Bristol native a horror flick star

Bristol Central High School grad Jocelin Donahue has been quietly racking up some quality screen time in features and commercials that starred everyone from Ben Affleck to Jennifer Anniston. Now she's the indie horror flick queen of the week, thanks to her leading role in "The House of the Devil."

Here is the review by The New York Times. And here's one from the Los Angeles Times. And, finally, here's what Entertainment Weekly has to say. You can see more pictures and get some background at complex.com.

PS: Of course, she's used to dealing with fame. She was quoted in The Tattoo back in 1998.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

City wants to nab Jackie Robinson movie

Reporter Jackie Majerus wrote this story:

The city will do whatever it can to adjust and work with filmmakers if they decide to use historic Muzzy Field as a location for part of a new movie about Jackie Robinson, officials said.
"Absolutely," said Mayor Art Ward. "However we can be accommodating, we'll be more than willing."
Ward said if part of the film is set at Muzzy Field, it will be good for Bristol.
It's in the city's best interest, Ward said, to try to promote the state's filmmaking industry.
"Bristol would seem to be an ideal location," said Ward, for any number of future films.
"It behooves us to listen, look and hear any ideas and proposals," said the mayor.
Superintendent Ed Swicklas of the Bristol Parks Department also said he'd do whatever he could to work with moviemakers. He said if Muzzy Field is used in the film, it could be an economic boost for the area.
"I think it's a great idea," said Swicklas. "We've got a lot of history there."
Even beyond baseball, Muzzy Field has seen its share of glory, according to Swicklas, who said the Green Bay Packers played there in the 1940s, the Pittsburgh Pirates took a turn. Former First Lady Barbara Bush also paid a visit to the field.
"To add a movie with Jackie Robinson," said Swicklas, "that'd be great."
According to Ward, Bristol's beloved ball field is perfect for the movie.
"I think Muzzy Field is ideal," said Ward. "It's a setting in history."A film about Robinson's life would delve into history, according to Ward, and Muzzy is perfect for that.
"It's a facility that could represent that time period," said Ward.
While some stadiums may have schedules they won't interrupt for Hollywood, Swicklas said Bristol will make changes necessary to make the filming possible.
"We're more community based," said Swicklas. "We'd shift 'em around."
The fact that Bristol-based ESPN is also part of producing the Robinson movie project, said Swicklas, makes the whole thing "even better."


Muzzy Field's been around the block
Nearing its century mark, Muzzy Field was built about 1912, according to Swicklas. That's the same year the Titanic set sail.
Jackie Robinson was born seven years later in Cairo, Georgia, to a family of sharecroppers.
The film, which is not yet in production, will be set in 1947, the year Brooklyn Dodgers manager Branch Rickey hired Robinson, who had played in the Negro Baseball League.
Robinson, then 28, broke baseball's color bar when he joined the Dodgers. He was named Rookie of the Year and later, Most Valuable Player. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962, and died in Stamford 10 years later.
According to Karen Baldwin of Baldwin Entertainment Corp., one of the partners in the filmmaking, the movie will tell the story of the relationship between Robinson and Rickey and the events leading up to his first time at bat for the Dodgers.
Robert Redford, who is another one of the filmmaking partners, would play Rickey. The actor who would play Robinson hasn't been announced.
Baldwin has said Muzzy Field is on the short list of possible stadiums for use in the film, which has generated hope and excitement locally.
"I think we have the perfect stadium for that," said Swicklas.

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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

Witch's Dungeon is alive and well

Contrary to a story in today's Hartford Courant, Cortlandt Hull's wonderful little horror museum on Chippens Hill is not "defunct" and did not close permanently in 2005.
It is, in fact, thriving.
The Witch's Dungeon, which Hull started at age 13, celebrated its 40th annniversary last year -- and is heading happily toward the next landmark in 2016 when it'll have half a century of chills and thrills behind it.
The museum at 90 Battle St. is part of the Silver Screen Movie Museum and Archive, a nonprofit that people should recognize as a potentially lucrative tourism draw because of its extensive collection of movies and memorabalia that include everything from the original E.T. to reels of Bela Lugosi's "Dracula."
So let's not declare the museum dead, as the Courant mistakenly did today. Instead, let's see what could be done to make it bigger and better.
It could become a true year-round landmark if the community had more vision.

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

"Hairspray" mini-review

First off, I remember loving John Waters' version of "Hairspray" back when it was a refreshingly original little flick out of Baltimore.
I never saw the Broadway musical, though my wife got the chance and came back praising it to the hilt.
Now I've seen the new movie and I liked it. But John Travolta as the mom? Terrible. Divine was a million times better.

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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com