Imagine my surprise when I received a call (this past Monday morning) from indie filmmakers Chris LaMartina and Jimmy George for an invite to lunch. Turns out both gents were passing through on their way back from the Killer Film Festival in Massachusetts where they picked up three (count ‘em…THREE) awards for their new film “Presidents Day.” ("Best Picture", "Best Screenplay" and "Best Use of a Former President")
(above) A relaxing lunch at "The Butler" Family Restaurant
This dynamic duo was also my guests on the May 2010 Alternative Cinema podcast. We heartily discussed the trials and tribulations of producing a no-budget movie. An episode of the AC Podcast that no low-budget filmmaker will want to miss! Listen below.
There's this really fun book called "Weird N.J.," by Mark Sceurman and Mark Moran that's a sort of combination clearing house and travel guide for New Jersey's local legends, best kept secrets and offbeat folk tales. Yes, Virginia, there is a Jersey Devil, and there are lots of other bizarre beasts and urban myths in the Garden State.
Much in the same "vein," if you'll pardon the expression, is Chris LaMartina's feature film BOOK OF LORE, but this time it's all about weird happenings in Maryland.
LaMartina's movie has to do with a mysterious book that details local unsolved crimes, most of them of the distinctly icky variety, such as the kidnapping and murder of babies, people with their eyes gouged out, etc. This Encyclopedia of Eerie leads to a few new murders when lead character Rick Adams (A. J. Hyde) tries to uncover the mystery surrounding the murder of his girlfriend, who's been killed in the manner of one of the murders in the Book of Lore. Needless to say, he uncovers more than he bargained for…
Chris LaMartina is Baltimore-born and bred, a 25-year-old wunderkind who grew up on a diet of Hammer horror films, Universal monster classics and eighties slasher films. His 2007 movie BOOK OF LORE was released as part of the horror double feature collection, BOOK OF LORE / GRAVE MISTAKES on May 18th, courtesy of Camp Motion Pictures, and you can clearly see his influences in the film's lighting scheme (bright colors ala Hammer, Mario Bava and Dario Argento), his ensemble cast (pick any eighties slasher film) and his gore effects (Tom Savini meets Herschell Gordon Lewis). The latter, in fact, makes a special guest appearance of sorts; you can hear the voice of the Godfather of Gore on a bingo record in the film, calling out numbers. Weird indeed.
I spoke with LaMartina recently about his depraved childhood, and, perhaps, even more depraved adulthood. "When I was a kid, around fourteen or so," LaMartina recalled, "I discovered the family camcorder and caught the filmmaking bug. I started making short films and as I got older, the plots became more elaborate and they became more ambitious. I used to watch a lot of horror movies on video, and there were some pretty crummy horror movies out there. After awhile, I thought maybe I could make something better than that stuff.'
Scenes from Chris LaMartina’s BOOK OF LORE
While going to film school, LaMartina made an anthology film called DEAD TEENAGERS, which was released to DVD by Brain Damage Films. This brought him to the attention of another Baltimore filmmaker named Jimmy George. "I met Jimmy years and years ago," LaMartina continued, "when I was fourteen and he was eighteen or nineteen. We talked the same language because he was a film nerd, but the age difference made it difficult. They're going to parties and they don't want to hang out with fourteen-year-olds. So he went out to Hollywood to try to be a screenwriter and then he came back a couple of years later for a bunch of reasons... so a mutual friend of ours re-introduced us and we got together and started writing BOOK OF LORE."
Jimmy George and Chris LaMartina visiting Pop Cinema Studios to record the May 2010 AC Podcast
LaMartina knows his stuff as far as horror film history is concerned. "I like the Expressionism of the German silent films," he noted, "and I like the colors in the giallo films. There's something cool about it. People have a psychological response to horror films. My background is really diverse; I would catch the Hammer horror stuff like HORROR OF DRACULA, and then as a pre-teen I saw like every Universal horror movie: THE WOLF MAN, SON OF DRACULA, HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, all that stuff. And then I went through a slasher phase."
"We spent about a year just writing BOOK OF LORE,” LaMartina said. "We wrote a first draft screenplay, and that's something a lot of micro-budget filmmakers take for granted. They'll write a screenplay and maybe let a friend check it out. But we took it really seriously. We got script coverage. We paid a professional reader to give us an opinion, what about it was crap, what about it was decent.
"When we finally got the script where we wanted it, we cast and raised the money. We raised the money by selling a lot of my stuff. I was a projectionist and I had a lot of 16mm film prints. I had a 16mm print of Tod Browning's FREAKS that I sold. I sold most of my more valuable VHS tapes. And Jimmy sold his whole collection of DVDs. And that's how we funded the movie."
LaMartina is a big supporter of the DIY movement. "I like the idea of doing it yourself," he continued. "With the right equipment, anyone can make a movie that looks good. So we raised the money, we held auditions... We started shooting the film in August '06, and the first two or three days of shooting were the hottest days in a couple of years in Baltimore. We were dripping with sweat in unbearable conditions. And that same week, my brother was getting married - and I was the Best Man. I had to organize his bachelor party and go to the wedding during the first week of production. It was just like a nightmare!"
