'Shin Godzilla' in 4K

I'm sure just looking at an advertisement for Toho Cinemas' Mega Popcorn would still give Hirona Yamazaki indigestion. Photo by Brett Homenick.

TIRED: What is a king to a god?

WIRED: What is a god to a mid-level bureaucrat?

With the recent re-release of Shin Godzilla (2016) in 4K in the U.S., I thought I might as well revisit the movie I once considered the worst of the entire series (that is, until even worse ones came along). Prior to this screening, I'd only seen the flick once, and that was on opening day in July 2016. Nine years later, would my opinion change?

I'm afraid not. During my initial viewing, I found the movie mostly aggravating and annoying. This time, I found it boring. The movie held my attention for the first 30 minutes or so, and then the endless chatting finally started to wear me out. Just before becoming bored to distraction around the one-hour mark, my mind, for reasons I cannot explain, suddenly wandered to this quote from Heat (1995): 

Overall, the thing that surprised me most was just how bad some of the CG was, especially for objects in motion. Since Godzilla is mostly static, even when he's attacking the city, the computer graphics fare much better, but I knew I was in trouble when the VFX for the tunnel collapse a few minutes in looked like they were leftovers from the '90s.

Even if the CG were up to par, though, it still wouldn't make the proceedings any less preposterous. The movie makes it clear right out of the gate that the old guard in charge of the government are a bunch of bumbling old fools who are out of their depth. In contrast, the younger generation, with less power and experience, are the ones who solve all the problems and ultimately save the day.

This outcome, of course, is telegraphed in broad strokes in the first few minutes of the movie, so the audience is left to wait for the special committee of youthful nerds, outcasts, and true believers to devise the solutions that the geezers in power lack the fortitude, or the will, to do.

The fogie politicians are mostly hapless stereotypes, not actual human beings, who can't help but make a mess of everything they touch. The youngsters, on the other hand, are obnoxiously earnest, making few, if any, mistakes as the story unfolds, and they accurately predict outcomes and problem-solve novel issues in ways so ingenious and flawless that it'd make Criswell suspect fraud.

A lot of the discourse on this movie hinges on whether the story, and its portrayal of the Japanese government, is "nationalistic." I never got that impression from it, though that wouldn't stop nationalists from trying to coopt its message as their own. I don't think Shin Godzilla has much of a message at all beyond "status quo bad," but I guess it's more fun to pretend otherwise.

What seems to be GKIDS' poster for the Shin Godzilla 4K re-release, focusing on Kamata-kun's attack on Shinagawa. Photo by Brett Homenick.

The hyperrealistic portrayal of government bureaucracy juxtaposed with the bonkers depiction of Godzilla in all his gloopy forms leads to some unintentional ridiculousness. When Kamata-kun (I guess we're stuck with that name, so...) first appears, in all its derpy glory, none of the characters -- not one -- comments on the insanity of being attacked by a raging Muppet from the bottom of the sea. Instead, characters marvel at the biological superiority of the thing, even though it can't take three steps without spilling its blood everywhere. 

Later on, after Godzilla takes his final form, the characters can't stop cooing about how Godzilla is a god incarnate. I mean, my guy is asleep for much of his screen time; you'd think a living, breathing deity could stay awake longer than most narcoleptics could. In one of those rare moments when he is awake, he's simply standing around doing nothing and does so long enough for the prime minister to abort the attack on him out of fear that civilians might be killed, politely waiting for his cue to begin attacking again.   

Shin Godzilla in November 2016 at the Hotel Gracery Shinjuku. Photo by Brett Homenick.

One of the reasons An American Werewolf in London (1981) is called a comedy -- and why it endures as a bona fide classic -- is because writer-director John Landis knew that, in real-world situations, people would make jokes and crack wise when faced with illogical or impossible scenarios, such as transforming into a werewolf.

I mean, sure, you'd have your crazies and weirdos who would want to worship the beast as their shrugging savior or whatever, but I tend to think highly-educated government officials would not be among them. People grounded in reality would react a lot more like David Naughton and Griffin Dunne did and less like power-fantasy-obsessed oddballs wanting to start a cult.

