Hey folks, Harry here... Yeah - who wants Oscar when you can get a Rondo. Rondo is a 1000 times more handsome. With that distinctive brow, that Lenoesque chin... Why, this is the award to hav on the mantle of the cool. Here's how it went this year...
Hi Harry (and the gang): David Colton of the Rondo Awards here. I was hoping, like last year, you'd be interested in the results of the Third Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards, recognizing excellence in classic horror research, creativity and genre preservation in 2004. The results were announced this week.
This year we had a record 1,614 votes -- all by email, and more than two-and-a-half times as many as last year. The turnout was quite simply astounding, given the length of the ballot and some of the arcane categories.
But classic horror voters are savvy -- winners ranged from Shaun of the Dead, which ran away with the Best Film competition, to Flip!, a small featurette about a boy ordering a monster from a monster magazine in the 60s, which took Best Independent Film.
I think all Ain't It Cool Readers will be fascinated by the results. Thanx for your support, and if you do run the press release, and link, we'd be very very pleased. Thanx again, guys, and good luck with your new look. It's very 'clean,' as McCartney's grandfather once said!!
Thanx for considering
david colton
(The awards themselves can be found at www.rondoaward.com which has lots of additonal information)
Here's the press release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (also available at rondoaward.com
LEGENDS, NEWCOMERS WIN 3rd ANNUAL RONDO AWARDS
Harryhausen and Dunagan, Creature and Hyde named best of 2004 in record horror fan vote
Feb. 23, 2005
ARLINGTON, VA -- The book of a lifetime by special effects legend Ray Harryhausen, classic monster films from the 30s and 50s, and an interview with the 'lost' child star of Son of Frankenstein were top winners in the Third Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards announced Sunday night.
A short film called Flip! took a hotly-contested battle for Best Independent Film. And a zombie satire, Shaun of the Dead, obliterated the big budget competition in voting for the Best Film of 2004.
Those were highlights of the 2004 Rondo Awards, named after 1940s character actor Rondo Hatton and devoted to honoring the best in classic horror scholarship, creativity and genre preservation.
The Rondos are an email survey of the horror fan community sponsored by the Classic Horror Film Board.
Now in its third year, the five weeks of balloting in 21 categories drew a record 1,614 votes from fans in the U.S. and more than 12 countries. It was the biggest classic horror survey in online history.
Top winners included:
-- Best Book of 2004: An Animated Life, by Ray Harryhausen and Tony Dalton, an oversized hardcover by the creator of Mighty Joe Young, the Beast from 20,000 Fathoms and the popular Sinbad movies.
-- Best Classic DVD: The Creature from the Black Lagoon Legacy collection, which included all three Creature movies from the 1950s and new audio commentaries by stars such as Lori Nelson and horror experts Bob Burns and Tom Weaver.
-- Best Restoration: A restored print of the 1932 version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, for which Fredric March won an Oscar, was the winner over the original Japanese version of Godzilla (known in 1954 Japan as Gojira).
-- Best Article: 'The Donnie Dunagan Interview,' by Tom Weaver in Video Watchdog #112, marked the first time Dunagan, the unforgettable child actor in Son of Frankenstein (1939) and the voice of Walt Disney's Bambi, had spo
ken to the media in 65 years. Weaver's interview with the retired Marine, who was living quietly in Texas unaware he was believed to be a 'lost' icon, was considered by many voters the scoop of the year in the world of classic horror scholarship.
Other honors:
-- Writer of the Year: In addition to the Dunagan interview, Tom Weaver won best writer honors for the third straight year. A write-in-only category, Weaver nevertheless was named by an impressive 127 voters.
"Maybe you should name this award after Tom, make him ineligible and give the rest of us a crack at it,'' joked a fellow horror writer during the balloting.
-- Magazine of the Year: Video Watchdog, edited by Tim and Donna Lucas, won top magazine honors for a third straight year as well, despite expanded voter participation that included more mainstream 'monster' magazines.
"We were far from confident about winning this year, what with the rising number of voters, but this makes our victory all the more meaningful,'' said Lucas. "Thank you everyone."
-- Best Convention went to the giant Chiller Expo, which often draws 10,000 or more to the Meadowlands. "Best convention? Chiller. There's no comparison,'' said one voter of the mega-event.
This ended a two-year run by a smaller, Pittsburgh-based convention called the Monster Bash, known for its more intimate sessions each June and which had dominated the voting.
-- Best Website went to an East Coast horror host perennial, Count Gore DeVol, whose supporters turned out in legions to support his website of film clips, horror quizzes and creature contests.
