HNN Exclusive Interview: Chuck and Karolina Morrongiello (The American Ripper)

Question: What made you want to get involved in the film industry?

Answer: Well, back in 2017, myself and Karolina—I took her to my hometown in Bethpage, Long Island, and we visited an old haunted place called Mt. Misery Road. I started filming her on a cell phone, and we quickly realized that we had captured something eerie and creepy. When we went back to the hotel and reviewed the footage, we saw that there was some great material to make a film. Over the next few weeks, I took her back there more and more, which led to the creation of our first film, shot entirely on a cell phone, called “Amityville Mt. Misery Road”.

Question: What knowledge has helped you transition from the music industry into the film industry?

Answer: The music industry is very similar to the movie business. As a musician, you work hard to showcase your skills and perform in front of people, which is very rewarding. The same applies to acting—you work hard to bring a character to life and tell a story. Now, we do both—we play music and act in our films, and they complement each other beautifully. The music we create is original, and it is featured throughout our films, enhancing the overall experience.

Question: From script to screen, how close did The American Ripper come to its original version?

Answer: It was right on. We spent months blocking the film, carefully planning each scene. We practiced our parts daily to ensure everything was executed exactly as intended. We were very happy with the final result. Thank you.

Question: Do you have a favorite scene in The American Ripper?

Answer: Absolutely. There are many favorite scenes, but one of my top favorites is the nail-pulling scene, when Bobby, a.k.a. Henry, is ripping Lola’s nails out of her fingers with pliers while she’s tied up on the bed. It was a very brutal, disturbing scene in the film. Myself and Karolina both really enjoyed the intensity of playing that scene.

Question: What was the biggest obstacle you faced while making The American Ripper?

Answer: There’s always some sort of obstacle on a motion picture set. We understand that and know how to turn those obstacles into a positive force. We never want to ruin the vibe or the feel of the production, so we work around them. COVID was a huge obstacle—nobody wanted to work. So me and Karolina said, screw it, we’ll do the whole entire film ourselves.

Question: What was your proudest moment in your film career?

Answer: Our proudest moments were being able to act in our own films—taking a screenplay we created and bringing it to life. Seeing our vision come out perfectly on screen is an incredible feeling.

You’ve gotta have a good script, great actors, and a strong plot. Those ingredients are crucial in cinema. Also, having a great crew to bring everything together is just as important in making a film successful.

Question: What was your proudest moment in your film career?

Answer: Our proudest moments were being able to act in our own films—taking a screenplay we created and bringing it to life. Seeing our vision come out perfectly on screen is an incredible feeling.

Question: How do you get a film to stand out in today’s landscape?

Answer: You’ve gotta have a good script, great actors, and a strong plot. Those ingredients are crucial in cinema. Also, having a great crew to bring everything together is just as important in making a film successful.

Question: What is your favorite horror decade and why?

Answer: It has to be the early ’70s and ’80s. A lot of great horror films came out during that time. Movies back then felt organic and real—you truly felt like you were in the movie with the actors.

Question: What is the next step in your filmmaking career?

Answer: We love making films and entertaining people. We have a lot of exciting projects in the works and several great new movies coming out soon to share with our fans. There’s nothing better than entertaining.

Our next release is Bugs: The Bunny Killer, along with three other disturbing movies currently in post-production. Additionally, our new production, Extortion Thugs, is set to begin filming in November and December of 2025.