Jack O'Lantern (2004)

Director:

Ron McLellen

Writer:

Ron McLellen

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Evil lives in everything.

Plot:

A violent spirit that manifests itself in the form of a Jack O'Lantern avenges people who have been wronged. |

Plot Keywords:

Supernatural | Cover Up | Mute | Possession | Pumpkin

Cast

Dave R. Watkins	...	Jack
Kevin L. Powers	...	Brett
Tracy Yarkoni	...	Christine
Justice Leak	...	Billy Willis
Brian Avenet-Bradley	...	Josh
Cheri Christian	...	Lori
April Glover	...	Page
Joel Hunter	...	Reverend Willis
Greg Thompson	...	Professor Doyle
David Chilian	...	Pauley
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bren Allison	...	Jaquelin
Eric Bomba-Ire	...	Jamal
Pete Borden	...	Grandpa Sam
Randall Carlton	...	Jim
Matt Cornwell	...	Guy in truck
Alex Dzuba	...	Jack's Dad
Sacha A. Dzuba	...	Max
Micah Eavenson	...	Scotty
Roland Force	...	Brett's Father
Michael D. Friedman	...	Trent
Melissa K. Gilbert	...	Angel
Amy Gorelow	...	Agnes
Ryan Hulsey	...	Steve
Ron McLellen	...	Luther
Barry Norman	...	Mechanic at shop / The Jack 1
Ryan Parrish	...	David
Wayne Phillips	...	1st Biker Guy
Brooks Ross	...	Deke / The Jack 2
Ricky Schneider	...	2nd Biker Guy
Christopher Stacks	...	Jack o lantern

Directed by
Ron McLellen

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ron McLellen

Produced by
David Chilian	....	associate producer
Tim Hayes	....	executive producer
Ron McLellen	....	producer
Barry Normin	....	producer
Kevin L. Powers	....	associate producer
Dave R. Watkins	....	line producer

Original Music by
Sacha A. Dzuba

Film Editing by
Ron McLellen

Casting by
Chris Burns
Ron McLellen
Greg Thompson

Makeup Department
David Chilian	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dave R. Watkins	....	assistant director

Camera and Electrical Department
Julian Heath	....	grip
Ryan Parrish	....	gaffer
Brooks Ross	....	camera operator
Brooks Ross	....	grip

Production Companies

• Southlan Films
• Hayes Pictures
• TEH Productions LLC

Distributors

• A-Film Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Snp

Other Companies

• Integration Entertainment  producer's representative

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for violence/gore and language

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:R | Netherlands:16 | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

Georgia

Company:

Southlan Films

Trivia:

While filming the climatic scene in the barn when the creature chases Bret (Kevin L. Powers), director Ron McLellen, suited up as the Jack O'Lantern monster, jumped off a haystack, landed on the camera, and knocked himself unconscious briefly.

Quotes:

Jack:Ah, pumpkin!

Not even a movie, one of the worst, I mean it!

The IMDb is full, overfull, with people who claim they have seen the worst film ever made. So you might treat this bad review with a certain grain of salt and go rent this film. Well be my guest, but you really shouldn't. What's more LIONS GATE which released this has shown that they will release anything in the past so the fact that this is barely a movie also might not scare you away. Though it should, unless you just want to be amazed. Ultimately it's the fault of distributors with clout like Lion's Gate for forcing things like this onto shelves when it belongs in the basement of the novice filmmakers and save them and the audience from watching their mistakes on a large scale. A failed attempt at a movie should be a learning experience for those who made it, not something you might rent of buy and expect to be a film.

The director of this film has no idea how to tell a story edit a movie direct actors, you name it. The monster in the film is like a reject Halloween mask you find on the floor being stepping on two days after Halloween is over at a Halloween store and it costs a dollar and you still don't buy it. They try various Hellraiser and Jacob's Ladder motion effects on it to try to make it scary. These are perhaps the most fun awful moments in this mess.

Really the editing is maybe the worst thing or there was nothing but bad takes to use. Frequent use of shots that pan roughly or jerk in the middle of a take seem to be his preference. It it also like an out take reel. What's most bad shots linger and linger at the end of scenes sometimes ever getting cut back to repeatedly. There is just no clue how to get from one scene to another or end a scene.

There are some nice "B" roll shots of sunsets and some exteriors of buildings. These moments are the only ones that show any degree of competence. Truly. Perhaps someone else shot these for them, though of course shooting pretty sunsets should be the easiest thing to achieve. Shame on Lion's Gate for letting this one loose.