Movies
‘Dangerous Animals’ Star at Texas Premiere Describes Scary Bull Shark Encounter During Filming
This past Saturday, Rolling Roadshow brought the Jaws on the Water experience to IFC Films and Shudder’s Dangerous Animals, the shark horror meets serial killer thriller from The Loved Ones director Sean Byrne, and we lived to tell the tale.
Dangerous Animals swims into theaters on June 6 and follows a rebellious surfer caught by a serial killer who feeds his victims to sharks.
It’s a perfect plot, considering that Dangerous Animals’ Texas premiere had attendees watching the film while floating in themed inner tubes on Lake Travis at Volente Beach Waterpark.
While Lake Travis may not have actual sharks, those brave enough to venture into the water were vulnerable to divers moving under the water to deliver the perfect scare throughout the intense film. Quiet moments were often punctuated by an unexpected yelp from those grabbed by divers, ahead of collective cheers and gasps at some of Dangerous Animals’ more brutal surprises.
Photo Credit: Meagan Navarro
Ahead of the screening, Volente Beack Waterpark offered a variety of water slides, shark themed beverages and snacks, shark bite temporary tattoos, and photo opps that included hand painted posters, a shark sand sculpture, and a diving cage.
Byrne and lead star Hassie Harrison, who plays nomadic surfer Zephyr, were in attendance to introduce the film.
Sean Byrne and Hassie Harrison with moderator Richard Whittaker. Photo Credit: Samantha Tellez
When asked whether they’d encountered any marine life when filming in Australia, Harrison didn’t hesitate with an intense anecdote. “Alright, we’re not supposed to tell this story, but one of our stunt guys, while we had actors in the water, got pulled off the back of a jet ski. A bull shark bit his flipper, ripped him into the water, and death rattled him. That was the very first day of doing any of the stunts in water. I was like, ‘Holy crap, I’m in Australia now, baby! Let’s go!'”
“Something like that hadn’t happened for forty years on the Gold Coast. It was obviously trying to get cast as an extra,“ Byrne added.
Photo credit: Meagan Navarro
For the record, real bull sharks do make an appearance in Byrne’s latest, but not quite in the way they encountered during production. The filmmaker previously explained to Bloody Disgusting that they employed real sharks but acquired footage that was composited.
“There are makos in there, bull sharks, tiger sharks, and the gray nurse as well. They’re all real sharks. Anytime you go underwater, it’s a real shark.“ Byrne stated. “Sometimes, we had to roto real sharks and put them in the water that we created. But the majority of the time, we’re actually using 4K footage of the water that the real sharks are in. We’re blending that with the real footage and making sure that the water matches in the grade. The only CG is the fins, which, originally, was going to be real footage as well.”
The immersive event concluded with a fireworks display, wrapping up an evening of communal shark horror fun. While Dangerous Animals on the Water was limited to its single screening on May 31, fans have multiple chances to experience the original event, Jaws on the Water, as well as the special 50th-anniversary event, Jaws in Concert on Martha’s Vineyard, later this month.
Photo credit: Meagan Navarro
Sunrise Films has announced the official North American release of William Bagley‘s horror comedy Hold the Fort, and it’s accompanied by an energetic new trailer.
Hold the Fort debuts on digital platforms on June 23.
In the film, “Lucas and Jenny think their life is finally coming together when the couple become homeowners. Little do they know that their new house comes with a big catch. Lucas and Jenny soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when they become trapped in a battle between their Homeowners Association and an onslaught of monsters from hell. The horror-comedy takes the timely concern of home-ownership and wraps this up in an entertaining action-packed thrill ride.“
Watch the new trailer below, which introduces one wild HOA gathering during an equinox. Things get bloody fast.
Chris Mayers (Adult Swim Yule Log), Haley Leary (“The Walking Dead”), Levi Burdick, and Julian Smith star.
William Bagley writes and directs, in addition to producing with Smith, Matt Dodd, Luke Williams, and Tim Reis (Adult Swim Yule Log).
Ahead of the release, Bagley said, “My goal with this film was to make a hilarious, fast-paced thrill ride while also telling a great story with heart. Hopefully, through all the blood, laughs, fights, and gags, you leave the film feeling inspired to tackle whatever life throws at you.“
Hold the Fort premiered at Fantasia last summer before going on to play FrightFest London, Toronto After Dark, and Beyond Fest.
I wrote in my review, “It’s an infectiously charming assemblage of jokes and monster vignettes bound together by a barebones plot with not much on its mind beyond delivering an entertaining time.”
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