Locally-Made Movie Now in Video Stores

Crimson, the low budget blood, guts and karate action, adventure, gore and mayhem thriller, with a comic book twist, and dazzling, choreographed fight scenes, is now available at national video store outlets.

The locally-produced movie Crimson is now officially in video stores including such outlets as FYE, Transworld Impression, Hastings Entertainment, Family Video and Best Buy.

"We are really excited about Best Buy since they rarely put out an independent movie like ours," said producer James Ventry.

The movie is also available online at Barnes and Noble.

Crimson's distributor, Pop Cinema, offered the producers a $1,500 advance against 25 percent of the net profits.

"We set aside the $1,500 toward paying off the $6,000 loan we got from the city," said Ventry. "If we don't make enough to pay the loan off, Ken (Cosentino) and I will be setting money aside to pay it back ourselves.

Crimson was filmed out of the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center (NACC) on Pine Avenue in Niagara Falls.

In 2011, Mayor Paul Dyster awarded the producers a $10,000 microenterprise grant.

The plot of the 97-minute film revolves around a comic book artist who, after a brain injury, believes he is a superhero that he once created for a comic book.

Crimson has elements of karate, kick boxing, street fighting, gun play, good clean killing and forceful splattering of guts and blood.

It's an action film.

It cost about $50,000 to make.

About 100 local people worked on or appeared in the film including Cosentino, Ventry and NACC teacher Patrick "Gus" Posey.

Although approved for a $10,000 city grant, Ventry said he accepted only $6,000, adding the grant was converted to a loan.

He pledged his house on Ninth and Ferry as collateral.

"Even if the movie never makes a dime, I'm going to pay back every dime with interest," said Ventry last year, "That $6,000 isn't our money. It belongs to the public."

"Don't let its low budget fool you," Cosentino said, "Crimson has a noir feel with character development."

Unlike many modern effete Hollywood movies, Ventry said his movie depicts strong male characters.

Its creators are hoping that Crimson will attract a cult-like following that sometimes attach to well done, low budget pictures.