The Ohio Sci-Fi and Horror Marathons

Hello Everyone,

At this years marathon one of the topics that was brought up was "The Body Count" which was one of those great marathon tradition that got phased out for one reason or another, in the case of counting bodies it became to much like work because those counting the bodies were counting death scenes in trailers, short features, insects, birds, animals etc.

So the question is would anyone like to see this tradition ressurected only slightly altered and with some sensible rules....

"The Feature Films On Screen Body Count"

The basic idea is this.....We the audience MUST see the person die On Screen during a feature film, not during a trailer or short film and like Kevin said "what if the earth blows up" well we didn't see all the bodies so we would not count the ones we didn't see....Also Pre-existing death like Zombies, Vampires, Frankensteins Monster, Ghost etc. won't be counted unless we actually see them die as humans before they die a second time.

Please take the poll.....

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Jaws3dfan®
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I'd probably slightly ammend the rules. I'd like to include shorts - but not trailers.

Consider some of the best films from the marathons have actually been shorter subject films (I specifically remember a short zombie film from the Drexel North years where a woman was carrying her zombie husband around the apocalyptic wasteland.) It seems a shame to exclude those.

So, I would instead suggest that the rules be:

1. Only deaths we directly see, or see the body post facto. (If a werewolf eats cousin Suzy, and we don't see it until little Jimmy stumbles across the body, that should still count.
2. Only deaths related to the plot of the film. So, the mountains of body parts in TCM don't count.
3. Only humans or other sentient beings. Killing a Xenomorph should count. Swatting a fly should not.
4. Becoming undead/possessed/whatever does not count as your death, unless you are so changed that you are no longer recognizably the same entity. So, all the folks possessed by the Evil in Prince of Darkness don't count as dying until they die at the end. The folks infected with the parasite aren't dead in They Came From Within, etc.

But that's just my $0.02 on the matter.

I'd consider doing the body countt myself, but I'm already writing too much stuff for the recaps for my site. Plus I sometimes sleep through a movie or two.

I would agree to include Short features

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Jaws3dfan®
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I didn't vote, and here's why... as much fun as it is to have someone keep a body count during the marathon, unless we're going to PAY someone to do it (which isn't going to happen), what's the point of a poll on the subject?

I mean, I would certainly vote in a poll on such topics as, do you want to see more guests, or what movies would you like to see? Those would give Bruce/Joe/Dave some suggestions for future marathons. But this is something completely out of their hands - either someone will step up to volunteer to do it, or not. A better forum topic might be, "Would you like to volunteer to keep the body count at future marathons?"

And just for the record - I'm not going to do it. Joe already asks me to shoot video at every marathon, so I have a "job" already. =)

But, ok, I changed my mind - I'll vote, just so that people will see there's an interest, and maybe someone will be encouraged to take up this old tradition again!

Actually I am willing to do it but only if I can have fun with it and it doesn't turn into a job so basically I wanted to cut out the fat so to speak, now if 50 people were to vote "NO" because they want a FULL body count or nothing than I personally wouldn't even bother doing it and would leave it to someone else....

Also as you can probbaly tell by the poll answers I try not to take anything to seriouse!!

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Jaws3dfan®
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Awesome! I didn't realize you were putting out the feelers to see if people would like this, and, if so, they'd be happy with the new rules!!

In that case, I'd like to change my vote to, "heck, yes - new rules and all!"

Ok, then, what about those rules? (I realize this would be just for fun, so really, the rules can be whatever you decide, Tim - but the discussion is fun, also, so figured I might as well throw in my .02 ) Regarding rule 4, "Becoming undead/possessed/whatever does not count as your death," - you wouldn't include zombiefication in this, would you?

Zombies bring up an interesting case, now that I think about it - let's discuss! Originally, I was thinking you could get a count of 2 out of each zombie - one when the person is killed, and count them again when the zombie gets it. But, from Tim's post, I'm guessing he's of the mind to not count them at ALL until the zombie gets it. After thinking about it, I would lean toward the 3rd option, though - count them when the person dies, and NOT when the zombie dies (they are already dead - and only one BODY means only one toward the body count).

But, what about the new breed of "zombie" films, like 28 Days Later? Not really zombies - infection shouldn't count.

I guess my feelings, in general, would be that if it's a "body count" we should just count dead bodies (so no double counting for undead). But, on the other hand, if you wanted to get fancy, you could count people when they die for the "body count," and then break down separate categories, as Kevin used to do, for dogs, cats, zombies, etc.

But, really, however you want to do it is fine, Tim!!

Much of the fun when Kevin would give his updated body counts at various times through the Marathon was how he would deal with these various situations as they arose. Ted Cassidy to Paul Newman in BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID: "Rules?! In a knife fight?!" A good body count is about style and wit, not statistics. And remember, taking on the assignment is a commitment. Bailing at 8AM may rile the drowsy Marathoids to unspeakable horrors. Careful whatcha wish for....

Actually I agree and like Scott said it's a fun topic more than anything. I hardly ever leave the Horror marathons early so that won't be an issue however if I did leave early and the Marathoids got riled it would not be my problem because I wouldn't be there

Trust me I was thinking about Kevins style, I used to love his body count reports and the fun it brought to the marathon but I also didn't want to take a bunch of crap if I didn't count zombies.

I think Matt Hooper said it best "what I am saying is that I may not count zombies. It's just a slight - it's a difference in semantics that I don't want to get beaten up for."

I would also tweet my reports for added fun.

Yes I like Twitter and my goal is to bring this technology to the marathons because I think its fun and can add a new dimension to the event.

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Jaws3dfan®
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Uh oh,I guess I started another topic I didn't think anyone from the old days would remember. I used to sit behind Kevin way back in the old days of the Drexel North and he was always counting up things during the process of the marathon while snacking from the giant cooler of items he would always bring. The good old days. What memories!