Sharkansas preview! First look at new Jackson County made horror movie...

Here it is!  Your long awaited first look at new Jackson County made horror movie "Sharkansas Women's Prison Massacre." It is set for release in May!

The movie was filmed in and around Marianna and Jackson County. Filming locations included Florida Caverns State Park, Merritt's Mill Pond and El Rio Restaurant.  Some local folks even made the cast as extras.

I'll post more on how to see it as it is released.  Expected rating is no worse than PG-13.

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]

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.

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!

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.