Big Al's Place: Michael Pare'

In A Nutshell

Years after his release from Alcatraz, bedeviled by hallucinations fueled by untreated, late-stage syphilis, Al Capone wanders the overgrown grounds of his Miami Beach estate, ruminating with ghosts. Tomorrow will bring his forty-eighth birthday and one week later he will be dead. Between then and now sprawls an epic life, from the wild streets of turn-of-the-century Brooklyn, to a bloody Saint Valentine’s Day that shocked the world; here is the glamorous ascent and shocking decline of America's true king of crime.

Some History

Jim VanBebber's 2004 feature, The Manson Family, was hailed as, "Crucial," by Peter Travers in Rolling Stone's four-star review. It inspired Roger Ebert to proclaim, "...it has an undeniable power and effect...it exists in a category of one film - this film." The film's successful theatrical release brought further critical acclaim and Manson then went on to thrive on home video, including as the centerpiece of Visions of Hell: The Films of Jim VanBebber, a mid-career retrospective DVD box set released in 2008.

Capone first met VanBebber at Wright State University when both men were enrolled in the Motion Pictures Production program headed up by Academy Award nominated documentary filmmakers Jim Klein and Julia Reichert. When, in junior year, the class was divided into small groups with the purpose of producing a short film, VanBebber, with partners Marcello Games and cinematographer Mike King, decided to shoot a full length feature. That film, 1988's Deadbeat at Dawn went on to earn true cult status, playing to crowds on 42nd Street and on many waning drive-in screens before landing on cable's The Movie Channel where it debuted on Joe Bob's Drive-In Theater, hosted by Joe Bob Briggs, who had singled out Deadbeat in his nationally syndicated four-star review.

With funds derived from the sale of Deadbeat, King, Games and VanBebber began their follow up production, The Manson Family, which brings us full circle

10/28/09

Michael Pare'

Actor Michael Pare' is having quite a year, with four films currently in various stages of production, including director Albert Pyun's intriguing looking Road to Hell, from which the still on the left is taken. Recently, Jim VanBebber met Mr. Pare' after an event to mark the DVD release of Eric Red's new film 100 Feet. One thing led to another and after reading (and loving) CAPONE: King of Crime, Mr. Pare' has signed a letter of intent to appear in the film.

Frankly, we could imagine him in any number of roles, including as Al's first boss, that torpedo Frankie "The Undertaker" Yale, but he sure looks a lot like "Machine Gun" Jack McGurn.

In any event, we're thrilled to be associated with the star of Eddie and the Crusiers, The Philadelphia Experiment and my personal favorite, Walter Hill's "rock and roll fable" Streets of Fire. Interestingly enough, the aforementioned Road to Hell is intended as an unofficial sequel to Streets of Fire (Pare's character is named "Cody") and also includes actress Deborah Van Valkenburgh as "Sister."

2 comments:

dreamcatcher said...: Fantastic news! Michael Pare' has the talent to make the characters "talk" to us!; October 28, 2009 at 6:00 PM
Anonymous said...: Hummm, this sounds really interesting. Capone certainly was bigger than life. Pare` is still really hot at 51 and can act especially if well directed!
Hope this actually comes together for you guys!
Dragonflyryder; November 3, 2009 at 5:44 PM