Vantage Point Interviews Returns to Hong Kong for Its Newest Q&A!

Photo © Adam Frank.

My interview with Hong Kong voice actor Adam Frank has just been published on Vantage Point Interviews. No Godzilla talk, but it offers a lot of valuable insight into the world of 1980s-era dubbing in Hong Kong. Don't miss it!

Cult Film Director Tom DeSimone Passes Away at 87

According to producer Tony Randel, Tom DeSimone, a director who helmed such notable cult classics as Chatterbox (1977), Hell Night (1981), The Concrete Jungle (1982), and Reform School Girls (1986), passed away on October 17. He was 87. (The tribute Tony Randel posted on social media lists Tom DeSimone's date of birth as July 1, 1939.)

While I never met Tom DeSimone in the flesh, I did interview him a few years ago regarding his work on Terror in the Jungle (1968), a pretty bad adventure flick but one with a fascinating production history. Terror in the Jungle came to my attention via its release on a Mill Creek 50-movie DVD set (namely "Pure Terror"), and, when I contacted Mr. DeSimone about sharing his memories of the shoot, he was happy to answer my questions.

Although we were connected via social media, we didn't correspond very much after the interview, and I never pursued meeting him in person when I was living in California. Naturally, I regret that now, but I'm grateful that I was able to interview him and record his memories of his first film (as dubious an experience as it was.)

Rest in peace, Tom.

Heyyyyyy, Svengoolie!

A familiar face, as seen on Svengoolie.

 

This is pretty fun. On October 10, Svengoolie hosted Munster, Go Home! (1966) as part of MeTV's Halloween BOO-Nanza. And, as you can see, yours truly made a surprise appearance on the broadcast.

Well, maybe it wasn't that surprising. Back in August, I visited the Godzilla slide in Kurihama Flower Park (located in Yokosuka), donning my Svengoolie polo shirt. I sent a few photos from my trip to Svengoolie's website, hoping they'd eventually get put on the show.

The actual photo that was sent to Sven. Photo by Brett Homenick.

It only took two months, but this photo made it on the air, along with some info I wrote in my email. Pretty cool stuff! I actually saw Munster, Go Home! on Svengoolie around 2024, so it was interesting to find my picture was broadcast in a segment during that movie. 

Maybe it would have been more appropriate to show it along with the Dan Curtis Dracula (1974), but that's an inside joke for another time.

Svengoolie in July 2012. Photo by Brett Homenick.

While I can't really say I "met" him, I photographed Svengoolie in July 2012 when he was making a personal appearance at a local convention I happened to attend. I certainly knew of him but hadn't seen his work at the time, so seeing the sheer length of his autograph line was quite amazing.

Truly a Halloween highlight! Well, let's wrap up this blog post with a tribute to our pal Sven with the late Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon.

A Great Suggestion for This October!

 

Spotted in a shop in Mizonokuchi. I think it's a tremendous idea!

SUPER FESTIVAL 95! Returning to Tokyo's Big Toy Show!

I wanted one of these back in the '80s. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Sunday, September 27, I returned to the Science Museum to wander around Super Festival 95. I was genuinely surprised the number has gotten that high, but it's probably been a few years since I was last there. If I'm being honest, I was done a lot sooner than I expected. It all just looked the same to me, and there wasn't much of interest going on. I did spend money, though -- I bought some vintage cards of movies like Monster from a Prehistoric Planet (1967), The X from Outer Space (1967), and Gamera vs. Monster X (1970). I also bought a few DVDs and Blu-rays -- all non-tokusatsu -- that caught my fancy. 

And that's about it. I even struggled to find interesting things to photograph, as it mostly seemed so old-hat, but I captured what I thought was most fun. I also snapped a few selfies in my WCW Nitro Grill polo that I bought from Sonny Onoo on eBay in 2024. I actually bought two, but the black version disintegrated when I put it in the wash. Oh, well. At least I still have the version Ole Anderson can be seen wearing in Black Saturday episode of Dark Side of the Ring.  

Pictures are below. Enjoy!

Millennium Godzilla Stomps into the Hotel Gracery Shinjuku!

Godzilla on display at the Hotel Gracery Shinjuku. Photo by Brett Homenick.

 

A brand-new diorama is on display on the 8th floor of the Hotel Gracery Shinjuku, and I had to stop by to see it for myself. Through the magic of photography, now you can, too. Enjoy!

Setting the Stage for a Great Evening!

With Hiroyasu Yamaura.

 

On Sunday, September 20, I attended a performance of Antony and Cleopatra as written and adapted by screenwriter Hiroyasu Yamaura. The show was held at the usual venue in Kawasaki City, and it was another fun one.

I hadn't seen Yamaura-san in about two and a half years, so he was surprised to see me again. When I arrived, I only intended to see the show, spend a few minutes visiting Yamaura-san, and then move on to the next thing.

But I didn't realize that there would be post-show dinner, and I got invited to it. Well, it changed the rest of my plans for that night, but it was an offer I couldn't refuse.

The show attracted a packed house, despite having other performances during the weekend. It was a hit with the audience, but then it was time to break everything down before going dinner.

I pitched in with taking down curtains and helping to erase the whiteboard with some information about the show. That might not sound like a whole lot, but, trust me, it took endless amounts of elbow grease to get anywhere near finished.

I don't know what they used, but it did not come off easily. By the time we left, the job wasn't even finished. I sure hope they never use that stuff again!

We made our way to a nearby Japanese restaurant with the cast, crew, and just a few others. I was privileged that Yamaura-san sat next to me for the night, and we had a fun conversation for the remainder of the evening. It was as if no time had passed at all.

When I we were leaving and saying our goodbyes, one of the stars of the shows said to me, "I love ikemen." I thought that was kind of her. I'm just glad she didn't say "ike boys."

And that's a wrap! Let's do it again really soon.