As for the characters, there's nothing to say. They are just bureaucrats, and that's it. Shortly after I posted my negative review of the movie in 2016, one guy argued that the movie actually did have fascinating, complex characters and cited the one played by the picture of Kihachi Okamoto as an example. If only Okamoto hadn't died more than 10 years before he was cast in the film, I'm sure he would have basked in the critical praise of his performance. 

Photo by Brett Homenick.

The inclusion of the character of Kayoco Ann Patterson is truly baffling, as it betrays a complete lack of understanding of American politics on the part of the filmmakers. The idea that a leather jacket-sporting party girl could get elected president -- in her 40s, no less -- as easily as it's suggested in the movie is downright laughable and discrediting to the narrative. 

Speaking of, I'm reminded of an interview I recently read with a published author on the Godzilla series, who made it a point in the Q&A to share his memory of watching Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972) in the early '90s and how stupid he found a particular scene involving the ability of the earthbound characters to hear the roars of the space monsters on a radio receiver. Apparently, this scene, which in all years I've watched it never made me think twice, was so hilarious that he loves recounting how much he laughed at it to anyone who will listen.

Given that this guy was proud of himself to the point of absurdity that a children's monster movie couldn't outsmart him, I can't help but wonder what kind of hysterics the suggestion of U.S. President Kayoco Ann Patterson sent our heroic scholar into. I know which is sillier, but do our fandom sacred cows?

Teruyoshi Nakano with Shin Godzilla in December 2016. Photo by Brett Homenick.

OK, enough about the movie. I do have a couple of random odds and ends to share, so let's get to them.

In December 2014, I had an end-of-the-year party hosted by my work with all my co-workers, even the ones I rarely ever saw. One of those co-workers was Tom Dolan, who'd been cast in small parts in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II (1993) as G-Force member John Conner and Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994) as the dastardly gang leader McKay.

I was excited to meet him due to his connection with the Heisei Godzilla series, but I had no idea he was months away from getting cast as Graham Cussley, the American diplomat whose face we never see, who reminds Kayoco Ann Patterson of her ambition to become U.S. president in her 40s. 

With Tom Dolan in December 2014.

This was the only time I met and spoke with Tom, and I didn't really get a chance until we were leaving the party. We took the photo in this blog post in the subway while waiting for the train. We have communicated via email since then, but it's been years since I've heard from him. Hope he's doing well and living the dream.

With Teruyoshi Nakano in December 2016.

In June 2015, I was given the iggy by a Westerner who had appeared in tokusatsu productions that two talent agencies were casting the international roles for Shin Godzilla and gave me their information in case I wanted to audition. Naturally, I couldn't pass up such an opportunity, so I applied with both. I don't remember what happened with the one of the agencies -- either they never got back to me, or we had a brief communication that went nowhere.

But the other one was interested, and I was called in to get some promo shots done and fill out some paperwork. I put on a dress shirt and tie, went into the agency, got my pictures taken, completed the forms, and talked with the gentleman who, as I recall, was in charge of the business. I made it clear I was mostly interested in Shin Godzilla, though I would be happy to consider other work, too. I remember he said I might be a good candidate for a scientist role in the movie (not sure which -- he never specified), but that's about it.

Shigeo Kato in June 2016, standing near the location where Shin Godzilla comes ashore in Kamakura. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Back then, I worked six days a week at my real job, so, realistically, I knew getting cast was essentially a pipe dream, but you're not going to get anywhere if you don't try. Besides, I like to think that Hideaki Anno personally rejected my head shot.

I still could have been in Shin Godzilla, though. If I recall correctly, the crowd scene in Kamata (where we first see Kamata-kun) was filmed in early September, and, since they needed lots and lots of extras, anyone was welcome to show up. As mentioned above, I was working six days a week, and 2015 was an incredibly busy year for me -- in the best way possible. It was my favorite year in Japan because of all the cool stuff I was doing. If I'm not mistaken, filming took place on a Sunday morning, which was my one day off for the week. I also happened not to have anything scheduled that day -- a rarity for 2015. I mean, it's a lock I'd head over to Kamata and appear in a Godzilla movie, right?

