Josh Farley Presents: Magic Across America - An Amazing Night of Illusion & Comedy!

 Written By Ken Hulsey

Our family loves illusionists, and last night we were thrilled to catch Josh Farley's show at the Huckleberry Brewing Company in Alexandria, Louisiana, as part of his 50 States in 50 Weeks Tour. We were fortunate to secure exclusive VIP tickets (which I highly recommend if you plan to see one of his future shows!) that allowed us to enjoy a private meet-and-greet and an up-close performance with Josh.

First and foremost, Josh is one of the nicest people you could ever meet. He is passionate about his craft and loves to share his story with others. He spent around 45 minutes with a small group of us, discussing his life and career, as well as a bit about the history of illusionists. It was truly a magical experience (See what I did there). 

Historic Lincoln Dia de los Muertos | Halloween in New Mexico

From New Mexico True

Join us for the vibrant and festive **Día de los Muertos** celebration at the Historic Lincoln site on **November 1, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM**! This marks the 11th annual town celebration of the Day of the Dead, a cherished tradition honoring the Mexican settlers who played a pivotal role in shaping our community.

Experience Family Fun at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta!

 From Visit Albuquerque

Get Ready for Family Fun at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta! The excitement is in the air! The much-anticipated ExxonMobil Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® is just around the corner, so there’s still time to plan your unforgettable adventure. Imagine the stunning spectacle of hot air balloons filling the morning sky, followed by enchanting evening balloon glows—this event is unlike any other, and Albuquerque is eager to welcome you!

Fort Griffin Living History Days | Relive Texas Pioneer Days with Authentic Reenactments

 From the Texas Historical Commision

Get ready to travel back in time at the thrilling Fort Griffin Living History Days on October 10-11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.! This immersive event is your chance to witness the vibrant life of the Texas frontier as living historians recreate the spirit of the late 1800s. Picture yourself amidst chuckwagons, longhorns, and captivating demonstrations that will transport you to a time when the wild west was still untamed! 

Vernon Street Machine and Classics Association Presents Summers Last Blast 2025

Get ready for the 36th Annual Summer's Last Blast, happening August 7th, 8th, and 9th in the charming town of Vernon, Texas! This incredible event is proudly hosted by the Vernon Street Machine and Classics Association and promises a memorable weekend for car aficionados and families alike. 

Join us at Orbison Park for the Show-n-Shine Car Show, where you can relax and enjoy the stunning display of Classics, Street Rods, Pro Streets, and Antiques. You'll have the chance to admire these marvelous vehicles while the enthusiastic Cruisers get their rides ready for the Nostalgic Cruise Saturday Night. And don’t forget your swimsuit! You can cool off from the sweltering August heat in the brand-new city pool as live bands serenade you with your favorite tunes throughout the day. 

Family-Friendly Activities at the Fourth in the Falls | Wichita Falls, Texas

Get ready to celebrate America’s birthday with enthusiasm at the 4th in the Falls Freedom Fest – and guess what? It’s absolutely FREE!

Join us as we gather to honor our nation’s independence with an evening filled with fun, excitement, and community spirit, co-hosted by the City of Wichita Falls and Sheppard Air Force Base. It’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the 4th of July alongside friends, family, and neighbors! Here's what you can look forward to: delicious food trucks, unique local vendors, a classic car show, live music, a beer tent, activities for the kids, a Battle of the Bands, and a stunning fireworks display to wrap up the night!

2018 Roswell UFO Festival News

Here's the latest news from the organizers of the 2018 Roswell UFO Festival:

New post on Official UFO Festival Roswell Website Free movie fun at the 2018 UFO Festival! by UFO Festival  In the epic adventure film `Independence Day,' strange phenomena surface around the globe. The skies ignite. Terror races through the world's major cities. As these extraordinary events unfold, it becomes increasingly clear that a force of incredible magnitude has arrived, its mission: total annihilation over the Fourth of July weekend. The last hope to stop the destruction is an unlikely group of people united by fate and unimaginable circumstances. What a perfect movie to show at the official 2018 UFO Festival Independence Day weekend!  Join us at the 3rd St. Station pavilion for a FREE showing of this critically acclaimed movie. Movie begins around 8:30 p.m.  The floor is concrete, so plan accordingly. Remember to bring your: Chairs Snacks Bug spray THIS IS A NON-SMOKING EVENT.  WELL BEHAVED PETS ARE ALLOWED. 501st Legion to appear at the 2018 UFO Festival! by UFO Festival Do you love Star Wars?  Who doesn't?   We are thrilled to announce that members of the 501st Dewback Ridge Garrison will be on hand for photos and more at the official 2018 UFO Festival! Since 1997, the costuming organization known as the 501st Legion has spread the magic of the Star Wars genre worldwide through its authentic-looking costumes, and has become the leading force in fan-based charity events. The 501st, also known as "Vader's Fist," is truly dedicated to brightening the lives of those less-fortunate. Members of all ages and characters, including Darth Vader himself, will thrill audiences at this year's event. There is nothing quite like a group of Stormtroopers to bring attention to an event. Unlike individual entertainers, the 501st Legion functions as a group creating a true science-fiction/fantasy ambience with a wide range of professional-grade costumes and props. Our internal standards ensure a high level of professionalism in both actions and appearance to ensure your event runs smoothly.

