Connect with us

Exclusives

Interview: ‘Insidious’ Writer and Star Leigh Whannell

Published

on

This year at TIFF 2010 I not only had the honor of attending the premiere screening of Insidious (review), a film I consider to be one of the most exhilarating and cinematic horror films in ages, but I also got the opportunity to chat with its filmmakers, James Wan and Leigh Whannell. Even before I saw their latest, I was already excited to be chatting it up with the guys behind the original Saw, the iconic start of the torture porn movement. Whannell not only co-stars in every one of Wan’s films but actually wrote the screenplays for all but one (Death Sentence). Insidious is their return to their indie roots.
BLOODY DISGUSTING: What was the genesis of Insidious?

LEIGH WHANNELL: James and I, actually around the time we wrote Saw, were trying to come up with an idea that could be shot for very little money. We were going to shoot a film on a little handy-cam, two actors, very small. The three ideas we had was one about two guys who wake up in a bathroom with a dead guy on the floor. That was Saw. Then we had one film about a guy who wakes up in the morning with scratches on himself and videotapes himself sleeping and so, Paranormal Activity was filmed…just kidding. The other idea was about astral projection and we obviously went with Saw and that did okay. Years later, we were talking about making a horror film we always wanted to make because we felt we didn’t make our definitive, the horror film we would want to go and see. Both of us just looked at each other and we were like we should go back to that astral projection idea that we had years ago. I think there is something there. Haven’t seen that concept explored before and so that was the genesis of it. I went away and wrote the script. We shot it very quickly and now here we are.

Q: At the screening, you mentioned these rules you stood by while writing the script. What were they?

LW: Ah, I had these different commandments. One was no false scares. That was my main one. No cats jumping out of the closet or friends banging on the window to give you your car keys back. A scare had to be real, had to be earned. No sign-posting music. These horror films drenched in the score, the violins telling you how to feel. We wanted the score to be as jarring as the film and the subject matter itself. Don’t get the audience use to a rhythm or tell them when to be scared. Let silence play its part. That was a big commandment. Another one was having the ghosts be evil. Don’t have them be like people from another plain seeking help from humans. As much as I love films like The Changeling and stuff, the whole ghost really crying out for help…these films start off super scary and end kind of heartwarming. It turns out the guy didn’t want to hurt anyone; he just needed his story to be heard. Usually they go for the old; they needed their murder to be solved so they’re reaching out. We didn’t want that. We wanted our ghost to be fucking badass. I had the piece of paper stuck as I was writing. I was looking at this list of rules. Set up the family in a real life situation…take the time. The producers always want to cut back on this stuff but we wanted to set up the family as a real family. We were getting a lot of notes from various people with the first cut that it was too slow to start, get to the action.

Now, The Exorcist is slow by today’s standards. If you try and sit a bunch of teenagers down to watch The Exorcist, do you think it’ll play? In the 70’s when her head starts spinning, people were shocked and had to be carried out of theaters. Today, people start chuckling. It’s a different time. So we ignored any and all requests to at least not take the time to introduce our family because if you don’t do that, you’re not scared later because you’re not identifying with the people. If a bunch of teenagers are sitting around a campsite, it’s a bunch of stock archetypes we’ve seen before; when the killer comes out of the woods, you don’t give a shit. Just cut his head off! I want to see it! But if the killer comes out of the woods and the person sitting by the campfire is someone you really like or identify with, you’ll be like, oh shit dude, get the hell out of there. So, just a bunch of rules we wanted to stick to and I think we did.

Q: I find all of your work boldly blends extreme emotions. Horror, comedy and melodrama go hand in hand. Your films go to the brink of almost falling apart (Leigh lol) but it doesn’t. That’s when they reach that special place for me. Is that a self-conscious thing?

