jeudi 27 octobre 2011

Baudelaire, Dracula's guest

( Lire en français )

Dear one and all, this time I'm back for good !

You may start again ordering signed pictures right away.


As in 2009, this new year is placed under the sign of our dear " creatures of the night" with memories of the Monster Bash American convention to wich I participated with great pleasure.

Probably the most successful of them all.

The organization and warm welcome of Ron Adams and his team once again did wonders.

Conferences, screenings and specials events, wich only the Americans seem able to organize, delighted fans who came from all over the continent to celebrate the classics of motion picture fantasy.

I was touched by the kind attentions of that audience who often tried to chat in French with me.

At the end of an interview, I was even granted a hand kissing from a young lady journalist.

Before talking about Hammer, I would also like to say a word about my meeting Norma Eberhardt. That American actress, leading lady of THE RETURN OF DRACULA alongside Francis Lederer, came to me to congratulate me for BRIDES OF DRACULA in an excellent French. She was married to the great late actor Claude Dauphin.


This year, Monster Bash celebrated Hammer in the presence of beautiful Veronica Carlson, delicious Caroline Munro and yours truly. All of us brides of Dracula, one way or another (1).



Left to right: Caroline Munro, me and Veronica Carlson



It was a real pleasure for me to meet Veronica again. I had not seen her since a convention in Philadelphia, four years ago, I think.

We quickly celebrated our renewed friendship, having dinner together after each of these busy days, exchanging feelings, and, as before, I deeply appreciated her heartwarming company.

Veronica is a very delicate and kind woman. When Caroline, myself and her were interviewed about the character of Dracula, she was quick to save me when I had

trouble understanding some questions and translated them to me. To return the favour, I was giving her a few notions of French during our dinners.


The show of my friend Zach Zito (2) was definitely one of the high points of this edition. Zach is a true fan of fantasy movies and expresses his passion through films, marionette shows and personal appearances. Yes, Zach is a true artist and I must say that his performance impressed us all.

His show was based upon the first chapter of Bram Stoker’s novel: Dracula’s guest.

As an introduction, he had asked me to read Les métamorphoses du vampire by Baudelaire.

Zach introduced the poem to the audience before I started reading the verses in French.

Judging by the applause afterwards, my reading must have made a strong impression.

Zach Zito then read the first chapter of Dracula. He was literally possessed by Harker’s character and captivated the audience as a real virtuoso. Veronica and Caroline also went on stage as eerie creatures punctuating the strange narration.

The spirit of gothic fantasy filled the room and grasped us all.

It was a moving homage to the literary sources of the great popular films which made generations of viewers shiver.

Monster Bash 2011 will undoubtedly be one of my most wonderful convention memories



1- Veronica Carlson ( Dracula has risen from the grave - F.Francis ) and Caroline Munro ( Dracula a.d. 72 -A.Gibson) , both victims of the count, played by Christopher Lee.

2- Dracula’s guest, narrated and acted by Zach Zito, also featuring the voice of actress Carla Laemmle ( The phantom of the Opera by R.Julian, Tod Browning’s Dracula).



1 commentaire:

Christine a dit…

Sounds wonderful!

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