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Exclusive: Interview with ‘The Canal’ Director Ivan Kavanagh

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Ivan Kavanagh’s The Canal was one of the best horror movies of 2014. If you ask me, it was the scariest. You can read my short review here, but just trust me on this. It’s not one you want to let slip by.

It tells the story of a film archivist whose wife is murdered leaving him as the prime suspect in her killing while also taking care of their little boy. Meanwhile, he has discovered through old crime scene footage that another murder took place in his own home in 1902. It’s a fresh ghost story that’s both brutal and downright creepy.

I had the opportunity to pick Kavanagh’s brain about the film and what else he’s up to, so without further ado…

iHorror: I read that you wanted the 1902 footage in The Canal to look like Louis Lumière’s Feeding the Baby. What’s the significance of that particular film? 

Ivan Kavanagh: This film has no significance to The Canal, but it’s just one, for me, that represented perfectly the very particular look that the films from the period had, which is what we sought to recreate in my film. The background details (in this case the trees blowing in the wind) are what makes them look unique. It’s the quality of the movement and the grain structure I think, and I knew we had succeeded when we recreated this look perfectly.

iH: Is the hand-cranked camera in the film the same one you used to film that footage?

IK: Yes, the same one. It’s an amazing camera from 1915 that still works perfectly and, of course, was one of the reasons we could recreate the look of the films from early cinema.

iH: How easy or difficult was it to direct a young child with no acting experience?

IK: Well, once you cast the film correctly, then it isn’t that difficult. The audition process was quite intensive and involved quite a lot of call backs and acting exercises such as complex improvisations and line readings. Calum, who played the little boy, is uniquely talented and way beyond his years as far as intelligence and acting intuition goes.

iH: Do you have kids yourself? If so, did you find that aspect of the subject matter of the film difficult to work on? 

IK: No, not just yet. But I understand the film partly deals with a fear that I imagine all parents must have and I don’t think I will be any exception.

iH: You’ve said in the past that with The Canal, you wanted to fill the film with your own fears. Can you elaborate on those fears in how they pertain to the context of the film?

IK: The best horror films all deal with common, sometimes primal, fears, such as fear of the dark, of violence, of harm coming to a loved one, of realising you don’t really know the person you’re closest to, of knowing we are all capable of both great good and great evil. The way I always thought about it was, if I fill the film with some of my own fears, like some of the ones I mentioned, it’s bound to frighten at least some other people too.

iH: You’ve called the horror genre “unfairly dismissed and neglected”. After all the great horror films to be released over the years, why do you think that still is? 

IK: I’m a fan of cinema in general and I like all types of films. Before The Canal I made two art house films back to back, and so I don’t differentiate between types of films, there’s just films I like and don’t like or I feel I must make. I think many great filmmakers were unfairly neglected (awards wise) because they made films mostly within genre. Hitchcock and Kubrick being the prime example of this. I think it’s because people see genre films as less worthy, because they are about (at least on the surface) less “serious” subjects than art house films or dramas and are generally more commercial too. However the cinematic artistry within the best genre films is a constant inspiration to me and always reawakens my love of cinema. Ingmar Bergman does that for me too, but the older I get, the more my love of Hitchcock, Kubrick, DePalma, Polanski and other great genre filmmakers grows.

iH: I know you’re a fan of the genre and have mentioned films like The Shining, Rosemary’s Baby, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre as having an impact on you. Can you think of any specific horror films from the last few years that have left a significant impression?

IK: There is a film called Soft For Digging, directed by J.T. Petty, that I caught on late night TV a few years ago that really unsettled me. I also really enjoyed Sam Raimi’s Drag Me To Hell, which I thought was great fun and had a great ending.

iH: You’ve started writing another psychological horror film. Anything you can tell us about that? 

IK: I want to keep it secret for now. All I’ll say is it’s very different from The Canal and deals with a different type of horror. I also think it’ll be absolutely terrifying and I’m very excited about it.

iH: You’re also working on a horror thriller with another writer? Any details you can share there? 

IK: No, sorry! It’ll have to remain a secret for now as it’s at very early stages.

Kavanagh has also been said to be involved with an unknown television series and a western, but couldn’t talk about those either. All I know is that after The Canal, I’m looking forward to seeing more from him.

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New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

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Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

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‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

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Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

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How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

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Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

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