Sharkansas headed for Syfy release?

The Jackson County-made horror film Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre is expected to finish production in Los Angeles tomorrow. Sources close to the project indicate that the Syfy channel has expressed interest.

The movie was filmed at Florida Caverns State Park, Merritt's Mill Pond and at other locations around Marianna and Jackson County, Florida, in early 2014. It was directed by famed B-movie king Jim Wynorski. His previous credits include Not of This Earth, The Return of Swamp Thing, Transylvania Twist, The Wasp Woman and Dynocroc vs. Supergator.

Sources indicate that the new film, in which the Florida Panhandle doubles for the Ozarks of Arkansas, will be reviewed by the Syfy channel for broadcast consideration. The timetable for a decision by the cable channel has not been released, but Syfy has aired a number of Wynorski's previous films.

Sharkansas filming at Florida Caverns State Park

If Syfy picks up Sharkansas, the movie will likely be a ratings grabber for the channel which has seen huge audience spikes with its modern-day monster movie franchise. The success story of Sharknado, of course, is well known to viewers and film industry experts alike.

In another development, Wynorski announced on his Facebook page that the movie contains no nudity, an indication both that he is aiming for a television release and that he is keeping his promise to local tourism and parks leaders that the movie will have no worse than a PG-13 rating.

Sharkansas tells the story of how an accident during an oil "fracking" exploration unleashes a swarm of prehistoric sharks from a buried sea deep underground. The accident coincides with an escape attempt by inmates from a women's prison and soon escaped sharks meet escaped prisoners and the rest is history.

The preview is now available and you can watch it right here:

Another Horror Movie filming in Marianna, Florida!

Talent on location for Cobragator at Florida Caverns
Photo by Pam Fuqua, Jackson County Tourist Director

Update: New Marianna movie to feature Reservoir Dogs star Michael Madsen.

For the second time this year, a movie company has filming under way in Marianna and Jackson County, Florida.

The film this time?  Cobragator!

The Horror Movies website reports that the movie is being produced by iconic filmmaker Roger Corman and directed by Jim Wynorski. It will be of the same "B" horror movie format as "Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre" which was filmed in Marianna over the winter and is now in post production.

Filming underway at Florida Caverns State Park
Photo by Pam Fuqua, Jackson County Tourism Director

Film crews and cast were on location today at Florida Caverns State Park, filming deep underground in Florida's only public tour cave. Other locations for filming will include Merritt's Mill Pond.

The filmmakers are being assisted by Cave Adventurers on the mill pond, which provides numerous services attractive to move companies interested in filming in Jackson County. Headed by noted diver Edd Sorenson, Cave Adventurers operates on Merritt's Mill Pond and offers instruction for divers, guide service, pontoon boats and more.  With their assistance, filmmakers can access the depths of Blue Springs and other locations famed for their crystal clear waters.

Park Manager Chris Hawthorne with movie talent
Photo by Pam Fuqua, Jackson County Tourism Director

Florida Caverns State Park is also providing assistance to the project, which is expected to have a significant impact on the local area. Combined with "Sharkansas" earlier in the year, "Cobragator" continues the effort to bring movie production and hundreds of thousands of dollars of economic impact to Marianna and Jackson County.

Roger Corman, the producer for the new movie, is a fixture in the horror movie industry.  Here is a list of some of his previous projects:

• Death Race
• Attack of the 50 foot Cheerleader
• Dinocroc vs. Supergator
• Cyclops
• Supergator
• Dinocroc
• Marlene Dietrich: Her Own Song
• Asphalt Wars
• Black Scorpion (TV series)
• Macon County Jail
• Baby Face Nelson
• Munchie
• Frankenstein Unbound
• Bloodfist
• Screamers
• Piranha

Cobragator filming underway
Photo by Pam Fuqua, Jackson County Tourism Director

Jim Wynorski, who is reported to be directed "Cobragator", also has a long track record of similar films.  Here is a sampling:

• Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre (in post production)
• Not of this Earth
• The Return of Swamp Thing
• Transylvania Twist
• Fire from Below

Sopranos and soap opera stars join Marianna movie cast

Actors from the popular television shows The Sopranos, All My Children and Desperate Housewives have been named to appear in the new Marianna-made horror/action film, Sharkansas.

Serafin Falcon, who played Estaban in the popular tv series The Sopranos, will portray Mike in the new movie, which continues filming this week in and around Marianna.  He also has appeared as a sniper in the blockbuster movie Transporter 2, as a hitman in the tv series Graceland and in the TV series Burn Notice.

John Callahan, whose face is well-known to soap opera fans, will play Carl in the new movie. He played Dr. Baker in Days of Our Lives, and Edmund Grey in All My Children. He also has appeared as Edmund in Spin City, Stan in Desperate Housewives, Richard Porter in Watch Over Me, Bruce Donnelly in Cold Case, Eric Stavros in Falcon Crest, Craig Hunt in Santa Barbara, Leo Russell in General Hospital, a reporter in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Pete in Fantasy Island, Preston Howard and Garrett Harper in Fantasy Island and Detective Mackenzie Johnson in The Bay.

