Inside 'Mimesis': A Chat with Douglas Schulze

Hello everyone, Matthew here once again. 

Back in 2011, an indie film was released called Mimesis: Night of the Living Dead. It was a fantastic little flick. It delivered something different, something unique to the genre. I had the pleasure of seeing it back then. And I can say without a doubt, it is a film that I highly recommend. If you have a chance, seek it out. It is a horror gem in the rough.

Through the years, I kept my ear to the ground and tried learning more about the film. My love for it continued to grow. This year, I revisited it once again and can say that it holds up so well. 

But this revisit was different. The reason being this blog. I never had once considered the idea before that I would get the pleasure of talking to some of the people that I have in the past.

So, I decided to put my ear to the ground and set my feelers out. I was hoping that I would be able to uncover more about this great film. And boy, I am happy to say that I am beyond thrilled I did.

Mimesis: NOTLD (what I will be referring to the film as) was the idea from a man named Douglas Schulze. 

Upon further investigation, I uncovered that Schulze is from Michigan. This makes me appreciate the film so much more as it is from what I would consider being a Michigan hero. Schulze now joins the ranks of my fellow Michigander Heroes, such as Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi.

I reached out to Mr. Schulze and am thrilled to bring this talk to the blog. So, without further adieu, here is my interview with Douglas Schulze.

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What was your introduction to the genre?

Well, 2001 A Space Odyssey was the first film my father took me to. And it definitely left a mark. It took decades and repeated viewings for me to understand it. But it started my undying passion for cinema. 

Then there was another sci-fi film called Planet of the Apes (the original) that frightened me. It sort of introduced me to the idea that movies could be quite macabre and fantastic.

As a kid, I watched the Ghoul and Sir Graves Ghastly on tv. That was when I was indoctrinated into the horror genre with the Universal classics (Dracula, Frankenstein) and Hammer Horror (Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing). But admittedly it was George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead that hit me like a cinematic locomotive. 

Seeing the flesh-eating with the minimal soundtrack was truly disturbing and mind-blowing.

What is your favorite horror film?

Tough to say. Not one film is my favorite. Like everyone, Carpenter’s Halloween is a masterclass in suspense and terror. 

While The Exorcist is just extremely well made and utterly terrifying to this day. And Suspiria ranks high on the list as an impressionistic horror film with its wild art direction and avant-garde style.

The original Wicker Man is brilliant and more of a slow dreamy burn (no pun intended). Psychomania was high on my list as a kid with suicidal bikers coming back from the dead. 

Yeah, so many great ones. And the first Elm Street was top shelf. Oh and Ridley Scott’s Alien. So, there’s a lot.

What inspired you to become a director?

I always wanted to make movies even from an early age. Ask anyone in my family or childhood friends and they’ll tell you. I picked up a camera when I was 13 and made super 8mm movies. 

My brother, who is older than me, got a movie camera and started making movies. He did some wonderful comedies and even something for his High School set to Elton John’s Funeral For A Friend. It was a music video in the mid-’70s before music videos. So he inspired me. 

My Dad’s love of movies inspired me too. He was an architect and the creative design process is a bit like moviemaking in that you sketch and design then make a blueprint and bring it to life.

Where did you get your start?

I had a summer job as a janitor at a local college and one night while cleaning a classroom a tv was on and the newscaster was talking about a group of local filmmakers who just made a movie called The Evil Dead. 

They talked a bit about how it was made as a low budget independent horror film. Until then I never knew you could make a movie outside of Hollywood. A totally game-changer moment for me. 

That night I’d found my focus. Then I went to college, joined some clubs, started making 16mm films and then spent two years raising money to make HELLMASTER that we later sold to HBO.

What was the genesis for Mimesis: Night of the Living Dead?

Going to horror-themed conventions (including comic cons) I’d see the cosplayers and the lengths folks would go to become their favorite horror characters. 

One night, I just sort of thought to myself what if there was a cult of horror fanatics that recreated their favorite films only they did it for real and killed people. Since Romero’s film influenced me so much as a kid I felt it’d be a great homage to use NOTLD as the first film to be MIMESIZED.

What was the production like?

Pretty smooth and uneventful which is a good thing. I believe it was a 23-day shoot on a remote farm near Port Huron. We filmed mostly nights and kept it to 12-hour shoots. 

We had the late, great Sid Haig in for a few days and he was a real treat to work with. Nice guy. Big and imposing when you meet him but very kind and personable. I had a ton of fun filming the first MIMESIS. Fond memories.

What is it like filming in Michigan?

Well I’ve scouted the entire State and know most areas like the back of my hand. I’ve filmed at the tip of the Upper Peninsula (Copper Harbor). I’ve filmed inside Cathedrals in Detroit, inside an active Asylum, a prison. 

Hey, I even had two hundred Juggalo’s and the Insane Clown Posse carrying ten-foot crucifixes down Hamtramck streets. Never a dull moment when you’re filming in Michigan

How was it working with the cast?

For MIMESIS 1 it was great. Working with Sid and Allen Maldonado whose back in Mimesis: Nosferatu. I’ve been fortunate to have directed some truly great actors. I directed the late great David Carradine (Kung Fu, Kill Bill), Dee Wallace, John Saxon, Lance Henriksen, Veronica Cartwright (Alien), Kristy Swanson (Buffy) and dozen of really awesome Michigan area actors.

How do you feel the film turned out? Was it everything you were hoping it would be?

I felt good about the first MIMESIS. I mean anytime you can make a feature film for 100k and have it compete with multimillion-dollar films it’s quite a victory. MIMESIS 1 aired on SHOWTIME NETWORKS and was a top seller in retail stores (on disc). 

I recall seeing the Anchor Bay numbers and we were outselling their theatrical titles. So, all things considered, it did ok.

It was fantastic when learned that filmed in Michigan. As a fellow Michigander, it’s always awesome to see others from here as well. Just like always supportive of them – almost like seeing them as a home-state hero.

Yeah part of what makes moviemaking so awesome is the Michigan support. So mega thanks.

The next film in the Mimesis series was Nosferatu. What was the genesis of Mimesis: Nosferatu?

Well it’s iconic. The image of Murnau’s rat-like Count Orlok struck me as having awesome potential to Mimesize.

What was the production like? Was it different than the production for Mimesis: NOTLD?

Yes, every film is its own world, even a sequel like this. I intentionally want every Mimesis film to stand on its own and not be looked upon as a “sequel”. 

Traditional sequels are boring and predictable. I went thru almost a half dozen different scripts before settling on the one we filmed. The production was a challenge as we filmed in the dead of winter at a High School. We’d show up when school was letting out and film until dawn.

How was it working with this cast?

It was a most rewarding experience. It was great having Lance Henriksen in and Allen Maldonado returned from the first film.

How do you feel the film turned out?

I’m very happy with the film. In some ways, I think it’s my best work as a director. I’d just come off of an experimental thriller called THE DARK BELOW that had no dialogue. 

So I was eager to tackle a more dialogue centric film and this new MIMESIS is sort of The Heathers meets Romero’s MARTIN.

It received a showing at Monsterpalooza. What was that like? How have the audiences responded to the film?

The film has played some amazing festivals in Europe. FANTAFEST in Rome, which we attended. And it took top honors at FilmFreeways Top Rated VAMPFEST in London, England. 

A couple festivals in Spain, Hollywood Horrorfest and then Monsterpalooza. That was really wild screening at Monsterpalooza – great audience reaction.

What advice would you have for someone that may be wishing to enter this industry?

Get some education and be in it for the love of it. Make movies that make you happy.

What was it like starting the Motion Picture Institute of Michigan? If you could, I would love to hear how it came to be and how it’s doing now. And if you have anything like to let people know more of.

Eons ago we used to get invited to speak at our college alma maters about how we made independent feature films. Things sort of slowly evolved. 

We spent a few years designing a program that we felt would properly train independent filmmakers. It was quite a gamble back then and we had lots of naysayers. But here we are 23 years later; never been stronger. 

Our alumni are succeeding like never before. One of our graduates made the critically acclaimed feature documentary APOLLO 11.

Mimesis Nosferatu is available on Tubi and Vudu. As well as purchase from Amazon.

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Road to Kills: Halloween (1978)

  John Carpenter's Halloween. The film that started it all. It gave us the wonderful Dr. Loomis, Laurie Strode and defined Evil in the form of The Shape. It hit the world like a freight train and changed it forever. 

  

  Many have talked about the film. I, for one, have seen countless articles about it. What is it about the film that makes it so note worthy? 

  I would say that one of the reasons why it's considered to be such a classic is the story. When you take a minute and think about it, the story is very simple. Dr. Loomis is pursuing The Shape as he returns home to stalk a babysitter and her friends. It's definitely one of the large parts of what makes it work. It's the story of Good vs. Evil. 

  

  I mean sure, there are some other things that happen in the story. But that's the large picture of it. And I would say that it's all thanks to the characters that John Carpenter and Debra Hill created when they crafted this story. They made those characters memorable. Each of them have some thing that defines them. Whether it's Laurie's strong nature or Dr. Loomis' desire to keep pursing The Shape. They are all memorable in some way. And yes, that even includes Bob. 

  Then there is Michael Myers. The terrifying unrelenting force that is The Shape. He is very iconic. Not once during the film does he utter a single word. He's just there. Dr. Loomis does say it best when he talks about Michael, "I met him, 15 years ago; I was told there was nothing left; no reason, no conscience, no understanding in even the most rudimentary sense of life or death, of good or evil, right or wrong. I met this... six-year-old child with this blank, pale, emotionless face, and... the blackest eyes - the Devil's eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him, and then another seven trying to keep him locked up, because I realized that what was living behind that boy's eyes was purely and simply... evil.". He is the personification of Evil. 

Now, I know that there is a novelization to the 1978 film. A few years ago, I had the pleasure of reading it. It had a few things that were really eye opening not just for this film but the franchise as a whole. 

In the prologue, it is the dawn of the Celtic race in Ireland. There was a young disfigured boy of 15, Enda. He was madly in love with the King's daughter, Deirdre. Enda is severely humiliated for attempting to win her love. On Halloween, he attacks and murders Deirdre and her fiancee. The villagers kill Enda and curse him to forever wander the earth, recreating these events. 

Then we are thrown into 1963. We see a young Michael and his grandmother. It is very eerie. The grandmother is concerned as Michael has been admitting to hearing voices and having visions and nightmares (of Deirdre and Enda). It is further discussed that Michael admits hearing voices that tell him to say he hates people. And then there's the cherry on top. It is mentioned that Michael's great grandfather had committed some violent act and that Michael was very much like him. This alone added so much to explaining why Michael is the way he is. 

I understand that there was a high chance it was added by the author of the novelization and not John Carpenter or Debra Hill. But it adds a lot of flavor to everything. I hope that makes sense. But if that is true, then there is a force that is trying to influence Michael. And further on in the franchise, we find out about the Cult of Thorn. Personally, in my head canon, I would agree that this all ties into The Thorn Trilogy of films. And honestly, it doesn't make that storyline seem like it comes out of nowhere anymore. 

The music by Carpenter is amazing. It perfectly sets the tone of the film as well as adds tension to it. I remember hearing somewhere that there was a screening of Halloween without the score. And it didn't do so well. Then they went and added and returned, it worked like gang busters. That alone should help illustrate the power of Carpenter's music in the film. And it is a character in the film as well. 

Now, the violence in Halloween. It's not something that I would consider to be super violent. There isn't much gore in the movie at all. So because of that, it allowed the film to hit with a much wider audience in my opinion. Those looking for a horror film, Halloween covers it. Those looking for a tense thriller, Halloween covers it. It allowed a large amount of flexibility. And I also know that because of there being not much gore that there are some parents that will use it as a way to introduce their children to the horror genre. I, for one, don't necessarily see anything wrong with that. 

All of this works to make Halloween a classic. The characters. The setting. The tone. The music. All beautifully work together. It's a film that every spooky season is easy to throw on to watch whenever. Or throw it on the tv for background noise, but be prepared that you'll soon find yourself sitting entranced in the story. 

Rating: 5 out of 5. 

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SCREAM 25: The Legacy of Ghostface

For 25 years now, Ghostface has been gracing many different forms of multimedia whether it was the films, the tv series or the Dead By Daylight chapter. It is such a definitive look for the slasher. Clean. Iconic. It was able to immerse itself into the pop culture zeitgeist with ease. 

The initial design is the one that layed the groundwork. It established itself with the sleek and simple design. It made sense since this was one that was supposed to be able to be purchased anywhere. In the first Scream, they even went on to call it the Father Death costume. This was a fantastic name for it as it helped evoke that feeling you get when you hear the word Death.  

After the first film was such a success, it felt natural that we would see more of Ghostface. To the point where we ended up getting Scream 2, 3, 4 and the upcoming SCREAM in 2022. With each film, they never strayed far from what came before. They were honoring the legacy that was being built. That's why there was no shake up in that initial design. 

The personality of the person underneath was what shined through. That's also a factor in why the first, second and fourth film have lots of replay value. To see if we can pick out who did what and at what moment. There were a few scenes where it was absolutely clear who did what. Never is this more evident than in the second film with Randy's death. All of those factors helped paint different distinct versions of the infamous slasher known as Ghostface. 

Next up, we were introduced to a different Ghostface altogether in Scary Movie. Some may not consider this to be a legit contender in the Ghostface Legacy. However, I do as the basis of Scary Movie is spent spoofing the Scream films. 

This Ghostface amplified the goofiness to a whole nother level. Yeah, the Scream movies show that there's a human underneath the costume that sometimes messes up (see Sidney's initial attack). But this was to Airplane level of absurdity. This allowed the audience to be in on the joke. Especially as we see the different takes on the mask throughout the film. This was a very fun way of allowing this Ghostface to express himself. Be it by stoned or the whazzup. This helped show how much of an impact Ghostface had on Pop Culture.

As time passed, there was word of the Scream tv series from MTV and then later VH1. It was known that this would be a whole new take on the material and world. Almost a reboot in a sense with the first two seasons. With the decision of a new take, it meant that there would be a new Ghostface. Enter Brandon James. 

This was a more unique approach. It allowed the chance to redefine Ghostface. 

Yeah, there are many that did not enjoy the series. I appreciated it for doing things differently. It allowed more time with the characters and in the world. Here, we weren't hindered to the 2 hr runtime. Everything was allowed the proper time to breathe. So, I applaud them for doing something differently. 

The new approach allowed a more organic version of Ghostface mask. It also gave a unique reason for it being different. The fact that it was designed to be a post operation medical mask - it was a realistic approach that helped ground the tone for this series. 

With the third season of SCREAM, it abandoned the cliffhanger of the previous season. Fans would be left wondering what happened. Personally, I was a bit upset when I finished it to find out it would never resolved. The studio had heard enough of the upset fans bashing of the show and decided that it would return to what worked. It would go back to more of a tone of the film series. 

With this return to form, it brought back what some people were clamoring for - the OG Ghostface mask and the return of Roger L. Jackson as the voice. This was a huge shakeup as it firmly transitioned the series into an anthology format. This was a more traditional take with Ghostface and the series. Honestly it felt as if it still took place in the world of the films. And unfortunately for the series, it was a last ditched attempt to right what they were seeing as a sinking ship. 

However, I still view both as viable entries to the legacy of Ghostface.

In 2019, the game Dead By Daylight was a massive success. It allowed a 1v4 format of playing out a horror movie as you controlled either the survivors or the killer.

However, there was a killer that felt a bit like Ghostface already - Legion. Legion allowed the opportunity to play as Ghostface lite to some but allow the killer to represent themselves as either a male or female variant. There were multiple masks that all settle themselves brilliantly into the motive that Stu had laid out - they did it cause it was fun. Each one of the masks had a different trait to them. It was fantastic. There are some that may not like Legion, however I loved it. 

And it's my personal head canon that they were inspired by Stu and Billy. It makes a lot of sense. It also can show the impact of Ghostface.

Then things changed when Behavior Interactive announced that Ghostface would be entering the World of Dead by Daylight. There were a lot of fans that were excited by this news. For me, I questioned it. Was this going to be Ghostface that we knew? Was this going to just be a cash grab? 

