Big Gay Horror Fan is not known for his athletic prowess. Although, I did once witness the formation of a pectoral muscle on my right arm during a waffle eating contest.

Similarly, golden age sex goddess, Marilyn Monroe, was not known as a doyenne of fright. But, one of her first starring roles was that of an extremely demented babysitter in the 1952 psychological thriller Don’t Bother to Knock. Of extreme interest to terror titans everywhere, though, is the fact that this little potboiler (which some feel could have been a first class thriller under the more stylized gaze of Alfred Hitchcock) was directed by then Hollywood newbie Roy Ward Baker. Baker would go on to helm such nerve shaking masterpieces as The Vampire Lovers, Scars of Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde and Asylum for Amicus and Hammer in swinging 70’s England. Here, though, he was able to squeeze out a competent B-Movie despite the numerous insecurities of his leading lady.

According to Mike Evan’s Marilyn the ultimate book and Baker’s own memoir A Director’s Cut, even in her early years, Monroe was a mass of neuroses, causing delays in filming due to late set arrivals and panic stricken line readings. (Much as Laurence Olivier would bristle at Paula Strasberg’s involvement in Monroe’s performance on The Prince and the Showgirl set, Baker had interference problems with Monroe’s then coach, Natasha Lytess, and, with the studio’s help, would eventually ban her from the premises.) Still, as many others would attest to in her later years, Baker soon realized that Monroe could do no wrong in front of the camera and that, with patience and extreme support, she was able to accomplish a glowing, committed performance.

One of Baker’s most enjoyable 70’s horror romps, meanwhile, features busty Stephanie Beacham (Schizo, Dracula 1972 A.D., Horror Planet) as a young bride arriving at her new home in the ‘handy’ And Now the Screaming Starts. With severed appendages popping out of family portraits and a bloodied stump following unsuspecting victims down hallways and eventually strangling some innocent folks, And Now is vibrantly filmed and features distinguished performances from Peter Cushing, Herbert Lom and Ian Oglivy (The Witchfinder General). With a family curse looming over the proceedings, the film’s twist ending is a twisted delight and truly brings a new meaning to the notion of traumatic child birth.

Meanwhile, Judy Garland, another classic movie star with tremendous gay sensibilities, is another performer whom, not living to a fright hag age, is not known for any true spook offerings. (Although, she may be considered one of filmdom’s first final girls as her Dorothy fought down witches, flying monkeys and drugged poppy flowers in 1939’s The Wizard of the Oz.) But as a young actress, she did stretch her dramatic range as a terrified car hop waitress in a radio episode of Suspense. Suspense gave many a Hollywood golden oldie to a way to act against type and Garland’s full episode is available to listen to @:

Be sure to check back every other Monday for a look at the sweet ladies of terror.

Big Gay Horror Fan, meanwhile, is available 24/7 at http://www.facebook.com/#!/BigGayHorrorFan, as well.

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE – Big Gay Horror Fan!

Big Gay Horror Fan is always reading it wrong. Specializing in his own brand of reverse egoism, he always believes that those whispering in the corner are mocking his latest Friday the 13th shoeware or giggling about his lace tripping lack of social finesse.

Meanwhile, writer- director Zack Parker (along with co-scripter Brandon Owens) features a more challenging look at mixed perceptions in his tautly passionate feature Scalene. A point of view piece, split between three incredibly different individuals, this dramatic thriller examines what happens when a well-to-do college student is attacked by the handicapped young man under her care.

Featuring a massively complex performance (by Emmy award winning) Margo Martindale as the young man’s mother, Parker imaginatively shows different perspectives on the same scenario. Martindale’s Janice, therefore, comes off, alternatively, as a bawdy saint devoted to her frustrated child or emotionally blunt and abusive, depending on the point of view. Therefore, initial sympathy for the vengeful woman turns into questioning as concerned caregiver Paige (a compassionate Hannah Hall – best known to scare lovers from Rob Zombie’s Halloween) witnesses what could be extreme misbehavior from her employer. How she reacts to this forms the basis of the film’s emotionally charged action with confused patient Jakob (a sensational Adam Scarimbolo), whose garbled take on the situation appears as a bridge between acts, caught in the middle.

Stunning and intriguing, Scalene unfolds in a nonlinear fashion that leaves one curiously eager to discover the mysteries behind Paige’s account of the attack and Janice’s firm belief in his innocence.

