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Winners Speak: 2002 2003 2004

   

HERE ARE THE WINNERS

OF THE FOURTH ANNUAL RONDO AWARDS

-- Honoring work from 2005 --

(Page includes press release, winners' list, and all nominees)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KONG STOMPS COMPETITION IN 4th RONDO AWARDS

Great ape takes 7 awards; Lorre bio is best book; Busam is Monster Kid of Year

Feb. 19, 2006

ARLINGTON, VA -- Have you ever heard of ... Kong?

One of Hollywood's most famous questions was answered with a resounding roar Sunday as versions old and new of the great ape saga took an unprecedented seven top spots in the Fourth Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards.

King Kong, Peter Jackson's $200 million remake of the Depression Era classic, was named Best Genre Movie of 2005 in the online survey of more than 1,260 horror fans, pros and enthusiasts from around the world.

Jackson's epic was joined in the chest beating by the original King Kong, released on DVD for the first time only last year. The 1933 stop-motion classic swept the video awards, taking Best Classic Horror DVD, Best Film Restoration and Best DVD Extra by huge margins.

The "extra'' was a riveting six-minute sequence in which modern animators recreated the film's infamous spider scene, which was cut from the original Kong because it was deemed too horrifying.

In addition, I'm King Kong, a documentary shown on TCM about Merian C. Cooper, the man who made the film, won for Best TV Presentation. A story in Starlog Magazine by Tom Weaver and Bob Burns, a Hollywood collector who owns the original model of Kong, was voted Best Article.

And a painting of Kong by Lorraine Bush for Monster Bash magazine was named Best Cover.

"Kong was, as you would expect, unstoppable,'' said David Colton, a Virginia-based journalist and organizer of the four-year old fan awards program. "This was a banner year for classic horror releases, with much-awaited collections of Val Lewton, Bela Lugosi and Hammer films. But the pent-up demand for the restored version of Kong on DVD and the excitement over the new Kong totally dominated the voting. Poor Bela never had a chance.''

Kong was so overpowering that in one category, Best Restoration, the reconstruction of the original film drew 528 votes, by far the largest number ever received by any Rondo nominee in the four years of the award program's existence. MGM's million-dollar upgrade of The Wizard of Oz was a distant second, drawing less than 180 votes.

The Rondo award program, named after 1940s character actor Rondo Hatton, is an email survey of the classic horror fan community sponsored by the Classic Horror Film Board. Now in its fourth year, the five weeks of balloting in 23 categories were solicited at websites, online discussion groups and through mailings.

Other top winners announced Sunday included:

-- Best Book of 2005: The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre, by Stephen D. Youngkin, a revealing look at the iconic character actor who defined melodrama and menace from the silent era to the 60s.

The book topped a crowded field of works, including Crystal Lake Memories, a history of the Friday the 13th films by Peter M. Bracke, Earth vs. the Sci-Fi Filmmakers, a collection of interviews by Weaver, and Beating the Devil: The Making of Night of the Demon, by English writer Tony Earnshaw.

-- Best DVD Commentary went to the Unholy Trio of Joe Dante, Bob Burns and Bill Warren, whose work drew nearly 300 votes for their joint commentary about the special effects and production of the 1953 version of War of the Worlds.

"I hope this combo is used as a template for how future commentaries should be done,'' said one voter, Mike O'Connor, ''because you have all the relevant areas covered: the professional (director Dante), the scholar (Warren), and the knowledgeable fan (Burns).''

-- Best Fan Event: Daniel Roebuck's Spook Show won for its recreation of a 1950s "spooktacular,'' complete with live ghosts and monsters at a theatre in Glendale, Calif., last Halloween. "Totally amazing,'' said one voter. "It was like a time machine, taking the audience back to midnight spook shows.''

-- Best Independent Film went to Monster Kid Home Movies, a collection of 8mm homemade horror shorts made by kids and young fans in the 1950s, 60 and 70s. The now-grown filmmakers, including director Bob Tinnell and Disney artist Frank Dietz, provided narrations for the amateur films which were restored and color-corrected after years of neglect and deterioration.

The project was a labor of love by Cincinnati horror fan Joe Busam, who was also named Monster Kid of the Year for his efforts.

-- Magazine of the Year: Video Watchdog, edited by Tim and Donna Lucas, won top magazine honors for a fourth straight year despite a reduced schedule as Lucas completes a book on horror director Mario Bava.

The top runner-up was Monsters from the Vault, separated from Watchdog by only 16 votes, followed by Fangoria, Rue Morgue, Scary Monsters and Filmfax.

-- Writer of the Year: Tom Weaver, a prodigious interviewer of near-forgotten B-movie figures won best writer honors for the fourth straight year. Although a write-in-only category, Weaver was named by almost 100 fans, topping Lucas by a small margin. There also was a strong write-in effort for Creature of the Black Lagoon documentarian Sam Borowski. Other top writers included Greg Mank and Bill Cooke.

-- Best Convention: The Monster Bash, a family-friendly gathering of monster fans in Pittsburgh won the honor for the third time, beating out last year's winner, Chiller, a mega-event held in New Jersey and the up-and-coming WonderFest, a model-building and fantasy show in Louisville.

-- Best Website went to Nashville horror host Dr. Gangrene, whose Chiller Cinema site and TV show is a horror landmark in Tennessee. His show is now seen on Ch. 58 in the region. The top website runner-up was the Astounding B-Monster, a past Rondo winner.

