Official Horror Convention Thread

[Ash28M]

I have been to a couple of them and I thought it would be good we could let each other now which horror conventions you have been too and your experiences with them.

I've been to a couple...

Horrorfind Weekend - Been there once and it was the first convention I ever went to. I had a great time, It was nice and intimate I walked by Tony Todd and Tom Savini a few time and got the feeling I could of struck up a conversation with them at any time. There was also a big vendor room and lots of stuff going on all the time.

Rue Morgue Festival of Fear - I've been there three times now and to be honest i'm not loving it. It shares it space with 4 other genres and it so packed that it looses all of it's atmosphere. I haven't been to much of the off venue stuff so others may have broader experiences. I just feel so distant from the guest that it feels so impersonal.

Anybody else have experience with horror conventions.

[Paff]

I've been to Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors 4 times I think. Yeah, 4 times. Twice in Pasadena, twice in Burbank.

It's not a great convention. The "tiered pricing" is confusing and annoying. Despite it being one of the more pricier conventions, you can see all of the dealer floor in about 20 minutes. Most of the dealers are just selling bootleg DVDs anyway. And I have to disagree with the negatives of "combining genres". I actually prefer that, as it breaks up the monotony. There's only so many 20-somethings dressed totally in black that I can put up with.

That's why my preferred con is the San Diego Comic-Con, despite the gargantuan proportions (150,000 attendants!). So much going on, that you always have something to do. A dealer floor you might not see all of even with the 4 days + "preview night". Various genres to break up the monotony. I can go from manga and anime to artwork to sci-fi to horror to independent films. If you only go to one convention a year, San Diego is by far the one to go to.

[speanroc]

the coventions just aren't the same anymore, i miss those days

[Mark Relford]

The Horrorhound con in Indy was a blast! It was my first con and I can't wait for the next one in November. I did go crazy with the autographs. Twenty bucks each was too much! Plenty of wallet busting stuff there- sphere replicas, RE viral kits, custom made hockey masks, etc. There were too many bootlegs at this con. I was hoping to find some OOP dvds or videos. The celebs were pretty cool, except for Black Betty from Fearnet. She was a friggin' snob.

[eric_angelus]

Just got back from Monster Mania...pretty good time...I spent a bit too much money (as expected) but it was cool to get my Halloween one sheet even more covered in signatures...up to 8 now.

anyone in the NJ/NYC area surely knows of Chiller Theatre. Personally I love it and have been going ever since I was first able to drive. The guests are always good and plentiful but the main reason i go is for the vendors. It's the one day a year I can buy any OOP or rare film I want, so I usually end up dropping a few hundred bucks on tons of bootleg dvds. It's also got lots of great poster vendors - i got a great day bill for The Funhouse last time. Oh, and did I mention the TONS OF CRAZY PORN?!?! That's reason enough for me...

[Mortis]

I've been to Horrorfind the last five years and it's always been a blast.

[17thJuggalo]

Originally Posted by eric_angelus

Just got back from Monster Mania...pretty good time...I spent a bit too much money (as expected) but it was cool to get my Halloween one sheet even more covered in signatures...up to 8 now.

I too literally just got home from this.

I have much better time this year than last year. Again, I spent way too much money, but it was worth it. I met Savini, E.G. Daily, Micheal Berryman, and Mad Man Pondo. I didn't really want to spend alot of cash on auto's this year because I really don't agree with paying for them. I went to the HOTC/Devil's Rejects, Tony Todd, Fright Night, and Mad Man Pondo Q&A's. I got alot of free swag too which is always a good thing.

Overall it was a great atmosphere and everyone seemed really cool. Other than this convention and last year's MM, I've been to the "Gengis Con" here in Pittsburgh. Its really really small, but at least they had an Xploited Cinema table. I dropped alot of cash there.

I might be uploading some photos from MM shortly too.

[shape22]

I've been to a bunch of different ones and for me Horrorfind in Baltimore is definitely the most fun. The dealer room was bigger than at other conventions I attended, there was a lot more opportunity to genuinely interact with the celebs, and the fans were generally nicer than at some other conventions. Several years back my buddy and I had drinks with Michael Berryman and Reggie Bannister in the hotel bar late at night. Michael was sitting at a nearby table and recognized us and came over to hang out. He has to be the most normal celebrity you could ever hope to speak with. And in addition to having a pretty fascinating career himself, he actually worked for Bob Dylan for a while and he told me some very funny stories about him when I mentioned I was a fan. He said Dylan is a cool guy. Reggie was also very funny and gracious--and pretty much exactly the same guy he plays in Phantasm. He was still drinking with fans when the bar closed for the night. Needless to say it was a pretty great night.

I was bummed to miss this year. Did anyone get to meet Jeffrey Combs there?

[eric_angelus]

Originally Posted by 17thJuggalo

I too literally just got home from this.

I have much better time this year than last year. Again, I spent way too much money, but it was worth it. I met Savini, E.G. Daily, Micheal Berryman, and Mad Man Pondo. I didn't really want to spend alot of cash on auto's this year because I really don't agree with paying for them. I went to the HOTC/Devil's Rejects, Tony Todd, Fright Night, and Mad Man Pondo Q&A's. I got alot of free swag too which is always a good thing.

Overall it was a great atmosphere and everyone seemed really cool. Other than this convention and last year's MM, I've been to the "Gengis Con" here in Pittsburgh. Its really really small, but at least they had an Xploited Cinema table. I dropped alot of cash there.

I might be uploading some photos from MM shortly too.

Yeah I went to the Fright Night and Halloween fourms...I really enjoyed both...Halloween was great because it was nice to hear from some different people (ie John Michael Graham) and Fright Night because even though I really like the film, I don't know all that much about it. Inspired me to pop the DVD which I am watching right now. I have alot of pics to, but am waiting for my friend to email them too me. The only complaint I have about this convention (aside from the fact that way too many people were charging $20 to sign your item...but I kind of planned for that) was that the room that basicially all the non-reunion celebs were in was hot as hell!

[Mortis]

I'm bummed they won't be doing it this year.

Originally Posted by 17thJuggalo

Other than this convention and last year's MM, I've been to the "Gengis Con" here in Pittsburgh.

[Mortis]

He wasn't there this year, but I met him twice in previous years. Combs rules!

Originally Posted by shape22

I was bummed to miss this year. Did anyone get to meet Jeffrey Combs there?

[17thJuggalo]

Originally Posted by Mortis

I'm bummed they won't be doing it this year.

Same here. I heard that they're having it in the Spring though. They're having that Zombie Fest thing here in October as well.

[Ash28M]

Have any of you guys been to Cinema Wasteland in Ohio. I was talking to a guy at the Festival of Fear and he had some really good things to say about it.

I've never been to any horror conventions--I'm too cheap (don't like paying for autographs and I'm not big on collecting memorabilia). I did get to meet Tom Savini at the big comic con in Detroit a few years back, though.

The idea seems cool, but I'm still not sold. Are these things worth going to if you're not planning on spending much money?