Jun 25 2014

Rock and Shock Starts Promoting Its 11th Show

Rock & Shock is getting ready to turn it up to 11! In anticipation of the 11^th anniversary of the horror and music convention that brings 3 days of monsters, music and mayhem to downtown Worcester, MA, Rock & Shock is giving the public an extra early sneak peak at this year’s attendees. While there are still plenty of big name acts yet to be divulged, Rock & Shock is pleased to announce that among this year’s guests will be Brad Dourif, John Ratzenberger, Jeffrey Combs, Nivek Ogre and Fiona Dourif. Meanwhile, King Diamond, Machine Head and Twiztid are among some of the convention’s scheduled performers.

Brad Dourif, the voice of everyone’s favorite flame-haired doll turned serial killer Chucky will be making a rare convention appearance at Rock & Shock 2014. Dourif is a legendary character actor who is best known for his appearances in Rob Zombie’s Halloween 1 & 2, The Exorcist III, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers & The Return of the King, Dune, TV’s Deadwood and his breakthrough role as Billy Bibbit in Milos Forman’s 1975 classic One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. To make the event a true family affair, Dourif will be joined by his real life daughter and True Blood star Fiona Dourif. Fiona’s other screen credits include Curse of Chucky, Deadwood and Paul Thomas Anderson’s Academy Award nominated film The Master.

He has danced with the stars, voiced some of your favorite cartoon characters and even fought for the Rebel Alliance and this October, Cheers‘ very own John Ratzenberger will be returning to the place where everybody knows his name. In addition to portraying Cliff Clavin, postal worker extraordinaire on the seminal Boston-based TV series Cheers, Ratzenberger has appeared in films such as Motel Hell and House 2: The Second Story, competed on Dancing With the Stars and has become the voice of Pixar. Ratzenberger is, in fact, the only actor to voice for a character in every Pixar film; most notably Hamm the Piggy Bank in the Toy Story series, The Abominable Snowman in Monsters, Inc. and Mack the Truck in the Cars.

A legend in both the horror and sci-fi communities, Jeffery Combs will be making his triumphant return to Rock & Shock this year. Combs first made his name as Herbert West, the main character in Re-Animator and it’s two subsequent sequels. He followed that up with appearances in several classic horror films including The Frighteners, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, House on Haunted Hill, FeardotCom and most recently, Would You Rather. However, science-fiction fans will best know Combs for his portrayals of several characters within the Star Trek universe, most notably the Vorta clone Weyoun on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Rounding out the early announcements is Skinny Puppy and ohGr frontman Nivek Ogre. Since forming Skinny Puppy in 1982, Ogre has wowed audiences as both a musician and an actor, appearing in films such as Repo! The Genetic Opera, 2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams and The Devil’s Carnival.

Speaking of world renowned musicians, this year’s performers are set to include: King Diamond, who will kick-off the event’s pre-party on Thursday, October 16, Machine Head, Children of Bodom, Epica and Battlecross, who will be rocking the Palladium stage on Friday, October 17 and Twiztid, back by popular demand with their Fright Fest festivities and scheduled to close out the event on Sunday, October 18. A very special guest headliner for Saturday is set to be announced in August, so let the speculation begin!

Tickets for Rock & Shock 2014 go on sale this Friday, June 27^th at 10am and may be purchased at ticketfly.com, FYE stores or at the Palladium box office. There are still plenty of celebrity guests, musical acts and events yet to be announced so make sure to follow Rock & Shock on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram and visitrockandshock.com.

