Pictured are cast members of “Johnny Gruesome.” Aprilann plays Karen, Anthony De LaTorre plays John Grissom, Bryon Brown II plays Eric, and Chris Modrzynski plays Gary.

BUFFALO — The horror film “Johnny Gruesome,” filmed in and around Buffalo two years ago, is now available on Video-on-Demand platforms such as iTunes and Amazon Prime. Written and directed by Fredonia native Gregory Lamberson, the film stars Anthony De La Torre (Young Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales), Michael DeLorenzo (New York Undercover), and Byron Brown II (The Romans). The film also features the song “Dyin’ Tonight,” performed by Robby Takac of the Goo Goo Dolls, written with Armand John Petrie and Joe Rozler.

Lamberson wrote the screenplay in 1984, at the age of 19, and adapted it into a successful novel which was published in 2008. Set in the village of Red Hill (modeled after the author’s hometown, Fredonia), the plot concerns high school student John Grissom, nicknamed “Johnny Gruesome” by his classmates, who is murdered while on a drunken joyride. Johnny returns from the grave with vengeance in mind, ala the rotting corpses from the comic book Tales from the Crypt. Erin Elizaneth Heald executive produced the chiller, which Lamberson co-produced with Tamar Lamberson and John Renna.

Consisting primarily of a local crew, Lamberson’s team shot the film entirely in Western New York, in Akron, Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Clarence, Lancaster and Niagara Falls. Local actors featured include Chris Modrzynski, Kim Piazza, Madison Amey, Richard Satterwhite, Jon Cesar, Bob Bozek, Constance Caldwell, Kaelin Lamberson, and the late Leora Owens.

“Johnny Gruesome” will screen at the Eastern Hills Cinema on Saturday, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m., and will be released on DVD Jan. 1. Lamberson is currently in post-production on “Widow’s Point,” the film adaptation of the supernatural book by Richard Chizmar and Billy Chizmar, which filmed at Dunkirk Historical Lighthouse over the summer.