PopHorror Let's Get Scared
As a fan of the Hellraiser franchise, it was an amazing experience to meet the icon who inspired the franchise, the actors who breathed life into the characters, and other fans that share my love. All of this in time for the 30th anniversary of Hellbound: Hellraiser II. What a dream come true!
My excitement was overwhelming as I arrived at the Days of the Dead Chicago convention. I made sure to get there hours before the convention started to ensure I would be one of the first to meet them all… Clive Barker, Ashley Laurence, Nicholas Vince, Barbie Wilde, and Simon Bamford.
When the flood gates opened I headed to Clive Barker’s room first. It was truly an honor being able to meet Clive Barker, the mind that inspired the story and the cast that brought to life the characters of Hellraiser (1987) and Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988). It is only fitting that such a horror icon be provided his own room to accommodate all the fans that were there to meet him. His talent as an artist, writer, and director is phenomenal. Being in the presence of such an individual is unreal. He was quite soft spoken as he addressed his adoring fans. He appeared genuinely touched by the outpouring of admiration he was receiving from everyone at the convention for his work.
Up next were the Cenobites! They all were situated in a room together, but Barbie Wilde’s vibrant blonde hair and high energy grabbed my attention first. She is a joy to speak with and radiates such positivity. Our conversation about the books she authored sparked my interest in reading again and lead to me picking up both The Venus Complex and Voices of the Damned when I arrived home from the convention.
Then I chatted it up with Nicholas Vince (you can read our interview with him here). It seemed unreal that I was finally getting to meet the actor that played Chatterer. I have been patiently waiting to meet him for years! Finally, he was going to be at a convention within driving distance from me. It was well worth the wait to meet this articulate and charming talent.
Simon Bamford was up next for my day of convention adventure. He is the actor that played the Cenobite Butterball. We talked about Dark Ditties (2018), a television series that he stars in. He described it as a mix of Black Mirror and American Horror Story, but with a British twist. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Simon was not the only familiar face from the Hellraiser franchise in the first episode of this show when I checked it out.
Last but definitely not least was Ashley Laurence. She played Kirsty Cotton in the Hellraiser franchise. She is stunningly beautiful in person, as well as such a kind-hearted individual. My anxiety got the better of me in front of the huge crowd at the convention. She showed kindness and support in my moment of weakness.
Unfortunately, Pinhead was MIA. Doug Bradley’s presence at the convention would have been the cherry on the top of my horror filled day. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to meet him a few years ago, but it would have been nice to have all the best Cenobites reunited for this convention.
One of the best parts of going to conventions like this is getting to meet other people that share your love for horror films. Seeing all the fellow fans of the Hellraiser franchise decked out in their attire for the convention was so enjoyable, especially the cosplays. There was one cosplayer that really stood out above the rest. As I walked out of the photo op with Clive Barker there stood Frank Cotton in the lobby. Holy Hell! Frank Cotton! I just had to get a picture of this! I quickly looked around to see if I could find Julia, but no such luck.
The time spent at the convention was surreal! It is one of those days that will stay with me always. What a hell of an experience!
