WALLSBURG — Even though the fiery explosion was scripted, it was still a heart-stopping moment when a family mini-van erupted in flames.
Welcome to the set of one of the newest movie projects in the LDS feature film arena.
"It was spectacular. The flames went higher than we expected, and no damage was done to the church," said Jed Ivie, the unit publicist for a new Halestorm Entertainment production "Mobsters and Mormons."
The shot was planned for 3 p.m., Jan. 29, but the blast actually came at about 4:50 p.m., "just before the sun went down," Ivie said. "There was a little bit of nervousness just because we were losing the light fast."
It's a fitting end-scene to an unusual LDS movie, a film that puts a rough-edged mobster and his dysfunctional family squarely in the heart of Mormondom and thus right into Utah Valley.
"Beans," the con artist at heart, is taken aback at both the peculiarities of the culture and the warm welcome his family receives. He's unprepared and somewhat confused at the genuine goodness and interest shown to his family, from the cookies to the elders who show up to help them unload.
The LDS community is a little unprepared for the Cheeseman family. They — gasp — mow their lawn on Sunday!
"I think it's a unique story line," Ivie said. "You're taking a pretty hard-nosed family and playing off the preconceived notions people have about the Mormons. It's fun because it's a situational comedy."
Writer John Moyer said he blended some of his personal experiences gleaned from growing up in New Jersey, 20 minutes from south Philadelphia.
"I went to high school with kids who are a cliche of 'The Sopranos,' Moyer said. "Then I came out here and went to BYU."
Moyer found some surprises as he learned to live in the LDS culture.
"I just thought 'let's kind of combine those two worlds and see what happens. It's awkward for the fish-out-of-water, and it's awkward for those around the fish,' " he said.
Filming started in Lehi and moved to Highland, on to Springville and then up Provo Canyon for the Wallsburg blast, using local people as extras in almost every sequence. "You'd be surprised. There are plenty of mobster types in Utah," Ivie said. "We have 100 percent awesome mobsters."
The stars are Mark DeCarlo, who is the voice talent of the father of Johnny Neutron; Jeanette Puhich, a locally known actress; Scott Christopher, also known for his work in LDS films; and Joe Maruso, who played a part in the television series "The Sopranos" for a season.
Moyer said even though the lead character is a mobster trying to shed his shady lifestyle, he has written a treatment that doesn't call for crudity or profanity.
"Anybody can watch this and get it. It's not just for LDS audiences. There are no inside jokes. There's no bad language," Moyer said. "When I went to audition cast members, a number of those trying out thanked me for that."
The movie, produced for just under $500,000, is scheduled for release in the late fall of 2005 or early in 2006.
E-mail: haddoc@desnews.com