Today was a milestone. The trailer for our feature film, Cry For The Bad Man, was released. No studio, no distributor, no support from major horror outlets, just the culmination of 6 years of false-starts, dead-ends, pitches, camera tests, mood trailers, and finally, a SAG-AFTRA signatory production with an ultra-low budget, a talented cast & crew, breakneck 11-day shoot, a year of post, and lots of sweat equity.
On a personal note, I recall seeing 'I Spit On Your Grave' when I was 18. At the time, a widescreen UNCUT presentation on VHS was a rarity. Despite this and the reputation that proceeded it, I recall feeling a bit underwhelmed, but impressed by the film's lead, Camille Keaton.
Partially retired from acting at the time, I wondered what ever happened to Camille and thought she deserved a role that allowed her to be more proactive, vigilant, and not simply a survivor transformed by violence, never thinking I'd actually get the opportunity to write and direct her in such a film.
Flash forward 10 years, I'd long since forgotten this impulse when a mutual friend, Jerry Rosenberg suggested I work with a dear friend of his... Camille Keaton. THE Camille Keaton.
Camille had emerged from retirement and began taking supporting and small roles in low budget films, but nothing that really showcased what I felt like I'd seen years before: an uncanny ability to communicate complex emotions without so much as a word.
Our pitch to Camille was simple: Think 'High Noon' with a small town widow. A woman on a deadline, facing impending violence, desperate for help, abandoned and underestimated by everyone, left to face the threat on her own or run.
But of course running was never an option.
Without spoiling anything significant, rather than portray this woman as a sitting duck, WHAT IF she had a mysterious, rough-and-tumble youth... a long-forgotten alter-ego slowly being provoked by her unwitting antagonists? Further, what if her antagonists weren't nearly as tough, capable, or prepared as they believed?
Looking at the completed film, it feels like an ensemble piece with Camille at the center. A situation that escalates through a series of tense encounters, mistakes, and a clashing of stubborn (southern) egos too proud to walk away.
I'm happy to say that the film has heart, it has humor, and it has real vulnerability apart from just the tension and violence one would expect from such a premise. I can only hope that all translates to the viewer.
Lastly, as a credit to Camille's boldness to do this role right, she didn't play a woman aged 10 years younger, impossibly resilient, with perfect hair, and flawless makeup. Instead, we got a 70 year-old woman, roots showing, patience thin, joints weak, heart broken, and too old to tolerate the bullshit posturing of a trio of younger idiots.
Who knows how far it will go? Certainly it's been an uphill battle to get any kind of media attention without representation -- even with the producing credits, star power, and media connections our team enjoy -- but just getting across the finish line feels like a victory.
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