CORNER BROOK Mark Smallwood doesn’t figure he’ll be hanging up his stethoscope and heading off to Hollywood any time soon.
Still the Corner Brook family physician is having fun with his role as Professor Dick Goodwin in “The Tentacle’s Claw” and enjoying hearing about other people’s reactions to the film.
“It’s certainly getting a good buzz,” said Smallwood. “There’s a certain group of people who really like these B movies.”
The 68-minute, B-movie style horror comedy was shot entirely in the city by Shadowy Souls, the husband and wife team of Mike Rigler and Tara Manuel.
Rigler wrote and directed the film, while Manuel was the producer and leading lady in the role of Marie LeMay.
Last month the couple took “The Tentacles Claw” to two film festivals in the United States — the B-Movie Celebration Festival in Columbus, Indiana and the Atlanta Horror Film Festival. “Tentacle’s Claw” earned the award for Best Foreign Comedy Feature at the Atlanta event. Smallwood thinks it’s fantastic that the film is getting the exposure the festivals can offer.
“It’s certainly fun to be a part of, and it’s interesting to see our name in a review.”
In one Smallwood’s “overacting” is noted, but in a good way.
Smallwood laughed at the reference and said “throughout the whole process it was very much encouraged to do exactly as we did. So, we pulled it off well.”
Manuel said attending the festivals, where several hundred people viewed the film, was a great experience.
“People really think it’s funny. Which is great,” she said, “because it’s so goofy and our sense of humour is so off the wall.
“We were nervous both times not knowing if other people would get it, but they do.”
And while Manuel and Rigler have started working on other projects they’re not quite finished with “Tentacle” yet.
A yet-to-be announced executive producer has come on board and Manuel said they are now in talks with distributors and the Newfoundland Film Development Corporation to shoot an extra 10 minutes.
She said the minimum requirement for theatrical release in Canada is 75 minutes.
“So we’re going to be working through that process throughout the winter,” said Manuel.
If all goes well the film could be shown in theatres is a number of cities across the country.
Smallwood said having the film in theatres would take it to a different level.
“That would be awesome.”
And from now on he’ll be directing requests for interviews to his agent.
Coming soon
“The Tentacle’s Claw” will be at the St. John’s International Film Festival on Oct. 18 at
midnight at the LSPU Hall.
Another screening will take place on Nov. 3 and 4 at the Corner Brook Arts and Culture
Centre. The Nov. 3 event will feature a preshow carnival in the lobby of the centre.
A few reviews:
http://www.twistedcentral.com/2012/09/the-tentacles-claw-2012-review.html
http://www.canuxploitation.com/article/indie3.html
http://www.jonja.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=13511
