What's black and white and re(a)d all over?

Let's see . . . black is our hair, and white is our skin, and red are our nails, and your blood, so I've heard . . . do you mind if I take a look? Oh, did you say read? Why yes, we have been getting a lot of press; so glad you noticed! Our webminion was getting such a swelled head we had to knock a hole in it so she could deflate (and luckily the brain damage had no effect on her webmastering skills). We're very impressed by the cover of the latest Videoscope Magazine, with Vampira as cover ghoul!

Finnish What We Started

Our pal, writer Ari Väntänen interviewed director Kevin Sean Michaels and wrote a wonderful article for the Finnish magazine Rytmi. It's a music and movie magazine, a bit like the UK Mojo magazine of Finland, in Finnish. Finland is Maila Nurmi's birthplace, so we are honored to get press over there. Thanks Ari!

There are excerpts from the Videoscope article, Rytmi article (conveniently translated into English) and many others on our press page, so please take a look!

And we don't need to tell you that nowadays anyone can be read all over. So if you've seen Vampira: The Movie, don't be shy -- post your review on IMDB, Amazon.com, your blog, or another website of your choice. We encourage everyone to be brutally honest, or at least brutal in general. Don't worry about all the praise causing our webminion to get pompous -- she needs more reviews like she needs another hole in the head.

Vampira coming to South Africa

Vampira: The Movie will be featured at the annual South African Horrorfest film festival that will take place Halloween week, October 2008. It's the only event of its kind on the African continent, and includes feature films, shorts, documentaries, live music and more. For all the details, visit www.horrorfest.info. Thanks to Paul Blom for inviting us.

Would you like to see Vampira: The Movie play in your hometown? Please contact your local theater or festival and let them know. Any suggestions can be sent directly to us, here or at our MySpace page.

Coming soon: T-Shirts from Impact Merchandising

We're pleased to announce that two absolutely delightful Vampira: The Movie T-shirts will be available Spring 2008 direct from Impact Merchandising. Stay tuned for more details!

Thank you, dahlings -- Alpha New Cinema informs us that Vampira: The Movie is their fastest-selling DVD to date, and has gone into a second pressing! Creepy Classics reports that "Vampira: The Movie comes out of the box (coffin) to rocket to number two." And like a severed head on a string, the DVD has been bouncing around in the top-ten of Alpha's parent company Oldies.com. Now we need your help to get to number one!

If you haven't already bought a copy for yourself, don't delay -- after all, one never knows when one might be hacked to death by some crazed undead axe-wielding monster. There's no sense in being bored while awaiting your gruesome demise. And what could be a better Halloween gift for friends (real or imaginary)? Buy one for yourself, one for the ghoul in the attic, one to use as a shield against monster attacks,* buy them by the box-full to give to trick-or-treaters . . .

Getting great reviews, please write more

Our poor webminion is going mad trying to keep our press page up to date, so please take a look! Well, actually she's been mad all along, but we can't bear to fire her when she's so devoted. Why, even in a straitjacket she'll keep typing code with her toes (long creepy toes they are, too), and she's befriended all the mice in the dungeon. Or maybe she said she's eaten them, it was hard to tell. But amidst the endless screams and inane babble, we discerned that Vampira: The Movie is "campy fun" per the Deseret Morning News, a "celebration of her incredible career" per Home Media Retailing, "has a very impressive cast of onscreen contributors" per Mr. Skin, and is . . . er . . . "just another cheap documentary for hard-core enthusiasts only" per DVD Talk. Maybe Vampira is an acquired taste. Like mice.

The bloggers have been busy too. Check out these great reviews from Zombos Closet of Horror and Jan Alan Henderson (scroll down). Thanks, Zombo and Jan!

We'd like to know what all you other hard-core enthusiasts think. After watching the movie, please post your review on IMDB, Amazon.com, your blog, or another website of your choice. Let's see how many appendages we can get our webminion to type with!

Upcoming events

October is our busiest month yet, as Vampira: The Movie is showing ghost to ghost. Er . . . make that coast to coast. October 18th is our Rhode Island Premiere at the Rhode Island International Horror Film Festival. This eerie-sistable festival will include numerous world premieres of shorts and features including the best of films submitted in competition from all over the globe. To add to the fun, the Festival, much like a witch's brew, will consist of various ingredients such as a costume contest and awards for Best Feature and Best Short and more.

October 19 through 21, director Kevin Sean Michaels will be at the Screamfest horror convention, so stop by the booth and say boo! Screamfest includes the Freak Show Film Festival, which is showing Vampira: The Movie on October 21 at 1:00 PM. Screamfest gets bigger every year, so we can't wait to see what they have in store.