Roswell 2018 UFO Festival

by Armand Vaquer

On the subject of UFOs (per my last post on the 1977 UFO incident at the island of Colares), the 2018 Roswell UFO Festival is going to be here before we know it.

According to their website:

In 2017 we hosted 38,000 aliens in Roswell!  We were so amazed! Our surveys indicated people from 43 states and 16 different countries. 27 media groups, 24 live coverage network shows, and countless printed stories. We were featured on The Travel Channel’s Expeditions Unknown, The Food Network’s Carnival Eats and more! 

We realize 2017 will be hard to beat, but we are working hard on some exciting additions in 2018 to make this festival even bigger and better than ever.   Be sure to join over 32,000 subscribers at the bottom of the page for updates! 

This year the Festival will be held July 6-8, 2018 – start making plans to attend now!  Many hotels are already taking reservations and are usually booked, so we recommend making reservations now!  We are currently in the process of scheduling all the entertainment and events, so check back often. 

The City of Roswell invites UFO enthusiasts and skeptics alike to join in the celebration of one of the most debated incidents in history. The three-day event will feature guest speakers, authors, live entertainment, a costume contest, parade, a pet costume contest, parade, family-friendly activities and more.

I plan on attending and it should be an interesting and fun event.

For information, go here.

Monster Worship exhibits kaiju art at F.O.E. Gallery in Northampton

From Mass Live

Everyone knows Godzilla. But if you want to meet some of his weirder friends and extended family, visit F.OE. Gallery in Northampton.

That's where an exhibit feature the kaiju artwork of Chad Rugola is now on display. Kaiju is the Japanese word meaning "strange creature" (or "monster") and is how beasts such as Godzilla and Mothra are described.

Rugola's company, Monster Worship, produces kaiju art in several formats, from vinyl toys to prints to apparel. Monster Worship is now in its fifth year of operation and has produced 12 unique vinyl toys in over 100 unique colorways. The exhibit runs through Jan. 5. Check out www.monsterworship.com for additional information. F.O.E is at 114 Main St.

Rugola recently answered a few questions about his craft and interest in this form of art.

READ MORE

Have a superhero New Year’s

From Japan Times

Here’s an opportunity to have an ultra-special time this holiday season. The popular Ultraman superheroes, including the superhero himself and new hero Ultraman Ginga, will be in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, from Dec. 27 until Jan. 5 for the Oshogatsu Dayo! Ultraman Zenin Shugo (It’s the New Year! with All of the Ultraman Heroes) event.

The Ultraman series, featuring epic battles between heroes and giant monsters, first appeared on television in July 1966 and quickly became hugely popular, with fans mimicking the heroes’ unique energy-beam gestures.

READ MORE

12th annual Mothman Festival

Walking through the streets of Point Pleasant, W.Va., is like strolling the archives of American history. Beneath the asphalt lies the earth where the first battle of the American Revolution was fought. Virginians and Native Americans bled and died on that land. Theirs are the bones on which America was built.

However, the most notable period in Point Pleasant's history was far more recent. The sudden appearance of the Mothman was alarming enough, but not as much as the tragic event that coincided with its disappearance.

Hundreds of people crowded the streets of downtown Point Pleasant on Sept. 21 and 22 to eat, listen to music and browse the Mothman related products offered by more than 40 vendors at the annual Mothman Festival.

The most popular attraction was the Mothman Museum, which houses historical documents and artifacts concerning the creature and other strange events that occurred in that time. It also contains an extensive collection of items and props from 2002’s “The Mothman Prophecies,” a film loosely based on the book of the same name.

Every year, the festival grows, attracting a greater number of people. Jeff Wamsley, the festival's director, credits the festival's creation and growing success to the rise of online media and the movie.

READ MORE

MORE NEWS STORIES

Giant Mega Monster Movies This Weekend! Mr. Lobo presents Godzilla and Mothra!

Planning a PACIFIC RIM getaway “vacay”? Well, The ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE in WINCHESTER, VA–which presents great first run features such as “Pacific Rim”, is also celebrating the classic beasts and bots of Cinema and has asked MR. LOBO to come down from his secret base PA to host three amazing films that feature chaotic, cataclysmic creatures! GODZILLA at 5pm this Saturday, MOTHRA at Midnight, and on Sunday afternoon, the day after, for the Monster Kids “IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA!”

