Interview with Central Valley Horror Club Founder Kaci Hansen

Kaci Hansen is an artist, musician, writer, performer, dancer, director and special effects makeup artist, with a passion for all things horror, who tries to find as many ways as possible to integrate her love of the genre in with everyday life. Kaci was one of 13 lucky finalists in Fangoria Magazine’s nationwide search for their 2010 Spooksmodel, where she came in first place in the first fan-voting segment of the contest.

Kaci works with Nothing is Safe Films where she not only acts, writes, and directs, but also aids in production and special effects makeup. She recently completed her roles in The Orchard and Side of the Road, and is working on a five-part film project called The Apartments where she not only stars in one segment, but also directs her own segment and aids in FX/makeup on all of the segments.

Kaci also founded and dances with Central California’s first and only horror-themed dance troupe, The Horror Dolls.

In 2008 she founded the Central Valley Horror Club (the first and only horror-themed organization in Central California), who host numerous horror-themed events throughout Central California, including free movie nights and concerts. This past year, Kaci and the Central Valley Horror Club hosted their city’s first-ever Zombie Ball, Vampire Ball and Monster Mash. The Central Valley Horror Club has had an enormous amount of support from the community, being featured in several in publications, and hopes to continue offering horror themed entertainment for a long time to come.

In 2009, Kaci began working with Comic Book Divas on her very own horror-comic, titled Kaci Hansen Presents… The comic will be available for purchase in early 2010 through ComicBookDivas.com

Kaci is currently in the process of writing music with her band The Homicidal Housewives, doing various horror conventions promoting The Horror Dolls and Kaci Hansen Presents…, and is working on various screenplays for films that will soon be available from Nothing is Safe Films.

Fatally Yours: How did you fall in love with the horror genre? 

Kaci Hansen: It actually began at a young age, when I fell in love with television shows of a darker aesthetic, such as The Addams Family and The Munsters. I would often stay at my great-grandparents’ house, and they didn’t have cable, so I often would watch reruns of these shows. I was always a big fan of the Halloween season and all of the spooky things that accompanied the holiday. What can I say? I ate the monster cereals for breakfast as often as I could, with Count Chocula being my favorite (it has since shifted over to Boo Berry).

My parents are actually huge horror fans, and they would always make me watch films with them. I would be absolutely terrified, sitting with my hands covering my eyes, occasionally peeking through my fingertips…and as scared as I was, I couldn’t get enough of it. As I got older, my interests peaked even further; my mom would always tell me, “It’s not real, you don’t need to be scared,” so naturally, I was fascinated that one could obscure that line between reality and fantasy, and create such an emotional and visual impact on the viewer. I believe that is what intrigued me to get involved in special FX artistry, prop making and development, and eventually, writing and directing my own projects.

Fatally Yours: How and when did you get involved in the horror genre?

Kaci Hansen: Many people just did not (and still do not) understand my fascination with the genre. I’d often bring up films or scenes from movies, and people would stare blankly at me, not having a clue what I was even referring to. I decided to change that, so in 2008, I founded Central Valley Horror Club – the first and only horror organization in Central CA. I began having free, public all-ages movie nights at a pizza place, so I could meet other horror fans, and hopefully ‘convert’ a few more. Our first event brought in over 60 people, and the support has been continuous! One thing we really try to touch on is playing lesser-known movies, to expose them to new horizons within the genre.

In 2009, I decided to introduce my city to something else they had never experienced before – horror-themed concerts and events. I hosted Central CA’s first Zombie Ball, Vampire Ball and Monster Mash in 2009. To say that I was humbled by the support and appreciation that the community showed towards my efforts, would be an understatement. I literally receive emails every week asking when the next event will be.

In 2009, I also formed The Horror Dolls, which is the first and only horror-themed dance troupe in Central CA. I wasn’t sure how the community would react to it, but a local publication actually featured us on the cover of their October 2009 issue, and wrote an entire article on us.

I also became involved with Nothing is Safe Films in 2009, where I not only act, but I also write, direct and do makeup/FX. I had a small role in the films The Orchard and Side of the Road. I am currently working on a project titled The Apartments, where I am acting in one segment, writing/directing another segment, and doing makeup for all of the segments. It’s been a tedious project, with a lot of hiccups, but it’s been so much fun working on the set. We have a good group of people at Nothing is Safe; I love them.

I have a horror comic coming out through ComicBookDivas.com in early 2010, called Kaci Hansen Presents…Hello Dollies.

Fatally Yours: What is one thing you’ve done within the horror genre that you are most proud of?

Kaci Hansen: I would have to say that forming Central Valley Horror Club would be exactly that. Hearing people thank me for making fun, affordable and unique events in our area makes all of the hard work and planning worth it. People would often complain that there was nothing ‘cool’ or ‘fun’ to do here, and it was my goal to change that. And I truly believe that I have.

Fatally Yours: How would you convince people who aren’t horror fans to give the genre a try?

Kaci Hansen: I always suggest watching a really, really cheesy horror flick – the kind that make you smile, even if it’s not supposed to. My recommendations would be Slumber Party Massacre II or Dead Alive…not that I think those are necessarily considered cheesy, but I have witnessed them bring smiles to the faces of many.

Fatally Yours: Do you feel women in horror get the proper recognition when compared to their male counterparts?

Kaci Hansen: It really depends on what role you’re referring to. In the past, it seemed that films written or directed by women were not taken too seriously, but I have seen what appears to be a tremendous change as of late. With film festivals like VISCERA, the creation of Women in Horror Month, and the unity between females involved in the genre, that is rapidly changing.

Fatally Yours: As a woman in horror, have you found it harder to be taken seriously in a genre that seems to be dominated by males? 

Kaci Hansen: Actually, quite the opposite. Occasionally, people seem to be taken aback a bit at first, but once they talk with me and see what a passion I have for the genre and what I do within it, they seem to hold a lot of respect for me, what I do, and why I do it. From time to time, people still seem surprised that Central Valley Horror Club was founded by a woman; they love it.

Fatally Yours: Since you’ve been involved with the horror genre, have you noticed a change in women’s roles within horror whether it be roles in horror films, women behind the camera, women writers, etc.?

Kaci Hansen: Absolutely. I’m really excited that more women are getting recognition for being behind the camera and utilizing their creative sides.

Fatally Yours: What women in horror do you admire?

Kaci Hansen: Oh, there are so many, and for so many reasons…I’ll end up typing here all evening if I don’t narrow it down to one! I’m going to go with Bette Davis for this answer. I recently watched Dead Ringer again, and just love the way she could turn-on/turn-off that crazy, psychotic side yet appear so kind and sweet directly after…much like her role in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? I have always admired her work.

I also love the iconic horror hostesses – Vampira and Elvira. Most people seem to only like one or the other, but I think they’re both great.

I also want to take this time to give a huge thank you to Hannah Neurotica for her efforts for Women in Horror Month, Shannon Lark for her efforts with The Chainsaw Mafia and VISCERA, and all of the other amazing women out there who are taking action every day to unite us all.

Fatally Yours: What inspires, influences and motivates you?

Kaci Hansen: Every film I watch is an inspiration to me to work hard, and to do my best. I always try to remind myself that EVERY film used to be an idea in the back of someone’s head; it was all up to them to put forth the effort to execute the idea.

I also just flat-out love what I do, and seeing how I’ve made a change in the community here really makes me happy. Seeing the support that Central Valley Horror Club has gotten is enough to make me continue working hard to enrich our city for horror fans.

Fatally Yours: What are your favorite horror films and books?

Kaci Hansen: This is the question I’m asked the most, and it’s always the most difficult one to answer!
I already mentioned my love for Slumber Party Massacre II…and if you can’t enjoy a guy who looks like the love-child of Andrew Dice Clay and an Elvis-impersonator swinging around a guitar with a drill on the end of it, then I don’t know what to tell you. I really love The Tingler, Mr. Sardonicus, House on Haunted Hill (you’ve gotta see the RiffTrax version of it!), Night of the Demons (1 and 2), Demons, Sleepaway Camp, Day of the Dead, Dead Ringer, The Gates of Hell, Return of the Living Dead…the list goes on and on.

Fatally Yours: Outside of horror what do you enjoy doing?

Kaci Hansen: I’m a Fine Art major, so all things related to art really interest me. I really love graphic design, web design, cooking and baking. JELL-O brains seem to be a staple in my household. I love animals (I have four dogs, and one kitty). I’m very close with my little brother (he’s 10) and have done a splendid job with exposing him to the genre so far. He actually led our zombie walk that took place before our Zombie Ball. I also love music – whether it be listening to it, playing it (I play guitar/keys), or going to a concert.

Fatally Yours: What are your goals for yourself within the horror genre?

