Interview with Chris Milewski (Filmiracle Productions/Sidd Web Productions), April 2025

Chris Milewski makes horror, mystery, and art films that look, sound, and feel exactly as if they were B-movies shot in the 70’s, 80’s, and even 10’s and 20’s.

Among his collaborators are famous actors and composers from the European exploitation films’ era such as Fabio Frizzi (Zombie / City of the Living Dead / The Beyond), Silvia Collatina (House by the Cemetery / The Great Alligator), Franco Garofalo (Hell of the Living Dead / The Other Hell / The True Story of the Nun of Monza), and many more.

To discover Chris’ works, that you will very likely enjoy if you are a fan of Euro cult classic exploitation cinema, read the interview below.

Could you, please, summarize what Filmiracle Productions is?

Started in 2013, Filmiracle Productions specializes in low-budget short films inspired by the cinema of yesteryear. The goal is to provide select fans with refreshing and original works that do not follow the trends of today.

When I initially began creating these films, I had no previous experience or schooling, so the earliest works certainly have a bit to be desired — though I'd like to think that I've gotten at least a little better at it over time.

So, be advised that many of the films are admittedly diamonds in the rough, with some being more effective than others. I am definitely not pretending to be something that I'm not!

The Hanging Doll, featuring a monologue by Silvia Collatina and a tiny cameo of Pamela Stanford.

I noticed that almost all of your films are influenced by the 70’s and 80’s European B-movies. Could you, please, tell me more about the genres Filmiracle Productions aims at?

While the stories are generally on the darker/horror side, the films are quite different stylistically. Most of the films are heavily influenced by Italian horror from the late 70’s and early 80’s — predominantly the films of Lucio Fulci and Joe D'Amato, with a touch of sloppiness a la Spaniard Jess Franco.

With that said, there are also experimental films reminiscent of such 16mm films from the 60’s–70’s, generally produced under the Sidd Web Productions banner; silent films inspired by some of the earliest of films from the 10’s–20’s; and even a few that border on sci-fi.

As hinted in your question, though I am from the USA, I try my best to capture the look and feel of European cinema from those eras. It's true that European filmmakers often tried to mimic the works of their American counterparts, but in my opinion, they did a better job, as just about everything coming out of Europe was superior. The camerawork was far more interesting and inventive, there was always such an amazing atmosphere, the music and sound design were better, the ideas were better, etc.

Of course, I am speaking in generalities here, so it's worth noting that there are always exceptions.

 

La fleur du diable shot in the style of the films by Jean Rollin, Lucio Fulci, and Jess Franco.

Some films feature collaborations with notable personas from the B-movie world. Whom have you collaborated with so far and what did each of them do for your films?

I often try to incorporate participation – big or small – from Italian cinema veterans or those whom I admire. I do this not only as a nod to their works, but I like to say that it adds a little more authenticity to my films.

Furthermore, as you'll hear, it is often in the form of voice. I feel that the spoken Italian language, which incidentally I speak no more than a few words, is far more conducive to evoking the atmosphere than English, as it allows for more flexibility and dramatic emphasis.

Anyway, it goes without saying that I certainly don't want to ignore everyone else that has helped along the way, as I very much appreciate them, but since you're asking about people from the B-movie world... Over the years, quite a few people have contributed, and I very much cherish their involvement:

• Fabio Frizzi (Zombie / City of the Living Dead / The Beyond) scored The Cold Eyes of Death and Violets Bloom at an Empty Grave.
• Carlo Maria Cordio (Absurd / Aenigma / Troll 2) scored The City of Dunwich.
• Silvia Collatina (House by the Cemetery / The Great Alligator) lent her voice to The Cold Eyes of Death / Violets Bloom at an Empty Grave / La Ragazza con il Capello / and The Hanging Doll.
• Franco Garofalo (Hell of the Living Dead / The Other Hell / The True Story of the Nun of Monza) lent his voice to Violets Bloom at an Empty Grave / Help Me Have No Human Ways / The World of Shadows and he can be seen in A View from a Forgotten Grave.
• Miss Italy 1966 Daniela Giordano (Inquisition / Four Times That Night) lent her voice to Help Me Have No Human Ways.
• Giorgio Bertuccelli (who worked on / scored several of Joe D'Amato's films shot in New Orleans during the late 80’s–early 90’s) scored Welcome to the World, Dear Child and A Taste of Phobia and appears in A Taste of Phobia.
• Mark Thompson Ashworth (who worked with Joe D'Amato on many of his later films) lent his voice to Destination Orion.
• Wayne Camp (Deep Blood / Any Time Any Play) lent his voice to The City of Dunwich.
• Pamela Stanford (Lorna the Exorcist etc.) appears in a photograph, as a young child no less, in The Hanging Doll.
• And, last but not least, Nino Celeste's (House of Clocks / Sweet House of Horrors) cat appears in a photo in House of the Black Cat!

