SET VISIT: The Victim, starring Michael Biehn & Danielle Harris.

Last Updated on July 23, 2021

On a bright and sunny Southern California day I drove up the PCH to get to a remote home and private property up on the Santa Monica Mountains in Topanga Canyon. On a day like this you can clearly see why the Los Angeles area is such a prime location to shoot a movie. The property consisted of a few buildings that looked to be in the midst of a remodel and a semi large house. Generally the area was very forest-like with all the plant life growing in the area. Upon arrival, I was greeted by the production publicist Alana and brought over to where they were shooting. The set was dressed to look like a campsite; with four of the actors was setting up to shoot a scene.

The scene consisted of what looked like two couples having fun and debauchery around a campsite. I wasn’t really explained what was going on so I just stood quietly and observed as the characters played out the scene. I wasn’t able to figure out what was happening since I had just walked into the middle of it but I did get to see them fire off a pistol at one point, something I have never actually seen before on set. While I observed, I noticed that they were shooting on a RED camera, which is a Hi-Def digital video format that is becoming more and more popular these days in film making. Such movies as The Book of Eli, District 9 and the upcoming Skyline (which were all shot with this kind of camera. Though this scene was a bit on the tamer side, later on in the day I got quite an eyeful in one of the craziest scenes I have ever seen in person, but I’ll come back to that later.

The Victim stars Jennifer Blanc as Annie, a stripper, who along with her wild friend decide to have a little fun with a couple of corrupt cops and use them for their access to police confiscated drugs, when things go awry and the question becomes which one of them is the victim. This film also stars Michael Biehn as Kyle, a man who has put himself into exile for his own past sins. Danielle Harris, Ryan Honey and Denny Kirkwood round out this great cast on this dark independent thriller.

I had a chance to sit down with the lovely Jennifer Blanc who is also a producer on this film. She made sure I knew that this film is one of heart and passion, it’s a story that was brought to the attention of Michael Biehn and he liked it so much that he decided to acquire it and do some doctoring to it. She revealed a lot of great tidbits about the film including a little bit about practical FX guru Rob Hall’s usage for a nice violent scene during the film. She didn’t go into detail of the scene but slyly grinned as she talked about how Rob’s skills were put to good use. It was a smile like she had a secret that she was bursting to tell but just couldn’t. She also revealed to me a hardcore sex scene she had shot with Michael, since they are actually a couple in real life they decided to shoot the whole scene fully nude for extra authenticity. Though she did not say, I wonder if things were actually slipped into to certain places…

Which leads me to a later scene that I walked onto after lunch. At first I stood behind the director’s tent as to not be underfoot. The crew set up in a ravine just a few yards away from the previous set. It was down a good 30 yards away from where I stood and I couldn’t see what was going on or what was being set up. As they began rolling, Alana told me I could go up and check it out and what did I walk up to? Danielle Harris as her character Mary, bent over a large rock, her short purple skirt hiked up as actor Ryan Honey grinded into her from behind, full of dirty talk. Now this scene was not nude so the sex was simulated. But of all the sets I’ve been on, usually intimate scenes are on closed sets or at least never shown while I am around… Let me tell you, it was pretty hot stuff watching Danielle Harris nearly face down on a large rock with her ass in the air and performing a sex scene right in front of you. I pretty much needed a cigarette and a cold shower by the time the scene was done shoot…. And I could only imagine how uncomfortable it must have been for both actors. Afterwards when I got to interview Danielle about the scene she pretty much said, “What I do for my friends…”

Though this is not my first encounter with Mr. Michael Biehn it was most certainly the most intense I’ve ever seen him. This being a project he’s invested his heart and soul in writing, he is very passionate about it. I was told of a story about him by Jennifer of an incident where he was actually choked out by one of the actors as he was they were in performing a fight scene… if that isn’t dedication to your craft nothing is!

Sitting down with Ryan Honey and Denny Kirkwood, respectively playing the corrupt cops Harrison and Cooger they tell me a little about their counterparts. Harrison, played by Honey, is a family man and a good cop who gets pulled into a corrupt lifestyle by his not quite the law-abiding partner, Cooger. Kind of like the Murtaugh to Denny Kirkwood’s Riggs as Ryan Honey described it. They are good cops but they often go out and cut loose despite Harrison’s wife and child at home. They are seduced this time by the local party girl strippers Annie and Mary to steal drugs from the evidence room and party with them. Just to get a perspective from their side of things. Now if that doesn’t seem like a good time, nothing does!

The Victim is looking to be a great independent thriller with a great cast and a nice dark story that is sure to entertain. Aside from those element if what I saw on set proves anything it’ll be a fun ride watching sexy pair of Jennifer Blanc and Danielle Harris hooking up and just plain being sexy. Learn more about The Victim at their official site