Influencers: A Bigger and Bolder Sequel (Review)

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Writer/director Kurtis David Harder’s 2023 film Influencer is a tight thriller with a dose of social commentary. His sequel, Influencers, is much broader in scope, especially regarding its characterization, commentary, and the overall stakes. It’s rare for a sequel to match the original, but Influencers breaks the mold in that regard. Though the film has some flaws, it’s an entertaining romp that leads to a knock-down, drag-out finale.

At the end of Influencer, the villain, CW (Cassandra Naud), was left for dead on an island, while Madison (Emily Tennant) barely escaped. The sequel picks up a few years later. CW somehow survived and moved to southern France. She masks her past, tries to bury her homicidal tendencies, and falls in love with Diane (Lisa Delamar). Initially, CW succeeds in starting over. That all changes, however, when Diane and CW meet a British influencer named Charlotte, played by Georgina Campbell, at a posh resort. CW doesn’t like the attention Charlotte bestows upon Diane, and well, anyone who has seen the first film likely knows that CW can’t subdue her murderous impulses for too long.

Madison, meanwhile, was arrested by police in Thailand and blamed for the murders that CW committed. Eventually, she, too, tries to start over and buries her online persona. However, that doesn’t stop the harassment or stalking. She’s even questioned about the murders on a true crime podcast. Madison just can’t quite clear her name or escape her past. Eventually, she realizes that CW survived and tracks her to France to finish things off once and for all.

In the meantime, there’s another subplot regarding a right-wing bro influencer, Jacob (Jonathan Whitesell), and his girlfriend, Ariana (Veronica Long). It’s she who tells Jacob that he has to be more radical online to drive likes and subscribers. It’s a bit of a half-baked commentary on the rise of the Joe Rogan-type podcasters and the white male insecurity and radicalization crisis. Eventually, Jacob and Ariana get swept up in Madison and CW’s crossfire.

A still from the film Influences

It can’t be understated just how damn good Naud is once again as CW. She’s makes for a sly and cunning villain. But in the sequel, she’s given far more backstory, and for the most part, the film is shown from her perspective. In this film, CW has grown far more savvy, utilizing all sorts of technology and tracking to avoid culpability for her previous actions and to keep tabs on Madison. Tennant’s Maidson, on the other hand, is far more vulnerable this time around, facing increased online backlash, before developing a steely determination to stop CW.

One of the film’s major flaws is the suspension of disbelief it requires. For instance, it’s never stated how exactly CW escaped the island in the first place. There’s no plausible explanation for it, and it’s a gaping hole that the script never fills. At one point, Diane asks CW about it, but CW skirts around the answer. It’s simply a little too unbelievable. Additionally, though the film touches upon the explosive rise of far-right bro influencers, not enough is done with this, despite Jacob and Ariana’s storyline.

That said, the film reaches an explosive conclusion and a bloody showdown between CW and Madison. It’s one hell of a payoff, too. There’s also potential here for yet another sequel. Maybe a trilogy? I wouldn’t mind seeing that. Overall, Influencers maintains the tension of the first film, while pushing the characterization deeper. There are some major plot holes, but still, this is a worthy follow-up that addresses the pressure of influencer culture, before arriving at a fisticuffs finale.

Influencers will stream on Shudder beginning December 12.

A production still from the found footage film Man Finds Tape.

Man Finds Tape: An Intriguing Found Footage Nightmare (Review)

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Something sinister is afoot in the small town of Larkin, Texas, and popular YouTuber Lucas Page (William Magnunson) is determined to unravel the eerie mystery. That’s the general premise of co-directors/writers Paul Gandersman and Peter S. Hall’s feature debut Man Finds Tape, a film that combines found footage, mockumentary, and even cosmic horror. For a first film, the directors crafted an unsettling narrative, and though the movie is a bit uneven overall, it’s worth the ride.

Early in the film, we learn that Lucas found a tape with his name on it after cleaning out his parents’ home and old barn. It should be noted that his parents died of a mysterious illness, but prior to that, they passed on their love of filmmaking to Lucas and his sister, Lynn (Kelsey Pribilski). The tape shows a stranger entering Lucas’ childhood bedroom. It’s a hair-raising sequence that drives the rest of the film and leads to a much larger plot. Lucas wants to discover who the heck the stranger is, and he consistently enlists the help of Lynn to unravel the mystery, though she’s reluctant at first. The popularity of Lucas’ YouTube channel, Man Finds Tape, earned Lynn unwanted attention. Lucas made a name for himself by showing graphic videos.

For the most part, the film is shot in a mockumentary style, with Lynn handling most of the voiceovers and narration. The feature shifts to found footage and analog when Lucas or Lynn show off what they’ve filmed or what they’ve discovered on older tapes, like the recording of the stranger entering Lucas’ bedroom when he was a kid. These grainy videos avoid the shaky, handheld effects of other found footage movies, most notably The Blair Witch Project. The old tapes also show everything, and I mean everything. They don’t cut away. There’s one video Lucas constantly shows on his channel of a van running over and killing a person

A Production still from Man Finds Tape.

By the halfway point, Lucas and Lynn draw a connection between the stranger, played by
Brian Villalobos, and Reverand Endicott Carr (John Gholson). For years, the reverend hosted a public access, faith-based TV show. Lucas and Lynn’s parents filmed the show for a while. During parts of his taped sermons, viewers, including Lucas, nod off. The feature does a stellar job keeping the viewer in the dark until the last act about who’s responsible for what’s going on in the town. It’s not clear if the stranger or the reverend is part of some larger diabolical plan to control the town and infect its residents.

The constant shifts between mockumentary-style filmmaking and found footage can be a little bit jarring, and the film’s ultimate explanation doesn’t quite land, including a convoluted plot regarding Lucas’ ex-girlfriend, Wendy (Nell Kessler). That said, the final 30 minutes feature some impressive special effects and veer into cosmic horror territory. Meanwhile, Pribilski and Magnunson’s performances really sell the film, especially when the premise grows more and more bonkers. Pribilski’s character is not quite the believer that Magnunson’s Lucas is, and the dynamic between the two characters strikes some conflict early on.

The film also touches briefly on internet fame and YouTube influencers, especially within the first 20 minutes. The more Lucas’ channel grows in likes and subscribers, the harder it is on his mental health. It even has ramifications that affect Lynn, since it brings her unwanted notoriety, including people filming her on the street. That said, a lot more could have been done with this premise.

Man Finds Tape, though uneven at times, is still an impressive feature debut from Gandersman and Hall. If you like found footage or cosmic horror, this is definitely worth a watch. It’s a slow-burn mystery that eventually evolves into an otherworldly nightmare.

Man Finds Tape is now playing in limited theaters and available on VOD.

The Criterion Collection's cover art for Eyes Without a Face

Five Criterion Horror Recommendations (For the Barnes & Noble Sale)

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For physical media collectors, July and November mark the Barnes & Noble Criterion Collection 50 percent off sale, the only time of the year, other than the one-day Criterion flash sales, when Criterion movies are actually affordable. The current sale lasts until December 7. In honor of the sale, I wanted to share five of my favorite horror movies within the collection.

Eyes Without a Face

This 1960 French film, directed by Georges Franju, is a masterclass in Gothic aesthetic and tone. A surgeon, played by Pierre Brasseur, kidnaps women to graft their faces onto his disfigured daughter, Christine, played by Edith Scob. This movie works so well in part because of Scob’s performance. She’s strangely mesmerizing and arresting on screen. She has some of the most expressive and haunting eyes that you’ll ever see in a film, and the thing is, she wears a blank mask through much of the film, but you’ll never forget her performance.

Additional Criterion suggestion: if you like Eyes Without a Face, also check out the black and white 1955 French mystery/horror movie Diabolique.

Night of the Living Dead

George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead was released on physical media a lot over the years, and it’s available to stream virtually everywhere. That said, Criterion’s recent 4K restoration looks damn good. There’s also a LOT of special features, including a radio interview with Duane Jones, who played the lead Ben. There aren’t many interviews of Jones talking about the film, so that alone makes this a must-have pick-up.

Additional Criterion suggestion: if you like Night of the Living Dead, check out 1962’s Carnival of Souls, one of the biggest influences on Romero’s film.

The Uninvited

Other than Robert Wise’s stellar The Haunting, The Uninvited is one of my favorite haunted house movies. The 1944 film follows a pair of siblings from London (Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey). They purchase an affordable cliff-top house in Cornwall, and well, soon discover the house was so affordable because it’s haunted. This film is incredibly atmospheric, eerie, and features an unforgettable score by Victor Young.

Additional Criterion suggestion: if you like The Uninvited, then check out The Innocents, which is an adaptation of Henry James’ famous ghost story “The Turn of the Screw.” Robert Eggers has frequently cited The Innocents as one of his biggest visual influences.

Cure

Few movies have crawled under my skin as much as the Japanese film Cure. Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, who would direct the equally eerie Pulse just a few years later, the movie follows detective Takabe (Koji Yakusho) as he tracks a series of identical murders, committed under similar uncanny circumstances. However, nothing seems to connect the murders, despite their commonality. This is a deeply unsettling and philosophical movie about the nature of evil itself. This, along with some of Kurosawa’s other movies, are absolute must-sees.

Additional Criterion suggestion: It was just announced that Kurosawa’s latest movie, Cloud, will be released to the Criterion Collection in February. You can read my review of the film from this year’s Overlook Film Festival here.

Haxan

This silent film is important to the history of horror generally. It’s essentially a history of witchcraft and has some utterly striking visuals, including witches lining up to kiss Satan’s booty. The Criterion edition is loaded with special features, including a reedited 1968 version narrated by Beat author William S. Burroughs. Put this one on and get lost in the hypnotic visuals.

Additional Criterion suggestions: if you dig early horror, then make sure to also check out Cat People, Freaks, Vampyr, and I Walked with a Zombie, all released within the last few years. Like Haxan, these are all must-watches.

And yes, I know, I know that I didn’t include any of David Lynch’s films on this list. Almost his entire catalogue is now in the Criterion Collection, but here’s the thing, how do you pick just ONE Lynch movie to include on such a list? His movies also combine a lot of genres, including neo-film noir, drama, dark comedy, and yes, horror. So that’s why I didn’t include his work on the list, but Eraserhead, Lost Highway, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, and Inland Empire are now all Criterion releases, many recently remastered in 4K, and they’re all horror adjacent. If you’re looking for a good place to start with Lynch, I recommend Mulholland Drive or Blue Velvet.

I also didn’t include anything from David Cronenberg because most of his films are in the collection, and I can’t pick just one. I recommend Videodrome and Scanners as starting points. Unfortunately, The Fly is not in the collection.

The Barnes & Noble Criterion sale runs until December 7.

A production still from the movie Keeper

Keeper Plays Out as a Creepy, but Flawed Dark Fairytale (Review)

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Osgood Perkins has been on a real winning streak lately, with the massive success of Longlegs and The Monkey. His multi-picture deal with NEON has paid off so far. The director’s latest, Keeper, contains some of the most chilling imagery out of any horror film this year. Perkins spins a dark fairytale and a warning about toxic relationships. Yet, for all of the frightening imagery, the movie feels a bit too paper-thin, especially in its second half.

Keeper stars Tatiana Maslany as big city girl Liz and Rossif Sutherland as her boyfriend Malcolm. Hoping for a romantic weekend, Malcolm takes Liz to his remote cabin in the woods, and well, because this is a horror movie, things go horribly, horribly wrong. Before the horror kicks into overdrive, Perkins spends some time with Liz and Malcolm, and I’d argue the film’s first act may be its strongest. There’s unspoken tension between the two, though the source of it isn’t quite clear. Maybe it’s simply the different lifestyles and Liz’s love of big cities. Maybe she simply distrusts men. Regardless, she doesn’t fully embrace Malcolm, and this is most evident when they’re alone together, be it sipping wine over dinner or driving to the cabin. Something about the relationship feels off, though the source of Liz’s suspicion isn’t quite clear. Malcolm seems like a sweet enough guy.

The film enters typical Perkins territory once Malcolm’s reclusive cousin Darren (Birkett Turton) shows up, with an Eastern European girlfriend who Darren claims doesn’t speak English. This deepens Liz’s discomfort and rightfully so, especially when she warns Liz that the chocolate cake Malcolm purchased for her “tastes like shit.” Yet, once Darren and his latest arm candy leave, Liz devours the cake, even though she tells Malcolm that she hates chocolate.

At that point, the film gets really weird, even by Perkins’ standards. It feels like a fever dream into hell, as Liz grows increasingly paranoid and continually sees strange women in the background or out of the corner of her eye. Even worse, Malcolm, a doctor, claims he has to return to the city to suddenly see a patient, leaving Liz alone with her hallucinations and creepy cousin Darren next door.

A production still from the movie Keeper

By the film’s second half, Perkins barrages viewers with a series of unsettling imagery and a brooding atmosphere. There’s even a woman with multiple faces crawling around in the basement. Trust me, you don’t want her to remove that bag from her head. The film also edges dark fairytale territory once the source of the scares is explained, all involving Malcolm. This is where the film falters. The lore isn’t built up enough and some of it comes across as too absurd, even for a horror movie. The film works better when it’s more grounded in reality and when Perkins explores the growing tension between Liz and Malcolm. The film’s main weak point is the script, penned by Nick Lepard. There’s too much explanation suddenly crammed into the film’s second half, and a lot of it is given by one of Malcolm’s monologues.

All of that aside, the film does ramp up to quite a great ending. I’ll never be able to look at honey the same way again. Overall, Keeper isn’t quite as strong as Perkins’ last few films, or even his earlier work, like The Blackcoat’s Daughter, but it continues to prove he’s one of the most effective directors at creating nightmarish sequences and atmospheres that invoke dread. Keeper succeeds when it’s more based in reality and explores a strained relationship. Its second half is hampered by poor explanation and weaker writing.

Keeper is currently playing in theaters.

A promotional poster for the Creature Feature Weekend Horror Convention in Scranton, PA

What I’m Most Excited for at Creature Feature Weekend

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For several years, Creature Feature has hosted an awesome horror convention in Gettysburg, celebrating the actors, directors, writers, and artists who bring the genre to life. Creature Feature will still hold conventions in Gettysburg every March, but for the first time ever, they’re going to host a convention at the Hilton in downtown Scranton!

Creature Feature Scranton will take place from November 7-9. The guest list is pretty stacked and includes Jerry Wallace, one of the actors who played Jason in Friday the 13th Pt. 2, Quinn Lord (Sam from Trick ‘r Treat), Bill Moseley (Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil’s Rejects, 3 from Hell), Clint Howard (Ice Cream Man), John Dugan (grandpa from the OG Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Edwin Neal (the hitchhiker from the OG Texas Chainsaw Massacre), and several others.

A production still of Quinn Lord as Sam from Trick 'r Treat

What makes Creature Feature specifically unique is that besides the usual actor photo-ops, autograph tables, and vendor fair, they host several other events. Here’s a few I’m most excited about:

  • Live commentary screening of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. With some of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre cast in attendance, along with the film’s cinematographer Daniel Pearl, this should be an unforgettable and eye-opening screening. It will take place Saturday, Nov. 8 at 6 pm at the Scranton Art Haus movie theater. A weekend or VIP pass is required.

  • Live commentary screening of My Bloody Valentine. Again, this sounds like a really fun and unique event. Considering director George Mihalka and the miner actor Peter Cowper are convention guests, I assume they’ll be handling the live commentary. This event takes place on Saturday, November 8 at 8 pm, also at the Scranton Art Haus. A weekend pass or VIP ticket is required.

  • Film panels: some of the film discussion panels include Friday the 13th Pt. 2, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and solo Q & As with Quinn Lord, Clint Howard, and Bill Moseley. For film lovers, these panels are always one of the best aspects of any convention. You never know what behind-the-scenes tidbits and stories the actors/directors/screenwriters may share.

  • Pumpkin carving contest: I just think this sounds rad. I’ve never been to a convention that had a pumpkin carving contest. This takes place November 8 at 2 pm.

  • Costume contest: horror conventions aren’t complete without a costume contest. It’s always a good time watching these and seeing the craft and creativity that goes into the costumes and cosplay. This will occur on November 8 at 5 pm.

These are only my must-sees at Creature Feature Weekend, but there are a ton of other events occurring over the weekend. For a full event schedule and to purchase tickets, click here. I can’t stress enough the importance of supporting this event, so it becomes a yearly occurrence in the area.

Frankenstein production skill of Oscar Isaac as Victor Frankenstein

Review: Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (2025)

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Writer/director Guillermo del Toro has declared himself a proud monster kid over the years in a number of interviews. His obsession with classic monsters and their representation of the “other” is well-known. He even has a massive collection of props from the films that influenced his career, including James Whale’s iconic 1931 take on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein for Universal.

With this in mind, it’s no surprise that he’s finally adapted Shelley’s novel. This is the movie he always wanted to make. For the most part, and for better or worse, del Toro remains incredibly faithful to Shelley’s text, including the shifting narrations between Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) and the Monster (Jacob Elordi). Yet, he does make some radical changes to the book, especially regarding Elizabeth (Mia Goth) and the final face-off between creator and creation. Such changes, though, enhance and serve this particular adaptation.

This latest rendition of Shelley’s tale begins in the Arctic, just like the novel. Here, we find the Monster, who rages and hunts down his maker. Victor is on the cusp of death and saved by a group of explorers, led by a sympathetic Captain Anderson (Lars Mikkelsen), a stand-in for Captain Walton from the novel, who, like Victor, pushes the limits of knowledge and exploration until it nearly causes his own undoing and that of his crew.

del Toro kicks off his lengthy film with high-octane action. The Monster Hulks out, downing one man after the other, throwing them against the ship or into the ice. It looks a bit silly, but it does underscore the Monster’s rage. After that action-heavy opening, we’re introduced to Victor’s tale, which lasts for about half of the runtime.

