Buckystein, or It's a Small World After All

A few years ago I read an article, possibly in The Isthmus, about a local man who had made his own horror movie about a crazed and murderous half man half mascot. He called it "Buckystein". I knew instantly I had to have it. I sent my money and got a copy of the dvd.

When the dvd came I played it right away. After 5 minutes my wife left the room and I was forced to endure the unspeakable horror before me. Actually it wasn't that bad. Short entirely in Madison with a cast of friends and relatives it gave new meaning to low budget horror films. It gave that new meaning to me anyway.

I had always loved the movies and wanted to be a part of them in anyway I could. When "The Last Kiss" starring Zach Braff did some filming in town Laurie and I rushed out to be extras. And we made the cut. My legs are featured in the opening credits. We are actually in the film together at one point but you can only see us on the dvd and then in very slow motion. You blink and we're gone.

But here was a man that had nerve, no the gall, to make his own movie. He had never done it before, but that didn't stop him. He had a vision of a monster Bucky Badger terrorizing the streets of Madison and he brought that vision to life.

Okay, the movie isn't up to hollywood standards, who no realistic budget how could it be, but it is so deliciously bad it stands alone in it's class of demented badger films.

Then a coworker was having some remodeling work done on his house. He stopped by desk and said, "I gave your story ("Emergency at St Anthony" from the anthology Zombie Nation: St Pete) to my carpenter, Geoff Lafayette. Did you know he directed and wrote his own horror movie, Buckystein?"

Oh my firggin god! You have to be kidding me. I have that dvd. That is too cool! Would he autograph my copy?

Weeks passed and no dvd. Then one day on my desk is my dvd, autographed.

That night I received an email from Geoff with some good news.

Thank You so much for letting me autograph the copy of Buckystein you gave Neil.  I am so sorry it took so long.  I am currently trying to edit a movie I have only shot about a third of.

He's making another movie!

I wrote back immediately offering any help I could give (other than financial that is). Geoff, if you're reading this the offer stands. I am a professional, well, not in anything to do with making movies. But I did take a screenwriting class at the UW and am still on good terms with my instructor. (Yeah I bribed her, but that's another story.) Oh, I do have a copy of Brice Campbell's autobiography in which he talks about learning the business by making the Evil Dead movies with Sam Ramii (Sam went on to direct Spiderman movies).

If you're still reading this blog post, you're my kind of fool. I encourage you to try and find a copy of Buckystein. You will love it. What better use do you have for your money? If you can't find it, let me know. I know the director.