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[Interview] ‘A Quiet Place’ director-star John Krasinski

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A Quiet Place director-star John Krasinski has never been a fan of the horror genre.  In fact, Krasinski says that he scares very easily.

It would have taken a very special horror film project to attract Krasinski, and that’s what Krasinski found when he read the script for A Quiet Place.  “When I was sent the script, I was intrigued because it was a horror-thriller, which was a genre I’d obviously never worked in before,” says Krasinksi, who rewrote the Bryan Woods-Scott Beck script prior to the start of filming.  “I was told that the script had a great hook, which it did.  When I read the script, I thought that this was a story that could be turned into a classic horror film.”

A Quiet Place tells the story of a family living in complete isolation on a farm, hiding from a malevolent supernatural spirit that reacts to sound.  Krasinski and his real-life wife, actress Emily Blunt, play Lee and Evelyn Abbott in the film.  “Although the script was scary, it was also a metaphor for parenting, which struck a chord in me,” says Krasinski.  “I have two small children, and I would do anything to protect them.”

DG: What attracted you to this project?

JK: I thought that it could be more than just a scary film, and that’s why I wanted to rewrite the script and focus on the universal fear associated with parenting, which is something I knew that everyone, certainly everyone who’s a parent, could identify with.

DG: Why did you feel that you had to direct this film, instead of just acting in it?

JK: I love directing, and I felt like I was best person to direct this film because of what I brought to the story, in terms of my own parenting experience.  Because of this, I felt I was able to rewrite the script in a way that brought maximum suspense and tension to the story.  It’s about parenting and protecting your children from evil and how we, as parents, obsess over this.  I wanted this film to be scary but also to have an inspiring, true vision.

DG: How would you describe the supernatural threat that this family encounters in the film?

JK: There’s something out there that wants to harm them, and there’s also the metaphorical aspect of parenting, and the fear and paranoia that comes with worrying about your children.  We know there are bad people in the world who want to harm them.  But, at some point, you can’t shield your kids from the real world.  You have to let them go out into the real world and experience the good and bad, the dangers.

DG: How would you describe the family dynamic that exists in the film?

JK: The family dynamic that exists in the film is harrowing and unique.  They’re trapped inside a living nightmare, and they have to choose between surviving and thriving, and do you just want to survive what’s happening to you, or do you want to live?  Emily has a scene in the film where she says that’s it’s not enough for them just to survive.  She doesn’t want to live like that.  She wants a life of fulfillment.  She wants to thrive.  She wants to live in warmth.

DG: How would you describe the look and tone of the film?

JK: It has a classic feel to it, and it feels and looks timeless, and it’s full of confident shots.  The story takes place in and around a remote farm, and the film has the look of an epic western, and it feels like we’re being taken away to another galaxy, to another time and place, and the film has a very nostalgic feel to it.  The cinematographer was adamant that we shoot on film, and she was right because it gave the film a nostalgic look, which is what I wanted.  Even though this is a studio film, it was a down-and-dirty filming experience, which was three times harder than my previous feature directorial effort.

DG: Since you’re not a horror fan, what influences did you bring to this film?

JK: Every good story, regardless of genre, has drama and tension.  That’s certainly true with the comedy work I’ve done in the past.  When I did the television series The Office, it was a comedy, obviously, but there was also great tension in that show, and that’s what audiences responded to.  With A Quiet Place, people will, hopefully, think of their own children, their own family, as they’re watching the film, and they will, hopefully, ask themselves the question: What would I do in this situation?  Lee and Evelyn have two children, and I have two children, so there’s nothing manipulative about this, at least from my point-of-view.  You will care about this family and the terror they’re facing in the film.

DG: How would you describe the role of silence in the film?

JK: Silence is the film.  Silence can mean different things, and it can have good and bad connotations in our lives.  There is respite, and there is terror, and there is the need to be quiet because you are being hunted down and experiencing pure terror.  Can you live quietly, in silence, and for how long?  No one can live in silence forever.  What if your life depended on this?

A Quiet Place will be released in North American theaters on April 6, 2018.

 

 

 

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The Original ‘Beetlejuice’ Sequel Had an Interesting Location

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beetlejuice in Hawaii Movie

Back in the late ’80s and early ’90s sequels to hit movies weren’t as linear as they are today. It was more like “let’s re-do the situation but in a different location.” Remember Speed 2, or National Lampoon’s European Vacation? Even Aliens, as good as it is, follows a lot of the plot points of the original; people stuck on a ship, an android, a little girl in peril instead of a cat. So it makes sense that one of the most popular supernatural comedies of all time, Beetlejuice would follow the same pattern.

