Viscera 2010 Film Festival DVD (2011)

This February’s Women in Horror Month has brought a lot of attention to many talented females in the horror industry. However, another amazing woman-centric event is the Viscera Film Festival that features titles directed and/or produced strictly by women. This female-focused film festival was started in 2007 by Shannon Lark and continues to be a wonderful resource for both female filmmakers and fans of horror alike!

I’ve reviewed films from past festivals, so I was excited to check out the selections from 2010’s festival. This year Viscera had selections from filmmakers Ginetta Correlli, Victoria Waghorn, Sophie Lagues, Lis Fies, Brenda Fies, Marichelle Daywalt, Melanie Light, Devi Snively, Mary Katherine Sisco and Maude Michaud.

Let me give you a run down on each film and my reaction.

The DVD begins with a few very short shorts. The first is Mary Jane Go Round by Ginetta Correlli. This is a beautiful black and white experimental film. It features a woman crying in bed and images of a creepy, old amusement park. I really enjoyed the melancholy look and feel of the short.

Next up is Salome’s Picnic by Victoria Waghorn. This had a vintage feel to it with its sepia-toned film stock and had a quite sensual feel to it…that is, until you realize exactly what is going on in this “picnic”!

Sophie Lagues’ Barbie Butcher put a little fun and quirky humor into the proceedings with its stop-motion animation of a green blob monster dismembering a Barbie doll. Quick and simple, I nevertheless enjoyed this creepy cute film!

In Lis Fies’ Consumed, a furry little pup is a girl’s best friend, even after death. This short reminded me a bit of Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie, only with a much darker tone, which is just the way I like it!

Distraught by Brenda Fies features a mom and her little girl who move to Hollywood for a better life. When the mom buys a gun for protection she has no idea the danger she has brought into her home. This was definitely one of the most serious of the shorts, and perhaps that is why I didn’t enjoy it as much as the others.

One of the best shorts is Marichelle Daywalt’s Mockingbird. A man sits at home listening to his wife sing “Mockingbird” to their newborn over the baby monitor…but soon realizes all is not as it seems. This short was extremely well set up and features an ending so shocking and unexpected it’s like a sucker-punch to the gut!  I’m definitely looking forward to what Daywalt does in the future!

Switch by Melanie Light is another amazing short that features a nice twist when a serial killer goes after the wrong woman. I loved the wonderful use of titles at the beginning of the short, not to mention the snowy location and overall look of the film. Just like Daywalt above, I can’t wait to see what Light does next!

Next was I Spit on Eli Roth, a short film by Devi Snively. This short has actually been around for a while and I’ve been dying to see it! Snively is one talented filmmaker and already one of my faves, so I couldn’t wait to check this one out. In the short, Devi plays herself and along with her female friends she kidnaps Eli Roth to teach him a thing or to about the horror genre. Remember, “Friends Don’t Let Friends Denigrate the Horror Genre!” This is a funny spoof, and although I do like Eli Roth I found Snively’s message to be on point!

Another excellent short was Beautiful as You Are, which was produced by Mary Katherine Sisco. I loved the surreal aspect of the short, which features a TV addict that finds the body of a woman and replaces her head with that of a TV. This is a subtly creepy short that has a perfect ending!

The last short on the DVD was Hollywood Skin by Maude Michaud. A woman moves to Los Angeles to pursue her acting dreams but is told again and again she is “too big” to land roles. This leads her to pursue plastic surgery, but inflicted by her own hand. I really loved the social commentary Michaud addresses with this short. Michaud critiques the obsession the entertainment industry, and society as a whole, has with being skinny.

Viscera Film Festival has succeeded again in encouraging female filmmakers to come forward and showcase their works in the horror genre as well as showing the general population that, yes, women CAN direct some damn fine horror films. Now how about someone gives these fine filmmakers some dough so they can bring us the next best thing in the horror genre?

Buy the DVD HERE!

Find out more on the Viscera Film Festival HERE!

Candy (2010)

Candy is a short film that is just a perfect bite-sized treat for Halloween! Directed by Sage Hall and written by Jesse Kozel and Jenny Beres (all of which who star in the film), this short six minute film is visually stunning, mixing themes from noir, horror and even avant garde.

Set on Halloween night, it seems that Candy (Sage Hall) has created quite a spread of Halloween sweets for her son, Marcus (Jesse Kozel). Marcus is kind of a mama’s boy, though he seems fed up with Candy’s overbearing nature. Marcus has invited a “date” over, which irks Candy. However, to get back at her son she befriends the girl (Jenny Beres)…only, she doesn’t like the girl’s mouthy attitude and things soon get out of hand…

This is a beautiful and artistically made film! The black and white visuals really pop, especially with the use of Halloween decorations. It visuals really give it a retro feel, much like the vintage-inspired poster above. I also think the June Cleaver-like Candy character adds to its ‘50s style charm. However, it’s not all sweet…this short definitely has some bite to it!

I adored the conniving and evil character of Candy. Sage Hall played her perfectly, without going over the top. Plus the nice little open-ended twist at the end was great! Jesse Kozel also did a commendable job playing the loser Marcus and Jenny Beres was good as Marcus’ foul-mouthed date.

I also must mention the music, done by Abnorml Injustice, which was extremely atmospheric and added to the wonderful feel of the film. The music and visuals complemented each other superbly!

Considering this is a low-budget short film, I am amazed at the care that went into the details of the score, the set design, even the costumes! The filmmakers must truly be commended for making such a fun and breathtaking short!

Director Sage Hall has created a truly memorable Halloween-themed short film that’s visually striking, has a wonderful cast (herself included) and appears extremely polished and professional. No tricks here, this sweet treat is exactly what you want dropped into your Halloween bag!

Mirror Mirror (1990)

Mirror Mirror is pretty unknown to most horror fans, but it’s a pretty decent flick nonetheless and boasts stars like Karen Black and Yvonne De Carlo among its cast! I had heard that it was along the lines of Carrie and The Fury, so I decided to give it a try, especially since the lead character is considered a “goth” (I did a piece on goths in horror films over at my personal blog if you feel like taking a look).

Mirror Mirror tells the tale of gothy Megan (Rainbow Harvest), who moves from L.A. to a small town with her mom (Karen Black) after her father’s death. Megan finds an old mirror in her room and insists on keeping it, even though it’s a creepy old thing. She then starts school but runs into the usual gaggle of cheerleaders and jocks who don’t appreciate her funerary attire. She makes friends with good girl Nikki, but the popular kids still make Megan’s life a living hell. Soon, Megan discovers that the mirror gives her powers and she can make things happen to those that ridicule her. Pretty soon her enemies are dying left and right and the mirror’s powers become too powerful for Megan to control. Can Nikki save Megan from the dark side and whatever lives on the other side of the mirror?

Mirror Mirror might share some similarities with Carrie (shy outsider, weird mom, psychic powers, a friend who tries to save the lead, etc.), but it stands on its own quite well. I really enjoyed all the characters and the story; they still felt unique even though they were obviously influenced by other films. Megan was a fun character, though I initially thought she would have more backbone and actually stand up to the annoying popular kids rather than running away and hiding from them. Gotta love her goth look, which looks heavily influenced by Beetlejuice’s Lydia (it doesn’t help that Rainbow Harvest looks a lot like Winona Ryder). I also loved the over-the-top performance by Karen Black as Megan’s unstable mother (good god, that pastel pink lipstick has GOT to go!) and seeing Yvonne De Carlo as an estate dealer who tries to help Megan once she learns the truth of the evil mirror.

Plus, there is quite a high body count, and while the deaths aren’t necessarily gory or bloody, most of them are still pretty neat. Standouts include the shower scalding scene and a garbage disposal death! There are several bloody scenes, including a gushing nose bleed scene and the mirror itself, which regularly oozes blood.

Director Marina Sargenti uses an interesting blue palette for most of the film and sets up varying POV shots that keep the viewer engaged. I especially liked the POV shots of the demon behind the mirror looking out at all those that approached it. The screenplay, written by Annette Cascone and Gina Cascone, also deserves props, especially for its twist ending!

Mirror Mirror is an interesting flick that deserves to be seen by more people. It certainly wears its influences on its sleeve, but it still manages to be intriguing in its own special way. If you are looking for an early ’90s gem, check out Mirror Mirror!

Available from Amazon!

Fugue (2010)

After viewing director Barbara Stepansky’s film tense psychological film Hurt last winter, I was excited to check out her newest effort, Fugue, which promised another psychological storyline, only this one included the possibility of the supernatural.

Fugue’s premise is based upon a rare disorder called a fugue state or dissociative fugue, which according to Wikipedia is “characterized by reversible amnesia for personal identity, including the memories, personality and other identifying characteristics of individuality. The state is usually short-lived (hours to days), but can last months or longer.”

Fugue begins with Charlotte (Abigail Mittel) moving into a new house with her older, college professor boyfriend Howard (Richard Gunn). Charlotte has just suffered an accident that is barely hinted at, but that’s okay because she and Howard are trying for a baby and seem happy for their new start. However, it’s not long before Charlotte begins to sense a malevolent presence in the house and begins seeing visions of a threatening black-haired woman. She comes to suspect that something horrible happened in the house, and is determined to find out what…but at what cost?

