NOTICE TO WINNERS: Please read here

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These are tough days indeed, and they are getting tougher for all of us. We hope these Rondo Awards can provide a bit of an escape, and a reminder that real people did accomplish real things before our world was frozen in place — and that those things indeed will return.

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‘Joker,’ ‘Mandalorian’ and 1979 ‘Dracula’

take top honors in 18th Annual Rondo Awards

‘Lady from the Black Lagoon’ is Book of the Year;

Director Jordan Peele is Monster Kid of the Year;

and Svengoolie wins again!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

By David Colton

CHFB News

ARLINGTON, VA. – A monster in green hair and red lips dancing on the steps. A baby Yoda discovering the Force for the first time. A cool, cruel Dracula charming his soon-to-be dinner guests. And an unknown makeup woman of the 1950s helping to create a Creature for the ages. All these and more were honored today as the best of 2019 in the (Gasp!) 18th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards.

From Criterion’s collection of 15 Godzilla movies to a startling confrontation between Karloff and Lugosi in 1934’s transgressive THE BLACK CAT, this year’s winners represent all facets of the classic horror experience. The nominees and winners also reflect the growing diversity and sophistication of today’s horror firmament.

Among top winners of the fan-based awards were JOKER (voted Best Film), THE MANDALORIAN (Best TV), and LADY FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (Book of the Year). Frank Langella’s under-appreciated DRACULA from 1979 was voted Best DVD/Blu-Ray; HORROR NOIRE, an eye-opening and long overdue exploration of black horror films and black filmmakers, won Best Documentary; and a pair of articles from RUE MORGUE’s landmark “Queer Fear” issue topped the magazine categories.

Director Joshua Kennedy’s unprecedented gathering of former Hammer stars — Veronica Carlson, Caroline Munro and Martine Beswicke — in HOUSE OF THE GORGON was voted Best Independent Film. And British film experts Jonathan Rigby and Kat Ellinger were among those inducted into the Monster Kid Hall of Fame.

All these from a year that featured more magazines, books, websites and podcasts than ever before, along with an explosion of “classic horror” and modern Blu-Rays from Universal, Shout/Scream, Kino, Criterion, Arrow, Severin, Indicator and many others.

The Rondo Awards, named after Rondo Hatton, an obscure B-movie villain of the 1940s, honor the best in classic horror research, creativity and film preservation. This year’s e-mail vote, conducted by the Classic Horror Film Board, a 25-year old online community, drew more than 4,700 ballots, the most ever in the largest survey of the classic horror genre held each year.

In individual categories, filmmaker Jordan Peele, director of GET OUT, US and producer of a new TWILIGHT ZONE series, was named Monster Kid of the Year, Rondo’s highest honor. Film historian Gregory William Mank was voted Best Writer, Mark Maddox again Best Artist and author Scott Gallinghouse was cited for his deep-dive biography of Rondo Hatton himself.

Other winners ranged from comedian Gilbert Gottfried’s “Amazing Colossal Podcast” to an outpouring of votes for horror host Svengoolie, honored for 40 years on television.

Monster Kid Hall of Fame inductees included Rigby, Ellinger, the late author Robert Bloch, Greg Luce of Sinister Cinema, a pair of Cleveland horror hosts, the late Ghoul (Ron Sweed), and Son of Ghoul, artist George Chastain, and the zany clown-prince of horror, David “The Rock” Nelson.

Below you’ll find all the winners, along with runners-up and honorable mentions. Many categories were very competitive, and numerous nominees not listed here nonetheless drew significant votes.

Below is a photo of Hatton in the 1946 film, HOUSE OF HORRORS, which was an inspiration for the distinctive bust given to winners..

HERE ARE THE WINNERS IN THE

(GASP!) 18th ANNUAL

RONDO HATTON CLASSIC HORROR AWARDS



BEST FILM OF 2019

JOKER

Runners-up: AVENGERS: ENDGAME, GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS

Honorable mentions:PARASITE, DOCTOR SLEEP, MIDSOMMAR, LIGHTHOUSE

BEST TV PRESENTATION

THE MANDALORIAN



Runners-up: WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS, STRANGER THINGS 3 Runners-up: WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS, STRANGER THINGS 3

Honorable mentions: AMERICAN HORROR STORY: 1984; CREEPSHOW

BEST BLU-RAY/DVD

DRACULA (1979; Shout)



Runner-up: THIS ISLAND EARTH (Shout) Runner-up: THIS ISLAND EARTH (Shout)