The posters and fliers were eaten up at Monster Bash. Mr. Lobo looks forward to seeing many of you there! Make a weekend out of it if you can…there is a great Hotel in the same parking lot and wonderful restaurants–And of course, The Alamo serves great food and spirits in the theater. Every row of seats has it’s own table. When was the last time you had someone bring you beer and pizza in the dark? It’s damn spiffy! It reminds Mr. Lobo of the “Thrillville” shows we used to do back in California!

To wet your appetite even further we asked Bob Johnson, who runs Bay Area Film Events and the Sci-Fi Japan website, to say a few things about our Saturday program. Bob has been bringing Kaiju/Tokusatsu to the bay area over the last 30 years with events like GODZILLAFEST and ULTRAMANIA–which Mr. Lobo had the honor of co-hosting on the West Coast.

READ MORE

California Comic Convention

The California Comic Convention is returning for its 7th year to the Yorba Linda Community Center in Orange County, CA on Sunday, January 27, 2013. This is a one-day event with a focus on vintage comics and comic book art. Dozens of dealers from across the U.S. will offer a large selection of items sought-after by collectors and investors.

Our scheduled guest artists Rudy Nebres and Barry Kitson will sketch and sign during the show. CGC will be available to take attendees’ submissions and to witness the original signatures of our guest artists. In addition, we will raffle dozens of valuable items throughout the day including CGC graded comics, original comic book pages, guest artist sketches.

Date and Time

January 27, 2013 (Sunday)
9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.




Location

Yorba Linda Community Center
4501 Casa Loma Ave.
Yorba Linda CA 92886

Parking is free!

Tickets

Admission $10

Advance ticket purchases are available online at :

http://www.calcomiccon.com/AttendeeInfo.aspx

Special Guest Artists

Rudy Nebres - Born in the Philippines where he met some DC editors and eventually moved to U.S. to work for DC on Tales of the Unexpected and other minor titles. Later he found more success at Marvel working on titles like Conan, Kull, Dr. Strange and the over sized black and white comic book Deadly Hands of Kung Fu. Since his early success he has also worked with Neal Adams at Continuity Comics and on the Cross Gen line among others.

Barry Kitson - British comics artist best known as a penciler of major superhero comic books published by Marvel and DC. His first professional work was Spider-Man for Marvel UK. He also drew many stories for 2000 AD. His first work for DC Comics was a Batgirl special issue. In 2004, Kitson helped relaunch Legion of Superheroes for DC Comics. Kitson signed an exclusive contract with Marvel Comics in 2007 working on such titles as The Order, Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four, and The Amazing Spider-Man, More recently, he worked on Incredible Hulk, an Iron Man miniseries and two issues of Fantastic Four.

Monsterpalooza 2012

Above, The Monster confronts Elizabeth in "Frankenstein" in Monsterpalooza's Museum.

It was another fun Monsterpalooza in Burbank this year. I attended yesterday afternoon. The crowds waiting to get in were huge, despite an occasional downpour.

The first person I recognized was Godzilla suit-maker Shinichi Wakasa. We chatted a bit over at The Daily Grill, the Burbank Marriott's restaurant. I introduced longtime G-FEST volunteer Barbara Weiler to him.

While waiting to get in, a gent in a homemade Gill-man suit entertained people in line (below).

Once inside, I made my way to Mondo Cult magazine's table and met with Jessie Lilley. Earlier, I had Don Glut snap this shot of actor/writer/film historian Ted Newsom and me (below).

Wandering around, I found that the usual great exhibits one expects at Monsterpalooza were in abundance. Mike Hill's life-size sculptures (below) of Jack Pierce (with The Mummy) and Rick Baker (with An American Werewolf In London) were terrific.

Naturally, Monsterpalooza had celebritites and big names in the horror genre in abundance. Sara Karloff (daughter of Boris) had a table (below) as did Bela Lugosi Jr.

After meandering around the vendor areas, I made my way into Monsterpalooza's Museum. Here's some of the highlights in the museum:

Above, several portraits of Boris Karloff, Vincent Price and Al Lewis.

Above, "Avatar."

Above, Godzilla was represented by this huge sculpture.

Above, The Monster and Henry Frankenstein struggle on the mill.

Following the Museum, I made my way to the autograph section where I obtained this autographed photo of actress Caroline Munro (from 1977's The Spy Who Loved Me) with Roger Moore (below).

And, had a photo taken with her:

After this, I had to dash off to pick up my roomie in Pasadena.


Monsterpalooza continues today and tomorrow.


If you can, head out to Burbank and have yourself a great time!

