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Vegan Vampires From Zorg – Lime Bar Salford – Launch Review & Interview
Vegan Vampires From Zorg – the movie from maverick producer Mike Bennett has been in the making for a very long time. Mike explains in this exclusive interview below: The video cut of the world premiere cantered around criminal shenanigans courtesy of a hard-core pornographic artist and a 2 foot 2, self-styled gorilla dark web filmmaker – […]
The post Vegan Vampires From Zorg – Lime Bar Salford – Launch Review & Interview appeared first on Louder Than War.
Vegan Vampires From Zorg – the movie from maverick producer Mike Bennett has been in the making for a very long time. Mike explains in this exclusive interview below:
The video cut of the world premiere cantered around criminal shenanigans courtesy of a hard-core pornographic artist and a 2 foot 2, self-styled gorilla dark web filmmaker – who were exposed onto massive screens for the audience at the Lime Bar media city on Halloween night the 29th of October.
As the audience arrived each and everyone were greeted with a luminous green vegan cocktail which certainly got the crowd in the mood for a hedonistic evening. As the stars from the film arrived they were interviewed on the green carpet by Greeta Jenkins, who was an advisor on the film and long-term manager with the likes of The Beat, Then Jerico, Jona Lewie and many more.
Simon Wolstencroft from The Fall who was the first interviewed and gave an interesting account of his perspective on the horror film that went horribly wrong in Hollywood and Orange County California.
“Delighted to be here, but I didn’t make the Californian shoot because there was this pornographic artist who asked me to take part in a sex scene in the Jacuzzi and I said ‘sorry love I’m busy that day’ and simply didn’t turn up. Allegedly she got her naked Jacuzzi scene shot – I just couldn’t go… I was running her around and in the back of the car and there were whips and chains, and she was talking about turning it into a pornographic affair allegedly and it wasn’t the way forward. It was supposed to be a fun film in the horror genre with a twist. I ended up in the film being ‘bitten’ by the legend who is Melanie Williams! The film is about how not to make a film and has turned out great. I’m pleased to be appearing with Mike Bennett of the Blockheads tonight before watching the video cut of the movie. All good clean fun!”
Click here to see Simon’s recollection of his experience with the failed porn star
On the green carpet was compere of The Who – Wolfy Foxlow (image above), who was chucked off the airplane on the way to California on the switch over to Chicago. He takes up the story grabbing a couple of luminous green vegan cocktails…
“She accused me of threats to kill her allegedly, but knew that I was aware of her extreme porn background and she tried to entice me into allegedly plundering the funds in order to make a film, which is now on the dark web and on extreme porn websites. It was the twin towers memorial day on American Airlines, and let’s just say that I believe originally it was her that spiked my drink, causing me to go a bit crazy in business class on the airplane and consequently, when we got to Chicago, I had seven guns pointed to my head as I was being dragged off the plane! I was tripping and saw this guy with flames coming out of his brain. That in this section of the film performed by Wishbone Ash. This woman was allegedly into bestiality and the whole lot and that’s not what the film is about – it’s an innocent caper movie celebrating vinyl because it’s set in the old vinyl store in California called Vinyl Solution and it’s fucking epic. I got there in the end and hung out with the Murder Junkies and all sorts of strange characters – I loved – Can’t wait to see the video cut of the movie tonight we’ve been waiting a long time for this, and thousands of pounds have been put into it ”
Watch Wonderful Stash – Wishbone Ash
One of the actors – the flamboyant Sheridan Coldstream turned up dressed as Rose West. To be fair it was Halloween and people are encouraged to wear fancy costumes appropriate to the occasion.
