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ABOUT THE NECROTIC: Who knew that this ultra low "pocket change" budget horror film from an unknown producer back in the mid 70's would develop such a cult following through the Hollywood gloss of today?

In 1976, an idea was needed for a different themed cult/horror movie that could be done on a 'charge card account budget.'  During the summer of that year, a New Jersey general practice doctor was indicted for injecting his female patients with Curare, a muscle paralyzing psychotropic drug derived from certain tree sap in South America.

Louis Ferriol and Michele Harmon fashioned the script based on the chronicles of "Doctor X," as the press had labeled him. Casting brought about a New York Off-Broadway stage actor, Rodney Williams, to play the psychopathic doctor, Regina Kelly the psycho M.D.'s found subject of fascination and Shakespearean stage actress Lori Smith as his homicide victim sister. From the TV soaps, actors Wendy Hannemann ("One Life To Live"); Jodi Druss (off-Broadway "Annie"), singer Peppe Villani, newcomers but talented Anthony La Russo, Paul Peterson, chiropractor Steve Saryuk, all who appeared gratis in this unique, unorthodox screenplay.

The Necrotic was filmed during the fall of 1977 and released to cable television in 1978, where, at Time Warner's New York channel, became a subscriber requested midnight horror show run and rerun many times again. The Necrotic was also released on video in 1981 and is listed in the Internet Movie Database and in the book "Cult Movies Of The 70's and 80's" (Videomania) / The downside: because The Necrotic never attained major distribution or syndication, it never recouped even it's meager production costs, let alone profit. However, the fans, the requests, the continual mentions in cyberspace has provided the cast and crew with the recognition always sought.

The Necrotic has become sort of a cult/horror curio and collector's item for fans of the Z budgeted genre. A free download is provided herein


PRODUCTION NOTES & PERSPECTIVES "The Necrotic" was an ensemble effort, theatrical, musical and production. It was not without problems. The budget was less than $2,000. The actors, novice and professional joining together, all worked for no money. The locations were arranged through friends of the cast and crew. The strength was the concept, a necrophilliac, psychopathic doctor sent into insanity by an unfaithful wife.

The first actor (whom shall remain nameless) cast to play Dr. Steiner walked off the shoot in a Nutley, NJ night club, the excuse was a twenty minute spot repair on the camera's microphone cable. Truth was, he was afraid of the demanding aspects of the role, switching from a medical professional demeaner to a crazed sociopath. Regina Kelly, this her first professional acting role, feared that after three months of preparing for the role, the movie would never be made. Louis Ferriol, then CEO of the production company, Carlson International, knew otherwise.

Carlson was located across the hall from casting director Dorothy Palmer. The next day, she found the perfect double for the first Dr. Steiner, Rodney Williams, who had more acting experience than his predecessor; TV soaps and stage. The chemistry between he and Regina Kelly, who played Alicia, the medic's captive infatuation. Palmer cast Lori Smith to play the doctor's intellectual sister, Lori was a Shakespearean actor. Jodi Druss, playing the child patient who didn't escape the doctor's sociopathic rage, was an understudy for the off-Broadway musical lead, "Annie," and the other actors were also drawn from being at liberty from the TV daytime serials or the great White Way stages.

Locations came from many assists. Steiner's town house was a luxury apartment of Kelly's friends, Ferriol begged his Uncle for the use of his luncheonette, to the dismay of his cousin's husband who was at the same time doing carpentry repairs there, the doctor's office and pathology lab scenes were filmed at one and the same Chiropractic Offices of Dr. Steven Sawryuk, who played the pathologist.

Musical scoring for movies usually cost three times the entire budget for "The Necrotic." Enter the talents of music producers Eddie Cassanovas and Peter Fragos who enlisted the aid of Michael Lobel, a West New York, NJ recording studio owner. This talented team would do the musical score on one condition: Carlson International would include their new record production, "Look At Me Now," sung by Carol Mainero. Small world. Producer Ferriol knew Carol's dad by mutual friend, CBS radio personality Jack Bilby.

"The Necrotic" filmed on weekends for two months in the summer of 1976. By fall, a film print was ready for showing. A debut was held at The Diplomat Hotel in New York. Among the luminaries attending were New York TV show host Joe Franklin, the production team from the Broadway Show, "Hair," Dorothy Palmer, reporters from The NY Daily News and editors of The Nutley NJ Sun. This event, too, had it's problems. The Carlson entourage remembered to bring the film and the projector, but not the screen. A janitor from The Diplomat found a large plank of white plasterboard and propped it up on the stage at The Diplomat's auditorium.

