‘Shape of Water,’ ‘Stranger Things 2’ and ‘Suspiria’
take top honors in 16th Annual Rondo Awards
‘The Art of Horror Movies’ is Book of the Year;
archivist Tim Lanza is Monster Kid of Year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
By David Colton
CHFB News
ARLINGTON, VA. – The Oscars, it turns out, were merely prelude as Guillermo del Toro’s gritty and romantic fantasy, THE SHAPE OF WATER, was voted Best Movie of 2017 in the (Gasp!) 16th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards.
Del Toro’s creature revival narrowly topped another mainstream horror film, Jordan Peele’s GET OUT, as a record number of voters cast ballots in the fan-based online survey.
STRANGER THINGS 2, the Netflix series that celebrates 1980s era horror films, was named Best Television Show of 2017, its second straight win.
The biggest winner was the Synapse Blu-Ray restoration of SUSPIRIA, a lushly violent 1977 Italian horror directed by Dario Argento which swept the DVD categories, winning the Best DVD/Blu-Ray, Best Restoration, Best Commentary (by David Del Valle and Derek Botelho), and Best DVD Extra (a retrospective by Daniel Griffith).
SUSPIRIA prevailed despite the most classic horror restorations in many years, including James Whale’s OLD DARK HOUSE, the 1925 LOST WORLD, VAMPIRE BAT and CALTIKI.
The Rondo Awards, named after Rondo Hatton, an obscure B-movie villain of the 1940s, honor the best in classic horror research, creativity and film preservation. This year’s e-mail vote, conducted by the Classic Horror Film Board, a 23-year old online community, drew more than 3,700 ballots, the most ever in the largest survey of the classic horror genre held each year.
In other categories, voters named THE DEVIL’S CANDY, a heavy-metal chiller directed by Sean Byrne, as Best Independent Film. Tom Woodruff Jr’s KONG: STEEL IN LOVE, a touching re-animation of the original King Kong armature used in the 1933 classic was voted Best Short Film. And MONSTER KIDS, a documentary by James-Michael Roddy about the professionals who were influenced by the classic monsters in the 1950s and 1960s, was chosen as Best Documentary.
Horror historian Stephen Jones’ richly illustrated THE ART OF HORROR MOVIES: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY was voted Book of the Year, and SCARY MONSTER MAGAZINE, now edited by Don and Vicki Smeraldi, was voted Best Classic Magazine, with RUE MORGUE again named Best Modern Magazine.
Best article went to the 100-page exploration of FRANKENSTEIN: THE UNTOLD STORY by Sam Irvin in LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS. Canadian magazine RUE MORGUE editor Andrea Subassati won Best Interview for her exploration of witches in cinema and reality.
Dark Shadows historian Patrick McCray was voted Best Writer, cover artist Mark Maddox was again chosen as Best Artist, and David G. Hardy was voted Best Fan Artist.
Svengoolie’s national broadcast proved potent again as he received a record number of votes for Favorite Horror Host.
Other winners included Dr. Gangrene’s column in SCARY MONSTERS, the birth.death.movies website and the Twilight Zone Podcast. MY FAVORITE THING IS MONSTERS by Emil Ferris was voted Best Horror Comic.
Tim Lanza, an executive at Cohen Media Group who was largely responsible for the stunning restoration of the 1932 OLD DARK HOUSE, was selected as Monster Kid of the Year.
And this year’s Monster Kid Hall of Fame inductees included Cassandra Peterson (Elvira); WALKING DEAD executive Greg Nicotero; film memorabilia collector Robert Taylor; Mike Hill, the noted sculptor of monsters and a creator of the creature in SHAPE OF WATER; and the late actors Haruo Nakajima and voice actor June Foray.
Below you’ll find all the winners, along with runners-up and honorable mentions. Many categories were very competitive, and numerous nominees not listed here nonetheless drew significant votes.
Below is a photo of Hatton in the 1946 film, HOUSE OF HORRORS, which was an inspiration for the distinctive bust given to winners..
— HERE ARE WINNERS IN THE 16th ANNUAL RONDO AWARDS —
A record number of voters — more than 3,700 fans and professionals — made these choices in the 16th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards for work in the year 2017. Here is a category-by-category breakdown of winners:
BEST FILM OF 2017
THE SHAPE OF WATER
Runner-up: GET OUT
Honorable mentions: WONDER WOMAN, IT,
BLADE RUNNER 2049
BEST TV PRESENTATION
STRANGER THINGS 2
Runners-up: BLACK MIRROR, GAME OF THRONES
Honorable mentions: DOCTOR WHO, FEUD
BEST BLU-RAY/DVD
SUSPIRIA LIMITED EDITION (Synapse)
Runner-up: THE OLD DARK HOUSE (Cohen)
Honorable mentions: THE LOST WORLD (Flicker Alley);
THE LODGER (1927; Criterion); RAWHEAD REX (Kino);
CALTIKI: THE IMMORTAL MONSTER (Arrow)
BEST COLLECTION
THE PHANTASM COLLECTION (Well Go USA)
Runner-up: FRITZ LANG: THE SILENT FILMS (Kino)
Honorable mentions: GEORGE ROMERO: BETWEEN NIGHT AND DAWN (Arrow);
PAUL NASCHY COLLECTION (Scream Factory)
BEST RESTORATION
SUSPIRIA LIMITED EDITION (Synapse)
Runner-up: THE OLD DARK HOUSE (Cohen)
Honorable mentions: THE LOST WORLD (Flicker Alley);
ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL (Kino); CALTIKI (Arrow)
BEST COMMENTARY
DAVID DEL VALLE, DEREK BOTELHO (Suspiria)
Runner-up: TOM WEAVER, GARY RHODES, ROBERT KISS (Invisible Ghost);
TIM LUCAS (Caltiki)
Honorable mention: ROD BARNETT, TROY GUINN (Naschy Collection)
BEST DVD EXTRA
A SIGH FROM THE DEPTHS: 40 YEARS OF SUSPIRIA,
directed by Daniel Griffith
Honorable mentions: THE LOST WORLD (restoration of Ghost of Slumber Mountain);
THE OLD DARK HOUSE (interview with Sara Karloff);
THE LODGER (Hitchcock talks to Truffaut); TALES FROM THE HOOD (Making of)
BEST INDEPENDENT FILM
THE DEVIL’S CANDY, directed by Sean Byrne
Runners-up: A GHOST STORY; Jovanka Vuckovic’s XX
Honorable mentions: DEMON WITH THE ATOMIC BRAIN;
THE LIMEHOUSE GOLEM; THESEUS AND THE MINOTAUR;
I DON’T FEEL AT HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE;
FANTASMA; HG Lewis’ BLOODMANIA
BEST SHORT FILM
KONG: STEEL IN LOVE,
directed by Tom Woodruff Jr.
