Director, Writer and Producer
Managing Artistic Director of The Knightsbridge Theatre and The National American Shakespeare Company
Director Joseph Paul Stachura Skillfully Paints A Horrifying Tale In “Scream At The Devil,” Starring Shari Shattuck ★★★1/2 out of 4
Review by Steven Brittingham for Highlight Hollywood
Movies
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CURRENT PROJECTS: Scream at the Devil - Feature Film - International Release Available on Amazon The Quantum Race - Feature Film Screenplay Screenplay in circulation In the Belly of the Beast - Dramatic Stage Play Working Final Draft |
SCREAM at the DEVIL — fight the Devil in your mind!
A schizophrenic thriller!
A schizophrenic thriller!
Synopsis
Miriam Jones is an artist suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, after a brief hospitalization she has returned to her ‘normal life’ with the help of medication. Estranged from her husband Gabriel after an affair with a much younger woman and having suffered through numerous miscarriages Miriam travels alone to Venice, Italy. Desperate for motherhood Miriam enters an ancient Basilica where she prays for the gift of a child. Always influenced by what she has seen and by her memories, frightening image of Satan begin to appear in Miriam's tortured schizophrenic mind, the Devil seems to speak to her... and her alone.
Back in Los Angeles, Mirium reunites with her husband Gabriel and they set out to begin a new life together in a new home. Isolated in the forest miles above the city, strange images begin to haunt Miriam. Gabriel, frustrated by her refusal to take the medications, begins to drink heavily and after a violent altercation leaves Miriam.
Alone and desperate the ensuing days are filled with terrifying manifestations of the monsters and demons that Miriam has read about in books or seen in films and television. Now the demons come to life in Miriam's sick, twisted mind and increasingly drive her to the brink of insanity. Strange neighbors visit, deliveries arrive, to Miriam their behavior seems to be aggressive, frightening and confusing. Her schizophrenic paranoia grows aggressively as Miriam begins to believe that her neighbors and friends are actually demons plotting to kill her. These schizophrenic episodes build to a frenzy with Miriam barricading herself in her own living room and reading aloud from the bible and praying for Gods protection against the Devil. That same night Gabriel reappears, but once he gains entry into the home, Miriam seems to see Gabriel morph into the DEVIL himself.
After an anonymous call the Police arrive to investigate a report of gunshots being fired and Miriam is taken to a mental hospital, she has wounds that seemingly could not have been made by herself and she rants of being raped by the Devil. Miriam is taken to an institution for the criminally insane and suddenly appears to be nine months pregnant... the day before she was barren.
Is it the Devil or schizophrenic delusion? YOU DECIDE!
Miriam Jones is an artist suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, after a brief hospitalization she has returned to her ‘normal life’ with the help of medication. Estranged from her husband Gabriel after an affair with a much younger woman and having suffered through numerous miscarriages Miriam travels alone to Venice, Italy. Desperate for motherhood Miriam enters an ancient Basilica where she prays for the gift of a child. Always influenced by what she has seen and by her memories, frightening image of Satan begin to appear in Miriam's tortured schizophrenic mind, the Devil seems to speak to her... and her alone.
Back in Los Angeles, Mirium reunites with her husband Gabriel and they set out to begin a new life together in a new home. Isolated in the forest miles above the city, strange images begin to haunt Miriam. Gabriel, frustrated by her refusal to take the medications, begins to drink heavily and after a violent altercation leaves Miriam.
Alone and desperate the ensuing days are filled with terrifying manifestations of the monsters and demons that Miriam has read about in books or seen in films and television. Now the demons come to life in Miriam's sick, twisted mind and increasingly drive her to the brink of insanity. Strange neighbors visit, deliveries arrive, to Miriam their behavior seems to be aggressive, frightening and confusing. Her schizophrenic paranoia grows aggressively as Miriam begins to believe that her neighbors and friends are actually demons plotting to kill her. These schizophrenic episodes build to a frenzy with Miriam barricading herself in her own living room and reading aloud from the bible and praying for Gods protection against the Devil. That same night Gabriel reappears, but once he gains entry into the home, Miriam seems to see Gabriel morph into the DEVIL himself.
After an anonymous call the Police arrive to investigate a report of gunshots being fired and Miriam is taken to a mental hospital, she has wounds that seemingly could not have been made by herself and she rants of being raped by the Devil. Miriam is taken to an institution for the criminally insane and suddenly appears to be nine months pregnant... the day before she was barren.
Is it the Devil or schizophrenic delusion? YOU DECIDE!
Worldwide distribution through GREEN APPLE ENTERTAINMENT, available at Walmart stores, Barnes and Noble, Amazon and RED BOX.
Photo Gallery
Director Joseph Paul Stachura Skillfully Paints A Horrifying Tale In “Scream At The Devil,” Starring Shari Shattuck
Review by Steven Brittingham for Highlight HollywoodJuly 29, 2016
Movies
REVIEW:
Venice, Italy. As a beautiful snowfall is seen quietly descending onto the ground and water below, one might think the equally beautiful woman (Shari Shattuck) gazing off into the distance is experiencing a blissful moment of inner peace and tranquility. Yes, she indeed is. The calmness in her eyes though, is disguising an inner turmoil that is about to resurface – with a raging vengeance. The opening moments of “Scream at the Devil” are full of exceptional shots by director Joseph Paul Stachura, who instantly offers up an uneasy feeling that something foreboding is about to unfold, all the while combining dazzling imagery with surreal atmosphere. Not surprising, for Stachura also wrote the screenplay and co-produced the film. And, the leading lady just happens to be his wife. This film is obviously a very personal undertaking for Stachura. He has invested his heart into this project. As the man behind the camera, he paints a picture with tightly-focused, old-school approaches combined with a sleek edge. He takes this approach because he knows the horrifying journey his viewers are about to go on demands it.
Shari Shattuck instantly commands the screen with a strong screen presence that never fades. Dealing with her husband’s (Eric Etebari) recent affair and a miscarriage, Mirium Jones (Shari Shattuck) is a woman full of emotional torment. Leaving her despair behind in the states and attempting to embrace solitude in Italy is certainly understandable. Unfortunately for Mirium, some things can’t be left behind. We learn a lot of things about Mirium during the early stages of the film. Her time spent painting makes it clear she is an artist, just as her longing to be a mother is confirmed through fallen tears when she notices a small group of children playing nearby. There is a sense of great sadness behind those piercing eyes but also a sense that there is something haunting this woman. When her husband begs for forgiveness and asks for her to return home to reconcile, Mirium will be heading back with a broken heart in tow. She will also be taking along that which has been haunting her for years – schizophrenia. Things are about to take a horrifying turn for the worse. Stachura sets the film up nicely in Italy, then throttles up the intensity in an unforgiving manner once the film switches locations. He has no choice. After all, Mirium’s mind refuses to offer mercy, especially once her medication is no longer being taken. Not a wise choice for Mirium.
As the unfaithful husband, Eric Etebari is outstanding. He impressively displays a side of tenderness while attempting to win back his wife’s trust, but also displays a more aggressive side when his efforts don’t go as planned. Add drinking, bitterness and impatience, and it becomes clear that Gabriel (Eric Etebari) has all of the ingredients for making the situation unattainable. A frustrated Gabriel apparently underestimates the extent of his wife’s suspicion of his motives. Sometimes, when a woman’s trust has been shattered, it never returns. The resentment is clearly evident in Mirium’s voice, as it is in her eyes. This may be a woman scorned, but it is her mental illness that actually threatens her stability the most. All of this leads to heated arguments including an intense scene in the garage. Shattuck and Etebari work exceptionally well together. Etebari also has a strong screen presence, and it quickly becomes clear he was the perfect choice for the role.Each cast member brings something unique to the film, including Tony Todd as Detective Johnson, who brings a certain calmness to a harrowing scenario. He is, perhaps, the only character in the entire film that truly sympathizes with Mirium’s horrendous ordeal. Even a delivery man (Bill Oberst Jr.) has an unexpected exchange with Mirium. Moments like this provide time for dark humor while still remaining creepy.
Shattuck is an amazing talent. She can take the smallest of moments to another stratosphere as shown in the scene where three annoying college students, requesting to see her artwork, have Mirium feeling a bit snappy. Those three ladies will wish they never stopped by.
Extremely well-shot scenes set up by Stachura are complimented by his approach to smaller moments in the film. Every angle is just right—every scene visually interesting or colorful. Even Mirium walking around the side of the house is full of atmosphere. He cares about every single frame of film, and it clearly shows on the screen. Stachura directs with an unflinching edge. His script takes risks with approaches to storytelling that other directors might have shied away from. In addition, Stachura doesn’t reveal all of his cards on the table. There is a moment, for example, where Mirium opens a storage room door with frightening results. It appears as though a body may be wrapped up leaning against the corner. That moment is briefly reminiscent of the classic “The Mummy” starring Boris Karloff. For a moment, one might wonder if it is actually a mummy leaning against the wall. That’s because Stachura sets up each of his scenes with visual skill.
