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Lake Michigan Monster
Official release poster
Directed byRyland Brickson Cole Tews
Written byRyland Brickson Cole Tews
Mike Cheslik
Produced byMike Cheslik
Sebastian Johnson
Ryland Brickson Cole Tews
StarringRyland Brickson Cole Tews
Erick West
Beulah Peters
Daniel Long
Wayne Tews
Edited byMike Cheslik
Music byChris Hoelter
Chris Ryan
De Wolfe Music
Production
company
Blood Sweat Honey
Distributed byArrow Films
Release dates
  • October 24, 2018 (2018-10-24) (Milwaukee Film Festival)
  • [1] ([1])
Running time
78 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$7,000 (estimated)[2]

Lake Michigan Monster is a 2018 black and white American adventure comedy horror film written, produced, and directed by Ryland Brickson Cole Tews, starring Tews, Erick West, Beulah Peters, Daniel Long, and Wayne Tews. It centers on an eccentric alcoholic who assembles a team to track down and kill the title monster out of revenge for the death of his father.

The Lake Michigan Monster was developed by Tews and Mike Cheslik after a conversation Tews had with a close friend on the possibility of what would happen if a monster washed up on the shores of Lake Michigan. The film was influenced by British comedy group Monty Python and the earlier episodes of the television series The Simpsons, with additional inspiration gathered from the films of Guy Maddin, specifically Brand Upon the Brain. The Lake Michigan Monster's visual style was developed out of necessity, as the only camera available developed only low-resolution footage. Filming began mostly around Milwaukee and Muskegon, Michigan, over the course of sixteen months.

It premiered at the Milwaukee Film Festival on October 24, 2018, and was later screened extensively at various film festivals in 2019. Video distribution company Arrow Video later purchased distribution rights to the film, releasing it via the company's channel and Video on demand on August 3, 2020, before releasing it on Blu-ray in the United Kingdom on November 2. In addition to garnering multiple awards and nominations, it was generally praised for its homage to 1960s B movies, humor, and use of practical and visual effects.

Plot

Seafield (Ryland Brickson Cole), an eccentric, alcoholic, and self-entitled captain, assembles a team of specialists in what he refers to as the "Team of the Century". The team consists of weapons expert Sean Shaughnessy (Erick West), sonar operator Nedge Pepsi (Beulah Peters), and so-called former Navy Officer Dick Flynn (Daniel Long). With Seafield in charge, they set out to track down and kill the title monster to avenge the death of his father. After several failed attempts, Seafield is forced to take matters into his own drunken hands.

Cast

  • Ryland Brickson Cole Tews as Seafield
  • Erick West as Sean Shaughnessy
  • Beulah Peters as Nedge Pepsi
  • Daniel Long as Dick Flynn
  • Wayne Tews as Ashcroft

Production

Development

The Lake Michigan Monster was written, produced, and directed by Ryland Brickson Cole Tews, with development for the film beginning sometime in 2018. Inspiration for the film came about after a conversation between Tews and his close friend Erick West. Tews, who was in the process of moving to Los Angeles at the time, was visiting Lake Michigan with West where the two jokingly struck up a conversation on what would happen if they were to witness a mermaid washing up on the shore of the lake. Believing the concept was a great idea for a potential feature film, Tews began developing the film's screenplay shortly afterward, marking Tews' feature film debut.[3][4][5] Concluding that the film would be a low-budget production, Tews developed the film's screenplay with fellow filmmaker Mike Cheslik around specific locations where he knew he could film at, with the intention that he (Tews) also starred in the film. Development of the film's screenplay was influenced by Tews' love of the British comedy group Monty Python and the earlier episodes of the television series The Simpsons.[3][6] Tews also listed additional influences such as the films of Guy Maddin, specifically Brand Upon the Brain (2006), and Sam Raimi's Evil Dead II (1987), for the film's humor and style.[4][7] Early on in development, the original idea of a mermaid was changed into that of a lake monster, as they felt it was "more attainable". Tews and co-writer and producer Cheslik also came up with the idea to keep the film at a brisk pace, reasoning that its potential audience would see through the film's limited budget and lose interest. Dialogue and characters were also deliberately structured around friends and family of Tews, whom he had in mind for certain roles. In an interview with Comic Book Resources, Tews stated, "They more or less play themselves in the movie, and because they're not classically trained actors... I kind of just wrote their characters as who they are in person".[6]

