'A Mouthful of Knuckles' to be filmed in Mansfield later this year

A new action film is set to be filmed in Mansfield later this year.

"A Mouthful of Knuckles" is about a man who must fight through corrupt city officials and an underground street fighting syndicate to gain financial freedom and revenge for the death of his friend.

Hollywood writer and director Sheldon Lettich, known for movies "BloodSport," "Rambo 3" and "Lionheart," along with Los Angeles movie producer Jeff Miller, known for "The Lighthouse Keeper," "Inoperable" and "Clowntown," as well as LA actor Zach Scheerer, known for, "The Reeducation of Molly Singer" and "House of Darkness and Collection," recently came to Mansfield to start pre-production on the movie that was written by local filmmaker David Kirst of Rominus James Productions.

Lettich has signed on to be the director, and Miller and Kirst are co-producers along with Gary Jones known for movies, "Escape from Deathblock 13," "Mosquito," and "Xenia Warrior Princess."

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Los Angeles-based writer and director Tom Nagel of Steelhouse Productions has also signed on as director of photography. "I have worked with Kirst in the past and I am excited to work with him again in this beautiful town full of textures perfect for filming," he said.

Kirst, 47, is no stranger to filmmaking.

"I am ecstatic about having these gentlemen from Los Angeles, California, that come with so much experience and high credentials, as part of this project to help assure its success and display Mansfield, Ohio, on an international platform through our movie," Kirst said.

Currently in pre-production, the project is slated to be filmed in Mansfield later this year, Kirst said.

Lettich and Miller came to town to view locations and to plan the shoot.

Lettich said he signed on to direct because Kirst's story reminded him of the type of films he wrote and produced, "so the connection was easily made."

Miller said, "I love this town. ... Everywhere I look I see tons of production value and it's very picturesque and pleasing to the eye."

Nagel, who worked with Kirst in the past, said "I'm very ,excited to work with Kirst again and to be a part of this awesome project."

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Kirst held a free meet-and-greet at City News with host and owner Suzy Soprano. Immediately following, Kirst held a private event at The Hudson and Essex hosted by Rick and Carol Taylor, where movie investors and participants gathered to network. Bob Cohen of Braintree Business Development Center teamed up with Kirst behind the scenes to assure the events’ success, as Lee Tasseff of Destination Mansfield attended and showed his support.

"One of the reasons to support the development of talent (that can act in, work on and even direct projects) is that it is easier to shoot here and more of the money invested in those projects stays local,” Tasseff said Friday.

Mansfield, known as a location for of "The Shawshank Redemption" at the historic Ohio State Reformatory in 1993, continues to attract filmmakers.

lwhitmir@gannett.com

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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Film about underground street fighting to be made in Mansfield OH