Honorable mentions: WHY IS THERE CARDBOARD IN DRACULA?;
BURN; THE BLACK CAT; RAKKA; MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH
BEST DOCUMENTARY
MONSTER KIDS: THE IMPACT OF THINGS THAT GO BUMP
IN THE NIGHT, directed by James-Michael Roddy
Runner-up: BATMAN AND BILL
Honorable mentions: YOU’RE SO COOL, BREWSTER: THE STORY
OF FRIGHT NIGHT; WHO GOES THERE: IN SEARCH OF THE THING;
KING COHEN; TO HELL AND BACK: THE KANE HODDER STORY
BOOK OF THE YEAR
THE ART OF HORROR MOVIES: An Illustrated History by Stephen Jones
Runners-up: RICCARDO FREDA: The Life and Works of a Born Filmmaker,
by Roberto Curti; NOPE, NOTHING WRONG HERE: The Making of Cujo,
by Lee Gambin; MONSTER SQUAD: Celebrating the Creators Behind Cinema’s
Most Memorable Creatures, by Heather A. Wixson; A WEREWOLF REMEMBERS,
by Frank Dello Stritto
Honorable mentions: ISHIRO HONDA, by Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewski;
UNIVERSAL TERRORS by Tom Weaver, David Schecter,
Robert J. Kiss and Steve Kronenberg; MICHAEL CURTIZ, by Alan K. Rode;
ARE YOU IN THE HOUSE ALONE: A TV Movie Compendium, by Amanda Reyes
BEST MAGAZINE (Classic)
SCARY MONSTERS
Runners-up: LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS, FAMOUS MONSTERS
Honorable mentions: VIDEO WATCHDOG, CLASSIC MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES,
SCREEM, DIABOLIQUE, FILMFAX, MONSTER BASH; G-FAN
BEST MAGAZINE (modern)
RUE MORGUE
Runner-up: HORRORHOUND
Honorable mention: SCREAM
BEST ARTICLE
‘The Epic Untold Saga Behind Frankenstein: The True Story,’
by Sam Irvin, LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS #38.
Runners-up: ‘Robert Bloch: The Clown at Midnight,’ by Steven Vertlieb, thunderchild.com‘
‘Boris Karloff: Host of NBC’s Thriller,’ by Robert J. Kiss, CLASSIC IMAGES #507.
Honorable mentions: ‘Battle of the Monster Makers,’ by Mark C. Glassy, SCARY MONSTERS #103;
‘The Great and Secret Showman,’ by Sean Plummer, RUE MORGUE #176;
‘The Future of Horror,’ by Nathan Hanneman, HORRORHOUND #68;
‘Caltiki, the Name Written in Tripe,’ by Tim Lucas, SCREEM #33;
‘Supernatural Folklore in the Japanese Ghost Film,’ by Kat Ellinger, DIABOLIQUE #26;
‘Less Is More: The Need to Return to Generic Horror,’ by Preston Fassel, HeardTell.com
BEST INTERVIEW (Award goes to interviewer)
The W.I.T.C.H. interviews by Andrea Subassati,
RUE MORGUE #178
Runners-up: Marie Wallace, by Rod Labbe, SCARY MONSTERS #104;
Martin Landau by Mike Stein, FILMFAX #149
Honorable mentions: Adrienne Barbeau by Terry and Tiffany DuFoe, VIDEOSCOPE #103; Sissy Spacek by Lee Gambin, SCREAM #41; John Walsh (Harryhausen friend),
by Adrian Smith, SCREEM #33; Kelli Maroney by Preston Fassel, CineDump.com
BEST COLUMN
The Doctor Is In-Sane, by Dr. Gangrene (SCARY MONSTERS)
Runner-up: It Came from Bowen’s Basement, by John T. Bowen, RUE MORGUE
Honorable mentions: They Came from the Crypt, by Jon Kitley, HORRORHOUND;
SHOT IN THE DARK by Tim Lucas, DIABOLIQUE; Rondo Remembers by Ron Adams,
MONSTER BASH; Overlooked in Hollywood by Laura Wagner, GOLDEN FILMS
OF THE GOLDEN AGE
BEST COVER
SCARY MONSTERS #105 by Scott Jackson
Runners-up: LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS #38 by Mark Maddox;
CLASSIC MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES #9, by Daniel Horne
Honorable mentions: FAMOUS MONSTERS #289 by Terry Wolfinger;
RUE MORGUE #178 by Sara Deck and Andrew Wright
BEST WEBSITE
birth.movies.death
Runners-up: Bloody Disgusting, Dread Central
Honorable mentions: Collinsport Historical Society; Video Watchblog;
Daily Dead; Dr.Gangrene’s Mad Blog
BEST MULTI-MEDIA SITE
TWILIGHT ZONE PODCAST
Runners-up: Blumhouse Shock Waves; Bloodbath and Beyond;
Monster Kid Radio; Ray Harryhausen Podcast
Honorable mentions: Trailers From Hell; Damn Dirty Geeks;
Count Gore De Vol’s Creature Features; Homicidal Homemaker
BEST CONVENTION
MONSTER BASH
Veronica Carlson, Larry Storch. Terry Moore at Monster Bash
Runners-up: Monsterpalooza; HorrorHound Weekend
Honorable mentions: Texas Frightmare
BEST LIVE EVENT
RAY HARRYHAUSEN’S MYTHICAL MENAGERIE,
Science Museum Oklahoma
Runners-up: Blob Panic Re-Enactment (BlobFest);
MST3K tour
Honorable mentions: Women in Horror Month;
Frankenstein the True Story event (Creature Features, Burbank)
FAVORITE HORROR HOST
SVENGOOLIE
Runners-up: Elvira, Joe Bob Briggs
Honorable mentions: Dr. Gangrene, Penny Dreadful, Count Gore De Vol,
Karlos Borloff, Bone Jangler, Lord Blood-Rah, Son of Ghoul
BEST HORROR COMIC BOOK
MY FAVORITE THING IS MONSTERS,
by Emil Ferris
Runners-up: American Gods; Walking Dead;
Haunted Horror; Lucio Fulci’s Zombie
BEST CD
HAMMER HORROR: CLASSIC THEMES 1958-1974
Runners-up: Bram Stoker’s Dracula; Long Live the King;
Audio Adventures of Big Dan Frater; Vault of Horror
———————————————————————
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
———————————————————————
WRITER OF THE YEAR
Patrick McCray
Few people know the secrets of Collinsport more than Patrick McCray, a Dark Shadows
expert whose contributions to the Dark Shadows Daybook keep horror’s enduring
scare opera alive for new generations. A writer who viewed 1,225 episodes in
45 days, he shares his obsession with Collinsport fans daily.
.
Runners-up: Jonathan Rigby, Gary Rhodes, Tom Weaver,
Tim Lucas, Kit Ellinger, BJ Coangelo, Frank Dello Stritto,
Kim Newman
ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Mark Maddox
The dazzling artwork of Mark Maddox has become as familiar as the logos
of our favorite monster magazines. Whether giving a vibrant vibe to Ghidrah or
a somber take on Dracula, the Maddox touch is sure and steady.
No wonder his work is nominated for several covers each year.
Runners-up: Daniel Horne, Chantal Handley, Scott Jackson, Gary Pullin,
Frank Dietz, Jason Edmiston, L.J. Dopp, Peter Von Sholly, George Chastain
LINDA MILLER AWARD
FOR FAN ARTIST OF THE YEAR
(In memory of the late Linda Miller)
David G. Hardy
The art of David G. Hardy flows naturally, capturing the hearts and torments
of our favorite monsters and supporting players. Whether casual sketches or
full-throated portraits, Hardy’s work is in the grand tradition of classic fantasy,
propelled by an exuberance of spirit that keeps his horrors…alive.
Runners-up: John Sargent, Malcolm Gittins, Jeff Carlson,
Jerrod Brown, Rob Costello.
