The Atomic Space Bug
Encyclopedia
The Atomic Space Bug is a 1999 horror
film
directed by Jonathan M. Parisen
and starring Conrad Brooks
(Plan 9 From Outer Space
). The Atomic Space Bug is Parisen's homage to such fifties films as Robot Monster
and Plan 9 From Outer Space
. The film is about a giant insect-like creature that terrorizes a small town.
.
The weather conditions were so harsh that the star of the film, Christopher Englese, was hospitalized twice before the film was completed. Other problems encountered on the set were dodging bullets from the locals who were hunting in nearby woods, and the main actress quitting after just four days of filming, forcing Parisen to put the film on hold for a couple of months until he found a replacement actress. Parisen resumed shooting the film in the summer of 1999, in a wooded area on Staten Island, New York. The summer temperatures of a hundred degrees Fahrenheit (38 °C) and over caused more problems for the cast and crew, mainly for Jason Colucci, who played the role of the Atomic Space Bug. The bug costume was made mostly of foam, with little ventilation. Colucci would have to take many breaks from shooting to avoid passing out. Filming was completed June 1999. The black-and-white film premiered in New York City on July 16, 1999 at Anthology Film Archives
.
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...
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...
directed by Jonathan M. Parisen
Jonathan M. Parisen
Jonathan M. Parisen is an American film-maker and painter who wrote, produced and directed Stairwell: Trapped in the World Trade Center, the first dramatization of the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York City....
and starring Conrad Brooks
Conrad Brooks
Conrad Brooks is an American actor. He moved to Hollywood, California in the early 1950s to pursue a career in acting...
(Plan 9 From Outer Space
Plan 9 from Outer Space
Plan 9 from Outer Space is a 1959 science fiction film written and directed by Edward D. Wood, Jr. The film features Gregory Walcott, Mona McKinnon, Tor Johnson and Maila "Vampira" Nurmi...
). The Atomic Space Bug is Parisen's homage to such fifties films as Robot Monster
Robot Monster
Robot Monster is a 1953 American science fiction film made in 3-D by Phil Tucker. It is frequently considered one of the worst films ever made.- Plot :...
and Plan 9 From Outer Space
Plan 9 from Outer Space
Plan 9 from Outer Space is a 1959 science fiction film written and directed by Edward D. Wood, Jr. The film features Gregory Walcott, Mona McKinnon, Tor Johnson and Maila "Vampira" Nurmi...
. The film is about a giant insect-like creature that terrorizes a small town.
Production
Filming began on The Atomic Space Bug in the winter of 1999 in the small town of Bainbridge, New YorkBainbridge, New York
Bainbridge, New York, the name of a village and a town in Chenango County, New York, USA may refer to:* Bainbridge, New York* Bainbridge , New York, a village in the town- See also :...
.
The weather conditions were so harsh that the star of the film, Christopher Englese, was hospitalized twice before the film was completed. Other problems encountered on the set were dodging bullets from the locals who were hunting in nearby woods, and the main actress quitting after just four days of filming, forcing Parisen to put the film on hold for a couple of months until he found a replacement actress. Parisen resumed shooting the film in the summer of 1999, in a wooded area on Staten Island, New York. The summer temperatures of a hundred degrees Fahrenheit (38 °C) and over caused more problems for the cast and crew, mainly for Jason Colucci, who played the role of the Atomic Space Bug. The bug costume was made mostly of foam, with little ventilation. Colucci would have to take many breaks from shooting to avoid passing out. Filming was completed June 1999. The black-and-white film premiered in New York City on July 16, 1999 at Anthology Film Archives
Anthology Film Archives
__notoc__Anthology Film Archives is a film archive and theater located at 32 Second Avenue on the corner of East Second Street in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City devoted to the preservation and exhibition of experimental film. It is the only non-profit organization of its...
.