The third new name that surfaced over the weekend as a participant in the movie is Amy Rasimas Holt, who has appeared in The Unit, NCIS: Los Angeles and Dynocroc vs. Supergator. She will appear as Norma in the upcoming TV series Break a Hip.

 The three join Traci Lords, Dominique Swain and Christine Nguyen in Sharkansas, which tells the story of how a "fracking" accident causes the earth to crack and unleashes a swarm of prehistoric sharks into the area around a prison for women in Arkansas. The movie is expected to receive a PG or PG-13 rating.

Although the movie is set in Arkansas, all filming is taking place in and around Marianna due to the availability of caves, crystal clear spring waters and unique wooded and rocky terrain.

The total budget for the project is around $600,000 and the impact on the local economy over a three-week period is expected to approach or surpass $1,000,000.  While no extras are currently needed for the film, the movie company is contracting with numerous local businesses including restaurants, hotels, suppliers and for boats and other assistance from Cave Adventurers on Merritt's Mill Pond.

To read other updates on the film, please visit http://twoegg.blogspot.com and scroll down the page.

Hollywood comes to Marianna! Jackson County to double for Arkansas in new Horror Movie!

Russ House & Visitor Center
Marianna, Florida

UPDATE:  Day 2 Filming brings Stars


The prehistoric sharks are coming to Jackson County!

Marianna and Jackson County have been named as the film location for the new action/horror movie, "Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre."

Directed by Jim Wynorski - best known for such horror and science fiction films as "Not of this Earth" and "Dynocroc vs. Supergator" - the movie is the latest in shark-related projects to enter production since the unexpected and phenomenal success of the low budget horror flick, "Sharknado."

Merritt's Mill Pond

According to the film's website (www.sharkansas.com) the movie brings the shark horror genre to a whole new level by having sharks hunt their victims from just beneath the earth's surface. In this case, a "fracking" accident creates a crack in the earth that unleashes a swarm of monster prehistoric sharks from an ocean buried deep in the earth. The sharks just happen to pop to the surface around a prison for women in Arkansas, hence the title "Sharkansas Womens Prison Massacre."

The film is not likely to win any Academy Awards, but it does represent solid progress in the Jackson County Tourist Development Council's efforts to promote the area as a location for the movie industry. According to TDC Director Pam Swift Fuqua, representatives from two different film companies have visited the county since early December and her office has received email questions from numerous other movie and television production firms.

Florida Caverns State Park

The film industry database website IMDb.com already lists "Marianna, Florida" as the production location for "Sharkansas" and indicates the film has a budget of around $600,000.  While very modest in terms of movie production budgets, the money will have a significant economic impact on Marianna and Jackson County.

Tens of thousands of dollars are being spent locally for hotel rooms, supplies, food and services. According to Fuqua, Madison's Warehouse Restaurant on Madison Street in Marianna has landed catering services for the film and will be supplying its award-winning local cuisine to the various film locations throughout this month. She also indicated that the filmmakers are renting boats and other services from Cave Adventurers, the diving and boat company that operates on Merritt's Mill Pond. "They even needed local banking services," she noted.

Blue Springs

The director had visited Marianna and Jackson County several times in December scouting locations before selecting the area to begin immediate production. Locations he is known to have visited include Florida Caverns State Park, Blue Springs Recreational Area, Merritt's Mill Pond and the historic Russ House.

"Sharkansas" is the second full-length movie to be filmed in Marianna and Jackson County. The 1989 film "The Spring" was filmed in part at Florida Caverns State Park. It tells the story of two archaeologists searching for Ponce de Leon's lost Fountain of Youth.

TDC Director Fuqua hints that further projects may be in the works. "The efforts are coming to fruition from all angles," she said, noting that the TDC has been engaged in an effort to promote Jackson County, its people, scenery, resources and businesses across the state and nation. 

Crystal Clear Spring in Jackson County

The movie announcement comes just months after Fuqua and the TDC launched their new website, www.visitjacksoncountyfla.com, and following a series of meetings and conversations with state officials.

"The response from the producers has been absolutely phenomenal," Fuqua said. "Everyone thinks Florida is just palm trees, but up here we have a great variety of resources.” It was those resources - caves, crystal clear water for filming underwater scenes, friendly people and availability of affordable hotels and services - that brought the movie and its hundreds of thousands of dollars in economic impact to Jackson County.

Chris Hawthorne, Park Manager at Florida Caverns State Park, has been heavily involved in arranging filming locations for "Sharkansas."  Edd Sorenson of Cave Adventurers took film crews to survey locations around Merritt's Mill Pond and is providing additional help as well. Chuck Hatcher, Jackson County Parks Director, is assisting with locations at Blue Springs.

The actors and production crews are expected to be in the area through the 28th of this month.