Wrong. I missed sleeping in and wanted to do just that. Besides, I figured, if it was meant to be, I'd get cast in a proper role in the movie. As slim as it was, there was still a chance of that, I thought, so I chose sleep over Shin Godzilla.

DEEP DIVE: Why Did Godzilla Series Screenwriter Kaoru Mabuchi Sour on Toho Kaiju Films?

The only known photo of Kaoru Mabuchi, discovered in 2024 by Meso.

Kaoru Mabuchi (1911-1987) was one of Toho's most important and prolific screenwriters during the Showa era, and he remains one of its most enigmatic figures. Under the pen name Takeshi Kimura, Mabuchi wrote or co-wrote a number of Toho's best and most successful tokusatsu productions, including Rodan (1956), The Mysterians (1957), The H-Man (1958), The Human Vapor (1960), The Last War (1961), Gorath (1962), and Matango (1963).

Under his given name, Mabuchi wrote or co-wrote a number of entertaining kaiju films, such as Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965), The War of the Gargantuas (1966), King Kong Escapes (1967), Destroy All Monsters (1968), and Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster (1971).

The reason Mabuchi stopped writing under his pen name and began writing scripts under his real name (while seeming to lose his motivation for the genre) has remained a mystery for decades, but perhaps we have an answer. Let's explore.

Yoshimitsu Banno in July 2016. Photo by Brett Homenick.

According to Yoshimitsu Banno, who co-wrote the screenplay for Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster with the celebrated Toho scriptwriter, Mabuchi revealed the reason to him. As the story goes, during the production of Matango, director Ishiro Honda cut the film's pre-title sequence in accordance with producer Tomoyuki Tanaka's wishes, despite Mabuchi's protests to keep it intact. Mabuchi argued the sequence was too important to cut, but his pleas ultimately fell on deaf ears. After getting overruled, Mabuchi gave up, and he never wrote another pure science-fiction movie for the studio.

Banno's own experience with the screenwriter was likely even more volatile than what Honda encountered. In spite of Mabuchi's mercurial personality, however, the two managed to hammer out a screenplay for Smog Monster that not only satisfied Banno but still entertains audiences around the world more than 50 years later. Based on Banno's descriptions of events, here's how the process went.

Just before the end of Expo '70, producer Tanaka showed Banno a copy of Mabuchi's first draft of Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster. Banno was shocked at the lack of quality of the script, labeling it "terrible" and "not interesting at all." 

Nakasendo station Magome-juku (located in Nakatsugawa, Gifu Prefecture) in June 2013, which is where Banno completely rewrote Mabuchi's first draft. It proved the perfect location to find inspiration for a story featuring hallucinating hippies. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Completely unsatisfied with Mabuchi's efforts, Banno decided to rewrite the screenplay from scratch. After the conclusion of Expo '70, Banno traveled along Nakasendo via Nagoya by car, stopping at Magome-juku in Nakatsugawa, Gifu Prefecture, to overhaul the script in a hotel by himself. 

Following that rewrite, with the approval of producer Tanaka, Banno and Mabuchi stayed at a cheap, remote hotel in Nagano Prefecture for a week to revise the script together. It was during this time that Banno and Mabuchi had a conversation that revealed Mabuchi's lack of enthusiasm and motivation. According to Banno, the conversation went like this:

“Why did you write such a boring story?”

“I was cutting corners.”

“What do you mean by that?”

After the two started speaking honestly and directly, Mabuchi explained, "I've worked on several projects with new directors, but they all failed. I figured this one would fail, too, so I just wrote it off lightly."  

Yoshimitsu Banno signs a Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971) DVD sleeve in August 2012. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Banno saw this project as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so cutting corners wasn't an option for him. Banno spoke to Mabuchi about his determination to make Smog Monster a success, after which Mabuchi became properly motivated to work on it. It was no easy task, however, as Banno recalled that it took "heated debates and thorough discussions" to make it so. Banno continues:

Once that happened, Mr. Mabuchi proved to be highly logical, meticulous, and careful in his writing, which was both reliable and engaging. 

But the writing process moved slowly. Banno provides this example to illustrate:

For the scene in which the main character, [Dr. Toru] Yano, is attacked by Hedorah underwater, I had diving experience, so I continued writing quickly. When Mabuchi saw this, he angrily shouted, "If you're going to write it alone, I'm going home!" [I replied,] "Please wait!"

Banno was able to calm Mabuchi down, and the pair successfully completed the screenplay.

Yoshimitsu Banno with a copy of The Man Who Made Godzilla Fly in November 2016. Photo by Brett Homenick. 

The information in this blog post about Mabuchi's involvement with Matango comes from a conversation Banno and I had together, supported by contemporaneous notes. The material regarding Banno's working relationship with Mabuchi comes from both English- and Japanese-language drafts of what ultimately became Banno's memoir, The Man Who Made Godzilla Fly,* which was sent to me by Banno via email in November 2012 for my feedback and editing assistance. 

* According to Banno, the title of his memoir was derived from the title of the interview Damon Foster and I conducted in July 2005 with Banno when it appeared in a Godzilla-oriented fanzine the same year.

Secrets of Hong Kong Dubbing Revealed on Vantage Point Interviews!

Darren Pleavin. Photo © Darren Pleavin.

New content is now available on Vantage Point Interviews -- namely, my interview with Omni Productions voice actor Darren Pleavin, who discusses dubbing in Hong Kong during the 1990s and beyond, especially on Godzilla movies. Give it a click today!

A Lovely Afternoon in the Company of an Even Lovelier Actress!

Faith Clift with a DVD of The Nightmare Never Ends (1980). Photo by Brett Homenick.

 

On Friday, July 18, I was finally able to meet Faith Clift, an actress who appears in a couple of my favorite genre movies. I interviewed Ms. Clift for Vantage Point Interviews back in 2020 and got to hear her memories of working with several notable film personalities over the years, and it was quite fascinating. 

Ms. Clift stars as Claire Hansen in the feature film The Nightmare Never Ends (1980), which got severely edited down and appears in a truncated form in the anthology horror flick Night Train to Terror (1985). She also appears in a small role in the cult classic Horror Express (1972).

Faith Clift with a Blu-ray of Night Train to Terror (1985). Photo by Brett Homenick.

I first saw The Nightmare Never Ends in the fall of 2008 on one of the Mill Creek sets of 50 public domain movies. I went into it completely blind but was intrigued by the film, as it was more about ideas than horror. I later saw Night Train to Terror in August 2009 right after moving into a new apartment and was surprised to see the former flick recycled into the new one, with loads of new claymation effects thrown in for good measure. Both movies are enjoyable but for completely different reasons.

I picked Ms. Clift up at her home and, since she almost literally now lives in the neighborhood in which I grew up, I drove her by my childhood home to show her my old house. After that, we had a nice lunch and then went walking around a local street fair. We sat down after walking around for a while and talked about just about every imaginable topic. It was a great afternoon!

Afterward, I asked her to sign my Nightmare Never Ends DVD and Night Train to Terror Blu-ray, which are pictured above. Since she'd never seen either of these releases, she took some extra time looking at the covers she was signing. Then we took our obligatory photos.

And that's a wrap! I really look forward to visiting Faith Clift again in the future!

Nikkatsu Actress Masako Izumi Passes Away at 77

Masako Izumi in February 2015. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Nikkatsu starlet Masako Izumi passed away on July 9 at 1:03 p.m. at her home after a battle with an undisclosed form of cancer. She was 77.

Ms. Izumi, who was born on July 31, 1947, began her acting career in 1958 and quickly became a star when she signed with Nikkatsu Studios in the early 1960s. At Nikkatsu, she starred in such films as Toshio Masuda's tragic World War II drama Monument to the Girls' Corps (1968), Seijun Suzuki's Tattooed Life (1965), and Kirio Urayama's Each Day I Cry (1963).

Masako Izumi holds a poster for her film The Bride Is 15 Years Old (1964) in February 2019. Photo by Brett Homenick.

I was fortunate enough to meet Ms. Izumi multiple times at various events between 2015 and 2023. You can tell by the photos accompanying this blog post that she was always fun to spend time with. Unlike many Japanese actresses who attain a certainly level of fame, she was about as easygoing and unpretentious as it gets. 

