Founded in 2002, the Flashback Weekend Chicago Horror Convention is the largest and longest-running horror convention in the Chicago area (Rosemont to be specific), taking place at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare (home of the newly opened Murray Bros. Caddyshack restaurant, I should add) August 3-5. The event features a host of classic celebrity guests available for autographs, photos, Q&A panels, and film screenings. The various events are being hosted and emceed by myself, WGN Radio personality Nick Digilio, and Chicago-area native Heather Wixson, managing editor for Daily Dead News.
The highlight of this year’s convention is a pair of outdoor film screenings of movies directed by the legendary Tom Holland. The original Child’s Play screens August 3 at 8:45pm and will be introduced by Holland, along with the film’s stars Alex Vincent and Brad Dourif, who voiced the killer doll in all of the Chucky movies. Fiona Dourif and Christine Elise will also be on hand to discuss the further adventures of Chucky. Fright Night screens on August 4 at 8:15pm, introduced by Holland and cast members William Ragsdale, Amanda Bearse, Stephen Geoffreys and Jonathan Stark. Both screenings will be preceded by Q&As with the casts.
As part of the celebration of Fright Night, actor Stephen Geoffreys will be donning his classic “Evil Ed” vampire makeup, applied by the man who designed it originally, FX guru Steve Johnson, who also worked in such films as Species, The Fog, American Werewolf in London, Innocent Blood, Blade 2 and Predator. On August 4 only, attendees can get their photos taken with Geoffreys in full makeup (for a cost).
Other special events taking place include a cast reunion of Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, with actors Peter Barton, Lawrence Monoson and Judie Aronson (a screening of the film happens on August 4 at 11:30pm; a gathering of five actors who played Jason in various Friday the 13th movies—Steve Dash, Ted White, Tom Morga, C.J. Graham, Ken Kirzinger (who all will be posing for group photos with attendees); a costume contest sponsored by Sinister Visions and hosted by Chicago’s own late-night horror movie host Svengoolie; an “Ash vs. Evil Dead” series reunion with cast members Dana DeLorenzo and Ray Santiago; a special tribute to the late George A. Romero by his Night of the Living Dead writing partner John Russo, followed by a screening of the film on August 5 at 1pm; and the world premiere of director John Borowski's (who will be on hand to introduce) documentary Bloodlines: The Art and Life of Vincent Castiglia, screening in the Midway Room on the lower level, August 4 at 5pm.
Other guests on hand will include Micahel Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes, Weird Science, The Devil’s Rejects); Cerina Vincent (Cabin Fever, Tales of Halloween); Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp); Lynn Lowry (The Crazies, Shivers, Cat People); Paul T. Taylor (Hellraiser: Judgment); Tamara Glynn (Halloween 5); and Charles Band (Full Moon Features head, Puppet Master: The Littlest Reich executive producer).
Tickets and a complete schedule of all events at Flashback Weekend 2018 can be found at here.