“it was a nightmare in Huntington Beach in Hollywood because of a midget porn actor allegedly plundering the money to make the disgraceful porn movie that we got labelled with, so this film sets the record straight. It’s all about the music and vinyl and we have such good singers and bands on the soundtrack coupled with what was found on the cutting room floor, it turned out to be a sort of mixture between Spinal Tap and the Great rock ‘n’ roll swindle… on acid”
Hacienda diva Melanie Williams arrived in style with her entourage in Aluminous green limo. Set to do a Roni Size collaboration for the movie along with a track with Peter Hook called Heterochromia. She was dressed in an amazing black cat suit and gave her version of events…
“I couldn’t make the original shoot because I was on tour in Australia and New Zealand respectively, but I made the final cut, and even got to California and visited the incredible vinyl store vinyl solution run by a guy called Drak. A lot of shit went down and there were needles involved due to vegan vampires not being allowed to kill people, so instead using injections… it was mistaken for being an anti-vaccination movie and our YouTube channel got closed down. It was crazy. we know who was behind it and all is revealed in the film so I will say no more, but I’m thoroughly looking forward to tonight. It’s the video cut so it shows the tracks and videos but lots of the characterisation and interviews about everything going horrifically wrong. It’s quite a good vibe at the Lime Bar and it’s great to see 300 people queueing up to get into this event it’s fucking amazing”
Next job was Fuzzbox producer Gary Watts who was looking quite conservative in comparison to the other people on the green carpet, but he had quite a lot to say about the Fuzzbox involvement in the film…
“We do a track called Female Precarious and it concentrates on aspects of what happened in Huntington Beach as well as the fans experience with the legend John Otway, who should be turning up later because they do a brilliant version of head butts. It’s got to be seen to be believed, so tell me and check some of the comments on the message board. To say that we are inciting violence which is totally ridiculous because overall, it’s a horror film -or should I say ‘a horror film about how not to make a horror film’, but I’ve really enjoyed working with these guys – I can’t wait to see the movie and get stuck into the live aspect”
Mike Bennett arrives with his entourage dressed up as a camp Glam Rock vampire and set to do four tracks from the band as the frontman for The Blockheads…
“It’s gonna be fucking brilliant. We set the record straight because we’ve been accused of making extreme porn through the plundering of the porn star actress’s tapes, and actually we show bits of that as an example, but not because we are promoting violence towards women, but that the story had to be told, and it’s been put together very well by the likes of Friedbanana and One Media IP at pinewood studios, who are putting it out on Amazon Prime. If you’ll excuse me I’ve got to go backstage and get into my injured character because I’m a method actor”
Mike downs about six drinks and disappears into the venue which is getting packed to the rafters.
Members of King Kurt arrive dressed in sharp suits and looking enthusiastic. They are collaborating tonight with Fuzzbox and The Duel. Tara Rez put her spin on the proceedings
“I really enjoyed being involved with the movie but everything went horribly wrong. It was documented as a sub-plot which makes it even more funny. They’ve got people like Daryl Hannah, members of the Sex Pistols, 1919, who are absolutely amazing as a Goth Band, and the legendary Steve Watson who directed the piece originally. I love the way he recalls being ripped off by the midget cameraman, I’ve been watching that footage on the way down on the tour bus – really looking forward to seeing. The Fat White Family and Melanie Williams footage – she’s been going on about that for quite a long time and I’m not surprised, because I’ve heard a snippet and seen a bit of the cinematic stuff and it’s brilliant”
Watch Fat White family with melanie williams
Dylan, the filmmaker from Friedbanana arrived with a T-shirt bearing words ‘Green lives Splatter’ across his chest, much to the consternation of a politically correct public by presuming that he was making a comment on a race issue…
“fucking ridiculous with our YouTube channel been taken down because they think vampires with needles offends people?! The B-movie was filmed well before Covid-19, and now it’s simply a joke – politically correctness gone berserk! Political correctness is NOT the order of the day, but we don’t aim to offend, we are merely trying to tell a story about a film that was sabotaged, went horrifically wrong, and also insert a story of vinyl, which is why we’ve got Nicky Tunes Lockett, members of the Happy Mondays, The Smiths and their input has been bloody amazing. I really love Melanie Williams and Peter Hook performing the Healer because it’s a character that Melanie Williams betrays within the body of work.”
Watch The Healer Melanie Williams and Peter Hook
Jamaican legend Le’Gato in collaboration with Stylo G and Dillenger arrives and gives his bill on the proceedings…
“Really glad to be involved in this as I’m a vegan, but I realise that people like Mike Bennett don’t subscribe to that, but I think Vegan Vampires is an iconic idea and I do a really sexy track called Wet about the porno actress Rhianna Gray also known as Joanna bellybutton. She stole a lot of money allegedly from the budget and went off with a guy called Munchkin Man to make the pornography, which we’ve been associated with. So I do a kind of satirical take on what happened, because I was right there in Huntington Beach and I saw exactly what was going on, and that real needles and meths were brought onto the set, causing mayhem, as many of the actors started to get off their heads. That’s where the exploitation started – taking advantage of vulnerable actors and musicians. A lot of it was filmed on peoples iPhones and that’s been bolted together and pushed into the film which is actually quite clever, because some of the stories are so fantastic. They would not be believable without this documentary evidence! Joanna Bellybutton is featured heavily in my song, and if she gets offended it’s not my problem, it’s just really about documenting what happened. There is a track called The Train because allegedly, her father killed a gentleman on a train, which gave her a blood lust allegedly – but it came a muse for a great song so something good came of evil”
