Simon Callow, best known for his role in ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’, will be leading the cast of the comedy-horror film ‘Murder Ballads: How to Make it in Rock’n’Roll’. The film is set to launch later this month at the Nightmares Film Festival in Columbus, Ohio.
The movie, directed by Mitchell Tolliday and written by Tolliday and Neil Rickatson, is a feature length adaptation of Tolliday’s short film titled ‘Everything is Going to Be Fine’. The story follows the rise and fall of the rock band Stack of Corpses, who make a risky move to jumpstart their career by stealing another singer’s song. This decision ultimately leads to bloody and unexpected consequences for all involved.
In the film, Callow will portray the legendary drug-addled rock icon Richard O’Keefe, a character who has experienced and indulged in everything the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle has to offer. The ensemble cast also includes Niccy Lin, Kerry Boyne, Verona Rose, Imogen Wilde, Fran McAteer, Rhiann Connor, Luke de Belber, and Lauren Cornelius, who are joined by newcomers to the industry.
The executive producers of the film are Giles Alderson and Bizhan Tong, while MT Films and ProveMotion produce the film in association with Phoenix Waters Productions and FiGi Productions.
Director Mitchell Tolliday expressed his excitement about Callow’s involvement, stating, “I was so excited when Simon agreed to play Richard O’Keefe. He gives a full-throttled performance that perfectly marries with the rest of the film. ‘Murder Ballads’ is a fast-paced, colorful, larger-than-life comedy that takes some darkly farcical directions. The main characters are all misfits who make increasingly terrible decisions but I think are also endearing in their own way. I wanted to make audiences laugh, wince, and gasp in equal measure.”
He further added, “Nightmares Film Festival is the perfect home for the world premiere of our anarchic comedy-horror, as they advocate for #BetterHorror and certainly deliver on that promise. I’m excited to see and hear how the audience responds to the film.”
Simon Callow himself praised the script for its humor, stating, “The script was hilarious. The world of rock ‘n’ roll is something I know nothing about, so I accepted it all as literal truth. For all I know, rockers may all be serious-minded, god-fearing teetotalers, but I hope not. What drew me to the character of Richard is that parts of his brain seem not entirely functional, which made him very engaging to play.”