Masako Izumi under a poster for her film Thank You for the Tears (1965) in January 2016. Photo by Brett Homenick.

A very interesting story that Ms. Izumi once shared is that she was offered a part in the movie Sanjuro (1962) personally by Akira Kurosawa. However, she had just signed with Nikkatsu Studios at the time, so she couldn't join Kurosawa's production. The part she was offered ended up going to Toho actress Reiko Dan.

With Masako Izumi in June 2023.

Another fun story is that Ms. Izumi watched some of the monster scenes in Gappa the Triphibian Monster (1967) being filmed at Nikkatsu. It was her first time to see the production side of tokusatsu in person, so it left quite an impression on her.

With Masako Izumi in January 2016.

Aside from being a prolific Nikkatsu Studios actress during the 1960s, she turned her attention to becoming an adventurer in the 1980s, attempting to become the first woman to visit the North Pole on foot and sled in 1985.

Masako Izumi poses with a poster for Toshio Masuda's Monument to the Girls' Corps (1968) in June 2023. Photo by Brett Homenick.

Unfortunately, she was not able to complete her attempt, and another woman, Ann Bancroft (not the actress with the similar name), became the first in 1986. Undaunted, Ms. Izumi became only the second woman to travel to the North Pole in 1989.

Masako Izumi in January 2016. Photo by Brett Homenick.

According to NHK, Ms. Izumi fell in May of this year and was hospitalized in Tokyo. While recovering at home, her health suddenly declined, and she passed away. 

Ms. Izumi leaves behind an acting legacy few Japanese actresses of the Showa era can match. May she rest in peace.

Fumio Ishimori, Writer of 'Kamen Rider,' 'Zone Fighter,' and 'Ultraman Ace,' Passes Away at 93

Fumio Ishmimori with a Zone Fighter DVD in April 2017. Photo by Brett Homenick.

According to his official Facebook page, screenwriter Fumio Ishimori (sometimes credited as Shiro Ishimori) passed away on June 9. He was 93.

Born on July 31, 1931, Mr. Ishimori began his screenwriting career in the early 1960s, primarily working for Nikkatsu Studios during most of the 1960s, before transitioning to Shochiku before the end of the decade.

With Fumio Ishimori in April 2017.

In total, Mr. Ishimori wrote more than 70 movie screenplays, penning the scripts for the films Fearless Comrades (1966), A Warm Misty Night (1967), Toshio Masuda’s Monument to the Girl’s Corps (1968), The Rendezvous (1972), Journey into Solitude (1972), Toho’s Horror of the Wolf (1973), Galaxy Express 999 (1979), and Nobuhiko Obayashi’s The Rocking Horsemen (1992).

Fumio Ishimori stands outside a theater in Asakusa where a play he had written was performed in September 2016. Photo by Brett Homenick.

In terms of TV tokusatsu, he wrote Kamen Rider (1971-73) episodes 47, 50, 76, 83, 89, and 90, Ultraman Ace (1972-73) episodes 37 and 44, and Zone Fighter (1973) episode 20 (under the pen name Shiro Ishimori).

But his tokusatsu connections run even deeper — his maternal cousin was famed manga artist Shotaro Ishinomori. 

Fumio Ishimori in Asakusa after his play was performed in January 2020. Photo by Brett Homenick.

In November 2020, I had the distinct privilege of interviewing Mr. Ishimori about his prolific screenwriting career. I had come to respect and admire Mr. Ishimori since our first meeting in early 2016 that I was determined to share his story in English with the rest of the world. Mr. Ishimori was, without a doubt, one of the kindest gentlemen I met while I was in Japan. 

With Fumio Ishimori in October 2020.

As he got older, he became much less active, and I never met him again after we completed our interview. Mr. Ishimori stopped going out, although he continued to offer screenwriting lectures via Zoom. I wanted to meet him one last time before leaving Japan, but it was sadly not to be. I'm pleased that I was able to record Mr. Ishimori's screenwriting memories in my interview with him.

Rest in peace, Ishimori-sensei. Thank you for your kindness.