There are some high notes in the film’s first half and also some bloat. Isaac relishes playing the cocksure scientist, refusing to listen to his colleagues about the dangers of his experiments. This is most apparent during a trial among his peers when he expresses his desire to conquer death itself and unveils a half-animated corpse, a preview of his larger experiment to come. Of course, this draws disdain from his peers and his expulsion from his teaching gig. Isaac really shines in this sequence, and his eyes contain a fervency that matches Victor’s mighty ambitions. At his best moments, the actor exudes Victor’s all-consuming passion to defeat death. It wouldn’t surprise me if he earns an Oscar nomination for this performance.

Additionally, del Toro handled well the father/son thread that’s apparent in Shelley’s novel, the constant conflict between maker and son. Even at a young age, Victor wants to escape his father’s shadow and push the Frankenstein name to new heights. Later on, he separates himself from his younger and more morally-sound brother, William (Felix Kammerer), who is much older than the child William that’s strangled to death by the Monster in Shelley’s text. I do think William’s death in the novel has far more weight because by murdering a child, it shows how far the Monster will go to unleash misery upon Victor. Even today, that death remains quite shocking.

The creation scene comes a bit too late in the runtime, and the first half tends to drag, but the set designs of Victor’s laboratory are quite breathtaking and give a nice nod to some of Whale’s most iconic moments in his 1931 rendition. I have no doubt the set and costume designs will earn Oscar nominations. del Toro’s always great at making his visions come to life for the screen. The film’s first half also centers around the relationship between Victor and Elizabeth, who, in this take, is slated to marry William, not Victor.

Adorned in flowing 19th Century Gothic dresses, Goth gives Elizabeth a confidence and willingness to challenge Victor that’s not evident in the novel or earlier adaptations. Here, Elizabeth plays a much more active role. It both frustrates Victor and causes him to fall in love with her. She tries to pull him back from the brink, but we all know how the tale ends.

Jacob Elordi as the Monster in Frankenstein

Eventually, the Captain invites the Creature to share his tale, once he boards the ship, eager to snuff out his maker’s waning breaths. The film’s second half is much more powerful and richer in terms of its storytelling. We learn why and how the Monster transformed into the raging brute seen in the first few moments of the film.

Elordi gives the Monster the complexity and knowledge that exists within Shelley’s novel. He learns language. He reads classic literature with a blind man, his only friend, but he also learns about violence and humankind’s capacity to destroy each other. Elordi really carries much of this film, and though his performance isn’t as iconic as Boris Karloff’s, it’s still quite noteworthy. He conveys the Monster’s softer side and also his rage. He also develops a touching friendship with Elizabeth, a major shift form Shelley’s novel, but one that adds more weight and stakes to del Toro’s film. Once Victor denies the Creature a mate, the Monster fully transforms into a character driven by vengeance.

All of this circles back to the Arctic, to the final confrontation between the maker and the creation. The last ten minutes mark the most radical shift from Shelley’s novel and a far more optimistic conclusion. Without spoiling anything, I will say that del Toro reminds us to lean into sunlight, appreciate natural beauty, and feel grateful for each day we’re given. This is a far softer ending than we’re given in the text, but at this moment, with the world on fire, maybe this is the ending we need. It’s a celebration of life itself, punctuated with a gorgeous and poetic final shot of the Monster.

It feels like del Toro’s entire career has led to this film. All around, Frankenstein contains strong and compelling performances. Isaac, Goth, and Elordi clearly understood the assignment of inhabiting such iconic characters and bringing the director’s passion project to life. Like all of del Toro’s work, the feature contains stunning visuals that animate the Victorian setting. The first half of the film does feel a bit too long, but it’s worth the wait for the Monster to finally tell his tale.

Frankenstein is currently playing in limited theaters and will stream on Netflix starting November 7.

A poster from the NEON film Shelby Oaks

Camille Sullivan Dishes on Playing Mia in the Buzzy Horror Film Shelby Oaks

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Chris Stuckmann built a fan base over the years as a YouTube horror critic. He also used a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for his debut horror feature, Shelby Oaks. Because of the impressive fundraising campaign and Stuckmann’s built-in fan base, Shelby Oaks earned buzz almost from the get-go, to the point NEON scooped it up for distribution.

Prior to the film’s October 24 release in theaters, I had the chance to chat with one of its lead actresses, Camille Sullivan, who plays Mia, a character reeling from the eerie disappearance of her sister, Riley (Sarah Durn). Shelby Oaks combines found footage, mockumentary-style filmmaking, and juxtaposes old YouTube videos, online discussion posts, and grainy footage to tell a missing person story. The film also has a LOT of narrative twists and will likely generate discussion once it’s out. This is the type of movie to see in a packed theater during opening weekend.