LW: You got to risk it. Why not, why not do it? Not everyone will like it. James and I have gotten used to the fact that our films will be polarizing. You might as well go for it. I mean in today’s climate you’re just drenched with media. Everybody has a TV in their pocket or a podcast in their ears. Billboards are in our faces every minute of every day trying to sell us everything from like aftershave to like 1-800-get whatever the fuck it is. You’re drenched in media and you really have to shout to be heard. This is going to sound strange and a bit lofty but I look at the films of P.T. Anderson and although he is at a different sphere, he is beloved by critics. I look at his films and he’s really going for it. He’s putting it all out there. He doesn’t care if he gets ridiculed. I don’t think there is anything to be gained by holding back. Risking ridicule or scorn shouldn’t be a big concern if you’re an artist. Then you’re not really creating from your heart, you’re second guessing yourself. But you know I really like that you said that because I do think it’s like on the edge, like disparate elements, like it’s going to tip over. For some people it does, for some people it holds on and for others it really works.

Q: To be honest, I wasn’t a big fan of your stuff at first but after being compelled to watch them multiple times; I now find your films to be so alive and exciting. Traits most films this day and age are severely lacking. Insidious reminds me of the great works of Dario Argento. When you watch Suspiria, it’s an extravagant, larger than life experience. It’s devoid of subtlety but man, who cares, its cinema, for Christ’s sake. Your audience was having a great time.

LW: Shit yeah, dude. If you watch Suspiria today in any second-run film house, everybody is laughing… affectionately. They’re talking along with it. He’s an Italian, man. No subtlety. You and I know that Dario Argento considers his films to be masterpieces of art. James and I don’t necessarily think it (Insidious) is a masterpiece but we do wear our hearts on our sleeves and that always comes with a risk. It’s easier to be cynical and hold back. If you do that, it’s almost like you’re deflecting anything that comes your way. But if you wear your heart on your sleeve and go fuck it, let’s do a seance scene where she straps on gas mask and do it differently, it’s definitely going to invite some sort of “what the fuck”. I’m glad that people like yourself and people that are willing to let that in occasionally go “cool, great, fucking do it, its cinema.

Insidious was acquired by Sony for release in 2011.

Exclusives

Brazil’s Fantaspoa Film Festival Announces Second Wave of Titles for Epic 20th Edition This April

Published

on

Azrael SXSW 2024
Pictured: Samara Weaving in 'Azrael'

Brazil’s Fantaspoa film festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and the festival is breaking numerous records, presenting an impressive total of 114 feature films, 22 of these as World Premieres, marking the largest number of feature films in Fantaspoa’s long history.

The final selection of feature films for Fantaspoa’s highly-anticipated 20th edition has been exclusively presented to Bloody Disgusting, so read on for everything you need to know!

The festival tells us this week, “With a diverse selection, the feature films screening at Fantaspoa XX have been divided into seven distinct competitive categories: International, Ibero-American, National, Documentary, Animation, All-Nighter, and Low Budget, Great Films. These categories promise audiences a variety of cinematic experiences, from the fringes of horror and fantasy to the depths of the human imagination.

“In addition to feature films, Fantaspoa will screen 123 short films, totaling 237 participating works, making this edition of the festival the largest in its history.

“The stunning lineup of competition titles includes the International Premiere of E.L. Katz’s SXSW charmer AZRAEL and the World Premiere of The Butcher Brothers’ new Devon Sawa-starring thriller CONSUMED, and Fantaspoa is also proudly presenting a diverse selection of special screenings, including Demián Rugna’s recent Argentinian hit WHEN EVIL LURKS with the writer/director in attendance. The fest will also feature special screenings of two Argentine films, 2014’s JORGE & ALBERTO VERSUS THE NEOLIBERAL DEMONS, Fantaspoa’s first original production which is celebrating its tenth anniversary, and TRENQUE LAUGUEN, which was selected as the best film of 2023 by Cahiers du Cinéma.

“Fantaspoa XX will also have the honor of presenting a special screening of Robin Hardy’s classic British folk horror film THE WICKER MAN (1973) in the presence of the director’s sons, Justin and Dominic, who will be also attending the festival for the previously-announced World Premiere of their stunning new documentary, CHILDREN OF THE WICKER MAN, which offers a very unique perspective on the lasting legacy of this cinema masterpiece.

