Monster Bash
BUTLER TWP — A world premiere will be shown at this year's Monster Bash, planned for June 22 to 24 at the Butler Days Inn, Route 8.
The completed documentary about special effects master Ray Harryhausen is going into theatrical release in the U.K. but will run publicly first in Butler.
Coming from England to premiere the documentary will be Harryhausen's friend, Mark Mawston.
Mawston along with Martine Beswicke, star of Harryhausen's “One Million Years B.C.,” will introduce the film at 6 p.m. June 22.
The Monster Bash will have the theme “prehistoric monsters” and celebrate films from the silent film era through the 1950s. The guest list includes:
• Host of Chiller Theatre “Chilly Billy” Bill Cardille
• Beswick who appeared with Raquel Welch and John Richardson in “One Million Years B.C.”
• Ricou Browning and Julie Adams from “Creature from the Black Lagoon”
• Kenny Miller from “I Was a Teenage Werewolf,” “Attack of the Puppet People” and “Touch of Evil” with Orson Welles
• Richard Kiel from James Bond movies plus “The Phantom Planet,” “The Human Duplicators” and “Pale Rider,” among others
• Jimmy Hunt from “Invaders from Mars”
• Conrad Brooks from “Plan 9 from Outer Space”
• John Russo, screenwriter for the original “Night of the Living Dead” with George Romero
• Makeup and mask master Jesse Melchior
• Daniel Griffith who produces and directs documentaries on classic and cult films.
Admission is $20, with a three-day admission available for $45. Children younger than 12 are admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult. Call 724-238-4317.
Next year's Monster Bash, set July 19 to 21, will move to Cranberry Township.“We love Butler but we just ran out of hotel rooms,” said Monster Bash program director Ron Adams.“Every hotel in Butler is sold out ... People are staying from Grove City to Cranberry this year.”