-- Best Horror Comic went for a second straight year to The Black Forest, a retelling of classic monster suspense set during World War I. The book is by Robert Tinnell, Todd Livingston and artist Neil Vokes.

Runner-ups included Bruce Campbell's The Man With the Screaming Brain and Eric Powell's The Goon.

-- Best CD went to Film Score Monthly's recreation of Dmitri Tiomkin's chilling score for the 1951 science fiction classic, The Thing from Another World. The soundtrack narrowly edged out an album by a popular rock horror band from Nashville, the Creeping Cruds.

-- Best Cover was a razor-thin affair as well, with Lorraine Bush's painting of the original Kong for Monster Bash #4 edging out work by Joe Schovitz for Monsters from the Vault and Daniel Horne for Chiller Theatre magazines.

-- Best Magazine Article was Kong-related as well as the popular team of Tom Weaver and Bob Burns recounted Burns' trip to the set of the Peter Jackson film in Starlog #343.

A who's-who of talented writers were cited as well. The next five selected were Bill Cooke for his piece on Universal films in Video Watchdog #118, Greg Mank's interview with Lionel Atwill's son in Monsters from the Vault #20, Frank Dello Stritto's account of a lost Lugosi Dracula performance in Cult Movies #41, and Jack Hagerty's analysis of Earth vs. the Flying Saucers in Filmfax #105.

-- Best Model or Collectible was a bit unusual for the usually iconoclastic Rondo voters, going to Hawthorne Collections Universal Monster Village, a subscription-based assemblage of castles and monsters, including the Bride of Frankenstein and Dracula.

-- Best DVD Company went to Warner Brothers, a reward for the restoration of the Kong film and other classic horrors, including a Val Lewton collection, in the past year.

-- Count Alucard's Controversy of the Year category presented monster fans with several issue-oriented choices, including a dispute over an English magazine, The Dark Side and its reported use of reviews printed previously online, and consumer discontent with multi-movie DVDs, which do not play on all players.

But voters expressed the most outrage over the fact that Boris Karloff's name was left off of Universal's Bela Lugosi Collection, even though Karloff co-stars in four of the five films.

In all the DVD categories, Kong ruled supreme, drawing more than twice the votes of Lugosi and Lewton.

Monster Kid Home Movies was strong as well, withstanding challanges in the voting from independent efforts such as Ray Harryhausen: The Early Years, The Call of Cthulhu, a new silent film based on work by H. P. Lovecraft; and Flesh and Blood, a documentary about the Hammer Films Studio.

For TV presentation, the documentary on Cooper was challenged by ABC's spooky survival drama, Lost and another TCM documentary, Watch the Skies, about 50s scifi films. Also drawing significant support was "Homecoming,'' Joe Dante's anti-Iraq war episode of Showtime's Masters of Horror.

For Best Genre Film, Jackson's Kong drew 100 votes more than runner-up, Batman Begins, which was followed by Sin City and The Devil's Rejects, a nihilistic look at "splatter'' films by Rob Zombie.

The remaining categories included:

-- Classic Most Needed on DVD: With many horror classics now available on DVD, attention turned to more obscure films. The Lugosi favorite, Island of Lost Souls topped the list. Fans also demanded several still-missing horrors from MGM, along with Universal 50s science fiction films, including The Incredible Shrinking Man and Tarantula.

Finally, seven honorary Rondo awards were announced Sunday night:

-- Monster Kid of the Year was bestowed on Joe Busam, producer of Monster Kid Home Movies. The award states:

"Busam's tireless work this year brought a generation of young monster filmmakers -- some of whom didn't even know they were filmmakers -- into the light with his Monster Kid Home Movies project. Joe Busam combines the wonder of fan enthusiasm with the energy and skill needed to make those dreams a reality. His DVD will forever be a time machine into the days when even the oldest of us was forever young.''

-- Monster Kid Hall of Fame: Seven new members were announced for induction into the Monster Kid Hall of Fame, which already includes Forrest J Ackerman, James Warren, Zacherley, Vampira, Bob and Kathy Burns, Ray Bradbury, Ray Harryhausen, Richard Gordon and the late Alex Gordon, Rick Baker and the late William K. Everson.

The new inductees are:

-- Artists Basil Gogos and James Bama for their unforgettable paintings in the 1960s and beyond.

Gogos' use of color and pathos on his covers for Famous Monsters turned black-and-white images into living, breathing monstrosities for a legion of then-young fans. And Bama's detailed paintings of the Universal monsters for the covers of the first Aurora monster models taught wide-eyed kids a respect for the genre and, more importantly, the actors behind the makeup, that lives on today.

-- Film director Roger Corman, whose independent, brash and thought-provoking films of the 1950s remain vital, ironic and smart, and who paved the way for many of the fast-but-powerful techniques still used in moviemaking today.

-- Musician Bobby "Boris" Pickett, whose rendition of the Monster Mash is still a Halloween perennial and who helped put the fun in monster fandom. It was, and is, a graveyard smash.

-- Gary and Sue Svehla of Midnight Marquee, who over five decades of magazines, books, conventions and, recently, independent films, prove that there is always something new to find in the world of monsters and mayhem. They didn't invent monster magazines or conventions, but they showed what they could be.

-- Richard Klemensen, whose ultimate Hammer magazine, Little Shoppe of Horrors, has been obsessive and definitive in every way for decades. From floor plans of Hammer sets to interviews with survivors of the Studio That Dripped Blood, Klemensen is one of the genre's most important chroniclers.

The awards announced Sunday will be followed by a series of presentations at conventions this summer, starting off the a Rondo ceremony at WonderFest in Louisville over Memorial Day.

Many of the winners will receive Rondo Hatton statuettes, sculpted by Kerry Gammill (monsterkid.com), and cast by Tim M. Lindsey (tmlindsey.com).

Voting for next year's winners will take place in January 2007. More information can be found at www.rondoaward.com, the official home of the Rondo awards. Wait! That's right here. Thanx everybody!!

Here is a category-by-category breakdown of who won.
(First and second place vote totals are in parentheses; also listed are honorable mentions who scored well.)


BEST FILM

KING KONG (244 votes)

Runner-up: BATMAN BEGINS (137 votes) Honorable mention: SIN CITY, THE DEVIL'S REJECTS

BEST TV PRESENTATION

I'M KING KONG: EXPLOITS OF MERIAN C. COOPER (178 votes)

Runner-up: LOST (120) Honorable mention: WATCH THE SKIES, MASTERS OF HORROR: HOMECOMING

BEST CLASSIC DVD

THE KING KONG COLLECTION 1933 (344 votes)

Runner-up: BELA LUGOSI COLLECTION (114) Honorable mention: VAL LEWTON COLLECTION, HAMMER COLLECTION

BEST RESTORATION

KING KONG 1933 (528 votes*)

Runner-up: WIZARD OF OZ (179)

*This is record Rondo vote total.

BEST DVD EXTRA

1933 KING KONG LOST SPIDER SCENE RECREATED (436 votes)

Runner-up: Tortoise and Hare finished, RAY HARRYHAUSEN: THE EARLY YEARS (80) Honorable mention: Val Lewton documentary

BEST DVD COMMENTARY

Joe Dante, Bill Warren, Bob Burns for 1953 WAR OF THE WORLDS (299 votes)

Runner-up: David Cronenberg: THE FLY (266)  Honorable mention: Ray Harryhausen, Terry Moore, Ken Ralston: MIGHTY JOE YOUNG

BEST INDEPENDENT FILM

MONSTER KID HOME MOVIES (210 votes)

Runner-up: CALL OF CTHULHU (116) Honorable mention: FLESH AND BLOOD: HAMMER HERITAGE OF HORROR

BEST BOOK

THE LOST ONE: A LIFE OF PETER LORRE, by Stephen D. Youngkin (143 votes)

Runner-up: CRYSTAL LAKE MEMORIES: THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF FRIDAY THE 13TH, by Peter M. Bracke (123)

Honorable mention: EARTH VS. THE SCI-FI FILMMAKERS by Tom Weaver; BEATING THE DEVIL: THE MAKING OF NIGHT OF THE DEMON, by Tony Earnshaw)

BEST MAGAZINE

VIDEO WATCHDOG (137 votes)

Runner-up: MONSTERS FROM THE VAULT (121)  

Honorable mention: FANGORIA, RUE MORGUE, SCARY MONSTERS, FILMFAX

BEST ARTICLE

OUR SKULL ISLAND ODYSSEY, by Bob Burns as told to Tom Weaver, STARLOG #343. (152 votes)

Runner-up: 'Universal's Other Monsters,' by Bill Cooke, VIDEO WATCHDOG #118 (119)

Honorable mention: 'Lost Lugosi Dracula,' by Frank Dello Stritto, CULT MOVIES #41; 'Mystery of Lionel Atwill,' by Gregory Mank, MONSTERS FROM THE VAULT #20;

'Earth vs. Flying Saucers,' by Jack Hagerty, FILMFAX #105

BEST COVER

MONSTER BASH #4 by Lorraine Bush (127 votes)

Runner-up: MONSTERS FROM THE VAULT #20 by Joe Schovitz (122)

Honorable mention: CHILLER THEATRE #23 by Daniel Horne; RUE MORGUE #50 by Bob Tyrell; FILMFAX #105 by Harley Brown

BEST WEBSITE

DR. GANGRENE'S CHILLER CINEMA (114 votes)

Runner-up: Astounding B-Monster (102) Honorable mention: Count Gore DeVol

BEST CONVENTION

MONSTER BASH (182 votes)

Runner-up: Chiller (112)

Honorable mention: WonderFest

BEST FAN EVENT

DAN ROEBUCK'S SPOOK SHOW (202 votes)

Runner-up: Dr. Gangrene's Tribute to Bob Burns at WonderFest (174)

Honorable mention: Blob theatre panic reenactment (Blobfest); showing of Godzilla: Final wars at G-FEST in Chicago

BEST CD

THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD, Film Score Monthly (162 votes)

Runner-up: THE CREEPING CRUDS (155) Honorable mention: MARIO BAVA soundtracks; JEFF WAYNE'S WAR OF THE WORLDS

BEST HORROR COMIC

THE BLACK FOREST # 2 (144 votes)

Runner-up: Bruce Campbell's THE MAN WITH THE SCREAMING BRAIN

Honorable mention: Eric Powell's THE GOON; THE WALKING DEAD

BEST MODEL OR COLLECTIBLE

HAWTHORNE COLLECTIONS' UNIVERSAL MONSTER VILLAGE (150 votes)

Runner up: Sideshow 1/4 Wolf Man (114) Honorable mention: Godzilla Christmas ornament, The Tingler (Ultratumba))

COUNT ALUCARD'S CONTROVERSY OF YEAR

Co-star Boris Karloff's name missing from BELA LUGOSI COLLECTION  (275 votes)

Runner-up: 'Dark Side' found to be using online reviews (173)

Honorable mention: Multi-disc DVDs often unplayable

BEST DVD COMPANY

Warner Bros. (231 votes)

Runner-up: Universal (149) Honorable mention: Criterion, Blue Underground

 

CLASSIC MOST NEEDED ON DVD

ISLAND OF LOST SOULS (118 votes)

Runner up: Incredible Shrinking Man

Honorable mention: Tarantula, Charlie Chan series, Mark of the Vampire

 

WRITER OF THE YEAR

Tom Weaver

Runner up: Tim Lucas

Honorable mention: Sam Borowski, Greg Mank,

Bill Cooke

 


Special Awards



MONSTER KID OF THE YEAR

Joe Busam

For Monster Kid Home Movies, a compilation of homemade monster films from the 50s, 60s and 70s that recalls the inner kid -- monster fan or

not -- in all of us

Well done, Joe!!

