Model and actress Brande Roderick was a Playboy Playmate (Playmate of the Month in April of 2000, Playmate of the Year in 2001), played Leigh Dyer on the Baywatch TV series, and competed on a couple seasons of The Apprentice. Now she has made her feature directorial debut with the horror film Wineville, which she also stars in, and while making the movie she was drawing inspirations from ’70s genre classics like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Last House on the Left.

Written by Richard Schenkman (Mischief Night), who also produced the film with Roderick, Robin DeMartino, and Todd Slater, Wineville is a 1970s-set thriller that sees Roderick taking on the role of Tess Lott, a woman who escaped her abusive father as a teen. Now she returns as a single mother to her family’s vineyard after her father’s death to sort out her inheritance, only to discover the dark secrets and painful memories she left behind return as a murderous legacy sparking violence and death.

Roderick is joined in the cast by Carolyn Hennesy (Dawson’s Creek), Texas Battle (Final Destination 3), Casey King (The Secret Life of Amy Bensen), and Keaton Roderick Cadrez (Ace & the Christmas Miracle).

Some of Roderick’s other acting credits include Dracula II: Ascension, Starsky & Hutch, Hood of Horror, Bunny Whipped, The Nanny Diaries, and Project Legion.

Roderick told The Hollywood Reporter, “Wineville was influenced by ’70s horror classics like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Last House on the Left, as I wanted my first feature to be not only in the horror genre that I loved so much growing up, but to also pay homage to the flavor and style of that decade’s films that made such an impact on me.“

Dark Star Pictures has acquired the North American distribution rights to Wineville, with the plan being to give the film a limited theatrical release this September, followed by a digital release.

Are you interested in watching Brande Roderick’s horror film? Share your thoughts on Wineville by leaving a comment below. Since The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Last House on the Left are being used as reference points for this one, I’m definitely interested in checking it out.

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