Criminal Database

CRIMINAL BASE

If Facebook, Twitter, Amazon and Apple among just a few companies can create an overwhelming database that can be perfect for their corporate needs ... why can't our government create a database with EVERY CRIMINAL, mentally unstable person, every person with an arrest record or arms citation and all others deemed dangerous to society? The FBI claims they have some people on watch lists, there are no-fly lists - why on earth can't we have an easy to open on any computer, a list of people that are dangerous, sick, have a violent past and a host of other reasons and make it law for every gun sold to check the list first? How hard can this be? How many mass murders must come before we act. This list could then be used for car and truck rentals, buying any weapon including large knives, and machetes, swords and bomb making materials. HELLO??? Is anyone listening? I'm not against owning a gun - and can't wonder if all AKA machine guns were outlawed - how many other forms of guns or explosives would replace them? Scary thought. We need a mental health care system; one that helps not just lists names. Thousands, if not millions are wounded souls that need our help. When teens or adults get in mental trouble or drug use - there is NO PLACE to go and get REAL HELP. We're looking in all the wrong places and creating all the wrong solutions. The real problem is our mental health. We have men and women that have witnessed the horror of war and return to society in need of help, buried with deep memories and suffering from PTSD and we ignore them until something awful happens. Why do we have to wait to offer help? If we donate trillions to nations that hate us - why not use that money to help ourselves? I listened to the brilliant students speaking out this morning - the survivors of that mass shooting - and heard their cry for change. They're right. It's time for change. Change to build a helping hand for those who feel they've been left behind, are unloved, misunderstood and feel alone. It time to help and create assistance where it's needed.

40-YEARS AGO

40-YEARS AGO Magic happened.

Almost to the day, we had the World Premiere of our G rated film The Man From Clover Grove (c) at the Bellaire Theatre in Houston, Texas. It was a very big deal for us. The film was produced for $45,000 all in and had a full union crew, and was signatory to all 3 guilds SAG, DGA and WGA. Everyone worked for a lowest salary allowed at the time and in 12 days we completed the film. Most of the cast flew into Houston, rode in the Mayor's limo, had a police escort to the theatre and said hello to a packed theatre.

The next day our film went wide. In Houston we played at the Park III, Northwest 4, Town & Country 6, East Park and the Southgate. The motion picture everyone said couldn't be done then opened in 350 theaters across the country. Within the first month the number of screens increased to over 700. After the theatre run the film was transferred from 35mm to Beta and VHS and reached out to the home video market. When Beta and then VHS were phased out, so was our film. Now, via digital magic, the film has been re-digitized and mixed in Dolby Stereo - and for the first time is available on DVD and MOD. Amazon Prime approved the quality and the 40-year old classic has been given a renewed lease on life. It's a wonderful message for young filmmakers to keep their copyright alive and write subject matters that can live on as time changes and never have their films be considered dated or aged.

My First Film

Back in the 70's when young filmmakers made motorcycle, horror and T&A flicks I did the opposite and made a G rated goofy comedy, The Man From Clover Grove. As a first time film director, I was blessed with a great cast, Ron Masak, Rose Marie, Buddy Lester, Cheryl Miller, Richard Deacon, Paul Winchell, Stu Gilliam, Jed Allan, Spencer Milligan, Joe Higgins and Billy Hillman. The all union crew were fantastic. It was a union/guild challenge, (NABET, SAG, DGA and WGA) to make a film for less than $50,000 all in and delivered. As a testament to young filmmakers we brought the film in and delivered it for distribution for less than $45,000. So, as it turned out we made what has become a classic. It's corny fun the kids loved then and still love today. We even had a World Premiere in Houston Texas at the Tercar Theatre in the Mayor’s Limousine and a full police escort that led the entire cast to - at the time - one of the largest theaters in town. We shot in 35mm and after 1,500 plus theaters played the film in the U.S., it enjoyed a theatrical foreign run before finally being released on Beta and VHS. Now for the firs time, the film has been digitally re-mastered with a soundtrack in Dolby Stereo The Dove Foundation gave the film 5 Doves. As a young filmmaker I had no fear. The things I didn’t learn in school I discovered on the set. I made every mistake a young filmmaker can make and the cast and crew helped me reach the goal line. I wanted Children of all ages to enjoy a clean silly movie and as history proved we made a film that is ageless and has outlived all the biker, horror and T&A films made back then. From Leomark Studios and available on Amazon worldwide, you can get the official Dolby Digital re-mastered copy as: www.amazon.com/dp/B079MK9S2T