Hot Picks

- Ready for My Close Up 2019

- Talk of the Dead 2016

- Tower Rats 2020

- Script of the Dead 2024

- The Bell Affair 2023

- Easter Bloody Easter 2024

- Velma 2022

- Everwinter Night 2023

- Main Character Energy 2023

- Stupid Games 2024

- Bittertooth 2023

- 4 Minutes of Terror: Night Slasher 2024

- Apart 2024

- The Abandoned 2006

- Becky 2024

- The Evil Fairy Queen 2024

- The Black Guelph 2022

- Followers 2024

- Silence of the Prey 2024

- Battle for the Western Front 2024

- Beware the Boogeyman 2024

- Subject 101 2022

- Driftwood 2023

- The Legend of Lake Hollow 2024

- Black Mass 2023

- Skinwalkers: American Werewolves 2 2023

- The Manifestation 2024

- Spirit Riser 2024

- Garden of Souls 2019

- It's a Wonderful Slice 2024

- Caleb & Sarah 2024

- The Thousand Steps 2020

- The Desiring 2021

- When a Stranger Knocks 2024

- Quint-essentially Irish 2024

- Son of Gacy 2024

- Saltville 2024

- The True Story of the Christ's Return 2024

- Whenever I'm Alone with You 2023

- Jurassic Triangle 2024

- Midnight Peepshow 2022

- Offworld: Alien Planet 2024

- The Swiss Conspiracy 1976

- Sex-Positive 2024

- Here for Blood 2022

- All Over Again 2024

- The Color Yellow 2023

- Des Töchterleins Leid 2024

- I Am a Channel 2024

- The Hermits 2023

- Murdaritaville 2024

- Inheritance 2024

- The Devil's Partner 1960

- First Impressions Can Kill 2017

- A Killer Conversation 2014

- Star Crash 1979

- Strangler of the Swamp 1946

An Interview with Sutart Wahlin, Writer and Director of Slay Utterly

by Mike Haberfelner

April 2014

Quick Links

Abbott & Costello

The Addams Family

Alice in Wonderland

Arsène Lupin

Batman

Bigfoot

Black Emanuelle

Bomba the Jungle Boy

Bowery Boys

Bulldog Drummond

Captain America

Charlie Chan

Cinderella

Deerslayer

Dick Tracy

Dr. Mabuse

Dr. Orloff

Doctor Who

Dracula

Edgar Wallace made in Germany

Elizabeth Bathory

Emmanuelle

Fantomas

Flash Gordon

Frankenstein

Frankie & Annette Beach Party movies

Freddy Krueger

Fu Manchu

Fuzzy

Gamera

Godzilla

Hercules

El Hombre Lobo

Incredible Hulk

Jack the Ripper

James Bond

Jekyll and Hyde

Jerry Cotton

Jungle Jim

Justine

Kekko Kamen

King Kong

Laurel and Hardy

Lemmy Caution

Lobo

Lone Wolf and Cub

Lupin III

Maciste

Marx Brothers

Miss Marple

Mr. Moto

Mister Wong

Mothra

The Munsters

Nick Carter

OSS 117

Phantom of the Opera

Philip Marlowe

Philo Vance

Quatermass

Robin Hood

The Saint

Santa Claus

El Santo

Schoolgirl Report

The Shadow

Sherlock Holmes

Spider-Man

Star Trek

Sukeban Deka

Superman

Tarzan

Three Mesquiteers

Three Musketeers

Three Stooges

Three Supermen

Winnetou

Wizard of Oz

Wolf Man

Wonder Woman

Yojimbo

Zatoichi

Zorro

Your upcoming movie Slay Utterly - in a few words, what is it about?

 

Slay Utterly centers around an FBI agent called in to assist local law enforcement investigate a crime scene where six children and two adults were axed to death in their beds. The agent soon discovers the murders are not unique, and that there’s a serial mass murderer on the loose.

 

As far as I know, Slay Utterly is inspired by a true crime from more than a century ago - so how close do you stick to the facts, how much research went into this aspect of your movie, and what fascinated you about the particular crime in the first place?

 

Yes, it’s a modern horror-thriller inspired by the Villisca (Iowa) ax murders of 1912. Villisca is pretty well known these days, thanks to ghost-hunting shows on TV. It was actually the paranormal aspect that lured several of us to spend a night in the house. But in the end, it was really the murder case itself that was far more compelling to me. If it hadn’t actually happened, I think people would probably say our script isn’t believable [laughing].

In the months that followed our visit, I pored over quite a bit of research material, including things like the coroner’s inquest, grand jury testimony, and even tracked down a descendent of one of the top suspects. As a result of having absorbed just about every piece of available information, the research has inadvertently made me one of surprisingly few experts on the subject.