News From The Black Lagoon: Creature Feature And Julie Adams Book

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Sources: Wakulla County News and Information / Julie Adams Official Website

It's that time once again! Time for the residents of Wakulla Springs, Florida to celebrate their favorite monster ... The Creature From The Black Lagoon. As most of you already know Wakulla Springs State Park doubled as the infamous "Black Lagoon" (along with the back lot at Universal) in the first of three Gill-man films. Every October the park shows the movie and holds events to pay tribute to the monster that they love so dearly.

Here is the info from Wakulla.com:

Wakulla Springs State Park will present "Creature Feature" on Friday, October 21, 2011 from 7pm to 9pm.

Entrance will be free to the public. The event is being hosted by Wakulla Springs Lodge on the big screen TV in the hotel lobby. The gift shop will be open during the event for refreshments! Choose from a full range of snacks, drinks and candies.

The Creature will be lurking about the property and is expected to make an appearance!

Can't find the "Black Lagoon"? Maybe this will help - http://www.floridastateparks.org/wakullasprings/

Normally the stars from the movie make a special appearance but this year Julie Adams will be in Hollywood promoting her new book "The Lucky Southern Star: Reflections From the Black Lagoon".

Here is the info from Julie's website:

Julie at Book Signings for Her New Book

After numerous requests, Julie has written her personal autobiography with many pictures never before seen. It is titled The Lucky Southern Star: Reflections From the Black Lagoon and covers her whole career. It will be available on October 27th. It will be launched with a book signing on Thursday, October 27 at Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. And there will be a double feature screening at the Egyptian Theatre that night of Creature From the Black Lagoon (Shown in 3D) 7:45 - 9:00 p.m. followed by a Question and Answer session with Julie and Bend of the River following the Q & A.

There will be another book signing on Sunday, October 30th at the Dark Delicacies Book Store, 3512 W. Magnolia Blvd, Burbank, CA from 2 - 4 p.m. There is no charge for a dedication and signature at the book signings.

The book will sell for $29.95, please add $3.00 for postage. If you want a personal dedication and signature through ordering the book on the Web Page it will be an additional $20.00, postage is free on personally signed books.

Universal Monsters Invade The Music Box Theatre In Chicago This Month!

Written By: Ken Hulsey
Source: Music Box Theatre

I know that Monster Island News has a lot of readers/fans in the greater Chicago area (yes, I'm talking to you James Baack) that will find this very, very interesting. In fact they may have a monstergasm of some sort!

Your welcome!

Indeed the Music Box Theatre in Chicago is hosting week long festival of classic Universal Studios monster films beginning October 21st. All the usual creatures will be on hand including ... um ... The Creature, Dracula, Frankenstein, Mrs Frankenstein (okay they never really got hitched) The Wolfman and of course a Captive Wild Woman (you can't let em loose to roam the street!)

Here are your films:

Murders in the Rue Morgue October 21, 2:40pm; October 22, 2:00pm; October 22, 5:15pm

Robert Florey, 1932, 61m

In 19th Century Paris, the maniacal Dr. Mirakle abducts young women and injects them with ape blood in an attempt to prove ape-human kinship…

The Invisible Man October 21, 4:00pm; October 23, 2:00pm; October 23, 7:15pm

James Whale, 1933, 71m

A scientist finds a way of becoming invisible, but in doing so, he becomes murderously insane.

It Came Frow Outer Space October 21, 8:15pm; October 23, 5:15pm

Jack Arnold, 1953, 81m

A spaceship from another world crashes in the Arizona desert, and only an amateur stargazer and a schoolteacher suspect alien influence when the local townsfolk begin to act strange.

Creature from the Black Lagoon in 3D October 21, 10:00pm; October 22, 3:30pm

Jack Arnold, 1954, 79m

A strange prehistoric beast lurks in the depths of the Amazonian jungle. A group of scientist try to capture the animal and bring it back to civilization for study. In 3D!

The Invisible Man Returns October 23, 3:30pm; October 23, 9:00pm

Joe May, 1940, 81m

The owner of a coal mining operation, falsely imprisoned for fratricide, takes a drug to make him invisible, despite its side effect: gradual madness.

Captive Wild Woman October 24, 5:30pm; October 24, 8:45pm

Edward Dymtryk, 1943, 61m

An insane scientist doing experimentation in glandular research becomes obsessed with transforming a female gorilla into a human…even though it costs human life.

The Wolf Man October 24, 7:00pm

George Waggner, 1941, 70m

A practical man returns to his homeland, is attacked by a creature of folklore, and infected with a horrific disease his disciplined mind tells him can not possibly exist.

Dracula October 25, 5:30pm; October 25, 9:00pm

1931, 75m

The ancient vampire Count Dracula arrives in England and begins to prey upon the virtuous young Mina. Starring Bela Lugosi.

