Monsterpalooza Souvenir Program Ad

This year's Monsterpalooza included a beautiful souvenir program that was professionally done.

The program was helmed by Mondo Cult magazine's Jessie Lilley.  She contacted me months ago asking if I would be interested in placing a "business card" sized ad for The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

Since the price was right, I went for it.  

It was placed on page 27 on the lower right corner (an excellent spot).  Here it is:

A hearty "thank-you" goes out to Jessie!

Monsterpalooza 2012

Above, The Monster confronts Elizabeth in "Frankenstein" in Monsterpalooza's  Museum.

It was another fun Monsterpalooza in Burbank this year.  I attended yesterday afternoon.  The crowds waiting to get in were huge, despite an occasional downpour.

The first person I recognized was Godzilla suit-maker Shinichi Wakasa.  We chatted a bit over at The Daily Grill, the Burbank Marriott's restaurant.  I introduced longtime G-FEST volunteer Barbara Weiler to him.

While waiting to get in, a gent in a homemade Gill-man suit entertained people in line (below).

Once inside, I made my way to Mondo Cult magazine's table and met with Jessie Lilley.  Earlier, I had Don Glut snap this shot of actor/writer/film historian Ted Newsom and me (below).

Wandering around, I found that the usual great exhibits one expects at Monsterpalooza were in abundance.   Mike Hill's life-size sculptures (below) of Jack Pierce (with The Mummy) and Rick Baker (with An American Werewolf In London) were terrific.

Naturally, Monsterpalooza had celebritites and big names in the horror genre in abundance.  Sara Karloff (daughter of Boris) had a table (below) as did Bela Lugosi Jr.

After meandering around the vendor areas, I made my way into Monsterpalooza's Museum.  Here's some of the highlights in the museum:

Above, several portraits of Boris Karloff, Vincent Price and Al Lewis.

Above, "Avatar."

Above, Godzilla was represented by this huge sculpture.

Above, The Monster and Henry Frankenstein struggle on the mill.


Following the Museum, I made my way to the autograph section where I obtained this autographed photo of actress Caroline Munro (from 1977's The Spy Who Loved Me) with Roger Moore (below).

And, had a photo taken with her:

After this, I had to dash off to pick up my roomie in Pasadena. Monsterpalooza continues today and tomorrow. 


 If you can, head out to Burbank and have yourself a great time!

Reunion At Monsterpalooza

Monsterpalooza opened today at the Burbank Marriott Hotel and Convention Center.  I met up with old G-FEST friends Barbara and Jerry Weiler.  I hadn't seen them since 2009.

Here's a couple of photos of the reunion:

Above, Barbara and Jerry Weiler.

Above, Armand and Barbara.

More on Monsterpalooza tomorrow.

Hilary Rosen's Foot-In-Mouth

Hilary Rosen really put her foot into her mouth.

Democrat strategist Hilary Rosen's remark on Ann Romney “His wife has actually never worked a day in her life.  She’s never really dealt with the kinds of economic issues that a majority of the women in this country are facing” has the Obama Campaign in a tizzy.

The Obama Campaign has been stepping over itself in distancing it from Rosen's comments as Ann Romney raised five boys, had breast cancer and is a multiple sclerosis sufferer.  Maybe a "Joe Biden Award" is in order?

This comes at an interesting time as I will be at the Walk MS event in Pasadena on Sunday.

Monsterpalooza and Walk MS

Above, the Burbank Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, the site for Monsterpalooza.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This is going to be one busy weekend.

Between work, I will be attending this year's Monsterpalooza at the Burbank Marriott Hotel and Convention Center (across the street from Bob Hope Airport) and the Walk MS in Pasadena where my roomie will be walking with Team Chef on Sunday.

I haven't yet decided on what day I'll be going to Monsterpalooza, Friday or Saturday.  I am leaning towards Friday.

If you haven't been to Monsterpalooza, you're in for a real treat if you decide to go.  But beware, parking is a hassle and the crowds inside the Marriott can be daunting.  To see what Monsterpalooza is about, go to the official website for the details.

If you spot me at Monsterpalooza, feel free to say hello.

Romney Locks Up GOP Nomination

Former Senator Rick Santorum effectively ended his presidential bid today when he announced that he's suspending it.  This pretty much clears the path for former Massachusettes Governor Mitt Romney to secure the GOP presidential nomination.

