Two Years of The WGON Helicopter: Now I Want Cake

Seems like just yesterday I was typing up the one-year birthday blog for this ol' thing. Time absolutely flies.

Just about two years ago, I first took the WGON Helicopter up into the sky. I always intended for it to be a fun outlet for me to talk about things horror: movies, comics, personal fears, books, games, pretty much anything I felt like writing about in that field. Looking ahead, I want to continue to write about those aspects of horror in an intelligent, hopefully funny way that leaves the reader more informed or entertained than when he or she came into each article. I'd like to make some improvements to the overall look and layout of the blog, and there will be some changes - little things, mostly - that only enhance the experience.

I'm having fun with The WGON Helicopter. I hope you are, too, dear readers. Thanks for your readership, and thank you to all those peers who have supported me, given me advice, or simply have been mighty friendly for the past two years. Readers, take some time to explore some of the other blogs I've listed over on the sidebar. There are some great reads there, written by some really good people. I'll be adding even more in the coming days.

Thanks again, and keep watching the skies, fellow survivors!

A Look Back At 2010 - In The Helicopter Bay Special Edition

"Special edition" - yeah, don't make a huge deal out of that. This is just going to be me reflecting back on the year here at The WGON Helicopter.

The first thing I want to do is thank everyone for reading. I check the stats of the blog every so often, and it's nice to know I've got people checking out my brain-flares now and then, and from all over the world. Welcome to the blog if you're new, thanks for staying if you're not.

I also wanted to thank members of the horror blogging community who have been supportive and just plain awesome people to read and with whom to share ideas. I'm going to add more blogs over there to the right in my blogroll because seriously, there are so many to recommend if you haven't checked them out. Maybe a new future feature for the Helicopter would be to pick one blog and give a big ol' thumbs-up to them every now and again. Hm...

Looking back, I see Sleepaway Camp was the film I began the year with, and I watched it before and after midnight on January 1, 2010, hence the "clever" title I gave that article. Sleepaway Camp was definitely big fun, but what would be my list for the top five movies I watched in 2010? I saw a lot of really good movies, a couple not-so-good, and a few in between. Now watch: I'll make a top five list, publish it, then remember I liked another movie that I should've included and facepalm myself. Ah, well. I'll make it a top SEVEN then. So there. Let's take a look:

My 7 Favorite Movies I Wrote About In 2010 That I Hadn't Seen Before (in no particular order):

The Monster Squad - I finally had a chance to see this movie from start to finish after watching it piecemeal over the course of 20 years. It's a true cult classic with snappy characters, menacing monsters, lines of dialogue that are quoted to this day, and the awesome Tom Noonan as Frankenstein's Monster. Movies that stir a reaction in me are ones I like to write about, and The Monster Squad evoked pure joy.

Triangle - The most-read article on the blog, this turn-your-mind-into-tapioca movie still has elements that haunt me to this day. The "what-if's" and the "what we don't sees" are effectively used as weapons to assault our tender brainpans in this intelligent, loopy thriller.

I Sell The Dead - I expected it to be fun, but not as much fun as I had watching this little gem. Full of lively, kinetic energy, this film features a fresh new take on the grave robber genre, a popular subsection of horror many years back. The movie crackles with motion and dialogue, but most especially wild ideas.

[REC]2 - In my opinion, the [REC] series is currently the most terrifying horror movie series going. It takes the first-person perspective (or gimmick, as some might say) and does it right, creating a frantic, horrifying atmosphere. I like where the series is going, and I hope the next in the sequence will top the first two in terms of sheer horror. It's a high bar that's been set.

Ink - Although not technically a horror movie, this independent beauty held me tight to the screen. I couldn't look away, the creativity and the emotional beats still resonate to me right now as I think of it. An example of what kind of film can be made without studio restrictions and, well, fear, Ink brings the use of the fable back to life.

Lake Mungo - I know I said "no particular order," but Lake Mungo is the number one on this list. Not since I was a child have I needed to turn on the lights during a movie. This one did that to me, and I love it for that. You don't need garish special effects, big-name or "pretty" stars direct from The CW, or a sly fourth-wall "wink" to the audience to make an effective, emotional horror movie. Like a passionate wrestling fan once said regarding his emotional fandom, "It's still real to me, dammit!"

(Honorable mentions: Inside, Inferno, The Children, The Crazies remake, and Sleepaway Camp)

2010 was also the year I started attending the Chiller Theatre Expo in Parsippany, New Jersey. Lost in throngs of fellow horror fans, it's a bit overwhelming. But I did get to meet David Crawford of Dawn of the Dead as well as the great Zacherley, once the host of the original Chiller Theater TV show. I plan on being there again in April (when it's far less crowded), ready to get some nice pictures and memorabilia.

