Author: Wes

Brandon Griffith SF12 E29

What does Wes do when he hasn’t scheduled a guest for the evening? Well, he sits down to a nice chat with Scarefest co-owner Brandon Griffin. This impromptu interview not only gives us some eagerly awaited insight into this year’s upcoming Scarefest but also happens to fall on the Griffin’s date night, where “every inch counts” is the phrase to live by.

Since the Convention Center is deeply in the midst of renovation, Brandon shares the Herculean efforts being taken to make sure that the room layout makes the most effective use of the precious available space. He also gives Wes a rundown of many of the great entertainment options that are currently in brewing stages for 2019. Some of these include expanded set props from Bryce Horror FX, the return of Escape Room events, a possible gaming room for video game enthusiasts, and more “Scary-oake”. The film festival is set to be incredible this year thanks to FilmFreeway, a site that makes it easier for filmmakers to share their work to a broader audience.

Also, this year’s Scarefest will be in full swing on Friday the 13th! What amazing horrors (or delights, depending on your point of view) could this bring? Nicole Griffin hints at a few possible special events in the making. With Kane Hodder being there, how could Friday the 13th not be outstanding?!

 

The Void

Film Review by Brian Stidham

The Void is a Canadian supernatural horror film that came to my attention on the recommendation of a friend that knows about my nostalgic appreciation of 80’s horror movies, especially the works of John Carpenter. Upon viewing, I now see the comparisons to Carpenter’s work in many facets of the film. It felt a bit like the writers/directors of The Void, Steven Kostanski and Jeremy Gillispie, had filmed a love letter to some of the horror elements of the 80’s and early 90’s, mixing in a dash of Carpenter with a smidge of Clive Barker and a pinch of David Cronenberg.

The cast is largely Canadian actors including Aaron Poole, Kathleen Munroe, Kenneth Welsh, and Ellen Wong. Fans of the 90’s cult television series Twin Peaks may recognize Welsh as the evil genius Windom Earle.

The plot revolves around a group of people trapped inside a rural hospital by a horde of white hooded, knife wielding cultists as a sinister, otherworldly horror awakens in the basement below them. One can see the parallels to Carpenter right there (“Prince of Darkness”).

The movie opens with a pair of vigilantes stalking a hysterical man from a farmhouse. The hysterical man is found crawling along the road by police officer Dan Carter (Poole) who rushes him to the closest source of medical assistance, which just happens to be a small hospital that is in the process of closing due to a prior fire. There, Carter turns over the man to the doctor and few nurses remaining on duty just as the eerie hooded cultists arrive trapping them inside along with a few other patients. The horror builds when the communications go out and one of hospital residents transforms into a grotesque, tentacled monster just as the vigilantes from the beginning show up. Now the small group must face the growing terror the night has in store. Earlier in the film a character states that you are statistically more likely to die in a hospital than anywhere else and, guess what, she’s spot on. Along the way, we find out Dan has weird, apocalyptic visions and has a history with one of the nurses, Allison (Munroe), which results in a journey into the nightmarish basement of the hospital when she is captured by the cult leader.

It takes the better part of the movie before it really finds it’s footing but the last 30 minutes it really pays off. As the film progresses, we start to see a homage to horror writer H.P. Lovecraft. There is talk of an evil power that is beyond understanding and was ancient before time began. The cult leader seeks to overcome death through this ancient power. Themes of death and loss fuel both the protagonist and antagonist and hints of madness lurk right beneath the surface. Lovecraft also surfaces in the appearance of the creatures, all tangled masses of tendrils and glistening, slimy flesh.

One of the factors that really made The Void stand out from most modern films, and what prompted the recommendation from my friend, was that almost all of the effects were practical effects. You can really see the influence of the 80’s here. Some of the monster effects are absolutely revolting. Deliciously revolting and visceral. Many viewers will feel the strong influences of the “The Thing” and “Hellraiser” as well as the body horror of Cronenberg at play here. There are a few places where non-practical effects appear, mostly to create the otherworldly visions, but they weren’t the front and center of this film like a lot of modern films.

The gore is pretty liberal, but not overabundant, so those that are a little squeamish might have to hide their eyes a few times. My only minor qualm is there were a few points where the blood effects were a tad inconsistent. In a handful of scenes there was this odd colored spaghetti sauce appearance to the blood that just didn’t match with all of the other fantastically presented gore in the rest of the movie. Maybe a nostalgic nod to the effects of yesteryear? Nevertheless, it was great to see of the fantastic practical work done on this movie.

Overall the movie was fairly strong. The acting was modestly good, though a few of the characters fell a bit flat but that may have been more of the fact they were secondary characters and was no fault of the actors. It has a dark, brooding look that lends itself well to the story as opposed to a glossy, polished look that would detract from the rural setting. To my delight, the music was an ambient score that reminded me of the cheesy synth themes of the late 80’s films. Like a Lovecraft story, there many elements that aren’t spelled out to the viewer that left the movie open to interpretation such as why was Dan even having visions (is he special?) or what do all of the black triangles seen throughout the movie really mean. I will give big kudos to the characters, especially Dan, as they face all of this eldritch horror like champs for the most part. If I saw what they saw, I would have soiled myself.

I feel like fans of classic horror movies will enjoy this film. Even though it takes a good while to really get going, the horrifying creatures in the basement alone are worth the viewing. The cult leaders monologues on the cycles of life and death near the end are chilling, sounding like they were pulled straight from the mind of Lovecraft, and the reason he decides to try the transition beyond death, even at the horrifying price it exacts, gives an interesting layer to his character. The themes of isolation, tragic loss, transformation, and sacrifice help make this movie stand a little above other indie films I’ve seen. Plus it’s been a while since I’ve seen a horror movie that hasn’t relied on jump scares to make them feel like “legit” horror movies and The Void is virtually jump scare free. That was refreshing.

The Void is currently playing on Netflix.

Suzanne McComas SF12 E28

Tonight Wes is joined by co-host Ken Boggle, freshly returned from Salem Con to chat with Suzanne McComas. Suzanne is a veteran private investigator, with former military and law enforcement experience, currently living in Kentucky but has served all over the US including California, Texas, and New York. Her current field still has her consulting in cases nationwide. She will be speaking at this year’s Scarefest with her topic being The Demon Within Recognizing Evil. Believing there may be some truly inhuman forces behind the atrocities seemingly ordinary people commit, Suzanne gives a brief sneak preview of what to expect at Scarefest.

Suzanne speaks with Wes and Ken about her work with helping those wrongfully convicted, what common elements that rightfully convicted folks often share, and her belief if there are really “bad seeds” born into the world or if there is a portion of true otherworldly evil that visits itself upon us. She also lets us know that it is definitely the details that help determine a person’s guilt or innocence, as both words and body language are tell-tale signs. Her seminar promises to be educational, thought provoking, and heavy on crowd participation. There will be crime scene photos, so no one under 16 will be permitted.

Wes also gives us 3 (yes 3!) celebrity announcements for Scarefest. We will be seeing Lori Petty (aka Tank Girl), the Ghost Brothers, and wrestler/author Mick Foley. Wow, it just keeps getting better and better, right?! Lastly, we also ask, are demons just too overly saturated in the media nowadays? Check out the show and find out!

 

MissFits SF12 E27

It is officially Scarefest season! On this episode, Wes flies without a co-pilot and interviews the MissFits, a group of creative and brave women that make appearances in body paint at haunted attractions and conventions throughout the Unites States. They bring with them the fantastic tenet that everyone is beautiful and that women do not need to be afraid to participate in events like body painting because of their perceived “flaws” but should instead embrace everything that makes them who they are and realize that everyone is, in truth, beautiful.

The MissFits were formed when several of the members noticed that there were so many body types not being represented in cosplay and at conventions. From this realization they forged a new group of ladies willing to promote feeling good in one’s own skin and began to participate at several events in body paint. During the interview, Wes speaks with each of the present members to learn their various struggles with body shamming issues, whether it be weight or body dysmorphia matters all the way to recovering from a mastectomy, and how each team member has triumphed over these hardships to embrace their own true beauty. The team works with a body artist from Orlando to create the great looks we’ve seen each of the past 3 years at Scarefest with hopefully many more to come. We also learn that body paint is hard to remove and that the ladies will be performing Latin and burlesque inspired dances this year.

With it being the kickoff of Scarefest season, we get our first celebrity announcement in the form of Kane Hodder, famed stuntman and Jason Voorhees portrayer. To coincide with this there will be a Friday the 13th cosplay day with prizes for the best victim and best villain. Also true to form, we learn something new about Wes, he is a classically trained ballroom dancer. Who knew?!

 

Jack Kenna SF12 E26

Fresh off of a visit to the Lexington Comic and Toy Convention, Wes and cohost Chad Harlan speak with accomplished paranormal investigator, author, and TV personality Jack Kenna. Jack, a senior engineer with the Department of the Army, is a member of the paranormal team S.P.I.R.I.T.S. of New England and is the series lead on the TV series Haunted Case Files and Paranormal Survivor. He has also published two books on the paranormal.   
 
Jack’s interest in the supernatural comes from paranormal experiences dating back to his childhood. He began active investigation in 2009. Jack discusses the importance of having a great investigative team, passes along tips on how to assemble a strong paranormal research team, and gives a few suggestions on how to build experience to those looking to enter the paranormal investigation field. Jack believes in truth in his investigations. Being a TV personality, he recognizes the significance of not letting editors pressure investigators into embellishment. 
 
We also learn a few other interesting facts along the way such as where Wes found the worst hamburger he’s ever tasted and that nurses have the best ghost stories!  