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Sonny Vento of the Haunted Barn Movie Museum
That’s Sonny Vento, now 87, appearing very briefly in 1953 as a
longshoreman in THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS, just before
the Rhedosaur attacks. Vento helped his son, Joey, start the
Haunted Barn Movie Museum in New York, which since 1968 has
displayed monster props and shown movies to kids young and old.
Says Joey: “When we do our Monstrous Movie Memories Show displays,
we always do a tribute to dad.”
We at the Rondos are delighted to honor a Greatest Generation Monster Kid!
—————————————————————————————
MONSTER KID OF THE YEAR
TIM LANZA
A vice president at the Cohen Media Group, Tim was the driving
force behind the restoration of James Whale’s OLD DARK HOUSE
on Blu-Ray. Working his industry contacts for years, he finally got access
to a Library of Congress copy for a 4K restoration. Classic horror fans
now have the 1932 film as it was meant to be seen. The Rondos are
honored to select Tim Lanza as our Monster Kid of the Year,
THE MONSTER KID HALL OF FAME
JUNE FORAY
June Foray was quite literally the voice of several generations,
the voice artist behind Rocky and Bullwinkle, Looney Toons, Hanna-Barbera,
Disney and scores of commercials and films. Passing away last year at the
age of 99, her legacy lives on to the delight of our children and grandchildren.
CASSANDRA PETERSON
Taking the tradition of horror hosts to sexy and hilarious
heights, Cassandra Peterson’s Elvira character never
forgot the dignity of the films she lampooned. For 30 years
she’s kept forgotten horror franchises alive. One of the genre’s
true pioneers.
GREG NICOTERO
In a world of suits and balance sheets, it’s rare that
someone who gets it takes charge of a horror franchise
as important as THE WALKING DEAD. A trailblazing
makeup and effects artist, Nicotero’s deft directing touch
keeps the show at the cutting edge of 21st Century storytelling.
His work will be a guide for generations of filmmakers to come.
ROBERT TAYLOR
In a world of collectors, few can compare with Robert Taylor,
whose rooms of show business memorabilia from the early
1900s to the fright films of the 50s is a living museum. With access
to Forrest J Ackerman’s writings and Vincent Price artwork, Taylor
is a master of ephemera that matters. In addition, his years of serving
as Sara Karloff’s aide de camp at conventions and elsewhere have
kept icons available to fans and researchers. Shown above with Victoria
Price and Karloff, Robert is a true gentleman of the genre.
HARUO NAKAJIMA
For decades he was the anonymous man in the Godzilla suit, walking
silently through miniature cities. It was hot in the suit, he said later,
sometimes he was injured. But Haruo Nakajima never
faltered as he kept Toho’s monster franchise on schedule.
Late in life fans learned his names and flocked to him at conventions.
When he died at age 88, Nakajima knew that in his own way, he was a star.
MIKE HILL
Mike Hill’s lifelike sculpts of famous monsters can take your
breath away. Full-size and detailed down to the tear on
a teenage werewolf’s pants leg, Hill’s work reveals the humanity
in even the fiercest of creatures. His work on the merman in
THE SHAPE OF WATER shows his Hollywood influence has only just begun.
———————————————————-
And there you have it. Whew!
None of this would be possible without the thousands of you who voted, or
convinced others to vote. And the bedrock of it all remains the Classic Horror Film Board.
If you want to comment or react to the awards — or suggest nominees for next year — visit the CHFB’s Rondo Forum.
A Rondo Awards Ceremony will be held at the WonderFest Convention
in Louisville on Saturday, June 2, 2018.
Many of the winners will attend or send
videos. Keep track of Rondo doings at classichorrorfilmboard.com or at rondoaward.com.
And remember the words of Zacherley:
:
‘Good night, whatever you are!’
————————————————————————————————–
Rondo Awards copyright David Colton (taraco@aol.com)
VOTING NOW CLOSED
HERE WAS THE OFFICIAL BALLOT FOR (GASP!) THE 16TH ANNUAL RONDO HATTON CLASSIC HORROR AWARDS
This year’s awards are dedicated to Basil Gogos, George Romero and Haruo Nakajima
VOTING IS CLOSED
1. BEST MOVIE OF 2017
— ALIEN: COVENANT
— ANNABELLE: CREATION
— THE BLACKCOAT’S DAUGHTER
— BLADE RUNNER 2049
— COLOSSAL
— CULT OF CHUCKY
— A CURE FOR WELLNESS
— GET OUT
— GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 2
— HAPPY DEATH DAY
— Stephen King’s IT
— IT COMES AT NIGHT
— JUSTICE LEAGUE
— KONG SKULL ISLAND
— LIFE
— LOGAN
— MOTHER!
— THE MUMMY
— THE SHAPE OF WATER
— STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI
— SUPER DARK TIMES
— THOR RAGNAROK
— WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
— WONDER WOMAN
— Or write in another choice:
2. BEST TELEVISION PRESENTATION OF 2017
— AMERICAN HORROR STORY: CULT, ’11/9.’ 9.26.17, FX. Election results spark a murderous cult from both sides. ‘Take pain in one hand and anger in another. Use them.’
— BLACK MIRROR, ‘USS Callister,’ 12.29.17, NETFLIX. A creepy take on fandom and Star Trek. ‘But then you threw my son out of an airlock.’
— DOCTOR WHO, ‘Twice Upon a Time,’ 12.25.17, BBC America. The Twelfth Doctor, refusing to regenerate, meets the First Doctor. ‘There’s a few false starts, but you get there in the end.’
— THE EXORCIST, ‘Darling Nikki,’ 11.10.17, FOX. An attempt to draw the Demon out of hiding. ‘After they’ve gone, we’ll start putting this house together again.’
— FEUD, ‘You Mean All This Time We Could Have Been Friends?’ 4.23.17, FX. The Bette Davis-Joan Crawford finale includes recreation of Crawford filming TROG. ‘My mother told me to never speak ill of the dead, only good. Joan Crawford is dead. Good.’
— GAME OF THRONES, ‘The Spoils of War,’ 8.6.17. A spectacular battle of fire and ice. Dragons, too. ‘I will fight for you. I will fight for the North. When you bend the knee.’
— THE HANDMAID’S TALE, ‘A Woman’s Place,’ 5.17.17, HULU. An ambassador brings short-lived hope. ‘We let them forget their real purpose. We won’t let that happen again.’
— THE ORVILLE, ‘Pria’ 10.5.17, FOX. Charlize Theron guests as an alien from the future. ‘When we get to my century, I’ll introduce you to Amelia Earhart.’
— STAN AGAINST EVIL, ‘Girl’s Night,’ 11.8.17, IFC. Jeffrey Combs guest stars as Impish Man. ‘Answer the door. Then step outside and lock it, and everything will be great.’
— STRANGER THINGS, ‘The Gate,’ 10.27.17, NETFLIX. Eleven and others confront beasts from the Upside Down. ‘I never gave up on you. I called you every night.’
— THE WALKING DEAD, ‘Bury Me Here,” 3.12.17 AMC. Carol rejoins the fight after a delivery to the Saviors goes bad. ‘We have to fight. We do. But not today..’