But LaMartina persevered, as did his "awesome crew." He did his own cinematography. "Jimmy did a lot of the sound," he continued. "And we had Darren Mosher, a special effects guy. It was a very bare bones crew, but we pulled it off.
Darren Mosher applying make-up on his next victim, Sean Quinn.
Two weeks into production, D. Patrick Bauer, who played Evan Nash, got mono. So our plan to finish shooting in August was just thrown out the window. We pretty much finished shooting with everyone else by the end of August, but we shot all of his stuff in September and October. Most of the principal photography was done by the end of October."
“Book of Lore” crew - pictured left to right: Darren Mosher, Dan Vidor, Chris LaMartina, Lindsay Hanson, Jimmy George, Aj Hyde, and Jordan Epstein
Filming of the "legends" illustrated in the Book of Lore took place later. When I mentioned the "Weird N.J." book to him, LaMartina laughed and said, "You know, it 's so funny you bring that up, because I love that stuff! I don't scare easily and it's been a long time since a film really scared me. So I thought about what really creeps me out, and for me it's those stories, those mythos that people tell around the campfire. And there's a small town near Baltimore that is so rich in these weird and creepy stories. You know, about hauntings and murders and things like that. Those are the creepiest things to me. And I'm pretty happy with the result, of how the stories played out."
the chances are if BOOK OF LORE scares Chris LaMartina, it will do a number on you too.
“Book of Lore” was released by Camp Motion Pictures as BOOK OF LORE / GRAVE MISTAKES Double Feature DVD
Jimmy George and Chris LaMartina were guests on the May 2010 Alternative Cinema Podcast. Listen below or click this link for other options (including iTunes)
It’s not that often that filmmakers visit the studio. These days, the Butler, New Jersey offices and studio are primarily marketing, post production and catalog sales for the combined companies of Pop Cinema, Alternative Cinema and Camp Motion Pictures.
The turn-of-the-century hustle and bustle of multiple in-house, on-site productions to feed the exploding DVD market are in the past in favor of productions off-site (and often in the home state of the filmmakers)
In 2007 Mark and John Polonia (along with Brett Piper) shot “Splatter Beach” in rural Pennsylvania.
John Polonia, Brett Piper and Mark Polonia / "Splatter Beach" 2007
“The Jerker” wreaks havoc in NYC / Batbabe: The Dark Nightie
This year, Jacob Ennis is shooting a follow-up to his successful STASH in his home state of Kentucky. Here is the press release from late in 2009:
BLOODY EARTH FILMS ANNOUNCES NEW PRODUCTION! JACOB ENNIS TO HELM EXTREME GORE SHOCKER, “RED RIVER”
Jacob Ennis, director of indie exploitation hit STASH, is currently in production on a new exploitation feature for Camp Motion Picture’s Bloody Earth Films. Inspired by iconic extreme ‘70s exploitation-horror films such as THE HILLS HAVE EYES and LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, RED RIVER, also penned by Ennis, is the shocking and brutal tale of the final days of a back-woods serial killer. Set in the gorgeous parks and forests of Kentucky, with an extensive cast of locals and professional talent, RED RIVER is slated for release in late 2010.
Images from the upcoming “Red River” directed by Jacob Ennis
In late April, Maryland natives (Chris LaMartina and Jimmy George) came up from Maryland and appeared on the May Alternative Cinema Podcast.
“Book of Lore/Grave Mistakes Horror Double Feature”
They also produced the monthly “Lost Trailer Park: Never Coming Attractions” …
May 2010 / PSYCHO de MAYO (aka Gringos Muertos)
April 2010 / SHRIEK OF THE EASTER BEAST featuring George Stover
…and most recently produced the 80’s “throwback” “President’s Day” also featuring George Stover, Ruby LaRocca and Shawn C Phillips.
“President’s Day” Official Trailer
Shawn produces the amazingly popular (and favorite YouTube show of mine) “My DVD Update Collection” – a monthly show where Shawn shares his review of “showing the dvds and Blu-rays Ive gotten over the last three weeks!”
My Dvd Collection Update 4/12/10 featuring “Book of Lore / Grave Mistakes” review + a review of Michael Hoffman’s ROT: Reunion of terror
As some of you may know, I am passionate not only about filmmaking but of Film Photography (with emphasis on cameras from the Twentieth Century). So much so, that I started a podcast called The Film Photography Podcast! The monthly show can be heard here - http://filmphotographypodcast.com/
Here are some images I shot using vintage cameras during Chris and Jimmy’s visit to the studio.
Jimmy George and Chris LaMartina shot on Classic Polaroid 600 Instant film
A vintage (1954) Kodak Brownie Bull’s-Eye camera was used to shoot Jimmy and Chris in the Pop Cinema studio.
