Socket (2007)

Director:

Sean Abley

Writer:

Sean Abley

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Plug In... Get Off

Plot:

Dr. Bill Matthews is struck by lighting. While recovering at the hospital where he works, he begins an intimate relationship with Dr. Craig Murphy, who invites Bill to join a strange group of lightning survivors.

Plot Keywords:

Hospital | Lightning | Struck By Lightning | Doctor | Male Underwear

Cast

Derek Long	...	Bill Matthews
Matthew Montgomery	...	Craig Murphy
Alexandra Billings	...	Dr. Emily Andersen
Rasool J'Han	...	Carol (as Rasool Jahan)
Allie Rivenbark	...	Olivia
Sean Abley	...	Mike
Jay Costelo	...	Kennedy
Victor Herminio Lopez	...	Alex
Sandy Lawson Jr.	...	Lisa
Alisha Seaton	...	Andi
Amy Seeley	...	Joanna (as Amy Sidney)
Georgia Jean	...	Shelly
Bridgette Wright	...	Tanika
Andrew Pinon	...	Paramedic
Bob Koenig	...	Sullivan (as Bob 'Bobaloo' Koenig)
Krista Pelen	...	Intern
Staci Mallett	...	Sam, the bouncer
Gage Hubbard	...	Bartender
Rhoda Pell	...	OR Nurse
Mari Marks	...	Cardiologist
Timothy J. Hearl	...	Mugger
Doug Prinzivalli	...	Stabbing Victim
Tony Spatafora	...	Homeless Man
Shannon Lee	...	Prostitute
Erin Cowden	...	Teenage Girl (as Erin Scott)
Ray Tutano	...	Orderly
Eddie Borey	...	Orderly
Brad Taylor	...	Orderly
John Carrozza	...	Hospital Staff
Jessica Jones	...	Hospital Staff
Deirdre O'Connell	...	Hospital Staff
Stefanie Gardenhire	...	Club Dancer
Liz Mendoza	...	Club Dancer
Alex Darke	...	Club Dancer
Gary Cotti	...	Club Dancer
David Kittredge	...	Club Dancer
Lukas Fiala	...	Club Dancer
Kris Edwards	...	Club Dancer
Peter Berube	...	Club Dancer
Andy Krkeyan	...	Club Dancer
Nathan Marken	...	Club Dancer
Jerome Kurtenbach	...	Club Dancer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Aerin Ross	...	Nurse (uncredited)

Directed by
Sean Abley

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Sean Abley

Produced by
Sean Abley	....	executive producer
Sean Abley	....	producer
John Carrozza	....	executive producer
John Carrozza	....	line producer
John Carrozza	....	producer
David Kittredge	....	associate producer
Matt Mishkoff	....	executive producer
Krista Pelen	....	associate producer
Doug Prinzivalli	....	executive producer
Doug Prinzivalli	....	producer

Original Music by
Jennifer Kes Remington

Cinematography by
Ivan Corona		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
David Kittredge

Production Design by
Doug Prinzivalli

Art Direction by
Noah Naylor

Set Decoration by
Staci Mallett

Costume Design by
Ivy Thaide

Makeup Department
Ben Gunther	....	assistant hair stylist
Ben Gunther	....	assistant makeup artist
Gage Hubbard	....	key hair stylist
Gage Hubbard	....	key makeup artist
Liz Mendoza	....	assistant hair stylist
Liz Mendoza	....	assistant makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chelsea Huff	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Tracy Berna	....	logo designer: Dark Blue Films
Tracy Berna	....	website designer: Dark Blue Films
Wyndham Chow	....	website designer: Mellowtek, Velvet Candy Entertainment
Alex Darke	....	art department swing
Gabriel Goldberg	....	key art photography
Staci Mallett	....	set dresser
Doug Prinzivalli	....	key art designer
Doug Prinzivalli	....	logo designer: Velvet Candy Entertainment
Doug Prinzivalli	....	property master

Sound Department
Robert Bayless	....	sound designer: Hollywood Dell Digital Studio (as Bob Bayless)
Scott Bruzenak	....	post-production sound mixer: Avilon Audio (as Scott Bruznak)
Scott Bruzenak	....	sound design: Avilon Audio (as Scott Bruznak)
Gary Cotti	....	on set sound mixer
Gary Cotti	....	sound mixer
David Kittredge	....	on set sound mixer
David Kittredge	....	sound mixer
Russell White	....	on set sound mixer
Russell White	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Ben Gunther	....	special effects assistant
Gage Hubbard	....	special effects director
Gage Hubbard	....	special effects makeup
Liz Mendoza	....	special effects assistant

Visual Effects by
Kevin Sonnichsen	....	visual effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Jnani Butler	....	assistant camera
Gary Cotti	....	director of photography: second unit
Kelly Herrin	....	gaffer: All In One Truck
Kelly Herrin	....	jib operator
Kelly Herrin	....	rigger
Jessica Jones	....	grip
Paul Knepper	....	grip
Bob Koenig	....	grip (as Bob 'Bobaloo' Koenig)
Brad Taylor	....	grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Stefanie Gardenhire	....	assistant costumer
Robynne Liebenberg	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Gary Cotti	....	assistant editor
Christopher Hutton	....	assistant colorist
Christopher Hutton	....	assistant on-line editor
Nicole Opyr	....	colorist
Nicole Opyr	....	on-line editor
Kevin Sonnichsen	....	compositor

Music Department
Robert Bayless	....	music editor
Nathaniel T. Cartier	....	score mixer

Transportation Department
Kevin Cowger	....	driver

Other crew
Drew Alexis	....	legal counsel
Tavia Babins	....	script supervisor
Tara Devlin	....	title design
Tara Devlin	....	title designer
Jason Havard	....	caterer
Chelsea Huff	....	production coordinator
Krista Pelen	....	production coordinator

Thanks
Michael Alarid	....	special thanks
Drew Alexis	....	special thanks
John Michael Beck	....	special thanks
Tracy Berna	....	special thanks
Wyndham Chow	....	special thanks: Mellowtek
Pete Chvany	....	special thanks
Kevin Cowger	....	special thanks
Terry Danuser	....	special thanks (as Terry Danuser and Stephen Slobbers)
Alonso Duralde	....	special thanks (as Dave White & Alonso Duralde)
Phil Ferrato	....	special thanks
Bianca Ferro	....	special thanks
Gordon	....	special thanks (as Dean Howell Kevin McCarty and Gordon)
Sheila Gough	....	special thanks: Modern Postercard
Cassy Harlo	....	special thanks
Fernando Hernandez	....	special thanks
John Herzog	....	special thanks: Los Angeles Repertory Theater
Dean Howell	....	special thanks (as Dean Howell Kevin McCarty and Gordon)
Ed Hunt	....	special thanks
Jason Kennedy	....	special thanks
David Kittredge	....	special thanks: Triple Fire Productions
Derek Livingston	....	special thanks
Vinny Lopez	....	special thanks
Kevin McCarty	....	special thanks (as Dean Howell Kevin McCarty and Gordon)
Judith Merians	....	special thanks
Matt Mishkoff	....	special thanks (as Matty Mishkoff)
Michael Morillo	....	special thanks
Brian O'Hara	....	special thanks
Debbie Reiner	....	special thanks: Debbie Does Hair
Jeff Rellis	....	special thanks
David Sacchetti	....	special thanks
Danny Salles	....	special thanks
Stephen Sholty	....	special thanks
Stephen Slobbers	....	special thanks (as Terry Danuser and Stephen Slobbers)
Will Thomas	....	special thanks
Joshua Throne	....	special thanks (as Josh Throne)
Greg Vossberg	....	special thanks: Avilon Audio
Jimmy Waters	....	special thanks
Dave White	....	special thanks (as Dave White & Alonso Duralde)
John Wrightson	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Dark Blue Films (as Dark Blue Films and Velvet Candy Entertainment, LLC) (present)
• Velvet Candy Entertainment (as Dark Blue Films and Velvet Candy Entertainment, LLC) (present)

Distributors

• PRO-FUN media Filmverleih (2008) (Germany) (all media)
• Bounty Films (2011) (Australia) (DVD)
• Optimale (2009) (France) (DVD)
• TLA Releasing (2008) (UK) (all media)
• TLA Releasing (2008) (USA) (all media)

Special Effects

• 1313 FX (uncredited)

Other Companies

• Avilon Audio  sound post-production
• Avilon Audio  special thanks
• Debbie Does Hair  special thanks
• Entertainment Studios  locations
• FILMLA  permits
• Hollywood Dell Digital Studios  sound design (as Hollywood Dell Digital Studio)
• Jason Kennedy Casting  special thanks
• Los Angeles Repertory Company  locations
• Los Angeles Repertory Company  special thanks (as Los Angeles Repertory Theater)
• Mellowtek  special thanks
• Mellowtek  website design: for Velvet Candy Entertainment
• Modern Postercard  special thanks
• Triple Fire Productions  special thanks
• Truman Van Dyke Insurance Co.  insurance
• all-in-one-truck.com  grip and lighting equipment (as All In One Truck)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:MA15+ (2011) | Germany:16 | UK:18 (2008) | USA:Not Rated | France:Unrated | Netherlands:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, California, USA

Company:

Dark Blue Films

Trivia:

Reportedly the first gay sci-fi thriller.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Bill is breaking up with Murphy you can clearly see Murphy's arms, which show no signs of surgery scars or socket prong holes that were previously given to him.

Quotes:

[first Lines]
Dr. Emily Andersen:For some reason you were left with no burn marks, however the current used your hands and feet as it's escape route so you'll probably have nerve damage in all four extremities.
Bill Matthews:Permanent?
Dr. Emily Andersen:Not necessarily, but you should prepare yourself for the very real possibility that you won't be returning to surgery.

Soundtrack:

Last Night

Better Than I Expected

Ordering/renting TLA Video Releasing products is a hit-and-miss affair at best, unfortunately marked by a whole lot more "misses". The gay and lesbian independent film movement is still finding its feet yet; it is still pretty difficult to sift through all the coming out/coming-of-age/romance-against-all-odds stories and find something that seems fresh and original. I have seen a few standouts, like ANOTHER GAY MOVIE, EATING OUT, the surprisingly moving BOY CULTURE, and the slasher-film-with-a-gay-twist HELLBENT.

SOCKET, in spite of flaws that come mostly from its VERY low budget origins, can still be added to the list. Writer/director Sean Abley, who is a self-admitted fan of David Cronenberg's films, may have aimed a little too high with this semi-homage to the director, but one can't blame him for giving it a good try, or for coming up with something that's more watchable than your "average gay movie" about drugs, dancing, casual sex and all the melodrama that comes with it.

Dr. Bill Matthews (Derek Long) awakens in the hospital one day with no memory of the event that put him there, until it's explained to him that he was struck by lightning. A very attentive intern named Craig Murphy (gay indie staple Matthew Montgomery from GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN and LONG TERM RELATIONSHIP), also the victim of a lightning strike, warns Bill that life for him will never be the same, and hands him a business card with a phone number to contact a "special group" of other people who will be able to "help him when he's ready." Baffled but curious, Bill takes the card.

Later, convalescing at home with the help of lesbian buddies Carol (Rasool J'Han) and Olivia (Allie Rivenbark), Bill discovers that his ordeal has left him with some very curious side effects, not the least of which are the compulsion to clean and organize his house meticulously (amazing for the formerly sloppy singelton) and a strange attraction to his TV set, even when it's not showing anything but static and snow, (shades of James Woods in VIDEODROME!)

Eventually, all this weirdness finally does lead Bill to contact the group and reconnect with Murphy, leading to a remarkable discovery: an underground group of lightning strike victims who not only survived, but have developed a craving for electricity and the temporary "high" it brings them. Reluctant at first, once Bill's had his first taste of "juice" since his accident, he develops both an addiction to it and to Murphy, whom he engages in a torrid affair. As the story progresses, Bill's addiction grows stronger and he becomes more desperate to find ways to feed it, just like any crack head or heroin junkie, leading him to commit some horrifying acts - the kind you see in most sci-fi/horror thrillers where the hero suddenly loses control of himself to external and/or internal forces . I guess I don't have to tell you that the story doesn't exactly have a happy ending.

And actually, that's one of SOCKET'S biggest drawbacks - that it doesn't really have an ending. Where VIDEODROME, the movie that this most closely resembles, had kind of an ambiguous ending that left the audience to decide for themselves what actually happened, SOCKET just kind of...comes to a halt. It's almost as if Sean Abley had a much more elaborate ending written, but because of time and budget constraints, just sort of "winged it" with what he could come up with.

Which is too bad, because unlike a lot of gay indies that are barely watchable, this one has its very strong points. And, of course, that list starts with the leads. Long and Montgomery have great chemistry as the "charged-up" lovers, plus it's refreshing to have two actors so easy on the eyes engaged in some great love scenes that are neither as gratuitous or as forced as they have been in other movies. J'Han and Rivenbark also shine as the gal pals, though Rivenbark could've dialed the butch Olivia's character back just a tad.

As Bill's stoic colleague, Alexandra Billings does a good job playing Dr. Emily Andersen, and though it could've turned out to be a bit much, Sean Abley hits just the right notes as the leader/moderator of the "group." David Kittredge's editing seems jumbled and very disorienting at first, until you 'get' the gist of it about a third of the way through the movie. In hindsight, he and Abley made some very ingeniously creative choices, minimizing the need for special visual effects and setting the tone for the story. The effects makeup by Gage Hubbard is surprisingly effective for the kind of thing you'd get if you tried to achieve "VIDEODROME"- level ambitiousness on a "BLAIR WITCH PROJECT" budget.

There aren't nearly enough writers and directors in this particular niche of indie film-making, who are willing to go out on a limb and take some real risks with style and storytelling. With a little more time and money and opportunities to tweak the script a bit more, SOCKET could have definitely been closer to a ten-star worthy effort. As is, though, the aspects of the film that succeed far outweigh the ones where it doesn't. I would hope that future circumstances will bring director Abley together again with the engaging leads, with a project that will enable them to raise all of their talents to the next level.