Produced by Jesse Baget and written and directed by BC Furtney, Ruthless Pictures’ Werewolf Rises stars Melissa Carnell (Boggy Creek), Bill Oberst Jr. (Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies), Matt Copko and Brian Berry (Peter Rottentail), and revolves around the character of Emma (Carnell), who after leaving for the big city returns years later (and with big problems) to her childhood home deep in the Arkansas mountains for some well needed rest, relaxation, and soul searching, only to find that her challenges have compounded. A bloodthirsty werewolf emerges from the woods to lay siege to the area, ravaging anything in its path, and revealing a sinister underworld that most never knew existed. With a full moon hanging over the area, Emma is plunged into a fight not only for her life, but for her very soul.
Furtney talked to FEARNET about the film, which was filmed over the course of thirteen days last December. “We wrapped just before Christmas in the sleepy town of Glenwood, Arkansas. Our first stop when we arrived was to inform the local police that any reports that they may receive of gunshots and/or screaming up the mountain was just us playing make-believe. And, of course, any sightings of a 7-foot-tall wolf-man, as it did cross our minds that some good ol' boy might not be privy to a film in the area, catch sight of our beast, and open fire. Thankfully, the locals were super cool and accommodating. There were no fatalities to report, and our two weeks there were a great experience!”
As for what drew him to directing a lycanthrope flick: “What initially attracted me was producer Jesse Baget, calling to ask if I'd be interested in doing a werewolf film,” said Furtney.
“Jesse gets things done, and any time collaborating with him is a good time. Once I buckled in and started writing, my usual characters started to emerge: flawed, driven, and morphing. I realized that maybe I'd been writing werewolf stories all along, and was finally just getting to add the ‘wolf’ aspect. The screenplay spilled out over the course of a weekend and, with just a few tweaks, it's what we shot.”
Furtney’s childhood, which he partially spent glued to the television, assisted in his attraction as well.
“Growing up, I remember staying up all night Saturdays in Pittsburgh to watch Haunted Hollywood on WPXI-TV, and Universal's The Wolf Man was my introduction to the creature,” he offered. “I literally saw it about fifty times. Later, the film The Howling blew my mind, and it’s still my favorite werewolf film; to this day I still have a crush on Dee Wallace because of that movie.”
Regarding what new elements fans of the sub-genre can expect in Werewolf Rises: “I think a strong back-story, and some well-developed characters on top of the madness swirling around them, meaning the blood, fur, and the fangs,” answered Furtney. “That, and our main character, Emma, played by Melissa (Carnell), is one hell of a femme fatale. But don't take my word for it. Check it out and see for yourself, and I hope you enjoy!”
Currently in post-production, distribution for Werewolf Rises will be announced by Ruthless Pictures shortly, so stick around. Visit the film's official Facebook page and "Like" for more info.