 



 

MONSTER KID HALL OF FAME
(Inductees based on emailed suggestions)

Basil Gogos

James Bama
Roger Corman

Bobby 'Boris' Pickett

(with Zacherley, Dead Elvi at Chiller)

Gary and Sue Svehla, Dick Klemensen

(in middle)

Painters Basil Gogos and James Bama for bringing color and life to the

monsters (Gogos on the covers of FAMOUS MONSTERS, Bama most

notably on the original Aurora model boxes).

Roger Corman's influence goes back more than half a century, and

continues into a new age of digital filmmaking.

Bobby 'Boris' Pickett's hit single, 'Monster Mash,' brought

fun to the monster craze. It remains a graveyard smash.

For more than 40 years, Gary and Sue Svehla have brought

intelligence, originality and passion to their Midnight Marquee

line of magazines, books and conventions.

Richard Klemensen's Little Shoppe of Horrors magazine has kept

the blood-red spirit and wit of the Hammer films alive and thriving.

They join these members, already in the Monster Kid Hall of Fame:

Forrest J Ackerman, James Warren, Bob and Kathy Burns, Vampira, Zacherley, Ray Bradbury, Ray Harryhausen, Richard Gordon, the late Alex Gordon, Rick Baker and the late William K. Everson.

Full list of Rondo results available on request.

Want more information about the Rondos?

Email David Colton at taraco@aol.com

 

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HERE WAS THE BALLOT USED

FOR THE FOURTH ANNUAL RONDO HATTON

CLASSIC HORROR AWARDS

        ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Best Movie of 2005 (Pick one)

    -- BATMAN BEGINS
      -- BROTHERS GRIMM
      -- CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
      -- CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE
      -- CORPSE BRIDE
      -- CURSED
      -- THE DEVIL'S REJECTS
      -- EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE
      -- HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE
      -- HIGH TENSION
      -- HOUSE OF WAX
      -- KING KONG
      -- LAND OF THE DEAD
      -- SAW 2
      -- SERENITY
      -- SIN CITY
      -- STAR WARS III REVENGE OF THE SITH
      -- WAR OF THE WORLDS (Spielberg)
      -- Or write in another choice

2. Best Television Presentation

     -- Animal Icons: 'King Kong,' Animal Planet, 12/11/05. Documentary on the misty origins of Kong and other gorillas.

    -- Battlestar Galactica: '33.' SciFi Channel, 1/14/05. Fleet must jump into hyperspace every 33 minutes to avoid Cylon attack.

    -- Carnivale: 'Lincoln Highway.' HBO, 3.6.05. Mystic forces choose sides as the troubled troupe arrives in Wyoming.

    -- Enterprise: 'In a Mirror, Darkly' UPN, (two parts, 4/22 and 4/29/05). Echoing the alternate world of original Star Trek, a warlike Enterprise crew battles to dominate space.

    -- The 4400: 'Life Interrupted.' USA, 7/17/05. Tom is thrown into a parallel universe where no one has heard of the returnees.

    -- 'I'm King Kong: The Exploits of Merian C. Cooper.' TCM, 11/22/05. Documentary on the man behind the giant ape.

    -- Lost: 'The Other 48 Days.' ABC, 11/16/05. Rapid-fire vignettes trace the harrowing tale of a new set of survivors.

    -- Masters of Horror: 'Homecoming.' Showtime, 12/2/05. Slain U.S. soldiers rise from their coffins to confront those who sent them to Iraq. Joe Dante directed.

    -- Masters of Horror: 'Dreams in the Witch-House.' Showtime, 11/4/05. Stuart Gordon adapts H.P. Lovecraft's chiller about forbidden books and sacrifice.

    -- 'Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream.' Encore, 8/5/05. Documentary looks at cult films that sparked the midnight movie craze of the 70s.

    -- 'Watch the Skies.' TCM, 7/5/05. Documentary examines how 1950s science fiction films reflected nervous times.

