"From the depths of the jungle, to the heart of the city." Late Night Classics Presents GORILLA!
Parody meets homage in this 'beast on the loose' tale. It is defiantly perfect in black and white and just what we have been waiting for after one too many shaky-cam horrors and experimental comedy-thrillers.
It is straight up what-dunnit. The cast of characters is simple, owing to the premise of an escaped gorilla terrorizing townsfolk. This is one of the things that caught my attention in the trailers and other info on the official production website. The characters are soft-boiled, and exactly what comes to my mind when there is a gorilla terrorizing the city. Easy to digest. Easy to like. Shaw makes it look fun to be in, and fun to make. In fact, the production is inviting all to help out. Well, with funding. That is after all what makes movies move from concept to premiere. Shaw explains;
Mainly Ottawa based, and filmed entirely within the Capitol, the final product will likely draw adoration in all respects.
Core crew consists of Shaw, as actor, producer and director. Julian Adderley is his production partner who also worked on Condensed Classics - more on that in a bit. Julieanne Cameron is their lovely cinematographer along with cameraman Steve Laflamme. I have been told that Jack of all trades, Stewart Grenzowski, is totally indispensible. He works on all aspects of the film from production to publicity.
Sara Duplancic and Francis Fisk head up the cast. Both recognizable to patrons of the Ottawa Little Theatre where Shaw works as Client Services Coordinator. Paul Washer, also in theatre, plays Officer Landis who chases the beast with little heed to evidence or facts. The only role that auditions were held for was that of Mimsy, played by Sherry Thurig. Brett Kelly fans will recall Thurig from The Bonesetter.
Of course, that leaves Dave Shaw himself. He plays Riggs Deardon, the only person who can help them track the beast. Of course, he is a Rat Pack obsessed and tiki bar soaked washed up TV host. Perfect. Just who I know I would turn to if my friends were being slaughtered by a rampaging zoo animal. If you are disappointed with the remake version of Fright Night's 'Peter Vincent', I have a feeling that this will have what we want in a washed up TV host set to save the day.
There is a mirror image in Dave Shaw who is bristling with energy, far from the washed up host he created in Gorilla!. He hosted a TV show at one time that you may have seen on Movieola. Considering the trend of remaking and interactive commenting on films, the 26 episodes of Condensed Classics with Dave Shaw are just as entertaining today and the kind of thing I wish was available outside of clips on youtube.
"It is fun, it is about fun. It's not about horror," said Shaw. "I really like these old horror movies, where the creature comes in and grabs the girl. Creature From The Black Lagoon kind of stuff, nothing you can take too seriously. I enjoy taking the 80's comedic sensibility and marrying it to this 50s horror movie. Landis, the Zucker brothers, the Airplane movies - that's the kind of tone we are going with."
Music will add an extra kick to the tone. A 20s style duo have melded a 50s tikibar-junglejazz-theremin feel to the film. Truthfully, we were at a loss on how to describe the sound, so I am as curious as you are.
Curiouser - IMDB lists a name for the Gorilla, but my sources elude to all not being what they seem. We may have to watch and see. Or, if you get in on the ground floor as executive producer, you may just get the inside scoop.