Attending Another Hollywood Show in Burbank!

With Barbara Steele.

On Saturday, June 7, I attended the Hollywood Show in Burbank. Overall, unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it as much as I did the one in January. It was still a pretty fun time, but the January edition was one for the history books.

The first guest I met was horror-movie icon Barbara Steele. As a connoisseur of the various Mill Creek 50-movie box sets, I've become rather familiar with a number of her films. I can't say I'm the hugest fan of hers, but I do admire her work, and her movies are quite often pretty entertaining. 

Funnily enough, I met her 15 years ago (!) at the same event. (Time sure does fly.) Ms. Steele was polite but a bit guarded, which I suppose is to be expected given her age. 

The most notable interaction I could share about our encounter was that I originally picked out a Nightmare Castle (1965) photo for her to sign. Given all the black spaces on the image, I asked her to sign in silver, which she did. The silver pen, however, must have been running out of ink, because the autograph was barely visible.

Not wanting to make waves, I was prepared to accept it and move on, but she and her assistant offered a free replacement and let me keep the other autograph. Well, that was an easy decision on my part! I happily accepted their proposal and selected a She Beast (1966) photo, which had plenty of space appropriate for an autograph written in black ink. That signature looked fantastic, so I ended up with two for the price of one. Not too shabby!

With Hal Linden.

The next guest I met was Hal Linden. Most people will know Mr. Linden from his work on the TV series Barney Miller (1975-82), but, if you're a Godzilla fan, then you're more likely to him as the voice of Akira Takarada in the Titra/Titan dub of Godzilla vs. the Sea Monster (1966), as well as the voice of Akira Kubo in the Titra/Titan dub of Destroy All Monsters (1968).

When I approached Mr. Linden, I told him that I was a fan of his dubbing work and that I had interviewed many of his voice-acting colleagues, such as Paulette Rubinstein. He replied that dubbing kept him alive during the early part of his acting career.

Mr. Linden asked me if I knew when he dubbed the films. Thinking he was talking about the Godzilla flicks, I said it was around 1968 or '69. He said it went much further back than that, adding that he dubbed many other movies than just the Godzilla ones and went on to list several other flicks that I wasn't familiar with that he had also dubbed.

In the end, he signed my Media Blasters Blu-ray of Destroy All Monsters, which is a cool addition to my collection. 

With Martha Smith.

The last guest I met was Martha Smith, who played Babs Jansen in Animal House (1978). I asked her about working with director John Landis, to which she replied I was the first one to ask her about him, as everyone else wanted to know about John Belushi. While he didn't do it to her, she said that Landis would whack actors on the head with the script and shout, "Be funny!"  

Animal House, of course, is a classic, and it's a great showcase for the talents of John Landis as a director. Naturally, Martha Smith is great in it, as well. After we took our obligatory photos, I said to her, "And, remember, be funny!" That got a chuckle out of her, so I guess it was a nice way to put a bow on the whole experience.

After that, I went on to other appointments. As I wrote above, I definitely had more fun at the January show than this one, but it was still a pleasant experience. I look forward to adding the next one!

The Land of the Rising Starr!

Mike Starr. Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Wednesday, April 9, I got to spend an enjoyable afternoon with actor Mike Starr. The conversation focused mostly on his work on The Bushido Blade (1981), his very first movie, but of course we touched on several other topics, as well.

It was great to spend time in the company of a person who loves Japan about as much as I do. I have to thank Mr. Starr for his hospitality, and I hope we can meet up again in the future!

New Dubbing Q&A Now Available on Vantage Point Interviews!

Photo © Sharon Szmidt.

If you ever wondered what the Tom Hanks dramedy A League of Their Own (1992) has in common with Godzilla vs. SpaceGodzilla (1994), my latest vintage account has the answer you're looking for! Omni Productions voice actress Sharon Szmidt, who dubbed several Heisei-era Godzilla films in the late 1990s, shares her story in my latest interview. Check it out today at the one place on the Internet where content is still king.

Kaiju Eiga Secrets Revealed in New Q&A on Vantage Point Interviews!

Yoshio Suzuki in March 2024. Photo by Brett Homenick.