"Legendary host Dick Dyszel (as Count Gore), has been at this for so many many years,'' said one voter. "He really deserves this!''
and the critically praised remake of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by indie wonder Mark Redfield.
-- Best Movie went to Shaun of the Dead, which beat its closest competitors, Spider-Man 2 and Lost Skeleton of Cadavra, by almost two-to-one.
-- Best TV Presentation went to Bravo's five-part 100 Scariest Movie Moments, which narrowly edged out ABC's premiere monster-on-the-island episode of Lost.
-- Best Horror Comic was won by The Black Forest, a dark yet fanciful mix of classic monsters and World War I landscapes by Robert Tinnell, Todd Livingston and Neil Vokes.
-- Best CD went to a collector's dream of unreleased themes and incidental music from George Romero's Dawn of the Dead, which topped a compilation of Jerry Goldsmith movie and TV work.
-- Best Cover went to relative newcomer Daniel Horne's provocative painting of the Creature emerging near a sunbather for Chiller Theatre #21.
-- Best Fan Event was a near four-way tie, but fans warmed to the idea that Godzilla received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last June for his 50th Anniversary.
-- Best Model or Collectible went to the new Zuni Fetish Doll from Trilogy of Terror.
-- Best DVD Extra: Voters also were taken by the collector's busts of Frankenstein's monster, Dracula and the Wolf Man in Universal's Monster Legacy Collection, choosing those premiums at the Best DVD Extra over numerous commentaries and documentaries by some of the best in the genre, which were also nominated.
-- Best DVD Company went to Universal, in recognition of the studio's decision to re-release its classic monster DVDs last year.
-- Count Alucard's Controversy of the Year: Even while praising the studio, voters were split over Universal's computer-generated attempt ro re-invent the monster franchise for a new audience with Van Helsing. Voters named Van Helsing the Controversy of the Year.
named the 1933 version as the movie they most want to see released on DVD.
Finally, seven honorary Rondo awards were announced Sunday night:
-- Monster Kid of the Year: Larry Blamire, writer, director and star of the 50s scifi lampoon Lost Skeleton of Cadavra, was named Monster Kid of the Year for his work celebrating the best in classic horror and sensibilities. Several voters noted that no other work in 2004 came closer to the spirit of the genre than did his independent film that made good.
-- Monster Kid Hall of Fame: Six new members were announced for induction into the Monster Kid Hall of Fame. Joining Forrest J Ackerman and James Warren, Bob and Kathy Burns, and Zacherley and Vampira will be:
Ray Harryhausen, author Ray Bradbury, makeup genius Rick Baker, the late film historian William K. Everson and legendary 50s scifi filmmakers and long-time monster fans Richard Gordon and his late brother, Alex Gordon.
Many of the winners will receive Rondo Hatton statuettes, sculpted by Kerry Gammill (monsterkid.com), and cast by Tim M. Lindsey (tmlindsey.com). The awards will be given at various conventions this summer. Watch this website for more details. The expanded voting base was clearly a factor in the voting, explained Rondo organizer David Colton, a Virginia-based journalist and classic horror fan who said links to the Rondo ballot were posted at websites throughout cyberspace in January and February.
"By reaching out to more voters at places like Fangoria and Rue Morgue, and to the nation's 'underground' network of TV horror hosts, we naturally are opening the classic horror doors to a younger and larger electorate,'' Colton said.
"But it has been heartening to see that for the most part, young horror fans recognize the influence and coolness of the classic monsters and their creators. You can hardly see a difference this year in the voting when films like the 73-year-old Dr. Jekyll and a baby boomer remix, Flip! can still win.''
Colton added: "Once again, thank you to everyone who voted and, especially, to all the nominees. Finding winners is fun, but it is the work, brilliance and passion of all the nominees now and in years' past which is the true inspiration for the Rondo awards. See you again next year!"
(First and second place vote totals are in parentheses; also listed are honorable mentions who scored well.)
