Producer, Travis Stevens' Top 3 Midnight Madness Picks

This is the first in a series of posts where I asked some peeps what 3 Midnight Madness films they're most excited for this year.

First up is A Horrible Way to Die and The Aggression Scale producer, Travis Stevens' picks.

#1 - The Lords of Salem

 Who cares if an artist missteps every now and then as long as they're heading in an interesting direction? House of 1,000 Corpses is a bit juvenile--designed and executed like an elementary school halloween fundraiser for the children of an outlaw biker gang, but it was made with relish. The Halloween 1+2 reboot sacrificed what made the character iconic in order to make him "new" but who cares? At least he had the balls to actually "kill the cat" so to speak.

But the real reason to look forward to The Lords of Salem is because it appears that he's created another new world for us to explore. And the last time he did that we got a dusty masterpiece. The Devil's Rejects was an assembly of gore and exploitation as complex and as beautiful as a Faberge Egg...smashed against the skull of an unsuspecting audience.

He's going to push the sexuality. He's going to push the WTFness. And I could care less if he stumbles.

#2 - The Bay

Why, at the age 70, did Barry Levinson of Good Morning, Vietnam and Rain Man fame, decide to dip his toes in the dangerous waters of the high concept / low budget horror world? Was it crass commercialism? The desire to explore a looser approach to filmmaking, free of some of the restraints that big budgets and movie stars can shackle you with? Did he lose a bet?

Beyond the basic stomach turning appeal of a parasitic outbreak rampaging through the mouths and guts of a small coastal town, I just want to see what the hell Levinson does with the concept. Let's hope the end result is focused, funny and terrifying...and that Levinson tells the audience "why" during the Q&A.

#3 - The ABCs of Death

Taking an approach to anthology films that would have made Caligula proud, this orgy of gore is likely to cause the only death by excess recorded in the history of a cinema. But what a way to go! Gangbanged to death by some of the most inventive minds working in genre film today. I'll take it.

Bonus Non-MM Picks

 #4 - Passion

The hope is that Passion is to De Palma what Black Book was to Verhoeven.  Once last crack of the master's whip.  An indulgence of the man's personal fetishes, blossoming forth from the pavement of a really commercial script.  The fear is that it plays closer to Argento's Dracula 3D.  

#5 - The Hunt 
Thomas Vinterberg and Mads Mikkelsen.  A collaboration that appears just as delicate, cold and beautiful as an icicle hanging from your roof in winter.  I want to watch it shatter. 

Travis Stevens is the founder of Snowfort Pictures; a boutique production company specializing in the development, financing, production and sale of commercial genre films. Since founding the company in 2010 he's produced Adam Wingard's A HORRIBLE WAY TO DIE, Steven C Miller's THE AGGRESSION SCALE, The Butcher Brothers THE THOMPSONS, Frank Pavich's JODOROWSKY'S DUNE, Mike Mendez's MEGA SPIDER, Ravi Dhar's AMERICAN MUSCLE and Trent Haaga and E.L. Katz's upcoming CHEAP THRILLS.

None of which his wife shows any interest in seeing.

Screening Times:
THE LORDS OF SALEM
World Premiere: Mon., Sept. 10th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Wed., Sept. 12th, 5:00 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 6

THE BAY
World Premiere: Wed., Sept. 12th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Thurs., Sept. 13th, 2:45 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 6

THE ABCs OF DEATH
World Premiere: Fri., Sept. 14th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Sat., Sept. 15th, 3:15 PM SCOTIABANK 9
Sun., Sept. 16th, 9:00 PM SCOTIABANK 9

PASSION
Tues., Sept. 11th, 8:00 PM WINTER GARDEN THEATRE
Thurs., Sept. 13th, 8:30 PM SCOTIABANK 1
Fri., Sept. 14th, 9:30 AM SCOTIABANK 3

THE HUNT
Mon., Sept. 10th, 9:15 PM TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX 1
Wed., Sept. 12th, 3:00 PM TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX 2

Red Carpet video of YOU'RE NEXT

There is nothing like the excitement of a world premiere of film by a highly anticipated emerging director. Such was the case at the Ryerson theater Saturday night when Adam Wingard's latest film, You're Next, was about to screen.

I had the opportunity to talk to Adam, writer Simon Barrett and stars Sharni Vinson and the legendary Barbara Crampton looking amazing lovely as usual. Here is Sheleigh and my red carpet video:



You're Next screens two more times:

Monday Sept., 12th AMC 7 6:30pm
Friday, Sept., 16th TIFF Bell Lightbox 2 4:00pm

Intro/Q&A Video for YOU'RE NEXT

Saturday Sept., 10th marked the World Premiere of Adam Wingard's and Simon Barrett's latest collaboration, You're Next. Hot of the heels of their breakout film, A Horrible Way To Die, which screened in TIFF's Vanguard programme, there was a lot of anticipation for this follow-up film.