Jun 20 2014

Seeking Real ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Marvel Studios, Dolby Laboratories and Visa Signature

Join Forces to Find GUARDIANS OF GOOD—Real “Guardians of the Galaxy” Who Better Their Communities

Through Service, Science or Innovation

SEEKING REAL “GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY!” Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Marvel Studios, Dolby Laboratories and Visa Signature are joining forces for a nationwide Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy—GUARDIANS OF GOOD contest in conjunction with the August 1 release of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy—GUARDIANS OF GOOD invites real “Guardians of the Galaxy,” young men and women (ages 14-18) from across the United States, to share their stories of how they are bettering their communities through service, science or innovation, and gives them the opportunity to connect with a galaxy of Peer Guides—who are already doing great things—to learn from their successes. Entries will be accepted between June 11, 2014 and June 29, 2014.

Application forms, eligibility requirements, official contest rules and more information are available at http://www.marvelguardiansofgood.com.

Applicants for GUARDIANS OF GOOD will participate in online sessions with Peer Guides, who will include representatives from generationOn, Broadcom MASTERS, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World Ultimate Mentor Leadership Council. Peer Guide sessions are scheduled to take place between June 13, 2014 and June 21, 2014. The Peer Guides will discuss their personal stories of service, science or innovation as well as learnings and advice.

Following the Peer Guide sessions, all applicants will then submit a short video explaining how they are improving the galaxy and what inspiration and guidance they received from their Peer Guides. The five best video entries will be selected as winners.

The five winners will each receive: Two round-trip tickets to Hollywood, including hotel accommodations, from July 20 through July 23, 2014, to be on the red carpet at the World Premiere of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy on July 21, 2014; an invitation to the first-ever GUARDIANS OF GOOD INNOVATION & SERVICE SUMMIT on July 22 at The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, where professionals and peers will share their knowledge; a backstage tour of the Disneyland Resort; and a red-carpet screening of the film at a Dolby Atmos Theatre in or near the winner’s hometown.

GUARDIANS OF GOOD INNOVATION & SERVICE SUMMIT is scheduled to include presenters from NASA/JPL, speaking on the monitoring and protection of Earth through asteroid detection and Earth-observing satellites and ensuring the safety of Mars spacecraft during a comet encounter, Disney Imagineers, generationOn, Broadcom MASTERS®, Discovery Science Center, & Disney Global Community Outreach.

For more information about MARVEL’S “GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY”—GUARDIANS OF GOOD, please visit http://www.marvelguardiansofgood.com.

About the Contest:

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Contest commences on or about 6:00 AM PST on June 11, 2014 and ends at 11:59 PM PST on June 29, 2014. Open only to persons who are 14-18 years of age and legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia and not employees of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, MARVEL, generationON or any of their parent, related or affiliated companies nor members of their households or immediate families. Limit one (1) entry per student. Winners must be able to travel on July 20, 2014. See Official Rules atwww.marvelguardiansofgood.com for full eligibility and entry requirements, prize description, conditions and limitations. The official contest sponsor is Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

About the Movie:

From Marvel, the studio that brought you the global blockbuster franchises of Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers, comes a new team—the Guardians of the Galaxy. An action-packed, epic space adventure, Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the cosmos, where brash adventurer Peter Quill finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits—Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand—with the galaxy’s fate in the balance.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, which first appeared in comic books in Marvel Super-Heroes, Issue #18 (Jan. 1969), stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, featuring Vin Diesel as Groot, Bradley Cooper as Rocket, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, with John C. Reilly, Glenn Close as Nova Prime and Benicio Del Toro as The Collector.

James Gunn is the director of the film with Kevin Feige, p.g.a. producing, and Louis D’Esposito, Alan Fine, Victoria Alonso, Jeremy Latcham, Nik Korda and Stan Lee serving as executive producers. The screenplay is written by James Gunn and Nicole Perlman. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy releases in U.S. theaters on August 1.

Jun 16 2014

Book Review: Vlad V’s ‘The Button’

By Stacey Longo

The Button—Book I of II (2014, Lucid Dream Press) is the latest offering from author Vlad V. and is an intriguing start to a well-written mystery that will leave you clamoring for the sequel.