Chris Milewski with Fabio Frizzi and their wives. On the right — Karen Lynn/Karen Barbeau — Chris Milewski’s wife who acts in The Cold Eyes of Death / Violets Bloom at an Empty Grave / Help Me Have No Human Ways / Welcome to the World, Dear Child / Garden of Souls, and The Thousand Steps.

I think I noticed references to European cult classic B-movies in the Filmiracle Productions’ films. For example, in The Cold Eyes of Death, the girl’s outfit is as aggressively black-and-white as the one Lina Romay wears in Shining Sex by Jess Franco. And there is a vibe of this film in Help Me Have No Human Ways. In the same film, the girl wears sunglasses reminiscent of Pamela Stanford’s character in Blue Rita by Jess Franco. Were those intentional homages?

Those are some interesting observations, and I like them, but I must say that any similarities are purely coincidental. I was not attempting to pay homage to any one film in particular, but trying to recreate that late 60’s–early 70’s mod, almost futuristic, style.

Of course, that aesthetic is quite prominent in many of Jess Franco's films — geometric patterns, modern architecture, mod attire, big sunglasses, blocks of color, art, etc. The Cold Eyes of Death was in actuality most influenced by Italian gialli, and so that was driving the style.

It was my first foray into the world of film, and to be honest, I can't even stomach to watch it these days. I think that if you're creative, it's a requirement to hate everything you've done in the past, or at least most of it!

As for Help Me Have No Human Ways, a film that I do somewhat enjoy, I was going for a futuristic, almost sci-fi look as the story pertains to the infamous "UFO cult" most known as Heaven's Gate. Sawyer, an ex-member, assisted with the narration and music.

I know you mentioned the sunglasses, but I really like the white dress worn by the "Older Member." It was 60’s vintage and reminded me of something one might see in The Tenth Victim, The Girl From Rio, Murder in a Blue World, etc. It was also worn, sans sunglasses, in Welcome to the World, Dear Child, a film I dislike.

Anyway, while on the topic of Heaven's Gate, Destination Orion is another film I shot that is similar to Help Me Have No Human Ways. That one is part of the anthology film Philia produced by Trash Arts / Vestra Pictures and available on Blu-ray.

Help Me Have No Human Ways, the sci-fi film inspired by the "UFO cult" Heaven’s Gate.

Filming the extraterrestrial spaceship scene in Help Me Have No Human Ways

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Filming Cold Eyes of Death.

 

Some of the films are labeled as Filmiracle Productions, and others as Sidd Web Productions. What is the difference between these two projects?

Filmiracle Productions is for the more traditional films whereas Sidd Web Productions is reserved for those that are more experimental. With Filmiracle, you'll get a full story, plot, people, etc. With Sidd Web, you may only get visuals!

Considering the styles can vary greatly, at some point, I started labeling them differently. Ah, it was when I did TMI 2: The Entry, a short documentary about the first entrance into the Three Mile Island containment building after it suffered a partial core meltdown. That one is an outlier as most other Sidd Web films are still typically on the horror side.

Personally, I prefer Sidd Web Productions! I get much more enjoyment out of creating experimental films that most of the world doesn't care about.

And since I know you're wondering, Sidd Web is derived from Sid Davis (who directed a slew of social guidance / safety films) and Jack Webb (Dragnet!) It was a name that I used on an unrelated film project — that shall here go unnamed — that I felt sounded like a B-film producer from 1970’s Los Angeles.

 

A View from a Forgotten Grave, as an example of an experimental/art film labeled Sidd Web Productions.

How big is the Filmiracle Productions collective? Who does it consist of and where are these people based geographically?

The Filmiracle Productions collective is myself, Paul Clever, Mary Smith, Franco Massaccesi, and Eugenio Landi. Just kidding. It is generally just me hiding behind a slew of pseudonyms.

It has become a personal goal of mine to surpass even Jess Franco and Joe D'Amato with fake names, and by this point, I'm up to around 40. In all seriousness, my name is not important, and I enjoy editing credits sequences, so I pad them with fake names. Some of my films don't even have my own name on them!

As for the pseudonyms, being as though the Italians had to use American names, I, being an American, typically use Italian names that are derived from my influences or inspiration. To me, it is ultimately the art that matters. The art should speak for itself.

For instance, it seems silly to me that a four year old child can scrawl some lines on a canvas for which you will find no buyers. If you add the name Matisse, you might get a few million for it.

Or maybe a more fitting example is, Dr. Wong's Virtual Hell. Sorry Jess, but if anyone else made it, well, you get the point! Anyway, to get back to your question, there are a few regulars with whom I often work in terms of talent (none of which are real actors) because they are always available, but the actual production is usually just me.

Chris Milewski with Tom Meyers, one of his collaborators.

Your IMDb page also lists full-length films that don’t seem to be part of the Filmiracle Productions or Sidd Web catalog: POE 4: The Black Cat (2017), Philia (2021), Drive-In Grindhouse (2018)… Tell me about those films and about your background in more traditional and professional filmmaking.

While those are indeed feature length films, they are all anthologies comprised of short segments by a handful of international directors.

POE 4: The Black Cat contains three segments that are very loosely inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's The Black Cat — mine being House of the Black Cat.

Italian directors Domiziano Cristopharo and Brace Beltempo also contributed.

House of the Black Cat is really a diamond in the rough. I feel it is perhaps my most "Italian horror" piece, in terms of style and story, but it's definitely not without its flaws.

The film is available on DVD courtesy of Wild Eye Releasing, re-titled simply The Black Cat. Why that title was chosen when there are 50 other films with the same title, I can't say.

Philia contains many more stories from directors like myself, Sam Mason Bell, Tony Newton, among others, and is available on Blu-ray courtesy of Darkside Releasing. My segment on that one is Astrophilia (A.K.A. Destination Orion.)

Drive-In Grindhouse is distributed by Troma and features my short film Phantoms of the Fog. Phantoms of the Fog was very well received and can be seen on the Filmiracle YouTube channel by itself.

A Taste of Phobia, which you didn't mention, is also another anthology that I was a part of with Pharmacophobia, and is available on DVD courtesy of Artsploitation Films.

Pretty much all of those anthology films received terrible reviews, but I do get a kick out reading them. Admittedly, I haven't even seen some of them, so I can't really speak on them as a whole. I would assume the problem is that because they are available to a much wider audience, many people were expecting more than the very low budget, indie productions they are.

To answer the second part of your question, I have no background in filmmaking. In 2013, I picked up a camera and gave it a go. I think that is perhaps one reason why my films are seemingly different. I have no professional schooling or training, so I have no idea what I am doing — or at least, I simply do what comes natural. I suspect I am incapable of creating the typical film of today.

Case in point... I love to incorporate zooms, a device that will make any "trained" filmmaker or student shudder. It has become a goal of mine to bring back the zoom!

Filming A Taste of Phobia with Terry Reilly (whom we also see in Welcome to the World, Dear Child and The Hanging Doll).

What goals do you have for the future of Filmiracle Productions?

I don't really have any set goals beyond bringing back the zoom and using more pseudonyms than Jess Franco and Joe D'Amato. In the end, I am not looking to make a name for myself, make money, etc. I do this for fun.

Well, it's not even fun! I enjoy writing, editing, and working on the music, but the actual filming part, for me at least, isn't the most enjoyable. I go through phases of wanting to create and wanting to stop, but I always end up doing "one more film." I would imagine that I will continue on that same course and will start work on something new whenever I am compelled to do so.

Many people have asked me about a feature film. I understand that is necessary for any sort of success, as short films are generally unmarketable, and I would certainly love to do a feature, but for me, a short is hard enough! Any type of feature film that would interest me would require a real budget and a lot of time — two things I don't have.

Where can one watch or purchase Filmiracle Productions films? 

Most of my films can be viewed for free on the Filmiracle / Sidd Web Productions YouTube channel.

I should note that Filmiracle does not monetize on YouTube (though YouTube likes to put ads on the videos, which I hate as much as you do), so if you dig the films, be sure to like, comment, subscribe, and share because that helps.

Tetro Video / Goredrome also put together a limited Blu-ray of most, but not all, of my short films called Nightmares from Beyond. I believe that is still available, along with some other related items, and can be obtained directly from them. And, as previously noted, the anthology films are available on DVD/Blu-ray and/or various VOD platforms.

In case you are open to collaborations or contact for any other reason, how can one get in touch with you?

It seems very few people share my vision, but I am always open for collaboration! I can be reached via email at filmiracle[at]yahoo[dot]com or through the Filmiracle Productions YouTube channel.

I am always looking to do more writing, both scripts and music. So if anyone needs anything, don't hesitate to get in touch.

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