Charisma Carpenter

RE-ANIMATOR’s Jeffrey Combs, THE HILLS HAVE EYES’ Robert Joy and BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER/ANGEL star Charisma Carpenter will headline the next East Coast edition of FANGORIA’s Weekend of Horrors convention, presented by Anchor Bay Entertainment, to be held September 29-October 1 at the Meadowlands Crowne Plaza Hotel (2 Harmon Plaza, Secaucus, New Jersey).

Besides the RE-ANIMATOR trilogy, Combs has appeared in NECRONOMICON, THE FRIGHTENERS, THE PIT & THE PENDULUM, ABOMINABLE, TV’s various incarnations of STAR TREK and Stuart Gordon’s second-season episode of MASTERS OF HORROR. The actor plans on playing Herbert West again in the recently announced HOUSE OF RE-ANIMATOR. The HILLS HAVE EYES followed Joy’s rare good-guy turn in George Romero’s LAND OF THE DEAD; he previously played villains in THE DARK HALF, FALLEN and RESURRECTION. Best known as Cordelia Chase from the hit Joss Whedon TV series, Carpenter has a turn in the upcoming chiller VOODOO MOON.

Other exciting early guests/programs set for Fango’s New Jersey bonanza, which will run three full days, include:

• Special celebrity panels devoted to MASTERS OF HORROR season two, THE GRUDGE 2, TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE BEGINNING and SAW III. Each presentation will boast cast and crew from their respective projects, plus clips and trailers.

• William Lustig: The director of MANIAC, the MANIAC COP trilogy and UNCLE SAM previews his new Blue Underground titles with special guests.

• Lloyd Kaufman: The Troma chief and creator of the Toxic Avenger will debut footage from his new epic POULTRYGEIST with Tromatic friends!

• Debbie Rochon: FANGORIA Radio & TV hostess, the sultry actress’ film roles include AMERICAN NIGHTMARE, BOG CREATURES, TROMEO & JULIET, NOWHERE MAN and 100 or so more.

• Tim Sullivan: The 2001 MANIACS director will unveil his latest directorial project, DRIFTWOOD, plus SNOOP DOGG’S HOOD OF HORROR, which he co-wrote and co-produced.

• J.T. Petty: The acclaimed indie director of SOFT FOR DIGGING and MIMIC: SENTINEL will discuss his controversial underground horror documentary S&MAN.

• Jack Ketchum: The savage author of OFF SEASON, RED, THE LOST and LADIES’ NIGHT will give us the scoop on the film adaptations of his novels.

• Andrew Van Den Houten: The young director of HEADSPACE will discuss his sophomore film THE GIRL NEXT DOOR, based on the Ketchum book.

• JUST BEFORE DAWN Reunion: With director Jeff (SQUIRM) Lieberman, star Jamie (TIGHTROPE) Rose and others.

• John McCarty: The author of SPLATTER MOVIES (he coined the term!), THRILLERS, THE AMAZING HERSCHELL GORDON LEWIS and FEARMAKERS has several genre documentaries in the works.

• Avatar Press Panel: With editor-in-chief William Christensen, writer John (ESCAPE OF THE LIVING DEAD) Russo and artist Mike Wolfer (FRIDAY THE 13TH and JASON VS. JASON X)

The convention will also host a costume contest, FANGORIA TV screenings, a jam-packed indie horror-movie festival and advance previews of such films as PAN’S LABYRINTH, THE GRAVEDANCERS, GHOST RIDER, GRIND HOUSE, SKINWALKERS, BLACK CHRISTMAS, WIND CHILL, TRAPPED ASHES, RESIDENT EVIL: EXTINCTION, WHITE NOISE 2, HELLION, THE HITCHER, THE REAPING, ROGUE, PREMONITION, Ed Lee’s HEADER and many more. Other guests and attractions will be announced shortly.