For generations, people around Northeast Ohio have traveled to Kirtland to hunt the mysterious melonheads supposedly haunting Wisner Road.
For generations, people around Northeast Ohio have traveled to Kirtland to hunt the mysterious melonheads supposedly haunting Wisner Road.
On Feb. 29, those hunters can find them in Euclid, as the monsters take to the silver screen.
Kirtland’s melonheads are part of a long history of ghost stories in Ohio — akin to legends like the Loveland frogman and South Bay Bessie.
While details vary, the base story will be familiar to many. Post-World War II, a man known as Dr. Crow was commissioned by the government to treat children with hydrocephalus, a neurological disorder characterized by a buildup of fluid within the brain’s ventricles, causing swollen heads.
In some versions, Crow is kind. In others, he experiments on the children, causing further deformities. In all, his home on Wisner Road falls into disrepair and the children scatter into the surrounding forest.
Like many other paranormal enthusiasts from the area, horror director and Solon native Eddie “Fright” Lengyel grew up with stories of melonheads in the woods and went out hunting them.
“We would go down to Fields Road in Bainbridge,” Lengyel said, recalling the version of the legend he was told. “We never really made it out to Kirtland.”
Though he never found the melonheads, Lengyel’s interest in them remained.
Now, almost 40 years after his adventures down Fields Road, he has written and directed a movie with them as the key monster — “The Melon Heads: House of Crow.”
Horror, Not Horrific
“House of Crow” follows four college students as they begin work on their final project, studying local legends.
What they first thought were stories become all too real as they find themselves facing Dr. Crow and his melon heads.
Ada (Alicia Spurlock) and Kaylee (Tara Horvath) get the assignment of the melon heads and their classmates, Brett (Rob Jaeger) and Oz (George Tutie) initially are assigned to cover the Ravenna Witch, another spooky Ohio urban legend, Lengyel said.
“Due to a recent disappearance in Brett’s neighborhood that many blame on Dr. Crow and the melon heads, the guys decide to conduct their own investigation of the melon heads, hoping to turn in a superior article than their classmates,” he added.
While Lengyel tried to respect the original legends, changes were made in adaptation.
“There is a Dr. Crow and there are melon heads, it’s just how he gets here is a little different,” Lengyel said.
He described the film as PG-13, with limited swearing and no nudity. The premise may sound similar to many slashers, but the film is not gory.
“It’s more sci-fi,” Lengyel said. “It’s a scientist, it’s a doctor, it’s got these creatures. I mean there’s horror in there … but this isn’t like that slasher blood and guts.”
“We’re going to creep you out with story,” he added.
While Lengyel did not want spoilers printed, he described an eccentric plot featuring elements of secrecy and conspiracy.
“It’s like ‘Stranger Things,’” he said, referring to the popular Netflix show.
Lengyel, who had a career shift from DJ’ing to filmmaking in 2005, found himself drawn back to his old fascination after years in the industry.
While other movies about melon heads exist, he finds them lacking.
“I wanted to do it for like the last 10 years just because I feel like the legend’s kind of dying. Not as many people hear about it,” Lengyel said. “It’s too good of a legend to let die.”
However, obstacles such as practical effects had put him on pause for a bit, Lengyel said.
“It took me many years to be prepared to do ‘(House of Crow)’ because of the creatures. We had to make the creatures’ heads,” he explained. “I knew that would cost money.”
A Cursed Production
Production on “House of Crow” began September of 2021 and wrapped in December. During that time, Lengyel found himself living his own urban legend.
Even before cameras began rolling, the film was wrought with misfortune — the script was originally drafted during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Following significant re-writes, issues struck once again when a cameraman dropped from the production shortly before shooting began, along with a lead actor.
Very shortly after filming began, the new cameraman left, as well. The production was saved by Michael Kunz, a cameraman Lengyel has worked with before.
“Without Mick, there wouldn’t be a melonheads,” he said.
Issues with scheduling and locations pushed the shoot into winter, leaving Lengyel concerned about weather. Actors shot without coats in frigid temperatures.
Luck ran dry once more when significant illness and other work pushed “House of Crow” to the backburner. The footage sat for a year.
When editing finally began, Lengyel realized he had no opening sequence.
It was actor Rob Jaeger who worked out a solution, contacting vloggers for clips, which were worked into a “Blair Witch Project” style extract.
“It seemed like the universe just didn’t want this movie to be made,” Lengyel said.
Stories of curses on horror sets abound in Hollywood. Lengyel is uncertain if his movie may be among them.
With the difficulty it took to complete the film, Lengyel had a number of people he wished to thank, including producer Victoria Vardon, artist Tony Vardon and George Tutie, who Lengyel praised for his stunt choreography.
Viewing
“House of Crow” will be showing at Atlas Cinema, 22624 Lake Shore Blvd. in Euclid at 7:30 p.m. The theater seats 400. The film has a run time of 90 minutes and tickets cost $12.00.
“(The owner) told me if we can get at least 350 people in there, he’ll let me do another screening at the Great Lakes one in Mentor,” Lengyel said, describing that as his dream.
At the time of this interview, 150 tickets had pre-sold.
More information on “House of Crow” and Lengyel’s other work can be found on his website, www.frightteckpictures.com.
