LaMartina frames the ultra-low budget and rapid shoot as a tribute to B-movie icons like Roger Corman, prioritizing artistic freedom and speed.
The production was explicitly tied to celebrating LaMartina’s 40th birthday, turning a personal milestone into a high-speed, guerrilla-style filmmaking experiment.
1. The film was shot in exactly four days for $40,000. 2. It is a post-punk riff on 'The Monkey’s Paw.' 3. Cameos include Grady Hendrix, Clay McLeod Chapman, Peaches Christ, and Henry Zebrowski.
LaMartina is proving that you don’t need a studio budget to scare the hell out of us—just a distillery, a grudge, and a very specific deadline.
Chris LaMartina, the visionary mind behind the cult hit 'WNUF Halloween Special,' is back in the shadows with a new project that smells like cheap whiskey and expensive consequences. The writer-director has officially announced 'Spirit Tasting,' a spooky New Year’s Eve-themed horror film produced by Terror Vision Original Productions. This isn’t just another seasonal scare; it’s a deeply personal milestone for LaMartina, who shot the entire feature in a blistering four days for a mere $40,000.
The driving force? Celebrating his 40th birthday. In an industry obsessed with bloated budgets and endless reshoots, LaMartina is flipping the script with a guerilla-style production that prioritizes speed and vision over financial safety nets.
He explicitly framed this approach in the spirit of B-movie icons like Roger Corman, proving that constraints can breed creativity rather than compromise it. The premise is as twisted as the production schedule. Officially described as a "post-punk riff on 'The Monkey’s Paw,'" the story follows three former punks—played by Sean Doherty, Melissa LaMartina, and Trevor Wilhelms—who gather at a distillery to toast a late bandmate.
The atmosphere shifts from melancholic to murderous when a mysterious sommelier, portrayed by Matt Lake, invites them to a top-shelf tasting. The catch? Every bottle requires a "wish," and as the clock ticks toward midnight, their desires twist into doom.
The film promises that every pour at the Red Bat Distillery comes at a deadly price, blending the ritualistic horror of supernatural bargains with the gritty aesthetic of the punk scene. The supporting cast also features Matt Baughman, Cate Paris, and Tatiana Nya Ford. Beyond the core cast, the film boasts a lineup of genre heavyweights and literary icons that signal LaMartina’s deep roots in the horror community.
Cameos include horror author Grady Hendrix, playwright Clay McLeod Chapman, drag queen and filmmaker Peaches Christ, and Henry Zebrowski. This ensemble suggests a labor of love rather than a corporate mandate, with friends helping friends create something uniquely unsettling. The creative team is a tight-knit circle of collaborators: LaMartina directed and edited the film, co-writing the screenplay with Michael Varrati.
Production duties were shared by Melissa LaMartina, Chris LaMartina, Varrati, and Ted Geoghegan, while Ryan Graveface serves as executive producer. It’s a family affair, literally and figuratively, bringing together a dedicated group of indie horror veterans. Distribution is as unconventional as the production method.
'Spirit Tasting' will not debut on a streaming platform or in wide release immediately. Instead, it is launching with a holiday roadshow across the country, running from November through early January. LaMartina and select cast members will attend each stop, bringing the raw, indie energy of the film directly to fans.
Following the roadshow, a Blu-ray release is planned, catering to the collector’s market that made 'WNUF' a cult classic. It’s a strategic move that builds hype through exclusivity and live interaction, ensuring that the horror isn’t just watched—it’s experienced. For fans of experimental seasonal scares, this is the receipt we’ve been waiting for.
