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Villisca: Living with a Mystery, America's Greatest Unsolved Mystery Returns to Los Angeles
08/27/2005
Los Angeles (ContentDesk) August 27, 2005 -- After a remarkable 14 months and 48 cities in limited theatrical release, the critically acclaimed documentary feature film Villisca: Living with a Mystery is returning to Los Angeles and will play from August 31-September 6, 2005 at Laemmle's Grande Theatre in downtown Los Angeles at 9:50 pm nightly. Undaunted by multi-million dollar Hollywood competitors, the independent film has often equaled or exceeded its well-heeled mainstream competition.When an entire family is wiped out by an axe murderer on a June evening in 1912, a small Iowa town spirals into chaos and division. "Villisca" tells the epic true story of the Villisca, Iowa Children's Day axe murders. Following just two months after the sinking of the Titanic, the still-unsolved crime built and ruined political careers, created a lasting community split over the guilt or innocence of a local man--an Iowa state Senator--and produced dozens of litigations including three of America's most sensational trials.Filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films in Los Angeles have combined period photographs, computer animation, re-enactments, and interviews with historians, eye-witnesses, and forensic experts–including former F.B.I. Agent Robert K. Ressler–to exonerate old suspects and reveal the face of a killer. The shot-on-film 10-years-in-the-making documentary also explores the possibility that the Villisca crime, and similar axe murders in Monmouth, Illinois; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and Ellsworth, Kansas, may have been the work of one of America's first serial killers."It's a better mystery than Lizzie Borden or Jack-the-Ripper and it has drawn the elusive mature ticket buyer back to theaters, " said Producer Tammy Rundle. "We shouldn't be able to compete with films backed by multi-million dollar publicity campaigns, but audiences are eager to experience something beyond sequels and formula films," said Director Kelly Rundle.Grassroots publicity efforts, positive word-of-mouth, and good critical notices contributed to sold-out screenings and most showings included special features such as pre-show magic lantern slides with ragtime music, a lobby display of historical artifacts including the actual murder weapon, and post-screening discussions with the filmmakers and/or historian Dr. Edgar Epperly. Epperly has spent over 50 years researching the infamous murder case and the film is based on his historical research.Villisca will screen with other documentaries during Laemmle's annual "Digital Docs" series. The seven-day booking will qualify Villisca: Living with a Mystery for the Academy Awards competition in the documentary feature film category.The Rundles are former Iowa residents now living in Los Angeles, California. They are the owners of Fourth Wall Films, an independent film and video production, distribution, and publishing company. Visit www.villisca.com for more information.Contact:Kelly Rundle, Director Fourth Wall FilmsPOB 341610Los Angeles, CA 90034Phone/Fax: 310.398.0015www.villisca.co.
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