Video: ALMOST HUMAN World Premiere Interviews

ALMOST HUMAN had it's world premiere last night. It was reported that the last that was seen of Robert A. Mitchell was just prior to numerous reports of a bluish beam of the light from the sky that washed out the red carpet in bluish hues. Attempts to reach him have proven fruitless, however, this footage of interviews with the director Joe Begos and his cast and crew was uploaded from an disclosed location.



ALMOST HUMAN Screening Times:
Wednesday, Sept 11th, 7:15 PM SCOTIABANK 3
Friday, Sept 13th, 2:30 PM SCOTIABANK 9
 

AFFLICTED Midnight Madness World Premiere Interviews

AFFLICTED had it's world premiere last night at Midnight Madness. Here are Robert A. Mitchell's interviews with Derek Lee and Clif Prowse the writing, directing and acting team behind the film.



AFFLICTED Screening Times:
Wednesday, Sept 11th, 8:45 PM SCOTIABANK 9

Video: OCULUS World Premiere Interviews

OCULUS the new film from director Mike Flanagan had it's world premiere at Midnight Madness Sunday night. If you like a creepy, get under your skin, thoughtful horror film that weaves a story I can truthfully say this film delivered the goods. The film is deeply affective, foreboding atmospheric work that shows a craftsmanship seldom seen in most horror films or most films for that matter.

Here is Robert A. Mitchell's interviews with Mike, one of the composers and the cast.


OCULUS Screening Times:
Tuesday, Sept 10th, 4:15 PM SCOTIABANK 14
Sunday, Sept 15th, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK 11

THE GREEN INFERNO Complete World Premiere Interviews

There was much anticipation for Eli Roth's THE GREEN INFERNO. His first film as a director since Hostel II back in 2007. Robert Mitchell found himself in the jungle that is the red carpet and barely made it out with this footage of Eli and his amazing cast.



THE GREEN INFERNO Screening Times:
Monday, Sept 9th, 1:30 PM SCOTIABANK 13

5 Questions with Oculus Producer Trevor Macy

Every horror producer should have a smile this disarming!

Midnight Madness Interviews the producer of Sunday night's chiller Oculus (2013), Trevor Macy!

1.   How did you first come to be involved with Oculus?

We found Mike's film Absentia (2011) (credit goes there to our Executive Producer, Anil Kurian) and I thought it was a remarkable film for the level of tension it sustained.  It was extremely well crafted, especially for its budget – just grabbed you by the throat and didn't let go.  When we saw the short and heard that Mike and Jeff wanted to develop that idea into a feature, we jumped on board after the first meeting.

2.   Describe the development and production experience, any unique or significant challenges or high points?

The film's interwoven structure was the biggest challenge throughout, but the performances from our wonderful cast helped keep the movie grounded and relatable.  This movie was a high point for me in terms of creative collaboration from outline to delivery.  Mike, as a director and editor, and Mike and Jeff as writers, are extraordinarily open and confident.  We agreed early on that it didn't matter whose idea it was (although most of the time it's that Mike guy's idea, let's be honest), we were going to do what was best for the movie and that there shouldn't be a limit to better. 

3.    You've produced the wonderfully unnerving film The Strangers, and savagely brutal Doomsday and now this super creepy looking film Oculus (and I can see the Strangers 2 is on the horizon)  What continues to draw you to the horror genre?

I'm really drawn to ideas and movies that stay with you after you leave the theater, and the horror genre is a great canvas for that.  But mostly, it's fun.

 4.    What are the key elements that you look for, when finding ideal horror projects to produce?

It has to start with the idea, but more importantly, for the movie to work and the scares to really land, you have to care about the characters.  And that has to be on the page.  Beyond that, it's about the director and how we would work together.

 5.   Did they cover that mirror between takes on Oculus? Any ghost stories from set?

Let's just say the mirror is currently resting comfortably in a warehouse I imagine to be like the one at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark, so everyone is safe for now.

Somebody's not sleeping tonight!

OCULUS Screening Times:
Sunday, Sept 8th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Tuesday, Sept 10th, 4:15 PM SCOTIABANK 14
Sunday, Sept 15th, 6:00 PM SCOTIABANK 11

THE STATION, aka, Blutgletscher World Premiere Interviews

Robert Mitchell recently visited THE STATION in remote Austria. He can speak very little of what he saw there but was thankful he made it out alive. He did bring back this footage with the film's director and actress aka a son and his proud mom.



THE STATION Screening Times:
Sunday, Sept 8th, 2:15 PM SCOTIABANK 14
Friday, Sept 13th, 9:15 PM SCOTIABANK 9

ALL CHEERLEADERS DIE: Red Carpet Interviews

Has it really been a year already? Midnight Madness 2013 started kicked off last night and the excitement was unreal! With school starting as well as football season getting underway the opening night film ALL CHEERLEADERS DIE was excellent timing...except for maybe those aforementioned cheerleaders.

Robert Mitchell couldn't find a pair of pom poms but had a microphone and camera and brought this footage from the red carpet back....



ALL CHEERLEADERS DIE Screening Times:
Friday, Sept 6th, 3:00 PM THE BLOOR HOT DOCS CINEMA

YOU'RE NEXT Filmmakers Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett: "We are the horror audience."

Midnight Madness Alumni Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett talk about their film You're Next with The Los Angeles Times.

You're Next had a rollicking world premiere in 2011 as part of the Midnight Madness section of the Toronto International Film Festival that had the audience on its feet cheering during the screening.That first showing has become part of the film's lore, a signal of its effect on audiences. It opens Aug. 23 around the U.S.

"We came to realize that the best way to deconstruct horror nowadays is actually just to make a really great horror movie," Wingard, 30, said recently in East Hollywood, not far from where he and Barrett live on the same block. "You don't have to sell the reference thing or be that clever. Recognizing all the horror tropes and playing off audience expectations is kind of the new deconstruction."

Though the film is full of spiky scares and elaborate bloody kills, it is also driven by a sharp wit[.]

"We went into the recesses of our minds and said, 'What got us into filmmaking?'" noted Wingard. "And we realized it's fun, action-y horror stuff geared toward having a good time."

Read more here.

JOHN DIES AT THE END: Interview with Don Coscarelli, Chase Williamson & Rob Mayes

JOHN DIES AT THE END closed out the 2012 edition of Midnight Madness. I had the opportunity to speak with director Don Coscarelli and actors Chase Williamson, Rob Mayes and Tai Bennett.

Robert A. Mitchell may or may not have been under the influence of Soy Sauce while conducting the following interviews....

ABCs Of DEATH World Premiere: Interviews. Video.

Warning: Some directors may have been injured during these interviews.

The ABCs of DEATH premiered last night and words like bedlam, tumult, total and utter choas can only begin to paint the picture of last night's red carpet. There is even a creepy sihoutte in the window behind the photo backdrop. To be completely honest the red carpet was removed because of speculation of what could happen when a ton of the most talented genre directors working today assembled.

Not much remains outside of the Ryerson this afternoon but some frayed velvet ropes and Robert A. Mitchell's video of the proceedings....


THE ABCS OF DEATH
Sun., Sept. 16th, 9:00 PM SCOTIABANK 9

COME OUT AND PLAY: Ask Makinov

We've tried hard to get Come Out And Play director Makinov to answer interview questions and he's refused. Makinov is notoriously secretive--even filming his movies in a mask. He's also unwilling to appear at tonight's Q&A, sending us a video manifesto instead that explains his reasons for creating anonymously and wearing a mask.

But, Makinov has agreed to take questions on Twitter, creating a kind of virtual question and answer session while maintaining his anonymity.

You can write Makinov at: https://twitter.com/onegodmakinov or @onegodmakinov

And if you do ask a question, use the Midnight Madness hashtag: #mmadnesstiff or include our Twitter account, @mmadnesstiff, so we can keep track of all the questions and answers and post them on the blog.