— Or write in another choice:
3. BEST CLASSIC DVD/BLU-RAY
— CALTIKI: THE IMMORTAL MONSTER (1959; Kino)
— DELUGE (1933, Kino)
— THE LODGER: A STORY OF THE LONDON FOG (1927 Hitchcock, Criterion)
— THE LOST WORLD (1925; Flicker Alley)
— THE MAD MAGICIAN 3-D (1954; Twilight Time)
— THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH (1959; Kino)
— THE OLD DARK HOUSE (1932, Cohen)
— RAWHEAD REX (1986, Kino)
— SUSPIRIA (1982; Synapse)
— THE VAMPIRE BAT (1933, Film Detective)
— WORLD WITHOUT END (1956; Warners Archive)
— Or write-in another choice:
4. BEST COLLECTION
— COFFIN JOE TRILOGY: At Midnight I’ll Take Your Soul, This Night I’ll Possess Your Corpse, Embodiment of Evil (Synapse)
— FRITZ LANG: THE SILENT FILMS (Kino). Twelve Blu-Ray discs, 11 films.
— PAUL NASCHY COLLECTION (Scream Factory): Hunchback of Morgue, Werewolf & Yeti, Devil’s Possessed, Exorcism, Dragonfly for Each Corpse.
— NIGHT OF THE SORCERERS/THE LORELEY’S GRASP (1974; Scream Factory).
— THE PHANTASM COLLECTION (WellGo USA): All five films.
— POLTERGEIST II, III (Scream Factory)
— PSYCHO CIRCUS 3 RINGS OF TERROR: Brotherhood of Satan, Torture Garden, Creeping Flesh (Mill Creek)
— GEORGE ROMERO: BETWEEN NIGHT AND DAWN (Arrow): There’s Always Vanilla, Season of the Witch, The Crazies
5. BEST RESTORATION OR UPGRADE
— ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL (1941, Kino) 4K restoration of 12-chapter serial.
— CALTIKI: THE IMMORTAL MONSTER (1959; Arrow): Complete high-def restoration of a film, and monster, once hard to see.
— DELUGE (1933, Kino) Long overdue restoration of early disaster film.
— DON’T TORTURE A DUCKLING (1972, Arrow): Impressive image given difficult source material.
— THE LOST WORLD (1925, Flicker Alley). Expanded and restored edition adds another 10 minutes.
— THE LODGER: A STORY OF THE LONDON FOG (1927 Hitchcock, Criterion)
— THE OLD DARK HOUSE (1932, Cohen) Complete 4K restoration finally brings film into the light.
— SUSPIRIA (1977; Synapse). Much awaited 4K restoration, color corrections from original negative
— THE VAMPIRE BAT (1933, Film Detective) Remastered from 35mm at UCLA Film Archive
— VAMPIRE’S GHOST (1945, Olive). Best this low-budget film has ever looked.
— VAMPYR (1932, Criterion) Sparkles in high-definition.
— Or write-in another choice:
6. BEST COMMENTARY TRACK
— CHRIS ALEXANDER, Cyborg 2087 (1966, Kino)
— ROD BARNETT and TROY GUINN: Paul Naschy Collection (Scream Factory)
— NICOLAS CICCONE, The Lost World (1925, Flicker Alley)
— TRAVIS CRAWFORD, The Crazies (Arrow, Romero)
— SAMM DEIGHAN, KAT ELLINGER: The Gorgon (1964, Indicator)
— DAVID DEL VALLE, DEREK BOTELHO, Suspiria (1977, Synapse)
— MICHAEL GRAIS (director): Poltergeist II (1986; Shout)
— GEORGE PAVOU (director), STEPHEN THROWER: Rawhead Rex (1986, Kino)
— JONATHAN RIGBY: City of the Dead (1960; Arrow)
— SAM SHERMAN, Vampire Bat (1933)
— TROY HOWARTH: Don’t Torture a Duckling (1972, Arrow)
— TIM LUCAS: Caltiki: The Immortal Monster (1959)
— JAMES NEIBAUR: Visit to a Small Planet (1960, Kino)
— TOBY ROAN: One Million BC (1940; VCI)
— MICHAEL SCHLESINGER: Daredevils of the Red Circle (1939 serial, Kino)
— RICHARD HARLAND SMITH: Deluge (1933, Kino)
— TOM WEAVER, GARY RHODES, DR. ROBERT J. KISS: The Invisible Ghost (Lugosi 1941, Kino)
— Or write-in another choice:
7. BEST DVD EXTRA
— ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN MARVEL (1941, Kino): 10 commentators share duties for all 12 chapters.
— BLACKENSTEIN (1973; Severin): Interview with sister of writer/producer Frank Saletri, who was mysteriously murdered in his home.
— CALTIKI: THE IMMORTAL MONSTER (1959; Arrow): Feature with film historian Kim Newman.
— COFFIN JOE TRILOGY: The Making of At Midnight I’ll Possess Your Soul.
— DON’T TORTURE A DUCKLING (1972; Arrow): 1988 interviews with director Lucio Fulci.
— LAIR OF THE WHITE WORM (1988, Vestron): Worm Food: The Effects of Lair of the White Worm.
— THE LODGER: A STORY OF THE LONDON FOG (1927) Hitchcock talks with Truffaut, Bogdanovich
— THE LOST WORLD (Flicker Alley): High-def restoration of 1913 Willis O’Brien short, The Ghost of Slumber Mountain.
— THE MAD MAGICIAN (1954; Twilight Time): Two Three Stooges shorts in 3-D.
— NIGHT OF THE SORCERERS (1974; Scream Factory): Alternate ‘clothed’ version!
— THE OLD DARK HOUSE (1932, Kino): Talk with Sara Karloff about her father’s work with James Whale.
— POLTERGEIST III (1988, Shout): Interviews with Nancy Allen
— THE RESURRECTED (1991, Shout): Interview with S.T. Joshi
— SUSPIRIA (Synapse): Half-hour Ballyhoo feature, A Sigh from the Depths: 40 Years of Suspiria,
— TALES FROM THE HOOD (1995, Shout): Welcome to Hell, The Making of Tales from the Hood
— VAMPIRE BAT (1933): Melvyn Douglas’ son recalls his father’s life and work.
— Or write-in another choice:
8. BEST INDEPENDENT FILM (Limited release, video/streaming)
— ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE, directed by John McPhail. Singing and dancing helps fend off a zombie invasion. See video here
— Herschel Gordon Lewis’ BLOODMANIA, directed by HG Lewis, Kevin Littlelight, Melanie Reinboldt. A blood-soaked quartet of gore and satire. See video here
— DEMON WITH THE ATOMIC BRAIN, directed by Christopher Mihm. Crazed special effects mark this send-up of 50s sci-fi. See video here
— THE DEVIL’S CANDY, directed by Sean Byrne. Satanic chords in a heavy metal horror. See video here
— DIANE, directed by Michael Mongillo. A dead body of a beautiful woman haunts an Afghan vet. See video here
— FANTASMA, directed by Brett Mullen. Demons swirl around a ballerina. See video here
— A GHOST STORY, directed by David Lowery. A white-sheeted ghost is unstuck in time. See video here
— I DON’T FEEL AT HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE, directed by Macon Blair. A nurse and friend find revenge has its own horrors. See video here
— THE LIMEHOUSE GOLEM, directed by Juan Carlos Medina. Londoners believe a legendary creature is behind serial murders. See video here
— LONG NIGHT IN A DEAD CITY, directed by Richard Griffin. Shadows and menace on an eerie New Year’s Eve. See video here
— THE NIGHT-TIME WINDS, directed by Ansel Faraj. Estranged sisters reunite amid ghosts and black-and-white terrors. See video here
— RED CHRISTMAS, directed by Craig Anderson. From Australia with Dee Wallace, a most dangerous holiday. See video here
— SUPER DARK TIMES, directed by Kevin Phillips. Teens unable to escape a deadly secret. See video here
— THESEUS AND THE MINOTAUR, directed by Joshua Kennedy. A stop-motion homage to Harryhausen myths. See video here
— XX, directed by Jovanka Vuckovic, Annie Clark, Roxanne Benjamin and Karyn Kusama. Family horrors mark this four-episode anthology. See video here
— Or write-in another choice:
9. BEST SHORT FILM
— THE AMULET OF FEAR, directed by Andrea Ricca (6 mins) Girl’s discovery conjures up a creature. See video here
— THE BLACK CAT, directed by Barghav Saikia (20 mins.). From India, based on short story by Ruskin Bond. See video here.