The Mummy October 25, 7:15pm

Karl Freund, 1932, 73m

In 1921 a field expedition in Egypt discovers the mummy of ancient Egyptian prince Im-Ho-Tep, who was condemned and buried alive for sacrilege…

Frankenstein October 26, 5:30pm; October 26, 8:45pm

James Whale, 1931, 70m

Horror classic in which an obsessed scientist assembles a living being from parts of exhumed corpses.

Bride of Frankenstein October 26, 7:00pm

James Whale, 1935, 75m

Mary Shelley reveals the main characters of her novel survived: Dr. Frankenstein (goaded by an even madder scientist) builds his monster a mate.

The Black Cat October 27, 5:30pm

Edgar G. Ulmer, 1934, 65m

American honeymooners in Hungary are trapped in the home of a Satan- worshiping priest when the bride is taken there for medical help following a road accident.

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein October 27, 7:00pm

Charles Barton, 1948, 83m

Two hapless freight handlers find themselves encountering Dracula, the Frankenstein Monster and the Wolf Man.

Here is the full schedule:

Friday 10/21
8:15 – It Came From Outer Space 3D
10:00 – Creature from the Black Lagoon 3D

Saturday 10/22
2:00 – Murders in the Rue Morgue
3:30 – Creature from the Black Lagoon
5:15 – Murders in the Rue Morgue

Sunday 10/23
2:00 – The Invisible Man
3:30 – The Invisible Man Returns
5:15 – It Came From Outer Space
7:15 – The Invisible Man
9:00 – The Invisible Man Returns

Monday 10/24
5:30 – Captive Wild Woman
7:00 – The Wolf Man
8:45 – Captive Wild Woman

Tuesday 10/25
5:30 – Dracula
7:15 – The Mummy
9:00 – Dracula

Wednesday 10/26
5:30 – Frankenstein
7:00 – Bride of Frankenstein
8:45 – Frankenstein

Thursday 10/27
5:30 – The Black Cat
7:00 – Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein

For tickets and more info go HERE

Can’t Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film

Source: EMP Museum

EMP Museum announced the opening of its new exhibition Can’t Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film which takes an in-depth exploration into horror, its link to humanity, and how that connection is expressed through cinema, biology, history, and contemporary culture. EMP invited some of the world’s most prolific horror film directors – Roger Corman, John Landis, and Eli Roth – to curate a selection of their favorite films that exemplify the genre and illustrate the creative power of horror film. Can’t Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film opens October 2, 2011 at EMP.

"Audiences have been fascinated with horror stories for centuries, but its presence in popular culture is now more pervasive than ever," says EMP’s Senior Curator, Jacob McMurray. "This exhibition will examine how horror film has evolved over the last century, why we as a culture are drawn to these macabre narratives, and how fear and horror are a vital component to our human identity."

Through a combination of artifacts, interactive installations, and screening rooms, Can’t Look Away: The Lure of Horror Film explores films from the last 100 years, and is a balance between classics and cult favorites, and domestic and foreign motion pictures. They include: Nosferatu (1922), Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Les Diaboliques (1955), Rosemary’s Baby (1968), Suspiria (1972), The Exorcist (1973), Psycho (1973), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), Alien (1979), The Shining (1980), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), The Fly (1986), The Thing (1982), and many others.

The exhibition will feature a selection of iconic artifacts from horror films including:
•Alien creature suit from Alien
•Scavenger demon from Constantine
•Jack Torrance’s axe from The Shining
•"Gill Man" mask from Creature from the Black Lagoon
•Bram Stoker’s Dracula manuscript
•Script from Night of the Living Dead

Interactive installations include:

Scream Booth: In a soundproof booth, visitors will watch a scene from a horror film and are encouraged to scream on cue. A camera takes multiple shots, which are displayed outside the booth.

Horror Soundscapes: Visitors will be able to explore basic music elements and scoring techniques used in horror film to enhance the sense of suspense and horror.

Monster Timeline: A large infographic explores the popular monster archetypes in horror, why they persist into our modern times, and why they resonate.

Shadow Monsters: An installation by visual artist Philip Worthington where visitors can see their projected shadows and watch them morph into monster-like forms.

HOURS
Winter hours September 6, 2011 - May 24, 2012, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Summer hours May 27, 2011 to September 5, 2011, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

CONTACT INFO
325 5th Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109
206-770-2700, main line
206-770-2702, box office
1-877-EMP-SFM1, toll-free
www.empmuseum.org

The 2011 Viscera Film Festival Celebrates Female Horror Film Makers

Source: Rachel Grubb / Jamie Jenkins

The moment has arrived. If you think women are too soft to make cut-to-the bone horror, then this festival is for you. If you know women can be just as twisted, emotionally grinding, terror-inducing and splatter spewing as men, this festival thanks you. And if you are one of those horror chicks, this festival is because of you.

