Jul 22, 2016
(July 22nd, 2016) The latest work from the creative mind of author/filmmaker Greg Lamberson “Johnny Gruesome” is shooting now throughout the Western New York region. Lamberson (Black Creek, Killer Rack) has cast Anthony De La Torre and Michael DeLorenzo to star in this Red Hill Movies LLC’s horror thriller.
Day 1 of filming (L-R) Actor Anthony De La Torre, Director Greg Lamberson, and Actor Byron Brown II.
De La Torre (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales), front man for the Nashville based rock band De La Torre, will essay the role of Johnny Grissom, a rebellious teenager who is murdered and returns from the grave with revenge on his mind. DeLorenzo (star of New York Undercover and Resurrection Boulevard) plays his grief stricken father. Byron Brown II (The Romans) co-stars, with newcomers April Panaggio and Madison Amey, Chris Modrzynski (Rainbow Bridge Motel), Kim Piazza (Dry Bones) and Richard Lounello (A Mother’s Revenge) in principal roles.
Lamberson wrote the screenplay for Johnny Gruesome in 1984, at the age of 19, shortly after completing the script for his cult film Slime City. In 2007, Bad Moon Books published his novelization of the script as a limited edition hardcover, and one year later Medallion Media Group published a paperback edition which is still available. The novel won the IPPY Gold Medal for Horror and the Black Quill Small Press Readers’ Choice Award from Dark Scribe Magazine, and earned a Bram Stoker Award nomination from the Horror Writers Association. After completing his new comedy Killer Rack, Lamberson and fellow filmmaker John Renna (Dick Johnson and Tommygun vs. the Cannibal Cop) approached Erin Heald and James Williams, who agreed to executive produce.
“This film has been 32 years in the waiting,” says Lamberson. “After securing the funding, my first priority was to cast Johnny. I needed someone who could win over the audience as a bad boy before transforming into a supernatural creature. As soon as I saw Anthony’s head shot I knew he was my guy, and he’s a talented musician to boot. I offered him the role right after I watched his music videos. For Charlie Grissom, I wanted an experienced actor but didn’t want to go the ‘horror actor’ route. Michael has such an impressive body of work, and he’s a talented director as well. These are two multi-talented artists.”
Special make-up effects are being created by Craig Lindberg, who worked on some of Lamberson’s earliest films before becoming a successful make-up and special make-up effects artist on such television series as Saturday Night Live, Boardwalk Empire and Royal Pains. Additional makeup effects are being provided by Mark Kosobucki, and Matthew A. Nardone of NDstudios is the cinematographer. Lamberson aims to complete his dream project by the end of the year and hopes to secure a theatrical release. Johnny Gruesome will be the first of his novels to reach the screen; Carnage Road and his six-book occult detective series The Jake Helman Files are in development with other filmmakers. Lamberson is co-founder of Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival.
Johnny Gruesome on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/johnnygruesomezombie/?fref=ts
De La Torre band: http://www.delatorreband.com/
Michael DeLorenzo on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAYCX-GBWqIRZUy1LcBAdzw**
(TOP COVER PHOTO: L-R Actress Constance Caldwell (The Romans) comes upon an unfortunate accident victim as Director of Photography Matt Nardone and Key Grip Kash Costner follow the action. )
Jul 18, 2016
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(July 17, 2016) Back in March of this year Buffalo actor William Fichtner returned home for a special “Behind The Screen” presentation at the Buffalo History Museum. The event was sponsored by the Buffalo Niagara Film Office, The Buffalo Broadcasters and the Buffalo History Museum.
Jeff Simon of the Buffalo News moderated an hour long Q and A session with Bill, and the video results were documented and produced by students studying in the Hilbert College department of Digital Media and Communication through their new immersive learning initiative.
The Hilbert College immersive learning initiative brings together student-driven teams directed by faculty mentors to create high-impact learning experiences. Through immersive learning, students earn credit for working collaboratively with businesses, nonprofits, and state agencies to address community challenges. Students involved were David Seifert, assistant camera and editor; Nick Miller, editor, Chris Gallant, faculty mentor and director.
See the results of their work here:
Behind the Screen: William Ficthner at the Buffalo History Museum March 6th, 2016 from Hilbert College DMAC on Vimeo.
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Jul 10, 2016
(Friday, July 1st, 2016) On their final day of shooting the lead actors and Director Reggie Hudlin of the feature film “Marshall”, gathered on set in the decommissioned Dillon Federal Courthouse to reflect on their experience and to share their discovery of Buffalo and Western New York for all that it has to offer.
Giving major kudos to the preservation efforts in Buffalo director Reggie Hudlin was also very impressed by the film friendly atmosphere “The thing we discovered that we were so appreciative of here was the incredible, friendly, open armed spirit of every single person we have met in Buffalo”.
