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Eastchester Graduate to Screen Documentary at Bronxville Theater

John Larkin was an Eastchester High School student with a budding interest in movies when he decided to join the EHS Video Production Club back in 2002. That introduction to film-making would ultimately ignite a passion that ended up shaping the next two decades of his life. 

 

On Friday night, Larkin’s journey will officially come full-circle, when the 2005 EHS graduate premieres his feature-length documentary “Fear and Love: The Story of the Exorcist” at the Picture House in Bronxville. 

 

Larkin’s documentary explores the making of the revered 1973 William Friedkin-helmed horror classic and offers commentary on the film’s lasting cultural legacy, complete with interviews from star Ellen Burstyn, makeup artist Rick Baker and a slew of other notable guests. For the director, the screening not only represents the fruits of a massive five-year project, but also an opportunity for Larkin to reflect on the early experiences in Eastchester that led him down this creative path in the first place. 

 

Larkin recalls attending his first meeting for the EHS Video Production Club as a sophomore and being instantly enthralled by the world of filmmaking. Working closely with his classmates under the watchful eye of advisor Michael Goldstein—who still helms the club today—Larkin began to cut his teeth filming school events and quickly developed a love for the medium. 

 

“I feel like I came in after school for the meeting, and I ended up never leaving the TV studio,” he said. “Mike Goldstein’s after-school program gave us access to all this equipment and taught kids how to film school events and how to edit. The studio ended up becoming a real haven for me.”

 

As Larkin continued to hone his cinematic skills as part of the Video Production Club, film began to play a larger role within the walls of Eastchester High School in general. 

 

In 2003, the school began to offer film classes—Larkin took both Film 1 and Film 2, elective courses taught by Goldstein. In the spring of 2004, Goldstein launched the Eastchester Film Festival, which quickly became a popular outlet for student auteurs to share their original works. 

 

Larkin won “Best Picture” honors at the festival as both a junior and senior, a testament to his natural ability and vision and a sign of things to come. He would go on to study film at the School of Visual Arts and currently works as a Video Production Specialist for the New York Power Authority.

 

That he was able to make a career for himself in the world of video production comes as no great surprise, admitted Goldstein.

 

“He would do these independent projects, and you could see right away that he had an idea about filmmaking; he was a good cinematographer and was able to see the way things should fit together,” said Goldstein. “Especially in the early years, there was this really healthy friendship and competitiveness between members of the Video Production Club, and John was one of those students who built the foundation for what the club became.”

 

Goldstein added that Larkin’s high school work is still being used as an example for students in the club today, and that the filmmaker has served as an inspiration for Eastchester students looking to chart their own course in the world of film and video. 

 

“Most of the kids who come through the club have seen a lot of his stuff because I still screen his projects for the students,” said Goldstein. “His student work still holds up, which I think is pretty cool.”

 

Now, as Larkin prepares for his work to play on the big screen—the documentary is also available on Tubi and Amazon Prime Video—he said that he believes Friday night will be a wonderful celebration of both a horror classic and the positive experiences he took away from his time in Eastchester High School.

 

“I’m excited about the screening; I’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback and now I’m looking forward to watching it as an audience member,” he said. “Plus, Eastchester has been a home to me, and I love this community.

 

“It’s great to see that the film community is still thriving here, and I think Eastchester has always done a great job supporting students interested in film,” he added. “I owe so much to Mike Goldstein and the district; high school is a very formative time, and he was the best mentor I could have asked for.”