Join the celebration of contemporary female directed/produced horror films from across the globe at the 2011 Viscera Film Festival. Seating is limited and you do not want to miss this opportunity to help promote equality and creativity within the horror genre.

During the festival you will be witness to some of the most creative and original new short horror films made by women today. Some are terrifying, some are pulse pounding, and some are hilarious. All showcase what can be accomplished when twisted, cool, darkside-proud women get down to business.

Sunday 17, JULY 2011

The Silent Movie Theater
611 North Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, Ca. 90036
(323) 655-2520

http://www.seeing-stars.com/theatres/SilentMovie.shtml

TICKETS!

http://www.brownpaperticke​ts.com/event/154825

Advance tickets - $15.00
Door Price - $20.00

SCHEDULE:

5:00 PM - Festival begins! Sit in your seats!
8:00 PM - After Party on the back patio.
10:00 pm - After, After Party at the Rosewood Tavern

SPECIAL GUESTS:

ATTENDING GUESTS

Denise Gossett, Brea Grant, Jonathan Tiersten, Elizabeth Stanley, Amanda Diebert, Cat Staggs, Joe Lynch, Mark Hengst, Dave Decoteau, Brinke Stevens, Chris Gore, Anthony Masi, Paul Solet, Jamie Andrews, Michelle Boyd, Peter Cornwell, Michelle Tomlinson, Dai Green, Devanny Pinn, Danielle Harris, Susanna Lo, Gabby West, Reggie Bannister, Gigi Bannister, Hart D. Fisher, Bill Moseley, John Skipp, Emma Jacobs, Tara Cardinal, Elissa Dowling, Jeff Dylan Graham, Rhianne Bergado, Natalie Pohorski, Bill Oberst, Matt Chassin, Rachel Grubb, Kevin Tenney, Paula Rhodes, Stephanie Thorpe, Nicholas Harsin, Devi Snively and Chela Johnson

ATTENDING FILMMAKERS

Annette Slomka, Nikki Wall, Lori Bowen, Karen Lam, Staci Layne Wilson, Marichelle Daywalt, Mae Catt, Tyrrell Shaffner, Molly Madfis, Susan Bell and Rachael Deacon

The films listed below are the reason for all the jubilation. Feast your ravenous eyes, horror fans!

TRAILERS:

American Mary by the Soska Sisters - WORLD PREMIERE
Adventure Girls by Dara Moats and Jon Deitcher
Blood on the Flat Track by Lainy Bagwelll, Lacey Leavitt
The Blood Shop by Annette Slomka- WORLD PREMIERE
WIH Month PSA by the Soska Sisters
You Can Execute Her but You Can't Kill Her by Jasmine Hirst
L.A.G.P. by Susan Bell - WORLD PREMIERE

FILMS*:

2-15-1996 - Mae Catt (USA) - WORLD PREMIERE
Aftershock - Lori Bowen (USA)
Bon Appetit - Kate Shenton (U.K.) - US PREMIERE
Doll Parts - Karen Lam (Canada)
Blood Bunny - Molly Madfis (USA)
A Fever and a River - Rachael Deacon (USA) - LA PREMIERE
Short Lease - Jennifer Eiss (U.K.)
Box - Nikki Wall (USA) - WORLD PREMIERE
The Ghost and Us - Emily Carmichael (USA)

Intermission - 15 Minutes

The Party’s Over - Gigi Romero (Spain) - US PREMIERE
Lump - Faye Jackson (U.K.)
Threnody - Tyrrell Shaffner (USA)
Nursery Crimes - Laura Whyte (U.K.)
The Key to Annabel Lee - Staci Layne Wilson (USA)
The Many Doors of Albert Whale - Marichelle Daywalt (USA)
Daddy’s Girl - Helen Komini Olsen (Norway)

*Mature Content. Parental Discretion Advised

FILMMAKERS Q&A

Filmmakers Karen Lam, Mae Catt, Rachael Deacon, Nikki Wall, Lori Bowen, Molly Madfis, Staci Layne Wilson, Marichelle Daywalt, and Tyrrel Shaffner onstage to answer your questions!

AWARDS!

Winners of Best Film, Best Director, and Best Cinematography announced!

This is some exciting stuff! But don’t grab your hat yet. The fun and festivities don't end there. Immediately following the festival will be the After Party on the back patio until 10PM! Drinks, food, and fun with filmmakers, guests, and more!
And for those who just can't stop the party there is the After, After Party.

