Universal Studios Celebrates Halloween Horror Nights
Words: Staci Layne Wilson
Photos: Enzo Giobbé
Universal Studios Hollywood launched its annual celebration of all things macabre, meaty, malevolent, and marvelous on Friday, October 5.
Universal, legendary for its contribution to the monster movie genre (generating iconic characters such as Dracula, The Wolf Man, and Frankenstein), paid homage to some new (Sheri Moon Zombie, Shawnee Smith) and established (Roger Corman, Don Mancini) horror heavy-hitters with its Eyegore Awards ceremony. Horror.com was on hand to record the event — our video is still on the way, but here are a few photos to get the blood flowing.
Rob Zombie and Sheri Moon Zombie talk to the press
After their red carpet stroll, the award presenters and winners mingled with fans and reporters at the party, where there was a live band and several "freaky" displays connoting this years' theme: The Carnival of Carnage.
Sexy snake-charmer
Coquettish conjoined twins
Feisty fat lady
Bawdy bearded woman
Once the pre-show festivities had wrapped, and a good amount of alcohol was consumed at the open bars situated on either end of the festooned room, the ceremonies began. Our malevolent MC, Michael Berryman (his scary star spans from the 70s [The Hills Have Eyes] to the present [The Devil's Rejects]) introduced some film clips showing not only Universal's contribution to our beloved genre, but also gave us a taste of what the evening would hold.
Sort of like a spookier Golden Globes Gal, this blood-spattered prom queen handed out the spiky, gremlin-like Eyegore Awards.
Here's the night's first award-recipient, Don Mancini. Mancini is the jocular genius behind the Child's Play genre — aka, "Chucky's Dad." He told the crowd that The Eyegore was is first award, and joked that among all the horror movie icons, Chucky was the only one who targets "the weak-ankled."
Shawnee Smith was next onstage, and she did a playful dance for the band before stepping up to the mic. "I'm honored, and frightened," she said. Shawnee also laughed that although horror movies terrify her, she's thrilled to have done the Saw movies and said that she'll do as many more as they want her to.
Corey Feldman's clip reel included many scenes from his stint in the Friday the 13th series, and, of course, The Lost Boys. Onstage, he confirmed that Lost Boys 2: The Tribe will be out next year.
Next, MC Michael Berryman introduced Sheri Moon Zombie, an Eyegore Award winner who "transcends medium" in the horror genre with her work in choreographing husband Rob Zombie's stage show, designing costumes, acting, appearing in rock videos, doing cartoon voices, and supervising her own clothing line. When Zombie accepted her award, she reminded everyone that her first film, House of 1000 Corpses, was filmed on the Universal lot. She also thanked her husband for everything from writing her great characters to play, to just loving her.
Patricia Arquette, an Eyegore Award recipient for her work in everything from A Nightmare in Elm Street III to her current TV hit Medium, was unable to attend — but in her place, she sent Zorro. Actually, that's her brother David, who jokingly said he didn't know it wasn't a costume party (trust us, he dresses like this all the time for red carpet events and awards galas!).
The final award recipient of the night, famed film producer Roger Corman, got stuck in traffic and was not there to get his gremlin, so Rob Zombie accepted on his behalf. Zombie told a funny story about Corman's legendary gift for thrift, and the "scaremoney" concluded.
After the Eyegore Awards, everyone was invited to check out the new haunted mazes and frightfully fun displays in the "abusement park".
The outside of Camp Blood, the Friday the 13th-themed haunted house maze.
Here's a pic, courtesy of Universal Studios, of the makings of a night to dismember.
Chucky's Insult Emporium was a big hit at the park... and definitely rated NC-17!
For more info, check out Universal's Halloween Horror Nights official website.