Hollywood Halloween Horror Film

10/23/2013 2:30 PM

By Savannah Jones ’14

Kurt Larson, a 1999 Department of Communication, Electronic Media major, is a self-proclaimed “geek” with a passion for Star Wars, comic books and filmmaking.  If it’s unusual and endearing, Larson loves it.

Larson combines his love of the weird and wonderful along with filmmaking in a new movie, “Son of Ghostman”, premiering this Halloween through VimeoOnDemand (https://vimeo.com/ondemand/sonofghostman).

“Son of Ghostman” is available for Halloween pre-order!  The film can be purchased from the main website in time for the special Halloween party viewing from  www.sonofghostman.com

“Son of Ghostman” follows Denny, a recently dumped and unemployed man in his early thirties.  Denny is hosting his own horror show honoring retired local horror host ‘Ghostman’.  Denny naturally runs into a myriad of problems that includes a vampire (played by Larson) who wants to sink his teeth into fame, and a complicated romance with the neighborhood cutie. Monsters and ghouls may seem far-removed for some movie-goers, but Larson’s emphasis on relatable characters and heart keeps the biggest scaredy-cats watching.

“You take the slightly absurd and ride that line. You know, ‘Could this be real?’ You want to be at the line of believable or not but grounded in reality,” Larson said.

After graduating from Bradley University, Larson moved to Hollywood to pursue his lifelong love of film and landed roles in “The Terminal”, “JAG”, “Harry’s Law” and “Jarhead”. He cites films “Goodwill Hunting” and “Clerks” as inspiration for becoming a screenwriter.  Larson isn’t one to shy away from a challenge and didn’t accept others telling him he would “never write a screenplay and it was impossible.” Larson was a two-time quarter-finalist in the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, an international competition recognizing new screenwriter.  Larson finally realized his dreams by creating his own film, “Son of Ghostman”.

“I just got tired of waiting for someone to write me a check to tell my stories, so I went all in,” Larson said. “Nothing compares to the joy of finishing your own indie film, against all rational odds.”

Larson and his filming partner Gabriel Guyer handled everything on set from camera work, directing, editing, and producing the film. Sixteen-hour-days can take their toll, but the cast of “Son of Ghostman” became a close-knit family. Larson said he will always “care and love those people who made my film come to life.”

The lessons learned in Bradley’s classrooms have stayed with Larson and influence how he conducts himself on set. Larson learned to balance being professional but personal with his cast from Bradley professors like Bob Jacobs.

“Teachers have such an influence in believing in you,” Larson said. “When a teacher believes in you, there’s not much else you need. They’re the voice in the back of your head saying, ‘You can do this.’”

Larson is going to take a well-earned break after three years of working on “The Son of Ghostman” before heading back to what he does best, “telling stories and working with interesting people.”

For more information about “Son of Ghostman” and Larson’s projects, visit http://sonofghostman.com/larson-inspirations-influences/ and http://www.kurtedwardlarson.com/

He spent his weekends as a child watching cheap horror films on TV and was fascinated by the horror hosts- his favorite being Chicago’s own Svengoolie.