It's been said
very often that "today, anyone can make a movie". Considering how technology
has become more and more available at a cost effective rate, that sentence
couldn't possibly be more true. However, this doesn't mean that anyone
can make a good movie...
Our flicks
are trapped between two worlds...Most of them were produced with the same
budget most independent low b amateurish movies out there were produced.
But our flicks are internationally awarded and capable of participating
at an A-class International Film Festival such as Sitges,
where Amor Brujo was featured in October, 2002.
Elvio Gandolfo,
critic and writer from Uruguay, once said about Alpha flicks:
"They are a
unique experience to watch. From the get go you realize there was little
money involved. But after a few minutes, you forget that and find yourself
trapped in a story that can make you nervous and also scare you big time.
They simply work"...
WELCOME TO OUR
FLICKS
GALLERY
HISPANOS
Year of
production: 1998 Genre:
Drama/crime Format:
Mini-series Length:
14 episodes x 24 minutes Language:
Spanish Producer:
Juan Gil Writer/Director:
Ricardo Islas Stars:
Andrés Lombana, Evelia Hernández, Charín Alvarez
HISPANOS was
originally titled "Chicago" and it's the first production where ALPHA Studios
was involved in America, back in 1997/98. It's a mix of genres that goes
from comedy to romantic crime story. A completely different approach to
the cruel reality of being an immigrant in America. It's being aired several
times in local cable stations in Chicago land, attracting the attention
of an amazed audience that was not used to seeing local production at all.
Trivia:
Auditions for this production were announced as a
casting call for an upcoming Novela. As a result of this promotional
campaign, hundreds of Hispanic actors and non actors would show up trying
to be involved. Once it was stated that it was not a classical novela,
but a five hour mini-series, people would not respond, and to fill some
of the roles, the producers had a very hard time.
Every Latino
wanted to be in a Novela, but nobody cared for a mini-series...
GALLERY
HEADCRUSHER
Year of
production: 1999 Genre:
Horror Format:
Length Feature Length:
80 minutes Language:
English Producer:
John Delgado Writer/Director:
Ricardo Islas Stars:
Paola Valdés, Eigi Chiang, Sia Moody Special
appearance: Stephanie Beaton
HEADCRUSHER was
the first ALPHA Studios horror flick in the United States and also the
first one in English.
Two construction
workers are working in the basement of a disco. One of them finds a skull
buried in the stone. As a result of this he's infected by some weird virus
that drives him crazy. He starts to hit his own head against a wall until
it's become in a shapeless bloody mass. These events are just the opening
for a strange story where horror, suspense, revenge and science fiction
mix in a thrilling story that will capture the audience.
Trivia:
Actor Dominique
Capone, (direct descendent of Al Capone in real life!) plays a mobster
chief. There's a remarkable resemblance with his ancestor
Well known football
star from the seventies, Kris Haines plays the Headcrusher
Famous Scream
Queen Stephanie Beaton plays a scary sexy ghost...
AMOR BRUJO brings
ALPHA Studios back to the mini-series format, with a shocking epic
horror story that follows the style of the seventies horror classics such
as The Omen or The Exorcist.
“Next Christmas
only two children will be born…One of them will live and the other one
must die…”
A young girl
crosses the border from Mexico, carrying a secret of death and destruction.
Shocking and
suspenseful, Amor Brujo tells the story of the final battle between good
and evil in an original and unexpected way.
Trivia:
The open scene
of AMOR BRUJO was actually shot in Egypt!
Producer
Ricardo Islas contacted brothers and film students Matthew and Jeffrey
Beals who happened to be living in Cairo at that time. Matthew shot his
brother Jeffrey wearing a white robe that was made with stolen sheets from
the hotel where they were staying. Without any kind of permission, they
entered ancient ruins with their digital camera and got amazing shots of
a "woman" running in the desert!
A MUST SEE!
GALLERY
HACIENDO EL AMOR...BRUJO
Year of
production: 2002 Genre:
Comedy Format:
Length Feature Length:
132 minutes Language:
Spanish/English Producer/Writer/Director:
Ricardo Islas Stars:
Ricardo Islas, Tatiana Suárez Pico, Araceli Jiménez, Jaqueline
Acevedo and Lonnie Chriswell
Haciendo el AMOR...BRUJO is
the most unusual movie, not only within ALPHA Studios regular production,
but also in general.
In
times when it seems impossible
to
be original, these guys made it!
