Regional Stars Stomp into Local Drive-in Tomorrow Night

by Jonathan Weaver

“Ghostbusters” won’t be coming to the rescue in this summer monster movie, but “Pittsburgh Dad” will.

The comedy/horror film – “Bigfoot: the Movie” - filmed an hour west in Ellwood City (Beaver County) for 30 days in Fall 2013 and then for a week in Spring 2014 – will have its sixth-ever public screening tomorrow at the Riverside Drive-in in North Vandergrift (Parks Township).

Before the movie starts, movie fans will be able to meet “Pittsburgh Dad” Curt Wootton, Director Jared Show and other cast and crew members of the new film.

Wootton – who graduated from Hempfield Area High School in Greensburg (Westmoreland County) in 1997 and now resides in White Oak (Allegheny County) – acts as “Chuck” in the film.

“It’s about three friends who at the beginning of the movie, one of their friends is killed by a mysterious creature and they think it’s ‘Bigfoot,’” Wootton said. “It’s up to them to save Ellwood City from this creature – a lot of comedy ensues, because the town really doesn’t believe these guys; they’re not very well-respected in town.

“You always draw upon what you know and what you see, and I think we developed a rich, fun, loving, great original character,” Wootton added.

Wootton also co-wrote the movie with Show, of Ellwood City.

Show said he made final edits to the movie – his first feature film - about two months ago.

“I’ve been editing this thing for the past two years. You’re by yourself cutting it and showing some people, but you don’t know how it’s going to play overall until you show it to a crowd,” Show said.

Show originally filmed a 22-minute “trailer” of ‘Bigfoot’ after moving back from Los Angeles in 2007 before a highly-successful Kickstarter campaign to raise money for the full-length 95-minute version.

“We were only going for $10,000 to get the ball rolling. But then, I had other investors get interested and it just kind-of snowballed – we got like $100,000 to make this movie – which was amazing,” Show said. “It’s still a very-low budget, but it really helped us get a lot of things done to make it a real movie.”

Besides Wootton, most of the cast for the PG-13-rated film is from Western Pennsylvania – including Ellwood City actor Nathan Magill and members of Show’s family.

Starting May 28, screenings have been held in Pittsburgh, Oakmont, Zelienople and Moon Township, but Wootton (a Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate from West Virginia University) is glad to roll into North Vandergrift for the first time tomorrow.

“I’m really looking forward to actually seeing the Riverside Drive-in because I’m a huge drive-in fan – I think that’s one of the lost pieces of Americana. It was so rich back in the `50’s and `60’s so, anytime I can get outside, go to a drive-in and watch a few movies, it’s always a good time,” Wootton said.

“I hope everyone in the area will come out. We’ll talk to anyone who comes out and wants a picture.”

Following “Bigfoot: the Movie,” movie-goers will also get to see the 1989 comedy/horror film “Tremors”: a favorite of both Wootton (36) and Show (34).

“(“Tremors”) is a huge inspiration for our movie,” Wootton said. “It’s one of Jared and I’s favorite films.”

Wootton teased fans that he and “Pittsburgh Dad” Director Chris Preksta are working on the “Pittsburgh Dad” movie script as one of his next projects.

Riverside Drive-in Owner Todd Ament met Wootton in-person last year during a screening for sci-fi adventure film “The Mercury Men” at the Evergreen Drive-in in Mount Pleasant (Westmoreland County) while he was working as the projectionist/technical advisor.

“We’re excited about (“Bigfoot: the Movie),” Ament said. “We love doing special screenings and events – it breaks up the regular monotony of Hollywood mainstream.

“It’s, I’ll call it, ‘positive attention.’ There are people that haven’t been to drive-ins in years. Any publicity is positive.”

Riverside Drive-in is the only drive-in or movie theater within Armstrong County.

Ament, of Vandergrift, said Mother Nature will dictate if tomorrow’s showing approaches his 35-40-car projection.

Armstrong County Tourist Bureau Director Kevin Andrews – a frequent Riverside Drive-in patron – will double-check his schedule to also attend the screening.

“I think doing an event like this and showing this movie – made by Pittsburghers - and having Curt Wootton will do a lot to bring attention,” Andrews said.

Andrews – also a “Pittsburgh Dad” fan –also “gets a kick” out of the online videos and felt many local residents can relate to the characters.

Movie-goers should look for Wootton, Show and the film stars around 7PM tomorrow night at the outdoor theater before the screening begins about 9PM.

After eight more Western Pennsylvania screenings – including in Indiana June 13 and Latrobe June 25 – more festival events are scheduled in July before it screens in Los Angeles in August.

“But, I made the movie in Ellwood City, and I wanted to build it from here. Start it small and build it up,” Show concluded. “This place itself is like a character. Even though it’s a comedy/horror movie about ‘Bigfoot,’ it’s really like my love letter to Western Pennsylvania.

“There’s nothing like this place.”

The five-minute blooper roll might also be shown on the big screen.

T-shirts, Blu-ray and DVD copies of the movie will be available for sale.

Movie tickets are $8 for theater-goers 12 and older, $4 for ages six-11 and free for children under five years of age.

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