Exclusive: In the Devil's Courthouse

The title In the Devil's Courthouse conjures up lots of things, but that the film might be a classic cryptozoological creature feature wasn't at the forefront of my thoughts on the matter.

Synopsis:

It lives on this mountain. On The Devil’s Courthouse. The Cherokee people knew of the evil that lurks there. They carved the story of the beast into stone for all to see and to serve as a warning throughout the ages. A warning that too many have ignored for too long. Now, the beast has emerged from the darkness... and it’s hungry. Unfortunately for Leah and her newest boyfriend, Josh, they’re about to find out the terrifying truth behind the legend. Soon after their camp site is attacked, Leah makes a desperate phone call to her brother, Steve, while running for her life. Steve rushes to the rescue with his girlfriend, Lauren, and Max, a fellow police officer. After tracking his sister for hours, the group is thrown into a terrifying struggle for survival as the “Devil” judges their souls and decides which of them will live and which of them will die. Can any of them survive the nightmare in the woods at the Devil’s Courthouse?

On the other hand, that it might involve a lot of blood was always on the cards. The devil's just like that, you know. Judgemental in the extreme. And not prone to being just.

Latest Trailer:

Second Poster:

Made for Brain Juice Productions by writer/director/producer Ken Comito, In the Devil's Courthouse is in the final stages of post-production, with Comito shooting some add-on footage and tweaking some technical hitches. He expects the film to be released later in the year.

Although it was conceived and written using the “cabin in the woods” or “come to me” formula for simplicity and with budget in mind, the screenplay and subsequent production of In the Devil’s Courthouse quickly evolved beyond either of these two structural definitions. This was in part due t necessity. The simple, budget-friendly, one location aspect of the “cabin in the woods” formula became more complex as the interior of the primary “cabin” location was too small to accommodate cast and crew. We had to plan for a second “cabin” for all interior shots and some exterior shots. The number of exterior shooting locations also quickly multiplied. We found so many beautiful locations, from the Pisgah Covered Bridge in Asheboro to numerous locations at Hanging Rock State Park and along the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Appalachian Mountains, that we had to incorporate them into the movie. (Press release)

The main cast is:

Ashley Marie Nelson .................................... Leah
Dustin Webb ................................................. Steve
Kristen Snider ............................................... Lauren
Patrick Ferrara .............................................. Max
Duane Trunnell ............................................. Danny

Below is a prop from the film, a map showing "the Courthouse":

 

More information (and lots of production stills) can be found on the film's official website. An interview with the director appears on The Times News.

• Source: Brain Juice Productions via Avery Guerra; Press release; Official website; Facebook page. See also Horror-Movies.ca.
• Written by Robert Hood

Addendum: Old Teaser Trailer: