Two Belleville Men Screen 1978 Vampire Film After 48-Year Delay

Keith Howard and Patrick Voss will screen a short horror film they began shooting as teenagers in 1978 on Saturday, October 31. The premiere will take place at the Lincoln Theatre in Belleville, Missouri, marking the first public showing of the completed project.

The two men started the production after building a coffin and a Dracula costume for a school haunted house. Their shared interest in scary movies and mask making led to the initial idea. Voss recalled suggesting they make a vampire movie because they already had the necessary props.

The original filming took place on Super 8 film stock. They used a camera borrowed from Voss' sister and a small budget. Howard funded half of the production costs through earnings from a paper route. The crew shot footage in three-minute reels, frequently editing out sections to fit the limited media.

Local filmmaker Nathan Domesick assisted Howard and Voss in finishing the movie. Domesick filmed a new introduction and expanded the original plot. He noted that the original creators worked during a period when special effects required more manual effort than modern techniques.

The finished film is titled 'Disinter.' It will show at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 31. Admission is free, but attendees must bring one can of nonperishable food. The collected items will benefit Operation Food Search.

Voss described the event as a food raiser for the charity. The screening concludes a project that remained unfinished for nearly five decades. Howard and Voss have coordinated with Domesick to ensure the final cut is ready for the audience.