News
Eli Roth to Garris: ‘I never thought of myself as a horror film maker’
Filmmaker Mick Garris does a mostly-weekly podcast called “Post Mortem” that serves up the dish with many prominent people in the horror entertainment industry.
You may already know Garris from behind the camera as director of the TV mini-series “The Stand” as well as with his acclaimed television remake of “The Shining” in 1997.
He has put his touch on many television horror/suspense dramas too such as “Pretty Little Liars” and “Ravenswood.” And helped pen the screenplay for perennial fall favorite Hocus Pocus.
Today Mick is using his voice to delve deeper into the who and why of horror.
His hour-long gabfest serves to peel away some of the layers not often explored because of the exclusivity of the niche. Garris talks to some of the most influential people whose livelihood it is to scare people at a visceral level.
Being immersed in the craft himself allows the golden-haired host a certain comradery therefore getting details from artists who would normally give stock answers to corporate media questions.
This week Mick welcomed millennial favorite Eli Roth into the studio to discuss many aspects of his career and find out what this maverick has in store for the future.
via Post Mortem Podcast
Fifteen years ago, Eli’s inaugural full-length feature “Cabin Fever” was a mixed bag of reviews, but to fans it was an introduction to a new talent who would unabashedly make gore a primary character in most of his films such as “Hostel” and “The Green Inferno.”
“You know I never thought of myself as a horror film maker,” Eli tells Mick at the beginning of the podcast. “And I completely understand why people would refer to me as that because those are the movies I’ve made and that’s what I’m known for. But in my mind I was always telling stories I loved I never thought, ‘Oh I’m a horror film maker,’ I just approached it like this is a story that interests me.”
He goes on to say that forbidden subjects are often his inspiration behind the movies he makes. He says anything considered inappropriate was often enough to feed his compulsions: but they had to be sweetened in cleverness to mask their distaste.
Eli goes on to tell the host that he didn’t make “Green Inferno” because he thought it would be a hit, “I’m making it because I thought, you know…there’s no more unexplored territories in the world anymore. Everything has been geo-tagged and mapped and photographed…I liked the idea of these kind of self-righteous justice warrior kids…the cannibals don’t know the difference, they’re like invaders you’re our food supply.”
In Cabin Fever Eli says he was like a kid in a candy store, making reference to all the great horror films that had an effect on him.
“There’s something in a first movie that you do where it’s like every little fetishistic thing, like okay the shot on Marcy’s ass is my ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ swing shot, okay this my ‘Night of the Living Dead’ ending with Jeff getting shot…this is my ‘Evil Dead shot’…for super horror fans it’s like reference after reference after reference…”
For his second film the director says he abandoned that thinking and along with his Director of Photography, Milan Chadima, choose not to follow anyone’s influence.
“I made a very conscious choice on Hostel,” says Eli, “I am going to approach every scene on instinct.”
During the interview Garris references Eli’s talents away from the camera. The director has learned classical piano, boxing and with the help of his wife, surfing.
“it’s great to find something you’ve never done that you’re like I’m going to go for this, I’m going to focus on this, I’m going to really lock in and do it.”
Answering a question from a listener about his 2003 animated comedy short “The Rotten Fruit,” Eli says that he would like to do more with the medium.
“I started in animation,” says Eli. “You know, I looked at Terry Gilliam, David Lynch, Tim Burton. A lot of my heroes started with animation. I started with a series actually for WCW wrestling in 1999 called ‘Chowdaheads,’ my friend and I, we wanted to do ‘King of the Hill’ set in Massachusetts and we were going to call it Massholes.”
We have only skimmed the surface of the 60-minute Garris/Roth interview here. Eli speaks about many things in his works that are probably not on any DVD commentary.
With his next film “Death Wish” currently in post-production, Eli doesn’t seem to be slowing down. He has also written the supernatural mystery “Lake Mead” which IMDb says is currently in post-production.
Eli explains his fascination with the genre and what aspects are used in creating the alloys of horror.
“It’s a combination of loving ghost stories,” he explains, “loving scary stories, having a fascination, like sneaking, sitting with a flashlight, reading ‘Skeleton Crew,’ or reading Stephen King in your bed under the covers at night when you’re supposed to going to sleep. But also always having this reflection of well, you know if you’re not careful what can actually happen; what humans are capable of is far worse than anything we can think of in our imagination.”
You can hear Eli’s enlightening interview in its entirety by clicking HERE.
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News
A24 Creating New Action Thriller “Onslaught” From ‘The Guest’ & ‘You’re Next’ Duo
It’s always nice to see a reunion in the world of horror. Following a competitive bidding war, A24 has secured the rights to the new action thriller film Onslaught. Adam Wingard (Godzilla vs. Kong) will be directing the film. He will be joined by his longtime creative partner Simon Barret (You’re Next) as the scriptwriter.
