Quality Time (film)
Encyclopedia
My Apocalypse is a 2008
independent
film
starring Corin Nemec
, Bruce Weitz
, Nancy Allen
, John de Lancie
, Gail Strickland
, Meredith Salenger
and Jesse Harper.
Directed
and produced
by Chris LaMont
, the screenplay
was written by LaMont, Craig Belanger and Jay Holben.
Although My Apocalypse was filmed in 1997, it was not released until 2008, which was due to the amount of funding that LaMont had available to him as an independent filmmaker. With the extensive amount of CGI and Digital FX required to make the film meet his specific vision, the digital film revolution gained steam and he was able to complete the film with Special Visual FX Director Rene de la Fuente. Its world premiere
was a screening
at the Boston Underground Film Festival 2008
. It has since gone on to play the Sydney Underground Film Festival, River's Edge Film Festival, New Jersey Film Festival, Arizona International Film Festival and the Strasbourg (France) International Film Festival.
story of Stewart Savage (played by Nemec), who is actually the notorious serial killer
known as the North City Stalker. Stewart still lives with his parents, Jack (played by Weitz) and Linda (played by Allen), in an overcrowded future world where the polar ice cap
s have melted and the military
controls all aspects of everyday life. The Savages only have their apartment for half a day. At 6 p.m., they must turn it over to Nathan Eastman (played by de Lancie), his wife Victoria (played by Strickland), and their son Victor (played by Harper).
Stewart, however, sees everything as idyllic and in bright colors; his family is wholesome and happy and his girlfriend adores him. In reality
, he is very much insane
; he hates his meaningless job, strangle
s his girlfriends, and prefers the psychotic
solace of the world inside his head.
He has just murder
ed his latest girlfriend, Susan Stone (played by Salenger). Completely unaware of the difference between fantasy and the state of things as they actually exist, he is convinced that his fiancée is still alive and brings her home to meet his parents at his father's birthday party.
Aware of their son's activities, the helpless Savages are full of good cheer and play along with his sick delusion
s at the party, while actually frightened and angry. While acting as though it is mainly embarrassing, Stewart's annoyed parents attempt to bag the fresh victim before the Eastmans arrive.
Though his parents have become complacent with his psychosis, the people who share the apartment are less sympathetic. Stewart becomes more unhinged when they show up. Descending further into madness, he pulls a gun
and starts waving it around as he holds his family and the Eastmans hostage
.
More horrific than being held at gunpoint by a serial killer are the truths that surface when they are forced to speak candidly to one another.
2008 in film
This is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008...
independent
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
starring Corin Nemec
Corin Nemec
Corin "Corky" Nemec is an American actor. Nemec is known for playing the title character on Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Jonas Quinn on Stargate SG-1, and Harold Lauder in the ABC miniseries The Stand.-Personal life:Nemec's mother was a graphic artist as well as a painter, writer and poet...
, Bruce Weitz
Bruce Weitz
Bruce Peter Weitz is an American actor. He is perhaps best-known for his role as Sgt. Michael "Mick" Belker in the 1980s TV series Hill Street Blues for which he won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1984.-Early life:Weitz was born in Norwalk, Connecticut, the son...
, Nancy Allen
Nancy Allen (actress)
Nancy Anne Allen is a Golden Globe nominated American actress and cancer activist.Allen began an acting and modelling career as a child, and from the mid-1970s appeared in small film roles, most notably the anchor of Robert Zemeckis's ensemble comedy I Wanna Hold Your Hand...
, John de Lancie
John de Lancie
John de Lancie is an American actor. He has been active in screen and television roles since 1977, though he is best known for his recurring role as Q on the various Star Trek series and as Frank Simmons in Stargate SG-1....
, Gail Strickland
Gail Strickland
Gail Strickland is an American character actress.Strickland was born in Birmingham, Alabama, the daughter of Theodosia and Lynn Strickland, who owned a tire shop...
, Meredith Salenger
Meredith Salenger
Meredith Dawn Salenger is an American actress identified by her performances while a teenager. Her best known role was the title role in the 1985 Disney film The Journey of Natty Gann.-Early life and career:...
and Jesse Harper.
Directed
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:...
and produced
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...
by Chris LaMont
Chris Lamont
Chris LaMont is an independent filmmaker who co-founded the Phoenix Film Festival in 2000 and is currently its president. He has produced and directed several independent films, including Film Club, Quality Time, Netherbeast Incorporated, and The Graves.-Background:LaMont graduated Magna Cum Laude...
, the screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
was written by LaMont, Craig Belanger and Jay Holben.