Be sure to unravel the further beauties of Scalene, which was released by Breaking Glass Pictures (www.breakingglasspictures.com) on July 31st, at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/SCALENE/186016059605.

Meanwhile, Big Gay Horror Fan is always working backwards in time at http://www.facebook.com/#!/BigGayHorrorFan, as well.

Until the next time, SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!!!

Strawdog’s stage adaptation of Tony Burgess’ (highly zombified) production of Pontypool runs from October 13th – November 4th, 2012 in Chicago. For more information, please check out www.strawdog.org.

Big Gay Horror Fan is always accepting ‘BRAINS!’ lovers at http://www.facebook.com/#!/BigGayHorrorFan, as well.

And be sure to check out the BRAND SPANKING (yum!) NEW BGHF Video Channel at http://www.youtube.com/biggayhorrorfan, too!

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE!!! Big Gay Horror Fan!

Indeed, as a quiet teen, all those sensitive final girls provided Big Gay Horror Fan with an emotional resonance that has made him a bound and gagged fright fan for eternity. But, let’s be honest. It was all those hot, barrel chested twenty something dudes frolicking through neon yards of slasher celluloid that kept him coming back for more!

But talk about your lousy law of averages! For every sweet feminine nipple on display in our torture opuses and forbidden treks into terror, the ratio of bare male flesh is abysmally miniscule. And despite my fascination with Playboy magazine models and busty scream actresses, this surely doesn’t seem fair. So, I have vowed to, bi-weekly, visit those treasured (and not so treasured) horror flicks and television shows that have given us a bit of the male bits for our eternally trembling visual pleasure. So, please bare with me, because here we go!

The fifth episode of the first season of HBO’s beloved Tales from the Crypt, Lover Come Hack to Me (1989), finds genre regular Stephen Shellen (The Stepfather, Damned River, American Gothic, Drop Dead Gorgeous) as a fortune hunter whom marries consistently odd character actress Amanda Plummer’s character for her money. Of course, the twist is that Plummer’s Peggy is actually a sex kitten with a murderous lust and deliciously dark secret.

To help sell that shock, though, the brilliantly generous producers give us a long scene where the supposedly shy Peggy squirms as Shellen’s (recently rain soaked) cad undresses in front of a crackling fire, in a seemingly abandoned mansion. The camera lingers for a long while on Shellen’s beefy bare buttocks, ultimately giving all fey fright fans (and the lusty ladies, for that matter) in the audience something to dream about!

Going the distance for his long adoring fans, Shellen (and a fairly obvious movement body double), also, gave B-Movie lovers a wet delight in 1984 T and A comedy Gimme Me an ‘F’. Here, our stud of the day performed a sensual, highly athletic shower dance:

Of course, Shellen’s acting talent matched his physical beauty and it was always a joy to discover him onscreen – whether it was in a smaller role in gloriously cheesy television mini-series Hollywood Wives or a major role in a comedy like Casual Sex?

Be sure to check back, every other Monday, for a ‘serious’ look at male nudity in terror flicks.

Meanwhile, Big Gay Horror Fan is eternally looking for bloody dude lovers at http://www.facebook.com/#!/BigGayHorrorFan, as well.

Until the next time, SWEET love and pink GRUE!!

Believe me – Big Gay Horror Fan knows the destructive wonders of sex. But, even after all these years of activity, it still surprises him how some gruesome goddess of irony has allowed such an awesomely pleasurable thing to be so rife with pain, disease and comical misadventure. (Well, sometimes, the last one isn’t so bad, I guess.)

Director-writer Ian Wolfley’s black comedy of a horror short, Bug Chaser, fully examines all those various inappropriate catastrophes with a sure wit and an enormous visual flair. Utilizing the term bug chaser (a person who strives to catch AIDS through sexual contact) in a much more literal and gruesome context, Wolfley has created a relatable, panic stricken bit of cinema with a supreme, splatter ridden pay off.

During what promises to be a hotly erotic session with a seeming stranger, handsome and vicariously active Nathan discovers a horrific mark resting within his buttocks. Broke and without insurance, he spends a frenzied day and night researching what he determines to be some kind of rapidly growing boil. When a former trick, a helpful male nurse, seems unwillingly to operate in Nathan’s apartment, Wolfley explores what dangerous depths we’ll take to cure ourselves.

