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OCTOBER MOON ...You've never seen anything like it. |
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Click below for links to information and photos on alternate websites about the OCTOBER MOON process. |
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| B+Boy Productions, in association with Red Films, Inc., is thrilled to announce completion of principle photography for the new full-length horror feature OCTOBER MOON. Lensed in South Eastern Wisconsin from September 21st through October 10th, the gay-themed project has been a labor of love for writer, producer, director Jason Paul Collum, whose documentary SOMETHING TO SCREAM ABOUT was released to 3 and 4 star reviews earlier this year. "At the core of the story, this does play as more of a drama than a horror film. The characters and situations in OCTOBER MOON are very much based on actual people and events...minus the murder and mayhem," Collum smiles. "The story follows a young 'straight' man named Elliot (Jerod Howard) who is rejected by his family, friends and fiancee when he realizes he has fallen in love with another man named Corin (Sean Michael Lambrecht), who is already in a long-term committed relationship. When Elliot is shunned by everyone he encounters, including the object of his affections, things get ugly...very, very ugly." To help bring the characters to life, Collum hired a mixture of genre veterans and newcomers. Judith O'Dea, who became an instant horror celebrity with her starring turn as "Barbara" in the original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968), stars as Elliot's homophobic mother with a secret buried in her own closet. She is joined by Jerod Howard (HOME ALONE 3) as the off-kilter "Elliot," Tina Ona Paukstelis (ASWANG: THE UNEARTHING) as Elliot's jilted fiancee "Marti," Brinke Stevens (THE SLUMBER PARTY MASSACRE) as Elliot's all-too-aware boss "Nancy," and Jeff Dylan Graham (DEAD & ROTTING) as Corin's long-term boyfriend "Jake," who's about to learn a deadly lesson about appreciating what you've got while you still have it. Musician Sean Michael Lambrecht makes his screen debut as "Corin," the romantic lead - and the object of a disturbed obsession. "I took a huge chance on Sean, and it really paid off," Collum says. "The role had originally gone to another actor who had to decline a week before we shot. I was scrambling to find someone else who could carry a lead role with ungodly amounts of dramatic dialogue and violent scenarios without coming off stiff and cheesy. I've known Sean as a friend and musician for about two years, but knew he never had any acting aspirations. Then I realized his 'look' and natural charm fit the character perfectly. So I tricked him into reading through the script with me 'just to hear if the dialogue flowed well.' My intention was to see if he would hit three very specific lines with the right emotion and delivery without me telling him how to do it...and he did. So I offered him the role on the spot. He took a day to think about it, and came back with an enthusiastic and nervous 'yes.' Luckily, he's really blown everyone away. A true natural, and a perfect blend with the rest of my leads." Additional cast members include Darcey Vanderhoef (BAD MOVIE POLICE, CASE #1: GALAXY OF THE DINOSAURS) and newcomers Ashley J. Anderson, Chad Morrell, Joel Duffrin, and Michael Lecce. "Many of the roles were written for specific actors, including Judith O'Dea. So when she and the others said 'yes,' it was a major stress-relief," Collum states. "I had worked with Judith on SOMETHING TO SCREAM ABOUT and interviewed her for Femme Fatales magazine, so I figured I had nothing to lose in approaching her with this project. I figured it would catch her interest because her character goes through quite a range of emotions throughout the film. It's a great showcase for her, and for all of the leads, because dramatically speaking, they each get to have 'their individual scene,' to go completely insane and show their acting chops." In fact, Collum had some issues in how to initially classify OCTOBER MOON. "It really is more of a drama throughout the first half. This 30-year-old man dealing with his sexuality, and everyone else associated with him having to deal with it, in most cases not very well. Then you look at the relationship between Corin and Jake which is very white-bread on the outside, but after seven years they're enduring their own emotional turmoil. Add an obsession into the mix and slowly it all starts to get darker and more 'icky.' I refuse to call this a 'thriller' along the lines of FATAL ATTRACTION because it actually twists more into THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT territory. When I say things get ugly, I mean it. There is no clean, bloodless wrap-up at the end. There's some really twisted and unnerving scenarios once the horror kicks in. People who've known me for 31 years are probably going to look at me a little differently when this comes out. I've already accepted this is one my mother won't be watching," Collum laughs. Everything seemed to fall right into place for the production, which found an investor only three weeks before filming began. "It was definitely rushed into production, because the film is set in a fall atmosphere, and in Wisconsin leaves and cornfields begin disappearing rapidly by the end of September. So, in theory, this all should have collapsed in on me. Instead, one magical thing after another kept occuring, even if some were a bit morbid, which I won't reveal until the film comes out," Collum says. "Not only did my cast come together seemlessly, but locations, props, make up FX and crew fell right into my lap, including my Director of Photography, Red Clark II, who gives the movie a very unnerving, realistic and yet beautiful feel. Plus my Line Producer, Jennifer Lynn Goebel, who kept my head on during the times where we did experience chaos. This is just one of those movies that I can't imagine not working...everything flowed too easily." For Collum, who has worked in a variety of crew positions on over 15 feature films, including a number of David DeCoteau's homoerotic flicks like THE BROTHERHOOD (2000) and THE FRIGHTENING (2002), OCTOBER MOON has been a long-time in coming to fruition. "David got me a meeting with Charles Band at Full Moon back in 1999 to do a line of gay-themed horror films, and he seemed interested, but never really bit. I've tried for the last five years to get several of these off the ground, but was always told American's weren't ready for a horror film with gay characters as the leads, even with WILL & GRACE, et al. I agree with David's approach, which was 'Make gay-themed films but don't tell the public that's what they're watching.' It worked, and he was brilliant for doing it that way. THE BROTHERHOOD made A LOT of money, but that wasn't where I wanted I go. The only other person who truly got behind me and championed the projects as they were intended was J.R. Bookwalter (THE DEAD NEXT DOOR). Hence why his Tempe DVD will be distributing," Collum informs. Planned for a late-winter 2005 limited theatrical run in gay-friendly markets like Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Miami, Seattle, Boston and San Francisco, OCTOBER MOON will expand further depending on audience demand. "If not," Collum smiles, "it'll be out on DVD on September 25, 2005. I really do think audinces of all orientations will enjoy this film, though. It's got comedy, drama, horror, action, bloodshed... My goal was to make a gay-themed horror film which could be non-threatening to straight audiences. They'll be afraid of what's happening to each character, not simply afraid of the characters themsleves just because they might kiss on screen." Collum's official website is www.jasonpaulcollum.com. |
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