Horror fans get intimate in Falls
Horror fans loved having a Niagara Falls convention this weekend dedicated to all the things they love.
“I like it because it’s a lot more intimate, it’s more segregated to the horror genre,” said Aaron Kellar, who Saturday dressed up as Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street during the first-ever Frightmare in the Falls at Scotiabank Convention Centre.
Shawn McAllister, who dressed as Sam from the movie Trick ‘r Treat, said “sometimes the smaller conventions are the better conventions.”
McAllister, who is from Niagara Falls, attended the festival with some friends who were also from the Honeymoon Capital, as well as from Hamilton.
They all dressed up as various horror characters.
While attendance was steady during the convention Saturday and Sunday, visitors did not have to deal with the shoulderto-shoulder crowds seen during the popular annual Niagara Falls Comic Con at the same venue.
Frightmare was from the duo behind comic con, Chris Dabrowski and James Ponce.
Dabrowski said about 2,000 people attended Saturday, while more than 1,000 were expected to attend Sunday.
“It had the same buzz as the first year of Comic Con,” he said.
“The horror genre has a very loyal and dedicated fan base. People from as far as California attended the event.”
Dave Rogers, from Guelph, dressed as Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and enjoyed meeting two actors who played the horror character in the past.
“I go to a lot of these conventions, was at Horrorama in Toronto last weekend,” he said.
“I missed out on meeting Gunnar Hansen (who played Leatherface in the first Texas Chainsaw Massacre film), but it was cool to talk to (two other actors who played the character) … and hear their stories of meeting Gunnar, and some of the cast from the first film.”
Rogers said he never does cosplay, but with cast members from his favourite horror series at the convention, he made an exception this time.
“I love any event that’s focused on horror. I have typically come to Niagara (Falls) Comic Con in the past — love that, but amazing to have our own genre fest, too.”
One of the booths at the festival belonged to The Butcher Shop, a special makeup effects business based out of Toronto and Hamilton that works with the film, television and music-video industries.
“Wherever there’s a need, we create it, so practical effects, monsters, all the zombie stuff, stop-motion puppets,” said Carlos Henriques, who owns the company along with Ryan Louagie.
Alexander Silberberg, who does work for The Butcher Shop, sculpts some of the company’s creations.
“Carlos calls me up whenever he needs help with projects. I help with the sculpting, then moulding, sometimes painting, and sometimes I go and apply the pieces, as I’m a makeup artist as well.”
Henriques said they were asked to fill a booth at the convention after a last-minute cancellation, and were happy to take up the offer.
“They knew that we had all these props, all these suits, all these creatures and stuff lurking around. I think it’s fantastic. I can’t believe first year all the people that are here.”
Frightmare in the Falls was a mashup of everything horror-related, including celebrity guests, horror-themed vendors, artists and haunted attractions.
Guests included Kane Hodder (Jason in multiple Friday the 13th movies), Bill Johnson and Dan Yeager from Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and Texas Chainsaw 3D, Child’s Play stars Alex Vincent and Christine Elise, and Mitch Markowitz of cult Canadian show The Hilarious House of Frightenstein.
Attractions included a Creepshow Expo, the ’58 Plymouth Fury from Christine, the Munster Koach from The Munsters, a horror gaming area, the Blood in the Snow Film Festival, and the Niagara Falls Psychic & Paranormal Expo.