Cyrus (2010/II)

Director:

Mark Vadik

Writer:

Mark Vadik (screenwriter)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

An independent TV reporter and her cameraman interview a man in regards to a serial killer the man knew by the name of Cyrus. The man traces back through the story of the serial killer and why he became the monster he is.

Plot Keywords:

Serial Killer | TV Reporter | Topless Female Nudity | Cannibalism | Dead Woman With Eyes Open

Cast

Tiffany Shepis	...	Jill Danser
Max Lesser	...	Rich
Brooke Parker	...	Alexis
Danielle Harris	...	Maria
Tony Yalda	...	Tom
Kim Rhodes	...	Dr. Albert
Doug Jones	...	Dr. Dallas
Lance Henriksen	...	Emmett
Tanya Newbould	...	Molly
Anne Leighton	...	Vicky
Shawna Waldron	...	Chloe
Aris Mendoza	...	Tina
Walter Bezt	...	Young Cyrus
Jill Sandmire	...	Amber
Bill Miller	...	John
Sam Brilhart	...	Young Emmett
Patricia Belcher	...	Maybelle
Valerie Meachum	...	Tanny
Andrew Gregg	...	Salesman
Kyle Van Hook	...	Baby Danser
Mike McNamara	...	Rick
Corey Gibbons	...	Greg
Brian Krause	...	Cyrus
Jeff Christian	...	Sheriff
Trevor Luce	...	Luke
Paul Preiss	...	Katz
Rae Dawn Chong	...	Vivian
Wylie Allen	...	Little Cyrus (as Wylie Guy Allen)
Thomas Schroeder	...	Brothel Client
Laurence Skorniak	...	Guard
Ben Dubash	...	Trooper
Michael Steen	...	Warden
Kl Kenzie	...	Victim (as K.L. Kenzie)
Regina Daniels	...	Victim
Lauren Robertson	...	Victim
Kristen Muller	...	Victim
Petra Ford	...	Victim
Laura Powers	...	Victim
Megan McHattie	...	Victim
Michelle Rose	...	Additional Player
Jason Sutton	...	Additional Player
Britney Ketcham	...	Additional Player
Kyle Vanhook	...	Additional Player
Chad Sheldon	...	Additional Player
Julia Levine	...	Additional Player
Jamie Hollenbeck	...	Additional Player
Dan Gutierrez	...	Additional Player
Tracy Jones	...	Additional Player
Jennifer Campbell	...	Additional Player
Fidel Jackson	...	Additional Player
Dave Jacobs	...	Additional Player
Hilary Kiernan	...	Additional Player
Gabrielle Daepolo	...	Additional Player
Aaron Oshinski	...	Additional Player
Matthew Siemans	...	Additional Player
Margaret Killips	...	Additional Player
Jodie Haughey	...	Additional Player
Anna Hainrihar	...	Additional Player (as Anna Leigh Hainrihar)
Lauren Woelfel	...	Additional Player
Jared Withers	...	Additional Player
Marissa Leguizamon	...	Additional Player (as Marissa Rose Leguizamon)
Dennis Grosse	...	Additional Player
Richard L. Walsten	...	Additional Player
Teva Haughey	...	Additional Player
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Zachary Christopher Fay	...	Joseph (uncredited)

Directed by
Mark Vadik

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Mark Vadik		screenwriter

Produced by
Jim Adams	....	executive producer
Chazz DeMoss	....	associate producer
Joel Kastelberg	....	producer (as Joel Castleberg)
Travis Moody	....	associate producer
Larry Skorniak	....	associate producer
Mark Vadik	....	producer

Original Music by
Frederik Wiedmann

Cinematography by
Brian Levin

Casting by
Joel Miller

Production Design by
Marissa Leguizamon

Art Direction by
Beth Gatza		(second segment)
Monique Johnson

Costume Design by
Anna Hainrihar

Makeup Department
Cat Bernier	....	special makeup effects artist
Danielle Dettore	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Naz Khan	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Corey Gibbons	....	second assistant director
Brian Krause	....	second unit director
Sean Miller	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Andrew Gregg	....	production designer: sets
Jean E. Higgins	....	set dresser
Troy Holbrook	....	crime scene photographer
Aaron Jenkin	....	carpenter
Micha Kegan	....	carpenter
Marissa Leguizamon	....	lead set decorator