Bud Jenness SF12 E25

On this week’s show, Wes and cohost Coyote Chris Sutton speak with online professor Bud Jenness about real life horror in the form of serial killers. Not just your garden variety serial killers, they discuss European serial killers. Bud gives us plenty of insight into the twisted minds of the killers from across the pond.

Bud outlines the two types of serial killers, those that simmer and plot and those that kill impulsively, often referred to as passion murderers. There is also discussion on how European serials killers have had centuries to refine their creativity versus the American tendency to be more impulsive and to distinguish themselves through sheer numbers. We also hear how European killers like Joachim Kroll have inspired domestic serial killers like Ed Gein and Albert Fish. There is also further discourse on whether the difference between the European killers and American killers is coincidence or cultural.

Wes keeps the conversation lively, especially during an analysis of the unsavory actions of German serial killer Jurgen Bartsch. However the main question is, does cannibalism really cut down on the grocery bills?

Bud
Ecclectic array of movies discussed, w/occasional rambling.

Dream Journal: The Well Room

I have been having a reoccurring dream. More accurately, I have been having dreams that take place around a reoccurring location.

In the past when my dreams contain vivid details of a location where I have never been nor ever seen, those locations have on occasion presented themselves to me at a later date.

This particular location is the Rohs Opera House, an old and historic movie theater in Cynthiana Kentucky…but it’s not.

One of the features of this dream version is a well room. And by “well room” I mean a room with a fresh water well in it. In my dreams this room is circular in shape and paneled with beautiful tongue and groom lumber. The well sits off center of the room and has an old hand pump. The water is clear and cold.

The actual Rohs is said to sit on top of a water vein so large that it is described as an underground river. But there is no well room and any location of a past well is mere speculation (and then speculated to be nowhere near the location of the well room in my dreams.

Behind the well room is another paneled room. It’s about 12 to 18 feet square and is pretty much empty except maybe for a few nondescript shelves. Interestingly these two rooms are the paranormal “hot spot” in my dreams.

I remember in the dream, describing the well room as the most paranormally active room in the building except maybe for the hallway adjacent to the Aeolian Hall (the original theater room) which is a real place in the real building.

Basically the Rohs Opera house of my dreams won’t quite fit inside of the actual Opera House. I would guess that the real one would have to be 20 to 40 feet wider to accommodate the extra rooms of my dreams. For example in my dreams, when you enter the building there is a hallway to your left. The first door on the right leads to the well room via a fairly short, narrow downward staircase. I think there are one or two more doors down that hall that I have never explored in my dreams.

The hallway does exist, but all of the doors are on the left (street view offices) and to the right is a solid wall bordering the main staircase that only goes upstairs. It’s also much wider in my dreams than real life.

There are also several of what I would call “grand rooms” on all three floors of the dream version between the street and the main theater. If you have ever been to the Rohs, I would just describe it as the existing building plus a historic and beautiful, multi-level living space adorned with antique furniture.

The other standout feature of the dream Opera House is access to a maze of tunnels that lie under the town. There actually used to be some tunnels along Pike street where the Rohs sits that gave merchants access to underground storage areas. Whether or not they were connected is lost to history and legend. But the tunnel of my dreams runs under the downtown, deep beneath the “Hilltop” where the high school now sits and beyond into the industrialized river valley before.

As a side note, in some of my dreams I have explored these tunnels. I discovered the entrance in the Rohs (which was hidden behind a wall in that room behind the well room). I found where they come out in the valley in at least one dream. That end was actually opened up at some point between my dreams to reveal how large the main tunnel is. It’s huge…like large enough to drive a train into. Beyond the entrance it splits off underground into smaller pedestrian size tunnels.

Another point of weirdness is that my companion in most of the dreams is my best friend from high school. In the real world he is someone that I am in touch with occasionally, but he definitely is not interested in ghost hunting or participating with me in tunnel exploration.

More weirdness: my most recent dream had Jennifer Love Hewitt of Ghost Whisperer fame as a character at the Rohs. Actually it was just someone that looked like Jennifer Love Hewitt. I know this because she appeared not long before I woke up, and my first thought upon awakening was “that girl looked just like Jennifer Love Hewitt.”

In the dream someone was hosting a fairly small paranormal conference and ghost hunt at the building (a not uncommon occurrence at the real world version). I was borderline pissed off at not being included. After all, I am considered an authority on the location (real world) and I discovered the tunnels (dream world). I was completely mystified that they had the well room locked up and was not letting anyone near the tunnels. This is when I made the observation that if you’re going to have a paranormal investigation you have to allow access to the most haunted part of the building: the well room (possibly second only to the upstairs hall once again).

There was some side drama going on with some celebrity wannabes. I don’t remember any of the characters. Some of them were nice. Some of them were a bit on the conceited side. In other words, your typical paracon.

That’s what I remember about my dream. I’m waiting to see if it hides some great life lesson or if that well room and tunnel exist somewhere. Time will tell.,

If any of my readers have an interpretation of the symbols in this dream feel free to contact me at scarefestradio@gmail.com or via my social media.