Music to Make Horror Movies By: Alexis Smith

Published December 18, 2016 by biggayhorrorfan

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Not many can say that they were romanced by Humphrey Bogart and killed by Jodie Foster, but the classically beautiful, smoky voiced Alexis Smith can wear both of those cinematic crowns with pride. As the proud Cecily Latham in The Two Mrs. Carrolls and the even prouder Mrs. Hallett in The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane, she truly helped create celluloid magic.

And while her death by cellar door in the twisted and macabre Little Girl is certainly memorable, fans of a certain set will surely find her take on Stephen Sondheim’s Could I Leave You from Follies much more compelling by far.

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

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In Fond Remembrance Of: Joseph Mascolo

Published December 17, 2016 by biggayhorrorfan

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He arose from the dead more times than Jason, Michael and Freddy combined. But the bittersweet reality of fictional characters is that they are played by real people and Joseph Mascolo, the beloved portrayer of Days of Our Lives’ most popular Gothic zombie Stefano DiMera, unfortunately, proved that sad truth with his passing on December 7^th, 2017 at the age of 87.

With his smooth (and often winking) delivery, Mascolo made DiMera one of daytime drama’s most popular villains. The bit of acting genius has been rewarded, over the years, by the fact that whether DiMera was kidnapping and cloning his rivals or leaving Marlena, the soap’s eternal heroine, open for satanic possession or even rising from the ashes of a watery grave – his character earned the nickname “The Phoenix” for his seeming ability to regenerate from willpower alone, Mascolo was always embraced, heartily, by the show’s fans. joseph-jaws-2

Horror fans who don’t need a little love in the afternoon and are totally unaware of DiMera’s supernatural villainy, have reason to mourn Mascolo, as well. Notable among his many credits, he brought a nice sense of bravado to businessman Len Peterson in Jaws 2 and he was very popular among fans of that movie, even taking part in the book Jaws 2: The Making of the Hollywood Sequel, in the decades since its premiere.

So let’s wish this legend a fond journey into the unknown. May he ascend, forever, in our hearts.

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

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Jackson Headlines Musical Horror Story

Published December 15, 2016 by biggayhorrorfan

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There is nothing that a gay dude loves more than a diva. Well, maybe there’s…but s-h-h-h…I can’t talk about that here. Anyhow, in my book, if anyone could take on Jessica Lange in the Chicago theater community, it’s the divinely eclectic Caitlin Jackson. Nicely, she seems to be doing just that with her role of Reverend Mother in The Cowardly Scarecrow Theatre Company’s Ryan Murphy send-up Musical Horror Story Exorcism.

From all glimpses, this production promises to offer a bit of blood, a lot of humor and, well, Ms. Jackson (pictured, right, in the photo)! There are only 3 performances left – Thursday, Friday and Saturday, December 15-17^th, at the Charnel House, 3421 W. Fullerton, in Chicago. So throw all of your bad habits onto the CTA (or however you get about in this unholy city) and head on over!

More information is available at: https://www.facebook.com/CSTCINC.

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

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Nightmare, Tough Broads and Terror: A Talk with Mark Patton

Published December 15, 2016 by biggayhorrorfan

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One of the significant things that occurred after people watched NEVER SLEEP AGAIN, the 2010 documentary about the A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET series, was the reexamination of the series second entry, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST 2: FREDDY’S REVENGE. Since that time, the film’s lead, MARK PATTON, has not only taken to the convention circuit, providing a very visible presence for what many have labeled the gayest horror film ever made, but he has returned to the world of film in such projects as Tommy Faircloth’s FAMILY POSSESSIONS and SCREAM, QUEEN, his much anticipated documentary about how portraying Jesse Walsh has changed his life. In anticipation of his upcoming appearance at the TERROR IN THE AISLES CHRISTMAS, at the Vic Theatre in Chicago on Sunday, December 18th (see link below), I’ve revised a conversation that I had with PATTON a number of years ago. Here, he talked with me about his memories of his NIGHTMARE castmates and the platform that he has created for himself as an activist and humanitarian.

