SLIFF 2017 Interview: Robert T. Herrera – Writer and Director of PALACIOS

PALACIOS screens Saturday, November 11th at 2:00pm at The Tivoli Theater (6350 Delmar Blvd, St. Louis) as part of this year’s St. Louis International Film Festival. Ticket information can be found HERE.

Eugene, an inner-city teen, escapes the city streets and hides away on a Midwest city rooftop during the Fourth of July holiday. He is found by Holly, a widowed alcoholic, who lives in the secluded rooftop dwelling with her Boston terrier. They commit to spending the day together above the city as they wait for a hopeful resolution to Eugene’s situation. As the day passes, a friendship grows even as their personal realities begin to catch up with them.

Robert T. Herrera, writer and director of PALACIOS, took the time to answer questions about his film for We Are Movie Geeks.

Interview conducted by Tom Stockman

Tom Stockman: What was your filmmaking experience before PALACIOS?

Robert Herrera: PALACIOS is technically my third feature film. My first film was a documentary that I never had the opportunity to release. I still think that first doc is my best film to date unfortunately. My second documentary, The Gray Seasons, was my first released film and Palacios is my first narrative film. I went to college for architecture, art, and philosophy. So making a feature doc was basically my film school. Professionally, I freelance produce, direct, and edit spots and brand content for clients, production companies, and networks around the country. While that isn’t “filmmaking” — it greatly influences what I do and how I do it. So, ultimately, I’ve been doing this for about 13 years now.

TS: How did you become interested in films? Did you grow up a movie fan?


RH: I’m a pretty classic case. I’ve wanted to make movies since I was a 5-year-old kid in South Texas. I was raised on a lot of media — probably a pretty unhealthy amount of movies, tv, and comics. But in the end I turned out relatively normal and pretty knowledgeable about ‘story’ I think. But most of my life has been focused around art and movies.

TS: Who are some of your favorite filmmakers?

RH: It mostly just depends on my mood. Of course I like a bunch of classic old dudes from Hitchcock to Malick to Altman. I really didn’t discover foreign films until college — and there are too many names to list there. As far as modern American filmmakers – of course, I love all-things Paul Thomas Anderson. Over the course of my recent career I’ve really been taken with Kelly Reichardt, Derek Cianfrance, and many others. And internationally I’m usually pretty excited about the next Wong Kar-wai, Andrea Arnold, Jonathan Glazer, and Dardenne brothers projects. I indulge in plenty of Hollywood fare also. And I’m a sucker for basically any dog movie — from 2014’s Hungarian film, White God, to 8 Below with Paul Walker. How can you not like dog movies?

TS: How did the script for PALACIOS come about and how long did it take you to write it?

RH: I usually refer to Palacios as a film not really written, but designed. Its creation revolved around what resources were available to me and what sort of “moments” I was living in at the time. It was designed around a few simple concepts, people, and locations. I collected those elements in my little brain and tried to develop something that 1. I understood enough to write 2. made efficient use of everything available to us and 3. felt “real” — for whatever that is worth. Once I knew WHO would be in there film, WHERE it would be shot, and HOW it would be shot — I wrote 2/3rds of a shooting script in a week. The entire 2nd act of the film was written during shooting or made up on the spot.

TS: Were these characters in PALACIOS based on people you knew?

RH: Yes and No. I really didn’t ask either actor to play someone that much different from themselves. Their backstories were developed between myself and actors. A lot of their interactions were based on interactions or relationships I’ve experienced.

TS: Tell me about casting Libby Bibb in the role of Holly. Were there other actresses you considered?

RH: I’ve known Libby Bibb since about 2004 I think. I was a finalist in a script contest and she was assigned to read the lead female character during the readings the contest organized. I loved her read. She was so natural and full of nerves and nuance. And she made it look so easy. We became friends and I pondered different film ideas for her over the years. Once it finally came time to make something in 2013 – I knew it would be for her. No other actress was considered. I don’t know if she would agree 100%, but I feel like her and I have a very similar mindset on what we want to see on camera during a performance. I think we have the same goals in that regard. Whether she thinks we achieve them – I can’t say. But I feel like we do.

TS: Your leading man, Olajuwon Davis, is currently serving a long prison term for a serious crime. Did his legal troubles start after your film had wrapped? What were your thoughts when you heard about the trouble he was in?

RH: This is a loaded conversation. I’ll just try and give simple answers along with my general feeling of the situation. We shot this film in the summer of 2013. My life and workload slowed down the edit process. His arrest came in November 2014, days before the non-indictment of Darren Wilson. That in itself is a long story, but it was a major shock to all that know him. The story surrounding his arrest and crime aren’t a full picture – and in my opinion – a distorted picture. And people that know Olajuwon, including most of us that made the film, feel that. His situation is one of the main reasons I waited this long to edit this project — and I almost didn’t finish it. But after long talks with Olajuwon, my crew, my wife, and just people that are important to my life and work — we decided to finish it. Olajuwon and his family are very supportive of the film. My crew and my family are still very supportive of Olajuwon and very much believe in him and who he is despite what is said and written. He is doing well. We talk regularly. He is very excited about the film. He just won Breakthrough Performance at the Jim Thorpe Independent Film Festival at our premiere in June along with us winning Best Feature. He is proud of the film and in his words – he intends to get out soon, get his life back on a positive track, and plans to stay involved in creative ventures, acting, and being a positive force in the world and in the lives around him. When you see his character in PALACIOS  — that’s basically Olajuwon Davis. I think people would have a hard time reconciling who they see on screen versus what they read about him — and I think that is something to think about when you read about all the young minorities out in this country who are considered irredeemable criminals.