A new vintage account is now available on Vantage Point Interviews -- this time with Yoshio Suzuki, one of the five original suitmakers for the original Godzilla (1954). For the first time in English, Mr. Suzuki recounts his career at both Toho and Tsuburaya Productions, covering everything from the first two Godzilla movies to the enigmatic North Korean kaiju epic Pulgasari (1985).

It's all here in this brand-new Q&A from Vantage Point Interviews!

Attending Creep I.E. Con!

Welcome to Creep I.E. Con! Photo by Brett Homenick.

On Saturday, February 1, I made my way to Ontario, CA, to attend Creep I.E. Con. I first became aware of this convention through WetMovie1's YouTube channel. What particularly amused me about WetMovie1's videos on the subject was his uncertainty about how to pronounce the name of the convention. (Is it supposed to sound like "creepy," or is it literally just said "Creep I.E." as written?)

Dinosaurs invade Creep I.E. Con! Photo by Brett Homenick.

For those of you not in the know, the I.E. is the Inland Empire, essentially the area of Southern California east of Los Angeles. The name of the convention is sort of a mixture of "creepy" and "I.E.," but the wordplay is admittedly a bit awkward, so I can certainly understand WetMovie1's confusion.

As for the convention itself, I was rather underwhelmed. I'm just not into modern horror films, and I don't enjoy the stuff from the '80s or '90s enough to attend an entire convention about it. Most of the guests weren't that appealing to me, and the majority of dealers were selling things that simply didn't capture my attention.

Elvira was by far the biggest draw at the convention, and her line seemed to go on forever. Jason Patric attracted a healthy amount of fans, and it looked like a few other guests made a tidy profit, too. Former WCW pro wrestler Vampiro had been announced as a guest, but I didn't see him anywhere. (Pretty disappointing, seeing as how he was one of the few guests I was interested in meeting.)

I wandered around for a while and just wasn't seeing much of interest. I finally did see a display of dinosaur statues that was pretty cool, and I was glad I'd finally found something to take pictures of. The rest of the convention wasn't much help in that regard.

I decided I should meet one guest before departing, and the choice for me became rather clear -- Barbara Hershey. Having starred in such movies as The Right Stuff (1983), The Natural (1984), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), and Falling Down (1993) -- on top of being nominated for Best Supporting Actress for The Portrait of a Lady (1996) at the Oscars -- her career was by far of the most fascinating to me among the guests. (It's also worth noting that her appearance at the convention wasn't advertised on the show's website.)

I told Ms. Hershey about the time when I lived in Japan that I revisited The Right Stuff during the New Year's holiday (which, if I recall correctly, was during the 2022-23 holiday season) and was impressed all over again with what a great film it was. Ms. Hershey was very polite but seemed a little detached. If I'm being honest, I had much more fun meeting the guests at the recent Hollywood Show, who showed more enthusiasm for what they were doing.

Speaking of the other convention, I ran into producer David Sterling again, who recognized me from the Hollywood Show. When I met him there, another person recognized David at the same time I did, so we happened to approach him at the same time.

 

David asked me about my "friend," but I laughed and said I had no idea who he was at all and that it was just one big coincidence. Afterward, I asked David about his work on Reptisaurus (2009) and The Amazing Bulk (2010), so we had a nice chat about those titles. 

With actress Barbara Hershey.

David told me about what it was like working with director Christopher Ray on the former and about the number of YouTube reviews of the latter, which apparently attract millions of views. I did ask David if he had ever seen Red Letter Media's review of The Amazing Bulk, but he was unaware of it.

Overall, the highlight for me was finding a booth selling '90s-era monster mags, things like Scary Monsters and Cult Movies. I picked up a couple of issues of Scary Monsters, as well as a pair of Godzilla fanzines from the mid-'90s that I probably hadn't seen in almost 15 years. 

With producer David Sterling.

I also purchased a Blu-ray of Night Train to Terror (1985) at the same booth, so I certainly did pretty well for myself there.

I'm not sure yet if I'd attend the next Creep I.E. Con. I do think there are better alternatives out there (at least for me), but it's always fun to get out every once in a while and have some fun.