*full disclosure: an unfinished online screener was provided by the director. Director/writer: Jason Dudek. Cast: Taylor Handley, Danny Glover, Vinnie Jones and Margo Harshman. Toxin is the latest film from director Jason Dudek. The film is a dramatic science fiction thriller, involving the use of viruses. Lacking any real horror, the film focuses on dramatic elements as Dean (Taylor Handley) struggles to keep his friends alive. Very slow in its delivery, Toxin builds towards a fairly predictable climax. The outcome is slightly flat. As well, characters act unbelievably and possibly suicidally. Toxin is an indie film that lacks polish in the script and onscreen. The film begins with Dean. He has returned from a tour in the Middle East. His friends gather together for a party and later a camping trip. But, Grandma needs Dean's help. Soon, the group of friends are heading up to Grandma's house, with the...
- 2/8/2015
- by noreply@blogger.com (Michael Allen)
- 28 Days Later Analysis
Tagline: "Fear is their greatest enemy." Jason Dudek's Toxin blends lots of genres. Part drama, part science fiction and part horror, this film brings lots of ideas to the screen. Centrally, this film involves a rogue pharmaceutical company and their unlawful experiments. Several friends are used as guinea pigs. And, Toxin has just been picked up by sales agent American World Pictures, for possible distribution. As well, the film stars Danny Glover, Vinnie Jones and Taylor Handley. The film's first trailer is hosted here. The trailer develops more of the film's story. In the clip, several friends decide to renovate a rundown home. Several scientists are using this house as a laboratory and these friends have not signed a waiver, for this experiment. A toxin is introduced into the home. Soon, the friends are struggling just to breathe. Toxin does not have a release date. Completed in late 2013, the...
- 1/4/2015
- by noreply@blogger.com (Michael Allen)
- 28 Days Later Analysis
By Jason Rothberg
Contributor
* * *
Before laughter started pouring out of our TV sets from live studio audiences and pre-recorded laugh tracks, there were claquers. Claquers were members of an organized group of professional audience members, called a claque, who were paid by theatre and opera owners to attend performances and sweeten the reception of whatever was playing. By the 1830s, a theatre manager could order a certain number of claquers to attend a performance, with some being hired to lead applause, others to laugh at jokes, and some to hold handkerchiefs to their eyes and summon fake tears. Why would a theatre owner pay people to react as they deem appropriate? For the same reason we’ve had live audiences and laugh tracks projecting laughter into our homes from I Love Lucy to The Big Bang Theory: because laughter can be infectious.
Up until the late 1950s, the laughter...
Contributor
* * *
Before laughter started pouring out of our TV sets from live studio audiences and pre-recorded laugh tracks, there were claquers. Claquers were members of an organized group of professional audience members, called a claque, who were paid by theatre and opera owners to attend performances and sweeten the reception of whatever was playing. By the 1830s, a theatre manager could order a certain number of claquers to attend a performance, with some being hired to lead applause, others to laugh at jokes, and some to hold handkerchiefs to their eyes and summon fake tears. Why would a theatre owner pay people to react as they deem appropriate? For the same reason we’ve had live audiences and laugh tracks projecting laughter into our homes from I Love Lucy to The Big Bang Theory: because laughter can be infectious.
Up until the late 1950s, the laughter...
- 9/29/2013
- by Jason Rothberg
- Scott Feinberg
By Mark Pinkert
Contributor
***
Until recently, the television miniseries seemed to be a dying artform. During the first decade of the 21st century, Band of Brothers (2002) was the only miniseries to receive broad critical and public acclaim. And by 2011, the Television Academy struggled so mightily to fill its outstanding miniseries Emmy category with worthy releases — nominating only four films in 2009 and 2010, respectively — that it eventually decided to combine it with its television movies category in 2011. Since 2011, though, the miniseries has surged back to life. Among others, BBC America’s Luther (2010-2011), HBO’s Mildred Pierce (2011) and History’s Hatfields & McCoys (2012) proved to be giant hits, garnering attention not just from critics but also from massive audiences, and helped to breathe new life into the genre.
The 2013 Primetime Emmys, which air this Sunday, includes among its nominees some of the most widely-seen and/or acclaimed miniseries of all-time: FX’s American Horror Story: Asylum,...
Contributor
***
Until recently, the television miniseries seemed to be a dying artform. During the first decade of the 21st century, Band of Brothers (2002) was the only miniseries to receive broad critical and public acclaim. And by 2011, the Television Academy struggled so mightily to fill its outstanding miniseries Emmy category with worthy releases — nominating only four films in 2009 and 2010, respectively — that it eventually decided to combine it with its television movies category in 2011. Since 2011, though, the miniseries has surged back to life. Among others, BBC America’s Luther (2010-2011), HBO’s Mildred Pierce (2011) and History’s Hatfields & McCoys (2012) proved to be giant hits, garnering attention not just from critics but also from massive audiences, and helped to breathe new life into the genre.
The 2013 Primetime Emmys, which air this Sunday, includes among its nominees some of the most widely-seen and/or acclaimed miniseries of all-time: FX’s American Horror Story: Asylum,...
- 9/21/2013
- by Mark Pinkert
- Scott Feinberg
By Jason Rothberg
Contributor
***
I love Orange is the New Black, but it’s tearing my family apart. Every day, my mom hits me with that look that says, “I know you watched six episodes without me last night.” Sure, I’d promised we’d watch it together, but cut me some slack. You went to work and I was left alone. Just me and unhindered access to nearly 13 hours of enigmatic characters and ambiguous morality, delivered to my doorstep by Jenji Kohan and Netflix without even asking for a tip for arriving in less than 30 minutes. It sounds perfect, but my problem is that I’m a goldfish at heart: toss too many flakes in the bowl and I’ll be gorged by morning.
Before the rise of DVR, home viewers had very limited ability to dictate their television watching experience. They could dim the lights and turn up...
Contributor
***
I love Orange is the New Black, but it’s tearing my family apart. Every day, my mom hits me with that look that says, “I know you watched six episodes without me last night.” Sure, I’d promised we’d watch it together, but cut me some slack. You went to work and I was left alone. Just me and unhindered access to nearly 13 hours of enigmatic characters and ambiguous morality, delivered to my doorstep by Jenji Kohan and Netflix without even asking for a tip for arriving in less than 30 minutes. It sounds perfect, but my problem is that I’m a goldfish at heart: toss too many flakes in the bowl and I’ll be gorged by morning.
Before the rise of DVR, home viewers had very limited ability to dictate their television watching experience. They could dim the lights and turn up...
- 9/18/2013
- by Jason Rothberg
- Scott Feinberg
If you don’t know the name Taylor Handley yet — his biggest on-screen credits to date include The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning and Battle: Los Angeles — chances are that might change over the course of the next year. He’s headlining Jason Dudek‘s Mentryville, which co-stars Danny Glover, but more interesting to me is the supporting credit he has in Curtis Hanson‘s Of Men and Mavericks — which, being a firm L.A. Confidential devotee, I’m obviously looking forward to.
And with the indie thriller Channeling, Handley has now added another project to his in-the-works lineup. The film comes from Drew Thomas, who also penned the script and, along with Laila Ansari and Gerry Santos, will produce the film. It’s been described rather vaguely as a story that “centers [on] characters who seek validation by broadcasting their lives to as big an audience as possible.” [Variety]
Channeling began...
And with the indie thriller Channeling, Handley has now added another project to his in-the-works lineup. The film comes from Drew Thomas, who also penned the script and, along with Laila Ansari and Gerry Santos, will produce the film. It’s been described rather vaguely as a story that “centers [on] characters who seek validation by broadcasting their lives to as big an audience as possible.” [Variety]
Channeling began...
- 1/30/2012
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
I’ve been on a lot of crazy sets, but never have I seen anything quite like the set I step into on Mentryville (formerly Spores), a low-budget indie virus-run-amok flick lensing just outside of Los Angeles. The cast and crew seem every bit as shocked as I am and for good reason: They’re shooting in a working government laboratory. Millions - possibly billions - of dollars worth of scientific equipment stretch on through miles of twisty hallways and corridors throughout this massive complex and it’s here that all the chaos goes down.
“This place has never been shot in before, so this is the first time a working lab has been shot in. All the stuff in there, that’s not set dressing,” says Mentryville’s writer/director Jason Dudek. “When we were looking for vaccine labs we definitely wanted to go with something that was realistic and authentic…...
“This place has never been shot in before, so this is the first time a working lab has been shot in. All the stuff in there, that’s not set dressing,” says Mentryville’s writer/director Jason Dudek. “When we were looking for vaccine labs we definitely wanted to go with something that was realistic and authentic…...
- 9/6/2011
- by Andrew Kasch
- DreadCentral.com
We had finally come to the point of our day where I got a few minutes with the film’s director Jason Dudek. He had been spoken so highly of throughout the day so it was exciting to finally sit down with him. As is always the case, I had more questions for him than anyone else with the least amount of time in which to ask them. Understandable, he is right in the middle of directing a feature length film. At that point in the visit, I had spent quite a bit of time walking around the set and chatting with people. From the lead actors to the craft services guy, everyone seemed to know the directors name and had something nice to say about him. He seemed like a take-charge kind of guy. Sure they could have been saying all that stuff because we had a microphone and a camera everywhere we went.
- 9/1/2011
- by Ezequiel Gutierrez
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
If there is anything I’ve learned about being on film sets it’s this: You do more waiting around than anything else. Going into this set visit my goal was to get as many interviews as I could. Even if that meant grabbing interviews from set movers or craft services, of which we did. So when people integral to the production would walk to and from set, our wonderful handler Rachel, who also happens to be the Director of Marketing at American World Pictures, would grab them and away we went. A few such people included Visual Effects Supervisor Bo Opfer, Production Designer Bryan McBrien and Make-Up Artists Roxanne Pike and Josh Dunlap. Each of their parts in the production is crucial and generally happens when the cameras aren’t rolling. However, once the director yells “Action” their work is front and center.
The first of my conversations was a chat with Bo Opfer.
The first of my conversations was a chat with Bo Opfer.
- 8/31/2011
- by Ezequiel Gutierrez
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
When you think you’re going to visit the set of a feature film you have these glorious images of massive soundstages, cameras and movie stars running around. You don’t think you’ll be driving to the middle of nowhere. In fact, on our way to the set of “Mentryville” we drove right past the Hollywood system and found ourselves smack dab in the middle of industrial Valencia, Ca. Trade iconic numbered soundstages for nameless business warehouses and you’ve got one of the sets of “Mentryville.” Today we visited one of the key locations for this sci-fi film about an out of control pharmaceutical company. Right away it’s clear, that as far as this film is concerned, less is more. Jason Dudek is directing this indepedent sci-fi film for American World Pictures about an Iraqi war veteran who returns from battle to find his life once again in chaos.
- 8/30/2011
- by Ezequiel Gutierrez
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Danny Glover, Taylor Handley, Ryan Pinkston, Margo Harshman, Beverley Mitchell, Tiffany Hines, Leebo Freeman, Fiona Hale and C.S. Lee have all joined the cast of the sci-fi thriller ''Mentryville" at Awp and StudioLine Entertainment reports Variety.
The story is set at an off the grid pharmaceutical testing facility who hires a renowned scientist (Glover) to create a vaccine for a lethal airborne virus. Handley's character and his friends cause complications when they help clean out the house of his hoarding grandmother and save her from eviction.
Jason R. Dudek (''Legacy'') directs from his own script. Greg Strasburg (''The Tempest'') serves as producer. Shooting begins later this month in Los Angeles.
The story is set at an off the grid pharmaceutical testing facility who hires a renowned scientist (Glover) to create a vaccine for a lethal airborne virus. Handley's character and his friends cause complications when they help clean out the house of his hoarding grandmother and save her from eviction.
Jason R. Dudek (''Legacy'') directs from his own script. Greg Strasburg (''The Tempest'') serves as producer. Shooting begins later this month in Los Angeles.
- 8/16/2011
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Here's a massive post-weekend catchup casting roundup, with a headlining turn from Jean-Claude van Damme. How can you resist the Muscles From Brussels? Answer: you can't. Just give in to his suave, over-confident appeal. After the break you'll find details about: Jcvd taking part in a sci-fi film called UFO, Danny Glover joining the cast of a different sci-fi thriller, Mentryville, Sullivan Stapleton becoming the latest member of the Gangster Squad, Nico Tortorella from Scream 4 joining Guy Pearce and Amy Ryan in an indie, and What to Expect When You're Expecting adds more. Kicking off with UFO, the story here (per THR [1]) is that the writer/director, Dominic Burns, got Jean-Claude Van Damme to take a part in the film by emailing the actor's wife. That works? Evidently so! He'll be "a retired military advisor," but we don't know how big the part actually is. The film is about...
- 8/15/2011
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
American World Pictures has announced that they have acquired the rights to bring the film Spores to life. Awp acquired the rights for this upcoming flick from Greg Strasburg, who was founder of StudioLine Entertainment. Strasburg will remain as the movies producer, while Jason Dudek is writing and directing. Plot Synopsis: A test subject from a remote pharmaceutical lab becomes infected and begins to violently murder research scientists wh…...
- 5/24/2011
- Horrorbid
Keep your laboratory suit on, because Jason R. Dudeck's (Legacy) Spores is very infectious. This film is so infectious that American World Pictures has bought the rights to this sci-fi thriller, during Cannes '11 (Variety). Now, horror fans can take a look at the early art and synopsis, which envisions a virus spreading from friend to friend. Get ready to cut some close ties later in 2011, as Spores will move into production this June. More details on this picture are below.
The synopsis for Spores is here:
"Spores revolves around a remote pharmaceutical lab where an infected test subject violently murders research scientists working on the vaccine for a lethal spore-born virus; those infected transform into psychotic killing machines.
Meanwhile, ex-Iraqi soldier Dean Arnold returns home to his girlfriend, Mandy, to help his hoarding grandmother clean out her farm with his closest friends. Before long, the spores infect the group...
The synopsis for Spores is here:
"Spores revolves around a remote pharmaceutical lab where an infected test subject violently murders research scientists working on the vaccine for a lethal spore-born virus; those infected transform into psychotic killing machines.
Meanwhile, ex-Iraqi soldier Dean Arnold returns home to his girlfriend, Mandy, to help his hoarding grandmother clean out her farm with his closest friends. Before long, the spores infect the group...
- 5/23/2011
- by Remove28DaysLaterAnalysisThis@gmail.com (Michael Allen)
- 28 Days Later Analysis
Never let it be said that we don't work fast for you. Just hours after the initial announcement of American World Pictures' latest acquisition, Spores, we have the early art and full synopsis for you. Why? Because you're the cool kids!
As you'll recall, American World Pictures bought the worldwide rights to the upcoming film Spores from StudioLine Entertainment founder Greg Strasburg at Cannes. Jason Dudek is writing and directing. Strasburg is producing.
The film is set to begin principal photography this June and is the first of three genre pictures that StudioLine will be producing. President of Awp Mark L. Lester said, "We look forward to working once again with Jason and Greg and anticipate a lasting relationship between Awp and StudioLine Entertainment."
Dig on the goods below.
Synopsis
Spores revolves around a remote pharmaceutical lab where an infected test subject violently murders research scientists working on the vaccine...
As you'll recall, American World Pictures bought the worldwide rights to the upcoming film Spores from StudioLine Entertainment founder Greg Strasburg at Cannes. Jason Dudek is writing and directing. Strasburg is producing.
The film is set to begin principal photography this June and is the first of three genre pictures that StudioLine will be producing. President of Awp Mark L. Lester said, "We look forward to working once again with Jason and Greg and anticipate a lasting relationship between Awp and StudioLine Entertainment."
Dig on the goods below.
Synopsis
Spores revolves around a remote pharmaceutical lab where an infected test subject violently murders research scientists working on the vaccine...
- 5/23/2011
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Spores. It's just not a very pleasant word, is it? Nothing about it is warm or inviting. In fact, the word more or less implies that you should go nowhere near these things. The only trouble? Various kinds are everywhere. There is no safe haven. Especially if a specific strain turns deadly!
According to Variety American World Pictures has bought worldwide rights to the upcoming film Spores from StudioLine Entertainment founder Greg Strasburg at Cannes.
The story revolves around a remote pharmaceutical lab where an infected test subject violently murders research scientists working on the vaccine for a lethal spore-born virus; those infected transform into psychotic killing machines.
Jason Dudek is writing and directing. Strasburg is producing.
The film is set to begin principal photography this June and is the first of three genre pictures that StudioLine will be producing. StudioLine and Awp first came to work with one another...
According to Variety American World Pictures has bought worldwide rights to the upcoming film Spores from StudioLine Entertainment founder Greg Strasburg at Cannes.
The story revolves around a remote pharmaceutical lab where an infected test subject violently murders research scientists working on the vaccine for a lethal spore-born virus; those infected transform into psychotic killing machines.
Jason Dudek is writing and directing. Strasburg is producing.
The film is set to begin principal photography this June and is the first of three genre pictures that StudioLine will be producing. StudioLine and Awp first came to work with one another...
- 5/23/2011
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
American World Pictures has bought worldwide rights to the upcoming film Spores from StudioLine Entertainment founder, Greg Strasburg, reports Variety. Deal was announced at Cannes. " 'Spores' revolves around a remote pharmaceutical lab where an infected test subject violently murders research scientists working on the vaccine for a lethal spore-born virus; those infected transform into psychotic killing machines." Jason Dudek is writing and directing. Strasburg is producing. The film is set to begin principal photography this June and is the first of three genre pictures that StudioLine will be producing. StudioLine and Awp first came to work with one another on the film Legacy written and directed by Dudek.
- 5/22/2011
- bloody-disgusting.com
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