IYKYK

Back From The Grave!

Shock Stock 2024!

After a five-year absence I finally got my self up the 401 to London last weekend to re-acquaint myself with Shock Stock. I was glad to find that it is still as crazy and greasy as ever. I got there around noon on Saturday and said my hellos to all the usual suspects - James, Jake, Carlos, Luis, Brett, Brad et al. 

True to form, I walked out with a haul VHS tapes.

AND this cool little piece of art, from whom I do not know as the floor map isn't online anymore. Dang!

I sadly didn't realize the white was on the outside of the glass so I scuffed it up a bit in transport. Lesson learned!

During the afternoon, I sat in on the Q&A's Italian actress Silvia Collatina (House by the Cemetery, Murder Rock). She was delightful, and one of the last people standing who can talk about what Lucio Fulci was actually like. I also learned that I need to watch Sergio Martino's The Great Alligator.

Actress Silvia Collatina

Then, it was time for the always affable and entertaining Bill Moseley. This guy has had a career! And is apparently a hockey fan. Who knew?

Actor Bill Moseley

The real reason I was there was the Joe Bob Briggs live show that ended up being a 16mm screening of Just Before Dawn with director Jeff Lieberman Q&A following the show. Both Joe Bob and Leiberman didn't seem too thrilled about the presentation considering there is a restored Blu-ray available, but hey, that's the Shock Stock way!

Darcy & Joe Bob with director Jeff Lieberman

There was a debate about whether Just Before Dawn is a slasher, because it was made in 1979 before the term and tropes were coined, but, much to the chagrin of Lieberman, the consensus was, if it walks like a slasher and talks like a slasher - it's a slasher.

I met Lieberman many years ago at a TIFF party after complimenting him on his Satan's Little Helper and talked to him at length (mostly about of all things, UFC) and I was glad to see he had remained his usual acerbic self.

And then we partied the night away. I was happy to have spent my evening with Joe, Darcy and Jeff and not that pitiful excuse for a Game 7. I'm learning.  So, until next year... keep it greasy!

Happy ThAInksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends! Brought to you by the Ailien Realms.

How Long 'Til Skynet?

My buddy Phil was mucking about with an AI art generator and he sent me this.

It's Bjork as Danny from The Shining. He then proceeded to ask me for ideas, for which I shot out “Scarlett Johansson as Ash from The Evil Dead.” of the cuff. A few minutes later I get this...

I for one welcome our robot overlords...

Good Jason

If Ya Know... Ya Know.

Ride The Mayfair!

Hey all. I'm just dropping in to make sure you know about a new podcast called the Mayfair Watchers Society.

Premiering last month, MWS is a ficitonal podcast featuring creepy tales based on the work of artist Trevor Henderson. I've known Trevor for over a decade (we're both OG Laser Blasters) and he's good people. I always get a kick out of the fact that the youngins have latched onto some of his creations like Sirenhead and Cartoon Cat. He's also responsible for that Pallatine Massacre banner to the right there - for which I paid him in VHS tapes. No joke.

Anyhoo, check out the podcast, it's some great stuff.

Horror-Rama 2022!

Horror-Rama was back this year and I had an absolute blast. You never know how these events are gonna go in these uncertain times, but the turnout was great and people looked thrilled to be mingling again. On the Friday night, there was an extra special 40th anniversary screening of a film you know is very near and dear to my heart.

This was the very same Deadly Eyes print that used to play at Trash Palace back in the day. It has changed hands, but it still looks as hairy as ever. However, THIS time I was tapped to moderate the Q&A with special guests Lisa Langlois and Lesleh Donaldson. I'd never done one before, but confidence in the fact I knew the movie inside and out helped combat the nerves.

It went really well. I was amazed and excited that so many in attendance hadn't seen it. I thought that with the Shout Factory Blu-ray, it might have got more eyeballs on it, but I've come to find that was only a small run and now out-of-print. 

For the Q&A, because it was a two-reel, one-projector affair, we did it in three parts - intro, intermission and audience questions at the end. We talked about how they both came to work on the film, the various Toronto locations and just how God damn cold it was that winter.

Lisa Langlois, Lesleh Donaldsen and some schmo.

 

Someone brought up the Imdb trivia (that I'm currently trying to get removed) about a dog suffocating in his rat suit. I'd been preparing for this eventuality and we all had a lengthy discussion about it. I believe it untrue for not only the fact that the dogs were trained for months in LA to wear the rat suits, the headpieces had the jaws cut out of them. Tell me how a dog suffocates when its mouth isn't covered...

