Latest Rondo Award Nominations Announced

This year's Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Award nominations were announced today, and I'm very pleased to report that VIDEO WATCHDOG - in its last turn at the prize - was nominated in the following categories:

• Best Magazine
• Best Cover - Mark Maddox's CARMILLA, VIDEO WATCHDOG #183 (pictured)
• Best Columnist - Larry Blamire's "Star Turn"
• Best Article - "BALDPATE: The Long Road to the HOUSE OF THE LONG SHADOWS" by Kim Newman, VIDEO WATCHDOG #181
• Best Article - "NOSFERATU THE VAMPYRE: Variations and Version Blood" by Tim Lucas, VIDEO WATCHDOG #182

And the good news in the Best Article category is, you can vote for two!

In addition to my Best Article nomination, I received 4 additional nominations myself: 

• Best Blog - Video WatchBlog (you're looking at it!)
• Best Audio Commentary - Fritz Lang's DESTINY (Kino Lorber)
• Best DVD Extra - BLOOD BATH's "The Trouble With Titian Revisited" video essay (Arrow Video)

and - last but certainly not least - a nomination that doesn't actually bear my or anyone's name:

Photos: Entertainment Weekly/Mitchell Haddad

• Best Live Event - Cinefamily/SpectreVision's live table reading of THE MAN WITH KALEIDOSCOPE EYES - an original script by Tim Lucas & Charlie Largent, with Michael Almereyda and James Robison - last October 12 at L.A.'s Vista Theater, hosted and narrated by  Joe Dante and featuring a cast including Bill Hader, Jason Ritter and special guest Roger Corman, who left his handprints in cement outside the theater!  

Please be aware that the ballot also includes various write-in categories where VW and its contributors are eligible, including Best Writer, Best Artist, and Monster Kid of the Year. To refresh your memory, VIDEO WATCHDOG's contributors for the past year included Michael Barrett, Larry Blamire, Ramsey Campbell, John Charles, John-Paul Checkett, Bill Cooke, Shane M. Dallmann, Lloyd Haynes, Chris Herzog, Charlie Largent, Tim Lucas, Mark Maddox (artist), Kim Newman, Eric Somer, Brad Stevens, Brett Taylor, Budd Wilkins and Douglas E. Winter.

I would personally love to see Donna Lucas' 27 years of publishing VIDEO WATCHDOG honored with a Monster Kid of the Year Award, too. This year is VW's last grab for Rondo's golden ring and it would be wonderful to see her mammoth contribution to horror and fantasy publishing recognized with a tribute that is all hers.

Donna and I are so very pleased and proud of these nominations, and for the high quality of the overall ballot itself. The state of film and film-related publishing may be ailing, magazines may be dropping like flies, but you would never know it from the robust health of the high quality work being done in these areas.

I hope you'll all FOLLOW THIS LINK, look over the large cast of worthy nominees, and cast your email votes for your favorites!