I wasn’t as impressed with Fugue as I was with Hurt, but that doesn’t mean it was necessarily a bad movie. On the contrary, it boasted a story with plenty of twists and turns, excellent acting and even a few disconcerting scares.

The story’s details felt unique, even if the whole “is she crazy or isn’t she” angle seems overplayed. Luckily, writer Matt Harry balances out these clichés with plenty of surprises. In fact, I enjoyed how Fugue messed with your head, and just when you thought you had it all figured out it threw you for a loop and took the story in an entirely different direction. However, the story also tended to drag in places and didn’t quite grab my attention from the start. The film’s saving graces were its unexpected twists and turns as well as a bloody finale, which turned it from typical psychological thriller to something much more engrossing.

Also superb were the performances by all involved, but especially Abigail Mittel as Charlotte. Mittel made her character believable and likable (perhaps even when she shouldn’t have been), and I found myself rooting for her the whole time. I also thought Richard Gunn did a fine job as her boyfriend, who patiently endured or tried to explain away Charlotte’s ghostly visions.

The direction by Stepansky really captured the claustrophobic feel of the house and surrounding garden terraces. It made you feel boxed in and trapped, adding even more tension to the film. While the film was more a thriller than anything else, Stepansky included several nice scares and disturbing scenes. The ghost haunting Charlotte looked marvelous with a few simple effects of blurring out her eyes and mouth. Plus, the action scenes near the end really wake the film up and were filmed in such a way that they really put you in the moment.

My biggest complaint of the film probably won’t affect its official release at all, but I think it’s worth mentioning that the audio levels were absolutely awful and I couldn’t understand about half of the dialogue. Why you ask? Throughout the ENTIRE film there is an annoying music track that drowns out the dialogue. The constant music ruins the mood of the film instead of enhancing it. The film would have greatly benefited from less music and more silence, or at least have balanced audio levels. One minute I was cranking up the audio to hear dialogue, the next turning it wayyyy down so I wouldn’t have to hear the repetitive music. I think the fugue that Charlotte plays on the piano and keeps humming would have sufficed for music as opposed to the tiresome score used throughout the film. I hope this is an issue they resolve before released Fugue to the public, because this grating annoyance made it difficult to sit through.

Despite that and a few pacing problems, Fugue was a low-key indie thriller that kept me on my toes with its twists and turns. If you happen to see it at a film festival and enjoy slow-burning thrillers don’t pass it up!

For more info, visit Fugue’s Official Site!

Golden Earrings (2010)

Golden Earrings is the debut feature-length film from first-time filmmaker Marion Kerr. I had been looking forward to Golden Earrings ever since I heard that it would be screening at Dances with Films Festival this June. As a strong supporter of seeing more women in horror, especially behind the camera, I was pleased as punch to see that Kerr not only handled both writing and directing duties in the film, but also starred in it! That is the kind of hardworking filmmaker I like to see in indie films! Not only that, but the film is very well done!

One night, a group of L.A. friends gather in an apartment to send off their friend Sara (played by writer/director Marion Kerr). Sara is heading to her parents’ house for the weekend after having a nasty fight with her boyfriend. Her best friend and roommate, Ronnie (Julia Marchese), is especially concerned for Sara, but everyone convinces her Sara is fine and not to worry. Sara leaves and Ronnie along with friends Fay (Lauren Mora), Julian (John T. Woods), Jack (Teddy Goldsmith) and Alex (Anthony Dimaano) continue to hang out.

Later that evening, Ronnie convinces everyone to mess around with a Ouija board, but they appear to make contact with a spirit that died that very evening in a car crash named S-A-R…well, Ronnie chucks the Ouija board before the spirit can finish spelling, but you get the idea. Everyone is understandably upset, most of all Ronnie, who insists that someone is playing a trick and kicks everyone out after they deny any involvement.

The next day, Sara’s mother calls saying Sara never showed up at home and can’t be reached on her cell. Over the next few days, Sara’s friends are fraught with worry, wondering what could have happened. Hit hardest is Ronnie, who slowly comes undone when she considers the possibility that Sara might be gone forever.

Eventually Ronnie starts to experience supernatural elements in the apartment. An old record plays in Sara’s room, objects move, doors close, drawers open…all signifying to Ronnie that Sara has returned to the apartment.

Golden Earrings is more of a drama/thriller film than straight-up horror, but it is a very nuanced, “grown-up” film. Watching it, it’s hard to believe that this is Kerr’s first film since everything is so tight and focused. It looks absolutely fantastic and immediately sucked me into its story.

The first things that really struck me were the stellar acting and writing. When we first meet the group of friends the dialogue is playful and witty, really drawing us into the story and making us care for the characters. Additionally, this engaging writing is coupled with some amazingly realistic performances by all involved. THESE are the kind of actors indie productions should strive to use! Each and every one of the actors was very natural, very believable and very likable. Of extra special mention is Julia Marchese as Ronnie. She gives an awe-inspiring performance as Ronnie. Her character not only faces jealousy, love, loss, alienation, loneliness and guilt, but she also faces being haunted and friends who simply doubt her and blame her “visions” on her ego. Marchese lets all these tumultuous emotions and experiences express themselves in her body language and facial expressions, but has the ability to reign them in, resulting in a nuanced performance instead of one that’s over the top. Her performance is subtle, but so good that you can see her character’s cracks and manic energy just starting to surface in the beginning of the film. When her emotions let loose it is an intense experience, resulting in a lot of suspense for the rest of the film.

I also enjoyed the film’s story. Even though Kerr opens the film with a dialogue-heavy scene and nothing much happens for the first 30 minutes, I was still enthralled by the likable characters and clever dialogue. Good writing really goes a long way, remember that indie filmmakers! Once the film picks up steam, Kerr adds some surprising twists and turns that not only make sense but also add even more depth to the film. The film may start off as straightforward, but the ending certainly threw me for a loop!

I also appreciated how Kerr kept it simple effects-wise. The haunting scenes were appropriately creepy without having to resort to cheap gimmicks, tons of fake-looking CGI or cheesy special FX makeup that would have taken away from the sophisticated feel of the story. Keeping it simple certainly proved effective and added to the overall “grown-up” feel of this psychological thriller.

My only tiny complaint is that some of the camerawork is a bit amateurish. This only happens in the first few scenes of the film, though, when some shots are a little wobbly, but thankfully doesn’t happen for most of the film. I also thought the name of the film was a bit mystifying (unless I missed something in the film alluding to the significance of “golden earrings”…anyone want to enlighten me?). However, neither of these small quibbles affected my overall enjoyment of the intense experience that was Marion Kerr’s Golden Earrings.

This is how indie filmmaking SHOULD be done!

Visit Golden Earrings’ Official Site!

After.Life (2010)

Christina Ricci naked.

That seems to be the film’s only selling point, at least according to most reviews of this film. However, its actual storyline is pretty intriguing and this film has a lot more going for it that Ms. Ricci’s nudity.

After being involved in a car accident, Anna (Christina Ricci), wakes up in a funeral home where the sole proprietor Eliot Deacon (Liam Neeson) tells her she is now dead as he prepares her body for burial. Though Anna still feels very much alive,  Eliot tells her he has a special gift to speak with the dead and is there to help her make the transition to her afterlife. Anna’s distraught boyfriend Paul (Justin Long) comes to believe that the funeral director is hiding something and that Anna could still be very much alive. He has just a few days until her funeral to get to the bottom of Anna’s demise, but he may already be too late as Anna comes to accept her fate.

Besides all the fanboys going gaga over the nudity, there is a lot more to After.Life than T&A. It is a much more complex and intriguing film than others have given it credit for and definitely deserves a look.

Director Agnieszka Wojtowicz-Vosloo (who also co-wrote the film with Paul Vosloo and Jakub Korolczuk) crafts a beautifully subtle film about appreciating one’s life before the inevitability of death. The first thing that really grabbed me was the color symbolism used throughout the film. The color red, the color of blood and of life and vitality, is used predominately. Before her accident, Anna has frequent nosebleeds and has her hair dyed red, both blood and dye shown swirling down the drain. Also, the clinical white interior of the funeral “preparation room” and the autumnal world outside symbolize the transition from life to death, the “preparation room” acting as a sort of purgatory while the changing seasons outside show the cycle of life. I don’t mean to get all analytical on you, though, so let’s get back to what works about After.Life!

Besides the symbolism surrounding the visuals, director Wojitowicz-Vosloo also infuses the story with mystery, and we as the audience are never quite sure of each of the character’s culpability or innocence. Is Anna really dead or is Eliot some sick psycho? The answers are neither clear-cut nor easy, which makes After.Life a much more satisfying and complex film.

Also, the actors all do a fabulous job in their roles. I especially loved Liam Neeson as Eliot Deacon, the creepy funeral director. He played the part with equal parts menace and charm, never letting Anna or the audience know if he could be trusted or not. Christina Ricci also gives a remarkable performance as the unhappy Anna. There are parts of the film where she is naked, but I felt the direction made the nudity feel cold and clinical, never erotic. Plus, the nudity never distracted from Ricci’s strong performance as the confused Anna. Justin Long also appears as Anna’s distraught boyfriend and gives quite a solid performance.

