Barak Epstein
Encyclopedia
Barak Epstein is an American
film director
, writer
, producer
, and actor
. Epstein's body of work is considered to mostly consist of independent and grindhouse
films. The three films that he has directed include: Cornman: American Vegetable Hero
, Prison-A-Go-Go!
, and Blood on the Highway
.
Film Exhibition
In August 2010, Epstein formed Aviation Cinemas Inc. and took over the lease for the Historic Texas Theatre
.
. He has worked on several films made by Troma Entertainment
including Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV
. Epstein appeared in Lloyd Kaufman's
2005 DVD set, Make Your Own Damn Movie!
while on the set of Prison-A-Go-Go! The numerous crew positions that Epstein has held include: gaffer
, camera operator
, editor, assistant director
, production manager, director of photography, and special effects assistant.
Cornman: American Vegetable Hero
, an action-comedy film on which he also served as a producer and writer. Cornman was about a loser whose ability to communicate with corn makes him become a crazy super hero. After which he battles the evil villain, Dr. Hoe, who wants to own all the corn in the world. The tagline for the film was, Justice is coming.... for the Corn!. The film went on to win the award for Best Comedy Film at the Deep Ellum Film Festival in 2001.
Prison-A-Go-Go!
Mostly, the film was a parody of the grindhouse
sub-genre, telling the story of sweet Callista who is abducted for "scientific" reasons. It is up to her brainy sister Janie to solve the mystery and attempt a rescue. But the only clue leads to a wild and notorious prison in the Philippines, where committing a crime may be the only way in. The film starred bigger names than his last feature, the cast included Rhonda Shear
, Mary Woronov
, and Lloyd Kaufman
. The film won four awards at the B-Movie Film Festival
including Best B-Movie, Best Director, and Best Actress (Rhonda Shear).
-horror film
, Blood on the Highway
. The film was about three twenty-something kids on a road-trip who have a gastrointestinal mishap with their map and accidentally wander into Fate, Texas, only to find the town populated by bloodthirsty, dimwitted vampires. A brutal run-in with two carnivorous convenience store clerks leads the three to take refuge with the town's only surviving humans and prepare for battle with an army of the undead.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. Epstein's body of work is considered to mostly consist of independent and grindhouse
Grindhouse
A grindhouse is an American term for a theater that mainly shows exploitation films. It is named after the defunct burlesque theaters located on 42nd Street in New York City, where 'bump n' grind' dancing and striptease were featured.- History :...
films. The three films that he has directed include: Cornman: American Vegetable Hero
Cornman: American Vegetable Hero
Cornman: American Vegetable Hero a.k.a. Cornman II: The Day of the Locusts is an American cult movie first released in March of 2001 by WorldWide International Picture Studios, known for producing low budget B-movies with campy concepts. The film premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival...
, Prison-A-Go-Go!
Prison-A-Go-Go!
Prison-A-Go-Go! is an American movie first released in October 2003 by WorldWide International Picture Studios, known for producing low budget B-movies with campy concepts. The film premiered at the Deep Ellum Film Festival in 2003 and went on to win several awards. The film was directed by Barak...
, and Blood on the Highway
Blood on the Highway
Blood on the Highway is an American comedy-horror film that was first released in March of 2008 by BOH Productions. The film premiered at the AFI Dallas Film Festival on March 28, 2008...
.
Film Exhibition
In August 2010, Epstein formed Aviation Cinemas Inc. and took over the lease for the Historic Texas Theatre
Texas Theatre
The Texas Theatre is a movie theater and Dallas Landmark located in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. It gained historical fame for being the place Lee Harvey Oswald, the assassin of President John F. Kennedy and Dallas police officer J. D. Tippit, was arrested after a brief fight...
.
Early film career
Epstein's first job in the film industry was working as an intern on the 1999 film, Boys Don't CryBoys Don't Cry (film)
Boys Don't Cry is a 1999 American independent romantic drama film directed by Kimberly Peirce and co-written by Andy Bienen. The film is a dramatization of the real-life story of Brandon Teena, a transgender man played by Hilary Swank, who pursues a relationship with a young woman, played by Chloë...
