Myself and fellow Nerds and Beyond writer, Michelle, returned for another day of horror movie fun at HorrorHound Weekend in Indianapolis last weekend. Sunday continued an impressive line-up of celebrities, more creepy cosplay and plenty of vendors with the perfect momento for the horror genre super fan. These are some of our Sunday highlights!
Getting To Know James Marsters
If you’re a Buffy The Vampire Slayer fan, this was the panel to check out! James Marsters played Spike in the series, Buffy’s enemy turned on again, off again love interest. He talked about his friendships with his costars and also reflected on some emotional scenes that were difficult to shoot. He shared what it was like to transition from theater to television and how he learned to adjust his acting choices based on the medium in which he’s working.
John Barrowman fans also got to enjoy some anecdotes Marsters shared from his work on the show Torchwood. He appeared in season two of that show playing Captain John Hart, a former Time Agent and partner to Barrowman’s character, Captain Jack Harkness. In one episode it was revealed that the two characters were not only former professional partners but had a past sexual relationship as well. Marsters shared that he was proud to be part of such a groundbreaking storyline at the time and shared that he wants to play roles that are subversive in that way because it challenges the status quo.
Even Supernatural fans got a little love in this panel! Marsters appeared in the season seven episode “Shut Up, Dr. Phil”, along with former Buffy costar Charisma Carpenter. He talked about the good-natured teasing at his expense and what it was like to work with some of the cast. Apparently, even Buffy The Vampire Slayer stars aren’t immune to pranks on the Supernatural set! He also commended Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki for being “immune to fame” and not letting the business negatively affect them after so many years.
Laughter And Sage Advice From Sean Patrick Flanery
Turns out Sean Patrick Flanery is both hilarious and wise! He appeared Saturday with several cast members from the Saw franchise, but on Sunday had a solo panel where he answered fan’s questions about his decades long career. He’s also well-known as the lead role in the 1995 movie Powder and the role of Conner McManus in the movies Boondock Saints and Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day.
He pulled back the curtain so to speak and shared some of the movie magic tricks that made the gruesome scenes in Saw look so real. He told the humorous story of his unfortunate nipple incident in his Saw death trap scene, which involved a rubber pectoral prosthetic and a metal hook. He assured us his injury was minor and it sounds like no nipples were significantly or permanently harmed in the making of this movie. Whew!
Funny stories aside, Flanery was quite serious sometimes too. He reflected on growing up poor and how that’s helped him maintain a healthy perspective working as an actor in the industry. He also talked about the virtues of working hard and shared advice for fans hoping to pursue a career in entertainment and media.
His panel wrapped up with some fun anecdotes from the Boondock Saints movies. He shared some of the good-natured teasing he received from co-star Willem Defoe. He also reflected on his close friendship with Norman Reedus (Walking Dead), who played his twin brother in the movie. He ended with a story about a prank he pulled on Reedus that entailed a series of risqué but hilarious pictures with donuts. It’s not a story to share here but if you ever have the opportunity to see Sean Patrick Flanery at a convention, ask him about Norman Reedus and the donuts!
Vendors Galore!
The vendor room was a massive area teaming with horror fans of all kinds. Not only did it include vendors selling products but it also housed all of the celebrity/artist tables and the photo op area. Taking in the vendor area was quite a feat considering how enormous the room was and it required several laps around. The vendor tables had the best of horror convention fare: jewelry, art, clothing, figurines, accessories and more.
A funny and mysterious occurance at every convention we’ve attended together, this one included, is our ability to somehow spot memorabilia from our favorite fandom from several feet away nestled among the hundreds of other fandom franchises. All weekend we managed to spot even the tiniest thing from afar and then make a bee line straight to it. One of us would inevitably gasp, “Oh look!”, to which the other would respond, “Aw!” We’re thinking this might be a universal fan experience because the people around us were doing too! Such a big vendor area may seem a little overwhelming, but don’t worry, you will spot your favorite fandom thing in the crowd.
The vendor room also included a concessions area. So, after several laps around, if you find yourself hungry or thirsty you can enjoy a snack and relax. This was also the best place for people and cosplay watching. We happily munched on nachos and pretzels as fans wandered by covered in fake blood, wearing rubber masks or carrying a bloody plastic ax.
This was our first horror convention experience and we had a great time! We wanted to thank the people of HorrorHound Weekend for coming to the Midwest, especially Indianapolis. Nerds are everywhere so thanks for remembering us!
The best part is that HorrorHound Weekend is already scheduled to come back next year! It will be returning to Indianapolis September 18-20, 2020. For more information you can visit their website here!