And rather than taking a lot of liberties, I do feel I’ve been rather faithful to what we know about the case. But there are unknowns, too, and that’s where I get to have a little fun with some fictional exploration. For example, we’ll probably never know who the real killer was, so I had to choose who it would be in the film, and what somebody capable of such things might be like, both in public and behind closed doors.

There’s a lot that fascinates me about the case, but I guess the main thing most people don’t realize is that Villisca was not a one-off massacre. Based on strikingly-similar signatures, such as covered mirrors, left at other crime scenes throughout the Midwest during a two-year stretch, it’s clear that as many as two-dozen murders were the work of one ritualistic serial killer.

And then there’s always the question as to how one would go about bludgeoning eight people to death in a relatively small house, on a silent country night, without anyone waking up.

 

Other sources of inspiration for Slay Utterly?

 

Aside from the real case, I’d have to tip my hat to Thomas Harris, who gave the gift of Hannibal Lecter to the world. I certainly borrowed his pattern of focusing on a troubled FBI agent on the trail of an enigmatic killer.

 

Bearing in mind that Slay Utterly is based on some very gruesome murders, how would you describe your approach to horror (as in atmosphere vs blood and guts, suspense vs sudden shocks and the like)?

 

I’m a huge fan of horror, but blood and gore isn’t my personal style of approaching the genre. I prefer the psychological aspects. But to pull that off, I think you need strong character development that slasher films typically lack. So, it’s a very character-driven piece. What I hope will scare viewers the most is that we essentially hold up a mirror to the audience, forcing them to see themselves in even the worst kinds of monsters. But by doing this, I think it can also make an atrocious character very sympathetic to an audience. I like to challenge my viewers, and leave them with an unsettled feeling long after they’ve watched a film.

 

How would you describe the film's intended look and feel?

 

A period piece would be out of the question, but to preserve that rustic, old-timey feel of the case, we’re shooting primarily in rural locations. The only real contrast to that will be in the FBI agent’s world, which will appear quite modern. Most of the music will have a kind of rustic feel, too. I’m working with Paul Baker, a musician who goes by the moniker Good Neighbor, for the soundtrack. His music really captures that turn-of-the-century feel, but with the kind of modern sadness and desperation that fits especially well with a story like this. As for color, expect to see a lot of red [laughing].

 

Your movie will star fan favourites Bill Oberst jr [Bill Oberst jr interview - click here] and Melantha Blackthorne [Melantha Blackthorne interview - click here] - so what makes them perfect for their roles, and how did you get them in the first place?

 

I’m very, very fortunate to have them. My assistant director, Justin R. Romine (director of What they Say and Afraid of Sunrise) [Justin R. Romine interview - click here], initiated contact with Bill last summer. Before this, I’d only worked with local actors, so it never occurred to me that someone of Bill’s renown might actually read the script. When dealing with LA folks, you usually get the door slammed in your face as soon as they learn you’re not funded yet. I’ve heard ‘Let me know when you have money’ a lot.

But Bill did read it, and he believed in it enough to jump aboard. The fact that having him on the bill could be the difference between whether the movie actually gets made hasn’t been lost on me. I’m thankful that he has that sort of faith in Slay Utterly.

I think that genre actors often have to take roles just to stay working and keep the lights on. But Bill really made me feel as though this is truly a passion project for him, and that means a lot. The same can certainly be said of Melantha.

 

I came into contact with her after getting acquainted with Bill’s manager, Matt Chassin. I like the way he conducts business, and decided to have a look at who else was in his stable. As soon as I saw that Mel was another of his clients, I immediately asked him to share the script with her.

Mind you, I’d mostly only seen her in campier types of roles, but I always thought to myself, ‘I bet she can really act.’ I was right. Given that there was some competition for the role, she graciously agreed to submit a video audition, and totally nailed it.

What I always say about Bill and Melantha, regarding Slay Utterly, is that their fans will get what they came for—but that they’ll also see entirely new sides of them. They’ve taken on roles that really give them room to flex their muscles as actors, and they’re going to make a lot of people take notice.

You’ll see the familiar dark nature from Bill and the sexiness from Melantha. But you’re also going to be treated to very vulnerable sides that I don’t think their fans have ever seen to this extent.

And they’ve worked together before, and continue to slate projects together. That’s big, too, because it means they have a real chemistry and rapport. There are some really uncomfortable scenes in this film, so it’s a real asset when actors can be comfortable with one another.

Just as Bill and Mel have provided me a great opportunity by coming aboard, I think their roles are opportunities for them as actors. It’s a blessing to work with people who believe in a project as much as you do.

