Locally Made Slasher Film Makes Big Screen Debut

By Sarah Turnbull
The Tube City Almanac
August 02, 2021
Posted in: Entertainment

Cast and crew of “Massacre Academy” celebrate the film’s premiere at the Lamp Theater in Irwin. (Sarah Turnbull photo for Tube City Almanac)

When director Mark Cantu was deciding on a topic for his next movie, horror seemed like the perfect choice.

“I’m a child of the ‘80s. I made my own horror movies as a kid, and the slasher films of that era have everything I loved as a kid, like practical special effects and strong female characters,” Cantu said. “It’s easy to do when you have classics like “Halloween”, “Jaws”, and “Alien” to go off of.”

Cantu’s latest film, horror-comedy “Massacre Academy,” made its world premiere at the Lamp Theatre in Irwin on Saturday. Filmed in and around McKeesport, the cast and crew consist mostly of locals.

Set in 1987, “Massacre Academy” follows two sisters, Kris and Maggie McNeil (Jess Uhler and Sierra Mitchell, respectively) as they try to move on from a brutal series of killings that claimed several lives, including their parents, two years prior. When a new series of killings begins, Kris and Maggie must decide whether to run or to put an end to the carnage once and for all.

“It’s the most difficult genre to film. All the effects must serve the story, and it’s the only genre besides comedy that gets a visceral reaction,” Cantu said. “The challenge is trying to get the right reaction while telling a story.”

Originally from Texas, Cantu began his career as an action director, making short films. He credits his early work with teaching him pacing.

Cantu said that filming a horror movie is challenging even without a global pandemic.

“We shot from September to February, right as the pandemic hit. Everyone was tested before coming to set, and we shot a lot of scenes with only a couple of people in them. We had the run of the streets, and it was nice not to be swamped by crowds.”

Christina Krakowski, who plays Becca, agreed that the whole experience was “amazing from start to finish.”

Krakowski got her start acting in school plays, community theater and short films. “Massacre Academy” is her first full-length movie.

“I met Mark at a film competition, and he invited me to audition for Becca. My favorite was getting to work with so many people,” Krakowski said.

Apart from the challenges of filming during a pandemic, Krakowski stated that filming was much more physical than expected.

“We couldn’t start filming until September, and we had a limited number of people on set. It was very physical and we had a lot of weird weather. But we bonded really closely.”

Cantu agreed: “Christina and Sierra nailed it. To see them grow as performers was amazing. They have a huge future.”

Cantu and Krakowski’s future projects include the werewolf comedy “Wolf Hollow,” currently in pre-production. Shooting will begin in Pittsburgh next year.

When asked what she wants audiences to take from “Massacre Academy,” Krakowski stated: “I hope the audience enjoys the ride. It touches on important issues many directors won’t go near, like mental health and LGBTQ+ issues.”

The next screening of “Massacre Academy” will be Aug. 29 at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont.

Sarah Turnbull is a freelance writer in Irwin. She can be reached at sarahturnbull323@gmail.com.

Originally published August 02, 2021.

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