You made A NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST 2 over twenty-five years ago and the series is still thriving today. What has been the best part about the NIGHTMARE legacy for you?

MARK PATTON: To be a part of one of the biggest horror franchises in the world is a gift. I am famous but not. I have used my A NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST 2 fame for many purposes of which I am proud…HIV awareness, The Trevor Project, issues of bullying. When I put on the glove, people give me a few minutes to speak. I also love the character, Jesse Walsh. I am very proud of him. He and A NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST 2 have aged well. I have to admit after NEVER SLEEP AGAIN when I started appearing at conventions and film festivals, I felt a bit like Sally Field in SOAP DISH. A day or two of being a movie star is great. I am not sure I would like it as a full time profession.

Can you talk a bit about the family dynamic in A NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST 2? Clu Gulager and Hope Lange, whom played Jesse’s parents, were very experienced stage and screen performers. You had some stage and screen work under your belt, but Christie Clark, who played your younger sister, was just starting out. How did you find that you worked together as a quartet?

PATTON: I simply adored Hope Lange. Do you know that the year she shot A NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST 2, she also played in BLUE VELVET? She was, at one time, a world class movie star, yet she had no ego. She was lovely, liked a drink when having her hair done – but she was always a pro. Clu is nuts in a really fantastic and interesting way…just like me. As I age, I think I look more and more like him. Isn’t that odd? Christie was a doll and, of course, turned into one of the most famous soap actresses of all time. As did Martha Byrne, my darling little sister in ANNA TO THE INFINITE POWER! She went to work on her soap (AS THE WORLD TURNS) weeks after we finished ANNA and stayed for 25 years! If you have me for an older brother in a film, you are lucky!

The gorgeous Maud Adams also played your mother on episode HOTEL.

PATTON: And she is…for those who don’t know?

OCTOPUSSY!

PATTON: A Bond girl! I had the best moms in the world: Hope Lange, Tuesday Weld, Sandy Dennis and Dina Merrill. They were all beautiful blondes, so I was thrilled. mark-on-hotel

Is there something that stands out about these women to you? Was there one quality that they all had in common?

PATTON: They were all survivors. To be a beautiful woman in California and to work past the age of 25 is miraculous. So you have to be a pretty strong broad to do that. I had hot best friends, too. Robert Rusler, George Clooney…

You could pick ‘em!

PATTON: I could!

Speaking of that…The casting director of A NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST 2 created a great visual picture with the film’s young leads. Your lightness was a great contrast to Robert Rusler’s swarthiness while Kim Myers balanced you both out with a brighter quality. Do you recall anyone else being considered for the roles of Lisa (Meyers) and Ron (Rusler)?

nightmare2promo07 PATTON: I have known Robert Rusler since he was a kid. He was the first one hired for A NIGHTMARE ON ELM ST 2. I was next and, together, we choose Kim Myers. I do not remember the names of the other two girls for Lisa. We had a blond, a dark headed girl and Kim. There was never any question that it would be Kimmy. She was delightful, perfect really. We all love her a lot!

You, also, appeared in ANNA TO THE INFINITE POWER which has science fiction connotations. Can you talk a bit about that project?

PATTON: Actually, ANNA TO THE INFINITE POWER is my favorite film -.just for me. My nieces and great nieces know every word. It is a lovely movie that even adults enjoy and it is a way to introduce younger people to information about science and the Holocaust. Actually, someone should remake this movie. It is just great!

Horror lovers often feel outside the norm. Therefore, they often relate to their final girls (and guys) as characters who survive against devastating oppression. As a gay man whom has spoken out about bullying and the discrimination you discovered in your early days in Hollywood, is that something that you can relate to, as well?

PATTON: (Laughs) How much time to you have? I am a great believer in destiny and God having a plan for each one of us. We just do not know what it is. A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2 was called the gayest horror movie ever made. Still is…I screamed like a girl. Why is it such a huge insult to be compared to a girl? We talk a lot about that in my panels. It destroyed my confidence that I could be perceived as ‘normal’ and thus ended, I thought, my career. But it became a classic and cult favorite. They now call me the first male Scream Queen. I love it! I now get to speak to a group of people who may not get to hear positive stories about GLBT people and HIV, because they think it does not apply to them as Hard Rockin’ Hetro Dudes. I get to represent Gay Horror and GLBT horror fans and I hope I am doing them proud. I used to ask, God why me? I was a very good actor, I could have been something special and the answer came back loud and clear one day. Mark, you are special and I have given you everything that you need to be a good witness of something most gay men did not live though. I gave you a film or two. I gave you a safe place to be ill from HIV AIDS. I gave you a comeback via NEVER SLEEP AGAIN and I gave you a rock to stand on to speak truth to power. When you put that glove on people listen…for a minute! A minute is all you need to save someone the agony of AIDS. I gave you all of this, now use it! I do and trust me I have just begun. You have not seen the last of me. So, whatever you do, don’t go to sleep or you will miss my fabulous 2nd Act!

Come meet Mark at TERROR IN THE AISLES CHRISTMAS – https://www.facebook.com/events/1334753026558622/. A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2 will be screened along with two John Carpenter features, THEY LIVE and THE THING. In the spirit of the holiday, donations of food and clothing will be accepted for the homeless and there will be a number of amazing raffles to benefit Vital Bridges, an AIDS organization.

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

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Hopelessly Devoted to: Athena Massey

Published December 10, 2016 by biggayhorrorfan

Maria Ford, Jillian McWhirter, Sherrie Rose, Charlie Spradling, Melissa Moore, Joan Severance…These are names that fans of legendary producer Roger Corman’s ‘90s output should be familiar with. The glorious Athena Massey though, was perhaps the most exotically mysterious of these women – and, without a doubt, the most Stanislavski-an in her approach to her roles. Whether playing a blood starved alien, an undercover police officer or a bad-ass covert agent, this beauty gave it her all.

Star Portal, perhaps the most ridiculously fun entry here, finds Massey imbuing her role of Quad Rena/Sarah with both a solemnity and a childish curiosity. Yet another reworking of Corman’s Not of This Earth, this production also benefits from subtle traces of The Terminator and, nicely, places Massey in the alien role usually embodied by a male. Massey’s otherworldly goddess is bloodthirsty – a slaughtered victim or two is hung upside down to be drained of their fluids – but she supplies enough childlike confusion and regret to make this deadly femme qualify as the piece’s heroine. Choppily processed and obvious filmed on the cheap…the love interest, played by Steven Bauer, is almost invisible to the plot…this still provides enough zaniness to qualify as a solid example of the product that was churned out to meet the demands of the burgeoning cable market in a, regrettably, bygone era.

Shadow of a Scream (AKA The Unspeakable), meanwhile, truly contains some of Massey’s finest work. The plot, again, is a reworking of everything from Stripped to Kill to (the notoriously protested, Al Pacino fronted) Cruising. But as Alice Redmond, a cop who goes undercover to trap a suspected serial killer, Massey shows a wide range of emotions. Even as her character predictably begins to be drawn into the sadomasochistic lifestyle of the man she is tracking, as an actress she colors in all the dots of her character’s personality, showing both vulnerability and strength. Despite co-stars from two major television shows, 30 Something’s Timothy Busfield and Baywatch’s David Chokachi, this is definitely her show. It’s too bad, therefore, that the ending comes off so abruptly, almost leaving the audience confused as to who the killer is. The answer may be far too predictable for some, but Massey’s skill here is never in doubt and, as previously mentioned, this serves as an amazing showcase for all of her many talents.

Nice believability is also supplied with Terminaton Man, another low budget epic about a commando squad trying to stop a Serbian terrorist from unleashing a deadly nerve gas. As Delilah Shane – great name, no? – Massey provides kick-ass bravado here and truly makes you trust in her character’s flintiness and skill. Impressively, Massey also makes you believe that the gratuitous nudity that her character is subjected to is all part of her take no shit attitude and not just an exploitive script requirement – true evidence of her compelling acting skills, if there ever was one.

