A Jolly NICE Time In Bedford!

A jolly NICE time in Bedford!

This was my first time down to the NICE comic con, organised by Close Encounters, and I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

For starters the venue was nice and spacious. Some conventions can feel small, dark and cramped; the Corn Exchange was large and airy with plenty of room for both traders and eager shoppers.

The only slight drawback was the lack of on-site parking, but with a couple of multi-stories just around the corner and friendly NICE staff happily willing to look after my stock while I moved my car, this was easily sorted.

The NICE crew were exceptionally friendly and helpful. There was the overwhelming feeling that they really enjoyed being there and being part of the event. They came round at regular intervals with bottles of water (not something I've ever come across before) and were always chatty and interested in what the vendors were selling. One nice chap even brought me some food!

There was a great deal of stalls/artists at the venue along with a multitude of comics for sale. Most of the customers I spoke to seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves and wore satisfied smiles. I even managed to treat myself on the Sunday morning to a sketch from the talented Huy Trong.

Another thing which added character to the event was the amount of cosplay. True, there was not as much as I have seen at other events, but that which was there was great to see, from amateurs to professionals. It really added colour to the event. Some even posed with my latest book: "Sam Spallucci: Ghosts From The Past". I would love to see more of this next year.

So, without doubt, a great event. I look forward to heading down south once again next year and signing more of my books.

A.S.Chambers is an author of horror and urban fantasy fiction.

He is the creator of Sam Spallucci, investigator of the paranormal.

www.aschambers.co.uk

Facebook    Twitter   Amazon

Classic films I love to watch: Young Frankenstein

Classic Films: Young Frankenstein.

Back in 1974, there would have been a conversation that went something like this:

Film Director, “I want to remake Frankenstein.”

Guy with money, “Okay. Been done to ad nauseam that one. How are you going to make it different?”

Director, “It’ll be a comedy.”

Money Guy, “Riiiiiight….. A comedy, you say?”

Director, “Sure. It’ll be a hoot! I’ll parody loads of the original material, stick in a few double-entendres and silly accent – people will love it!”

Money Guy, “I’m not so sure… I mean, Frankenstein is a classic.”

Director, “Okay, if you’re worried, I’ll shoot it in black and white; make it more authentic.”

Money Guy, “Okay. Okay. That might work.” Laughs nervously. “I mean, it’s not like you’re gonna have the monster dressed in top hat and tails singing Putting On The Ritz.”

Awkward silence from Director.

Money Guy, “Oh, dear God…”

Okay, so the conversation between Mel Brooks and the guys at Fox may not have been precisely like that, but I can see there having been some raised eyebrows when he raised the idea. As it was, he got the go-ahead and a movie gem was born. I first encountered Young Frankenstein about twelve years after its release when it was screened as part of a Mel Brooks season on TV and I immediately fell in love with it’s insane frivolity and it’s ability to throw all common sense to the wind in order to grab a belly-full of laughs. Even now I struggle to watch serious adaptations of the book. Two years ago, I went to watch the Danny Boyle production of Frankenstein starringBenedict Cumberbatch. When they reached the scene with the blind man all I could think of was Gene Hackman setting fire to Peter Boyle‘s thumb! I got some very annoyed looks as I had to stifle my giggle loop.

The film just works on so many levels, especially with the casting. Boyle played the towering creature with such believability. Gene Wilder, as Frankenstein (sorry, Fronkenshteen), was as hapless in love as he was in re-animation. The sadly-missedMarty Feldman was just perfect as Igor (Loved the Abby Normal gag, and the movable hump had me on the floor it fits). Even the side characters seemed to fit together perfectly as a complete comedy jigsaw with no annoying missing pieces.

For me, the overall quality that Brooks brings to this film is that it is okay to laugh, even when the subject material is what many would consider to be dark. This has influenced me a lot in my own writing, especially in The CaseBook Of Sam Spallucci. Yes, we need serious moments in our lives which we have to ponder about and stroke our proverbial beards over, but we also require moments that reduce us to tears of complete and unadulterated mirth. This is why I regard Young Frankenstein as a classic film and why I have watched over and over again, sharing with anyone who happens to listen. I say to you now, if you’re feeling blue, just watch the following clip. You’ll never listen to the music of Irving Berlin again without smiling.

Thanks for reading this blog. If you like what you see feel free to visit my website(www.aschambers.co.uk), follow me on Facebook (A.S.Chambers) or stalk me on Twitter (@ASChambersUK) where you can find various bits and bobs regarding books, films TV series and whatever drops into my lap.