 

Anything you can tell us about the rest of your key cast and crew yet?

 

I’ve still got a few big roles to fill. I’m courting some more names your readers will certainly recognize, but it’s too early to talk about just yet. Those aside, I do plan to use local actors, too. This is a Midwestern movie, and we need some Midwestern people to maintain an authentic flavor. I think that’s important.

For crew, in addition to the aforementioned Justin R. Romine [Justin R. Romine interview - click here] as A.D., Wolfgang Meyer [Wolfgang Meyer interview - click here] will be our cinematographer. Bill and Matt are also co-producers, by the way. Wiley Wells is our sound designer, and Chris Young is our production designer. These are all people who get it. As with the cast, they’re passionate about making this thing happen, and I like to surround myself with people like that

 

As far as I know, while the movie's not yet even shot, it has already earned itself its first award - care to elaborate?

 

You’re right. We haven’t shot a single frame yet. Last year, I originally cast the film with local Chicago-area actors. Unfortunately, an all-local cast wasn’t enough to get people sufficiently interested in investing, or donating. At that point, I became really discouraged, and thought I should maybe just try to sell the script in order to fund some other project. So, I entered it into a screenplay contest. I soon thought better of selling the script, and never submitted it to any other competitions. But as it turns out, we actually won in the feature category. What’s particularly validating is that it wasn’t a horror competition.

 

With the film still in pre-production, what's the schedule, and any idea when and where Slay Utterly might be released onto the general public yet (and I do know it's waaay too early to ask of course)?

 

I’d hoped to start filming this summer, with an early 2015 premiere. But I’m learning that the higher your budget is, the longer it takes for things to happen [laughing]. We don’t believe financing is a problem, but it takes time.

The story unfolds over the course of a single summer, so it’s a little frustrating to be faced with losing another one, especially considering I’m a year-and-a-half into this thing already. But what choice do I have? It’ll just give us more time to prepare and, as a result, make a better picture.

I plan to premiere Slay Utterly at the most prestigious festival we can get into, and we feel confident it’ll get picked up for distribution. I don’t imagine there will be a theatrical run, aside from festivals, so it’ll likely be released publicly on DVD and on-demand services.

 

Any future projects beyond Slay Utterly you'd like to share?

 

If I’m going to lose this coming summer for Slay Utterly, I’ll probably focus on shooting a couple short horror films to stay sharp. But for features, I’m kicking around the idea of a biker movie that, as I describe it, will make Sons of Anarchy look like a bunch of Girl Scouts. I’ve also got my eyes on Bill and Melantha for that one.

 

What got you into filmmaking in the first place, and did you receive any formal training on the subject?

 

I was born in the 70s, so the original Star Wars films were literally my life growing up, as many from my generation would identify with. Very inspiring.

But when I was in high school, my parents bought one of those side-loading video cameras that used full-sized VHS tapes. Having that available to me meant that every moment after school was devoted to honing the craft, even though I didn’t really realize it at the time. I was just drawn to the magic of the camera and telling stories visually. Before graduating, I’d managed to write, direct, score, and star in a film, which I think clocked in at around 40 minutes. And that was for an assignment in a creative writing class. I went beyond just writing a story. I brought one to life.

I studied film and TV production, with a directing emphasis, in college. Shortly before earning my degree, I started working at a local TV station, and went on to be a news videographer for several network affiliates around the Midwest. As a news photog, I really had an opportunity to improve my cinematic eye and storytelling sensibility. There are some things they can’t teach you in school. You just have to go out and do them every single day in order to become any good at them.

I worked for several years as a print journalist after that. Both career diversions were great preparation for returning to the realm of filmmaking a few years ago.

 

You of course have to talk about your debut feature Hands of Glory for a bit?

 

I made Hand of Glory for about $5,000, which included the cost of the camera and other equipment. That being said, I’m incredibly proud of what we accomplished with so little.

It was originally intended to be a web series. But halfway through production, we realized we had something a little more special, and opted to finish it as a feature, albeit a relatively short one. During production, it went from a short 40-page script to really taking on a life of its own. After completing our festival rounds, we did briefly release it as a four-part web series.

The film symbolically marked my return to filmmaking after having been seduced by the news business. I often describe Hand of Glory as my effort to shake off the rust before taking on a larger project like Slay Utterly.

Despite the limited budget, we earned a number of awards, including Best Actress for Heather Dorff (Jessica Cameron’s Truth or Dare [Heather Dorff interview - click here; Jessica Cameron interview - click here]) and Best Director, plus numerous nominations on the festival circuit. It was an encouraging experience, and I learned a lot.

 

Any other past films of yours you'd like to talk about?

