Help The Bob Burns Movie Get Off The Ground!

Hello friends and fans of Bob & Kathy Burns!

As you may heard, Trish Geiger and I are producing a documentary film about Bob and Kathy Burns, and how they have inspired so many people to pursue their own dreams. BEAST WISHES will explore how these two amazing folks became the goodwill ambassadors of sci-fi fandom, and how their joy has influenced generations of artists, writers, directors and fans.

We want to make this project a quality production, utilizing a professional crew and an experienced documentary editor. This, of course, requires funding. So, with Bob and Kathy's blessing, we have launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise the funds we need to complete our film.

Kickstarter is a highly successful online platform by which creators can pitch their projects, and anyone can contribute to it's set goal. In return, the project offers rewards to those who pledge, from DVD's to T-shirts to trips to visit the stars in Los Angeles. The bigger the pledge, the greater the rewards.

But Kickstarter is an "all or nothing" program. If we reach our set goal in the set time, we get the money. If we don't reach it, we get nothing, and the pledges are not collected. It's that simple. Trish and I have set our goal at the absolute minimum needed to shoot, although we could use more for promotion and distribution of the completed film. So we have 20 days to raise $11,000, or we go back to square one.

If you would like to help us reach our goal, please visit our project page. There you will be able to watch a short test video we've created that gives an idea of the film's content, plus more information about BEAST WISHES, and a list of the cool rewards available for contributors.



http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1824891397/beast-wishes-the-bob-and-kathy-burns-movie

Of course we understand if you are unable to donate, for whatever reason. If you can't, perhaps you could assist us by sharing our mission with others who might be able to help out. Either way, you would have the extreme gratitude of myself, Trish, and of course Bob and Kathy Burns.

This is going to be - as Bob would say - a "really, really cool" project. We would all love to have you join us on this great adventure.

Thank you, from all of us, for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Frank Dietz
Trish Geiger

The Chicken Monster Chronicles Finale

Okay, I know, I've been away for awhile. Sorry. Ain't life like that sometimes?

Anyway, here is the photo you've been waiting months for. The Chicken Monster, as he looks today, living in a bad monster movie prop retirement home (my garage).

More posts, more often, coming soon! Thanks!

The Chicken (Monster) Chronicles Part 2

Recently uncovered photos of The Chicken Monster reveal what life was like for the horrendous hen during and after it's debut in THE EDGE OF HELL, which was my original title for what became ROCK N' ROLL NIGHTMARE. The initial cut of the movie and the Canadian VHS release retained that title. Why was it changed? You'll soon be able to read all about it, as John Fasano and I are preparing to publish a book that tells the whole story of our "Canadian Four" horror films of the 1980's. The working title is "Rock N' Roll Zombie Nightmares," and is scheduled for release later this year.

In the meantime, here are some never-before-seen photos of the beloved Chicken Monster:

A nice profile shot, set upon a can of "Friendly Plastic"

Frank holding the Chicken Monster (insert joke here).

In my makeup studio for work on BLACK ROSES,
The Chicken Monster can be seen roosting above the
alarm clock. One of the RNRN Squid Monsters

can be seen at the top of the photo.

Next up, in the final Chicken (Monster) Chronicles segment, the answer to the question eveyone is asking: Where is the Chicken Monster today?

The Chicken (Monster) Chronicles Part 1

The Chicken Monster was created for a what was to be a funny moment in our classic ROCK N' ROLL NIGHTMARE (1987). I started by buying and roasting a small chicken. After letting it cool, I made a mold of it's top side. The underside had to be sculpted in clay, to create the mouth, lips and eyeball. We ran foam latex pieces from the molds, and then I glued in all the teeth, which I had created with Sculpey, a bake-dry sculpting material. Once it was all put together, it was painted to replicate an actual leftover chicken by Vinny Modica. Here is what the final puppet looked like before we shot the film:

And here is how he appeared in the finished movie:

More about this beloved cinematic poultrygeist to come...

Anne Francis 1930 - 2011

Goodbye, my dear friend. You were fabulous a hundred different ways.

From left to right: Sara Karloff, Donnie Waddell, Anne Francis, Frank Dietz, Carol Bauman. Taken on a trip to the Louisville Zoo.