Ghost Hunt, Eye Candy and Jessica...

How-do all,

Even though it's two minutes to four, I have to be up in five hours to wrap Jenny Brook's day-time sequence before her big move to Australia on Sunday (sob), I only had approximately four hours sleep last night and I'm off to the opening night of The Warehouse Project tomorrow/tonight, here I am updating you on all the latest goings-on in the Torso universe, as I won't be able to catch up with you until Sunday now. I'm off dancing/drinking/waving glowsticks/fighting/having a fantastic time at Sankey's on Saturday too, you see.

There was something of a cast meeting on Wednesday, as Sarah, Rory and me went out for dinner as one of our pals, Sarah, is visiting from Austria. Whilst eating the sloppiest pizza I've ever eaten in my life (was duck and hoi sin sauce ever really designed for a cheese and tomato base), we managed to plan our final shooting night for Sarah's "library" scene, that you won't have heard mentioned (at least I don't think) so far in the blog (cor, there's far too much use of brackets in this post). Anyway, we've sorted out that night for a few weeks time in Manchester, and we've recruited an extra in the form of Chris Madden, who wanted in on the action when he realised 75% of his pals were in the movie already. I'm not 100% what I'll do with him yet, but we'll squeeze him in somewhere. After all, you can never have too many suspects in a giallo. GOOD TIMES.

Also, Rory proved that this movie has the best eye candy since - hmm, maybe Friday the 13th Part III: 3D (1982) by pulling a variety of lovely poses for the camera.


What a dish.

As for tonight, Jenny and I went out into Preston for a "historic murders" walk around the city sorta thing, which was kind-of like Most Haunted but less inside places and more in doorways. We found out some delightful horror stories about the town - including the Prestonian version of Bloody Mary, 'Bannister Doll' (GREAT name) - and that someone stabbed their husband to death in Naseeb's Tandoori House in 1906. I was paying more attention to the architecture in the town centre, and I'm desperate to get a shot of The Harris Museum in the movie (see left). Lit up at night, it really reminds me of the piazza where the blind fellow gets eaten alive by his guide-dog in Suspiria (1977)

Speaking of Dario, more on La Terza Madre (2008), which I checked out last weekend, coming up in the next couple of posts. Also, I've recently caught Let's Scare Jessica to Death (1971) and Che Sei? (1974) - opinions/general thoughts/inspirations are not too far away.

Anyway, it's 4.20 now, and I'm going to have Jenny knocking on my door wanting to wrap her scenes (after I've claimed the past four shooting sessions would be the FINAL shooting session) at 10am, so I best make tracks to bed.

Expect a similar incoherent, rambling post when I'm in my hungover state on Sunday. I've discovered some scenes I shot for the movie I'd almost forgotten about so I'll be filling you in on how they look then.


Just as a goodnight treat, here's another behind-the-scenes photo you might like. Shame they're not on reels... yet!

Eye Eye!

As we get ever closer to finishing, trying to keep the blog spoiler free is proving harder and harder. If you want it to remain spoiler free DON'T READ ANYMORE of this post. For those of you that just can't wait until Christmas, here's a couple of snaps from the final shooting night with Jenny that reveal a little bit too much about her character's fate, but I couldn't resist showing them to you.

Final Filming Night with Jenny...

I've just seen Jenny home for the last time on a Firefly Media horror movie before her big move to Australia on Sunday. BAD TIMES. However, we just wrapped all of her night-time sequences. GOOD TIMES.

All that remains is one short sequence on location - in Emma's kitchen - on Thursday, before we're off into Preston for a ghost hunt. And who knows when I'll see her after that? SAD TIMES.

Jenny's relationship with the Firefly Media Productions take us right back to the start, back in the days on 8mm cassettes and filming sessions pl high school Monday through Friday. She made her debut in an ill-fated (read: never completed) remake of Amy Jones' feminist slasher classic/tripe The Slumber Party Masacre (1982) back in 2001. Since then, she's been involved in almost every major project - the Christmas themed trailers for Silent Night (2002), which was awarded super high grades for an A-level project; Slashdance (2003) (see poster left), the 80s-themed slasher movie filmed around Runshaw College; last year's YouTube sensation Halloween Redux (2007); and the as-yet unreleased, as-yet untitled romantic drama. Watch this space... it WILL be coming soon!

I'm sad to see her go. There's going to be one less person to terrorize with a kitchen knife next week. If, like me, you can't get enough of Jenny, check out this retrospective I made of her and usual co-star Andrew Hardman, a couple of years back.



No time for tears now though, as Torso's really coming into it's own - we're edging ever closer to finishing and we're right on target for that Christmas day release date. Fingers crossed!

Enter... a Psychosexual Mind

Just before I sign off for the evening, here's another vintage Torso treat for you to peruse. Here's the American one-sheet for the movie's 1974 release by Joseph Bremner Associates. It's pretty rare, but I managed to pick one up on eBay for a small fortune. Are you jealous?

Love that hacksaw motif!

September Barbeque and Cast Exodus

How-do all, just a little update today to let you know what's been going on with the film. A little update because, to be honest, not much. I spent Sunday at Jennifer Brook's house as she, like 90% of the cast of Torso, is emigrating.

Following in the footsteps of Anna Henderson (who moved to Jersey to work for KPMG), Dominic Verdon (who moved to Spain to start his pilot training course) and Martin Blakemore (currently lost somewhere between Quebec and Toronto), Jenny and her boyfriend are moving to Australia. And she's not the only one. Sarah and Rory are moving to the other side of the world next month. Which kind of scuppers a premiere, but makes the concept of an "online" premiere all the more exciting.

Anyway, Jenny threw a goodbye party (see Torso stars Sarah and Kyle Webster above right) to bid us all farewell. Not that it was time to become an emotional wreck just yet - we've still got filming to do tomorrow night.

Which means I have to get all of her scenes edited tonight just in case there's any re-shoots to be getting on with.

Better scoot.

Speak tomorrow.

Vintage Torso Goodies

Oh, whilst I'm here - No goodies from the new movie today; but a treat relating to the original movie instead. I unearthed a blog by the name of Moon in the Gutter which had a collection of lobby cards from the movie. I saved them, tidied them up a bit and uploaded them here, as I thought you might find them interesting. Check out the source at mooninthegutter.blogspot.com. The guy who runs that seems to have similar interests to me - including an unhealthy obsession with Catherine Spaak and Tina Aumont.

Race with the Devil, Fonts and Music

Just to prove that yesterday wasn't a mere flash in the pan, I thought I'd make another brief update today and let you know what I've been up to. I've been hard at work, and a fair percentage of the footage we've acquired is pieced together in a rough cut now; however most of the footage still needs the orchestral score sorting out. I'm planning on creating two versions of the movie - one using a minimalist electronic score a la Tyler Bates' work in Rob Zombie's Halloween (2007) remake, another with deliberate roughening of the footage reminiscent of the drive-in fare the original Torso was most definitely a part of, complete with the original score by the de Angelis brothers. Kyle Webster, who plays Stefano in the movie, has expressed interest in forming his own cut of the movie - which would be interesting to see what someone else does with the story. That's a possible three alternate versions of Torso - more information on this as it becomes available.

Speaking of drive-in movies, I watched 20th Century Fox's 1975 effort Race with the Devil today, a film that I haven't seen since I was around six, and remember being distinctly petrified of. Of course, the effect of sixteen years of horror movies has jaded my interpretation of the movie. However, the film is the perfect example of mid-1970s genre fare, whilst being a new genre all in itself - an action/thriller/horror/satanist ritual/car chase movie, if you will. All of that, with a funky '74 RV complete with mini-bar (didn't spot any J&B, sadly), and the ever-lovely Loretta Swit in a starring role. You simply can't go wrong, and I'd recommend checking it out. I'd love to use the font from the opening credits of that movie in Torso, so I guess that means trawling the internet for who-knows how long. I'll let you know how I get on.

Anyway, I've just got my hands on a copy of Chi Sei? (1974), so I'm off to watch that.

Billing Block

You lucky, lucky people.

I realise I'm toying with your emotions, leaving you for three months and then coming on strong all at once, but I just thought I'd make one more post for the day just to make up for lost time.


Here's the billing block for the Torso 2008 remake. Expect to see more promotional materials appearing in the blog over the upcoming weeks.

Casting Alterations

There's so much to update you with owing to the fact I haven't updated the blog in three months, hence the second post in the space of an hour.

For a start, there have been several major cast changes in the project. Caroline Webster, originally slated to play the supporting lead Daniella, has switched roles with Jennifer Brook, who was to play Stefania, Jane's older sister. Jennifer had actually filmed a large percentage of her role as Stefania before the change was made, so there is a rough cut in existence. These scenes may make the DVD release of the picture - Jennifer Brook fans, look out!

Emma Tollefson now plays the role Ursula, a combination of both Ursula and Katia from the original Torso script. Don't worry, fans of Firefly regular Jenna Mount, she'll still have an involvement in the project. It wouldn't be a Firefly Media movie without her!

As for the men, both David Waidson and Rory Bampton have almost completed their roles as Luca and Roberto, respectively. Since the last cast update there has been a new suspect added to the list; Stefano, originally played by Roberto Vanzi, this time round played by Firefly Media newcomer Kyle Webster (pictured above right).

Release Information and Still Frenzy

Apologies for being an absolutely rubbish blogger over the past few months. We've been so busy on the project, especially over the past few weeks, that there's barely been time to fart, let alone update the blog. Accept my sincerest apologies, and be safe in the knowledge I shan't ignore you anymore. :-D

You'll be happy to know the making of the movie is moving along at a jolly good pace. I'd say we were around 75% complete now.

Here's some information regarding the upcoming release of the movie. We're hoping to have the whole project on YouTube for Christmas Day this year... That's less than 100 days away!

However, don't worry if you can't wait that long. A teaser trailer will be making it's way to YouTube in the next few weeks. After that, a full theatrical trailer will be uploaded during early November. Then, as the release date draws very close, for every Monday in December I'll be uploading a short clip of the movie to tease you even more.

As you've all been so patient - and I've been such a poor blogger, here's a collection of stills from the movie. As you can see, it's really starting to take shape now.


There, doesn't that look exciting? Expect more stills, news and updates over the next few days - this blog is most definitely back on track.