So you think you're a real horror film fan? Well, how far would you travel to attend a horror film convention like The Monster Bash 1998? A hundred miles? More? You'd have to come a long way to match...
By Janete Nascimento
Special To HORROR-WOOD WEBZINE
(Editor's Note: Janete Nascimento is a Brazilian beauty who also loves Bashing--Monster Bashing, that is. She recently attended The Monster Bash 1998 in July 1998 and had a horribly good time--and became well known when a picture of her in the arms of no less than Conrad Brooks was published in HORROR-WOOD. Her full name is Janete Costa Nascimento (her last name means "birth" and she likes the idea of having birth as a family name). She was born in Rio de Janeiro and lived in Rio almost all her life, except for four years in Brasilia, the Capital City of Brazil). She graduated in Letters and Arts at the Public University of Rio de Janeito (the "Brazilian Harvard"), where she majored in Portuguese and English. Janete works for the Brazilian magazine of Rotary International where she translates, does research and writes articles and news. She explained, "I've learned to enjoy horror movies with my father, who is a great fan of Boris Karloff. My dream, nowadays, is to spend one or two years in the United States to improve my spoken English and my listening too. My second dream is to get married. Candidates, please!" You may e-mail Janete here.)
Legend has it that a long time ago a bunch of zombies landed on a city called Pittsburgh. Since then, it has never been the same. This year, these fiends became friends and were ready to welcome all those crazy enough to enter their temple. I did it, and they grabbed my heart, which will be there forever.
I am Brazilian, and I have never been abroad in my life. It's funny, because I've been studying English for some years now, and I have always been curious about the American lifestyle. But this year I said to myself: I am going to travel Stateside! But, which city? First I've found out about an English course in New York that was run by a college and wasn't expensive. I would stay in New York State (near Manhattan!) for a whole month. So, New York it would be. But, when? Well, I work, and had to pick up a date for my vacation, but I just couldn't decide about it.
Then, spooky things started to happen...I was surfing the web, looking for some information about trash and psychotronic movies, and a link to the Monster Bash suddenly popped up in front of me. And a supernatural force took my hand to move the mouse and click the link. The pages opened and, after penetrating that spectral page, the idea of attending the Bash haunted me for the next two months.
I thought I should make plans for that, because I wasn't sure yet. First of all, I needed to know how to get there from NY, and I got this information from the Bashmaster himself. Ron Adams sent me such a lovely e-mail (hey, it was supposed to be gloomy!) as did "E-gor," George Chastain, that I immediately decided to go. (Oh, they told me to go by Amtrak train--and I certainly did!)
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| This is the reward for a long trip to the Bash--being mauled by Conrad "The Werewolf" Brooks! |
I prepared myself in ten days and, as soon as I got to Manhattan I bought my ticket and got to Pittsburgh. Then I arrived at the hotel and couldn't get a room...Wow. Fortunately, the people at the Bash were wonderful, and I met this couple, Amy and Mark, who helped me more than I could even dream about. They took me to a motel where I registered and took me back to the Holiday Inn and introduced me to many nice people. I had three gorgeous days there. I talked to all the dealers and guests, and also to the "bashers" (should I say "banshees/bashees"?). I could see Ray Harryhausen in person! (How could I ever imagine that when I went to the cinema to watch Clash of the Titans more than 10 years ago?) I could also watch "El Santo" and laugh at the nice jokes the audience would throw. El Santo is an "old friend" of mine, as I used to watch his movies when I was a kid. It brought me many memories of that time. I just couldn't believe I was watching it again...
And there was that surprising Kong Kake, so big that everybody could eat it and there still was cake left for a second round. Well, I must say I didn't eat the cake, because I ate a dish of dried bananas that were on the top of it! Well, I'm Brazilian, you know, I will always prefer bananas to cake...
I enjoyed every moment I spent at the Bash. The food and the service were excellent (thumbs up to Holiday Inn!) and the organization was tremendous. And the "Bash Staff" was really, really lovely. I felt very comfortable there. Oh, and I bought some terrific stuff too, like movies, t-shirts and many presents to my Brazilian friends.
I hope I can come back next year. Maybe if the spooky spectres start haunting me again...well, this will be the first time someone will be asking to be haunted...
Thanks, Janete! Your love of horror films and great sense of fun and adventure is an inspiration to all of us! We hope those "spectres" will send you our way again soon. Cheers!
Article copyright (c) Janete Costa Nascimento