TS: Tell me about the Boston Terrier.

RH: Of course! That’s my dog, Ingebar! He is a very expressive little guy – and not trained to do much of anything. Ingebar does what Ingebar does. Fortunately, he’s super predictable if you offer him tons of chicken tenders. So, he was really easy to work with on location — especially since that location was our home. In many cases, he shocked us with how well he took to just living his normal life on camera. He is full of so much attitude — and like I said earlier, I love dogs in films. This story needed him for balance and pacing — and in many ways he serves as a nonjudgmental figurehead — or completely judgmental — depending on how you view the movie. I wanted to put my shar-pei, George, in the movie too. But that crazy dude was as unpredictable as they come.

TS: Your previous feature was a doc about women’s basketball. What are some of the key differences between doc and narrative filmmaking? What would you like your next film to be?

RH: Obviously, from a logistical standpoint, everything is different. But in terms of story – I don’t see much of a difference. I mostly have the same goals with anything I make at this point in my career. I know this much – when making a documentary, I feel all the anxiety while in production. It’s not in my nature to be all up in peoples’ business the way you need to be for a good doc. But I feel completely at ease once I edit the film and screen it. In that case, I feel like I have done all that I could do to make that the best film possible. With narrative film – it’s the opposite. I feel no anxiety about the writing, development, shooting, and making the film. But when it comes time to screen it, I’m very anxious about it. I just shot a narrative short. And have plans to shoot another narrative feature in Summer 2018. I’d happily make another doc if one reveals itself – and there are many doc ideas currently in play, but narrative will be a priority for a while.

TS: What do you think of the local film scene? What do you think St. Louis has to offer for filmmakers?

RH: I have mixed feelings about the local film scene in St. Louis. I travel and direct commercial and client work in many different cities and markets across the country — so I get a pretty good feel for what is going on in those regions and cities, and many times it makes me frustrated about trying to make a film in St. Louis. Of course there is a flipside that makes me say, “this could only be done in St. Louis or a place like it.” So I see both sides of the coin. With that said, I have no burning desire to be anywhere else. I have been in St. Louis since 2002 and all my films have been made here. PALACIOS is very much a product of a Mexican-American Texan who lives in St. Louis City. And that’s a good thing. If all goes according to plan, my next feature will be shot in South Texas – but I will be bringing a lot of St. Louis with me to get it made.

TS: What St. Louis locations did you use for PALACIOS?

RH: The film was shot in my “unique living space” on Delmar at the north end of the Central West End. This rooftop, and how I came to be there for 8 years, is a long story that I won’t get into. But I always knew I wanted to shoot something there. I don’t know what percentage of the film takes place there — maybe 90%? But it was basically all on that roof, around the building and around the block — aside from picking up a few shots at the Grand Metro Station.

TS: What are your release plans for PALACIOS?

RH: PALACIOSw as made with zero expectations. It was made out of pure desire to experiment and to work in a way that made sense to us. That’s not to downplay its importance to us. It’s a film that we care about greatly. But we made it, we loved the process that we developed while making it, and we think we achieved what we set out to achieve. So, the release will be pretty standard. I’ll be curious to see response to PALACIOS throughout its festival life. So far, that response as been pretty great. My last film, The Gray Seasons, was able to fight its way thru festivals and ultimately land exciting distribution. Maybe that same route is in the cards for PALACIOS. I think we’re pretty okay at making watchable films. I’m not much for developing exciting distribution plans after its made. But the experience and connections made with my last film and through my commercial work should add to our ability to get this small film out there.

TS: How has PALACIOS been received so far?

RH: Response has been pretty overwhelming by those that have watched it so far. I’ve had some pretty intense discussions with audience members about not only the story and content, but just how we made this film in general. Our most recent screening in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania was pretty amazing. The crowd there was pretty taken aback. And we were given Best Feature, Best Actress, and Breakthrough Performance. It’s nice when people find value in what you do — however they qualify that value.

DAY OF THE DEAD: BLOODLINE in Theaters, VOD and Digital HD on January 5th


Saban Films is excited to announce the OFFICIAL RELEASE DATE for the upcoming horror film DAY OF THE DEAD: BLOODLINE, a reimagining of George A. Romero’s cult classic. The film will be released in Theaters, VOD and Digital HD on January 5, 2018.  


This reimagining of George A. Romero’s cult classic, DAY OF THE DEAD: BLOODLINE is set in a post-apocalyptic, zombie-filled world where a former med school student is tormented by a dark figure from her past. The only thing is, he’s a half-human, half-zombie hell-bent on destroying her world.


DAY OF THE DEAD: BLOODLINE is directed by Hèctor Hernández Vicens and stars Johnathon Schaech, Sophie Skelton, Marcus Vanco, and Jeff Gum

SLIFF 2017 Review – POP AYE


POP AYE screens Thursday, Nov. 9 at 9:00pm and Friday, Nov. 10 at 7:05pm as part of this year’s St. Louis International Film Festival Both screenings are at The Plaza Frontenac Cinema (210 Plaza Frontenac St. Louis , MO 63131). Ticket information for the Nov. 9 screening can be found HERE. Ticket information for the Nov. 10 screening can be found HERE

In “Pop Aye,” a successful Bangkok architect in the midst of a midlife crisis is reunited with an elephant he knew growing up. The two embark on a road trip to the man’s childhood home in the idyllic Thai countryside. Along the way, they meet a colorful cast of characters that includes a pair of nonplussed local police officers, a forlorn transgender sex worker, and a mysteriously wise drifter. As the encounters mount and the bond between man and elephant deepens, filmmaker Kirsten Tan weaves a strikingly universal tale in a feature debut that won prizes (and hearts) at the Sundance and Rotterdam film festivals. “Filmmaker Kirsten Tan riffs on the tropes of both the buddy film and the road trip movie in her absurd yet subtly observed feature debut,” writes the Washington Post, which hails “Pop Aye” as “the thinking person’s feel-good film of the summer: Much is communicated nonverbally (or, at most, with sparse dialogue). The palpable bromance — if that’s even the right word for this interspecies relationship — is visible in each trunk nuzzle.”


Review of POP AYE by Cary Paller:

Sometimes the best films just let the story unfold from beginning to end.  There is no hidden agenda or a false narrative to surprise the audience with a big revelation at the end.  POP AYE is a film that relies on an introspective story.  For a very subtle film it felt like there was a lot more going on than there really was.  Writer/Director Kristen Tan did a wonderful job of keeping the film centered, grounded and low key without losing its undercurrent of what could happen next.  With practical locations giving the film a realistic, low budget look, I am sure they had no real budget to speak of, you cannot help but get sucked into the story.  It is in nature that everybody can find their way.  Thaneth Warakulnukroh plays Thana a man drifting in life without purpose.  Living a life that lacks fulfillment.  Till he comes across an Elephant from better times in his life.  His portrayal of a man at a crossroads is very thought provoking.  Seeing the elephant named POP AYE gives him some hope and drive that his listless existence was missing.  Of course not a lot is said but you can see it in his eyes. He is full of reflection which gives the  film something that a film like “Operation; Dumbo Drop” does not have.  Which is a sense real adventure without feeling it has to come to silly jokes or child’s play but in the end you forget the movie almost instantly.Being able to tell a good story without relying on action or special effects is becoming a challenge now a days.  Kristen Tan deserves whatever praise she can get for making a film that feels like an old fashion road movie without the slapstick and chase scenes.  I really enjoyed watching it. It was such a beautiful movie if I may say. It was patient and it did not waver from the path it was meant to be on.  I look forward to future projects from her.

Meryl Streep And Tom Hanks Headline New Trailer In Steven Spielberg’s Oscar Hopeful THE POST

Meryl Streep, Director Steven Spielberg, and Tom Hanks on the set of THE POST. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise.

Opening during awards season on December 22  is the much anticipated THE POST from 20th Century Fox.

Steven Spielberg directs Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks in THE POST, a thrilling drama about the unlikely partnership between The Washington Post’s Katharine Graham (Streep), the first female publisher of a major American newspaper, and editor Ben Bradlee (Hanks), as they race to catch up with The New York Times to expose a massive cover-up of government secrets that spanned three decades and four U.S. Presidents. The two must overcome their differences as they risk their careers – and their very freedom – to help bring long-buried truths to light.

THE POST marks the first time Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg have collaborated on a project. Streep has been nominated for 20 Academy Awards, winning three Oscars (THE IRON LADY, SOPHIE’S CHOICE and KRAMER VS. KRAMER), while Hanks has been nominated 5 times and garnered two back to back Oscars for PHILADELPHIA and FORREST GUMP.

In addition to directing, Spielberg produces along with Amy Pascal and Kristie Macosko Krieger. The script was written by Liz Hannah and Josh Singer, and the film features an acclaimed ensemble cast including Alison Brie, Carrie Coon, David Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, Jesse Plemons, Matthew Rhys, Michael Stuhlbarg, Bradley Whitford and Zach Woods.

THE POST will be released in select theaters on December 22, 2017 and in theaters everywhere on January 12, 2018. Fox’s other BIG Oscar hopeful, opening on December 20th, is THE GREATEST SHOWMAN which stars Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum.

Check out the official site foxmovies.com/movies/the-post

L-R: Tom Hanks (Ben Bradlee), David Cross (Howard Simons), John Rue (Gene Patterson), Bob Odenkirk (Ben Bagdikian), Jessie Mueller (Judith Martin), and Philip Casnoff (Chalmers Roberts) in Twentieth Century Fox’s THE POST. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise.
Meryl Streep stars as Kay Graham in Twentieth Century Fox’s THE POST. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise.
Tom Hanks (as Ben Bradlee) and Meryl Streep (as Kay Graham) star in Twentieth Century Fox’s THE POST. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise.
Tom Hanks (as Ben Bradlee) and Meryl Streep (as Kay Graham) star in Twentieth Century Fox’s THE POST. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise.