BEST FILM
SHAUN OF THE DEAD (219 votes)
Runner-up: SPIDER-MAN 2 (136 votes) Honorable mention: LOST SKELETON OF CADAVRA (120)
BEST TV PRESENTATION
Bravo's 100 SCARIEST MOVIE MOMENTS (226 votes)
Runner-up: LOST (218) Honorable mention: Hallmark FRANKENSTEIN (122)
BEST CLASSIC DVD RELEASE
CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON LEGACY COLLECTION (243 votes)
Runner-up: DAWN OF THE DEAD: ULTIMATE COLLECTION (172) Honorable mention: TWILIGHT ZONE: SEASON ONE (95)
BEST RESTORATION
DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (1932) (196 votes)
Runner-up: GOJIRA (164) Honorable mention: FREAKS (118)
BEST DVD EXTRA
UNIVERSAL MONSTERS LEGACY COLLECTION BUSTS (166 votes)
Runner-up: ED WOOD featurette, 'Making Bela' (124) Honorable mention: FREAKS documentary (82)
BEST INDEPENDENT FILM
FLIP! (210 votes)
Runner-up: DR. HORROR'S EROTIC HOUSE OF IDIOTS (178) Honorable mentions: Mark Redfield's DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (121); GHOUL A GO-GO (116)
BEST BOOK
AN ANIMATED LIFE by RAY HARRYHAUSEN AND TONY DALTON (217 votes)
Runner-up: IN ALL SINCERITY, PETER CUSHING by Chris Gullo (138) Honorable mentions: BORIS KARLOFF: THE MAN REMEMBERED by Gord Shriver (97); CHRISTOPHER LEE FILMOGRAPHY by Mark Miller and Tom Johnson (88)
BEST MAGAZINE
VIDEO WATCHDOG (156 votes)
Runner-up: RUE MORGUE (124) Honorable mentions: MONSTERS FROM THE VAULT (115); FANGORIA (91); FILMFAX (67); SCARY MONSTERS (66)
BEST ARTICLE
'DONNIE DUNAGAN INTERVIEW,' by Tom Weaver, VIDEO WATCHDOG #112 (193 votes)
Runner-up:'Tribute to Helen Chandler,' by Greg Mank, MONSTERS FROM THE VAULT #19 (123); Honorable mention: 'Kongversations One and Two,' by Bob Burns, MONSTERS FROM THE VAULT #18-19 (113)
BEST COVER
CHILLER #21 BY DANIEL HORNE (279 votes)
Runner-up: RUE MORGUE #41 by Clive Barker (115) Honorable mention: MONSTER BASH #2 by Kerry Gammill (88)
BEST WEBSITE
COUNT GORE DE VOL (159 votes)
Runner-up: Astounding B-Monster (131) Honorable mention: Dr. Gangrene's Chiller Cinema (74)
BEST CONVENTION
CHILLER (171 votes)
Runner-up: Monster Bash (149) Honorable mention: Rue Morgue's Festival of Fear (83); Wonder Fest (75); Monster-Mania (60)
BEST FAN EVENT
GODZILLA GETS STAR ON HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME (137 votes)
Runner-up: Blob panic re-enactment (125) Honorable mention: Dr. Gangrene's late-night show at WonderFest (121)
BEST CD
DAWN OF THE DEAD (Romero; incidental music) (126 votes)
Runner-up: Jerry Goldsmith at 20th Century Fox (108); Vic Mizzy's Ghost and Mr. Chicken (99)
BEST HORROR COMIC
THE BLACK FOREST (195 votes)
Runner-up: The Walking Dead (118) Honorable mention: Scooby-Doo #92 (96)
BEST MODEL OR COLLECTIBLE
TRILOGY OF TERROR'S ZUNI FETISH DOLL (128 votes)
Runner-up: Hammer Dracula (93) Honorable mention: Mego Mad Monsters (87)
COUNT ALUCARD'S CONTROVERSY OF THE YEAR
VAN HELSING (191 votes)
Runner-up: Ed Wood DVD pulled (174) Honorable mention:Munsters documentary blocked (134); Stooges colorization (127)
BEST DVD COMPANY
Universal (258 votes)
Runner-up: MGM (118) Honorable mention: Blue Underground (91)
CLASSIC MOST IN NEED OF DVD RELEASE
KING KONG (373 votes)
Runner-up: Black Cat (141) Honorable mention: The Raven (96)
WRITER OF THE YEAR
TOM WEAVER (127 write-in votes)
Honorable mentions: Tim Lucas, Greg Mank
SPECIAL AWARDS
Monster Kid of the Year
Larry Blamire
For his Lost Skeleton of Cadavra, which reminded a whole generation why we are monster fans in the first place. Bravo!
MONSTER KID HALL OF FAME
Six new inductees -- joining Forrest J Ackerman, James Warren, Bob and Kathy Burns, Vampira and Zacherley are:
William K. Everson (posthumous)
Rick Baker
Alex Gordon (posthumous)
Richard Gordon
Ray Harryhausen
Ray Bradbury
And there you have it. Check out the www.rondoaward.com website for the latest, and thank you for all the support. Long live Rondo!
david
