YAKUZA APOCALYPSE: Premiere Video Interview with Midnight Madness Godfather Takashi Miike.

It has been a long time since the master of Midnight Madness has been in Toronto. Last night with the premiere of Yakuza Apocalypse the long wait was over and Takashi Miike took the stage of the Ryerson theater to a standing ovation. Robert A. Mitchell was on the red carpet and spoke with Mr. Miike about his latest film, the yakuza and filmmaking.




You can still the catch the film and Takashi Miike if you hurry!!!

YAKUZA APOCALYPSE FINAL SCREENING:
Sat, Sept 19, 3:00 PM SCOTIABANK

SPL 2: Interview with Director Soi Cheang

Director Soi Cheang is making his first appearance at Midnight Madness this year with SPL: A Time For Consequences. But he's had other films at TIFF. Accident (2009), starring MM Alumnus Louis Koo, and Motorway (2013), starrring MM Alumni Anthony Wong Chau-sang and Josie Ho, screened in the Vanguard Program. This year Soi Cheang brings a follow-up to Wilson Yip's SPL / Sha Po Long / Killzone. SPL blew the roof off Midnight Madness in 2005--with Sammo Hung in the house. In taking on the sequel, Cheang brings new characters and locations to the series, with characters played by MM Alumni, Wu Jing, Jony Jaa, Louis Koo and Simon Yam. And Cheang maintains some of the original's sensibility. There will be fights. There will be fights in a Thai prison. Simon Yam might be in peril.

Like many Hong Kong directors, Soi Cheang got his start on Hong Kong's iconic television station, TVB. He went on to become an assistant director for Johnnie To and Accident and Motorway were both produced by To's Milkway Image Ltd. Cheang even did some shooting for Wilson Yip on the first SPL. Cheang's filmography is pretty diverse now, ranging from grimmer films like Dog Bite Dog  (2006) to the family friendly Monkey King 3D (2014).

Tony Jaa and Wu Jing throw down.

Director Cheang was kind enough to answer some questions for us in advance of the premiere of SPL2. Since he sent his answers back in Chinese and English, we're posting his answers in both languages.

SPL 2: A Time for Consequences isn't a traditional sequel to SPL. How did you come up with the new story and how does it keep some of the themes and feel of SPL?

已經係一個好完整的故事,無需要延續，如果拍SPL2的話，我同監製都決定重新開展一個故事，當然要保留一點SPL的感覺，我地選擇左保留他的宿命，他的命運這個主題，重新創作所有人物，係一個屬於的自己版本的SPL，今次我們有很多地方的演員，有泰國,香港，要將2個地方係一個主題下拉埋一齊好似幾好，我同監製決定用命運將２個地方的演員結合在故事中

At first, I told him that I wouldn't want to make an SPL movie unless we had a feasible story. And somehow we managed to put together all the characters and the story framework that you see in the current movie. 

Tony Jaa and Unda Kunteera Yhordchanng

You work with many amazing and talented performers in SPL 2. How was it working with them and how did you cast the film? 

 其實每個地方的演員都好好，係好出色的動作片演員，當然我們會抽取每個演員特質，或我對每個演員的感覺，如Tony Jaa我不希望他演殺手，但我好希望他似他第一部作品《拳霸》中，單純直接的性格，另外吳京我希望他成為一個未見過的吳京，他以前經常很威風打人的，今次在命運的谷底裡慢慢掙扎上去，今次每個演員我都盡量有一點不同和鮮明的風格放在他們身上，希望每個人都特出

In fact, they are all good action movie actors. We were grounded in the characteristics of each actor or how I feel about each actor. For example, I don’t want Tony Jaa be a killer. I would like him to be a simple and headlong man, just like in Ong-Bak. Besides, I want the audience can see the other side of Wu Jing. He is always power and prestige in the past. This time, I want him down in the dumps and struggling. This time, I have tried a different and distinctive style on every actor, I hoped everyone could be outstanding.

Wu Jing, struggling. (Simon Yam in peril)

How was working with action choreographer Li Chung-chi?  

一開始我們討論每一場戲的動作和我的要求，當然我們在現場會作出很多修改，有些想法一起創造，有一些場口是我決定氣氛，李忠志在我給我框框下發揮

We started to discuss the operation of each scene and my demands. We have made many adjustments on site. There were some ideas we created together. And there are some scenes were I decided to do for atmosphere, then he developed it. 

I've read you started in the film industry as an assistant director for Wilson Yip Wai-shun, Ringo Lam, Andrew Lau and Johnnie To. How have they influenced your filmmaking? What other filmmakers or films have influenced you?  

每個跟我合作過的導演對我有很大影響，因為在他們身上學到很多，好似你們提到的Wilson Yip, Ringo Lam, Johnnie To 他們都對我很大影響

Those directors that I've worked with are a great influence on me. I learned a lot from them. As you mentioned, directors like Wilson Yip, Ringo Lam, Andrew Lau and Johnnie To. They have a great influence on me.

Zhang Jin and Tony Jaa.

There are three languages in SPL2: Cantonese, Mandarin and Thai. What were some of the challenges and benefits of shooting in so many languages?  

拍攝時，語言上都係一個挑戰，但對於我們來說都是要克服的，我想最大的難題是張晉，因為他根本不是泰國人，他要完全講泰文的對白，對他來說是一個幾大的挑戰，我覺得他學得很快，很有語言的天份，令到拍攝很順利

Language is challenge for us during shooting. But we have to overcome it. I think there was a big challenge for Zhang Jin. Although he is not Thai, he had to speak in Thai during shooting. I think he is very talented in language. So it made the shooting very smooth. 

Thank you so much, Director Cheang! 


 SPL 2: A TIME FOR CONSEQUENCES screens:
Thu, Sept 17, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Fri, Sept 18, 3:30 PM BLOOR HOT DOCS
Sun, Sept 20, 6:30 PM SCOTIABANK

BASKIN: Video World Premiere Interviews with Can Evrenol & Gorkem Kasal

Baskin written and directed by Can Evrenol received it's world premiere at Midnight Madness. Robert A. Mitchell was on the red carpet as it slowly descended into hell. TURKISH HELL!!!!

Robert made it out alive. Here is his interviews with Can and actor Gorkem Kasal.



You still can catch what will surly be one of the most talked about horror films of the year!

