Actress Heather Graham Supports Health Care Public Option

Actress Heather Graham (Boogie Nights, Austin Powers, Twin Peaks), has lent her time and fame to support a public option in health care reform:

Darcy Halsey Announces The Reunion Web Series

Actress Darcy Halsey, profiled in the Hollywood Investigator in 2007, updates us:

I am so excited that I am finally able to show this online project, that I co-wrote and co-directed, called The Reunion. It's been a long time coming!

We've finally finished the pilot presentation for the interactive web series about (as many of you know from seeing the choose-your-own adventure play) a 10 year high school reunion. But since we've gone online, we've added a twist, and the night has turned into a murder mystery.

Remember Jason? The guy who died at the senior party? Yeah, well, it's 10 years later (1994) and still no one knows who did it. Yeah.

Please check out our site and enjoy exploring the night. It's a bit raucous and naughty, but what high school reunion isn't?

Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!

Darcy

The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu Set for Fall Theatrical Release

From MPI Media Group:

New York, NY (February 15, 2010) -- MPI Media Group has acquired all North American rights to The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu, a new comedy-thriller. The film will receive a Fall 2010 theatrical release through MPI's Dark Sky Films label, to be followed by DVD and Video On Demand in October.

The distribution deal for The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu was negotiated by Greg Newman, executive vice president of MPI Media Group, and Nate Bolotin of XYZ Films.

Kyle Davis (Friday the 13th, Men of a Certain Age) stars as Jeff, a bored guy stuck in a dead-end job whose life suddenly changes when a strange old man gives him an ancient relic and tells him he is the last descendant of H.P. Lovecraft, author of such classic horror short stories as "The Dunwich Horror," "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" and the influential Cthulhu Mythos stories.

Jeff and his friend Charlie embark on an adventure to protect the relic from falling into the hands of the Starspawn and his minions, who want to release the hideous cosmic entity Cthulhu back into the world.

The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu marks the feature directorial debut of Henry Saine, whose career was launched with two comedic short films, Not in My Family and Love Royale. It's also the writing and producing debut of Devin McGinn, who co-stars as Charlie. The cast includes Barak Hardley, Honor Bliss and Sujata Day.

The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu had its world premiere in October at the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival in Portland, Ore., and was a selection at the January 2010 Slamdance Film Festival, in Park City, Utah.

Principal Photography Begins on Dark Sky Film's Hypothermia

From MPI:

Chicago, IL (February 9, 2010) - Dark Sky Films announces the start of principal photography and production on James Felix McKenney's feature Hypothermia.

Hypothermia, written and directed by McKenney, stars Michael Rooker, who's long career in film includes Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.

Hypotermia co-stars Blanche Baker (Sixteen Candles, Taking Chance, The Girl Next Door).

Also in the cast are Greg Finley (The Secret Life of the American Teenager") and McKenney regulars Don Wood (The Off Season, Automatons), Ben Forster and Amy Chang. The film will be produced in partnership with Larry Fessenden's Glass Eye Pix.

The story occurs in Maine during winter. Ray Pelletier and his wife Helen have been ice fishing the frozen expanse of Lake Noyade for over two decades, but this year something is different: no fish bite. Is it their new neighbors on the ice -- Stevie Jr. and his overbearing Dad -- with their high-tech gear and over-sized rig that is driving the fish away? Or is it something else?

The answer comes in an onslaught of ferocious attacks that unites the two families against a mysterious creature from under the ice.

Producers on the film are 2010 Spirit Award nominee and horror director Larry Fessenden and his partners Peter Phok and Brent Kunkle, along with Dark Sky Films producer Derek Curl (The House of the Devil, Hatchet 2). The Co-Producer is Jacob Jaffke (The House of the Devil, Bafta nominated short Off Season).

Hypothermia is produced in association with Offhollywood Pictures, and is one of the first feature films to be shot in 4K on REd One digital cinema cameras updated with the new, high-dynamic range Mysterium-X sensor alongside David Fincher's Social Network and Steven Soderbergh's Knockout.

