By KEVIN HOOVER
Bradley Steele Harding’s love of horror began around the same time it does for most of us – childhood – and it’s a love that the Dallas-based writer/director continues to lean into for his own films. His debut work, 2022’s 13 Tracks to Frighten Agatha Black, was a much-needed and much-appreciated tribute to spoken-word horror vinyl of the ’70s. His next project, OCCULT CANVAS, pays homage to popular anthology series that ruled boob tubes around the country during the Decade of Decadence.
From the press release:
Lampkin Lane Productions announces its crowdfunding campaign for OCCULT CANVAS, the follow-up film to their 2022 micro-budget cult hit 13 Tracks to Frighten Agatha Black. The latest film is a valentine to early ‘70s occult-themed television productions from such genre luminaries as Dan Curtis and Rod Serling. The core creative team from 13 Tracks is returning including Writer/Director Bradley Steele Harding, Composer/Sound Designer Andrew Jones, and Creative Director Dan Gremminger. The production is seeking additional funding for its old school practical effects and inclusion of a beloved genre actor.
OCCULT CANVAS revolves around an obscure Night Gallery-inspired television show from 1975 that was abruptly canceled following a series of violent occurrences connected to the airings. When seven paintings from the production are unearthed 50 years later, their occult influence begins to infect those who come into contact with them. Also returning from 13 Tracks are cast members Van Quattro (Hellhound), Bridie Marie Corbett (Murder Made Me Famous), Lara Williams (Amityville Cult) and Moira Wilson (When the Cold Crept In).
Director Bradley Steele Harding and Bridie Marie Corbett
“Making 13 Tracks was one of the most satisfying creative experiences of my life,” admitted Harding. “Acquiring distribution from Bayview Entertainment and UK subsidiary Vipco was a dream come true. Seeing the film do well on both physical media and streaming sites really inspired me to create something even more ambitious. With OCCULT CANVAS we are working with a much larger ‘canvas’ involving a bigger cast and several elaborate and bizarre set pieces. We are crowdfunding to ensure that we can capture the same quality as 13 Tracks on a somewhat larger micro-budget.”
OCCULT CANVAS continues Harding’s knack for creating as much scary as possible on a modest budget. Those eager to bolster the production’s coffers can do so through the ongoing Indiegogo campaign, which wraps on August 12th.