Filming

A medium shot of the Muskegon Pier Light of Lake Michigan
The shores of Lake Michigan, centered in Muskegon, Michigan, served as one of the film's shooting locations

Principal photography began in March 2017,[8] for a period of sixteen months, with shooting locations occurring mostly around Milwaukee and Muskegon, Michigan.[6][7] The film was shot using an old DSLR camera, owned by Tews girlfriend, actress Beuleh Peters, with low-resolution footage,[3][6] owing to the decision early on in production to shoot in black and white, which Tews later reflected helped the film to stand out among other productions at the time.[4][6] A majority of the film's budget, approximately $7,000,[6][7] was supplied by Tews from his side job as a pizza delivery man.[3] The film's cast and crew were mostly composed of personal friends of Tews, all of whom worked in multiple roles during production. According to Tews, there was no real director of cinematography, with both cast and crew members operating the camera during production.[6][7] With limited production funds, cast and crew members constantly devised methods of shooting sequences within the film's budget.[6] Underwater sequences proved to be the most difficult to shoot, as Tews stated in an interview with horror magazine Rue Morgue, the camera operators had a limited supply of oxygen and could only shoot for a short amount of time before surfacing for air.[4]

Special effects

The film's title monster was designed by veteran special effects artist and director Joe Castro, with additional help from cast member Erick West, who designed the claws.[6] Castro had previously contributed to over fifty productions,[9] notably, Evil Toons (1992), Campfire Tales (1997), Night of the Demons 3 (1997), and The Summer of Massacre (2012).[10] Working with Castro, Tews wanted the film's monster to be unique and "something you’d never seen before", also having the design resemble an (unmentioned) member of the film's cast.[6] The resulting design was noted by one critic as resembling the early works of cinematic pioneer Georges Méliès.[11]

While also serving as the film's editor, Cheslik contributed to the film's digital effects, working on over 300 effects shots depicted in the film.[6]

Release

Lake Michigan Monster premiered at the Milwaukee Film Festival on October 24, 2018.[1] The film was screened extensively at various film festivals in 2019, starting on February 2, where was screened at the Beloit International Film Festival, followed by a Q & A with director Tews.[12] On March 9 it was screened at the MidWest WeirdFest, as a part of the first seven films in its official line-up.[13] The 10th Annual Door County Short Film Fest presented a special screening of the film on April 19.[14] From April 7 to June 28 it would have screenings at the Milwaukee Twisted Dreams Film Festival, and the Vidlings & Tapeheads Film Festival, respectively.[15][16] It later had its international premiere on July 25, 2019, at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal.[17] It was a part of the official selection of films screened at the 6th annual FilmQuest film festival,[18] where it was screened on September 11.[19] The Bay City-based event known as the Hell's Half Mile Film & Music Festival screened the film on September 27,[20] and on September 29, the film was showcased at the Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival.[21]

The film continued to be showcased at multiple film festivals for the final half of 2019, most notably the Flyway Film Festival,[22] Lausanne Underground Film and Music Festival,[23] Nightmares Film Festival,[24] before having its premiere in the United Kingdom at the Abertoir Festival.[25]

Home media

On July 22, 2020, video distribution company Arrow Video announced that they had acquired distribution rights for the film, with a planned home media release in August of that same year.[26] It was released via the company's channel and Video on demand on August 3,[27] and later on Blu-ray in the United Kingdom on November 2, 2020.[28]

Reception

"Lake Michigan Monster has all the makings of a beloved cult classic, with a script laced with whip-smart quips that are shot like a quick-draw gunslinger. But as goofy as the film is, it shows a mature understanding of —and passion for — the world of cinema. The camera tricks and moments of visual comedy perfectly capture that maverick spirit of the early days of film. It’s inventive, engaging, and consistently fun."

