"The best thing about the movie is Kilmer's charming, manipulative and utterly despicable interpretation of the legendarily endowed John Holmes." Bob Strauss LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS "This is one of those movies that leaves you feel drained, and as if you have to take a shower after." Michael Szymanski ZAP2IT.COM "A film whose effects are as hard to wash away as blood." Michael O'Sullivan, WASHINGTON POST "Although Wonderlad isn't much of a movie, it is a parade of exceptional acting." Carrie Rickey PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER "An unsettling, sordid, overly stylized and intensely well-done drama." Terry Lawson, DETROIT FREE PRESS

"Manages to move beyond its bloody rage by spinning a complex narrative that’s one of the year’s most compelling stories." Jeanne Aufmuth PALO ALTO WEEKLY "A compelling journey into the depths of hell on earth." James Berardinelli REELVIEWS "These were very bad people, but very good actors play them." Duane Dudek MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL "Intense, though at times too frenetic, with an energetic performance by Val Kilmer." Harvey S Karten COMPUSERVE "The deliberately chaotic film technique used in 'Wonderland' admirably reinforces the idea that truth is difficult, at times unknowable." Donald J. Levit REELTALK MOVIE REVIEWS

Johnny Wadd Its hard to imagine John Holmes could ever become a 'porn star', but he did. Born John Curtis Estes on August 8th 1944 in Pickaway County Ohio to a devout Southern Bapist mother, John spent some eleven years in bible study. To escape his brutal stepfather, Holmes enlisted in the Army at the age of 16 and spent three years on service in Germany before returning home. He headed for Los Angeles and worked in a number of jobs. It was while working as an ambulance driver that he met a young nurse named Sharon. John and Sharon married in 1965 and for the next two years their lives were just like any other married couples, quiet and uneventful. At this time Holmes was working in a frozen food warehouse. The money was good, so much so that he convinced Sharon to quit her nursing job. While the money was good, the cold air in the freezers had a detrimental effect on his lungs eventually causing them to collapse. During his recovery period Holmes spent a lot of time at a poker parlor in Gardenia and it was here, in the men's room, a stag photographer noticed how well endowed he was and noted he had the potential to work in the growing porn industry. Holmes decided, much to the disgust of his wife, he had discovered his calling. She wasn't impressed and although she was reportedly furious with him, she stayed loyal and kept their marriage together. Sharon did however stop sleeping with him.
Holmes was a huge hit and in a liberalized world seeking freedoms they had never enjoyed before, his fame spread worldwide. The man with the 13 inch penis had huge hits with "Deep Throat", "The Devil in Miss Jones" and "Behind The Green Door". In 1973 Holmes career took a big leap with a porn series based on a private eye named 'Johnny Wadd'. With his career in full swing John and Sharon moved into an apartment complex in Glendale. Here three events would reshape his life. He would meet and fall in love with 15 year old Dawn Schiller, his experimentation with drugs would take a turn for the worse as he developed an expensive 'coke' habit and he would be implicated in the infamous, brutal 'Laurel Canyon' murders which took place at 8763 Wonderland Avenue on July 1st 1981. By the time of the murders his life had degenerated to hustling and male prostitution, which only hastened his burgeoning drug addiction. In 1981 after he was acquitted of any involvement in the brutal murder of two men and two women on Wonderland Ave, Holmes attempted to go straight and reclaim his career in the porn industry. That failed when he was diagnosed with AIDS. The man who was known by the names John C Holmes, John Curtis Holmes, Big Jon Fallus, Johnny Wadd, John Rey, Long John Wadd died at Sepulveda, California in March 1998 at the age of 43 from an AIDS related illness. The film "Boogie Nights", which starred Mark Wahlberg, was loosely based on his life, but be warned it is far removed from "Wonderland" which is a cutting, brutal expose` of a life in total decline. Over the years there have been many questions regarding the Laurel Canyon Murders and the involvement of John Holmes. "Wonderland sets out to unravel the mystery behind that event and the decline of John Holmes. It doesn't paint a pretty picture but it is close to the heart. At A Glance There's no doubt that over the years many have sought the answers to what really happened that fateful night at 8763 Wonderland Avenue, a night which saw four people die a violent death. Deaths so savage, hardened detectives described the scene as rivalling the one which confronted them when Charles Manson and his followers went on a rampage. So why go digging up the past and why a film which will expose much about a man many in the 70's saw as a 'star'? "What always interested me in this project," said director James Cox, "is that it's a true crime which has always been a passion of mine. But this was not just a murder crime. There is also a unique love story, elevating this film above noir crime and making it universal." And a lot of effort went into making the film as authentic as possible. To get to the guts of the "Wonderland" story, Cox, co-screenwriter Captain Mauzner and producer Holly Wiersma tracked down Sharon Holmes and Dawn Schiller. Both women, who have remained good friends over the years agreed to come on board as advisers during the shoot. Both women spent their time on the set "sharing their insights into Holmes character and the era, and painting a very different picture of Holmes than one might imagine." Actor Val Kilmer who is sensational as Holmes, learnt a lot from both women.
"John was a real romantic," Kilmer said. "He loved his girlfriend and he was still friends with his wife. He definately was a tortured soul." And Kilmer revealed more about how far Holmes had fallen. "He definately was a tortured soul who did a lot of awful things to everybody, betrayed every one he knew, every dealer he ever met," Kilmer explained, "but, in a strange way, he remained absolutely faithful to Dawn and Sharon." And having Dawn Schiller and Sharon Holmes on the set provided real inspiration for the actresses portraying them in "Wonderland".
Kate Bosworth who plays Dawn notes that "She wasn't just a cracked-out girl dating John Holmes. She was an innocent in a not so innocent world." Adding, "And she loved him deeply." Schiller enjoyed the collaboration with Bosworth who "was really open to listening to what my thoughts and feelings were at the time this was all happening." So what did Schiller feel about the production?
Dawn Schiller was "impressed by what the researchers had done and their commitment to getting the story straight." Says Schiller, " I really felt that it was going to be an honest portrayal, that the truth was going to be finally told."
There's a strong message here in "Wonderland" that for those who fall, life can be terribly brutal. And while the film tears Holmes and his lifestyle apart it is fitting to note that from all this Sharon and Dawn remain the closest of friends. In fact Sharon describes their relationship as akin to a mother and daughter. Sharon Holmes admits that "The best thing to come out of my relationship with John is Dawn." Casting About "Wonderland" was directed by James Cox stars Val Kilmer ["Batman Forever", Tombstone", "The Saint" and "The Missing"], Kate Bosworth ["The Horse Whisperer", "Blue Crush" and "Remember The Titans"], Josh Lucas ["American Psycho", "A Beautiful Mind", "The Weight Of Water" and "The Hulk"], Lisa Kudrow ["The Opposite Of Sex", "Clockwatchers", "Analyze That" and "Analyze This"], Dylan McDermott ["Three To Tango", "Hamburger Hill", "Steel Magnolias" and "In The Line Of Fire"], Christina Applegate ["The Sweetest Thing", "The Big Hit", "Mars Attacks" and "A View From The Top"], Carrie Fisher ["Shampoo", "Star Wars", "The Blues Brothers" and "Charlie's Angels II"] Faizon Love ["Friday", "Blue Crush" and "Torque"], Tim Blake Nelson ["O Brother Where Art Thou?", "Minority Report" and "The Good Girl"] and Eric Bogosian ["Dolores Claibourne", "Talk Radio" and "Under Siege II"] as Eddie Nash. The Story