Kaci Hansen: Just to do whatever I can to help artists, filmmakers, actors and actresses to get involved and recognized, and to unite other horror fans. Also, to continue bringing fun and exciting horror-themed events to the area. I really would like to get more involved with acting, as I have really enjoyed being in front of the camera as much as being behind it.

Fatally Yours: Where can people find more info on you?

Kaci Hansen: Feel free to add me on Facebook, or on Myspace. My website, www.kacihansen.com, is currently being renovated, and with all of my projects going on, it’s taking me a little more time than I anticipated.

Central Valley Horror Club on Facebook
Central Valley Horror Club on Myspace
The Horror Dolls on Facebook
The Horror Dolls on Myspace
Kaci on IMDB

Interview with Actress Tara Cardinal

Tara Cardinal is an actress, producer and philanthropist. She is the co-founder of the non-profit peer counseling organization “C.L.U.B.” (Children Living Under Blindness), founded when she was 12 years old. She has toured middle schools in both the US and Canada, educating children on their rights and resources since she was 15 years old. She now holds a degree in psychology.

In addition to producing feature films that inspire people, she is also currently the spokesperson for The Tenderness Tour, an organization dedicated to ending child abuse. She is also the star of the Warner Brother’s release Delivery, and has several films slated for release in 2010, as well as a number of television and theatre appearances. She is also a pro-style wrestler, sword fighter, and trains in MMA style fighting.

Fatally Yours: How did you fall in love with the horror genre? 

Tara Cardinal: Horror is the greatest genre for female actors. Horror is the only genre where we can laugh, cry, be in love, and kick ass.

Fatally Yours: How and when did you get involved in the horror genre?

Tara Cardinal: In 2006 I auditioned for the lead role in the horror/slasher film Delivery. And I got the role. For the next 3 months I worked on the film – and spent some time covered in blood – although my co-stars got all the guts. It’s a pretty gory film. One character gets literally screwed to the floor. Everyone’s death is a call back to something they did to the killer. It’s a great little movie, but you have to pay attention or you miss the stuff that makes it great.

After that I was hooked. Even though I live in Hollywood, and do the occasional TV stuff, or feature film role, I would rather do a horror film than any other genre.

Fatally Yours: What is one thing you’ve done within the horror genre that you are most proud of?

Tara Cardinal: Legend of the Red Reaper. It’s a fantasy/action/horror/love story from hell. Or something like that. On Red Reaper I got to try my hand at pretty much everything. Although we worked with several writers, I ended up writing the bulk of the story, and script. There are 25 pages that I co-wrote, and the balance of the 115 pages I wrote myself. I ended up producing the majority of it, and even got to direct a few of the actors. But what I’m most proud of is the way the amazing cast and crew came together to create this incredibly professional and cohesive group.

Fatally Yours: Do you feel women in horror get the proper recognition when compared to their male counterparts?

Tara Cardinal: Oh, that’s a loaded question. I can’t speak for other women, but I CAN tell you that as a writer, producer, actress and stunt girl, I’ve had men I’ve worked with stand in line to take credit for things I’ve done. In retrospect it’s flattering, but at the time it made me homicidal. Since then, I’ve found men randomly attributing my work to other men on set. A man who is comfortable with a woman as a partner, or in control, is very rare. I’ve been fortunate to work with two who really stand out, Jose Cassella and Timothy Willis. And certainly that’s not to say that other men with whom I’ve worked are misogynists, but those two in particular win the awesomeness award.

Fatally Yours: As a woman in horror, have you found it harder to be taken seriously in a genre that seems to be dominated by males? 

Tara Cardinal: Oh Sarah… where to start? In a few years when I’m out from under a certain nameless cloud I’ll share some stories. In the mean time, I will say on set, as a producer, the majority of the males I’ve worked with need to be “directed” by a man. I have no idea why that is. And of course at the high level pitch meetings like AFM, there’s no winning. As an Actress/Producer (in that order) I have to be appealing. Appealing = bimbo to a lot of these Hollywood guys. I could show up to meetings looking a business woman, but then I’ve short sold my product – which is bad business. I’m actually recruiting “men” to pitch my ideas to other men, as silly as that may be.

Fatally Yours: Have you ever felt exploited as a woman by any roles you’ve taken? Have there been certain roles you wouldn’t take because you felt exploited?

Tara Cardinal: I’ve turned down more roles than I’ve accepted due to exploitative scenes. Most nudity in films is exploitative. The fact is, you’ve got some overweight middle class guy, writing in these nude scenes in lieu of a good story, hoping that a pair of tits will sell their film. And I’m pleased to tell you as a free lance film finder – it won’t. It used to. But it won’t anymore.

In terms of low budget horror: Very few women have done nudity and gone on to have great careers. The ones that have impress the hell out of me, but the truth is, most go on to do other nude roles, or roles that only exist for their nudity. My talk show, Scream Queens Uncut (with me and Devanny Pinn) recently went to Vegas to cover the AVN (porn) awards. The one thing that really struck me was the female porn stars who expressed interest in performing in mainstream films, but can’t get good roles. And of course there have been one or two exceptions. But that’s it. I would guess it has something to do with the idea that a woman can’t be sexy/nude and powerful/talented/brilliant at the same time. And that for me is the definition of exploitative. Asking someone to do something you can not do for the sake of furthering your career to the detriment of theirs.

Fatally Yours: As an actress, do you feel roles in horror for women tend to be weaker or stronger than those for males? 

Tara Cardinal: The lead roles tend to feature strong females. Unfortunately a lot of those roles are supported by weak flimsy female characters, although that’s a trend that’s changing. Our hero James Cameron turned that tide with films like Terminator, and Joss Whedon carries his own strong-girl torch starting with Buffy, and moving on to other TV shows like Firefly. And it turns out that audiences WANT to see a strong girl kick ass. Or a group of girls kick ass.

Fatally Yours: What has been your favorite character you’ve portrayed?

Tara Cardinal: I hate to pick just one. Over all, it would be the Red Reaper. I loved playing a kick ass sword fighter who falls in love with the wrong guy. I also really liked playing Bibi in Delivery. Bibi was a sensitive artist torn between her responsibilities of taking care of her little brother, and being kind to a sweet soul that no one else cared about. It was like playing myself!

Fatally Yours: Since you’ve been involved with the horror genre, have you noticed a change in women’s roles within horror whether it be roles in horror films, women behind the camera, women writers, etc.?

Tara Cardinal: I think over the last few years women have taken more control over their content. I’d like to see more women behind the camera. There are definitely more women writers and producers.

Fatally Yours: What women in horror do you look up to?

Tara Cardinal: I have a special place in my heart for ALL women who take part in this crazy business. Actresses, producers, writers, directors, P.A.s…The girl who held the boom for a day on Red Reaper on a metal pole that must have weighed 15 pounds. The film industry is still very much male dominated. We have to stick together and support each other. I have to say that one of my current idols is my roommate and co-host Devanny Pinn. She is beautiful, talented, and incredibly intelligent, as well as kind and good hearted. It’s an amazing combination. She brings me down to earth, and forces to me to have fun instead of being a 24/7 workaholic.

Fatally Yours: What would be your dream role?

Tara Cardinal: I would love to have a series regular on a TV show that runs for 5 seasons as an ass kicking super hero that lives to make the world a better place.

Fatally Yours: If you could be or work with any fictional horror villain in a film, who would it be and why?

Tara Cardinal: You know, I just told Tony Todd I wanted him to kill me last night. And I want him to do it as the Candy Man. That would be hot.

Fatally Yours: What advice would you give aspiring women actors?

Tara Cardinal: First, find your boundaries and stick with them. Then, get training, and keep training. You can never be too good at your craft. After that, network.

Repeat as necessary.

Fatally Yours: In your opinion, what makes the perfect scream queen and who is the ultimate scream queen?

Tara Cardinal: I think there are different types of scream queens. The first and most prolific, is the girl next door who battles against all odds (and sometimes wins) against the bad guy. The girl who screams. And now… now there’s the girl with the gun (or in my case the sword) ready to rip your heart out. She’s the one who makes YOU scream. There are so many talented ladies out there working hard, who are amazing and unique, I couldn’t choose just one as the ultimate.

Fatally Yours: What inspires, influences and motivates you?

Tara Cardinal: Finding new ways to express an original concept motivates and inspires me. Finding new ways to inspire other people to be better than what they are is what has influenced me on most of my projects.

Fatally Yours: What are your goals for yourself within the horror genre?

Tara Cardinal: To continue to create and be a part of high end horror films. As I say in my talk show, just because it’s horror, doesn’t mean it has to be bad!

Fatally Yours: Where can people find more info on you?