COME OUT AND PLAY screening times:
Thurs., Sept. 13, 11:59PM, RYERSON
Fri., Sept. 14, 3:15PM, CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 10
Sat., Sept. 15, 6:45PM, SCOTIABANK 11

Eli Roth, Andrea Osvart & Ariel Levy On Making AFTERSHOCK.

One of the greatest aspects of the Midnight Madness programme at the Toronto International Film Festival is the introduction of new and unknown talent to the world stage of cinema. Last night Chilean director of AFTERSHOCK Nicolás López was unleashed upon the world.

This year also marks the ten year anniversary of a film Cabin Fever and then unknown filmmaker Eli Roth. In talking with Robert A. Mitchell last night Eli had some pretty amazing things to say about the Midnight Madness section of the festival and the programmer Colin Geddes.





AFTERSHOCK
Thurs., Sept. 13th, 6:15 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 3
Sun., Sept. 16th, 3:30 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 9

Rob & Sheri Moon Zombie On Making THE LORDS OF SALEM (Video)

Last night the Ryerson cinema, home to the Midnight Madness programme, was rocking. Rob Zombie was in attendence for the world premiere of his latest film THE LORDS OF SALEM. Robert A. Mitchell was there and here is what he brought back...


THE LORDS OF SALEM
Wed., Sept. 12th, 5:00 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 6

J.T. Petty & Clancy Brown Talk HELLBENDERS Video

One of the most unique and exciting storytellers in current American cinema returned to the Midnight Madness stage last night for the third time. J.T. Petty (S&Man, The Burrowers) with his latest film HELLBENDERS.

An uproarious exorcism comedy that really displays a great cast playing off each other, Clancy Brown, Dan Fogler, Clifton Collins Jr. to name a few. The film also really showcases the capabilities of 3D as an added visual tool beyond that of a gimmick. Armed with Holy Water, two microphones quickly duck-taped together to form a make-shift cross and a bottle of bourbon Robert A. Mitchell took to the red carpet and returned with this video....


HELLBENDERS
Tue., Sept. 11th, 7:00 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 7
Sat., Sept. 15th, 9:15 PM SCOTIABANK 2

Ryuhei Kitamura, America, Olivo & Brodus Clay Talk NO ONE LIVES

Last night marked the return of Ryuhei Kitamura the director of Midnight Madness crowd favorite Versus after eleven years with his latest film NO ONE LIVES. Let's just say this, the film delivers upon it's title, definitely a midnight film. Robert A. Mitchell was on the red carpet hoping to make it out alive -- at the moment we have not heard from him, but a festival volunteer found this footage....



NO ONE LIVES screening times:
Mon., Sept 10th, 9:45 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 7
Fri., Sept 14th, 4:45 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 6

JOHN DIES AT THE END: Interview with Director Don Coscarelli

One of my most cherished memories is seeing Bubba Ho-Tep premiere at Midnight Madness back when the screenings took place at the sadly departed Uptown Theatre on Yonge St.  Director Don Coscarelli and Bruce "Elvis" Campbell were both present at the screening and it as amazing to see on the Uptown's titanic screen.  But I was just as excited that the film was based on a Joe R. Lansdale story.

Coscarelli is returning to Midnight Madness just over a decade later with another movie based on another novel, David Wong's John Dies At The End.  I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to ask Coscarelli a few questions.

What draws you to a short story or novel and what about makes you think it would be interesting as a film?

When I read a short story and I'm pissed it's short, and I'm hungry for more, that's usually when I start wondering if it's filmable. That's exactly what happened with BUBBA HO-TEP. What's interesting was the source novel for my most recent film, JOHN DIES AT THE END, was a long 350 pages...and I was pissed when it was over. I immediately started thinking about filming it. Both stories share some common traits which drew me to them, including elements you don't usually find in horror, such as a focus on friendship, and an outrageous and unexpected sense of humor.

What are some of the challenges in working with someone else's story and prose or adapting their prose to a visual medium?

