By MICHAEL GINGOLD
It’s a homage to ’80s minimonster movies like GREMLINS and GHOULIES.
Hangar 18 Media has announced the completion of principal photography on FRANKIE FREAKO, the latest from Steven Kostanski (PG: PSYCHO GOREMAN, THE VOID). The movie will be released across all platforms in the U.S. by Shout! Studios, with Raven Banner handling Canadian distribution and international sales. According to the official synopsis, “It tells the story of workaholic yuppie Conor Sweeney [THE EDITOR, FATHER’S DAY], whose perfect life is turned upside down when he accidentally unleashes a trio of tiny troublemakers into his home, led by the maniacal rock-n-roll party monster Frankie Freako. It’s a race against time as Conor must defeat the rambunctious ruffians and clean up their trail of destruction before his wife returns from her weekend work trip, all while going on an unexpected journey of self-discovery.” Adam Brooks and Kristy Wordsworth co-star.
“Steven is a human love letter to genre films, and this is a partnership Shout! has long sought,” says Shout! Studios’ Jordan Fields. “With his impeccable sense of tone and humor, not to mention his wizardry with practical effects, Frankie Freako will surely delight fans of those subversive and mischievous creature features of yesteryear.”
Kostanski did indeed head up the creature effects along with Pasha Patriki, Michael Paszt, Thomas Hunt and James Fler (they all produced the film along with Melanie Murray) through their new effects house Action Pants FX. “Action Pants was created with the purpose of providing indie genre films with prosthetics, specialty props and creature effects, while also being a home base for all of my and Hangar 18’s upcoming projects,” Kostanski says. Adds Paszt, “When Steve approached us about starting up an effects shop, we were like kids in a candy store. We all grew up on practical effects movies and immediately jumped at the chance to champion that independent spirit with him.”
