By MICHAEL GINGOLD
The forthcoming film combines military history with supernatural mythology.
The independent fright feature ANATHEMA has been completed and is about to head out into the international marketplace. The debut feature by MyCall Films, it was directed by Marcel Walz (BRUTE 1976) from a script by Marc Gottlieb and Michael P. Call, the latter of whom produced with Brendan Patrizzo. Joseph Gatt, Diana Prince, Robert Craighead, Monte Pittman, genre fave Caroline Williams and former Playboy Playmate Olga Loera star; the synopsis: “Set aboard the storied USS Arkitius Victory, the story follows a group of troubled Navy ROTC cadets whose training exercise turns into a fight for survival after they unknowingly awaken a terrifying force connected to the ship’s past.” Gatt plays Chief Keir Saxin, a decorated Navy SEAL whose life is forever changed by the horrors of war, a psychological break, and an encounter with an ancient curse. Even in madness, his sense of duty remains intact. Saxin believes he is still carrying out his mission. He believes he is protecting innocent people from an evil only he can see. That conviction drives every decision he makes, even when those decisions become increasingly horrific.”
“Joseph understood from the beginning that Saxin isn’t motivated by hatred or revenge,” Walz says. “He’s still a Navy SEAL. He still believes he’s protecting people. That belief never leaves him, and that’s what makes the character so unsettling. Joseph brought a tremendous amount of humanity to someone who has been consumed by something he can no longer control.”
“We never wanted Chief Keir Saxin to be another horror villain,” Call adds. “He’s a man who gave everything in service to his country, survived unimaginable experiences, and came home carrying something no one should ever have to carry. His sense of duty never dies. That’s what makes him tragic. Joseph understood that immediately, and he gave us a performance that is both powerful and heartbreaking.”