THE HITMAN’S BODYGUARD Starring Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson Arrives 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Combo Pack, and DVD November 21st

  
Leading an all-star cast, Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool, The Proposal) and Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction, Marvel’s Cinematic Universe) take viewers on an outrageous action-packed, comedic adventure in The Hitman’s Bodyguard, arriving on Digital HD November 7 and 4K Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus Blu-ray and Digital HD), Blu-ray™ Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital HD), DVD and On Demand November 21 from Lionsgate. When Michael Bryce, an elite bodyguard, and Darius Kincaid, a renowned hit man, are forced to work together, they don’t just have to avoid getting killed…they also have to avoid killing each other. The film, which was #1 at the summer box office three weeks in a row, also stars Oscar nominees Gary Oldman (2011, Best Actor, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and Salma Hayek (2002, Best Actress, Frida).


The world’s top protection agent (Reynolds) is called upon to guard the life of his mortal enemy, one of the world’s most notorious hit men (Jackson). The relentless bodyguard and manipulative assassin have been on the opposite end of the bullet for years, and are thrown together for a wildly outrageous 24 hours. During their raucous and hilarious adventure from England to the Hague, they encounter high-speed car chases, outlandish boat escapades, and a merciless Eastern European dictator (Oldman) who is out for blood. Hayek joins the mayhem as Jackson’s equally notorious wife.

Directed by Patrick Hughes (The Expendables 3, Red Hill) and written by Tom O’Connor (Fire with Fire), The Hitman’s Bodyguard 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and Digital HD features exclusive bonus content including outtakes; four featurettes; deleted, extended, and alternate scenes; and audio commentary with director Patrick Hughes. The DVD will include director commentary and a behind-the-scenes featurette. The 4K Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray Combo Pack, and DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $42.99, $39.99 and $29.95, respectively.

4K ULTRA HD / BLU-RAY / DIGITAL HD SPECIAL FEATURES

  • Outtakes
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Extended Scenes
  • Alternate Scenes
  • “The Hitman’s Bodyguard: A Love Story” Featurette
  • “Hitman vs. Bodyguard” Featurette
  • “Dangerous Women” Featurette
  • “Big Action in a Big World” Featurette
  • Director’s Commentary

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

  • “Big Action in a Big World” Featurette
  • Director’s Commentary

 

Win Passes To The Advance Screening Of JUSTICE LEAGUE In St. Louis

WAMG has your passes to one of the most anticipated films of 2017, JUSTICE LEAGUE!

From Warner Bros. Pictures comes the first-ever big screen epic action adventure “Justice League,” directed by Zack Snyder and starring as the famed lineup of DC Super Heroes: Ben Affleck as Batman, Henry Cavill as Superman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Ezra Miller as The Flash, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, and Ray Fisher as Cyborg.

Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy.  Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat.  But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.

The film also stars Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Jeremy Irons as Alfred, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta, and J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon.

JUSTICE LEAGUE opens on Friday, November 17th!

WAMG invites you to enter for the chance to win TWO (2) seats to the advance screening of JUSTICE LEAGUE on November 14 at 7:00 pm in the St. Louis area.

Answer the Following:

What team did Cyborg originally belong to?

TO ENTER, ADD YOUR NAME, ANSWER AND EMAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW.

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA THE DAY OF THE SCREENING.

2. No purchase necessary. A pass does not guarantee a seat at a screening. Seating is on a first-come, first served basis. The theater is overbooked to assure a full house.

Visit the official site:  www.JusticeLeaguethemovie.com

This film has been rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action. 

SLIFF 2017 Interview: Trish Adlesic – Director of I AM EVIDENCE


I AM EVIDENCE screens Wednesday, November 8th at 6:30pm at The Plaza Frontenac Theater (1701 S Lindbergh Blvd # 210) as part of this year’s St. Louis International Film Festival. Co-director Trish Adlesic and subject Kym L. Worthy, prosecutor of Wayne County, Michigan will be in attendance. This screening is sponsored by “Culture Shock”: A Film Series for Helping Kids Together and by Safe Connections. Ticket information can be found HERE.

A powerful indictment of the criminal-justice system’s seeming indifference to the crime of rape, I AM EVIDENCE exposes the shockingly large number of untested rape kits in the United States today. Despite the power of DNA to solve and prevent crimes, hundreds of thousands of kits containing potentially crucial DNA evidence languish untested in police evidence storage rooms across the country. Behind each of these kits lies an individual’s unresolved sexual-assault case. Produced by “Law & Order: SVU’s” Mariska Hargitay — who also appears in the documentary — I AM EVIDENCE tells the stories of survivors who have waited years for their kits to be tested and chronicles the efforts of the law-enforcement officials who are leading the charge to work through the backlog and pursue long-awaited justice in these cases. The film reveals the high cost of the lingering lassitude surrounding rape investigations in this country, and the positive effects of treating survivors with the respect they deserve.

Mariska Hargitay with Trish Adlesic

Director Trish Adlesic took the time to answer some questions about her film for We Are Movie Geeks before its screening at The St. Louis International Film Festival

Interview conducted by Tom Stockman November 1st, 2017

Tom Stockman: Have you been to St. Louis before?