Rosewood Tavern
448 North Fairfax Avenue
Los Angeles, Ca 90036
(323) 944-0980
http://rosewoodtavern.com/

VISCERA SPONSORS

Fearnet.com, Final Draft, Gorilla Software, Fangoria Entertainment, Fangirltastic, The Chainsaw Mafia, 33 Rooms, Women in Horror Month, Malibu Wines, Farmer’s Daughter Hotel, Matt Orsman, Crimson Stained Lace Productions, Kimyoo Films, The Horror Digest, DOA Bloodbath Entertainment, Rotten Cotton, Hot Zombie Chicks, There is No Halo, Annie M. Vickar Dolls & Skellery, Angel City Derby Girls, Zerner Law, Jessica Grundy, Morgue Art Films, Friendly Misanthrope, 1428 Films, Dan Dillard, Mike Merryman, Caisson Films, Hannah Foreman, Nick Goodrick, Assorted Oddities, Jen Morgart, Scary Art, The Big Bad, Lia Scott Price, Amityville Studios, Quirk Films, Philly Chick Pictures, Laughing Vixen Lounge, Brent Schoonover, Irene Langholm, Shannon Rose, Mark Berryman, Cassandra Sechler, Mike Snoonian, Mary Katherine Sisco, Simon Nisbet, Post-Mortem Depression, Susan Bell, Jeffrey Kane, Dreams for Dead Cats, Charon Pictures, Fable & Fury, Entertainment Partners.com, Emy’s Gift Shop, The Womanimal, FoamyWader, Neverland Jewelry, Red Carpet Crash, Kaci Hansen, Fright Rags, Drix Productions, Rude and Reckless, Gabrielle Faust, The Big Bad, The Zombified, Alternative Cinema, Obscure Artifacts, Have a Heart for Horror Cookbook, Terrorscribe and Cryes Creations.

VISCERA PARTNERS

National Horror Festival of Wales
Mile High Horror Festival
All Things Horror
Shriekfest
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It's Monster Movie Madness At The Los Angeles Museum Of Art!

Written By: Ken Hulsey

Sources: LA Times / LA County Museum of Art

The Los Angeles Museum is going crazy for monster movies in July with an exhibit of artwork by macabre movie master Tim Burton plus a series of monster movie screenings suggested by the film maker.

The first in the series of movie screenings is this Saturday (July 2nd) and features "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad"!

Here is the info:

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art presents a major retrospective exploring the full range of Tim Burton's creative work, both as a film director and as an artist, illustrator, photographer, and writer.

Tim Burton was born in Burbank in 1958. After studying at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), he worked as an animator at the Walt Disney Studios before breaking out on his own. Taking inspiration from popular culture, fairy tales and traditions of the gothic, Burton has reinvented Hollywood genre filmmaking as an expression of a personal vision.

The exhibition brings together over 700 drawings, paintings, photographs, moving-image works, storyboards, puppets, concept artworks, maquettes, costumes, and cinematic ephemera, including art from a number of unrealized and little-known personal projects. Many of these objects come from the artist's own archive, as well as from studio archives and private collections of Burton's collaborators. Hundreds of never-before-exhibited artworks and sketches will be joined by a selection of film posters accompanied by music composed for the exhibition by Burton's longtime collaborator Danny Elfman.

Two large-scale outdoor artworks are also installed on campus: a topiary inspired by Edward Scissorhands (1990), and Balloon Boy, an enormous figure based on an amalgamation of characters that Burton first introduced in his 1997 book The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories.

This exhibition was organized by The Museum of Modern Art, New York.The Los Angeles presentation was made possible in part by LACMA’s Wallis Annenberg Director’s Endowment Fund.

And on the monster movie series:

The 7th Voyage of Sinbad
July 2, 2011 | 2:00pm

“The 7th Voyage of Sinbad” (1958): Directed by Nathan Juran, the film was the first of three “Sinbad” movies Columbia produced that special effects pioneer Ray Harryhausen designed and animated with the dazzling stop-motion technique he called Dynamation. It took Harryhausen 11 months to complete the painstaking work on the film, which features creatures including a cyclops and a cobra-woman; Sinbad (Kerwin Matthews) even has a sword battle with a skeleton. The late Bernard Herrmann, who is the subject of several centenary celebrations this year, penned the score. Three years ago, “Sinbad” was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

Fantastic Voyage
July 9, 2011 | 2:00pm

“Fantastic Voyage” (1966) Directed by Richard Fleischer, this thriller finds a group of doctors, assistants and a CIA agent miniaturized and injected into the body of a scientist who escaped from the Soviet Union. (The scientist is comatose after an assassination attempt and this experimental effort is believed to be the only way to save him.) Stephen Boyd, Edmond O’Brien, Donald Pleasance and Raquel Welch, in her first major film role, star. The movie won Oscars for art direction (color) and for its then-cutting-edge special effects.

