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--Click here to see the news archive!-- If you have a news item you would like to see posted please e-mail it directly to me at almaric@usa.net/.
Well guys, it's taken me a while, but I've finally got the message boards up and running. Do me a favor, check them out and let me know what you think.
New at B-Independent.com
Production: No-budget blood and guts.
Articles: The Shinning: From Page to Screen
Reviews: Tons of new stuff!
Links: Revamped
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October 26, 2003
The New York Independent Horror Film Festival was held this past weekend. Here are the results. Congrats to Marc Fratto (Dir - Stranges Happen at Sundown), Terry West (Dir - Flesh for the Beast), and Richard Siegel (Dir Photog- Flesh for the Beast) three very active members of the B-Indi community!Best Feature - Malevolence
Best Feature (audience choice award) - Strange Things Happen At Sundown
Best Cinematography - Flesh for the Beast
Best Makeup Effects - Flesh for the beast
Best Short - Scream for me
***** Razor Sharp Productions, winners of the James R. Hudnall award, are proud to announce ESCAPE FROM THE DEAD, a horror film shot entirely in the hills of West Virginia. Starring rockers Lance Steele & Billy Dynamite of The Pistol Whippers along with Diane Burton and Emily Chapman, ESCAPE FROM THE DEAD takes the classic zombie mythos and mixes it up with the guns, sex, and general redneck debauchery that can only be found in "West by God". Featuring a soundtrack packed with all the best local punk and rockabilly bands including The Pistol Whippers, Mike Hanlon & The Library Policemen, and Boo. Festival & local screenings along with a DVD release and a couple of other surprises will begin December 1st. In the meantime, trailers and clips from the film are being posted weekly on the Razor Sharp website.
Razor Sharp Productions
The Pistol Whippers
***** MTI Home Video will release Gator Home Entertainment’s action adventure film, ANCIENT WARRIORS, about a band of Special Forces who are on the hunt for biochemical weapons, but find themselves face to face with a battalion of million-year-old souls protecting a Phoenician silver mine. ANCIENT WARRIORS will be released on VHS and DVD November 25, 2003 (prebook November 6, 2003).
Synopsis:
Curtis Mayhew (Lynch) is a terminally ill billionaire who believes the government is responsible for his wife's death. Seeking revenge, he and a band of mercenaries begin to develop biochemical weapons. Obsessed with the legend of the Ancient Warriors and their life-giving potion, he begins a desperate search for the cure, blowing up deserted mines and destroying the beautiful island in the process.
Special Forces Captain Aldo Paccione (Columbu) lives in Sardinia and learns of Mayhew's evil activities and is determined to stop him at any cost. He enlists the help of Jaz (Baldwin) and their former World Team Delta Force. Deep within the mines, Aldo, his team, and the Ancient Warriors wage a supernatural battle against Mayhew in his quest for magical healing and fierce revenge.
The action adventure film stars Franco Columbu (The Terminator, Conan the Barbarian, The Running Man), Daniel Baldwin (Homicide: Life on the Street, John Carpenter’s Vampires), Richard Lynch (Puppetmaster 3, Crime and Punishment), Michelle Hunziker (Swiss and Italian Supermodel), and Lamont Johnson (Jerry Maguire, Waiting to Exhale). The film was written by Tray McKnight and Walter von Huene (TV’s Sheena), with von Huene also directing. Producing credits go to Franco Columbu, and Liz Ryan (first assistant director for TV’s Lyon’s Den and Watching Ellie).
***** A standing-room-only audience filled Manhattan’s Pioneer Theater recently for the theatrical screening debut of Screaming Dead, an R-rated horror film that is the latest full-length feature from prolific New Jersey movie studio, ei Independent Cinema.
Following the screening, a gala, surprise birthday party for one of the film’s stars, ei Cinema sensation Misty Mundae, was held in the nearby “Den of Cin,” a NYC gathering place that caters to fans of cinema. Misty, who has gained worldwide fame in such films as Lord of the G-Strings, a suggestive-spoof of Lord of the Rings, and Spider Babe, a comic-sexy takeoff on Spiderman, was toasted at the party by the film’s other stars, Rachael Robbins, Heidi Kristoffer and C.J. DeMarsico.
As a special surprise and treat, Misty’s sister, Chelsea Mundae, also an ei Cinema starlet, brought a huge batch of her now-famous cupcakes. Among those lucky enough to get more than one was Joseph Sarno, the director whose thoughtful, yet provocative films revolutionized the “adult” movie genre in the 1960s and 70s. Sarno, 82, a Navy combat pilot in World War II, has been lured out of retirement by ei Cinema president Michael Raso to direct the company’s next erotica feature.