Trish Adlesic: No, this will be my first time. I’m excited to visit the city.

TS: Your film I AM EVIDENCE is about untested rape kits. What exactly is a rape kit?

TA: Rape kits were developed in the late 70s, by a police Sergeant in Chicago named Louis Vitullo to capture DNA evidence to aid in solving the crime. When someone is sexually assaulted, their body becomes a living, breathing crime scene. The perpetrator’s body oils, hair, and fibers from their clothing can be found on the body of the victim. 14 samples are taken after the assault at the hospital by a forensically-trained nurse. The evidence is collected into the rape kit that gets turned over to police to assist in the investigation of the crime.

TS: Why do so many of these rape kits go untested?

TA: There are a number of different reasons. We feel the primary reason is that it wasn’t a priority. Some of the responses we got were that there wasn’t the funding to test them and that the science wasn’t developed enough. The technology is ever-evolving, but by the 90s, the technology was there.  I think culturally we have issues around the perceptions of this crime, not believing a victim is a problem, saying that someone doesn’t look like they were raped, or isn’t behaving like they were raped, or that they were dressed in the wrong way. If someone had a necklace stolen off their body, they would not be scrutinized in a way that a rape victim is scrutinized. Some of these untested kits go back 30 years. It’s not uncommon when we speak with survivors about their experiences and the way that they were treated by law-enforcement that they felt re-victimized because it’s such a horror to go through this kind of violence. Then to go to the very entity that is set up to help them, and for police to not believe them, or blame them, and tell them that their rape kit is just going to sit on a shelf and nothing is going to be done, is heartbreaking for them. This is a critically important public safety issue. Many of these perpetrators are serial rapists. If you don’t test the kit and use the science that’s available, that’s a crime.  We need to use the power of DNA to stop these perpetrators, to see if there is a match, or multiple matches. There’s a state CODIS  (Combined DNA Index System) and a national CODIS database and DNA is uploaded to it.  This is how we find matches to the kit or multiple matches across the country from serial offenders. This issue is a big reflection of cultural attitudes. Changing cultural attitudes and creating comprehensive legislation that requires the counting and testing of kits in all 50 states will make it possible to fix this problem and eradicate it from happening again. Right now we only have eight states with comprehensive legislative reform. There is legislation being proposed in several other states in varying forms.


TS: As a filmmaker, what drew you to this subject?

TA: I worked on the show Law and Order SVU for 14 years and got to know the star of the show, Mariska Hargitay. I started to produce documentaries GASLAND and GASLAND  2 for HBO highlighting the dangers of fracking which I was potentially going to be affected by. GASLAND received an Oscar nomination and won an Emmy. Mariska took note, and saw the success of the films that Josh Fox and I did. Mariska and I started talking about doing a project together like her, I too was outraged by learning of the rape kit backlog. I was subjected to two attempted rapes myself, both attempts involved weapons. I was fortunate to get away, but that’s not the case for so many. We all feel strongly, both men and women, that this kind of violence has to end. There’s a shame around it and we want to change the culture by making it OK to talk about these issues. We need a Cultural shift, and legislation, but at the forefront of it all is providing the best care for the survivors. Survivors need to be given a fair exchange. I immediately wanted to be a part of this project because it gave me the opportunity to be a part of giving voice to so many.

TS: Were there people that you approached to be in the film that turned you down or did not want to be on camera?

TA: Many of the survivors felt that they had waited years for this moment to be heard and they were all glad that a documentary was being made to raise awareness. We only had 90 minutes and all the women involved, their voices and their stories, led us on how best to tell this story. Every voice mattered and continues to matter. I had a little bit of push back, not much, but here and there from some in law enforcement. It doesn’t make them look good when these rape kits are not accounted for and go untested. We want to engage the police and help them understand how important it is for survivors to be heard and for their kits to be tested.


TS: Tell me about Kym Worthy, the prosecutor from Michigan. How did she get involved and what was her role?

TA: Kym is an extraordinary prosecutor and person. In 2009, her assistant prosecutor Robert Spada was going through an abandoned police warehouse in Detroit looking for evidence regarding a murder case and stumbled upon a significant amount of rape kits, around 10,000 of them. He asked the officer who was giving him a tour of that facility if the kits had been tested and he was told that they had. But he could see that the seals on the boxes had not been broken, therefore they had not been tested. He immediately called Prosecutor Worthy and brought this to her attention. She was horrified and shocked that these kits had been sitting in the warehouse for so long. She immediately went into action. She had all the kits accounted for, but the county executive at the time, Robert Ficano, who is no longer in office, did not think it was important to provide funding to test the kits and would not provide her with funding. Kym, being a maverick and a heroine, on her own raised money privately to have the kits tested. She applied for Federal grants and raised money from private citizens. She’s been building a good team of prosecutors, which she needed because the backlog cases were now coming in for prosecution, and these cold cases had to be juggled with current cases. She raised the money, and with the support of The Joyful Heart Foundation and others, she and her team were able to raise funds to get all of the kits tested. By testing all of these kits, they have gotten over 900 serial rapist hits in 40 states. These are staggering findings.