Tara Cardinal: People (and non-people!) can find me at www.taracardinalactress.com, www.facebook.com/taracardinal, www.myspace.com/taracardinal and www.youtube.com/screamqueensuncut

Interview with Shriekfest Founder Denise Gossett

Denise moved to Los Angeles from Orlando, Florida and has been in the entertainment business for over 18 years primarily as an actress. She can be seen in The Last Ride with Dennis Hopper and on such TV shows as The Office, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Samantha Who?, Veronica Mars and many more. Denise has also had lead roles in many feature films.

Denise started the Shriekfest Film Festival after starring in the horror film Chain of Souls. She can also be seen in the SciFi film Decaying Orbit and the horror films La Llorona, Carnies, M, Fright Club, and in the upcoming The Cellar Door 2: Preymate.

Fatally Yours: What does horror mean to you?

Denise Gossett: Horror means something terrifying, frightening, or gross. A fun night at the movies.

Fatally Yours: How and when did you fall in love with the horror genre? 

Denise Gossett: When I was about 12…my mother wouldn’t let my brother and I watch rated R movies, but for some reason, she’d let us rent horror movies every now and again and we adored them!

Fatally Yours: You are an accomplished actress as well as the founder of one of the best horror and sci-fi film festivals in Los Angeles. Out of all you’ve accomplished, what is the one thing you are most proud of? 

Denise Gossett: Well, I’m pretty proud of all of my projects…Shriekfest is at the top and my new film A Chestful of Blood and of course my TV work.  But, I am most proud of my daughter…I know, sounds cliché, but it’s true!

Fatally Yours: How would you convince people who aren’t horror fans that the genre is worthwhile?

Denise Gossett: Well, I would probably show them the wide range of horror films…something is bound to appeal to them. If they don’t like the gore, there are plenty of horror comedies as well.

Fatally Yours: Why do you think there are less female horror directors, writers, producers, etc. in the genre than males?

Denise Gossett: There are less female directors, writers, and producers in general. It’s not the genre…but, we are changing that bit by bit. More and more women are seeing that it’s ok to make horror and to make “smart” horror.

Fatally Yours: As a woman in horror who champions females in the genre, do you think it’s harder for women to be taken seriously and given praise in a genre that seems to be dominated by males? 

Denise Gossett: Not at all…you have to remember, all these films that were made by men have women starring in them…hence the huge following of scream queens. Women are getting more and more respect every year that goes by.

Fatally Yours: What elements can female filmmakers/authors/journalists/etc. bring to the horror genre that are lacking in males’ perspectives?

Denise Gossett: Women can smarten the genre up a bit….what I mean by that is the female roles don’t have to always be naked and dinghy…the women can be smart and naked, or not naked at all.  Women will be able to bring the female perspective as well and it will probably broaden the fan base in the process.

Fatally Yours: What are your overall thoughts on how women are portrayed in horror films?

Denise Gossett: I think women have been beaten down in this genre…I can’t tell you how many films have the dumb, naked woman running through the forest, oops and then she trips…  In more current horror films we still see some of that, but we are also seeing the strong woman who kicks butt or even women killers. I think there is definitely a place for it all though.

Fatally Yours: What women in horror do you admire and why?

Denise Gossett: All of them! If they can tackle this genre with all the disrespect that it gets, I say hats off to them! I’m very proud of all the women I meet each year…the actresses, writers, and filmmakers. I’m even seeing lots of women editors and cinematographers. It’s very exciting for women and the genre!

Fatally Yours: In your opinion, what makes the perfect scream queen and who is the ultimate scream queen?

Denise Gossett: I have to say, I don’t care for that title…it implies that that’s all there is to the woman and that is not true. That aside…I think she should be strong when it’s required and weak when that’s required. I think she should be able to do more than just be pretty and I think she should choose her nudity and her roles wisely.

Fatally Yours: What inspires, influences and motivates you to keep working in horror?

Denise Gossett: The people I meet….there are some amazing people in this genre and if you look at most people who have “made it” in the entertainment business, almost all of them have some horror in their backgrounds. Talent inspires me, and I see a lot of it in the horror genre.  I am motivated every day because I truly like to meet people and help people, even if it’s just a pep talk.

Fatally Yours: What has been your best experience while working in the horror community? What’s the worst?

Denise Gossett: My best experience has been on sets…horror films are just fun to work on! My worst experience has been negative people…people who like to rip filmmakers apart just for the heck of it. How can one even review someone’s film if they haven’t seen it? This is happening on IMDB every day and it’s sad. I am constantly hearing from filmmakers that this has happened to. Let’s put a stop to any negativity in this genre and just support each other.

Fatally Yours: What has been your biggest challenge in your position as founder and festival director of Shriekfest?

Denise Gossett: Getting the filmmakers and screenwriters the recognition they deserve. I’ve also learned a few things that pertain to running an event and this advice can be used in your every day life as well…are you ready….here it is….you can’t please everyone…so, stop trying.

Fatally Yours: What is your ultimate goal while working in the horror genre?

Denise Gossett: To get the word out about the latest horror filmmakers and writers and to boost the current reputation of the horror world.

Fatally Yours: What are your favorite horror films and books?

Denise Gossett: My favorite horror films are Nightmare on Elm Street (the original), The Exorcist, and most of the Saw films. I really enjoyed The Lovely Bones…I don’t get to read as often as I’d like though.

Fatally Yours: What was the last horror film you saw that just blew you away?

Denise Gossett: I really enjoyed The Descent….again strong women….nothing has blown me away in a while though…I think I’m jaded because I see so many films.

Fatally Yours: What advice would you give women who want to become involved in the horror genre?

Denise Gossett: Just do it…don’t listen to others unless they are supporting you.  Push aside any fears you may have and just do it….a little at a time…less intimidating that way.

Fatally Yours: Do you have any upcoming projects you’d like to discuss?

Denise Gossett: Yes, soon, you will see me in the western A Chestful of Blood. Carnies is just about done…this stars myself, Doug Jones, Reggie Bannister, Ford Austin, and Chris Staviski. I’m also set to star in The Cellar Door 2: Preymate with James Dumont and Michelle Tomlinson. Also, look for me in the 2011 Hot Hunks and Honeys of Horror Calendar to benefit breast cancer research.

Fatally Yours: Where can people find more info on you and Shriekfest?

Denise Gossett: All over the web, but specifically www.shriekfest.com and www.denisegossett.com

Thank you so much…this was a lot of fun!

Interview with Wildclaw Theatre's Anne Adams

Anne Adams was born and raised in Temple, Texas. She is a graduate of Emerson College in Boston, MA and The School at Steppenwolf in Chicago. Chicago directing credits include Hot N Throbbing (Pine Box Theatre) The Revenants, and Legion, based on the novel by William Peter Blatty (Wildclaw Theatre). As an actor, Anne has worked with Steppenwolf, Northlight Theatre, Uma Productions, Pine Box Theatre, Greasy Joan, Victory Gardens, Collaboraction, and The Sandbox Theatre Project. Anne is a founding member of both Pine Box Theatre and Wildclaw Theatre, and serves as Wildclaw’s casting director. Anne is also an acting instructor at Black Box Acting Studio.

Fatally Yours: How and when did you fall in love with horror? 

Anne Adams: The first time I fell in love with horror was when I read the uncut version of Stephen King’s The Stand. I was acting in regional theatre up in Cape Cod for a summer when I was 23 and I had no car and no friends. I asked a guy from a used book store to recommend a book that would help me survive the summer and he put The Stand in my hands. I will be forever grateful to him, and it is still to this day, my favorite story.

Fatally Yours: What does horror mean to you? 

Anne Adams: Horror for me is being exposed to a character’s reasoning before they commit an act of violence. I truly believe that all of us are good at heart, but we are also insecure, angry, and scared – all of which (in my mind) help explain the evils that we are capable of inflicting on others as well as ourselves. Human nature makes us capable of ANYTHING. And that scares the shit out of me.

Fatally Yours: What are others’ reactions when you tell them you are involved in the horror genre?

Anne Adams: “Oh…that sounds interesting. Well…good for you sweetheart.”

Fatally Yours: Why do you think the horror genre has primarily been a man’s domain?

Anne Adams: I think there is a general misconception that men have a stronger and smarter stomach for what truly scares the shit out of people. All I know is that I would love to have a competition for who has the sickest imagination. I would win. I believe this 100%.

Fatally Yours: As a woman, do you think you are viewed differently than your male counterparts in the horror genre? If so, how and why?

Anne Adams: I have been pretty lucky in the sense that everyone around me has been extremely supportive of my efforts. My theatre company is predominantly men, and whenever I say I want to do something, they cheer me on and are ready to do whatever they can to help me look good. This may not be true of all boys, but my boys rock, and I am very thankful.

Fatally Yours: Even though women seem to be getting more and more involved behind the scenes in horror, why do you think there are fewer female horror directors, writers, producers, etc. in the genre than males?