In 1991 Tim Burton was interested in doing a sequel to his 1988 original, it was called Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian:

“The Deetz family moves to Hawaii to develop a resort. Construction begins, and it’s quickly discovered that the hotel will be sitting on top of an ancient burial ground. Beetlejuice comes in to save the day.”

Burton liked the script but wanted some re-writes so he asked then-hot screenwriter Daniel Waters who had just got done contributing to Heathers. He passed on the opportunity so producer David Geffen offered it to Troop Beverly Hills scribe Pamela Norris to no avail.

Eventually, Warner Bros. asked Kevin Smith to punch up Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian, he scoffed at the idea, saying, “Didn’t we say all we needed to say in the first Beetlejuice? Must we go tropical?”

Nine years later the sequel was killed. The studio said Winona Ryder was now too old for the part and an entire re-cast needed to happen. But Burton never gave up, there were a lot of directions he wanted to take his characters, including a Disney crossover.

“We talked about lots of different things,” the director said in Entertainment Weekly. “That was early on when we were going, Beetlejuice and the Haunted MansionBeetlejuice Goes West, whatever. Lots of things came up.”

Fast-forward to 2011 when another script was pitched for a sequel. This time the writer of Burton’s Dark Shadows,  Seth Grahame-Smith was hired and he wanted to make sure the story wasn’t a cash-grabbing remake or reboot. Four years later, in 2015, a script was approved with both Ryder and Keaton saying they would return to their respective roles. In 2017 that script was revamped and then eventually shelved in 2019.

During the time the sequel script was being tossed around in Hollywood, in 2016 an artist named Alex Murillo posted what looked like one-sheets for a Beetlejuice sequel. Although they were fabricated and had no affiliation with Warner Bros. people thought they were real.

Perhaps the virality of the artwork sparked interest in a Beetlejuice sequel once again, and finally, it was confirmed in 2022 Beetlejuice 2 had a green light from a script written by Wednesday writers  Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. The star of that series Jenna Ortega signed on to the new movie with filming starting in 2023. It was also confirmed that Danny Elfman would return to do the score.

Burton and Keaton agreed that the new film titled Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice wouldn’t rely on CGI or other other forms of technology. They wanted the film to feel “handmade.” The film wrapped in November 2023.

It’s been over three decades to come up with a sequel to Beetlejuice. Hopefully, since they said aloha to Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian there has been enough time and creativity to ensure Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice will not only honor the characters, but fans of the original.

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice will open theatrically on September 6.

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Russell Crowe To Star in Another Exorcism Movie & It’s Not a Sequel

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Maybe it’s because The Exorcist just celebrated its 50th-anniversary last year, or maybe it’s because aging Academy Award-winning actors aren’t too proud to take on obscure roles, but Russell Crowe is visiting the Devil once again in yet another possession film. And it’s not related to his last one, The Pope’s Exorcist.

According to Collider, the film titled The Exorcism was originally going to be released under the name The Georgetown Project. Rights for its North American release were once in the hands of Miramax but then went to Vertical Entertainment. It will release on June 7 in theaters then head over to Shudder for subscribers.

Crowe will also star in this year’s upcoming Kraven the Hunter which is set to drop in theaters on August 30.

As for The Exorcism, Collider provides us with what it’s about:

“The film centers around actor Anthony Miller (Crowe), whose troubles come to the forefront as he shoots a supernatural horror movie. His estranged daughter (Ryan Simpkins) has to figure out whether he’s lapsing into his past addictions, or if something even more horrific is occurring. “

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New F-Bomb Laden ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Trailer: Bloody Buddy Movie

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Deadpool & Wolverine might be the buddy movie of the decade. The two heterodox superheroes are back in the latest trailer for the summer blockbuster, this time with more f-bombs than a gangster film.

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Movie Trailer

This time the focus is on Wolverine played by Hugh Jackman. The adamantium-infused X-Man is having a bit of a pity party when Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) arrives on the scene who then tries to convince him to team up for selfish reasons. The result is a profanity-filled trailer with a Strange surprise at the end.

Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the most anticipated movies of the year. It comes out on July 26. Here is the latest trailer, and we suggest if you are at work and your space isn’t private, you might want to put in headphones.

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