Brothers Pete and Gary Godfrey are hiking one day when they discover a cave containing artifacts from different time periods, including a sleek, mysterious cube, inset with a button. A temptation that would tug at anyone’s primal instinct (who doesn’t see a button and want to push it?) Pete is eventually unable to resist depressing the button, setting off an irreversible chain of events that ensnares the reader in a captivating puzzle. Without giving too much away, suffice to say the government quickly becomes involved, as well as an underground reporter who is determined to find out the truth about the enigmatic cube. The siblings’ relationship, varying from strained to serious but interwoven with humor and love throughout, adds an important element of humanity in this novel. The book opens and closes showcasing the bond between these two brothers, providing the backbone to this robust tale.

Vlad V. does an excellent job of keeping the reader interested and involved, offering clues, creating a likeable character in Pete and offering possible redemption for Gary, and carefully laying the foundation for the next book. A combination of both science fiction and mystery, The Button will keep you in suspense from beginning to end.

About the Author: Vlad V. is the author of Brachman’s Underworld and Yorick, both solidly written books also recommended by the reviewer. He is a former journalist and freelance writer currently studying history and English at the University of Massachusetts.

Jun 12 2014

WWE’s Kane Still On Fire

By Stacey Longo

WWE Wrestler Kane a.k.a Glenn Jacobs

WWE superstar Kane was on hand at TerrorCon at the Rhode Island Convention Center on Sunday, June 8 to meet fans and participate in a Q & A session with a packed crowd in attendance. Glenn Jacobs, who is the man behind Kane’s mask, was friendly, personable, and humble as he answered questions from the audience.

The first question from the moderator was about a failed character from Jacobs’s past, the ill-fated Isaac Yankem, DDS. Notorious for not liking to discuss this past gimmick, Jacobs did admit that he felt the personality’s failure was “mostly my fault. I didn’t like [the character], and it showed.” Jacobs was next asked who his favorite opponents have been over the years. His response listed some of the most well-known faces in wrestling from the past two decades, including The Undertaker, Mick Foley, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Shawn Michaels.

One fan in the audience asked Jacobs about his reputation in the wrestling locker room as one of the “safest” opponents to face. Jacobs shrugged and explained “it’s mostly just about being a professional. You want to stay safe and keep your opponent safe.”

Jacobs was asked to reflect on his character’s evolution over the past 17 years. “Most guys go out to the ring doing the same thing night after night,” he said with a smile. “Kane’s different. He’s been able to evolve and develop as a character. I think it keeps him interesting.” He recalled different phases of Kane’s career, including a time when Kane had to use a voice box to communicate and when the Big Red Machine’s mask first came off. “It was hot under that mask,” he admitted. When asked who made the decision to unmask Kane, Jacobs said “two people: me and Vince [McMahon, WWE CEO].”

Jacobs fielded the questions from fans with good humor and grace. When one audience member asked him to comment on a current storyline about the Shield and Evolution, a storyline Kane is not involved in, he responded kindly: “I think it was a surprise, and that’s what you want, right?” Another fan asked about Kane’s experience getting Pete Rose in a Tombstone pile driver at WrestleMania 14 in 1998. “Pete Rose is like us,” Jacobs laughed. “He doesn’t take himself too seriously. I was just surprised when the crowd started cheering me.”

After the Q & A session, fans lingered to shake Jacobs’s hand and thank him for the opportunity to talk to him. “The best part about this business is you guys, the fans,” Jacobs said humbly, which is yet more evidence showing why Kane continues to be a fan favorite among wrestling patrons of all ages.

Jun 11 2014

Pictures from Terror Con 2014, Part 3

By Jason Harris

WWE Superstar Kane

Audrey II

Books & Boos

Commercial Artist Roger Kastel

Carel Struycken (Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Addams Family)

Calypso holding Davey Jones’ heart.

These Captain Jack Sparrows are fighting each other.

The two Jack Sparrows getting along and hanging out.

Authors Stacey Longo, Vlad Vaslyn, Rob Watts, and Dale T. Phillips at the Books & Boos table.

