Texas Frightmare Weekend 2017: Recap

Intro

2017 marks my first journey to Texas Frightmare Weekend, but I certainly hope it won’t be my last! With Fantastic Fest 2016, more of a straight forward film festival, having been my only previous exposure to anything similar to a horror convention, I really didn’t know what to expect. What an experience! It’s honestly taken me a few days to process all the input.

This was the convention's 12th year, and it takes place in good ole Dallas, Texas, so near and dear to my heart, at the Hyatt in DFW airport. We were blessed with some gorgeous 70-80 degree and beautifully sunny weather, and this year featured thousands of people from all over the country (well, and world) in attendance.
           
There’s plenty of random IG photos in case you’re interested in what it’s all about. Search hashtag #TFW or #texasfrightmareweekend, and you’re sure to get a load of results. 
           
There were some initial setbacks with the entire Stranger Things cast cancelling and later on in the weekend The Walking Dead group (save for Pollyana McIntosh) as well. Turns out the most likely cause was attendance at the MTV Awards. But attending guests are listed here. For me, personally, Dario Argento and the Fright Night panel were enough to make it worth while. But there were also: Malcolm McDowell, Freddie Highmore, Nestor Carbonell, Danny Lloyd, Michael Berryman, Dee Wallace, and many others. So plenty horror fandom to appreciate!
           
The weekend kicked off with screenings of The Thing at Alamo Drafthouse with cast and crew members Thomas G. Waites, Wilford Brimley and Dean Cundey, and Army of Darkness including a Q&A with Ted Raimi. Time only allowed for us to join one of these, but The Thing in 35mm at Alamo Drafthouse was well worth it to see on the big screen and to witness the group discuss the film and answer audience questions.

Mondo also put out some limited edition posters as well as a board game, THE THING: INFECTION AT OUTPOST 31, for the 35th anniversary screenings. FoundFlix and I got to dabble a bit with the board game at the Mondo table, and we can't wait to pick up a copy. The Thing posters, as well as a few others,  feature a standard and variant. In regard to The Thing, both are gorgeous and wonderfully capture the cold, isolated, tense and pervasive tones of the film. 

Mondo also had amazing poster editions for Phantasm, Halloween II, An American Werewolf in London, Friday the 13th Part 3, Phenomena, and Wes Craven's New Nightmare.

For links to other great recaps of the convention, please skip to Other Media, at the very bottom of this article.

Panels

• Pupper Master: The Littlest Reich
  • Let’s start with the fact that Udo Kier showed up late and sat on a table, then talked about how he got so ridiculously drunk the previous night from fans buying him drinks at the bar that a random guy (thanks, sir) had to walk him back to his hotel room and throw him onto his bed. This guy is always ON with the entertainment, charisma and humor. Can’t say enough good things. Between him and Wilford Brimley, you need no further motivation to attend. You will be entertained by every inane thing that escapes their mouths.
  • There was some interesting dialogue between Udo and Charles Band, in which Band seemed generally annoyed that Kier suggested films had been made simply to make money.
  • The most exciting part of this panel was discussion on the preference for practical over CG effects as well as the unveiling of the newest puppet:  The Happy Amphibian (see photo below). Inside sources tell us he shoots daggers from his mouth. Foundflix was able to see some behind the scenes footage on the making of the latest edition to the franchise, which you can view here.
  • Of note: the latest edition, The Littlest Reich, is written by Bone Tomahawk’s S. Craig Zahler and also produced by Dallas Sonnier and features old school love Barbara Crampton. Sonnier essentially propositioned Full Moon for the licensing rights. So if you’re a fan of that wonderful indie Horror-Western gem, you should have some hope invested in this latest Puppet installment.
  • For more info about the new Puppet Master, follow them at @PuppetMasterMov on Twitter.

• Dean Cundey
  • For those of you unfamiliar, let’s breakdown some of his most beloved films as Director of Photography:
    • Apollo 13
    • Casper
    • The Flintstones
    • Jurassic Park
    • Death Becomes Her
    • Hook
    • Nothing But Trouble
    • Back to the Future series
    • Road House
    • Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
    • Project X
    • Big Trouble in Little China
    • The Thing
    • The Fog
  • The most interesting things I took away from the Cundey panel were his discussions on being “invisible” as the cinematographer and not imposing a specific viewpoint or perspective on his audience and how that aligned with artistic/visual/director input.
  • He told an interesting story about working on Nothing but Trouble and how Demi Moore actually proved to be an effective comedic actor, inciting Chevy Chase to react negatively, insisting that her lines should be his. Apparently, Chase is an asshole. Cundey talked briefly about directors’ common complaints concerning various actors and the constant struggle between these roles on set, referencing Kate Winslet. You can IMDb this to your heart’s desire.
  • He also talked about the evolution of the industry and his desire to be a part of the low-budget and indie films by way of getting a stronger grasp on these films as a whole, less Hollywood bullshit ruling the final product, and getting to feel like a guide to filmmakers just coming into their own. This seemed to be a common theme throughout the weekend.
    