Be sure to become hopelessly devoted to Athena Massey, yourselves, by following her at any (or all) of the following:

www.imdb.me/athenamassey
www.facebook.com/athenamassey
www.twitter.com/msathenamassey
www.instagram.com/athenamasseyofficial
www.youtube.com/@AthenaMasseyOfficial

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

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Music to Make Horror Movies By: Amanda Lear

Published December 5, 2016 by biggayhorrorfan

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A mysterious background and an exotic appeal have been the mainstays of the eclectic Amanda Lear’s career. She is also one of the few female artists to produce a concept album that rivals such fare as Alice Cooper’s From the Inside and the self-titled debut album from A Flock of Seagulls.

Lear’s second album, Sweet Revenge, detailed the adventures of a beauty who sells her soul to the devil for glitter and gold, but who eventually sacrifices all she has gained for love.

Done disco-style, the recording’s hit single, Follow Me, has become Lear’s signature number and details how the lord of darkness tempts the heroine of the piece into a life of sophisticated debauchery.

Still recording and performing, Lear can be followed at https://www.facebook.com/reinelear and www.amandalear.com.

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

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Book Review: Sharon Farrell, Siân Phillips

Published December 4, 2016 by biggayhorrorfan

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Written in completely different styles and featuring authors who arrive at their writing points from much different backgrounds, the memoirs of Siân Phillips (The Doctor and the Devils, Hammer House of Horror) and Sharon Farrell (It’s Alive, Night of the Comet) still manage to broker in the much of the same emotional currency and definitely illustrate how it is still the men in society who continue to steadily manipulate the fates of those around them.

sian-public-places A prodigiously talented theater actress, Wales bred Phillips details her courtship and years of marriage to Peter O’Toole in Public Places, which was first published in the United States in 2003. While Phillips engaged, successfully, in a performing arts career, O’Toole, obviously, was the more famous of the two, reaching a worldwide platform with Lawrence of Arabia. He also definitely, as evenly and poetically described by Phillips, controlled the many specifics of their lives together. Fairly, Phillips often revels in the adventures she experienced while visiting O’Toole on his various film sets and, lovingly, describes a remote home on a mountain that she, painstakingly, created for him and their two daughters.

Phillips also shares stories of such legends as Katharine Hepburn, who frightened her children by vehemently suggesting that they should become something useful like plumbers, and My Fair Lady’s pompous Rex Harrison. Harrison, known for his misogynistic temper, is painted truthfully here and Phillips shows grace and courage when explaining how she mastered his moods while performing on stage with him. sian-hammer

In deep contrast to Phillips’ artfully measured tones, Farrell’s “Hollywood Princess” From Sioux City, Iowa is a messy and rambunctious offering, often filled with grammatical errors and with the names of famous participants misspelled. Yet, with pluck and little sense of bitterness, the actress traces her career which was often sidetracked by affairs, a miscarriage, rape, medical issues and mismanagement.

As with Phillips’ offering, Farrell’s honestly reveals how the males in power, here in LA (and beyond), frequently, shaped her destiny – from the unstableness of Hawaii Five-O’s Jack Lord to the peculiarities of Bill Bell, the creator of the popular soap The Young and the Restless. Farrell frequently found herself jobless due to their whims and when, onset, was subjected to unprofessionally bizarre behavior – prime examples being Dennis Hooper peeing on her while filming Out of Blue and a physical attack from a fellow performer on the location of The Reivers.

Still, Farrell, who suffers from bi-polar disorder, is often hardest on herself here and she acknowledges her own responsibility in many of the choices that she made. She is full of passion and heart and, despite the lack of editing, often sets up a nice sense of atmosphere and sense of time and place even when her viewpoint rambles some.

its-alive-sharon-farrell Unfortunately, neither actress concentrates much on their genre offerings here. Phillips does, happily, describe her interesting audition for David Lynch’s Dune and Farrell gives passing mention to such projects as The Premonition and The Fifth Floor. But, what is most poignant and interesting about each book, is the conclusion that readers can draw about society, itself. It is still a straight man’s world, as plainly evidenced in both writers’ circumstances. Here, they show how they overcame and thrived despite that sometimes overpowering obstacle.

Public Places is available, on sale, from various dealers on Amazon. Farrell’s tome, meanwhile, can be purchased from her at www.sharonfarrell.com.

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

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(Images of are Phillips in Hammer House of Horror and Farrell in It’s Alive.)

Dreaming of Kaycee Ortiz

Published December 1, 2016 by biggayhorrorfan

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I don’t know about you, but I actually sleep better knowing that the divine Kaycee Ortiz is out there creating amazing music – including Dream Warrior – a spookily hypnotic and potently empowering tribute to the A Nightmare on Elm Street legacy.

Nocturnal bliss, no?

…and to keep up with all Ortiz’s dynamic activities and poetic offerings, be sure to follow along at: https://www.facebook.com/KayceeOrtiz21.

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

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Music to Make Horror Movies By: Cheryl Ladd

Published November 27, 2016 by biggayhorrorfan

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She may be best known as the perkiest angel ever, but the heavenly Cheryl Ladd also lent her acting talents to such horror productions as Gary Sherman’s hidden gem Lisa and such interesting television offerings as Jekyll and Hyde, which found her co-starring opposite the irreplaceable Michael Caine, and The Haunting of Lisa (a theme there, h-m-m-m?).

Proving herself to be quite unstoppable, Ladd even gained a following as a warbler of tunes, releasing several albums, including one that yielded a minor hit, Think It Over. Meanwhile, as a veteran of several variety specials, Ladd, colorfully, covered Tropical Nights, on one such appearance. As the title song of a Liza Minnelli album, it may not contain an inkling of horror pedigree, but it surely applies, mightily, to the gay portion of this enterprise.

Currently, the divine Ladd is offering fun seasonal memorabilia at her website, www.cherylladd.com.

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

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Tom Neyman: An Appreciation

Published November 26, 2016 by biggayhorrorfan

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Vanity (Action Jackson), Lucinda Dooling (Lovely But Deadly), Alexis Arquette (Bride of Chucky), Kim McGuire (Cry-Baby), legendary director-writers Herschell Gordon Lewis and Ted V. Mikels…The film industry has lost a slew of its iconic outsiders in 2016. Now the immortal Tom Neyman can be added to that list.

Neyman, who passed away at the age of 80 on November 13^th, may be the most unusual of all these creative entities, though. An accomplished stage actor, Neyman is known for only one celluloid outing – a role that took him over 25 years to gain any notoriety for. But, as The Master in Manos: The Hands of Fate, Neyman strikes such a foreboding and impressive figure that he, ultimately, should go down in history as one of the most essential horror antagonists of all time.

Regarded as one of the worst movies ever made, Manos finally found public appreciation, after having been exiled to oblivion after its 1966 premiere, when Mystery Science Theater 3000 parodied it on a classic 1993 episode. Ever since, Neyman has gained a deserved, ever growing following. In fact, horror icon Elvira is among the movie’s biggest fans and a recent poll revealed the Manos show to be MST3K viewers’ favorite episode of all time.

Therefore, Neyman is so much more than an actor in a singular role. He will always be a prime example of the impossible come to life – of that ray of hope beaming through the tangled corridors of darkness. He found an odd fame, decades after it should have come, from a movie that many would dismiss outright.

He is the role model for everyone who strives, despite the odds, to connect with an unforgiving, uninterested public. He is one for the believers and for society’s hardworking misfits…and his legacy will live on forever!

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Of further note: Neyman, briefly, reprised his role of The Master in the upcoming Manos Returns, the long awaited Manos sequel: https://www.facebook.com/manosreturns.

Jackey Neyman Jones, Manos’ Debbie and Tom’s beloved daughter, maintains a blog, featuring stories of her father, as well. https://www.facebook.com/Debbiesmanos/

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