What would it be like to see schizophrenia spin viciously out of control while consuming its victim in the process? An example might be found in Stachura’s “Scream at the Devil.” Watch this film through the eyes of Mirium, and it suddenly becomes clear what Stachura’s true intentions are with his storytelling approach. To watch Shattuck take the emotionally devastated Mirium from the beginning of the film and ultimately transform her into the mentally disturbed woman at the end is an example of mind blowing talent on full display. Shattuck’s gripping performance takes you over the edge with her tormented character.
One can’t help but feel sorry for Mirium. To suffer this way is undeniably cruel. While it is indeed horrifying to have a man wearing a hockey mask clutching a hatchet as he chases a petrified woman through the woods surrounding Crystal Lake, there is another type of scenario that is equally as terrifying—the monster inside your head.
Scream at the Devil / Knightsbridge Theater Films / Unrated / 98 Minutes
Written By: Steven Brittingham, Contributing Editor
Review by Steven Brittingham for Highlight HollywoodJuly 29, 2016
Movies
REVIEW:
Venice, Italy. As a beautiful snowfall is seen quietly descending onto the ground and water below, one might think the equally beautiful woman (Shari Shattuck) gazing off into the distance is experiencing a blissful moment of inner peace and tranquility. Yes, she indeed is. The calmness in her eyes though, is disguising an inner turmoil that is about to resurface – with a raging vengeance. The opening moments of “Scream at the Devil” are full of exceptional shots by director Joseph Paul Stachura, who instantly offers up an uneasy feeling that something foreboding is about to unfold, all the while combining dazzling imagery with surreal atmosphere. Not surprising, for Stachura also wrote the screenplay and co-produced the film. And, the leading lady just happens to be his wife. This film is obviously a very personal undertaking for Stachura. He has invested his heart into this project. As the man behind the camera, he paints a picture with tightly-focused, old-school approaches combined with a sleek edge. He takes this approach because he knows the horrifying journey his viewers are about to go on demands it.
Shari Shattuck instantly commands the screen with a strong screen presence that never fades. Dealing with her husband’s (Eric Etebari) recent affair and a miscarriage, Mirium Jones (Shari Shattuck) is a woman full of emotional torment. Leaving her despair behind in the states and attempting to embrace solitude in Italy is certainly understandable. Unfortunately for Mirium, some things can’t be left behind. We learn a lot of things about Mirium during the early stages of the film. Her time spent painting makes it clear she is an artist, just as her longing to be a mother is confirmed through fallen tears when she notices a small group of children playing nearby. There is a sense of great sadness behind those piercing eyes but also a sense that there is something haunting this woman. When her husband begs for forgiveness and asks for her to return home to reconcile, Mirium will be heading back with a broken heart in tow. She will also be taking along that which has been haunting her for years – schizophrenia. Things are about to take a horrifying turn for the worse. Stachura sets the film up nicely in Italy, then throttles up the intensity in an unforgiving manner once the film switches locations. He has no choice. After all, Mirium’s mind refuses to offer mercy, especially once her medication is no longer being taken. Not a wise choice for Mirium.
As the unfaithful husband, Eric Etebari is outstanding. He impressively displays a side of tenderness while attempting to win back his wife’s trust, but also displays a more aggressive side when his efforts don’t go as planned. Add drinking, bitterness and impatience, and it becomes clear that Gabriel (Eric Etebari) has all of the ingredients for making the situation unattainable. A frustrated Gabriel apparently underestimates the extent of his wife’s suspicion of his motives. Sometimes, when a woman’s trust has been shattered, it never returns. The resentment is clearly evident in Mirium’s voice, as it is in her eyes. This may be a woman scorned, but it is her mental illness that actually threatens her stability the most. All of this leads to heated arguments including an intense scene in the garage. Shattuck and Etebari work exceptionally well together. Etebari also has a strong screen presence, and it quickly becomes clear he was the perfect choice for the role.Each cast member brings something unique to the film, including Tony Todd as Detective Johnson, who brings a certain calmness to a harrowing scenario. He is, perhaps, the only character in the entire film that truly sympathizes with Mirium’s horrendous ordeal. Even a delivery man (Bill Oberst Jr.) has an unexpected exchange with Mirium. Moments like this provide time for dark humor while still remaining creepy.
Shattuck is an amazing talent. She can take the smallest of moments to another stratosphere as shown in the scene where three annoying college students, requesting to see her artwork, have Mirium feeling a bit snappy. Those three ladies will wish they never stopped by.
