FINAL GIRL explores the slasher flicks of the '70s and '80s...and all the other horror movies I feel like talking about, too. This is life on the EDGE, so beware yon spoilers!

Apr 2, 2007

back to normal

I have returned! Cinema Wasteland was a pretty decent little show, I must say, although I'm not nearly pierced, tattooed, or black-clad enough to really be one of the gang, you know? Bah! BAH I SAY. I made some purchases, and judging from what I brought home, I think we can all expect Animals Run Amok Week 2 at some point in the not-so-distant future. Even that excitement pales in comparison to the weekend's highlight for me (and I mean really, really highlight), which might have gone something like this:

Something like that, but yes, a few things were different, such as:

-I am a real person, not a stick figure drawing
-Marilyn Burns was not upset, nor was she dirty and/or bloody
-She did not tower over me- if anything, it was the opposite
-It was not 1974

However, that thought did run through my head, at least twice. Yeah, I got to have a nice lengthy chat with Ms Burns, and...let's just say I've got nefarious plans to be revealed soon.

AND DID I MENTION THAT I GOT TO HANG OUT WITH MARILYN BURNS? Sorry, it was just a little (read: a whole fucking mega bunch) exciting to talk with one of my heroes of the genre.

The other highlight of the show was...well, have you ever watched a movie for the first time and felt...I don't know, as if your life was completely changed in even a tiny little way? Have you ever watched a movie for the first time and become immediately obsessed with it? That happened to me on Saturday, where, yes, for the first time, I finally saw

Oh. My. GOD! I can't believe I've been on this planet for 57 years and I've never seen this film. Sure, I knew of it, like everyone does- the title, at least, is a huge part of pop culture. I'd never ever seen it before, though, and the second the screening was over I wanted the movie to start again. Until some other flick comes along to take its place, as far as I'm concerned it's The Best Movie Ever. Really- I liked it that much. It very well may be the love of my life.

Dennis Busch, Tura Satana, and Haji were all in attendance at the show, and they put on a great panel after the movie. Man, what a treat to have instant access to the cast of the film you just fell in love with! I sought them out later as well and spent some time with Haji talking about Charles Napier and getting career advice from her ("You need to move to Hollywood and be a stand-in for Jodie Foster for all her movies!").

Yes, folks, that's how square I am, that I get excited to talk to someone at a horror con about Charles Napier. No amount of black clothing is gonna help that.

10 comments:

Amanda By Night said...

That's so cool Stacie. It's always awesome to meet people you admire and have them be so totally rad.

It makes me want to go to a con.

Anonymous said...

Dude...I had the EXACT SAME REACTION my first time seeing Faster Pussycat!

God I love that flick.

If I remember right, the DVD's got interviews with all the babes! Worth hunting down! Some day I will have that poster framed in my office.

J. Skel LaTour said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

What?!? It's out on DVD? Since when?

Links please!

(Apologies if this posts twice. Browser SNAFU.)

Anonymous said...

Ah, der Meister Meyer. Explotation's King. I'm mostly just shocked that you hadn't seen it before. Also, hey, you look like Jodie Foster? Swoon. You'd better start dressing your stick figures in Armani to go with the fedora...

Stacie Ponder said...

Amanda- yeah, I'm just so glad she was so fucking awesome. It would SUCK to meet a hero and have them be a jerk. I was talking at length to a vendor and he told me some con horror stories about Barbara Steele and...June Lockhart of all people!

As to Faster Pussycat...after the panel, I immediately scoured the floor for a copy of the movie and no one had it. When I got home, though, I went online and ordered it. I couldn't find a Region 1/NTSC release anywhere, but xploitedcinema.com has both a Region 0 PAL and a Region 2 edition. I picked up the Region 0 because it has 2 commentary tracks- one with Russ Meyer, and one with the three pussycats! I can't wait for it to arrive!!!

I also picked up a lobby card that's the same as the poster I included here. SIGH.

Yeah, Bill, people tell me a look like Jodie Foster pretty frequently. I also get "Ernest Borgnine" alot, so what are you gonna do?

Anonymous said...

Long live Tura Satana!

Squish said...

Haha! Where have you been all my life?!

Steve said...

That movie turned me on to not only Russ Meyer movies but the entire exploitation genre!!! I too have the lobby card hanging on my frig at home. I still have a crush on Haji even though she is now the same age as my grandma. You should totally start reviewing more ploitation flicks.

Re the DVD. The only good thing to come from Russ Meyer's death is I hope his family releases its death hold over his library that he maintained. To get any of that stuff is almost impossible and/or uber-expensive.

Stacie Ponder said...

Tura Satana and Haji are nothing if not feisty, no matter what age they are. I mean, Haji was wearing a vest with SUPERVIXEN emblazoned across the back!

I'm pathetically unversed in the exploitation genre, but Faster Pussycat might well be my gateway movie! I can't wait until it gets here.