'Black Christmas' & 'Breaking Santa': Fundraiser for sCare Foundation

Thursday, December 20th, 2012
@ Screenland Armour

Let me take you back to the first days of Screenland and I booking this film, or attempting to.  We were having the hardest time locating who owned the screening rights to Black Christmas.  After a couple weeks with no luck, I employed my friend Justin Beahm and asked for his help.  It only took him half a day and not only did he find it, but he came up with a great plan.  Justin is on the board of directors for the non-profit sCare Foundation and offered the idea to make this event a fundraiser.  Critical Mass Releasing and Grindhouse Film Festival loved the idea and dontated Black Chrismas to us.

Mr. Beahm had planned to attend the screening to represent sCare.  If you are from here you know that the previous night we had a snow storm, but it was far worse north of us.  The weather made it impossible for him to attend.  sCare Foundation is a non-profit that supports at-risk youth and the Los Angeles Children's Hospital.

In order to raise as much money as humanly possible with the crowd we had a raffle, along with the $5 donation for admission.  We were overwhelmed by the amount of gifts donated to our prize packs.  The packs included: year pass to Screenland Armour, Alamo Drafthouse gift cards and tickets, Vintage Stock gift cards, movie posters, DownRight Creepy gave us horror toys and DVDs, T-shirts, and more!  We ended up raising $305!

Then, only a few days before the event, Matthew Kennedy of Astron-6 offered us their brand new short to screen, Breaking Santa (click this link to WATCH the film NOW).  Astron-6 is a group of filmmakers from Toronto and they are well known in the horror community for their the over-the-top, controversial film Father's Day (2012).  Troma released that film and had a bit of a falling out with the filmmakers.  Astron is planning on releasing a documentary exposing what all went down titled 'No Sleep No Surrender' and I plan to screen that here in KC, so watch out!

Slaugher Movie House: 'A Cadaver Christmas' & 'Baby-Sitting'

Monday, December 3, 2012
@ Czar Bar, KCMO

My good buddy, John Pata (Dead Weight), is who first told me about A Cadaver Christmas.  As I've said before, I was sold on the title instantly.  I met John at the Days of the Dead convention in Indianapolis (July 6-8, 2012), where I also met Justin Beahm.  Justin writes for Fangoria, Famous Monsters of Filmland, is a filmmaker and on and on.  That was a fabulous weekend.

First thing, when I got home from Indy, I googled A Cadaver Christmas.  What popped up first?  Justin's Fangoria piece on the film.  So, I emailed Justin and he put me in contact with the writer/director, Joe Zerull.  I also noticed that the film's poster was designed by my favorite artist, Tom 'The Dude Designs' Hodge.  We booked the film for December and made an awesome holiday party out of it.

This was also a very special night due to our short film, Baby-Sitting, being our very first international film (France)!  How did I discover this?  Indianapolis, again!  I never thought Indiana would enrich my life as much as it has.  It was at HorrorHound Weekend (Sept. 14-16), where Elvira hosted the HorrorHunt Film Festival.  Baby-Sitting took home the award for Best Gore and Lucas Masson (writer/director) was there to accept!  I made sure to get Lucas' info and later asked him if I could screen his film here in KC.  The rest is history.

Check out the photos from the event HERE.  Photos by Anna-Marie Perry.

Flyer by Atomic Cotton.

HorrorHound Weekend: Jame Lee Curtis

@ Marriot East
Indianapolis, IN
November 16-18, 2012

I tend to do things in an over-the-top fashion.  Friday, the 16th, I was at the Days of the Dead convention in Chicago and when I woke up Saturday morning I drove to Indianapolis.  Why?!  Because Jamie Lee Curtis was doing her first and only convention appearance ever.  Where?  HorrorHound Weekend.  What's the best part?  All profits from Jamie's autographs, photo ops, and Q&A panel went to the Los Angeles Children's Hospital.

Thanks to my friend, Scott Pensa, for the photo!

HorrorHound normally puts on two shows per year, Indianapolis (September) and Cincinnati (March).  This show was a special event all planned around JLC and her passion to give back.  I was fortunate to be in the room Sunday evening when she signed her final autograph and got to hear a little bit from her.  She thanked the staff.  She seemed like a no-bullshit, straight-shooter.  She really stressed her hope that the horror community understood how much this meant to her, that they allowed her to donate this money.  It's not only about the amount, but also the camaraderie.  This is why I believe in people. 

Almost all of the other celeb guests were all from the Halloween franchise!  Nick Castle (the shape), Will Sandin (child Michael), Dick Warlock (Michael II), Chris Durand (Michael H20), Charles Cyphers (Sheriff Brackett), Brian Andrews (Tommy Doyle), and on and on. 

Brian Andrews

Check out the rest of my photos HERE.

Days of the Dead: Chicago

Friday, November 16th-18th, 2012
@ Chicago-Schaumburg Marriot

Laurence Harvey

I attended Days of the Dead Friday night, but continued onto HorrorHound the following day.  I could not miss a chance to see one of my favorite people in the world, Laurence Harvey (Human Centipede II & III).  So I made my way up to the windy city to hang with Brian Steward and Atomic Cotton.  The celeb line-up was stellar: Derek Mears (Friday the 13th), The Devil's Rejects crew (Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Leslie Easterbrook), The Nightmare on Elm St. girls (Heather Langenkamp, Amanda Wyss), Fright Night reunion, John Dugan (TCM) and on and on.

After the show Laurence, Erica and Zack Kaffman (Atomic Cotton), Rose and I had a lovely dinner at the hotel lounge.  Check out the rest of my photos HERE.

Days of the Dead typicaly throws 3 shows each year: Atlanta, Indianapolis and Chicago.  Next year they have added Los Angeles to the bill and it should be their biggest yet.

Erica and Zack Kauffman