Horror fans in the disabled community finally find their outlet to view and discuss horror movies, shows and books! John Gugie, who lives with a form of Muscular Dystrophy,is the creator of the website “Wheels of Terror”.During an Internet interview he expressed his reasons for the website and what it will accomplish.
His second-in-command, George Kouri, was also able to shed some light albeit morbid on the world of horror.
Audacity: John and George, give our readers a little background about yourselves.
John Gugie:I’m 28 years old,from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA, and I have Duchene’s Muscular Dystrophy.
George Kouri:I’m also 28 and from Florida, USA. I have Dubowitz Congenital Muscular Dystrophy.
Audacity:When did this fascination with horror begin?
John Gugie:I started watching horror movies when I was about seven years old or so.I saw movies such as ‘The Shining’, ‘The Exorcist,’ and ‘Phantasm’ at that time. After that the next twenty years becomes a blur of thousands of horror movies and shows. I’ll watch any horror film at least once.
I have read ghost stories, horror comics, and other spooky stuff since I was a child but, it wasn’t until the summer of 1994, at the age of 18, that I began reading horror novels.
At the constant pestering of a friend, I started reading Dean Koontz’s ‘Phantoms’. After that I was hooked on books as well as movies. I’ve seen most mainstream horror from the last twenty years. Now I’m working my way backward.
Kouri:I grew up watching “Godzilla” and “King Kong”. From there, I went to watching a local Saturday morning horror show called “Dr. Paul Bearer”, who used to air horror movies like “Night of the Living Dead”, “Dracula” and others.
Audacity:What are some of your favorite movies?
Gugie:My favorite horror movies include The Stand, Phantasm, Halloween, Spider Baby, Dawn of the Dead among countless others.
Kouri:My favorite movies are “Nightmare on Elm Street”, “Friday the 13th”, and “Aliens” films.
Audacity:Do you have any favorite books?
Gugie:My favorite authors include Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Michael Crichton, Robert McCammon, John Saul, and F. Paul Wilson.
Audacity: Why did you decide to create a horror website for disabled community?
Gugie: I am doing this to give disabled horror fans a medium on which to freely express themselves in the horror genre, a genre among many others, in which
I feel our voice isn’t heard. My site will unite all those who join. Everyone can speak their minds without fear of any
backlash. Members can chat and/or become more involved.
Audacity: What do you hope to accomplish?
Gugie:I hope to eventually attract the likes of disabled horror stars,writers,
artists as well as others who work within this field. This will become an outreach program for us: the disabled fans.
We can also talk to those who’ve faced similar hardships but who aren’t disabled. We can host chats with them, host contests with stuff they send us. The possibilities are endless. The more members, content, and publicity the site receives the stronger the force to be recognized. As a disabled community, we need to work together to achieve these goals.
I’m honored to have our campaign recognized by Audacity Magazine, hopefully the first of many organizations to recognize us.
Audacity:Is there a connection between your disability and your interest in horror films?
Gugie:I, personally, like horror films for several reasons. First, I feel that I’ve had a lonely childhood due to my disability and so, I can identify with morbid topics. Second, as a disabled person, I always had to fight and struggle to get anything done. Horror, more often than not, portrays characters overcoming extreme struggles.
Horror is the perfect medium for us. Last, I like to see the bad guys get their just desserts. I imagine myself being a supernatural being, a hero, and ridding us of those who are just evil. I guess I just fantasize about having more control of my life and horror allows an outlet, even if it is just a few hours, for just that
purpose. Horror shows a loss of control and then fighting to overcome struggles and survival.
Audacity: What are your favorite horror films?
Gugie: My favorite horror films are “The Wolf Man”, “An American Werewolf in London”, “Silver Bullet”, “Phantasm”, Kubrick’s “The Shining”, “The Stand”,
“IT”, “Bubba Ho-Tep”, both versions of “Dawn of the Dead”, among countless
others. Anything with a good story and atmosphere is fair game.
Audacity: What would you like to tell the horror fans in the disabled community?
Gugie:I would like to tell the horror fans in the disabled community to never give up. Get your voices heard by any means necessary. Don’t stay in the shadows. We should show that we aren’t quitters. Our struggles make us stronger than them.
Talking about our disabilities doesn’t make us weaker or show that we want pity. It’s about understanding. The phrase “out of
sight, out of mind” comes to my mind. We shouldn’t let that happen.
We want understanding. And the first step to receive understanding is to get our
words and ideas out there!
Come on and join us. Let’s get our voices heard in the horror genre.
Audacity:Thank you guys. We wish you much success and gruesome adventures!
Currently, the membership of the group numbers about 80 or more members.
John is currently trying to get Lou Ferigno, the actor in the original series The Incredible Hulk, to do an interview for Wheels Of Terror.
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