PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Vendors
No horror convention is complete without people selling movies, t-shirts, or books; or creative folks offering up their services or wares. As mentioned, the main convention room was packed with vendors as were the halls outside the main room. I perused the wares sold by every vendor but there were four in particular that stood out, mainly because they offered up great deals, an awesome selection, and/or were just all-around awesome folks.
Severin Films had a table there. For those unfamiliar with Severin Films, they are a company that saves many obscure low-budget/exploitation films from oblivion. The films of Jess Franco and Bruno Mattei, amongst many others, have found a home there to delight this generation of fans. The two people who ran the table were very kind and knowledgeable, answering any and all questions I had as well as making suggestions based on what I’d bought or what my tastes were. Most vendors only give a crap about you if you spend money; otherwise, you don’t exist. Not these two. They were awesome and I hope to see them, as well as another Severin Films table, at the next convention I attend. For those of you with similar off-beat tastes such as myself, you can visit them and check out their wide selection.
Also in attendance was ToeTag, the very people who released the August Underground trilogy. Loving my extreme stuff, I was very pleased to discover they were selling the whole trilogy, along with the 5 disc Possession Edition of director Fred Vogel’s The Redsin Tower. Now, I’ve had several people ask me about the August Underground films and were to get them. Many folks will naturally search eBay or Amazon, only to find copies that go for $40 or higher; often, these copies are scratched to hell or are missing cases. Well, I spoke with EFX maestro Jerami Cruise, owner of ToeTag, and told him about my difficulty in obtaining copies and how high the prices are. He said he’s heard this before and that the films are for sale on the ToeTag website for $15 each. So if you want ’em, get your ass over there and buy ’em!
Also present was Unearthed Films, manned by Stephen Biro. They were offering up a choice selection of films, mostly obscure/extreme gems – which is exactly what I’m always in the market for! Mr. Biro even signed the 3-disc limited edition of American Guinea Pig: Bouquet of Guts and Gore that I bought the first night. I was also able to procure Nails, a Russian horror film that is now out of print and asks a hefty sum online (I got it for $20). For those of you who enjoy extreme/obscure/foreign fare, Unearthed Films is the place to go. Be sure and check out their website. Oh, and did I mention they carry the entire series of the original Guinea Pig movies? Shut up and take my money!
Finally, we come to the best vendor there: Dammit Tees. Dammit Tees not only scored mega points for their wide selection of t-shirts, but for also being extremely friendly and helpful to my friend and I. When we first arrived we hit the table. I found an Angst t-shirt that I just had to have. Sadly, they didn’t have my size. The gentleman running the table said that more should be arriving that night or the next day. I kept checking back throughout the day with no luck. The next day I hit the table first thing. They still hadn’t arrived yet. I pretty much figured it was a lost cause. Then, while I was passing by I heard a voice say, “Is that him!?” “Yeah!” said another. I thought, Oh crap. What did I do? One of the men came over and motioned for me to come to the table. I did. The gentleman from the night before was there – where he whipped out the Angst shirt from behind the table. I was elated. I thanked him – and that was when I noticed a small table set up at the end of their’s with some movies and t-shirts from Cult Epics. I saw a Nekromantik shirt and just had to have it. The gentlemen hooked me up. On the table as well was a copy of Schramm, a film that isn’t due for release until April 12th. I snagged it. I also purchased a Glen or Glenda? t-shirt from them. Once again, they hooked me up nicely. Overall, these gentlemen stand as a shining example of how vendors should be with their customers: always friendly, always helpful, always willing to go the extra mile for them. For that, they earn big props from me. Go on over and check out their eBay store. I guarantee you’ll find something you just can’t live without.
Parties
Ah yes, no convention is complete without a party. Or two. Or three. Days of the Dead offered up three chances for guests and attendees to cut loose and have some fun, hopefully without spilling their booze. Yes, you read that right: booze was available for mass consumption. And the bartender was very liberal with the alcohol. My friend ordered a Jack and Coke at one point, and commented on the amount of Jack in it. I took a sip. It was basically a cup of Jack with a dash of Coke. As much as I like my hard liquor, I stuck with beer. Don’t need to order a White Russian and have the guy fill my cup with a bottle of Kahlua, a bottle of Smirnoff, and a shot glass worth of milk. Drink up! Needless to say, the bartender made a killing in tips.
Anyways, there were three major parties: Celebrity Scaryokee, the exclusive VIP party, and the after party on Saturday.
Celebrity Scaryokee offered people a chance to sing their favorite tunes – on a stage no less! Jennifer Banko and Felissa Rose joined us at this party. If I remember correctly, Felissa Rose did a rendition of “Hotel California.” It was pretty good. I, on the other hand, decided to do a great disservice to the greatest band in the world, Motorhead, by performing “Ace of Spades,” the only track they had. I got up there and gave it my all. Halfway through I realized the audience had taken this opportunity to go buy more booze. My moment to shine, and I was basically singing to an empty auditorium. Thrilling.
The next night at seven was the VIP party. Only guests who’d purchased the VIP tickets could attend. A raffle took place in which free stuff was given away. The items consisted of pictures autographed by Gunnar Hansen, George A. Romero, and Malcolm McDowell; a copy of The Punisher movie poster signed by the cast, and two free VIP tickets for any Days of the Dead convention. My friend won an autographed picture of George A. Romero; I won the right to say that my friend won an autographed picture of George A. Romero. Oh well.
It was during the VIP party that I had an encounter that became one of the most talked-about parts of the trip. One of the female guests, who will not be named, was in attendance. After mingling with folks for a bit she went to the back, grabbed her luggage, and headed out. As she passed by me I said, “Aw, you’re leaving us?” She said, “Yeah, I gotta get up early.” I said, “Well then, you have a good night.” She walked a few feet more, then stopped.
Then shot me a very sexually suggestive over-the-shoulder look, which she held for several seconds. She then made her exit.
My friend and I looked at each other, completely dumbfounded. “What the hell was that!?” he said.
Anyways, the after party began at nine. Some folks from Batcave Hollywood were there to provide music and some shows. There was even a small S&M set-up in the corner for those into that scene. Despite this, the after party wasn’t up to much. This wasn’t because of Batcave Hollywood or Days of the Dead: it was because the people who attended were about as lively as cadavers. I told my friend that the place was little more than a morgue with a soundtrack. This made ditching the party to go to the screening all the more easier. I later found out that my friend left shortly after I did to go to bed. Now, my friend is the type of guy who’ll close a bar at two a.m. and open it at six a.m. (California liquor laws dictate no alcohol can be sold between two and six a.m.). No matter what, he’ll find a way to enjoy himself. The point: when he leaves your party to go to bed, you know your party is bunk.
Conclusion
My friend and I departed the convention about one p.m. on Sunday. The drive home was a quiet one. Either we were thinking about the fun times we had or were a bit depressed at having to return to the work-a-day world the next day. Either way, the trip gave us fond memories we’ll carry with us for the remainder of our lives.
Overall, attending Days of the Dead for all three days ranks as one of the coolest experiences of my life, one I’ll definitely be repeating the next time it’s in L.A. If you’ve never been to a horror convention, I definitely recommend you start with Days of the Dead. Tons of events, perks, screenings, guests, and vendors definitely make it time and money well-spent.
