By Nancy Thorner –
A sneak peek screening of Gosnell, America's Biggest Serial Killer, was shown last Saturday evening to an overflow audience at Christian Liberty Academy in Arlington Heights. The film, which focuses on one of the most deadly abortionists in American history, is scheduled to be released to the public in October.
Producers Phelim McAleer, Ann McElhinney, who have so far produced six documentaries on an array of topics, have been conducting sneak peek screenings of the Gosnell movie throughout the nation since last fall as a way to promote their movie that Hollywood and others don’t want gotten out to the general public.
As a defense lawyer in the Gosnell movie for abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell said: Dr. Gosnell was only serving the needs of the poor women of Philadelphia. What he did was in keeping with a women's right to choose."
As independent distributors of the film, McElhinney and McAleer will continue the sneak peak screenings up until the movie is featured in 600 big screen theaters this coming October. At that time, the censorship of the Gosnell story will end.
The idea of doing a movie on Gosnell as a prolific serial killer originated when Phelim McAleer was in Pennsylvania, doing a documentary on fracking. On his day off, McGosnell decided to attend a session of the Gosnell trial that was then taking place at the time. Sitting in an almost empty press section, "Baby Boy A" evidence was shown to the jurors on a large home screen (Only pro-choice jurors had been selected to serve. Later some of them did change to pro-life.).
Upon hearing jurors gasp at the notion that Dr. Gosnell had performed 40,000 such abortions, McAleer knew this story had to be told. Upon returning home, relating what he had seen, McAleer’s wife, Ann McElhinney, concurred. The consensus was that the finished product not only had to portray Gosnell's war on abortion, but also had to show Gosnell as a criminal and the monster that he was.
Instrumental in bringing the showing to Christian Liberty Academy was Suzanne Probst, who with her son had seen Gosnell last summer at the National Right to Life Convention in Milwaukee, WI, where the movie was shown to all attendees by Phelim‘s wife, Ann McElhinney. Returning home, Suzanne asked people from all over Illinois if they would be willing to sponsor a sneak peek. The condition was that the sponsor would need to pay for all travel expenses as well as expenses for promoting it.
Suzanne asked Christian Liberty's Pastor Lindstrom to sponsor the movie.He agreed. Along with Pastor Lindstrom, several other organizations in Illinois helped to financially sponsor the movie: St. Peter Church, Volo; Father Anthony Rice; Heritage Church; Pastor Skyler Goodman; Christian Liberty Academy; Pastor Calvin Lindstrom; Lake County Right to Life; Illinois Family Institute; the Probst, Swambar and Roger Williams families.
Phelim McAleer flew from Los Angeles just to do the peek screening at the Christian Liberty Academy. The movie won’t be shown in Illinois again as a sneak peek because no one else has consented to sponsor it. Mr. McAleer indicated that the Christian Academy sneak peek was his and his wife's biggest one in the entire nation.
Phelim McAleer
About the Gosnell Movie
Gosnell tells the true story of Kermit Gosnell, a Philadelphia abortionist who was convicted on three counts of first-degree murder in 2013. Gosnell was also convicted of involuntary manslaughter, on 21 felony counts of performing late-term abortions, where he regularly and illegally delivered live, viable, babies in the third trimester of pregnancy and then murdered these newborns by severing their spinal cords with scissors, and on hundreds of other lesser counts, including corruption and more than 200 violations of the 24-hour informed consent law. Over the years, many people came to know that something was going on here, but no one put a stop to it. The Philadelphia Police Homicide Department received a complaint about Gosnell years before he was caught, gave it a cursory look, and ignored the evidence.
The 300-page grand jury report reads like a horror script of its own; it explains the doctor’s penchant for a practice he termed “snipping,” in which he killed babies born alive at his office by severing their spinal cords with scissors. Gosnell’s medical office was described in the report as a “baby charnel house,” with bloodstained furniture, unlicensed physicians and nurses and fetal remains stored in plastic jugs and bags in the basement freezer. Gosnell was ultimately sentenced to life without parole plus an additional 30 years in prison.
News Media Blackout of Trial
Despite Gosnell's heinous crimes, the case was likewise notable because of the mainstream and liberal media outlets’ refusal to cover it. Ignored were facts that emerged from the trial, like how the babies Gosnell murdered suffered terribly. Also discounted by the media was that Gosnell killed more people than Gary Ridgeway, John Wayne Gacey, The Zodiac Killer, and Ted Bundy combined over a 30-year killing spree, during which time Dr. Gosnell is thought to have killed thousands of babies.
During his Christian Liberty Academy presentation, Phelim McAleer placed blame on Tom Ridge, a "pro-choice" Republican governor, whose 1994 election put a stop to Pennsylvania Health Department inspections for seventeen years. Previously inspections had been done yearly.
As to Gosnell's incarceration in Huntingdon Correctional Center in PA, Phelim McAlleer related that Kermit Gosnell is disappointed he wasn't accepted into its poetry class, but he does play piano in its band. Gosnell is reading the Koran in two translations because he wants to know both views. Gosnell was also described as a psychopath who is still living in the weird Gosnell world. Dr. Gosnell does call Mr. McAleer collect from prison from time to time just to talk.
Funding of Gosnell movie
Just as Hollywood had no interest in promoting an abortion film, it also had no interest in funding such a project. McAleer and McElhinney raised funds for their Gosnell movie through a revolutionary website called Indiegogo, which allows movie makers to bypass the usual funding sources for movies. The budget to make the Gosnell film was set at $2.1 million, but with one condition. If producers McAleer and McElhinney failed to raise their targeted $2.1 million budget, Indiegogo would return all the funds, the producers would receive nothing, and the film would never be made. The Indiegogo campaign was a success by raising $2.25 million; however, there were many, having missed the deadline, who still wanted to contribute. They were able to do so when Indiegogo extended an invitation for McAleer and McElhinney to join their pilot program called “Forever Funding” which allows projects to re-open their crowdfunding campaign and continue raising funds. All total $4 million was raised to make the Gosnell movie.
Cast of Actors
The filming of Gosnell began in September of 2015. Even though the movie could be considered a low budget film, credible actors were hired to perform the key roles. Among them were Dean Cain, Michael Beach, Sarah Jane Morris, with Earl Billings playing the abortion doctor, Kermit Gosnell. The film was written by Andrew Klavan of True Crime and was directed by Nick Searcy, best known for his portrayal of Chief Deputy United States Marshall Art Mullen on FX's Justified. See here for the Full Cast & Crew of Gosnell: America's Biggest Serial Killer. View here a movie trailer for the Gosnell move.
As to how producers McElhinney and McAleer were able enlist such a fine cast of actors, related was that many actors don't have calendars. They accept because the story is good. There were actors who having accepted a role, came up with an excuse when friends told them it would sully their careers if they did do. Even so, some actors are apolitical. Most of the actors haven't yet seen the film yet.
October Showing of Gosnell Movie
Regarding the October 2018 showing of the Gosnell movie in this area and in other selected theaters here in Illinois, it is the responsibility of pro-lifers to ask 10 others go to see the movie so theaters will be filled. Producers McAleer and McElhinney made a conscious decision to aim for a PG-rating by omitting some of the most graphic material, so as many people could see the film as possible. Said McElhinney, "It's not horrific but was prepared to resemble a Law and Order episode."
Once the film becomes a success in theaters, it has a good potential to become a hit. Remember that Hollywood wants it to fail – and that should be enough reason to prove there is a market for Gosnell-type movies. There are people who want to make movies about issues that are controversial, but they are told they won't be successful. Despite how one feels about abortion, the Gosnell movie is an important story to tell. Once a DVD comes out, it will be translated into 13 or 14 languages.
Information about where the Gosnell film in October will be shown here in Illinois will be announced by Suzanne Probst when known.
Audience encouraged to support pro-life project
Following the showing of the Gosnell movie, Republican Illinois state Rep. Tom Morrison, District 54, spoke about the race for governor between Rep. Jeanne Ives and incumbent Governor Rauner in Illinois' March Primary Election on March 20, 2018. Morrison did speak to Governor Rauner about not signing HB40, which he signed on 9/28/2018, that provides state health insurance and Medicaid coverage for abortions. Morrison specially mentioned the Hyde Amendment passed in 1976 which blocks federal funds from being used to pay for abortion outside of the exceptions for rape, incest, or if the pregnancy is determined to endanger the woman’s life. The law has dramatically limited coverage of abortion under Medicaid, as well as other federal programs. Cashing in on taxpayer funded abortions, in the aftermath of HB 40, Planned Parenthood is opening up more abortion clinics in Illinois. Some clinics haven't been inspected for 15 years. Morrison cited two abortion clinics, although not as bad as the Gosnell clinic, that were shut down by the Health Department in Lincolnwood and Rockford, IL. Others were cited
Morrison revealed a plan for helping Rep. Jeanne Ives be successful in the March 20th Illinois Primary election. That plan is for sending a mailer out to all pro-life households in Illinois at a cost of $38,000, but financial help is needed.
Morrison requested help from event attendees but also needs your help and the help of your friends. Please send your contribution to cover the cost of the Ives mailers as soon as possible to: Illinois Citizens for Life PAC, P.O. Box 1214, St. Charles, IL 60175