You can read my full interview with Sullivan over at 1428 Elm, but I included some of it here.

Camille, what, in particular, drew you to the role of Mia?

Camille Sullivan: When I first read the script, I was really drawn to the relationship between the two sisters and the way that Riley’s disappearance has affected Mia and the weight she carries with her through her whole life and how that’s affected her relationship to her husband and how that’s affected all of her choices. She can’t move on from it. I thought that was an interesting place to start a character.

Can you comment more on Mia’s relationship with her missing sister, Riley, and how that drives the film’s initial narrative?

Camille Sullivan: The bond between the two sisters is so strong. The movie is set up so they lost their mother and there is no father in the picture. They were each other’s family. I have two sisters, and I’m very close to them. The love was easy.

There’s a really chilling scene where Mia comes across a tape showing the minute Riley disappears and the man responsible. As viewers, we see the tape and Mia’s reaction to it. How did you prepare for that sequence and did you also watch the tape in real time?

Camille Sullivan: From an actor’s perspective, the way we filmed it was perfect. Chris set it up so that I had the real tape from start to finish. It was a 15-minute take, and I could just watch it. I had not seen it before. I think we only did one take, and we switched angles so I could do a couple of pick-ups. I was able to just really take it in in real time, and then they were able to pull out the moments. This was really a dream.

Can you comment on the film’s narrative structure? The film is told through old tapes and YouTube videos featuring Riley, online discussion posts, and Mia’s commentary in front of the camera, almost like a mockumentary at times.

Camille Sullivan: It was really fun, actually. The way I look at Mia is that she starts us in this one place, and then her life cracks open. Something changes for her. Then, she gets to take off in an entirely new direction. It’s almost a renewal of hope. For me, as an actor, that helped me with the changes in different styles. For me, the changes in style seemed natural because I could follow the flow of story.

Shelby Oaks Camille
Shelby Oaks – Courtesy NEON

The film takes another turn in the last act where it veers into a totally different direction. Without spoiling anything, what was your reaction to those additional narrative turns and some of those creepy set designs?

Camille Sullivan: The set designs were amazing. We shot, during that last section, in a warehouse at night. It was completely dark in there. I was feeling pretty beaten down at that point in time. [Laughs]. It was sort of perfect for the script. It just takes off again in a whole new direction, something unexpected. The secret that Mia uncovers is something that the audience uncovers at the same time. It’s not at all what you expect.

What was it like working with Chris Stuckmann, and did you give him any tips or advice, since it’s his first film?

Camille Sullivan: I really like working with first-time directors. It’s their baby, so all of their heart is in it. I love it, and that’s how I like to approach a film, too. We were able to collaborate. He knew exactly what he wanted, and he was super prepared. However, on the day, if I had ideas, he was really open to them. We had good conversations. Sometimes, things would change a little, or maybe they wouldn’t. The dialogue was there back and forth. He’s a really generous director.

How did you prepare for the role of Mia?

Camille Sullivan: I did a little research on people who had loved ones go missing. There’s quite a bit out there, and it’s heartbreaking when you really delve into it. There’s a very good documentary called Who Took Johnny about this child who goes missing. I started with that place of realism because I figured, if you’re on the path to find your loved ones, anything that comes at you, you keep moving forward. Nothing can stop you, no matter how crazy or dangerous. I knew that if Mia had that focus the whole time, it would be believable.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Camille Sullivan: I just want to give a shoutout to the locations. We shot at some really cool places in Ohio, including the Shawshank Redemption prison. It was fun. We were in there at night. I was wandering around, looking for ghosts. I thought I found one.

Can you talk about that more, specifically your search for ghosts?

Camille Sullivan. I did a scene where I was running into the darkness. I heard a little voice go, “No, no, no.” I asked if someone was there. I heard someone say, “It’s just me.” That wasn’t reassuring. It was terrifying. It turns out, it was one of the PAs. For like 30 minutes, I told people I saw a ghost. [Laughs].

Writer/Director Macon Blair on Remaking the Toxic Avenger

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The Toxic Avenger is undoubtedly a cult classic that built Troma Entertainment into an indie horror powerhouse. It also spawned sequels, toys, and even a cartoon. Instead of remaking the film beat by beat, writer/director Macon Blair added to the general narrative. Peter Dinklage stars as Winston Gooze, whose terminal diagnosis and lack of comprehensive health insurance only further strains his relationship with his foster son, Wade, played by Jacob Tremblay.

