Heroes Health Project: May 19th

The next Heroes Health Fundraiser will be at Timpanoes Harley Davidson on May 19th.

via Toni Jorgensen @tonikj

Tell Vincent D'Onofrio to start tweeting!

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff tweeted --

#LawAndOrder #CriminalIntent star asked me to ask Twittersphere: #ShouldVinceDonfrioTweet? Answer & RT

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Vincent D’Onofrio Talks ‘Don’t Go In The Woods’ with CultureMob

CultureMob, 1.25.12
by Allie Hanley


Vincent D’Onofrio has been in more than 50 feature films and the show Law & Order: Criminal Intent (since 2001). He’s a gifted actor who has shared the big screen alongside Jodie Foster (The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys), The Salton Sea with Val Kilmer, Men In Black with Will Smith, and many know him from his role in Full Metal Jacket.

He first came to my attention as Dominic in the 1993 film Mr. Wonderful; As a matter of fact as I am writing this article a song from the movie is playing here at Starbucks. In the film, he’s the rival love interest competing with Matt Dillon and even though he wasn’t the star of the movie, he nonetheless made an impression on me. See the scene and Vincent singing at the end of the article and let me know if you loved that as much as me. He sings alongside Annabella Sciorra.

Vincent also has acted in two of my favorite science fiction films, including Strange Days, and a movie based on a story from writer Phillip K. Dick, Impostor. Both films were well written and I have liked him as an actor from way back in the day. So when the interview came up I jumped at it.

The list of notable talent that he has shared the screen with is long and spans more than 29 years as a professional actor. Not content with just acting Vincent is also producing, writing, and directing other projects. He even recently had a small gig on an audio show called Man on the Ledge by Joe Maggio (Bitter Feast) which appeared on a CD set entitled Tales Beyond The Pale (sample on Amazon).

I recently spoke to Vincent about his new movie, Don’t Go in the Woods, which he not only wrote but directed. The interesting thing about this movie is that it’s an unlikely combination of a musical and horror story. Rarely a combination that pulls big numbers. After speaking with him I got the impression that he seems to care more about trying new things, satisfying his own creativity, and having fun within his career, which is quite admirable in this era of commercialism and the overwhelming self-centeredness that is Hollywood.

Allie Hanley: So you’ve had tremendous success as an actor, tell me about what it’s like going into the writing and directing avenue of movie making vs. being in front of the camera, in your new film Don’t Go In The Woods .

Vincent D’Onofrio: It’s interesting because a few years ago I did a short called Five Minutes, Mr. Welles that did very well and traveled around the world for a couple years. I had a lot of fun doing that, and it was a story that I thought up along with a friend of mine. Then we shot it. So this is just another idea that I thought of as a kind of a fun experiment that is just pure entertainment. It’s some sort of absurd idea of a slasher/musical where everybody sings and everybody dies. One of my friends, Sam Bisbee, is a singer/songwriter/composer… We pitched the idea… and ended up shooting it for $100,000.

We shot it in 12 days and there was no casting director. We just casted off the streets. I used all non-actors, just people who could play and sing. So we knew that we would be writing a “B” type of movie with a horror film structure. [We] put really good melodic music to it, like pop music, and wanted to see if it would work.

AH: So did you have an artistic hand in creating the music?

VO: I would say we all had a little hand in it, but I wouldn’t say that I am the full writer of the music. Sam Bisbee is the writer of music.

AH: So you’ve combined a musical slash horror genre. That’s a cool mash-up right now as both are really popular. What kind of success would you like to see this movie have that would make you happy.

VO: I’m happy now. Before Tribeca I took it around to different colleges and universities. I got to screen it for as many as 500 students in one shot, on a big screen with a great sound system… and they loved it… and that’s great and good enough. The movie is definitely geared towards that age group and those kind of fans, and that’s the kind of music that’s in my movie. We really had nothing else to do, and we knew it was kind of an absurd idea. You can’t really expect but for people to be entertained and that seems to be happening; so we’re pretty happy about that.

AH: A few months ago a package showed up in my mail and when I opened it I saw your face on the cover of one of the CDs. I was surprised as I typically get novels, films, and even comic books to review. As it turns out, this is like a film but just the sound only. It’s in small 30 minute bites that you can listen to in the car. The first one I slid into my CD player was of you voice acting in a story Man on the Ledge with Joe Maggio. It was cool, well done, and different. Tell me about the unusual role.

VO: They just asked me to do it, and I liked it, so I did it. I knew Joe a little bit through a friend of Sam Bisbee’s. I just went in and did it in a few hours. It was fun and I love doing the kind of stuff. It was fun to do.

AH: The sound effects and and sound production was really fantastic. You’ve done an impressive amount of quality film and television acting, as well as some producing, directing and are really well known. As it turns out I mentioned to my mother that I was going to interview you. She never knows anyone that I am interviewing. I even sat down with Gary Oldman about a week ago, and she didn’t know who he was, but when I mentioned you her eyes lit up and she told me about “how clever you are” and went on and on about you. In actuality she was telling me about the character you play on Law and Order: Criminal Intent and was confusing who you play, with who you are. Does that happen frequently to you when you meet fans?

VO: I don’t know… not really. I don’t know if it’s a confusion; But when you commit yourself to acting in a role you are either going to be liked for it or disliked for it. So, you might as well commit yourself 100% to it because there is only two outcomes. When I travel the world, there are people that come up to me and see me from these different roles, whether’s it’s Criminal Intent… some people hate them and some people love them [the characters]. It’s not really that they are being confused, it’s just that they are really talking about the character. It’s not confusing to me – really because I know that they are talking about the character. They are just so happy and entertained that they need to talk about it.

AH: You have five films in post right now and two in pre-production. Tell me about one of them.

VO: The Jennifer Chambers Lynch film that I did (Chained), is a really distubing film, but I really enjoyed working with her. Hopefully people will get to see that one soon. I’ve done some other things too. This past summer I got some really good acting experience, so all these things that I do, I am really enthusiastic about. I hope everyone likes them too.

AH: You’ve had ride-ranging success in several entertainment venues, is that attributed to the way you were raised?

VO: I think it might have to do with the fact that I was raised to appreciate art in a very legitimate way and to know the difference between Pop and the Fine Arts. Now that I have been doing it for so long, there are a few people out there that sort of get me as a performer, and I think that I have been just lucky to grab the attention of those few and they’ve given me jobs in all different aspects of the business of story-telling and entertainment. It’s basically luck that I’ve drawn the attention of the few, and as you know there are so many people out there creating this type of entertainment. A lot of it is not really my style of stuff, but I have been fortunate to attract the attention of a very few that do kind of get my style and will employ me.

AH: So with that in mind is Don’t Go In The Woods your style?

VO: It was at the moment. We wanted to make this little film, and we knew it would be absurd film, but the trick was to make it really entertaining for a certain age group and have it geared to an age group with the music. It was an idea that I committed myself to and it just sort of took off. So in that moment it meant everything to me, but now I just sort of see it as something that I did and I would like people to be entertained by it.


Don’t Go In The Woods is playing on Video On Demand currently and opening limited in theaters. There is a review running on CultureMob of the film entitled Low Budget- Don’t Go In The Woods Makes for Distinguished Slasher Musical from writer Jeremy Kibler. He basically sums up the movie giving it a B- which I would have to agree with. His article does a nice job of laying out the film and some of the key points. However, I would like to say that I was impressed with the music (and lyrics) and expect to see more down the road from Sam Bisbee. Bottom line, Vincent D’Onofrio is a genuine talent that comes across unaffected as an artist. He is creating pop art in his new movie and isn’t concerned what critics think and how much money a project makes. He’s on the right track and is enjoying life on his terms and creating what works for him.



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"Robot and Frank" premieres at Sundance

"Robot and Frank", co-produced by Sam Bisbee and Erika Hampson ("Don't Go in the Woods", "The New Tenants"), will screen at the Sundance Film Festival.

