Here in Brazil

[NekroDave]

Glad you made it home safely (everything I know about Brazil, I learned from "Turistas" lol)  and that you got to experience something so special. Welcome back!

[avenger]

Glad you're home safe and sound Raymond !!
And congratulations again on your achievement.

[fmofmpls]

Welcome home Raymond to the beautiful state of Missouri - the show me state! And show us you did! Great to have you back on American soil even if it is in Missouri. 

[mjaycox]

Doesn't this whole story sound like it has the makings of some foreign-film light comedy or farce? The sort of film Francis Veber would make?

The basic plot is there: Nice guy from small midwestern town is mild-mannered reporter by day in his own country, and is also an international movie star in another? He could have two girlfriends: the Brazilian lingerie super-model who is high-maintenance, and the small-town librarian who would never believe his other life...but whom he secretly loves more...

Yes... yes...

Ray, call me. We should do lunch and figure out how we're gonna pitch this screenplay. Call Danny for pointers!

Matt

[poseablemonster]

WOW!  I'm late to the party.  I wanted to say, "I can't believe it!"; but I can totally believe it.  What an amazing, dream come true for you, Ray.  I am so happy that it was such a success, and that the movie is going to be so big.  You were born to do it, it's such a big part of you and your love for the character brought the opportunity to you.  I am not sure how the whole cycle works, but it does work.  Congratulations! 

[Nicole]

Welcome back, Raymond! Great to hear that you made it home safely.

[poseablemonster]

I was cleaning out things from the car, and found a real monster collectible treasure:

I'm holding on to this baby, just in case...

[mjaycox]

I was cleaning out things from the car, and found a real monster collectible treasure:

I'm holding on to this baby, just in case...

Good idea... but really-- shouldn't it be "Ray do Caixao"? or "Re' do Caixao"?

[fmofmpls]

I was cleaning out things from the car, and found a real monster collectible treasure

Can we get a nice repro ala Phoenix candy boxes? 

[poseablemonster]

Darn, I should have watermarked the scan!  Now there will be repros all over the place!

[raycastile]

My autograph is a sure-fire way to lower the rent in any collection.

Meanwhile...

Here is a nice review of Encarnacao do Demonio courtesy of Twitch:

http://twitchfilm.net/site/view/embodiment-of-evil-review/

Hey, it even mentions me.

[raycastile]

OK, here are some photos.  I didn't take many, unfortunately.  Most of these were taken by Dennison Ramalho.

Here I am in the parking garage, waiting for my cue to enter the theater at the premiere.


They ushered me into this roped-off area where the press could take pictures of me while I posed.




Here I am doing a print interview.


This is Milhem Cortaz, the actor who plays Father Eugenio, a kind of "monk assassin" sworn to kill Zé do Caixão.


Then Mojica entered with his seven "brides" from the film.


I joined them and we all posed for photos.





Here are some nice shots of Mojica and I just standing around in costume.




Then we went inside the theater auditorium for the actual screening.  The movie was showing on seven screens, but we only did a presentation in front of one.

Here I am, waiting to enter.


The cast and crew lined up in front of the screen while Mojica made a speech.  That's Dennison standing next to me in the AC/DC shirt.




Everyone applauded many times.



And then we watched the movie!  I didn't get any photos of the parties afterward.  But there were plenty of cameras going off, so I'm sure photos of the post-screening events will find their way online before long.

[BARON TIMOTHEUS BGG]

Dear Brother, RAYMOND,
... Welcome, back, to North America!
... I read the entire article, and, I didn't find, even, a single mention, of "me"... of you, yes, but, not, of "me"... or, did you say that there was, just, to get me, to use my literacy super-prowess, developed, by EVELYN WOOD?
... Seriously, "What becomes a Legend most?" Having RAYMOND CASTILE, by your side! You look like FATHER & SON!
... KONG-RATULATIONS, on a Job, well-done! I prefer my Jobs, Medium-Rare! They're both BLOODY GOOD!
EXANIMO EVERNOW,
TIMMY & THE BARON & FRIENDS, B.G.G.

[raycastile]

I'm slowly building a nice little network of friends in Sao Paulo.

Here is my aforementioned friend, Dennison Ramalho, standing next to me at the premiere.  He is a great guy.  You see, he is even holding my stuff for me, since I can't grip anything with those nails.


Here is my friend Livia Furlan.  She is a lawyer for the Pirelli Tire company.  That's the building where she works behind her.


I think I am in the doghouse with Livia.  I was supposed to meet her Friday, but instead I stayed out until 1:30 a.m. with Mojica and Dennison.  Whoops!  Ah well.

Just as I took this picture, Livia's boss walked up the sidewalk behind her (you can't see her boss in the shot).  Livia had taken a long lunch with me.  Busted!


This is my friend, Henrique, the Glasslite King.  


He is a collectible toy dealer.  He is "the man" when it comes to 1980s Glasslite toys like the rare Dracula series.  In the photo above, he is holding a game from that series.  Here are some more pictures of it:



Here are some Glasslite Dracula toys I bought from Henrique:


I only paid for one of the Dracula figures.  Henrique threw in the second figure for free because he is a huge Zé do Caixão fan.  I told him no, no, no, I couldn't.  But he said yes, yes, yes and insisted that I take it.  Then he asked me to autograph a third Glasslite Dracula figure (I told you he is the Glasslite King).  I hated to deface a rare toy, but he insisted!  So I signed it on the back, "To my friend Henry, from Raymond Castile (young Zé do Caixão)."  He was tickled.

I'm also getting pretty friendly with an actor/musician named Rubens Mello.  He has a part in the film as one of Zé's disciples.  When he met me at the premiere, he snuck up behind me and surprised me.  Then he kissed my hand and said, "I love this guy!"  You can't beat that for a greeting.  Mojica's daughter, Lizvamp, took photos of Rubens and I together, but I don't have them.

Here is a picture I took in 2006 that shows Rubens on the right.


So those are the people I like to hang around with in Sao Paulo!

[raycastile]

On Paulista Ave., there is a famous park called Trianon. 


Mojica used it as a location for Awakening of the Beast.  It is very lush, as you can see in this daylight shot:


Dennison told me it is also famous for being the home of a demon!  People have reported seeing a one-legged black boy who appears and disappears out of nowhere.  I don't think he's supposed to be the ghost of a once-living child.  Dennison said he is a "demon," some kind of mythical figure that exists to cause mischief.  Lots of people have claimed to have encountered him.  But there is a catch - he only comes out at night!

The park is kind of spooky in the daytime, let alone at night.  It has a dense, isolated, jungle-like atmosphere.

So what did I do?  What else.  I went to Trianon Park at night, searching for the demon!  In a rain storm, no less!

Here are the shots I took.  I don't see a demon in any of them.  Those white blobs are not "orbs."  They are rain drops on the lens!







That is a spooky place!  But no demons.  I guess I scared him away.  I hope he didn't follow me home...