Romney is not the "perfect" candidate.  Who is?  But he has the experience in private enterprise and in government to turn this country away from the socialist policies of the Obama and the Democrats.  In 2008, I preferred Romney over John McCain.

It is time to get on board the Romney campaign to defeat Barack Obama this November.   Go to www.mittromney.com to volunteer or donate.  Get involved!

MS Walk Reminder!

The Greater Los Angeles Walk MS is this coming Sunday morning.  We need sponsors!  My roomie Jeska is participating (I'll be along for the walk, but please donate under her name):

Please help by making a donation to support my fundraising efforts. Money raised will support education, advocacy, research and local programs that enhance the quality of life for people with MS and their families. 

Click here to visit my personal web page to make a secure, online donation. 

If you prefer, you can mail a check to the National MS Society, Walk MS, 2440 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Ste. 115, Los Angeles, CA 90064. 

Please be sure to put my name in the memo portion of the check so it will be credited to my fundraising efforts.

Convention Favorite Julie Adams

Above,  Julie Adams with Armand at the 2009 Monsterpalooza.

The Los Angeles Times has a profile article on actress Julie Adams.  Here's a snippet:

Julie Adams nearly turned down the role that has made her a legend among sci-fi and horror films fans: Kay Lawrence in 1954's "Creature From the Black Lagoon." 

But who could blame her? As a contract player at Universal six decades ago, she had played opposite Arthur Kennedy in 1951's "Bright Victory," Jimmy Stewart in the 1952 western "Bend of the River" and heartthrob Tyrone Power in 1953's "Mississippi Gambler." And now the studio wanted her for a black-and-white 3-D horror film that was sort of a fishy version of "Beauty and the Beast." 

"I thought 'Creature From the Black Lagoon'! What?"' recalled the 85-year-old actress during a recent interview at her comfortable Los Feliz home. "I thought about turning it down and then I thought if I do that I'll go on suspension and I won't get paid. Then I thought it might be fun, and of course it was." 

It was more than just fun. Adams is much in demand at conventions and autograph shows because of her iconic role as the girlfriend of ichthyologist Dr. David Reed (Richard Carlson) who, while on a scientific expedition down the Amazon, becomes the object of affection of a tall, amphibious creature called the Gill-Man. 

I met Julie Adams at the 2009 Monsterpalooza and Adams will be at this year's Monsterpalooza (the full article mentions this) starting this coming Friday (the 13th).

To read the full article, go here.

Another Good Month For "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan"

Above, Armand at the 2011 Monsterpalooza.

April is turning out to be another good month as far as sales of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan are concerned.  The sales are keeping up a good pace with January, February, and March.

That, plus the upcoming write-ups in the Comics Buyer's Guide and Japan Times, bode well for the travel guide.




Monsterpalooza at the Burbank Marriott Hotel and Convention Center begins this coming weekend.  I bought ad space in the program booklet.  The ad is above.  If you've never been to a Monsterpalooza, you should make an effort to go!

MIke Wallace Dies At 93

The world of television journalism lost one of the giants of the industry.

 Fox News reported:

CBS newsman Mike Wallace, the dogged, merciless reporter and interviewer who took on politicians, celebrities and other public figures in a 60-year career highlighted by the on-air confrontations that helped make "60 Minutes" the most successful primetime television news program ever, has died. He was 93. 

Wallace died Saturday night, CBS spokesman Kevin Tedesco said. On CBS' "Face the Nation," host Bob Schieffer said Wallace died at a care facility in New Haven, Connecticut, where he had lived in recent years.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/04/08/famed-cbs-journalist-mike-wallace-dies-at-3/

"The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan" In Tony's Tips

Above, Yuu Asakura with "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan."  Photo by  Armand  Vaquer.

Tony Isabella penned a nice write-up on The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan in "Tony's Tips" for  Comics Buyer's Guide (CBG) #1691:

If you’re planning a pilgrimage, I mean, a vacation to the Land of Giant Monsters, you should first score a copy of The Monster Movie Fan’s Guide to Japan by Armand Vaquer [$15]. 

[That's as far as I should go on this until it appears in Comics Buyer's Guide that'll be out in about a month and Tony's personal blog a month later. - A.]