  • Dean Cundey’s panel is available in full length here.

• Fright Night
  • Director and writer Tom Holland made a major statement on the interference of Hollywood executives over the evolution of the industry. He spoke about how much of an interference and NIGHTMARE Hollywood execs had come to be at play by the time he made Child’s Play, during which he felt like every move he made was judged and discussed, much adverse to the free reign he’d had with Fright Night. Chris Sarandon even talked about playing a daily role as interpreter/counselor between Holland and execs just to keep Holland sane. It’s really interesting to think about the evolution of the film industry in terms of production and the commercial side.
  • One thing I greatly admired about Tom Holland’s contributions to the discussion were his insistence on integrity as a filmmaker – it really was HIS VISION (for both Fright Night and Child’s Play) and, according to him, there was a limited period of time in Hollywood where this was possible without intervention. At one point during the filming of Child’s Play, execs told him to can Chucky in the third act. Holland’s response: “There is no third act without Chucky.” Makes you realize the gap between exec and crew/production perspective.
  • When asked about the remake, Holland observed that he wasn’t consulted for opinion on what made the first Fright Night successful, and it seemed obvious that there was a little bitterness here. I personally enjoyed the Fright Night remake almost as much as I enjoyed the Evil Dead remake, but I’m also not giving either of them any free passes – as remakes you automatically get subjected to the perspective of original hardcore fans, and there’s no way around this. Whether or not it’s done well, it owes some respects to its origins. This was a sentiment also conveyed by Dario Argento regarding the Suspiria remake.

• Suspiria
  • The Suspiria panel featured Dario Argento, Stefania Casini, Barbara Magnolfi, and Udo Kier. Most importantly other than Argento was Claudio Simonetti from Goblin. It was an amazing honor to shake hands with and meet the austere Dario Argento.
  • Takeaways from this panel included Argento’s elaboration on his experiences with female beauty, which I found particularly fascinating. He told stories about his mother, a famous photographer, and his experiencing shoots, often in the nude, of Sophia Loren and other iconic beauties of the time. As a young child, his fixation was less on the sexual aspect and more on the image or idea of feminine beauty. This statement, as a longtime fan, made me understand his work so much more.  
  • He also took into account the color RED, and how much this influenced the film. Multiple times technicolor and Disney’s Snow White were mentioned, and Argento didn’t hesitate in agreeing how big of a factor these were in the creative process. The over-saturated and hyperrealized colors of Snow White were a huge influence in the making of Suspiria. 
  • The staff of TFW also presented the panel members with the 40th Anniversary Suspiria Awards in recognition for the film's contributions.
  • A full video of the Suspiria panel featuring moderation by Elric Kane from Blumhouse's Shock Waves can be watched here. There's some really great content including actor discussions and the contribution of Goblin's amazing score, so check it out!

• The Thing
  • Wilford Brimley​ seems to steal the show whenever he's around, and it's no wonder - he's freaking hilarious. Most of the laughs that night are credited to him. What a character on and off the screen!
  • One of the most memorable aspects of this film is its notoriety for presenting some of the most amazing practical effects to date and why this should still be significant in filmmaking. So naturally, interesting takeaways included discussions of Rob Bottin's talent, (also: The Fog, Se7en, Basic Instinct, Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, etc.) at age 22 when The Thing was made, and how significant his influence has been on practical effects.
  • Cundey discusses his close collaboration with Bottin on framing each scene's lighting.
  • When asked his favorite cinematographer, Cundey replied Roger Deakins (The Shawshank Redemption, No Country for Old Men, Skyfall, A Beautiful Mind, The Big Lebowski, etc.) and elaborated, again, on his perspective of cinematography: as the audience, it's important to not be aware of the cinematographer's perspective but instead be sucked up into the visuals. Conrad Hall (The Outer Limits, Cool Hand Luke, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, etc.) was also cited as an early influence. 
  • For the full The Thing Q&A, please check out Mondo’s footage here.

Vendor Spotlight

• Arrow Video (Official Sponsor)
• Blumhouse Productions
• Cavity Colors
• Pallbearer Press
• Mondo Tees

Random Experiences

​

• Ran into Amanda Bearse in the ladies’ restroom. Had that awkward moment where I wanted to go over and say, “OMG I love you” and shake her hand, but then realized – we’re in a restroom. This is private time. How would I feel if I was trying to wash my hands and someone came up and did that to me? Instead I smiled at her on her way out, nodded as my line partner said, ”Hope you have a good day – YOU ROCK.” She gave an enthusiastic, “THANK YOU.” She’s also adorable.
• Sitting at the hotel bar proved to be fruitful. We saw Ted Raimi 2 out of 3 nights as well as multiple other celebs. Also had Fouldflix subs come up and spread the love. The last night, we witnessed the Soska Sisters chilling as well as Dario Argento and Udo Kier conversing over beers. It was good times. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall in those conversations but *sigh* guess I have some transportation devices to create.
• There were multiple staff members walking about in costumes for photo ops: Mike Myers, Jason, Jack from Nightmare Before Christmas, the Boogeyman, Groot, Freddy Fazbear from Five Nights at Freddy’s, and even more from fans. My most regrettable moment is missing photo op with the GLORIOUS couple who represented Elisabetha and Vlad from Bram Stoker’s Dracula pre-vampire transformation. That’s some serious fan-dedication to detail, and I am in love. Even the Frightmare panel said they couldn’t concentrate while Vlad was looking so good in the back of the room. Let’s not get into my obsession with Dracula here …
• Who doesn’t love people watching? It’s like going to Wal Mart in Mexico (which yes, I’ve done) times 10. We have so many different types of people here for so many different types of things. As an observer, I overheard conversations about typical, run-of-the-mill horror to niche audiences. What matters over all of this – we’re here for a purpose – HORROR. And it was really cool to overhear all the love, admiration, excitement, and giddiness over this common passion.
• The Secret Screening was presented by Unearthed Films. Their rep came into the screening room fully tossed, exclaiming “Aw, fuck yeah!” and bragging about how the screening of the film had caused others to vomit on themselves and pass out. It’s “a SECRET,” he kept insisting. And it’s, “EXPERIMENTAL.” Based on this, I was expecting some pretty shocking shit in the first 15-20 minutes, but instead all we got were incessant voiceovers in a British tone reminiscent of Oliver! “Muh-thah, wheh are you?” … “I’m in the bathroom, Daniel.” But she’s not actually in the bathroom. And then it’s just walking through streets and this weird voiceover shit repeating while he self-mutilates, and he talks about someone he wants to fuck in blood. Or whatever. I don’t know. We honestly lost interest and walked out. But go check those guys out if you want.
• In another bathroom experience, I ran into a fan who confessed her life story/weekend drama to me. I’m one of those people who is constantly greeted with strangers’ secrets. I guess I have that vibe. I don’t know. But when this girl said the highlight of the weekend for her was meeting Freddie Highmore, the bathroom attendant overheard and chimed in that had driven Freddie and the other Bates Motel dudes to the airport. She said they acted like a group of teenage boys who were friends, and it was fun to see them joking around. What a cool experience! And my stranger-friend exited the bathroom feeling wowed.
• While browsing the Full Moon Features booth, Charles Band just happened to be present. We were eyeing the blu-ray collection of Subspecies as a) it’s one of my favs, and b) boyfriend says it’s OOP! So we scooped the last available copy up while Band came up and started discussing his favorite Full Moon films with us. We both ended up with unsolicited autographs – my Subspecies collection and the boyfriend’s Torch doll. And Band also threw in a free copy of Trophy Heads, which we proceeded to watch at home that night along with the original Subspecies. In the Puppet Master panel, Band had mentioned the classics of Full Moon that were genuinely good films – Puppet Master and Subspecies. I think he latched onto this appreciation and wanted to share with us Trophy Heads, which he also directed. Truth be told, I enjoyed this film a lot. The chemistry and acting between Jaqueline Lovell and Denice Duff are incredibly entertaining and worth the watch alone! We wanted to chat with Band about this on Sunday, and I also wanted to get my fantastic Subspecies poster signed, but he was then vacant from the stand. NEXT YEAR!

