Reservoir Dogs star leads cast of new Marianna filmed monster movie!

Michael Madsen has appeared
in more than 170 fims.

Noted actor Michael Madsen, perhaps best known for his role as Mr. Blonde in Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs", is on location in Marianna, Florida, for the filming of the new action and monster movie Cobragator.

Now being filmed at various scenic locations in and around Marianna, Cobragator tells the story of a battle against a hideous and deadly creature that is part cobra, part alligator. Film crews have already been at work at Florida Caverns State Park and Merritt's Mill Pond.

Madsen has appeared in more than 170 films including Kill Bill, Sin City, Die Another Day, Donnie Prasco, The Getaway, The Doors, Thelma & Louise, Wyatt Earp and Free Willy. It was Reservoir Dogs, however, that catapulted him to top status as an actor. He is expected to star in another Tarantino film - The Hateful Eight - later this year.

Madsen was "Mr. Blonde" in Reservoir Dogs

The brother of actress Virginia Madsen, he is the son of a retired firefighter. He grew up admiring actors Humphrey Bogart and Robert Mitchum and once laughed that he was loved by children for his role in Free Willy while their parents were terrified of him due to his role in Reservoir Dogs.

Cobragator is the second movie to film in Marianna and Jackson County this year. Coming on the heels of Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre which filmed during the winter, it is a sign of the increasing popularity of the area's caves, crystal clear spring water and spectacular natural settings with filmmakers. While they obtain pristine natural settings and clear water in which to film underwater scenes, they are bringing a significant economic impact to the community.

Conservative estimates indicate that the two films have brought hundreds of thousands of dollars in new money to the local economy. Filmmakers have rented blocks of hotel rooms for weeks at a time, while also contracting with local businesses for everything from spa treatment for actors to help from Cave Adventurers in filming underwater scenes. Local restaurants have benefited from catering contracts as well as daily visits from cast and crew.

Sources familiar with negotiations for future projects indicate that as many as six more movies are in the works for Marianna and Jackson County.

Here are links to DVD's of some of Madsen's other films:

Reservoir Dogs

Free Willy (Keepcase)

Donnie Brasco (Extended Cut) [Blu-ray]

Thelma & Louise (20th Anniversary Edition) [Blu-ray]

Wyatt Earp [Blu-ray]

Sharkansas movie filming continues in Marianna, FL

Film crew on location in Marianna, FL

Filming of the horror/science fiction movie Sharkansas Womens Prison Massacre continues in Marianna, Florida.

Most production work so far has taken place at Florida Caverns State Park where actors, actresses and production crew members have been on location for the last four days. Much of the work is taking place in wooded areas within the park.

As the production goes forward over the next two weeks, filming is expected to take place on Merritt's Mill Pond in Jackson County and at the historic Russ House in Marianna, which will double as a café or restaurant in the movie.

Lead actress Traci Lords (Cry-Baby and Zack and Miri) will arrive in Marianna next week to begin filming her scenes.

Actresses on location in Marianna, FL

Producers and directors of the film indicate that they do not have need for extras at this time, but they are contracting with numerous local businesses to provide services for the project. Edd Sorenson of Cave Adventurers confirmed yesterday that his company is providing boats and other services for the movie, parts of which will be filmed underwater and on the banks of Merritt's Mill Pond. Several Marianna restaurants are providing catering services and the crew and cast members are renting dozens of hotel rooms from Marianna area hotels.

Sources close to the production indicate the filmmakers are so pleased with the Jackson County area that they plan to return for a second production later in the year. Several other movie and television production companies also are considering the area at this time.

Sharkansas, which seeks to capitalize on the shark movie frenzy created by the film Sharknado in 2013, tells the story of an oil drilling company that accidentally creates a crack in the earth. The accident unleashes a swarm of gigantic prehistoric sharks from a lost underground ocean. As fate would have it, the sharks surface in caves and waters surrounding a prison for women in Arkansas.  Jackson County, which offers rocky cliffs, deep woods and clear springs and lakes, is doubling for Arkansas in the film.

Stars and Caves appear in Sharkansas, horror movie filming in Marianna, FL

Florida Caverns State Park
Marianna, Florida

UPDATED: 3:30 p.m.  Traci Lords to star in Sharkansas!

Filming of the horror movie Sharkansas Womens Prison Massacre moved into its second day with some of the lead actors and actresses now on set.

Sources close to the production confirmed this afternoon that actress Traci Lords will play a role in the film. Drawn into adult films by her mother's boyfriend when she was underage, Lords has spoken publicly about the exploitative nature of the porn industry. Since those days she has gone to acting school and proved herself to be an accomplished actress. She played opposite Johnny Depp in Cry-Baby, as Racquel in Blade and as "Bubbles" in the 2008 comedy Zac and Miri make a Porno. She also has appeared in a wide variety of TV shows, including MacGyver, Married with Children, The Tommyknockers, Highlander, Tales from the Crypt, Melrose Place, Roseanne, Nash Bridges, Profiler, Will & Grace and Gilmore Girls.

Other announced celebrities taking part in the production include Dominique Swain in the role of "Honey" and Christine Nguyen as "Michelle Alika."

Best known for her performances in the the 1997 John Travolta/Nicolas cage film Face/Off and in the title role in the 1997 Jeremy Irons/Melanie Griffith film Lolita, Swain has appeared in dozens of movies and television shows. Her TV credits include Ghost Whisperer and JAG.

Blue Springs Recreational Area
Jackson County, Florida

Nguyen has appeared in the 2010 Jonah Hill/Russell Brand move Get Him to the Greek and the 2006 Comedy/Musical Ghost in a Teeny Bikini (note for its tagline, "If the Graveyard's rockin', don't bother knockin'!).

Merritt's Mill Pond
Marianna, Florida

Also starring in the film will be Jackson County's most famous landmark, Florida Caverns State Park.

A beautiful myriad of caverns that constitute Florida's only public tour cave, the cavers draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to Marianna and Jackson County each year.  Filming is now in its second day at the park, but is being scheduled around public activities so that no tours or other points of interest in the park are closed due to the film work.

Other locations to be used in the movie, which tells the story of a "fracking" accident that creates a crack in the earth and unleashes a swarm of prehistoric sharks into the vicinity of a prison for women in Arkansas, include Blue Springs Recreational Area, Merritt's Mill Pond and possibly the historic and haunted Russ House in Marianna.

To learn more about the movie, be sure to read yesterday's post: Hollywood comes to Marianna!