My Horrorfind 2011 Travelogue
Just to prior to joining the YEAH! Movies team at AMC Networks, I attended the 2011 Horrorfind convention and was asked to write up my experience, as horror films was a big part of the project. What follows is a travelogue of my most fascinating day.
I drove up to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Saturday afternoon, a leisurely and relaxing drive through the backwoods of Maryland. As I crossed the Mason-Dixon Line, I was struck by the abundance of Civil War signage, but that was quickly replaced by a succession (secession?) of cheap signs trumpeting the arrival of the ever nearing Horrorfind. I was finally directed to a small wonderland of hotels, themed restaurants and a multiplex movie theater buried deep in the Pennsylvania woods. The massive parking lot was overflowing with cars, but I eventually found a spot some ten minute later as I lucked upon a departing vehicle.
I ambled over to the Wyndham Gettysburg where the convention was housed, passing a young man dressed impeccably as Gene Simmons, complete with toothed platform shoes. A moment later a rather tired zombie strolled by, followed by an equally tired long-haired and heavily tattooed gentleman sporting fangs.
Welcome to Horrorfind 2011.
The hotel itself was nice enough, if you like the staid feel of an Ethan Allen catalog, and within five minutes I had paid my $25 for the day and entered the twilight zone. The halls were overflowing with hundreds of bored horror fans, many dressed as their favorite horror-themed character, though decidedly heavier, with more tattoos, rattier hair and worse teeth. And lest you think this a convention merely for young horror fans, the older horror geeks made up a surprisingly strong contingent, incessantly perusing the dealer’s room, the dealer’s hall and the celebrity room.
Ah yes, the celebrity room. I took a left into what I thought was another dealer’s room, but soon found myself eye-to-eye with Rowdy Roddy Piper. Let me repeat that, eye to eye. My first thought was, wow, I thought he’d be taller. Then, I thought he’d be bigger. And finally, man is he tanned. But let’s face it at 57, he looked pretty good for someone who made his living getting hit over the head with a metal folding chair. All kidding aside, he was most definitely in his element, smiling warmly for everyone in sight. I can understand why as he was charging thirty buck for a signature, but Rowdy Roddy Piper is a showman and he made sure his long line of fans got their money’s worth, mugging for pictures, joking with every single person, making them feel individually special for a minute or two.
Another left turn and I found myself in a barren wasteland of wannabe B-list celebrities, in some case wannabe D-list celebrities. The alien bounty hunter from The X-Files, that guy from Warlock, the mom from E.T., one of the brothers Darryl from Newhart and Blade Runner, a woman from Highlander (the TV series), three decidedly aging actors from Night of the Living Dead, and one ancient actor who told everyone who passed by his table that he was once in Plan 9 From Outer Space. And those were the ones that stood out.
I should mention there were three actors from True Blood at the other end of the room, but I have no idea who they were. Many women in attendance most obviously did, based on the permanent grins painted on their faces after taking pictures with one particularly stubbly actor. The dealers room itself was a letdown, filled with t-shirt vendors, cheap DVDs and self-proclaimed writers sitting silently behind untouched stacks of self-published horror books.
The reason for my trip to Horrorfind finally came into focus when I got to the packed theater showing The Feed, an independent horror movie made by my good friend and director, Steve Gibson. Chronicling the “live” fourth-season premiere of Ghost Chasers, the movie was an absolute hoot, giving us a glimpse into what we’d all love to see happen on Ghost Hunters if they actually encountered a ghost. I left later in the evening as the zombie prom got underway and the costume competition took center stage (quite literally) at the movie theater.
All in all a good time, especially since Steve won Best Director and The Feed won for favorite fan film. But as I got into my car, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was driving away from the inspiration for David Lynch’s next movie — undoubtedly starring that guy from Warlock.