Me fantasizing about vampire love and war. <3

​Suggestions for TFW Creators And Staff

• My biggest complaint was the freakin temperature! Jesus Christ, thanks to whatever higher power it takes place in Texas because we often had to defrost outside in between panel sessions. It felt like the AC was running at 60 degrees, which is too cold and uncomfortable. More importantly, it’s distracting when you’re trying to pay attention to a panel discussion, and it’s slightly obnoxious to have to bring extra clothing with you to stave off frost bite while indoors. Please adjust this for next year.     
• Cancellations for The Walking Dead weren’t announced until halfway through the day on Sunday (the last day) and were written in magic markers on pieces of paper that could have easily been overlooked. Next time, a notification system would be favored via sending emails, texts or whatever to attendees. Some of us specifically came to see those folks, and it’s not really courteous or fair to announce their cancellation so late into the game. I’m not privy to knowledge that cancellations were known way ahead of time than they were announced, but something a bit more effective than a hand-scrawled poster would have been greatly appreciated for many.
• Line organization for panels was a complete nightmare. We got in line late in the game (about 10 minutes before scheduled start time) for the Bates Motel panel, and who would have known that it was the most popular session of the convention? Where were all you guys when the show got shitty ratings? Apparently, they all went to Texas Frightmare Weekend to see Freddie. The line stretched back to the very end of the main hall, and we literally got cut off from entrance with two other people in front of us. SO CLOSE. But no cigar. Additionally, the formation of the line was unclear with random people joining at any point, causing those who had already been waiting for who knows how long to get pushed even further back. All this would have taken is some clearly marked lines with ropes, a bit more labeling, and more dedicated staff members on task to guide people. It would have been helpful to have a LARGE, easily readable schedule on each conference room for people to know which line they’re even standing in – because that became the biggest issue. At times you couldn’t even tell where people were just walking or waiting in line.
• Announcements were often made either by a staff member yelling or by overhead speaker, but this was only audible within a certain radius. Next time, a more substantial audio system that would effectively reach a larger portion of attendees would be helpful. The schedule posted in the main hall also sometimes slightly differed from that on the website – these should sync, and when changes occur, again – notification system via text and email. There are ways to instantly reach your audience that aren’t been utilized.
• The food area had virtually no tables, and many people huddled in groups eating on the floor. I don’t have a problem with walking through this, but people who’ve paid the price for attendance at least deserve to sit in a chair and at a table with their significant other, children, colleagues, or friends and enjoy a meal without getting carpet burn on their asses or being climbed over by those of us who needed to use the restrooms. Can we get a larger sitting/lounge area next year without having to go to the bar upstairs? On that note, the beer and alcohol selection was pretty slim pickin’s. Texas, especially in Austin or Dallas, has a huge craft beer industry, and having a decent selection on tap or on hand other than Budweiser and Miller Light (without, again, having to venture up to the bar, which still had slim pickin’s) would have been fantastic. It’s also a great opportunity for the breweries to mingle and advertise and to support local.
• The bar and restaurant areas of the hotel were nice enough, and, although I didn’t stay in the rooms myself, I judged, by many young girls’ Instagram selfies, that they were decent. That said, the conference rooms themselves were a bit small for the amount of people attending (a la the Bates Motel incident) with lighting fixtures and covers dusty, rusty and looking as though they hadn’t been updated since the 80s. Nothing wrong with this per se, but from a business expansion perspective you might want to look at hosting the event at a more modern facility, most importantly with more space, but also with amenities that create stronger incentive for attendance. The current location literally inside DFW airport is understandable as a motive, but after 12 years in the same spot – maybe consider an upgrade?
• Ambiance. While I did feel somewhat of a horror vibe descending the stairs into the cold cave of the convention area, it wasn’t as exotic or consuming as I would have liked. It was literally a hotel with tables and chairs set up. Yes, we have staff and attendees walking around in costumes for photo ops as but what about décor? What about mood and tone? Wouldn’t it be great if the entire area, save maybe for the vendors, felt like walking through a haunted house? We don’t want to get lost, but some red or mood lighting, cobwebs, tombstones, creepy music, displays for photo ops, etc. would have added a unique touch and could enhance the experience by miles. I understand you want people to pay extra for this to attend the party, which did feature some of these things, but why not make the party extra hip and still promote a creepy environment?​
• Where were all the video games and VR? Wow, what a huge market is being missed with this one. Even the upcoming Famous Monsters Convention (also in Dallas) features VR and laser tag, and Fantastic Fest had horror VR games to try out as well. We did see Five Nights at Freddy's Freddy Fazbear roaming around for photo ops, but other than that – nada. There are so many popular horror games out right now, and that taps into an entirely new level of fandom that is being completely neglected. Why not have an area with VR or panels with some horror video game creators, cast and crew? Guaranteed this would improve attendance, engagement and interest as well as expanding the horror convention to include media beyond film, art and collectibles.

Is it Worth it?

​For $65 for a standard weekend pass and free parking, it seems like a pretty sweet deal to be exposed to so much awesomeness. Granted, I live in Dallas, so the price of airfare and lodging don’t apply. But if you’re so inclined, it’s a worthy investment full of memories and, maybe more importantly, memorabilia. After all, there’s a reason we love this shit.

Other Media

• FoundFlix posted a vlog on the experience, which you can check out here.
• The official TFW Facebook page has posted links to multiple sources discussing the event.
• Dread Central posted a great event report here.
• Watch Rob Zombie's 31 Q&A Panel on YouTube here.
• The Bates Motel panel can be watched in full length here.