Actor Danny Trejo got here to Oklahoma to lift a couple of allies from the useless and assist a damsel in misery.
Trejo is usually solid as a baddie, however he was a protagonist in “Machete,” and he’s the man you need to root for in “Seven Cemeteries,” a shot-in-Oklahoma movie that may make its world premiere July 13 on the 2024 Circle Cinema Movie Competition. Director John Gulager, son of late Oklahoma actor Clu Gulager, will attend the premiere. For tickets and a full schedule, go to circlecinema.org.
Gulager stated he didn’t know Trejo till they teamed up on “Seven Cemeteries.” Gulager stated Trejo is “only a very nice man.”
Trejo was, in truth, this good: “After we shot this factor, Covid was nonetheless occurring, and we had been attempting to maintain him from getting Covid. However he would maintain going off to the resorts or the casinos and, anybody that will come as much as him, he would simply allow them to give him an enormous hug, and we’d be like, ‘No, no!’ However it labored out OK.”
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Although “Seven Cemeteries” was filmed primarily in Okarche, the story takes place in a county on the U.S.-Mexico border. It’s a basic story with a supernatural spin.
“Seven Cemeteries” relies (very loosely, stated Gulager) on “The Magnificent Seven” and “Seven Samurai.” The latter was a 1954 Japanese movie that impressed a 1960 Western and a 2016 remake.
In “Seven Cemeteries,” Trejo performs ex-con Santana Bravo, who’s summoned to Diablo County to assist Carmela (Samantha Ashley) defend her residence from a takeover by a cruel drug lord. Battle ensues, and, left for useless, Bravo is rescued by a witch who is aware of (and shares) the key of elevating the useless. Bravo visits a collection of cemeteries to resurrect undead allies who will help together with his mission.
“We name them the residing impaired,” Gulager stated. “I suppose it may very well be the residing adjoining.”
The allies (amongst them are two luchadores, a hockey goon and a baseball fanatic who goes by the title Tommy Lasorda) are blessed with particular abilities that ought to turn out to be useful in a rumble towards a drug kingpin’s enforcers. Undead fighters who’re resistant to bullets ought to have the ability to kick butt in a turf warfare, however issues come up to create moments of what’s-going-to-happen-next suspense.
Mentioned Gulager throughout a cellphone chat concerning the movie: “It’s not ‘The Godfather.’ However it’s enjoyable.”
Don’t assume from the title that “Seven Cemeteries” is straight horror. Some moments aren’t for the squeamish, however, as Gulager acknowledges, it’s actually not a scary film. It’s against the law and journey movie with comedy and horror components. That’s Gulager’s wheelhouse. His first characteristic movie was 2005’s “Feast,” described as an motion horror comedy. “Feast” emerged from “Challenge Greenlight,” a documentary TV collection that gave first-time filmmakers an opportunity to direct a characteristic. Producers included Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. Two “Feast” sequels adopted for Gulager, as did different horror-flavored movies.
Horror comedy runs within the household. Clu Gulager starred within the 1985 zombie comedy “Return of the Residing Useless.” Born in Holdenville with roots in Muskogee and Tahlequah, Clu made his first main movie look 60 years in the past in “The Killers.” Different movement photos on his resume had been “The Final Image Present,” “McQ” and “As soon as Upon a Time in Hollywood,” his last movie earlier than his demise in 2022.
John Gulager was born in New York and raised in California. He stated he nonetheless has household in Oklahoma. An actor, cinematographer and director, he was requested about gravitating to movie work.
“It’s the trade out right here,” Gulager stated, referring to California. “It’s like films and aerospace, I suppose. So, I type of did (movie work). I don’t know find out how to do anything. I’m not saying I’m good at this, both. I simply say I don’t know find out how to do anything. However, on the identical time, my dad type of had a mistrust of the trade a part of it, the studios, as a result of they’re slightly repressive so far as concepts and simply something wild. They need the whole lot fairly homogenous. And so I type of fought towards it for a very long time, however then I form of gave in so I can really earn a residing, I suppose. In order that’s labored out.”
It “labored out” with Gulager getting stable performances from actors in “Seven Cemeteries.” Audiences will need corrupt Sheriff Jake (Ronnie Clark) and accordion-playing drug lord El Abuelo (Sal Lopez) to get a comeuppance.
The solid contains Efren Ramirez (“Napoleon Dynamite”) as Miguel, Vincent M. Ward as Eugene Dobroz, Lew Temple as Tommy Lasorda, Richard Esteras as Quasimodo, Emma Ramos as Dolores, Mickey Koga as Stickface, Terri Hoyos as Viejita, Maria Canals Barrera as The Bruja and Sol Rodriguez as Guadalupe.
Gilbert Trejo — Danny’s son — seems as Younger Bravo in flashback sequences and served because the second unit director.
“He’s a filmmaker,” Gulager stated. “We’re most likely going to see some massive issues from him.”
Gulager stated “Seven Cemeteries” was filmed in Okarche due to a “nice” farmhouse he and others have used as a capturing location. Chickasha additionally was amongst capturing areas.
“We might base out of Oklahoma Metropolis as a result of that’s the place we may all keep,” he stated. “Then we’d head out.”
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