. He has worked on several films made by Troma Entertainment
Troma Entertainment
Troma Entertainment is an American independent film production and distribution company founded by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz in 1974.The company produces low-budget independent movies that play on 1950s horror with elements of farce...
including Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV
Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV
Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger Part IV is a 2000 American superhero comedy film released by Troma Entertainment, directed by Lloyd Kaufman...
. Epstein appeared in Lloyd Kaufman's
Lloyd Kaufman
Lloyd Kaufman is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and occasional actor. With producer Michael Herz, he is the co-founder of Troma Entertainment film studio, and the director of many of their feature films, including The Toxic Avenger and Tromeo and Juliet. Kaufman also serves as...
2005 DVD set, Make Your Own Damn Movie!
Make Your Own Damn Movie!
Make Your Own Damn Movie is both a book and a DVD set about Troma Entertainment and independent film in general.-Book:Make Your Own Damn Movie!: Secrets of a Renegade Director is written by Lloyd Kaufman published by St. Martin's, in 2003...
while on the set of Prison-A-Go-Go! The numerous crew positions that Epstein has held include: gaffer
Gaffer (filmmaking)
A gaffer in the motion picture industry and on a television crew is an electrician that can be head of the electrical department, responsible for the execution of the lighting plan for a production. Gaffer, outside of the motion picture industry, is a traditional British English word for an older...
, camera operator
Camera operator
A camera operator or cameraman is a professional operator of a film or video camera. In filmmaking, the leading cameraman is usually called a cinematographer, while a cameraman in a video production may be known as a television camera operator, video camera operator, or videographer, depending on...
, editor, assistant director
Assistant director
The role of an Assistant director include tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, maintaining order on the set. They also have to take care of health and safety of the crew...
, production manager, director of photography, and special effects assistant.
Cornman: American Vegetable Hero
Epstein's debut as a director came with 2001's2001 in film
The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
Cornman: American Vegetable Hero
Cornman: American Vegetable Hero
Cornman: American Vegetable Hero a.k.a. Cornman II: The Day of the Locusts is an American cult movie first released in March of 2001 by WorldWide International Picture Studios, known for producing low budget B-movies with campy concepts. The film premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival...
, an action-comedy film on which he also served as a producer and writer. Cornman was about a loser whose ability to communicate with corn makes him become a crazy super hero. After which he battles the evil villain, Dr. Hoe, who wants to own all the corn in the world. The tagline for the film was, Justice is coming.... for the Corn!. The film went on to win the award for Best Comedy Film at the Deep Ellum Film Festival in 2001.
Prison-A-Go-Go!
In his next venture as a director, Epstein tackled the women in prison film genre with 2003's2003 in film
The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
Prison-A-Go-Go!
Prison-A-Go-Go!
Prison-A-Go-Go! is an American movie first released in October 2003 by WorldWide International Picture Studios, known for producing low budget B-movies with campy concepts. The film premiered at the Deep Ellum Film Festival in 2003 and went on to win several awards. The film was directed by Barak...
Mostly, the film was a parody of the grindhouse
Grindhouse
A grindhouse is an American term for a theater that mainly shows exploitation films. It is named after the defunct burlesque theaters located on 42nd Street in New York City, where 'bump n' grind' dancing and striptease were featured.- History :...
sub-genre, telling the story of sweet Callista who is abducted for "scientific" reasons. It is up to her brainy sister Janie to solve the mystery and attempt a rescue. But the only clue leads to a wild and notorious prison in the Philippines, where committing a crime may be the only way in. The film starred bigger names than his last feature, the cast included Rhonda Shear
Rhonda Shear
Rhonda Shear is an American television personality, comedienne, and actress.-Early life:Shear was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, to a Jewish American family. She attended Loyola University, earning a B.A. in Communications...
, Mary Woronov
Mary Woronov
Mary Woronov is an American actress and writer. She is primarily known for her roles in independent and cult films. Woronov has appeared in over 80 movies, as well as numerous appearances in mainstream television series, such as Charlie's Angels and Knight Rider.-Early life:Woronov was born in the...
