The Last Broadcast (1998)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1997
Running Times: 86 mins
Format: colour     digital video
Ratio: 1.33:1
Sound:

CREDITS

PRODUCTION
Production Company: FFM Productions
Producers: Stefan Avalos, Lance Weiler

SCRIPT
Script: Stefan Avalos, Lance Weiler

DIRECTION
Directors: Stefan Avalos, Lance Weiler

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Lance Weiler
Additional Pine Barrens Photography: Jennifer Nasal
Camera Operators (Fact or Fiction Crew): Jeremy Coleman, Todd Weiler
Additional Camera (Fact or Fiction Crew): John Carpitella
Live Video Switching (Fact or Fiction Crew): Chadd Ritenbaugh
Assistant Light / Grip: Rein Clabbers
Stills: Robert Weiler
Digital Cameras Supplied By: Rein Clabbers; Pete Sillen; Mark Rublee; Jack Bromiley
Analogue Camcorder Supplied By: Andre Avalos
Motion Picture Cams Supplied By: Ecnal Fracken
Lights Supplied By: Sam Wells
Jib and Support System Supply: Jack Bromiley

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Stefan Avalos
Online Engineer: Mark Rublee
Film to Disk Recordist: Nafets Fricken

MUSIC
Musical Ambiences: A.D. Roso, Stefan Avalos
Songs: A.D. Roso (Stranger); Marionette Eight (Barren Eden)
Song Perrformed By: A.D. Roso, Stefan Avalos (Stranger); Marionette Eight (Barren Eden); James Seward (Little Sadie)

SOUND
Studio Sound Engineer: Rein Clabbers
ADR Recordist: Anthony Roso

VISUAL EFFECTS
3D Modeling: Mark Rublee
Green Screen Assistant: Lee Woulfe

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Art Direction Assistance: Jennifer Nasal, Heather Smith

MISCELLANEOUS
Drivers: David Beard, Rein Clabbers
Production Assistant: Brett Weiler
Technical Engineer / Liason (Fact or Fiction Crew): Holly Madison
General Assistant (Fact or Fiction Crew): Stephan Caputi

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks To: Mark Rublee of Rublee Prods; Pete Sillen and Dashboard Productions of NYC; Rein Clabbers for the long term use of his digital camera; Jack Bromiley and Bromiley Productions; Andre Avalos for the use of his video gear; Adobe; Sonic Foundry; Caligari; Microsoft; Sony; JVC; DPS; Truevision; Seagate; Diamond Multimedia; Turtle Beach; Craetive Labs; DAL; Digital Projections Inc
Additional Thanks: Manuel Avalos; Bob and Faith Weiler; Andrew Wilkinson and his amazing graphic design; Michelle Poggi; Alison Laslett; Bucks County Court House; Jay MacDonald for his backyard; Katia McGuirk; The Village Market; Suburban Community Television of Doylestown, Philadelphia; Mel for the prints; Art Landy; LM Kit Carson; Joseph Wicen; Marianne Connor; Jennifer Nasal; Bob Hawk; John Toner; Chuck Collins; Peter Puttman

CAST
David Beard (David Leigh, the filmmaker)
Jim Seward (Jim Suerd,the accused)
Stefan Avalos (Steven Avkast, Fact or Fiction host)
Lance Weiler (Locus Wheeler, Fact or Fiction host)
Rein Clabbers (Rein Clackin, paranormal sound man)
Michele Pulaski (Michelle Monarch, data retrieval expert)
Tom Brunt (Tom Branski, technical director of Fact or Fiction)
Mark Rublee (Clair Deforest, editor for the prosecution)
A.D. Roso (Anthony Rosi, lead investigator of murders)
Dale Worstall (Dr Dale Orstall, Jim's child psychologist)
Vann K. Weller (Dr Vann Waller, forensic psychologist)
Sam Wells (Sam Woods, television soap director)
Jay MacDonald (Jay McDowell, web designer)
Faith Weiler (Joyce Dryer, Jim's land lady)
Marianne Connor (Mary Brenner, TV reporter)
Robert Weiler (Barry Williams, editor of The Baroake County Record)
Jennifer Nasal (911 operator)
Brett Nielsen (man struck by lightning three times)
Holly Madison (Miss Lady Bright Eyes)
Jeremy Coleman (Ray, Fact of Fiction cameraman)
Todd Weiler (Ricky, Fact or Fiction cameraman)
Chadd Ritenbaugh (man with guitar)

PLOT SUMMARY

Filmmaker David Leigh pieces together a documentary about the Jerseyt Devil Murders of 1996 in which an access cable TV team were slaughtered in the New Jersey Pine Barrens while searching for the Jersey Devil. The only survivor of the expedition was charged with the multiple murders - but Leigh's film suggests a very different sequence of events. (Full Synopsis)

CAPSULE REVIEW

A creepy fake-documentary, made slightly before The Blair Witch Project (1999) but somewaht overshadowed by that film's success, The Last Broadcast is for the most part an effective and unsettling piece let down only by one infortunate directing decision at the climax. It has something intelligent to say about the use of modern technology and the nature of late 20th century TV entertainment however which makes it more than worth your while. It's just such a shame that the directors chose to undermine much of their good work in the last few minutes.

Germany
DVD Distributors: Kinowelt (500089 - The Blair Witch Project / The Last Broadcast Special Edition)

Japan
Theatrical Distributor: Herald Film Company

UK
Theatrical Distributor: Metrodome Distribution
DVD Distributors: Metrodome (MTD5004)

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Wavelength Releasing
DVD Distributors: Ventura Distribution (10182)

CENSORSHIP HISTORY

Australia
Rating: R

Germany
Rating: 16

UK
Rating: 18

AWARDS

1998
Chicago Underground Film Festival
Best Feature, Silver Prize - winner

TIMELINE

1998
March
9: USA - theatrical premiere

October
23: USA - theatrical release

1999
April
4: Argentina - shoiwn at the Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema

December
7: USA - DVD release (Ventura Distribution (10182))

2000
March
23: UK - theatrical release
25: UK - shown at the The Luxcinema, London

April
1: UK - shown at the ICA cinema, London and The Film House, Edinburgh
10: UK - video / DVD (Metrodome (MTD5004)) release
19: Japan - video release

May
9: Germany - DVD release (Kinowelt (500089 - The Blair Witch Project / The Last Broadcast Special Edition))

POSTER TAGS

What actually happened that night in the woods?

Incredibly creepy. Don't see it alone

some reporters would kill for the ultimate story... others will die.

makes 'BLAIR WITCH' look like a school project!

ALTERNATIVE TITLES

Jersey Devil Project - Japanese title

SEE ALSO
The Blair Witch Project (1999)

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

KEYWORDS

fake documentaries, the jersey devil, television

Last Updated: 15 October, 2008