Twisted Nightmare Weekend 2005
By Christopher Cook

The Twisted Nightmare Weekend was held near Cleveland this year and I have to say it was both fantastic and disappointing. Here are my notes from the convention:

Let's get the disappointing stuff out of the way first. The "Events" section of the convention's web site wasn't updated until less than a month before the event. I'm sure that, and the cancellation of Bruce Campbell, contributed to the lackluster turnout.

Also, the agenda I printed from the web, and the activity board at the event, didn't list locations for the activities. It wasn't until the end of the event that I found out there was a printed agenda with locations scattered among the other flyers, papers, and general convention effluvia on the front table. It would have been nice for someone to offer an agenda when I checked in. Conversations about activities generally ran like this: "Hey do you wanna check out next panel discussion being held in an undisclosed location or get some drinks?" The vote always went for drinks. Which is probably why the few activities I went to were very lightly attended.

I felt sorry for the vendors as they had to sit at their tables all weekend and hope to break even. Many seemed philosophical about it, while others seemed down right bitter. I was talking to Jason Paul Collum when a guy behind the adjacent table butted in our conversation with an angry "buy something!". He was hanging out with Brinke Stevens, who is a real sweetheart by the way, and she was away from the table at the moment. I explained to him that I had previously bought many things the day before, but his retort was to "buy more!". The ass hole in me wanted to mention the 14 DVD's I purchased that weekend, some at Brinke's table, but I felt his pain and let it go. I hope he and Brinke can make more money at another show. I know I'll buy more of Brinke's DVD's when I see her at a show again...did I mention that she's a sweetheart? Yes, she was very nice and friendly and I enjoyed our conversation. I hope to do an interview with her in the future.

Enough of the bad stuff, let's get to the good stuff. I was cruising towards my room in the hotel when I ran across Jason Paul Collum, whom I mentioned earlier, sporting a StrangeStuff t-shirt. Very cool! I just got the t-shirts in and I hadn't seen anyone wearing on yet, including myself. (Check out my Jason Paul Collum interview.)

Once in my room, I unpack and meet up with Staci Swain from the Trail of Terror and the Nightmare Society. We toss back a drink (for medicinal purposes only mind you) and then head down to the vendor floor. We navigate our way past the storm troopers in the hallway and make it to the vendor room.

...let me digress a moment. What the hell are storm trooper geeks doing at a convention for horror geeks? I suppose their "light sabers" pop up at any opportunity to run around in hard plastic suits, sweating their balls off while having mock battles in the hallways for the glory of the Empire. At first I thought it was lame, but upon further reflection (and several drinks later) I came to appreciate the surreal nature of the situation. Too bad it wasn't a lawn and garden show, that would be funny as all shit.

Anyway, we hit the vendor room and smack inside the door is Tempe Entertainment's J.R. Bookwalter. (Check out the J.R. Bookwalter interview.) To make this part of a long story short, I yak it up with lots of people in the vendor room including J.R., Brinke Stevens, Debbie Rochon, Amber Newman, Mark Burchett, Stan Lee Houston, and more.

Before moving on to the "behind the scenes stuff" I have to say that Debbie Rochon is the best. She took the time to chat, was very friendly, and even wore a StrangeStuff t-shirt on the last day of the show. Thanks Debbie! I hope to do an interview with her in the near future. I'll also review her new film "Nowhere Man" by Tim McCann.

Her t-shirt says "A little strange is a good thing" with the StrangeStuff.com logo on the back.
Debbie Rochon and some geek

The rest of the show can be summed up with "too much drinking and too little sleep." StrangeStuff Productions and The Nightmare Society hosted a little private party and things just went downhill (in a good way) from there. Here are the a few of the pictures from the weekend:

Staci and Ed are hanging out at the bar talking business. Horror business.

Jose talks on the phone more than the Olsen twins on their birthday. Jocelyn looks on.

Joe is digging the karaoke... time to cut him off!

Veronica is way cool in her StrangeStuff t-shirt.

The party is well under way and it's still light outside. That was a long night.

Shelia and Jose partake of the party punch. Mmmmm, good.

Bryan is chillin with the babes... the babes don't look impressed.

Joe, et al, at the party. I like to type "et al." (J-dub will think that's funny. No one else will.)

Staci having fun while Jocelyn waits for a refill.

Veronica shows her appreciation of my photography.

How do you like my photography now? HA! Oh I've got more... a lot more...Mwa ha ha ha ha!

Jocelyn and Bryan ham it up in the bar for the camera. You can't take actors anywhere.

It was a good time all in all. I had to tip the maid extra because of the mess from the midnight oil wrestling matches, but it was worth it. I smell a rematch in the making for next year.

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