This Bug's Got Bite!

Remember the much-anticipated hillbilly horror/giant monster flick The Millennium Bug, directed by Kenneth Cran. Well, in case you've been living under a rock (and who doesn't sometimes) here's some comprehensive Undead Backbrain articles to remind you.

While they're off reading those, the rest of you can take a gander at the latest picture of the monster and his very special grin. Click on the image to get the full effect!

The film is completed and a limited early release DVD is now on sale (well before it's introduced to the world through a mainstream distributor). Right now, you can pick it up for $15 from http://mbugmovie.com/store.html. Buyers of this limited release DVD get exclusive access to the latest behind-the-scenes video, which shows (we're told) how they "filmed the scene in which actress Ginger Pullman gets slimed by the monster". The first thousand people who order the DVD will also be entered into a raffle for a signed piece of original artwork by director Kenneth Cran.

I haven't seen the film yet, but a few lucky reviewers have and the reception is enthusiastic. For example, Ain't It Cool News describes it as "...a dash of GODZILLA, a sprinkle of TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, and hell, even a bit of JURASSIC PARK mixed in" and io9.com adds: "... a seriously gory flick that answers the age-old question of what would happen if Godzilla rampaged through a Rob Zombie movie."

So far, The Millennium Bug is entered in eight festivals, in California, New York, Georgia, Indiana, Canada, France, and England. Tickets and information for each festival are on the website. Of special interest will be its presence on the program for the B Movie Celebration in Franklin, Indiana, which runs from 23rd to 25th of September (details can be found in this Brainspasm article).

Finally, I'll leave you with the really good news that the film's creators are giving away a free copy of the limited edition DVD each month to new email list members. So join the M-Bug team, and tell your friends to do likewise, for a chance at winning a copy of the movie: http://mbugmovie.com/join.html

Addendum: Four Behind-the-Scenes/Making of videos are now available, just like this one about making the monster's head:

Source: Press release (via Avery Guerra). Written by Robert Hood

Update: More on the Bug

The Backbrain has been busy with other things lately... you know, life. Or at least an approximation thereof. So some news items have slipped into the dark. One series I want to drag back into the light is the ongoing Behind the Scenes information being released by producer James Cran in relation to the giant monster / hillbilly horror epic The Millennium Bug (US-2011; dir. Ken Cran) -- especially in advance of the film's world premiere screening at the 14th annual Dances With Films festival on Friday, June 3 at 11:45 PM at the Laemmle Sunset 5 in Los Angeles. Tickets are available by visiting http://danceswithfilms.com/2011_listings_15.html.

Part 1: The Script looked at the development of the story and original screenplay, Part 2: The Monster revealed how the titular monster was created, and Part 3: The Storyboards showed how director Ken Cran went about creating ultra-detailed storyboards.

Since then the Crans have spilled the beans on a number of other significant aspects of the production:

• Part 4: The Warehouse. Says director Cran: "Preproduction continued, and ramped up considerably when a suitable warehouse was found in North Hollywood. Why a warehouse? Simple: cost. We considered actual soundstages for a day, but once we realized that soundstage space was way outside our budget, we committed to a warehouse."

• Part 5: The Aesthetic: "How would the effects look? The production design? The lighting and cinematography?"

• Part 6: The Miniatures Part 1. "How can you tell a man in a monster suit is supposed to be a giant unless you have something to compare it to? Simple. You build miniatures."

• Part 7: The Miniatures Part 2. "The most challenging of the models to build were the various structures comprising the ghost town of Mason's Grove. I love ghost towns, so I was really looking forward to building Mason's Grove. I had done some research while visiting the ghost town of Rhyolite in Nevada, taking lots of photos and really absorbing the atmosphere."

All fascinating stuff. So head along to the official website to get all the gory details.

Source: James Cran. Research by Avery Guerra. Written by Robert Hood. For more information on the film check out these Undead Backbrain links.