I just ran into Tom Savini

I went to Eide's Record store in downtown Pittsburgh today and I noticed they had the DVD of "Death Proof", but they didn't have the other "Grindhouse" movie "Planet Terror". So I asked the guy behind the counter when Planet Terror was going to be released on DVD, and I hear some guy standing beside me say "It's coming out in October." I turn and look and Tom Savini himself is standing right next to me! He just happened to be there buying some movies.

I never understood the expression "dumbstruck" until that moment. Here I was asking about a movie, and the guy standing next to me at the counter is the guy who helped make that movie. I literally could think of nothing to say, I was totally tongue-tied. The movie "Creepshow" was a watershed movie for me as a teenager, and one of the reasons I'm not only into horror movies, but home theater as well.

Finally I managed a "Thanks!" and then I walked out of the store. Talk about weird coincidences!

I know, I know. I should have bought "The Burning" which just came out on DVD last week and had him autograph it.

Okay guys, today, exactly two years and 12 days after my first encounter, I ran into Tom Savini again at the same place! This time I wasn't shy, I shook his hand, introduced myself, talked movies for a little bit. He noticed I was buying a British Horror Quadruple feature DVD box set, so maybe I made a tiny impression on him this time! Very cool way to kick off the Halloween season!

I should have thought about getting a cell phone pic, that would have made a cool screen saver! But I generally don't like to bug celebrities too much, I'm just happy to say I met them. He is just a regular guy shopping for DVDs. One thing to note: he was only looking at the standard-def versions, I guess he hasn't taken the plunge into Blu-Ray yet either!