Anne Adams: I can’t speak for other women, but there was a long period of time when I was intimidated by even suggesting that I could be in charge of anything horror. After a period of observing other artists, I realized that artistic power isn’t won from being a wet blanket, but it isn’t won from being an ego maniac either. Maybe it is harder to conceal feeling desperate for success when you are given one chance to either shine or fuck the whole thing up…I know this is a weird answer to the question, but…I think it is extremely different and subjective for each woman.

Fatally Yours: What elements can female filmmakers/authors/journalists/etc. bring to the horror genre that are lacking in males’ perspectives?

Anne Adams: How the female mind actually works. The jealousies, pain, anger and violent tendencies of a woman are much more fucked up and different than a male might think or understand – but only if the female filmmaker/author/journalist/etc is brave enough to expose our sex in an honest and unapologetic way.

Fatally Yours: Do you think it’s harder for women to be taken seriously in a genre that seems to be dominated by males? 

Anne Adams: To be honest, no. It’s 2010 and I think that line has been played out. Attention women: if you want to be taken seriously don’t go bitch about it, but instead provide the example. Be the one to set the bar.

Fatally Yours: Since you’ve been involved with the horror genre, have you noticed a change in women’s roles in the industry? 

Anne Adams: I just pay attention to the work. Whether it’s a man or a woman producing it doesn’t cross my mind as long as it’s smart.

Fatally Yours: Do you ever get annoyed at how women in horror movies always end naked or with their clothes ripped off? Do monsters not like men’s abs?!

Anne Adams: I don’t think that women always get their clothes ripped off – yes, there are a lot of shit movies where tits and torture scenes are made specifically for a movie theater full of men to get off, but what about Silence of the Lambs? Let’s Scare Jessica to Death? The Orphanage? Misery? Hard Candy? The Descent? Cat People? The Exorcist? If I never saw a woman be a bad ass in this genre, then I never would have embraced the genre in the first place.

Fatally Yours: What are your top three movies with gratuitous chick/boob/sex scenes?

Anne Adams: Slumber Party Massacre, Pieces, and Friday the 13th.

Fatally Yours: What horror movie would you say is equally fair in terms of men being objectified or at least, losing the same amount of clothes?

Anne Adams: Hard Candy starring Patrick Wilson and Ellen Page!! Can we say longest castration scene EVER? GOD. That was hard to watch.

Fatally Yours: Do you feel you’ve become desensitized to stereotypical scenes in horror like the half-naked girl screaming and running for her life in slow motion? Or are these types of familiar horror tropes still effective and necessary? 

Anne Adams: I enjoy the stereotype sometimes, but it doesn’t scare me, so instead of feeling desensitized, I have a good laugh or feel nothing.

Fatally Yours: Do you feel that other people view women as being “soft” and not able to endure horror as well as men? How do you fight this stereotypical view?

Anne Adams: I do not. I am actually accused of being too hard sometimes. As far as fighting the stereotype, don’t worry about it. No one wants to see a woman pretending to be a man. Just be a woman with a brain.
Fatally Yours: What women in horror do you admire and why?

Anne Adams: Kathryn Bigelow – because Near Dark is one of the most kick ass films of all time. Mary Shelley, because she created one of the best monsters of all time, and Linda Blair, for embracing the scariest character of all time.

Fatally Yours: What advice would you give women who want to become involved in the horror genre?

Anne Adams: Never try to be one of the boys. Be a woman, and tell a story from your perspective and experience.

Fatally Yours: What has been your best experience while working in the horror community? What’s the worst?

Anne Adams: Directing The Revenants for Wildclaw Theatre….zombies on stage was a delight…especially when they accidently got loose. The worst experience wasn’t while I was working, but I watched Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer at the Portage Theater. I was so angry I wanted to vomit. I wanted to vomit even harder when the director of Henry was kind enough to speak to the audience about his inspiration for the movie, which apparently, was nothing.

Fatally Yours: What’s the last horror movie that made you think “this is some effed up shiznit!”? 

Anne Adams: A French movie called Inside. I can guarantee I will never watch that movie again. JESUS.

Fatally Yours: What’s one horror movie you think is HIGHLY overrated?

Anne Adams: The Blair Witch Project.


Fatally Yours: What are your favorite horror films, books, etc.?

Anne Adams: The Stand, The Descent, Psycho, Silence of the Lambs, The Omen, Rosemary’s Baby, The Sixth Sense.

Fatally Yours: What is your ultimate goal while working in the horror genre?

Anne Adams: Directing and producing quality works consistently.

Fatally Yours: What upcoming projects are you working on?

Anne Adams: Legion based on the novel by William Peter Blatty, adapted for the stage by Charley Sherman. We open on March 15th 2010. FINGERS CROSSED

Fatally Yours: Where can people find more info on you and Wildclaw Theatre?

Anne Adams: Facebook, Twitter and Wildclaw Theater’s official site.

Interview with Filmmaker Shannon Lark

Shannon Lark is a filmmaker, writer, director, producer, dancer, and actress. She is the director/founder of the Viscera Film Festival, CEO of The ChainSaw Mafia, and held the 2009 Spooksmodel crown for Fangoria Entertainment.

Lark surrounds her entire being to encompass the genre and relentlessly works to bring more women into the bloodbath. She believes in equal opportunity killing, equal opportunity filmmaking, and the idea that creating art is what saves the world from destroying itself.

Fatally Yours: How and when did you fall in love with the horror genre? 

Shannon Lark: It started early for me. I was 4 years old and my mother took me to a gruesome rendition of Romeo and Juliet. In the scene where they commit suicide, silk streamers burst out of their chests, rising hundreds of feet into the air and falling gracefully over their bodies.  That was my first experience of death, and it was forever stained within my memory. After that I was hooked: trying to sneakily rent movies that had any hint of blood on the back cover (which were mostly Full Moon productions at the time).

Fatally Yours: What does horror mean to you?

Shannon Lark: The idea of the genre is to explore the deep fear of being so small and insignificant in this great wide universe. It is humanity’s way of connecting on that terrible, awful level of pain and the idea of non existence. The genre creates a space for everyone to connect, exploit, and experience (and re-experience) all the horrific things that can happen in our lives, and in our imaginations. Horror is fundamentally the strongest emotion, aside from love and hate.

Fatally Yours: What is one thing you’ve done within the horror genre that you are most proud of?

Shannon Lark: For the most part, it’s the emails and communication I receive from young girls, asking me questions of how to get in the business, or just simply for advice.  In my eyes, this is one of the main reasons why women should want to be in the spotlight.  There just aren’t very many good role models in the entertainment business for young girls out there. We should constantly be trying to reach out and help people: assist in the idea of them getting up and doing something for themselves, whatever that may be.

Fatally Yours: You’ve done so much in the horror industry – everything from dancing with zombie dance troupe The Living Dead Girlz to running The ChainSaw Mafia and hosting the Viscera Awards to acting and being Fangoria’s first ever Spooksmodel! I love how multi-faceted you are, but how in the world do you juggle everything?

Shannon Lark: I’m just constantly working. My family is very supportive and that really helps me to put everything else in my life down to focus on my projects. For the past seven years I’ve been apart from my family, so it’s nice to now lean on them now for this work I’m doing. It’s been insane to juggle so many things and in the past I’ve been guilty of working too hard to please everyone, causing the quality of my work go down because of it.

I’m now learning to focus on one main project at a time, with plenty of help to get all the loose ends tied on the projects of a smaller scale. I grew up in a small town near the border of Mexico. I spent my teenage years drinking and experimenting with plenty of drugs, which was incredibly unfulfilling. That part of my life was over by the time I turned 18. I knew there had to be so much more in life then squandering it away on needless things. Doing work in the horror genre is incredibly therapeutic and fantastic.  It’s really all I want to do, however form or role I feel like working in.

Fatally Yours: Out of all your experiences and careers within the horror genre, what has been your favorite?

Shannon Lark: I don’t think I can call anything a favorite. There has been wonderful times in every piece of work I’ve done. I’ve fallen on my face many more times than I’ve had success, and laid in bed wondering if I’ll ever succeed at what I want to accomplish.  It’s all beautiful though, just like those silk streamers bursting out of the ballet dancers’ chests. It’s scary and wonderful and I am consistently reaching for more.

Fatally Yours: What else do you hope to accomplish in the horror genre?

Shannon Lark: I’ve really buckled down to fulfill my film career. I love dancing and theater (and I may return to that one day), but acting and directing and writing are what keeps me sane and living in an imaginary world. I’m co-directing my first feature (more news on that soon) with another female director, so that is quite a project to tackle. I hope to work (acting wise) with more women (and men) directors, on all kinds of budgets and scenarios, all over the world. I want the Viscera Film Festival to continue to grow and help other women propel their careers forward. I want it all. And I believe with every inch of my soul that people can have whatever they want.

Fatally Yours: How would you convince people who aren’t horror fans to give the genre a try?