When Ghostface released, I was very surprised. This wasn't the original Ghostface and was not tied in any way to the film series of Scream. This was a completely new take on Ghostface. 

In the Dead by Daylight lore,

Danny Johnson, known as Jed Olsen by some, grabbed the newspaper from the kitchen counter: it was a week old, but his face was on the front page, grainy and sunken. It was one of those muggy afternoons in Florida when heat and humidity permeated everything in the kitchen, making him sweat while standing still. He slouched in a damp chair to read. This article had better be good—his work in Roseville had been outstanding.

GHOST FACE DISAPPEARS June 18, 1993

At first glance, Jed Olsen was a modest and enthusiastic freelancer with experience in a variety of small newspapers. The staff at the Roseville Gazette appreciated how easy-going and honest he seemed, and so he was treated as a stranger for no more than five minutes into his interview:

"Jed quickly spotted the editor-in-chief in the room, gave him a wide smile and a firm handshake, and talked about good old American values. And that was it, he was in." —Ex-Contributor at the Roseville Gazette

Olsen never justified his erratic career path, which zigzagged between several small towns from Utah to Pennsylvania. There was no verification of his previous jobs. He had a decent portfolio plus a good attitude, and they needed a contributor right away.

THE ROSEVILLE MURDERS

Olsen had been working at the newspaper for five months when the Roseville Murders began: victims from young to old, stabbed to death in their homes. From the reports, the victims seemed chosen at random, yet the killer knew his way around in the houses. The multiple stab wounds indicated a personal motive. No traces of DNA were found. The local police were confounded: the murders were carried with fury akin to a crime of passion yet coldly premeditated.

The murderer also liked to stalk his targets. Two victims had reported being followed on their way home by a dark figure, a few days prior their death. The killer would follow them from Walleyes, a small bar in Northern Roseville, and snap pictures of them at home, while looking for a way in. He could watch the same victim for weeks, meticulously registering their habits and routines. When he felt the urge to kill, he'd visit the most vulnerable victim on his list, and break inside the house quietly.

The whole staff worked on the Roseville Murders story. Olsen was often sent to interview the family of victims and relay official statements from the police. Unknown to everyone at the time, his involvement added to the final body count.

THE GHOST FACE

Panic swelled in Roseville when Olsen produced footage of a hooded figure breaking into a house at night. The masked face, a white blur in the dark, stared at the camera for a second, before disappearing inside. “The Ghost Face Caught on Tape” was the resulting article, written by Olsen. He seemed proud of his work at the time, enjoying how the whole town feared his ghost stories.

Weeks later, Olsen left a note on his work desk and disappeared:

"I hope you liked my stories--I enjoyed bringing them to life. Don't worry, I'm not done." –Jed Olsen

The Roseville law enforcement still refuses to comment as Jed Olsen remains at large.

Danny smiled, ripping out the article from the newspaper. When the investigation had been pointing to him, he’d packed his bags and left Roseville swiftly.

He got up, the clammy seat pulling his skin. An oppressive humidity engulfed him as he entered the bedroom. Condensation dribbled on a small misted-up window as bits of cracked wallpaper hung limply. Its floral pattern was covered with gruesome photos and newspaper headlines. Danny pinned the week-old article on top of a picture of lacerated scalps. A faint pang of hunger hit him, and he wondered when he had eaten last. Was it this morning, while washing his knife and clothes? Or was it last night, after following that girl down the street? He couldn't remember clearly.

Taking a step back, he admired his work on the wall. His mind drifted, remembering all the articles he’d written, the stories he’d planned, and the scenes he’d brought to life.

A shiver ran through him. A chilling breeze transformed the bedroom's humidity into an opaque, freezing Fog. A woman shrieked. Dead leaves crunched under his feet. He smiled in anticipation.

This was an all new character. The things I love about Dead by Daylight is the lore that they created. Each one has a very distinct story. They could easily be stars in their own films. And Danny Johnson's Ghost Face is another wonderful addition to the Legacy of Ghostface. 

Would I be interested in seeing more stuff with this version? Yes, absolutely yes. It is a completely new character that has so many possibilities and layers. For me, this is one of my favorite takes on the character. 

It's also interesting because there are many different cosmetics for this version. They add so much personality to Danny Johnson as a character. 

While the default is fantastic, it is a very nice modernization to the typical Ghostface look. It's one that feels more organic and handmade then something you would find in the local Halloween shop.

My favorite of these new takes is the Devil Ghost Face. It's better known as The Devil Incarnate. This feels like a natural evolution of Danny's character. It also helps show Danny's mindset that he is operating under now. He enjoys causing pain and suffering with his victims. With the Entity's gift, he has been turned into a Devil. Always present in the shadows, waiting for his next victim to sacrifice. 

Each of these incarnations are all valid. They bring something new and different to the Legacy. And it illustrates the strength and power of the character that we are able to have all these different versions. 

*The Ghostface design and title are owned by Fun World*

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The Impact of Wes Craven On My Life

From a young age, I was introduced to the films of Wes Craven. It was my Mother and sister who were the ones that brought me into the fold. That first film was the original Nightmare on Elm Street. It scared the absolute bajeezus out of me. 

I remember there being some nightmares that I had where I was haunted by Freddy. You would think if the film scared me that much that I would stay away from it. Truth be told, there was no way that was going to happen. 

I found it a bit fascinating that here was someone that could enter the dreams of others. To some with just that description, it could come across as a superhero. However that was not Fred Krueger. He was the darkness. The one that lingered in the shadows waiting for you to start your slumber. Biding the time for that right moment to strike. 

At first, I saw Fred only as a monster. The Boogeyman. But over time, I began to notice that there was some grayness to his character. Yeah, he can be cold and heartless. However, he was wronged by the parents of Springwood. That element just lent a slight change to how I viewed the character. Yeah, he took children from their parents. Countless number. But it was mishandled when they burned him. They didn't need to enact this justice. No matter what the cost is it wasn't right. Because eventually what is out into the world will come back upon them. 

It was thanks to Wes for bringing this character into the world. For without it, who knows if I would be a horror fan today. 

The next film that I had seen was Swamp Thing. I remember seeing it on the Sci-Fi channel. Again, here we had what looked like a monster. But ultimately it had the heart of a man. I had known the character previously from the old cartoon they had made. But Wes' take on the material was a whole new level. Wes appreciated what he had to work with. And he made it his own. He gave Swamp Thing heart. And by this time in my life, I was a little bit into comics. Mostly because of the cartoons or films. But here, I was beginning to look into the world of Swamp Thing because of Wes. 

Then the Scream movies came along. I never had the chance to see the first on the big screen. But you better believe I got see it when it came to VHS. Scream means a lot to me. It was one of the first horror movies that I had seen that my Grandma also really loved. To the point where when I came to visit, we would go to the video store and rent it quite a bit. Ultimately she just decided to buy the film because of how much we enjoyed it. Scream 2 was the first entry I got to go see at the theater. And that was a whole experience unto itself. But when it came time, Grandma wanted to watch it with me. Then the third came out. And I had the pleasure of going with her to see it. So again, I thank you Wes for your involvement. You helped build a relationship between my Grandmother and I. 

New Nightmare. That was a whole beast altogether. Out of all of his films, this was the one that stood out the most to me. It may be all of the films as fairy tales or folklore that is present in it's themes. But it ended up being my go to film. It was the one I remember watching the most of the Elm Streets. Because of the relationship that Wes crafted between Nancy and Dylan. That bond between them was something that meant the world to me. Probably because I found myself relating to Dylan so much. At that point in my life, my mother was there. But she really wasn't. She was ghosting through her life. Only paying attention and caring when it mattered for her. Looking back, I see it's because she never wanted me. I was an oops. A mistake for her. So, seeing Dylan and Nancy together. It showed me what a true mother would look like.

