Thanksgiving Director Eli Roth Took Inspiration From This 1995 Horror Film [Exclusive]
There isn't a more ardent devotee to the horror genre working in Hollywood today than Eli Roth. This is especially true of 1980s horror. Born in 1972, Roth is one of many Gen Xers who raided their local video stores horror shelves, renting just about anything in the hopes they might stumble across an unexpected classic (or at least something with loads of gore).
The advent of the home video era also coincided with the rise of the slasher film craze. Film critics generally abhorred this subgenre (Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert actively crusaded against them in the '80s like Evangelical Christians decrying the Satanic influence of heavy metal music), which, for movie-mad adolescents, only made them cooler. Most of us were savvy enough even then to know we were watching trash, but when the formula worked and the kills were inventive, these flicks could be awfully satisfying (there's a reason I don't think I've ever gone a year without watching Joseph Zito's magnificent "Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter").
So I'm a little surprised that it took Roth 21 years to finally make a proper slasher movie, especially since he had the perfect premise for one when he shot the "Thanksgiving" trailer for Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's insanely underrated 2007 double feature "Grindhouse." And when I say "premise," I mean the holiday, because sometimes all you need to build out an effective slasher is a notable date on a calendar.
And then there are the rules. There isn't a more rigidly conventional subgenre out there than the slasher flick. This doesn't mean that the director must do everything by rote. You can always subvert the conventions, or simply approach them with a degree of intelligence that respects your audience. This was Roth's M.O., and he looked to one of the most underrated (and, sadly, little-seen) slashers of the 1990s for inspiration.
A slasher with a killer hook
In an exclusive interview with /Film's Bill Bria, Roth was asked how he approached the slasher archetypes and conventions with an eye toward keeping the audience off-balance. It started with the casting. Per Roth:
"We want to follow all the conventions of the genre. There are certain things I just absolutely love about the genre, and the Final Girl is no exception. And when Nell Verlaque auditioned, we thought, she's so sympathetic. She's so sweet and nice. She's vulnerable. She's beautiful. She has this young Julia Roberts quality, and you just root for her. You want her to make it, and she's smart. And it's fun to watch: How is she going to get out of these situations where someone with a weapon could easily physically overpower her? What is she going to do to stay one step ahead?"
As an example of a film that does this remarkably well, Roth cited Anthony Waller's 1995 cult classic "Mute Witness." The film stars Maria Zudina as Billy Hughes, a voiceless makeup f/x artist who, when she accidentally gets locked in a film studio at night, discovers a small, renegade crew shooting a porno on their set. Except it's not a porn flick at all. It's a snuff movie. And when the director realizes she's seen them film a murder, she must use her wiles to avoid becoming the next victim.
"I love that movie so much," said Roth, "And I had Nell watch it, and I went to a screening of it with my DP, which actually ran before we started shooting. It's one of my favorite films where the cat and mouse is so well done."
It is a very twisty movie, one that you're probably champing at the bit to watch. Well...
Whither Mute Witness?
"Mute Witness" has been incredibly difficult to find on physical media for a couple of decades. There's a DVD out there, but it's incredibly low quality and not the best way to watch this very well-directed film for the first time. There is some good news though. Last May, Arrow Video announced plans to release the movie to Blu-ray for the very first time. Also encouraging, Shudder had acquired the rights to bring it to their streaming platform.
Where is it? I've no clue. I guess we just have to be patient for now and trust that the goods will be delivered eventually by two of the best companies in their respective media fields.
For those inclined to sneak a peek at the plot summary, please resist the urge. While I think the film loses a bit of steam halfway through (when a certain acting legend shows up), some people absolutely adore it front to back. So give yourself the opportunity to fall under its vicious little spell.
"Thanksgiving" is now in theaters.