Then on Friday, October 26th, Oddball Films presents the West Coast premiere of Vampira: The Movie, along with legendary filmmaker JX Williams's sex cult/horror short The Virgin Sacrifice (1965) and The Haunted Mouth, starring Cesar Romero ("The Joker" on TV's Batman). Showtime is 8:30PM, Admission is $10.00. Limited Seating. RSVP Only to: info@oddballfilm.com or call (415) 558-8117.

Now on to Halloween time, and we have some tricks and treats planned. Our good buddy from Crystal Lake, Ari Lehman, will be coming to New York for a live show at Lucky 13 Saloon in Brooklyn and a screening at our home turf (not Transylvania, but close) The Cinema Arts Centre. If, unlike our webminion, you're not fortunate enough to be mad 24/7, you'll definitely want to partake of the Cinema Arts Centre's Halloween Madness event. Join us in Huntington, NY for a double feature of Plan 9 From Outer Space and Vampira: The Movie. Special guests will include Vampira director Kevin Sean Michaels, editor Alexia Anastasio, and composer Ari Lehman, and Plan 9 actor Conrad Brooks. (Update 10/29: We regret to announce that Conrad Brooks has cancelled.) Come in costume to get $3 off your ticket price, and make it a frighteningly good costume to win a horrific prize!

November is starting to book up too, as Vampira: The Movie is an official selection at TromaDance New Mexico. TromaDance New Mexico is an independent film festival dedicated to the celebration and advancement of truly independent art! This year's festival is scheduled for November 16-18 at the historic Guild Cinema in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Lloyd Kaufman, President of Troma and creator of the Toxic Avenger will be on hand to present his latest TroMasterpiece Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead (of which Kevin Sean Michaels was Art Director) and to give one of his legendary "Make Your Own Damn Movie" Master Classes! Lloyd makes our webminion look perfectly sane by comparison, so no doubt a fun time will be had by all.

We're not sure we like those sounds coming from the dungeon, so we'd better go. But be sure to check back for updates, and have a boo-tiful Halloween!

Hello dahlings . . . It was great seeing you all at Wizard World, Rue Morgue and Dragon*Con! Our cold bodies certainly got a warm reception. The Pullbox website has posted a great video interview from Wizard World: Kevin and Ari interviewed by strongbadwi.

Our cold bodies will get even warmer once we’re in Florida for the Screamfest horror convention October 19 through 21. Vampira: The Movie will be showing on Sunday the 21st as part of the convention’s Freak Show Film Festival. We’re looking forward to meeting all you screaming freaks in person!

Now on to Halloween time, and we have some tricks and treats planned. Our good buddy from Crystal Lake, Ari Lehman, will be coming to New York for a live show at Lucky 13 Saloon in Brooklyn and a screening at our home turf (not Transylvania, but close) The Cinema Arts Centre.

A (Salem's) lot of you have been asking about the DVD. Vampira: The Movie comes to stores and is available online September 25, 2007 from Alpha New Cinema. You can pre-order it here. We found out that you can even get it in Canada at a store called Cinema 1.

Vampiric kisses and bad dreams 'til we see you again!

Hello dahlings. We've got so much news, our brains are bursting! Our poor webminion's been cleaning grey matter off the ceiling for hours. First, the news you've all been waiting for: Vampira: The Movie is coming to DVD on August 28, 2007! We've signed a U.S. distribution deal with Alpha New Cinema, and Vampira: The Movie will be available wherever DVD's are sold.

Alpha New Cinema is a new imprint whose goal is to present eclectic, interesting and unusual contemporary motion pictures and television productions from around the world. Alpha New Cinema is a division of Alpha Video, a leading manufacturer and marketer of budget-priced movies on VHS and DVD. Alpha Video releases over 30 new DVD titles monthly and has over 900 DVD titles and almost 200 VHS titles currently available.

For the full story, read the official press release: Alpha New Cinema Unleashes Vampira: The Movie on DVD.

Be sure to pre-order your copy today!

Kevin Sean Michaels is Wizard World Featured Guest

Not just for Windy City Wizards, the upcoming Wizard World comic book convention is sure to make magical memories for everyone there! Taking place in Chicago from August 9th through 12th, the convention features DC Comics Ultimate Pop Culture Event, and attendees will have a chance to meet and greet some of the finest talent in the comic industry today. Vampira: The Movie director Kevin Sean Michaels is a featured guest, in conjunction with Fangoria Comics.

Update: Editor Alexia Anastasio and score composer/musician Ari Lehman will be there too -- be sure to stop by the booth and say hi!

Get all the details at the official Wizard World site.

Vampira: The Movie official selection at Dragon*Con

We've got more great news for those of you dying to see Vampira: The Movie on the big screen. We're honored to report that Vampira: The Movie is now an official selection at the Dragon*Con Independent Film Festival, part of the monstrously cool Dragon*Con convention in Atlanta, Georgia August 31 through September 3. Dragon*Con is America's largest, multi-media, popular arts convention focusing on science fiction and fantasy, gaming, comics, literature, art, music, and film.

