I'm going to break "the fourth wall" and speak directly to you about an event I've helped organize for next week, rather than post a press release as "Deep Throat."

The Buffalo Niagara Film Festival runs from Monday, March 24th thru Saturday, March 29th. But the only day you probably care about is the day I care about: "Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Day," which will be held at the Historic Riviera Theatre in North Tonawanda on Thursday, March 27th.

Programming begins at 11:00 AM and runs until 2:00 AM! There will be Special Guests and a small dealers' room. There's never been an actual horror film festival or horror convention in Buffalo; those of us who live here and live for this type of event have had to travel to Erie, Pa for The Eerie Horror Film Festival or to Toronto, Canada for Rue Morgue's Festival of Fear. Rotten Jack's Creep Show is an ultra cool horror themed music event, and we have our share of haunted house attractions and hayrides, but that's it.

In a shocking turn of events, I will be the emcee for "The Greatest Day of Horror Buffalo Has Ever Experienced!" Fortunately, the breaks between events are short. My friend Jeff Strand is the emcee for the Stokers Banquet at World Horror Con in Salt Lake City, but that show can't run more than three hours! I look forward to watching Jeff's "short time"performance on-line. Meanwhile, you can call me Jerry Lewis.

We begin with short films at 11:00 AM.

At 12:30, David Gray of Gray Effects will conduct a seminar on special make-up effects.

1:15 PM - More short films, and a feature length documentary, THE LAST WORD, which has nothing to do with science fiction, fantasy, or horror.

At 3:40, I will be moderating a "Horror Filmmakers Panel" featuring Roy Frumkes (STREET TRASH) and Rodrigo Gudino (Rue Morgue magazine; look for an in depth interview with Rodrigo on Fear Zone next week). Tom Holland was scheduled to participate as well, but cancelled; maybe he had to play with a certain killer doll.

At 4:45, a block of shorts and features: at 5:00 PM, Rodrigo Gudino will screen his award winning short film, THE DEMONOLOGY OF DESIRE, and host a short Q & A. At approximately 5:45, Roy Frumkes will premiere his rough cut of THE DEFINITIVE DOCUMENT OF THE DEAD, the definitive chronicle of the life and career of George A. Romero; Roy will conduct a Q & A following this screening. Roy came to Buffalo a few years ago to screen the Director's Cut of STREET TRASH before its DVD release, and he premiered THE SWEET LIFE and THE MELTDOWN MEMOIRS here as well.

At 8:45, another short film will be followed by a screening of Herschell Gordon Lewis's classic splatterfest, TWO THOUSAND MANIACS! After the screening, scream queen Melantha Blackthorne (PRISON OF THE PSYCHOTIC DAMNED and BANSHEE, both filmed in Buffalo) will present the "Godfather of Gore" with a Lifetime Achievement Award, and Herschell will conduct a Q & A and perhaps sing a song (just like Carol Burnett!). Our local weekly alternative newspaper, Artvoice, did an amazing cover devoted to Herschell, riffing on THE WIZARD OF GORE; check out Mike Faust's excellent interview.

At 11:15, Melantha and Actress/stuntwoman Cheryl Quiacos (who played "Zombie Zero" in Romero's DIARY OF THE DEAD) will screen selected scenes from their work and conduct a "behind the scenes" talk on filmmaking.

At Midnight, my college chum and roommate T.J. Merrick will join me for the latest 20th Anniversary Screening of SLIME CITY (which star Robert Sabin will present the following night at 6:00 PM at World Horror Con). T.J. was third-billed as Jerry, the comic relief best friend who stops laughing when the back oh his head erupts in a fountain of blood all over a South Bronx apartment building hallway.

All of this carnage (and more!) will take place at the Historic Riviera Theatre in North Tonawanda. It's a gorgeous palace with a huge screen and 1,300 seats. The dealers' room will be set up behind the balcony; Rotten Jack's Creep Shack, Herschell Gordon Lewis, Roy Frumkes, Melantha Blackthorne, Cheryl Quiacos, Gray Effects, Aanarchy FX, Buffalo Nickel Productions, and Johnny Gruesome will all have tables. An After Party begins next door at Dwyer's.

And at 2 AM, the Dead Shall Walk the Earth!

Organizers for "Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Day" include Sean Flahive, David Gray, Emil Novak, Jason Mager, Rod Durick, and myself. Bill Cowell is the founder of the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival.