I Once Was Lost: Blood Church (1992)

While interviewing Beyond Dream's Door director Jay Woelfel a few weeks ago, I learned about yet another "lost" Ohio horror film that I'd never heard of -- director Eric Swelstad's 1990 production Blood Church (a.k.a. Fallen Angels, a.k.a. Heartland of Darkness).

Swelstad worked on Woelfel's film, which was produced in part as a project for a graduate-level film class at Ohio State University. That class is no longer part of OSU's curriculum, and in fact, the only other film made through the program was Swelstad's debut feature, which is about a small town taken over by a Satanic cult.

A number of Beyond Dream's Door veterans worked on what was then called Fallen Angels, including Scott Spears and actor Nick Baldasare. Also in the cast were local actor/DJ Dino Tripodis (who had a hand in the revival of Columbus-based horror movie host Fritz the Nite Owl in recent years), and scream queen Linnea Quigley, who was brought in from California for the production.

According to Woelfel, the production ran out of funds before a final edit could be compiled. There were also technical snafus in post-production that held up completion. That is likely why, although the film was shot in 1990, it is typically listed as a 1992 production.

"It was completely shot," Woelfel told me. "Eventually, about five years ago, the director got an edit done and was working on the sound. I did a score for the move at the point they finished the recut. The director and I were roommates, and we'd worked together at a movie theater in Columbus."

That was likely the version now known as Heartland of Darkness that was announced as an impending release way back in 2007. You can see a trailer on the website here, along with some production stills.

Swelstad is now the department chair for Media Arts at LA Valley College. He directed Frankenstein Rising in 2010.

The film still hasn't received an official release, although Swelstad's faculty page claims it played on cable. With Linnea Quigley's name attached, it seems like somebody could do something with it, but for now it remains unavailable, outside of a half-hour cut that turned up online.

Trailer of the Week: Beyond Dream's Door (1989)

I'll be interviewing director Jay Woelfel for an upcoming article on Ohio horror films (scheduled to appear in the October issue of Country Living magazine), so this week's selection is the trailer for his Columbus-lensed mini-classic Beyond Dream's Door.

Although he's lived in California for decades now, he periodically returns to his home state to shoot new movies, including Closed for the Season (2010) and Season of Darkness (2012).

Revenge of the Creeping Unknowns

By far, the most popular post I've ever written for this blog was the Creeping Unknowns list of rare and lost regional horror films. Since those original posts (here and here), a handful of the films have turned up for either legit DVD releases or at least a screening or two.

In the meantime, tips from readers and my own research have led me to a few more obscure treasures. A couple of these are fairly easy to see, although most people have never heard of them, and a few are truly MIA.

As always, if you have any additional information or images related to these films, feel free to pass them along!

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Southern Shockers (1985): I've written extensively about this Mississippi shot-on-video anthology, which was only released on tape in Spain. It's since gotten some press in Tape Mold, and there is still hope that producer David Hopper can pull together the English-language elements so someone other than this writer can watch it. 

The Black River Monster (1986): We discussed The Hackers (1988) in the last "Creeping Unknowns" post, even though the film had, by that point, been released onDVD by original production company Camelot Studios. We were so excited about that DVD that we completely overlooked the company's other horror DVD, The Black River Monster. This one was made at the Black River Farm and Ranch (a local summer camp), and features a bigfoot-style creature. It's part kiddie flick, part promotional film, and all weird. 

Satan Place: A Soap Opera From Hell (1990): Directed by comic book artist Alfred Ramirez (who also published a comic of the same name), this cheapo, Florida-lensed anthology hasn't completely slipped through the cracks. As I noted in previous posts, Joe Bob Briggs reviewed it, and it has turned up on some torrent sites. Still, this one remains unknown to most fans. 

Blood of the Wolf Girl (1989): When director Harry Preston (Harry Pimm) passed away in 2009, his only horror credit as far as most regional horror fans were concerned was the goofy Texas slasher film Honeymoon Horror (1982). But he made one other fright flick, the unreleased Blood of the Wolf Girl (1989) about a stripper who transforms into a werewolf, which he would occasionally screen for friends and visitors. 

Road Meat (1987): Shot in Ohio by Bill Bragg, this features an early credit by director Jay Woelfel (Beyond Dream's Door) as director of photography. And that's about all I know of it. Copies of the apparently unfinished film do allegedly exist. (Thanks to Adam Jeffers at Trashnite.com for bringing this one to our attention.)

The Men in Black (1990): Another lost Ohio film, this one shot in Columbus and Sandusky. OSU grad Bradley Lee directed the 16mm film (Walt Burbach produced), which is about MIBs trying to intimidate a UFO witness. It had a single screening in Mansfield in 1992. Excerpts from it wound up in a comedy called Films That Suck: The Movies of Read Ridley, in 1999. There was a VHS release at some point, and that tape is listed in the holdings of some local libraries here in Columbus, although so far the actual tape has yet to turn up. I found some information on the film here. (Thanks to Timothy L. Mayer for pointing this one out.)

 

 

Buckeye Bloodbath

BEYOND DREAM'S DOOR (1989)

Columbus, Ohio

This Lovecraftian story about an inter-dimensional monster using a psychology student's dreams as a gateway to our world was filmed in Columbus, Ohio, by Ohio State University grad Jay Woelfel using members of the Ohio Community Theatre.

After making this movie, Woelfel relocated to California and went on to work as a director, editor and composer on dozens of films. He has, however, returned to his home state to film a number of projects, including Season of Darkness (2009), starring Richard Hatch and Tim Thomerson, and Closed for the Season (2009), which was filmed at the shuttered Chippewa Lake Amusement Park near Medina.

He also has a Web site, where you can see clips of his films and some of his other projects, and read about the making of his first feature here.

Below, I've pasted an article about Film Group II, a Columbus-based production company formed by one of the producers on Beyond Dream's Door, Dyrk Ashton.

It appears the Film Group II did shoot additional footage for Burson's film, First You Live, Then You Die, around Columbus. The movie featured diminutive "Twin Peaks" actor Michael J. Anderson (and a cameo by Jim VanBebber), and was completed in 1994 but never released. (There are some images from the film online here.) Dyrk Ashton wound up doing some acting and editing later, as well as teaching film studies at the University of Toledo. Colelli is part of a commercial film company called Sprocket Fuel.

From: The Toledo Blade, July 26, 1990

Movie Venture Betting On Ohio

By Ann Fisher

COLUMBUS -- This town is a far cry from Hollywood. From all appearances there are no stars, no elaborate movie sets, and few sources of creative and production talent.

Yet three Columbus-area men are betting they have everything they need to make high-quality, money-making films without the pricey accoutrements of Tinseltown.

Dyrk Ashton, a Perrysburg native, and his partners, Ralph Colelli and Mark Burson, have spent more than a year measuring the risk of independent film-making in Ohio.

While working on their venture, Film Group II, they have learned that Ohio has something else, too, an intangible élan in short supply in the bastions of celluloid, said Mr. Ashton, 27.

"The enthusiasm in Ohio is much higher than it is in L.A. or New York," he said. "Out there, it's old hat, it's business as usual. Here, it's much fresher; it's new."

Mr. Ashton, who has a master's degree in cinema production from Ohio Status University, produced the feature film "Beyond Dream's Door," a horror fantasy that has been screened at the Milan and Cannes film festivals and the American Film market.

Mr. Colelli, 43, also an OSU graduate, is an award-winning producer of several commercials and documentaries. He co-wrote and directed the feature-length film "The Second Degree," which has been released in theaters in Europe and other foreign markets.

Mr. Burson, 30, a graduate of Ohio University, recently was awarded a 1990 Oho Arts Council grant to help complete his feature-length film, "First You Live, Then You Die."

Those credentials, combined with what one Ohio industry observer called "considerable connections" in the industry, and the increasing call for films for markets such as video rentals and cable television, provide most of what's needed to compete in the multi-billion dollar movie market, Mr. Ashton said.

He describes their company as a "very small independent," that will target special audiences, making films for about $750,000 to $1.2 million "that will look like they cost $3 to $5 million."

The missing element now is financial backing. Hoping to fill that need, the partners are hosting a party here tonight to introduce their new venture to local media and potential investors.

"It's a very difficult for an independent without a lot of backing, and not more than one picture, to really make it," said Robert W. Wagner, a professor emeritus at the Ohio statue university, and a member of the board of directors of Film Group II.

But R.J. Cavallaro, president of Columbus-based stepping stone entertainment, a sort-of branch office for west coast producers seeking Midwest talent, said film group II's plan is doable.

"I think it's a realistic goal," Mr. Cavallaro said. "But I think it's going to be tough for them… they're going to have to have good story ideas and they're going to have to have good distribution."

Ms. Lapolla, director of the Ohio Film Bureau, said her agency, part of he state Department of Development, tries to help projects like Film Group II.

"A good percentage of these are low-budge, independent producers and they need our assistance … with cutting red tape, or help with finding a location," she said.

Since 1976, when the bureau opened, outside film companies have spent about $65 to $70 million in Ohio and have created some 40,000 temporary jobs, she said.