Vampira: The Movie is showing at 1 AM (when all the ghouls come out to play!) on Friday night. Director Kevin Sean Michaels and legal Smeagol eagle Theodora Michaels will be on hand to introduce the film and answer questions.

See you at the Morgue!

Vampira: The Movie is an official sponsor of the Rue Morgue Festival of Fear, Canada's largest horror event. We'll be there for, as it says on their site, HORROR . . . HYSTERIA . . . TERROR . . . EVIL . . . MONSTERS . . . and all that good stuff! This is part of the massive Fan Expo Canada August 24th through 26th, which also includes the Comic Book Expo, Science Fiction Expo, Anime Expo and Gaming Expo, so there's something for everyone!

Vampira: The Movie a big hit at Comic-Con

Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Vampira: The Movie/Shocker Toys booth at Comic-Con! We had so much fun, we haven't recovered enough to write a report yet, but we'll be posting one soon. We know we left our mark, as over a thousand fans walked away (temporarily) tattooed with the Vampira: The Movie logo! No doubt we'll one day be working with the baby whose mother insisted we put one on his forehead.

For now, we'll have to turn to the bloggers for their reports. Here's one who caught Kevin Sean Michaels getting thrown in a headlock by Tura Satana (scroll down). And another who caught our Vampira model Crow posing with Jabba The Hutt. And -- what's this? Actual press? Home Media Retailing captured a nice portrait of our Ghoul Girls with Kevin Sean Michaels in front of our booth. We're looking forward to seeing more photos as people recover enough to upload their cameras.

Kevin Sean Michaels to produce Ted V. Mikels doc

In other news, we're pleased to announce that Kevin Sean Michaels will be producing a documentary entitled The Wild World Of Ted V. Mikels, a rollicking look at the independent cinema and film pioneering of Ted V. Mikels (no relation to Kevin, but the same spirit), who has been producing films for over 60 years. Way before limited-budget action films became termed as "grindhouse," Ted was wowing audiences with his own special brand of guts, gore, humor, violence and most of all -- style.

The film will star Ted himself, along with screen legend Tura Satana (Russ Meyer's Faster Pussycat! Kill! Kill! and Ted Mikels's Astro-Zombies and The Doll Squad), superstar actress-model Masuimi Max, and Black Betty (After Dark Films "Miss Horrorfest").

Read the full press release: The Wild World of Ted V. Mikels

Hello dahlings, we're thrilled to death to report that Vampira: The Movie has been named an official selection of the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival. The screaming screening will be on Thursday July 26 at 9:15 PM, in the San Diego Convention Center. We're dying to see you there! Get all the details at the the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival website.

Sneaking Speaking of comics, Fangoria Comics has just announced a limited edition Vampira: The Movie serial killer. Watch this space for gore more information. See you in the funny farm pages!

We've saved the beast best for last. If you stop by the Vampira: The Movie booth at Comic-Con July 26th through 29th, there's no knowing who you'll run away from into. What a monstrously magnificent cast of creatures we're expecting! Come and mangle mingle with renowned actor Michael Madsen (co-creator of Fango Comics Shifter; Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill), director/special effects legend Robert Kurtzman (creator of Fango Comics Beneath the Valley of the Rage; From Dusk Til Dawn, Wes Craven's Wishmaster), creator/writer/artist Mark Kidwell (Fango Comics Bump; Frank Frazetta's Death Dealer), film producer Patrick Durham (co-creator of Fango Comics Shifter; Cabin Fever 2 film), animator/director Jeffrey Nodelman (creator/writer of Fango Comics The Fourth Horseman; Venture Bros.), artist Tommy Castillo (The Fourth Horseman, Batman, Se7en), and many more. Plus signings, posters, limited edition prints, and all kinds of spooky shenanigans! Read all about it in the official Fangoria Comics press release: Fangoria Comics plans for San Diego Comic-Con International. UPDATE: Click here for list of guests and full signing schedule.

We'll be posting more big news soon! We could tell you everything now, but then we'd have to kill you, and we've already had too much fun today. Stay spooky and stay tuned!

Burbank was glorious for us . . . thanks to all the fiends who came to the Vampira: The Movie table at Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors and to the screening. Matthew Muhl from Deadly Cinema did a great job introducing the film with us . . . thanks Matt!

Also, big thanks to director Ramzi Abed for asking our humble director Kevin Sean Michaels to be in his new experimental film A Spiral State. Kevin plays a hapless (hopeless) victim who gets lured to a mysterious woman's apartment and gets drugged (and then who knows!). It should be a very interesting film overall from what footage we saw of it. Good luck with it, Ramzi.