— BURN, directed by Judson Vaughan (15 mins). A couple tries to shield their son amid a media witchhunt. See video here
— CRESWICK, directed by Natalie James (10 mins). Something else is living in a woman’s childhood home. See video here
— DON’T EVER CHANGE, directed by Don Swaynos (10 mins). A ‘fan’ interrupts a mother-daughter reunion. See video here
— HIVE, directed by Adam Ciolfi (10 mins). Stop-motion look at hope on a dying world. See video here
— KONG: STEEL IN LOVE, directed by Tom Woodruff Jr. (9 mins). The original King Kong armature is reanimated in a touching tribute. See video here
— RAKKA, directed by Neill Blomkamp. (22 mins). Sigourney Weaver stars in battle against alien invaders. See video here
— RITES OF VENGEANCE, directed by Izzy Lee (5 mins). Nuns take vengeance on a sinful preist. See video here
— THEATRE FANTASTIQUE: MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH, directed by Ansel Faraj (11 mins) Poe’s poem takes a hallucinatory dance. See video here
— WHY IS THERE CARDBOARD IN DRACULA? by Cinemassacre (10 minutes). Was that cardboard on a lamp in the 1931 classic a mistake or intentional? See video here
— Or write-in another choice:
10. BEST DOCUMENTARY
— BATMAN AND BILL, directed by Don Argott, Sheena M. Joyce; based on book by Marc Tyler Nobleman. How Bill Finger finally was given credit for helping Bob Kane create Batman. See video here
— KING COHEN: THE WILD WORLD OF FILMMAKER LARRY COHEN, directed by Steve Mitchell. The showman who mixed schlock with class. See video here
— MONSTER KIDS: THE IMPACT OF THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT, directed by James-Michael Roddy. How the monster craze of the 1960s grew to change American culture. See video here
— THE MOTHMAN OF POINT PLEASANT, directed by Seth Breedlove. What is known about the encounter with a creature in West Virginia in 1966. See video here
— 78/52, directed by Alexandre O. Phillippe. An obsessive look at the shower scene in Psycho. See video here
— TO HELL AND BACK: THE KANE HODDER STORY, directed by Derek Herbert. How a burn-scarred stuntman rose to don the mask of Jason Voorhees. See video here
— TOMB OF THE TOPSTONES, directed by Ray Castile. Web series traces history of rare monster masks of the 1960s. See video here
— UNEARTHED & UNTOLD: THE PATH TO PET SEMATARY, directed by John Campopiano, Justin White. Revisiting locations in Maine, the story of the Stephen king thriller. See video here
— WHO GOES THERE? IN SEARCH OF THE THING, directed by Daniel Griffith. From science fiction magazine to two classic films, the complete story of the alien on ice. See video here
— YOU’RE SO COOL, BREWSTER: THE STORY OF FRIGHT NIGHT, directed by Chris Griffiths. More than three hours on the film and its sequel. See video here
–Or write-in another choice:
11. BOOK OF THE YEAR
— AMERICAN GOTHIC, by Jonathan Rigby (Signum, hardcover, 384 pages, $39.95). Revised and sometimes surprising examination of the classics of American horror films.
— APOCALYPSE THEN: American and Japanese Atomic Cinema, 1951-1967, by Mike Bogue (McFarland, softcover, 316 pages, $39.95). The atom is not our friend in this survey of nearly 90 films.
— ARE YOU IN THE HOUSE ALONE? A TV Movie Compendium, 1964-1999, by Amanda Reyes (Headpress, softcover, 338 pages, $23.95). From IT to DUEL, made-for-TV movies that made viewers jump.
— AUSTRALIAN GOTHIC: The Untold Story of the 1929-31 Dracula Tour ‘Down Under,’ by Daniel Best. (CreateSpace, softcover, 168 pages, $16.95). Tracing the vampire play starring Australian actor Ashton Jarry.
— THE ART OF HORROR MOVIES: An Illustrated History, by Stephen Jones (Applause Theater & Cinema, hardcover, 256 pages, $26). Posters, paintings and essays from silents to today.
— THE BIG BOOK OF JAPANESE GIANT MONSTER MOVIES: THE LOST FILMS, by John LeMay (CreateSpace, softcover, 386 pages, $16.99). Kaiju pairings and sequels that were announced but never happened.
— CRYPTID CINEMA: Meditations on Bigfoot, Bayou Beasts & Backwoods Bogeymen of the Movies, by Stephen R. Bissette (CreateSpace, softcover, 264 pages, $24.95). A veteran of swamp things reviews the films of bogs and creatures.
— DRACULA’S DAUGHTER (Scripts from the Crypt #6), by Gary Don Rhodes, with Tom Weaver and Michael Lee (BearManor Media, softcover, 350 pages, $24.95). Original shooting script and analysis of Universal’s most urbane horror classic.
— FORGOTTEN HORRORS VOL. 9: Into the Ectoplasmic Spasmochasm, by Michael H. Price, John Wooley, Frank Stack (CreateSpace, softcover, 250 pages, $25). Bravely into the lost or ignored films of the 1960s.
–ISHIRO HONDA: A Life in Film from Godzilla to Kurosawa, by Steve Ryfle and Ed Godziszewki (Wesleyan, hardcover, 336 pages, $32.95). Two film scholars review the wide-ranging career of the famed Japanese director.
— IT CAME FROM THE VIDEO AISLE!, by Dave Jay, William Wilson and Dewi Torsten (Schiffer, softcover, 480 pages, $34.99). Inside Charles Band’s Full Moon cinema empire.
— KIM NEWMAN’S VIDEO DUNGEON, by Kim Newman (Titan books, softcover, 320 pages, $18.95). Collected reviews by one of England’s p[remier authorities.
— LOST GIRLS: The Phantasmagorical Cinema of Jean Rollin, edited by Samm Deighan (Spectacular Optical, softcover, 434 pages, $49.95Canada/$39USD) Women critics reveal the many layers found in the work of the French fantasist.
— MICHAEL CURTIZ: A Life in Film, by Alan K. Rode (University Press of Kentucky, hardcover, 704 pages, $50). Best-known for Casablanca, he directed 181 films, even the likes of Doctor X and Mystery in the Wax Museum.
