The film never received a release in the United States because all the screens were dominated by blockbuster 3D releases. A smaller film with an unknown cast simply couldn't get a foothold.
Julie is reading "La divina commedia/The Divine Comedy" by the Italian author Dante Alighieri. It describes Dante's travels through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. The director's name is Joe Dante. Also on the sleeve it says: "Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate" translated means something like "All hope abandon, ye who enter in."
The fight with the clown puppet took four days to shoot.