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kath |
from austin american stateman
Friday, March 10, 2006
Sometimes Austin gets too weird.
Austin actor and photographer Dan Eggleston is helping make a zombie film called "Z: A Zombie Musical."
Who knew that a bite from Mabel the pug would turn a nun into a zombie? It happens in 'Z: A Zombie Musical.'
The movie featuring plenty of dancing and singing zombies is being filmed around here, and the plot starts out with a bang.
"Three nuns are skinny-dipping on Lake Travis," said Eggleston, the co-producer, who has appeared in more than 100 movies, often in bit parts. "And a very cute pug dog floats out on a door and bites them and turns them into zombies."
The pug, which plays itself, is named Mabel. At least they didn't use a stunt pug.
So how will this musical compare with, say, "Oklahoma?"
"Well, you know, you're never going to top 'Surrey With the Fringe on Top,' " said John McLean, of Austin, the producer, director and writer of the low-budget ($20,000) film.
McLean says he settled on a zombie musical because it would be cheaper to put together than another more elaborate movie idea he had.
Besides, he likes zombies. "I've just been kind of fascinated with them for a long time," he said. "I've always liked the genre."
Speaking of the creative process that led to the script, McLean said, "We've never seen a talking zombie; hey, what if they can dance and sing? Let's make it a musical. That was kind of the progression as I put it down on paper. I wanted to see a different side of zombies."
In the movie, zombies sing a variety of show tunes, among them "Zombie Girl," "Zombie Human Love" and "Zombie Walk." The film will have a chase scene, but it has yet to be completed because of a glitch.
"The owner of the van moved to Nebraska, and he's supposed to be visiting here so we can finish shooting the shots where we need the van," Eggleston explained.
The van is a green VW bus. So it's going to be a slow chase scene. Even I can run faster than a VW bus.
Eggleston's movie credentials are impressive. For example, he played an audience member in a film called "My Name Is Buttons."
Incidentally, former Mayors Jeff Friedman and Bruce Todd have agreed to appear in the film as zombies. Eggleston said Mayor Will Wynn has also agreed to perform, but Wynn did not respond to an e-mail question about that.
Eggleston explained the mayors' parts: "It's going to be three (maybe four) zombies holding directional signs by the side of the road."
"I told 'em I would do it," Friedman said. "It's not a choice role, but I'm going to do it anyhow. There are no small roles, just small actors."
Friedman pointed out he played a DJ in the Peter Fonda movie "Outlaw Blues," so what the heck. "In fact, I got a royalty check in December for $10," he said.
Todd said he was looking forward to appearing in the movie. "It ought to be showing off Austin as arising in film making," he explained.
Anyway, after the nuns are bitten by the pug and turn into zombies, the plot thickens.
"The nuns (named Faith, Hope, and Charity) are taken by Dan the Traveling Salesman to Zomburbia," Eggleston said. Zomburbia: I'm guessing Round Rock, right?
"I modeled it on Pflugerville," producer McLean said. "The zombies live in a suburban environment, like Pflugerville. Most zombie movies begin with the plague. Mine is more of a mature world."
Eighty percent of the shooting has been completed, and Eggleston says they hope to have the movie finished by next month, well in time for the Austin Film Festival's mid-July deadline.
When completed, Eggleston figures, it will be the first zombie musical film ever. There must be a reason why one was never made before.
"We've already had somebody from Oregon who wants to produce it on stage," Eggleston said.
More proof that people on the West Coast are nuts.
[Edited by kath] |
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voodoopug |
quote: kath wrote:
from austin american stateman
Friday, March 10, 2006
Sometimes Austin gets too weird.
Austin actor and photographer Dan Eggleston is helping make a zombie film called "Z: A Zombie Musical."
Who knew that a bite from Mabel the pug would turn a nun into a zombie? It happens in 'Z: A Zombie Musical.'
The movie featuring plenty of dancing and singing zombies is being filmed around here, and the plot starts out with a bang.
"Three nuns are skinny-dipping on Lake Travis," said Eggleston, the co-producer, who has appeared in more than 100 movies, often in bit parts. "And a very cute pug dog floats out on a door and bites them and turns them into zombies."
The pug, which plays itself, is named Mabel. At least they didn't use a stunt pug.
So how will this musical compare with, say, "Oklahoma?"
"Well, you know, you're never going to top 'Surrey With the Fringe on Top,' " said John McLean, of Austin, the producer, director and writer of the low-budget ($20,000) film.
McLean says he settled on a zombie musical because it would be cheaper to put together than another more elaborate movie idea he had.
Besides, he likes zombies. "I've just been kind of fascinated with them for a long time," he said. "I've always liked the genre."
Speaking of the creative process that led to the script, McLean said, "We've never seen a talking zombie; hey, what if they can dance and sing? Let's make it a musical. That was kind of the progression as I put it down on paper. I wanted to see a different side of zombies."
In the movie, zombies sing a variety of show tunes, among them "Zombie Girl," "Zombie Human Love" and "Zombie Walk." The film will have a chase scene, but it has yet to be completed because of a glitch.
"The owner of the van moved to Nebraska, and he's supposed to be visiting here so we can finish shooting the shots where we need the van," Eggleston explained.
The van is a green VW bus. So it's going to be a slow chase scene. Even I can run faster than a VW bus.
Eggleston's movie credentials are impressive. For example, he played an audience member in a film called "My Name Is Buttons."
Incidentally, former Mayors Jeff Friedman and Bruce Todd have agreed to appear in the film as zombies. Eggleston said Mayor Will Wynn has also agreed to perform, but Wynn did not respond to an e-mail question about that.
Eggleston explained the mayors' parts: "It's going to be three (maybe four) zombies holding directional signs by the side of the road."
"I told 'em I would do it," Friedman said. "It's not a choice role, but I'm going to do it anyhow. There are no small roles, just small actors."
Friedman pointed out he played a DJ in the Peter Fonda movie "Outlaw Blues," so what the heck. "In fact, I got a royalty check in December for $10," he said.
Todd said he was looking forward to appearing in the movie. "It ought to be showing off Austin as arising in film making," he explained.
Anyway, after the nuns are bitten by the pug and turn into zombies, the plot thickens.
"The nuns (named Faith, Hope, and Charity) are taken by Dan the Traveling Salesman to Zomburbia," Eggleston said. Zomburbia: I'm guessing Round Rock, right?
"I modeled it on Pflugerville," producer McLean said. "The zombies live in a suburban environment, like Pflugerville. Most zombie movies begin with the plague. Mine is more of a mature world."
Eighty percent of the shooting has been completed, and Eggleston says they hope to have the movie finished by next month, well in time for the Austin Film Festival's mid-July deadline.
When completed, Eggleston figures, it will be the first zombie musical film ever. There must be a reason why one was never made before.
"We've already had somebody from Oregon who wants to produce it on stage," Eggleston said.
More proof that people on the West Coast are nuts.
[Edited by kath]
this will win many awards and set box office records!
way to kath!!!!! |
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pdog |
Zombie movies are always cool. |
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