Says Fessenden, "It is very gratifying to have the support of such a cool company as Dark Sky so we can keep making these auteur-driven genre films we call Scareflix. Having Michael Rooker headline the cast in a role like this is especially exciting because it is a different side of Rooker we’ll be exploring. I know the fans will be gratified to spend some real screen time with him in this rugged and sympathetic role.

The monster has been created by effects veteran Chris Bridges who has lent his talents to such films as Diary of the Dead, 300, Silent Hills, Saw III, Max Payne, since his on-set debut on Mimic. Stunt and movement artist Asa Liebmann will be inside the suit. Gore effects will be handled by Brian Spears (Plaguetown, I Sell the Dead, Bitter Feast, Stake Land.

Dark Sky Films is dedicated to the discovery, preservation and production of new and classic horror, sci-fi and cult films from around the world. Based in Chicago, Dark Sky Films is a wholly owned subsidiary of The MPI Media Group.

Military Censors Black Lung Album Interview

We thought we had seen everything when it came to interviews, but this one was brand new. The US Military Authorities have decided to censor an interview that was to appear on the website of the Belgian electro music magazine Side-Line.com.

More specifically, the interview given by David Thrussell (Black Lung, Snog etc) has been censored, and part of the transcript has been removed from being published. The interview handled David Thrussell newest release which was commissioned by DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), which is a funding body of the U.S Government and the Pentagon.

The resulting album Full Spectrum Dominance got released under the name of Black Lung.

The Black Lung interview which got censored handled the specific preparation and what exactly got recorded for the release. [You can read the censored interview here].

Kind regards,

Bernard Van Isacker
Side-Line chief editor

2nd Annual All Sports Film Festival

(Hollywood, CA) – February 4, 2010 – The 2nd Annual All Sports Los Angeles Film Festival will be held on July 9 and 10, 2010 at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, California.

Whether it is a dramatic or comedic piece, ASLAFF welcomes screenwriters and filmmakers to share their great stories in regards to the world of sports. This festival will give the many sports fanatics an outlet for their love of competition in the medium of cinema.

ASLAFF will include any subject matter that deals with mental and physical competition for the sake of winning. The stories will include anything from auto racing and badminton to spelling bees and chess.

Our jury and judges already include ESPN Sideline Reporter Holly Rowe. Also on the panel are established producers, screenwriters, and television staff writers. More are soon to be added.

There will be an opening reception on Friday night followed by the premiere of several short films and a feature film. Saturday will be filled with the presentation of short and feature films.

For more information and updates, please check the festival website at AllSportsLAFilmFest.com or email Pat@AllSportsLAFilmFest.com.

Viscera Film Festival Announces Official Selections

The Viscera Film Festival, a horror Film Festival that presents women created horror films from all over the world has announced the 2009-2010 officially selected Viscera films. Viscera judges Heidi Martinuzzi, Devi Snively, Elisabeth Fies, Stacie Ponder, and Shannon Lark are proud to present the following:

Barbee Butcher by Sophie Lagues

Beautiful As You Are by Doug Mallette and Mary Katherine Sisco

Hollywood Skin by Maude Michaud

I Spit on Eli Roth by Devi Snively

Mary Jane Go Round by Ginnetta Correli  (Viscera Award Winner)

Mockingbird by Marichelle Daywalt

Salome's Picnic by Victoria Waghorn

Switch by Melanie Light
 

The selected films are placed on a compilation DVD which is viewed by Viscera's Sponsors, who are journalists, websites, artists, and affiliated Film Festivals for potential reviews/screenings around the world.

The Viscera Film Festival will have its first screening in the Spring of 2010 (date TBA) in Los Angeles, celebrating Viscera's 2009, 2008, and 2007's selections, accompanied with an award ceremony.

Each selected filmmaker will receive a Viscera Statue and filmmaker Ginnetta Correli will receive the 2009-2010 Viscera Award for her film Mary Jane Go Round.

The Viscera Award is a monetary award suited specifically for women coming together exclusively or creating films on their own instead of participating in cat fights and talking about hairspray.

------------------------------

The Chainsaw Mafia
Contact: Shannon Lark, CEO of the Mafia and Director of the Viscera Film Festival
E-mail: Shannon@thechainsawmafia.com
Web: www.thechainsawmafia.com