Axe Giant: The Wrath of Paul Bunyan by Columbia's Jeff Miller Set for June 8 Premiere at Nickelodeon

COLUMBIA, SC – June 5, 2013 – AXE GIANT: THE WRATH OF PAUL BUNYAN, the new horror/creature feature from writer/producer Jeff Miller, a Columbia native and University of South Carolina graduate, will get its South Carolina premiere on Saturday, June 8th at the Nickelodeon. 

AXE GIANT won the Audience Award at the Shockfest Film Festival in Hollywood, CA in November. Film Radar named it one of the Top Indie Horror Films of 2012, with reviewer Jonathan Weichsel saying that it is “a real fun ride. You rarely see this kind of genre film made today with so much care.” 

The movie, directed by Gary Jones (BOOGEYMAN 3, “Xena”), recently played to strong response at the Motor City Nightmares and Texas Frightmare Weekend conventions. 

A 1988 graduate of Brookland-Cayce High School and 1992 graduate of the University of South Carolina’s Media Arts program, Miller produced or helped produce three independent horror features in South Carolina. Those movies – FREAKSHOW, HELLBLOCK 13, and HEAD CHEERLEADER, DEAD CHEERLEADER – all played at the Nick between 1995-2000 before Miller moved to Los Angeles in 2001. Miller still has friends and connections in the Columbia area, including some investors in AXE GIANT. 

“I have many great memories of Columbia and would love to make another movie there someday,” says Miller. “I try to get back and see friends at least once a year, and it’s a privilege to have another movie at the Nick.”

Miller commissioned South Carolina native and country punkabilly singer Hick’ry Hawkins to write and perform AXE GIANT’s original theme song, “The Ballad of Paul Bunyan.” 

AXE GIANT is a contemporary take on the tall tale of lumberjack Paul Bunyan. Kids at a first-offenders’ boot camp discover that the legend of Paul Bunyan is real, but is much more horrifying than they could have imagined. The survivors must team up with the local sheriff to stop the 15-foot giant’s new rampage of terror.

The movie stars genre vet Joe Estevez, Dan Haggerty (TV’s “Grizzly Adams”), Tom Downey (SyFy’s WAR OF THE WORLDS), and Tim Lovelace (MOSQUITO). Amber Connor, Jesse Kove, Kristina Kopf, Clifton Williams, Victoria Ramos, Jill Evyn, and former WWF wrestler Chris Hahn (“Johnny Paradise”) round out the cast. This is the first major role for Kove, son of veteran actor Martin Kove (THE KARATE KID 1-3, RAMBO). 

The movie was filmed over three states – California, Ohio, and Michigan. 

Miller and Jones produced through their company, Kinetic Filmworks, along with newcomer and fellow writer Jason Ancona. Robert Kurtzman’s Creature Corps handled the bulk of makeup FX, with Kurtzman (creator of FROM DUSK TILL DAWN) and Philip R. Garrett (HORRORS OF WAR) joining the team as co-producers. Gary Jones’ Acme Art FX created more than 500 visual effects shots for the film. 

Edward Douglas of popular gothic musical group Midnight Syndicate composed the score. 

AXE GIANT is currently receiving a limited theatrical release from Cinema Purgatorio before its DVD release later in June. 

More information is available at www.axegiantmovie.com, at www.cinemapurgatorio.com, and at www.facebook.com/bunyanmovie .