Bobby Campo (The Final Destination)

Model/Actress Sarah Michelle with a young Scream fan.

Author Stacey Longo with John Altamura (a.k.a. the Toxic Avenger)

These are the final pictures from Terror Con.

Jun 10 2014

Pictures from Terror Con, Part 2

By Jason Harris

Musician Cherie Currie.

Jim Dyer of Fenham Publishing.

Naomi Grossman (An American Horror Story)

Michael Jai-White (Arrow, Spawn)

Author Stacey Longo with Captain Jack Sparrow.

The fun-loving Dee Wallace (E.T., Critters)

Me and Kane Hodder.

Frankenberry

Musician Lita Ford

Butch Patrick (The Munsters)

Pat Priest (The Munsters)

Author Stacey Longo having a scream at Terror Con.

A scorpion at Terror Con.

There will be one more entry with pictures from Terror Con tomorrow.

Jun 9 2014

Pictures from Terror Con 2014

By Jason Harris

Fred Williamson (From Dusk Till Dawn)

Erin Murphy (Bewitched)

Dee Wallace of E.T., Cujo, and Critters.

An alligator on the loose at Terror Con.

Lisa Loring a.k.a Wednesday Addams on The Addams Family.

Musician Richie Scarlett and author Rob Watts.

Nicholas Brendon ( Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Criminal Minds)

Author Stacey Longo with Captain Jack Sparrow.

Martin Wright a.k.a WWE’s The Boogeyman.

The Boogeyman

Jigsaw

Jason Voorhees

Jason Voorhees without the hockey mask.

There will be a couple more entries with pictures from Terror Con coming on Monday and Tuesday.

Jun 7 2014

How a Horror Fan became Miss Terror Con

By Jason Harris

Sarah Michelle. Photo courtesy of Sarah Michelle.

Sarah Michelle is a model, actress, and wrestler. She has also been named Miss Terror Con. When she first heard about the newest horror convention in New England, it was as “a fan of horror,” she said.

“I was very excited that there was something like this going to happen in my hometown because it’s the first one,” Sarah said. “This is exactly what Rhode Island needs.”

She wanted to be involve in some capacity whether as a spokesmodel, helping out with flyers, or anything else she could do to help out the horror convention.

“I knew I could be beneficial to them.”

She sent the organizers an email and they responded with the idea of Miss Terror Con.

This isn’t Sarah’s first time in the spotlight. She started modeling about seven years ago when she was helping out a friend who was going to school for photography.

“I was really tomboyish. I still am at heart so the whole fashion, glamour thing was really new to me.”

After Sarah started her modeling career, she liked what she doing and was having fun doing it. Within the last few years, she started taking it seriously, she said. Since she loved horror, she started to wonder if there was anyone who would be interested in taking horror photos.

“I found out that there were a lot of people interested in that.”

Through her horror work, she started doing fetish work. When she started, she didn’t realize it was fetish work. She was working with the production company, Damsels in Distress Visual Productions. During the production, there were a lot of close-ups being taken of her legs, which were stuck in the mud. All she was thinking at the time was that it was a job and that it would give her a chance to practice her acting. After being told it was a fetish work, she was fine with it.

“I have always been very curious about different fetishes and things like that.”

After that first experience, she found out about different types of fetishes like bondage and vore, “which is essentially someone being eaten by something.”

She focuses mainly on fetish and horror photos and videos now. She handles her own business. She gets projects through Facebook, Twitter, and email. She has a shoot coming up in New Hampshire, which she got after the photographer saw some of her work on Twitter, she said.

“I enjoy doing it,” she said about fetish work. “It’s a lot of fun. I get to travel.”

Her work has taken to different states and overseas to England where she filmed a quicksand fetish for Damsels in Distress Visual Productions.

“I never thought in a million years I would be going to England especially not for fetish work.”

You can find Sarah’s work by clicking here.

You can meet her in person this weekend at Terror Con, which runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.