery Photo 4-22
Yes, we’re back once again for our Monday morning Mystery Photo. After attending two conventions in two weeks, it was pretty tiresome. Since we weren’t vending, that meant we were on our feet most of the time. Oof. Getting too old for that stuff. Anyway, the last photo we had was from the 1971 giallo L’iguana dalla lingua di fuoco, or better known in the states as The Iguana with the Tongue of Fire. Kudos to the following for sending in the correct answer: Troy Howarth, Bryan Martinez, Lee Nattrass, & Gavin Schmitt. Well done!
Now here is this week’s photo. It might be pretty easy, but this is my little wink at what just ended yesterday, so I hope you’ll forgive my indulgence. But either way, easy or not, please make sure you do not post your answers here, so that others do have a chance. Just send your guess to us at jon@kitleyskrypt.com. Good Luck!
Book Review: The Lady from the Black Lagoon
The Lady from the Black Lagoon
Published by Hanover Square Press, 2019. 368 pages.
By Mallory O’Meara
As a horror historian (sounds such more impressive than horror fan, doesn’t it?), anytime some light can be shed on someone important in the genre, especially when that light was purposely taken away from them, then I’m all for it.
If you were to just go by the screen credits in those classic movies, you’d never know about some of the thousands of people that actually worked on them. This isn’t anything new either, since a LOT of people go without given due credit. That’s just the business. But when that business included someone taking credit for someone else’s work, even getting rid of said person because they were starting to get their deserved credit, then that that error needs to be fixed, especially when we’re talking about the creation of one of the famous Universal Monsters. Helping do that is author Mallory O’Meara with this new book on Milicent Patrick, the woman who actually designed the Gill Man from Creature from the Black Lagoon.
Did You Rondo Yet?
Tomorrow is the cut off for voting on this year’s Rondo Awards for 2018. So if you haven’t taken a few minutes to pick your favorites and send them in, then don’t delay! There are a lot of hard working people out there promoting the genre that could always use a bit of cheering to show their work matters. Even being nominated is an honor, but bringing home the little bust of Rondo is even better. So take a few minutes, vote with your heart, and make someone’s day.
You can get to the voting ballot by clicking HERE. Just copy and paste it in an email to David Colton at taraco@aol.com.
Evilspeak #6 Now Out!
Just when you thought it was dead and buried, Evilspeak rises from the depths of hell to deliver once again, a magazine filled with horror! Just like it always has! And issue # 6 is filled with the usually demented drooling and drawings that you’ve come to love.
Within these pages, you’ll find coverage on movies such as Night of the Demon (1980), A Candle for the Devil (1973), Dark Night of the Scarecrow (1981), The Brain (1988), Seven Women for Satan (1976), Pin (1988), and more. There’s even interviews with the likes of Chris Reifert and Elizabeth Shepherd, not to mention filled with the amazing artwork through the issue.
All you need to do is click HERE to order your copy now! And if you’re missing any of the previous issues, why not order them as well before they are all gone!
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