Featuring an adventurous and brave performance by Brendan Shucart, feverishly stunning work by director of photography, Joshua Smith, and some outstandingly squeamish special effects work from Robin Roselli, Bug Chaser fully establishes Wolfley as a filmmaking voice to look out for. Anyone who gets to experience the sweaty mentality and gooey rapture of this piece of celluloid madness will definitely be looking out for any other projects that this smart auteur has to offer.

To continually ‘catch’ what Wolfley and crew have to offer, be sure to check out www.bugchasermovie.com. Meanwhile, Big Gay Horror Fan is always in the race for new friends at http://www.facebook.com/#!/BigGayHorrorFan, as well.

Until the next time, SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

Gay horror writer Damian Serbu has been setting the mystical terror world aflame with his stories of ghosts, vampires and fantastical wanderers. His Vampire’s Angel series and first novel, Secrets in the Attic, have been getting a lot of literary attention, of late, and still this talented creator took a moment to answer a few questions for this exclusive Big Gay Horror Fan interview. Read on, my caped wonders and monster lovers, read on!

BGHF: So, Damian, what drew you to the trembling world of horror – A hatchet faced gym teacher with Dracula fangs – An uncle who looked like HP Lovecraft – What?!?

DS: Ironically enough, nothing horrific like a haunting or evil ghoul chased me down the hall and trapped me. I was just drawn to the escapism. My warped mind works that way – that the more frightening and horrific, the more I fall into the darkness of it and enjoy myself. – I know its cliché, but looking back the idea of being in the closet and dealing with that as I grew up played a part, too. Horror was empowering to me because I identified with the monsters more than the victims or innocent people. Even before I got into “horror,” I grew up liking the Wicked Witch of the West. My sister and I used to play Flying Monkey. So while our peers ran around terrified of the monkey scenes in the “Wizard of Oz,” we thought the monkeys kicked ass. Same with Star Wars – loved Darth Vader. So why not like the vampires, murderers, and spirits once I started reading horror novels and watching horror movies? They had no fear – which obviously lurked in my mind as something desirable because I so feared myself. Then I came out and that fear disappeared, but thankfully the love of horror stayed with me!

BGHF: Wonderful story, my friend. Was writing always a goal of yours or did some strange dark occurrence (or light twist of fate) draw you to it, midstream?

DS: Writing was always a part of me, but I focused on nonfiction until about half way through graduate school. My academic training is all in the field of history – I earned a doctorate in history. But my love of the horror genre meant that even as I dealt with reality in my studies, speculative fiction swirled around in my head. Stories would pop up, and I’d think, that would make a great novel. So one day I just decided to get the stories onto paper. It was strange at first and took a while to transform my writing from the colder, objective world of history to the imagined world of horror.- In answer to your question, maybe it was some doppelganger in my head that planted the stories and forced me to write about them. They could no longer be contained. Writers and artists talk about the muse taking over, and that certainly happens to me. I’m writing along and the story takes hold – probably a ghost, now that I think about it. I’m probably plagiarizing everything I write; stealing the whole damn thing from an angry spirit who is using me to communicate to the outside world.

BGHF: Well, that would be pretty amazing if it were true. What was the initial impetus for Secrets in the Attic and how long was the creative process on that novel?

DS: Secrets in the Attic was inspired by a dream I had about three or four times while I was a teenager. In the dream, I was exploring my grandfather’s house and saw his ghost in the attic. He was friendly, and smiled at me. But suddenly I’m running through the house and calling for my family to get out of there. Then Gramps’ ghost chases after my family as we try to drive away. I always woke up as his spirit slammed into the front windshield of the car.- It’s a great example of what I said earlier – that these stories lurked inside and wanted out. Because I always thought that would make a great scene in a novel. So I wrote an entire story revolving around that nightmare! – That novel took longer than my novels do now, because it was one of the first that I wrote. I had to revise it a lot, to knock the academic in me out and learn to write fiction. The outline of the story came quickly then the laborious process of communicating it took place. From the first time I started writing about it until it was published was probably ten years.

BGHF: Wow! So, how did you go about inventing the world of your successful Vampire’s Angel series?

DS: Two things influenced that series. My academic training, so I set the first two novels in the past – The Vampire’s Angel during the French Revolution and The Vampire’s Quest during the 1820s in America. That gave me the settings, the events, the world around the vampires.
The vampires were inspired by the idea of a double closet – that of sexuality and that of hiding their nature. And I could empower the gay characters with their strength and complete lack of fear. Yet I could also humanize them with their emotions and longings. – It became the perfect blend of wanting to teach people about the past but also give into the dark world of vampirism. Though I must warn you that the third in the series, The Vampire’s Witch (scheduled for release next spring), is set in contemporary America. OH! And Jaret, the main character in Secrets in the Attic, will be in it, too.

BGHF: Cool! Is there a character (or characters) that you most like to write in the Vampire’s Angel series?

DS: That’s like asking if a parent has a favorite child. Even if you had one, you wouldn’t say it out loud!
Honestly, I really do like them all. I relate to Xavier’s longings and emotion. But I love Thomas’s brash behavior and total lack of fear; his inner resolve and will to get what he wants. The character that calls to me more than I ever imagined is Catherine, Xavier’s sister. She has a magnetism that draws me to her over and over and over.

BGHF: I agree! If you could cast a tremendously high budgeted version of the Vampire’s Angel books – who would you cast; who would direct – and why?

DS: LOL – this is such a common question that people ask. I never know what to say to it! I typically turn it back on them, and ask what they have in mind. My mother is a HUGE Adam Lambert fan and thinks that he would make a perfect Thomas. For director – how about Joss Whedon?! About the actors . . . Listen, I’ll just lay it on the line – I would think with my penis on this one and not give any thought to acting credentials or ability or how they would fit a character. So let’s just use Leonardo DeCaprio, Ryan Reynolds, Chris Hemsworth, Hayden Christensen, and three or four hot young gay actors, to support their being out in Hollywood.

BGHF: Perfect! Tell us a bit about your upcoming book Dark Sorcerer Threatening. That sounds like another series, no?

DS: Dark Sorcerer Threatening is set in a magical kingdom in the distant past. The king and his magicians use sorcery to conceal their land from the rest of Europe, because it’s a kingdom of men loving men. It contains a love story, so has a strong romance element, but someone is using dark magic to try to kill the king and possibly expose the country to the Catholic Church so it can be destroyed. Lots of wizards in this one! – I’m actually not sure if it’s a series. Right now, it stands alone and I’m not working on a sequel. But I didn’t know that the Vampire’s Angel series would be a series after I finished the first one, either. So we’ll see. It’s up to the ghost who’s making me write, anyway.

BGHF: And those spirits can be temperamental! Lastly, any words of advice (IE: Never piss off the sister of a master vamp) or other projects that you’d like to tell us about? And thanks! This been better than having a chat with the spooky ghost of my grandfather – any day of the week!

DS: You should chat with your grandfather, though, because there might be a movie or novel in it for you! – I’m currently writing a pirate novel – about a warlock who ends up on a pirate ship. And I have a top secret vampire project underway. I’m totally paranoid to say much about it too far in advance, though, because I know someone would steal it and make millions while everyone would then accuse me of being a copy cat.- Advice: don’t fear the monsters. Read about them, learn about them, and become like them. It may scare away your friends and family, but it’s a lot more interesting world that way.

BGHF: True, Damian! Thanks, again!

Be sure to float into the bloodily magical world of Damian Serbu at www.damianserbu.com – and Big Gay Horror Fan is always performing vampiric deeds at http://www.facebook.com/#!/BigGayHorrorFan, as well.

And until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

As Big Gay Horror Fan adjusts his leather bonnet on the dusty range and fights off vigilant hordes of gentlemen callers – Wait, wait – am I dreaming that I am the luscious BarBara Luna again? Oh, probably.

While glorious actress Luna is best known to science fiction and western fans for her appearances on such shows as Star Trek, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Gunsmoke and Zorro, she is actually a true artistic multi-hyphenate, beginning her career on Broadway at the age of 10 in the original production of South Pacific. Her roles in a variety of women in prison flicks and soap operas mark her as a true adventuress and cult film diva, as well. Granted, none of her credits are specifically in the horror genre, but as we all know, a little bit of the scare can be found in every variety of entertainment. So, below, are some examinations of her numerous creative acheivements that have had a bit of the fright thrown in for good measure.

Outer Limits (It Crawled Out of the Woodwork) – 1963 – “Gaby Christian” –. As the concerned yet sassy romantic interest of the troubled brother of a successful doctor, Luna lights up the background scenery in this spooky episode of the iconic anthology series. The scares, here, are generated by a monstrous shape of murderous energy that envelops and kills off much of the main and supporting cast. B-r-r! Shivers!