BASKIN screens:
Sun, Sept 13, 4:00 PM SCOTIABANK
Thu, Sept 17, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK

HARDCORE: Interview with Director IIya Naishuller

Director Ilya Naishuller is bringing Hardcore one of the most amazingly, unique action films to Midnight Madness! I recently had the opportunity to speak with Ilya about how he came up the the idea and how he made the film. -- Robert A. Mitchell

Where did the initial idea come from to strap a GoPro camera on a stunt man's head and make the music video "Bad Motherfucker" for your band Biting Elbows? 

I bought an early GoPro in Italy while snowboarding, thinking it'd be great to capture my 'skills'. Upon recording and then viewing what I've shot, I decided to never embarrass myself with it again and gave the camera to my friend Sergey Valyaev. He returned it a little later with some shots still on there of himself walking around and doing basic parkour stuff. I looked at them and thought it'd be great to do a cheap music video using the POV style, I asked Sergey to be the camera stuntman and got a bunch of friends to hang out and get 'killed' in it. The result was a 300$ POV music video for a song called "The Stampede" and it got us a few million views and some much needed attention. Then we pitched the sequel, "Bad Motherfucker," with a bigger budget to a ton of companies/brands and everyone thought it wasn't worth it, too violent, etc. I knew it was going work well so I borrowed some cash and off we went. 

The music video went viral attracting the attention of notable directors Darren Aronofsky and fellow Russian filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov. Timur proposed to produce a feature length P.O.V. feature film directed by you, you initially turned him down. Why? What changed your mind and got you excited to make the film? 

I was super hesitant first and foremost because an all POV film sounds like a gimmick and I thought of myself a little better than that. At the time of "Bad Motherfucker's" release, I was prepping for a very different kind of film, a slow-burn intelligent spy thriller, so an action POV film felt like a step in the wrong direction. After a few days of thinking about how I'm going to have to say no to a Director/Producer who I much admire, what changed my mind was Timur asking me if I wanted to experience a well realised action adventure POV film in the cinema, and my answer was yes, I actually really would. He said, "Then you should go make it". 

A film as ambitious and unique as this must have had its share of obstacles to overcome. Could you share some of the complications the production had to overcome? 

The biggest blessing of being the first to do something is also it's biggest curse. There are very few, if any points of reference. Sure, there are plenty of POV based elements in entertainment, Prodigy's "Smack My Bitch up," Strange Days' amazing intro sequence, video games and that is it. Apart from a fully POV noir film from 1947 called, Lady in the Lake, which I generally used as a guide of what one shouldn't do, there is no successful example of a feature length POV film that works. This meant that most of Hardcore had to be shot by trial and error, which is luxury you really can't have. 

What this meant in practice was that each morning we'd show up to set, everyone would know the script and the action beats and we would right off the bat, run through the days' shoot with a rolling camera. At that point, it was almost always a complete piece of crap. Then the actors and stuntmen would go to make up and costume, while I walked around feverishly trying to figure out how we can make it work. By the time they arrived ready, I (almost) always had a plan, realising which was a matter of sweat, blood and tears. 

Could you talk about the unique camera rigs that were designed to capture the first person point of view? 

Apart from making a coherent and fun movie, the biggest issue with making sure that Hardcore could see the dark of the cinema was that I wanted to make sure the audience would not get motion sickness. As someone who can't even text while being a passenger in a car, this was an important area to tackle. Our first DP, Seva Kaptur (one of 3) worked with Sergey Valyaev (who shot about a third of the film as Henry) and a small group of Russian engineers to design a lightweight rig that would hold two GoPros and use magnetic stabilisation to ensure enough smoothness to be easy on the eyes but not kill the feeling of it being a human and not a steadycam. It took about 3 months to perfect and we went through about 5 different versions and finally, about two weeks into the shoot, we received the rig that was perfect for our needs. 

One of your lead actors is Sharlto Copley (District 9; Chappie) how were you able to cast him in the film and what did he bring to the film? 

Hardcore was at first, an 80 minute music video. That changed when I got to about page two of the script and realised how bored I am with it already. I tossed the music video idea aside and began writing a proper script (all told from the first person) and came up with a basic pitch for a character that I then asked Timur to consider getting a name actor for. He asked me who I was thinking of, and I said Sharlto Copley. He got me in touch with him and I basically pitched Sharlto the idea and said that if he's interested in being a part of this experimental adventure, I'll write a great part specifically for him and then he'd decide if he's in or not. 

He agreed and all that was left was for me to come up with a part/character that Sharlto could not possibly say no to. I am very happy that this worked out the way it did, and that he is such a integral part of the movie. Hardcore has a heart and that heart is Sharlto's Jimmy.

 You came up with several rules to aid in the making of the film? What were some of them? 

I think there were about ten in total. Here's the first three: I will never show the main character. He will never speak. The film will keep moving, even when it's in it's 'breathing' space. 

What kind of cinematic experience awaits the Midnight Madness audience at the world premiere?

I think what you said is perfect except I'd add the word 'new'. So, what awaits is a 'new cinematic experience'.

HARDCORE screens:
Sat, Sept 12, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Mon, Sept 14, 4:15 PM SCOTIABANK
Fri, Sept 18, 1:00 PM SCOTIABANK

THE GIRL IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS: Interview with Director Nick Simon

The Girl in the Photographs is set to have it's world premiere at the 2015 Midnight Madness program. The film was co-written and directed by Nick Simon. The film also has the amazing Dean Cundey (Jurassic Park, John Carpenter's Halloween) as it's cinematographer. The late Wes Craven was also an Executive Producer on the picture. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Simon about the movie. -- Robert A. Mitchell

You were born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. What initially drew you to film making and how did you pursue this passion? 

What drew me to film initially was just how big it all seemed. I was four years old when I saw Star Wars for the first time and that changed my life. It wasn’t until I saw the poster for Escape from New York that I became obsessed with film.  That film was my gateway into the genre. Growing up in the 80’s and being adverse in all things sports, the cinema quickly became my church.  My mother is a big fan of horror and true crime novels about serial killers.  That had a huge impact on me as well.  I purchased more than a few copies of Halloween and A Nightmare On Elm Street on VHS when I was a kid. The tapes kept wearing out.

 Where did the idea for The Girl in the Photographs come from?

Oz Perkins and I started working on The Girl In The Photographs right after we completed my first film, Removal.  It was always sort of a hobby spec script that we kept going back to. We both went on to write other scripts while continuing to revisit Girl. The initial idea was to try and come up with a current story that had the same pace and feel as an 80’s horror film. It wasn’t until Wes Craven read the script and loved it when it became something I actively tried to get made.  

The still I have seen for the film looks very haunting and ominous. What was the look you wanted to bring to the film?

