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Filmmaker comes to Greencastle
Scenes for Pearl Bryan movie shot at her home
GREENCASTLE -- Last February, independent filmmaker Ron Whitt visited Greencastle to talk about his upcoming trilogy of films centered on the story of the 1886 death of Putnam County native Pearl Bryan.
Last Friday, Whitt was back in town to shoot the final scene of the movie at Bryan's house, which still stands in Greencastle.
The movie director is negotiating with DePauw University to premier the movie on campus sometime in the upcoming months.
According to the director, the movie, called "Hell's Gate," focuses on the factual account of Bryan, who was the daughter of a wealthy Greencastle farmer.
Scott Jackson and Alonso Walling murdered Bryan and her unborn baby near Newport, Ky. in 1896.
"Greencastle is essential to the film. I want people back here to see her as the person she was," said Whitt. His motivation, he said, "is that Pearl was a woman and a mother. No one deserves to be treated that way."
"The movie is very raw, very gritty. She died around 3 a.m. in freezing weather. It's not a horror movie, although there are elements of horror in the movie," said Whitt.
The second movie "Hell's Gate: Unleashed" focuses on the trial of the two men hanged for Bryan's death.
Tied into the story is Bobby Mackey's Music World in Wilder, Ky. It is alleged that Bryan's head, which has never been recovered, was thrown down an old well once purportedly used in satanic rituals. Bobby Mackey's sits on top of the well.
Many paranormal events are said to have happened in this building where an abandoned slaughterhouse stood at the time of Bryan's death. Among these is the ghost of Bryan, who has appeared to numerous people.
Several documentaries, stories and even books have been written about Bobby Mackey's and the many paranormal events that have occurred.
The club's ghostly legends have been reported on TV shows like Geraldo, the Travel Channel, Sally Jessie Raphael, National Geographic, Real Ghosts, the Discovery Channel, Jerry Springer and Hard Copy.
The last movie in the trilogy, "Hell's Gate: Revelation" will be out Halloween 2011. Whitt isn't telling people what was going on in this film.
He simply said, "It's my resolution to her death and I hope to do justice to her."
According to Whitt, his proceeds from the film will go toward the restoration of Pearl's grave in Forest Hill Cemetery in Greencastle. The headstone from her grave was removed some time ago due to vandalism.
"No one deserves to be buried like that. I want to restore her headstone," said Whitt.