| Barak Epstein | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 27, 1979 Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation | film director, producer, screenwriter & actor, Film exhibitor |
| Years active | 1999 - present |
| Awards | 2004 B-Movie Film Festival Best B-Movie Best Director Prison-A-Go-Go! 2001 Deep Ellum Film Festival Best Comedy Cornman: American Vegetable Hero |
Barak Epstein (born June 27, 1979) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. Epstein's body of work is considered to mostly consist of independent and grindhouse films. The three films that he has directed include: Cornman: American Vegetable Hero, Prison-A-Go-Go!, and Blood on the Highway.
Film Exhibition
In August 2010, Epstein formed Aviation Cinemas Inc. and took over the lease for the Historic Texas Theatre.
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Epstein's first job in the film industry was working as an intern on the 1999 film, Boys Don't Cry. He has worked on several films made by Troma Entertainment including Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV. Epstein appeared in Lloyd Kaufman's 2005 DVD set, Make Your Own Damn Movie! while on the set of Prison-A-Go-Go! The numerous crew positions that Epstein has held include: gaffer, camera operator, editor, assistant director, production manager, director of photography, and special effects assistant.
Epstein's debut as a director came with 2001's Cornman: American Vegetable Hero, an action-comedy film on which he also served as a producer and writer. Cornman was about a loser whose ability to communicate with corn makes him become a crazy super hero. After which he battles the evil villain, Dr. Hoe, who wants to own all the corn in the world.[1] The tagline for the film was, Justice is coming.... for the Corn!.[2] The film went on to win the award for Best Comedy Film at the Deep Ellum Film Festival in 2001.[3]
In his next venture as a director, Epstein tackled the women in prison film genre with 2003's Prison-A-Go-Go! Mostly, the film was a parody of the grindhouse sub-genre, telling the story of sweet Callista who is abducted for "scientific" reasons. It is up to her brainy sister Janie to solve the mystery and attempt a rescue. But the only clue leads to a wild and notorious prison in the Philippines, where committing a crime may be the only way in.[4] The film starred bigger names than his last feature, the cast included Rhonda Shear, Mary Woronov, and Lloyd Kaufman. The film won four awards at the B-Movie Film Festival including Best B-Movie, Best Director, and Best Actress (Rhonda Shear).[5]
In 2008 Epstein co-directed with Blair Rowan the comedy-horror film, Blood on the Highway. The film was about three twenty-something kids on a road-trip who have a gastrointestinal mishap with their map and accidentally wander into Fate, Texas, only to find the town populated by bloodthirsty, dimwitted vampires. A brutal run-in with two carnivorous convenience store clerks leads the three to take refuge with the town's only surviving humans and prepare for battle with an army of the undead.[6]