Based on how
a real mini-series titled "Amor Brujo" was made, its creators came
up with the original and crazy idea of making a comedy based on their own
experiences. The result is a curious and very funny kind of mockumentary
loaded with ingenious dialogues and even slapstick comedy that reminds
the best times of Benny Hill or Mr. Bean.
Trivia:
In the so-called
"chile scene", actresses Araceli Jiménez and Jaqueline Acevedo were
supposed to eat a bowl of very spicy chiles as part of their acting. As
the special effects guy and the director were trying to figure out how
to make this realistic, the girls just called for action. After a few shots,
the chile was gone for real and they never even coughed!...
There's no
question about it...Mexican girls are hot!
GALLERY
TO KILL A KILLER
Year of
production: 2004 Genre:
Suspense/action Format:
Length Feature, (16mm) Length:
94 minutes Language:
English Executive
Producer: Salomón Carmona Writer/Director:
Ricardo Islas Stars:
Salomón Carmona, Jorge Reynoso, Hugo Stiglitz, Lyndsey Jiménez
To Kill a Killer is
the story of a retired hit-man who accepts to come out of retirement to
track down a dangerous serial killer.
In this bloody
human hunt, the hunter and his family, end up being the target of the most
insane and vicious criminal.
Starred by
legendary Mexican action-movie actors Jorge Reynoso and Hugo Stiglitz,
To Kill a Killer has the perfect combination of brutal action, suspense
and the base of a solid story that captures the attention of the most diverse
audiences.
Trivia:
To Kill a Killer
is also titled Para Matar a un Asesino; and this is NOT just a title translation…
Working with a very talented group of bilingual Latino actors, Islas was
able to write and SHOOT all the dialogue scenes twice: once in English
and once in Spanish… Two movies for the price of just one; how about that?
Year of
production: 2005 Genre:
Horror Format:
Length Feature Length:
98 minutes Language:
English Producer: Ricardo Islas Writer/Director:
Ricardo Islas Stars:
Leslie Frank, Cyn Dulay, Ricardo Islas and Ruby González
NIGHT FANGS is
the story of two art teachers in search of eternal youth.
Performing bloody rituals, they accidentally unleash an ancient evil that will devour their flesh and souls...
NIGHT FANGS is the goriest and the most horrifying ALPHA Studios production ever... Read again: the goriest and the most horrifying, so: PREPARE FOR THE EXTREME!
Trivia:
The finale of this movie was shot at the historical Aragón Theatre in Chicago. During the shoot, the care-taker didn't like to visit the set since, according to him, the place was haunted for real...
GALLERY
LOCKOUT
Year of
production: 2006 Genre:
Horror Format:
Length Feature Length:
91 minutes Language:
English Exec. Producer: Salomón Carmona
Producers: Cyn Dulay and Mark Harris Writer/Director:
Ricardo Islas Stars:
Cyn Dulay, Kris Desautels and Claire Davenport
LOCKOUT is the story of an American man who gets fired when he fails to adapt to certain changes in the company where he’s worked for over ten years.
As a result of this, he and his family are forced to move to an old house in rural Wisconsin, where bizarre events will gradually turn their lives into nothing but hell on earth…
Trivia:
A “run-away investor” forced producers to change locations, schedule and cast one week before shooting!... and yet, they got it done in fifteen days and within budget!
GALLERY
THE DAY OF THE DEAD
Year of
production: 2007 Genre:
Horror Format:
Length Feature Length:
102 minutes Language:
English and Spanish Exec. Producer: Salomón Carmona and Cecil Chambers
Producers: Cyn Dulay, Tony De León and Mark Harris Writer/Director:
Ricardo Islas Stars:
Christina De León, Salomón Carmona, Jim Kirwan and Rosa Frausto
THE DAY OF THE DEAD Based on true facts, a gang of suburban kids is sport-killing home-less people just for fun in the streets of Chicago.
One day, they decide to try a new excitement, by murdering a young Mexican working girl, assuming there would be no consequences since she was illegal.
Police detective Carla Moreno takes the case personally and starts an investigation that leads her to a case of racial hatred and police corruption.
The father of the victim is allowed into the country with a 15 days humanitarian visa, so that he can take his daughter’s body back to Mexico. Detective Moreno is made responsible for the father by the Homeland Security Department.
Things get complicated for detective Moreno, when the body of the girl mysteriously disappears from the morgue and the father decides to take investigation in his own hands… and maybe justice as well…
Trivia:
While shooting a scene in Mexico, actress Rosa Frausto was invited to dance by a guy with a DEVIL mask. This sequence turned out to be very meaningful for the story, although it happened spontaneously and with no planning at all