, and Lloyd Kaufman
Lloyd Kaufman
Lloyd Kaufman is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and occasional actor. With producer Michael Herz, he is the co-founder of Troma Entertainment film studio, and the director of many of their feature films, including The Toxic Avenger and Tromeo and Juliet. Kaufman also serves as...
. The film won four awards at the B-Movie Film Festival
B-Movie Film Festival
The B-Movie Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Syracuse, United States.The festival was founded in 1999 by local filmmaker Ron Bonk to promote the art of B-movie making. It was canceled in its third year due to the effects of September 11 attacks...
including Best B-Movie, Best Director, and Best Actress (Rhonda Shear).
Blood on the Highway
In 2008 Epstein co-directed with Blair Rowan the comedyComedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
-horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
, Blood on the Highway
Blood on the Highway
Blood on the Highway is an American comedy-horror film that was first released in March of 2008 by BOH Productions. The film premiered at the AFI Dallas Film Festival on March 28, 2008...
. The film was about three twenty-something kids on a road-trip who have a gastrointestinal mishap with their map and accidentally wander into Fate, Texas, only to find the town populated by bloodthirsty, dimwitted vampires. A brutal run-in with two carnivorous convenience store clerks leads the three to take refuge with the town's only surviving humans and prepare for battle with an army of the undead.
Director
- Cornman: American Vegetable HeroCornman: American Vegetable HeroCornman: American Vegetable Hero a.k.a. Cornman II: The Day of the Locusts is an American cult movie first released in March of 2001 by WorldWide International Picture Studios, known for producing low budget B-movies with campy concepts. The film premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival...
(2001) - Prison-A-Go-Go!Prison-A-Go-Go!Prison-A-Go-Go! is an American movie first released in October 2003 by WorldWide International Picture Studios, known for producing low budget B-movies with campy concepts. The film premiered at the Deep Ellum Film Festival in 2003 and went on to win several awards. The film was directed by Barak...
(2003) - Blood on the HighwayBlood on the HighwayBlood on the Highway is an American comedy-horror film that was first released in March of 2008 by BOH Productions. The film premiered at the AFI Dallas Film Festival on March 28, 2008...
(2008) (with Blair Rowan)
Actor
- Cornman: American Vegetable HeroCornman: American Vegetable HeroCornman: American Vegetable Hero a.k.a. Cornman II: The Day of the Locusts is an American cult movie first released in March of 2001 by WorldWide International Picture Studios, known for producing low budget B-movies with campy concepts. The film premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival...
(2001) - The Tunnel (2001)
- I Wish My Beer Was as Cold as Your Heart (2003)
- Caffeine Headache (2003)
Producer
- Cornman: American Vegetable HeroCornman: American Vegetable HeroCornman: American Vegetable Hero a.k.a. Cornman II: The Day of the Locusts is an American cult movie first released in March of 2001 by WorldWide International Picture Studios, known for producing low budget B-movies with campy concepts. The film premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival...
(2001) - Zombie Campout (2002)
- I Wish My Beer Was as Cold as Your Heart (2003)
- Caffeine Headache (2003)
- Prison-A-Go-Go!Prison-A-Go-Go!Prison-A-Go-Go! is an American movie first released in October 2003 by WorldWide International Picture Studios, known for producing low budget B-movies with campy concepts. The film premiered at the Deep Ellum Film Festival in 2003 and went on to win several awards. The film was directed by Barak...
(2003) - Blood on the HighwayBlood on the HighwayBlood on the Highway is an American comedy-horror film that was first released in March of 2008 by BOH Productions. The film premiered at the AFI Dallas Film Festival on March 28, 2008...
(2008) - EarthlingEarthling (film)Earthling is the 2010 sci-fi film by Clay Liford starring Rebecca Spence, Peter Greene and William Katt in lead roles.-Synopsis:After a mysterious atmospheric event, a small group of people wake up to realize that their entire lives have been a lie. They are in fact aliens disguised as humans. Now...
(2010)