According to Wikipedia, Tony Isabella "is a comic book writer, editor, artist and critic, known as the creator and writer of Marvel Comics' Black Goliath, DC Comics' first major African American superhero, Black Lightning, and as a columnist and critic for the Comics Buyer's Guide and the father of Mowgli."

Besides that, he's also a great guy in Ohio!

Thanks, Tony!

HAPPY EASTER!

Popular Artist Thomas Kinkade Dies At 54

Above, "Lamplight Manor" by Thomas Kinkade.

Some stunning news:

The Huffington Post reported:

SAN FRANCISCO — Artist Thomas Kinkade, whose brushwork paintings of idyllic landscapes, cottages and churches have been big sellers for dealers across the United States, died Friday, a family spokesman said. 

Kinkade, 54, died at his home in Los Gatos in the San Francisco Bay Area of what appeared to be natural causes, David Satterfield said.

Kinkade was my mom's favorite artist.  She went up to  Portland, Oregon around 12 years ago and went to an art gallery where some of his paintings were available relatively cheap.  She regretted not buying a painting to the day she died.

For more details go here.

ANIME EXPO WILL FEATURE VOICE ACTOR STEVE BLUM AS AN OFFICIAL GUEST OF HONOR

Source: Anime Expo News Release

Above, Steve Blum.  Photo courtesy Anime Expo.

LOS ANGELES (April 6, 2012) – Anime Expo, North America’s largest anime, manga and Japanese pop culture celebration, today announced popular voice actor Steve Blum as an Official Guest of Honor.  One of anime’s most prolific voice actors, Blum will participate in a meet-and-greet, autograph signing and focus panel at Anime Expo when it returns to the LA Convention Center from June 29 – July 2, 2012,

With literally hundreds of credits to his name, Steve Blum is well known as the voice of “Spike Spiegel” from “Cowboy Bebop,” “Wolverine” from several incarnations of X-Men (animated movies, games, the Wolverine and the X-Men TV Series, The Super Hero Squad Show and X-Men Anime) and “Orochimaru,” “Zabuza,” and others from “Naruto” -- to name a few.  His has also lent his distinctive deep voice to 7-11 television and radio ads, dozens of Digimon and a gigantic list of other characters from anime, video games, TV and film. Currently fans can catch him on the new super-charged CGI series “Transformers: Prime,” playing the sometimes delusional but always deadly Decepticon “Starscream”, as “Heatwave” on the brand new kid-friendly, “Tr ansformers: Rescue Bots!” and joining the cast of “Avatar: The Legend of Korra” as the evil “Amon.”

About Anime Expo

Now in its 21st year, Anime Expo is North America’s largest celebration of anime, manga and Japanese pop culture.  Anime Expo gives fans the rare opportunity to meet and hear from some of the most famous anime, manga, musical, game and fashion artists from Japan.  AX 2012 will feature an exciting schedule of exclusive screenings; artists’ panels; live concerts; cosplay, dance parties, karaoke and video competitions; non-stop video gaming and unsurpassed shopping from more than 300 vendors.  AX 2012 takes place June 29 – July 2, 2012 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.  To register or for more information, please visit www.anime-expo.org.  Con nect with Anime Expo on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

About the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to popularize and educate the American public about anime and manga, as well as provide a forum to facilitate communication between professionals and fans. This organization is more popularly known by its entertainment property, Anime Expo®.   For more information, please visit www.spja.org.

Watchlater Picks Up Monster Japan Travel Guide Video

Above, Miki Hayashi with "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan."  Photo by Armand  Vaquer.

Watchlaterapp.com picked up the YouTube video on The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan. According to Watchlater:

This video was shared via watchlater, an app for bookmarking and downloading videos. Watch videos anytime and anywhere with both our iPhone and iPad App.. It’s free

To view the site, go here.

Politicians Playing Games With Agriculture's Future

Above , the family farm in Nebraska during winter.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Obama Administration has been a disaster on issue after issue. It is no better when it comes to agriculture policy.  Some in Congress are no better.

Western Farm Press posted an article on how the Washington politicians are screwing up agricultural policy.

 They begin with:

Farmers and ranchers have known for a long time that most federal lawmakers are notoriously uninformed when it comes to making decisions about farm policy. But what have long been laughable, but serious errors on the part of legislators and policy makers in the past seem to have reached a pandemic crescendo of inefficiency. A war-driven economy and partisan politics have muddled minds in Washington as ill-fated attempts to address federal budget concerns has spawned a plethora of actions that threaten to multiply problems rather than address ways to make them better, especially when it comes to farm policy. 

