{"id":11523,"date":"2011-12-16T11:11:34","date_gmt":"2011-12-16T00:11:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/roberthood.net\/blog\/?p=11523"},"modified":"2011-12-16T15:48:10","modified_gmt":"2011-12-16T04:48:10","slug":"update-the-search-for-gila-monster-fodder-begins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/roberthood.net\/blog\/index.php\/2011\/12\/16\/update-the-search-for-gila-monster-fodder-begins\/","title":{"rendered":"Update: The Search for Gila Monster Fodder Begins!"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Though the final cast list for the upcoming The Giant Gila Monster<\/em> remake by co-directors Tony Randel and Jim Wynorski has been doing the rounds — including the interesting news that original Giant Gila Monster<\/em> (1959) star Don Sullivan (above) is returning in the remake — what the Backbrain has been told by the guys from the Franklin, Indiana film festival, The B Movie Celebration, is that the SyFy Channel monster movie, currently being filmed under the title Gila!<\/em> is in need of Gila Monster chow.<\/p>\n

They are seeking 100 extras to act in the film Gila!<\/em> Set in Franklin Indiana, Gila!<\/em>
\ntells the story of a small Mid-West town that’s being ravaged by a giant mutated gila monster. (Hey! It happens all the time!) A scene to be shot in Franklin at Franklin college is a typically period sock hop that takes place at the closing of the film. (If you don’t know what a “sock hop” is, check out the 1959 version, or any number of 1950s teen flicks…)<\/p>\n

“We are shooting 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM December 16th at the Fitness center in Franklin college in Franklin Indiana,” our correspondent told us. “We are looking for extras to dress in jeans, white t-shirt (plain) and running shoes.”<\/p>\n

So, want to get eaten by a giant Gila Monster? Head for the Franklin college Fitness Center and you can be on the menu! The address is: The Franklin College Fitness Center, Grizzly Drive, Franklin, Indiana.<\/p>\n

For more on the remake, see this previous Backbrain article<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Return of Don Sullivan<\/strong><\/p>\n

At this stage we don’t know what kind of role original Giant Gila Monster<\/em> star Don Sullivan has in the remake — or whether his ukelele will make a cameo appearance or even have some “lines” of its own — but it’s great to see an old veteran return to the screen in a remake of what may be his most famous — or infamous — role — 50 years on.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Don Sullivan (and ukelele) at Monster Bash 2008, where he was a guest<\/h5>\n

The whole thing is rather like the return to the screen of James Best in the remake of his own low-budget exploitation classic, The Killer Shrews<\/em>, also from 1959 — Return of the Killer Shrews<\/em> (US-2012; dir. Steve Latshaw). In fact, in a further synchronicity, the production company for both original The Killer Shrews<\/em> and The Giant Gila Monster<\/em> films had intended them to be released as part of a double feature. Maybe the remakes will play together in a double one of these days!<\/p>\n

For completeness’ sake, the final cast of Gila!<\/em> consists of Brian Gross, Madeline Voges, Christine De Rosa, Jesse Janzen, Terence Knox (seen below as the Sheriff), Kelli Maroney, Gerard Pauwels, Rich Komenich and, of course, Don Sullivan.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>In the Gallery below there are a bunch of on-location production pictures, courtesy of producer\/screenwriter Bill Dever.<\/p>\n

Gallery<\/strong>:<\/p>\n