 

Well, I do some short films, too. We’ve got one called Mictlantecuhtli making its UK premiere at the River Aire Ten Minute Amateur Film Festival April 26. Filmed in a single night, it’s a short originally intended to be an ABCs of Death 2 26th-director contest entry. Again, it took on a life of its own, and we couldn’t cut it short enough to qualify for the competition without ruining it. So we left it complete.

I also made a documentary last year about the real-life case that inspired Slay Utterly. It’s called The Ax Man Enigma. If you need something to chew on while you wait for Slay Utterly, I’d recommend it.

 

How would you describe yourself as a director?

 

I consider myself an actor’s director. As a filmmaker, if you can choose the right cast, and give them a good story to run with, half of your headaches are gone.

I think this comes from my own acting experiences. I was so disappointed to discover just how shitty most scripts were. So, I resolved to write the types of roles I’d like to play. But my place is behind the camera.

And it’s important to not be so attached to your own script that you don’t give your actors room to play. They often give their respective roles more thoughtful consideration than the director, as writer, may have. And they put a lot of preparation into turning theses names on paper into real people. It’s their job to know the characters better than anyone. Their insights are vital, and when actors are free to express their own ideas, amazing things can happen.

 

Filmmakers who inspire you?

 

In no particular order, and probably forgetting too many, Alan Parker, Adrian Lyne, Mike Figgis, Lucky McKee, Peter Jackson, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Gus Van Sant, Jim Jarmusch, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, John Carpenter, Tobe Hooper, Alfred Hitchcock, Dario Argento, Dennis Hopper, Stanley Kubrick, Sam Raimi, Clint Eastwood, James Cameron, Jonathan Demme, Sergio Leone, George Lucas, Michael Mann, Terry Gilliam.

 

Your favourite movies?

 

You know, I think a movie can become endearing to someone for very subjective reasons. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a great film. For example, Peter McCarthy made an indie movie back in 90s called Floundering. By a critic’s standard, it’s not very good, despite some really notable cameos. But sometimes all it takes is one character you can personally identify with—someone you see yourself in. Even bad movies can make you feel good, so I won’t get started listing favorites.

But if I could only watch one film for the rest of my life, it would have to be Jaws. That’s easy.

 

... and of course, films you really deplore?

 

Feeling lucky?
Want to
search
any of my partnershops yourself
for more, better results?
(commissions earned)

The links below
will take you
just there!!!

Find Stuart Wahlin
at the amazons ...

USA  amazon.com

Great Britain (a.k.a. the United Kingdom)  amazon.co.uk

Germany (East AND West)  amazon.de

Looking for imports?
Find Stuart Wahlin here ...

Thailand  eThaiCD.com
Your shop for all things Thai

Something naughty?
(Must be over 18 to go there!)

x-rated  find Stuart Wahlin at adultvideouniverse.com

Remakes. If it’s your dream to go out and remake a film, do us all a favor: Choose a really bad movie, and turn it into a good one. And it happens sometimes! I find that far more interesting than remakes and reboots of classics.

 

Your/your movie's website, Facebook, whatever else?

 

https://www.facebook.com/SlayUtterly

https://twitter.com/SlayUtterly

https://twitter.com/StuartWahlin

Our eventual website will be www.slayutterly.com.

 

Anything else you are dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask?

 

Nope!

 

Thanks for the interview?

 

My pleasure. Thanks for the opportunity to answer some great questions!

 

© by Mike Haberfelner


Legal note: (re)Search my Trash cannot
and shall not be held responsible for
content of sites from a third party.




Thanks for watching !!!



 

 

In times of uncertainty of a possible zombie outbreak, a woman has to decide between two men - only one of them's one of the undead.

 

There's No Such Thing as Zombies
starring
Luana Ribeira, Rudy Barrow and Rami Hilmi
special appearances by
Debra Lamb and Lynn Lowry

 

directed by
Eddie Bammeke

written by
Michael Haberfelner

produced by
Michael Haberfelner, Luana Ribeira and Eddie Bammeke

 

now streaming at

Amazon

Amazon UK

Vimeo

 

 

 

Robots and rats,
demons and potholes,
cuddly toys and
shopping mall Santas,
love and death and everything in between,
Tales to Chill
Your Bones to

is all of that.

 

Tales to Chill
Your Bones to
-
a collection of short stories and mini-plays
ranging from the horrific to the darkly humourous,
from the post-apocalyptic
to the weirdly romantic,
tales that will give you a chill and maybe a chuckle, all thought up by
the twisted mind of
screenwriter and film reviewer
Michael Haberfelner.

 

Tales to Chill
Your Bones to

the new anthology by
Michael Haberfelner

 

Out now from
Amazon!!!