Past Secrets Revealed

Past Secrets Revealed

Bruce Von Stiers

Take a film that was made over thirty-five years ago. But was never released. Add new footage to the film using one of the lead actors from the original film. And by adding content, alter the overall theme of the film.

What I just described is the film Of Things Past. It is the story of a couple who suffered a great loss and then changed their lives to mask the suffering. Only to later reclaim goals that ended with the tragedy. That was the thrust of the original film. But with the new footage, there are elements of revealed secrets, betrayal, and possible forgiveness.

The film was directed by D. Paul Thomas and Eric Rafael Ibarra. Thomas also co-wrote the screenplay along with Frank Dent and Peter Bollinger. The production companies involved in both the original film and the added content were Street Ahead Productions, Deltastorm Entertainment, TGA Productions, Victory Films and Cedar Films Studios. The film is being distributed by Lion Heart Distribution.

The film opens with a statement about an accident in 1984 that resulted in a possible miracle. But decades later, two people meet up and secrets that were long buried are brought out.

One of those people from that statement is a woman named Kiki. She is visiting an older woman, Laura Dietrich, a longtime friend. Lying in a bed in the house is Laura's husband, Michael. He is in a coma. The two women catch up, specifically about how Kiki's parents are now divorced, an old family friend, Earl, is now dead, and that Michael seemed happiest when he was flying with Earl.

Kiki is played by Tara Reid. From films such as American Pie and The Great Lebowski to appearing as herself on Ghosts, Tara has a ton of screen credits. Laura is played by Louise Caire Clark. Often guest appearing in episodic television in the 1980's, Louise starred in the Australian western drama series Five Mile Creek.

The film cuts away from the two women talking to a much earlier time. Two men are in a small airplane. One of the men, Michael, has just landed the plane, a perfect landing from his perspective. His co-pilot, and flight instructor, is Earl. There is a true sense of comradery between the two. Earl was played by the late Jack Nance. In addition to appearing in almost forty films, Jack co-starred in the original Twin Peaks series. Michael was played by Michael Moriarty. Michael has had a long and varied career, including starring in almost ninety episodes of Law & Order.

Then the film moves on to a church. Apparently, the youth choir from the church are getting ready to embark on a ski trip. Jan Scott is one of the adults going on the trip. Her daughter Kiki is going along as well. But Jan's husband, Chuck, is worried about the weather. Chuck works at the airport where Michael and Earl fly out of, so they know each other. These scenes kind of set up things for what is about to come. Jan was played by Catherine MacNeal, whose career includes guest appearing on NCIS: New Orleans and being in Days of Our Lives for over fifty episodes. The late Gary Bayer played Chuck. He appeared in All That Jazz and Psycho III among other films.

As the film progresses, there are scenes with Michael and Laura at their cabin in the earlier time frame. You get to see the feeling of loss that they have encountered through photos on a mantle, showing the couple with a young boy. Something tragic happened to the child that is later revealed.

Louise Caire Clark also played Laura in this earlier part. Which is what makes this film somewhat unique. I don't think that there have been too many film set-ups like this, where an actor is used for same role decades apart.

One of the little side tidbits in the film is a scene where Michael is playing on the piano at the cabin and singing a song in apology to Laura. The song is titled “The Fifteenth Time” and was co-written by Michael Moriarty. Laura also plays the violin, which factors into some of the plot at a later stage in the film.

Michael is an ambulance driver and physician's assistant. He had once been in medical school as revealed by the doctor at a clinic that Michael takes injured people to. The doctor was played by Peter Von Berg, a familiar face on both television and film screens.

As the film moves back and forth between the past and the present, more of the story of how Michael, Kiki, her mother and Laura become intertwined is revealed. There is an accident that draws Michael into the lives of Kiki and her mother.

This is where I kind of stop with things. I have used the word reveal a few times writing this. I feel if I reveal too much more, I'll give away the entire film. And that wouldn't be a good thing for me to do.

I will say that at the outset, I thought this film was simply a story of loss and redemption. Of people who suffered losses moving forward with their lives. And that was pretty much the thrust of the original film. But the added, recent, content took the film in a direction I hadn't seen coming. There were indeed secrets that were stark when revealed. Betrayals that cut to the bone. But also, the need for forgiveness. To forgive and to be forgiven.

I enjoyed Of Things Past. This was indeed a unique viewing experience. I don't believe I've ever watched something that took an entire film and added footage decades later that altered not only the thrust of the film, but the outcome as well. The scenes with the adult Kiki and Laura are poignant. And the scenes in the original film sequences were well acted, especially the characters of Michael and Laura.

Of Things Past is now available on Amazon, VUDU and other VOD platforms.

The film has an official website where you can read a bit more about it. The website is https://ofthingspast.movie/ The trailer for Of Things Past can be viewed at http://vimeo.com/796491825 .

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