New digs

Yours truly in Nagoya, Japan.

Not quite my final destination, but I like it!

Ib Melchior discusses Reptilicus and Six Cult Films

Brett with the Man of Imagination, Ib Melchior, at his home.

While at the home of writer-director Ib Melchior on March 13, 2011, I had the pleasure of discussing his screenwriting work on the cult classic Reptilicus (1961), as well as his recent behind-the-scenes account of his sci-fi movie-making career, Six Cult Films from the Sixties.

(Six Cult Films from the Sixties can be purchased here.)

The videos are posted below. After watching them, please purchase a copy of Mr. Melchior's fascinating book!

Lunch with Rhodes Reason

Your humble blogmeister with Rhodes and Jeri Reason.

Today I shared an enjoyable meal with Rhodes Reason (King Kong Escapes, Voodoo Island) and his wife, Jeri. As we haven't met for a while, there was a lot to catch up on, and we chatted for a couple of hours on a variety of subjects. All in all, it was great to be in their company again.

We met at the Rock Garden Cafe in Palm Springs, CA. I've never eaten at the restaurant before, but I was impressed with the food and the atmosphere. It certainly gets a hearty thumbs-up from me!

Hangin' with the coolest guy in Palm Springs.

In particular, I enjoyed hearing about their recent trip to Australia, which sounded like a lot of fun. They're currently planning another trip for this summer. I was pleased to hear about how busy they've been and continue to be.

My sincere thanks to Rhodes and Jeri for an excellent meal and even better company!

James Hong, King of the Monsters!

James Hong signs an autograph for yours truly.

After visiting Ib Melchior, I ate lunch with legendary actor James Hong (Big Trouble in Little China, Chinatown, Blade Runner). This was my second lunch with the famed actor, however, it was even more enjoyable than the first.

Hangin' out with James Hong at Dupar's Restaurant in Los Angeles.

What made this lunch even more memorable was that James and I recorded a couple of videos, which are posted below. His sense of humor really shines through in them. Enjoy!

Visiting Ib Melchior

Ib Melchior at work in his office.

On February 2, I was once again a guest at Ib Melchior's. Ib has always been a gracious host, and his hospitality is always appreciated. Below are some photos from my stay.

Could Ib be working on his next book?! Wait and see!

Ib and his appreciative guest.

Here I am, posing with some of the unusual items found in Ib's home. What's in the can? Scroll down...

Posted without comment!

Armando Creeper, film legend

Brett with Brother Andy (who played Southern California-area horror host Armando Creeper in the 1980s and '90s) at The River in Rancho Mirage, CA.

I first became aware of Armando Creeper in March 1996. I attended a small-scale monster film festival in the San Diego area, which turned out to be hosted by the aforementioned Creeper. Although I knew nothing about him at the time, he had me in stitches with his off-color jokes and his self-deprecating sense of humor. He certainly left an impression on me, and as luck would have it, I would get to spend a great deal of time in Armando's presence in the years to come.

However, circa 1998, we lost contact, and for a long time I figured I had seen the last of Armando Creeper.

That is, until last Friday.

I came to find that Armando (now known as Brother Andy) and I are Coachella Valley residents. I reached out to him a short while ago, and we agreed to meet at the nearby River in Rancho Mirage. Brother Andy and I spent hours reminiscing, and he shared many hilarious stories about what it was like to try to break into Hollywood 20 years ago. It was a great time, and we're likely to meet again in the coming weeks.

For those of you unfortunate souls unfamiliar with Armando Creeper, here is an article from 1991 that will give you some background. But if a picture is worth a thousand words, moving pictures must be worth a million, so below are a couple of videos of Armando's showing off his comedic prowess. Enjoy!

My interview with Paulette Rubinstein

On December 23, 2010, I interviewed Titra Studios voice actress Paulette Rubinstein (Godzilla vs. the Thing, Gammera the Invincible) at the home of Paulette's daughter, actress Liane Curtis (Sixteen Candles). About halfway in, Liane joins the interview and adds some levity to the proceedings.

My thanks again to Liane and Paulette for being such wonderful hosts! Please enjoy the video.