With all these positives going for the film you might think After.Life was without flaw, but that isn’t the case. Its slow pace certainly won’t work for everyone, and the film tends to drag a bit in the middle. It doesn’t feature visceral action, instead opting for psychological drama. Very little blood is spilled in the film as the psychological terror of being dead is explored instead. However, I thoroughly enjoyed how After.Life explored themes of life and death and what comes after. It kept me guessing up until the end, and with no clear-cut answers it stayed with me long after I had finished viewing it.

Available from Amazon!

Viscera 2008 - 2009 Film Festival DVD (2010)

The Viscera Film Festival returns! Finally, the 2008 – 2009 collection of short horror films from women filmmakers is available on DVD! Featuring 10 female directed and/or produced horror films ranging from Confederate zombies to blind dates gone bad to lesbian vampire Barbies, this selection of films has something for everyone!

The Chainsaw Mafia, founded by Shannon Lark, has been hosting the Viscera Film Festival for the past several years, and it seems that each year I am more and more impressed with the female filmmakers the festival brings to light. 2007′s installment introduced me to the films of Heidi Martinuzzi (Wretched), Victoria Waghorn (When Sally Met Frank), Michelle Fatale (The Cleaner) and many more! So I very much looked forward to the 2008 – 2009 selections…

Below please find each short films synopsis as well as my reaction to each film. They are listed in order of best to worst (my humble opinion, of course).

The Best:

Snow Day, Bloody Snow Day – When an unexpected snow storm strikes Seattle, the dead rise from their graves to prey on the city’s hapless citizens. From the confines of the living room, a group of unlikely heroes must rise to stop the flesh hungry hordes, only to discover that zombies aren’t the only evil they are up against.

This was my absolute favorite! Written and directed by Faye Hoerauf and Jessica Baxter, this horror comedy was gut-wrenchingly hilarious! From the Publisher’s Clearing House zombies and pizza delivery zombies to the hilarious finale at a TV news station that controls the weather (“production assistants attack!”) and ensuing zombie slaughter, this short had me in stitches the entire time. Its witty satire, great performances and fun tone makes this the best of the Viscera crop!

Confederate Zombie Massacre – Love and gore in the Civil War!

Filmmaker Devi Snively’s 2005 zombie short is another fun and hilarious short that I very much enjoyed! It’s got a bit of a slapstick feel and begins with a great concept…I mean zombies during the Civil War? Love it! It gets a bit cheesy in times (“I’m a tapper, not a fighter!”), but overall it’s great fun and has great comedic timing. I always enjoy Devi Snively’s films, and Confederate Zombie Massacre is no exception!

Fantasy – Marc and Chantal have nothing in common but for a peculiar fantasy. Tonight they meet for the first time.

This is a beautifully shot film courtesy of French filmmaker Izabel Grondin. I loved the suspense of the short, because we don’t know what the “fantasy” is in first few scenes. When it’s finally revealed things get uncomfortable fast! Despite a confusing ending, Fantasy is an intriguing short film that makes me interested to see what Grondin does next.

Taste of Flesh, Taste of Fear – The only thing better than B-grade lesbian vampire movies is a B-grade lesbian movie made with dollar store imitation Barbie dolls! After a horrifying accident on a dark, deserted road, Laura and Eve find themselves under the spell of the mysterious Lady Mortidella. How long can they resist her seductive gaze?

Another hilarious horror comedy courtesy of Stacie Ponder (aka Final Girl)! A whole horror short acted out with (imitation) Barbies featuring bad voice over work (Laura sounds like one of the Chipmunks and Eve sounds like a dude)?! I am so there! And I was, completely enthralled in this silly send-up of lesbian-tinged vampire flicks!

The Date – A blind date goes terribly wrong.

This was the winner of the Viscera Award and made completely by women – specifically Jennifer Gigantino and Natasia Schibinger. It uses an old ’50s dating audio track to accompany a blind date…that ends rather horribly. A bit surreal, a bit retro and entirely disturbing, The Date clocks in at under three minutes but sticks with you long after viewing it.

Don’t Lose Heart – An old lady struggles to survive the zombie apocalypse. She is okay in her home, but soon food and water run out forcing her to try and leave her barricaded sanctuary and she must confront the hordes of zombies and fight for her life.

This was an emotional, heartbreaking short from Talieysn Brown. We really come to care for the lead character as she struggles to survive in the zombie-infested world. I also found it refreshing that an older woman was featured as the lead character, something that is very rare in any film, but especially in the horror genre! Furthermore, the zombies look terrifyingly great!

The rest of the films were pretty mediocre to flat-out horrible, but here they are!

The Rest:

Lip Stick – A lonely woman with an overwhelming obsession of masturbation must extricate herself from what consumes her every moment.

This short set in a dingy hotel showing the lead character’s (Shannon Lark) descent into obsession and madness (plus the copious shots of her masturbating) just didn’t do it for me and it didn’t seem this short really went anywhere or had a point. I was pretty disappointed considering it came from Lark and Stacie Ponder.

Sisters – Two sisters hiking in the woods fall in a vast underground cavern and soon discover they are not alone.

The Descent this definitely isn’t. It clocks in at under four minutes, and yet despite its short running time I still got bored of watching this pointless flick from Belinda Green-Smith. It never really develops anything and all that happens is the two sisters screech whenever they hear something growling in the cave.

Deadly Beauty – A blond beauty gets revenge on the man responsible for murdering and raping her young daughter.

This film by Chandeline Nicole was nearly impossible to watch because of it’s grainy, low-budget quality. I watch low-budget horror all the time, but this seriously looked like it was filmed via web cam way back in 1993. Sadly, that wasn’t the only thing that annoyed me – the story was stereotypical, predictable and boring. The acting was atrocious and I never felt sorry for the woman we are supposed to feel sympathetic for.

Hollow Halls - They thought the prison was abandoned, but five kids on a dare will learn soon enough that someone or something walks the halls and is soon killing them off one by one.

This was one of first films I saw, and what a sorry choice to kick off the Viscera DVD. Again, this was boring, predictable and stereotypical…which would be sort of ok if any of the characters were likable…which they weren’t. And the “surprise” “twist” ending? Ya, saw it coming a mile away. For a slasher, the kills are pitiful and no care was taken to develop a killer who would actually be scary. Avoid this short from Ebony Winston at all costs.

Not all the films from the Viscera Film Festival 2008 – 2009 DVD are keepers, but half of them are definite crowd-pleasers and definitely worth a look! And you can’t go wrong with an hour and a half of independent films by women for only $10 (Buy it HERE)!

The Commune (2009)

I really wanted to love this movie, fiends, I really did!! First off, it’s written, directed, produced, etc. by firecracker filmmaker Lis Fies. I just love her spunk and attitude, especially when we interviewed her for Women in Horror Month! Secondly, it sounded like it was going to be an homage to the sleazy 70s satanic slashers where a creepy cult goes after a nubile young virgin. I love me some killer cult horror flicks! Thirdly, I had heard so much hype about this movie I was thinking there was no way I could dislike it.

Oops…I was wrong. Ultimately I was let down by The Commune.

Soon to be 16-year-old Jenny (Chauntal Lewis, looking, ahem, more than slightly older than 15) is sent to live with her hippie dad on a commune for the summer. The community of hippies seems pretty harmless at first, with their stereotypical Earth Mother worship, yoga classes and uber-healthy diets, but things take a sinister turn as Jenny’s 16^th birthday approaches. Does the commune want to turn her into a hemp-wearing flower child or do they have more ominous plans for her?

Technically, The Commune was impressive. As a director, Fies excels at making the film look like it had a much bigger budget than it did. The film looks sharp and professional and includes many establishing shots of the commune to give the audience a feel for its atmosphere. I liked that Fies took the time to set up different shots and compositions to make the film visually interesting.

Also impressive was the acting (even though some of the actors couldn’t pass for the ages they were portraying…ahem Chauntal Lewis!). Chauntal Lewis did a great job with the naïve Jenny. While at first she comes off as bratty and annoying, her character really starts to grow on you after a while. I also thought that Stuart G. Bennett did an amazingly job as the creepy Dr. Polieos, Jenny’s dad, with glances at his daughter that last far too long and leave you feeling very icky.

However, despite these glimmers of greatness, the film overall lacked a certain “oomph!” I was looking for and in the end was pretty predictable. The script seemed a bit bare and it seemed the film would have worked better as a short. Without very much of anything happening, the pacing was off and the film felt drawn out and slow. Besides a few startling moments the film had neither scares nor did it create a tense, suspenseful atmosphere. The characters seemed pretty one-dimensional as well, with only Jenny and Dr. Polieos fully fleshed out. I would have like to have seen more menace from the members of the commune and more development of their characters. I understand the filmmaker may have wanted to make them appear as “sheep”, but they all could have used more edginess in order to give the film more suspense. And portraying them as “weird” or “evil” just because they ate healthy and were “hippies” seemed like lazy and irresponsible screenwriting to me.

The Commune is supposed to be based on Greek tragedy with a 70s psycho-sexual slant (which sounds pretty cool, right?), but for me it just failed to deliver anything but yawns, something I’m definitely not looking for when watching a horror movie. The technical aspects of the film make me look forward to Lis Fies future work behind the camera, but I do hope she bones up on her screenwriting skills and conceives a less predictable story than The Commune.

Check out the official site!

Interview with Filmmaker Lis Fies

Lis Effing Fies is the producer/writer/director/adequate actor/hippie wrangler/songwriter/nudist in the acclaimed, fucked up horror feature The Commune. Lis was the associate producer of Conventioneers (2006 Spirit Award – Cassavettes). She is known as the blogger Kid Sis in Hollywood, and is the inspiration for the comic character Kid Sis featured in the Eisner-winning Mom’s Cancer (as seen on CNN). Her unproduced feature screenplay Pistoleras won first place in the Action category of Creative Screenwriting Magazine’s Expo Contest and second place in Fade In’s Thriller category. But what will be on Lis’s tombstone is that she played the monster who stole the Green Power Ranger’s powers.

Fatally Yours: How did you fall in love with the horror genre?

Lis Fies: Man, I was a late bloomer. Backstory: My mom used to call me “Carol Anne” because as a kid I was tormented by bizarre nightmares. Weird stuff a six year old shouldn’t think of, like people on meat hooks suspended over rivers of blood. My mom’s only explanation was I must have been a Vietnam Vet reincarnated as her little girl.

Because of how sensitive and unhinged I already was as a kid, horror movies impinged too much on me to watch. I was the girl at the slumber party who would be in the other room during the horror movies. I did fall in love with Poe short stories when I was a kid, but I was actually frightened of horror movies to the point that when I got my first job (it was of course at a video store), I made the other employees put the horror titles away. I felt afraid looking at the covers. And then when I worked at Eclipse Comics I positively cringed whenever I had to package a Clive Barker order. I’ve spoken to several other women in horror who felt strongly afraid of horror movies when they were younger as well and also avoided the genre until their 20s. I think it’s a testament to women’s emotional fearlessness that we needed to explore what held the most dangerous energy for us.

Long story short, I didn’t fall in love with horror until my twenties when I went through a lonely depression spell and felt that horror actually pulled me out of it. The more I watched, the better I felt.

Fatally Yours: What does horror mean to you?

Lis Fies: To me it’s an incredible art form in which to explore taboos, emotions, and politics. I love that it’s an empty vessel that you can use as an allegory, yet still be entertaining to a broad spectrum of people. But at the deepest level, I’m a storyteller because I want to know what makes people tick. What better way to explore psychology and the subconscious than in the dark, walking on the dark side through the desires we lie to each other and ourselves about.

Fatally Yours: How and when did you get involved in the horror genre? 

Lis Fies: In undergrad at UCLA I interned at Debra Hill Productions because, well, she was the woman. I mean come on, Assault on Precinct 13, The Thing, They Live. I had learned to read on my big brother’s Avengers comics (Eisner winner Brian Fies) and Star Wars was a ridiculous influence on me, so I already understood genre. I think because Debra and John [Carpenter] had done so many brilliant movies I could understand, I was able to see Halloween and really get it, and realize it is one of the best movies ever made. An incredibly special film, by filmmakers who knew what they were doing and were purposeful. So that was a moment that opened my eyes. It was fortuitous for my movie taste growth that that pair was cagey and ballsy enough to be genre jumpers instead of staying pigeonholed throughout their careers.

I don’t get the snobby bias against genre. Industry folks talk about Scorcese and Coppola like they were the only ones doing edgy work in the ‘70s/early ‘80s and like only the dramas from that time period are valid, which is total crap. I still think Carpenter and DePalma are the most underrated living directors and expect to see at least one more genius work from each. Okay, and Larry Cohen. If you don’t love Q: The Winged Serpent, you’re dead to me.

Fatally Yours: What is one thing you’ve done within the horror genre that you are most proud of?

Lis Fies: I was able to portray the graphic rape of a character we loved and have the energy generated from the scene be empathy instead of unintended or prurient eroticism. That was one of the biggest goals of my filmmaking career, ever since studying the mistakes of The Accused and pretty much every other rape scene in mainstream films in my undergrad days at UCLA. I wanted to be informed enough to make filmic choices that would elicit the emotion in an audience I chose them to feel, in the absolute trickiest event to capture. And I decided to go for it on my first film. So if I get hit by a bus tomorrow, at least I’ve made a few men feel the betrayal and horror of rape both as the protagonist themselves, and as an avatar they empathized with. That’s huge. It’s been done successfully less than a handful of times in cinema.

Fatally Yours: How would you convince people who aren’t horror fans to give the genre a try? 

Lis Fies: I think Scream is a good gateway drug. And Rosemary’s Baby. My path in was through the holy trinity of Twin Peaks, Silence of the Lambs and The X-Files. Yet another reason I advocate genre-mixing: you open up the door to new fans who enjoy your action, comedy, or psychology and THEN they learn they like horror, too.

Fatally Yours: Do you feel women in horror get the proper recognition when compared to their male counterparts?

Lis Fies: No, I feel female filmmakers and the subject matter they’re interested in are completely discounted by both the horror audience and the majority of its press spokespeople. The cold reality is no one makes it in this business until someone higher up than them gives them their stamp of approval and a hand up. Look at the Masters of Horror’s epic exclusion of females. That series evolved out of those directors wanting to hang out and have dinner with each other once a month, and apparently there weren’t any women they wanted there. It doesn’t mean there aren’t any horror women period, it means women are still being excluded from the networking that leads to lifetime friendships that leads to favors and working together on film projects. The Big Problem is most men in Hollywood have no interest in a woman unless she’s their Significant Other, relative, or bros’ girl. Otherwise, they don’t know what to do with a woman and totally discard her instead of becoming friends and mentoring her. It’s the same way in the comic world, PS, and I imagine could be extrapolated to politics and the corporate world as well.

The real elephant in the room is can men and women be just friends? Does this pattern keep occurring because we’re not capable of platonic friendships? And/or is it because even as “cool” women emerge who could be brought into the boy’s club and crack it open for more women, men can’t risk it because of the lawsuit and gossip potential. I mean look, in our gossipy society and the nauseatingly sexist world of Hollywood, can an obviously feminist and well-intentioned man like a Wes Craven take a hot younger female director like me (wink, wink) under his wings without speculation that he’s sexually interested in her? Because no one is going to risk their own career to help an unattached woman. Or at least, no one has yet. The precipice female filmmakers balance on is very Edith Wharton The House of Mirth, and most of us are dying alone out in the cold.

So where we women horror filmmakers need help from our male compatriots, fans, and journalists is we need you to take an interest in us as humans; to take a stand and be our friends. We need you to be our heroes if we’re going to be able to ever truly progress and be heard. We need fellow female filmmakers to continue watching how men network, and emulate their teammate strategies that come from a sense of abundance as they create projects that include men and women. And we need both genders to have the humanity to allow male/female friendships to exist without projecting sordid intentions onto them. These are strategies that will provide a fertile ground for women to actually become visible and potent members of the horror community.

Fatally Yours: As a woman in horror, have you found it harder to be taken seriously in a genre that seems to be dominated by males? 

Lis Fies: It’s not even about being taken seriously, it’s about being discounted to the point that you’re invisible. To me the real holocaust in horror is that there’s a close-minded righteous clique attitude being promoted that only allows a few subgenres to be defined as horror. I was at a famous LA genre festival and I was late to see a good friend and female director’s slow burn psychological horror. On the way in I stopped to talk to some journalists who were eating and asked if they were coming in with me. They basically sniffed and looked away. No interest. Several were women. So what is a female filmmaker to do to get into a festival to get press to find an audience and a distributor when the very material we pick and our approach to it generates shrugs from the gatekeepers? Yeah, I’d call that pretty fucking hard.

And really all that subgenre pre-judgment is bullshit because horror journalists couldn’t write enough praise for Paranormal Activity once a big studio and flavor of the month ad campaign was behind it. But maybe if they’d championed Amanda Gusack and the far superior In Memorium that film would have been seen and adopted by Uncle Spielberg instead. See how complicated the problem is?

Fatally Yours: As a female filmmaker, do you feel horror directed by women is different than that which is filmed by men? If so, how is it different and why?

Lis Fies: I think that there’s a higher, more visible percentage of men who get into the horror genre with their first film because they think it’s lottery ticket money and an easy way to work their way up the ladder. That cocky twenty-something USC film school type who copies Saw again, or makes another unimaginative slasher rip-off but has nothing original to say and clearly thinks horror is beneath him. Nothing is more insulting to me than these filmmakers who come in and take a big steaming dump on the genre thinking it’s some chess career move. The women’s accomplishments I’ve seen seem much more premeditated and aware and auteur-esque. They’re raw and honest. You don’t really find women working in this genre who don’t love it and want to use it to explore personal demons, fears, the human psyche…all the great mind fuck adventures that really only horror safely offers.

Fatally Yours: Since you’ve been involved with the horror genre, have you noticed a change in women’s roles within horror whether it be roles in horror films, women behind the camera, women writers, etc.?