"Pure edge-of-your-seat material. It is a gripping and engrossing tale ... told with the exhilarating energy of a runaway freight train." Steve Rhodes STEVE RHODES' INTERNET REVIEWS

On July 1st 1981, police answered a call to attend at 8763 Wonderland Avenue. The scene that confronted them inside the blood spattered house was indeed a brutal one. Four people, two men and two women; Ron Launius, Billy Deverell, Joy Miller and Barbara Richardson, had been savagely bludgeoned to death. There was one survivor, Susan Launius who suffered severe head injuries. The victims injuries were so horrific that detectives likened the scenes to those which confronted detectives who worked on the Sharon Tate/LaBianca slaughter. Then an informant came forward. A person who had a connection to the house, the drugs, the women and who could tell them who set it all up. He fingered was the former porn star John Holmes and the man who carried out the murders was none other than the notorious drug kingpin and nightclub owner Adel Nasrallah, known as 'Eddie Nash'. The Verdict "Worth seeing if only for the wonderful cast. An energy charged, chaotic, disturbing look at a disturbing period in the life of porn star John Holmes. "Wonderland" never pulls its punches. It fights dirty. It portrays the events dramtically without excuse. Its bloody, brutal finale` will distress many with its graphic frenzied murder scenes. It's all part of the sorry, sordid drug hazed life of 'Johhny Wadd', the porn star who was all cock but no balls." The Cast

Val Kilmer Lisa Kudrow Kate Bosworth Dylan McDermott Josh Lucas Franky G Tim Blake Nelson Carrie Fisher Eric Bogosian Ted Levine M C Gainey Faizon Love Christina Applegate Natasha Gregson Wagner Janeane Garofalo Lou Lombardi Chris Ellis Tess Parker Julianne Steiger Kim Marriner Joleigh Pulsonetti Michelle Borth George Leonardopoulos

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John Holmes Sharon Holmes Dawn Schiller David Lind Ron Launius Louis Cruz Billy Deverell Sallie Hansen Eddie Nash Sam Nico Bill Ward Greg Diles Susan Launius Barbara Richardson Joy Miller Slim Jim Captain Nimzaki Chrissy Janet Reporter Alexa Sonia Tracy McCourt

The Crew Directed by James Cox Cinematography by Michael Grady Film Editing by Jeff McEvoy Casting by Barbara Fiorentino & Rebecca Mangieri Production Design by Franco-Giacomo Carbone Art Direction by John Zachary Set Decoration by Jason Howard Costume Design by Kate Healey & Maryam Malakpour Run Time 105 minutes Rated MA15+ [AUST] Copyright ©2004 - Hoyts Distribution - All Rights Reserved Copyright © 2004 - Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved