A new U.S.A. / Austrian film release “A Town Called Purgatory”

Gruesome Magazine

By Tony Timpone

March 21, 2024

Two genres collide (bloodily!) in A Town Called Purgatory, the new film from the team behind the award-winning 2017 festival fave The Night Watchmen, and Gruesome just landed this exclusive clip. A horror western, A Town Called Purgatory will make its U.S. premiere this Saturday at New Jersey’s Garden State Film Festival with cast and crew attending.

“When COVID-19 had shut down the world in 2020, it was the right time to develop a script,” recalls A Town Called Purgatory’swriter, producer, and star Dan De Luca, who wore the same production hats on The Night Watchmen. “The film would have to be easily made under the new restrictions and COVID protocols.

“Well, as we all realize, nothing is easy in the film world, and the next thing we knew we were on a plane to Austria in the middle of COVID to film an American Western,” De Luca continues. “A ‘Strudel Western,’ if you will. While the world was in limbo, we made A Town Called Purgatory.”

The movie, directed by former Sopranos actor Matt Servitto, takes place in the haunting aftermath of the Civil War. Principled Yankee Lawman Beau Riffen (Purgatory/Night Watchmen co-writer, producer, and star Ken Arnold) joins forces with Cody Parnum (De Luca), a tormented ex-Confederate tracker. Their quest to apprehend notorious train robbers leads them to Purgatory, a town eerily deserted. Amidst the silence, they cross paths with a lone African American trapper and a prisoner harboring secrets who whispers of an ancient menace. As the shadows of Purgatory tighten, an impending confrontation with The Skinwalker, a creature from Native American legend, beckons, testing bonds of trust and humanity in their gripping fight for survival.

The impetus for A Town Called Purgatory came about after Arnold finished starring in a Western called The Marshal. “The idea sat well with both of us with our love for horror and an eternal boyhood dream to don cowboy hats and holsters,” says Arnold, who has nearly 100 film and TV acting credits under his (cowboy) belt, from Men in Black 3 to Law & Order.

“The inspiration for the film came from a blend of classic Spaghetti Westerns and horror folklore, aiming to work in a unique genre fusion that hasn’t been widely explored,” Arnold continues. “The development from story to screenplay involved extensive brainstorming sessions over video calls, sharing articles and videos that we had read and watched until our visions aligned. We were both passionate about keeping the narrative tightly woven around the characters, which is not often deeply explored in most low-budget horror films, making sure to delve deep into the actual struggles of Americans during the time right after the Civil War from multiple perspectives.” The filmmakers also wanted to fill a genre vacuum. “Recognizing the scarcity of horror Westerns, we saw an opportunity to carve a niche within the genre,” Arnold says. “And honestly, we’re just real big fans of both genres. Only a handful of horror Westerns have been able to create a suspenseful horror film that is visually compelling, fun, and with an emotionally.

A Town Called Purgatory – International title

 

A 2021-2024 U.S.A., Austrian co-production [Contender Films, Non Nomen Films, Studio BOH (Baltimore), Seven Oceans Films (Baden), Studio BOH]

Producers: Andre Fontana, Bob Ryan, Bill Steffey, John Steffey Jr., Ken Arnold, Dan DeLuca, Matt Servitto, Frederik Füssel,

Director: Matt Servitto

Story: Ken Arnold, Dan DeLuca

Screenplay: Dan DeLuca

Cinematography: Frederik Füssel [color]

Music: Cazz Cerkez

Running time: 87 minutes

 

Cast:

Frank Sparks – Matt Servitto

Beau Riffen – Ken Arnold

Reverend Silas Fist – Jeff Ricketts

Cody Parnum – Dan DeLuca

Nicodemus Black – Kevin Jiggetts

Anna Place – Maria Lohn

Hannah Montasse – Monica Gregorio

Henry Sparks - Claudius von Stolzmann

Hashke' Moon-Shadow – Marco Valenta

Skinwalker – Oliver Kasiske

John Sparks – Sam Kozeluh

Vincente Cortina – Florentino Gregorio

Ajei Moon-Shadow – Cat Jimenez

Stunt coordinator - Josef Schützenhofer

Stunt consultant - Markus Weilguny

Stunts - Esther Schneider

On the vast, sun-bleached plains of post-Civil War America. Yankee Lawman Beau Riffen and ex-Confederate Cody Parnum, men from opposing sides of a recently ended conflict, find a common purpose in their relentless pursuit of a notorious band of train robbers. Their journey is fraught with the tension of unspoken pasts and the country's struggle to mend its deep wounds. However, their mission takes an unexpected turn when a chilling encounter on the plains robs them of their horses and sense of security.

Weary and on edge, Beau and Cody stumble upon what appears to be salvation - a town named Purgatory. Yet, the eerily quiet streets and abandoned homes hint at a sinister event. The tension escalates when they meet the only inhabitants: a mysterious African American trapper, whose guarded nature hides a wealth of knowledge, and a ragged prisoner, whose ramblings suggest a descent into madness. Both men are pieces of a disturbing puzzle.

As night descends, the true horror of Purgatory reveals itself. The group faces the terror that haunts the town - an evil entity known in whispered folklore as "The Skinwalker" or Yee Naaldlooshii. With no escape, Beau, Cody, the trapper, and the prisoner must confront their inner demons and prejudices. Amidst the fear, they slowly piece together the town's tragic history and the origin of the creature stalking them.

As they prepare for a final stand against the Skinwalker, revelations come to light. The group's newfound trust in one another becomes their most potent weapon. In a heart-pounding confrontation, they face the embodiment of Purgatory's darkest secrets.

 

Trailer link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JpbW781w7Y