While the problem extends far beyond agricultural issues, it is becoming apparent that farm policy will be taking more than its fair share of these misguided decisions by lawmakers, who seem to have lost touch with reality when it comes to understanding that U.S. agriculture plays as important or a greater role to a healthy nation as the banking and energy industries.

The Obama Administration has ordered the closure of vital programs that have discovered problems with some agricultural products that produced illnesses and deaths.

For example:

Last summer the USDA's Microbiological Data Program (MDP) was the agency that ordered cilantro and bagged spinach that had tested positive for salmonella to be removed from grocery store shelves. It also forced a recall of lettuce that had tested positive for E. coli, and started testing cantaloupe regularly for Listeria after an outbreak that left 13 people dead. 

As part of President Obama's 2013 budget, this program will be shut down. 

Food and Drug Administration Produce Safety officials say that testing certain high-risk crops such as sprouts, tomatoes, and cantaloupe would now have to be undertaken by state and local agencies, many of which are already cash-strapped and short on staff.

It is a real eye-opener to see how agriculture policy is getting messed up by Washington. And they have the nerve to think they can effectively run health care?!

 To read the full article, go here.

Monster Japan Travel Guide Videos Picked Up By Global Oneness

Global Oneness, which is a part of ExperienceFestival.com, picked up the YouTube slideshow video on The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan and the promo video on the travel guide by Karlos Borloff and the gang at Monster Madhouse (below).











 Left, Yuu Asakura with "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan." Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Karlos Borloff (Jerry Moore) and Vixxa Violet from the Monster Madhouse promo video.

Global Oneness covers a wide range of subjects from philosophy/religion to acupuncture and travel.

To view the site, go here.

Japan Travel Guide Picks Up Monster Japan Travel Guide Slideshow Video

Above, Miki Hayashi with "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan." Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The YouTube slideshow video on The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan has been picked up by Japan Travel Guide website over at Freelyblog.com. The site is "dedicated to give you the travel guide of Japan."

 To view it, go here.

5 Titanic Myths Spread By Hollywood

An interesting article on 5 myths perpetuated by the movies on the sinking of the Titanic 100 years ago has been posted on the BBC's website.

The article starts with:

It is the tragic story that everybody knows the end to - the doomed Titanic sinks. Its final hours have become the stuff of myth - but how much have the various film versions of the story helped to create and reinforce these legends? 

One hundred years ago RMS Titanic raced into an iceberg at almost full speed. Two-and-a-half hours later, it sank to the bottom of the Atlantic with the loss of over 1,500 men, women and children. 

It has inspired a host of films, documentaries and conspiracy theories. 

The re-release of James Cameron's 1997 blockbuster in 3D is a reminder that many people's knowledge of the events of 14 April 1912 comes not from historical fact, but the silver screen.

 To read the full article, go here.

Google Chrome Impressions

Above, Jerry "Karlos Borloff" Moore and Armand.

 Blogger (the parent company of this blog) announced that they are upgrading the system this month. Despite a couple of bugs, I was pretty satisfied by the way things ran on the old system.

The other night, I hit the upgrade button and found that the new upgrade was not compatible with my browser (Internet Explorer on Windows XP) and they recommended downloading Google Chrome to make the new system usable.

So I did.

I like the new system except for a bug that makes it difficult to separate paragraphs in a blog post. I find Google Chrome to be user-friendly.

However, there was one unexpected feature that caught me by surprise. I was perusing YouTube through Google Chrome and a little window popped up near the video I was watching asking if I wanted to download the video. Download a YouTube video?! I always thought those were protected.

I gave it a try, and sure enough, I was able to download a video.

The video I downloaded was The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan promo video by Karlos Borloff of Monster Madhouse.

I imagine that it will take a little time and plenty of use to get the full hang of Blogger's new system. But at least I am liking Google Chrome. At least for now.

Strontium-90 Leaks Into Sea In Fukushima

This news item caught my attention over at Japan Today:

TOKYO — Officials of Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) said Thursday that radioactive water containing strontium-90 leaked out of the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant into the sea. Strontium-90 is a radioactive isotope of strontium, with a half-life of 28.8 years. Its presence in the human body can cause bone cancer, cancer of nearby tissues and leukemia. TEPCO officials apologized at a news conference for the leakage which occurred early Thursday morning, TBS reported. TEPCO said the leak was from a pipe attached to a temporary decontamination system, and the water had already gone through some of the cleansing process.

