A Dark Comedy for the Ages Seeks Crowdsourcing

LOS ANGELES - May 24, 2013 - PRLog -- Dean Haglund and Phil Leirness are in pre-production on the second feature film for Rational Exuberance.

THE LADY KILLERS is a dark comedy full of mystery and suspense, focusing on a game of romantic conquest gone wrong.  It explores the ways in which exploitation leads to violence.

Award-winning filmmaker Phil Leirness has been hailed for "his unique talent for drawing complex characters balanced with stylish entertaining cinema" (Al Owens, Cinequest).  THE LADY KILLERS will be the seventh feature film he has directed.  A California state certified Violence Prevention Specialist, Leirness enjoys making films about subjects that disturb him.  

Of his new film, Leirness has stated, "If done correctly, THE LADY KILLERS will be one of those dark comedies (like A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, HEATHERS and IN THE COMPANY OF MEN ) that continues to resonate, disturb and delight audiences for many years, even decades, after its initial release."

Dean Haglund is best known as "Langly", one of the computer-hacking "Lone Gunmen" from The X-Files and their own spin-off series.  Haglund is also an accomplished painter and a world-renowned improv comic.  He founded Rational Exuberance to tell stories that explore the mystery, that ask questions about what it means to be human.

Leirness and Haglund's first effort under the Rational Exuberance banner was the epic documentary THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE.  Equal parts comedy, consciousness and conspiracy, the film has been called "Insightful and entertaining" (Richard Propes, The Independent Critic), "Magnetic and addictive" (Denise R. Levien, The Rogers Revue) and "a true masterpiece" (R.C. Samo, Fanboy Nation).

Together, Haglund and Leirness also co-host Chillpak Hollywood Hour (http://chillpakhollywood.com), a free weekly podcast that is about to enter its seventh year.  They have been called "Podcast royalty" by Marc Hershon of the Huffington Post and Succotash.

THE LADY KILLERS boasts a large and diverse ensemble cast of multi-talented actors and actresses, including Arye Gross, Alexandra Barreto, Jamie Kaler, Lily Holleman, Peter Shinkoda, Catherina Annette, Tucker Smallwood, Stephanie Erb, Rick Mora, Isabel Cueva, Dean Haglund, Heidi Marie Wanser, Shaun Parker, Yi Tian, Phil Leirness, Chrstina Grance and Burt Bulos, who is also serving as the film's producer.   This large ensemble is that shocking rarity in contemporary cinema in that it actually reflects the cultural and ethnic diversity of the society in which we live.   Leirness, explains, "At a time when the networks and studios all too rarely reflect the true diversity of our culture, I feel it becomes imperative for independent filmmakers to do so."

Haglund points to a recent report from the University of South California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism that only 28.4 percent of the speaking roles in top Hollywood films are going to women and states, "Women are an endangered species in Hollywood movies."  Not in THE LADY KILLERS, which will boast fifteen performances from smart, talented, funny and beautiful women, including some in roles initially written for men.

THE LADY KILLERS starts shooting on June 8 and is being financed through a combination of private equity and public crowdsourcing support.  People can learn more about the film, including the wide range of perks available in exchange for contributions at the film's official site - http://theladykillersmovie.com.


Dean Haglund and Phil Leirness can be reached at chillpakhollywood@yahoo.com.