The low-budget, horror cult-classic \u201cThanksKilling\u201d might have one of the most memorable starts in B-movie history. At the first Thanksgiving in 1621, a topless female pilgrim is killed by a tomahawk-wielding monster turkey who gives an awesomely bad, not-safe-for-print quip.Directed by Jordan Downey, it\u2019s been described as \u201cso deliberately terrible, it\u2019s funny,\u201d and through Netflix and the Internet, the $3,500 movie found such a following it spawned two sequels and also a screening tour that will bring the film and it\u2019s music producer Dean Carls, aka General Bastard, Nov. 26 to the Stone Tavern in Kent.<\/p>\n
The night will start with a showing of \u201cThanksKilling\u201d followed by a Q&A with some of the film\u2019s actors, and will close with the heavy metal sounds of Carls, Ravenna Arsenal and Album. \u201cPeople who love this movie, really, really love the movie,\u201d Carls said. \u201cPeople either love it or hate it. But hopefully this will give people a chance to connect to the film a little more and meet some of us. They can get some of the inside stories of the film and hear its soundtrack.\u201d Here Carls took our 5Qs quiz to give a sneak peek of the Stone Tavern show and to lend insight on what it is about the film that struck a nerve with so many fans.<\/p>\n
1. How did it come about that you did the music for \u201cThanksKilling?\u201d<\/p>\n
A. \u201cI\u2019m friends with Ryan Francis who plays \u2018Jared The Nerd\u2019 in the movie. Our bands had played some shows together, and he grew up with one of the directors, and they had this role for me. They offered me it, and also offered for me to do music for it as well. Now here were are six years later, and it\u2019s still going. It\u2019s pretty cool.\u201d<\/p>\n
2. What is it about \u201cThanksKilling\u201d that has made it such a cult classic?<\/p>\n
A. \u201cI think there are a lot of people who like the Troma kind of movies. They\u2019re done by independent filmmakers making something the mainstream wouldn\u2019t do. They don\u2019t take themselves too seriously. It goes along with that kind of Troma vein. It\u2019s obviously not supposed to be a classy movie. It\u2019s just a stupid comedy with stupid jokes to make you laugh. It\u2019s not meant to be an Oscar-caliber film. Really, it\u2019s just friends making a movie. We started just to amuse ourselves, and everybody else caught up with the joke as well. It\u2019s got a unique theme to it. There really weren\u2019t any Thanksgiving-based horror films. There are plenty for Halloween, obviously, and even for Christmas, but this had a little more of a unique twist.\u201d<\/p>\n
3. Has the film served as a vehicle for people to discover your music and vice-versa?<\/p>\n
A. \u201cIt seems like no matter where we are, there\u2019s always someone there because they are a fan of the film. One time we were in Kansas. A girl there had no idea who I was, and we played the \u2018ThanksKilling\u2019 theme. Afterwards she said, \u2018I can\u2019t believe you played that!\u2019 All of the sudden she put two and two together. It was funny. She had a surprised look on her face and took off running. She was back in like 30 seconds saying \u2018We gotta take pictures!\u2019 That was really great.\u201d<\/p>\n
4. What was it that initially kick-started your career in music?<\/p>\n
A. \u201cI started as a wee lad, as they say, watching The Beatles\u2019 \u2018Hard Days Night.\u2019 I seen all them girls chasing The Beatles down the street, and I thought that\u2019s what I wanna do! I\u2019ve met people through the years who have had the same exact story. Most guys who start in music do it for the girls. I wanted them to chase me down the street, too!\u201d<\/p>\n