Marshall Star Chadwick Boseman recognized “There’s also a talent base here that made the film possible. we couldn’t have shot the scene on the front steps of City Hall as the courthouse without the people that were already here”. He also added that “He appreciated excitement from the artists that were in the city that got opportunities to do things, whether it was in front of the camera or behind the camera, because those were the same opportunities that got all of us to the places we are right now.”
The off camera experience was a positive one for Kate Hudson and Josh Gad also, as both explored the Buffalo and Niagara Falls. Kate appreciated the independent culinary scene and Canalside. A major history buff Josh had the opportunity to tour behind the scenes at The Buffalo History Museum, where he got to view Theodore Roosevelt’s inaugural coat. Gad also stood in the place where he actually took the oath of office for President at the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site.
The weather was flawless during the Marshall shoot in Western New York and the shots captured by Director of Photography Tom Sigel are absolutely stunning. Look for a late 2016 release.
Press Coverage: WGRZ , WKBW, Buffalo Rising, WBFO, WIVB, Buffalo News
May 4, 2016
(May 4th, 2016 ) The psychological thriller directed by Fred Olen Ray filmed entirely in Buffalo and Niagara Falls in Summer 2015 is now called “A Mother’s Revenge” and will air twice this Mother’s Day weekend on the Lifetime Movie Network. A third showing will occur on May, 21st.
The next showtime is Saturday, May 21st at 6pm.
“A Mother’s Revenge” tells the story of Jennifer (Jamie Luner) who flies to up to Buffalo to attend her daughter Katey’s (Audrey Whitby) graduation at a local college(Buffalo State). She hurries through the busy airport, arguing on her cell phone with her estranged husband, Robert, who is also coming into town to celebrate the occasion. At the baggage carousel, distracted, she quickly grabs a black suitcase. At her hotel, Jennifer discovers that she’s grabbed the wrong suitcase and even though there’s nothing overt about the bag’s contents, she receives a phone call from a man (Steven Brand) claiming he will harm her daughter if she doesn’t follow his instructions and return his baggage. It quickly becomes clear that he is willing to kill to recover it.
Lifetime Movie Network
Trailer (link)
May 3, 2016
(April 2nd, 2016) For the first single “So Alive” on their forthcoming “Boxes” album, Buffalo’s very own Goo Goo Dolls – John Rzeznik and Robby Takac decided on their home town for the first music video from the release.
To make “So Alive” a reality, the Goo’s convinced Warner Brothers to enlisted a rock star line up of Western New York production professionals including the Grammy Award winning agency White Bicycle (Brian Grunert, Chris King) for the treatment, dPost (Andy and Beth Donovan, Shannon Silva) for the production, and veteran music video director Todd Bellanca to bring it to the fruition.
The Cast and Crew of “So Alive” pose on set at the Buffalo Central Terminal. (Photo by Bob Mussell)
When it came time to pick a location they didn’t have to look too far from where John Rzeznik grew up at the corner of Clark and Kent on Buffalo’s East Side for the epic Central Terminal. The band performed in a boxing ring on the main concourse with new drummer Craig Macintyre as part of the concept for “So Alive”.
Apr 11, 2016
(April 11th, 2016) The American Side: Opening at the North Park Theater April 22, 2016
Starring: Greg Stuhr, Alicja Bachleda, Camilla Belle, Matthew Broderick, Robert Forster, Janeane Garofalo and Robert Vaughn
Directed by: Jenna Ricker
Written by: Greg Stuhr and Jenna Ricker
A rapid-paced retro-noir set against Buffalo’s evocative architecture and the power of Niagara Falls, THE AMERICAN SIDE boasts a wildly eclectic cast and an intricately twisted plot involving the enigmatic genius, Nikola Tesla. Known by many as “the man who invented the 20th century”, Tesla’s papers were seized by the FBI within hours of his death in 1943.
Nearly seventy-five years later, low-rent detective Charlie Paczynski’s (Greg Stuhr)
raven-haired partner is caught in the crossfire of a blackmail scheme gone bad. He trails
the prime suspect (Harris Yulin) to the brink of Niagara, only to receive a cryptic
warning. Thrust into a world populated by a whiskey-swilling raconteur (Robert
Forster), strangely bonded siblings (Matthew Broderick, Camilla Belle), an eccentric
eavesdropper (Robert Vaughn), and a dubious government agent (Janeane Garofalo),
Paczynski unwittingly joins the quest for the story’s coveted ‘MacGuffin’: a page torn
from Tesla’s fabled missing notebook.
Shot entirely on location in WNY, and packed with nods to Hitchcock and classic noir,
and reminiscent of the conspiracy thrillers of the ‘70s, complete with a score by David
Shire (The Conversation, All the President’s Men), The American Side is a jigsaw puzzle
mystery, climaxing under the roar of the Falls as the final piece snaps into place.
Official Website here: http://www.theamericansidemovie.com/
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/157157195
North Park Theatre: https://www.northparktheatre.org/shows/700-pm-the-american-side-world-premiere/