Winchester 73 (Television Film) – 1967- “Meriden” – Granted, the only scares in this colorful television remake of a classic Jimmy Stewart film are the credits of co-stars John Saxon (Black Christmas, Nightmare on Elm Street, Blood Beach, The Bees, Cannibal Apocalypse) and Tom Tyron (I Married A Monster From Outer Space). But for anyone who digs the Frankie Avalon era, this is a gem and Luna looks indescribably glamorous as she struts out her lines, as a female card shark, with lusty swagger. It’s evident, here, how fully she can envelop a role – and for those that like their men of the dark and swarthy variety, there is plenty of visual candy on display, here, as well. Note: Tyron went on to become a successful author in the latter part of his life, living the life of an openly gay man (at least in social circles) until his untimely death from stomach cancer in 1991.

The Hanged Man (Television Film) – 1974 – “Soledad Villegas” – This pilot for a television series that wasn’t picked up, does feature plenty of supernatural elements. Veteran actor Steve Forrest plays a wrongly convicted bad boy whom survives a hanging. His second sight and mystical powers are explored throughout the 70 or so minutes of this film and several scenes feature cast members openly wondering at the permanent rope burns that scar his neck after the failed lynching. Genre veteran Cameron Mitchell (Blood and Black Lace, The Offspring, The Toolbox Massacre) plays a devious businessman and Luna proves her versatility by portraying Forrest’s sensitive, supportive girlfriend whom abandons him out fear upon his return from the dead. Note: Famed character actor, Will Geer, best known as “Grandpa” from The Waltons, gives a understated yet feisty performance, here, as well. A political maverick, who survived blacklisting in the 50’s, Geer was, also, known as the lover of fellow activist, Harry Hay.

The Concrete Jungle – 1982 – “Cat” – The movie that has ensured Luna’s place in the legacy of cult film, features her vigorous performance as the queen bee of a women’s prison. She is obviously having a ball and is totally believable as her character manipulates, seduces and murders with glee. Luna’s delicious performance is accented by strong work from soap queen Tracy Bregman (Happy Birthday to Me) as the young innocent trapped in a vicious system, Jill St. John as the cruel warden and Nita Talbot (Puppetmaster II, Island Claws, 1992: It’s About Time) as a concerned social worker. Swiftly directed by Tom DiSimone (Hell Night, Reform School Girls) this WIP classic also features Camille Keaton (I Spit on Your Grave, Tragic Ceremony) in a small role.

Meanwhile, the amazing Luna is still active on the convention circuit and you can dive into her amazing world at www.barbaraluna.com.

Big Gay Horror Fan is, also, always accepting frightened swimmers at http://www.facebook.com/#!/BigGayHorrorFan, as well.

Be sure to check back, here, every Monday for a look at the bloody majesty of a different femme of terror –

And until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

Fright Rags’ amazing Kristy Jett is one of the coolest, most passionate independent voices for the horror scene – ever! (Don’t cross me on this one!) A regular on the mast head of Horror Hound magazine, Jett is, also, one of the galvanizing forces behind the upcoming Popcorn documentary and DVD release and a powerful proponent in the race to get a sequel to recent cult favorite Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon in front of the glorious blood fueled cameras of celluloid. Jett recently took a few moments from being Fright Rags’ lovable mistress of sass, to answer a few questions for this exclusive piece. Call Big Gay Horror Fan tremblingly honored as you read, breathlessly, on!

BGHF: So, Kristy, what threw you down the demented path of horror – A grizzled aunt who hummed you the Freddy chant from A Nightmare on Elm Street – all those hours spent as a teen watching the hot, serial killing vamp who moved in next door – WHAT?!?

KJ: I feel like I’ve always watched horror movies. But realistically I was 3 or 4 when I first got bit by the gore bug. I have fond memories of walking into our local video store and scanning the titles- the box art just pulled me in. My mom freely allowed me to rent horror movies though she never liked to admit this because she felt it made her a bad mother. Honestly, she taught me from an early age that it was all make believe which is what helped foster my love for this genre. I mean, how in the hell did they make this magic?! I was fascinated to say the least! Another little peek into my childhood; growing up, almost every single Saturday night my family would get together at my one Aunt’s house. All the adults would play poker, and my cousin and I would watch horror movies. I remember distinctly watching Night of the Living Dead (1990) and Sleepaway Camp 3 too many times to count. But from a very young age I was a Freddy’s girl, the NOES series was my go to. Freddy terrified me but excited me as well.

