Finally some news on Michael's long awaited and much buzzed about major motion picture directorial debut (not counting his music videos, the Best Tears episode he directed, and the short film The Pill). As you may have heard (and the new poster above explains), the film is a gritty and dark drama that takes place in Los Angeles, California about two young people who take extreme steps to deal with their intimacy issues. Rock singer Alley Vendetta of Secrets & Sunsets (and her new crunkcore outfit I Bit A Vampire) stars as a young runaway from Kansas City who enters the world of porn and cannot escape. Michael has mentioned in past interviews her character and overall story is loosely based on the real life story of former porn star Jersey Jaxin. Chandler Massey plays the other lead character. A college aged boy from Denver, Colorado struggling with his sexuality and decides to take a radical new drug that kills the sex drive altogether.
The poster reveals the rest of the cast, which is rather large and eclectic. It includes respected veteran actors such as David Morse (The Rock, Disturbia) and John Malkovich (In The Line of Fire, Burn After Reading, The Man in the Iron Mask), longtime TV actress Katey Sagal (Married With Children, 8 Simple Rules, Sons of Anarchy), well known character actor Neal McDonough (NYPD Blue, 2007's The Hitcher), 8 Mile's Taryn Manning, 90210's Matt Lanter, Gossip Girl's Jessica Szohr, newcomer Dominik Garcia-Lorido (daughter of Andy Garcia), two of Michael's Taking of Pelham 123 co-stars (Ramon Rodriguez and Alex Kaluzhsky), and even two former reality TV stars (Erica Langston from last season's Bad Girls Club and Tess Taylor from Pretty Wild). Michael also mentioned in the past that real life current porn stars would have small supporting roles as well (no indication that current squeeze Sasha Grey will be one of them) and that former porn stars will serve as consultants. One former porn star, Shelley Lubben, served as not only consultant on the film but also Executive Producer as well. She started the Pink Cross charity which helps porn actresses leave the industry. According to Michael, 50% of the film's gross earnings will go toward this charity.
Some controversy has arised in the fact that the film was given an NC-17 rating by the MPAA. Meyers plans to screen the film on Friday, January 21 in Atlanta at the South By Southwest film festival (normally held in Austin, Texas but this year in Atlanta for the first time ever). Michael along with all the cast is scheduled to be there. He hopes a new cut of the film will change the MPAA's mind. He said he is still prepared to release the film even if they don't change the rating. The poster also reveals the film will be released in select theaters March 4. According to Michael's Twitter, a trailer for the film will play during the Super Bowl (Sunday February 6).
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