Chillerama: This Valentine’s Day, Werebears Need Love Too!
So what’s better than a Friday evening after a long week of work? Well, I’ll tell ya. How about if I were to tell that my good buddy Tim Sullivan just dropped me a line to announce that his Chillerama segment, I Was A Teenage Werebear, is set to become a real stage musical? Would you believe me? And on top of that, BuySoundtrax Records will be releasing his anthology segment as a film soundtrack. Are you still with me? Well, I sh!t you not, this and so much more is all true! I couldn’t be happier for my friend. The guy’s a real class act and he deserves nothing but the best in life. And finally, the following debuted a few days ago on AICN, but we have it here now. I’m thrilled to host/embed the official music video for Chillerama, Psycho Charger’s main title song of the same name, here on Why So Blu. Check out the full press release below for more information on the soundtrack and stage musical and of course, hit play on the video below. But most importantly…enjoy!
(Los Angeles, CA –January XX, 2012) The perfect Valentine’s Day gift for the werebear you love, BuySoundtrax Records will release Tim Sullivan’sChillerama: I Was A Teenage Werebear – The Original Soundtrack featuring songs and score performed by PsychoCharger, Briana Nadeau, Bobby Vinton, Robert Vinton, and cast members Sean Paul Lockhart, Gabby West and Anton Troy. The album will be available as a special limited collectors CD as well as a digital download on ITunes.
An homage to the drive-in movies of the 50’s and 60’s, Chillerama is a comedy-horror anthology comprised of four vignettes from some of contemporary horror’s biggest filmmakers, among them I Was A Teenage Werebear from writer/director Tim Sullivan (2001 Maniacs, Driftwood). A funny, subversive spoof of the Eisenhower/ Kennedy-era beach movies. I Was A Teenage Werebear follows a day in the life of closeted new kid Ricky O’Reilly (played by Sean Paul Lockhart, aka adult film superstar Brent Corrigan) who falls for Malibu High’s mysterious bad boy Talon (Anton Troy). When aroused, the two transform into bestial leather daddies, the titular werebears. The film features five rock ‘n roll musical numbers, along with five other songs written specifically for the soundtrack that spin the frothy boy/girl/beach format into a humorously bloody, albeit well-intentioned, call for acceptance and tolerance.And now these songs will be available for the first time exclusively from BuySoundtrax Records.
“One of the pleasures making I Was A Teenage Werebear,” described Sullivan, “was the independence it allowed me to simply be me. And that meant coming out of the closet as an admitted fan of movie musicals as well as movie monsters. So taking a page from Rocky Horror and Hairspray, I channeled my inner American Graffiti and Grease and dashed out some ditties I hoped combined camp and cool.”
Rounding out the songs performed in the film by Lockhart, Troy and company, Sullivan tapped a variety of artists, including pop diva Briana Nadeau, whose “I’m Gonna Make Him Mine” and “Undercover Lover”, are a perfect blend of Duffy meets Dusty Springfield.
Two other songs featured in the film are courtesy of the Vintons, Bobby and son Rob. “Truth be told,’ continued Sullivan, “before I became obsessed with KISS at age 13, I was quite infatuated with Bobby Vinton, our family being Polish and my grandma playing his albums over and over. Never in a million years would I have dreamed that Mr. Lonely himself would be crooning a tune in one of my films. But with “Where Were You When I Was 17?”, Bobby Vinton has done just that. As has his son Rob, who not only contributed “Sexy Ways” to the soundtrack, but performs it on screen in the film with his band.
Also included on the soundtrack, Patrick Copeland’s guitar twanged score in suite form, as well a nice little bonus from shockabilly rockers Psycho Charger, who conjured up the hard rocking title track and first single “Chillerama”. A music video for “Chillerama”, starring the band and featuring clips from the film, was directed by Sullivan and will be released to coincide with the soundtrack.
Though part of the Chillerama anthology, I Was A Teenage Werebear has taken on a life of its own after a four month film festival tour of the 30 minute ‘hairy and uncut” version left fans growling for more. As a result, Sullivan and his Chillerama co-creator and fellow director Adam Rifkin will be bringing a full length musical stage version to LA in September of 2012. Stars Sean Paul Lockhart, Anton Troy and Tom Colby will be reprising their roles, with Rifkin, Lockhart and Colby producing, Sullivan writing the book and lyrics, and Werebear newcomer Sean Abley serving as director.
“I guess the moral of the story is- when you stay true, good things happen,” said Sullivan. “We all stayed true to our vision and theme, and the result is this fun little soundtrack of which we all are proud. These tunes are designed to stick in your brain forever- so proceed at your own risk. And never forget—werebears need love too…”
Track listing:
1. Chillerama–Psycho Charger
2. Don’t Look Away
Gabby West & Sean Paul Lockhart
(Written by Tim Sullivan and Patrick Copeland)
3. Purge–Sean Paul Lockhart
(Written by Tim Sullivan and Patrick Copeland)
4. Love Bit Me on the Ass
Anton Troy & Sean Paul Lockhart
(Written by Tim Sullivan and Patrick Copeland)
5. Do the Werebear (and let the Werebear Do You) Anton Troy, Tom Colby & Chris Staviski
(Written by Tim Sullivan and Patrick Copeland)
6. Room For All–Sean Paul Lockhart
(Written by Tim Sullivan and Patrick Copeland)
7. Where Were You When I was 17?
Bobby Vinton
8. Undercover Lover–Briana Nadeau
(Written by Briana Nadeau and Adam Williams)
9. Sexy Ways
Robert Vinton
10. I’m Gonna Make Him Mine–Briana Nadeau
(Written by Briana Nadeau and Ryan Jennings)
11. I Was a Teenage Werebear Instrumental Suite Written by Patrick Copeland
A) Main Title
B) There’s More to Life…
C) You Saved Me
D) Beach Fantasy
E) Give in to Me, Rick
F) Shower Mayhem–Aftermath
G) Even a Boy…
H) Luau Massacre–Werebears Need Love Too
12. Chillerama Drive In (Freak Out Remix)
Psycho Charger
Chillerama is available from Image Entertainment on DVD and Blu-Ray. Chillerama: I Was A Teenage Werebear – The Original Soundtrack will be available digitally, in stores, and directly from BuySoundtrax on February 14th.
ABOUT TIM SULLIVAN: Writer/Director/Producer Tim Sullivan is known for a wide variety of modern horror films, most significantly cult favorite 2001 Maniacs (2005) and its popular follow-up, Field of Screams (2010). He began his career as a New Jersey teenager pumping fake blood for 80’s splatter classic The Deadly Spawn (1983). Sullivan moved to Los Angeles where he worked in development at New Line Cinema, co-producing Detroit Rock City(1999). With a directing style ranging from the ‘splatstick’ nature of the Maniacs franchise to the serious bent of teen thriller Driftwood (2007), Sullivan gained additional notoriety as celebrity director of VH1’s hit series Scream Queens (2010) as well as creator and host of Shock N Roll, his weekly talk and video blog on leading web network Fearnet.com.
Recently re-joining forces with Detroit Rock City director Adam Rifkin for the comedy/horror anthology Chillerama (2011), Sullivan contributed the musical segment I Was a Teenage Werebear (soon to be a full length stage musical), embracing his passion for camp and rock and roll. Set to follow Chillerama, a variety of projects produced through Sullivan’s production entity, New Rebellion Entertainment; teen comedy Battle of the Bands, queer fear anthologyTriptych and The Poet in Exile, a stirring drama based on The Doors co-founder Ray Manzarek’s bestselling novel about his life with Jim Morrison.
ABOUT BUY SOUNDTRAX: BUYSOUNDTRAX.COM was created for the serious collector of rare and hard-to-come-by CD soundtracks and other unique hard-to-find items. It’s own label, BSX RECORDS has been steadily growing and we have been happy to present some long sought-after titles to our customers.
Surprisingly, Werebear was the only segment I disliked.