Gimme 5: Horror flick hearkens back to '50s cult classics

Editor's note: "Gimme 5" is a five-question interview on topics of local interest.

Tell us briefly about "Terror From Beneath the Earth."

It's a spoof and homage to those low-budget, black-and-white monster films of the 1950s. It deals with nuclear contamination, mutant creatures and questionable science. It also includes some delightfully cheesy special effects and hambone acting.

Who is your character?

Dr. Vincent Edwards, British geologist and scientific know-it-all.

How did you get cast?

Writer-director Christopher R. Mihm has been making these films for five years with great success at screenings and film festivals. I auditioned for his first film, "The Monster of Phantom Lake," and he must have seen something he liked because he's cast me in four of his five films so far.

When and where was filming?

We filmed this over the course of several weekends last winter in the Twin Cities - mostly in Chris' basement, which he turned into a cave with some cleverly placed papier-mâché.

You've acted in several movies and many plays. Do you prefer film or the stage?

Two different animals. Stage acting can be very large and exaggerated, while film acting, for the most part, is smaller and more natural. The camera "sees" all. Both offer interesting challenges.

- Troy Espe