Through the years, I wished I had the chance to meet you. Who wouldn't want to meet someone that they had looked up to? Wes was my hero. He was the first director and storyteller that had me thinking about what that would be like as a career. He helped me find my love for horror and film. At that point, I knew I wanted to be part of the community somehow. If it wasn't through directing, it'd be by talking about film. Sadly, I never had the chance to meet him. There are still films of his that I have never seen. I will be taking time to watch those. But you know what, this is enough. This is my way of getting to say thank you.

Thank You, Wes. You are a Master of Horror. Your legacy will always live on and be remembered. Thank you for creating the monsters in the shadows and the heroes that stood up to them. 

-Matthew

This one was for Wes.

Inside 'Never Hike in the Snow': A Chat with Vincente DiSanti

Hello everyone! This past week, I had the pleasure of reviewing Never Hike in the Snow as well as looking back at one of my first interviews with Vincente DiSanti. 

Well, I had the pleasure to chat with Vincente once again about Never Hike in the Snow. 

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What are your thoughts on Jason Goes to Hell and Jason X?

Jason Goes to Hell may have been the first film I ever watched that made me angry. Granted, I was 12 years old at the time, but Jason Voorhees and Friday the 13th were a sacred part of my childhood. Watching Jason explode before my eyes in the first 5 minutes of that film broke my little horror heart (and Jason) into a million pieces. 

Many years and three films later, I’ve come to enjoy the film a little more knowing that it wasn’t actually “The Final Friday.” Despite not having Jason, it does feature a lot of strong elements like the cast, special fx, and overall production value compared to some of the previous Paramount instalments. I can also appreciate the dedicated fanbase the film has with it being such a black sheep of the franchise. 

Jason X was the first Friday the 13th film I saw in the theater. I think because expectations were so low going in, I was able to prepare myself to have more fun with that watch. I was in high school at the time and convinced a large group of friends to join me on opening day. Aside from a few other people, we were the only ones in the theater and had a great time watching the film. There were a lot of laughs and collective groans, but despite it being the Friday film no one asked for, it is still one I enjoy watching from time to time. It really is a lot of fun. 

What was the inspiration for Never Hike in the Snow? 

Fans have been calling for a winter set Friday the 13th for as long as I remember, so our team thought it would be a fun challenge to answer that call and take Jason into a frozen landscape. 

The inspiration for the film began with the opening kill sequence. The “axe to mouth” kill had been in my notes since the early days of Never Hike Alone as It was originally intended for Kyle McLeod. After we wrote Kyle’s death out of Never Hike Alone, it sat in my notes for years until evolving into the “Blood Angel” kill.

From there, rather than creating a thinly plotted series of ice-themed kill sequences, we used the opening of Never Hike in the Snow as a launching point to further explore modern day Crystal Lake, introduce a few new characters, and dive deeper into the lore of Jason Voorhees. 

The inspiration for our story came from stepping back from Friday the 13th as a “mindless slasher” and examining how this story would impact a more grounded, real world setting. Instead of focusing on how many people we could kill, we instead chose to focus on amplifying the impact of each death and the emotional toll it takes on our characters.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a classic slasher film as much as the next horror fan, but our pursuit with Never Hike Alone is to tap into areas Friday the 13th has not yet explored, and amplify abandoned plot lines with strong storytelling potential.   

What was the production like? How did it differ from Never Hike Alone?

Never Hike in the Snow was a much different and more focused production than Never Hike Alone. Having proper funding right away allowed us to prep and schedule more like a normal production rather than stretching out the filming process over a long period of time. This was also due in part to having a full ensemble cast in almost every scene rather than one actor who we could start and stop with at any time we wanted. 

Due to that demand and higher cost of production, any sort of mistake or set back on this round of filming carried a lot more pressure. I am proud of our team and our ability to make it through each weekend without succumbing to any of the challenges that were thrown in our path. 

Our biggest hurdle was the winter season of 2019-2020 in Southern California ended up as a major drought season. Big Bear, California is where we have always been shooting and it typically has a few feet of snow in late January. Even in our initial scouts, the 2018-2019 winter season was one of the best seasons on record.  

The roads were bone dry on the first day of traveling out to our shooting locations and we were actually wondering if we were going to have to change the name of the film. Our only hope was that by sheer luck there was a snowstorm in the forecast for that weekend, but nothing was guaranteed. The time and days shifted by the hour.

Luckily for us, mother nature delivered on the first morning of shooting and our crew ended up chasing pockets of storms throughout the day starting at around 4:30am. The opening sequences and Tommy’s arrest scenes were both shot during flash storms. Thom Mathews looked over at me during one of the takes and said “You know Vin, I know productions that have waited months for weather like this.” Luck was truly on our side and it was one of the biggest reliefs I had while filming. 

When the storms subsided, our crew still had to race melting snow as the Sun wiped out almost everything it touched during the day. At one point, we had production staff shoveling piles of snow into the shade so we could dress bare areas of the set. Overall we were truly blessed by nature in order to not change the name of the film, but our crew had to work hard as hell for us to earn it. 

Ghost Jason has been welcomed with open arms by the horror community. Some even consider it to be among the best representations of the character. What was it to make this Jason so different? So mythic. 

I think Ghost Jason simply stems out of what I believe to be the best qualities of the character, going back as far as his childhood and working him all the way through to modern day. 

In past films, Jason has been overlooked as a character when it comes to terms of his depth. There is even a famous quote from part 3 director Steve Miner to Richard Brooker “You don’t have a motivation; you just want to kill her!”

It is very easy to assume that Jason is an “OP” killing machine who simply marches around with only one purpose in life. However, when you start to peel back the layers of this character and this franchise, you’d be surprised to discover a lot of untapped potential. 

Our Jason is a little more evolved in terms of that he has learned from his past and takes on a similar mindset as when we first met him in Friday the 13th part 2. In the years that follow the events of that film, every time he has ventured outside of the camp has resulted in disaster in the form of his often brutal and painful demise. The true curse is that the trail of blood Jason leaves in his wake always ends up in his own.

As the harbinger who carries the responsibilities of inflicting his mother’s “death curse,” he has been doomed to repeat this task until the end of time. Now decades later, Jason's rage has subsided into a much simpler mission. “Protect home.”

Aside from building Jason as a character, it was designing his new look that was a truly fun part of the process. With help from Brett Morris at CFX Louisiana and SPFX artist Kelsey Berk, it took years of designing and redesigning Jason’s look from the ground up before I was happy with the version that appeared on camera. 

A blend of modern and old school stylistic choices, Ghost Jason is a direct representation of where I would have loved to see the character go stylistically in future official installments. 

My strategy was to scale back the bulky look to the previous costume jackets and look for something more derivative of classic looks from parts IV and VI. Returning Jason to an Earth-toned color scheme made him feel more like a part of the forest. 

With the “Ghost Hock”, I wanted to design something old and sinister. Our films retcon everything after the paramount era films continuity that all of Jason’s original masks were destroyed, so this gave us an opportunity to come up with something new.  

My theory here is that Jason returned to the camp after the “Manhattan Incident” and discovered an old mask in the equipment left behind when the camp attempted to reopen it in the 1960’s. Those attempts were always met with Pamela’s sabotage, so any and all equipment brought in those early seasons got left behind until the Christies could raise enough money to get the camp open again. We don’t think it’s too much of a reach to say the masks were either used for street hockey or possibly a winter camp.  

The pile of masks shown in Never Hike in the Snow represents where Jason found his new mask in the piles of old sports equipment. After 20 years of wearing it, it has become just as faded and aged as he is, that’s why it has no chevrons. 

How does Ghost Jason differ in this film compared to Never Hike Alone? Does he differ at all? What was it like getting to step back into the role?

One of the elements we explored in this film, and the “Disappear” music video, was “how does Jason spend his time when people are not around?” Jason was more of a background presence through a majority of Never Hike Alone, but in Snow you could make a case that not only is he a lead character, but the main character.

A recurring theme in our films is how Jason battles modern technology as it threatens to expose his existence. GoPros, Digital Cameras, and even Google Maps all pose a threat to the secret life he has been keeping for himself. Protecting his home and living in peace. 

Like Never Hike Alone, Jason only springs into action when he absolutely needs to when Kyle discovers his mother’s head. In the case of Never Hike in the Snow, it is after Jason mistakenly gets himself caught on Mark’s camera.

Unlike Kyle McLeod, Mark Hill does not get away and Jason is able to avoid proof of his existence getting out. However, Mark’s near escape draws unwanted attention and once again Jason is put in a position to defend his home or risk the outside world destroying everything he has been protecting.  

How has the response been to this second film as compared to the first? What do you think about it?

Never Hike in the Snow was mostly well received, but we would be lying to ourselves if we failed to acknowledge fans being let down by the shorter run time and cliffhanger ending.

Without a big budget marketing campaign, not everyone who tuned in realized they were watching part one of four in what was supposed to be a series of short films that we had planned to crowdfund and produce throughout 2020-21. 

With the biggest criticism being that the fans simply wanted more, it was a great sign for our future, but our hands became tied when the entire world shut down for the pandemic. 

Learning from this experience, and losing a year from the lockdowns, we have decided to scrap the mini-series idea and set our sights on raising the money for a full feature sequel simply called ‘Never Hike Alone 2.” 

After all was said and done I am really proud of Never Hike in the Snow. I think we improved our ability to execute on set and deliver quality Friday content to fans. We accomplished just about everything we wanted to with this part of the story and believe in the larger visions we have planned for this story. I think with more time fans will grow to appreciate it, especially when they see how it fits in with the rest of the completed story. 

Will we be seeing more in this series?

Yes, once we complete the crowdfunding obligations for Never Hike in the Snow, we will step right into getting the Never Hike Alone 2 project off the ground. 

Right now our plan is to launch a crowdfund campaign sometime in the Fall of 2021, shoot the film in the Spring of 2022, and release the film on October 13, 2022. 

Do you consider these films to be part of the franchise canon? What are your thoughts on head canon and canon within the franchise?

First and foremost, we are very proud to be a fan operated production working outside the studio system to make these films. We would never be brash enough to say we are canon or an official part of the franchise. Besides, having the freedom to work in this space allows us to make the films the studios honestly can’t and won’t.

It is humbling to hear when fans tell us they consider Never Hike Alone films to be as much a part of this franchise as any other entry. We never expected that when going into this journey, but it is a wonderful compliment to receive after putting in so much hard work. 

We may never be truly official, but I think one day fans will look back on this period when the die-hard franchise fans took over for a while and did some truly special things. 

How did Covid effect you? Womp Stomp Films? The covid-19 pandemic was a major factor in several set backs we faced over the last 15 months.

We were lucky enough to finish production just one week before the nationwide lockdown, but this left us with no options when it came to picking up bonus material and additional scenes like we had originally planned.

The only scene we were unable to film was a mid-credit bonus scene with Tommy being dropped off at his Jeep after being bailed out the following morning. Back at the camp gate, Tommy discovers Deputy Mabry’s abandoned cruiser, recovers a machete from the back of his Jeep, and marches into the camp as we drone above the trees in similar fashion to the ending of Never Hike Alone. 

Shortly after lockdown began, our editor Mike Api lost his father to Covid-19 after he battled the virus for over a month in the hospital. Due to this, we shut down post-production for two to three months in order to give Mike the proper time he needed to grieve and spend time with his family.

As dates slid back, so did our release and plans to start the next installment. We were also unable to host a live, in person premiere of the film and were forced to cancel events all over the country and even a few overseas.

On the crowdfunding front, pandemic lockdowns and material shortages delayed our ability to produce our home video blu rays. We were left waiting until June 2, 2021 before our vendor could complete our order and we could start shipping.

Where did the idea for The Ghost Cut come from? What makes it so unique? 

The Ghost Cut came from the idea of doing something special on Friday the 13th for the fans and helped clear up some of the confusion about how the Never Hike Alone timeline is constructed. Not only in relation to each of our films, but also the rest of the franchise in general. 

Personally, Thom’s voice over of the Disappear music video is my personal favorite part of the Ghost Cut as it sets the tone for everything we are working to set up. Having a chance to add Adam Marcus, Ron Sloan, Cindy Kania, Deb Voorhees, and Tracie Savage was another cool set of easter eggs we thought fans would appreciate. 

Adding the press conference scene to Never Hike in the Snow was also our way of helping fans understand what happened after Deputy Mabry’s death and show that Jason was able to escape leaving no evidence behind. 

We also made sure to include a little sneak preview of Never Hike Alone 2 at the end so fans knew more story was coming. 

Overall, this production went from wrapping up everything we had planned in Spring of 2020 to finally getting to the finish line in August of 2021. It has been a very long 2 years since the start of this part of the project and I can't wait to move forward onto the next stage of this journey. 

For someone coming fresh to the story, what do you think is the best way to experience this story?

I think it is best for people just to start with Never Hike Alone and sort of follow the same journey we have taken. Watch the films in order by release and then finish with ghost cut to better catch things they missed and better spot the new pieces included in that entry. Don’t forget to like and subscribe for updates on new materials as we drop it over the coming year. 

What are your thoughts on the legal battle? Do you think it'll be settled soon?

Unfortunately, I think the rights battle is going to continue for many years to come. From what I have come to understand, neither party has any plans to back down from appeals and will pursue this lawsuit until all options are exhausted. There is most likely a few more years before we see another Friday, which is sad now that it looks like a slasher revival is on the horizon. 

From a fan standpoint, it is sad to see two people you have a lot of respect for unable to come together for the common good of the fanbase who supported them for decades. Both Sean and Victor owe a lot to each other when it comes to their collective effort on birthing this franchise. As fans, we owe a lot to them for figuring out how to get that film from a print ad in Variety to the most successful horror film franchise in the world.   

I also think there is something to be said about the filmmakers who carried this franchise past the first film in a time when both Sean and Victor seemed more than happy to move on in their careers. Contributors like Steve Miner, Joe Zito, Tom McGloughlin, Tom Savini, Jon Carl-Buechler, Kane Hodder, the Mancuso family, and Carl Fullerton all had definitive impact on how Friday the 13th was shaped in our popular culture outside of Sean and Victor’s original influence. 

On paper those names may not be owed a piece of the rights the Sean and Victor are fighting for, but they are the ones who made those rights worth fighting for. Filmmaking is the task of not a few, but of many. For two men to be fighting for credit on something it has taken an entire village working decades to craft seems childish. Like two dads fighting over credit for a child that was raised in the houses of families. 

My only hope is that no matter how long it takes, something is eventually done that allows Jason to return to the big screen. Until that happens, I’m just going to keep making my own Friday the 13th films to pass the time. 

Do you think we will see a return to the big screen for Jason Voorhees?

One day yes, but unfortunately not any time soon. In the meantime, I would encourage fans to seek out screenings of the Friday the 13th films (and Fan Films) across the country at special events, film festivals, and horror conventions. This is a great way to connect with other fans to help keep the franchise alive. 

I would also ask die hard Friday the 13th fans to consider giving fan films a chance as well as their support. Fan films can do what the rights owners and studios no longer seem interested in doing and explore storylines the fans have always wanted to see.

It may come in various forms of production and story values, but if anything Fan Films are all wildly entertaining in their own right and worthy of fan consideration when looking for some new life to Friday the 13th.

With the Friday the 13th Killer Puzzle, how does it feel seeing Ghost Jason in the game? Do you think we could have gotten a Ghost Jason in the Friday the 13th Game if it hadn't shut down due to the legal battle? 

Being in the puzzle game is awesome and the fact that Blue Wizard was kind enough to include us has been a highlight of this post Never Hike Alone experience. Playing as Ghost is surreal and I have a lot of fun killing Kyle whenever he appears on the board.

Getting into Friday the 13th The Game is a different story. I had a nice chat with Ronnie Hobbs about it at the Friday the 13th Game release party. Without diving into too much detail, all I can say is adding Ghost Jason to the game was almost impossible, even before the lawsuit.

As a consolation, I did get to design the “Free Kick” kill with Ronnie and Kane which was a great experience. That kill ended up being one of the last things added into the game. As a backer who contributed to the funding that launched the game, it means a lot to me that I now get to say I was a small part of it.  

What's next for you? What's next for Womp Stomp Films? 

Despite the pandemic lull, Womp Stomp Films has been very busy. We are actively working on a few original Womp Stomp Films productions as well as co-productions with other filmmakers around the country. 

Here is a list of what we have in the pipeline: 

I am attached to direct the horror / comedy “The Kindness of Strangers” through Schemer’s Entertainment based on a script by Ian Busch. Never Hike Alone co-writer Nate McLeod and I recently completed a new horror feature script called “The Beginning of the End.” 

One of my favorite projects in the works is Womp Stomp Films first animated short film “Ghost Chicken”about a vegan restaurant that is haunted by the ghost of chicken and the one girl determined to figure out why. This will be my first animated film as a director and we are currently set to enter the animation phase over the winter of 2021-22 and submit to the festival circuit in 2022. 

Co-Producing / Co-Writing “Jason Rising” a Friday the 13th Fan FIlm which releases on August 13, 2021 on the Red Crow Films YouTube page. The red carpet premiere of the film is scheduled for the same night at the Hollywood Theater in Portland, OR. 

Co-Producing / Co-Writing an original short horror film “Judy” which will be launching a crowdfunding campaign in early August to help finish the film. Our plan is to complete and submit to the festival circuit sometime this fall. It is directed by Rene Rivas who is best known for “The Spirit of Hadonnfield” and “The Tent.” It is co-produced by Rene Rivas Productions, Left Lane Labs, and Womp Stomp Films. 

Co-Producing “Dylan’s New Nightmare” a Nightmare on Elm Street Fan FIlm with The Horror Show’s Cecil Laird. The film picks up 25 years after the events of Wes Craven’s a New Nightmare and welcomes back Miko Hughes in the role of “Dylan Porter.” The film is currently crowdfunding on Indiegogo and we are scheduled to shoot this fall and release sometime in 2022 on the The Horror Show YouTube channel. 

Lastly, but certainly the one fans are most anticipating, once we complete the Never Hike in the Snow Indiegogo fulfillments, we are preparing to launch a new crowdfund campaign for “Never Hike Alone 2” with plans to shoot in spring 2022 and release on October 13, 2022.

What can fans expect with Never Hike Alone 2?

Flat out, Never Hike Alone 2 is the Friday the 13th film that I have always wanted to make and fans have been dying to see. It involves the direct continuation of the Tommy Jarvis saga with fan favorite Thom Mathews signed on to once again reprise his role as Jason’s arch enemy. 

Set 25 years after Jason Voorhees was supposedly returned to the depths of Crystal Lake, longtime nemesis Tommy Jarvis still lives with the fear that the undying, homicidal maniac still stalks the forests of Wessex County. 

Working as a part time EMT, Tommy has struggled to prove his theory that Jason is still alive, until the fateful day he and his team are called out to recover an injured hiker, Kyle McLeod, who was found bloody and unconscious at the edge of the Wessex County Wildlife Preserve. 

Shortly after Tommy arrives to the aid of Kyle, Jason emerges from the forest and attacks Tommy and his team in ultimate pursuit of the injured hiker who bested him in the events of Never Hike Alone. 

After narrowly escaping Jason, Tommy and Kyle return to the Wessex Country Medical Center to recover from their wounds, but Jason is not far behind and hell bent on putting an end to Kyle and Tommy once and for all. 

Our entire team truly believes that not only will Never Hike Alone 2 give fans the Tommy vs. Jason film they have been waiting to see, but also deliver the definitive, bloody, and emotional ending to the Friday the 13th saga we all deserve.  

Fans may remember that we originally planned to split the film into 3 episodes to make each part of the production more affordable. After the pandemic delay and overwhelming crowdfunding support for Never Hike in the Snow, we feel confident we can raise the proper funding to do a Friday the 13th Fan Feature the proper way

Now, more than ever, we will need the collective support of the entire Friday the 13th franchise fandom. With their support, we are confident we can give the fans the film the studios never could.

The music is it's own character in the film. Its very distinct. Especially the first time that we hear the Ki-Ki-Ki and Ma-Ma-Ma. What was it like getting to remix Jason's iconic theme? 

All the credit to our music goes to the film’s composer Ryan Perez-Daple. We have been working together on every project I have made since Never Hike Alone and I consider him a vital member of my core Womp Stomp Films team. 

Music is very important in filmmaking. Our post team works very hard to incorporate the right tone and mood even before we shoot and edit. When preparing for a film I will often collect a series of tracks from different scores and listen to them over and over again while visualizing how certain scenes will be shot in relation to the music. I share that music with my crew and we all know what rhythm and pace we need to be on when shooting the scene.  

When the bow and arrow sequence goes into slow motion, we knew we needed something dynamic and exciting to go along with the action. We took some inspiration from the “Baskin” soundtrack to ratchet up the excitement. Ryan then worked within elements of our own original score and put his own spin on it while incorporating the Ki’s and Ma’s from our film’s sound library.  

What was it like getting to bring back Vincent Guastaferro? Did Thom have a hand in bringing him in?

Working and getting to know Vinny has been such a great experience. Thom was the one who introduced Vinny to Never Hike Alone and arranged for us to meet. As a couple of Italian paisanos with the same name, we hit it off immediately. 

Vinny loves acting. It was inspiring to work together with him to bring the character of Rick Cologne back to the screen. Rick and Tommy’s rivalry is a big part of the film so having these two is such a key element to making our version of this story feel like a true extension of the franchise. 

I think one thing that surprised Vinny was to see how the character of Rick has evolved from his first appearance in Jason Lives. Without breaking canon, we continue with the notion that because Rick has never seen Jason with his own eyes, he is not truly convinced that he exists. 

Rick is no longer the brash young deputy we last saw locked in a cage by Tommy and Megan, but a seasoned Sheriff who is a bit more cunning and manipulative in his elder years. That said, Tommy does have a way of bringing out the old fire inside of him. 

To Rick, Jason is the Jaws of Wessex County and the last thing he wants is for someone to start telling all the citizens of Crystal Lake that there is a hockey-masked shark in the water. 

Rick hides information from his Deputy and Anna because he knows that any information about a “Jason” sighting getting out is potential for public panic and scrutiny. He also know that where “Jason” goes, an appearance by Tommy is not far behind. 

The scene with Jason and his mother. Where did that come from? It's a very touching look into Jason's mindstate. Does Jason view himself still as that little boy?

This is a scene that I had in my notes for a long time. The original idea came from an animated Friday the 13thmusic video I wanted to put together based on the synth track “These Streets” by Lazerhawk. 

I wrote out a whole sequence of Jason rising from the lake and returning to his mother’s altar with the first victim he claims in the video. As her blood seeps into the wood around the altar, Pamela’s Ghost appears, and Jason returns to childlike form after Pamela removes his mask. 

Part of the overall idea eventually became the “Disappear” music video, but we didn’t have room for the transformation dream to take place. The film also became more about Jason’s loneliness of being stuck in an endless cycle of death with no end in sight.  

In Never Hike in the Snow, the idea came back into the fold only a few months before we were supposed to start shooting. Examining ways to expand the story, I once again found myself in the mindset of Jason and what would be going through his head in the moments after his kill. Then I remembered this scene and found a way to weave it into the narrative. 

Once again testing the boundaries of the Friday the 13th narrative, I wanted to show the first ever signs of Jason having guilt or having second thoughts for his actions. After all, Mark was just an innocent 17-year-old boy who was killed because of Jason’s stupidity of getting caught on camera. He didn’t need to die, but Jason was left without a choice.

Pamela appearing is a way for Jason to continue to justify his actions. Pamela’s spirit is simply just there to comfort her child. As long as she still loves him, everything else will be OK. 

Although I do not believe Pamela or Jason to be inherently evil people, they are now supernaturally trapped as a form of punishment for Pamela’s actions in 1979 and doomed to eternally inflict the pain they once felt onto the people of Crystal Lake. 

The body camera for the Deputy. What was the inspiration for that sequence? It felt very grounded in Never Hike Alone's found footage tone. It also reminded me slightly of the sequence from Texas Chainsaw 3D with the cop investigating the house and coming across Leatherface.

The bodycam sequence was a return to the roots of the found footage approach we used to create tension in Never Hike Alone. Our goal was to show off a little more of the camp through a new character’s eyes, sprinkle in an easter egg or two, and then have the film go out on an intense scare. 

Unlike the found footage scenes in Never Hike Alone with Kyle McLeod’s search leading to a confrontation with Jason, the end result of Deputy Mabry’s journey leads to a brutal death. We wanted this to be the found footage kill sequence people have been waiting for and I think Jason getting the Deputy to blow his own head off with a shotgun was a pretty gnarly way to cap it off. 

Jason stomping out the camera at the end was a direct nod to Never Hike Alone. Showing that technology is at Jason’s doorstep and Kyle was not the first person with a camera to put Jason’s existence in peril. If anything, we wanted Jason’s ability to take brutal actions on both his victims in this film and amplify how much of a survivor Kyle is in Never Hike Alone.  

The TCM remake is a good reference, but I would say the inspiration came more from the ending of the original Blair Witch. I think horror fans will all agree that the character standing in the corner of the room at the end of that film was deeply unnerving. It may be even more disturbing knowing that we never get to understand what happens because the film ends so abruptly without any answers. 

In our similarly inspired situation, we wanted to take this concept to the next level, instill a lot more carnage, and introduce more supernatural elements to the camp. There was also a goal to grow Deputy Mabry as a character who will follow his instincts in the spirit of doing the right thing. 

I find it very poetic in stories when characters follow good natured instincts that ultimately lead to their demise. Like the young boy Mark, we wanted Alan’s death to hurt the audience emotionally and supplant the theme that death in our films is real and the audience should be very afraid of it instead of mindlessly cheering it. 

With Jason lost in his trance and vulnerable to attack, the scene gives Deputy Mabry a moment of contentment thinking he may have solved the case. Sensing Jason is under attack, we see how the camp can supernaturally assist Jason with gaining an upper hand. 

Originally planned to be done with fans, the wind that passed through the attic and blew out the candles in the scene naturally happened and required no on-set special FX. We refer to happy accidents and odd occurrences in the story and on set as “The Spirit of Pamela.” This moment in the film is Pamela supernaturally protecting her son.    

The other dramatic nature of this situation is that if Tommy wasn’t stopped by Rick and Mabry, a lot of lives could have been saved not only in this film but also events to come. 

I love / hate the fact that Tommy gets so close to proving everyone wrong in Never Hike in the Snow, but I also know how much more satisfying it will be when it happens in Never Hike Alone 2. 

Deputy Mabry’s curiosity is sparked by Tommy’s wild theories and Rick withholding information. Due to this, he wanders into a situation he is not equipped to handle on his own and pays the ultimate price. In my head, Tommy and Rick share just as much responsibility for his death and that guilt will carry through with them into the next film. 

Part of why we see Tommy so sullen in Never Hike Alone is that aside from his failure to produce any proof of Jason’s existence, the guilt of Deputy Mabry’s death has pushed Tommy toward giving up on his pursuit of ever finding Jason at all.  

A lot of fans saw this scene as an abrupt ending without any meaning, but if you look closer you will see a much bigger story with deep roots in character and emotion. Never Hike in the Snow is only the beginning of a much bigger story. 

Will we find more about the boy at the beginning that comes across Jason? It seemed like there was more going on with his mother. Or is this one of those instances where we just see it as a casualty of tragic events? 

The story of Mark Hill continues to play a factor in Never Hike Alone 2 through his mother, Diana, who I consider to be the sleeping giant of the film. Never Hike in the Snow was only an introduction to her character, and she has a lot more to contribute to the emotional arc as the story continues.  

Three months after the unexplained disappearance of her son, Diana Hill is conflicted about what to do with her life now that he is gone. Leaving Crystal Lake without answers about what happened to Mark gives her an awful sense of abandoning him and all hope of knowing his true fate. Then again, each day that passes in town is a haunting reminder of what she lost. 

Diana is a resident physician who works at Wessex County Medical Center with Tommy. When Tommy returns with Kyle after their encounter with Jason on Cunningham Road, he may have the answers Diana needs to find out what happened to her son. 

The conflict will be whether Diana believes what Tommy has to say about Jason attacking the ambulance or if she will be swayed by Rick’s theory that Jason is a myth and Tommy is staging an elaborate hoax fueled by his life-long psychosis.

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Thank you so much Vin for taking this time! Cannot wait to chat again soon. 

What have we learned everybody? Well, it's been announced that we will be getting a full length Never Hike Alone 2. I know I am super excited about hearing that news. 

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Winner Kills All: Revisiting Freddy vs. Jason

After doing retrospectives on Jason Goes to Hell and Jason X, it hit me that I was unintentionally covering the New Line Cinema era of the Friday the 13th franchise. When that hit me, I realized what that meant and where all roads lead to - Freddy Vs. Jason. 

Freddy vs. Jason was an epic concept. I mean we hadn't really had anything like that yet. It was something that took forever to get made. There were numerous and I mean numerous different scripts that were written. But there was always something wrong with them. Whether it was too meta, too different or didn't show respect to what these two Titans of horror were. 

Somehow, New Line Cinema had finally found something that worked. It was directed by Ronny Yu and written by Mark Swift and Damian Shannon. This version of the film was able to balance between feeling like an Elm Street movie and a Friday the 13th film. Some people will probably say that it fails in both regards. However, I think it does a decent job of it. 

I remember how big of a deal this film was. It was a huge event for New Line Cinema. The trailers and tv spots were everywhere (I remember seeing one on ESPN). Hell, they have a weigh in event for it. (If you haven't seen it, you can see it on YouTube I'm sure.) 

It was August in 2003 when the film was released. I remember it was during a time where there were blackouts happening because of the heat. My Dad and I drove to a town over to go see it. We arrived at the theater to find that the power had just turned on as we got there. 

Sitting in the theater, the lights dimmed and the previews began. I honestly couldn't tell you what they were. Then the film began....hearing the Elm Street theme turn into the Ki-Ki-Ki Ma-Ma. It put a smile on my face. This was the first time I was able to see either an Elm Street or Friday film in the theater. 

Seeing the recap of the previous Elm Street movies and Freddy's origin. It is so good. To this day, this part of the film brings a huge smile to my face. A large part of that has to be Robert Englund's performance. 

I understand that there are a lot of people don't like Jason in this film. The main reason being that New Line didn't bring Kane Hodder back. I get and understand that argument. However, Ken Kirzinger does deliver a solid performance. He brings a different approach to Jason. Some have said very Frankenstein approach. And that's okay. I mean Kane wasn't the only actor to play Jason before. I realize that my thoughts on this may upset some. But it's been 18 years now as of this writing. 

Then we have the teenagers - Lori (Monica Keena), Kia (Kelly Rowland), Gibb (Katherine Isabelle), Will (Jason Ritter), Mark (Brendan Fletcher), Linderman (Chris Marquette) and Freeburg (Kyle Labine). There's also Trey (Jesse Hutch) and Blake (David Kopp) but they aren't around long. They do a decent job with Trey as a complete douchebag and Blake as a semi-douche. The main group of teenagers all do a solid job with the material. They understand completely what film they are in and it's definitely not Henry V. It actually feels like a nice blending of Elm Street and F13th casts. Yeah, there's a loose string of motivation for Lori to be against Freddy. It's not one of the film's finer points. 

The manipulation that Freddy uses with Jason. I think it's pretty great. It's interesting that Jason would live out a Friday the 13th film in like four minutes. It's actually a cool way of bringing Jason into the story. Then appearing as Mrs. Voorhees to get Jason fired up. This was something I  applaud. It makes the most sense that is what would make Jason come back. Plus the actress that plays Mrs. Voorhees delivers a great performance. 

I also enjoyed the Jason dream sequences. The only point I'd dock is the pinball gag. That's definitely into camp territory and felt like one step too far. Other than that, it's interesting getting to see what's going on with Jason. Even if it results in images of Jason forever taking care of everyone that comes to Camp Crystal Lake. Now that I think about it, it's Jason's purgatory. Towards the end of the film, we see a dream flashback to Jason's time at Crystal Lake to his drowning. Again, this felt like a natural extension on what could have happened. Well except for Counselor Krueger spending quality time with another counselor. 

Another aspect I really like was the idea that to think about Freddy is to spread the fear.  That honestly was pulling from the end of the original Elm Street. Because that's how Nancy defeats Freddy by taking away that fear. It's all the small details and references to the other films that are nice to see. They show a respect to the source material. Well, in this case, I would say a respect to the first Elm Street and the first two Friday the 13ths. 

Robert Englund delivers another great Freddy performance. He knows what works and what doesn't by now. The makeup design in this film is one of my absolute favorite looks. It's perfect in my opinion. And I even enjoy the Dream Demon that we see when Freddy gets really pissed off. 

The film is good. It may not be the greatest. But I feel like it's the best we could have gotten at the time. Do I think we could get a better one at some point? One could hope. But this film is a nice comfort horror movie. It's fun. It doesn't overstay it's welcome. It knows exactly what it wants to be. And it doesn't apologize for it. I recommend it. 

Rating: 3.5 out of 5. 

And if you do end up getting it on blu ray, listen to the commentary with Englund, Kirzinger and Yu. They have a blast talking about the film. 

Inside 'Fear, Inc.': A Chat with Luke Barnett

*Originally released 3/13/19*

Previously, I had talked about the film Fear, Inc. It was a solid love letter to the genre. I had the pleasure of speaking with Luke Barnett – the writer behind the film.

Hello Luke, Thank you for taking the time to chat about Fear, Inc.

Thanks for the kind review. Glad that you dug it.

What was your introduction to the horror genre?

The first time I really remember being scared from a movie was watching Hitchcock’s “The Birds”. I think my dad and I rented the VHS from Blockbuster. I doubt my mom had any idea. “Scream”, though, was when I really fell in love with the genre. I was hooked.

What is your favorite film?

That’s a near impossible question. That said, I only have one movie tattoo, and that’s from “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”. So…

Where did the idea for Fear Inc. come from?

I had a friend who was obsessed with haunted house and immersive experiences. He did all the ones here in Los Angeles and was perpetually disappointed. Then he did one called Blackout (they made a doc about it), that was expensive, required you to go through it alone, and sign a waiver. It’s intense. 

I saw him a few weeks later and asked how it was. He said “it was better than the others, but I wanted more”. And I thought he was crazy. But what he really wanted was for a company to genuinely make him question whether or not he was in real danger. A company like Fear, inc.

How long did it take to get made?

We made a three minute short film. I think it comes as a bonus with the purchase on iTunes/Amazon/DVD. The short was done for a contest called Bloody Cuts. 

The requirements were that the short had to be shot for under $1,000, had to be less than three minutes long, and had to loosely be based around the theme “who’s there”. It got top 5, along with another short called “Lights Out”, which got turned into a much bigger movie.

The short came out at the end of December and I had the first draft of the feature by March. The biggest lesson we learned was to just say “fuck it, we’re going to make this movie” and pick a start date. Once we had a date, everything felt real and it was much easier to get people to take us seriously. We made it as independently as it gets. Credit cards, loans, friends/family investing, etc. We were still raising money when the movie got into Tribeca. 

That said, we picked July 27th and I think we started shooting August 3rd.

So not far off from the goal. We were lucky, agents liked the script so they were happy to pitch it to their actor clients. We couldn’t have had a better cast and crew. They were all incredibly easy to work with and went above and beyond for the film.

To answer your initial question thought, the short came out in December, we started shooting in August, and premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April.

What was the initial response when it was first released?

Great! Every screening Tribeca sold out and had amazing audiences. The LA premiere was opening night of Screamfest to a sold out crowd of 450. It’s a total theater movie, in the vein of Scream or Cabin in the Woods, so it makes me sad more people didn’t get to see it in that environment.

Horror-comedy is tricky. We didn’t want to make something overly campy like “Tucker and Dale” (though, I LOVE that film), and we didn’t want to make something slow and moody like a lot of the horror that was coming out at the time. 

We wanted to make something like “Scream” that rides a thin line. When “Scream” is funny, it’s really funny, and when it’s scary, it’s really scary. That’s what we went for.

There were of course critics that just aren’t into a movie like this and felt we should have picked one genre or another to lean into, but we made the movie we would want to see, and that feels like a big win.

What has the response been since?

Honestly, the best part of making something is having people find it years later and reach out, or tell their friends about it. It’s incredible. Every day someone new finds it on HULU or iTunes. 

Recently, I got a random Facebook friend request from someone I went to elementary school with. She asked if I was the same Luke Barnett who she was in 3rd grade with, then asked if I wrote a movie called “Fear, Inc”. Turns out, it’s her son’s favorite movie. She’d watched it a dozen times with him, but never paid attention to the credits. Saw my name and thought “I wonder if that’s the same guy I knew as a kid”. She asked me if I had anything I could send him. 

Even though the movie didn’t become some insane smash hit and I’m not a millionaire from it, it’s kind of incredible to think some thirteen-year-old kid in Virginia has a poster of a movie I wrote on his wall. Just like I had a ‘Scream” poster on my wall.

What advice would you give for future writers?

Read a lot of screenplays. I started doing a thing recently where I committed to reading one great script a week. Various genres.

I’ve read everything from “I, Tony” to “Dumb & Dumber” to “Jurassic Park” and “Nightcrawler”. 

It’s already made me a better writer. Also, I can’t advocate strongly enough for making your own stuff.

In 2019, there is no reason not to. Make shorts, make features, just write and make content. Work shitty jobs and spend your money making stuff. It will all pay off if you don’t give yourself an end date.

What are you working on these days?

A film we produced last year, “Painkillers”, came out last month. 

It’s a cool, original take on the vampire myth from a great up and coming Taiwanese American director named Roxy Shih and a really talented writer/producer we work with often named Giles Daoust.

We just finished post on a dark crime thriller we’re producing called “Anderson Falls” from an amazing French director named Julien Seri (his last film “Night Fare” is a blast). That one stars Shawn Ashmore from X-Men and Gary Cole from Veep and Office Space. We’re figuring out where that will premiere now.

Next up for me as a writer and my partner as a director is a comedy called “Faith Based”. It’s a passion project for us and I truly cannot wait to get started. 

Later this year we’re producing a great little comedy directed by and starring Daniel Stern (“Home Alone”, “City Slickers”).

The grind never stops.

Thank you for your time, Luke. 

Thank you.

*Fear, Inc. is available on Hulu, iTunes, Amazon. Available on DVD and Digital.*

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Fear, Inc. (2016)

‘What would you do if you found yourself in a horror film?’. That is the question that the 2016 film Fear, Inc. asks.

Fear, Inc. is definitely a love letter to the horror genre. It is a small indie film. One that when it was initially released it flew under the radar. It wasn’t till recently that I discovered it on Hulu.

Fear, Inc. follows a company of degenerates who can be hired for a premium to bring your greatest fears to life. But when horror junkie Joe Foster’s customized scare seemingly begins, he and his friends must decide if this company is there to scare them or make them pawns in their own sick game.

The story definitely feels fresh and original. There are homages to other films in the genre. But it never feels out of place. The opening of the film is one that sets up the world and the rules of The Company. It is a very strong opening and will not wish to spoil.

After the opening, the film spends its time introducing the characters. The stand out of the film cast is Lucas Neff’s Joe Foster. He is a bit of a lovable oaf. But he is the everyman. Ultimately, the film fell on whether or not he was relatable. And I would say that it succeeds. The rest of the cast does an outstanding job.

The film proceeds to throw Joe into the world of Fear, Inc. along with his loved one and friends. It is a bit like Alice falling down the rabbit hole. It’s something that will change the course of the film altogether. I can definitely say that I was very impressed by the film. I had it pegged that it was going to be one thing. But then, it just took a step off the path and went into an entirely different direction. And that is definitely the film’s strength – its unpredictability.

I would highly recommend this film. It is a very strong and passionate love letter to horror. It’s original and fresh. If you have a chance to see it, don’t pass it up.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

The film was directed by Vincent Mascale from a script written by Luke Barnett. Starring Lucas Neff, Caitlin Stasey, and Chris Marquette. It is available on Hulu.

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