– Kelly McNeely of iHorror.com[29]

Lake Michigan Monster received generally positive reviews from critics. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Lake Michigan Monster holds an approval rating of 85%, based on 20 reviews, and an average rating of 6.6/10.[30]

Critics have highlighted the film's homage to B movies from the last several decades. Richard Whittaker of The Austin Chronicle praised its humor as a throwback to the 1980s and 1960s low-budget cinema, calling it "a micro-budget, black-and-white whimsical voyage of wonderful waffling".[31] Other critics have similarly highlighted the film's retroactive style and humor. Referring to the film as "a gloriously weird mash-up of genres and decades that revels in its low-budget strangeness and offbeat humor", Jessica Scott of Nightmarish Conjurings further highlighted the film for its parody of low-budget monster movies and 1980s action film tropes.[32] Tampa Bay based publication Creative Loafing praised the film "an evolution and reinvention of every schlocky black-and-white monster movie from the 1950s that you used to watch on Saturday afternoon TV."[8] Rating the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, Drew Tinnin of Dread Central commented on the film's blend of various classic films, dreamlike quality, and idiotic charm, calling it "a unique blend of 50s sci-fi, superhero team-ups, and seafaring epics".[33] Online publication Film Threat's Joshua Speiser referred to it as "[a] love letter to B-grade 1950s monster movies", commending the humor and Ed Wood-style visual aesthetic.[34]

The film's practical effects were positively reviewed by some critics. Grant Hermanns from ComingSoon.net commended the film's use of practical effects, praising their ingenuity and uniqueness.[11] Rue Morgue magazine's Dakota Dahl praised the film's parodying of low-budget monster movies, highlighting its practical effects as "intentionally cheesy" while also being 'technically impressive'.[35] Nightmarish Conjurings's Scott felt the effects were well-made, with the monster design, in particular, being "genuinely disturbing".[32]

The offbeat humor and witty dialogue were reviewed favorably by critics. Tracy Allen of PopHorror compared the film's comedic elements to Don Coscarelli's 2012 film adaption of John Dies at the End, while also commending the film for its fast pacing.[36] Scott felt that Tews did an excellent job in bestowing the film with a sense of "bizarro charm", in particular, praising the visual gags and dialogue.[32] On Yorkshire Magazine further echoed this sentiment towards the visual gags and dialogue.[37] Gruesome Magazine offered similar praise, further noting the comedic elements often switched between what he called "Vaudvillian corny to laugh-out-loud hilarious".[38] MovieWeb's Michael Gursky summarized the film by writing, "Littered with dry wit, slapstick bits, caricaturistic characters, kooky edits, and brief homages to classic B horror, Lake Michigan Monster is an earnestly funny, one-of-a-kind wild joy to watch."[39]

In 2023, the film website Collider ranked the film at No. 3 in their list of "10 Underrated Horror Comedies From the 2010s".[40]

Accolades

Since its premiere in 2018, the film has gained numerous nominations and awards from various film festivals.

Award/association Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) and nominee(s) Result Ref.
Fantasia Film Festival August 6, 2019 Best International Feature Ryland Brickson Cole Tews (director), Mike Cheslik (producer) Won [41]
FilmQuest September 14, 2019 Best Visual Effects – Feature Mike Cheslik Won [42]
Best Director – Feature Ryland Brickson Cole Tews Nominated
Best Ensemble Cast – Feature Lake Michigan Monster Nominated
Best Editing – Feature Mike Cheslik Nominated
Best Sound – Feature Bobb Barito (sound mixer) Nominated
Best Score – Feature Lake Michigan Monster Nominated
Best Production Design / Art Direction – Feature Nominated
Best Costumes – Feature Nominated
Best Makeup – Feature Nominated
Nightmares Film Festival October 31, 2019 Best Actor Feature Ryland Brickson Cole Tews Nominated [43]
Best Midnight Feature Lake Michigan Monster Nominated
Film Threat Award This! April 18, 2021 Award This! WTF Indie like "What the F**k is This Movie Even?" Nominated [44]
Jim Thorpe Independent Film Festival April 23, 2021 Best Comedy Won
Best Actor Ryland Brickson Cole Tews Nominated [45]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Mueller, Matt (October 24, 2018). "Here's your complete 2018 Milwaukee Film Festival schedule". OnMilwaukee.com. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  2. ^ Sorrento, Matthew (December 31, 2020). "Guy Maddin Meets SpongeBob: Ryland Brickson Cole Tews' Lake Michigan Monster (Arrow Video)". Film International. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d Mueller, Matt (October 24, 2018). "The MKE-made "Lake Michigan Monster" makes landfall at the film festival". OnMilwaukee. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d Dahl, Dakota (August 11, 2020). "Exclusive Interview: We Do A Deep Dive With "Lake Michigan Monster"s Ryland Tews". Rue Morgue. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  5. ^ Muir, Nathaniel (August 10, 2020). "The Lake Michigan Monster interview: Ambiguous, wacky, and fun". AIPTComics.com. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Vinney, Cynthia (August 19, 2020). "Lake Michigan Monster's Ryland Tews On His Trippy Indie (+ An Exclusive Clip)". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d Klein, Paul (September 28, 2020). "Ryland Brickson Cole Tews interview: Lake Michigan Monster, difficult dad actors and The Revenant… with Beavers!". No Majesty.com. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  8. ^ a b Allman, John (August 4, 2020). "Instant cult classic 'Lake Michigan Monster' reinvents genre cinema on a shoestring". Creative Loafing. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  9. ^ Murphree, Zach (November 8, 2018). "Practical Magic: An Interview with Splatter FX Master Joe Castro". HorrorGeekLife. Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  10. ^ Tilley, Doug (April 25, 2012). "No-Budget Nightmares – Interview with The Summer of Massacre Director Joe Castro". DailyGrindhouse. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  11. ^ a b Hermanns, Grant (August 11, 2020). "Lake Michigan Monster Review: A Dizzying & Outrageous Laugh Riot!". ComingSoon.net. Evolve Media Holdings, LLC. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  12. ^ n.a. (January 1, 2019). "Lake Michigan Monster – BIFF". BeloitFilmFest.org. Beloit International Film Festival. Archived from the original on August 15, 2019. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  13. ^ Halen, Adrian (January 26, 2019). "MidWest WeirdFest 2019 First Programming Wave Announced". HorrorNews.net. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  14. ^ n.a. (April 1, 2019). "Encore Presentation of Door County Short Film Fest in Ellison Bay on April 19–20". DoorCounty.net. Door County Today. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  15. ^ n.a. (February 16, 2019). "Full Schedule for the 2019 Milwaukee Twisted Dreams Film Festival". TwistedDreamsFF.com. Milwaukee Twisted Dreams Film Festival. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  16. ^ n.a. (March 2, 2019). "VTFF2019 Schedule". VildingsandTapeheads.com. Vildings & Tapeheads Film Festival. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  17. ^ n.a. (February 25, 2019). "Lake Michigan Monster". FantasiaFestival.com. Fantasia International Film Festival. Archived from the original on August 6, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  18. ^ Millican, Josh (August 27, 2019). "FilmQuest 2019 Announces Full Line Up". Dread Central. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  19. ^ n.a. (August 27, 2019). "FILMQUEST 2019 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS". FilmQuest. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  20. ^ French, Caitlyn (September 26, 2019). "Your guide to Hell's Half Mile Film and Music Festival 2019". MLive.com. Archived from the original on December 7, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  21. ^ McGrew, Shannon (August 26, 2019). "[News] PUFF Announces 2019 Lineup". Nightmarish Conjurings. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  22. ^ Anon. (n.d.). "Film Images 2019 – Flyway Film Festival". Flyway Film Festival. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  23. ^ Anon. (n.d.). "Lake Michigan Monster". Lausanne Underground Film and Music Festival. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  24. ^ Hannon, Melissa (September 24, 2019). "Nightmares Film Festival 2019 Unveils Lineup". HorrorGeekLife.com. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  25. ^ n.a. (n.d.). "Lake Michigan Monster". Abertoir. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  26. ^ Hurtado, J. (July 30, 2020). "Exclusive Clip: Meet The Team From THE LAKE MICHIGAN MONSTER, and Discover the Arrow Video Channel's August Additions". ScreenAnarchy.com. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  27. ^ Millican, Josh (July 22, 2020). "Arrow Video Channel's August Films Include LAKE MICHIGAN MONSTER, TENEBRAE & CHILDREN OF THE CORN". Dread Central. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  28. ^ Anon. (n.d.). "Lake Michigan Monster Blu-ray". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  29. ^ McNelly, Kelly (July 31, 2020). "Review: 'Lake Michigan Monster' is an Inventive, Crowd-Pleasing Delight". iHorror.com. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  30. ^ n.a. (n.d.). "Lake Michigan Monster – Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  31. ^ Whittaker, Richard (August 19, 2023). "Fantasia Review: Lake Michigan Monster". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  32. ^ a b c Scott, Jessica (August 3, 2020). "[Movie Review] LAKE MICHIGAN MONSTER". Nightmarish Conjurings. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  33. ^ Tinnin, Drew (August 11, 2020). "LAKE MICHIGAN MONSTER Review – An Absurdist Adventure Tale Told In Glorious Black & White". Dread Central. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  34. ^ Speiser, Joshua (July 23, 2020). "Lake Michigan Monster". Film Threat. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  35. ^ Dahl, Dakota (August 4, 2020). "Movie Review: The Deadly And Dreamlike "Lake Michigan Monster" Surfaces At Arrow". Rue Morgue.com. Marrs Media Inc. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  36. ^ Allen, Tracy (July 28, 2019). "Fantasia 2019: 'Lake Michigan Monster' (2018) Movie Review". PopHorror. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  37. ^ Crow, Roger (October 3, 2020). "Lake Michigan Monster (2018) – Film Review". On Magazine.co.uk. On: Yorkshire Magazine. Archived from the original on October 4, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  38. ^ Perry, Joeseph (April 8, 2019). "Milwaukee Twisted Dreams Film Festival Reviews: "The Next Kill" and "The Lake Michigan Monster"". Gruesome Magazine. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  39. ^ Gursky, Michael (August 8, 2020). "Lake Michigan Monster Review: A Drugged-out Nautical Adventure with 50s Monster Movie Madness". MovieWeb. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  40. ^ Lee III, Robert (March 19, 2023). "10 Underrated Horror Comedies From the 2010s". Collider. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
  41. ^ n.a. (August 6, 2019). "Announcing the Audience Awards of Fantasia's 23rd Edition!". Fantasia Film Festival. Archived from the original on June 18, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  42. ^ n.a. (September 14, 2019). "2019 Award Winners & Nominees". FilmQuest. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  43. ^ n.a. (October 31, 2019). "2019 Awards & Recap". Nightmares Film Festival. Archived from the original on May 13, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  44. ^ n.a. (April 18, 2021). "Award This! 2021 Winners Announced From Drive-In Ceremony". FilmThreat. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
  45. ^ n.a. (2021). "Awards 2021". Jim Thorpe Independent Film Festival. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
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