Frank Langella

CAST: Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon, James Marsden, Liv Tyler, Peter Saarsgard

Produced by:
Lance Acord .... producer
Jeremy Bailer .... executive producer
Jackie Kelman Bisbee .... producer
Sam Bisbee .... producer
Theodora Dunlap .... associate producer
Erika Hampson .... co-producer
Galt Niederhoffer .... producer
Cody Ryder .... co-producer

Directed by: Jake Schreier

Synopsis:
Set sometime in the future, Robot & Frank is a delightful dramatic comedy, a buddy picture, and, for good measure, a heist film. Curmudgeonly old Frank lives by himself. His routine involves daily visits to his local library, where he has a twinkle in his eye for the librarian. His grown children are concerned about their father’s well-being and buy him a caretaker robot. Initially resistant to the idea, Frank soon appreciates the benefits of robotic support—like nutritious meals and a clean house—and eventually begins to treat his robot like a true companion. With his robot’s assistance, Frank’s passion for his old, unlawful profession is reignited, for better or worse.

Frank Langella makes acting—and acting with a robot, no less—look effortless, and his relationship with the machine is filled with poignant exchanges and amusing adventures. First-time director Jake Schreier creates a lush world with futuristic flourishes and tells a beautiful story about family and the implications of humankind’s ever-changing relationship with technology.

Film Guide and Screening Times.

"Robot and Frank" also screens this week at Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn as part of Sundance Film Festival USA but tickets are sold out!

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Ronnie B interviews Vincent D'Onofrio

Radio interview on the "Ron and Fez Show" on on Sirius XM Satellite Radio

Ron & Fez Weekdays 11 am
Discussion ranging from the incredibly real to the incredibly surreal, heavy listener interaction and some of the most engaging celebrity interviews on radio make the Ron and Fez show as addictive as it is hilarious.

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Video: A Friday the 13th Treat From Vincent D'Onofrio

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Upcoming Screenings: Don't Go In the Woods

Don't Go in the Woods
Premiere: Friday, February 03 | Rated NR | Horror / Musical | 83 min

Presented by Nightmares on High Street. Sponsored by CD 101 @102.5 fm. All seats $6.

First-time director Vincent D'Onofrio explores love, greed and ruthlessness in this twisted musical/horror hybrid, telling the story of a young band who heads to the woods to get away from their everyday lives in order to focus on writing new songs. Hoping to walk away from the trip with new tunes that will score them their big break, they instead find themselves in the middle of a nightmare beyond comprehension. Displaying the musical talents of a gifted ensemble cast as they sing songs penned by acclaimed singer-songwriter Sam Bisbee, DON'T GO IN THE WOODS unexpectedly veers from terrifying horror to musical moments, truly keeping viewers captivated, terrified and entertained in equal measure.

Screening at:
Gateway Film Center
1550 North High Street
Columbus, OH 43201
614.545.2255

Showtimes
February 03 2012
12:00 AM
February 04 2012
1:30 PM 12:00 AM
February 07 2012
7:30 PM
February 09 2012
9:30 PM
-------------------------------------

Screening at:
Laemmle Music Hall
in Los Angeles
Friday, February 10


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Screening of DGITW and Q&A at Cinema Village, NYC

Update from Sapphire902
Sam announced at the beginning that Vincent has the flu. Guess he didn't get his flu shot! He sent his apologies.

Thanks for update Blanca!


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Vincent D'Onofrio chats about his new movie

MovieBuzzers, 1.13.12
by Melissa Hanson

Hearing Vincent D’Onofrio, many might not know who he is, but say, “Edgar suit,” “Private Pyle” or “Goren from Criminal Intent” and then you’ll see the “Oh! That guy!” face. He’s appeared in over 50 films, but he flies mostly under the radar to the general public taking on roles that are obscure and often go unrecognized. I got the chance to sit down with the actor-turned-director to talk about his newest film, Don’t Go In The Woods. He’s behind the camera this time after conceiving the story and shooting it in a mere 12 days on a budget, after post-production, of just around $100,000.

The film is about a young band of guys who go on a camping trip to concentrate on writing songs for their new album without the distractions of home like technology or girls. After walking endlessly through the woods, they settle on a spot and as they are just starting to get work done, a group of their friends (all girls), show up and (seemingly) disrupt their songwriting. Throughout the entire film, the characters break out in song much like those in the TV show Glee, while at the same time, a deranged killer is on the loose killing them one by one.

