The 10:00am convention line up
My day started off by getting to the convention centre early. It was 10:00am. I didn't actually have to be anywhere specific until 11:00am. 11:00am was the Anchor Bay Black Christmas screening.
The line to get into the main room, the room with all the toys, autographs, bubble gum cards, and comics for sale was incredible. It snaked it's way from the main doorway all the way over to the other end of the room then folded back and forth filling up the room. Yeesh.
Art Hindle and John Saxon
I decided to go to plan B, which was to find something to eat. The only vendor was located on the floor above. I had a coke and a sandwich, a very small sandwich, all totalling $9.00. I should put food expenses into my contract. Not only does food cost money but it takes time to get it and convention food is right up there with airport food in that it's not very cost effective eating.
At 11:00am sharp I was already at the room configuring the DVD player. It was set to the wrong aspect ratio. It, as a 24 frame playback person was screaming inside me, really bugged me so I offered the anchor bay guy there my services.
The two actors that were present at the screening were John Saxon and Art Hindle. While most people remember John Saxon as the token white guy in Enter the Dragon, I remember him most from an episode of the Six Million Dollar Man. He played a robot that could assume other people by changing his face. (Note: according to Big Joe, see photo below, the robot toy was called maskatron but in the actual show he or it had no name).
As a kid, John Saxon as the robot, scared the crap out of me. It wouldn't be until he teamed up with Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon that those scary nightmares of being pummelled by a robot would go away. Much later on (like a few months ago) I saw the Kung Fu episode where John plays a bounty hunter (Season One on DVD). At the time of watching the episode I thought "Hey cool it's John Saxon, the guy that played the android in the Six Million Dollar Man". Today that episode had more relevance.
John Saxon and Wes Craven
After the intro to the screening of Black Christmas, the actors, the people of Anchor Bay and I wandered down to another room where Wes Craven was just finishing up with autographs. Just as security was kicking me out, and I have to give credit to Susan at Anchor Bay because she's awesome, Susan pleds with the security person to let me stay to take a photo if she got the other anchor bay people to leave the room. Here's the shot I managed to get while security was pondering that question. I was in and out of the room in less than two minutes. Not the best photo but a great photo under those conditions.
Heather Van Viper and other computer gaming friend.
On the way out of the room and off to another Anchor Bay screening I bumped into Heather Van Viper, one of Simon Mah's girls (photographer to the stars). I had met her before at a playboy Swimming Pool event. It was a surprise seeing her working the convention asking people for their email for some video game related thing.
John Saxon with a David Carradine story from "Kung Fu"
Later on in the day the actors of Black Christmas reconvened in another room for a panel discussion of the movie. Art and John were joined by Lynne Griffin(actor), Burt Dunc (camera), and composer Carl Zittrer. William Alexander of Critical Mass was the moderator. They covered mostly topics from the movie but also strayed off topic a bit to talk about John Saxon's career.
The Black Christmas panel, left to right, William Alexander, John Saxon, Lynne Griffin, Burt Dunc, Art Hindle, Carl Zittrer
Lynne Griffin shows her breathing technique in a plastic bag.
Burt Dunc describes one of the camera techniques used in Black Christmas.
Big Joe of Dragon Lady Comics
Sam Argo, artist and improv guy.
Rob Pincombe of the Random Few, artist, performer and star of the "Milk Man cometh".
Two guys dressed like bananas
The Anchor Bay booth.
Norman Mah, Action Figure
A Jawa
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