To kick off Universal Studios L.A.’s Halloween Horror Nights, press was invited to attend the sixth annual Eyegore Awards, where the best of horror movies gather together and recognize the hottest horror stars around. The event took place at 7:30 on October 3 at Universal Studios. The sixth annual Eyegore Awards was hosted by Corey Feldman (Lost Boys 2: The Tribe, Lost Boys, and the Friday the 13th films), a very wise choice for master of ceremonies. Past recipients of the Eyegore Awards include Patricia Arquette, Rob Zombie, and more.

Blogcritics caught up with Tobe Hooper (director of Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Poltergeist), Derek Mears (The new Friday the 13th), Lauren Shiohama (Deal or No Deal, briefcase 12), and Lew Temple (The Devil’s Rejects).

Lew Temple was extremely charismatic and is a big fan of the horror movie genre. So much so that he had trouble picking only one horror movie as his favorite. After a long pause, he responded, “That’s such a tough question. It was probably … Frankenstein.” But he did vividly remember the first horror movie he ever saw -- Swamp Thing. Coming from Louisiana, this movie scared him to death, but he still liked it. He was so scared, the seven-year-old Lew Temple wouldn’t even go near a swamp. He added, “I thought for sure that thing was going to come out of the swamp, come out of my toilet. I wouldn’t take a bath.”

His best Halloween ever was when he was dressed as a ghost and his costume got torn, so he stole his brother’s Darth Vader costume. But Lew’s mom didn’t know he was out, because he was dressed as Darth Vader instead of a ghost, “I was out all night trick-or-treating. I was out ‘til two with all the old guys. So, I came home with not only candy, but with bourbon, vodka, and a couple beers.” And, yes, he was only eight. On his movie, the Devil’s Rejects, he told Blogcritics, “It was great working with Rob Zombie. I went in and auditioned and I was what he was looking for. It was perfect. We connected, Rob and I.” He’s also done other scary movies like Halloween and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. His newest movie is Trailer Park of Terror, which he describes as “Tales of the Crypt meets Dukes of Hazzard.”

After that, I ran into Lauren Shiohama, who holds briefcase 12 on Deal or No Deal. She looked stunning even if zombies were following her on the red carpet. She spilled, “Chucky freaked me out. I kissed my dolls to sleep.” There is a Chucky show at Halloween Horror Nights.

I was privileged to talk to Tobe Hooper (pictured left), who directed Poltergeist and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Like Lew, it took Tobe a while to pick just one horror movie, but he eventually picked the remake of the Curse of Frankenstein. His first horror movie was The Thing. “I was underneath the chair most of the time.”