Extremely well-shot scenes set up by Stachura are complimented by his approach to smaller moments in the film. Every angle is just right—every scene visually interesting or colorful. Even Mirium walking around the side of the house is full of atmosphere. He cares about every single frame of film, and it clearly shows on the screen. Stachura directs with an unflinching edge. His script takes risks with approaches to storytelling that other directors might have shied away from. In addition, Stachura doesn’t reveal all of his cards on the table. There is a moment, for example, where Mirium opens a storage room door with frightening results. It appears as though a body may be wrapped up leaning against the corner. That moment is briefly reminiscent of the classic “The Mummy” starring Boris Karloff. For a moment, one might wonder if it is actually a mummy leaning against the wall. That’s because Stachura sets up each of his scenes with visual skill.
What would it be like to see schizophrenia spin viciously out of control while consuming its victim in the process? An example might be found in Stachura’s “Scream at the Devil.” Watch this film through the eyes of Mirium, and it suddenly becomes clear what Stachura’s true intentions are with his storytelling approach. To watch Shattuck take the emotionally devastated Mirium from the beginning of the film and ultimately transform her into the mentally disturbed woman at the end is an example of mind blowing talent on full display. Shattuck’s gripping performance takes you over the edge with her tormented character.
One can’t help but feel sorry for Mirium. To suffer this way is undeniably cruel. While it is indeed horrifying to have a man wearing a hockey mask clutching a hatchet as he chases a petrified woman through the woods surrounding Crystal Lake, there is another type of scenario that is equally as terrifying—the monster inside your head.
Scream at the Devil / Knightsbridge Theater Films / Unrated / 98 Minutes
Written By: Steven Brittingham, Contributing Editor
1865, the American Civil War is at an end.
The last surviving members of the Southern, McPherson family are journeying to California in the hopes of starting a new life. Adius, a veteran of the war, is haunted by terrible memories of the battlefield, memories that he cannot chase from his mind. He leads his stoic but distant wife Sarah, young brother Abel, and Abel’s child wife Lily from the ruins of their once wealthy estate in Georgia to the untamed west. The family travels by train as far as the rail lines will take them and then, with nothing but two horses to carry their minimal possessions, trek on to California.
On their journey Abel is instructed to tie off the horses one night but fails to do so and the next morning the horses are gone! The family is forced to continue their treacherous journey on foot. Tension rises as the McPhersons struggle on, battling the hostile elements and Adius’ ever intensifying and reoccurring ‘waking’ nightmares. Hunger and exhaustion plague the family who are relieved to find a small shanty standing alone in the mountains. Unsure of what they will find but desperate for resources, they enter the ‘shibang’ and come face-to-face with the unexpected.
Anibal and his sons Carlo and Jesus are the last remaining survivors of a native ‘Californio’ family. They have a seething hatred for “Yankees,” a term that they use for ALL Americans, the “Yankees” who stole their ancestral land. Anibal meets the McPhersons with a raging temper and quickly the two families are caught up in a dangerous shoot-out. The McPhersons have no choice but to run for their lives and are chased for miles into the rugged mountains but are unable to escape. Adius realizes that they must stand and fight to stay alive. In the ensuing gun battle he is shot in the stomach as Sarah is forced to shoot and kill Carlo. Anibal is devastated and enraged but his youngest son, Jesus, begs him to stop the killing. In the end, Jesus is forced to shoot his own father in the leg to allow time for the McPhersons to escape. The family can only continue a short distance before Adius, severely bleeding, must stop. Near death, Adius makes his peace with God, Sarah, Abel and Lily and serenely passes away.
Sarah mourns Adius’ death while Abel and Lily, fearful that Anibal will find and kill them, demand that they keep moving on. Wanting to return to Georgia, Lily explodes at Sarah, causing a rift in the family. With their leader gone, tension rises and hope fades while Sarah finds herself ostracized and ignored. As the family hikes along a cliff, Sarah loses her footing and slides over the edge. Abel runs to help her and just as she slips away from his grasp a second pair of hands help lift her to safety. It is Jesus. He admits that he has been following them, claiming he has come to help. Scared and enraged, Sarah and Abel beat Jesus within an inch of his life, horrifying Lily, who begs them to let Jesus live, reminding them that it was he who allowed their escape from Anibal. Jesus is spared and now, also running from his own father, stays with the McPhersons.