The industry leader in the erotica and sexy movie-spoof genres, ei Cinema has produced more than 30 films in the past five years and has distributed dozens of others under its Seduction Cinema, Video Outlaw and Shock-O-Rama Cinema labels. Screaming Dead, which was written and directed by horror veteran Brett Piper, is the first of five horror features under its Shock-O-Rama Cinema label to be produced in 2003-2004.
The movie will be released to home video in early 2004 and will be available through retail and e-tail outlets, including Best Buy, FYE, Movie Gallery, Sam Goody and Hollywood Video and Blockbuster Video.
***** From the Wicked Pixel newsletter:
SAVAGE HARVEST 2: OCTOBER BLOOD, Wicked Pixel Cinema's gore-drenched sequel to Eric Stanze's cult hit, is officially wrapped. No post-production schedule has yet been established.
CHINA WHITE SERPENTINE, from Eric Stanze and Robin Garrels, is in the final stages of post-production. DVD authoring on this release will begin soon.
From Patrick Voss, Eric Stanze, and Ron Bonk... INBRED REDNECK ALIEN ABDUCTION is in the first stages of post-production! All the alien anal-probe action you could want.
John Specht, director of ABSOLUTION, is brewing up more insanity... his movies ELECTRIC ZOMBIES and ESCAPE FROM PURGATORY are currently in back-to-back production.
October 8, 2003
Screaming Dead, an eiCinema feature film written and directed by acclaimed horror veteran Brett Piper, will be presented in theatrical screenings in New York and New Jersey before its home video DVD release in early 2004. The first screenings will be offered at William Paterson University at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 9, and at Manhattan’s Pioneer Theater at 9 p.m. on Oct. 15. Other screenings are being planned.The film, which features eiCinema sensation Misty Mundae, is a story of deceit, psychological manipulation and physical terror played out in the eerie settings of an abandoned insane asylum. Also starring Rachel Robbins and Heidi Kristoffer, Screaming Dead is the latest production of Shock-O-Rama Cinema, the horror-film production division of eiCinema.
For more information regarding the screenings or for directions, go to: http://www.eicinema.com/screaming_dead/index.html
***** Indie filmmaker and author TIM RITTER has a slew of projects in the works that will be available in 2004-5.
First off, editing has just been completed on TWISTED ILLUSIONS 2, the horror anthology sequel that takes Ritter full-circle, back to the beginning. (TWISTED ILLUSIONS 1 was made nearly twenty years ago and helped start his career in the indie scene.) The movie features segments by John (HOUSEBOUND) Bowker, Joel (LOST FAITH) Wynkoop, and Ritter himself. TWISTED ILLUSIONS 2 stars Jasi Cotton Lanier, Joel D. Wynkoop, Shannon, and Larry Treadway from Brains On Film. It will be released on DVD in mid-2004 from Sub Rosa Studios.
In a separate anthology release, director Robert (PHOBIAS) Massetti has completed REALMS OF BLOOD, which features a segment written by Ritter called COLOGNE. Early word is that it came out incredibly slick and that the entire movie is a real crowd-pleaser. REALMS premieres October 31, 2003 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. A DVD release follows in early 2004. Ritter also wrote the screenplay for Massetti's next movie, THE WOODS ARE ALIVE, which enters pre-production in January 2004.
Next, Ritter's second novel UNREEL will be available in January 2004. This "fictional autobiography" is of special interest to up and coming moviemakers---the story follows a no-budget videomaker who will stop "at nothing" to make it in the business. With plenty of real "behind the scenes" stories from the trenches of the underground, there's also a savage commentary on the outrageous personal sacrifices one must make to 'stay in the biz.' Action-packed, interesting, twisted, and uplifting, this book is sure to pique your imagination!
And finally, Ritter is currently writing and directing a new feature that will wrap shooting in late November 2003. The flick is described as a "surreal religious thriller" and will have extensive CGI effects in it. (CGI work will take place through March 2004.) We'll keep you up-to-date on this project, which will hopefully see distribution in late 2004 on DVD.
