The Cowardice of Bullying

Published June 19, 2015 by biggayhorrorfan

Wow.

So, I know with the name and my slavish fan boy enthusiasm that I put myself out there for criticism. I’ve had comments on my video interviews that have ranged from the homophobic to the simply bizarre. One recent statement, disbelievingly, referred to me as “a real 3 dollar bill”. U-m-m…no shit!

The Backside of Horror, my look at male nudity in terror was even, recently, called out as the reason that “horror fans get a bad name”. That one I can even understand…but even when I can’t, I just roll with it.

Yesterday, on my personal Facebook page, I gave a quick shout out for an upcoming film event that I am a part of. It involves the appearance of one of my favorite horror queens, whose bio I, enthusiastically, laid out in the announcement.

The post.

This morning, I woke up to a burst of scatter shot private messages from an individual who had “friended” me three years ago. We’ve had no contact since. Basically, he linguistically gutted me for being nothing more than a wanna-be fan boy and stated, in a variety of ways, that I was living a worthless life. He then blocked me and/or disappeared from Facebook altogether, mooting any chance I had of a response. Not that I would have…

…but it did get me to thinking. What remains with me the most about this experience is the total and complete cowardice of those who bully. This guy, basically, slammed me in the back of the head with a grapheme hammer and then ran off with his tail, tucked firmly, between his legs. I am sure that he is feeling very bold and self righteous and powerful – if not a little crazy – right now but, in reality, he is the complete opposite.

H-m-m…I guess it’s a good thing that I am a white faggot writing about genre movies and not a black Christian right now, huh?

Before you all throw up your arms, I know this is a small, small thing compared to the tragedy that took place in Charleston yesterday. In fact, it’s not comparable.

But, I do truly believe that this is where the germ of such terrible, true life horrors begins.

Let’s stop this now.

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

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

Help Horror Literature Live!

Published June 12, 2015 by biggayhorrorfan

I know you love the spooky, but if you, also, adore terror literature and reference books and have an extra dollar or two rolling around in your pockets – then you might want to consider a little philanthropy, as well.

Bucket O Blood Books in Chicago, which is devoted to genre literature, is facing a financial crisis and may have to shut its doors.

The owners believe that even a dollar or two could help them at this venture.

Check out their FB page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bucket-O-Blood-Books-and-Records and if you feel motivated to contribute visit their campaign at http://igg.me/at/bobmove.

Local residents can, also, contribute at the store, itself.

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

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

Join the Miss Retroville Pageant!

Published June 10, 2015 by biggayhorrorfan

Feeling trashy, splashy and like an all around champion in your found and borrowed clothes? Well, good!

On Sunday, June 14th, I’ll be co-hosting the Miss Retroville Pageant as part of the premiere of the indie exploitation anthology Hobo With a Trash Can. Wondering what the best part of this is? You don’t even have to travel to Retroville, the salacious burg where Hobo is based, to attend! The event is taking place at the historic Portage Theater in Chicago – and we would love to have you as a contestant!

Even if you discover that competition isn’t in your blood, please plan to stop on by. Bloody Brit Productions has planned the whole event as a benefit for a number of charities that help the needy. So, you can have a good time and help a worthy cause.

Admission is only $10 and you can find out further details at https://www.facebook.com/events/974440952568158/.

You can, also, check out the official page for the film at https://www.facebook.com/HoboWithATrashCan.

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

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

Music to Make Horror Movies By: Ann-Margret

Published June 7, 2015 by biggayhorrorfan

Ann-Margret, 1960s

The second issue of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, the new comic that puts the beloved golden haired Archie denizen in a spooky 60s setting, briefly features Ann-Margret as one of the teen’s show biz muses and a fellow enchantress in mystical arts. This should come as no surprise to the faithful whom have always found Ann-Margret simply bewitching.

Even when expressing heartbreak, this saucy wonder, whose genre credits include Magic (with Anthony Hopkins) and 2006’s Memory, always sounds as if it won’t be long before she’ll be turning the tables on her target.

Don’t believe me? Check out her 1961 hit I Just Don’t Understand. Later covered by The Beatles, this number was one of the first to feature the fuzz-tone guitar and contains a purring, totally seductive and completely in control performance from our lady of the hour!

Be sure to check out http://www.ann-margret.com, as well.

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

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

In Remembrance: Betsy Palmer

Published June 3, 2015 by biggayhorrorfan

Those who were lucky enough to meet actress Betsy Palmer, who died at the age of 88 this past weekend, in person, often found themselves inundated with delightful information. Mention her role in a production of Countess Dracula in 1979, at the Studio Arena Theatre in Buffalo, and she’d blush with love for that particular character and then swiftly reminisce about how she had to make the quickest and most difficult costume changes ever imagined during its run. Producing a leggy, cheesecake photo for her to sign, would elicit a remembrance of how all the young starlets in the 1950s, no matter how serious their intentions, were required to pose for such seductive publicity images. Inquire about her long run as a game show guest during television’s golden years and she’d reveal how she never got to see herself in any of those productions as they were all performed live.

For those who didn’t make Ms. Palmer’s acquaintance, and even for those who had, director S. Shane Marr does the world a great service with Betsy Palmer: A Scream Queen Legend in Her Own Words. Marr, who worked with Palmer on Bell Witch: The Movie, was so enchanted by Palmer’s show biz stories that he ingeniously decided to have her sit before his camera and talk to it as if it were an eager new friend.

We get the familiar Friday the 13th story. Palmer’s car broke down and needing the $10,000, she accepted the role of Mrs. Voorhees even though she hated the script. Palmer delights in the irony that while this killer mommy is her best known role, her decision was initially made because she thought that no one would ever see the film. It is interesting to watch her make sense of her place in film history and hear her analyzing the appeal of her most popular character.

