Pictured: Emil J. Novak's DECAYED - double click on image

Since the video boom of the 1980s, several locations throughout the U.S. have seen a concentration of geographical indie horror film production: Baltimore (Don Dohler), Ohio (J.R. Bookwalter), Pittsburgh, New Jersey, Florida, and so on. I'd like to add a new destination to that map: my home city of Buffalo, New York. Anyone who reads Fear Zone knows that I've been detailing the pre-production, production, and now post production of my new production, SLIME CITY MASSACRE. But my flick is really just the tip of the ice berg. A lot of feature length horror films are being made in my struggling city.

Horror is nothing new to this town. In 1981, Harvey Weinstein (of Miramax/Dimension/Weinstein Company fame) co-wrote and co-produced THE BURNING here, which co-starred Jason Alexander and Holly Hunter and featured the special make-up effects of Tom Savini. At the time of its release, the film was dismissed as a knockoff of FRIDAY THE 13th; in fact, at one point the script was considered for FRIDAY THE 13th PART 2, until that film's producers made the prescient decision of making Jason Voorhees their new killer. But the fact that Savini chose to do THE BURNING over F132 says something, and in recent years this flick, directed by Tony Maylam, has secured a reputation as one of the finest slasher films of the 1980s.

Over a decade later, in 1995, cinematographer James Gribbins directed SHADOW CREATURE. In fact, Gribbins started out as the flick's DP, and took over directing when the original helmer bailed for personal reasons. The film was shot in Buffalo using Buffalo and Ontario, Canada actors, and also features some Cleveland exteriors (remember, Ohio!). It's a schlocky film, but very fun, and reminds me of a glossier version of a Don Dohler film. It actually did quite well on video, and had a theatrical release in both France and Japan.

When I moved to Buffalo, I thought my years of indie filmmaking were behind me (I made my first three films, SLIME CITY, UNDYING LOVE, and NAKED FEAR in New York City and New Jersey). Then I met Emil Novak, who had made several short films on Mini-DV that impressed me, and was in production on a surreal SF/Fantasy/biopic of inventor Nikola Tesla called TESLA: THE ACCUMULATOR. I was impressed by Emil's footage, which included a full laboratory set and miniatures of turn of the century Buffalo. The ambitious film is still in post production, as is Novak's monster movie BANSHEE; he is currently shooting DECAYED, a thoughtful zombie anthology film which examines different aspects of the apocalypse. Emil served as my production designer on SCM and kicked ass, and you can follow the progress of his films at Buffalo Nickel Productions.

David R. Williams's Red Scream Films banner (now called M3dicine Show Cin3mahas shot a series of micro-budget terror flicks here, including PRISON OF THE PSYCHOTIC DAMNED (2006), FRIGHTWORLD (2006), RED SCREAM VAMPYRES (2009) and TERMINAL DESCENT (2009). I haven't seen any of them (I was supposed to direct PSYCHOTIC DAMNED), but they were shot here so they make the list!

Bill Cowell, a local businessman, directed the "thrillers" THE MAIZE: THE MOVIE (released on DVD by Lionsgate as DARK HARVETS 2: THE MAIZE in 2004) and THE MAIZE 2: FOREVER YOURS. I only saw the first one, but it sure looked like a horror film to me. Cowell also executive produced THE ELDRITCH... which was originally directed by David R. Williams... and completed by Emil Novak! Okay, we're no strangers to cinematic incest here in the rust belt. Cowell, who runs the Buffalo-Niagara Film Festival and has a production company called Captures Entertainment, recently announced pre-production of EVIL'S DEN, which actually has a very ambitious script which he wrote himself.

Adam Steigert of DefTone PicTureS StuDioS is an indie filmmaker whose work includes BITEZ, the just completed GORE (starring Michael O'Hear and special make-up effects artist John Renna), which will have its Buffalo premiere October 10th. And he's already at work on BITEZ II!

Dan Monroe is the writer/director/producer of HOUSE OF HORRORS: THE MOVIE. Like FRIGHTWORLD, it is centered around one of our popular haunt attractions, and Tim Bunch, proprietor of the House of Horrors, is the film's executive producer. HOH: TM again features Michael O'Hear in the cast, as well as Angelina Leigh, Sal Monaco, and Jennifer DiNorcia (who all appear in SCM). But there are several unique technical aspects which make this one to keep an eye on; I'll go into those detail in a future interview with Monroe. HOH:TM has its world premiere on October 5th.

Michael O'Hear, who appeared in many of the productions listed above, and served as one of my assistant directors (with Jay Mager, who is editing his non-horror feature BORN TO DIE), has just scripted the vampire film DUSK, which he begins directing in late October. The cast includes the lovely Sandra Roland ("Lizzie" in SCM), O'Hear himself, and Renna ("The Mayor" in SCM).

So what the hell is going on in this city?!? Why are so many micro-budget filmmkaers tackling horror flicks? Is it the economy, stupid? General depression? Or mass insanity? For one thing, Buffalo has a strong theatre community, both professional and amateur. And because we have several successful Haunt attractions, we have numerous special make-up effects artists (Rod Durick, Andrew Lavin, Arick Sczymecki, John Renna). My SCM cinematographer, Chris Santucci, is the best Director of Photography I've ever worked with. So there's talent to spare, and a genuine love for the genre. Only as these various projects reach fruition, and hopefully distribution, will we know if that's enough.