TS: Amazing. Did you sort of storyboard this film, or just start filming and see where it took you?

TA: Documentaries in general never have scripts so what we do as filmmakers is we look at the situation in an in depth way. Whether it’s a national story or a local story, or about one person, we look at the big picture and go out and gather material. We had a relationship with Prosecutor Kym Worthy through The Joyful Heart foundation which Mariska Hargitay founded in 2004. It was important to me to find someone who had not yet had their kit tested and was part of the Detroit backlog so we could see if we could help them find it, have it tested and to see what the outcome would be.


TS: How many hours of footage did you end up shooting?

TA: We shot about 120 hours of footage.

TS: Was it difficult to edit down to 90 minutes?

TA: Very difficult. It’s a massive subject on many levels. We felt that we were able to successfully weave it into a very powerful film. The response has been incredible. I was just at the Savannah film festival where we had 1200 people in the audience We received a standing ovation and there were a number of survivors who approached me after the screening. The work is so gratifying for me because you’re reaching people. We’re on a film festival tour now. We won the Audience Award at Michael Moore’s film festival in Traverse City, Michigan and we also won the Audience Award at the Provincetown Film Festival. We just received the special grand jury prize for impactful filmmaking at the Hawaii film festival.


TS: Do you enjoy going to these film festivals? 

TA: I do. I love to hear the reactions of the audience seeing the film and the Q&As are really important because you can engage with people directly and hear their experience with the film and answer any questions to help them understand the issue. At our screening in Traverse City Michigan, an emergency room doctor who was quite moved by the film said he had not received proper training in medical school on how to conduct a rape kit and he was relieved that the film had been made because he wants to use it to show medical schools how important it is to provide training on how to conduct these kits.  Getting that type of feedback really helps us to understand where the needs are and how we can fix this problem.

TS: What’s your next project?

TA: I don’t know yet because I’m in the thick of rolling out the film right now. Promoting I AM EVIDENCE is keeping me busy.

TS: What are the release plans for I AM EVIDENCE?

TA: We’re going to continue with the film festival tour and HBO is going to air I AM EVIDENCE in the spring of 2018.

TS: Good luck with the film and I hope you enjoy your time in St. Louis.

TA: Thank you. I’m looking forward to being there.

 

The actual air date of I AM EVIDENCE will be posted on the film’s website.

https://www.iamevidencethemovie.com/

To learn what is happening in your state, please go to:

http://www.endthebacklog.org/

KILL, BABY…KILL! – The Blu Review


Review by Roger Carpenter

During the first half of the 60’s Mario Bava created several genuine horror classics that remain high-water marks in the genre over a half century later.  Films such as Black Sunday (1960), Black Sabbath (1963), The Whip and the Body (1963), and Blood and Black Lace (1964) either pushed the boundaries of horror or helped to establish cinematic tropes still used in modern horror.  Always saddled with shoestring budgets and bad deals, Bava nevertheless remained optimistic in the face of his cinematic struggles.  A case in point is the troubled production of Kill, Baby…Kill! which ran out of money midway through the shoot.  The cast and crew were so loyal to Bava they worked for free to finish the film—a film, by the way, which only had a 30-page script with no dialogue when filming commenced.  Bava had the actors make up their own lines, preferring to resolve the dilemma during the dubbing process rather than spend expensive time writing dialogue for each character.  Remarkably, through all these trials, Bava was able to make a highly entertaining and extremely atmospheric film.


Kill, Baby…Kill! (the U.S. title, which isn’t any more appropriate than the Italian title of Operation Fear) opens with the mysterious death of a girl who falls from on high and is impaled by a wrought-iron fence.  Dr. Eswai (Giacomo Rossi Stuart) is summoned to the ancient village by Inspector Kruger (Piero Lulli) to perform an autopsy on the corpse.  But his arrival is met with suspicion by the villagers and, soon enough, he learns about a decades-long curse the villagers believe is the reason for the girl’s death—along with several other deaths.  It seems a little girl met with an accidental death many years ago.  Her ghost will appear to any who speak of the incident or invoke her name or the name of her family and, whomever sees the ghost is doomed to die. Along the way Dr. Eswai meets Monica (Erika Blanc), a beautiful young woman who is attempting to reconnect with her familial roots, as well as another pretty woman, Ruth (Fabienne Dali), who practices witchcraft and is trying to free the town from the curse. Together the doctor and the two women must solve this riddle before more villagers die.

Italian fright-fests of the late 50’s and early 60’s are essentially “old dark house” films.  They are gothic period pieces filled with cobwebbed castles, eerie graveyards, and all manner of ghosts and ghouls.  And Bava cut his teeth working with the likes of Riccardo Freda (I Vampiri; The Horrible Dr. Hichcock; The Ghost) and Antonio Margheriti (Horror Castle; Castle of Blood; The Long Hair of Death), some of the best in the business.  Bava wrote screenplays, acted as assistant director, was cinematographer, and created special effects for these filmmakers and many others as well, so he certainly was no stranger to the cinematic tropes of the time.  Kill, Baby…Kill! uses all of those tropes, but with the flair that only Bava could create.