Shannon Lark: I don’t believe that people should be convinced of anything. If they don’t like it, they don’t like it. Maybe one day they will, but maybe (and probably) not. For some people, they fail to see the underlying messages in the act of violence itself. Horror is one of the most artistic forms of art that touches on gender, social, and political issues with a single stabbing motion.

I have noticed, however, that many people who proclaim they don’t like “horror” will enjoy “thrillers.” This makes me chuckle, because horror is not merely a sub genre of slashers films. Horror is any piece or film that contains horrific ideas. Black comedies can even be horror movies. And yes, thrillers can even be horror movies.

Fatally Yours: Even though women seem to be getting more and more involved behind the scenes in horror, why do you think there are less female horror directors, writers, producers, etc. in the genre than males?

Shannon Lark: Because it’s a boys club, and until the late 1920′s when film was deemed “sophisticated,” women were actually headlining the scene. But the dawn of digital media is changing the entire industry, and many women directors (not just in horror) have popped up because of this.  No longer do you need to rely on a major studio to fund your film. Filmmaking is an art that has been liberated. The widespread consumerism of digital media will create even more change in the industry in the next 10 years. Digital is already beginning to look as good as film (if you light it correctly). I am so excited to be in this age!

What’s even more thrilling is that more women are hitting theaters to partake as an active part in the audience. Perhaps the increased accessibility of digital cameras are getting more women involved in film. The birth and affluence of the internet has made it easier for women to find other independent filmmakers who are doing what they dream to do.

This is what I feel Women in Horror Recognition Month is all about: females getting up and creating something. This is not about the “boys club” that we aren’t apart of, or how we are the gender who are objectified the most and generally paid the least. This is about helping women to understand their true potential. We need to be in the audiences and become the director, the producer, the writer, the cinematographer, and the special fx artist. We need to work together and with men, creating equal opportunities for ourselves, not waiting for the prince on a white horse to come save us as we faint at the sight of beauty and strength. This isn’t about ostracizing the male gender, nor is it about putting men in a specific role that plays out in our lives. This is about rising above the self loathing and depreciating ideas that women think about themselves (and each other) all over the world. This is about knowing full well that you are enough. You are skinny enough, and talented enough, and smart enough, and nothing can stop you if you try.  Nothing.

Fatally Yours: Do you feel women in horror get the proper recognition when compared to their male counterparts?

Shannon Lark: I think it’s very easy for a woman who sincerely shows she’s willing to work hard in the genre to be supported, by men and women alike. If women want recognition, all they have to do is seize it, and have the ambition to make it work.

For the most part, the men I’ve worked with in the genre are incredibly jazzed about a woman who wants to learn every position on the set. A woman who wants to write and create and be part of it all is a firehouse. A woman who is willing to sleep on a cold floor in a sleeping bag because the budget just doesn’t have the funds for a 5 star hotel room can be a godsend. A woman who wants to get bloody, and dirty, and work incredibly hard to make this group experience happen is what the genre needs. If you are a woman and are not willing to do that for the genre, then you are probably in the wrong field. Don’t lie down in your own tears and beg for people to feel sorry for you. There is no room for divas. And the men who work hard in the genre shouldn’t have to put up with that either. I truly hope that every woman going into the genre will treat every man with just as much respect as she thinks she deserves, or better.

Fatally Yours: As a woman in horror who champions females in the genre, do you think it’s harder for women to be taken seriously in a genre that seems to be dominated by males? 

Shannon Lark: As far as being behind the scenes, women are taken just as seriously, at least in the independent world of filmmaking (Hollywood is another idea entirely). As for acting though, I think women have a fine line to walk.  The issue of nudity is a difficult one that can cause lack of respect from audiences in general if it’s displayed as gratuitous and not in a beautiful or artistic light. For a filmmaker who is really going for T & A just to sell to prepubescent young boys, the T & A factor is not going to be shown in an “artistic” way.

Now this is the real kicker: it’s almost impossible for unknown actresses to break into the business without doing nudity. But once you do a nude scene, that is what you are constantly being asked to do. I see how it could get out of hand, and the only roles you are being offered are ones where you have to take off your clothes.

This is one of the main aspects of the business I would like to help change for women.  It’s fine if an actress wants to do nudity, but women should be able to have a choice, and understand they have a choice, before going into their first audition.  If men have a choice on doing nudity, then we should have one as well.  You have no idea how many scripts I’ve received just this year that had gratuitous nudity in them.  It’s so hard when the script is good to tell the Director that I don’t do nudity.  It breaks my heart when I want the role so badly. But I do it, because I want to help pave a way in this industry for women to have that choice and I want to be known for my talent, not my cup size.

It’s the woman’s body that can get in the way of being taken seriously.  We are always demanding that we be treated as equals but then we generally use our bodies to define our careers. We should be using our minds and our talent to define what we want, too.

Fatally Yours: Since you’ve been involved with the horror genre, have you noticed a change in women’s roles in the genre? 

Shannon Lark: I have, but I believe the advancement of digital technology and the internet has been fundamental in aiding this development.

This is helping filmmakers like Stacie Ponder, Devi Snively, and Ginetta Corelli truly stand out.

Fatally Yours: What women in horror do you admire and why?

Shannon Lark: There hasn’t been a woman I’ve met in the genre whom I haven’t admired, for the simple reason that she is doing what she wants to do. No one is holding a gun to her head. She is here on her own accord and making her own imaginary world as she wishes it to be.

I’ll name off a few people though, so you can get my drift: Heidi Martinuzzi, Stacie Ponder, Devi Snively, Victoria Waghorn, Ashley Lawrence, and all the Viscera Filmmakers who have poured their hearts and souls into their work.

Fatally Yours: What inspires, influences and motivates you to keep working in horror?

Shannon Lark: To explore every horrific situation, whether in mind or body, and process it in a therapeutic fashion to gain more awareness and compassion for the world.  To create beauty out of chaos and destructiveness.  To me, this is what life is all about.

Fatally Yours: How does it feel to be admired by horror fans?

Shannon Lark: As long as I feel like I can help them find what they are looking for, or be a positive influence in their lives, then it’s wonderful. If I have a fan just because he/she thinks I’m hot, I find myself relatively disappointed.

Fatally Yours: What are your favorite horror films and books?

Shannon Lark: Men, Women, and Chain Saws, a compilation of short stories by women titled Viscera, (which is where I derived my inspiration for the Viscera Film Festival), and Memnoch the Devil by Anne Rice.

Fatally Yours: Outside of horror what do you enjoy doing?

Shannon Lark: Playing with my Dalmatian, working out, yoga, meditating, watching movies, and camping. I’m kind of a hippie. What can I say?

Fatally Yours: What is your ultimate goal while working in the horror genre?

Shannon Lark: To be a sufficient aid to bring more women and men into finding their careers in horror or filmmaking in general. To live out every excruciating moment that I exist within this body to explore the terrors of the world and make into something positive by sharing it with the world.

Honestly, I’ve just gotten started.

Fatally Yours: What advice would you give women who want to become involved in the horror genre?

Shannon Lark: Get up. Don’t complain. If you are surrounded by those who do not help you in a positive manner, release them and continue on with your dreams. Don’t exploit yourself unless you truly, truly desire to. Don’t wait for that certain someone on a white stallion to tell you he’s a producer and he’s gonna make you a star. He’s probably a pervert. Make your own films if you want to act, or direct, or produce. Stand up now and find what you want, and that doesn’t just go for the genre.

Fatally Yours: Where can people find more info on you?

Shannon Lark: You can find me at:

www.thechainsawmafia.com
http://www.thechainsawmafia.com/viscerafilmfest.html
www.myspace.com/shannonlark
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shannon_lark
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2608690/

Interview with Ghoul Girls Founder and Model

We recently got to chit-chat with the brains and beauties of the horror pin-up site, Ghoul Girls. There are a lot of horror-themed pin-up sites out there, but Ghoul Girls is really different. Not satisfied with just showing pretty faces bathed in blood, they feature ghoulish pin-ups who passionately care about horror! Their close-knit family is dead-icated to horror and it shows in their photo spreads and in the following interview with site model Macabri and owner/photographer VampireKitten.

Ladies and gents, meet the fabulous Ghoul Girls!

Fatally Yours: How and when did you fall in love with the horror genre?

Macabri: I honestly can’t remember a time when I wasn’t into horror. Even in elementary school I remember reading all the scary books I could find and watching monster movies.

Fatally Yours: Can you tell our readers what Ghoul Girls is all about?

Macabri: Ghoul Girls is all about B-grade horror, sexy girls and pin-up. Who wouldn’t love that?

Fatally Yours: What inspired you to start Ghoul-Girls.com?

