Cinevent Next Weekend!

Fangs Seems like forever since our last stop on this year’s Discover the Horror World Tour. But next week, we’ll be heading to Columbus, Ohio for the annual Cinevent Classic Film Convention. This is taking place from Thursday, May 23rd, to Sunday, May 26th, at the Renaissance Columbus Downtown.

Hard to believe, but this show has been running for over 50 years. And unlike most shows, this is all about collecting and memorabilia. While there are a few guests, they are mainly authors and film historians, so there is no autograph lines drawing people from the dealer room. Just a good old fashioned collector’s show. While this isn’t a horror show, there is still plenty enough to keep me interested and browsing, and I usually come home with a few good things.

This show has films playing all weekend long, starting at noon on Thursday and running until midnight. On Friday and Saturday, they are running from 9am until midnight. Most of the films are not in the horror genre, but this time out, I’m going to have the chance to catch the 1974 exploitation film Fangs (also know as Holy Wednesday) on Saturday night! Since we’re actually staying at the hotel this time, it will be no problem catching that one! Continue reading →

Monsterpalooza – Part 5: Celebs and Goodbye!

May 2, 2019 by Jon Kitley in Conventions and tagged Color Out of Space, David Del Valle, Dust Devil, Gamera, Greg Cannon, Hardware, Monsterpalooza, RIchard Stanley, Severin | Leave a comment

We never bothered with going to the celebs that were signing outside in the hall, mainly because they were ones that have been convention regulars, plus the fact that I had no interests in paying for an autograph. But there were more than a few “famous” people wandering around the vendor room throughout the weekend. On Saturday, as Dawn, Scott, and me were wandering around, we were coming up to the Severin table and I see this hat from the back. I looked over at Scott and said, “That’s Richard Stanley! I can tell by the hat.” And I was right. In 1990, I was got to see Stanley’s first feature film, Hardware, in the theater. It was an incredible experience, filled with colors, images, and music, all intertwined together into this futuristic, post-apocalyptic tale of humanity, barely holding on. His second feature, Dust Devil (1992), was another visually stunning film. His latest film, Color Out of Space, is in post-production and I can’t wait to see it. Stanley is one of those directors that I had never met before, but always wanted to at least shake his hand and thank him for his work. And now, I got to do just that. Another one off my bucket list.

Richard Stanley

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Monsterpalooza – Part 4: The Vendors

May 1, 2019 by Jon Kitley in Conventions and tagged Blind Dead, Bob Lizarraga, Cryptid of North American, Disco Bloodbath, Monsterpalooza, Night Gallery, Skullclown, Twilight Zone | Leave a comment

Since this was our first West Coast show in close to two decades, I was hoping to see some vendors that we don’t normally see the usual shows that we go to. We definitely did, which is why I probably I spent so much money! But the Krypt is always needing some new little trinkets, right? Got to keep it fresh, right? Like this little Blind Dead bust? I mean, can you really have too many Blind Dead items? I didn’t think so either. Especially when it is a bust that was sculpted by Daniel Horne!

Sometimes after walking around any vendor room, you see plenty of cool stuff, but nothing really jumping out at you that is demanding that you take it home with you. Earlier in the weekend, we noticed that this guy had some old-fashioned looking hand puppets, but with characters you wouldn’t expect to be seeing, such as the little doll from Dario Argento’s Deep Red or Corbis from The Devil’s Rain! These were handmade and very cool, but with a price tag of $50, I really didn’t need one of those. Then walking by their table again on Sunday, either I missed it the first few times or they just put it out, but now they had a Mr. Sardonicus puppet out. Being a huge Castle fan, I just couldn’t pass it up and bought it. Check them out at www.skullclown.com. Just they don’t have a lot listed on their site so just email them and ask about their puppets. Or about all the other cool stuff they had out on their table. I know I’ll be looking for them again at the next show. Continue reading →

Monsterpalooza – Part 2: Displays

April 28, 2019 by Jon Kitley in Conventions and tagged Monsterpalooza | Leave a comment

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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!

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Monsterpalooza – Part 1: Screaming at Dark Delicacies

April 27, 2019 by Jon Kitley in Conventions and tagged Damien Glonek, Dark Delicacies, Don England, Halloweentown, Monsterpalooza, S.A. Bradley, Scott Bradley, Screaming for Pleasure | 1 Comment

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.