This past year, my comic book and zombie thrills were made "flesh" when The Walking Dead finally hit the small screen, thanks to AMC. I've been reading the book for years (just got Volume 12 for Christmas) and to see Rick Grimes and all the great characters of Robert Kirkman's comic series come to life was truly something to see.

In 2010, I was also honored to join some fellow horror bloggers over at Cinema-Geek, writing about films out of the horror genre. Finally, I get to write an article about Woody Allen's Radio Days or Christopher Guest's A Mighty Wind (two I have planned for the coming year).

Oh, yeah, and The WGON Helicopter turned one year old in March (how fitting) of 2010!

I look ahead to 2011 and think about what I can do with the blog. I'm going to write more articles about non-film horror vehicles, such as books and games, plus I'll continue to write about things from my past that contributed to my love of the genre. Hey, I'll even do more lists.

That's it for now, my friends. 2010 ends - as of this writing - in about 10 1/2 hours. I wish a fantastic 2011 for all of you - stay safe, don't stray too far from the shelter, and keep limber.

But really, have a HAPPY New Year and I hope your festivities are wild and/or memorable for all the right reasons.

See you next year!

In The Helicopter Bay 12-3-10

Just a real quick set of tidbits for the day:

-- I mentioned it at the end of my look at the film Ink (which I still love), but I wanted to bring it up again. Recently, I was honored to accept an invitation from Nate Yapp to write for a blog called Cinema-Geek, a collection of articles by horror bloggers...about non-horror movies. I'm in great company there, along with Nate: B-Sol of The Vault of Horror, Andre of The Horror Digest, Pax of Billy Loves Stu, and Ryne of The Moon Is A Dead World. Take a peek, and check out their individual blogs as well.

-- I was checking out the stats of my blog recently just for kicks and found some interesting nuggets o' trivia:

* The most popular blog entry is the one I wrote about Triangle: 2,707 views - almost 1,000 more than the one I wrote about Trilogy of Terror.

* Most of the traffic comes from Google, but some viewers have kindly jumped over after reading the fine blogs at The Horror Digest and Kindertrauma.

* Some interesting search terms led to my blog, including "divided by zero," "chiller theatre," "herb tarlek," and "corbin bernsen."

* Over 10,000 hits have come from the good ol' US of A. The United Kingdom had around 1,600, with Canada (1,150) not far behind. Sweden checked in with around 250 - I lived in that country for a year as an exchange student. I get some visitors from Greece, The Netherlands, Israel, and the Czech Republic. Welcome, everyone!

-- Take a gander at this indie vampire film with a twist, passed along to me by producer Matt Compton, called Midnight Son. Matt's one of the producers, along with writer/director Scott Leberecht, and executive producer Eduardo Sanchez (The Blair Witch Project). The cast includes Zak Kilberg, Maya Parish, Jo D. Jonz, Arlen Escarpeta, Larry Cedar, and Tracey Walter.

According to Matt, Midnight Son "is the story of Jacob, a young man confined to a life of isolation, due to a rare skin disorder that prevents him from being exposed to sunlight. His world opens up when he meets Mary, a local bartender, and falls in love. Tragically, Jacob’s actions become increasingly bizarre as he struggles to cope with the effects of his worsening condition. Forced by the disease to drink human blood for sustenance, he must control his increasingly violent tendencies as local law enforcement narrow their focus on him as a suspect in a series of grisly murders."

Here's a link to the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS2nLbEoMy8 and one for the website: http://www.midnightsonmovie.com/

Check it out - it looks very interesting!

The WGON Helicopter Turns One!

One year ago, I decided to do something about my love of horror movies.

I already had two blogs, one about writing and one about random musings, but they didn't take. I'd been reading a couple horror blogs, and realized over time that I wanted to share my voice when it came to the genre. I'd been writing a lot, but felt like shifting gears into something other than fiction...or attempts at fiction. I thought it would not only be good practice, but maybe I could share my light-hearted views about the genre I love the most.

The first movie review had to be, of course, the original Dawn of the Dead. The whole blog is named for the helicopter the characters take to escape the city. Please enjoy that first review right here.

Now, a year later, I am so glad I decided to do this.



It makes me as happy as Gary Busey eyeing a fresh endocrine system that I've had the opportunity to connect with so many new friends and peers, other horror fans, writers, filmmakers, and bloggers that have welcomed me into the horror blog family with friendliness and open arms. I've received so much support from a number of people - too many kind words to single out, so look over to the right in the side bar for the blogroll. Those are people who have been kind to me, supported my efforts, made me laugh, or gave me a good read. That list continues to grow, and if it's missing anyone, rest assured they'll be there. Go visit them, read their blogs, and get to know them. They're one of the main reasons I'm inspired to write a horror blog.



