![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.polyscopemovies.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/11\/gilatitlecard1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
from Justin Beahm Famous Monsters of Filmland<\/strong><\/p>\n Indie legend and Corman go-to-guy Jim (CHOPPING MALL, RETURN OF THE SWAMP THING) Wynorski is helming a remake of the notorious 1959 Ray Kellogg creature feature THE GIANT GILA MONSTER. FAMOUS MONSTERS sat down with Jim to chat about the project and share some production pics. The film, aiming for SyFy release in 2012, is currently shooting in Franklin, Indiana, just outside Indianapolis, and is being produced by Bill (MONSTER CRUISE, CAMEL SPIDERS) Dever.<\/p>\n Despite wearing it\u2019s meager budget on it\u2019s sleeve, the original GILA made an impression on Wynorski that endured as he made his way in Hollywood. \u201cI saw it on TV when I was a kid, and even then I understood it was a cheaply made movie,\u201d shares the director. \u201cIt didn\u2019t have a big budget, but it had a cool premise with the hot rods and rock n\u2019 roll. When the film fell into public domain, it was always in the back of my mind to do my own take on it, and when the situation arose where I could do it, I jumped at the chance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am doing it in the style of the 1950\u2032s, with old cars, the clothes and the lingo of that time,\u201d continues the filmmaker. \u201c\u201dWe are keeping the song \u2018Laugh, Children, Laugh\u2019 from the original, along with the basic story line. Our story differs a little from the original, in that we have added some characters. A good bad guy and his girlfriend, who give a little more motivation to Chase, the lead (played by Brian Gross). Chase still has his girlfriend, his mother, and his polio-stricken sister, and he still likes rock n\u2019 roll and hot rod racing. We delineated the DJ. He doesn\u2019t directly interact with the main characters, and this time around is more like Wolfman Jack was in AMERICAN GRAFFITI, heard over the radio.\u201d<\/p>\n As for the titular beastie, Wynorski was careful not to revisit the approach taken in the original, where an actual gila monster was shot over miniatures and inserted via overlay. \u201cThere are no practicals. I don\u2019t want to hurt any animals. In the original they were forcing that poor little gila monster through the balsa wood wall he goes through at the dance and stuff, and I think with today\u2019s CG we can do better and not hurt any animals.\u201d The creature is reportedly sleeker, more agile, and will be more of a mutant than the cute lizard in the original.<\/p>\n The cast includes Kelli (CHOPPING MALL, NIGHT OF THE COMET) Maroney, Don Sullivan, who played Chase in the original GILA MONSTER, Teri (TOUR OF DUTY) Knox, Christina (PIRANHACONDA) DeRosa, along with many Midwestern locals. Tony (TICKS) Randel is editing.<\/p>\n Summarizes Wynorski, \u201cIt has a lot of things people love. It\u2019s got hot rods, rock n\u2019 roll, hot chicks, a monster, and the cache of the original.\u201d