VampireKitten: We started it originally as a one woman coffee table book that branched out into something extremely unique that was nestled in the horror genre. Some of us love pin-up, all of us love horror, so we just thought to put the two together. People started seeing what we were doing and got excited about it. It kind of inspired us to keep going.

Fatally Yours: Had you any experience with running a website before?

VampireKitten: Ya for a long time I had been running an Internet radio station for the paranormal. As well as a few other websites I had been running on my own. It’s a huge undertaking, but it’s well worth it and has paid off. I started doing websites when I was 16, I’m self taught.

Fatally Yours: How do you think Ghoul Girls stands apart from other horror pin-up sites?

Macabri: I’ve seen other photographers that have done horror-themed photo shoots, but nothing with the scope or dedication that Ghoul Girls presents. You can tell that all of the models are very into what they’re doing and having some fun with the genre.

Fatally Yours: How can people enjoy the Ghoul Girls site in its full glory? Are there member fees, etc.?

Macabri: To fully enjoy the site all you have to do is sign up your FREE account. That’s it. For the price of free you get to access all of the photo sets, behind the scenes images, the forum, etc.

Fatally Yours: You’ve recently released a Ghoul Girls calendar. How can people get their paws on one and what can they expect to find lurking inside?

Macabri: The calendar is easily purchased through our web store located at: http://www.cafepress.com/ghoulgirlsmerch . Inside you’ll find 12 months worth of sexy monsters waiting to decorate your room, crypt, padded room, etc.

On another note, we’re going to be releasing a DVD soon with all of the video taken during the shoots, including video from upcoming, never before seen sets.

Fatally Yours: How are the models/photographers chosen?

Macabri: Right now there are a couple of photographers that do all of the shooting for the site. Models can apply through the site and are reviewed for consideration. If chosen, they work with the photographers/site owners to find the perfect creepy-crawly for them to portray.

Fatally Yours: How can interested parties apply to become models and/or photographers for the site? 

Macabri: It’s extremely easy to apply to model. All you have to do is go to the main site and click on the link that says Model for Us. From there you fill out a short questionnaire and e-mail it to GhoulGirls(at)gmail.com. We’re looking for all sorts, so don’t be afraid to apply.

Fatally Yours: Is there a specific horror film or horror era that influences the look and feel of Ghoul Girls? 

Macabri: The site is about a lot more than just one film or era. We want to encompass everything that people love about horror, whether it’s shooting images based off of something classic like Frankenstein or newer like Friday the 13^th. We’re even exploring beyond movies to include things such as the upcoming Death photo set.

Fatally Yours: Do you ever plan on using male models for the site?

Macabri: Right now it’s just female models, but who knows what the future might hold?

Fatally Yours: What are your hopes and goals for the site as it grows?

Macabri: It would be great to have the site get all the attention it deserves for all of the hard work that’s been put into it. We’re also looking to expand the content on the site. Already we a new section with video rants that I’ve been doing and we’re working on some fun content for download. We hope to keep spreading the word as we continue to carve out our own niche in the horror universe.

Fatally Yours: Is there anything else you’d like to tell our readers about?

Macabri: I just want to say a thank you to the rest of the amazing team we have at Ghoul Girls. Candace, Joshua, Chrissy, and Kurt have been so fantastic. I’m honored to be a part of the site and to be able to talk to you about it now.

Visit the Ghoul Girls’ Official Site!

Interview with Mycho Founder MJ Dixon

Mycho is an independently run production company based in Northern England specializing in low-budget horror, horror-themed events and even their very own horror band, Hockey Mask Heroes. A true lover of horror, founder MJ Dixon runs Mycho not to make money but because of his dedication to the genre.

We had a chance to chat with MJ Dixon about Mycho, the horror genre, his inspirations and much more!

Fatally Yours: How and when did your love of horror begin?

MJ Dixon: I can’t really pin point the moment that it began, as long as I can remember I was always attracted toward anything macabre. But the first time I ever remember being scared was watching Universal Studios’ The Mummy when I was about 7 years old, that when my obsession began, and I spent the most part of my childhood drawing red ink on the TV paper circling the weeks horror movies. It was only when I was about 11 that I saw Halloween and from that moment I knew that I wanted to spend my life making Horror Movies.

Fatally Yours: Can you tell our readers something about your production company, Mycho?

MJ Dixon:  Mycho is based in the North of England and focuses purely on creating original, entertaining Horror films. In addition we put on Events like the House Of Mycho as an outlet for the films and music that we create. The most important thing is that it’s all done completely on no money and lots of love.

Fatally Yours: What led up to you starting your own production company?

MJ Dixon: Mycho was created from many factors combined, When I left high school at 16 (Over 10 Years ago) I began to work on small independent productions in my area. There wasn’t a lot going on so I grabbed hold of any opportunity that I could. But it was rare that any of them were Horror films and trying to get my own stuff out there was proving increasingly harder in the North of England where people only wanted to see Kitchen Sink dramas.

I realised that if was going to get to work on Horror Films I would have to make them myself and so I set up a production company and shot my first film Destination. There was a bit of buzz about it on various Horror Boards and I knew I was on the right track. Then money became involved and the people I was running the company with got greedy. They stop thinking about what we would make next and more how much they would get paid, I decided to get out at that point.

I had learned a lot of lessons from that first film and decided that I would create, not only a production company, but a film making philosophy, and so I created Mycho. Mycho was about making movies for the love of movies and focused purely on Horror, my biggest love.

Fatally Yours: What are all the duties and roles that you perform for Mycho?

MJ Dixon: I take care of almost everything, I take on cast and crew as I need them, although I have picked up a few like minded characters along the way who have become regulars. But my duties mainly are putting together every project from start to finish. I spent a long time training myself to edit so that I could take care of that and studied composition and sound design at University as well as screenwriting and anything else you could think of.

Fatally Yours: Tell us about what you‘re working on now…
 
MJ Dixon: Well at the minute we’re in pre production on Creepsville which will be Mycho’s debut feature film. It’s been in development for years and I decided that now was the time to go for it. The past year or so has been spent tightening up every aspect of Mycho’s productions and I think now its time to take on something big. It’s scary as the film has no real budget, its all based on the “beg, borrow, steal” philosophy, which is nothing really new to us.

Fatally Yours: If you could put together your dream cast and crew for a horror film (or even to host one of your events), who would you choose and why?

MJ Dixon: Well funnily enough I’ve been writing a film with Troma star Trent Haaga in mind for about 6 years and during trying to raise funds we actually shot a micro cameo with Doug Bradley of Hellraiser fame. It’s a high budget affair really so it’s been very hard to ever get it up and running, but I’m a big fan of Trent both as an actor and a writer and well, I grew up as a huge fan of Hellraiser, so trying to get Mr Bradley fully on board would be a dream come true.

As for events well I would love to have Alice Cooper play, I’m a huge fan of the band and Mr Cooper himself. Mycho actually has its own band Hockey Mask Heroes, that record our soundtracks and such, that is very much in the same vein as what Cooper was doing in the 80′s and 90′s.

Fatally Yours: What have been some of your favorite horror films of 2008?

MJ Dixon: There’s been some really strong Horror this year, Inside was one that stands out, the French don’t give us horror very much, but when they do it always hits me hard. Teeth was another, it just had such originality and really entertained me and the string of people I’ve shown it to. I also loved Jack Brooks – Monster Slayer, it just took me back to the first time I saw Evil Dead 2. I hope those guys get a sequel.

Fatally Yours: What‘s your favorite horror film of all time?

MJ Dixon: That’s always a hard question, I get asked that a lot, I would say it’s between Halloween, The Hitcher and Hellraiser. They are three films that I can watch again and again and they never lose any impact. It’s a shame that the remakes of the first two were a little lacklustre, I’ve got nothing against Hollywood remaking films, but I wish they would look at why the originals were so scary. Let’s just hope they get Hellraiser right.

Fatally Yours: What do you think modern horror movies today are doing wrong? What do you think they are doing right?

MJ Dixon: It’s strange, we have grown more acceptant as an audience these days, so what would have scared us many years ago now has little or no impact. I was watching the making of Constantine the other night and the director used the term “Popcorn scare” and I think it’s that mentality that is causing the problem. There’s no sense of dread in most commercial, modern horror, its all just mediocre jump scares that are instantly forgettable on leaving the theatre or turning off the DVD player.

There are people out there getting it right though. All The Boys Love Mandy Lane for example was something fresh and new and I got a lot from it as a viewer. With people like Adam Green and Eli Roth out there I feel that Horror is at least in safe hands. Saw had it right for a couple of years, but I think by now they know that we’ll hand our money no matter what crap they put on the screen.

Fatally Yours: What is the one thing you hope people come away with after seeing one of your films or attending one of your events?

MJ Dixon: I want people to be entertained, that’s why I started doing this and that why I’ve never stopped. I spent a lot of time around people making art films, but of course no one wanted to watch them and these people pass that off as the audience being ignorant. But the simple fact is that film is there to entertain, that’s its main purpose, if you don’t give the audience something for their time they are just gonna be pissed off.

