Loose in Las Vegas: Ted Mikels Update
For a person at an age when most are already retired, Ted Mikels is busier than most people half his years. When I visited him recently at his Las Vegas studio, it was still covered with props and sets from his latest film project which just completed principle photography and is now entering the editing phase. As if this venture wasn’t exciting enough, Ted filled me in on a new video marketing deal he has going and a soon to be released book on his exciting career in the motion picture business.
Demon Haunt is the newest entry in Ted Mikel’s long list of feature films. Unlike his last few films, which were sequels to earlier works, this is an entirely new venture. Demon Haunt is an ambitious tale of two sisters who run afoul of a demonic entity after moving into a new house. With the help of a paranormal investigator and their priest father they attempt to battle the evil demon and exorcise it from this realm. This film promises more CGI effects than any of Ted’s previous works courtesy of his assistant Mac McDonald. Mac also built some impressively creepy sets that I got to view up close on my visit. Ted is shooting for a November 2007 release provided all the CGI work is completed on schedule. For more information, visit his website athttp://www.tedvmikels.com.
Alpha Video has been distributing the majority of Ted Mikel’s films on DVD for some time now in editions affordably priced to fit almost any fan’s budget. Now they have packaged a broad cross section of six of these DVDs in a limited edition boxed set that even includes a photo card autographed by Ted! The films in the set are 10 Violent Women, Corpse Grinders 1 & 2, Blood Orgy of the She-Devils, The Doll Squad, and The Girl in Gold Boots. This selection offers a good overview of the different genres Mikels has worked in as well as showing his progression as a film maker. Unfortunately, the set is “boxed” in only the loosest sense of the word and basically comes with the individually sealed DVDs wrapped in a colorful paper sleeve. Also, for those completists out there, these DVDs contain extras that are different from the ones on the earlier Image Entertainment releases, so you will not be getting an exact duplicate of any previously purchased title. For a price of only $24.95 and including the signed and numbered card, it’s a hard deal to pass up (I got set number twelve!). You can check out Alpha Video at http://www.oldies.com/product-view/1034D.html.
Film Alchemy: The Independent Cinema of Ted V Mikels is the new book coming soon from McFarland & Company Publishing. Author Christopher Wayne Curry is probably best known for his similar work on the film career of Heschell Gordon Lewis – A Taste of Blood, published in 2000. Curry’s previous book is a heartfelt tribute that is clearly written “by a fan, for the fans”. As such it lacks the unbiased focus necessary to give a true critical overview but is still an entertaining read. Hopefully this new hardcover work will show Curry’s growth as a writer over the past seven years and offer some deeper insights into the world of exploitation filmmaking. Film Alchemy was announced by McFarland with a release date of August 30, 2007 but is still unavailable as this goes to press. Keep an eye on Amazon.com for the actual release. Also watch their third party marketplace for discounts if the book’s $49.95 price tag is a deterrent.
With all these projects in the works it’s hard to believe there is even more on the horizon. Ted has not planned his next feature yet but is currently taking suggestions via his website on what fans want to see. There is also a special boxed set of Corpse Grinders and its sequel coming soon with a third DVD containing a documentary on the making of both films. Keep watching the website for more updates until my next trip to Las Vegas!