Thomas Zupko who heads Apocalypse Productions, the company that just signed on with Evil Angel, on the strength of its feature, Anal Ball, used to do PR publicity for Arrow and wrote some of the scripts for them. "I wanted to start a company that would go as close to the edge as you can go but still maintain eroticism," Zupko says.
Zupko formed the Las Vegas-based company with performer Brian Surewood and Vegas rock musician Jay Stone - "one of the biggest porn fans on planet earth," Zupko says.
Zupko: "I decided to create porn with a cutting edge. We were with Arrow, but the salesman [Vince Miller] there decided he didn't want to sell the movie [Anal Ball] because he had moral problems with the religious overtones- the priest and nuns. I didn't know where to go. I spoke to John Stagliano briefly a few times and sent him some information on the company. He watched the movie. I did not expect that he'd sign us or that he'd say to shoot a few more movies that had potential. When he saw it, he loved it. The greatest thing about John so far has been the fact that he's said, go, unleash your creativity and imagination - there's no restrictions whatsover. That's The only thing I've been searching for my whole life in writing porn. We hope to make some kind of impact."
Zupko created a little bit of controversy in a press release that announced his signing of Montana Gunn, who stars in Anal Ball, to a contract while taking some carefully-aimed shots at Fleshtone, in the process.
[Fleshtone owner Danny Carrelli addressed the issue about the Montana Gunn contract that never was, and the 2,000 man gangbang on this site, April 12. Gene Ross wrote at the time: "Despite Montana Gunn's leaving Fleshtone to go with Apocalypse Productions, Fleshtone's Danny Carrelli says that plans for the 2,000 man new millennium gangbang are going to go off. Gunn was originally going to be the guest of the honor at the event which is supposed to cap off at the stroke of Midnight New Year's Eve. Now it looks like it'll be Marylin Starr."
Carrelli: "We released her [Gunn]. We had a verbal agreement. I'm pleading insanity on this one for contracting her. I hit my head on the boardwalk in Atlantic City. I have doctors' notes and notes from my optometrist. I had a non-exclusive with Marilyn Starr. She was so professional, that I figured that everyone who was hooked up with me realized where we were going. Montana is not the type of class act we're looking for. We're back in negotiations with Marilyn Starr to do the gangbang. Marylin wanted to take a hiatus. I should have that tied up in a few days. I had Montana had the east coast show in October [along with Starr, Candy Hill, Jeanna Fine, Rebecca Wylde] and she was booked up to do signings for me. She hit me the right way that trip. She sold me on how dedicated she was and how she wanted to turn it all around. I like when they have a little problem because they appreciate it more when you give them the press and full-page ads. [Carrelli claims he did.] We spent $25,000 just in her promotions with the Montana Gunn Fucks the World Tour. We had a big party at CES that AVN covered. We did the Fuck the World contest around Montana. She was taking applications, and we did the first party where she fucked the fans live in front of the press. Everyone from Hustler on down was there. We were going ahead with a full-blast promotion where we were going to spend $150,000 turning her around because I thought she had a unique quality.
[Apocalypse, Gunn's new company, released a two-page news release likening the 2,000 man gangbang to "a circus freak show."]
"I know that Apocalypse made fun of the 2,000 man gangbang. I don't know even how to put it. He [Thomas Zupko, head of Apocalypse] is in no position to comment. He's just coming up in our business. I wish him a lot of luck."
Zupko: "I go with what I feel. I write what I feel sometimes. I don't necessarily go with what I think is politically correct. I knew I had to go out there and create some waves and controversy. I stand by what I say. Montana's not mad at Fleshtone. She just says that what she was promised, she didn't receive. No hard feelings, though. I love Vegas to death, but I may have to relocate to LA with this new Evil Angel deal in place."
Montana Gunn: "I'm all excited. I love them [Apocalypse]. We get along great. I'm excited that we're with Evil Angel. I wish the best for Fleshtone. We never had anything on paper. We talked about it [the 2,000 man gangbang], and nothing ever seemed to materialize. I called them a couple of times, and he never returned my calls. I told him, 'Danny, I need to work. I need to get some money. I need to go on. This is getting ridiculous.' I asked him about the contract. He said we had a verbal one. I said this is ridiculous for me to sit around and wait. I love him to death. Then he asked me if I was going to work for him. By that time I was a little angry. I told him I'd be delighted to talk, but what's there to talk about. He basically brought up the 2,000 man gangbang, and I said you told me I was going to do it. I was waiting to talk about it. I don't know when I'm going to get paid. I told him this wasn't going to work without communication. That's how that ended up.
"I shot for Apocalypse in the summertime. It was between Apocalypse and Danny. Danny put the thousand-dollar rooms and the green dollar. It looked better than the truth. Tom told me he didn't have anything to offer at the moment, but in the future there would be lots. I called Tom a couple of weeks after I had the confrontation with Danny. Tom said, 'This is perfect timing. I've been trying to get a hold of you, you've been trying to get a hold of me.' Everything just took off from there. We started off with the promo packs and a photo shoot. We've been working side-by-side and are the best of friends. I should have gone with my guy feeling from the very beginning. Anal Ball had the best scene I shot in my entire life. It was wild. I'm extremely happy."