Script consultant Casey Roberts arrives with a beaming smile and vampiric dress and gives her thoughts on the movie experience…
“I like Wolfy Foxlow’s story about his experience with Joanna and then the revenge story, and that David from Kavanagh had witnessed an axe murderer and the authorities in hospital centre counselling were none other than Siamese twins! it’s a bit of footage worth looking at”
Next to arrive on the green carpet was engineer Johnny Picard who mastered the Brian May/Troggs footage, which was a rendition of Wild Thing, and for a great cause with the proceeds going to Brian May’s legendary Wildlife Conservation. He takes up the story…
“It’s great really, because within the confines of a horror film you’ve got those great messages about cruelty to animals and Brian May and the Troggs, just before me, so brilliantly and Friedbanana’s cinematic work is so iconic. It fits in perfectly in the cinematic element of the movie. Steve Watson, giving a clear transparent version of the truth and what happened is also incredible. I also love the Route 66 Sex by Melanie Williams and Heterochromia with Peter Hook – I’m looking forward to seeing that performed tonight
Watch Brian May and The Troggs
Wanda Ryan, The Canadian and American broadcaster was next up, and simply had a few drinks and said ‘check out my new cars!’ It’s all true and went off to the ball to enjoy cocktails with Fuzzbox…
Jolene Langman one of the actresses turned up dressed as Myra Hindley and recall her terrible experience…
“Oh it was absolutely awful. This guy was trying to get me to do porn, and tried to give me some cryptocurrency, but I, like that Mike Bennett was in the bar round the corner from vinyl solution out of his brains with the porno actress. She had got him under some kind of spell, but I’m glad he’s over that. She actually went on national television and gave it the big one, like she was producing the film, but it was obvious she was using the casting couch. I’m looking forward to seeing that scene I love seeing Steve Jones from the Sex Pistols and Shane MacGowan in the movie because I am huge fans of out-of-the-box thinkers like that”
One of the producers Tre Tre could not get there due to prior commitments but her representative and intern William Home recalled the story when Mike Bennett called her on the mobile phone to try and entice her into the movie. I think it’s included in the film. “I love the Fuzzbox track Beauty and all the John Otway stuff. Also, I really love the track featuring members of The Fall, Simon Ding Archer doing a launch of the 1919, who had done some stuff actually with The Pixies, augmented by legends Neville Staple and Christine Sugary Staple of the Specials. Very surreal with a certain luminary, growing a penis on his nose, which I don’t suppose he was particularly amused about”
Anyway, prior to the video of the movie, there were amazing sets by Fuzzbox featuring The Duel and Paul from King Kurt. They did an incredible set that sounded like a hybrid between Van Der Graaf Generator, Jethro Tull on acid and Faust. it was a tremendous moment when Sigue Sigue Sputnik producer Gary Watts joined on stage, adding an element of vegan vampiric haunting synthesiser.
Born Rogue were absolutely brilliant with a mighty fine mix of hard-core punk, surf and the movie horror – very apt for the evening.
The Duel did a great post modernism set before Mike Bennett of the Blockheads came on and did some old classics, such as Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick, Reasons to be Cheerful, Clever Trevor and more.
Then it was time for the Video cut of the movie. As well as being shown on two screens, within the venue, it was shown on the streams outside in media city. There was mild uproar from neighbours complaining about the scenes that depicted Joanna bellybuttons and sex in California, along with the evil dwarf cameraman, who was sabotaging the film, and covert cameras, proving the point that the movie was completely decimated by this deadly duo.
It has proven to be a strange hybrid, because it’s also about the love of vinyl music with a soundtrack to die for including the incredible tracks by Blondie, Wishbone Ash, Glen Matlock and many more. Then of course you’ve got the tale of the oldest vinyl store in California run by a mercurial character called Drak. Yes indeed! that is his real name, and not surprisingly, he provided the music for the theme of the original film the one so disastrously went wrong
Mike Bennett has written for Rik Mayall, Bobby Davro, the Muppets, as well as producing and writing for people like Ian Brown, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, The Specials, Gregory Isaacs and many more. He has managed to capture a comedic element along with his cohorts Friedbanana and Steve Watson, who was there at the beginning and there at the end, and lived to tell the tale of woe!
It’s a visual feast despite the fact that it has been made up on a micro budget. The official film opens at Rough Trade record store, Nottingham on the 27th of November.
In the New Year it goes out with One Media IP (Pinewood Studios) on a six cinema deal, opening at the Roxy in the Lake District, before going on to an exclusive with Amazon Prime.
Click here to see a promo for the film
Here to see Mike Bennett talking about the film outside the Lime Bar
http://www.veganvampiresfromzorg.com/
Vegan Vamps Promo:
Root 66s: Melanie Williams
The Healer: Melanie Williams Peter Hook
Wild Thing – Troggs ft Brian May
I am Mark E smith
Heterochromia – Melanie Williams Ft Peter Hook (Long Mix)
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