The Thing
July 16, 2011 | 2:00pm

“The Thing From Another World” (1951) Produced by Howard Hawks and directed by Christian Nyby (though for years it has been contended that Hawks actually directed the classic), “The Thing From Another World” is set at a base in the North Pole where six scientists find evidence of a crash by an unknown flying object. A U.S. Air Force re-supply crew is sent to the base where a frozen, tall alien creature (played by a young James Arness) is discovered. Margaret Sheridan, Kenneth Tobey and Dewey Martin are among the stars. Time magazine named the movie, which was remade in 1982 by John Carpenter, as the greatest sci-fi film produced in the 1950s

Journey to the Center of the Earth
July 23, 2011 | 2:00pm

“Journey to the Center of the Earth” (1959) James Mason, Pat Boone, Diane Baker and Arlene Dahl headline this film, based on the novel by Jules Verne. The sci-fi fantasy revolves a professor in Edinburgh who leads an expedition to the center of the earth after he receives an unusual rock from one of his students. Bernard Herrmann also penned the score for the film, which earned three Oscar nominations, for art decoration-set decoration, effects and sound

The Incredible Shrinking Man
July 30, 2011 | 2:00pm

“The Incredible Shrinking Man” (1957) The great sci-fi writer Richard Matheson penned the film, which is based on his novel; Jack Arnold, who helmed the 1954 3-D hit “Creature From the Black Lagoon,” directed. Grant Williams stars in the title role, playing a businessman who is hit by a radioactive cloud while sailing with his wife. Six months later, he begins to shrink due to the radiation and pesticides. A hit with both critics and audiences, the film won the 1958 Hugo Award for the year’s best science fiction or fantasy dramatic presentation

Jason and the Argonauts
August 6, 2011 | 2:00pm

“Jason and the Argonauts” (1963) Ray Harryhausen considers this to be his best film, and it does feature his memorable stop-motion sequence in which Jason (Todd Armstrong) and two of his men battle an army of skeletons. The sequence took Harryhausen nearly five months to complete. Bernard Herrmann also penned the evocative score

Mothra
August 13, 2011 | 2:00pm

“Mothra” (1961) The female creature first appeared in the serialized novel “The Luminous Fairies and Mothra” before she made her film debut in this Japanese feature. A giant lepidopteron with butterfly-moth characteristics, Mothra has been an ally with Godzilla but often the two square off in combat — with Mothra winning most of the bouts. When the film was released in the U.S. in 1962, it ran on a double bill with “The Three Stooges in Orbit.”

This Island Earth
August 20, 2011 | 2:00pm

“This Island Earth” (1955) Shot in Technicolor and featuring innovative special effects for its time, the film, directed by Joseph M. Newman, stars Jeff Morrow as the intellectual alien Exeter who recruits Rex Reason as scientist Cal Meacham and Faith Domergue as Dr. Ruth Adams for a “special” research project.

Horror of Dracula
August 27, 2011 | 2:00pm

“Horror of Dracula” (1958) The first — and arguably the best — in a long line of Dracula films from Hammer, the film cast towering Christopher Lee as the vampire count and Peter Cushing as his nemesis Van Helsing. It was released in the UK as “Dracula” but was renamed for the U.S. so as not to be confused with Tod Browning‘s 1931 Universal classic starring Bela Lugosi.

The exhibit of Tim Burton artwork runs from May 29th through October 31st!

For more info please visit - http://www.lacma.org/series/saturday-monster-matinees

Kitty From KITTY IN A CASKET Explodes On Stage!

Written By: Ken Hulsey

Imagine the horror when right in the middle of a live show one of the band members just simply blows up. Yes, explodes. Body parts go flying .... there is pandemonium ..... fans running for the doors ..... the week being trampled under foot as panic sets in.

Sounds like your kind of concert right?

Well, that is exactly what happened at a Kitty In A Casket show in Europe recently.

One of the band members just blew up right in the middle of the song "Zombie Paradise". Then to make things worse ... Kitty (the lead singer) started to catch fire, as in spontaneously combust.

Okay ....... none of that really happened.

It's all just a part of a running joke between Kitty and myself on Facebook. I pointed out that if she were to blow up on stage that it would be one hell of a publicity stunt and that it would undoubtedly boost the sales of their latest CD "Back to Thrill". Kitty decided that it would be better if one of her band mates blew up instead of herself.

Alas ..... some people just aren't willing to sacrifice it all for the sake of art ..... spectacle .... shock value?

Kitty In A Casket will be performing live at the Viper Room in Vienna Austria on July 2nd. The show will be a special release party for "Back to Thrill". Other artists on the bill include RAMAZURI and The Acting Apes.

Go here for more info - http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=172189886170769

Who knows .... maybe someone will explode during the gig? I did plant the idea in Kitty's head.

If it happens I want the credit ...... wait ...... that would be murder.

I know nothing about any of this ......









See Also: KITTY IN A CASKET Are BACK TO THRILL / Kitty In A Casket - Monster Music Profile

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