For those unaware, Wingard and Barret made a name for themselves while working together on films such as You’re Next and The Guest. The two creatives are card carrying horror royalty. The pair have worked on films such as V/H/S, Blair Witch, The ABC’s of Death, and A Horrible Way to Die.
An exclusive article of out Deadline gives us the limited information we have on the topic. Although we don’t have much to go on, Deadline does offer the following information.
“Plot details are being kept under wraps but the film is in the vein of Wingard and Barrett’s cult classics like The Guest and You’re Next. Lyrical Media and A24 will co-finance. A24 will handle worldwide releasing. Principal photography will begin in Fall 2024.”
A24 will be producing the film alongside Aaron Ryder and Andrew Swett for Ryder Picture Company, Alexander Black for Lyrical Media, Wingard and Jeremy Platt for Breakaway Civilization, and Simon Barret.
That’s all the information we have at this time. Make sure to check back here for more news and updates.
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News
Director Louis Leterrier Creating New Sci-Fi Horror Film “11817”
According to an article from Deadline, Louis Leterrier (The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance) is about to shake things up with his new Sci-Fi horror film 11817. Leterrier is set to produce and direct the new Movie. 11817 is penned by the glorious Mathew Robinson (The Invention of Lying).
Rocket Science will be taking the film to Cannes in search of a buyer. While we don’t know much about what the film looks like, Deadline offers the following plot synopsis.
“The film watches as inexplicable forces trap a family of four inside their house indefinitely. As both modern luxuries and life or death essentials begin to run out, the family must learn how to be resourceful to survive and outsmart who — or what — is keeping them trapped…”
“Directing projects where the audience gets behind the characters has always been my focus. However complex, flawed, heroic, we identify with them as we live through their journey,” said Leterrier. “It’s what excites me about 11817‘s wholly original concept and the family at the heart of our story. This is an experience that movie audiences won’t forget.”
Leterrier has made a name for himself in the past for working on beloved franchises. His portfolio includes gems such as Now You See Me, The Incredible Hulk, Clash of The Titans, and The Transporter. He is currently attached to create the final Fast and the Furious film. However, it will be interesting to see what Leterrier can do working with some darker subject material.
That’s all the information we have for you at this time. As always, make sure to check back here for more news and updates.
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Lists
New to Netflix (U.S.) This Month [May 2024]
Another month means fresh additions to Netflix. Although there aren’t many new horror titles this month, there are still some notable movies well worth your time. For instance, you can watch Karen Black try to land a 747 jet in Airport 1979, or Casper Van Dien kill giant insects in Paul Verhoeven’s bloody sci-fi opus Starship Troopers.
We are looking forward to the Jennifer Lopez sci-fi action movie Atlas. But let us know what you are going to watch. And if we have missed something, put it in the comments.
May 1:
Airport
A blizzard, a bomb, and a stowaway help create the perfect storm for the manager of a Midwestern airport and a pilot with a messy personal life.
Airport ’75
When a Boeing 747 loses its pilots in a midair collision, a member of the cabin crew must take control with radio help from a flight instructor.
Airport ’77
A luxury 747 packed with VIPs and priceless art goes down in the Bermuda Triangle after being hijacked by thieves — and time for a rescue is running out.
Jumanji
Two siblings discover an enchanted board game that opens a door to a magical world — and unwittingly release a man who’s been trapped inside for years.
Hellboy
A half-demon paranormal investigator questions his defense of humans when a dismembered sorceress rejoins the living to wreak brutal vengeance.
Starship Troopers
When fire-spitting, brain-sucking bugs attack Earth and obliterate Buenos Aires, an infantry unit heads to the aliens’ planet for a showdown.
May 9
Bodkin
A ragtag crew of podcasters sets out to investigate mysterious disappearances from decades earlier in a charming Irish town with dark, dreadful secrets.
May 15
The Clovehitch Killer
A teenager’s picture-perfect family is torn apart when he uncovers unnerving evidence of a serial killer close to home.
May 16
Upgrade
After a violent mugging leaves him paralyzed, a man receives a computer chip implant that allows him to control his body — and get his revenge.
Monster
After being abducted and taken to a desolate house, a girl sets out to rescue her friend and escape from their malicious kidnapper.
May 24
Atlas
A brilliant counterterrorism analyst with a deep distrust of AI discovers it might be her only hope when a mission to capture a renegade robot goes awry.
Jurassic World: Chaos Theory
The Camp Cretaceous gang come together to unravel a mystery when they discover a global conspiracy that brings danger to dinosaurs — and to themselves.
Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'
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