Ryerson theater had all the energy of a world premiere at midnight on the first Saturday of the festival. It also helped that the masks prominently featured in the film were being handed out to the die hard fans waiting in the lineup and that Banksy-inspired street was popping up all around the theater.


Here is Sheleigh and my video of the Introduction and Q&A of You're Next:



At the time of this posting You're Next screens two more times:

Monday Sept., 12th AMC 7 6:30pm
Friday, Sept., 16th TIFF Bell lightbox 2 4:00pm

YOU'RE NEXT Premieres Tonight + Adam Wingard Speaks!

The last time Adam Wingard had a movie at TIFF he inspired Bobcat Goldthwait to make God Bless America. What kind of madness will his new flick You're Next inspire? There's really only one way to find out and that is to be at the Ryerson tonight at midnight.

Adam also has a great five questions interview up over at filmmakermagazine.com. Here are a few highlights:

On twists in You're Next: ...we decided to make ours more of a fun ride, one that doesn’t punish its audience or take itself too seriously.

On directing directors Ti West and Joe Swanberg: It’s great; they both know what a pain in the ass making a movie can be so I felt a lot of empathy from them when the scenes were getting rough.

If you want to know more ask him yourself tonight at midnight!

YOU’RE NEXT
Sat., Sept. 10th, 11:59PM, RYERSON
Mon., Sept. 12th, 6:30PM, AMC 7
Fri., Sept. 16th, 4:00PM, TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX 2

GOD BLESS AMERICA
Sun., Sept. 1tth, 1:30PM, AMC 6
Fri., Sept. 16th, 6:30PM, AMC 7

Midnight Madness Spotlight on A.J. Bowen

"He is the Kurt Russell of our generation"--A director on A.J. Bowen

Last year I met director Adam Wingard and the lead cast of his film A Horrible Way To Die, which premiered at TIFF 2010. Among the actors I talked to was A.J. Bowen who I had seen the day previous on the silver screen playing serial killer Garrick Turrell. As my camera operator was getting prepared the cast and I all shook hands and I noticed the camaraderie of Wingard, Bowen and fellow actors Amy Seimetz and Joe Swanberg. As I tested out the sound of the microphone with the standard "check, check," I could not help but also laugh into the microphone at Bowen's great sense of humor it was far removed from the character I had seen him playing the day before--a person on the far extreme of the human condition--a vicious killer--and it is at these kind moments when you get to see the real person aside from a character they have played, you see a great actor who takes their craft seriously.

A Horrible Way To Die is a true showcase for Bowen's acting talents. Even though he is a serial killer he loves his ex-girlfriend Sarah (Amy Seimetz) and is on a journey to try and reconnect with her. While it's the genre moments which involve Garrick killing his victims that generate an immediate reaction, it is the scenes and images of Garrick Turrell driving long stretches of the freeway and those quiet moments of introspection that have resonated and stayed with me. Which reminds me of a Micheal Chekhov quote, "An actor must burn inside with an outer ease."

One thing I have noticed with A.J. as an actor is this his characters immediately draw you in with a disarming charm and when his opposite lets their guard down bad things happen, very bad things. There is also this great sense of unease whenever the camera focuses on him, one is never really safe in his presence; yet at the same time he has this vulnerability. Take a look at Lewis Denton, his character in The Signal. Though crazed from the signal, covered in blood, he is a man adrift, looking for his wife he no longer recognizes. As I mentioned before with the character Garrick Turrell in A Horrible Way To Die, here is a man struggling with his need to kill people and his need to receive love from his ex-girlfriend the great love of his life, a man torn. Another great trait of Bowen's acting talent is his ability to say more with his eyes then five pages of dialogue can.


I first took notice of Bowen in the 2007 film The Signal. In a movie that is an ensemble piece he is one of the actors to truly stand out. Directors leading a new wave of American genre films have also taken notice, Bowen has worked with Ti West, Adam Green and is currently shooting with genre darling Danielle Harris in her second film as a director, Among Friends.


This year will mark Bowen's first appearance on the Midnight Madness screen in Wingard's latest, You're Next. This marks the third collaboration of Wingard & Bowen, as well as Amy Seimetz and Joe Swanberg. Here is my interview with them from last year.



A.J. is truly a great actor who helps lift genre films into art. I look forward to seeing his latest performance in You're Next but before forewarned, don't be drawn in with that disarming smile and that twinkle in his eyes.....

YOU'RE NEXT screening times:

Sat., Sept 10th, 11:59pm RYERSON
Mon., Sept. 12th, 6:30pm AMC 7
Fri., Sept. 16th, 4:00pm TIFF Bell Lightbox 2