Film from director Petr Jákl has broken box office records in the Czech Republic
On the heels of breaking all box office records in the Czech Republic, GHOUL, the supernatural horror/thriller from actor and filmmaker Petr Jákl, opens today in Los Angeles and New York to rave reviews.
“Something about the trailer suggested that this would be better than the rest and indeed, it does not disappoint,” writes film critic Marina Antunes. “You’ve definitely seen the set-up of Ghoul before but you’ve never seen it quite like this and what’s better, you probably haven’t seen it be this effective in years.”
Shot on location in Ukraine, GHOUL is a blend of fact and fiction. GHOUL is a supernatural horror/thriller film involving the real life story of the Soviet Union’s most violent serial killer and cannibal, Andrei Chikatilo. In the film, three Americans travel to the Ukraine to film a documentary about the cannibalism epidemic that swept through the country during the famine of 1932. After being lured deep into the Ukraine forest for an interview with one of the last known survivors, they quickly find themselves trapped in a supernatural hunting ground.
Watch GHOUL trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLlZtzZPSf0
In the Czech Republic, GHOUL has far surpassed ticket sales for previously released horror films like Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (2014), Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013), Maniac (2012), The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) or Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006) to become the highest grossing horror movie in Czech movie history.
GHOUL now holds the highest opening weekend of all horror movies in Czech history and is the highest grossing horror movie in the past 5 years and counting.
While GHOUL is the first Petr Jákl film to arrive in the United States, Jákl’s previous movie KAJINEK was not only a huge box office success in the Czech Republic, but also managed to open the public’s eyes about mafia-politicians and police.
KAJINEK is a crime thriller inspired by the real story of Jiří Kajínek, who is considered to be the first hitman in the Czech Republic. He was sentenced to life in prison but escaped the 300-year-old Mirov prison in 2000, the first person to ever do that. During that time, Jiří Kajínek became the most-wanted criminal in Europe. Those five weeks during which time he managed to elude capture are still shrouded in mystery. He is currently serving life in a Czech prison.
“The most interesting story for me was not that he is probably innocent and that he escaped from a prison like Alcatraz, but it was the corrupted system of justice, police, politicians and mafia,” says Jákl.
KAJINEK was not only a huge box office success but it also managed to open the public’s eyes about mafia-politicians and police. It raises questions about whether Jiří Kajínek is even guilty because of how the movie impeaches Czech criminal law.
“People have a hard time believing that someone can be wrongfully accused, especially in high-profile cases, whether it’s in the United States or abroad,” says Glenn Selig, now a successful public relations executive and former investigative journalist, who has been involved in high-profile cases.
Selig represented former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, accused of corruption for trying to sell then Sen. Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat when Obama was elected president.
“The governor was wrongfully accused. It is terrible what has happened to him. He is serving a 14 year sentence. He was ripped from his wife and kids and it’s terrible,” says Selig. “These wrongfully accused cases happen more often than anyone wants to think–usually because of politics. And I applaud Petr Jákl for opening the public’s eyes about this. It’s a story that needed to be told and Petr told it so well.”
It’s that investigative component of Jákl’s films that Selig finds so enticing and inspired him to want to join the publicity team promoting Petr Jákl’s movies.
As GHOUL prepares to open, Jákl recently received more good news: Because of the success and notoriety of GHOUL, KAJINEK will now be distributed in the United States and abroad.
Petr Jákl has a third movie in development. WARRIOR OF GOD, which is based on the true story of Jan Zizka. Zizka is one of seven generals who never lost a war but is widely believed to have slaughtered thousands of innocent people as a mercenary and outlaw.
For more about GHOUL, the Petr Jákl film opening today, please visit www.ghoulmovie.com.
About GHOUL: GHOUL follows three Americans who travel to the Ukraine to investigate how cannibalism swept through the country during the notorious famine of 1932. After being lead deep into the vast Ukrainian forest for an interview with the last known survivor of the cannibalism epidemic, they are plagued with a series of unexplainable supernatural encounters and come face to face with the evil spirit of Andrei Chikatilo, who was born in the Soviet Union and was the most violent serial killer and cannibal of all time.
About Petr Jákl: Petr Jákl is a former Olympian in judo and martial artist, actor and stuntman who had appeared Bad Company (2001, ) xXx (2002), EuroTrip (2004), and Alien vs. Predator (2004). Petr´s directional debut Kajinek (2010) become a local hit. He is also a co-writer and producer of both of his movies. Petr Jakl on IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1362893/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
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