   -- Or write in another choice:

 

3. Best Classic DVD

   

     -- ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (Season One)
     -- BELA LUGOSI COLLECTION (Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Black Cat, The Raven,

         Invisible Ray, Black Friday)
     -- CAT AND THE CANARY(1927)
     -- DANGER: DIABOLIK
     -- DEFA SCIENCE FICTION COLLECTION
     -- HAMMER HORROR COLLECTION (Brides of Dracula, Curse of the Werewolf, Evil of

         Frankenstein, five more)
     -- ALFRED HITCHCOCK (Season One)
     -- THE INNOCENTS
     -- KING KONG (1933 original, including Son Of Kong, Mighty Joe Young)
     -- THE MAN WITH NINE LIVES (Karloff)
     -- THE MYSTERIANS and MATANGO (Attack of the Mushroom People)
     -- QUATERMASS (BBC shows)
     -- TWILIGHT ZONE Vols. 2-5
     -- VAL LEWTON COLLECTION (Cat People, I Walked with a Zombie, etc.)
     -- WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953)

     -- Or write in another choice:

4. BEST RESTORATION

     -- THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE (1970): Complete in U.S. for first time, mastered

         from original negative.
     -- CAT AND THE CANARY (1927) Cleaner print; slightly different take of the necklace-snatching.
     -- FRANKENSTEIN'S BLOODY TERROR: Widescreen; first 10 minutes restored in English.
     -- KING KONG (1933 original) Best available elements; censored scenes no longer dark.
     -- UGETSU: Dazzling print of classic Japanese ghost story.
     -- WIZARD OF OZ: Million-dollar digital Technicolor restoration.
     -- Or write in another choice:

5. BEST DVD EXTRA

     -- CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST: Includes version without animal cruelty.
     -- DANGER: DIABOLIK: Featurette, "Diabolik from Fumetti to Film' by Steve Bissette.
     -- FLESH EATERS: Missing footage uncovered.
     -- FRANKENSTEIN'S BLOODY TERROR: Paul Naschy interview (with English subtitles)
     -- KING KONG (1933) Peter Jackson's crew uses stop-motion to recreate the lost spider scene.
     -- MUNSTERS SECOND SEASON: Documentary, 'First Family of Fright.'
     -- MYSTERIANS: Includes original storyboards.
     -- RAY HARRYHAUSEN: THE EARLY YEARS. Completed 'Tortoise and the Hare,'

        unfinished since 1952.
     -- STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT: Tribute to composer Jerry Goldsmith.
     -- VAL LEWTON COLLECTION: Documentary, 'Shadows in the Dark: The Val Lewton

        Legacy.'
    -- Or write in another choice:

6. BEST COMMENTARY

     -- Rudy Behlmer: Chang (Cooper/Schoedsack film)
     -- Bob Burns, Joe Dante and Bill Warren: 1953 War of the Worlds.
     -- David Cronenberg: The Fly (1986)
     -- Ray Harryhausen, Terry Moore, Ken Ralston: Mighty Joe Young (1949)
     -- Steve Haberman: Seventh Victim; The Body Snatcher (with Robert Wise)
     -- John Philip Law, Tim Lucas: Danger: Diabolik
     -- Gregory Mank: Cat People, Curse of the Cat People
     -- Kim Newman, Steve Jones: I Walked with a Zombie
     -- Tom Weaver: Bedlam

     -- Or write in another choice:

7. BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION ON DVD

     -- THE CALL OF CTHULHU: A new silent film in the style of the 1920s, produced by the

           H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society.

     -- THE DEADLY SPAWN: Deluxe edition of 22-year-old independent includes commentaries.

     -- FLESH AND BLOOD: THE HAMMER HERITAGE OF HORROR. Narrated by Cushing and

          Lee, reissued documentary includes complete home movies from set of Dracula:

          Prince of Darkness.

     -- HILARIOUS HOUSE OF FRIGHTENSTEIN. Four episodes of 1970s Canadian horror

          variety spoof, narrated by Vincent Price.

     -- MONSTER KID HOME MOVIES. Collection of 30 nostalgic 8mm films made when fans

          were young. Filmmakers include Bob Burns, Frank Dietz, Kerry Gammill, Bob Tinnell,

          Tom Weaver, Joe Busam and Richard Olsen.

     -- RAY HARRYHAUSEN: THE EARLY YEARS. Compiles his short Puppetoons, test reels

          and other projects.

    -- SILVER SCREAM: A musical sendup of King Kong, the Exorcist, Psycho and more.

    -- ZACHERLEY ARCHIVES: Rare TV shows from the 1950s; the DVD version includes

         hours of extras, including Zach going through his 'stuff.'

    -- Or write in another choice:

8. BEST BOOK OF 2005

     -- The Astounding B-Monster, by Marty Baumann. Collects best of this influential website.

     -- Beasts in the Cellar: The Exploitation Film Career of Tony Tenser, by John Hamilton.

           Looks at the influence of English horror producer.

     -- Beating the Devil: The Making of Night of the Demon, by Tony Earnshaw. Examines the

           true story behind the different versions of Curse of the Demon.

     -- Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th, by Peter M. Bracke.

           Every film and Jason examined in depth.

     -- Earth vs. The Sci-Fi Filmmakers, by Tom Weaver. Latest collection of interviews includes

           Donnie Dunagan, Peter Graves and more.

     -- The Films of Fay Wray, by Roy Kinnard and Tony Crnkovich. The first scream queen's

           filmography was a lot more than horror.

     -- Icons of Grief: Val Lewton's Home Front Pictures, by Alexander Nemerov. How his

           horror films in the 40s mirrored the isolation and fear of a society at war.

     -- Italian Horror, by Jim Harper. An A to Z look at the great wave of Italian horror

           from 1979 to 1994.

     -- Italian Horror Film Directors, by Louis Paul. A knowledgeable look at Argento, Bava,

           Fulci and many more.

     -- Kenneth Strickfaden, Dr. Frankenstein’s Electrician, by Harry Goldman. An eye-opening

           look at the true wizard behind the machines in the lab.

     -- King Kong Cometh, edited by Paul A. Woods. Collection of Kong essays, production

           documents and rare photos.

     -- Living Dangerously: The Adventures of Merian C. Cooper, by Mark Cotta Vaz. Surprising

           details about the man behind Kong and Cinerama.

