Jack Attack (film)

Last updated
Jack Attack
JackAttack.jpg
Film poster
Directed byBryan Norton &
Antonio Padovan
Written byBryan Norton &
Antonio Padovan
Produced by
Starring
  • Helen Rogers
  • Tyler Rossell
CinematographyGordon Yu
Edited byMike Maclean
Music byMarco Werba
Production
company
Brickwall Productions
Distributed by
Release date
Running time
>9 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Jack Attack is a 2013 American short holiday horror film about a babysitter (Helen Rogers), her charge Jack (Tyler Rossell), and parasitic pumpkins, written and directed by Bryan Norton and Antonio Padovan, who were also responsible, respectively, for special make-up and mechanical effects, and set design. The short was selected by more than a hundred festivals internationally and won more than thirty awards, and was selected for two anthology films in the US: Seven Hells (2014), and All Hallows' Eve 2 (2015). [1] [2]

Contents

Plot

On Hallowe'en night, in a West Village townhouse, babysitter Elizabeth carves a Jack O'Lantern out of a pumpkin with the help of Jack, the boy she is looking after, his terrier Oscar barking and watching excitedly. She is vexed because her boyfriend Elliott is running late. The job done, she puts the seeds on a tray and cooks them in the oven. After, all three of them eat a few seeds, when Jack begins to choke. Elizabeth tries to perform the Heimlich maneuver but fails and the boy passes out. Not knowing what else to do, she takes a knife and attempts to perform a tracheotomy so he can breathe. Blood spurts when she cuts a hole in his neck, and she notices something that may be the seed and attempts to dig it out with the knife; it turns out to be a long vine. Jack's abdomen swells underneath his shirt and explodes. Horrified, Elizabeth notices her own belly beginning to swell. Using the knife, she cuts across it in the manner of a Caesarean section, and pumpkins and thick vines explode from her body, and her head slumps down. Oscar whines. Outside, Elliott finally arrives and enters the townhouse. He is heard calling for her briefly, and vines are seen creeping quickly within across the windows.

Cast

Production

Background and inspiration

Bryan Norton had been Antonio Padovan's directing teacher at the New York Film Academy, [3] where Padovan directed his first two short films, Socks and Cakes and his student thesis, Perry St.. [4] Norton was now the Academy's Chairperson. [5] They decided to use Norton's access to equipment and crew to their advantage. Padovan said: "We've always talked about making a movie based in the West Village in fall ... Because it photographs very well". [3] After toying with a few unfeasible ideas, Norton jokingly said: "We could even make a movie just about a pumpkin ... And we came up with this idea." [3]

Writing and casting

Norton and Padovan were admirers of Helen Rogers' work in V/H/S ; the segment "The Sick Thing" led them to reconceive Jack Attack's lead role. Originally, the central characters were imagined as a mother and son, with the former part to be cast with an age-appropriate genre favorite, as Norton explained:

It was going to be written for someone I grew up with as a horror fan ... Kristy Swanson, Angela Bettis, Catherine Mary Stewart, who's an old friend; we looked at so many people. Then we saw V/H/S and were like, "Let's write it for a babysitter." [3]

Filming

Jack Attack was filmed on location in the West Village and on a soundstage at Rollin Studios in Brooklyn. [3]

Release

Jack Attack premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival, where it was paired with The Conjuring on opening night (18 July 2013). [6] It was selected by more than a hundred festivals internationally, including Milan, Sitges, Fantafestival, Melbourne, Fantastic Fest, and the New York City Horror Film Festival. [1] [2] [7] At the Calgary Underground Film Festival, the short was paired with Drew Bolduc's Science Team (2014). [8] In Los Angeles, the film was shown at Mann's Chinese Theatre. [1]

Anthology films

The short has since achieved a wider release as part of two anthology films in the US: [1] Seven Hells (Gateway Films, Best of Fest, and Hands Off Productions), made up of seven award-winning horror and dark comedy shorts, [9] was released in theaters "just in time for Halloween", in October 2014. [10] All Hallows’ Eve 2, nominally a sequel to All Hallows' Eve , is also a standalone film from Ruthless Pictures containing nine story segments. [11] Jack Attack is the first segment. [12]

Home media and streaming

The film is available in its entirety on Vimeo.