Length is always a big issue. BUBBA HO-TEP was very short, so I had to add material to get it to feature length. With JOHN DIES AT THE END it was the opposite. It was a sprawling, epic novel with so much great material that I was always struggling with tightening it. There is no question in my mind though that to adapt a work such as one of these, that one needs to fully buy into the original author's work. If you're not going to treat the source material as your "Bible", why make the movie?

Your stories often take place at an intersection between the mundane and the dreamlike, surreal or absurd. What are some of the challenges of maintaining the right balance and what do you find appealing about the juxtaposition?

I like to laugh. I think humor is one of the most underrated aspects of human existence. What's life without it? That's why I'm always looking for it when I'm creating my movies. As to the dreamlike and surreal, I'm just naturally drawn to looking at things from different perspectives.

I recently watched your Trailers From Hell commentary on Godzilla, King of the Monsters. I was wondering if you see any influence from Godzilla, Ishiro Honda or Akira Ifukube on your own filmmaking or writing? If so, what might they be?

Despite just loving Godzilla as a monster and his massive size, what haunted me most when I saw it as a child was a sentimental power it had, especially when Serizawa sacrificed himself for his fellow citizens as he set off the oxygen bomb under Tokyo bay. Certainly BUBBA HO-TEP has some similar themes when President Kennedy and Elvis sacrifice themselves for the sake of their fellow rest home residents!

Every now and then there's a news story about Bubba Nosferatu that keeps hope alive for a sequel to Bubba Ho-Tep. Are there any developments you'd be willing to share?

There's no question that fans want more adventures of Elvis battling the supernatural. I do too! Bubba Nosferatu was a great script and I'm sorry the project crashed and burned as it were. However, much like Elvis, I share a positive, can-do attitude and am thinking that the time might be right again to just get get off my ass and take care of business. Time to TCB, baby!

Thanks to Don Coscarelli for taking the time to answer my questions.


JOHN DIES AT THE END
Sat., Sept. 15, 11:59pm:  RYERSON
Sun., Sept. 16, 5pm:   CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 2

Colin Farrell & Martin McDonagh Talk SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS

In the entire history of Midnight Madness last night had to be one of the biggest! SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS is an ensemble piece with some of the finest actors working today. Sam Rockwell, Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken--just to mention a few--all turned up for the World Premiere. It was a night of furor, hysteria, enthusiasm--a hullabaloo, if you will.

Robert A. Mitchell was in the thick of the bedlam with a microphone, this is what he returned with after his suit was shredded by screaming fans trying to get to Colin Farrell.


SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS

Sat., Sept. 8th, 3:30 PM SCOTIABANK 1

Karl Urban & Olivia Thirlby Talk DREDD 3D!

Karl Urban and Olivia Thirlby talk to Robert A. Mitchell about their roles in DREDD 3D.


DREDD 3D's last Festival screening:
Sat., Sept. 8th, 12:30 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 7

Preview of The RAID Sequel, BERANDAL

The Raid (aka, The Raid:  Redemption) opened last year's Midnight Madness program, ripping up Ryerson before punching, kicking, slashing, choking, gouging, elbow-striking, hacking and blasting its way through theaters all over North America and the world.  Director Gareth Huw Evans and star Iko Uwais are following up with Berandal, the second in a proposed trilogy.



Evans discusses Berandal in interviews with Heatvision, The Collider and BBC News South East Wales.  Twitch has concept art for Berandal's mysterious and obviously dangerous, Hammer Girl

Can't wait to see what Hammer Girl smashes, hopefully at Midnight Madness.

HELLBENDERS: Animal House meets The Exorcist

Check out We Are Movie Geeks interview with Dan Fogler one of the stars of Hellbenders. So, Hellbenders is like if Animal House met The Exorcist... I'm in!




HELLBENDERS 
Sun., Sept. 9th, 11:59 PM RYERSON
Tue., Sept. 11th, 7:00 PM CINEPLEX YONGE & DUNDAS 7
Sat., Sept. 15th, 9:15 PM SCOTIABANK 2