A project came across my inbox today called CROPSEY. Now at first glance this one seemed like a pass, but a closer look revealed a flick that might actually be something worth checking out. Put it this way, CROPSEY is a documentary about an urban legend involving some escaped mental patient who kidnapped children. Yeah, you’re sold aren’t you?
Not yet huh? Well I’ve got a lot more goods for you all to check out! To the right you’ll find some early art for the film and if you scroll down below you’ll also find the trailer for the documentary, which can also be found over in our videos section. After you’ve checked all that out be sure to head on over to the flick’s official website for tons more!
Growing up on Staten Island, filmmakers Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio had often heard the legend of ‘Cropsey.’ For the kids in their neighborhood, Cropsey was the escaped mental patient who lived in the old abandoned Willowbrook Mental Institution, who would come out late at night and snatch children off the streets. Sometimes Cropsey had a hook for a hand, other times he wielded a bloody axe, but it didn’t matter, Cropsey was always out there, lurking in the shadows, waiting to get them.
Later as teenagers, the filmmakers assumed Cropsey was just an urban legend: a cautionary tale used to keep them out of those abandoned buildings and stop them from doing all those things that teenagers like to do. That all changed in the summer of 1987 when a 13-year-old girl with Down syndrome, named Jennifer Schweiger, disappeared from their community. That was the summer all the kids from Staten Island discovered that their urban legend was real.
Now as adults Joshua and Barbara have returned to Staten Island to create Cropsey, a feature documentary that delves into the mystery behind Jennifer and four additional missing children. The film also investigates Andre Rand, the real-life boogeyman linked to their disappearances.
Embarking on a mysterious journey into the underbelly of their forgotten borough, these filmmakers uncover a reality that is more terrifying than any urban legend.
Sounds intriguing right? Ready for the kicker? This shite just scored distribution here in the US! Thanks to Gravitas Ventures we’ll be able to check out Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio’s CROPSEY starting June 1st via Video-on-Demand. That’ll be followed by a limited theatrical release on June 4th. For a complete list of screenings you can check out CROPSEY’s official website.
Well that’s the brass tacks of the whole deal. So what do you guys think? CROPSEY have some potential or are we just looking at another boring documentary? I’m thinking this one might actually be pretty cool. Be sure to hit us with your thoughts below and keep it here for more on CROPSEY as we hear it!
Eva Mendes is no stranger to Urban Legends, having starred in URBAN LEGENDS: FINAL CUT
The comment section exists to allow readers to discuss the article constructively and respectfully, focused on the topic at hand.
What’s Not Allowed