Lis Fies: Yes. There are more and more deserving female filmmakers not being given the same opportunities of funding, press, representation, distribution, and studio deals as their male counterparts. I’m just hoping the internet distribution revolution hurries the fuck up. I’m out of dead relatives jewelry to sell, and giving platelets knocks me out the whole day.

Fatally Yours: What women in horror do you admire?

Lis Fies: My friend Katt Shea, who has been an incredible mentor to me. Debra Hill. Maya Deren. Mary Harron. Heidi Martinuzzi. Angela Bettis. Stephanie Rothman.

Fatally Yours: If you could direct one woman from the horror genre, living or dead, in one of your films who would it be and why?

Lis Fies: Oh definitely Jessica Harper. She’s still stunning, and seems like a down-to-earth, super interesting person. And I’d make her sing. I really wanted to work with Zelda Rubenstein. But you know what the Jesus answer to this question is? Mary Shelley. Hahaha I win!

Fatally Yours: What inspires, influences and motivates you?

Lis Fies: A floating paper bag. Sooo beautiful. Just kidding. I always start with a question or idea I’m personally struggling with and want to solve for myself. I’m motivated by emotions, psychology, and a quest to understand human behavior. I’m inspired by other artists’ work. As much as I consume movies and TV, I can be just as inspired by the alchemy of music, live performance, and novels. I need to see a certain amount of brilliance a week to feel sane.

Fatally Yours: What are your favorite horror films, books, etc.?

Lis Fies: I always fall for the intellectual, boundary-pushing films about rebels, underdogs, and outsiders. The Wicker Man, Don’t Look Now, The Shining, Carrie, Repulsion, The Serpent and the Rainbow, Angel Heart, Jacob’s Ladder, Evil Dead II, Tremors, Peeping Tom, Psycho, The Howling, The Thing, The Lost Boys, Blue Velvet, The Watcher in the Woods, Ginger Snaps, May, Bug, Surveillance, Poltergeist, The Craft, Django Kill!, The Frighteners, Videodrome, Misery, Alien, Silence of the Lambs. I’ve just started studying giallo, but I’m not educated enough to speak to favorites there yet. Basically if it’s got authentic emotions, intelligence, an original voice, and brass balls; I feel love.

Fatally Yours: Outside of horror what do you enjoy doing?

Lis Fies: I’m a comic book reader. I used to do stunts and have just started getting back into martial arts and working out. I’ve been blogging for five years. I love to talk with interesting people in small groups or one on one situations. Cuddle, have sex, swim, read, write, play with my dogs. Dance, poledance classes, listen to music. Fritter away hours on the computer chatting with friends on Twitter and Facebook. Being a rabble-rouser. I spend a lot of time laughing. My second favorite thing in the world to do is to drive around LA streets late at night, alone, with the wind in my hair and the radio cranked up to a punk song.

But my favorite thing to do is watch and/or make movies. Without that, I die.
 
Fatally Yours: What are your goals for yourself within the horror genre?

Lis Fies: There are so many movies I want to make. Pistoleras is up next, which is technically a teen chick Spaghetti Western. Though a true SW has incredibly horrific moments and Pistoleras will not disappoint. After that, if I can earn a middle class wage making a solid horror feature every year and a half, I’ll feel happy. Ultimately my goal is to explore more ideas and emotions I’m confused by to find answers, and to continue to expand the concept of horror to include women’s minds and the mixing of genres for fresh, frightening stories. I’m also starting THRILLEDFEST, the world’s first thriller film festival later this year. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that women are drawn to that subgenre, or that it is the most ignored by the current horror community. Time to do something about that.

And Heidi Martinuzzi and I are working on two female centric film festivals together. Heidi’s done an immeasurable amount of good for women and the men who love them, and gets no worldly thanks, by the by. Zeus knows The Commune would be nowhere if Heidi hadn’t found it, and I would have killed myself thinking I’d failed at the one thing I’ve been working at every waking moment since I was six. It’s different for a woman. I’d given up having children and a husband to make movies, and here I was broke and my movie was ignored. So I was tying up loose ends, donating my stuff away, planning on offing myself at a screening of Paul Blart: Mall Cop when Heidi emailed me out of the blue and said she loved my movie. The Commune hadn’t gotten into one festival or had one article written about it until Heidi saw it, got it, and took a stand. Everything good that’s happened to it has come from a sixth degree of her review. That’s how much change one person can make to a female filmmaker. So thank you so much Sarah, for being one of those people. And thank you to Hannah Neurotica for putting out the call for recognition and teamwork. And huge appreciation to Andrew Shearer of Women in Horror (Georgia) and Andrew Rose of Pretty Scary Bloodbath (Texas) for providing the film festivals we need to appreciate women horror makers in February.

Fatally Yours: It’s been an absolute pleasure! Where can people find more info on you?

Lis Fies: They can see my feature at www.TheCommuneMovie.com and keep up with me at www.LisFies.com

Interview with Filmmaker and Actress Kimberly Amato

Kimberly Amato has appeared in a variety of independent films, including Fistful of Sand, Deception, Perfect Criminals, Weekend Rental, Amity and Billy’s Choice. Most notably, she portrayed the title character in Susan Adriensen’s Under the Raven’s Wing. The role garnered Amato with critical acclaim with coverage from wide variety of places including Pretty-Scary.net, AfterEllen.com and Curve Magazine. The film was awarded the best film of 2007 by BumsCorner.com.

Amato has a knack for getting into a characters mind having in her arsenal a BA in Psychology from Hofstra University and a MA in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She’s been called a “Jack of All Trades” working behind the camera as well as in front as often as possible.

Along with the award winning television pilot Party Girl Amato has co-produced Under the Raven’s Wing and two other short films. Most recently she and Michelle Tomlinson created The Mis-Adventures of McT & A as sketch comedy series which will be screened at the Pretty Scary Blood Bath Film Festival in 2010.

As if that wasn’t enough, Kimberly Amato is also working with Bridge and Tunnel Media on a Spanish Novella trilogy and is in the final stages of editing her first novel.

Fatally Yours: How and when did you fall in love with horror? 

Kimberly Amato: I don’t know exactly when, but I remember Nightmare on Elm Street being the first horror film I saw. There was something fascinating about it. I’ve always been interested in the macabre and this is just an extension of it.

Fatally Yours: What does horror mean to you? 

Kimberly Amato: It’s the ability to take the simplest and most inane thing and make it terrifying.

Fatally Yours: What are others’ reactions when you tell them you are involved in the horror genre?

Kimberly Amato: Some people scoff at it asking how often have I taken my clothes off. Others ask to become part of my next project if I’m producing it. I’ve met very good mix of people and I truthfully enjoy hearing everyone’s opinions. It gives me more to work with on the next project.

Fatally Yours: Why do you think the horror genre has primarily been a man’s domain?

Kimberly Amato: I think it’s because there has always been the idea of women not being strong enough to combat evil. Fortunately, with the advent of the women’s movement, strong female characters have gained momentum.

Fatally Yours: As a woman, do you think you are viewed differently than your male counterparts in the horror genre? If so, how and why?

Kimberly Amato: I do think I’m viewed differently, partially because of my gender but also because of my background. The viewers are used to seeing women in certain roles, so it’s hard to bring a strong female character to life and still give the fans what they want. You have to bring sex appeal across even if you are fully clothed, buried in mud or just sitting at the kitchen table.

Fatally Yours: Even though women seem to be getting more and more involved behind the scenes in horror, why do you think there are less female horror directors, writers, producers, etc. in the genre than males?

Kimberly Amato: I think it’s because it’s difficult to be taken seriously in other genres after you have directed horror. For men it can be a stepping stone, but it feels like for women it makes you a one trick pony. I co-produced a feature horror film and didn’t get credit for the hard work I did from people outside of the horror industry. However, once I co-produced, starred, co-wrote and directed a comedy television pilot – I earned more respect. The work load was the same, but the recognition and respect was not, unfortunately.

Fatally Yours: What elements can female filmmakers/authors/journalists/etc. bring to the horror genre that are lacking in males’ perspectives?

Kimberly Amato: I don’t think it’s that we bring something specifically different to the table. I think it’s the opposite. Women in general can make a movie just as well, complete with gore, nudity, and all the elements that make a great horror flick – but are not being given as many opportunities to do so.

Fatally Yours: Do you think it’s harder for women to be taken seriously in a genre that seems to be dominated by males? 

Kimberly Amato: In some ways, yes. If you notoriously have women being used as nothing more than skin, why would you take them seriously? Film has some basis in the real word – does a woman who sells her body for show get respect? Not really. Why would filmmaking be any different? Unfortunately, women in general are utilized for our bodies more than our talent or our minds. Slowly, we are dispelling these generalizations but in order to succeed we have to play the same game as men. We have to sell DVD’s or tickets and skin sells.

Fatally Yours: Since you’ve been involved with the horror genre, have you noticed a change in women’s roles in the industry? 

Kimberly Amato: I have seen more women taking strides behind the camera to make quality productions as directors, producers and writers. Having been in a horror film directed by a woman it’s wonderful to see the trend continue with more fervor than ever.

Fatally Yours: Do you ever get annoyed at how women in horror movies always end naked or with their clothes ripped off? 