DarkDel1

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Busy, Busy, Busy

April 9, 2019 by Jon Kitley in Conventions, Misc. Ramblings and tagged Dark Delicacies, Monsterpalooza | 1 Comment

I know the updates here have been getting farther and farther apart it seems but have no fear. The Krypt is not close to shutting its doors anytime in the near future. I have just been crazy busy. My work in the real world has been utter chaos which has me questioning my career choice every single day. Plus, I’ve got some big writing deadlines I’m working on, not to mention trying to get the book to the final stages before going to the design and layout stage. So while the updates aren’t as regular right now, they will be back. I promise.

Adding to the things taking me away from the site is a couple of cons. Last weekend, for the very first time, the wife and I attended Cinema Wasteland not as dealers, but as regular fans. I gotta admit, it was pretty strange. There were several times during the weekend that I had a momentary thought that I needed to get back to my table. But it was fun hanging out with our friends, spending way too much money, and still getting very little sleep over the three days. And can’t wait to do it again.

But this weekend, we’re off for another first. We’re heading to the West Coast for our very first Monsterpalooza! I’ve been hearing about this show for years, so this time we decided to make it happen, and I’m really excited about it. So I would expect plenty of photos to be posted on our Facebook page over those three days. And we’ll get to actually visit Dark Delicacies as well!

So if you’re coming out to the show this weekend, maybe we’ll see you! Just look for the guy in the Kitley’s Krypt shirt with his eyes bulging out of his head at all the amazing displays!

Screaming for Pleasure at HorrorHound!

March 13, 2019 by Jon Kitley in Book News, Conventions and tagged HorrorHound, HorrorHound Weekend, S.A. Bradley, Screaming for Pleasure | 1 Comment

For those book lovers looking for one of the Rondo nominated books for 2018, then make sure you stop by our table at the HorrorHound convention this weekend because we will have copies on hand! Mr. Bradley has graciously sent us a box of his wonderful book so we can help him spread his deliciously demented ramblings. I couldn’t recommend this book enough, my fellow readers out there.

We only have a limited supply on hand and once their gone, you’ll have to do it the old fashion way and order it online! So stop by quick and pick up your copy at the Kitley’s Krypt table!

See you this weekend!!!

HorrorHound Next Weekend!

March 10, 2019 by Jon Kitley in Conventions and tagged Discover the Horror, HorrorHound, HorrorHound magazine, HorrorHound Weekend, Kitley's Krypt | Leave a comment

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With the release of my first book later this year, we are calling our 2019 tour something a little different than the usual “World Tour”. For this year, we will be calling it the Discover the Horror Tour 2019! We’re hoping to not only get some advance advertising about my book, but also to help promote fans to learn more about the horror genre. So much to read, so much to watch, and so much to learn!

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End of an Era

December 6, 2018 by Jon Kitley in Conventions, Misc. Ramblings and tagged Cinema Wasteland, Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni, Dave Kosanke, Don England, Evilspeak Magazine, Lamberto Bava, Leon Marcelo, Lix, Mariano Baino, Putrid, Richard Johnson, Scott Bradley, The Haunting | Leave a comment

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No…the show is not stopping. Let’s get that straight right off the top. I don’t want Ken to be emailing me about misleading people! The show will go on, just not with Kitley’s Krypt there vending.

Back in September of 2000, we set up at the very first Cinema Wasteland Movie and Memorabilia Expo, in Strongsville, Ohio. 19 years later, after 34 shows, it is still going strong. We were a dealer at that very first show and have continued to set up there since, never once missing one. In my years of going to shows, both as a fan and as a dealer, which is three decades worth, I’ve never known a show like Cinema Wasteland.

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HorrorHound This Weekend!

August 21, 2018 by Jon Kitley in Conventions and tagged HorrorHound Weekend, Skyline Drive-in, Super Monster Movie Fest | Leave a comment

In just a few days, we’ll have the van loaded up once again ready to make our trip to another convention. This time out, it will be for the HorrorHound Weekend in Indianapolis, where that show started over ten years ago. Except this time out, it will be at a new hotel than the one it has been at since the beginning. Kind of bummed about that since I really liked the hotel and area where it was at. But I understand how you can outgrow a hotel and need to make the move. Just really hoping for no surprises when we get there to set up…fingers crossed.

Once again, we will be set up there peddling our wares, looking for that exclusive bunch of people that still like to read about their favorite movies. So if you’re coming out to the show, make sure you stop by and say hello. We always like meeting our followers and putting faces to the names we see on emails and messages. For all the information about the show, just click HERE.

Also this weekend at the Skyline Drive-In is their Super Monster Movie Fest, which starts on Friday night and then again on Saturday night, with 4 features each night. We are still planning to try to make it there both nights, but with the show going on and all, might make it a little more challenging, but we’ll see. For more info on the lineup and Drive-In, just click HERE.

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