Patriotism takes a front seat in John Schneider's latest indie film, "To Die For."
For this one, the former Hollywood star turned Louisiana transplant isn't driving a revved-up General Lee but a beat-up El Camino. In the bed of the car-truck hybrid rides Schneider's co-star, a giant American flag waving from a super-tall pole.
Never one to keep his allegiance under his red, white and blue hat, actor-singer-writer-producer Schneider had one reaction after reading a news report last year of a man arrested for driving around with such an Old Glory setup in the back of his pickup.
John Schneider, as Quint North, loads an American flag and pole into the back of his El Camino in 'To Die For.'
"I knew I wanted to make a movie about that and expand on it, but I wanted to make a movie about that guy. I wanted to play that guy," Schneider said last week. "And I wanted the movie to come out before the midterm elections. So, it's great when a plan comes together."
The film was released for download on Oct. 20. Advance DVD orders will be shipped out starting on "Orange Friday," Schneider Studios' version of the big day-after-Thanksgiving shopping day.
"It's already done as well, if not better than any of the movies we've put out before," he said. Numbers-wise, that's around 5,000 total downloads, plus 500 to 1,000 DVD orders daily, "which in the independent world is fantastic," Schneider, who also wrote "To Die For," added.
In the film, Schneider, 62, plays headstrong, hard-drinking Gunnery Sgt. Quint North. When a high school football star takes a knee during the national anthem, Quint sees it not only as disrespect to the flag, but also to those who lost their lives protecting it. That prompts the making of his traveling flag display. When he takes his regular trips to town, Quint makes it a point to swing around the parking circle in front of the high school, where a flag no longer flies, due to a school board ruling. A restraining order against Quint ensues. His Native American neighbor and his wife, the town police force, a trio of trouble-making teens (which includes the football star), Quint's daughter and his girlfriend all figure in Schneider's plot. But as Quint's quest dominates his every waking hour, just how far will he take it?
"To Die For" has been viewed in 17 countries thus far, and received media attention from three national conservative news networks.
"This seems to have hit a chord, and not just here," Schneider said.
Yes, actor John Schneider does swap his shoulder-length hair for a military cut as 'To Die For' unfolds.
"The people are watching it and they're sharing it with people that agree with them. And perhaps more important, they're sharing it with people who disagree with them," he said. "It's kind of spurring more than just national conversation because I've got people from Australia and people from Italy and France and I have some folks in Scotland that have seen it. So it's kind of causing a global conversation of sorts, which is great."
Closer to home, viewers may spot Baton Rouge filming locations including El Rio Grande restaurant, Perkins Road Overpass and Sherwood Forest neighborhoods and the exterior of Baton Rouge Magnet High School; and in Hammond, there's Cena restaurant, Lee's Drive-In, Johnny's Conoco and the exterior of McGehee Hall, which stands in for the high school, on Southeastern's campus. The filmmaker's studios in Holden also were used. Plus, there's a cameo appearance by the rotunda of a historic courthouse in Huntington, West Virginia.
"The responses have been wonderful. I do believe that just the trailer has caused people to go out and open up a conversation about voting ... and expressing themselves," Schneider said. "You know, I mean, there's no use in being free and having free speech if you don't use it. So I do believe this (the film) is encouraging people to do that."
For more, visit todieformovie.com or todiefordvd.com.