Act Naturally

I saw last night that Fangoria Magazine has both AMONG US and PETER ROTTENTAIL on their "Chopping List" for future DVD releases. The Bigfoot movie is coming out April 27 and the giant killer rabbit movie June 29.

When I was a teen, my neighbor Ivan had all sorts of cool Fangoria issues laying around the floor of his room, and all I had was nerdy Starlogs. I was always jealous of that. It's weird to have a movie in there now.

Of course, he also had all those cool robot toys, straight from Japan, and was the first kid I ever knew of who had HBO. So he still won in the end.

The release dates are a bit of good news, since it looks like work on the ghost pirate movie GIZZARD GUTS and my DEMONS ON A DEAD END STREET will be tabled for a bit. The Polonia Brothers pirahna movie RAZORTEETH will still finish up when it stops snowing in Pennsylvania in the spring. Hard to shoot a beach movie in an ice storm.

But there are a few more projects on the horizon that I hope launch here shortly. You just have to keep your fingers crossed. Either that or quit. There's no other choice.

Here's more from PETER ROTTENTAIL:

DISSOLVE TO:
INT. GRANDMA'S HOUSE (LIVING ROOM) -- EVENING
James sits on the couch, drumming his fingers. He closes his eyes for a moment, thinking.
SMASH CUT TO:
INT. DREAMSCAPE -- NIGHT
We see FLASHES of James' traumatic dreams, as his childhood self is under attack by the shadowy killer in the top hat.
SMASH CUT TO:
INT. GRANDMA'S HOUSE (LIVING ROOM) -- CONTINUOUS
James wipes his brow.
JAMES
Why can't I remember?
James is STARTLED by the phone RINGING.
He picks it up.
JAMES (CONT'D)
Hello?
The strange, haunting jack-in-the-box MUSIC comes out of the receiver.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREETS -- EVENING
We see Peter's hands in extreme close-up, one turning the little crank of the box, the other holding a phone up to it.
CUT TO:
INT. GRANDMA'S HOUSE (LIVING ROOM) -- CONTINUOUS
James grips the phone.
JAMES
Who is this?
The music stops abruptly. There is a SILENCE. Then, finally:
PETER (V.O.)
You don't know?
James looks worried, and angry.
JAMES
I said, who the hell is this?
CUT TO:
EXT. STREETS -- CONTINUOUS
We see Peter's mouth in extreme close-up, the phone held to his twisted lips.
PETER
Here's a hint, asshole.
(beat, singsong)
Happy birthday to you....happy birthday to you....
CUT TO:
INT. GRANDMA'S HOUSE (LIVING ROOM) -- CONTINUOUS
James' face shows sick fear.
PETER (V.O.)
Happy Birthday.....to....yoo-hoo...
JAMES
(croaking)
You're...dead...
PETER (V.O.)
Down, but not out. We're gonna have a party, Jimmy.
The line goes DEAD. The phone drops from James' numbed fingers and CLATTERS to the floor.
Suddenly a loud KNOCK makes James jump.
From his POV, we see the front door looming.
James gets up and slowly moves towards it.
Another loud RAP rattles the frame.
James reaches out a shaking hand towards the knob.
He flings the door open.
And stares into the slovenly face of Bill Mooney.
MOONEY
'Bout goddamn time!
JAMES
I...I thought you were someone else.
MOONEY
Who? Your underage girlfriend's pappy? Man up and open the freakin' door, Jimmy.
James opens the door wide, and Mooney elbows in.
James hitches a thumb.
JAMES
Water heater's back behind the kitchen.
MOONEY
I can find a freakin' water heater, I did graduate high school, Jimmy.
He bulls past.
JAMES
(murmurs)
Yeah, after six years.
James goes back to the couch.

Give me a shout at johnoakdalton@hotmail.com.