Heading to Chiller
This coming weekend, I'll be heading down to Secaucus, NJ for the annual Chiller Theater show. This year there will be six of us, up two from the last couple of years. It started out with just my brother and I 18 years ago, with Pal Jeff joining the troupe a couple of years after that. I've been every year since, sometimes twice a year, to either a Fangoria Con or a Chiller Theater show. And outside of maybe Christmas, it what I look forward to most in any given year.
Horror Cons are a tough thing to explain to people, and for years I avoided it. My usual description used to be a "film convention where I can meet other filmmakers and discuss the craft." In reality, and this is something I embrace now, it's a geek-fest. An opportunity to buy bootleg DVDs, meet/see famous people, and be surrounded by hundreds of like-minded people who love horror movies and don't hide it. At all. Yes, they dress up like zombies. Yes, they dress up like vampires. Most wear black t-shirts with images from THE EVIL DEAD, THE BEYOND, DR.BUTCHER MD, or THE DEADLY SPAWN. Then there's the women -- the Scream Queens, and the Fake Scream Queens hired by guys to help sell their stuff. They know many horror movie fans are hopeless geeks who will drop down ten bucks for a Zacherly magazine if a hottie with her ass hanging out is selling it. Why not? Who's it hurt?
Who's it hurt? That, I think, is a universal question that should be asked of everything. Morality should be dictated by the answer. The more honest, pragmatic and objective the answer, the more clear the morality.
Back to Chiller. Absolutely can't wait. If you're there, I'll be one of the square looking guys in blue jeans and a polo shirt or sweater. I did buy a DEADLY SPAWN t-shirt last year, but I'm too embarrased to wear it.
Horror Cons are a tough thing to explain to people, and for years I avoided it. My usual description used to be a "film convention where I can meet other filmmakers and discuss the craft." In reality, and this is something I embrace now, it's a geek-fest. An opportunity to buy bootleg DVDs, meet/see famous people, and be surrounded by hundreds of like-minded people who love horror movies and don't hide it. At all. Yes, they dress up like zombies. Yes, they dress up like vampires. Most wear black t-shirts with images from THE EVIL DEAD, THE BEYOND, DR.BUTCHER MD, or THE DEADLY SPAWN. Then there's the women -- the Scream Queens, and the Fake Scream Queens hired by guys to help sell their stuff. They know many horror movie fans are hopeless geeks who will drop down ten bucks for a Zacherly magazine if a hottie with her ass hanging out is selling it. Why not? Who's it hurt?
Who's it hurt? That, I think, is a universal question that should be asked of everything. Morality should be dictated by the answer. The more honest, pragmatic and objective the answer, the more clear the morality.
Back to Chiller. Absolutely can't wait. If you're there, I'll be one of the square looking guys in blue jeans and a polo shirt or sweater. I did buy a DEADLY SPAWN t-shirt last year, but I'm too embarrased to wear it.
posted by Marty at 10:47 AM
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