Sound Department
Zack Rockwood	....	sound mixer
Lorian Toth	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Cat Bernier	....	special effects supervisor
Troy Holbrook	....	special effects makeup

Visual Effects by
John R. Ellis	....	digital effects artist
Brian K. Johnson	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Marie Fink	....	utility stunts
Dan Lemieux	....	stunt coordinator
Banzai Vitale	....	stunt driver

Camera and Electrical Department
Szymon Bielesz	....	dolly grip
Mike Bove	....	best boy electric
Sebastian Brzek	....	still photographer
Nick Cooper	....	best boy grip
Dave Dewes	....	director of photography: second unit
Dave Dewes	....	gaffer
Ben Effinger	....	camera utility
Jason Grainger	....	Steadicam operator
Jordan Gzesh	....	gaffer: second unit
William Q. Hartin	....	grip
William Q. Hartin	....	key grip
Andrew J. Hying	....	grip
Bradley Kanter	....	second assistant camera
Kl Kenzie	....	grip
Joshua Lyon	....	grip
Stephen MacDonald	....	grip
Bily Salazar	....	first assistant camera
Andrew Shoemaker	....	key grip: second unit
Jenny Stolte	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Jenny Stolte	....	grip (as Jennifer Stolte)
Beth Thenhaus	....	grip
Wei Zhang	....	second assistant camera
Kl Kenzie	....	behind the scenes camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Chris Charles	....	casting associate
Angelo Renardo	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Victor H. Soto	....	key costumer

Editorial Department
Eric Chase	....	colorist: high definition

Music Department
Jun Lee	....	musician
Haim Mazar	....	musician
Hyesu Yang	....	composer: additional music

Transportation Department
Dan Gutierrez	....	transportation co-captain

Other crew
Dan Gutierrez	....	key set production assistant
Julia H. Levine	....	cast production assistant
Angelo Renardo	....	production assistant
Lisa Sutton	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Lakeshore Drive Entertainment (as Lake Shore Drive Entertainment)

Distributors

• 21st Century Pictures (2010) (Australia) (DVD) (As 'Cyrus: Mind of a Serial Killer')
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2011) (UK) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Breaking Glass Pictures (2010) (worldwide) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Juniper Post  post-production sound services (as audio post)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

Australia:87 min (DVD) | USA:87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:R (2010) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | New Zealand:R18

Filming Locations:

Niles, Michigan, USA

Company:

Lakeshore Drive Entertainment

Not the Most Original, But Fun For Horror Icon Fans

A small independent news crew investigates a series of unexplained disappearances in a small Midwestern county.

This film will be a treat for those who love horror icons. Brian Krause ("Sleepwalkers") stars as Cyrus, with plenty of screen time for Danielle Harris as Maria and Lance Henriksen as Emmett. Even Doug Jones and Tiffany Shepis show up for a while.

This film has received some criticism for not being very original and following old horror movie, especially slasher, clichés. And yes, it does have some. But I think this was sort of the point... clearly the writer-director is a horror fan based on his casting, so he must have been paying homage to his favorites. This is no different than what Rob Zombie did with "House of 1000 Corpses" (though that one was a little too blatant in my opinion).

The film claims to be based on true events, which I strongly suspected was completely false. I called out director Mark Vadik on this, and he set the record straight: it is, in fact, based very loosely on the life of serial killer Fritz Haarmann, with some background details of other serial killers thrown in. So, I suppose, we have to let this slide. (I strongly urge you to look into Haarmann's story -- it is pretty graphic, and a closer telling would be an amazingly demented film.)

Vadik also informed me that the claim of the film being banned in six countries is true. They are ones you might expect -- United Arab Emirates and the Middle Eastern countries -- but this is still a cool claim. While any number of reasons could be behind the ban, there is one sequence involving breast feeding that likely got some people's heckles raised.

Check this one out. This is a breakout role for Brian Krause, who was already a big star from "Charmed". He spent much time researching killers -- particularly BTK and the Green River Killer -- for this role, and even did much of the second unit directing, picking up important shots of death scenes. His work is subtle, but the reason the film is good rather than forgettable.