— MIDNIGHT MARQUEE’S CLASSIC HORROR MOVIE SCRAPBOOK, 1930s, Vol. 1, edited by Susan and Gary Svehla. (Midnight Marquee, softcover, 268 pages, $25). Pressbook materials, newspaper clippings, photos and ballyhoo surrounding our favorite monster films.
— THE MONSTER MOVIES OF UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, by James L. Neibaur (Rowman & Littlefield, hardcover, 228 pages, $38). A character study of 29 films featuring Universal’s classic monsters.
— MONSTER SQUAD: Celebrating the Artists Behind Cinema’s Most Memorable Creatures, by Heather A. Wixson (BearManor Media, softcover, 444 pages, $28). Biographies and interviews with master monster makers of the 70s-90s.
— NOPE, NOTHING WRONG HERE: The Making of Cujo, by Lee Gambin (BearManor Media, softcover, 502 pages, $30). Interviews and production notes from the 80s classic.
— RICCARDO FREDA: The Life and Works of a Born Filmmaker, by Roberto Curti (McFarland, softcover, 376 pages, $45). A wide-ranging biography of the Italian director.
— ROBOT MONSTER DIARIES, by Kevin Scott Collier (CreateSpace, softcover, 120 pages, $10.95). From bubble machines to rare photos, a look back at the Ro-Man invasion.
— TRIBUTE TO WILLIS O’BRIEN, Vols. 1 & 2, by William Stout (Terra Nova Press, softcover, 80 pages each, $20). Famed artist’s detailed sketches and commentary on the original master of animation.
— UNIVERSAL MONSTERS ORIGINS, by Christopher Ripley (Eskdale & Kent, softcover, 260 pages, $14.99). The legends behind some of Hollywood’s most famous creatures.
— UNIVERSAL TERRORS: Eight Classic Horror and Sci-Fi Films, by Tom Weaver with David Schecter, Robert J. Kiss and Steve Kronenberg (McFarland, softcover, 440 pages, $49). From the Creature to Tarantula, Universal’s new wave of monsters in the 1950s.
— VAMPIRA AND HER DAUGHTERS, Women Horror Hosts from the 1950s to the Internet Era, by Robert Michael “Bobb” Cotter (McFarland, softcover, 172 pages, $29.95). The too often overlooked “dream ghouls,” from Aunt Gertie to Veronique Von Venom.
— WE ARE THE MARTIANS: The Legacy of Nigel Kneale, by Neil Snowdon (PS Publishing, hardcover, 491 pages, $35). The man who created Quatermass and much of British TV.
— WE BELONG DEAD: A Gay Perspective on the Classic Movie Monsters, by Douglas McEwan (Pulp Hero Press, softcover, 177 pages, $17.95). A witty look at how classic horror films might appear from a gay point of view.
— THE WEREWOLF FILMOGRAPHY, by Bryan Senn (McFarland, hardcover, 408 pages, $49.95). The ultimate in moonlit scholarship, more than 300 films.
— A WEREWOLF REMEMBERS: The Testament of Lawrence Stewart Talbot, by Frank J. Dello Stritto (Cult Movies Press, hardcover, 511 pages, $30). The untold history of the Universal monsters, as told by the Wolf Man.
— Or write in another choice:
12. BEST MAGAZINE OF 2017
— Cinema Retro
— Classic Monsters of the Movies
— The Dark Side
— Delirium
— Diabolique
— Digital Dead
— Famous Monsters of Filmland
— Filmfax
— Freaky Monsters
— G-Fan
— HorrorHound
— Little Shoppe of Horrors
— Mad Scientist
— Monster!
— Monster Bash
— Phantom of the Movies Videoscope
— Rue Morgue
— Scary Monsters
— Scream
— Screem
— Shock
— Video Watchdog
— We Belong Dead
— Or write in another choice:
13. BEST ARTICLE (Please pick two; one will win)
— ‘Battle of the Monster Makers: The Science Behind Henry and Victor Frankenstein,’ by Mark C Glassy, PhD, SCARY MONSTERS #103. The science behind Universal and Hammer’s dueling mad doctors.
— ‘Boris Karloff: Host of NBC’s Thriller,’ by Dr. Robert J. Kiss, CLASSIC IMAGES #507. How the horror icon held viewers spellbound.
— ‘Caltiki: The Name Written in Tripe,’ by Tim Lucas. SCREEM #33. The rediscovery of Mario Bava’s role in his Italian monster movie.
— ‘Robert Bloch: The Clown at Midnight,’ by Steve Vertlieb, THETHUNDERCHILD.COM. Recalling a 25-year friendship with the author of Psycho.
— ‘Could the Zombo Show Be Successful Today?’, by Mike Dimesa (art by Rob Costello), SCARY MONSTERS #103. A wistful look at the Munsters short-lived horror host.
— ‘The Epic Untold Saga Behind Frankenstein: The True Story,’ by Sam Irvin, LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS #38. More than 100 pages on the 1973 NBC miniseries that brought elegance and star-power to Mary Shelley’s monster.
— ‘Fan Therapy: Subscription Boxes,’ by Nathan Hanneman, HORRORHOUND #63. What do you actually get in those horror mystery boxes? HH opens them up.
— ‘The Future of Horror: Directing a New Generation,’ by Nathan Hanneman and staff, HORRORHOUND #68. A look at directors who will be taking the genre in scary new directions.
— ‘The Great and Secret Showman,’ by Sean Plummer, RUE MORGUE #176. The myths and truths behind Satanist Anton Lavey.
— ”How Do You Solve a Problem Like Carmilla, Part Two,’ by John-Paul Checkett, VIDEO WATCHDOG #184. More surp[rising films based on LeFanu’s novella.
— ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame,’ by Nige Burton, CLASSIC MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES #9. An in-depth look at the 1939 all-time classic.
— ‘James Whale,’ a three-part article by Neil Pettigrew, DARK SIDE #183, 188, 189. Visits to Whale’s birthplace and stage career offer insights to his Universal monsters.
— ‘Less Is More: on the Need to Return to Generic Horror,’ by Preston Fassel, HeardTell.com. A prescription for change.
— ‘The Mummy: 85 Years of Stalking,’ by Jon Kitley with Jason Jink Jenkins, HORRORHOUND # A museum-full of mummified films, toys, games and artifacts.
— ‘Music to our Fears,’ by Jamie Jones, CLASSIC MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES #6. Dissecting the horror themes that made so many films so memorable.
— ‘The Night of the Eagle Revisited,’ by Clive Dawson, DARK SIDE #181. The many incarnations of Burn Witch Burn.
— ‘The Obscure Cinematic Lore of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde,’ by Steve Joyce, the Journal of Stevenson Studies, Vol. 13. Exploring the many silent-film takes on one of literature’s original monsters.
— ‘The Old Dark House, Fixed Up Good as New,’ by Tom Weaver, CLASSIC IMAGES #509. Interviews and tons of facts about the newly restored James Whale classic.
— ‘Paul Blaisdell: The Strange Creature of Topanga Canyon,’ by Vincent di Fate, SCARY MONSTERS #104-105. The low-budget triumphs and career heartbreak of a master monster maker.
— ‘Paul Naschy,’ by Rod Barnett, SCREEM #34. An expert examines the latest Naschy resurgence.