Fatally Yours: You are based in the UK, but do you have any plans to expand into other countries, perhaps even the United States?

MJ Dixon: Yeah, I think with any kind of business you have to look to expand in any way that you can. The move to LA is inevitable, after all the film scene in England is not really geared toward Horror. There have been some classics in recent years The Descent, 28 Days Later, Shaun Of The Dead, but they all still had American studio backing. I plan to do as much as I can here in the meantime, but eventually LA is gonna have to happen.

Fatally Yours: Can you tell our readers about Mycho‘s parties and events?

MJ Dixon: We run an event every month called House Of Mycho, its basically a themed night, always revolving around Horror, for example our New Year’s Evil party on December 31st. We get some awesome bands to come and play, people dress up and we show Mycho movies and play awesome music and just generally have a great time and give Mycho some much needed exposure as a label and as a movement.

Fatally Yours: What are your plans and goals for Mycho in the future?

MJ Dixon: Well after Creepsville, I would want to do a Christmas Horror I think. I don’t really know why, but I’ve always loved Christmas-based Horror films. So I think Mycho could quite possibly be releasing one for next Holiday season. Other than that Hockey Mask Heroes will be releasing our debut E.P this Christmas and we’re planning to tour with that next year and aiming to get some label interest.

Plus the short films will keep coming in the meantime and obviously the House Of Mycho events will keep coming every month. I would really want to keep Mycho independent, that’s probably my main goal. That way we can make Horror that we know people want to see and not this O.C. generation of Horror remakes like April Fools and Prom Night. Mycho’s overall goal though, is to entertain Horror fans and I think we can do that as we’re Horror fans ourselves.

Visit Mycho’s Official Site!

Interview with Museum of Death Co-Founder Cathee Shultz

The Museum of Death, located at 6031 Hollywood Blvd in Hollywood, California, is a private museum dedicated to all aspects of death. The museum boasts a large collection of serial killer artwork and correspondence, Victorian mourning items, mortuary equipment, accident/suicide/murder photography and videos of death, a menagerie of taxidermy animals, execution implements and many other curios and death memorabilia, including actual “souvenirs” from Heaven’s Gate cult mass suicide.

The Museum of Death is a fascinating place, owned by the very friendly and enthusiastic Cathee Shultz and JD Healy. With the stories these two could tell, they would make absolutely fascinating dinner guests! So it was my absolute pleasure to visit The Museum of Death and interview Cathee about her love of the macabre, how the museum began and her most shocking and bizarre encounters while working there!

Fatally Yours: How did you two meet and were you both already interested in the macabre when you started dating?

Cathee Shultz: JD and I met working at a French restaurant in Scottsdale, AZ., in 1983 he was baking the croissants and sold the cappuccino’s. It was lust-at-first sight! I went to his house on Sunday and moved in by Thursday. We got married 2 weeks later on “a day that would live in infamy”, December 7, Pearl Harbor Day. Neither one of us can recall being interesting in the macabre prior to meeting. I think together we had common interest of unusual things and we built upon that.

Fatally Yours: When did your fascination with death begin?

Cathee: We opened an art studio in San Diego in 1988 named Tohubohu (meaning an extreme disorder or chaos) through the years it morphed into other entities, the Rita Dean Gallery being one. In the gallery we did shows with the major taboo subjects- Sex, Death, Religion, Drugs, and Money. The Rita Dean was located in an old mortuary built in 1894 so we decided to take that theme and expand upon it and make a museum. This is when our true fascination started with Death! Once we opened and people started asking questions about Death, as responsible museum curators we needed to know the answers so we started our life long quest of DEATH!

Fatally Yours: What was some of the first death memorabilia you acquired?

Cathee: The first items we acquired were some artworks and letters from serial killers. We had an exhibit in 1992 called the Death Row Art Show and we purchased some paintings and drawings by Gacy, Manson and Otis Toole and soon afterwards began writing to assorted notorious killers. We amassed quite a collection this way and started exhibiting our own collection. The year before we opened the Museum of Death we did an exhibit titled “Exotic Weapons” in which JD and some colleagues made life size replicas of execution devices, another collection that would find a home in the Museum of Death.

Fatally Yours: What made you want to found the Museum of Death?

Cathee: It is difficult to make a living with an art gallery especially in San Diego. After doing the gallery for 7 years we wanted to branch out and move forward and we thought a museum was the next best thing.

Fatally Yours: You recently opened a new location in Hollywood after a far-too long hiatus. What happened with the old location and why was the opening of your new location delayed?

Cathee: Yes we did just re-open our new location in Hollywood at 6031 Hollywood Blvd., We had been trying to raise the capital to re-open the MOD for 7 long years and finally met an incredible couple who were willing to help fund the new MOD! We truly anticipated opening sooner but many factors caused the delay. After being closed for 7 long years I can’t really remember one reason that is important enough to mention here. We are just focusing on the future. And pretty much the reason we closed our former Hollywood location was under capitalization and an ASSHOLE for a landlord! Yes, most landlords are assholes but this guy was a hemorrhoid!! He basically put us out of business but once again we would rather just focus on our cool new location! How cool is it that The Wall by Pink Floyd was recorded here!

Fatally Yours: Where did you store all the museum’s items while you were in the process of moving?

Cathee: We had a terrific old house in the Highland Park section of Los Angeles, and it had 3 stories, so we just loaded it up, closets, basement, and we even kept a few things out to enjoy. The electric chair was at the head of the dining room table, the 9 foot giraffe neck and skull were in the office, and our stuffed pets were always in sight!

Fatally Yours: What has been the hardest item to acquire for the museum’s collection and what is the story behind it?

Cathee: I truly cannot think of any specific item that was hard to come by, most artifacts walk through the front door! I guess since I actually had to write letters and deal with asshole murderers, the serial killer art took more time and energy.

Fatally Yours: With displays of pretty controversial exhibits like the serial killer artwork, have there ever been any threats against you or the museum?

Cathee: As a matter of fact there have been threats against us. Not so much against the museum but when we did the Death Row Art Show at the Rita Dean Gallery some one called in and said they were going to “burn us down” and another one said “you will burn in Hell for this” and a few other similar calls. We do get people upset with the museum but generally if I get there anger before they leave the MOD I try and find out exactly what they are upset with and talk them through it. Are they mad at me or the images in the MOD? Are they angry at the fact that serial killers exist? Are they upset at man’s inhumanity to man? Are the pissed off our culture is so lacking in death/life education? Do they really think history should not be told?

Fatally Yours: Have you ever had any artifacts stolen or purposefully destroyed by others?

Cathee: Yes there have unfortunately been some thefts in the MOD. In the War display we had a Nazi dagger with sheath, and unfortunately some asshole took only the dagger and left the sheath! We hate thieves, especially ones that destroy history, the dagger is not as important without the other half but anyone stupid enough to steal from a museum is obviously too ignorant to know that! We used to have a hand in a jar (a schizophrenic cut his own hand off with a circular saw while he read the passage in the Bible “if your hand offends you, cut it off” ) and JD would set it on the front counter with a sign “This is from the last person who stole from the MOD!!” It was quite the deterrent, but we eventually passed it along to a new caretaker but we still have an impressive photo of the hand. Also some other idiot tried to take the TV out of the casket entertainment center and it pretty much fell on him, he ran away but had we actually caught him we might have had our first “Rotting Corpse” display!!

Fatally Yours: How do you go about finding specimens for the museum?

Cathee: We find specimens many places, antique stores, flea markets, swap meets, Ebay, and more than anything, friends that know we collect, find stuff for us!

Fatally Yours: Out of all the pieces in your collection, what is your favorite and why?

Cathee: I think you will get two entirely different answers from JD and I but since I am writing this…you get mine, although I don’t have ONE favorite because there are too many good things! My NEWEST favorite is Chaos the pig our newest taxidermied item! Chaos was our pet pig for 16 years, and we put him down (a nice way to say we killed him) last October (old age) and it took exactly 1 year to get him back! Next would be the memorial photos of the infants. There are 2 photos in particular, it is the same baby in both photos, one is of the baby with its eyes open so still looking alive and the next photo is the baby with its eyes closed, clearly deceased! I’m sure it sounds morbid but to me they are the most beautiful photos we own!

Fatally Yours: Of all the things you’ve seen relating to death, what has been the most shocking, upsetting, and/or morbid?

Cathee: One of the most disturbing things I was exposed to was a photograph of a sexually molested corpse at a body research facility. VERY Disturbing!

Fatally Yours: Is there anything you’ve come across that you refused to exhibit because it was just too shocking?

Cathee: There have been a few items over the years that we chose not to pursue or exhibit. The aforementioned photo and the dress Rebecca Schaefer was buried in. She is the actress who was murdered by a stalker, and many stalking laws were enacted throughout the country based on her murder. The story we know is, when her body was exhumed her mother wanted her re-interred in a different outfit, and somehow the original dress made its way to the MOD. There were questionable circumstances surrounding the dress and JD felt it inappropriate to have. Any item known to be stolen or graveyard defacing items are NEVER welcome at the MOD!

Fatally Yours: Is there anything relating to death that you would never feature in your museum because it “crosses the line?”

Cathee: “Crossing the line” is a broad statement. The line we have set for ourselves at the MOD may be an entirely different line someone whose family was brutally murdered by a serial killer! Once again it would not be because an item is TOO graphic but because there area questionable circumstances surrounding the item.

Fatally Yours: If you could choose how you were going to die, how would you go?

Cathee: That’s easy……SPECTACULARLY!!!!!!!!!!!

Interview with Underland Press Founder Victoria Blake

Victoria Blake recently launched Underland Press, a publishing house that specializes in dark fiction. Before founding Underland, Blake was editor for Dark Horse Comics, one of the largest independent publishers of comic books and fiction. She worked on series like Aliens, Predator, Lankhmar, and Playboy, as well as original fiction titles.

Blake left her editorial job at Dark Horse to start her own publishing house specifically for weird and dark fiction. Current debut authors for Underland Press include: Bram Stoker Award winner Kealan Patrick Burke, Edgar Award and International Horror Guild Award nominee Brian Evenson, two-time World Fantasy Award winner Jeff VanderMeer, multiple award winner Will Elliott, and husband and wife writing team Berry Verhoef and Esther Verhoef (writing as “Escober”).

Blake and Underland Press are also poised to revolutionize the online publishing world with the “wovel,” a serialized novel whose chapters are posted week by week as the readers decide where the story will go. It’s the choose-your-own-adventure book for the digital age! Underland’s first online-only interactive “wovel” is Bram Stoker Award winner Kealan Patrick Burke’s The Living.

Victoria Blake was gracious enough to take a break from her busy schedule and chat with us a while about Underland Press and her love of dark fiction!

Fatally Yours: Victoria, it certainly is a pleasure! Can you tell us about the most significant book/comic/film that got you into dark fiction/horror in the first place?

Victoria Blake: Oh, that’s easy. Flowers in the Attic. It was a formative book in my childhood.

I was recently at a lecture in which the speaker said that men have a common language in comic books, but that women don’t have the same source texts. No way. Who among our generation hasn’t read V.C. Andrews?

Fatally Yours: How did you get your start in the business?

Victoria Blake: I knew two things when I graduated from college: that I wanted to write, and that I wanted to be able to pay my bills. Those two things led me to journalism, which led me to Portland, which led me to Dark Horse and to prose books.

Fatally Yours: Working for a comic book company like Dark Horse would be a dream for many of our readers! Can you tell us about your time there?

Victoria Blake: It was great fun. For instance, one of my jobs was to make sure that the Predator books were consistent with the rules of the Predator universe. There are big “bibles” of rules for each universe… Star Wars has one and Aliens, etc. Anyway, one of the books had a scene in which the Predator took off his visor and saw in infrared. So the question that occupied my day was: Is infrared vision a product of the visor, or do the Predators see in infrared naturally? I ended up asking Randy Stradley, one of the gurus. He set me straight.

But I don’t want to glamorize the job. I sat at a desk, in a cubicle without windows. I worked on great projects, but I didn’t choose which projects were mine. I was a production editor.

Fatally Yours: How did your time at Dark Horse help prepare you for launching your own publishing house, Underland Press? In what ways were you unprepared?

Victoria Blake: I worked under Rob Simpson at Dark Horse. He taught me everything. He was incredibly generous with his time and his knowledge. I learned by keeping my ears open, being in as many meetings as I could, and asking Rob as many questions as I needed to. I’m very grateful to Rob.

How was I unprepared? Well, I wish I had spent three years in the accounting department, and three years as a printer’s apprentice, and one as a binder’s apprentice, and three years in law school. I wish I had worked at a bookstore during my teenage years instead of at a restaurant. I wish I knew more agents in New York, and that I’d gone to at least twelve more conventions. But I don’t think you can ever be completely prepared. What you need more than anything else is the ability to learn along the way.

Fatally Yours: To you, what is the definition of the kind of dark fiction that Underland Press specializes in?

Victoria Blake: Underland publishes weird, strange, odd, and unsettling fiction. I chose those words to get at the quality that Underland is interested in, not necessarily the marketing niche. The gold standard for the kind of books I publish and want to publish is Brian Evenson’s Last Days. It’s almost flawless, both structurally and stylistically. Brian is a master.

Fatally Yours: With what criteria do you consider novels for publication with Underland Press?

Victoria Blake: First, the book needs to be well written. I can tell within a page or two if the author has control over language. If she doesn’t, I put the book down. Second, the book needs to keep me interested enough to read it after a day at my desk. I do most of my submission reading when I get home, between dinner and bed. Lastly, I need to know how I’d market the book. It does nobody any good if the book is brilliant but I don’t know how to get it into the hands of the readers.

Oh, there’s something else, and something unique to Underland. I also consider how willing the author is to do work online-web serials, ebooks, blogs, podcasts, reader-suggested graphics, etc. Underland aims to be an integrated in print, online publisher. In order to do that, we need authors who understand the power of the web, and want to work within the new rules of the 2.0 world.

Fatally Yours: What are some of your upcoming releases?

Victoria Blake: Brian Evenson’s Last Days! That’s coming out in February. It’s followed by Will Elliott’s The Pilo Family Circus, which is an absolutely crazy read involving a trio of psychotic clowns and an otherworldly circus. It’s fantastic, and I’m not just saying that because I’m the publisher. This is a book I’d be recommending to my friends if I stumbled across it in the bookstore.

We also have a great thriller by Escober called Chaos. This book is Escober’s introduction to the American readership-the book is a bestseller in Dutch, but not yet in English. It’s a fantastic read, very fast and fun.

I’m really looking forward to Jeff VanderMeer’s Finch, too. He’s working on finishing the novel now. I can’t wait to read it.

Fatally Yours: All of those sound great! Cannot wait to check them out myself! With Underland Press you’ve created the “wovel” or web-based novel. How did this idea come about and were you surprised to be the first publishing house to do it?

Victoria Blake: The central idea behind the wovel is to allow readers a stake in the plot. The author posts an installment every Monday. Each installment has a binary plot branch point and a vote button at the end. Readers vote on which direction they think the story should go. The author writes over the weekend, and the new installment is up in time for work on Monday. Response so far has been tremendous. The first installment of Kealan Patrick Burke’s The Living attracted 1,000 readers. We’ve built our standard mailing list to about 600 in just four months. And these are vocal readers, too! I get at least one email a week from somebody with a thought, or who just wants to check in. I love it. I love the community the wovel is building, and I love the twists and turns that the wovel itself has taken.

Am I surprised that Underland is the first to try this? No, not really. It seems to me that book publishing is where the music industry was in 1996-pre-Napster, ready for a change. I expect that publishers will be trying to figure out how to work with the web for a long, long time, and I expect that the innovations will come from my generation of publishers, and the publishers coming up after me. Technology natives. Is that what they call us? But you know about this, as a blogger…

One thing I have to mention here: We have a new wovel starting on November 4-Firstworld by Jemiah Jefferson.

Fatally Yours: In your opinion, what are some recent horror novels and/or authors that have been overlooked yet deserve to be discovered by dark fiction/horror fans?

Victoria Blake: I really like Stefan Petrucha and Paul Whitcover. They both wrote monster books for Dark Horse, and the books were both great. Elizabeth Hand is also fantastic, one of my favorites. She does things I see very few other writers doing.

Fatally Yours: What are you currently reading?

Victoria Blake: Currently reading Joe Landsdale, Yvonne Navarro, Weston Ochse, and Jemiah Jefferson.

Fatally Yours: Do you have a favorite subgenre in dark fiction?

Victoria Blake: I find vampires more interesting than zombies, and serial killers more compelling than aliens, but I think a good story could be made out of any of them. Plus, if I say “vampires,” aren’t I going to piss off the zombie folks?

Fatally Yours: What was the last great horror movie you saw?

Victoria Blake: I know which one I’m about to see…Teeth, the one about vagina dentalis. I don’t know how I missed it, and I don’t know why it took me so long to rent it.

Fatally Yours: Where do you see Underland Press in a few years? What are the goals you hope to accomplish?

Victoria Blake: My main goal is to do right by my authors, to treat everybody I work with well, to keep publishing books I believe in, and to make enough money to keep going. I hope to expand my title list by about two books a year. When I get to twenty titles a year, let’s talk again. I’ll be full of big plans then…

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