D’Onofrio conceived the story because he wanted to do an absurd movie; what he calls a “slasher musical, where everybody sings and everybody dies.” He gathered all the people he’s worked with over the years to shoot for as little money as he could and as quick as possible. “I really don’t feel like a director, I just feel like somebody that’s just trying to get something done and try to get away with it, without costing everyone too much money.”

Asking him about directing, he reveals that he gets shy about referring to himself as a director. He directed a short film, Five Minutes, Mr. Welles, which played at several film festivals in 2004 and 2005 and garnered much praise, but when speaking of directing Don’t Go In To The Woods, he acts as though it was not a big deal. “I’ve been around enough cameramen and crews in my life to have learned how to shoot things.” It’s obvious to me that he’s a natural, but he’s incredibly humble and gives all the credit to those in the cast and crew. He’s extremely confident when he talks about the story though, and it’s actually quite inspiring: “I completely commit no matter how absurd I know it’s going to turn out.”

In taking Don’t Go In The Woods on the road, he often screened at colleges and universities. You could see it gave him great joy to show the film to an audience of sometimes 300-500 students because of the impressive screening facilities and great sound systems. He describes people were yelling at the screen and after at the Q&A, students would comment that they couldn’t wait for characters to die or how annoying the characters were. “That’s why we made it,” he says proudly.

D’Onofrio goes on to say that he never critiques horror movies. “The thing about the horror genre, it’s an excuse to not critique.” He explains that there are exceptions, such as with epic directors, such as, of course, The Shining, which is not only horror, but a great film. He brings up an interesting point when speaking about the genre; something that I have never really understood or been able to pinpoint. “Unlike the comedy and dramatic genres and even sci-fi, horror is just horror. You know what you’re going to get going in. You know that you have to take a leap of faith. You know there’s going to be a bad guy, and he’s really not going to make a lot of sense.” I had never thought of it this way. He talks about how when he goes to the movies to see anything other than a horror film, he expects it to be a great movie. He holds it to a certain standard. But with horror, it’s an excuse to turn your mind off and just enjoy the ride. I am now beginning to see the appeal. I see so many movies that I do like to see one now and again that just simply entertains me. I don’t give an entire genre a free pass though.

He refers to the horror genre as being “non-acting.” He goes on to describe it as “flat” and “kids talking lines.” It’s something that he says is very different from what he does for a living, “so it’s very entertaining for me to watch.”

When I asked him what some of his favorite horror movies are, he immediately answers with the French film, High Tension (2003) by director Alexandre Aja. His endorsement: “It’s just so absurd. It makes no sense whatsoever.” This makes me hesitant, but I do believe I’ll check it out. He goes on to say that the acting is “very good” and of a higher caliber than those of horror in general. He loves all slasher movies, even the B-versions. He explains that with movies like Final Destination, it’s again, just entertainment. You can turn your mind off. I comment that I enjoyed Dead Alive. He adds, “I like movies like Dead Alive much more than the Hostel-type movies or the Saw movies. Those movies don’t interest me at all. I find them to be a bit offensive, and I don’t like the way they portray women in them. The context is just wrong.” I find his entire thought process to be quite fascinating. I have never really taken this much time to dissect these types of films.

When searching for the film online (it’s currently available VOD) the genres of “horror” and “musical” come up as descriptions. It’s certainly not for everyone, and I have to say, I didn’t enjoy the film at all, but after speaking with D’Onofrio, I understand more about the horror genre as a whole than I ever expected to and have gained much more respect for it.

Check out Alex’s full review of the film, here.

Don’t Go In the Woods stars Bo Boddie, Eric Bogosian, Gwynn Galitzer, Jorgen Jorgensen, Tim Lajcik, Soomin Lee, Kate O’Malley, Matt Sbeglia, Casey Smith, Nick Thorp, and Cassandra Walker. It is being released by Tribeca Films in NY on January 13th and will expand to other markets in early February. It is currently available on VOD.


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Video: Vincent D'Onofrio on Morning Joe

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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