Anthony Catanese’s Horror Comedy Teenage Bloodsuckin’ Bimbos Premieres at the New Jersey Film Festival on Saturday, January 26, 2019.
Here is my interview with Teenage Bloodsuckin’ Bimbos Director Anthony Catanese and Producer Sara Casey:
Nigrin: Your feature film Teenage Bloodsuckin’ Bimbos is a low-fi vampire spoof. Please tell us more about your film and what made you want to make it?
Catanese and Casey: We wanted to make this film because our last film Sodomaniac was little bit more on the edge. It was a film about date rapists being hunted and killed by the “butt face killa” in the most uncomfortable way possible. It was a #metoo film before there was a me too movement. The problem was some people didn’t get what we were going for, and even though the movie played around the country, comcast cable on demand, and was available through DVD world wide, we still wanted to make something that was a little bit more palatable to a mainstream audience. Something were the people involved didn’t have to get uncomfortable about overtime they talked about it. So Anthony figured vampires were something everything everyone loved, so he tried his hand at the genre.
Nigrin: While watching your film I kept thinking about how it might be considered to part of the #MeToo movement as you have 3 sexy but tough women sticking it to the lecherous men trying to pick them up. Do you think I am wrong thinking about it this way?
Catanese and Casey: We think if that’s the way you want to take it that’s great. We didn’t set out to have it be a #metoo movement but if people walk away feeling that in someway — that’s amazing. I think that’s where people usually misjudge our movie title. The title is not implying that these girls are Bimbos — but they use that to trick simple minded men to their deaths.
Nigrin: You assembled a really great group of actors. Tell us more about how you came about casting them.
Catanese and Casey: Most of our actors came from a casting call (Destyne, Gigi, Bettina, Sam, Dan) We also have a pool of people that have been in many of our productions we choose from also (Craig, Penny, Quentin, Kirk). No amazing story here… lol This was a Loy of peoples first films and they have since gone on to do some amazing things. Gigi Guston went on to win first place on the John Cena American Grit. Many have gone on to NY and have been acting steadily since.
Nigrin: You are both from Trenton, New Jersey. Did you shoot the film there as well? Were did you actually film?
Catanese and Casey: We shot half of the film in a trailer park in PA, and the rest in and around Trenton NJ. On such a tight budget and time line we’d have to just run out and film where ever we could film when we were filming. Real run and gun type stuff.
Nigrin: How were you able to get access to these locations in your film?
Catanese and Casey: We were able to get the trailer through Lawrence Greenberg who knew some one that had one. A lot of the locations were all filmed at Anthony’s work Exit 7A Creative Services. Jessica’s room/hallway — the crack house — Quans apartment — The second part of the ware house. It was our own sound stage for two years or so.
Nigrin: How long did it take to make this film and how did you secure the funding for it?
Catanese and Casey: It took a little over two years to complete. We started with a month of shooting on the weekends and then because of schedules and other complications — the rest of the shoot was scattered through out the next few years. If you look closely you can see the slight chances in the girls appearances. We were actually almost done filming when we were approached by the Trenton Punk Rock Flea Market about funding the film. Around that same time Anthony had a family member interested in investing, so that money also helped getting the film finished. Before that it was just coming out of our pockets.
Nigrin: Are there any memorable stories while you made this film or any other info about your film you would like to relay to our readers?
Catanese and Casey: When they come to the screening we’ll share all of the memorable stories with them. LOL
Here is the trailer for Teenage Bloodsuckin' Bimbos:
Teenage Bloodsuckin' Bimbos will be preceded by two short horror films. Here is more info on this screening.
Rule Of Thumb – Bill Rosenthal (Newton, MA) When a woman has trouble maintaining her romantic relationships, her partners pay the price. 2018; 10 min. Q+A Session with DirectorBill Rosenthal!
Ashes –Anthony La Pira (Norwood, New Jersey) A psychological horror film about a drug-addicted man, who reluctantly receives ashes on Ash Wednesday to please his family, and is sent into a downward spiral of hallucinatory, religious-themed body horror. 2018; 17 min. Q+A Session with Director Anthony La Pira!
Teenage Bloodsuckin' Bimbos – Anthony Catanese (Trenton, New Jersey) Struggling with her alcoholic mother and a love-struck neighbor, while taking care of her baby brother, high school student Jessica longs to be part of the in-crowd and escape the confines of her trailer park life. When she's accepted by a trio of fun-loving ladies of the night she finds herself thrust into a subterranean world of blood suckin’ pros. Will her choices come back to bite her, or will a legendary, mysterious Russian vampire hunter, Boris Von Yelsing, catch up with her and her bloodsucking beasties first? 2018; 105 min. Q+A Session with Director Anthony Catanese and Producer Sara Casey!
Saturday, January 26, 2019 at 7PM in Voorhees Hall #105/Rutgers University
, 71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, New Jersey
$12=General; $10=Students+Seniors; $9=Rutgers Film Co-op Friends
Information: (848) 932-8482; www.njfilmfest.com