“Among the confirmed guests for the festival’s second wave of films are Alejo Rébora and Daniela Jimenez (7 Lives), Paulo Caldas (Atmosphere), Jaco Bouwer (Breathing In), Karim Lakzadeh and Arash Jooyandeh (Dark Matter), Ryan Ward and Mackenzie Leigh (Daughter of the Sun), Nando Martínez (Fantastic Golem Affairs), Mike McCutchen and JJ Weber (A Game in the Woods), Mario Mayo and Jaime Arnaiz (I’ll Crush Y’all), Roger Elarrat (I, Nirvana), Mike Hermosa (The Invisible Raptor)Gonzalo Quintana and Hernán Quintana (Jorge & Alberto Vs. The Neoliberal Demons), Benjamin Pfohl (Jupiter), Gabriel Papaléo (Liminal Space), Igor Bastos (Motherboard), Armando Fonseca (Remind), Julio Cesar Napoli (Road to the Mouth of Hell), Gonzalo López-Gallego (The Shadow of the Shark), Máncel Martínez (Shit Happens and Miracles too), Guto Parente (A Strange Path), Juliana Muras (Trenque Lauquen), Kenichi Ugana (Visitors – Complete Edition), and Demián Rugna (When Evil Lurks).

The 20th edition of Fantaspoa takes place between April 10 and 28, 2024, and is presented by the Ministry of Culture, Fantaspoa Productions, and Instituto Ling, with sponsorship from Crown Embalagens, America Embalagens, and Banrisul.”

Below is the full second wave of feature films to screen at Fantaspoa XX:

  • 7 LIVES (dir. Alejo Rébora. 2024, Argentina, World Premiere)
  • ALBERT PYUN: KING OF CULT MOVIES (dir. Lisa D’Apolito. 2023, United States, International Premiere)
  • ANNA’S FEELINGS (dir. Anna Melikyan. 2023, Russia, Latin American Premiere)
  • ANOTHER CURSED MOVIE (dirs. Alberto Andrés Fasce and Mario Gonzalo Varela. 2023, Argentina, Brazilian Premiere)
  • ATMOSPHERE (dir. Paulo Caldas. 2023, Brazil/Germany, Regional Premiere)
  • AVIVA (dir. Boaz Yakin. 2020, United States, France)
  • AZRAEL (dir. E.L. Katz. 2024, United States/Estonia, International Premiere)
  • BA (dir. Benjamin Wong. 2024, United States, International Premiere)
  • BABY ASSASSINS 2 BABIES (dir. Yugo Sakamoto. 2023, Japan, Latin American Premiere)
  • BEYOND THE INFINITE TWO MINUTES (dir. Junta Yamaguchi. 2021, Japan)
  • BREATHING IN (dir. Jaco Bouwer. 2023, South Africa, Latin American Premiere)
  • CLARICE’S DREAM (dirs. Fernando Gutierrez and Guto Bicalho. 2023, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • THE COMPLEX FORMS (dir. Fabio D’Orta. 2023, Italy, Latin American Premiere)
  • CONSUMED (dir. Mitchell Altieri. 2024, United States, World Premiere)
  • DARK MATTER (dir. Karim Lakzadeh. 2023, Iran, Latin American Premiere)
  • DAUGHTER OF THE SUN (dir. Ryan Ward. 2023, Canada, United States, Brazilian Premiere)
  • DEMIGOD: THE LEGEND BEGINS (dir. Chris Huang Wen-Chang. 2022, Taiwan, Latin American Premiere)
  • DIE NIBELUNGEN: KRIEMHILD’S REVENGE (dir. Fritz Lang. 1924, Germany)
  • DIE NIBELUNGEN: SIEGFRIED’S DEATH (dir. Fritz Lang. 1924, Germany)
  • EIGHT EYES (dir. Austin Jennings. 2023, United States/Serbia, Brazilian Premiere)
  • ENCOUNTERS (dir. Dmitry Moiseev. 2023, Russia, Latin American Premiere)
  • ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE (dir. David Gregory. 2023, United States, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE FANTASTIC GOLEM AFFAIRS (dirs. Juan González and Nando Martínez. 2023, Spain/Estonia, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE FUNERAL (dir. Orçun Behram. 2023, Turkey, Latin American Premiere)
  • A GAME IN THE WOODS (dir. Mike McCutchen. 2024, United States, World Premiere)
  • THE GLASS HOUSE (dir. Taras Dron. 2023, Ukraine/Cyprus/Romania/Germany, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE HANDS OF ORLAC (dir. Robert Wiene. 1924, Germany, Austria)
  • THE HYPERBORIAN (dir. Jesse Thomas Cook. 2023, Canada, Brazilian Premiere)
  • I’LL CRUSH Y’ALL (dir. Kike Narcea. 2023, Spain, Brazilian Premiere)
  • I, NIRVANA (dir. Roger Elarrat. 2024, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • THE INVISIBLE FIGHT (dir. Rainer Sarnet. 2023, Estonia/Greece/Finland/Latvia, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE INVISIBLE RAPTOR (dir. Mike Hermosa. 2023, United States, Latin American Premiere)
  • JORGE & ALBERTO VERSUS THE NEOLIBERAL DEMONS (dirs. Gonzalo Quintana and Hernán Quintana. 2014, Argentina/Brazil)
  • JUPITER (dir. Benjamin Pfohl. 2023, Germany, Latin American Premiere)
  • KIM’S VIDEO (dirs. Ashley Sabin and David Redmon. 2023, United States, Regional Premiere)
  • THE LAST SPARK OF HOPE (dir. Piotr Biedroń. 2023, Poland, Latin American Premiere)
  • LIMINAL SPACE (dir. Gabriel Papaléo. 2023, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • M (dir. Vardan Tozija. 2023, North Macedonia/Croatia/France/Kosovo/Luxembourg, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE MONSTER WITH MANY NOSES (dir. Abigail Schaaff. 2023, Spain/France, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE MOOR (dir. Chris Cronin. 2023, United Kingdom, Brazilian Premiere)
  • MOTHERBOARD (dir. Igor Bastos. 2023, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • THE MUTATION PROTOCOL (dir. Marcelo Leguiza. 2024, Argentina, World Premiere)
  • THE OTHER SHAPE (dir. Diego Felipe Guzmán. 2022, Brazil/Colombia, Regional Premiere)
  • PANDEMONIUM (dir. Quarxx. 2023, France, Brazilian Premiere)
  • REMIND (dir. Armando Fonseca. 2024, Brazil, World Premiere)
  • RESTLESS WATERS, SHIVERING LIGHTS (dir. Ángeles Hernández. 2023, Spain, International Premiere)
  • ROAD TO THE MOUTH OF HELL (dir. Julio Cesar Napoli. 2024, Brazil, World Premiere)
  • SATRANIC PANIC (dir. Alice Maio Mackay. 2023. Australia, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE SHADOW OF THE SHARK (dir. Gonzalo López-Gallego. 2024, Spain, Latin American Premiere)
  • SHIT HAPPENS AND MIRACLES TOO (Dir. Máncel Martínez. 2024, Colombia, World Premiere).
  • THE SLEEPING WOMAN (dir. Laura Alvea. 2024, Spain, Latin American Premiere)
  • A STRANGE PATH (dir. Guto Parente. 2023, Brazil, Regional Premiere)
  • THE TENANTS (dir. Eun-kyoung Yoon. 2023, South Korea, Latin American Premiere)
  • TRENQUE LAUQUEN (dir. Laura Citarella. 2023, Argentina, Germany)
  • VISITORS – COMPLETE EDITION (dir. Kenichi Ugana. 2023, Japan, Latin American Premiere)
  • THE WAIT (dir. F. Javier Gutierrez. 2023, Spain, Latin American Premiere)
  • WAKE (dirs. Thom Arizmendi and Austin Parks Stewart. 2024, United States, International Premiere)
  • THE WEIRD KIDZ (dir. Zach Passero. 2023, United States, Latin American Premiere)
  • WHEN EVIL LURKS (dir. Demian Rugna. 2023, Argentina)
  • THE WICKER MAN (dir. Robin Hardy. 1973, United Kingdom)

Head over to the official Fantaspoa website to learn more.

Devon Sawa in ‘Consumed’

Continue Reading