All Hallows' Eve 2 was released in VOD and digital formats on October 6, 2015, and had a DVD release on February 2, 2016. [13] [14] A DVD featuring both All Hallows' Eve and the "sequel" as a "Halloween double feature" was released on September 13, 2016. [15]

Reception

Critical response

Thomas M. Sipos said Jack Attack is a "one-note film", but it deserved its award at Shriekfest, appreciating "Gordon Yu's beautiful, golden-hued cinematography". [16] Richard Whittaker of the Austin Chronicle called Jack Attack "ghoulishly entertaining", [17] while Jo Satana called it "punchy and strangely whimsical". [6] A Canadian reviewer agreed, noting the "genuinely sweet interactions between Elizabeth and Jack, with both actors giving good, believable performances" which are "almost heartwarming", elements which are daring and "quite effective" in a horror film:

There are times when Jack Attack goes into some pretty gruesome and even frightening places, but it's not done in a mean-spirited fashion. In fact, Jack Attack blends a tasty mix of horror and fun, which is really the perfect recipe for capturing the spirit of Halloween. ... Jack Attack features an impressively high level of production value, which is matched by great sound design and gruesomely satisfying special effects. [18]

A Screen Anarchy reviewer suggested the film was "the perfect morsel to whet the appetite of a festival audience before a feature presentation", saying the directors "employ a slow burn", the small cast forming a "nuanced trio in order to twist the knife a bit further". [19]

Selected accolades

Jack Attack is said to have won more than thirty awards or honors, [1] including but not limited to the following:

Awards
Special mention
  • Fantafestival • Honorable mention (Bryan Norton, Antonio Padovan, Joseph Zaso) [27]
Nominations

In 2014, Norton said he was writing a feature-length film that would incorporate Jack Attack as a subplot, "but basically will be Greenwich Village in New York City on one crazy Halloween night." [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halloween</span> Annual celebration held on 31 October

Halloween or Hallowe'en is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day. It is at the beginning of the observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed. In popular culture, the day has become a celebration of horror, being associated with the macabre and supernatural.

<i>Trick r Treat</i> 2007 American film by Michael Dougherty

Trick 'r Treat is a 2007 American anthology horror film written and directed by Michael Dougherty and produced by Bryan Singer. The film stars Dylan Baker, Rochelle Aytes, Anna Paquin and Brian Cox. It relates four Halloween horror stories with a common element in them: Sam, a trick-or-treating demon wearing orange footie pajamas with a burlap sack over his head. The character appears in each story whenever one of the other characters breaks a Halloween tradition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shriekfest</span> Horror film festival

Shriekfest Horror Film Festival was a film festival specializing in the horror genre. It was one of the longest running horror festivals in Los Angeles, until 2021. In 2017, Shriekfest expanded to include an Orlando, FL festival location.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas Tait (actor)</span> American actor, stuntman, and independent filmmaker (born 1978)

Douglas Tait is an American actor, and independent filmmaker. Tait has played characters in several films, including Freddy vs. Jason, Star Trek, Zathura: A Space Adventure, Land of the Lost, Annabelle Comes Home, and Hellboy.

<i>All Hallows Eve</i> (2013 film) 2013 film by Damien Leone

All Hallows' Eve is a 2013 American horror anthology film written, directed and edited by Damien Leone, in his feature film directorial debut. The film is presented as a series of shorts that two children and their babysitter discover on an unmarked videotape on Halloween night, all of which feature a homicidal clown named Art the Clown. The film stars Katie Maguire, Catherine Callahan, Marie Maser, and Kayla Lian, with Mike Giannelli as Art the Clown. It incorporates footage from the 2008 short film The 9th Circle, as well as the 2011 short film Terrifier, both of which were also directed by Leone and featured Art the Clown.

