Hello friends! My name is Alexis Iacono. Some people may say I have a personality disorder, but I beg to differ. For, I am an actress. You must say that last line dramatically, or it just won't read correctly. However, if you want to know what it is like to be in scenarios, and have experiences, that are stranger than fiction, all you have to do is walk in an actors' shoes for a day. If you feel that might be a trip too frightening, then allow me to escort you into the Eyes of Alexis Iacono.  

If you said to me a year ago, I would be flying to Louisville, KY to push a film I am in, called THE PENNY DREADFUL PICTURE SHOW - THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE, at Fright Fest, I would look at you dead in the eye, and with a cynical laugh, utter, "Oh, poppycock!"

Now, I was supposed to start my note-taking adventure at Fright Fest, but couldn't help but start from the very beginning, heading to my gate at LaGuardia Airport, Queens NY. Just a quick side note, when you walk to your gate at 8 a.m., sleep deprived, food deprived, and in desperate need of coffee, passing a bar blaring the song by Tom Tom Club’s "Genius of Love,” followed up by the entire PRETTY IN PINK soundtrack, I knew this was the beginning of my own FICKLE FINGER OF FATE.

Practically on a puddle jumper, I was a little hazy from the flight. Since I was dragging my luggage with the help of my little luggage wheels, I couldn't help but notice horses everywhere. Horse statues, horse paintings, horse photos, and my favorite, passing touristy stores with shirts that read "Pasture Bedtime" (with a horse on it). You don't believe me? I have pictures to prove it. Dumbfounded and confused, I decided to stop horsing around and get to the bottom of this! And then I realized, I am no longer in New York. I am in, Kentucky! As in The Kentucky Derby! Unfortunately that was, and is my, big “Ah ha!” moment of the weekend. The temperature was already 105 degrees when I arrived, and it will stay like that until I leave.

Quick fact: You pronounce Louisville, "Looooo-uh-ville"

Day 1-Fright Night Film Fest at The Galt House Hotel - June 29th, 2012

THE PENNY DREADFUL PICTURE SHOW was announced all over these mini TV screens throughout the festival. However, there was one mini problem. The festival accidentally misinterpreted it as "The Penny Dreadful Horror Show.”

Penny D. is Leigh Scott's stylish horror anthology, a feature length film made up of several shorts bound by a single narrative, much akin to CREEPSHOW, NIGHT GALLERY, TALES FROM THE CRYPT and TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE. One of the vignettes, THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE, features the talents of horror favorites Jeffrey Combs (RE-ANIMATOR), Sid Haig (HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES, THE DEVIL’S REJECTS), yours truly, Al Snow, Eliza Swenson, Devanny Pinn, and many others.....

The day before the festival, I received a text from SLAUGHTER HOUSE co-star Brandon Stacy. He was on the set of STAR TREK PHASE II webisode, in Vermont, and told me that the airlines messed up his flight. Throughout the day I checked in on him. Hours go by, no word. Then after asking one more time, he replied, “I am driving with the DP from Vermont. It is a 13 hour drive.”

The last words he texted before we met up in KY really hit home. He typed “I am determined" Yes, he definitely was. And rightfully so. At one point, Brandon was so determined to get to Fright Fest to support THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE, he was sleeping in the passenger seat, to be woken up by a loud thunk, thunk, thunk. His friend was falling asleep behind the wheel.

Quick factoid #2 - The Derecho Storm is a widespread, long-lived, straight-line windstorm that is associated with a fast-moving band of severe thunderstorms (AKA, a sideways Tornado); fitting, since Leigh Scott and Eliza Swenson are also known for WITCHES OF OZ, starring Christopher Lloyd, Sean Astin and Billy Boyd. Eliza Swenson, who not only portrayed The Wicked Witch, also composed the whole score for the film.

Leigh Scott and Eliza Swenson were also determined to get to Fright Fest, and drove alongside The Derecho Storm. Brave? No. Filmmakers determined to show their proud masterpieces? Yes! Like Eliza said "I looked up at the sky while I was driving through the storm, and I thought it was Zeus" Loving what we do, believing in what we do. The cast is so proud of this film. We were determined to get to Fright Fest to support a film and director we love, Leigh Scott. Come rain, shine and The Derecho Storm. My determination?  Beg, borrowing and stealing to get a plane ticket. Did I mention, beg?

What’s fun about this festival is everyone is in one big hotel, called The Galt House Hotel, mingling, meeting up with friends, going to see horror movies and waiting in lines to get autographs from awesomely cool peeps; Bruce Campbell, Sean Astin, Juliet Landau, to name a few. The vibe was happy, people were friendly and everyone was very supportive of one another. You get innocent, overzealous fans of course. Not that I had lines around the corner to see me, but, I did make a few "new friends". One "new friend" comes to mind. This young man walks up to me with a shirt he had on that said "BRONY". Because of this, that is what we all called him. BRONY. Now, pardon my naiveté and lack of observation, but I thought BRONY was a College in Kentucky. I didn't think too much of it.

Anyway, BRONY started asking me PENNY DREADFUL questions, film questions and so forth. After all of the introductions, I calmly asked, "BRONY?" He had a big smile on his face, and said "Yes." I asked, “What exactly is BRONY?” There was a dramatic pause—now I am getting nervous—and he says in a very serious tone, "BRONY:  A name typically given to the male fans of the MY LITTLE PONY show or franchise." Apparently, he and a bunch of guys are fans of MY LITTLE PONY. As I flat line while he is explaining this to me, I slowly look down to realize, those are not Frat House symbols at all. It was a Pony! You don't believe me? I have pictures to prove it.

Hollywood gets Brangelina. I get BRONY!

Day 2

Is it normal to be woken up in the morning to a Steam Boat tooting the theme "When You're Smiling"? I didn't think so. And that’s exactly how day two at Fright Fest began. Not that I drank a lot the night before, ahem, but between the tooting and the tractor trailer driving in my head, I knew by opening my hotel room door, the day was not going to be normal. I washed up, got dressed, pinned back my hair, and with no more tootin' steam boat action thought, “Hmm, this "could" just be a normal day!

I walk down the hallway, which I must describe to you. The hallways looks exactly like THE SHINING’s Overlook, sans the creepy Grady Twins. I could not wait to get my coffee downstairs at Starbucks. I press the elevator button. One minute goes by, two, five long minutes go by; all the elevators are packed because of Fright Night Film Fest. I finally get into one of the elevators, walking in sideways slithering my way to the back, incognito. I clearly took the local elevator, because heading down was another five painful minutes. As I’m patiently waiting for the door to open, I hear a lady with a very Gomer Pyle-like accent yell out, “I see you!” I'm still looking down, not sure what that was about, and then she says again “You with the glasses on, I caaan see you, you know.”

I slowly look up, and under my breath whispering “Oh shit, what did I do now?” Everyone slowly turns around, starring at me in this elevator.

Woman: “You with the glasses on... I see you”

We are now making eyeball-to-sunglasses contact. She has this glazed smile on her face. I, with my very deep and tired morning voice, with a somewhat sarcastic playful tone, reply, "Oh darn! I guess my invisibility cloak isn't working."

She laughs very loudly, and asks a very eye twitching question, "Are you famous?"

I reply slowly, “Uh, well, um, no? Yes? Maybe?"

Very determined, she asks, “Do you know what type of a person answers like that?"

“Um, no. Who?”

Enthusiastically she replies, “A famous person!”

The timing could not have been more perfect. The elevator door swoops opens, and everyone pushes their way out like they were caged sheep. I find myself standing alone very confused on just what happened, and debating if I should even dare attempt to engage in any Fest'ing. And so I did the unthinkable. I stepped out of the elevator....

As I sip, sipped away my hot weakened water that I’ll call coffee, I saw a young girl dressed up as a zombie carrying a POWDER The Movie pocket book. Did you know they sell POWDER pocket books? I witnessed my dear friend, Noel Thurman (who plays Glinda the Good Witch in Leigh Scott's WITCHES OF OZ) photo bomb Bruce Campbell. Meanwhile, Al Snow's lovely wife, Cyndi Snow, is walking around wearing fake eye balls on her chest. You don't believe me? I have pictures to prove it.

I made friends with local filmmakers Cherokee and Heather Hall; fun couple! In conversation, we realized we’re both mates with the super sweet and super talented, Jeffrey Reddick (known for the FINAL DESTINATION movies). Small industry. Smaller Horror industry! I met actor, John Wells, he was there for the film OVERTIME. Really nice guy! He is also known for BAD BLOOD, THE HATFIELDS AND MCCOYS. Can I just try my best to be as discreet and ladylike as I can, and choose my words wisely or his wife will hunt me down! But ladies, let's be honest here, John Wells should be riding a white chivalrous horse every day, and just rescue women. Hubba, Hubba.

Ah yes! Lest we forget, Norman Reedus from THE WALKING DEAD! Because, once again, let's be honest ladies, the whole planet flew to Louisville just to see him. It was absolutely impossible for me to re-introduce and reconnect with Norman (back in March, I had the opportunity to work with Norman Reedus in a private screenplay reading with a bunch of other kool kats in Los Angeles). You knew where Norman Reedus was by the cluster of lasses waiting on a very, very long line for his autograph. Next time, Norman, next time.

TO BE CONTINUED

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MOVIES/TV - Fearful Features