"The Necrotic" became a local "Rocky Horror..." camp cult item on cable TV channels in New York and on WOR-TV, channel 9's then "Fright Night" hosted by Zacherle, who spoofed Dr. Steiner. Now on the internet, The Necrotic continues to be the fave list of cult/horror fans with an cumulative average of over 1,000 unique views per month.

CAST PROFILES & COMMENTS

RODNEY WILLIAMS (Dr. Steven Steiner) Before taking on the role of the necrophilliac psychopathic doctor, Rodney Williams appeared in several network television daytime "soap operas" as well as the New York stage. He studied acting at the Lee Strassberg Drama Academy and Herbert Berghoff's HB Studios, two of theatric's most prominent acting schools. When a previous actor cast to play Dr. X walked off the set because a technical problem was taking too long to repair, look-a-like Rodney Williams jumped in and took over the role the very next day. Tragically, we lost this talented actor at a young age.

REGINA KELLY (Alicia) Regina read for producer/director Louis Ferriol at the worst time, the evening of a very rough day at CI. Nevertheless, she was exactly what Ferriol was looking for to play the part of a rebellious, yet insecure and vulnerable runaway (and we never did know the character Alicia's last name in the movie). The daughter of a town councilman and bank president in North Jersey, it took some doing to convince dad the movie part was on the up and up. Outcome: Regina Kelly got a standing ovation from the roughest theater audience - college students - and going from bank teller to screen fave was a cinch for Miss Kelly. She also hosted NYC cable TV shows (after "The Necrotic" becane a midnight show cult following on Time Warner and Comcast). Last we heard, Regina Kelly is happily married and lives in North Jersey.

LORI SMITH (Deana Steiner) Lori was a Shakespearean stage actress which lends reason on why her bathtub murder scene has been compared to Vivian Leigh's performance in Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho." Lori Smith is no stranger to legitimate theater in New York and New Jersey. She made other films including "The Roe Decision" also for Carlson International.

JODI DRUSS (child patient) At age 10, Jodi Druss attended the Acandemy Of Dramatic Arts in New York and was an understudy for "Annie" before becoming a tragic fatality of the sociopathic doctor in "The Necrotic." A protege of noted talent agent Dorothy Palmer, Jodi had the cast in awe on a shoot break when she sang "Tomorrow" (from "Annie") a capella.

DR STEVEN SAWRYUK (pathologist) Hard to tell that the actor who played the clue finding forensic expert in "The Necrotic" had no previous acting experience...in fact wasn't an actor, but a doctor in real life. Dr. Sawryul has a chiropractic practice in Lyndhurst, NJ.

PEPPE VILLANI (italian waiter) While having only a cameo in "The Necrotic," a cut from his "Disco Godfather" album heard in the background of the Italian Restaurant scene, Peppe Villani was a singer with several single and album releases here and in Italy. Hosting his own cable variety show for several years and clothing designer by trade, we lost Peppe in 2007 at the age of 72 years young

CAROL MAINERO, vocalist, soundtrack Sometimes a "hit record" comes in many forms other than charts and record sales. Her interlude/closing credit song, "Look At Me Now," was written by Eddie Casanovas and Peter Fragos who did most of the original scoring for "The Necrotic." The daughter of Jim Borino, CEO of a bedding and mattress manufacturer and one of the producers for The Jack Bilby Radio and Television Shows, Carol has oft been compared to the legendary vocalist Joni James. A business owner herself, her rendition of "Look At Me Now" draws many requests as to where her records can be purchased. The ultimate compliment for a singer.

Unfortunately, we have no bios or profiles for other cast members, but the ensemble effort (the actors received no salary in this very low budgeted production) speaks for itself in the huge following over thirty years for "The Necrotic"...and fan views still going strong!

THE LOCATIONS
in order of appearance in "The Necrotic"
Angie's Luncheonette, Caldwell, NJ (diner scenes)
Private Residence, West Caldwell, NJ (Wendy Silver's home)
Lyndhurst Chiropractic Center, Lyndhurst NJ (Dr. Steiner's office, pathology lab)
Cafe Royale (then The Onyx Room), Nutley, NJ (Italian restaurant)
Private Residence, Fort Lee, NJ (Steiner's house)
Grover Cleveland Park, Caldwell, NJ (park scenes between Alicia and Howie)