Paymer in an 'Evil' way on Moondog film

Feb. 11, 1997 - Oscar nominee David Paymer, Tony Goldwyn, Arliss Howard and Colm Feore will star in Moondog Prods.' "The Lesser Evil," a suspense drama now rolling in Los Angeles that moves to Louisiana this month.

The film is being directed by David Mackay, who made the 1995 Disney Premier Movie "Breaking Free" following his graduation from the University of Southern California's film school.

"We got lucky," said producer Dan Helberg, who met the director at USC. "David Paymer just loved the script, and then Arliss came aboard. We never expected to get such awesome actors."

The script was penned by longtime cinematographer Stephan Schultze and production designer Jeremy Levine. Both are also pulling double duty, acting as cameraman and designer, respectively.

The thriller concerns the discovery of a 25-year-old murder, which forces four friends to confront each other in a treacherous reunion. The film, which is told in flashbacks to the main characters' high school days, takes place in present-day L.A. and in Louisiana, where the murder took place. The production is still casting some of the younger roles to be filmed in Louisiana.

Yoram Pelman's Tomorrow Films is handling foreign sales and helped raise financing for the production. He also serves as exec producer.

Richard Arlook of the Gersh Agency, who represents Mackay and Helberg, has also signed the writers whom he now reps along with Abram Nalibotsky.