A Gathering of Ghouls : A three-day convention in Universal City will celebrate entertainment’s macabre and garish gems.

If Famous Monsters of Filmland is the granddaddy of horror movie magazines, its convention here this weekend is a giant family reunion.

The appropriately named “Son of Famous Monsters of Filmland Horror, Sci-Fi and Fantasy World Convention”--sponsored by the magazine--brings together members of Hollywood’s Horror elite for the second time. The first gathering in Arlington, Va., two years ago drew 7,000 people from as far away as Asia, according to organizer and magazine publisher Ray Ferry.

But those who couldn’t make it to the East Coast clamored for a second chance. The natural location was Universal City--in the shadow of the studio that produced the most famous horror films ever, including “Dracula,” “The Wolf Man” and countless “House of” and “Son of” spinoffs. (And don’t forget “Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man” and “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein.”)

The three-day convention, which begins today, will have the typical trappings: a museum of horror film memorabilia, an awards dinner, dozens of dealers selling videos, magazines, posters and toys. But what makes the Famous Monsters gathering different from other horror conventions, Ferry said, is that many of the celebrities who attend are fans of the magazine or friends of founding editor Forrest J. Ackerman.

“The reason we get such a tremendous response is because of the affinity that these people have for Forry and the magazine. Under normal circumstances, getting guests like that would bankrupt the convention,” Ferry said. “It’s more like a club meeting. Normally, the celebrities would be a little more aloof.”

At this reunion, Ackerman, 78, is like the great uncle everyone knows. He started out in 1922 as a film buff, became a collector of stills and props, and in the process became an authority on the subject. He created Famous Monsters in 1958, which published until 1983 and was revived two years ago. He also works as a literary agent for some of the best-known writers in the genre, including Ray Bradbury.

Film director John Landis called Ackerman a “semi-mythical” figure, and is flying back to Hollywood from Toronto, where he is filming “The Stupids,” to attend the convention.

“He’s downright revered in places like Czechoslovakia, Japan and Germany, where they take their science-fiction literature very seriously,” Landis said. “You’ll find a surprising turnout to help support Forry.”

Other top guest billing at the convention belongs to legendary science-fiction writer Bradbury and special-effects master Ray Harryhausen. Ackerman, Bradbury and Harryhausen will appear together in a seminar at 11 a.m. Saturday.

At 2:30 p.m., Harryhausen will screen clips of his most famous effects from “The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad” and “Jason and the Argonauts” and discuss how they were created. At 3:30 Bradbury will talk and answer questions.

Also at 2:30 Saturday, a panel of contemporary screenwriters, including Mark Carducci (“Pumpkinhead”), Pete Atkins (“Hellraiser IV”) and Frank Darabont (“Shawshank Redemption” and “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein”) will discuss their craft. Curt Siodmak, who wrote the scripts for the classics “The Wolf Man” and “Donovan’s Brain,” will offer his own seminar at 2 p.m. today.

Social events scheduled include an awards dinner tonight, where filmmakers and actors will be honored as the first inductees into the Famous Monsters Hall of Fame.

A stage show Saturday night includes a costume show and a re-created live “Batman” radio show.

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To celebrate the 60th anniversary of “The Bride of Frankenstein,” costumed performers will re-create the wedding. Ackerman will serve as minister of the ceremony, complete with cake and dead bouquet, at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.

At 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Ackerman will auction off some pieces from his horror memorabilia collection, including a first-issue Famous Monsters magazine, a letter from Vincent Price and a bow tie that belonged to Bela Lugosi.

The celebrations aren’t limited to films, however.

Adam West, who played Batman in the 1960s TV series, will discuss his role and recent book, “Back to the Batcave,” at 1 p.m. Friday.

At 2 p.m., Al Lewis, best known as the cantankerous Grandpa Munster, will also answer questions about “The Munsters” TV series.

The question Lewis is asked most often, he said, is: How long did it take to put on the Grandpa makeup? Answer: two hours to put it on, one hour to take it off.

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During the rest of the convention, he said, he’ll mingle with fans and “make sure that the natives don’t get restless.” Gauging by the last convention, Ferry said, many of the other visiting celebrities will do the same thing.

Lewis said he enjoys his appearances at horror conventions because they draw on his live-performance background in the circus, vaudeville and theater.

And while some may view the horror genre as lowbrow, Lewis understands its appeal.

“It’s like a frightful tickle, like the scare in a good roller coaster. Why do people ride a roller coaster? You don’t really see anything and you know you’re going to come back to where you came from.”

But horror films, he said, “like roller coasters, don’t go out of style.”

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WHERE AND WHEN

What: The Son of Famous Monsters of Filmland Horror, Sci-Fi and Fantasy World Convention.

Location: Sheraton Hotel, 333 Universal Terrace Parkway, Universal City.

Hours: 1 to 9 p.m. today, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Price: $20 per day or $40 for a three-day pass for adults. $12 per day or $20 for a three-day pass for children under 12. Children under 6 admitted free.

Call: (818) 764-9032.