Huntington Beach, CA (LifeLine Entertainment) - LifeLine Entertainment, the independent film company, has announced the completion of its first documentary film,
Almost Beautiful, a feature film that documents the popular Goth/rock band, The Last Dance, on their journey of recording, promoting and touring of their new album, "Once Beautiful."
I'm really searching for a broad demographic here.
The Last Dance formed in the early 1990's by guitarist Rick Joyce and vocalist Jeff Diehm, this powerful, dynamic and passionate group has gone from being a modest little Orange County, CA band to being one of the top draws of the international dark rock scene. Hard work, strong songs, an exciting stage show and a loyal and ever expanding fan base have all contributed to this achievement as The Last Dance continue to forge new musical paths, set new goals, and defy all expectations of what a gothic rock band should be.
In early 2005, the band regrouped to record a new album… with one slight change. Film cameras were there documenting the process. The film crew then joined them in the California desert for the making of their first MTV-style music video. That summer, the cameras hopped on The Last Dance tour van and accompanied them on the road as they embarked on a six-week U.S. tour.
Produced by Rocky Costanzo & Roy Thomasson, Almost Beautiful exposes the lives of a group of talented musicians living the dream. Although tour documentaries have been done time and time again, Almost Beautiful is unique in that plays more like a narrative feature with a documentary touch, similar to U2: Rattle & Hum or Depeche Mode 101, which were both geared for theatrical exhibitions, Almost Beautiful follows the same kind of path which is rare to see in a film on an underground Goth band. "I'm really searching for a broad demographic here." explains the film's director, Rocky Costanzo. "Fans of the band are expected to show up and have a great time, but I want to reach a much wider audience. I want packed theaters of movie-goers who haven't heard of the band or even know anything about the Goth scene." In aiming at reaching different demographics, Costanzo takes time to show real-life humanity moments. None of which more emotional than band visiting the grave of their former drummer who died on tour a few years prior. The film also includes the rollercoaster highs & lows of a band struggling to survive in a scene that some feel is dying. We'll see the band headlining The Hard Rock Café in Puerto Rico one night, then performing at a local dive bar the next. Throw in a nightclub brawl and a category 4 hurricane, the film definitely delivers more than just a tour diary of an underground band.
This is the third feature film and first documentary by the young filmmakers who make up the independent film company LifeLine Entertainment of Huntington Beach, CA. Beginning with their 2001 release of "Return to Innocence," which they self-distributed, the success of that film fueled their next project "Hallowed," which sold to Barnholtz Entertainment and was released through Universal's UMVD label & New Light Entertainment. Now working on a one-film-a-year schedule, LifeLine will reveal "Almost Beautiful" early next year and follow that up with their fourth film "Amhurst" due out in 2008.
As for Almost Beautiful, the film is now complete and will arrive on the film festival circuit in early 2007. A world premiere screening is also in the works. The official website will list all festival/theatrical screenings as they are announced.