While there are a few location shots of a series of crumbling buildings, the vast majority of the film was shot on a sound stage which allowed Bava to create all the mood and tension he wanted—and the film has plenty to spare.  Whether an actual location or a soundstage, there is plenty of low-lying fog.  The wind whips around, carrying disconcerting sounds throughout the village…is that the cry of a wounded little girl?  Is that the ringing of the village bell, noting again the imminent death of another villager?  Is that a shriek from the latest victim?  The few actual locations, decrepit and deteriorating, evoke an ancient and otherworldly time.  One can imagine this village has been around for a millennium or more…there is no telling how much history these crumbling walls have witnessed.  The graveyard is a perfect location for ghouls and spooks of every variety, with crooked crosses, tilted gravestones, and bony branches that look like monstrous claws.  Things don’t fare much better when indoors, either.  The village pub looks like it was created from the original dust of the Earth and Villa Graps, the imposing and unspeakably old castle which is connected to the curse, looks even more ancient.  It is a dank, dusty, moldy castle, full of cobwebs, rusted suits of armor, and underground crypts.  While we never see a dungeon or torture chamber, we know it’s there.  It’s just not part of this story.

Bava is a master at lighting, whether it be the chiaroscuro of Black Sunday or the garish colors of Blood and Black Lace.  Considering his films were completed sometimes in two weeks it is a wonder any lighting was done at all.  But what might take hours for lesser directors was simply innate for Bava.  As characters look down a spiral staircase the colors change from amber to green to purple the deeper into the castle you go, while the same character will look up to see blue on the stairs above.  Characters wander through cobwebbed rooms lit variously from yellow to green to purple.  What does it all mean?  Perhaps nothing.  Perhaps Bava was just giving texture to the film.  Or perhaps it was Bava’s way of announcing to the audience they have entered a world of supernatural beings, another dimension that has a different set of rules than the mortal world.  Regardless, it is a spooky and surreal, yet beautiful, world.


A film such as this deserves a quality score.  Yet Bava had neither time nor money for this, so the film is filled with library music, much of which was borrowed from the director’s earlier films.  Yet each theme fits perfectly, as if the music was created especially for this film.  There is a creepy lullaby tune matched with the little girl’s ghost, plenty of music for the mysterious goings-on in Villa Graps, and even brief romantic interludes for Dr. Eswai and Monica.

Rossi Stuart seems to have been a favorite of Bava, having been involved with The Day the Sky Exploded (1958), which Bava filmed, as well as 1959’s Caltiki, the Immortal Monster.  He had a part in the Vincent Price vehicle The Last Man on Earth, and went on to play in Bava’s Knives of the Avenger immediately preceding his star turn in Kill, Baby…Kill! He was a blue-collar actor who had a very long and varied career, and he does an excellent job as the pragmatic doctor embroiled in this mysterious curse.  Likewise, Erika Blanc, as beautiful and innocent Monica, is excellent.  Early on I was afraid she would be relegated to creeping around dark corners and being menaced by all sorts of spooks but soon enough she joins forces with Dr. Eswai to resolve the curse once and for all.  She also had a long and varied career starring in plenty of spaghetti westerns, erotic features, and gialli.  She would work again with Rossi Stuart in The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave in 1971.  Blanc is beautiful and, while never nude, shows enough skin in a couple of scenes that probably caused a minor scandal in 1966 Italy.  The film is populated with European character actors, all of whom had long careers and did solid work, including Luciano Catenacci as the burgomaster (In the Folds of the Flesh; Short Night of Glass Dolls; Almost Human; Syndicate Sadists; The Tough Ones), Piero Lulli (Django Kill…If You Live, Shoot!; My Name is Nobody), and Giovanna Galletti (Rome, Open City; Last Tango in Paris; The Big Red One) as the aging Baroness Graps .  Other high points include Micaela Esdra as the innkeepers daughter who sees the ghostly Melissa, as well as Melissa herself—actually a young boy, Valerio Valeri.


Some viewers will find the film too clunky, slow-moving, and old fashioned.  I think it is uproarious fun, creepy, and atmospheric, beautifully filmed, and well-acted.  It’s not Bava’s best (for my money it’s Blood and Black Lace), but its spooky fun, with a splash of surprisingly bloody violence.  Kino Lorber has again beaten everyone to the punch by releasing this film in America on Blu-Ray.  This disc is a 2K restoration from 35 MM elements and will likely never look any better, though there is a great deal of grain. I suspect that’s simply due to the quality of the film stock Bava had available.  The disc includes both English and Italian language versions, with optional English subtitles for the Italian language version.  Kino Lorber has included several wonderful extra features, including the German title sequence with alternate footage (as opposed to the American title sequence which is quite different), the international theatrical trailer, and three American TV spots.  There is also a very nice, 25-minute interview with Bava’s son, Lamberto, who acted as assistant director on the film.  He reminisces about his father as well as the film and takes us on a tour of the original locations.  The disc also includes an 11-minute interview with Erika Blanc, who is personable and funny as she describes her time on the set of the film.  And finally, there is an excellent audio commentary by Tim Lucas, Bava biographer, which is very entertaining.