     -- The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre, by Stephen D. Youngkin. The definitive biography of one

           of horror's most haunting figures.

     -- Minds of Fear: 30 Cult Classics of the Modern Horror Film, by Calum Waddell. Critiques

           and interviews analyze key films of recent decades.

     -- Or write in another choice:

9. BEST MAGAZINE

     -- Chiller Theatre

     -- Cinema retro

     -- Cult Movies

     -- Fangoria

     -- Filmfax

     -- G-FAN

     -- Little Shoppe of Horrors

     -- Midnight Marquee

     -- Monster Bash

     -- Monsters from the Vault

     -- Movie Mystique

     -- Phantom of the Movies VideoScope

     -- Psychotronic

     -- Rue Morgue

     -- Shock Cinema

     -- Scarlet Street

     -- Scary Monsters

     -- Starlog

     -- Van Helsing's Journal

     -- Video Watchdog

     -- Or write in another choice:

10. BEST ARTICLE (Please pick TWO; one will win)

     -- 'Lord of the Blind Dead: The Lost Interview with Armano Ossorio,'' by Trevor Barley and Chris Alexander. RUE MORGUE #49.

-- 'They Did Science! Dr. Paul Armstrong's Handy Guide to 50s Sci Fi Heroes,' by Larry Blamire, VIDEO WATCHDOG #120. Light-hearted look at the actors who fought the monsters.

-- 'Good News! Good News! The Making of the Mysterians,' by Peter H. Brothers, G-FAN #73. Includes rare production documents and photos.

-- 'Our Skull Island Odyssey,' by Bob Burns as told to Tom Weaver, STARLOG #343. Recounting Bob's trip to New Zealand where he showed off the original Kong armature, met Peter Jackson and ended up in the movie.

-- 'Universal's Other Monsters: A Legacy Written in Gauze, Claws and Tana Leaves,'' by Bill Cooke, VIDEO WATCHDOG #118. Examines film-by-film the Universal 'Legacy' collections.

-- 'A Long Lost Lugosi Dracula Found,' by Frank J. Dello Stritto, documents a performance of 'Dracula' in Vermont from the 50s. CULT MOVIES #41

-- 'The Magic of Menzies,' by Vincent DiFate, FILMFAX #105-106. The genius behind Things to Come and Thief of Bagdad and Invaders from Mars.

-- 'Crimes Against Continuity: 35 Monstrous Mistakes (or at least some irritating inconsistencies), as seen in Frankenstein,'' by Wray Ellis, FILMFAX #106. How did that third shovel get there? And other mysteries.

-- 'Memories of Janet Ann,' by Dominic Florentino, SCARY MONSTERS #53. Meeting a monster icon, Janet Ann Gallow from Ghost of Frankenstein, at the Monster Bash.

-- 'Edward and Obie: Reassessing the Partnership Between Two Dinosaur Men,' by William Fogg, FILMFAX #105. Revelatory look at the sometimes strained relations between Willis O'Brien and the Ed Nassour during the Beast of Hollow Mountain.

-- 'Recollections of Simone,' by Roy Frumkes, SCARLET STREET #54. Comprehensive interview with iconic star of Cat People.

-- 'The Complete Guide to 100 Alternative Horror Films,' by Rod Gudino, Dave Alexander and Jovanka Vuckovic, RUE MORGUE #50. From classics to moderns, films you might have missed.

-- 'The Ray Harryhausen UFO Effect: Earth vs. the Flying Saucers,' by Jack Hagerty, FILMFAX #105. Detailed look behind the classic invasion.

-- 'The Making of Captain Clegg (aka Night Creatures),' by Bruce G. Hallenbeck, LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS #17. On the set with Cushing and others behind the Hammer classic.

-- 'The Ferociously Compelling Barbara Steele in Nightmare Castle,' by David J. Hogan, MIDNIGHT MARQUEE #73/74. Shows how a minor film is deeper than we might think.

-- 'Don't Open the Coffin: A Baby Boomer's Adventure in the Land of Dark Shadows,' by Rod Labbe, SCARY MONSTERS #55. An extensive look back at the horror soap, including numerous sidebars and cast interviews.

-- '24 Monsters Per Second: The DVD Voyage of Ray Harryhausen,' by Charlie Largent, VIDEO WATCHDOG #115. Detailed look at how Harryhausen has fared on DVD.

-- 'Shades of Renfield: Ten Buzzing Performances,' by Tim Lucas, VIDEO WATCHDOG #121. The author of The Book of Renfield reveals his favorite fly-eaters.

-- 'The Mystery of Lionel Atwill: An Interview with the Son of the Late Great Horror Star,' by Greg Mank, MONSTERS FROM THE VAULT #20. First interview with Anthony Atwill about his father, growing up in Hollywood, and the legacy of horror.

-- 'Monstrous Musicals,' by Alvin H. Marill, SCARLET STREET #53. Unique survey of musical versions of the classic monsters, both famous and obscure.

-- 'Algol,' by Henry Nicollela, VAN HELSING'S JOURNAL #6. Analyzes the forgotten German silent fiction film.

-- 'The Panther Women of the Island of Lost Souls,' by Gary Don Rhodes, MONSTERS FROM THE VAULT #20. Reveals the orchestration behind a nationwide search for an actress to play the savage love interest onscreen.

-- 'Triffids on the March: from John Wyndham to the BBC,' by David J. Schow, VIDEO WATCHDOG #120. Everything you need to know about the murderous walking plants.

-- 'Frank Strayer: Poverty Row's Dark Director,' by Kenny Strong, MIDNIGHT MARQUEE #73/74. The man behind some of Hollywood's least regarded films.

-- 'The Horrific Cinema Heritage of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Part 2,' by Tom Triman, JOURNAL OF FRANKENSTEIN #7. From film to radio and television, Hyde in all his transformations.

-- 'War Correspondent,' by Bill Warren, STARLOG #336. Interviews David Koepp, screenwriter of War of the Worlds, who explains how much of the Spielberg film derived from Wells' novel.

-- 'Justice -- Lost in Space?,' by Tom Weaver, MONSTERS FROM THE VAULT #20. Traces Ib Melchior's battle with Irwin Allen over who came up with the real Space Family Robinson.

-- 'Character King Brad Dourif: From Cuckoo's Nest to Seed of Chucky,' by Scott Voisin, VIDEOSCOPE #55 Career-spanning interview, including Deadwood.

-- Or write in another choice:

   (Remember to vote for TWO of above articles)

 

11. BEST COVER

CHILLER THEATRE #23

By Daniel Horne

FILMFAX #105

By Harley Brown

LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS #17

By Steve Karchin

MIDNIGHT MARQUEE #73/74

By Susan Svehla

MONSTER BASH #4

By Lorraine Bush

MONSTERS FROM THE VAULT #20

By Joe Schovitz

RUE MORGUE #50

By Bob Tyrell

SCARLET STREET #54

By Ted A. Bohus and Tom Amorosi

SCARY MONSTERS #56

By Terry Beatty

VIDEOSCOPE #53

By Kevin Hein

VIDEO WATCHDOG #115

By Charlie Largent

VIDEO WATCHDOG #120

By Charlie Largent

 

12. BEST WEBSITE

Classic Horror Film Board, sponsor of Rondos, is not eligible

     -- Astounding B-Monster
     -- A Tribute to Lon Chaney Jr. Yahoo Group
     -- Brideofhouseofuniversal Yahoo Group
     -- Creature Features (Countgore.com)
     -- Creature from the Black Lagoon Yahoo Group
     -- Creepy Classics
     -- Dr. Gangrene's Chiller Cinema
     -- DVD Drive-In
     -- DVD Maniacs

     -- DVD Savant
     -- Eccentric-cinema
     -- George 'E-Gor' Chastain's MonsterMad lab
     -- Groovy Age of Horror
     -- Horrorhosts.com
     -- Horror-Wood Webzine
     -- Kongisking.net
     -- Latarnia: Fantastique International
     -- Lugosiphilia Yahoo Group
     -- Masters of Horror
     -- Mobius Home Video Forum
     -- Monster-Maniacs Forum

     -- Monsters411.com
     -- MonsterZine.com
     -- Niftyfiftyscifi.com
     -- Professor Griffin's Midnight Shadow Show
     -- Scarlet Street
     -- SciFilm.org
     -- Secret Fun Spot
     -- Serialsquadron.com
     -- Solar Guard Academy
     -- Themonsterclub.com
     -- Universal Monster Army Yahoo Group
     -- Universal Steve
     -- Video Watchblog
     -- Or write in another choice:


   

13. BEST CONVENTION OF 2005

     -- CHILLER (Meadowlands)

     -- CINEMA WASTELAND (Cleveland)

     -- FANEX (Baltimore)

     -- FANGORIA WEEKEND OF HORRORS (Meadowlands)

     -- G-FEST (Chicago)

     -- HORROR-FIND (Baltimore)

     -- MONSTER BASH (Butler, Pa.)

     -- MONSTER-MANIA (Cherry Hill, N.J.)

     -- RUE MORGUE'S FESTIVAL OF FEAR (Toronto)

     -- SCREAMFEST (Ft. Lauderdale)

     -- WONDERFEST (Louisville)

     -- Or write in another choice:

 

14. BEST FAN EVENT OF 2005

      -- Annual Blob panic reenactment of moviegoers fleeing, held at actual theater where movie was filmed in Phoenixville, Pa. (Blobfest)

      -- Dr. Gangrene's Chiller Theater Live! at WonderFest includes a surprise -- and historic -- visit from Bob Burns dressed again in his Tracey the Gorilla suit.

      -- Frankenswine Trilogy by Brian Nichols and his fabulous Ghoul Girls (who look suspiciously like his daughters!), is screened at the Monster Bash.

      -- Godzilla: Final Wars is screened to more than a thousand fans at G-Fest.

      -- Standing ovation for first-ever Nightmare on Elm Street cast reunion, at Monster-Mania 4.

      -- 30th Anniversary Presentation of Rocky Horror Picture Show, at the Hollywood Bowl, the largest gathering ever to see the film.

      -- Dan Roebuck revives the Spook Show, bringing Doctor Shocker and his Hilarious Halloween Spooktacular to a theater in Glendale, Calif.

     -- Dead Elvi joined by Bobby Boris Pickett and Zacherley for 'Monster Mash' at Chiller Convention.

     -- First cut of horror take-off, Terror in the Tropics, is screened to fans at Fanex 18 in Baltimore.

