Chiller Theatre Report: Spring 2011

Chiller Theatre’s Spring 2011 convention was a solid entry in the ever-expanding history of this New Jersey institution. Although the celebrity list was seemingly average, of those actors and musicians who did show up, the results were great. And fans turned out in droves, as is the normal case for any Chiller show. In many ways, this biannual feast of zombies, werewolves and vampires is becoming too big for the Hilton Parsippany in Parsippany, N.J. The hotel affords a pleasant atmosphere with plenty of parking, but the hallways always seem filled to capacity.

Zacherley, everyone’s favorite Cool Ghoul, was the guest of honor and presided over the convention like a king. His autograph is still the best deal at the show: It’s free! Seeing the old horror-movie host is like a rite of passage. Chiller Theatre wouldn’t be Chiller Theatre without him.

Other celebrities were gracious with the many fans who lined up to grab a picture and scribble of the Sharpie marker. Dean Stockwell, of Battlestar Galactica and Quantum Leap fame, was present, as was the always reliable Ernest Borgnine, a legendary actor who had the longest line at the convention. (Oddly, Stockwell charged $5 more than Borgnine for an autograph.)

Gary Busey (Silver Bullet, Celebrity Apprentice) met many fans, as did Heather Langenkamp of A Nightmare on Elm Street and PJ Soles of Halloween. Soles only charged $20 for an autograph and allowed any personal pictures for free.

The latest Italian Invasion installment included the cast and crew of the infamous horror flick, Demons (or Demoni in Italian). Lamberto Bava, the director of the film and its sequel, was a great addition to the lineup. Unfortunately, the director and writer of Troll 2 (the Best Worst Movie of all time) had to cancel.

The kids (now grownups) from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory signed autographs, and a few other oddball entries (Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Gos?) greeted fans. How great would it have been if Gene Wilder showed up?

As with all Chiller shows, the crowds were made up of good people on the hunt for great deals in the vendor room and a chance to meet the stars. The lines were mostly manageable; only the crowd for Busey’s room moved at a snail’s pace.

The vendors hocked everything from old movie posters to horror collectibles, with a few rare finds in the DVD market. Chiller Theatre has morphed into an old television/old movie festival, rather than just strictly horror (and that’s fine by me!).

All in all, Chiller Theatre’s Spring Expo was a success. It should serve as a great precursor to the upcoming Halloween show.

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