Back on the road . . . Join us for three monstrous days in Secaucus, New Jersey, Friday, Saturday and Sunday June 29 - July 1, Meadowlands Crowne Plaza (2 Harmon Plaza) for Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors for a sneak peek at Vampira: The Movie. Director Kevin Sean Michaels will present the movie with special guests. Other guests at the con include James Marsters (Buffy and Angel star), Jeffrey Combs (Re-animator), Rob Schmidt (Director: Wrong Turn, Masters Of Horrors' Right To Die), Kamal Ahmed (The Jerky Boys, Beer League; writer/director: Rapturious - in which Kevin played an extra), Uwe Boll (Director: House Of The Dead, Alone In The Dark, Bloodrayne, Postal), Robert Kurtzman (KNB co-founder and Wishmaster director will preview his latest films Buried Alive and The Rage), Coralina Cataldi Tassoni (Actress: Argento's The Third Mother, Phantom Of The Opera, Ghost Son), Dee Snider (Fangoria Radio host, Strangeland, Twisted Sister), Debbie Rochon (Fangoria Radio and TV hostess and star of such cult flicks as American Nightmare, The Bog Creatures, Tromeo & Juliet, Terror Firmer, Nowhere Man), Joe Bob Briggs (Drive-in/grindhouse author and TV host; author of Profoundly Disturbing), and goth guru Voltaire! Can anyone email us directions to the New Jersey Turnpike?

Hello, dahlings. We're back from the Weekend of Fear film festival in Erlangen, Germany -- where the horror fans really know how to party! Full report and photos coming soon!

With barely enough time to unpack and repack, now we're off to Burbank, California. Vampira: The Movie will be screening at Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors at 8:00 PM on Saturday, May 19. Come to the Vampira booth all weekend for fiendish surprises and meet director Kevin Sean Michaels. Check out the entire Burbank Fango con film schedule. Although not on the poster, Henry Rollins and Rob Zombie will be at the con too!

Stuck in front of your computer? Fangoria.tv is presenting a special 12-minute sneak preview of Vampira: The Movie for your viewing pleasure.

Stay tuned -- we've got some big news to announce soon!

Hello, dahlings. Gooey thanks to the folks at the I-CON festival on Long Island, NY-- we had a blast (as the fans were dynamite)!

In April we're headed to Erlangen, Germany for the Weekend of Fear film festival sponsored by Virus Magazine, which is running a feature article on Vampira: The Movie. The movie is in English, but we are happy to report that people may shout responses in German ala The Rocky Horror Picture Show as it is playing at midnight April 27th!

Speaking of shouting, we're screamingly happy to report that the current issue of Screem Magazine features a three-page cover story on Vampira: The Movie. Be sure to buy your copy today!

Next, director Kevin Sean Michaels is off to jolly ol' England to start a new film project with Hammer Films' "Queen of Horror" Ingrid Pitt, star of Countess Dracula, Where Eagles Dare, The Wicker Man and many others. Kevin may come back with a few holes in his neck.

See you in Europe (via Transylvania).

Hello, dahlings. Our Chicago sneak preview, panel and party were a blast, and an icy blast at that! Even the abominable snowman showed up, and the Fangoria Weekend of Horrors was sold out, despite the blizzard. Thanks to everyone at Fangoria and Creation Entertainment for allowing our Vampira-inspired dancer to have free reign, and to Ari Lehman and Debbie Rochon for being so informative and entertaining. And thanks to everyone who showed up to watch, listen, and ask questions. Speaking of which, we've added a new FAQ page, though you inspired us to give it a slightly different title!

Next up, Vampira: The Movie will be showing on our home turf at the huge I-CON festival on Long Island, NY, March 23rd, 24th, and 25th. We can't wait to hang out with Conrad Brooks, Penny Dreadful, Debbie Rochon, Professor Kinema and thousands of other cool people at I-CON -- see below for details!

After that, mein Liebchen, it's on to Erlangen, Germany for the Weekend of Fear film festival sponsored by Virus Magazine. Want to check out their website, but don't speak German? You can try Google's translation to read about prior events, which "for plentifully controversies provided."

We're off to brush up on our German, but we'll have more updates for you soon. Stay tuned!

Hello, dahlings. Vampira: The Movie is coming to the windy city and all the ghosties will be blowing into town for this one.

A special sneak-preview screening will take place at the next Midwest edition of Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors convention, to be held February 23-25 (three monstrous days!) at the Wyndham Chicago O'Hare Hotel (6810 North Mannheim Road, Rosemont, IL). Michaels will discuss his movie and introduce the screening. In a separate presentation, Michaels and composer Ari Lehman will discuss the creation of the score. The final cut of the movie features an original musical score by Lehman, the musician/actor who portrayed the young Jason Voorhees in "Friday the 13th."

Lehman's band, FIRSTJASON, is scheduled to play a Vampira: The Movie Bash at Memories, Saturday, February 24th, with groups The Massacres and Johnny Vomit supporting.

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