— ‘Phyllis Coates, or Loosing Lois Lane in New York,’ by Bruce Dettman, FILMFAX #150. A first-person account of escorting the Superman star to a Manhattan convention.
— ‘The Production of Universal’s Invisible Man Returns,’ by Greg Mank, MONSTER BASH #29. How Vincent Price went invisible.
— ‘Regarding the Incomparable Acting Career of Peter Lorre,’ by Lucas Paris, MONDOCULT.com. The performances are the thing in this look at one of horror’s most singular presences.
— “The Road to Hell: The Making of To the Devil a Daughter and the Unmaking of Hammer,’ by David Taylor, LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS #39. How Hammer blew a last chance to stay afloat.
— ‘Supernatural Folklore in the Japanese Ghost Film,’ by Kat Ellinger, DIABOLIQUE #26. Tracing the cultural roots of apparitions and demons.
— ‘Triple Threat: Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster,’ by Martin Arlt, MAD SCIENTIST #32. Everything, and more, you need to know about Godzilla’s arch-nemesis.
— ’20 Years of Monsters,’ by Michael Ramsey and Deborah Painter, MONSTER BASH #30. A look back at two decades of fandom’s most monster-friendly convention.
— Or write-in another choice:
ALSO, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO VOTE FOR TWO ARTICLES ABOVE (one will win)
14. BEST INTERVIEW (Award goes to interviewer)
— Adrienne Barbeau, by Terry and Tiffany DuFoe, VIDEOSCOPE #103
— Doug Bradley, by Holly Interlandi, FAMOUS MONSTERS #289.
— Larry Cohen, by Don Vaughan, VIDEOSCOPE #104
— Bryan Fuller & Michael Green, showrunners of American Gods, by Jessica Dwyer. HORRORHOUND #65
— Shinji Higuchi (director of Shin Godzilla), by Fabien Mauro. G-FAN #116.
— Nastassja Kinski (To the Devil a Daughter), 1996 interview by Nicolas Barbano, translated in LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS #39.
— Martin Landau, a 1994 interview about Lugosi, Ed Wood and more, by Mike Stein, FILMFAX #149.
— Kelli Maroney (Night of the Comet, Chopping Mall), by Preston Fassel, CineDump.com
— Haruo Nakajima, 2008 interview with Brett Homenick. G-FAN #117.
— Brett Piper, stop-motion specialist, by Stephen R. Bissette, MONSTER! #32.
— Anne Serling discusses her father, Rod Serling, by Chris Alexander, DELIRIUM #13.
— Sissy Spacek, by Lee Gambin, SCREAM #41 (UK)
— Vampira (Maila Nurmi), 2007 interview by Stacey Asip-Kneitschel, Pleasekillme.com
— Marie Wallace of Dark Shadows, by Rod Labbe. SCARY MONSTERS #104
— John Walsh, friend of Ray Harryhausen, by Adrian Smith, SCREEM #33.
— The W.I.T.C.H. interviews by Andrea Subassati, RUE MORGUE #178.
— Or write-in another choice:
15. BEST COLUMNIST
— Camp Grindhouse, by David Del Valle, DELIRIUM.
— The Doctor Is In-Sane, by Dr. Gangrene, SCARY MONSTERS
— Fright Gallery, curated by Gary Pullin, RUE MORGUE
— Grey Matters, by Richard Schellbach, MONDO CULT ONLINE
— It Came from Bowen’s Basement, by John W, Bowen, RUE MORGUE
— Larry Blamire’s Star Turn, VIDEO WATCHDOG
— Overlooked in Hollywood, by Laura Wagner, GOLDEN FILMS OF THE GOLDEN AGE
— Ralph’s One and Only Traveling Reviews, by Richard Klemensen, LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS
— Rondo Remembers, by Ron Adams, MONSTER BASH MAGAZINE
— Shot in the Dark, by Tim Lucas, DIABOLIQUE
— They Came from the Krypt, by Jon Kitley, HORRORHOUND
— Or write in another choice:
16. BEST COVER
Classic Monsters of the Movies #9 |
Dark Side #285 |
Diabolique #27 |
Famous Monsters #289 |
Filmfax #149, vintage |
G-FAN #117 |
|
Little Shoppe of Horrors #38 by Mark Maddox
|
HorrorHound #64 |
Monster #32 |
Monster Bash #29 by Daniel Horne |
Rue Morgue #178 |
Mad Scientist #32 by Mark Maddox |
Scary Monsters #105 by Scott Jackson |
Screem #34 by Mark Maddox |
Videoscope #102 |
Video Watchdog #184 |
We Belong Dead #19 |
To vote on a cover, place an X in the box or type your choice here:
17. BEST WEBSITE OR BLOG OF 2017
— birth.movies.death A no-hype look at all things fantastic.
— Bloody Disgusting Latest news for the fearless.
— Bloody Pit of Rod From Naschy to Daleks.
— B-Movie Film Vault Constantly updated clips and news.
— CineDump Take a seat for reviews and interviews.
— Classic Horrors Club From silents to the Occult Age.
— Classic Movie Monsters One of the earliest resources for archetypal horrors.
— Collecting Classic Monsters The joy and pain of chasing monstrous things.
— Collinsport Historical Society Chasing the Shadows left by Barnabas Collins.
— Daily Dead Movies, toys, horror. Repeat.
— Dread Central Horror’s daily front page.
— Dr Gangrene’s Mad Blog Nashville’s mad doctor.
— The Dwight Frye Appreciation Group He was more than a lab assistant.
— Graveyard Shift Sisters Women of color are horror fans, too.
— HorrorMovies.ca Scare news from the North.
— The Horrors of it All The amazing 50s comics revival lives here.
— Latarnia Fantastique International Home of Euro and world horror.
— Mondo Cult Horror is just part of the edgy culture here.
— Monster Kid Clubhouse A classic horror signpost on Facebook.
— Monster Magazine World Always updated with the latest in print monsters.
— John Kenneth Muir Reflections on Cult Movies and Classic TV.
— Ravenous Monster Consuming horror from books to film.
— Scared Silly Paul Castiglia’s compendium of classic horror comedies.
— Scifi Japan The home of Monster Zero News.
— Serial Squadron Cliffhangers of the past, discussed and restored.
— Sin Street Sleaze John Harrison’s blog of pulp and pop.
— Terror from Beyond the Daves The dynamic duo of monster fandom.
— Universal Monster Army The ultimate collectors of monstrous toys, models and collectibles.
— Video Watchblog Tim Lucas on the magic of movies, music and life.
— Witch’s Dungeon Cortlandt Hull’s shrine to Hollywood’s horrific legacy.
— Women in Horror Month Every February, a celebration of films and directors.
— Zombos Closet Horrors and thrills beyond belief.
— Or write-in another choice:
18. BEST MULTI-MEDIA HORROR SITE
— Between Light and Shadow: Twilight Zone episodes dissected.
— Bloodbath and Beyond Horror reviews and gotta love that name.
— Bloody Good Horror No-nonsense reviews of old and new.
— Blumhouse Shock Waves Podcast Unholy trio of Galluzzo, Kane & McKendry.
— B-Movie Cast Almost 400 episodes about our favorite things.
— Count Gore De Vol’s Creature Features Weekly web program from a classic horror host.
— Cult Radio A Go-Go! Pioneers of the horror-talk genre; now on Roku, too.
