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Festival-tested Ohio film ‘Take Shelter’ opens locally

HANDOUT MICHAEL SHANNON in "Take Shelter.'

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By Terry Morris, Staff Writer Updated 1:54 AM Saturday, November 5, 2011

DAYTON — Small-town Ohio man has vision and changes his life in response. Friends and family think he’s crazy.

That’s true for Curtis LaForche, the quarry worker Michael Shannon plays in the award-winning “Take Shelter,” which will have its Dayton premiere Friday, Nov. 4, at the Neon Movies.

It could easily have been true for producer Tyler Davidson, who saw his latest Ohio-made film to fruition on a tight shooting budget over 24 days in the summer of 2010 on location in Lorain County with a cast and crew, including several Dayton area residents.

A resident of the Geauga County village of South Russell who will speak and answer questions about “Take Shelter” tonight and Saturday, Nov. 5, at the Neon, Davidson doesn’t seem crazy at all these days.

“Take Shelter” arrives here with a head of steam spawned by inclusion in the Sundance and Toronto film festivals and boasting two awards from the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.

Davidson, whose company Strange Matters is based in the state, said it couldn’t have been made without a state of Ohio tax credit for filmmakers.

Written and directed by Jeff Nichols, the psychological drama is about a working-class husband and father plagued by visions of apocalypse. He wants to protect his family from what he sees coming, but even he begins to wonder whether he is a bigger danger.

Besides Shannon, who was nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar for “Revolutionary Road,” it features Jessica Chastain, who has burst on the scene with half-dozen films this year, including “The Help” and Terence Malick’s “Tree of Life.”

She plays Shannon’s wife. In the film, they have a 6-year-old daughter who is deaf.

Two-thirds of the 75 cast and crew members are from Ohio, including several with Wright State University film and theater connections. Two of the credited actors are WSU theater grads Jake Lockwood and Natasha Randall, who have performed several times on Dayton stages.

“Take Shelter” will run for at least a week.

“If it performs well, we will hold it over. We have high hopes that Daytonians will support this incredible film,” said Neon Movies manager Jonathan McNeal.

CONTACT this reporter at (937) 225-2377 or tmorris@DaytonDailyNews.com.

The film “Take Shelter” (rated R)

WHERE: Neon Movies, 130 E. Fifth St.

WHEN: 1:30, 4:15, 7 and 9:40 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday; 3, 5:30 and 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Q&A sessions with producer Tyler Davidson will follow tonight’s 7 p.m. screening and those at 4:15 and 7 p.m. Saturday. Running time is 2 hours.

TICKETS: $7 and $9

MORE INFO: (937) 222-7469 or www.neonmovies.com

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