October 7, 2003
A new microcinema producer, Logan Leistikow, and his production company, LOGAN L Productions (which is just a few months old), are taking the underground film community by storm. With three acclaimed shorts and a new MOCKumentary in production, LLP has made several internet headlines. The company expects to have their debut DVD available by January 2004. In addition to this, Leistikow has recently been contacted by a TV Producer with an offer to buy out footage from his movies: Little Elm, Little Elm 2, and Oh You!. Using profits from this transaction and his DVD; Logan plans to buy high quality equipment and begin his next project: a feature independant film with writer Freddie Anderson.Link to Logan Leistikow's site: LoganL.ne
***** Finally, the movie that no one's been waiting to see, "Fetalboy Goes to Hell!", will be completed! The flick which features Lucien Eisenach, Eric Spudic, Count Smokula, and cameos by Jeff Dylan Graham and Lilith Stabs will be available by X-Mas!!! Website is in the works!
***** Very Scary Productions is pleased to announce that a new trailer is now available for viewing. The trailer for the independent feature "London After Midnight", which was written & directed by Upstate New York Capital Region filmmaker Bruce G. Hallenbeck, can now be seen here: http://www.veryscaryproductions.com/trailers.html The story follows two paranormal investigators battling the forces of evil, including demons and satanic cults. The movie is currently in post-production and stars David Louis, Prudence Theriault, Peter Hughes and Amy Kerr. It is anticipated it will be completed by mid 2004.
***** A film where 3 days, 9 friends, and 1 pair of handcuffs prove to make for an interesting reunion, GOD, SEX & APPLE PIE, winner of six major Film Festival awards, and completely made with true independent spirit and a lot of credit cards… the film was shot on 35mm – as you know, VERY rare these days – the cast changed several times, as did the behind the scenes crew - - - even the director! The film had no interest from distributors, so against ALL industry advice, they put it out theatrically themselves – then 9-11 hit… the film opened in NYC one week after, and was one of the saving graces to weary New Yorkers looking to escape – still they lost more money – box office receipts on a few screens could not make millions… but this got the attention of two majors… HBO and Warner Bros. Three years later – GOD, SEX & APPLE PIE will have a major release on VHS and DVD… October 28th! This is an against all odds kind of film that found success – oh, and the budget? $100,000.00 – but believe me you would never know it!
Having played theatrically in selected U.S. cities, GOD, SEX & APPLE PIE managed to surpass 1/3rd of its competition (more than 200 theater screens in Manhattan) during its New York City run. The movie has also had an impressive film festival run, winning six major awards, including: Best Picture at the 30th Parallel Film Festival, Best Picture at the WorldFest-Flagstaff International Film Festival, Best Picture at the Stony Brook Film Festival, Audience Favorite at the Arizona International Film Festival, Audience Award at the Temecula Valley International Film Festival, and Best Screenplay at the Atlantic City Film Festival.
Synopsis:
A stockbroker caught in a scandal. A television reporter nailed by his own breaking news. A beautiful model and a postman on the verge. A group of friends rendezvous at a resort town for a holiday weekend of partying and fun. But as they cool off and try to escape their problems all hell breaks loose in this hip and sexy comedy.
***** From Steve Jarvis of Cinematrix Release and Unknown Productions:
"CHAIN OF SOULS, which you reviewed earlier this year, is an Official Selection in the 2003 Bare Bones Script-2-Screen Film Festival, a four day event which takes place in Tulsa, Oklahoma Oct 16 - 20. Earlier this year, CHAIN was a Selection in the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival. The Festival only accepts films shot for less than one million dollars, so its very friendly to independent filmmakers. In fact, it bills itself as "The World's Friendliest Film Festival." I entered CHAIN at the recommendation of other indie filmmakers, all of whom had nothing but good things to say about their experiences there. I've never been to Tulsa, but I'm planning to attend, and I sure hope it lives up to its billing."
***** ANIMATED "JASON: THE REBIRTH" TAKES 2ND PRIZE IN MANIA FEST'S "FRIDAY THE 13TH" FILM CONTEST
The 2003 Mania Fest, held September 18-21, has announced the winners of its "Friday the 13th" Cut ?Em Up Film Contest, with JASON: THE REBIRTH from Rochester filmmaker Mike Boas taking second place. The top three finalists were shown before a screening of the original Friday the 13th in Santa Monica, California. Also winning prizes were RUPERT TAKES MANHATTAN by Patrick Rea (first place) and FRIDAY THE 13TH AGAIN by Hank Braxtan (third place).
Cinescape Magazine (owned by Mania Entertainment) and Paramount Pictures announced the contest in mid-August, giving filmmakers only about three weeks to get their entries in. Animator Mike Boas, who read about the contest at www.Creature-Corner.com, took up the challenge and decided to address one of the unanswered questions of the Friday series. How did Jason Voorhees go from being a sympathetic victim in the first film to being an unstoppable killer in the sequels? "This was touched on in Friday the 13th Part 2, where a campfire tale tells how Jason never really drowned," Mike says. "But since then Jason has been portrayed as a sort of avenging spirit, a super-zombie. I think most fans feel, as I do, that Jason did drown as a boy. He somehow came back from the dead to avenge his mother's death."
To resolve these conflicting ideas, Mike focused on the line: "Legend has it that Jason saw his mother beheaded that night..." from the second film. "Jason: The Rebirth" begins with Pamela Voorhees' death. When Pamela's blood hits the water, Jason's spirit is called forth from Crystal Lake. He hears his mother's voice calling to him, much like Mrs. Voorhees could "hear" Jason's voice in Friday the 13th. "Kill them, Jason. Kill them all," the voice instructs the distraught spirit. When Jason's hand falls upon the machete -- the weapon used to decapitate his mother -- he transforms into an adult man capable of revenge.
In choosing animation, Mike limited himself in certain ways. The piece would need to be short (the final result is two minutes) and have a minimalist style in order to be done before the deadline. "Animation has its advantages," Mike argues. "I didn't need actors, props, or locations. And I knew my drawing style would help the piece stand out from other entries."
Representatives from Paramount were so pleased with the finalists' entries that they plan to include them as extras on next year's box set release of the first eight Friday films.
"I'm thrilled," Mike responds. "The opportunity for thousands of people to see my work on a major DVD release is more than I dared to hope for."
***** Issue 5 of Ultra Violent Magazine is back from the printshop! Pre-orders are being shipped now, so you can expect a copy in your mailbox early next week. In case you missed out on the amazingly long period of time we were offering the "Pre-Order Option," you can still purchase the latest issue via the website, or by mailing us a check or money order.
Issue 6 is already underway. We have an astonishing line up of exclusive interviews in the works, which we'll announce within the next couple weeks, along with an assload of DVD reviews, articles, reports and brain-smacking weirdness. We'll keep you posted.
***** Isabel, Then Creature Feature Comedy Swarms Maryland Shore
Award-winning production team starts principal photography on indie horror comedy feature.
Based on the 2002 invasion of a Maryland pond by the carnivorous Asian snakehead fish, SWARM OF THE SNAKEHEAD is the story of a father and his three young daughters who arrive in Barrow Springs, Maryland just in time to save the town from an attack of genetically-engineered snakehead fish. You know. . . an Eco-Horror Comedy. . . on acid.
"SWARM does for Creature Features what CADDYSHACK did for class warfare," says Producer Frank Lama. "What we have is essentially PIRANHA meets GREMLINS, a good old-fashioned, tongue-in-cheek, family-friendly CREATURE COMEDY. The kids will love it and parents will get one-third more of the jokes."
The cast of film, TV and theater acting talent includes Rigg Kennedy (DETERRENCE, PERFECT ALIBI, MAID TO ORDER) as DR. GEORGE EMERSON, Tim Gilliss (MAX MAGICIAN AND THE LEGEND OF THE RING) as JAKE, Maynard Edwards (50/50, AT CONFESSION) as WILLIAM EMERSON, Lisa Burdette (LIBERTY HEIGHTS, MAX MAGICIAN AND THE LEGEND OF THE RING) as MAYOR JANICE APPLEYARD and introducing Jamie Linck O'Brien as ASHLEY.
Boasting the talents of Director Joel Denning (ALIEN RAMPAGE, CANVAS OF BLOOD), Screenwriter Seth Hurwitz (SPACE COP), Cinematographer Bruce Geisert (DEAD GIVEAWAY), Producer Frank Lama (FEAR OF CLOWNS, SOULMATES, THE MAN I LOVE) and Creature Effects by Stephen Tolin (PROJECT VALKYRIE, THE TRAVELER, PLAYHOUSE), SWARM OF THE SNAKEHEAD promises to be a thick, mouth-watering slab of Hollywood-style entertainment, served up hot and steaming on an indie budget. Cheese fries included at no extra charge.
The film will feature authentic Essex, Easton, St. Michaels and Kent Island, Maryland locations and tell this story the way it REALLY HAPPENED. . . not.
***** >Appearing on over half a dozen websites, the series of comedic shorts from Sonnyboo Productions have now surpassed expectations with over 150,000 combined downloads of the individual shorts from several short film sites, such as Kevin Spacey?s TRIGGERSTREET.COM, Brownfish.com, Shooting 8mm, College-film.com, Story.com, and many more sites.
The first ever Internet Sketch Comedy Show has gained a great deal of momentum. With the borders of Television and Internet blurring everyday, members of the main stage cast from Second City and Columbus based filmmakers endeavor to break down the walls separating them. With nine sketches online already, and more to come, modern technology allows these movies to reach the world. This is like having Saturday Night Live, MAD TV, or Mr. Show on your computer for free.
'We are excited that so many people are enjoying the movies." says Peter John Ross, the series director and an OSU alum. "Its a real validation to the work."
One short, "The Line of Masculinity" has recently played at the JUST FOR LAUGHS comedy festival in Montreal this past July as a part of the EAT MY SHORTS program. The screenings took place at the Cinema du Parc, and for members of the entertainment industry. Each year the Just For Laughs festival draws over 1,000 people from the entertainment industry, and over 1,000,000 members of the public. (see www.hahaha.com for more info).
Aside from the web, the movies have also have screened at multiple venues such as the SECOND CINE at the Second City Toronto, where the movies are nominated for "BEST SPECIAL FX" and also "BEST FOREIGN FILM". Other screenings have been at New York City at the ?Filet O? Film? screenings, "Freight Film Salon", and the FLICKER FILM FESTIVAL series, which includes New York, Los Angeles, Raleigh N.C., Cleveland, Austin TX, and several other cities. Locally, the movies have played at the ZENGENIUS SHORT FILM SCREENING, the SIVAD FESTIVAL OF INDEPENDENT FILMS, and will soon show at the Ohio State Fair in August 2003.
There is a broad range of comedy and a movie for everyone's taste. From the pseudo Silent Film-style of ELEVATOR, to mocking a reality series in BACHELORETTE PARTY, to a 1970's Shaft's like chase in the BANK ROBBERY, all the way to bartender humor in GRATUITY, there is something different in each piece. The movies are made to show the versatility of the actors and also the filmmakers.
About Peter John Ross (director/co-writer/producer) - After being fired from a brokerage job for his film endeavors, Ross has made over 30 movies since 1999, and has been featured in FILM THREAT, RES Magazine, Ain?t It Cool News, Film & Video Magazine, Filmson.com, LA Weekly, the Village Voice, Dynamic Graphics Magazine, Internet Video Magazine, the Short Film Insider, Silversow.com, Filmwatcher.com, Rewind Video Magazine, and on TECH TV. More info is available at his Official site: www.sonnyboo.com
About THE SECOND CITY CLEVELAND - The Second City Cleveland is already on its third revue, and garners much praise. Many cast members of Saturday Night Live have gotten their start with Second City, including Mike Myers, John Belushi, Chris Farley, Tim Meadows, John Candy, Martin Short, Bill Murray, and many more. More info at www.secondcity.com.
***** From Mark Pirro:
"We had a second test screening of Rectuma last month and believe it or not, I found a few more spots that I decided to tighten up. Maybe I'm just getting too used to the comedy or something, but I shaved another few minutes off the film. I'm pretty certain that these will be the last cuts I will make in the movie. The running time now is a lean 95 minutes. I'm still waiting for a couple of musical cues from our composer, Andrew Gold, but he assures me that I'll have them in about a week or so. I've also decided that the movie could use a little more Foley, so next week I'll be adding footsteps and various body movement to several scenes. I think we're looking at a November premiere, as I am currently working on locking in a screening room. It's amazing what screening rooms go for. The range appears to be between $500 and $2000. There's just something not right about spending five times the budget of the movie to show the movie! At the moment, one of the American Film Institute's screening rooms look the best, but naturally I'll keep you posted. Keep checking here throughout October. As soon as I lock in the date and location, I will update this page with the info.
"A hearty congratulations goes out to our special visual effects supervisor, Glenn Campbell. He won an Emmy for his work on the miniseries "Children of Dune," and we're all proud of him. He's been associated with us from our first short film, "Buns" (1978) right up through our current film, "Rectuma." You didn't see him accept the award on the actual Emmy show, as they give out the technical Emmys a week before the show at a private luncheon. I suppose it's sort of like sitting at the children's table at Thanksgiving. Never the less, it's quite an honor.
"As our Rectuma screening date gets set and we prepare for the big night, I've been toying with the prospect of hiring a manager and/or publicist. I'm not really all that good at this sort of thing, so I'm going to put it out there to you. If any of you know a good manager or publicist, could you refer them to us? And please, make sure they're really managers. I used to know someone who called himself a manager, and he couldn't manage his weight. I'm looking for an individual who knows what he's doing, who has a grasp on what it takes to get the word out. I think public relations has always been our weakest link, because I've never been an expert at playing that game. I mean, making the film has always been the easiest part for me. Promoting the film is what's really hard.
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