Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff Jr., both from Studio Amalgamated Dynamics, just launched a Kickstarter campaign to finance an upcoming creature feature, Harbinger Down, which will be created in the old Sci-fi and horror animatronic tradition.

“In the spirit of sci-fi/horror classics, Alien and Thing, Harbinger Down is a tense, claustrophobic full-length creature film that will feature only practical Animatronic and Makeup Effects,” announced Gillis in the press release, who will write and direct the film.

It’s episode 60 of The Rue Morgue Podcast and we’re celebrating it with what is either our proudest or most shameful moment to date (I’ll let you decide.)

But finally, here on the podcast, it’s the audio from the now infamous LANCE VS. LANCE panel from the 2011 Festival of Fear.

Who knows more about Lance Henriksen’s career? Lance Henriksen himself or Rue Morgue’s own Last Chance Lance?

Tune in and find out.

This week on the Rue Morgue Podcast, it’s our Q&A with legendary actor Lance Henriksen. The Q&A was conducted by Rue Morgue’s Managing Editor Monica S. Kuebler at the 2011 Festival of Fear.

We were lucky to have Lance up here two years in a row and one thing’s for sure, the 2012 Festival of Fear won’t be the same without him. We’ve been spoilt! Maybe I’ll team up with the Back to Frank Black guys and get a petition going to get him back next year!

You can get copies of Lance’s autobiography Not Bad For A Human HERE.

And special thanks to the Rue Morgue Podcast’s intrepid reporter Andrea Subissati for recording the Q&A.

Enjoy!

:- FDBK

Clearly a big part of Festival of Fear are the fans. In fact, the fans are really the biggest part. They’re the ones who face the line ups, recreate immaculate costumes and break restraining orders just to get close to their favourite serial killer/scream queen/monster. But fans aren’t just about wearing the t-shirt and owning the action figure. Some fans take it to the next level, which was the idea behind the Lance vs Lance panel this afternoon: who knows Lance Henriksen better? Henriksen or Rue Morgue Radio’s Last Chance Lance? Oh yes, things got strange.

In a cage match between Hayden Pennettiere and Danielle Harris we know who we’d put our money on. (Really, Harris took on Michael Myers at the age of ten. Pennettiere saves dolphins.) But turns out the modern day scream queen (famously Jamie Lloyd in Halloween 4 & 5 then as Annie Brakett in Rob Zombie’s reboots of the franchise) can also hold her own in the rough and harsh world of convention scheduling. Though her Q&A was at the same time as the Heroes star, Harris’ room was packed with horror fans.

The doors are a-open, people are a-milling, jazz music is a-blaring…turns out that’s our neighbour’s, Fort Fright, music of choice (more on them later). This year’s floor looks packed as ever with old and new faces. Plus we are conveniently right across from Suspect Video’s booth (come say hi!).

The countdown is on folks. In fact, time is about to run out. Nope, it’s not the end of the world (yet) just the most anticipated event for us horror fans: Festival of Fear. But since the pages of Rue Morgue circulate around the globe (a scream is a scream in any language, right?) we know not everyone can join us this weekend in Toronto at FanExpo. So in the spirit of spreading the terror we’ll be live blogging on site from the Rue Morgue booth. With the likes of Robert Englund, John Waters, Lance Henriksen and Elvira at the expo and off-site gigs like Blood Ceremony (Witches! Occult! Flutes!) and Ghoultown (Hillbillies! Goths! Cowboy hats!) keeping things going after hours there’s no shortage of succulent events to sink our teeth into. So keep checking www.rue-morgue.com for panel recaps, the grim and ghastly finds on the expo floor, party tell-alls…hell, we might even try the Expo’s speed dating.

If you’re around in the flesh swing by the booth and let us know what’s up. We’ll be lurking around.

And if you’re looking for F.o.F. updates send us a tweet @RueMorgue. We’ll do our best to keep you up to date on everything but bathroom wait times.

Finally, for all your F.o.F planning needs get outta here and go here.

Tickets for all of this year’s Festival of Fear off-site events – including Near Dark with Lance Henriksen, an intimate evening with John Waters, and the Official FoF 2011 Party with Tom Savini and Blood Ceremony – are now on sale here. Friday night’s Shocktail Party with Ghoultown is absolutely FREE!

With the 8th Annual Rue Morgue Festival of Fear only 50 sleepless nights away, news out of the House of Horror this week is that we’re presenting a rare 35mm screening of Kathryn Bigelow’s Near Dark, including an exclusive Q&A with star Lance Henriksen hosted by TV personality Richard Crouse (who did a bang-up job of the Ken Russell Devils screening and Q&A last year), at the Toronto Underground Cinema (186 Spadina Ave.) on Thursday, August 25 at 8 p.m., tickets only $15 door/advance.

Then, on Friday, August 26, we’re throwing a FREE Shocktail Party with a performance by Texas gothabilly act (and Hymns From the House of Horror alumni) Ghoultown, and a set by DJ Peter Black at The Courthouse (57 Adelaide St. E.) at 10 p.m.

For full festival guest bios and ticket info, click here and don’t forget to “Like” us on Facebook. And click past the jump to see the full posters!

The official guest list for the 2011 Rue Morgue Festival of Fear (Thursday, August 25 – Sunday, August 28) announcements are here!

Headlining an esteemed list of horror royalty is this year’s Guest of Honour, Robert Englund a.k.a. Freddy Krueger of the Nightmare on Elm Street series!

Click below for the full rundown…