     -- Or write in another choice:

15. BEST CD

      -- ATLANTIS THE LOST CONTINENT/THE POWER soundtracks, Film Score Monthly
      -- MARIO BAVA Original Soundtrack Anthology Vol. 1 and 2.
      -- CAPRICORN ONE (Jerry Goldsmith), original soundtrack, Intrada
      -- THE CREEPING CRUDS: The Incredibly Strange People Who Stopped Living And Became

          the Creeping Cruds. Horror rock from Nashville, includes Dr. Gangrene intro.
      -- ELECTRIC FRANKENSTEIN, Burn Bright, Burn Fast, TKO Records. Horror rock, cover by

          Gogos.
      -- THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (Dimitri Tiomkin), Film Score Monthly
      -- THE TIME MACHINE (Russell Garcia), Film Score Monthly
      -- JEFF WAYNE'S MUSICAL VERSION OF THE WAR OF THE WORLDS, deluxe set.
      -- Or write in another choice:

16. BEST HORROR COMIC BOOK

     -- BIGFOOT by Steve Niles, Rob Zombie, Richard Corben (IDW)
     -- THE BLACK FOREST #2 by Bob Tinnell, Todd Livingston and Neil Vokes. (Image)
     -- CONSTANTINE: ALL HIS ENGINES, by Mike Carey (Vertigo)
     -- THE FACELESS (A Terry Sharp Story) by Tinell and Adrian Salmon. (Image)
     -- FRANKENSTEIN NOW AND FOREVER by Alex Baladi (Translation of Franch graphic novel)
     -- THE GOON: FANCY PANTS, by Eric Powell (Dark Horse)
     -- THE MAN WITH THE SCREAMING BRAIN, by Bruce Campbell (Dark Horse)
     -- PHANTOM JACK by Mike San Giacomo
     -- SPIKE: OLD TIMES, by Peter David and Fernando Goni (IDW)
     -- 30 DAYS OF NIGHT: BLOODSUCKER TALES (IDW)
     -- THE WALKING DEAD by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard. (Image)

     -- Or write in another choice:

17. BEST MODEL OR COLLECTIBLE

Nominees developed with help from Universal Monster Army group at yahoo!

     -- Classic TV Munsters (Mego)
     -- Dollar Tree monster toys
     -- Godzilla Christmas Ornament (Carlton Cards)
     -- Metaluna Mutant (Sideshow)
     -- The Tingler (Ultratumba)
     -- 'Tooned Up' Munster figures (Electric Tiki)
     -- Universal Monsters village sets/figures (Hawthorne)
     -- Wolf Man (1/4 scale, Sideshow)
     -- Or write in another choice:
 

18. COUNT ALUCARD'S CONTROVERSY OF THE YEAR

      -- Borrowed words!  British magazine THE DARK SIDE found to have printed DVD

         reviews lifted from online websites.

      -- We're pixelated!  New multi-movie DVDs, such as the Bela Lugosi and Hammer collection, 

         freeze up on some DVD players.

      -- No billing!   Boris Karloff's name does not appear on cover of Universal's 'The Bela Lugosi

         Collection' even though he stars or co-stars in four of the five films.

      -- Going bats!   National Film Museum's 'restored' VAMPIRE BAT, shown on TCM, found to contain inserts from another movie.

      -- Dueling stuntmen!  Who really doubled for the Monster in FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE

         WOLF MAN? Gil Perkins? Eddie Parker? Or both?

      -- Or write in another choice:

 

19. DVD COMPANY OF THE YEAR

     -- Alpha Video: Great cover art for poverties and independents
     -- Blue Underground: Euro horror

     -- Criterion: Still a class act
     -- Kino: Keeping silents alive.
     -- MGM: What will follow Midnight Movies?
     -- RetroMedia: Unexpected delights.
     -- Universal: Repackaging the classics.
     -- VCI: Targets classics and obscure serials.
     -- Warner Bros: Brought us Kong, box sets.
     -- Or write in another choice:

20. CLASSIC MOST IN NEED OF DVD RELEASE

 

     -- Chandu the Magician (Lowe/Lugosi)

     -- Charlie Chan (Fox series)

     -- Doctor X
     -- Hangover Square
     -- Incredible Shrinking Man
     -- Inner Sanctum series (Chaney)

     -- Island of Lost Souls
     -- Judex
     -- Jungle Woman trilogy
     -- The Lodger
     -- Mad Love
     -- Man-Made Monster
     -- Mark of the Vampire
     -- Mask of Fu Manchu
     -- Monolith Monsters
     -- Murders in the Zoo
     -- Secret of the Blue Room
     -- Tarantula
     -- Tarzan (RKO series)
     -- Or write in another choice:

21. WRITER OF THE YEAR

     Who did the best work in 2005 to advance the state of classic horror research. Write-ins only.

22. MONSTER KID OF THE YEAR

     Who deserves to be named 'Monster Kid of the Year' for efforts beyond the call of duty to build a better world of gods and monsters? (Recent winner: Arnold Kunert, who got Ray Harryhausen his star on Hollywood Walk of Fame, and Larry Blamire, the mad scientist behind THE LOST SKELETON OF CADAVRA).

23. MONSTER KID HALL OF FAME

    Who are the all-time 'Monster Kids' who should be this year's inductees into the Monster Kid Hall of fame?

   Already inducted are: Bob and Kathy Burns, Forrest J Ackerman and James Warren, Zacherley and Vampira, Ray Harryhausen, Ray Bradbury, Alex and Richard Gordon, William K. Everson and Rick Baker.

That's it!!!

Again, to vote: Type your picks, or cut-and-paste the ballot, and email to taraco@aol.com by Feb. 18, 2006.

And remember the words of Rondo Hatton: 'She screamed.' Thanx everyone! -- david colton


Busts sculpted by Kerry Gammill (monsterkid.com), cast by Tim M. Lindsey (tmlindsey.com)

 


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