Capturing the look and feel and tone of the picture was extremely important to me.  I really wanted this picture to feel like the films I loved growing up. I wanted to be very specific about where the camera was pointed at all times, yet still give the picture a moodier look while being beautiful at the same time. Hiring the right cinematographer was essential to the process.

You worked with legendary cinematographer Dean Cundey (Halloween, Jurassic Park) that must have been an incredible experience. What was it like to work with Mr. Cundey? 

I’ve described working with Dean Cundey as a biblical experience. Every day in prep and on set was like a master class in cinema.  When I first approached Dean to shoot the picture, I remember saying to him, “I can hire a DP and show him all of your films, or you could shoot this picture!”  Luckily, he loved the script and understood what I was trying to achieve.  I hope to work with Dean again. He shot some of my favorite films of all time.

Wes Craven was an Executive Producer of the film. As you have said he was your mentor. Could you share something that Mr. Craven imparted on you about film making and life?

Wes was instrumental in getting this picture made. He was there every step of the way.  He had some ideas on a few script tweaks, he was involved in casting, every day he would watch dailies of our principle photography and gave me weekly notes on the edit. His notes during editing were always geared towards what the audience will see and learn in each scene.  He was very aware of how people watch horror films. Wes is a master filmmaker and having that kind of feedback was invaluable. He is one of the reasons that I am making film and his work has been such a huge influence on me. This film is for Wes. I’m happy that he wasn’t disappointed and loved the picture in the end. 

What kind of cinematic experience awaits the audience of The Girl in the Photographs?

We all worked very hard to give the audience a throwback horror/thriller with modern story elements.  I’m hoping that the audience enjoys the film and they are able to laugh as well as be terrified. I hope they will see the influence and impact that the horror films of my youth had on me. 

THE GIRL IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS screens:
Mon, Sept 14, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Wed, Sept 16, 5:00 PM SCOTIABANK
Fri, Sept 18, 9:15 PM SCOTIABANK

THE MIND'S EYE: Interview with Director Joe Begos

Joe Begos returns to the Midnight Madness program with his sophomore film The Mind's Eye. His first film Almost Human the alien abduction, slasher film threw a bunch of blood and alien slime upon the Ryerson theater screen. I recently I had the opportunity to speak to Joe about the making of The Mind's Eye. -- Robert A. Mitchell

Where did the idea for The Mind's Eye come from? 

It just sort of organically evolved from me wanting to do a really violent, badass telekinesis movie. There are really far too few of them. I was itching to do a revenge movie as well, and the two seemed like a match made in heaven, and I built the story from there. Like my last film, I wanted to make something that I would KILL to see.

You have assembled quite a cast for the film. Larry Fessenden (Stake Land, You're Next) Noah Segan (Deadgirl, Brick) John Speredakos (The House of the Devil, The Innkeepers). You are also working again with Graham Skipper who played the lead in Almost Human. What was the casting process like? Did you write parts for specific people?

The casting process was pretty awesome. I wrote the lead for Graham from the start, and then handful of the roles were written for specific people, and the rest of the roles were filled out by me picking up the phone and giving someone a call. I have a love for actors that look supremely blue collar, to me it makes there movie more realistic, so it was important to get actors that are recognizable to the genre, but can also act their asses off and don't look like a cosmopolitan model. I think we hit a pretty good balance, as everyone was able to turn in a phenomenal performance, and to me, look like they could be believable civilians in 1991 New England. 

What did you learn from making Almost Human and how did you apply that to The Mind's Eye? Did you expand upon your usage of practical special effects?

Yeah, there are so many effects in this movie my SPFX guy, Brian Spears wanted to kill me on numerous occasions haha. Not only did we have practical blood and gore, but he had to coordinate with a few other departments as we had tons of wire work, pyrotechnics, squibs, breakaways, you name it. I learned what was possible and how to stretch the budget on almost human even more than I had on any of the shorts I had made in my life. I was determined to take whatever extra money we could get for our budget and put it ALL in front of the camera. 

Both films are set in the winter. What do you like about this season as a backdrop to your stories? 

I love when seasons give movies a specific characteristic and atmosphere to the point where the season IS almost a character. I had actually planned to shoot this film in the fall, with all of the beautiful autumn colors, but we weren't able to obtain money fast enough. So therefore the movie was pushed to winter, and we were (un)fortunate to have almost 100 inches of snow during shooting. This was a MAJOR pain in the ass, but man does it look awesome!!

What kind of cinematic experience awaits the Midnight Madness audience who enter into this world of telekinetic people?

My biggest goal is making sure people have an absolute fucking blast when watching one of our movies

THE MIND'S EYE screens:
Tue, Sept 15, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Thu, Sept 17, 3:30 PM BLOOR HOT DOCS
Sat, Sept 19, 7:00 PM SCOTIABANK

BASKIN: Pushing Boundaries, Interview with Director Can Evrenol

Although Baskin marks Can Evrenol's first feature film he has been behind the camera for many years. He has made several short films including To My Mother and Father (2010) which won The H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival Special Jury Award for Most Disturbing Film. In 2013 he wrote and directed the short Baskin which was the genesis for the feature length movie. As well as the controversial Don't Text PSA The Pencil. I recently had the opportunity to speak with Can. -- Robert A. Mitchell

You have said that the idea of Baskin came from Cthulhu are you at liberty to elaborate upon that answer?

I'm like Eric Zahn. Ideas come to me while I sit by my window at Rue d'Auseil

You have made several short films, and have a successful commercial career. How steep was the learning curve as you took Baskin from the short film into a feature? Could you share some insight into what you have learned?

It's like almost two different valuable schools for the short films and the commercial work. My short films were where I experimented with every aspect of filmmaking on it's most basic form. Production, scheduling, editing, pasting, sound design, foley, you name it... I was on my own with everything, but I was good at finding a couple amazing friends to collaborate on each project. With each short film I was setting a bigger task for myself, slowly increasing the scale of things. It was more like a hobby or a game to me. On my 5th short film, To My Mother and Father, my producers James & Russ (Neer Do Well) + prod designer Sara Sensoy + D.O.P. Stephen Murphy have set up this amazing guerrilla set in the storage room of in a secret Central London location. It looked and felt like an actual film set! It was one of the best weekends I ever had in my life. At some point in our 2nd day of shoot, looking at the beautiful blue set lights in awe, I suddenly had this very happy and confident feeling that if can run this set, then I could very well run a music video or commercial video set too. There I decided I would be a film director for the rest of my life.

Being a commercial filmmaker, I later found out, is more about human relations, and practicality. (Of course I can only speak for the industry in Istanbul, which is big, but lately too formulaic) Mostly I was the most inexperienced person on the commercial sets. Yet everybody had to treat me with respect. Every Day 1 morning was a test for me to gain the trust of the set. I just treated everyone as I would treat my friends in my short films. And luckily, nearly all my sets were very fun. It was like being a systems manager, as Seth Brundle puts it. You have a team of artists and crafts people who are better at their job than you are; and you manage to collaborate them into a single goal which you shape in your head. It was through 3 years of TV commercials, I met with many people on sets, and built up a like-minded and very talented crew to shoot my first feature film. It was the best formula. Indy attitude, with a commercial discipline.

Baskin has the distinction of being the first film from Turkey in the 27 years of the Midnight Madness program. Can you talk about the current state of film making in the country? Censorship seems to be a major issue, has this affected your film making in Turkey?

If you watch First Blood on Turkish TV today, -even in pay per view- when Rambo stitches his own arm, the wound will be pixelated. If you're watching True Detective, the beer bottles and cigarettes will be blurred. It's out right Orwellian, North Korea style bonkers. Unfortunately it has been a slow but sure decline in the freedom speech in Turkish media, which I fully witnessed.

When I was 7, it was a single government channel in late 80's Turkey. It was a bit fascist, but also liberal. Every Sunday morning it was 2 hours of classical Western orchestra. Unthinkable today. The whole nation had only one option to watch and it was 2 hours of classical Western orchestra. It has become a kind of joke really. And it was a good example of how out of touch with the general public, yet intellectual the authorities were at the time. With the Gulf War, suddenly we had private TV and cable. Everything was colorful with the arrival of Transformers, GI Joe, MTV, Eurosport, and crazy game shows. It was an era where TV and entertainment industry went crazy. No foundation, but tons of Western stuff to copy from. The result was pure craziness. Soon after, when I was 10, we had Playboy TV, Tutti-Frutti (Italian Striptease game show), Batman, The Fly, Tremors and all the box office movies uncut and all kinds of other good and bad craziness on prime time TV. There was no regulations. We had these crazy domestic crime shows (eg. Sicagi Sicagina) where a news crew would enter a crime scene before the police and put a microphone on a crying kid's face whose father has just been murdered by knife.

So things got ugly and degenerated extremely quickly. It was a premature pop culture. And soon after, following a huge economic crisis, the religious conservative party took over and day by day things started to get censored. I stopped watching films on TV a long time ago. Nowadays my wife and I don't even watch TV at home. Only dvd, bluray or YouTube.

Censorship in Turkish cinema is much better for now, although cinema culture in this country completely changed in the last decade. Ultra shallow and ultra popular native TV shows completeşy took over. The only box office hits are silly comedies, religious exploitation so-called-horror films, and other shallow garbage.

There is a huge gap between a handful of very talented filmmakers whose slow paste Tarkovsky-influenced films get negligible distribution (but get significant recognition at top international film festivals) and the garbage at the box office. I am extremely curious about how Baskin will be received by Turkish audiences. We are at the brink of war with Syria. Just last night 60 soldiers were killed in a terrorist attack. Traumatizing. It will be a coincide of real life horrors and fantasy, when Baskin gets a cinematic release in Turkey in 2 months.

You are no stranger to pushing the boundaries as your 2012 Fright Fest Don't Text PSA The Pencil can attest to. How important is it for an artist to push boundaries. What is like to encounter the firestorm of criticism that can accompany pushing the envelope?

What's the point if you don't push any boundaries? I hope I can always afford to just close my ears to that type of criticism, and go about my own work. When The Pencil played at Empire Cinema at Leicester Square, right before Film 4 Fright Fest's midnight screening of Maniac, the 1200+ audience had such a strong positive reaction that I couldn't believe my ears. Even when it was over and opening credits of Maniac began, the laughing and giggling in the audience has still not died out. I am shocked that with all the communication and social media and the horrors of war and life is ominous, people still can get shocked with films like Human Centipede and Pencil. I honestly don't get that.

Baskin is already being described as a visceral cinematic horror experience on par with a film like Martyrs. How do you feel about the comparison? What cinematic experience awaits the Midnight Madness audience?

I would say it's more like a glimpse of Frontiers, than Martyrs. I wanted to make a film that begins like a modern low-budget Turkish/European art-house festival film, which then slowly becomes a dark and cold urban fairy tale. I hope enough people dig it. It's a slow burner. It's best if you watch it without knowing anything about it.

BASKIN screens:
Fri, Sept 11, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Sun, Sept 13, 4:00 PM SCOTIABANK
Thu, Sept 17, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK

Midnight Madness 2014 Playlist!

MM Interviewer Rob Mitchell has put together a playlist of all his interviews, the introductions and post-screening question and answer business for all the films that played Midnight Madness this year. Twenty-two videos and just under five hours of content!

Video: Interview Jemaine Clement Acclaimed Documentary Filmmaker Talks WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS

What We Do In The Shadows had its Canadian premiere last night at midnight madness. Robert A. Mitchell was fortunate enough to interview the very acclaimed New Zealand documentary filmmaker Jemaine Clement, whose newest work took him into the exciting and often dangerous world of vampires.

Clement channels Werner Herzog in his quest to fully understand his undead subjects and reveal many ecstatic truths about our own fragile human ways. Mr. Clement also bears a striking resemblance to one of the vampire subjects Vladislav, but this is purely coincidental. His co-director Taika Waititi was not at the premiere leading to some speculation that perhaps the documentary work with vampires did not end well.





WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS screening times:
Sat., Sept. 13th, 9:30 PM, SCOTIABANK 12
Sun., Sept. 14th, 3:45 PM, SCOTIABANK 3

CUB World Premiere Interview With Director Jonas Govaerts

Cub just had it's world premiere at midnight madness. Robert A. Mitchell was there and spoke with the director Jonas Govaerts on the midnight madness red carpet. Cub is a very strong first feature from Mr. Govaerts. It is safe to say he earned his feature film merit badge. If you are looking for horror film with old school practical effects and a movie that stays true to genre conventions while still surprising Cub should be seen. Scouts honor!!! Cub also marks a first in the history of midnight madness -- the first film in the Flemish language. There are still two more screenings as of this writing.




CUB screening times:
Thu., Sept. 11th, 8:30 PM, SCOTIABANK 8
Sat., Sept. 13th, 12:30 PM, SCOTIABANK 13

CUB Premieres Tonight!

Cub has its World Premiere at midnight madness tonight!

This what director Jonas Govaerts had to say about what he was doing with the horror genre,

As a life-long horror fan, I've been disappointed with the direction the genre has taken lately, at least in main stream cinema: loud bangs, cheap CGI, grubby shaky-cam, cardboard characters... It's just not my thing. With Cub, I've tried to bring back those elements I miss most in modern horror: a decent build-up, some humor to contrast with the violence, a certain visual poetry, characters you can actually relate to... Oh, and a cool, Carpenter-style title font, of course!

You can the full interview here. Cub is going to be a fun, scary adventure. Don't miss it!




CUB screening times:
http://www.tiff.net/festivals/thefestival/programmes/midnight-madness/cub
Wed., Sept. 10th, 11:59 PM, RYERSON
Thu., Sept. 11th, 8:30 PM, SCOTIABANK 8
Sat., Sept. 13th, 12:30 PM, SCOTIABANK 13

Video: TUSK Kevin Smith World Premiere Interview

Tusk world premiered at midnight madness last night. Amidst the craziness Kevin Smith stopped and talked to Robert A. Mitchell for a couple of minutes.




TUSK screening times:
Sun., Sept. 7th, 9:45 PM, BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA
Fri., Sept. 12th, 3:45 PM, SCOTIABANK 1

INTERVIEW: BIG GAME Director Jalmari Helander Talks About Big Adventure and "President" Samuel L. Jackson

Big Game is director Jalmari Helander's second film. His first feature film Rare Exports received world wide attention--and for good reason. It was a very original horror film set around classic Finnish Santa Claus mythology. When Mr. Helander was asked in an interview if he was pretty set on ruining Christmas for a generation of children, this was his response, "Actually, I’m not because…people from America have ruined Christmas for the Finnish people. I’m just taking it back…we also have this old Santa Claus legend and it’s much more interesting than the American one."

This quote is just a small insight into the mind of new storyteller who is very avant-garde,  authentic and not afraid to take risks. Here is my interview with Mr. Helander.--Robert A. Mitchell.

I have seen Big Game described as Home Alone meets Rambo? What drew you to the action adventure genre? What inspired you to fuse that genre with sensibilities from films such as Home Alone?

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A BIG FAN OF ACTION AND ADVENTURE. I FEEL THAT I SHOULD INVITE THE AUDIENCE TO SEE SOMETHING THEY CAN'T SEE IN THE EVERYDAY WORLD. SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD EXPERIENCE AN ADVENTURE. THAT'S WHAT I THINK MOVIES ARE FOR. AND FROM THE VERY BEGINNING I FELT, THAT IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO DO ACTION FILM WITH SOME HEART IN IT. 

Onni Tommila acted in your first feature Rare Exports. Did you write this film with him in mind to play Oskari the boy who helps outwit the terrorists with the President of the United States? How has he matured as an actor? 

WHEN PETRI AND I DECIDED TO GO WITH A YOUNG BOY IN A SCRIPT IT WAS ABSOLUTELY CLEAR THAT BOY WOULD BE ONNI. I ALWAYS LIKE TO THINK THAT I AM REWRITING MY OWN CHILDHOOD IN A WAY. I HAD FEW CONCERNS OF COURSE WITH ONNI AND THE BIGGEST ONE WAS COULD HE ACT SO WELL WITH FOREIGN LANGUAGE. WE DID FEW TESTS AND WE WERE HAPPY TO SEE THAT HE ACTUALLY CAN ACT IN ENGLISH VERY WELL! THERE'S BEEN QUITE A LOT CHANGES OF HOW ONNI ACTS COMPARED TO RARE EXPORTS. IN RARE HE DID NOT HAVE SO BIG RANGE OF FEELINGS HE COULD DO. HE WAS SO YOUNG! BUT NOW, I COULD ASK HIM ALMOST ANYTHING!!! I LOVE THAT LITTLE MAN!

Speaking of the President I for one cannot wait to see Samuel L. Jackson in this role. What did Mr. Jackson tell you when he first read the script?

I ACTUALLY DID NOT SPEAK WITH HIM ABOUT THAT. I HEARD HE REALLY LIKED THE SCRIPT AND I WAS VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. FIRST QUESTION HE HAD FOR ME WAS HOW I SEE THE PRESIDENT. IN WHAT STAGE HIS PRESIDENTIAL CAREER HE IS OR WHAT IS HIS POLITICAL STAND. I HAD TO EXPLAIN THAT I REALLY DON'T KNOW. THIS FILM IS NOT ABOUT PRESIDENT OR HIS POLITICAL VIEWS. IT'S ABOUT A MAN WHO IS THE MOST POWERFUL MAN ON THIS PLANET BECAUSE HE IS THE PRESIDENT. THEN YOU TAKE THAT AWAY AND HE'S JUST A MAN WITH A SUIT AND TIE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE AND HE HAS TO SURVIVE THAT SITUATION WITH THE HELP OF 13 YEAR OLD BOY.

Some of the stills I have seen from the movie showcase a beautiful and rugged landscape. Can you tell me where you shot the picture and what kind of conditions you, your cast and crew endured while filming? 

WE SHOT THE FILM IN GERMANY. THE STUDIO WAS IN MUNICH BUT ALMOST ALL THE LOCATIONS WERE IN THE ALPS IN THE VERY SOUTH PART OF GERMANY. I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED (or did it begin after seeing Cliffhanger?) BIG MOUNTAINS, CLIFFS AND LARGE LANDSCAPES. BUT WHEN YOU WANT SOMETHING LIKE THAT YOU HAVE THE ACCEPT THE TERMS. THOSE PLACES ARE HARD TO GET, IT'S A BIG SHOW JUST TO GET EVERYONE TO THE LOCATION EVERY MORNING AND THE WEATHER CAN CHANGE IN A MINUTE. WHEN IT'S CLOUDY YOU ACTUALLY CAN'T SEE OR FILM ANYTHING. IT WAS OUR THIRD SHOOTING DAY WHEN I GOT OUTSIDE IN THE MORNING AND SAW THE MOUNTAINS FROM MY BALCONY. I WAS TERRIFIED AND CHOCKED: THE MOUNTAINS WERE COVERED WITH SNOW!!! IT WAS NOT AN EASY MORNING BUT IN THE END WE SOLVED THE PROBLEM. AND LUCKILY THE WEATHER CAN CHANGE FROM BAD WEATHER TO GOOD AS QUICKLY IT DOES ANOTHER WAY AROUND.

What did you learn from making Rare Exports and how did you apply that knowledge and grow as a storyteller in your second feature film?

WELL, I ACTUALLY MADE MYSELF SOME NOTES AFTER RARE EXPORTS. FOR EXAMPLE THAT IF SOMETHING DOES BOTHER YOU IN A SCRIPT IT MOST DEFINITELY WILL BOTHER YOU WHEN YOU ARE SHOOTING. AND IT WILL BOTHER YOU IN THE EDIT AND IN THE PREMIERE. THE PROBLEMS ALMOST EVER WON'T BE SOLVED ON A SET. PROBLEMS SHOULD BE SOLVED WHEN WRITING A SCRIPT. AND NOW AFTER BIG GAME I HAVE ALSO LEARNED A LOT OF NEW STUFF. CAN'T WAIT TO BE FILMING THE THIRD ONE!!!

What waits audiences who sign on for the adventure that waits in Big Game?

LIKE I SAID BEFORE I AM TRYING TO SHOW AMAZING THINGS TO THE AUDIENCE. TO TAKE THEM INTO AN ADVENTURE. MY GOAL IS TO HAVE LOTS OF PEOPLE WALKING OUT OF THE CINEMA WITH A BIG SMILE ON THEIR FACES.

BIG GAME screening times:
Fri., Sept. 5th, 11:59 PM, RYERSON
Sat., Sept. 6th, 9:00 PM, SCOTIABANK 12
Sat., Sept. 13th, 2:30 PM, SCOTIABANK 12

INTERVIEW: Mark Hartley Talks ELECTRIC BOOGALOO

Mark Hartley makes his second appearance in Midnight Madness with Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films. Hot of a triumphant World Premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival, Hartley was gracious enough to answer a few questions for us.

Midnight Madness: Every Cannon Film probably could have a feature length doc made about it. How difficult was it to tell the whole Cannon story in just one film?

Mark Hartley: There are soooooooo many Cannon Films (for starters just try counting the America Ninja sequels!) but obviously we had to be a little bit selective. If you want to see an in-depth discussion of HOT CHILI or DETECTIVE SCHOOL DROPOUTS, you will be sadly disappointed – but I think we’ve covered most of the fan favorites as well as a few jaw-dropping curios.

MM: This is your 2nd Midnight Madness entry and 3rd TIFF Film. Are you really going to stop making docs? Do you think you have any more docs in you?

MH: I keep telling people that this is my final doc – and no one believes me, but it is the truth. I’m an accidental, wildly undisciplined documentary filmmaker – and it’s now time to leave this caper to the professionals. I had the opportunity to finally make a narrative feature in 2013 with PATRICK – and I had such a wonderful and thrilling experience during that production that I really want to invest all my energies into narrative filmmaking. The incredible thing about having made these three genre docs is that I often meet movie lovers that tell me that these films have encouraged them to explore their own National cinema. Job done.

MM: While many of the Cannon films are so bad they're good, there are many that are borderline unwatchable. How often during pre-production did you find yourself saying: I can't watch another minute of these films!

MH: It wasn’t the quality that was daunting--it was the quantity! I’m not sure how healthy a steady diet of Golan & Globus productions was on my sanity--but they made them, so I felt I should watch them. To be honest, I did draw the line at the Lou Ferrigno star-vehicle, Sinbad of the Seven Seas – and the last six Lemon Popsicle sequels.

MM: Was it difficult getting people to talk about parts of their career that they'd rather forget?

MH: I’ve been lucky with my docs that they’ve covered subjects that haven’t been overly explored--and so telling these stories is a novelty (and sometimes therapy) for many of the interviewees. I’m not sure how many dinner party conversations have started with, “So tell me about working on Bolero…”

Certainly with Not Quite Hollywood and Electric Boogaloo, the subject matter covered was a training ground for many. Generally, people are fond and nostalgic about their introduction to the business--no matter how badly treated they were… and if they’re still scarred, well, it makes for even better drama. 

MM: Having spent so much time exploring the seedy underbelly of cinema, are you ready to run screaming from the business and never look back?

MH: Not at all. I’m ready to launch myself from a cannon, slam into the evil heart of this business and hopefully start filling up my IMDb page.

MM: After Not Quite Hollywood, you decided that Patrick was ripe for a remake. Any particular Cannon film you'd like to reboot?

MH: More important is the fact that there are certain Cannon films that should be left untouched by the reboot machine. Can you imagine anyone topping the scope, scale and lunacy of Tobe Hooper’s Lifeforce? If there’s one film that we should get on our knees and thank Golan & Globus for, it’s that visionary masterwork. Another jewel in the Cannon crown is Boaz Davidson’s The Last American Virgin--which I do believe Millennium are planning to remake. I’ll have to ask our co-producer, Brett Ratner, if he was inspired by Cannon’s Hercules. I have my doubts.

ELECTRIC BOOGALOO: THE WILD UNTOLD STORY OF CANNON FILMS screening times:
Mon., Sept. 8th, 11:59 PM, RYERSON
Wed., Sept. 10th, 9:00 AM, BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA
Sun., Sept. 14th, 12:45 PM, SCOTIABANK 11

INTERVIEW: CUB Director Jonas Govaerts Earns His Feature Film Merit Badge

One of the most exciting aspects of the Midnight Madness program is the the emergence of new cinematic voices and talent from around the world. A film and director to look out for this year is Cub directed by Jonas Govaerts. After directing several short films, Cub marks Jonas' first feature film and the first horror film produced in Flanders. I recently had the opportunity to speak with him. -- Robert A. Mitchell 

Using one or two sentences can you tell me what the basic story for Cub is? 

Cub is the story of a summer scout camp gone horribly wrong, seen through the eyes of Sam, our twelve year old protagonist. 

Where did the idea come from? Were you, yourself a Cub Scout?

 I've been jotting down loose ideas for this story since I was a cub scout myself. I had some wonderful leaders back then, who introduced me to the world of underground comics, horror movies and alternative music; it seemed only fitting I would set my first film at a scout camp, since that's where my imagination was first triggered. My scout totem is Imaginative Toucan, by the way--no lie! 

You have made several short films. Cub is your first feature length film. How was that transition? What were some of the difficult aspects of production you had to overcome? 

All of my shorts were based on existing short stories I loved: at least there I had the security of a decent script. On Cub, which I co-wrote, I was often second-guessing myself: do we need really this scene? What am I trying to say here? Also, the ambition and scope of the film far exceeded anything I had done in my earlier work. Luckily, I had my movie family around me: most of the crew have been with me since my first short, Mobius. I actually went to film school with my cinematographer Nicolas Karakatsanis (Michael R. Roskam's Bullhead & The Drop, John Hillcoat's upcoming Triple Nine): he flunked after the first year, while I needed six years to finish school! 

There is that old adage in show business, never work with kids or animals. Obviously your film is centered around a story featuring kids. How difficult was the casting to find the kids to play the characters? What was it like to work with these young actors? 

If I hadn't accidentally seen Maurice Luijten, who plays Sam, in the music video The Gift by Ralf Demesmaeker, I wouldn't be talking to you right now. He really was a gift from the movie gods. He looked like a young River Phoenix or something - that same effortless charisma. Once Sam was in place, it was really a matter of mixing and matching: for the other cubs, we saw a couple of hundred kids, and we tweaked the parts to fit their personalities, specific talents and looks. We didn't find Gill Eeckelaert,

who plays the Masked Feral Child, until very late in the game: in his audition tape, you can really see my face going from absolute exhaustion to huge relief!...Animals, though, are another matter entirely. The most grueling part of the shoot involved a dog - of course, I had to pick the dumbest breed in existence. Safe to say, I'm in no big hurry to work with dogs again - though I doubt I'll get offered many animal movies after Cub comes out! 

What would you say to folks looking at the film selection of why they should see Cub? 

As a life-long horror fan, I've been disappointed with the direction the genre has taken lately, at least in main stream cinema: loud bangs, cheap CGI, grubby shaky-cam, cardboard characters... It's just not my thing. With Cub, I've tried to bring back those elements I miss most in modern horror: a decent build-up, some humor to contrast with the violence, a certain visual poetry, characters you can actually relate to... Oh, and a cool, Carpenter-style title font, of course!

CUB screening times:
Wed., Sept. 10th, 11:59 PM, RYERSON
Thu., Sept. 11th, 8:30 PM, SCOTIABANK 8
Sat., Sept. 13th, 12:30 PM, SCOTIABANK 13

Video: WITCHING & BITCHING World Premiere Interview with Alex de la Iglesia

Alex de la Iglesia talks to Robert A. Mitchell at the world premiere of his latest film, Witching & Bitching.

OCULUS: Interview with Director Mike Flanagan

[MM Blogger Sasha James interviews the director of Oculus, Mike Flanagan. ~The Editor]

Tim Russell (Brenton Thwaites; the upcoming Maleficent) has spent the majority of his life in a psychiatric hospital after the brutal and mysterious family tragedy that claimed the lives of both his parents. Convinced his father is to blame, Tim is released from hospital only to discover that his sister Kaylie -- played by Doctor Who darling Karen Gillan -- has spent the intervening years tracking down the real culprit: a cursed mirror with a 300-year murder streak. Oculus also stars Battlestar Gallactica fan favourite Katee Sackhoff and Rory Cochrane (Argo, Dazed and Confused). 

Before its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, we were able to geek out with director Mike Flanagan (Absentia) about Doctor Who, The Shining, and Midnight Madness' rowdy reputation.

SJ: Oculus is based on a short you made in 2006 called Oculus: Chapter 3. How did you expand your short into a feature-length film? 

Mike Flanagan: That was actually really challenging. The short is just one man alone in a room with the mirror and a few video cameras. Finding a way to expand that into a feature took a long time, and really needed the right producers. My writing partner Jeff Howard and I kicked around several options, including allowing that story to simply be one act of the feature and bookend it with two other half-hour stories -- kind of like an anthology film. There was a lot of interest early in expanding the short into a feature, but most companies were leaning toward a found footage approach because of the cameras in the room, which was a direction we never really wanted to go. 

It took us a little while to hit on the idea that it was actually two people in the room who share a troubled past and have different interpretations of what is happening. The Mulder/Scully dynamic really felt right, and things took off quickly from there. 

When Intrepid Pictures came on board, they had a similar vision for an expansion of the short. They didn't want to do found footage -- which was a relief -- and they really embraced the idea that we'd take everything about the short we loved and try to genuinely expand the universe around it. We developed the script with Trevor Macy, Marc Evans and Anil Kurian at Intrepid, and very quickly hit upon the concept of the siblings locked in the room with the mirror, interwoven with the (possibly unreliable) story of their childhood. 

That allowed us to remain true to the tension and contained nature of the short while expanding the universe and characters in ways that added tension and allowed for us to really play with the non-linear aspects of the story. 

SJ: Where were you first introduced to Karen Gillan? Are you a fan of DOCTOR WHO? 

MF: I'm a huge fan of Doctor Who. I pitched her to the producers on the first day that we started talking about casting. We auditioned a number of actresses and it took weeks for us to get in touch with Karen, as she was shooting Doctor Who at the time. I used to come into casting sessions and open with "Have we heard from Karen Gillan?" We were just about nearing the end of the casting process when she surfaced. She loved the script and the short film, and suddenly she was a realistic possibility for Kaylie. 

We arranged a Skype [interview], which was a fairly embarrassing moment for me when I realized, at the end of the call, that I'd been drinking coffee out of my TARDIS mug the entire time. I pulled selections from episodes of Doctor Who to show members of our team who weren't familiar with her work. I found out she was in LA shortly before [San Diego Comic Con in] 2012, and I ran out of our production offices to meet up with her and try to talk her into doing it -- also an embarrassment as I just happened to be wearing a Doctor Who shirt that day and completely forgot until she noticed. I'm such a nerd.

The couple of weeks in between making our offer and closing her deal was one of the highest stress times of this entire movie for me. She was just perfect for the role -- such a rare blend of strength, attitude, and vulnerability. Once we had her though, I knew the movie was going to work. There's a sequence in it where she presents the history of the mirror, and it was an intimidating amount of dialogue for any actor to handle. She dominates it. Not many actors could pull off what she does in this film. 

I'm also a huge Battlestar Galatica fan, so, when we cast Katee Sackhoff, I was officially in geek heaven. 

SJ: It's rare to have a film with a brother/sister team-up, and I find it incredibly refreshing to see this relationship in Oculus. Why do you think there are not more brother/sister films? 

MF: Honestly, I think it's because people tend to lean on sexual tension to develop characters in genre films. Having main characters who are, were, or might be banging is an old genre staple. Which is odd because, if it's me, sexual tension is the first thing to disappear in a situation where lives are in danger. Kinda hard to sustain the mood, you know? 

I get why it's done that way so often, and it can be done very well. But siblings -- hopefully -- eliminate that dynamic entirely from the equation and, in my opinion, replace it with much more interesting subtext. These are people who know each other very well, as opposed to still figuring each other out; who are comfortable enough to be themselves without pretext; who love each other, truly accept each other. There's nothing frivolous about it. There's no politeness. They can say what they really think without fear of damaging the relationship. That ease of honesty is fascinating to me. Their emotional investment in each other and in their survival is so much deeper than a romantic one. For me, it's so much more dynamic. 

It was such a blast for me dealing with a sister dynamic in my last movie Absentia that I was really eager to dive further into a sibling relationship for this one. I also have a terrific relationship with my younger brother, and I am always struck by [how] our interactions with each other are different than my interactions with even my closest friends. There are films that use the sibling dynamic to great effect, and I wish there were more of them. 

SJ: Were there any films that influenced you while directing Oculus? The Haunting and The Legend of Hell House strike me as influences. 

MF: Those are certainly two of my favourites. I also spent a lot of time revisiting The Shining -- I would sometimes refer to the mirror as a portable Overlook Hotel -- as well as recent hits like Insidious and foreign fare like A Tale of Two Sisters. I was also influenced by Stephen King's short story "1408", which remains one of the most frightening stories I've ever read. I love a contained space, and I love stories that build upon a long history and mythology for their supernatural entities. 

SJ: Before Oculus was selected for TIFF, were you aware of Midnight Madness and its rowdy reputation? 

MF: Absolutely. I've been a fan of Midnight Madness for years just because I'm such a genre fan. It always has such a fascinating lineup, and the audiences are legendary. It was kind of surreal hearing that we were accepted, as I'd always viewed Midnight Madness as the pinnacle platform for exciting, unique genre films to meet their intended, enthusiastic audience. I'm still kind of pinching myself to be included in such amazing company. 

SJ: What films are you looking forward to watching at the Festival this year? 

MF: I'm really psyched for Horns. I love the book and am dying to see how it translates to the screen. I'm also lining up for All Cheerleaders Must Die; I'm a big fan of Lucky McKee. I'm really curious to see The Station; I love a good creature feature. I'm dying to catch Josh Waller's McCanick, which was put together by some very good friends of mine. I'd love to see Errol Morris' The Unknown Known. And, of course, Gravity. That trailer knocked me over.

Mike Flanagan's Oculus stars Karen Gillan and Katee Sackhoff, and premiered at this year's Toronto International Film Festival within the Midnight Madness programme. Further information about the film can be found on the Festival website.
 

OCULUS Final Screening:

Sunday, Sept 15th, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK 11

R100 World Premiere Interview With Hitoshi Matsumoto 松本 人志

Hitoshi Matsumoto (Big Man Japan, Symbol) premiered his latest film R100 last night at Midnight Madness. Robert A. Mitchell who was in the middle of all the hysteria and excitement talked with one of Japan's biggest superstars.



R100 Screening Times:
Friday, Sept 13th, 11:30 AM SCOTIABANK 9
Saturday, Sept 14th, 9:00 PM SCOTIABANK 10

RIGOR MORTIS Midnight Madness Premiere Interview with JUNO MAK

Last night was the North American premiere of Juno Mak's directorial debut RIGOR MORTIS. It was a very rainy and humid night which very much felt like a Hong Kong evening. Robert A. Mitchell spoke with Juno about his first film as a director, influences and, of course, those hopping vampires from Hong Kong's glorious golden age of cinema.


RIGOR MORTIS Final Screening:
Friday, Sept 13th, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK 9

Juno Mak Talks RIGOR MORTIS: Exclusive Interview

First of all, I would like to say I feel very honored to be able to participate in this year’s Toronto International Film Festival ”midnight madness” section. I'm writing this email in Venice at the moment, where the film will be premiereing here tonight. -- Juno Mak writing from Venice

Robert Mitchell: What do you like about genre films?

Juno Mak: I guess what’s fun about genre films throughout cinematic history is mainly because of the specific ”sets of rules” that apply to them. Such as zombies, you have to shoot them in the head. Vampires with silver and all. And then we have ”gueng si”, the traditional hopping vampires from Asia. Glutinous rice, wooden swords, yellow amulets, taoist priest, etc., etc. These rules only apply to this particular genre. A funky, yet special, type of rules, may I say.

But these genre rules have been evolving throughout the years too. It's a sort of evolution amongst us storytellers.

RM: How are you putting your own spin on genre storytelling?

JM: I want to explore the evolution of this genre. More humane, more focused on the drama, the sadness. We have also gathered the original elements from the genre, deconstructed and reconstructed it. Giving it a new touch, and most importantly, I, personally, wanted to explore the emotional side of it. The struggles these characters go through in life. The main theme of this film is about ”the fear of being forgotten” or even the fear of losing youth. Some sort of loneliness among us as humans. The world changed, everyone changed and adapted to a better life. But these characters they didn't.

RM: What did you like about the orginal Mr. Vampire films that were apart of "gueng si"genre?

JM: To me, the original Mr Vampire films represent not only a big part of my childhood. But also a golden time period of the Hong Kong cinematic history. Anyhow, the ”gueng si” genre has been gone for almost 30 years now.

RM: You cast a lot of the original actors from the Mr. Vampire films, what made you decide to bring them into the film and what was it like to work with them?

JM: What really fascinated me was the wrinkles on the actors and actresses faces after so many years. It, for me, represented their sorrow, their struggles in the most powerful, yet subtle way. I'm sure they have been through a lot being on the film set of RIGOR MORTIS. I sensed that this was not only a sort of revisiting the genre for myself as a director, or even a script writer. It was  a revisiting for every one of them. A bond that belonged to them. I'm glad to be among the original actors.

RM: What would you say you have done with the "gueng si" genre conventions and made them your own?

JM:  RIGOR MORTIS itself is not a remake of the original, nor a sequel or prequel. To me personally its more like some sort of a revisit to the genre. The film is about life, not purely a gore slasher, but also an evolution of the genre, with a heavy yet dramatic twist on the story. I have personally taken out the comedic element from among the elements in the original. There might be some sort of humor in RIGOR MORTIS, but the film is not purely a comedy.

Thanks, Juno Mak from taking time out of your very busy schedule to talk with us. Can't wait to meet you in Toronto! -- Robert A. Mitchell

RIGOR MORTIS Screening Times:
Wednesday, Sept 11th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Thursday, Sept 12th, 12:45 PM TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX 2
Friday, Sept 13th, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK 9