Event Report: HorrorHound Weekend – June 2008
Scott A. Johnson
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Monroeville, PA, has seen its share of horrors from zombies to monsters. Add to that the most recent invasion of ghouls and beasties known as HorrorHound Weekend, which ran from Friday, June 20, to Sunday, June 22. While it wasn’t what most would call a big convention, there were celebs a-plenty for dedicated horror fans to rub shoulders with.
Headlining the show was American Werewolf in London director John Landis along with stars Griffin Dunne and David Naughton, who hosted a Friday screening of the famous lycanthrope film. After the movie, there was a showing of the documentary Beware the Moon, followed by a Q&A panel. However, as it was the first night, there were not many convention-goers present. Even though the convention wasn’t over until 10 p.m., it seemed most people were waiting until Saturday.
Saturday saw the convention in full swing with over 1,000 fans in attendance. Among the guests signing autographs were Jason Mewes, Daeg Faerch, Brian O’Halloran, Bill Moseley, and Danielle Harris. Makeup gurus Tom Savini and Greg Nicotero fielded questions from fans all day long while John Landis, Griffin Dunne, and David Naughton treated every fan like old friends. Doug Bradley took part in one of the few (read as two) panel discussions to talk up his new Spine Tinglers series, which kicks off with Bradley’s rendition of H. P. Lovecraft’s “The Outsider” (which is fantastic, by the way).
As is usual with conventions, the after parties are things that people talk about for years to come. HorrorHound’s Saturday night shindig was no exception. The celebs and guests descended on the Raddison Hotel’s bar for what turned out to be far more entertaining than most of the movies screened all weekend. While standout performances were made by both Jennifer Blanc and other convention-goers, it was Brian O’Halloran who turned out to be the Karaoke beast of the evening, belting out numerous tunes with a surprisingly good voice. Some of the most priceless moments came from seeing Doug Bradley and William Forsythe singing along with “American Pie” and “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Yup, it happened.
Vendors at the convention included the usual rogue’s gallery of T-shirt vendors and DVD booths (including our own FearWerks), but it also included artisans like the folks from Morbid Decor, Teddy Scares, and models. In addition, horror artists such as Joel Robinson and Neal DeConte were in attendance alongside the crew from Night of the Living Podcast. Also present were independent movie companies ToeTag Pictures and Scotchworthy Productions. The vendor area also featured a carnival barker showing off the “Fiji Mermaid” and a full-scale “coffin ride.” Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like.
As it is a relatively young convention, HorrorHound Weekend did have a few drawbacks. There were very few movie screenings and even fewer panels with the stars and filmmakers. So many of the vendors overlapped merchandise to the point where a careful shopper could find something on one table for $20 and the same item on the very next table for $10. T-shirts, DVDs, and toys were all covered, but there were few booths that weren’t just like the ones next to them. The guest list was also an odd mix of both A-listers (Landis, Mewes, Nicotero, and Savini) and B-list celebs. There were no writers present, no bands, and the hall seemed to be lacking.
In all, though, it was a fun weekend, one that I trust will continue to grow. In the interim, check out our HorrorHound Weekend Image Gallery for more pics of what was a true weekend of mayhem!
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