Rondo Awards: CHS nominated for Best Blog/Website

By WALLACE McBRIDE

You just think you love DARK SHADOWS.

And you probably do. It's not a television show that will meet you halfway ... if you're a fan of DARK SHADOWS, you've absolutely made a significant investment of your life to this sprawling, 1,225-episode program. Our fans make Trekkies look sedate by comparison.

Compared to Patrick McCray, though, you're a total piker.

Yes, that's a bold statement, given the broad spectrum of DARK SHADOWS fans that have interacted with this website over the years. Some of these folks were lucky enough to hang around the NYC studios where the series was taped between 1966-1971. Others were involved with organizing festivals and conventions years later, publishing fanzines or helping to produce audio dramas that extended the narrative of a series that loved decades after it was taken off the air. These are passionate, driven people who have been at the DARK SHADOWS game for a long, long time.

I've even managed to make a name for myself in recent years as one of the show's loudest, strangest cheerleaders. But: When I have a question about DARK SHADOWS, Patrick McCray is the guy I ask. He's seen the series from start to finish (and one time from finish to start) more times that I can count, and can address nuances of continuity, story, dramatic mechanics and theme in ways that are always illuminating. His B game is better than more people's A, and he's contributed to this website over the years with the kind of commitment and discipline that's usually only accompanied by a paycheck. There have been days since I launched this website in 2011 where I've contemplating shuttering the historical society's doors, but Patrick's dedication keeps me coming back.

In 2012, The Collinsport Historical Society was named "Best Blog" of the year by The Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards. It feels ridiculous that we were even nominated, and downright surreal to have actually won. We've been nominated every year since in that same category, which somehow feels nicer to me than having actually won. Over the weekend the CHS was nominated again for "Best Website or Blog" of 2017, alongside such sites as birth.movies.death, Graveyard Shift Sisters, Bloody Disgusting, Dread Central and Tim Lucas' Video Watchblog.

My instinct this year was to thank the Rondos for their continued recognition and move along with my life. Just seeing the CHS mentioned with those other people is scary. It seems best to keep my head down and hope nobody figures out that I was invited to this party in error. I mean, holy hell. You guys know I spend my free time making Muppet Show/Dark Shadows mashups right?

Which brings me back to Patrick. When we got our Rondo back way back when, it was a single award that's now sitting in a display case in the cluttered nest I refer to as my "office." And I think Patrick deserves to have one of these. So, instead of pushing you to vote for the CHS this year, I thought I'd share a sample of my ballot ... which includes Patrick McCray in the write-in category for "best writer" of 2017. There are 29 categories, and you don't have to vote for them all. But I'd love it if you voted for Patrick this year.

As usual, this year's winners will be determined by votes from the public. And that means you. Readers are asked to select winners from this year's nominees and e-mail your selections to awards taraco@aol.com.

All voting is by e-mail only. One vote is allowed per person. Every e-mail must include your name to be counted. All votes are kept confidential. No e-mail addresses or personal information will be shared. Votes must be received by midnight, April 8, 2018.

You can read the full list HERE, and below you can find my personal ballot.

2. BEST TELEVISION PRESENTATION OF 2017
STAN AGAINST EVIL, ‘Girl’s Night,’ 11.8.17, IFC. Jeffrey Combs guest stars as Impish Man. ‘Answer the door. Then step outside and lock it, and everything will be great.’

3. BEST CLASSIC DVD/BLU-RAY
SUSPIRIA (Synapse)

5. BEST RESTORATION OR UPGRADE
SUSPIRIA (Synapse). Much awaited 4K restoration, color corrections from original negative.

11. BOOK OF THE YEAR
MONSTER SQUAD: Celebrating the Artists Behind Cinema’s Most Memorable Creatures, by Hearther A. Wixson (BearManor Media, softcover, 444 pages, $28). Biographies and interviews with master monster makers of the 70s-90s.

17. BEST WEBSITE OR BLOG OF 2017
Graveyard Shift Sisters. www.graveyardshiftsisters.com

14. BEST INTERVIEW (award goes to interviewer)
Marie Wallace of Dark Shadows, by Rod Labbe. SCARY MONSTERS #104.

WRITE-IN CATEGORIES: 
24. BEST WRITER OF 2017 
Patrick McCray, The Collinsport Historical Society.

25. BEST ARTIST OF 2017 
Ben Walker Story. Ben was my write-in vote last year, and he's my write-in vote this year, as well. You can see his work online at benwalkerart.com.