BGHF: Cool! As Fan is my last name, let’s discuss ridiculous fandom, for a moment. What has been your giddiness, geekiest fan moment of all time?

KJ: It’s so hard to really find one, but I guess the funniest one would have to be a few years back at Monster Mania in Connecticut. As anyone can probably tell you, The Evil Dead is one of my favorite films of all time, and Sam Raimi is my hero. The show had ended- and I had already had my nerd moment meeting the ladies of The Evil Dead. But now that we (my Fright Rags boss Ben and I) were back from dinner, having a little post-show relax at the bar, who should come and sit down with us? Oh just the ladies of The Evil Dead! They had just come back from seeing The Hangover. One of the ladies had said, “It was either that or some movie called Drag Me To Hell.” They had no idea it was Sam’s new movie which I tried really hard not to be twatty about! Ha-ha. But anyways we sat around and had drinks and Ben and I got to know the ladies; this ended up being the hang-out that later led to us doing a limited edition boxed set with the ladies. I digress. At the end of a few hours we parted ways. I got teary-eyed when hugging Betsy Baker, to an embarrassing point. I lightly sobbed, “I’m sorry, I just can’t believe I hung out with you. This was just so amazing!” To which Betsy hugged me again and then motioned to my empty glass, “I think that’s the long island iced tea speaking darling.” Ben still mentions that from time to time when he wants to put me in my place.

BGHF: Awesome story! So, now that you’ve mentioned Ben, clothe us in tales of Fright Rags – please!!! How did you get involved with this amazing institution of draping terror?

KJ: The quickest story is that I met Ben at Monster Mania in August of 2008. I was completely unfamiliar with Fright Rags, but one look at that wall of shirts and I was hooked. After talking for a bit we realized we lived in the same town (Rochester, NY) which made it all the more hilarious we had never met- running in the same nerd circles and all. I immediately told Ben to let me know if he ever needed any extra help as I had years of customer service and retail experience. And as any polite person would he “Sure, sure’d” me. Over the next few months I began hounding via social networking, emails and texts and in February of 2009 he finally started to bring me around, realizing he did need to bring another person on staff. The next month I joined him at the Fright Rags table at Monster Mania and sold the s**t out of some shirts. I was the first woman to ever grace the Fright Rags table and maybe that helped? By the weekend I was officially a member of the team and over the next few months I was working part time doing Customer Service. Within a year I was working there full time and I’ve never looked back! It really is the greatest job in the universe! I can’t imagine my life without Ben or Fright Rags.

BGHF: Brilliant! You are, also, involved in so many projects –getting classic 80’s horror Popcorn a proper release and helping to bring about the sequel to Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. Is there something that is closest to your beating heart at the moment?

KJ: One thing I can definitely say is that at any given time and on any given day I am working with almost all of my side-projects. Every day there’s something little to say or do with all of them. Popcorn is close to having a release date announced. I’ll be producing the retrospective documentary which will be directed and produced by Michael Felsher and his company, Red Shirt Pictures. I’ll also be moderating a commentary! This one is probably nearest and dearest to my heart because Popcorn is pure nostalgia for me. It’s a poster I saw hanging in the video store throughout my youth and it’s a definitely comfort food movie (no pun intended). As for the proposed sequel to Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon– we’ll get there, some day. Sadly, our Kickstarter didn’t get funded so now we’re pounding the pavement looking for investors. It WILL happen! It’s just a matter of when.

BGHF: No doubt! Now, for something a bit more personal! As a gay man, struggling with his weight, in a community where appearance is so important, I have long felt that self loathing is one of the greatest real life horrors. You’ve been very vocal on Facebook about your struggles to conquer and make friends with your weight. If you don’t mind, what has this journey been like for you and how has the very frightening reality of self-hate played into your own life?

