A Christmas Family Tragedy

Maria · Posted: Feb Sun 18, 2007 12:31 pm Post subject: A Christmas Family Tragedy

Hi,
My name is Maria and our company, Break of Dawn Productions, has released a feature length historic true crime documentary about the notorious Lawson Family Massacre of Christmas Day 1929 in Stokes County, NC. The film is entitled 'A Christmas Family Tragedy', and explores the legends and myths surrounding the murders and what they mean to the remaining family and community now, deep in the heart of Mayberry country.

On Christmas Day, 1929, a widely respected, affluent tobacco farmer named Charlie Lawson brutally murdered his wife and 6 of his 7 children with both ends of a shotgun and a rifle before killing himself; his eldest son, Arthur, aged 18, was sent to the store to buy more shotgun shells just before the violence broke out. Within days, newspapers carried the story coast to coast and 5,000 people attended their funeral. But that was just the beginning…
Never so much a 'who-dunnit' as a resounding 'Why?!', this mystery has inspired classic bluegrass murder ballads, ghost stories, family feuds, house tours that lured over a half million people at a quarter a head through it’s doors during the Great Depression, and overcapacity crowds for annual multimedia presentations retelling the story in the last decade.

But a heritage of silence follows the mystery, often with deadly consequences, in a bucolic rural community unable to come to terms with its darker side. The ballad used to be sung by batterers as a warning to their wives and kids to behave or else; now it is starting to be sung as a warning to abusers, as to where their malevolent actions will inevitably lead with the aid of The Squirrel Nut Zippers’ Katharine Whalen, who donated a cover of the ballad to our film and it’s forthcoming soundtrack.

To demonstrate our commitment to using history as a tool to build a better future, we're setting aside a healthy percentage of the profits of this film to benefit local domestic violence organizations, beginning with Stokes Family Violence Services, where we look to get the county's first battered women's shelter over the hump and into operation before the beginning of the 2007 school year. This Documentary is a wonderful treasure trove of Southern Oral History. It is chilling, creepy, and presented with ingenuity as it tells of the murders, suicide, and numerous ghostly sightings of two of the youngest children who were murdered. It has been shown throught out numerous cities in North Carolina with the premier opening in Mt. Airy, N.c. on December 3, 2006. A DVD of the documentary has been made and is on sale at borders and Barnes and Nobles bookstores. you can view a 3 minute trailer ofthe 75 minutes long Documentary, read more about it and order the DVD at the official Break Of Dawn productions Website at;
www.bodproductions.com
once seen, it will never leave your mind.
Maria

Aedryan Methyus · Posted: Feb Mon 19, 2007 12:26 pm Post subject:

Hi Maria,
I watched the trailer. Wow.... Pretty brutal murders. So, is the house supposed to be haunted or what?

- Aedryan
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Maria · Posted: Feb Mon 19, 2007 1:29 pm Post subject:

Hi Aedryan,
No, the house where they were murdered is gone now but the house where the numerous sightings of the children occurred is the closest house to the cabin where the murders occurred. The house where they are seen and heard is a Bed and Breakfast called The Squires Inn and the woman who owns it tells about the sightings in the Documentary. You might want to purchase a copy of the DVD because it will tell you a ton of stuff about it.
Maria

fratka · Posted: Feb Tue 20, 2007 3:42 pm Post subject:

Hey, I just saw Ghostrider! Awesome flick! Very Happy

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Frank Ratka

Death does not exist!
http://thecontactfield.blogspot.com/

Maria · Posted: Feb Tue 20, 2007 5:42 pm Post subject:

Hi Fratka,
What is this Ghostrider flic you're talking about? I'm not familiar with the title.
Maria

fratka · Posted: Feb Wed 21, 2007 8:01 am Post subject:

Must not be a comic book fan. The Ghostrider comic had been around for a long time and like Spiderman, Superman, Fantastic 4, and so on...hollywood had decided to make it into a movie. The star is Nick Cage (awesome casting too) the roll was written for his wit and sarcastic humor.

What country are you from Maria? This is a new release in the US and has been all over the TV? Very Happy

_________________
Frank Ratka

Death does not exist!
http://thecontactfield.blogspot.com/

Maria · Posted: Feb Wed 21, 2007 9:25 am Post subject:

Hi Frank,
Thanks for the info. No I admit I'm not into comic books. I live in America...born and raised here but the country that claims my heart and soul is England. I am truly an Anglophile. I have visited England 3 times and I cannot get into much of anything unless it pertains to England. That includes movies as well. I watch mainly movies filmed in or about England. But of course I am involved in this film about A Christmas family Tragedy and love it. I have done a lot of research into this true story and it is amazing. It's a never ending story and every question answered just brings out another question.
Maria

madcow · Ghost Hunting Enthusiast Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Posts: 151

Is it true that the movie has a "cameo" for lack of a better word of the original horse riding Ghost Rider, who went on in comic book form as Night Rider? And yes...I am a comic book geek.
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I wasn't mad until I got a belly full of Erie politics

Aedryan Methyus · Posted: Feb Thu 22, 2007 4:36 pm Post subject:

Argh.... I have yet to ever see a good Nicholas Cage movie. He's gotta be the worst actor of all time in my opinion....

- Aedryan
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fratka · Posted: Feb Fri 23, 2007 8:35 am Post subject:

No way, Aedryan! Your crazy...!

I am not his number one fan but the man has talent. Or maybe we just share the same brand of sarcastic humor (IDK)! Have you seen "Lord of War", "ConAir","The Rock", "Gone in 60 seconds", "City of Angels", or any other decent Cage movie. I admit he has had some real bombs like, "Firebirds", "Guarding Tess" and other shit like that.

He has definately earned his keep in Hollywood and he seems like a pretty cool guy.
_________________
Frank Ratka

Death does not exist!
http://thecontactfield.blogspot.com/

Aedryan Methyus · Posted: Feb Fri 23, 2007 12:25 pm Post subject:

Don't forget "Leaving Las Vegas". Now there was a real Emmy winner.... lol I dunno.... I've just always thought he was a rotten actor. He's not believable to me. I just find the guy unentertaining and unamuzing.

Ghost Rider seems like a really off the wall role for a "personality" like Nicholas Cage. I remember the first time I saw the previews for it. I told my wife, it looked like it might be pretty good. Then I saw who was playing the part of Ghost Rider and I was like, "Oh, brother! Is that really the best actor they could come up with to play a part like that?". I'll just have to wait and see it when it's in the $0.99 rental section I guess.... lol

- Aedryan
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