THANKS FOR DROPPING BY!
Update: October 2013
If you're visiting us here, you probably received one of our super cool business cards. You'll find lots of archived info below such as news releases, online articles from the likes of Bloody Disgusting, news videos, pictures, and other cool stuff chronicling the beginning of production of "Attack of the GORILLA!", but from now on, we'll be concentrating on updating all Gorilla info on Belial Productions' new website, so please, bookmark us there:
http://belialproductions.weebly.com
GO! GO! GORILLA!
The Martini Shot is a Hollywood term refering to the last shot of the day, meaning the cast and crew can then relax and, in theory, have a martini. Well, no one had a martini on our last day of shooting, but every one had fun wrapping "Late Night Classics presents Attack of the GORILLA!" While I could go into a whole spiel about the many, many adventures we had shooting this 50's style epic, I'd rather take the opportunity to thank everyone involved in the production. Without all of them, this would still be an idea landing on several sheets of script paper and rolling around inside my head, so, here goes...
THE STARS: Carrying an entire movie on your shoulders is no easy task, but SARA DUPLANCIC and FRANCIS FISK were up for it and provided the story with the heart and centre it required. Sara was cast after I saw her performance in a play and she continues to do theatre. I hope she remembers us when she gets her first Tony Award.
Francis was not an actor before now, but when I was writing the script, the character voice in my head was his. Decision time: Do I cast an "actor" and get him to play Francis or go for the genuine article. I went with the latter and he did an excellent job, including some stuntwork where he literally "rang the bell"
THE MVP: Gotta share this one, because these two people added far more to GORILLA! than the comedy and pathos that was on the page. STEWART GRENZOWSKI was the behind the scenes Jack of all Trades every movie should be lucky enough to have, but few are lucky enough to get. His list of on-screen credits from acting to providing amazing catering to tireless "booming" will be insane.
When PENU CHALYKOFF stepped into that gorilla suit, he added so many big laughs that, I'll admit, the focus of the film changed considerably. He really is one of the funniest men/apes I have ever had the fortune to have worked with. That is not to forget...
THE COMEDY SECRET WEAPON: PAUL WASHER was probably the most experienced actor aboard our cinematic ship and we were damn lucky to get him. He displayed a tremendous talent for taking otherwise bland expository scenes and turning them into tour de forces of funny as the befuddled Officer Landis (what's a B-Movie now-a-days without at least one movie geek tribute name?) Paul brought to life long, expository paragraphs that would have knocked more trepidatious actors on their behinds.
THE SUPPORTIVE PARENT: Poor SHERRY THURIG. She not only had to remember some utterly inane dialogue, and deliver it like she meant it, but had to spend a great deal of time feigning attraction to her leading man (guilty as charged). Thanks, Sherry, for giving us "The Full Margot Channing" (and if you don't know what that means, then you know nothing about intentional over-acting).
When PENU CHALYKOFF stepped into that gorilla suit, he added so many big laughs that, I'll admit, the focus of the film changed considerably. He really is one of the funniest men/apes I have ever had the fortune to have worked with. That is not to forget...
THE COMEDY SECRET WEAPON: PAUL WASHER was probably the most experienced actor aboard our cinematic ship and we were damn lucky to get him. He displayed a tremendous talent for taking otherwise bland expository scenes and turning them into tour de forces of funny as the befuddled Officer Landis (what's a B-Movie now-a-days without at least one movie geek tribute name?) Paul brought to life long, expository paragraphs that would have knocked more trepidatious actors on their behinds.
THE SUPPORTIVE PARENT: Poor SHERRY THURIG. She not only had to remember some utterly inane dialogue, and deliver it like she meant it, but had to spend a great deal of time feigning attraction to her leading man (guilty as charged). Thanks, Sherry, for giving us "The Full Margot Channing" (and if you don't know what that means, then you know nothing about intentional over-acting).
THE SHOOTER GIRL: Thank you to whatever exists above for delivering unto us our DOP JULIANNE CAMERON. Without her dedication and ability to put up with an occasionally frantic director- while still delivering beautifully shot images- we'd be filming this thing well into 2013. Full disclosure: Still one scene left to shoot in January 2012 where-in Julianne puts on her actress garb to help send up the noir classic Touch of Evil. She'll make a great Dietrich.
THE KING OF THE CASTLE: In addition to acting as DOP, PA and wearing enough hats to crush a Lorax, STEVE LAFLAMME allowed us to use his house as the film's primary location. I know a lot of people say "I couldn't have done it without such and such a person" but I mean it with 100% gratitude when I say "I couldn't have done it without Steve."
THE DAY PEOPLE: When you`ve got a killer gorilla on your tail, you have no choice but to scream and in this case, ham it up. Thanks to those who only came in for a day or two and brought the funny. Edward Swan, Jenne Hicks, Mike Kelly, Irish O`Brien (the actress so nice we cast her twice), Colin O`Brien, Trudi Shaw, Leah Cheyne, Jes Lacasse, Anik Rompre, Jessica Anderson, Jennifer Heale, Fletch Shaw, Evelyn Shaw, Tina Prudhomme, Kiersten Hanly, Lauren Kearley, Stewart Grenzowki (yes, again) and Steve Laflamme (also again).
There are also our myriad of EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS all of whom contributed financially to making the film a reality...but that`s a whole other Thank You posting.
SPECIAL THANKS TO everyone at OTTAWA LITTLE THEATRE including John Muggleton, Lynn McGuigan, Mark Ryder, Glynis Ellens and the fantastic Peggy Laverty.
AND LAST BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY my Co-Producer and the film`s Editor and Post-Production Supervisor JULIAN ADDERLEY. This poor man now has hours of footage to sift through and hopefully we`ve given him something coherent. Thank you for believing in dreams, pally.
Thank you all and watch this space for more as we enter Post-Production!
DAVE SHAW
Director, Late Night Classics presents GORILLA!
Director, Late Night Classics presents GORILLA!