Kimberly Amato: Very much so. I understand the main audience demographic is male, so that’s the driving force behind it. I wish it was different, but at this point in time it isn’t. Personally, if the female character is going through something where nudity will enhance the story line – I’m all for it. However, seeing a woman nude for the sake of nudity just seems wrong and such a step in the wrong direction for women in the entertainment industry.

Fatally Yours: What horror movie would you say is equally fair in terms of men being objectified or at least, losing the same amount of clothes?

Kimberly Amato: I wish I could name a few, but honestly none come to mind.

Fatally Yours: Do you feel you’ve become desensitized to stereotypical scenes in horror like the half-naked girl screaming and running for her life in slow motion? Or are these types of familiar horror tropes still effective and necessary? 

Kimberly Amato: I have become extremely desensitized at this point. I love horror and enjoy watching it regardless, but sometimes I wish the tired old adages would change. Heck, at least shoot them in a different way. To be blunt, my friends are not huge horror fans, but for them to tell me a film is very predictable with specific cliché scenes – things need a new point of view or a different presentation.

Fatally Yours: Do you feel that other people view women as being “soft” and not able to endure horror as well as men? How do you fight this stereotypical view?

Kimberly Amato: I don’t know if people view women as “soft” since we are expected to be easy going. So, I wonder if “soft” is the right term. However, some people would view women as incapable of making a good, solid horror film. The only way to combat this view is to keep our integrity, never quit and put the most amazing project we can out there. Once more people see what women are capable of, the more doors open.

Fatally Yours: What women in horror do you admire and why?

Kimberly Amato: I admire Jamie Lee Curtis as a mainstream Scream Queen. She took her following and made it into a massively successful career. Then there is the obvious choice of Brooke Lewis, she can create a feature, a web series and anything else she puts her mind to – all the while bringing the best possible performance to the screen to accompany the project.

As far as up and coming actresses, I admire Michelle Tomlinson. I saw her film, The Cellar Door, and found she did more stuck in a box (literally, she was trapped in a wooden cage) than someone with a script full of dialogue and a huge set. Since I started working with her, I find her ability stretches much further than the average Scream Queen.

Fatally Yours: What advice would you give women who want to become involved in the horror genre?

Kimberly Amato: You better have a thick skin. This industry is hard and there are women and men willing to knock you down a few pegs to get what they want. Be true to who you are, fight for what you believe in and don’t be afraid to say no. Sometimes passing on a project you feel ill at ease being a part of is a good decision. Don’t be afraid to say no.

Fatally Yours: What’s the last disturbing horror movie you saw?

Kimberly Amato: The Descent – I hate small spaces and seeing the women trying to climb through these little caverns, with no air, the roof collapsing. Yeah, it freaked me out a bit.

Fatally Yours: What’s one horror movie you think is HIGHLY overrated?

Kimberly Amato: Paranormal Activity – the new Blair Witch… all hype and very little return on my money. What makes it worse, they ordered a sequel.

Fatally Yours: What are your favorite horror films, books, etc.?

Kimberly Amato: I read mostly non-fiction books about various criminals so that in itself is frightening. I have always been very partial to the Nightmare on Elm Street series, The Descent, the first Saw film (the subsequent sequels lost the essence of the original) and Silence of the Lambs.

Fatally Yours: What is your ultimate goal while working in the horror genre?

Kimberly Amato: To create films that showcase the worst of humanity in the most realistic manner possible. They don’t have to make a fortune, but they have to be good quality films.

Fatally Yours: What upcoming projects are you working on?

Kimberly Amato: I’m working on a bunch of projects this year. First, there is the web series, The Mis-Adventures of McT & A, Michelle Tomlinson and I have begun working on. The first episode is located on my YouTube page and we have a Facebook group where fans can send us suggestions, emails and images. Michelle and I are also working on two feature films this year. One called Touch – the teaser trailer is also available on my YouTube page. Then there is Dreaming Reality – both are in the pre-production phase. We’re also doing a benefit for abused women in Los Angeles.

I’ve also been brought on board to work with Bridge & Tunnel Media on a Spanish novella trilogy. We’ll be shooting the first episode of the first novella in the next few months. And last but not least, I’ve just completed my first novel.  It’s a murder mystery and the lead is a female psychotherapist.

Fatally Yours: Where can people find more info on you?

Kimberly Amato:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1742671/
http://www.KimberlyAmato.com
http://www.myspace.com/KimberlyAmato
http://www.twitter.com/KimberlyAmato
http://www.LittleCrownProductions.com
http://www.youtube.com/user/kkat76
“The Mis-Adventures of McT & A” Facebook Group

Interview with Filmmaker Maude Michaud

Born and raised in Montreal, Maude Michaud has been involved in various artistic activities – including music, theatre, dance, writing, and photography – for most of her life. When she was 14, upon spending a summer watching Reservoir Dogs and other indie hits from the ‘90s, Maude decided that she wanted to become a filmmaker.

She produced, wrote, directed and acted in her first short film, Finding Hope, which was screened as part of the official selection of the International Teen Movie Festival in Toronto. The following year, she directed her first horror short, Spirits, which screened at the same festival. She then enrolled in the Communication Studies undergraduate program at Concordia University where she got a hands-on training in film and video. She is currently directing her first feature length documentary on women and horror films as part of her master thesis in the Media Studies program at Concordia University.

Over the years, she independently wrote, directed and produced over 15 short films and video projects. In addition to the aforementioned film festival, her films also screened as part of the Young Cuts Festival (Montreal & Toronto), the Wreck-Beach Film Festival (Barrie, Ontario), the Short Film Corner during the Cannes Film Festival (Cannes, France), and the Montreal Fetish Film Festival. In 2004, she was a finalist for the Jeunes Cinéastes (young filmmakers) contest for which one of her films won the best original music award.

Even though she is a huge horror fan, she loves to explore a variety of genres in the films she directs, which results in an eclectic body of work including: horror dramas, slightly surreal quirky tales, and explorations of unconventional relationships. She also works as a photographer and, occasionally, as a director of photography.

Fatally Yours: How did you fall in love with the horror genre? 

Maude Michaud: My love for the horror genre began when I was a kid. I don’t know why, but I was always attracted to dark and creepy stories, so I never missed an episode of the show Are You Afraid of the Dark? and was an avid reader of the Goosebumps series (and any other similar books). Contrary to most kids my age, I was not scared by the content, I wanted more! Then, one afternoon, I watched Poltergeist III on cable TV (I think I was 9 at the time) and this marked the true beginning of my long love story with the horror genre! I started watching every single horror films I could get my hands on and I became totally hooked on the genre!

Fatally Yours: What does “horror” mean to you?

Maude Michaud: I find that “horror” means different things at different moments in my life. It used to be about confronting my fears and getting an adrenaline rush or about making me uncomfortable and testing the limits of what I was able to watch. Right now, I feel true horror is all about pushing psychological boundaries and giving in to our deepest, darkest urges. We all have really sick ideas crossing our minds at some point or another, so I ask myself: what if we followed up on these ideas? To me this is truly horrific because there are no limits to the human psyche and how sick or twisted someone can be. If you can think it, then most likely other people are also thinking the same thing (or worse) and maybe even doing it! It takes you away from fiction because it has the potential to be real. I find this kind of horror that slowly creeps up on you much more effective than formulaic films that look like they’re made to show off special f/x! Of course I do enjoy almost all subgenres of horror, but in order to be truly bothered or horrified there need to be a twisted psychological or human nature element involved.

Fatally Yours: How and when did you become involved in the horror industry?


Maude Michaud: When I turned 16, I decided I wanted to become a filmmaker, so I wrote and directed my first short film using my father’s handycam. It was a really lame ghost story shot with no budget and no special f/x in my parents’ house with friends acting in it. I loved the experience, but realized that if I really wanted to make a good horror film, I’d have to get more varied filmmaking experience. I went to film school and kept making short films projects on the side, but I couldn’t find any like-minded people who loved the genre enough to work on projects with me. As a result, I put my horror ideas on the back burner and started experimenting with other genres. Then, fast-forward to a couple of years later, I decided to rework one of these ideas and made Recessed with the help of my friend and longtime collaborator Sandra Lombardi. The end result rekindled my love for the genre and convinced me I was finally ready to try my hand at horror again! Since then, I’ve continued to experiment with the genre and tried to contribute as much as I can to horror-related events by getting my films screened and collaborating on various projects.

Fatally Yours: I’ve had the pleasure to see two of your short films, Snuff and Recessed, and was impressed by how much you accomplished and conveyed through mood and atmosphere (both shorts had none to very little dialogue). What inspired the creepy, dark stories of both films and what draws you to the darker side of life in general?

Maude Michaud: I do like to keep the dialogue to a minimum in my projects. One of my film teachers used to say: “Remember the basic rule of filmmaking: show, don’t tell.  Cinema is a visual medium.” It influenced my way of thinking about films, so whenever I think of a story, I focus on how the story unfolds visually first, then worry about what needs to be said (or not) after.