Once Winston turns into Toxie, he goes toe to toe, in a tutu and with a toxic mop, against punks, weirdos, and street gangs, but most of all against a corrupt company, led by a malicious CEO played by Kevin Bacon. Blair’s remake has some dazzling set designs, a bigger budget, and lots of nods to Troma, including a cameo by its CEO and co-founder, Lloyd Kaufman.

I recently interviewed Blair for 1428 Elm about the challenges of remaking such a beloved film, working with Dinklage, and receiving Kaufman’s blessing. You can read the full interview here, but I included some of it below. Following its recent theatrical release, The Toxic Avenger is currently available on VOD and will see a physical media release on Oct. 28.

What made you want to remake such a cult classic and what would you say to Troma fans that may be skeptical because they love the original Toxic Avenger so much?

Macon Blair: It was something that the studio approached me with to write the script. I did have to think about it for probably the same reasons I’d say to the fans. The original is so singular, and it’s so its own thing. What would the new version be? I was hesitant that they would maybe ask for a PG-13 version or a dark and gritty version.

I ultimately went in and went through the process of pitching the script with the idea that the way to approach it was to find what was special and singular about the original. To me, that’s about tone and a sense of humor more than plot points. It’s a dude in a tutu fighting bullies with a mop. It’s silly and sweet and fun. It doesn’t take itself too seriously.

I feel like it’s not going to please everyone, but my hope was to make something that the fans of the original would be seen first. Hopefully, beyond that, we attract a larger audience, but I really wanted to make sure the original Troma fans would feel like the spirit, fun, and sweetness of the original was something we preserved.

What was it like working with Peter Dinklage as Winston/Toxie? This is a side of him we typically don’t see.

Macon Blair: It’s why I thought he would be great for that role. He has this charisma and likeability, even when he’s playing vaguely sinister characters. People are drawn to him. He has that on-screen charisma. I thought it would be funny to employ that in a character who is unlike a lot of his other characters, not self-assured, not super smart, not super capable. He’s [Winston] totally out of his depth in a lot of ways.

I thought he could bring a lot of weight to that kind of character. I thought having a really strong actor in that central role would help ground it and keep it from flying off into something so silly with nothing you can emotionally connect to.

I felt very grateful when he said yes. With an actor like that, anchoring the whole thing, you could be silly but have an emotional clarity to it that keeps people hooked especially as the story gets more ridiculous.

Troma Entertainment’s co-founder and CEO Lloyd Kaufman has a cameo near the end of The Toxic Avenger. What was it like working with him, and did he give you any advice about the remake?

Macon Blair: He was great. Even before I knew what the story would be, I knew there would be a Lloyd cameo in there. I knew I wanted the nature of the cameo to be him yelling at me and telling me to shut up, which is why I put myself in that character so I could be there at the end for him to chastise. That was the whole point. I felt like we needed to have him in there. It’s his baby and his legacy.

He was very supportive and very kind. He was the first person, when I got hired to write it, that I checked in with. I wanted him to know my intentions were pure. I wanted to do right by him and his legacy. I asked for his blessing, and he was very kind.

He would pitch gags every now and then and call to check in and offer support, but it was really mostly him being a cheerleader. He really did stick to that. He would check in to give support and high-fives.

V/H/S Halloween Poster

Indie Horror Darling Sarah Nicklin Talks V/H/S Halloween Segment “Home Haunt”

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Indie horror star Sarah Nicklin (Popeye the Slayer Man, The Black Mass) really wanted a role in the latest V/H/S installment, V/H/S Halloween, to the point she almost landed a smaller role in another segment. Eventually, directors Micheline Pitt-Norman and R.H. Norman cast her as Nancy, a mom whose husband and son bring home a cursed L.P. that transforms their home haunt into a murderous and blood-thirsty scene. “Home Haunt” closes out the anthology, and it’s one of the strongest segments, complete with 80s Halloween vibes and killer set designs.

Recently, for 1428 Elm, I interviewed Nicklin about her relationship with the horror genre and her part in V/H/S Halloween. You can read the full interview here. I included some of it below. V/H/S Halloween is currently streaming on Shudder.

How did you become involved with V/H/S Halloween?

Sarah Nicklin: The directors of my segment are Micheline Pitt-Norman and R.H. Norman. I’ve been friends and fans of theirs for a long time. They did a short film a couple of years ago called Grummy that’s absolutely incredible. Besides loving them as people, I wanted to work with them.

They were selected as some of the directors for a segment. They said that they had in their script a role for a mom that I could potentially be a fit for. I was super excited. I also tried to hedge my bets a little. Just because they say they want you for something doesn’t mean it’s going to happen. The producers might want something specific or someone else. Things happen.