Why did this story catch my eye? Strontium-90 was found in Godzilla's footprints on Odo Island in the 1954 Toho classic. Embedded in the footprint, Professor Yamane (Takashi Shimura) finds a trilobite in perfect physical condition. Sand sediment found in the trilobite's shell matched sediment from the Jurassic period, according to Yamane. He goes on to say, "Geiger counter readings of the radiation in this sand indicate the presence of Strontium-90." Perhaps a trilobite or a big lizard loaded up with strontium-90 will show up in Fukushima. To read the full Japan Today article, go here.

Dark Shadows, Now At A Bus Shelter Near You

As we get nearer to the release of the Tim Burton/Johnny Depp Dark Shadows, the advertising campaign is in full throttle. Bus shelters in Los Angeles County are now being adorned with posters advertising the movie. Here's a couple of them shot with my cell phone in Burbank tonight:

Pinky The Cat

If you're ever down in the dumps and need a good laugh, just watch this YouTube classic:

Obama's SCOTUS Gaffe

President Obama made a major gaffe when he said:

"Ultimately I am confident that the Supreme Court will not take what would be an unprecedented, extraordinary step of overturning a law [Obamacare] that was passed by a strong majority of a democratically elected Congress."

Somebody should tell the president that overturning laws that the Supreme Court finds unconstitutional is what the Supreme Court does. It was a stupid comment from someone who was a constitutional law professor.

Tokyo Fan Club Opened

A new Tokyo tourism resource has been opened. Japan Today is reporting:

TOKYO — Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau (TCVB) has opened its official SNS page Tokyo Fan Club. TCVB aims to establish Tokyo Fan Club as an interactive information center for Tokyo tourism, providing and sharing real-time information on fresh topics covering sightseeing spots, fashion, food, culture, lifestyle, and various events taking place in one of the most exciting cities in the world, Tokyo. In addition to daily updates, the page will also have special features on seasonal events and themes throughout the year, such as cherry blossom viewing in spring.

To view the full article, go here.

WALK MS (Multiple Sclerosis)

Sunday, April 15 is the Walk MS event in Los Angeles (actually, it's in Pasadena).

My roomie is participating with Team Chef:

Team Chef

Help our team move closer toward a world free of MS!

Multiple sclerosis interrupts the flow of information between the brain and the body and stops people from moving.

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society supports more MS research, offers more services for people with MS, provides more professional education programs and furthers more MS advocacy efforts than any other MS organization in the world.

We walk together during Walk MS to celebrate hope for a future free of this chronic, unpredictable disease. Join our team as a walker or volunteer! Make a donation online! Send in a check! There are so many ways to make a difference in the movement to end MS and it all begins right here.

You can make a donation by going here to be a sponsor of Jeska Hobbie at Team Chef! When you get into the web page, just click on Jeska's name.

Besides helping a lot of people, you'll be also helping Team Chef's team captain, Rachel Beckett, who is a MS sufferer.

August Ragone Scores Rondo

Above, Ragone autographs his book on Eiji Tsuburaya for fans in 2008. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Congratulations are in order! August Ragone scored a Rondo Award in the 10th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards.

BEST INTERVIEW
(Award goes to interviewer)

August Ragone interviews Haruo Nakajima (the original Godzilla), FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND #256

Above, Haruo Nakajima. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Rondo Winners Announcement Tonight, Etc.

Above, Haruo Nakajima with Miki at last year's

 Monsterpalooza. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The winners of the 10th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards will be announced tonight at 10:00 PM EST.

To see the winners list, go to http://www.rondoaward.com tonight.

Speaking of Rondo Awards, this post has been up for a few days at movie historian Stuart Galbraith IV's blog. I can see Galbraith's point. But I also know August Ragone to be sincere in his desire to give Haruo Nakajima a Rondo.

Above, Haruo Nakajima during the filming of "Godzilla vs. The Sea Monster."

If none of Ragone's nominations pan out, I would like to see a campaign to get Nakajima a Rondo as Galbraith proposes for next year. Count me in!

We'll see if there's any follow-through.