16th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards

The winners of the 16th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards were announced April 12.

The awards are named after Rondo Hatton, an obscure B-movie villain of the 1940s, and “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 23-year old online community, drew more than 3,700 ballots, the most ever.

A Rondo Awards Ceremony will be held at the WonderFest Convention in Louisville on Saturday, June 2, 2018.

BEST FILM OF 2017

  • THE SHAPE OF WATER

BEST TV PRESENTATION

  • STRANGER THINGS 2

BEST BLU-RAY/DVD

  • SUSPIRIA LIMITED EDITION (Synapse)

BEST COLLECTION

  • THE PHANTASM COLLECTION (Well Go USA)

BEST RESTORATION

  • SUSPIRIA LIMITED EDITION (Synapse)

BEST COMMENTARY

  • DAVID DEL VALLE, DEREK BOTELHO (Suspiria)

BEST DVD EXTRA

  • A SIGH FROM THE DEPTHS: 40 YEARS OF SUSPIRIA, directed by Daniel Griffith

BEST INDEPENDENT FILM

  • THE DEVIL’S CANDY, directed by Sean Byrne

BEST SHORT FILM

  • KONG: STEEL IN LOVE, directed by Tom Woodruff Jr.

BEST DOCUMENTARY

  • MONSTER KIDS: THE IMPACT OF THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT, directed by James-Michael Roddy

BOOK OF THE YEAR

  • THE ART OF HORROR MOVIES: An Illustrated History by Stephen Jones

BEST MAGAZINE (Classic)

  • SCARY MONSTERS

BEST MAGAZINE (modern)

  • RUE MORGUE

BEST ARTICLE

  • ‘The Epic Untold Saga Behind Frankenstein: The True Story,’ by Sam Irvin, LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS #38.

BEST INTERVIEW (Award goes to interviewer)

  • The W.I.T.C.H. interviews by Andrea Subassati, RUE MORGUE #178 

BEST COLUMN

  • The Doctor Is In-Sane, by Dr. Gangrene (SCARY MONSTERS)

BEST COVER

  • SCARY MONSTERS #105 by Scott Jackson

BEST WEBSITE

  • birth.movies.death

BEST MULTI-MEDIA SITE

  • TWILIGHT ZONE PODCAST

BEST CONVENTION

  • MONSTER BASH

BEST LIVE EVENT

  • RAY HARRYHAUSEN’S MYTHICAL MENAGERIE, Science Museum Oklahoma

FAVORITE HORROR HOST

  • SVENGOOLIE

BEST HORROR COMIC BOOK

  • MY FAVORITE THING IS MONSTERS, by Emil Ferris

BEST CD

  • HAMMER HORROR: CLASSIC THEMES 1958-1974

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INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
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WRITER OF THE YEAR

  • Patrick McCray

Few people know the secrets of Collinsport more than Patrick McCray, a Dark Shadows expert whose contributions to the Dark Shadows Daybook keep horror’s enduring scare opera alive for new generations. A writer who viewed 1,225 episodes in 45 days, he shares his obsession with Collinsport fans daily.

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

  • Mark Maddox

The dazzling artwork of Mark Maddox has become as familiar as the logos of our favorite monster magazines. Whether giving a vibrant vibe to Ghidrah or a somber take on Dracula, the Maddox touch is sure and steady. No wonder his work is nominated for several covers each year.

LINDA MILLER AWARD FOR FAN ARTIST OF THE YEAR
(In memory of the late Linda Miller)

  • David G. Hardy

The art of David G. Hardy flows naturally, capturing the hearts and torments of our favorite monsters and supporting players. Whether casual sketches or full-throated portraits, Hardy’s work is in the grand tradition of classic fantasy, propelled by an exuberance of spirit that keeps his horrors…alive.

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

  • Sonny Vento of the Haunted Barn Movie Museum

That’s Sonny Vento, now 87, appearing very briefly in 1953 as a longshoreman in THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS, just before the Rhedosaur attacks. Vento helped his son, Joey, start the Haunted Barn Movie Museum in New York, which since 1968 has displayed monster props and shown movies to kids young and old. Says Joey: “When we do our Monstrous Movie Memories Show displays, we always do a tribute to dad.” We at the Rondos are delighted to honor a Greatest Generation Monster Kid!

MONSTER KID OF THE YEAR

  • TIM LANZA

A vice president at the Cohen Media Group, Tim was the driving force behind the restoration of James Whale’s OLD DARK HOUSE on Blu-Ray. Working his industry contacts for years, he finally got access to a Library of Congress copy for a 4K restoration. Classic horror fans now have the 1932 film as it was meant to be seen. The Rondos are honored to select Tim Lanza as our Monster Kid of the Year,

THE MONSTER KID HALL OF FAME

  • JUNE FORAY

June Foray was quite literally the voice of several generations, the voice artist behind Rocky and Bullwinkle, Looney Toons, Hanna-Barbera, Disney and scores of commercials and films. Passing away last year at the age of 99, her legacy lives on to the delight of our children and grandchildren.

  • CASSANDRA PETERSON

Taking the tradition of horror hosts to sexy and hilarious heights, Cassandra Peterson’s Elvira character never forgot the dignity of the films she lampooned. For 30 years she’s kept forgotten horror franchises alive. One of the genre’s true pioneers.

  • GREG NICOTERO

In a world of suits and balance sheets, it’s rare that someone who gets it takes charge of a horror franchise as important as THE WALKING DEAD. A trailblazing makeup and effects artist, Nicotero’s deft directing touch keeps the show at the cutting edge of 21st Century storytelling. His work will be a guide for generations of  filmmakers to come.

  • ROBERT TAYLOR

In a world of collectors, few can compare with Robert Taylor, whose rooms of show business memorabilia from the early 1900s to the fright films of the 50s is a living museum. With access to Forrest J Ackerman’s writings and Vincent Price artwork, Taylor is a master of ephemera that matters. In addition, his years of serving as Sara Karloff’s aide de camp at conventions and elsewhere have kept icons available to fans and researchers. Shown above with Victoria Price and Karloff, Robert is a true gentleman of the genre.

  • HARUO NAKAJIMA

For decades he was the anonymous man in the Godzilla suit, walking silently through miniature cities. It was hot in the suit, he said later, sometimes he was injured. But Haruo Nakajima never faltered as he kept Toho’s monster franchise on schedule. Late in life fans learned his names and flocked to him at conventions. When he died at age 88, Nakajima knew that in his own way, he was a star.

  • MIKE HILL

Mike Hill’s lifelike sculpts of famous monsters can take your breath away. Full-size and detailed down to the tear on a teenage werewolf’s pants leg, Hill’s work reveals the humanity in even the fiercest of creatures. His work on the merman in THE SHAPE OF WATER shows his Hollywood  influence has only just begun.