Best of KC 2024: Blood on the big screen as Wichita-shot Western pistol-whips the genre
Photo by Matthew Lloyd
Earlier this month, we published The Pitch’s annual Best of Kansas City issue. You can take a peek at the results of the readers’ poll here. The issue also included a list, compiled and written by our editorial staff, of some local people, places, and things that we thought clearly won 2024. We’ll be publishing these items online throughout November.
In a tribute to classic filmmaking, Kansas-based filmmaker Austin Snell created the low budget film, They Call Her Death, which was shot on 16mm film with an Eclair NPR camera.
They Call Her Death premiered on June 20 at Screenland Armour Theatre and serves as a homage to spaghetti westerns and Italian horror. The movie tells the story of Molly (Sheri Rippel), who seeks revenge after her husband is killed by a bounty hunter. The movie was filmed in a variety of locations across Kansas, such as Wichita’s Cowtown Museum and the Missouri Town Living History Museum in Lee’s Summit.
According to Snell, he took inspiration from the cult classic Evil Dead, which was also shot on 16mm. The film is a grainy, gritty take on a classic film genre, with lots of fake blood that managed to leave its mark on set. Key highlights from the film include a miniature cabin set ablaze, unique practical effects, and hiring regional wrestlers, like Ryan Greeness (Moonshine Mantell), for stunt work, resulting in multiple amusing on-set challenges. As soon as this one gets off the festival circuit, or into a local showing, making sure to track it down.
