March 29, 2023
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Bloody Disgusting celebrates GEP Alumn Jim Mickle’s early horror flick: MULBERRY STREET

A Low-Budget Ratpocalypse – The Underrated NYC Horror Movie ‘Mulberry Street’

Apocalyptic infection flicks rarely show the initial chaos of their respective outbreaks. In fact, most zombie movies tend to skip over the downfall of civilization entirely, focusing on what happens after society has already collapsed. And even when these stories dare to take place during the immediate aftermath of a global crisis, most filmmakers (like George A. Romero in his seminal Night of the Living Dead) prefer to place their main characters in isolated locations where they’re only shown brief snippets of how the rest of the world is dealing with the calamity.

Obviously, there’s a simple explanation for this. Large scale stories need large scale production budgets and few studios are willing to bet that amount of money on a gory genre flick. Even World War Z had to be tragically neutered in order to justify its blockbuster financing, and indie filmmakers can’t exactly pay out of pocket to afford the special effects necessary to convey a global disaster.

Fortunately, there are exceptions to every rule, and every now and then ambitious filmmakers attempt to tackle large stories despite a lack of resources, with some of them succeeding precisely because of their down-to-earth approach to the downfall of civilization. One of my personal favorites of these low budget apocalypses is Jim Mickle’s tragically underseen Mulberry Street, a unique little infection movie from 2006 that revamps a familiar premise to make a statement about gentrification in New York.

While he’s now mostly known for his work on Stakeland and the Netflix comic-book adaptation Sweet Tooth, Mickle was once a freelancing film student who found himself working on amateur productions until he met future collaborator Nick Damici. Hitting it off with the writer/actor due to their shared love of genre movies, the duo decided to team up for a minimalist zombie film that would harken back to the manic energy and social commentary of Romero’s early work. As the scope of the project grew and the team accrued more investors, the proposed story changed into something more original.

Read Full Bloody Disgusting Article HERE

February 8, 2017
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MOVIE ELITE – Interviewed Nick Damici on behalf of Stake Land II.

Fewer and fewer films are made and released with striking and distinctive voices all their own, and Jim Mickle’s vivid post-apocalyptic road film Stake Land from 2010 is such a picture. Written by its lead actor Nick Damici, who plays a tough vampire slayer of few words named Mister, the film is as American as they come with a stark vision of an apocalyptic future where vicious vampires have decimated the population. Damici’s Mister is a surrogate father and teacher of sorts to a young man named Martin (Conor Paulo), and together they form a special bond as they pick up more allies in a world gone wild. The sequel – Stake Land II (a.k.a. The Stakelander) – picks up years after the events of the original, but Damici is back as a rougher, harder version of Mister, and in this interview he discusses his inspirations for his apocalyptic vision, and where he’s coming from as the creator of these two vivid forays into the post-apocalyptic genre.

Read whole article…

October 15, 2016
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STAKE LAND 2 Premiere TONIGHT – 9pm ET

STAKE LAND 2 premieres on Syfy channel TONIGHT at 9/8c!

Directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, written by Nick Damici, produced by Peter Phok and Fessenden for GEP, Greg Newman of Dark Sky Films and co-produced by the Syfy Channel.  Damici returns as Mister and Connor Paolo as Martin.

“When his home of New Eden is destroyed by a revitalized Brotherhood and its new Vamp leader, Martin finds himself alone in the badlands of America with only the distant memory of his mentor and legendary vampire hunter, Mister, to guide him. Roaming the wilderness of a steadily decaying country, Martin goes in search of the one man who can help him get revenge. Once reunited, Mister and Martin prepare to battle a now-ravenous Brotherhood and its monstrous overlord. But it’ll take more than the two of them to take down this terrifying new threat, and with more than just their lives now at risk, the stakes are higher than ever before.”

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The film saw its world premiere last night at the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival with Berk, Olsen, Phok, and associate producer Chadd Harbold in attendance.

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September 14, 2016
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THE STAKELANDER to Premiere at Sitges!

THE STAKELANDER, the follow-up to GEP’s acclaimed action horror hit STAKE LAND, will premiere at the Sitges Film Festival in Spain this October.

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THE STAKELANDER is directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, written by Nick Damici, and stars Damici and Connor Paolo. Produced by Peter Phok and Larry Fessenden of Glass Eye Pix, Greg Newman of Dark Sky Films and co-produced by the Syfy Channel, as well as Mark Montague of Berkserker Entertainment.

More at SitgesFilmFestival.com.

July 11, 2016
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Exploring STAKE LAND on GBF

Just landed on You Tube: GoodBadFlicks in-depth exploration of Jim Mickle’s Stake Land.

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June 21, 2016
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Stake Land sequel digs fangs into post production!

Shooting has wrapped on the STAKE LAND sequel!!! Directed by BODY directors Dan Berk and Robert Olson, written by Nick Damici, who stars alongside Connor Paolo. Produced by GEP & Dark Sky Films. EW has all the details; check it at the link!stake-land_0

March 15, 2016
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6 questions with “Hap and Leonard” radio guest stars Larry Fessenden and James Le Gros

From the SundanceTV Website:

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You may have seen Larry Fessenden (I Sell the DeadWendy and LucyHabit) and James Le Gros (Living in OblivionGirls) on the red carpet of the Independent Spirit Awards, among other places. Where you won’t see them is on HAP AND LEONARD where you’ll hear them instead. (They guest star in the radio play to which Uncle Chester is listening in Episode 102.) Learn more about Fessenden’s and Le Gros’ longtime collaboration below.

read the full article

Watch new episodes of HAP AND LEONARD every Wed. at 10/9c.

Listen to the radio clip:

May 11, 2015
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‘Late Phases’ Shreds Onto Netflix!

Great news, lycan-thusiasts! LATE PHASES is now available to stream on Netflix!

Directed by Adrián García Bogliano, and starring Nick Damici, Ethan Embry, Lance Guest and more, LATE PHASES follows a blind Vietnam War Vet (Damici) in a fight to save himself and his community.

Check it out now on Netflix!

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March 10, 2015
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Today! LATE PHASES Out On DVD, BLU-Ray!

The wait is over, get your copy today!

“…a sprightly horror movie about finding new purpose in old bones… Robert Kurtzman’s old-school effects produce an endearingly shaggy creature that’s pleasingly tactile and beholden to the laws of physics.” -JEANNETTE CATSOULIS, NY TIMES

LP NEW THREE

March 9, 2015
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Tomorrow’s The Day! LATE PHASES on Blu and DVD!

It’s hard to hide from something with such a good sense of smell!

“In addition to the careful parceling-out of information and anticipation, the film benefits enormously from Damici’s lead performance: gruff, funny, aggressive, and, of course, commanding sympathy, the character compellingly entices the audience to board this ride.” – ZACHARY WIGON, VILLAGE VOICE

LP NEW TWO

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