Although My Apocalypse was filmed in 1997, it was not released until 2008, which was due to the amount of funding that LaMont had available to him as an independent filmmaker. With the extensive amount of CGI and Digital FX required to make the film meet his specific vision, the digital film revolution gained steam and he was able to complete the film with Special Visual FX Director Rene de la Fuente. Its world premiere
Premiere
A premiere is generally "a first performance". This can refer to plays, films, television programs, operas, symphonies, ballets and so on. Premieres for theatrical, musical and other cultural presentations can become extravagant affairs, attracting large numbers of socialites and much media...
was a screening
Film screening
A film screening is the displaying of a motion picture or film, generally referring to a special showing as part of a film's production and release cycle...
at the Boston Underground Film Festival 2008
Boston Underground Film Festival
The Boston Underground Film Festival is an annual event held in the Boston, Massachusetts area that specializes in alternative film and video. The Boston Underground Film Festival, also known as BUFF, is the largest underground film festival in New England, spotlighting short films and feature...
. It has since gone on to play the Sydney Underground Film Festival, River's Edge Film Festival, New Jersey Film Festival, Arizona International Film Festival and the Strasbourg (France) International Film Festival.
Synopsis
My Apocalypse is the surrealisticSurrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
story of Stewart Savage (played by Nemec), who is actually the notorious serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
known as the North City Stalker. Stewart still lives with his parents, Jack (played by Weitz) and Linda (played by Allen), in an overcrowded future world where the polar ice cap
Polar ice cap
A polar ice cap is a high latitude region of a planet or natural satellite that is covered in ice. There are no requirements with respect to size or composition for a body of ice to be termed a polar ice cap, nor any geological requirement for it to be over land; only that it must be a body of...
s have melted and the military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
controls all aspects of everyday life. The Savages only have their apartment for half a day. At 6 p.m., they must turn it over to Nathan Eastman (played by de Lancie), his wife Victoria (played by Strickland), and their son Victor (played by Harper).
Stewart, however, sees everything as idyllic and in bright colors; his family is wholesome and happy and his girlfriend adores him. In reality
Reality
In philosophy, reality is the state of things as they actually exist, rather than as they may appear or might be imagined. In a wider definition, reality includes everything that is and has been, whether or not it is observable or comprehensible...
, he is very much insane
Insanity
Insanity, craziness or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to themselves and others, though not all such acts are considered insanity...
; he hates his meaningless job, strangle
Strangling
Strangling is compression of the neck that may lead to unconsciousness or death by causing an increasingly hypoxic state in the brain. Fatal strangling typically occurs in cases of violence, accidents, and as the auxiliary lethal mechanism in hangings in the event the neck does not break...
s his girlfriends, and prefers the psychotic
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
solace of the world inside his head.
He has just murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
ed his latest girlfriend, Susan Stone (played by Salenger). Completely unaware of the difference between fantasy and the state of things as they actually exist, he is convinced that his fiancée is still alive and brings her home to meet his parents at his father's birthday party.
Aware of their son's activities, the helpless Savages are full of good cheer and play along with his sick delusion
Delusion
A delusion is a false belief held with absolute conviction despite superior evidence. Unlike hallucinations, delusions are always pathological...
s at the party, while actually frightened and angry. While acting as though it is mainly embarrassing, Stewart's annoyed parents attempt to bag the fresh victim before the Eastmans arrive.
Though his parents have become complacent with his psychosis, the people who share the apartment are less sympathetic. Stewart becomes more unhinged when they show up. Descending further into madness, he pulls a gun
Handgun
A handgun is a firearm designed to be held and operated by one hand. This characteristic differentiates handguns as a general class of firearms from long guns such as rifles and shotguns ....
and starts waving it around as he holds his family and the Eastmans hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
.
More horrific than being held at gunpoint by a serial killer are the truths that surface when they are forced to speak candidly to one another.
Main cast
- Corin NemecCorin NemecCorin "Corky" Nemec is an American actor. Nemec is known for playing the title character on Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Jonas Quinn on Stargate SG-1, and Harold Lauder in the ABC miniseries The Stand.-Personal life:Nemec's mother was a graphic artist as well as a painter, writer and poet...
as Stewart Savage - Bruce WeitzBruce WeitzBruce Peter Weitz is an American actor. He is perhaps best-known for his role as Sgt. Michael "Mick" Belker in the 1980s TV series Hill Street Blues for which he won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1984.-Early life:Weitz was born in Norwalk, Connecticut, the son...
as Jack Savage - Nancy AllenNancy Allen (actress)Nancy Anne Allen is a Golden Globe nominated American actress and cancer activist.Allen began an acting and modelling career as a child, and from the mid-1970s appeared in small film roles, most notably the anchor of Robert Zemeckis's ensemble comedy I Wanna Hold Your Hand...
as Linda Savage - John de LancieJohn de LancieJohn de Lancie is an American actor. He has been active in screen and television roles since 1977, though he is best known for his recurring role as Q on the various Star Trek series and as Frank Simmons in Stargate SG-1....
as Nathan Eastman - Gail StricklandGail StricklandGail Strickland is an American character actress.Strickland was born in Birmingham, Alabama, the daughter of Theodosia and Lynn Strickland, who owned a tire shop...
as Victoria Eastman - Meredith SalengerMeredith SalengerMeredith Dawn Salenger is an American actress identified by her performances while a teenager. Her best known role was the title role in the 1985 Disney film The Journey of Natty Gann.-Early life and career:...
as Susan Stone - Jesse Harper as Victor Eastman