Former MTV / MuchMusic host turned director Matt Wells has teamed up with former bandmate Michael Rowe (Arrow, Ninjak vs the Valiant Universe) to develop and produce a new indie film Crown and Anchor. As a tribute to their youth playing in a punk / metal band, the movie is entirely scored by punk bands like Youth of Today, DYS, and Project X. Watch the trailer below.
We spoke to Wells about the project:
[T]he backstory of our main character (James Downey, played by Rowe) is that to rebel against his violent and alcoholic father he turned straight edge and became a cop. The story picks up when he has to return home and face the violence and addiction of his family again. The film is scored entirely with bands like Youth of Today, DYS, Gorilla Biscuits, Side by Side and Project X. We are Canadian made and are making our world premiere at Cinequest in San Jose...
From the press release:
CROWN AND ANCHOR follows James Downey (Michael Rowe), who, after being forced to return home for his mother's funeral finds his estranged cousin Danny Power (Matt Wells) trying to keep the family petty crime tradition alive. Danny is in way over his head as he struggles with the cycle of addiction and violence he was born into. As he watches his cousin unravel, James' childhood traumas come back to haunt him as he attempts to save what is left of the family he once desperately tried to escape.
Long-time friends, musical collaborators and actors, Michael Rowe (Arrow, Ninjak Vs The Valiant Universe) and former MUCH and MTV host Matt Wells, joined forces to develop and produce CROWN AND ANCHOR and realize a lifelong dream of making a film in their hometown of St. John's, Newfoundland. Growing increasingly frustrated by the barriers of navigating the world of big budget moviemaking, Wells and Rowe shifted focus and set out to develop and produce a film with the same do-it-yourself spirit of the punk bands that inspired them; the same spirit they shared on the road as bandmates for 10 years. After securing private financing, the pair brought in Rowe's brother, writer/director Andrew Rowe to write the script and also direct, making this his debut as a feature film director. Rowe and Wells also then partnered with Toronto based Film & TV producer, Vince Buda (Brown Girl Begins) and together brought the film to life.
The film boasts an intense and carefully curated track-list made up of cult punk and hardcore bands, including: GORILLA BISCUITS, YOUTH OF TODAY, JOHNNY THUNDERS AND THE HEARTBREAKERS, PROJECT X, SIDE BY SIDE, X-RAY SPEX, ho99o9, and DYS.
Scoring the film with punk and hardcore music was important because the music itself reflects the differences in the two main characters. The film follows two estranged cousins whose lives are forced to intersect once more; James Downey is living a disciplined and straight edge lifestyle as a result of growing up with an abusive-alcoholic father, while his cousin Danny drowns his own trauma with drugs and alcohol. As he watches his cousin unravel, James' past returns with violent and tragic consequences.
Crown and Anchor will make its debut at the Cinequest Film and VR Festival, February 27 - March 11 in San Jose and Redwood City, California. The producers have partnered with international sales agent, CROGAN FILMWORKS to represent the film at international film markets and spearhead its worldwide distribution plan. Look for the release to follow.