One thing you're likely not to find on this blog is drama. It's not what I started this thing for. That's not to say I wouldn't address a problem if it became personal, but I try to avoid drama. I'm in this for the fun and the friendship, bound together by the common thread we all share in things horror. I don't mind being the guy people vent to or confide in - it's just I have enough stress and don't need to be a major player in some kind of drama play. I'll listen behind the scenes, but this blog is for horror.

What's ahead for The WGON Helicopter? I'll just keep doing what I enjoy doing: writing. I've focused mostly on film, but as you might go back and find, I do have some posts on music and television. I'll try to throw in more variety. I'd been wanting to do a post on Avatar Press' insane infection horror comic "Crossed," and the last issue just came out, so that's a definite. I created a YouTube account for the site, but haven't used it yet. There is a chance I'll do some vlogs at some point - that might be a blast although I don't know if the webcam would flatter me. Oh, well. If it's fun, who cares if I look like Steve Zahn just woke up?

So, one year gone and hopefully many more to come. More reviews, more musings, more things to help you smile while the undead groan outside your windows. Should you ever want to say hi, my contact info is at the top - that may grow, too, as I add more chat places.

Thanks to all of you who read, who comment, who have become friends, who will become friends, and who have supported me this entire time. Thanks to everything that provides fuel for the helicopter.

Now back to work. I heard there were some survivors just west of here...

In The Helicopter Bay 2-27-10

Just a few quick notes today while the helicopter gets some tuning-up and I take a break from looking for a misplaced wrench:



--With all that happens when you get a large group of people with a common interest together - the good and the sometimes not-so-good - it's always refreshing when someone does something for the right reasons. Carl over at I Like Horror Movies created a nice, respectful environment for horror bloggers of all stripes over at the online equivalent of a comfortable tavern (surrounded by all our favorite monsters, of course): The Horror Blogger Alliance. It's a fantastic place for some healthy debate, rightful bragging about our sites, news, reviews, and all-around friendliness. Go take a peek and if you're got a horror blog, take the time to join and get to know your peers.



--And check out the new official poster for George A. Romero's newest installment of his "...Of The Dead" series, Survival of the Dead. The undead will be unleashed on multiple platforms on April 30th, when it hits VOD, Amazon, Xbox Live, and Playstation. The final assault will take place in theaters on May 28th. For more information, check out the official website at Magnet Releasing.

--Next week, Thursday to be exact, marks the one-year anniversary of The WGON Helicopter. I plan on writing a little note about it, and it has been a fun ride so far. I hope Year Two will be even more of a good time.

--I haven't yet seen the remake of The Crazies, but I did do an extensive write-up on it last year, so please enjoy it here, maybe compare it to the new one. Once I see the remake, I'll say a little something about it.

That's about it for now. If I don't say it enough, I'll say it again: thank you all for reading!

Now, back to trying to find that wrench...

Happy New Scares -- Er, Year

It's the turn of another year, and apparently another decade or whatnot. You know, the years really just blend together for me. When the zombies started walking, every day's the same.

On March 5 of 2009, and after a lot of me saying "I should really do this," I started this blog in an effort to bring my voice - hopefully, a unique one - to the horror blogosphere. In that time, I've been welcomed by a group of new friends, more experienced and truly excellent bloggers who have made me feel like I belong. For that, I will be eternally grateful, so thanks to all of you.

Also, thanks to all of you who take the time to read and sometimes comment. I really hope you enjoy what I'm jotting down about the world of horror from my viewpoint, and I'll just keep trying to make it better.

That said, I really need to be more prolific. So, in 2010, more movies, more comics, more horror everything, even if it's just a quick thought. Hoping also to hit up more conventions and events, see what I can do to be a part of more things.

Speaking of movies, I'd be remiss if I didn't pick out what I believed to be the most affecting horror movie I watched in 2009. Now, it didn't have to be a 2009 film, per se, just one I'd seen in the past year. And the choice I have may be obvious.

The horror movie that hammered my soul more than any other this past year was the French film Martyrs. If you want to know my deeper thoughts about this amazing film, the post of my review is right this way. I saw it in November, and I'm still affected by what I saw. It reached a visceral nerve inside me and I'm still thinking about this long after the credits. So, cheers to you, Martyrs, for reaffirming my faith in foreign horror.

As I raise a drink well inside the safety zone compound, I wish you all a Happy New Year and a wonderful 2010.

Thanks!