Revenge is Sweet

Or, at least, making a film about revenge proves sweet for director John Hunt.

By: Jessica Loughery

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Blanche Baker as Polly, a character who seeks revenge after the deaths of her husband and son in Jersey Justice.


   Three years ago, making a movie was just one of those things Federal Express truck driver John Hunt had always wanted to do. Though he had acted in local films, he hadn’t put serious thought into the director’s chair — that is until a family tragedy changed his perspective in 2004.
   At that point, Mr. Hunt decided he didn’t want to go through life regretting that he never did the one thing he wanted to do most. He sat down to write a script, was shooting a year later and is about to screen his completed film, Jersey Justice, for the first time at the County Theater in Doylestown, Pa., June 27.
   Working with feelings of frustration and the concept of revenge, Mr. Hunt wrote about a man whose son dies in Iraq. Afterward, the man’s wife is shot and killed on the street in Philadelphia, sending him on a revenge kick.
   Such is the meat of what Mr. Hunt calls his "genre" movie. "Being a first-time director, I wanted to do something marketable, like a comedy, horror film or thriller," he says.
   He did end up switching the genders of the characters. Suburban mom Polly O’Bannon loses her son and then her husband, after which she seeks revenge. "I thought it would be more quirky if a woman was the one to buy the shotgun," Mr. Hunt says.
   The script was finished in February of 2004, before the murder epidemic in Philadelphia started making headlines. "You’re making the movie and it becomes timely," Mr. Hunt says. In fact, he felt that references to President George Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and the Iraq War would be out of date when the movie was finally finished and shown. He says they’re now more relevant than ever.
   Once the script was finished, Mr. Hunt and his wife, Kathlyn, started the company that would produce the film — Browntown Films. They hired friends, recruited a few sponsors and soon enough, they had a slew of interested folks and enough money to make a low-budget picture.
   "The resources are here," Mr. Hunt says, "you just have to plan a little more." He credits director M. Night Shyamalan, who he says, along with the efforts of the Philadelphia Film Office, has brought Philadelphia up as a place to make movies.
   "The Philadelphia Film Office is the most important aspect," he says. "All you have to do is call them, and they provide contacts."
   Mr. Hunt placed casting calls in New Jersey, Philadelphia and New York. He also relied on producer Tammy Lynn Howell, who came aboard in May of 2005 during pre-production. She had worked with Gervase Peterson, formerly of Survivor fame, and recruited him for a corporate slime ball role.
   "I figured he’s probably dealt with people like that in the TV business," Mr. Hunt says of the film’s highest profile actor.
   Blanche Baker, who acted in Sixteen Candles (John Hughes, 1984) and Raw Deal (John Irvin, 1986), fills the starring role of Polly. The daughter of 1960s starlet Carroll Baker, Blanche has been out of the business for 15 years raising her family and is re-entering the field with Jersey Justice.
   "When we first turned on the camera, I knew we had something special," Mr. Hunt says of Ms. Baker. "She’s such a special talent; she gives you more than what you want."
   Other cast members include Jerry Lyden of Ewing as Detective Vic Bell and Christopher McMullin of Philadelphia as Detective Timothy Carroll. Many others are local actors Mr. Hunt had worked with before. He also put friends, family members and the entire crew in front of the camera.
   The movie was shot in 2005 on location in New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania. Among other Doylestown locations used, the Bucks County Courthouse parking garage is Atlantic City and the exterior of the courthouse is Trenton. "The reason we used Doylestown is because it’s close to (my) house, which was the meeting place," Mr. Hunt says. He also filmed in nearby Lansdale and Souderton.
   At the County, Mr. Hunt will introduce Jersey Justice and field questions afterward, along with Ms. Baker, Ms. Howe, director of photography Abe Holtz and Ms. Hunt.
   Two other summer screenings are planned, one at Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park and one at the Grand Theater in East Greenville, Pa. Mr. Hunt plans to enter the film in festivals in Philadelphia and Toronto, and a distributor in Los Angeles has already expressed interest.
   "I’m basically taking baby steps," Mr. Hunt says. "We’ve been very fortunate that a lot of people are interested. These three showings are to get the word out that (the film) is finished and we want viewers’ opinions."
Jersey Justice will be screened at the County Theater, 20 E. State St., Doylestown, Pa., June 27, 7 and 9:30 p.m. Tickets cost $8.50, $6.50 for seniors and students, free for members; (215) 345-6789; www.countytheater.org. Browntown Films on the Web: www.browntownfilms.net