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Pop Cinema owner Michael Raso has been working professionally in the visual arts for over 20 years. A photographer, producer and and most recently Podcast host, Raso is passionate about using film as viable and exciting medium for the visual artist, even in this age of digital photography.
Baltimore filmmaker Chris Lamartina, director of the zombie-trailer-homage TOOL SHED OF THE LIVING DEAD and faux TV spot GHOST OF THE RAVEN, talks Shock Festival, Edgar Allen Poe and his latest filmmaking project.
When did you first become involved in the horror genre? I got serious about filmmaking when I was around 18 or so. During my first year at college, I started doing a segment each break for an anthology that would become DEAD TEENAGERS. It was crummy-looking movie shot on consumer gear for about $300, but it got a distribution deal and gave me hope that I could continue making films for a wider audience. Shortly after completing DEAD TEENAGERS, I met up with an old friend, Jimmy George, and we began working together. We somehow managed to raise a little bit of money to make our first film together and have continued to churn them out since then. So far, we've produced 3 features together, BOOK OF LORE, GRAVE MISTAKES (these two are coming out as a double feature through Camp Motion Pictures in May 2010), and the recently wrapped PRESIDENT’S DAY.
Fill us in on how you become involved with Stephen Romano Presents Shock Festival DVD? My girlfriend gave me Stephen’s 2008 book, SHOCK FESTIVAL, as a Christmas gift last year and it quickly became one of my favorite possessions. I loved the artwork, the articles, but most importantly... the mythology. Stephen’s grasp of what makes the culture of exploitation film so great is strong and few have done it as well as the book did.
I picked my two trailers for different reasons. I chose GHOST OF THE RAVEN because I'm located in Baltimore and my apartment is literally five minutes from Poe's gravesite, so I figured I had to. I felt a need to represent my hometown and I've always felt an affinity for Poe. He's popped up in my life many times and in many places: I was recently contacted by the Baltimore Museum of Art to produce a piece inspired by his work for their upcoming exhibit, and Poe was a subplot of a romantic comedy script I wrote last year that won third place at the Baltimore Screenwriting Competition.
TOOL SHED OF THE LIVING DEAD seemed to be the most open-ended and easily one of the most silly, niche titles in the book. I knew I could gather some friends in a weekend and get some great footage. I also knew about an abandoned graveyard where we could shoot a few shots and incorporated them into the trailer.
TOOL SHED OF THE DEAD is one of the films with the least coverage in the book, was this a limitation on the project or was it freeing? It was definitely freeing. I didn't want to take away from Stephen's vision of these films, so when producing both, I tried to keep his vision in mind. Since TOOL SHED is very limited in coverage, I tried to think about what films it would be like...
The TOOL SHED trailer is definitely I DRINK YOUR BLOOD in tone, but if it were a feature, I imagined it like GARDEN OF THE DEAD or even an early Andy Milligan film... that's the type of film stock/damage I was going for... that scratchy faded-red (because of poor storage) look that many of Milligan's features have. As a former projectionist, I was trying to achieve what color damage would traditionally occur to the prints in the color correcting process.
Can you tell us a little about the actors you worked with? For my two trailers, all the actors were friends. For my features, we've had auditions and managed to work with some really great folks. For my latest project, PRESIDENT’S DAY, I got to work with a group of great actors such as George Stover (John Waters’ Female Trouble and Desperate Living, Don Dohler's films), Ruby Larocca (star of Seduction Cinema films), and Shawn Phillips (from Youtube’s Don and Murph Show).
Who worked on the technical end of the production, specifically cinematography, music, and special effects? I wrote, directed, and edited both trailers. I scored the music for TOOL SHED, but Mars from Dead House Music did the music for GHOST as per Stephen's request. I'm glad I could use it, since it's perfect for the trailer.
I did some of the special effects, but my friend Randi Williams did most of the zombie makeup.
I understand that a couple of your films will be released this year; can you give us some additional information? BOOK OF LORE and GRAVE MISTAKES will be released as a double feature from Camp Motion Pictures on May 18, 2010.
BOOK OF LORE is an atmospheric horror flick about a small town that is plagued with a surprising number of bizarre local legends that start to "come true". It won Best Horror Feature at the 2007 Shockerfest International Film Festival.
GRAVE MISTAKES is a campy throwback to 1980s horror anthologies like CREEPSHOW and TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE. It follows a grave robber who tries selling stolen jewelry to an old antiques dealer, but instead of trading goods, they trade stories of ghosts, zombies, vampires, and other supernatural entities.
The double feature disc should be jam-packed with extra features, commentaries, making-of featurettes and tons of great stuff for fans of low-budget horror.
Are there any current or future projects you would like people to know about? I'm currently editing PRESIDENT’S DAY, our latest film. It's a gory social satire about a maniac in an Abe Lincoln outfit who is killing all the candidates for a high school student council election. I'm pitching it as a cross between ELECTION and SLEEPAWAY CAMP PART 2. So far, it looks like it will be a lot of fun.
