Cyxork 7“– the dark indy satire, starring Ray Wise, is all about making a very bad sci-fi movie. Wise plays Kommander 88, a faded super hero trying to rejuvinate his career in the Hollywood sequel jungle. The star (Robo Cop, Twin Peaks, Good Night and Good Luck, Reaper) came aboard accepting scale salary, as he told Troma President Lloyd Kaufman, because he liked the script. Co-written by John Huff and Andreas Kossak, Cyxork 7 follows a film crew so poor they risk their lives shooting their movie on the site of a predicted mega earthquake. That way they’ll get free special effects — if they survive.
Starring with Wise is Spanish telenovela star Sonya Smith in her first English language role. Smith (Sama, Prisionera del amor, ¿Dónde Está Elisa?) plays the director of the ill-fated sci-fi opus who clashes with Kommander 88– and his pregnant violent wife (Beata Pozniak: JFK, Babylon 5). Also starring are Paget Brewster, Greg Proops, Joseph Culp, Cassandra Creech, Rebecca Cory, and Ted Markland.
Huff and Kossak found a kindred spirit in Troma President Lloyd Kaufman. “Lloyd said, Cyxork 7 out-Troma’s Troma,” said Kossak. “We know he’s being kind but we wallow in that generosity.”
Bill Gibron with PopMatters called Cyxork 7 “one of the ten best movies you never heard of in 2008.” Darren Reyes of Sci-Fi Online gave it a rave review. It’s hard to get your movie seen, said Huff. Troma really helped us reach our audience.
Ray Wise’s involvement with “this little on-the-cuff movie,” as described by Kaufman, is indicative of how indy films can happen and find distribution. If a recognized actor — a bona fide star in Wise’s case (also Smith and the other stars) is attracted to a script, they will take the flyer. This is lesson #1 for all startup filmmakers, says Huff. The other lesson: listen to Lloyd Kaufman.