In the case of Snuff, I was inspired by the medium itself (8mm black and white film) and the urban legends surrounding the idea of snuff films; I thought it would be interesting to use this specific type of film stock to create a fake ‘snuff’ film – with a twist at the end!  The inspiration behind Recessed is a tad more complex. At the time, I was really into Japanese ghost films, especially how they use everyday moments and domestic spaces as a menace for the characters, so that inspired some of the creepy parts of the film. I also really like the idea of telling the story from the madman’s perspective and exploring the human psyche, which is what Recessed essentially is. I just love to leave things open-ended and let the audience decide how they want to interpret what it all means. Don’t get me wrong, I do have an explanation for what happens in Recessed, but I much prefer to know what people make of it as I’ve heard so many different interesting theories! I guess I could sum up by saying that many things draw me to the darker side of life, but there seem to be recurring patterns such as the uncanny, the darker side of the human psyche, and playing with people’s expectations.

Fatally Yours: Can you tell us about your upcoming films Hollywood Skin (selected as part of the Viscera Film Festival) and your documentary about women in horror?

Maude Michaud: Of course!  I made Hollywood Skin for an anthology project helmed by director Lis Fies and titled I Hate L.A. (as the title suggests, the different segments have to deal with a negative aspect of life in L.A.). Inspired by my previous short film Reflection (which is a segment of the Frankenstein Unlimited anthology) in which the main character is the one inflicting the horror upon herself, I decided to follow a similar line of thought with Hollywood Skin. It’s a very introspective story centered on the main character’s descent into madness as she becomes so obsessed with her body image that she sees only one solution: self plastic surgery.

As for the documentary project (which will also serve as my master’s thesis project), I started it because I felt that women in horror were underrepresented (if not completely absent) from academic literature and mainstream media. As a woman who loves horror, I felt conflicted reading feminist critiques of the genre; was it possible to call oneself a feminist AND love horror films? I got started researching women actively working in the horror industry and started interviewing them to get their thoughts on the genre, their opinions of feminist critique, and how (if) they try to change the genre through their work. As I keep meeting more and more female filmmakers, writers, journalists, etc, the project keeps increasing, so I’m starting to seriously reconsider the scope of the documentary! I can say it is slowly transforming into a series of shorter documentary segments that will allow me to cover a wider variety of topics! I’m aiming to release the first segment this summer, but in the meantime you can visit the temporary website (http://www.bloodybreasts-documentary.tk/) to get more information!

Fatally Yours: Many (though not all) horror films feature violence that’s explicitly shown against women. Why do you think violence against women has usually been shown more explicitly than violence against men?

Maude Michaud: I think a lot of it has to do with stereotypes that are the backbone of cinema: men are often represented as being the heroes while women are typically the ones needing to be rescued. Horror films do play with these stereotypes by usually killing off characters regardless of their gender and by offering women the heroic role of the ‘final girl’. However, it is true that even though men get killed almost as often as women do, the scenes depicting the murder of female characters are usually longer and more explicit that those of the men characters. I don’t know why that is. I think there are a lot of societal taboos associated with the representation of violence against men; if we look at the news, we tend to see way more stories of graphic and brutal violence against women, while stories in which men are victims are usually only briefly mentioned. I don’t know why, maybe it makes people uncomfortable, maybe it shows a certain weakness that screws up with the stereotypes of the male’s heroic untouchable strength, or maybe it’s just easier to represent a cat-and-mouse game between the killer and female victims. Hopefully things are changing now as we start having more male victims (with graphic murder scenes) and seeing interesting reversals in terms of gender roles within horror.

Fatally Yours: In reference to the previous question, Dario Argento once said, “I like women, especially beautiful ones. If they have a good face and figure, I would much prefer to watch them being murdered than an ugly girl or man.” Alfred Hitchcock elaborated by saying, “I always believe in following the advice of the playwright Sardou. He said, ‘Torture the women!’ The trouble today is that we don’t torture enough.” What is your reaction when reading those quotes? 

Maude Michaud: Wow, I think I could write a whole essay on this weighting the pros and cons!  I’d say my initial gut reaction is that I feel very conflicted; part of me agrees with the quotes and understands what Argento and Hitchcock mean from a director’s point of view, while the other part of me feels like strongly reacting to the quotes because it just furthers the stereotypes of female as victims. Either way, I think they illustrate very well one of the driving force behind slasher films and I think it would be interesting to shake things up a bit by subverting these ideas and seeing if people react differently to them.

Fatally Yours: Why do you think sex and violence are so intertwined in the horror genre? How often would you say that nudity and sex scenes are actually relevant to the story in a horror film? 

Maude Michaud: The first thing that comes to mind is Freud’s notion of the two basic conflicting human desires: eros (the life/sex drive) and thanatos (the death drive). Also, there’s a very fine line between sex and violence; sex itself can be very violent… There is also this whole idea of struggle for power over another person, both in sex and in violence, which is something horror films represent very well.

In French there is this expression “la petite mort” (the little death) that is a metaphor for orgasm; I think that is an interesting juxtaposition of the two ideas. This might be why it is so easy to intertwine them in horror films… As far as how often nudity or sex scenes are relevant, I tend to say it depends on many factors such as the story, how the scene is shot, etc. I’ve seen as many relevant sex scenes as I’ve seen unnecessary gratuitous nudity, so I think it would be fair to say that it’s a good half and half.

Fatally Yours: How do you respond to people that believe that horror films can only be enjoyed by males or that feminists can’t possibly enjoy horror films? 

Maude Michaud: I don’t agree with this because I think horror can be empowering for women; there are so many great roles for women within horror that consist in way more than being the victim…  People tend to take horror too seriously or think of it in a way that is a bit too literal…

I think the main problem is that when we say the word ‘horror’, people automatically think of slasher films even though there are many other subgenres of horror! A lot of people also see horror as a misogynist genre because of its representation of women, which I think is a shame because I can think of other genres that are way more demeaning! Romantic comedies for example! (laughs) If we stop and think about it, defeating a psycho killer is way more empowering than finding the perfect pair of shoes or the perfect boyfriend, no?

Fatally Yours: Though the horror genre has primarily been a “boy’s club”, it seems that more and more women filmmakers are getting behind the genre. What is your personal opinion on why there are less female filmmakers than males?

Maude Michaud: I think some women might be intimidated by the idea of the horror genre as being a “boy’s club” and as a result, do not dare to try it or do not know where to start. I think it’s a shame because this kind of thought helps maintain the status quo instead of allowing new voices to be heard.

That’s why I have one thing I’d like to say to women who would like to make a horror film: “Go, pick up a camera and start shooting. Dare to try. Tell your story like YOU want to tell it.” At first, I had trouble finding people to work on my projects, so I went ahead and did (almost) everything on my own. Then I started networking, meeting like-minded people and it just went from there.

I feel like the horror genre is at a turning point where it needs new voices and new kinds of stories to evolve. Wouldn’t it be great if female filmmakers end up being the catalyst for change?

Fatally Yours: Have you noticed any new trends in the horror genre that empower women? If so, what are they and do you think they will change the way horror films are viewed?

Maude Michaud: In the last 10 years or so, there has been more stories that focus on women’s experiences and are told from their points of view, which I think is a refreshing change. Ginger Snaps and Grace are my two favorite examples as they both deal with very female-centric, horrific situations in a way that is different from how similar subject matters were represented in the past (by taking a male perspective).

Another interesting trend is the subversion of audience’s expectations. The segment with Anna Paquin in Trick R Treat is a great example of that (I won’t spoil it for those who haven’t seen it!). I don’t know if these trends are going to significantly change the way horror films are viewed, but I certainly feel empowered by them and it just makes me want to contribute even more to their evolution through my work!

Fatally Yours: Have you faced any challenges in the film industry because of your gender? 

Maude Michaud: Apart from macho comments from classmates and the constant need to tell people I wasn’t interested in directing romantic comedies or chick flick (the genre people automatically assume you want to work in when you’re a woman), I can’t really say I faced any challenges because of my gender. Well, maybe a bit at first as I wasn’t always taken seriously when I said I wanted to direct horror films, but it stopped when I showed people what I can do and proved that I was serious about it.

Fatally Yours: What women in horror do you admire?

Maude Michaud: There are so many! The first one that comes to mind is Kathryn Bigelow because she devoted her career to genres that are traditionally considered as “boy’s clubs” so kudos to her for that. Also, Mary Harron for her version of American Psycho, Karen Walton for writing the wonderful Ginger Snaps, fellow Montreal filmmaker Izabel Grondin who always has crazy and wicked ideas, and Marina de Van, director of the French film In My Skin which is one of the most disturbing (and one of my favorite!) horror films. Of course, I also have to add Maila Nurmi (Vampira), Barbara Steel, and Elvira on the actress side of things. I’m sure I’m forgetting tons of others, but those are the first ones that come to mind.

Fatally Yours: What are your thoughts on the modern horror climate? 

Maude Michaud: As I quickly mentioned earlier, I feel that things are changing. It seems that the horror genre is at a point where it needs a good rejuvenation and I think that is why we see more films that are genre cross-over or throwbacks to older, lesser known films. I think it’s a good thing as injecting new blood into the genre will only make it stronger!

