Filmmakers choose local pub for location

“Serial Buddies” - a dark comedy-road trip film - tags itself as the first serial killer-buddy movie.

This week, the crew and actors in the independent movie were in Willimantic, among other eastern Connecticut locales, filming what they hope will be a hit.

Filmmakers - led by Executive Producer Maria Menounos and Writer/Director Keven Undergaro - have their fingers crossed that audiences will find the main characters endearing, one of whom is played by Australian actor Paul Ashton.

“I love him,” Ashton said of his character, Greg. He added that he hopes audiences also love his character and go on the journey with him through the film. “That’s the idea,” he said.

His character tracks down lost souls and evil-doers and kills them for God, so the lost souls can go to heaven.

Ashton recently moved to the United States and “Serial Buddies” is his first film in the U.S.

Other actors in this story include Christopher Lloyd (Dr. Emmett Brown from the “Back to the Future” trilogy), Christopher McDonald (who played Shooter McGavin in the golf comedy “Happy Gilmore”) and David Proval (”The Sopranos”).

Ashton said he hopes the film gets an airing at the Sundance Film Festival.

On Wednesday, the camera crew was shooting at The Trolley Pub on Main, located at 1245 Main St. - filming Ashton as he entered the bar, looked up at the TV screen and spotted his next “target” (Proval).

Ashton was dressed in a loud yellow suit with a pink shirt.

“It’s really eccentric,” said Caroline Emerson, who is in charge of wardrobe for the film, who added that she was looking for “loud” clothes for the movie.

She said Ashton’s character wears flashy colors, while Gary - the other main character - wears “old man’s jumpsuits.”

“We just try and keep it fun,” she said.

The bright yellow on Ashton’s suit seemed to match the yellow paint of the Trolley Pub.

Ashton said the Trolley Pub seemed like an “old-school American bar” that he recalled from growing up watching movies.

He said the small-town bar had the “nicest people,” who were good sports about being involved in the scene.

Trolley Pub owner Chuck Lester said he was more than happy to allow the camera crew to use his bar as a setting, even though many customers were there to soak in the Boston Red Sox-New York Yankees baseball rivalry.

“On a Wednesday afternoon, this is great,” he said.

Lester said the crew called beforehand to get permission to film on Wednesday. “It’s an unbelievable sight,” he said.

Windham High School connection

The Trolley Pub location wasn’t the only local connection for the film.  A 1999 Windham High School graduate is working with the camera crew. Nate Gallup, who works in the camera department for the film, said he appreciated shooting in what amounts to his old stomping grounds.

“It’s weird being back,” he said on his way to visit his mother, who operates A Wellness Collaborative on Main Street, a short walk from the film scene.

He said he thought it was “funny” that the crew was shooting at all these local places. “It’s nice to be back to do that.”

Film crew members had good things to say about Willimantic. “It’s nice to bring work to a place where people actually appreciate it,” said Aaron Strongoni, a producer.

He called Willimantic, “a quaint little town,” with “a lot of flavor.”

“You can’t replicate this kind of stuff,” he said.

Strongoni said staff scouted the Trolley from photos in December and decided it would be a good place to film. “It’s so rich,” he said.

The film may also use the Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum, the exterior of Windham Mills and the Thread City Crossing (Frog Bridge) for some scenes.

Good for morale

Windham First Selectperson Jean de Smet wasn’t aware a crew was filming, but when told about it, said, “We should be famous… We have so many wonderful features.”

Having a film crew in town “brings so much pride to the community” and “it’s good for morale,” she said.

When told the film’s storyline, de Smet said people in town have a sense of humor and, if it’s a dark comedy, it works for her.

This is not the first time the town has been featured on film. “The Other Side of the Tracks” was filmed here, as was a segment of the reality show, “Fat March,” which had footage of contestants marching through Jillson Square on their route to Washington, D.C.

Originally published in The Chronicle