Honorable mentions: SILVER BULLET COLLECTOR’S EDITION (Shout);

THE BODY SNATCHER (Shout); MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE (Shout);

THE MAN WHO LAUGHS (Flicker Alley)

BEST COLLECTION

GODZILLA: THE SHOWA ERA (15 films; Criterion)

Runner-up: UNIVERSAL HORROR COLLECTION (Vol. 1): Black Cat, The Raven,

Invisible Ray, Black Friday (Universal)

Honorable mentions: THE FLY COLLECTION (Shout);

THE OMEN COLLECTION (Shout); HAMMER VOLUME 4: Revenge of Frankenstein,

Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll, Taste of Fear The Damned (Indicator);

ALL THE COLORS OF GIALLO (Severin)

BEST RESTORATION

THE BLACK CAT (1934; Universal)



Runner-up: MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (Academy Film Foundation Runner-up: MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (Academy Film Foundation

Film Foundation; George Lucas Foundation)

Honorable mentions: MAN WHO LAUGHS (Flicker Alley);

THIS ISLAND EARTH (Shout); TRILOGY OF TERROR II (Kino)

BEST DVD EXTRA

‘TWISTED TALE: The Unmaking of Spookies’

by Michael Gingold and Glen Baisley

(SPOOKIES; 1986; Vinegar Syndrome)



Runner-up: Kim Newman on Lon Chaney (MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES, Arrow) Runner-up: Kim Newman on Lon Chaney (MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES, Arrow)

Honorable mentions: Castle Film versions of THIS ISLAND EARTH (Shout);

‘Of Mushrooms and Madmen,’ directed by Daniel Griffiths (MOLE PEOPLE, Shout)

BEST COMMENTARY

Tom Weaver, David Schecter, Dr. Robert J. Kiss (TARANTULA, Shout)



Runners-up: Gregory Mank (BLACK CAT, Universal); Tim Lucas (DEAD OF NIGHT, Kino) Runners-up: Gregory Mank (BLACK CAT, Universal); Tim Lucas (DEAD OF NIGHT, Kino)

Honorable mentions: Robert Skotak (THIS ISLAND EARTH, Shout);

Amanda Reyes (DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK, Warners); Lee Gambin (CUJO, Eureka);

Gary Rhodes (MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE, Shout); Kit Ellinger (ALL THE COLORS OF GIALLO, Severin)

BEST PACKAGE OF DVD EXTRAS

GODZILLA: THE SHOWA ERA (Criterion)

Interviews include director Ishira Honda, unused footage.



Runner-up: THE FLY: Five new interviews (Shout) Runner-up: THE FLY: Five new interviews (Shout)

Honorable mentions: A BUCKET OF BLOOD: Interviews, list of dropped scenes (Olive);

DRACULA (1979): 8 new interviews (Shout); SCARS OF DRACULA: Two aspect ratios (Shout)

BEST INDEPENDENT FILM

HOUSE OF THE GORGON, directed by Joshua Kennedy,

with Caroline Munro, Martine Beswicke, Veronica Carlson



Runners-up: LOON LAKE; ONE CUT OF THE DEAD Runners-up: LOON LAKE; ONE CUT OF THE DEAD

Honorable mentions: NIGHTMARE CINEMA; HE DRIVES AT NIGHT; RABID

BEST SHORT FILM

FRANKENSTEIN’S MONSTER’S MONSTER FRANKENSTEIN

directed by Daniel Gray Longino; starring David Harbour.



Honorable mentions: THE HAUNTED SWORDSMAN; FILTH; Honorable mentions: THE HAUNTED SWORDSMAN; FILTH;

AS THE EARTH TURNS; WHAT DAPHNE SAW; MISS UNDERSTOOD MONSTER;

SKYWATCH; THE EMPTY HOUSE

BEST DOCUMENTARY

HORROR NOIRE: A HISTORY OF BLACK HORROR, directed by Xavier Burgin,

based on a book by Robin R. Means Coleman



Runners-up: SMOKE AND MIRRORS: THE STORY OF TOM SAVINI; Runners-up: SMOKE AND MIRRORS: THE STORY OF TOM SAVINI;

A GOOD GAME: KARLOFF & LUGOSI AT UNIVERSAL

Honorable mentions: MAKING APES: THE ARTISTS WHO CHANGED MOVIES;

IN SEARCH OF DARKNESS; SCREAM QUEEN: MY NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

BOOK OF THE YEAR

THE LADY FROM THE BLACK LAGOON: Hollywood Monsters

and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick by Mallory O’Meara



Runners-up: INTO THE VELVET DARKNESS: A Celebration of Vincent Price, Runners-up: INTO THE VELVET DARKNESS: A Celebration of Vincent Price,

by Eric McNaughton, Peter Fuller and Darrell Buxton;

HARRYHAUSEN: The Lost Movies, by John Walsh

Honorable mentions: TAKING SHAPE: Developing Halloween from Script to Screen,

by Dustin McNeill and Travis Mullins;

JAMES WARREN: Empire of Monsters, by Bill Schelly;

BELA LUGOSI AND THE MONOGRAM 9, by Gary Rhodes and Robert Guffey;

BELA LUGOSI: The Monogramthology, edited by Brad A. Braddock;

ITALIAN GOTHIC HORROR FILMS 1980-89, by Roberto Curti;

DISCOVER THE HORROR, by Jon Kitley;

THE BRUTE MAN, by Tom Weaver, Scott Gallinghouse,

Dr. Robert J. Kiss , George Chastain;

CARL DENHAM’S GIANT MONSTERS by Frank J. Dello Stritto;

BIZARRO ENCYLCOPEDIA OF FILM by John Skipp and Heather Drain

BEST MAGAZINE (Classic)

SCARY MONSTERS



Runners-up: LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS, FAMOUS MONSTERS Runners-up: LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS, FAMOUS MONSTERS

Honorable mentions: THE DARK SIDE, CINEMA RETRO, CLASSIC MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES, FILMFAX, MONSTER BASH; SCREEM, G-FAN

BEST MAGAZINE (modern)

FANGORIA

Runners-up: RUE MORGUE, HORRORHOUND

Honorable mention: SCREAM (UK)

BEST ARTICLE

RISE OF THE SUPERMONSTERS/MONSTERS FROM THE CLOSET,

by Carly Maga and Matthew Hays, RUE MORGUE #189

Runner-up: Four-Color Memories of a Monster Kid, by Rod Labbe,

Scary Monsters Presents MONSTER MEMORIES #27;

Honorable mentions: ‘Facts of Drac: Lugosi and Dracula, the Early Years,’

by Frank J. Dello Stritto, MONSTER BASH #35;

‘History of Horror Film Fanzines: The Monster Times,’ by Richard Klemensen, LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS #43;

‘Ghosts of Collinwood,’ by Wallace McBride and Dana Gould, FANGORIA #4;

‘Doctor Sleep: The World Will Shine Again,’ by Bev Vincent, SCREEM #38;

‘Dracula’s Daughter: Re-Examning a Horror Classic,’ by Matthew E. Banks,

SCARY MONSTERS #113, 115.

BEST INTERVIEW Dark Shadows’ Kathryn Leigh Scott,

interview by Rod Labbe, SCARY MONSTERS #111



Runners-up: Jordan Peele by Paul Thomas Anderson, FANGORIA #3; Runners-up: Jordan Peele by Paul Thomas Anderson, FANGORIA #3;

William Friedkin by Andrea Subissati, RUE MORGUE #190

Honorable mentions: Mark Patton by Rocco Thompson, RUE MORGUE #189;

Tom Savini by Tony Earnshaw, DARK SIDE #201-202;

Pamela Pierce Barcelou by Laura Beerman for joebobbriggs.com;

John Richardson by Mark Mawston, CINEMA RETRO #45-46

BEST COLUMN

Scene Queen, by Barbara Crampton (FANGORIA)

Runner-up: Dr. Gangrene’s Mad Interviews, SCARY MONSTERS;

Honorable mentions: They Came from the Crypt, by Jon Kitley, HORRORHOUND;

Homicidal Homemaker, by Kaci, RUE MORGUE;

Rondo Remembers by Ron Adams, MONSTER BASH;

Overlooked in Hollywood by Laura Wagner, GOLDEN FILMS OF THE GOLDEN AGE

BEST COVER

SCARY MONSTERS #115 by Scott Jackson

Runners-up: HORRORHOUND #78 by Jason Edmison;

THE DARK SIDE #201 by Rick Melton; SCREEM #37 by Mark Maddox;

FANGORIA #2 by Joshua Hoffine;

CLASSIC MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES #15, by Daniel Horne;

RUE MORGUE #78 by Rob Birchfield