This is a great disc and an excellent film, with some very nice features, all at a reasonable price.  The film can be purchased through Kino Lorber at kinolorber.com or through Amazon.

Blaxploitation Classic J.D.’s REVENGE Available on Blu-ray November 14th from Arrow Video


J.D.’s REVENGE will be available on Blu-ray November 14th from Arrow Video


It wasn’t long before the Blaxploitation boom moved into the horror market, bringing the world Blacula, Blackenstein, Abby (Blaxploitation’s The Exorcist) and cult favorite J.D.’s Revenge.

Law student Ike is enjoying a night on the town with his friends when his life changes dramatically. Taking part in a nightclub hypnosis act, he becomes possessed with the spirit of a violent gangster murdered in the 1940s. Believing himself to be the reincarnation of murderous J.D., Ike launches a revenge campaign against those who had done ‘him’ wrong all those years ago…

Directed by Arthur Marks (Bucktown, Friday Foster) and starring Glynn Turman (Cooley High) and Academy Award-winner Louis Gossett Jr (An Officer and a Gentleman), J.D.’s Revenge is a alternately tough and terrifying – a Blaxploitation gem waiting to be rediscovered!

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS

• Brand new 2K restoration from original film elements, produced by Arrow Films exclusively for this release
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
• Original 1.0 mono sound
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Brand new interview with producer-director Arthur Marks
• More interviews to be announced!
• Original theatrical trailer
• Arthur Marks trailer reel
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sean Phillips

Collector’s booklet containing new writing by Kim Newman, author of Nightmare Movies

SLIFF 2017 Review – DIM THE FLUORESCENTS


DIM THE FLUORESCENTS screens Tuesday, Nov. 7 at 9:30pm and Sunday, Nov. 12 at 8:00pm as part of this year’s St. Louis International Film Festival Both screenings are at The Plaza Frontenac Cinema (210 Plaza Frontenac St. Louis , MO 63131). Ticket information for the 11/7 screening can be found HERE. Ticket information for the 11/12 screening can be found HERE.

Struggling actor Audrey (Claire Armstrong) and aspiring playwright Lillian (Naomi Skwarna) pour all of their creative energy into the only paying work they can find: corporate role-playing demonstrations. When they book the biggest gig of their careers at a hotel conference, work commences on their most ambitious production to date, and the ensuing tensions threaten to derail both the production and their friendship. As wryly funny as it is unexpectedly poignant, “Dim the Fluorescents” — winner of the Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature at the Slamdance Film Festival — is a one-of-a-kind portrait of the artistic life in the unlikeliest of settings. “‘Dim the Fluorescents’ is the kind of dynamic, entertaining debut feature that hopefully puts its cast and crew on the map,” says the Film Stage. “Director Daniel Warth and co-writer Miles Barstead have put together a film that crackles with energy…. It’s a film about the struggle of making a living in the creative arts that’s bursting with creativity, zig-zagging from one tone, style, or form to the next at a moment’s notice.”


Review of DIM THE FLUORESCENTS by Stephen Tronicek:

Daniel Warth’s Dim The Fluorescents may just be the best film you will see at the film festival. On one hand that might sound declarative, on the other dismissive of the other great films of the festival including Black Cop and My Entire High School SInking into the Sea, but it is quite difficult to imagine there being a more affecting and well-crafted work as Warth’s exploration of depression, artistry, and love. The last ten minutes are enough to leave one speechless, a culmination of all the raw emotions that the film has been poking around, suddenly coming up to the surface in a grandstanding and perfectly scathing sequence. Much like the rest of the film, the lifeblood of this sequence is the two perfect actresses at the center of the production.

Dim The Fluorescents is about a playwright, Lillian, and her roommate Audrey, an actress. Together they for the best acting scenario team, going around to companies on HR days and crafting masterful interludes about leadership, sexual harassment, and accidents in the workplace. They both want to be more though, but for some reason seem to be working against themselves, dependent on both each other, but also the comfortable life they live.

It is in these character dynamics that Dim The Fluorescents thrives. The actresses playing the two leads here Claire Armstrong (Audrey) and Naomi Skwarna (Lillian) are so impressive that they rachet you into your seat and force you to experience the consistently engaging and tragically sublime emotions of the piece. Much like Black Cop, the filmmakers seem to understand that while the naturalistic acting that filmmaking uses can be easily used to capture the more subtle emotions that can be found in the mundane way that people act around each other, sometimes the more explicit acting that can be found in the theatre can be useful in the creation of dramatic crescendo and crescendo this film does. As mentioned before, the last ten minutes are a daze, an acting tour de force that leaves you so numbed up in astonishment that there’s hardly any doubt that it won’t be one of the headlining acting moments of the year. If the Oscars even dared consider a film like Dim The Fluorescents it’d be difficult to imagine any other actresses other than Armstrong and Skwarna winning the top prize. They, along with a great script by Miles Barstead and Daniel Warth, pummel you into a sobbing mess. I’ve seen the film twice and both times I have been left utterly amazed.

Dim The Fluorescents is just about as honest, emotionally, of a film as one can find about trying to be an artist, populated by what seem to be some of the best artists working today. It is an utterly wonderful, comedic, crushing, gorgeous experience, one that this critic hopes you don’t miss out on.