Talking 'Fright Night' With The Cast |
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 With vampires holding strong as the trend du jour, you could suspect that recreating 1985 American horror film Fright Night was a calculated move. But with the glamorization of the blood suckers being what has made them so popular, you could argue that this film goes against formula since Jerry, is not your typical glittery, love-struck creature.
I had the pleasure of chatting with director Craig Gillespie and the cast of Fright Night, Colin Farrell, Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and screenwriter Marti Noxon during a special round table discussion at 2011 San Diego Comic Con late last month. As a collective, everyone talked about why this version stays true to the original but adds the magic available to us twenty six years later to create something fresh and scary to a whole new generation.
To kick off this very exclusive discourse, director Craig Gillespie opened up about what convinced him to sign on to this project, one that he confessed he wasn’t ready to take on at first.
C. Gillispie: “I wasn’t looking to do this kind of film. I was working on some smaller projects and I was on my way to go to a general meeting at DreamWorks and my agent sent this script over and said just check this out, they are looking for somebody for this movie. I was vaguely familiar with the original.
I had these iconic ideas in my head from seeing it as a kid so I reluctantly read the script. But as soon I started reading it just flew, and Marti's script had this great balance of horror and comedy.
I put it down and thought it was really good, but my head wasn't there. The next morning I’m sitting there waiting to go into this meeting and I'm thinking of all these scenes in this film and thought, "I know how to make this movie," so I signed on.”
Since we are in an era where sexy vampires dominate the airwaves and movie screens with the likes of True Blood, The Twilight Saga, and The Vampire Diaries, Farrell found it refreshing not to have to shimmer in the sunlight. (Though we do find it hard to believe that anyone in casting hoped audiences would fail to find the hotness in the extremely attractive Farrell in fangs!)
He also discussed how he first became involved with the project, one that is so different than any other role he had played before.
C. Farrell: “I was really looking for something that was lighter, to go to work and have a bit of fun. Something that was kind of expansive and maybe wasn't so emotional or psychologically grounded as some of the things I'd done previously like Triage, Ondine and In Bruges. I enjoyed them all creatively but I was just looking for a change.
Fright Night came to me in the same fortnight and it was kind of oh, that’s different. I loved the original. Like Craig said it was a really fast read. I think I flew through it in like 55 minutes and I called my agent and said, "Fuck man, I kinda really liked it."
I was playing a vampire that didn’t have any fear at all and had no kind of desire to locate his romantic counterpart. And there was none of that stuff, you know. It was just really an exercise in malevolence and brutality and it was fun.”
This film was the first time both Colin and Craig were exposed to 3-D shooting, both in front and behind the lens creating a very different experience from any other projects. While it did not have much of an affect on the actor’s, Ferrell “enjoyed not cutting a scene and letting it play out. “
The film snagged Javier Aguirresarobe as Director of Photography to work closely with Gillespie to create the final masterpiece. The Spaniard is known for his work on countless films including The Others, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and two of The Twilight Saga films, Eclipse and New Moon giving him the perfect background for the creation of Fright Night.
C. Gillespie: “We looked at a lot of 3-D films as we were working in prepping this and my DP Javier Aguirresarobe has done some beautiful stuff in the past. We felt like in some ways it takes you back to more classic film making where there are slower, longer moves. You don't want the camera to be too frenetic in 3-D because that is when you start to get the eye strain and the headaches.
So it was really classical blocking, the only difference being for 3-D which we sort of discovered for our interpretation of it is that you don't want the camera to stay still because that is when you’re not feeling the 3-D. It always feels better when it feels like its drifting a little bit so you’re always designing stuff that move in the space."
One thing that is impossible to shy away from is the fact that Fright Night is a remake and how much (most) fans dislike this idea. I can admit to being guilty in the past of saying such things as “Has Hollywood run out of ideas?,” and I know I am not the only one!
Did Craig or Colin feel any sense of pressure to create a final product that both fans of the original and new fans would be happy with?
C. Farrell: “I know that the general consensus is that remakes are indicative of a lack of originality in Hollywood so you'd be afraid of that judgment from fans of the original film hating this before they even see it.
We weren't really treating it as a remake or reimagining but really treating it as an original script and the original experiences with the story for the first time although it was reflective of a story that had the exact same name, the exact same structure and the exact same characters and all that.
So of course it is a remake and there are times where you are consciously tipping your hat to the original.
But apart from that, you’re going on a journey of and not try to emulate but hopefully not trying to sell short the idea of the original.”
C. Gillespie: I really stayed away from watching the original until right before we started shooting. We didn't want that to contaminate what we were trying to do because it’s really its own thing.
We went back to look at it to make sure that we paid homage where it was appropriate. One of those things was the apple that got thrown in on the set literally and that whole scene with the apple rolling in the kitchen, that wasn't scripted.”
Colin confessed he has a fear of judgment when his “Jerry” will be compared to that of Chris Sarandon who first gave life to the character in 1985. But he promises there are definite differences between the two versions.
C. Farrell: “Marti Noxon did the film and hopefully the audience such a solid by not having the "Jerry's" propelled by the same motor and they are very different characters.
Chris Sarandon's felt a lot more debonair a lot more suave a lot more sophisticated and had a greater dignity and also a longing to locate his romantic counterpart.
My guy was kind of more of a societal parasite; he's more of a killer more of a cold-blooded cruel survivalist yes but killer. My guy is much more reckless, I think he has a bit of a death wish!
It's an unfortunate thing to have when you're immortal.”
Speaking of Marti Noxon, talk about someone who is no stranger to vampires! Her street cred includes writing and producing for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel, Grey’s Anatomy and Mad Men. Not to mention she will help pen season three of the Fox hit Glee.
During our session with Colin and Craig, both applauded Marti’s ability to create characters that kept the integrity of the original but with different personalities. She opened up about the thought process that went behind her decision to not only bring back this 80’s classic but breathe new life into it.
M. Noxon: “When i saw the original I was left with all these questions like, "How does Evil Ed know Charlie? "What is the nature of their relationship? So that is something that came to me that I'd like to know about them.
And I brought to it something that I think a lot of people go through when you're young and you're really into some kind of subculture be it being a total nerd like me, or roller derby. Then you get a little bit older and you and your friends don't see eye to eye anymore, it can be a very strange rite of passage where you leave friends behind and I just thought there was something really interesting in that.
It just meshed with the movie in a really good way.
So it was never like "I gotta change it" it was more like "this is so ripe for exploring some themes that I'm interested in" and then it sort of lent itself to a lot of things that I was excited about.”
Most famous for his comedic roles in Superbad, Role Models, Year One, and Kick-Ass, Christopher Mintz-Plasse tackled the role of Evil Ed, Charlie Brewster's (Anton Yelchin) former best friend who is upset when Charlie dumps him to hang out with the cool kids.
Chris was able to flex his improvisational muscle in Fright Night alongside co-star Yelchin. Creating a lot of the funny dialogue together, the new buddies managed to get some memorable lines in the final cut.
C. Mintz-Plasse: “Everything was there on the page that she wrote and I like improv so since Anton and I became such good friends on set we would read what was on the script and if we had some time Craig would let us do a little riffing here and there.
Some of the lines made it into the movie so that's cool!
There should also be some extra stuff on the DVD!”
While living in the Valley in California, neither Mintz-Plasse nor co-star Anton Yelchin crossed paths. But when both were working on this film in Albuquerque, they had nothing but time to bond. And I doubt anyone had any issue letting the beautiful Imogen Poots sit with them at lunch!
Anton, who can take credit for helping put life back into remakes like Star Trek and Terminator, has had varied feelings about taking on roles made famous by others. He told us what attracted him to taking on the Charlie character in Fright Night.
A. Yelchin: “With other things like with Terminator, I was like "I get this character, I've loved it since I was a kid so I get it." With this the script, it's a re-imagining, you understand that right away.
I think Craig is a very interesting film maker and I just thought that that was just an enlightened choice to make this movie. So it said something about where we were going with it.
The script to me maintained the fundamental elements and the humor and the horror. The most important thing about Fright Night, to me at least, is that Jerry is dangerous and scary and that motivates the whole story.
So if you take that out of the equation and Jerry is just a Twilight vampire then it becomes the same vampire shit. Here he is, a monster in the traditional sense of monster movies.”
British beauty Imogen Poots is embracing her “inner American” in this film by portraying Charlie’s popular girlfriend who is oblivious to his past as a nerd. The young actress made her first appearance in BBC’s medical drama Casualty at age 15 before starring in V is for Vendetta, 28 Weeks Later, Miss Austen Regrets, Solitary Man, and Jane Eyre.
But did she enjoy playing a suburban, American teenager?
I. Poots: “It was really cool! I think it has to stem from my fascination with all things American. I was brought up with American television, which was very accessible in the UK.
But also I felt a need and a want to embody that girl, whoever she was, and understand her. If you've read enough American literature and were educated on American films and cinema, then you want to have that opportunity to dismiss your own innate British identity for a short while.
It was awesome, I loved it.” Fright Night has a talented group of people both in front of the camera and behind the scenes with a carefully plotted script brought to life by all involved. Make sure to head to theaters on August 19th, 2011 when it hits theaters across the U.S. |
"The Help" popular in Buckhead
The movie version od Buckhead resident Kathryn Stockett’s hit novel “The Help” opened this week to rave reviews by fans and critics alike.
Set in the 1960s in Jackson, Miss., “The Help” chronicles one girl’s return from college to high Southern society, and her dismay at how the black women in her hometown are treated by the people she called her friends before she left.
As is usually the case, fans of the book were wary of a possibly bumpy ride in transitioning this phenomenon hit from print onto the silver screen. It's showing at Phipps Plaza in Buckhead.
“I was hesitant to go and see the movie,” said Buckhead resident Ida Thomas. “I loved this book, and you get an idea of what the characters look like and how they sound in your head. But I have to say I was really surprised at how much I loved this movie. I think the characters were about as true to life as they could be. It really is a moving story.”
The movie deals with racism in the South, as the main character, Skeeter, played by Emma Stone, returns home from Ole Miss with her sights set on becoming a writer. After securing a job with a local paper, she becomes disgusted with her high society friends who inform Skeeter that all of “the Help” must now use separate bathrooms while working in their houses. Skeeter decides to write about life from the point of view of “the Help” and strikes up a friendship with several black women (Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer), and ultimately changes the town of Jackson forever.
Stockett, who wrote the book, is from Jackson, and is now living in Atlanta with her family. The film’s director and screen writer, Tate Taylor is a childhood friend of Stockett’s, who relied heavily on her opinion when writing the screenplay for the movie, according to an article in Entertainment Weekly.
The movie is making as big of a splash as the book, with audiences praising the excellent acting of the cast.
“I loved this movie,” said Donna Harrington. “I cried about half the time. The woman that plays Abileen (Viola Davis) was absolutely amazing. It makes you angry and sad while you are watching it. I hadn’t read the book, but I think I might have to now. The story is so powerful.”
It seems that devoted readers and those fans who haven’t had time to pick through the pages are pleased with this blossoming hit.
“It is the kind of movie that has you thinking the entire time,” said Buckhead resident Mary Shetlerfield. “I had thought it would be a little sappy, but it’s a smart movie about smart women. It really makes you think about where we’ve come from and how much we have to appreciate. Great, great movie.”
New 'Footloose' trailer: Who's ready to cut loose?
As a child of the ’80s I admit I was skeptical when I heard about the upcoming remake of the 1984 dance-tastic drama Footloose. But now that I’ve seen the new trailer for the film, I’m feeling a lot better about it. If the preview is any indication, it looks like director Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow) brings a hip urgency to his version, starring newcomer Kenny Wormald and Dancing With the Stars standout Julianne Hough as the rug-cutting central couple. Meanwhile, Dennis Quaid brings his usual gravitas to his conservative-preacher role, one that in lesser hands could easily fall into caricature. And it helps that one of the film’s producers, Craig Zadan, also worked on the original. I admit that it’ll be a little tough for me to buy the 23-year-old Hough as a high-schooler, but the advance buzz on the movie (out Oct. 14) is so strong that I may just let it slide. Take a look at the new trailer—does it look almost like paradise to you?'Planet of the Apes' Team Ready for a Sequel ... or Two
There "haven’t been any official conversations.” But after big "Planet of the Apes" opening last weekend, the movie's writer/producers not only expect a sequel or two to -- they are prepared for them.
They already know the story they want to tell, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver tell TheWrap. Jaffa said that even in early drafts, they “set up things we’d like to play off in the next and even the next."
"We’re definitely teed up. We feel very confident that there will be (a sequel), but at this point it’s still wait-and-see,” he said.
While they did admit they are trying not to think too much about it (“Everyone is kind of superstitious,” Silver said), it does seem a good time to put superstition aside.
The movie is killing. In its first five days of release, it grossed $91.5 million worldwide. Its domestic gross for its opening weekend was $54.8 million.
On top of that, the critics loved it: It has an 82 percent Rotten Tomatoes score, and there is talk of Andy Serkis deserving an Oscar nod for his motion-capture performance as Caesar, the chimpanzee whose plight is the heart of the picture.
Also read: Andy Serkis: Can't a Guy With an Ape's Face Get Some Oscar Respect?
Their "Apes" project began in 2006, when married couple Jaffa and Silver were trying to figure out what their next project would be. Jaffa, who keeps a folder stuffed with news articles, “kept going back to these two articles about these chimpanzees who had been raised in homes as children and loved as children, and always, these situations ended up badly,” Silver said. “The chimps would grow up and become naturally more aggressive.”
Jaffa said he knew there was a movie in that story.
Then one day, he thought, “Planet of the Apes.”
“He said, ‘I’ve found a way to reboot ‘Planet of the Apes,’ and I laughed nervously,” Silver said. “Then he started talking about the chimpanzee and the character of Young Caesar was born. We started talking about this chimpanzee who feels very human but isn’t human. We just fell in love with him.”
From there, the story came together very quickly.
But they were sure the movie itself couldn't. “We thought, Fox must already be developing something,” Silver said. “In fact, the idea felt so good we thought, ‘They’re probably developing this idea.'”
Jaffa, a former agent at the William Morris Agency, and Silver, the granddaughter of blacklisted “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” screenwriter Sidney Buchman, put together a meeting at Fox.
To their surprise, studio executives loved the idea of revisiting "Apes" -- despite Tim Burton's much maligned 2001 reboot. But still there were reasons to be intimidated. The 1968 original was written by Rod Serling and Michael Wilson -- “so that’s a little bit of pressure,” Jaffa said.
They knew that fans of the original movies would be dubious, so they kept to the "Planet" mythology -- and "we have lots of Easter eggs in there and fun little things and surprises that hearken back to the earlier movies," Jaffa said.
It wasn’t clear at that point whether the motion-capture technology would be impressive.
“So we tried to separate that out and just concentrate on the characters,” Silver said. “The crazy thing about this story is, yes it has action, yes it’s science fiction and maybe you could say adventure-thriller, but at its heart, it’s a character picture.”
By sticking to that and sticking to a theme – hubris can be humanity’s downfall – they stayed focused.
They credit director Rupert Wyatt for pulling great performances out of the actors. And they credit the studio for sticking with the project with the uncertainty of the motion-capture technology.
They said watching Serkis (above, with his character) perform onset was like watching Charlie Chaplin – except in a gray leotard.
“I’ll never forget it,” Jaffa added. “The first shot that came in was of Andy, and he has set the virus loose, or set the 113 loose in the primate house … He’s waiting to see if it took effect and he does that side-glance as Tom Felton walks past. We all screamed and juMped up in the air and it was, ‘Oh my God, it’s going to work.’ It’s literally one-and-a-half seconds.”
Now, Jaffa and Silver are pitching some television ideas and have a time-travel movie set up at Sony.
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