More than that, we learn of Palmer’s humble beginnings and her gradual indoctrination into an acting career.
She regales us with stories of working with famed director John Ford and the behind the scenes controversies of one of her earliest, best known films Mister Roberts. We are, also, told that she actually got along with the combative Joan Crawford on the set of their film Queen Bee. One of the most interesting stories is about her adventures making the obscure, low budget The True Story of Lynn Stuart with Hawaii Five-0′s Jack Lord. Apparently, the real Lynn Stuart visited the set and brought more attention to her presence by elaborately masking herself then if she had just shown up and silently observed.

It would have been nice to have learned something about Palmer’s other genre credits (1999’s The Fear: Resurrection and 2005’s Penny Dreadful) yet she does speak glowingly of the Bell Witch: The Movie and of her then hopes to be involved in any sequels.

Overall, Marr allows us to see Palmer as she truly was – warm and sharply inviting. Here, she, ultimately, proves herself to be that lively aunt or grandmotherly figure that has lived a life that most could only dream of. It’s a visual document that makes her passing all the more bittersweet.

Betsy Palmer: A Scream Queen Legend in Her Own Words is available for free viewing on YouTube and for purchase from Amazon in various formats.

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

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

Lezlie Deane: When Johnny Was Tarzan and She Was Jane!

Published June 1, 2015 by biggayhorrorfan

The wrong reputation can get you in a lot of trouble. As the adorably mischievous Jane Kinney on The Worst Night of Your Life, a 1987 episode of 21 Jump Street, the always eclectic, truly awesome Lezlie Deane (Freddy’s Dead, 976-Evil) discovers it can, also, get you a really hot date!

Prom Dress Montage!

Wrongly accused of some sparky damage at her all girls school, Kinney-Deane finds a champion in compassionate series regular Hoffs (Holly Robinson Peete) who gets her hooked up with Johnny Depp’s Tom for a night of awkward, fiery prom mayhem. Who wants to be the (slightly) bad girl, now?

Besides, Deane’s endearing appearance, this episode also boasts a surprisingly acidic turn from the (normally) sweet Kerry Remsen. Remsen, best known to terror fiends as monster bait in such flicks as Pumpkinhead, Ghoulies II and Appointment with Fear, gives it her all here as the nasty Tracy, a vixen that none of the clean cut detectives on this seminal series would have ever wanted to mess with.

Remsen Revving!

Be sure to keep up with Deane and her kick-ass rock band, Scary Cherry & the Bang Bangs at https://www.facebook.com/scarycherry.

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

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

Music to Make Horror Movies By: The Peanuts

Published June 1, 2015 by biggayhorrorfan

Peanuts and soda pop can upset your stomach. But put The Peanuts together with an atomic monster and you get music to soothe the soul.

As the singing fairies that shared a psychic connection with Mothra, twins Emi and Yumi Ito made quite an impression on Kaiju lovers, everywhere. As pop vocalists, in the 60s and 70s, these two, also, conquered Japan, Germany and even made an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Thankfully, their cute antics are still being celebrated today, as well. The two are featured on the recent collection Nippon Girls 2 and the internet contains plenty of footage of their charming, totally winning appearances, too.

Crack ’em open, boys and girls. You won’t be disappointed.

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

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

Help Out Bucket O’ Blood Books!

Published May 28, 2015 by biggayhorrorfan

This is so simple. You could even do it while fighting off a zombie apocalypse or that lecherous neighbor. (Six of one, half dozen the other, right?)

Chicago’s awesome Bucket O’ Blood Books has been offering up scary literature frights and punk rock madness to the willing denizens of the Midwest for awhile. Now, they have an opportunity to make their frightening dream even bigger with a Mission Main Street Grant.

They need 250 votes to apply, though. That’s where your easy version of assistance comes in. Click on the link, below, and show ’em how generous terror lovers can be.

https://www.missionmainstreetgrants.com/b/25549

You can find out more information about this wordy institution at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bucket-O-Blood-Books-and-Records, as well.

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

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

Reunited: Kelli Maroney and Catherine Mary Stewart!

Published May 27, 2015 by biggayhorrorfan

Reunited – and it feels so good!

Lee and Cushing. Karloff and Lugosi. Price and Lorre.

There have been plenty of famous male partnerships in the history of horror. But the teaming of the divine Kelli Maroney and the exquisite Catherine Mary Stewart in 80s horror-dramedy Night of the Comet produced one of the only significant female duos in the universe of terror, making them both highly beloved by progressive audiences, everywhere.

This two beauties recently reunited, in late April, for an episode of the Maroney co-hosted podcast Rick’s Martini Bar – and the enthusiastic cries of those fan boys and girls, worldwide, was overwhelming.

You can download the episode (and others featuring such guests as Kristine DeBell, Barry Livingston and Tony Dow) at http://www.mccartymetro.com/podcast.html.

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

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

Music To Make Horror Movies By: Brigitte Nielsen

Published May 24, 2015 by biggayhorrorfan

Got the penitentiary blues, but, somehow, you’re still feeling the heat?

Well, then statuesque B-Queen Brigitte Nielsen (Chained Heat II, 976-Evil II, Galaxis, Body Count) may just have your soundtrack all worked out.

In the 80s, Nielsen collaborated with Euro wonder Falco on a saucy track entitled Body Next to Body, with both offering up assurances that a little warmth can penetrate any cellblock you may find yourself quartered in.

Be sure to keep a lock and key on the divine Ms. Nielsen at http://www.brigitteneilsen.com and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brigitte-Nielsen.

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

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan