News

Horror Pride Month: Writer/Director Dutch Marich

Published

4 years ago

June 19, 2020

The road to filmmaking started early for writer, director, and sometime actor Dutch Marich, and oddly enough, it all began in a barber shop.

He was quite young and his dad had taken him in for a haircut. As they were waiting for their turn, he picked up a book called How It’s Made. The book went alphabetically with different things telling how they were made. Not much interested in “A is for Ambulance,” Marich flipped through the book until he found “M is for Movie.”

“It had a behind the scenes picture of American Werewolf,” the filmmaker said. “It showed the lights and just the drama and theatrics behind it. After my haircut, I asked if I could could come back and read it again and she told me I could take it with me. I reread that page over and over again.”

That single page ignited a fire in him, not only for movies but specifically horror movies, and in many ways, he never looked back. A little later on, he found himself banished from the living room when his mom and sister were watching Copycat starring Sigourney Weaver. He managed to sneak back into the room and watch the film over the back of the couch after which he admits having terrifying nightmares.

The bad dreams eventually fell away and the burgeoning horror fan fell in love with films like Scream and Poltergeist the latter of which also played an important role in another discovery in his life.

Marich says he does not remember a time in his life when he didn’t know he was different. Long before he had the vocabulary to express that he was gay, he remembers having very little interest in girls. He recalls playing t-ball as a kid and a little girl on his team had a crush on him and would sit and play with his hair while they were in the dugout.

“I remember thinking ‘ew’ like this is not my jam,” Marich explained laughing. “I was just never, at all, even in the slightest questioning my identity. When I was also super young I remember watching Poltergeist. When you see the dad with his shirt off! I was like ‘Damn!’ I was too young to be thinking like that but like it really hit me that he is a fine man.”

Later on, when he eventually came out to his family, he was surprised by how well they took it. Coming from the small mining town of Ruth, Nevada, it wasn’t something that people talked about and he was honestly afraid what their reaction might be.

“My dad was born in the town; he was a Vietnam vet. He was like Captain America,” he pointed out. “He was so cool. I came out to my mom first and she was like, ‘Yeah, I knew that.’ She told my dad for me because I was afraid to do it myself. Afterward she told my dad, he was like wanting me to come hang out with him. And he’s like, ‘So you’re mom tells me you’re gay.’ And I said yes. And he said, ‘Awesome.’ It was the only time in my life that I had ever seen my dad nervous.”

He fully admits that his own experience is not indicative to what a lot of people go through in their coming out process, and he adds that this is why inclusion and visibility is so important in film and television.

“No matter how well represented the gay community is in the arts, there are still young people growing up in families where like they’re not being accepted. These kids need that visibility that a lot of us didn’t have.”

With his family firmly in his corner, Marich set out to make his Hollywood dreams come true, enrolling in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts at the age of 17.

He did some acting while working odd jobs here and there to support himself.

Then, in his early 20s, he had an experience that would ultimately alter his path slightly. After being discriminated against for being gay, he decided to take the person to court. It wasn’t about money or anything like that, he says. It was more about holding that person accountable.

While everything was in turmoil, as so many of us do, he lost himself in horror movies, and one specific horror film, The Strangers, over and over again. It was during one of those viewings that it suddenly occurred to him that he could make a movie like this.

The Strangers played an important role in Dutch Marich’s journey to filmmaking. It was the film’s simplicity that got to him most.

“It was a small cast with one or two locations, and just two talented actors and it scares the shit out of me. It’s so simple!”

Marich came out on top in his court case and was well on his way to writing his first script in no time at all.

“[The film] was a total disaster,” he recalled laughing, “but I actually consider that movie film school for me. The amount that I learned about what not to do and what I needed to pay attention to before going to camera. So, that first movie will never see the light of day.”

The filmmaker took those lessons to heart, and since then has written and directed six films, all of which have played various festivals and some you can see on Amazon.

“There’s two things that I love in horror,” Marich said. “One is the fear of the unknown which to me is just the best. It’s hard to top that sort of unsolved mysteries thing. I love the things that push your brain to work. The second would have to be a straight up, visceral human monster, slasher, or serial killer.”

He’s worked with both of these themes in his films.

Infernum dug into the phenomena knows as “The Hum,” a mysterious sound heard by groups of people around the world at various times that has been the subject of everything from episodes of The X-Files to features on Unsolved Mysteries. In Marich’s film, he uses “The Hum” as a jumping off place for a story about a woman trying to find out exactly what happened to her parents when she was a child.

Then there’s Hunting, which centers on a young woman–played by Marich’s sister–who starts using an app to find “treasures” around Los Angeles only to find herself drawn closer and closer to mysterious events and a bloodthirsty killer.

More recently, his film Reaptown tells the story of a young woman in a work-release program who stumbles upon supernatural horrors while working at the Reaptown Railway Museum and searching for her lost sister.

The film premiered in his hometown at the first ever Ely Nevada Film Festival.

Looking into the future, Marich says, he has lots of ideas and projects in the works including a script for his first full-on gay horror film.

As we concluded our interview, I could not help reflect on Dutch Marich’s story. He’s an out and proud gay filmmaker from a supportive background who loves to scare people, but he’s also a gentle soul, easy to laugh, and passionate about representation and visibility in the genre.

Honestly, I just can’t help but look forward to what he makes next.

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Lists

Yay or Nay: What’s Good and Bad in Horror This Week: 5/13 to 5/17

Published

20 hours ago

May 19, 2024

Timothy Rawles

Yay

Fall is getting not one but two sequels. It’s great news because now we know bad CGI can be consciously ignored when everything else is so great.

Yay

A man is labeled a time traveler after allegedly entering a garden shed in his 30s and exiting the next day in his 60s. If the magic is true we can finally go back and talk to Jason Blum right after Paranormal Activity and make him promise to never to touch an Exorcist movie.

Nay

The Coffee Table. This may be the first time we have suggested spoiling a film before actually seeing it. Wait. Maybe we spoiled Old by suggesting you don’t go see it.

Nay

Prolific B moviemaker Roger Corman passes away at 98. He gave many actors and directors a chance in Hollywood, some would go on to win major awards. His films were outrageous, often gratuitous but always filled with heart.

Yay

Clown Motel becomes a trilogy. Cheap Indy horror filmmakers aren’t micromanaged by rich and power studio execs so they can have fun with their material, and what better place to exercise that freedom than at a creepy desert motel in Nevada lorded over by hundreds of clowns.

Nay

A Jason Universe is announced which promises many lateral “activations” in the Friday the 13th universe. Although the definition of said “activations” is never fully explained it leads us to believe it was a typo for “transactions” so Fortnite players scan by a Jason skin wearing a non-IP regulation hockey mask.

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News

[Exclusive Photos & Trailer] Magnificent Films’ Vampire Feature ‘Drained’

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2024

Ryan T. Cusick

There have been some Vampires in the news this week; I’m not complaining! Sean Cronin and Peter Stylianou’s film Drained is screening at the Cannes Film Festival in France. Drained sounds like it has romantic and supernatural elements, conflict, emotional and psychological depth, and a rich setting. Go ahead and check out the press release below and our exclusive photos & teaser trailer. If you’re into vampires sprinkled with intriguing characters and a blend of genres, this may be your cup of blood!

**Madalina Bellariu lon in ‘Drained’** [iHorror Exclusive]

British filmmakers’ Sean Cronin and Peter Stylianou’s London-based feature vampire film “Drained” has completed post-production and is headed to market at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival (May 14-25, 2024) in Cannes, France.

The supernatural horror film – which was co-directed and produced by Cronin and Peter Stylianou from a screenplay by the latter — was filmed in London, England, and is a Magnificent Films/House 54/Red Guerilla Films co-production. Additional producers include Daniel Patrick Vaughan and Tony Currier. Cronin, as an actor, has portrayed villains in dozens of box office hits, as well as having directed several award-winning titles, including the upcoming feature ‘Bogieville.’ Peter Stylianou is a writer/director with two feature film credits already to his name.

Reads the synopsis for ‘Drained,’ “In the neon-soaked streets of London, Thomas, a jobless post-graduate concept artist, falls in love with Rhea, a mysterious woman who turns out to be a vampire. As their twisted romance unfolds, Thomas’s health deteriorates, and he spirals out of control.

**BTS of Directors Peter Stylianou and Sean Cronin**

Ruaridh Aldington (“Dirty Boy”) and Madalina Bellariu Ion (“Dampyr”) star as the ill-fated couple, with supporting cast which includes Craig Conway (“Dog Soldiers”), Angela Dixon (“Never Let Go”), Andrew Lyle-Pinnock, Natasha Patel (The Witcher: Blood Origin), Andrew Lee Potts (Band of Brothers), Diana Yekinni, Ayvianna Snow, Kenton Lloyd Morgan and Timothy Blore.

Special makeup effects are by Francesca Reidie, with Ellie Campbell handling production design and cinematography by Daniel Patrick Vaughan.

Said Cronin of “Drained”, “Stylistically, the film is a mesmerizing blend of darkness and beauty. With a neon-noir aesthetic reminiscent of a night bus ride through London’s rain-soaked streets, we worked hard to capture the city’s underbelly, with a score and soundtrack that echoes the allure of ‘Drive’ with its synth 80s sound, striking the perfect balance between atmospheric and engaging.”

**Ruaridh Aldington & Madaline Bellariu lon in ‘Drained’** [iHorror Exclusive]

Added Stylianou. “Beneath the surface of this vampiric romance, the film delves deeper, exploring the addictive nature of today’s society. Just as Thomas becomes ensnared in Rhea’s world, modern life presents its own metaphorical vampires, be it social media, substance abuse, or other self-destructive habits. The film paints a striking portrait of why individuals give themselves to these draining forces.”

Added Madalina Bellariu Ion: “Growing up in Transylvania, Romania, I’ve always dreamt of playing a vampire. So, portraying Rhea was a perfect fit for me! The blend of fantasy horror and gritty realism in this film created an unforgettable experience that stayed with me long after filming ended. I hope the audience feels the same way after watching it. It’s a truly unique vampire film.”

[Exclusive] ‘Drained’ Teaser Trailer

About Magnificent Film & Television LTD

Magnificent Films was founded in 2007 by Sean Cronin to create imaginative, cinematic storytelling second to none. With a team of talented editors, writers, and production staff he has forged forward in building a dynamic film company for the 21st century. With working relationships with some of the best and established people in the industry yet keen to support and promote new talent both in front and behind the camera and from all areas of the community, Magnificent believes passionately that the industry should be accessible to all who have an aptitude and talent for storytelling in the medium of film and television.

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Movies

New Body Horror Film ‘The Substance’ Releases Teaser

Published

3 days ago

May 17, 2024

Timothy Rawles

We haven’t seen Demi Moore in a movie since The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent back in 2022. She has been busy though, she had a part in Ryan Murphy’s latest Feud chapter and now she is contemplating altering her body to make it more youthful in the body horror film The Substance.

Apparently, according to the official synopsis, there is a newly developed beauty regimen that “generates another you. A new, younger, more beautiful, more perfect you. And there’s only one rule: You share time. One week for you. One week for the new you. Seven days each. A perfect balance. Easy. Right? If you respect the balance… what could possibly go wrong?”

A still from the film (used in out header) suggests that this new technology requires a lot more than dabbing it under your eyes or administering a sticky mask. The film premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and was bought by Mubi. No US release date has been announced.

^{The Substance}

The Substance reminds us of another FDA nightmare, The Stuff (1985) in which a commercially marketed whipped treat turns people into zombies. That film is a dark comedy about consumerism and gluttony. While Deadline reports that The Substance is humourous as well as gory, they don’t say how rooted it is in satire.