KJ: I have been fat my entire adult life- hell all of my adolescence too. I have never been comfortable with it. But the truth is I had a lot of personal horror to deal with from my own childhood. It took me ‘til I was 28 to even go to therapy to conquer that, and it took me a year or so after that to really start to address the fact that I was unhappy with my weight. I really feel like that’s the first thing you have to do. I’m not saying you can’t be fat and happy- lots of people are. But I’m not, and I had to admit that to myself. Then it was “Ok, well what are you going to do about it?” I spent a few months exercising every day and watching what I ate (roughly 1200-1400 calories a day), and I dropped 43 lbs. Over the last couple of months because of travel and a back injury I have slacked all over again and it’s disheartening. But I keep reminding myself I will get back on the horse. I won’t give up. I may never be rail thin- and I’m not sure that I want to be, but I’m sick of being fat. My body is sick of carrying around the extra weight too. We all have it in us, the question we have to really ponder though is, “How are we gonna do it?” Then attack it like a facehugger!

BGHF: Perfect, my friend, perfect! I’m taking that to the gym! Now, I, always, hate it when people ask me what my favorite horror film is. But, I’m gonna ask you anyhow – but with a twist. What are some your favorite genres within the massive fields of fright and then throw out a few of your favorite films of all time, as well!

KJ: I LOVE slasher films! With a passion! Slashin with a passion! That’s really my favorite genre. I love killer kids too. I love movies set in movie theatres (HELLO POPCORN!) or stage theatres. I also love found footage films- though I only really love a couple of them. I watch all that I can find but most blow so hard it’s not even funny. I am really not a fan of monster movies which I am sometimes given s**t for, but I don’t care. Slashers all the way for me! But to answer as to my favorites; May, Martin, The Evil Dead, Evil Dead2, Re-Animator, Day of the Dead (1985), Return of the Living Dead, Popcorn, Stephen King’s IT, NOES3: Dream Warriors, NOES4: The Dream Master, NOES5: The Dream Child, FT13th Part5: A New Beginning, Dead Alive, Tales From The Crypt, The Living Dead at The Manchester Morgue, The Blair Witch Project, The Last Broadcast and about 50 billion others!

BGHF: I think the masses have just added a few more to their lists with that! Thank you, darling! Lastly, any words of wisdom (IE: Never agree to volunteer at an old theater showing 50’s shock films – especially if you are related to Dee Wallace Stone), future plans and/or links to where we can keep track of all your amazing work? And thanks – this has been better than battling zombies in an abandoned mine shaft with Lori Cardille any day of the week!

KJ: Work hard. Never give up. When someone tells you that you can’t tell them you’ll do it anyways. Don’t give up. Don’t get discouraged. Save all your emails for future proof. Don’t give up. Don’t use people and don’t abuse connections. Treat celebrities like human beings because they are. Never give up. Work hard and don’t expect ANYTHING to be handed to you.

BGHF: Except some loving from me! Jett girl, you’re the best!

Keep up with Kristy and Fright Rags at www.fright-rags.com – while Big Gay Horror Fan is always accepting offers of t-shirts at http://www.facebook.com/#!/BigGayHorrorFan, as well.

And – until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE! BGHF

“stare at the sun
burn out your eyes
hold on to that dream
bury it alive” – Shane Prendiville, “Nervously Counting Rosary Beads”

I can’t count the number of times that Big Gay Horror Fan and his demon slaughtering comrades, Apocalyptic Kitten and Deadly Johnson, wished that they had a soundtrack for their adventures. I mean, who doesn’t need a bit of background music for when the toothless hordes of granny zombies attack or when the slavering packs of hell hounds give birth to those drooling, satanic poodles of death? Well, with the massive slab of muscular musicality that is “Nervously Counting Rosary Beads”, we may have just found our theme.

This opus, clocking in at 29:24, from Midwest powerhouse Guzzlemug begins with a choral chant and background themes that would fit perfectly behind a neighborhood slumber party involving multiple viewings of the original Omen, along with Charlton Heston’s The Awakening, followed up with a healthy dose of The Unholy, that sordid priest horror starring Ben Cross.

This ominous beginning leads into a section featuring stabbing guitar trills and heart plucking string work that ultimately builds into a Manson cult cacophony.

Next, a chorus of zombified Moon Children introduces us to the seductive thrills of the night. This leads into a throbbing segment of fleshy visceral beats. This final segment would work perfectly in any film project that Rob Zombie dreams up or on that inevitable re-boot of the Saw film series.

Yep, amazingly talented Shane Prendiville and crew (Tom Kelly, Charlie Werber) create a world of many journeys, here, and each is blacker and more fascinating than the one that precedes it.

So, to dive into the mysteries of Guzzlemug (and/or to purchase “Nervously Counting Rosary Beads”) visit
http://guzzlemug.bandcamp.com/ or
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Guzzlemug/122094278942

and Big Gay Horror Fan is always accepting musical inclined horror freaks at http://www.facebook.com/#!/BigGayHorrorFan, as well.

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

Big Gay Horror Fan has always loved the ladies. This fact may stem from my experience with a perkily collegiate actress in summer stock, during my 16th year. Every night, as intermission struck for a Tennessee Williams’ extravaganza, she would bound into the dressing room, pop off her dress and bra and then gasp (in mock, bare chested surprise)“Oh, boys!” upon ‘discovering’ my fellow effete (I might add) apprentices and myself.

In her delightful new memoir The Lucky Southern Star, the effusive Julie Adams tells many a show business story, herself. Of a much more clothed variety, of course.

Beloved for her strong heroine ascetics in the classic Creature of the Black Lagoon, Adams has had an incredibly distinguished career with a wide variety of credits (with her other forays into horror and exploitation including 1975’s Psychic Killer, 1978’s The Fifth Floor and 1988’s Black Roses). And while the major reason for this book is, in fact, to introduce gill man aficionados to that exquisitely detailed catalog, so much more emerges here.

Most significantly, Adams’ positive energy results in a tale that has only joyful respect for the luminaries that she has worked with. Thus, one not only gets delightful stories of her work with Rock Hudson, Milton Berle, John Wayne, Piper Laurie, Dennis Hopper, Elvis Presley and so many other notables, but one is left with the realization that it was Adams’ kindhearted luminosity that resulted in such affirmative experiences.

Adams does acknowledge the supreme difficulties of a show business career and sympathetically details the plight of the working mother (a situation that she and her fellow actresses were among the premium examples of), but her love for her chosen career and the sophisticated analysis of her film, television and theatrical roles, shows off the many levels of her personality and the deep valleys that reside in her artistic reservoir.

Most interestingly, Adams, who worshipped the stars of the silver screen as a child, herself, comes full circle with The Lucky Southern Star. As she delighted to onset tales from such luminous co-stars as Jimmy Stewart and Dick Powell, so we delight to her recollections, here.

Below, is a quick overview of a couple of Adams’ more obscure credits not covered in the book:

The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. – “The High and Deadly Affair” – 1967. Adams (who also appeared on memorable episodes of The Night Stalker and One Step Beyond among many others) plays a dual role, here. (SPOILER.) Posing as a concerned nanny for an obnoxious child on a transatlantic flight threatened by a mad doctor, Adams is actually a sophisticated scientist who has invented a cure to save the world from the deranged madman. Featuring a quietly passionate performance from Adams, this televised adventure, also, features a daffy Stephanie Powers adopting one of her numerous accents in the title role and Dark Shadows‘ Grayson Hall and Murray Matheson (a distinguished character actor who appeared on multiple television anthologies such as The Twilight Zone, The Night Stalker, Thriller and Night Gallery) are obviously having a ball as the devious pair whom want to take over the world.

The Fifth Floor. 1978. Adams shows she is made of sterner stuff, here, as take charge Nurse Hannelord, in this asylum based exploitation flick. Obviously modeled after Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Adams allows subtle compassion to shine through her sharp attitude, even in her most unwavering scenes. Adams’ best moment occurs when Bo Hopkins, as a devious attendant, threatens to expose her character’s rumored lesbianism to the hospital’s board. Though unnerved, she does not back down from Hopkins and her compelling force as an actress is exposed in full. Alternating effectiveness with a drive-in sleaziness, The Fifth Floor, also, features strong performances from such genre regulars as Robert Englund, Sharon Farrell(It’s Alive, The Premonition), Mel Ferrer (Eaten Alive, Nightmare City, The Great Alligator) and John David Carson (Pretty Girls All in a Row, Empire of the Ants, Creature of Black Lake).

To keep up with Julie Adams and/or purchase The Lucky Southern Star, be sure to visit www.julieadams.biz.

Big Gay Horror Fan is always accepting creatures at http://www.facebook.com/#!/BigGayHorrorFan, too.

Be sure to check back each Monday as Big Gay Horror Fan delights in the fabulous divas of scare – and until the next time, SWEET love and pink GRUE!