We’re not drunk — no, we were drunk last night. It’s the return of the hangover episode, but we’ve got plenty of horror to discuss.
In this episode, we talk about the Evil Dead remake and Lords of Salem and our buddy Lance Henriksen. I’ve got more What the Fuck news and of course there’s some new Boozin’ Gone Bad!
This episode was recorded before the mid-season premier of The Walking Dead, so there are no spoilers!
Beers were downed by the dozens at Horrorhound Weekend Indianapolis this year and this most haphazard episode of the 40oz. Of Horror Podcast is proof. The 40oz. gang popped up the recording gear in the middle of the post-party madness and rolled tape. Fans of all kinds interrupt our broadcast and Danny Cooksey (Terminator 2, Salute Your Shorts, & Diff’rent Strokes) drops in to give us a little taste of Bobby Budnick.
Many horror celebrities were in attendance during the three day festivity, but a handful stood out with the 40oz. crew. Among the standouts are Lance Henriksen (Aliens, The Terminator, and Millennium) whom which we interviewed live in a public restroom, Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead and The Devil’s Rejects), Heather Langenkamp (A Nightmare on Elm Street and Just the Ten of Us), and Chad’s favorite (as you will find out) Linda Hamilton (The Terminator, T2: Judgement Day, and Dante’s Peak).
If we didn’t consume copious amounts of alcohol at horror conventions, we wouldn’t be doing our jobs.
…and consume we did!
Beers were downed by the dozens this weekend at one of the premier horror cons to grace the Hoosier capital. I’m talking about Horrorhound Weekend Indianapolis. Almost 24 hours after the fact I am still nursing the remnants of a killer hangover headache. I have consumed enough Gatorade today to last me a lifetime.
On to Horrorhound Weekend…
No disrespect to event creators, coordinators and putters-on Horrorhound Magazine (because they do a tremendous job), but the thing that really makes this particular con so great year after year are the fans and the location. Visitors are free and able to create a party amongst themselves like no other — largely in part due to the facility amenities at the Marriott Indianapolis East convention center which is located smack dab in the middle of Indianapolis’s near east side.
Besides a shitload of conference rooms for holding the event, the Marriott offers an incredible courtyard with fire pits and comfortable seating, a fine dining experience in the newly remodeled bar and an indoor pool. Combine all this shit with more than enough mommy and daddy drinks to go around and Horrorhound Weekend Indianapolis quickly evolves into an 80s movie house party that would make even Kid and Play jealous.
Many horror celebrities were in attendance during the three day festivity, but a handful stood out with the 40oz. crew. Our first interaction was with Lance Henriksen (Aliens, The Terminator, and Millennium). Our discussion with Lance upgraded (or downgraded depending on your level of humor) into an impromptu interview held in a public bathroom. Cut to James, Chad, James’s brother Chris, and myself crammed in a stall with Lance Henriksen sitting on the throne.
“Combine all this shit with more than enough mommy and daddy drinks to go around and Horrorhound Weekend Indianapolis quickly evolves into an 80s movie house party that would make even Kid and Play jealous.”
Danny Cooksey jumps in on the podcast.
Later that evening we met Danny Cooksey (Diff’rent Strokes, Salute Your Shorts, and T2: Judgment Day). Danny was the most chill, laid back, nicest guy we met. The conversation was like what you’d expect from an old friend. This was Danny’s first ever convention appearance and we were happy to get a chance to spend some time with him. He told us what it was like to be a child actor on the greatest Nickelodeon show of all time, Salute Your Shorts. Biggest surprise there? It was produced by the same company as Twin Peaks… No shit!
On Saturday we talked Indiana High School football with none other than Ken Foree (Dawn of the Dead and The Devil’s Rejects). Damn that was awesome! Ken, a fellow Hoosier, is never at a loss for words and is as friendly as they come. Our conversation then switched gears… to more Hoosier sports: IU Basketball. In case you’re wondering. Ken thinks this is the year for the Cream & Crimson and I do too. No sooner than we finished talking to Ken, Chad and I found ourselves starstruck and shaking like 15 year old dorks asking the prom queen to dance. We were face to face with Nancy Thompson herself, Heather Langenkamp (A Nightmare on Elm Street and Just the Ten of Us). Granted Heather is largely only known for being the original Elm Street child — a topic she explores in her documentary I Am Nancy, but come on, we’re talking about the first person to take down the Springwood Slasher here! Chad was shaking like a leaf on a tree and I wasn’t much better as I stammered and fumbled for the camera button on my iPhone. I could make the argument that I had a beer in one hand, but I know what was really going through my ever-present 13 year old brain.