In this case, when they said they wanted me, it actually came through and worked out really well. I think that says everything about who they are as people. They’re very loyal and generous people. It also says a lot about the producing team of V/H/S. They trust the directors.

I did also audition for a different segment before I even realized it was V/H/S Halloween. On the audition notice, it just said the name of the segment. I did book a smaller role in a different segment. They treat each segment as their own movie. When I found out I had booked that first one, a couple weeks before “Home Haunt,” which was the last one to be filmed, I had to turn that one down before I had gotten the official offer for Nancy, which was really scary. As an actor, you never really want to turn down work. Luckly, it all came through the way it was meant to. I got to work in the role and segment I really wanted

You have an impressive list of horror movie credits. Other than the anthology format, what makes V/H/S Halloween different than your previous projects?

Sarah Nicklin: V/H/S is different because it has a big following. There are fans who really love these series of films, which I’ve learned since becoming part of it and going to conventions. There’s a good amount of pride and also pressure that comes with that to ensure you’re doing a good job, not that I didn’t want to do a good job on previous projects. It’s one of those things where you know there will be eyes on it. Other films I’ve done were very indie. They don’t have a name like Shudder behind them. You hope they’ll get picked up and be seen, whereas this one is coming out on Shudder no matter what. There was definitely some pressure that went into that.

I also think doing the found footage format is more unique, as opposed to other films, like Popeye, that are more standard. With found footage, even though you know where the camera is going, you have to be on all the time. The camera moves around so quickly and it can catch you when it’s not really meant to. It’s almost more like you’re doing a play and you forget about the camera. If the camera gets you, great. If not, you keep going. With other films, like Black Mass and Popeye, if you know you’re not on camera, you can dial it down a little bit. With this one, there wasn’t really an option to do that.

Your segment is about a family’s haunted house that comes to life and kills. What was it like walking through those haunted house rooms on set?

Sarah Nicklin: It was a dream, honestly. I’m a big fan of fantasy films. This felt like being in Labyrinth orThe Dark Crystal. I also felt like this really captured the essence of Halloween, but also that fantastical quality. There was a moment when I looked around and thought it was so cool and that it’s everything I ever wanted when I was little. It’s an incredible, magical set. I got to do a cool horror movie with people I really respect. That’s the dream. I loved every second of being there and working with the cast and crew. It felt so nostalgic, especially growing up in the 80s. It was a really special project for me in a lot of ways, especially to interact with those production designs.

I love the scene where your character takes an axe and then kills an executioner in one of the haunt rooms. What was it like filming that? Was it as fun as it looks?

Sarah Nicklin: It was very fun to do. I really like doing physical stuff, and any chance to fight monsters. is always great. All of that stuff was also very difficult, too. It’s very specific with found footage. With that sequence, they built a specific rig with the camera. It could be kicked on the ground and twisted to ensure it captured everything. All of our movements were very technical to ensure we were where we needed to be so the camera could catch it. There was also the strobing of the lights and carrying an axe, trying to make it look heavy. It was a foam axe. There was a lot of choreography that went into it.  

Sarah Nicklin in V/H/S Halloween Promo

How much say did you have over your costume design, and did you push to have the puffy 80s hairdo?

Sarah Nicklin: The look of everything was really Micheline’s vision. She has a wonderful eye for aesthetics and for detail. With the hair, she said she wanted me to have an 80s perm. She found a wig she wanted me to wear. That was all her.

We did do a series of costume fittings. A lot of the costume options for me were actually from Micheline’s personal collection. She really wanted it to be period accurate. She has a lot of her own vintage clothing from that time. We did go through a couple of different outfits. I did get to have a little bit of say in terms of what I was wearing. The sweater that I’m wearing with the hair feels very 80s mom. They went ahead with the pants that were the most 80s. [Laughs]. You had to go with the 80s mom jeans and the waist all the way up.

What’s next for you, and what keeps you coming back to the horror genre?

Sarah Nicklin: I really love horror because it’s such a great community of people. When I first wanted to be an actor, I didn’t set out specifically to work in horror. That just kind of happened. Horror is so loyal, and there’s such a community around it. That kind of snowballed, and now, I’ve been working in horror for a long time.

I go to other sets, and I feel out of place. I’ve been to sets where people look down on horror. They say it’s gross. I think that’s the most fun part, getting to do all the gore. Horror sets are the most fun. With horror sets, because such gruesome stuff happens in front of the camera, the sets are very lively. The people love the genre and put their hearts into it. I like to work in that kind of environment.