Fearful of Anibal picking them off one by one, Abel decides that they must retrace their steps in order to confront him. They return to Adius’ grave and encounter a crazed Anibal and the family is chased, bullets at their heels. Finally, Anibal catches up to them on a high cliff where he traps Abel and tries to force him to fight. Just as Anibal aims his pistol at Abel, point blank, Sarah interrupts with a shotgun blast of her own. She has fired to stop the madness and shouts to Anibal that she is the one who killed his son. Desperate to save Abel and knowing that Anibal will never stop hunting them for his revenge, Sarah lets herself fall from the cliff. This act of selflessness shatters Anibal’s sense of honor and he lets Abel and Lily go.
Months later, Abel and a pregnant Lily finally find their way to the Pacific Ocean, the last remaining survivors of a once great family. Now at the end of their journey but the beginning of their lives together, the young family will start a new adventure in this strange world of California. They have found one thing they never knew they were looking for – the REDEMPTION of their very souls.
The last surviving members of the Southern, McPherson family are journeying to California in the hopes of starting a new life. Adius, a veteran of the war, is haunted by terrible memories of the battlefield, memories that he cannot chase from his mind. He leads his stoic but distant wife Sarah, young brother Abel, and Abel’s child wife Lily from the ruins of their once wealthy estate in Georgia to the untamed west. The family travels by train as far as the rail lines will take them and then, with nothing but two horses to carry their minimal possessions, trek on to California.
On their journey Abel is instructed to tie off the horses one night but fails to do so and the next morning the horses are gone! The family is forced to continue their treacherous journey on foot. Tension rises as the McPhersons struggle on, battling the hostile elements and Adius’ ever intensifying and reoccurring ‘waking’ nightmares. Hunger and exhaustion plague the family who are relieved to find a small shanty standing alone in the mountains. Unsure of what they will find but desperate for resources, they enter the ‘shibang’ and come face-to-face with the unexpected.
Anibal and his sons Carlo and Jesus are the last remaining survivors of a native ‘Californio’ family. They have a seething hatred for “Yankees,” a term that they use for ALL Americans, the “Yankees” who stole their ancestral land. Anibal meets the McPhersons with a raging temper and quickly the two families are caught up in a dangerous shoot-out. The McPhersons have no choice but to run for their lives and are chased for miles into the rugged mountains but are unable to escape. Adius realizes that they must stand and fight to stay alive. In the ensuing gun battle he is shot in the stomach as Sarah is forced to shoot and kill Carlo. Anibal is devastated and enraged but his youngest son, Jesus, begs him to stop the killing. In the end, Jesus is forced to shoot his own father in the leg to allow time for the McPhersons to escape. The family can only continue a short distance before Adius, severely bleeding, must stop. Near death, Adius makes his peace with God, Sarah, Abel and Lily and serenely passes away.
Sarah mourns Adius’ death while Abel and Lily, fearful that Anibal will find and kill them, demand that they keep moving on. Wanting to return to Georgia, Lily explodes at Sarah, causing a rift in the family. With their leader gone, tension rises and hope fades while Sarah finds herself ostracized and ignored. As the family hikes along a cliff, Sarah loses her footing and slides over the edge. Abel runs to help her and just as she slips away from his grasp a second pair of hands help lift her to safety. It is Jesus. He admits that he has been following them, claiming he has come to help. Scared and enraged, Sarah and Abel beat Jesus within an inch of his life, horrifying Lily, who begs them to let Jesus live, reminding them that it was he who allowed their escape from Anibal. Jesus is spared and now, also running from his own father, stays with the McPhersons.
Fearful of Anibal picking them off one by one, Abel decides that they must retrace their steps in order to confront him. They return to Adius’ grave and encounter a crazed Anibal and the family is chased, bullets at their heels. Finally, Anibal catches up to them on a high cliff where he traps Abel and tries to force him to fight. Just as Anibal aims his pistol at Abel, point blank, Sarah interrupts with a shotgun blast of her own. She has fired to stop the madness and shouts to Anibal that she is the one who killed his son. Desperate to save Abel and knowing that Anibal will never stop hunting them for his revenge, Sarah lets herself fall from the cliff. This act of selflessness shatters Anibal’s sense of honor and he lets Abel and Lily go.
Months later, Abel and a pregnant Lily finally find their way to the Pacific Ocean, the last remaining survivors of a once great family. Now at the end of their journey but the beginning of their lives together, the young family will start a new adventure in this strange world of California. They have found one thing they never knew they were looking for – the REDEMPTION of their very souls.
'REDEMPTION' Stills below from Screening at Warner Bros.
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REDEMPTION - International Distribution Mar Vista Entertainment
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