Mutants & Martinis: Toasting 13 Years of Thrillville

Written by Will Viharo



Poster by Aaron Farmer and Petrina Cooper

At Original Joe's, downtown San Jose

















April 15 was tax day for the rest of the nation, but for me, it was my designated date to celebrate Thrillville's 13th Anniversary Show at the Camera 3 Cinema in San Jose, featuring the bargain basement public domain classics The Brain That Wouldn't Die (1962) and Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959), with special guest and old pal Mr. Lobo and some ultra-cool mood music from DJ Actual Rafiq. It was my best attended show in San Jose since my first gig there last summer, soon after Speakeasy Theaters folded, and I moved my already scheduled "Tribute to Creature Features" there. The turnout and ensuing fun, with both old and news faces in the enthusiastic audience, was heartening, since I'm not exactly sure what the future holds for Thrillville, especially since I'm refocusing my efforts on my first and true love, writing fiction, though I have some promising gigs coming up soon, including SHATFEST at the Vine Cinema in Livermore, and the West Coast premiere of the new lucha classic Mil Mascaras vs. the Aztec Mummy at the Roxie Cinema July 22, closing night of the popular Another Hole in the Head film festival. The former is exciting because I'm back in the East Bay, at a venue serving pizza, wine, and beer, with my most popular annual event, and the latter is exciting because it's my premiere show at the legendary Roxie, I have the honor of closing this film festival, and I finally get to bring this movie to the West Coast after a lot of behind the scenes drama and delays. More on these gigs later; for now, dig the photos of my anniversary show. Not sure if there'll be a 14th Anniversary Show, but I feel more positive about that now than I did before this show. Lobo's "beauty contest" was the highlight of the live portion, though my private celebratory dinner with Monica at our favorite South Bay restaurant, Original Joe's, was pretty special to me. Here's to 13 years of B movie burlesque, and counting. Cheers.Lisa Cortes celebrates her bday at the show, with hubby Dan.
Thrill Seekers Chad, Jenny and Larry make the scene.
Lobo's "beauty contest"
Lobo and Dixie Dellamuerto lead the "Cinema Insomnia" oath
Monica enjoys a good book in the lobby!


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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