— Dr. Destruction’s Big Top Radio Broadcast Streaming from Wisconsin
— Damn Dirty Geeks Hollywood pros, fans and monsters talk shop every month.
— Doctor of the Dead Podcast of zombies, by zombies, for zombies.
— Eerie the Late Night Horror Channel Horror hosts and The Monster Channel.
— The Fantastic Films of Vincent Price Up to 82 and counting, Dr. Gangrene’s film-by-film survey.
— Fright Asylum Horror reviews and comedy.
— Gruesome magazine Interviews and overviews of the horror scene.
— Hellbent for Horror The podcast with a manifesto for horror.
— The Homicidal Homemaker ‘Where Home Economics Meets Horror’
— Horror Happens Radio Show Jay K, the Ghost and horror as it happens.
— Horror Movie Podcast Dead serious about horror movies.
— Kaijucast Godzilla’s early warning sysytem.
— The Monster Report Video reviews of kaiju old and new.
— Monster Kid Radio Derek Koch hosts modern talk about classic monsters.
— Night of the Living Podcast Live horrors from Cincinnati weekly.
— Poe Forevermore Radio Theater Keeping the legends of macabre literature alive.
— Post Mortem with Mick Garris Interviews with horror’s top filmmakers
— Projection Booth Podcast Movie talk and more.
— Ray Harryhausen Podcast Stop-motion talks from the Harryhausen Foundation.
— Six Foot Plus Talk and music buried deep.
— The Slaughtered Bird Horrors and interviews from Liverpool.
— 13th Floor The elevator stops here.
— Trailers from Hell Joe Dante and gang comment on vintage trailers.
— Twilight Zone Podcast Another signpost up ahead.
— The Vortexx Hosting horror hosts and more.
— You Must Remember This Topics have included Boris, Bela and Lewton.
— Or write-in another choice:
19. BEST CONVENTION OF 2017
— ALIEN EXPO (Dallas)
— BLOB FEST (Phoenixville, Pa.)
— CHILLER (Parsippany, NJ)
— CINEMA WASTELAND (Strongsville, Oh.)
— CRYPTICON (Seattle)
— CTHULHUCON (Portland, Ore.)
— DAYS OF THE DEAD (Indianapolis)
— DRAGONCON (Atlanta)
— ETHERIA FILM FESTIVAL (L.A.)
— FLASHBACK WEEKEND (Rosemont, Il.)
— G-FEST (Rosemont, Il.)
— GHOULARDIFEST (Cleveland)
— HORRORHOUND WEEKEND (Cincinnati)
— HORROR REALM (Pittsburgh)
— MAD MONSTER PARTY (Rock Hill, SC)
— MONSTER BASH (Mars, Pa.)
— MONSTERFEST (Chesapeake, Va.)
— MONSTER-MANIA (Cherry Hill, NJ)
— MONSTERPALOOZA (Burbank)
— MONSTERAMA (Atlanta)
— ROCK AND SHOCK (Worcester, Ma.)
— SCAREFEST (Lexington, Ky.)
— SCARES THAT CARE (Williamsburg, Va.)
— SILVER SCREAM FESTIVAL (Santa Rosa)
— SPOOKY EMPIRE (Orlando)
— STOKERCON (Queen Mary, Long Beach, Calif.)
— TEXAS FRIGHTMARE WEEKEND (Dallas)
— WONDERFEST (Louisville)
— Or write in another choice:
20. BEST EVENT
— BLOB PANIC RE-ENACTMENT. Fans run out of the same Pennsylvania theatre attacked by The Blob (Blobfest)
— COUNT GORE DEVOL PRESENTS Live double-bills of classics in Silver Spring, Md.
— FRANKENSTEIN: THE TRUE STORY, with writer Sam Irvin, takes over Creature Features in Burbank.
— JOHN FULTON’s daughter, Joanne, talks about his special effects legacy during three-day event in his hometown of Beatrice, Neb.
— RAY HARRYHAUSEN — MYTHICAL MENAGERIE, is exhibited at Science Museum Oklahoma, first U.S. exhibit since his death in 2013. Daughter Vanessa among guests.
— HORRORBLES monster shop relaunches in Berwyn, Ill., with a party at Flashback Convention.
— IMAGINEERING, the makeup company of the 70s, is celebrated by Dan Roebuck and company veterans.
— INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN’s 60th Anniversary celebrated by Peter Brothers, Scott Essman, Frank Dietz, others in Calabash, Calif.
— MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 launches live tour with stage shows in San Francisco and elsewhere.
— PINHEAD EXPERIENCE features Doug Bradley in full costume at Mad Monster Party in Scottsdale, Ariz
— RADIOTHEATRE’S H.P. LOVECRAFT FESTIVAL, eight audio drama performed live by NYC’s Radiotheatre.
— SUSAN SARANDON sings Rocky Horror’s ‘Don’t dream it, be it,’ after being honored at Sitges Film Festival in Spain.
— JOHN WATERS performs ‘This Filthy World’ at HorrorHound Weekend.
— WOMEN IN HORROR MONTH blood drive PSAs, curated by the Soska Sisters in February 2017.
— Or write-in another choice:
21. FAVORITE HORROR HOST OF 2017
— A. Ghastlee Ghoul (Ohio)
— Arachna (Fort Collins, Colo.)
— The Bone Jangler (Illinois)
— Karlos Borloff (Monster Madhouse)
— Joe Bob Briggs (Dallas)
— Dr. Gangrene (Nashville)
— Dr. Madblood (Virginia)
— Elvira (Mistress of Dark)
— The Ghouligans (New York)
— Count Gore De Vol (D.C.)
— Count Gregula (Count Gregula’s Crypt)
— Fritz the Nite Owl Ohio)
— Ghoul a Go-Go (NY)
— Halloween Jack
— Lord Blood-Rah (San Francisco)
— Marlena Midnite and Robyn (Iowa)
— Mr. Lobo (Calif.)
— Nigel Honeybone (Australia)
— Ormon Grimsby (NC)
— Penny Dreadful (New England)
— Son of Ghoul (Ohio)
— Svengoolie (Berwyn)
— Or write in another host:
22. BEST HORROR COMIC
— AMERICAN GODS (Dark Horse), Neil Gaiman’s novel/TV show serialized.
— ANNO DRACULA (Titan), Kim Newman’s book series comes to comics.
— THE CREEPS In the Warren tradition
— HARROW COUNTY (Dark Horse). Cullen Bunn and Tyler Crook deliver a Southern gothic of dread.
— HAUNTED HORROR (IDW/Yoe). Steve Banes, Craig Yoe, Clizia Gussoni rescue the most obscure of 1950s horror comics.
— JUGHEAD: THE HUNGER. The zombies control Riverdale.
— LUCIO FULCI’S ZOMBIE (Eibon Press): Continuing the mayhem.
— MY FAVORITE THING IS MONSTERS, by Emil Ferris (Fantagraphics). A young monster fan investigates a death.
— SHADOWS ON THE GRAVE, Richard Corben’s classic spook show.
— SON OF UGH, by Peter von Sholly. Collecting Sholly’s monstrous caricatures and paintings.
— THE WALKING DEAD (Image) Kirkman’s zombie epic walks on.
— THE WOODS (Boom!). High school students and teachers vanish to a forest light years away. James Tynion IV, Michael Dialynas.
23. BEST CD