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This article was originally published in the June 8, 2005, issue of Spark magazine. By HOLLY NORTON   The News Journal/DAN GILL That's Gordon on the left and Greg on the right. Together, they're the Film Brothers of Wilmington. After watching Gordon and Greg DelGiorno's film "Getting Even," I concluded that, yes, they did have a sick sense of humor as promised. If the casts of "The Sopranos" and the "Golden Girls" had an orgy, this 70-minute movie produced by the Film Brothers would be the demented, white-haired step-child. The film follows a group of mistreated senior citizens living in a Wilmington retirement home who go on a killing spree. And it's funny. But that was last year's production. Since then, the Wilmington natives have moved on. Matured, even. "Now we're driven by a target audience. This is more of a family film," Gordon said. You mean you sold out. "It's a heartfelt comedy, but still it has the Film Brothers edge," Greg was quick to add. Good. A unique and twisted perspective is just the thing that will separate the DelGiorno brothers from the rest. The brothers began their film company a little more than five years ago and have produced two short films ("The Lesson," and "Routes") and two movies, "Franks and Weiners," which in 2001 developed into a sketch comedy show on Comcast, and "Getting Even," all of which have been in heavy rotation in independent film festivals. The storyline from their latest yet-to-be-named production involves a 30-something man whose probation includes working at the Boys and Girls Club of Delaware. The lead character sees himself in some of the kids, and they help him heal. Awww. They hope to begin filming this summer. Greg is the muscular and softspoken younger brother who handles most of the creative end of Film Brothers, with co-writer Patty Blanchfield. Gordon is the slim and animated older brother who handles the business end. Together, they are constantly drawing upon local connections in the incestuous world of low-budget moviemaking. They have cast Larry "The Captain" Walker - a 72-year-old Wilmington native that you can spot in Trolley Square on any given day - in everything they've produced so far. Since then, the Captain has reached local celebrity status - meaning he's recognized in the Trolley Square Acme as "that guy in that movie." But hey, before, he was just "that guy in the sailor hat in Trolley Square." This time, the Film Brothers' plan to work with a budget well over the $40,000 they shelled out for "Getting Even." They'll use Hedges-Hoffman Casting, a Philadelphia-based casting company. Potential location shots include Banning Park, the Delaware Museum of Natural History and the Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts. And yes, the captain will be featured. "He's going to be like the Alfred Hitchcock of Wilmington," Gordon said. "He'll have at least a cameo in everything we do. Right now we have a part for him singing Grandmaster Flash." GORDON AND GREG DELGIORNO BIO Age: 37, 35 respectively Background: Started Film Brothers about five years ago. Occupation: Indie filmmakers Hobbies: Featuring old people having sex in movies. (Wait, that's "occupation" too.) IF YOU WANT TO SUPPORT What: The Film Brothers for Others Tuscan BBQ Proceeds go to displaced children in Darfur through Operation USA (www.opusa.org). When: 1 p.m. June 18. Where: Secret spot in Alapocus. Cost: $30 For tix: 559-2324 Q: So you guys are indie filmmakers, that's cool and all, but what do you do for money? A: Greg (married father of two): I'm a full-time hauling contractor for Clean Slate. Gordon (single): I basically do anything to avoid a full-time job. We graduated from Delcastle and took trades. Greg did welding and I think I did sheet metal. Then I went white collar, worked for a bank, and I couldn't take it. Now I do contract sales for things like Wilmington Film Festival, Jazz Festival and other local events. We developed Film Brothers for Others and plan on hosting a benefit for displaced children in Darfur, Sudan on June 18th. Q: You guys seem to have lots of Delaware connections, how deep are your roots? A: Gordon: Our grandparents on our dad's side came here directly from Italy. They ran a candy store on Pennsylvania Avenue. Q: What kind of response have you received from your films? A: Gordon: When we screened "Franks and Weiners," we were beat down to reality. In the movie we had a 35-year-old man say to an 80-year-old woman using a walker, "Can I help you with that, Emma?" The audience thought he said "Grandma." That was a problem when they later had a sex scene where he broke her hip. People were walking out. Q: What's up with the old people having sex? (It also pops up in "Getting Even.") A: Gordon: My dad would be 93 if he was still alive. I think there's something about growing up with my dad being older. We had summer jobs at his senior citizen retirement home and I guess these are the thoughts in my mind. I had an 80-year-old woman try to lure me into her room with a six-pack of Piels Light. I was 17. She was just waving this brown bag. The maintenance guy was like "Go ahead, she's alright." Q: Oh my god, did you go in? A: No. Who knows what I would have done if I drank the six-pack. Just kidding. Q: Favorite movies? A: Greg: "Scarface" - all gangster movies like "The Godfather." "Forrest Gump." Anything with Tom Hanks. Gordon: I lean more to the obscure and disturbing: "Willy Wonka," "Monsoon Wedding," "Mississippi Burning," "Boys Don't Cry," "The Shining." Greg: "The Shining" is more of a comedy to me at this point. Jack Nicholson is funny. Q: What are the best and worst parts about being independent filmmakers? A: Gordon: Being in Delaware and being as tight as we are here and everyone wanting to come to premieres, be part of it, support us - businesses and local organizations getting involved. The bad thing is you're constantly struggling to make ends meet. Copyright ©2005, The News Journal. This article was originally published in the June 8, 2005, issue of Spark magazine. |