Halloween in August

[vovat]

This weekend was the fifteenth Monster-Mania Convention. We'd actually missed the last one, but we attended all of the others, and of course went to this one as well. I was actually able to find a parking space at the hotel this time, which is always a good thing, and an incredibly rare one as well. bethje and I usually don't even bother going into the dealer and autograph rooms anymore. I know those are the main attractions for many guests, but, well, they cost extra. {g} Besides, if you're going to attend the question-and-answer panels, you pretty much need to show up early to get a decent seat. The panels this time included actors from the typical big three franchises highlighted at the convention: Halloween, Friday the 13th, and Nightmare on Elm Street. Other guests included directors Herschell Gordon Lewis and John Carpenter, as well as the casts of Pet Semetary and Boondock Saints. So what does the latter have to do with horror? Damned if I know. Beth and I watched it when we found out it would be featured at the convention, and it wasn't bad, despite being kind of trite. There have been plenty of vigilante movies in the past (hell, I'd say even Batman counts), but I guess what this one brought to the table was vigilantes who were Irish brothers. I don't know. Interestingly, there were a fair number of guests, seemingly mostly female, who apparently showed up just to see the Boondock Saints, so I suppose the convention organizer knew what he was doing. But hey, if you're going to break the horror theme, can't you do it with the stars of non-horror movies that I like? :P Seriously, though, it was enjoyable, but kind of tiring.

After the convention, we had a meal at a nearby Friendly's, where at the next table over were seated what I can only assume were three professional cranky old people. Seriously, their entire conversation was of the "What's wrong with the youth of today?" variety. Topics included whether a Kindle would let you go back and read the book again, whether "phat" was a computer term, text speak, and people sending gifts to other people they don't really know. One of them said something like, "You text someone and give them a sheep," which I can only assume was a reference to Farmville. The thing is, I'm only thirty-two, and I already feel like an old curmudgeon much of the time. But I usually try to keep up on new fads enough that I can at least understand the essentials of how they work. I get the impression that, once you become disdainful of the youth, you start getting things wrong on purpose. That's when you start thinking the kids are gambling with Pokey Man cards, I suppose.

Comments

[revme.livejournal.com]

Boondock Saints. So what does the latter have to do with horror? Damned if I know.

Well, "horror" and "horrible" both share the same root....

BTW have you seen "Overnight"? It's the documentary about the making of Boondock Saints. It's REALLY interesting and good.

[bethje.livejournal.com]

I didn't think it was horrible. I hadn't even heard of it until I heard that the actors would be at MonsterMania. So when the Netflix envelope came, I, uh, expected a horror movie or something similar. When watching it, I was a little WTF for awhile. And then I got kind of bored with it and almost fell asleep. I might have liked it mote if I hadn't had certain expectations. But maybe I wouldn't have liked it anyway. I can't tell. They did mention the documentary a couple times, but we didn't see it.

The ladies in the audience sure were crazy for them. I'm not sure what was up with that. Nathan said that one of the chicks in the row behind us looked like she had her boob signed. It could have been signed by someone else at the convention (Herschell Gordon Lewis, I hope!), but I'm sure it was a Boondock Saint what did it. I don't get it.

[rockinlibrarian.livejournal.com]

I get the impression that, once you become disdainful of the youth, you start getting things wrong on purpose.

I love this. It is quotable. And true.

[vovat.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[bethje.livejournal.com]

These people were seriously saying stuff like, "When I was in high school, people would say things were bad. And bad meant good." And there was actual discussion of using a 4 to mean "for" and a u to mean "you." It was nuts.

you kids get off of my, uh, my, oh, i forgot

[suegypt.livejournal.com]

'Sad that some people age badly... and in groups..........

[vilajunkie.livejournal.com]

Wow, I would have been rolling my eyes all night at the other table. But, I know any kind of card, from trading cards to Magic:the Gathering cards to tarot cards, was banned at my high school and grammar school because apparently any time kids have cards, they're gambling. I have no idea how you gamble with Tarot cards... :/

[vovat.livejournal.com]

I suppose you could gamble with anything if you wanted to. That's kind of the point, though. Why single out cards?

[vilajunkie.livejournal.com]

I think when POGs were around, those got banned at grammar school too.