Wow. As I start to write this, I have no idea how to start. And it isn't because I don't know what to say, but instead I have numerous ways to start this off.
Each year, after Thanksgiving, I have traveled to Columbus. At first, I was able to combine a trip to Mid Ohio Con (Ohio's biggest comic book convention) with a visit from one of my buddies from college - one of only a few that I keep in touch with. When Mid Ohio Con changed its date years ago, I continued making the trip on the same weekend, because I'm a big fan of tradition. And as each year has gone by, Jason (my college buddy) and I have built a stronger friendship from those visits.
When I was in high school and college, I filled up three notebooks with Leonard Maltin-esque reviews of every movie that I watched. When I saw Nancy Allen and Roddy McDowall in a production of "Dial "M" For Murder" I knew that I wanted to get their autographs, and I decided to have them sign my reviews of Dressed to Kill and Fright Night respectively. Since those first two autographs, I think the collection has grown to well over 60 with people as varied as Bryan Singer to Erin Gray to Ray Harryhausen.
Finally, I think it was three years ago, I went to Horrorhound Weekend in Cincinnati to meet the cast of Night of the Creeps (which was more awesome than I could even imagine). Each year Horrorhound holds a convention in Cincinnati, and when my cousins used to live there, I was able to do the double bill of going to the convention and then hang out with them.
Well, this year, Horrorhound held a convention in Columbus. I told Jason I would be in town this weekend, and did he want to get together? Much more than that, he wanted to tag along. So, yesterday, he made his first trip to a horror film convention. It was pretty impressive. The amount of people that were there was staggering. The amount of cleavage that was on display was also staggering. But I was there for autographs. The first person I got in line for was Stuart Gordon, the director of Re-Animator. And I actually didn't have him sign my notebooks, but rather I had him sign my copy of Dark Visions: Conversations With the Masters of the Horror Film by Stanley Wiater. I've already had a bunch of directors sign it already, and he was number six.
Then it was time for the notebooks. Pam Grier (Class of 1999) was awesome. Incredibly nice, and willing to spend time with anyone who had any questions about her work. Sherilyn Fenn told me David Lynch was pissed that she couldn't be in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. Amy Steel (Friday the 13th Part 2) told me that while acting is tough, it's still better than doing something like construction work. Adrienne Barbeau... I actually don't remember what she said. I was honestly too starstruck. She was the main person that I wanted to meet at the show. Julia Adams (The Creature From the Black Lagoon) read my ***1/2 review and laughed. Fabiana Udenio (Summer School) thought the notebooks were cool, and was really sweet.
Amongst all the autographs was lots of wading through people, looking at the Norman Reedus line (which seemed neverending), watching Norman Reedus act like the nicest guy in the world (I don't think I saw the smile leave his face the numerous times I walked by), buying a copy of the F/X soundtrack on LP, buying a copy of Paul Schrader's Cat People on DVD, and seeing a seven-foot tall Sasquatch.
It was pretty fun, and while Jason only bought a Pink Floyd LP, he still had a good time and he was a great guy to have around to face (and talk about) the madness.
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