Before there was X, Pearl, or MaXXXine, there was The House of the Devil. Before there was The Restoration at Grayson Manor, there was I Sell the Dead. Before Sweet Tooth, there was Stake Land. In other words, acclaimed genre filmmakers like Ti West, Glenn McQuaid, and Jim Mickle all had to cut their teeth somewhere, and that somewhere is indie studio Glass Eye Pix.
These figures are merely a handful of the impressive voices in genre storytelling that have come through the doors of Glass Eye Pix over the years, which was created by Larry Fessenden. Proving just how deep the history of the studio is, Glass Eye Pix Palooza-Con is set to celebrate 40 years of the studio. The one-day-only celebration of the studio will be happening on November 7 at Ideal Glass Studio in New York City. The event coincides with the end of Optic Nerve: A Tribute to Glass Eye Pix at Manhattan’s IFC Center, which runs from October 28 through November 3.
Per press release, “Glass Eye Pix is proud to announce the first-ever Glass Eye Pix Palooza-Con (aka GEP-CON), a one-day-only brick-and-mortar store located in the heart of Manhattan — celebrating 40 years of Larry Fessenden’s iconic NYC production company. The convention / party / pop-up store happens in conjunction with the IFC Center’s Optic Nerve screening series, which celebrates 40 years of Glass Eye Pix, featuring select work by Ti West, Jim Mickle, and Glenn McQuaid, as well as Larry Fessenden’s acclaimed Monster Quadrilogy.
“GEP-CON will take place at Ideal Glass Studios, located at 9 West 8th Street, from noon until 11:00PM on November 7th. The store will feature mountains of Glass Eye Pix films, including Blu-Rays and 4K discs from Vinegar Syndrome and Dark Sky Films, hard-to-find VHS tapes, and other assorted rarities. Also for sale will be Blu-Rays from the new Glass Eye Pix video label, featuring early work by Ti West, James Felix McKenney, and Graham Reznick.
“Glass Eye Pix Palooza-Con will feature curated displays of costumes and props from GEP films going back to the 1990s. The event’s walls will feature posters chronicling Glass Eye’s decades-long journey, dating all the way back to Fessenden’s time in the late 1980s, chronicling East Village performance artist and stuntman David Leslie (aka The Impact Addict).
“In addition to films, GEP-CON will sell brand new t-shirts and handcrafted Wendigo figurines sculpted by James Felix McKenney. Also available are CDs and vinyl editions of various scores, Fessenden’s pub rock band Just Desserts, and other rarities. A back catalog of Glass Eye Comix will be purchasable, alongside the debut of The Damned and the Dangerous, a thrilling new one-shot graphic novel from Glenn McQuaid and Ted Geoghegan, illustrated by the legendary Brahm Revel.
“Proving it’s far more than simply a pop-up event, a number of eye-catching digital displays throughout Glass Eye Pix Palooza-Con will feature mini-documentaries, rare behind-the-scenes footage, creepy Christmas films, sizzle reels, shorts, and rare features in the auditorium section of the venue. Attending, signing, and yes, even working the register at GEP-CON will be a litany of Glass Eye founders, filmmakers, alumni, and extended family members.
“As evening descends upon the space, GEP-CON will shift focus to live events, including a performance of a brand-new episode of Glenn McQuaid and Larry Fessenden’s celebrated audio drama series, Tales from Beyond the Pale, featuring a cast of special guests. Music and additional acts will follow, and the evening will end with a rousing birthday celebration of the Glass Eye Pix legacy.”
You can check out Glass Eye Pix Palooza-Con at Ideal Glass Studio in New York City on November 7.
Will you be checking out the event? Let us know in the comments below!