Exclusives
Patrick Lussier on ‘Halloween 3-D’: ‘Scream 4’ Part of the Reason Behind Hold-Up?
During our recent exclusive chat with Patrick Lussier to discuss the release of his latest film, the Nicolas Cage vehicle Drive Angry 3D, we simply couldn’t let the MBV3D director go without first asking for an update – any update – on Halloween 3-D, which has seemingly gotten this close to production several times in the past before being put squarely on the Weinsteins’ back-burner once again. Interestingly, Lussier seems to think that the studio’s laser-focus on the make-or-break release of Scream 4 may be part of the reason for that.
“Yeah, well, [we’ve got] the [‘H3’] script sitting there,” said Lussier. “We would make that in a hearbeat…[The Weinsteins’] focus has shifted onto ‘Hellraiser’, and they obviously want to focus on ‘Scream 4’…[their] sort of “slasher mind” is probably very, very focused on that film and the release of that film. So I can’t really speak for them, you know?”
In other words, the Weinsteins are only able (willing?) to focus on reviving one slasher franchise at a time.
“I wish I had more to tell you,” offered Lussier, obviously passionate about the project. “I know Todd and I would love to shoot that, love to shoot the script [that was] so much fun to write and delve into that Carpenter world.”
Notice he said that “Carpenter” world, not that “Zombie” world. For lack of any other ray of hope to really latch onto, that’s gonna have to be enough to keep old school-oriented Halloween fans satisfied for the moment. Let’s hope once Scream 4 comes out we’ll see more movement on this.
Out today in select theaters and on digital platforms is heartfelt and playful documentary Mockbuster, which sees a director cold call a studio and ask to helm a lost-world dinosaur epic.
Inexplicably, they say yes.
Our exclusive clip below highlights both the comedic nature of this bizarre scenario as well as the pressures of shooting dino feature The Land That Time Forgot in a mere six days, with no real feature experience.
A dino attack scene causes friction on set in this scene.
In the documentary, “A struggling filmmaker’s opportunity collides with chaos and compromise when Sharknado’s notorious studio, The Asylum, invites him to direct a ‘mockbuster.’ With six days, a micro budget, and mounting pressure, Mockbuster is a comedic, behind-the-scenes documentary exploring the balance between low-budget filmmaking and creative ambition.”
More than just an inside look at filmmaking via low-budget film studio The Asylum, it doubles as one man’s pursuit of his dreams to charming, humorous effect.
“Mockbuster is a documentary about my own journey, but it’s also a love letter to one of the last grindhouses still functioning in Hollywood. We get to meet the characters and creators of some of the most infamous (and most hated) B-movies of the last few decades. People who make movies purely for profit – no pretension, no artistry, just monsters, C-listers, and chaos. A film that both genre fans and cinephiles can enjoy. But Mockbuster isn’t just about filmmaking, it’s about losing sight of your dreams, and reclaiming them in your own twisted way,” Director Anthony Frith said in a statement.
From Executive Producer and famed documentarian David Farrier, Mockbuster opens in select theaters and on digital platforms beginning July 10.