|
New
Jersey Life Magazine - March 2007 |
Reel
Ambition
How do you go from bridgemaker to filmmaker?
Woodcliff Lake native Jon Doscher parlayed his construction
gig into a chance to head his own movie company —
and it all started with a box of cigars he sent to Jack
Nicholson. You’ll never guess what happened next...
Click Here to Download the entire
PDF Article
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| STARLINE
FILMS tours
Pascack Hills for De La Roche Film Projects |
Partners
up with Aiello's production company; 3 PHHS alumni return
to walk the grounds
UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ -
Actor/producer
Jon Doscher and members of Starline Films visited Pascack
Hills High School today as part of the development of
the feature film Anyone's Son and the
production on the documentary film Harry: A Communication
Breakdown.
Doscher
last was in the school when he graduated back in 1989,
and was joined on the tour by associate producers Francine
Ganguzza (Class of 1977) and Jonathan Moncrief (Class
of 1986). The
tour also included members of Academy Award Nominated
Actor Danny Aiello's production company, Revolution
Earth Productions. Aiello has already narrated a promotional
video, and has agreed to narrate Harry: A Communication
Breakdown., and is interested in a leading role
for the feature film Anyone's Son.
"It's
been a long time since I've walked these hallways,"
Doscher stated, "and it felt great to be back here."
After a 30-minute meeting with Pascack Hills
current principal, Sarah Van Gunten, the tour was conducted
by Glen DeMarrais, an assistant principal at the school,
and Jeff Levin, a junior at the school and current production
assistant for Starline.
Harry:
A Communication Breakdown is a documentary film
about Harry De La Roche, who was convicted on four counts
of first-degree murder in the Thanksgiving weekend 1976
deaths of his father, mother, and two younger brothers.
De La Roche graduated from Pascack Hills in June
of 1976.
Several
faculty members that were teachers of three returning
alumni greeted them during the tour as well.
These included Phil Bernardi, Dan Fallon, Don
Hageman, Linda Porcaro, and Jane Conboy.
Van Gunten has agreed to be interviewed for the
documentary, discussing the differences between the
Pascack Hills of 1976 in comparison to the Pascack Hills
of today.
"We
wish to thank both Ms. Van Gunten and Mr. DeMarrais
for their hospitality today," Doscher commented
afterwards. "The
ability to walk the school with our crew, and see so
many former teachers, was exciting and very helpful
to these projects. It's wonderful to have their support."
Those
already interviewed for the documentary include Bucky
Rehain, Greg Rice (Class of 1976), Fran Ganguzza, Rev.
H. Roy Nilsen, and author Roberta Roesch, as well as
many other alumni.
This, of course, also includes the only on-camera
interview with De La Roche himself.
Currently
in production, Harry: A Communication Breakdown
is scheduled for release on November 28, 2006,
the 30th anniversary of the incident.
The feature film Anyone's Son is
scheduled to begin shooting in the fall of 2006. |
| STARLINE
FILMS teams
up with Revolution Earth on De La Roche documentary |
Danny
Aiello agrees to narrate the documentary; Ganguzza joins
staff as producer
UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ - November
7, 2005 -- Starline Films is proud to announce the development
of a partnership with Revolution Earth Productions,
the production company of Academy Award Nominated Actor
Danny Aiello, to produce the documentary film
Harry: A Communication Breakdown.
Aiello
has also agreed to narrate the documentary film about
Harry De La Roche, who was convicted on four counts
of first-degree murder in the Thanksgiving weekend 1976
deaths of his father, mother, and two younger brothers. Aiello, nominated for his role in Do
The Right Thing, will also narrate a promotional
video, and is interested in a leading role for the feature
film AnyoneÕs Son.
Michael
Furno and Daniel F. Doyle, who both co-wrote and directed
the documentary films Shorty and UnConventional,
will direct and edit Harry: A Communication Breakdown.
In
addition, Starline Films is pleased to announce the
hiring of Francine Ganguzza as a producer on the De
La Roche film projects. Ms. Ganguzza is a 1977 graduate of Pascack Hills High School
in Montvale, where the De La Roche murders took place. She has also served as a production coordinator
for Hollywood/NYC Productions.
Ms.
Ganguzza is one of many alumni, teachers, and townspeople
that have already been interviewed for the documentary.
Others include Bucky Rehain, Greg Rice (Class
of 1976), Rev. H. Roy Nilsen, and author Roberta Roesch.
This also includes the only on-camera interview
with De La Roche himself.
Currently
in production, Harry: A Communication Breakdown
is scheduled for release on November 28, 2006,
the 30th anniversary of the incident.
The feature film Anyone's Son is
scheduled to begin shooting in the fall of 2006. |
| STARLINE
FILMS meets with De La Roche in prison. |
|
First
Interview in more than 25 years – Still claims
brother killed other three family members
UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ
- June 30, 2005
-- Starline Films and Jon Doscher,
actor/producer of the upcoming film Anyone’s
Son, met with convicted murderer Harry
De La Roche Jr. today at the South Woods State Prison
in Bridgeton, New Jersey.
De
La Roche was convicted on four counts of first-degree
murder in the 1976 deaths of his father, mother, and
two younger brothers. Today, in his first ever on-camera
interview, he took part in a 90-minute session which
covered a wide range of topics.
Starline
Films, which plans to incorporate the meeting
as part of a companion documentary for the feature film,
received permission to speak with De La Roche after
several months of correspondence between De La Roche
and Doscher. Earlier this month, Doscher officially
secured the rights to develop a feature film based on
the book Anyone’s Son.
The book is based on the true story of the events, which
De La Roche co-authored with Roberta Roesch in 1979.
“It’s
complicated for me right now to translate my feelings
into words,” Doscher commented afterwards. “Today’s
meeting was mutually beneficial and essential in continuing
the development of Anyone’s Son…. It certainly
was a unique experience for me.”
De
La Roche indicated he has turned down numerous interview
requests over the years, including powerful media personalities
such as Geraldo Rivera. Additionally, De La Roche has
entered into an exclusivity agreement with Starline
Films, fully authorizing his involvement in
the production of both the film and the documentary.
|
| STARLINE
FILMS acquires film rights for Anyone’s
Son |
|
Co-authors
said no to Stigwood and others, but yes to
Starline
UPPER SADDLE RIVER, NJ
- June 21, 2005
-- Starline Films is proud to announce
the completion of a contractual agreement with Roberta
Roesch and Harry De La Roche Jr. to produce a major
motion picture based on the book, Anyone’s
Son. After
several months of extensive and productive meetings
with Roesch, as well as written correspondence with
De La Roche Jr., actor/producer Jon Doscher has secured
the rights to develop this true story into a feature
film. De
La Roche Jr. was convicted on four counts of murder
in the 1976 deaths of his father, mother, and two younger
brothers, and is currently serving a lifetime prison
sentence. Starline Films will also
be producing a separate documentary about the event.
Roesch and De La Roche Jr. co-authored the book, Anyone’s
Son, which was published by Andrews &
McMeel in 1979. Over
the years, Roesch had been approached by several top
Hollywood film executives looking to acquire the rights
to the book, including legendary producer Robert
Stigwood (Saturday Night Fever, Grease).
However, Roesch felt she could trust Doscher to tell
this story in an accurate and thought-provoking manner.
“I
am very pleased to have the full blessings of Ms. Roesch
to produce this film,” Doscher commented. “Having
attended the high school that he (De La Roche) did,
and having long been fascinated by the story, I look
forward to the challenge of incorporating the many themes
and issues that this book raises, and developing it
into a timeless film with powerful messages.”
|
| STARLINE
FILMS conducting exclusive on-camera interview with
convicted murderer De La Roche |
| First
public interview in more than 25 years will be released
as documentary
UPPER
SADDLE RIVER, NJ - June 21, 2005
-- Starline Films is proud to announce
that Jon Doscher, actor/producer of the upcoming film
Anyone’s Son, has been
granted approval to conduct an interview with Harry
De La Roche Jr. from prison on June 30, 2005.
De
La Roche Jr., convicted on four counts of murder in
the 1976 deaths of his father, mother, and two younger
brothers, will be interviewed as background gathering
for the film. This film will be based on the book about
the events, which he co-authored with Roberta Roesch
in 1979.
The
interview will also be filmed as part of a separate
documentary project that is in pre-production. De La
Roche Jr. is currently serving his sentence at the South
Woods State Prison in Bridgeton, New Jersey.
“We
are grateful to the state for agreeing to provide us
the opportunity to interview Harry,” Doscher stated.
“It is important for us to tell the story as accurately
as possible and certainly having the ability to access
Harry’s state of mind is crucial to the development
of this film project.”
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