<i>Tales of Halloween</i> 2015 American film

Tales of Halloween is a 2015 American comedy horror anthology film consisting of ten interlocking segments, each revolving around the holiday indicated by the title. Segments were directed by Neil Marshall, Darren Lynn Bousman, Axelle Carolyn, Lucky McKee, Andrew Kasch, Paul Solet, John Skipp, Adam Gierasch, Jace Anderson, Mike Mendez, Ryan Schifrin, and Dave Parker.

<i>The Barn</i> (film) 2016 American horror film

The Barn is a 2016 American horror film written and directed by Justin M. Seaman, and starring Mitchell Musolino, Will Stout, Lexi Dripps, Cortland Woodard, Nikki Howell, Nickolaus Joshua, Linnea Quigley, and Ari Lehman. The film is set on Halloween night 1989 and follows two teenage friends that end up accidentally resurrecting a deadly curse. A sequel, The Barn Part II, was released in 2022.

<i>Terrifier</i> 2016 film by Damien Leone

Terrifier is a 2016 American independent slasher film written and directed by Damien Leone. The film stars Jenna Kanell, Samantha Scaffidi, David Howard Thornton, and Catherine Corcoran. The plot centers on partygoer Tara Heyes (Kanell) and her sister Victoria (Scaffidi), who become targets of the enigmatic serial killer known only as Art the Clown (Thornton) on Halloween night.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antonio Padovan</span> Italian film director, producer, and screenwriter

Antonio Padovan is an Italian-born film director, producer, screenwriter, and video artist who lives in New York City, known for his short films Socks and Cakes (2010), Jack Attack (2013), Eveless (2016), and his first feature, The Last Prosecco (2017). His video Japan, Beyond (2012) won the first prize at the Stand for Japan Awards, while Jack Attack was selected by more than fifty international film festivals and won dozens of awards and other honors. He was born and raised in the Veneto region, near Venice, but has called New York's West Village home since 2007, and is the co-founder of the Greenwich Village Film Festival.

<i>Eveless</i> 2016 American film

Eveless is a 2016 American short science-fiction horror film directed and co-written by Antonio Padovan about two men living in a world without women who attempt to create one with only the limited resources they have gathered. Stars Vin Kridakorn and Greg Engbrecht were also the short's executive producers.

<i>Galaxy of Horrors</i> 2017 Canadian film

Galaxy of Horrors is a 2017 Canadian science-fiction horror anthology film consisting of eight short films within larger "wraparound" framing sequences before and after each of the shorts, in which a man wakes from a cryogenic sleep pod and is forced to watch the films as entertainment while his life-support runs out. The shorts are by international filmmakers such as Antonio Padovan, Javier Chillon, Benni Diez, and Marinko Spahić, while Justin McConnell directed the wraparound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Art the Clown</span> Fictional character in the Terrifier franchise

Art the Clown is a fictional character and the primary antagonist in the Terrifier franchise and related media. Created by Damien Leone, the character first appeared in the short films The 9th Circle (2008) and Terrifier (2011). Both shorts were included in the anthology film All Hallows' Eve (2013) which marked the character's feature film debut. In these early appearances, he was portrayed by Mike Giannelli before his retirement from acting. He was replaced by David Howard Thornton, who portrayed Art in Terrifier (2016), Terrifier 2 (2022), and Terrifier 3 (2024).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damien Leone</span> American film director, special effects artist, writer and producer

Damien Leone is an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer known for writing and directing All Hallows' Eve (2013), Terrifier (2016), Terrifier 2 (2022), and Terrifier 3 (2024), each of which feature his character Art the Clown. He is currently working on Terrifier 3 (2024).

<i>The Terror of Hallows Eve</i> 2017 American film

The Terror of Hallow's Eve is a 2017 American horror film directed by Todd Tucker and starring Caleb Thomas.

Nightmares Film Festival is a destination film festival for horror and genre films in Columbus, Ohio. It hosts celebrities, artists, filmmakers, screenwriters, industry reps and press from the horror genre. It is frequently cited as one of the most influential genre film festivals in the USA and is recognized internationally.

<i>All Hallows Eve 2</i> 2015 American horror anthology film

All Hallows' Eve 2 is a 2015 American horror anthology film. The film is a standalone sequel to All Hallows' Eve (2013). The film was released on VOD and digital on October 6, 2015, and had a DVD release on February 2, 2016. The film grossed $31,603 in home sales.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Antonio Padovan". Scare LA. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  2. 1 2 "Cast". fincheceprosecco.it (in Italian). The Last Prosecco (official website). Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Gingold, Michael (January 3, 2013). "Halloween Horrors With "JACK ATTACK"". Fangoria . Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  4. ↑ "Writer / Director Antonio Padovan". Thompson Communications. Retrieved 6 March 2019.[ permanent dead link ]
  5. 1 2 Gossett, Denise (interviewer). "This month Festival Director Denise Gossett spoke with Bryan Norton, director of 2006's Best Short Film "Penny Dreadful" and 2013's Best Super Short Film "Jack Attack"!". Shriekfest. Retrieved 12 March 2019.{{cite web}}: |first1= has generic name (help)
  6. 1 2 Satana, Jo (23 July 2013). "Fantasia Film Festival 2013: A Tender Rump for a Firm Opening (Day 1)". Destroy the Brain. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  7. ↑ Heller-Nicholas, Alexandra. "Eveless". Monster Fest. Archived from the original on 7 March 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  8. ↑ Eleventh Calgary Underground Film Festival: festival guide (PDF). Calgary: [Calgary Underground Film Festival]. 2014. p. 32. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  9. ↑ "Seven Hells". Riverfront Times . Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  10. ↑ "Seven Hells - A Feature Horror Collection (Teaser)". YouTube . Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  11. ↑ "Review: ALL HALLOWS' EVE 2 Needs More Evil Clown". Screen Anarchy. 1 February 2016. Archived from the original on 1 May 2018. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  12. ↑ Wilson, Mike (19 January 2016). "[Review] 'All Hallow's Eve 2' Lags Behind Other Anthologies". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  13. ↑ "'All Hallows' Eve 2' Trailer and Stills Give Tricks and Treats! - Bloody Disgusting". bloody-disgusting.com. 4 January 2016. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  14. ↑ Juvinall, Michael. "All Hallows' Eve 2 (2015) Review". Horror Society. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  15. ↑ "All Hallows' Eve / All Hallows' Eve 2 Double Feature". Amazon. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  16. ↑ Sipos, Thomas M. "SHRIEKFEST 2013 SHORT FILM REVEWS". Hollywood Investigator. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  17. ↑ Whittaker, Richard (February 7, 2006). "DVDanger: Hellions". The Austin Chronicle . Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  18. ↑ "Short Film Review: Jack Attack". www.horror-movies.ca. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  19. ↑ K, Peter. "Fantasia 2013: JACK ATTACK Whets The Horror Comedy Appetite In 8 Minutes". Screen Anarchy . Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  20. ↑ Rosser, Michael (August 8, 2013). "Fantasia win for Big Bad Wolves". Screen Daily . Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  21. ↑ James, Jonathan. "Fantasia 2013 Award Winners Include Big Bad Wolves, Curse of Chucky". Daily Dead. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  22. ↑ Miska, Brad. "Movies [Fantasia '13] 'Curse of Chucky' Wins Audience Award; 'Big Bad Wolves' For Best Film!". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  23. ↑ "2013 Shriekfest Winners". Shriekfest. Archived from the original on 5 April 2017. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  24. ↑ "Palmarès des courts-métrages en compétition bloody week-end 2013". science-fiction-fantastique.com (in French). Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  25. ↑ "Jack Attack". Magnet Film. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  26. 1 2 "Official 2013 Claw Award Winners and Nominees" (PDF). Terror Film Festival. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  27. 1 2 "Jack Attack". fashionlove-974.skyrock.com (in French). Retrieved 13 March 2019.
  28. ↑ "Euthanas Inc. Competes At MIFF of Milan". The House of Films. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.