Fatally Yours: If you could direct one woman, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Maude Michaud: That is a really hard question; it’s nearly impossible for me to pick just one, but I promise I’ll keep the list short!  First I’d say Tura Santana as I’ve had the chance to attend a Q and A where she was the guest and she has a kick-ass personality which I’m sure would make working with her super fun! I’m also a huge Rose McGowan fan, so I would definitely love to direct her in one of my films. In terms of Canadian actresses, I have a few that I’d really love to approach one day to work with, mainly Katherine Isabelle and Mia Kirshner. Lastly, I also need to include Melanie Laurent because her performance in Inglourious Basterds completely blew me away.

Fatally Yours: What inspires, influences and motivates you?

Maude Michaud: I’m very influenced by psychology and perception! I love Freudian theories and I think a lot of them are fun to incorporate in horror stories. I also have a fondness for insanity and unstable characters, for telling the story from the madman/madwoman’s perspective… I read a lot of psychology books about personality disorders and I find them inspiring for characters! And of course, I love to play with people’s expectations by twisting the story in different ways and taking the unexpected route.

Fatally Yours: Do you have any upcoming projects you can discuss with us?

Maude Michaud: Of course! In addition to finishing my documentary and promoting my short films, I’m also finishing the script of my first feature film, which is definitely an upcoming project as production will start later this year if everything goes as planned. I’m also working on a DVD compilation of some of my short films that I’ll independently distribute through my website later in the spring.

Fatally Yours: Where can people find more info on you and your films?

Maude Michaud: I’m currently building a website for my production company, Quirk Films, but in the meantime people can find basic information about my films on my main website http://maudemichaud.com as well as my blog http://maudemichaud.blogspot.com, which is where I post upcoming screenings, events, news, etc. I’ll make an announcement on the blog as soon as the Quirk website is up and running, but until then I hope you’ll stop by and drop me a line!

Interview with Filmmaker J.A. Steel

One of the few female action film directors in Hollywood, and one of the first western women to study the art of Muay Thai kickboxing in Thailand, J.A. Steel rocked the film and music industry in 1999 with her first feature The Third Society. Steel drew on her experience in working on at least two dozen other feature films to write, direct, produce, edit, and music supervise the 35mm film which was released by Warrior Entertainment in 2003. The Third Society has won Steel numerous awards, including the 2004 Bare Bones Film Festival Indie Auteur and Best Soundtrack awards. Past projects include directing and hosting for the documentary television pilot Dive the Deep Blue and starring as the alien bounty hunter in Ford Austin’s Cerebral Print. Steel’s award winning second feature, Salvation, was released in June 2008 by York Entertainment. Currently, Steel recently completed her third feature, Denizen, for release in 2010.

Fatally Yours: How did you fall in love with the film industry? 

J.A. Steel: I was about three. There was a TV show called Kolchak: The Night Stalker. I would sneak out of bed and sit on the stairs, peering out of the bars on the railing. I couldn’t really hear the TV – but I do remember seeing the images and remember being really, really, scared. Sometimes my parents would catch me and put me back in bed. Usually, after watching the show I would have nightmares and have to fess up that I had snuck out of bed. No matter how scared I was – I kept watching and sneaking out of bed.

Fatally Yours: How and when did you get involved in acting and filmmaking?

J.A. Steel: I started acting very young in church plays. As soon as I could hold a pen, I was writing stories. In third grade, we did a skit based on Grease. I wrote it, directed it, and had a small role in it. Ever since then I wrote shorts plays and even a novel. I wrote my first feature length screenplay when I was 12 based on Buck Rogers: In the 25^th Century. I wrote my first original script at 13. At 17, I went to USC film school’s Filmic Writing Program. In my junior year, I had to take an 8mm film class, which I blew off and failed. At that time in my life, I could have cared less about editing, lighting, directing, and acting. I just wanted to write.

I interned for Silver Pictures on Hudson Hawk and The Last Boy Scout. I then interned for a season on Tales from the Crypt. I learned more from my internships than in any film class. Film is a craft where you have to learn by doing – there is no magical book one can read or class anyone can take.

I held all the jobs on The Third Society my first feature start to finish because I couldn’t find anyone who shared the vision of a kick-ass chick action movie.

Fatally Yours: You are one of the few women to direct action films. Why do you think there are so few women directing films in the action and horror genres?

J.A. Steel: Directing in such a male-dominated genre is really, really, hard. Most of the support positions (Cinematographer, Gaffer, Key Grip, etc.) are all men. The foreign buyers are men. The financiers are men. And unless you are married (or divorced) or otherwise related to a male in a power position in the film industry – the odds are stacked against you. As a director you’re dismissed to the realm of romantic comedies or drama or any other emotionally driven genre.

Blowing stuff up and killing people is an area in human history that has been typically reserved for men. Few women have risen to the ranks as world famous dictators or serial killers.
It’s hard enough to get any film made – let alone face the internal pressures of your own crew not believing you can do it.

Fatally Yours: Have you faced any challenges/discrimination in the film industry because of your gender?

J.A. Steel: I once had a buyer at a European film market tell me he would absolutely NOT buy any of my movies because they were directed by a woman.

I’ve had crew problems. I had a stunt coordinator in The Third Society tell me I couldn’t do a fight scene because I was girl and he was afraid that I would get hurt. It was kind of funny because at the time I held a professional full contact fighter license from the State of California, and actually got in the Muay Thai ring and fought. He was not asked back for part of the shooting and I had to take over some of the stunt coordination.

I’ve been told by agents that they wouldn’t represent me as a director/writer in action/horror because they couldn’t even get Kathryn Bigelow work (this was before Hurt Locker).

Fatally Yours: As a female filmmaker, do you feel films directed by women are different than those filmed by men? If so, how are they different and why?

J.A. Steel: It depends. Is the script written by a man or a woman? A script directed by a woman, written by a woman will be different than a script written by a man and directed by a woman. As well as any of the other combinations.

Generally, women will take a more emotional approach to the characters. However, there are some really good male directors out there – James Cameron is one, who can really create an all ‘round good film.
When you are writing for action/horror you have to follow to a certain extent the conventions of the genre that you have chosen to work in. You are also limited by your target audience and their expectations of the genre.

A good genre film is a good genre film.

Fatally Yours: In your career, have you noticed a change in women’s roles within the film industry?

J.A. Steel: Not really. It’s quite tragic. I’ve noticed a couple new names in the past few years on the romantic comedy side and drama. Women still aren’t in the power positions in the studios or in corporations as a whole. And the disparity in wage earnings doesn’t help with the financing side of indie films either.

Fatally Yours: What is your main goal as a filmmaker?

J.A. Steel: I really just want to blow shit up. I want to get inside your head as an audience member without you knowing I’m getting inside your head. I want to be Hitchcock, terrifying audiences with something like the shower scene in Psycho. I want to have audiences go – “that was a damn cool movie” without the fact that I’m a chick ever being mentioned.

Awhile back the press called me the “female Roger Corman for the 21^st Century”. I hope to live up to that honor. Corman propelled the B-movie genre into the mainstream. I want to keep moving the genre forward. Hopefully, we can get away from all of the horror remakes of the classics and come up with something new.

Fatally Yours: What women in the film industry do you admire?

J.A. Steel: Kathryn Bigelow of course. I remember seeing Point Break in college. It was the first time I ever believed women could direct action.

Fatally Yours: If you could work with one actress/writer/producer/director/etc. in one of your films, living or dead, who would it be and why?

J.A. Steel: Barbara Stanwyck. I remember her from reruns of the cowboy show Big Valley as a kid. I always remember her standing on the porch of the house wielding a very large gun. To me she is the quintessential “chick with a gun”. She was a really good actress. I would love to have her being a gun wielding granny against some army of the undead. In my last feature, Denizen, I would love for her to play the main female character’s grandmother.

Fatally Yours: What inspires, influences and motivates you?

J.A. Steel: I am inspired by everyday life. I’m always in the wrong place at the wrong time. I take everyday stories and experiences and turn them into films. “Denizen” was based on my real life scuba diving experience in Lake Tenkiller, Oklahoma. I also have a very supportive core team at Warrior Entertainment for my projects, and a family who loves me for who I am and keeps me motivated and working hard.

Fatally Yours: What are your favorite horror films, books, etc.?

J.A. Steel: Anything Hitchcock. I love the original Nightmare on Elm Street. Aliens. The Exorcist. For books, Stephen King – but he gives me nightmares so I have a tendency to shy away from his books. My buddy, Vince Churchill, writes horror novels. He’s the only horror author I’ve read lately.

Fatally Yours: What upcoming projects can you tell us about?

J.A. Steel: We currently are working on another action film, Take Out Delivery, about a female assassin. Operation Overlord is a sci-fi/action/horror film. But since our budgets are still limited to what we can scrap together, Take Out Delivery is going to be next. Overlord needs the help from some capital investors.

Fatally Yours: Where can people find more info on you?

J.A. Steel: They can check out the Denizen trailer on http://www.WarriorEntertainment.com as well as check out all my movies and upcoming projects.

My personal website at http://www.jasteel.com
My Wikipedia article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J.A._Steel
My Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/JASteel
MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/maverickjasteel
Twitter at https://twitter.com/jasteel