Could Crystal Lake Become “Hometown of Horror Films”?

CRYSTAL LAKE, IL (February 18, 2020) – Horror fans and trivia aficionados know that the Chicago suburb of Crystal Lake was the setting for the landmark film Friday the 13th. Now add a new horror film to Crystal Lake’s resume.

The Lurker, a new release horror feature film starring Scout Taylor-Compton (Halloween) Domenica Cameron-Scorsese (Cape Fear), Rikki Lee Travolta (Fear Frenzy!), Michael Emery (Blue Bloods), Ari Lehman (Friday the 13th), and Naomi Grossman (American Horror Story) is also set in Crystal Lake. Characters in the film even sport shirts touting “Crystal Lake High School” (not to be confused with the real Crystal Lake Central High School and Crystal Lake South High School that operate in District 155). As that it’s a horror film, don’t be surprised if those shirts get covered in blood by the end of the story.

The Lurker is about a group of high school students celebrating their final performance of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. When students and faculty begin to die at the hands of a savage killer, it’s a race against time for the cast to escape with their lives or face their final curtain call.

The Lurker is now available as a new release on popular download sites including Amazon, Vudu, FandangoNow, iTunes, FlexFling, GooglePlay, RedBox, and YouTube.

The Lurker filmed throughout Chicagoland with a mix of Hollywood actors and local talent – including Travolta.

“I love the horror genre,” says Travolta. “What I think I love most is the way horror fans are so supportive of the genre. That’s why you see so much success with fan conventions. The fans are very loyal.”

Travolta plays Ross Little, the father of one of the high school students being stalked and murdered. Originally a small role, after Travolta wowed the director and producer during his audition, the part was rewritten to give Travolta more screen time, leading to a co-staring credit.

“Having multiple horror films set in Crystal Lake could be a way to bring a lot of money and national attention to the city. If I was Mayor Aaron Shepley or if I was on the City Council of Crystal Lake, I would be seeing the potential for big dollar signs,” suggests Travolta. “I would dedicate efforts to having Crystal Lake, Illinois considered the ‘hometown of horror films.’ We would actively seek out horror films production companies and encourage them to set their stories in Crystal Lake.

“Not only does it bring in added revenue from the companies that choose to film in Crystal Lake, it opens up the door for bringing tourist and convention traffic to Crystal Lake by hosting ‘Crystal Lake Horror Days’ each year.”

As a resident of another famous Chicago suburb, Travolta knows a bit about the benefits of being the filming location of a well-known movie. The Bill Murray comedy Groundhog Day was filmed in Woodstock – the city Travolta calls home. To this day the city continues to reap the financial benefits of an annual ‘Groundhog Day Festival’ that has attracted visitors from as far away as Australia.

“I think big picture. We could hold a film festival each year screening new films and include a screenwriting contest for scripts set in Crystal Lake. That would ensure that there will always be additional films to be shot in the town, perpetuating the income streams indefinitely,” Travolta suggests.

As the visionary behind the idea, would Travolta be interested in spearheading activities with the local government? “If they gave me the ball, I would run with it,” he concedes.

And if not? “There’s always more movies to be made,” he says. Perhaps even some set in Crystal Lake – the future “Hometown of Horror Films.”