We all learned about the Watergate scandal in history class, and the missing time on the Nixon tapes. What actually happened to the tapes, the missing time, and what was actually on the tapes has been speculation for years. There have been several different theories over the years, and of course, this makes for a great jumping off point for a compelling mystery.
18 1/2, a new film being released by Kyyba Films adds another layer to the possibilities. The film follows a transcriptionist who has found the reel-to-reel tape that contains the missing time from the Nixon tapes. Her meeting with a reporter turns into a night of interesting encounters as well as veiled (and no so veiled) threats against them both.
Shot using a Panasonic Varicam with vintage 1970s era Kowa Anamorphic primes and Cooke Varotal Zoom lenses, the period-accurate sets, wardrobe, and styling feels like more a movie from the actual time period than modern. The story and film fits the period, and doesn’t feel like something that was forced or modernized to make it fit audience expectations.
Is a Presidential scandal from almost 50 years ago something that will draw audiences into the theater? That is what makes this movie so intriguing. While it’s not a story that a ton of younger audience members may be drawn to, the mystery and unlikely subject matter make it compelling. 18 1/2 is a bit artsy, out of the box and a step away from the norm that we’re used to seeing at the theater. But that is just what makes it so interesting.
18 1/2 is no win select theaters across the country. This unlikely period mystery film will be on VOD on July 5th. This is a must-see movie for history buffs or people who just want to watch something out of the box.
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About 18 1/2:
18 1/2 is a thriller/comedy that humorously crafts its narrative into the notorious gap in Nixon’s Watergate scandal in 1974. The story revolves around a fictional White House transcriber who finds the only copy of the infamous 18½-minute gap in Nixon’s Watergate tapes, but her attempts to leak it to the press run afoul of hippies, swingers, and nefarious forces.
“It’s a very proud moment for Kyyba Films and me to premiere 18 1/2 to our Michigan home base. Stars Bruce Campbell and Ted Raimi began their indie film journeys growing up in the Detroit area, working on Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead films,” said Tel K. Ganesan. “18 1/2 has screened at 20 film festivals globally and scored 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s a privilege to receive such a positive response.”
The “18½” acclaimed cast is led by stars Willa Fitzgerald (Amazon’s “Reacher”), John Magaro (“First Cow”), Vondie Curtis Hall (“Harriet”), Catherine Curtin (Netflix’s “Stranger Things”), Richard Kind (“Argo”), Sullivan Jones (“The Gilded Age”), Alanna Saunders, Claire Saunders, and the legendary voices of Ted Raimi (“Spider-Man”), Jon Cryer (“Two and a Half Men”), and Bruce Campbell (“Evil Dead”) as President Richard Nixon.
Directed by Dan Mirvish, “18½” features a screenplay by Daniel Moya, a story by Dan Mirvish & Daniel Moya, with classic cinematography by Elle Schneider. The film is produced by Dan Mirvish, p.g.a., Daniel Moya, p.g.a. and Terry Keefe. Executive producers are Tel K. Ganesan, Ashwin T. Ganesan, Richard Schenkman, and Sebastian Twardosz. Co-executive producers are Paul Orzulak, Kyra Rogers, Elisabeth Jereski, Jarrod Phillips, Dana Altman, and Frédéric Forestier.
