Movies
[Review] Fans of “Seinfeld” Are Going to Flip for ‘Seinfeld: The Purge’
A few weeks ago, I wrote about Seinfeld: The Purge, a production put on by the UCB Theater in L.A. that imagined what it would be like if the annual Purge went down on an episode of Seinfeld. Lucky for me, writer and actor John Ford saw the post and was kind enough to send me a video of the performance and I can happily say that Seinfeld fans are in for one helluva lawless night.
The amazing thing about Seinfeld: The Purge is that it actually feels like an episode of Seinfeld. Meaning, what happens is probably exactly what Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer would do during the Purge. Jerry wants to spend the Purge inside his apartment with his new girlfriend. George is accused of being a “Purge racist” for wanting to kill Joe Temple (the man who George watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s with in “The Couch”). Elaine considers a “Purge break up” with Puddy. And Kramer, he buys a soda fountain for his Purge party with the intention of selling extra large cups, the ones that were outlawed in NYC. Some people want to murder, Kramer just wants to sell big sodas. It’s perfect.
Not only is the writing spot-on, so are the actors. Joseph Porter (Jerry), Dave Christenson (George), Madeline Walter (Elaine), and Dax Herrera (Kramer) absolutely kill it is a the fab four. There’s also Jason Wayne Christian doing an incredible Newman (seriously, he sounds exactly like him) and Dan Van Kyrk delivering his best squinty-eyed, dry-voiced Puddy (high five). Writer John Ford gets in on the action as the socially awkward and eccentric J. Peterman. All these Seinfeld regulars on Purge night? Seriously, it’s a stupid amount of fun.
It’s also structured like a Seinfeld episode, kicking off with an NBC commercial promoting their “Purge Programming” and then jumping into a video of Jerry doing stand-up (like how each episode began and ended up until season 8). And like the best Seinfeld episodes, all of the plots collide in a grand schadenfreude of comedy glory. There’s some fun easter eggs and quotes peppered throughout that diehard fans will pick up on.
Both upcoming performances of Seinfeld: The Purge (August 19 and 21) are SOLD OUT, but keep your eyes peeled to the UCB website for more shows. If you’re lucky enough to see it live, DO IT.
Seinfeld: The Purge is directed by Justin Donaldson.
Movies
‘The Exorcism’ Trailer – Russell Crowe Gets Possessed in Meta Horror Movie from Producer Kevin Williamson
Russell Crowe (The Pope’s Exorcist) is starring in a brand new meta possession horror movie titled The Exorcism, and Vertical has unleashed the official trailer this afternoon.
Vertical has picked up the North American rights to The Exorcism, which they’ll be bringing to theaters on June 7. Shudder is also on board to bring the film home later this year.
Joshua John Miller, who wrote 2015’s The Final Girls and also starred in films including Near Dark and And You Thought Your Parents Were Weird, directed The Exorcism.
Joshua John Miller also wrote the script with M.A. Fortin (The Final Girls). This one is personal for Miller, as his late father was the star of the best possession movie ever made.
Miller said in a statement this week, “The origins of the film stem from my childhood spent watching my father, Jason Miller, playing the doomed Father Karras flinging himself out a window at the climax of The Exorcist. If that wasn’t haunting enough on its own, my dad never shied away from telling me stories of just how “cursed” the movie was: the mysterious fires that plagued the production, the strange deaths, the lifelong injuries— the list went on and on. The lore of any “cursed film” has captivated me ever since.”
“With The Exorcism, we wanted to update the possession movie formula (“Heroic man rescues woman from forces she’s too weak and simple to battle herself!”) for a world where no one group owns goodness and decency over another,” he adds. “We were gifted with an extraordinary cast and creative team to tell a story about how we’re all vulnerable to darkness, to perpetuating it, if we fail to face our demons. The devil may retaliate, but what other choice do we have?”
The film had previously been announced under the title The Georgetown Project.
“The Exorcism follows Anthony Miller (Crowe), a troubled actor who begins to unravel while shooting a supernatural horror film. His estranged daughter (Ryan Simpkins) wonders if he’s slipping back into his past addictions or if there’s something more sinister at play.”
Sam Worthington (Avatar: The Way of Water), Chloe Bailey (Praise This), Adam Goldberg (The Equalizer) and David Hyde Pierce (Frasier) also star.
Of particular note, Kevin Williamson (Scream, Sick) produced The Exorcism.
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