Lisa has said on several occasions that someone on the crew told her a dog had a heart attack from the anxiety of wearing the suit, but others state the opposite. If you listen to Al Apone (the FX supervisor for the suits on set) on the Blu-ray supplemental, he maintains that apart from one dog getting hospitalized from something it ate at the kennel they were being kept, no harm came to any of them. I also contacted the film's production manager (whom I met many years ago at TIFF and also worked on The Brain) and he corroborated this story.

But anyway, the night was awesome and it was just the first day of three! Saturday, I was basically there the entire day. There was a bunch of great Q&A's and I got to see people I hadn't seen in ages like Stacey from the OG Trash Palace, Brad from Poster-Mortem and Chris from Little Ghosts.

The Q&A with Thom Matthews was great and thankfully went beyond just his work on Friday 6 and ROTLD. There were actually multiple questions about his many films with Albert Pyun and how his contracting business led him to renovate Ozzy Osbourne's house, much of it while there were shooting their reality show.

Thom Matthews

The big get was Caroline Munro, who was absolutely lovely, an English rose of the highest order. Super humble and eager to talk about her experiences working with likes of Christopher Lee, Roger Moore and Joe Spinnell. Both her Q&A and screening event at the end of the day were fantastic fun.

Throw in the Adventures in Canadian Cinema with Langlois, Donaldsen, Lynne Griffin and Sean Sullivan and you have yourself some CanCon overload. I also got to catch up with Kier-La Janisse who was in town for the event. 

Lesleh Donaldson, Sean Sullivan, Lynne Griffin & Lisa Langlois

In terms of loot, it is true that was wallet was rendered significantly lighter come Monday. Not only did I get my hands on Vinegar Syndrome's Thriller release (which had eluded me at Fantasia), but also this random Beta tape.

I mean it was in such good condition, I couldn't let the fact I don't have a player stop me. I also got a Deadly Eyes long print from the only one of TP's four screenings that I missed, as well as a piece of art I first saw online many years ago and always wanted to own.

It really was a terrific weekend and totally worth battling the horrendous traffic both days. Congrats to Chris, Ali & Luis for putting on such a great show.

Overlook Slugger

F13 2021

Art by Jesus Prado

Mum

Sick indeed.

Here below is the new video from Milkblood entitled Sick Of Being Honest featuring a creature designed by my artist pal Trevor Henderson.

It's been really cool seeing Trevor's creations show up around the 'Net. Reactions to his Siren Head creation remind me of how Slender Man got started back in the day. It starts with discussion groups and fan videos (even a indie game at this point) and next thing ya know, it's on popular YT shows. Can a movie be far behind? Couldn't happen to nicer cat.

Sometimes Meme Is Better...

 

I find this especially hilarious because it reminds me of the time I wrote a book report on Pet Sematary in Grade 8 and the teacher docked me for spelling Sematary wrong.

So Mrs. McKay, wherever you are, go fuck yourself.

Art by @robzombieportraits

I'll Try. No Promises.

Hey all. It's been a minute. I will make an effort to post more as it is that time of year. But I'm feeling...

Let's see if I can generate some spooky vibes over the next few weeks... 

Pic courtesy of Ray Villafane

Summatime!

Source: @thealichappell @swhitney1984

You Gotta Be Fucking Kidding Me!

It took over a month, but I finally finished my latest puzzle.

This was a Mondo issue with art by the always excellent Justin Erickson. A shame about the missing pieces. The friend who lent it to me neglected to mention that the last peeps to play with it were three children. If I'd known I'd have been all...

Bark At The Moon

I've been keeping myself busy during quarantine in all sorts of ways, including doing this puzzle that's been in my parent's crawlspace for decades.

I guess I should be thankful that after fourty years of meddling Clarke children there are only three missing pieces. Stay safe, kiddies.

The Brain Museum

Since my acquisition of “the” Brain last November, I've cleared some wall space to pay tribute to Ed Hunt's 1988 cult classic.

Items (clockwise from left)

-The Brain prosthetic, the only known surviving piece.

-Original Pre-production sketch by Asst. Art director Michael Borthwick.

-Event poster by Leigh Young for screening at The Royal in 2016.

-Original video release poster.

-Original IVE VHS release.

-Bootleg DVD with alternate sleeve art. 

-Independent Thinking mug from 2017 Indiegogo campaign for Yuletide Horror.

The Brain Museum is complete... for now!

It Came From The Archives 29!

While digging around in the Archives last year, I unearthed evidence of my brief foray into cartoonism. I date these little cartoon strips somewhere in the mid-nineties based mainly on the fact they were pencilled on the backs of Blockbuster Video sleeves. It should also come as no surprise that my favourite comic strip as a teen was The Far Side. Enjoy.