Pix from Thrillville's Tribute to Bob Wilkins; my final San Jose show 7/14/10

Written By Will Viharo
 Pre-show celebration dinner at Bella Mia

Ever been glad & sad at the same time? That's how I felt last night at THRILLVILLE'S TRIBUTE TO CREATURE FEATURES, at the Camera 3 Cinema in San Jose - my penultimate road show before I settle down to my new, scaled back Forbidden Thrills movie series @ Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge, and concentrate on promoting my novels (all described in this San Francisco Bay Guardian blog by Cheryl Eddy).  It was a pretty good crowd, some usual suspects mixed with strangers, along with  personal appearances by "Creature Features" heir John Stanley and filmmaker/archivist Tom Wyrsch (who reassembled the complete 7/14/73 episode of "Creature Features" featuring The Creature Walks Among Us with Bob's original wraparound and commercials from the era). It was a fun, successful evening, and everyone left happy, including Monica Tiki Goddess and myself, though with that bittersweet feeling of saying a fond farewell to something you know in your heart is over, but it marks the end of an era, and a milestone in my life whose impact I can never deny nor forget. It was fitting that this should be one of my final movie theater shows, since Bob was a frequent guest at The Parkway, and once at the Cerrito, for many live "Creature Features" reunion shows. Bob tragically passed away not long before both theaters closed last year, too, so in a way, this was just the final wave of a Long Goodbye. Now, on to our final two "road shows": our last movie theater gig on Thursday, July 22 at the Roxie Theater in San Francisco, presenting the West Coast premiere of MIL MASCARAS VS THE AZTEC MUMMY and ACADEMY OF DOOM, as part of the esteemed horror/sci-fi indie film fest Another Hole in the Head; and then it's down to San Diego to host Movie Nite at TIKI OASIS 10, featuring our tribute to "Classic Tiki TV." Thanks for the memories - and here's to making many, many more! Aloha.
Monica with John Stanley





With Tom Wyrsch and John Stanley













With Thrill Seeker Larry Kakos
W
With Doug Barrett, who recreated the set for the first "Creature Features" show at Parkway
10 years ago
 Thrill Seekers Doug and Alex

Cheers & aloha!
Will Viharo

WILL "THE THRILL" VIHARO is a freelance writer and the author of several "gonzo pulp" novels including "A Mermaid Drowns in the Midnight Lounge," "Freaks That Carry Your Luggage up to the Room," "Chumpy Walnut," "Lavender Blonde," "Down a Dark Alley," and the “Vic Valentine, Private Eye” series, the first of which, "Love Stories Are Too Violent For Me," has been optioned for a film by Christian Slater, reissued in 2013 by Gutter Books, which also published the new Vic Valentine novel "Hard-boiled Heart" in December, 2015.

Two science fiction novels, "It Came from Hangar 18" and "The Space Needler's Intergalactic Bar Guide," were written in collaboration with Scott Fulks, who added real science to Will's pulp.

Will's own imprint, Thrillville Press, has issued a three volume anthology series featuring all of his standalone novels called "The Thrillville Pulp Fiction Collection," along with another omnibus called "The Vic Valentine Classic Case Files," which include four novels from the 1990s, "Fate Is My Pimp," "Romance Takes a Rain Check," "I Lost My Heart in Hollywood," and "Diary of a Dick," plus a recent short story, "Brain Mistrust."

More recently published books include the Vic Valentine "Mental Case Files" trilogy comprised of "Vic Valentine: International Man of Misery," "Vic Valentine: Lounge Lizard For Hire," and "Vic Valentine: Space Cadet"; the original story collection "Vic Valentine, Private Eye: 14 Vignettes"; the erotic horror noir novella "Things I Do When I'm Awake"; and a collection of erotic horror noir stories, "VIHORROR! Cocktales of Sex and Death."

Additionally Will has had stories included in a variety of anthologies including "Fast Women and Neon Lights: Eighties-Inspired Neon Noir"; "Mixed Up!"; "Long Distance Drunks: A Tribute to Charles Bukowski"; "Deadlines: A Tribute to William Wallace"; "Dark Yonder: Tales and Tabs"; "Knucklehead Noir" and "Weird Winter Wonderland" (both Coffin Hop Press); and "Pop the Clutch: Thrilling Tales of Rockabilly, Monsters, and Hot Rod Horror."

Viharo's unique brand of "gonzo pulp fiction" combines elements of eroticism, noir, fantasy, and horror. For many years he has also been a professional film programmer/impresario and live music booker. He now lives in Seattle, WA with his wife and cats

https://www.thrillville.net
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"Mermaid Mania" Monday 7/19 @ Forbidden Island
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Thrillville's Tribute to BOB WILKINS, Camera 3, San Jose, 7/14/10