That night after the event wrapped, we stumbled into the courtyard — double cupping Miller High Lifes all the way. Our celebrity detectors set to kill, we spotted the Terminator’s terminator Sarah Connor, or as she’s called outside the nerdrome (a.k.a. real life), Linda Hamilton (The Terminator, T2: Judgement Day, and Dante’s Peak). Linda Hamilton.. are you for real? Even my dad was liking the Facebook photos I was posting of meeting Linda. Maybe it’s because of our debonaire charm, maybe there was something in that cool midnight air, maybe it was the way my eyes crossed as beer dripped from my beard, but Linda was super sweet and kind to the three of us. If you ask Chad, he recalls the one minute, twenty-seven second interaction as a steamy romance novel where he and Linda reenacted the ending to Grease.
All in all the event was seriously bitchin’, but the best part was definitely the fans, hands down. From crazy costumes, to crazy people, you always know what to expect at Horrorhound Weekend Indianapolis… good friends and a good time. And if you’re towing around a large cooler full of beer, then all the better.
Come find us at Horrorhound Weekend Indianapolis in November. We will be the ones towing around a large cooler.
Most memorable… most influential… best… However you wanna take this list is fine with me. These are MY personal Top 10 Horror Movie Scenes that had an impact on my life and made me the disturbed, deranged cinephile that I am today. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m no Patrick Bateman, but all of us horror fanatics have to have SOMETHING sick and twisted about us that makes us want to subject ourselves to the most horrific and unsettling images we can find. And as we get older and more desensitized, our thirst never seems to be fully quenched — hence why most of the scenes listed here are from my childhood. I must say, it was very hard to narrow it down to just 10. So, with that being said, here are the top 10 horror movie scenes that I have never been able to forget…
10. A) Carrie (1976)
When you think of Carrie, most people probably first think of the prom/pig’s blood scene, but often forgotten is probably one of, if not THE, scariest moments in cinema history. I wish I were old enough to see this in theaters, just to have witnessed the crowd’s reaction.
10. B) Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
In my opinion, the greatest final scene of any movie, ever. I’ll never forget, as the film was winding down, the shock I felt when Donald Sutherland pointed at Elizabeth and “pod screamed.” Fin. Roll Credits. Silence.
9) Ghoulies II (1985)
Maybe not one of the scariest scenes of all time… or even greatest, but I still have trouble dropping a deuce.
8) Gremlins (1984)
Also not scary, but still one of my favorites…
7) The Mist (2007)
To me, The Mist is one of those films you either absolutely love or totally hate. And I think a lot of that has to do with the final scene. For me, it made the whole movie. Even thinking back on it now, I get that uneasy, depressed feeling that I got when I had first seen it. Others may not appreciate it as much… My wife still expresses her hatred for the movie to this day.
(Sorry, it’s dubbed in French… Damn copyrights)
6) SAW (2004)
I still have no words to express the shock and awe I felt when Jigsaw stood up at the end. I never saw it coming and was left with a giant WTF… And I pride myself on being able to sniff out twists well before they’re revealed. In my opinion, SAW is probably THE pinnacle film of the 2000s.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… This is one of the most underrated horror films of all time, which, I think, mostly has to do with the fact that it’s a “Halloween” movie. I think that it would have gotten a lot more respect had it not been named that. But I digress… This isn’t really one of the scariest scenes, but probably the most memorable. I didn’t want to wear a Halloween mask for a long time after this. Also, have fun trying to get that song out of your head.
4) Deep Blue Sea (1999)
I don’t care what anybody says. I like this movie. It’s no Jaws, but it’s still a decent shark flick nonetheless. They spent the first half of the movie building up Samuel L. Jackson’s character to be the hero and then BOOM!!! He got eaten by a motha’ fuckin’ shark! And I jumped out of my motha’ fuckin’ seat! I’ve actually only seen the scene once. Every other time I’ve watched the movie, I keep my eyes on everyone else in the room to see their reactions.
3) A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Do I really need to explain why I love one of the greatest horror scenes of all time?
2) Braindead aka Dead Alive (1982)
It always surprises me how many horror fans haven’t seen this film by icon Peter Jackson. It’s required viewing for every genre fan. While the effects and cheese may be too over the top to take seriously, it’s one of the most fun movies to sit through, especially when you have some friends over for some beers or just to play in the background at a Halloween party. For every person who has seen Dead Alive, they always come out of it with one scene in mind… The lawnmower scene.
(Warning: I have stumbled across copies of this film with the lawnmower scene heavily edited, and it completely ruins it. If you have seen the movie and have no idea what I’m talking about, then you, unfortunately, have been a victim of censorship.)
1) The Thing (1982)
As James and I have discussed many times on the podcast, this is the perfect horror film, from the acting to the FX to the scares to Kurt Russell’s fantastic beard. It’s also my favorite film of all time, so of course it contains my favorite — and in my opinion scariest — scene of all time. Carpenter is a genius in the way he diverts your attention and confuses you as to who really is the “the thing.” Even after hundreds of viewings, this scene still gives me a “Hard R.” (If you don’t get that, then you don’t listen to the podcast… Shame on you.) Enjoy.
BONUS: They Live (1988)
BEST. FIGHT SCENE. EVER.
Tell me what you think about my Top 10 Best Horror Movie Scenes in the comments section below. What scenes did I miss?
