Vitamin Pictures creative director Danny Delpurgatorio has wrapped his second horror short, “a psychological horror thriller dealing with mental illness,” he says, that will head for the festival route in January.
“Body(s), “explores the good and bad in everyone and how they deal with the bad inside of them, where do they go when things go wrong,” Delpurgatorio says.
The 18-minute film is about a troubled man, played by local actor David Steiger, who suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder (aka multiple personality disorder). When he has his malicious personality surgically removed, he is forced to face the reality of his condition.
It also stars Leah Karpel, Laura T. Fisher, and Aaron Christensen.
“Personally, I tend to gravitate towards films that explore the human condition,” Delpurgatorio says. “There is something about man that is fascinating and completely relatable. For me, when a film is grounded in some sort of reality, it strikes a much stronger chord.”
The script was written by FCB Chicago copywriter Anthony R. Williams, STORY assistant director Rob Foster and Delpurgatorio, who directed and edited. Vitamin produced.
Chicago-based Chris Vinopal shot last May in Lincoln Park, Garfield Park and downtown; Delpurgatorio edited; music was supplied by LA-based Zach Goheen, who works for High Lone Some Sound, audio post by CRC’s Ian Scott and Mark Wilkening.
“Other,” Delpurgatorio’s 2012 sci-fi horror short, which a film reviewer called “insanely impressive and mesmerizing,” showcased at 60 film festivals, starting with SXSW and including Fantasia, Screamfest, and Elvira’s Horror Hunt and won 20 prizes along the way.
In 2008, he directed animated “Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter” for Warner Brothers/Paramount/Legendary Pictures/DC Comics. It was produced by Zack Snyder and stars Gerard Butler and Jared Hess.
