This was just another audition like any other at the time. Joy Todd, the Casting Director, did a lot of extra’s casting and knew me from that. I a couple of preliminary auditions and then a final audition with the director. I remember Tony Maylam saying that American girls were so pale and that we all needed to get out in the sun.

Were you aware of the slasher boom of 1981, where a slasher was released every few weeks?

No, I was not aware.

What is your favourite memory of being on the set?

The day when Fisher Stevens showed up in full corpse makeup for the underwater scene was pretty exciting. He was guided onto set because he couldn’t see well in the make up, and of course he couldn’t move his face.

What was your favourite scene to film and why?

I actually had two favorite scenes; the one in the girls cabin and only because I had dialog, and the canoe scene. That was hilarious because they had set up uneven numbers of rowers in each boat so there was no way to make the boats go straight, and then many of our boats started sinking. It was all very unexpected. FYI – that is my hand dripping blood on the raft during the transition to bloody water. The actress playing that role had moved away from the shooting area and they just grabbed a girl to fill in.

Who did you get on with best on set? And why?

I didn’t really develop a close relationship with anyone in particular. However I remember being extremely impressed with Jason Alexander. He and Fisher worked very hard to put the comedy into their dialogue. Much of his role was ‘improvised,’ and it was no great surprise that he went onto a big career in comedy.

Are you a fan of horror films? If so which are your favourites and why?

As a teen I watched some horror films, but I would not consider myself a fan.

Do you think someone will remake The Burning someday, considering all the 80s slashers being remade at the moment?

I can’t imagine anyone remaking The Burning, but I suppose stranger things have happened.

What was Tony Maylam like to work with?

Tony was easy to work with. I remember he kept saying, “I want ‘Todd’ to be g-damn macho!”

What was Holly Hunter like on set?

This was Holly’s first NY job, and when we flew out to the set, she had just come north on a bus from home. She was very, very southern. I remember one day when we weren’t shooting and she wore cowboy boots with shorts. I remember that she and Jason got along really well.

The Burning is looked upon by a lot of fans as one of the best slashers of the early 80s, why do you think this is?

Just look at what the cast and producing team went on to accomplish. Truly the start of something big for many involved. There was just inherent talent involved in the project.

How intimidating was Lou David in the ‘Cropsy’ makeup?

I never saw Lou in the makeup, although I did see him once with out.

Of course you are working for a Carson-Adler at present, was it always your intention to stay in the film business?

I started out as a child in theatre, and as a young adult my mother opened a talent agency specializing in youth. I have come full circle and am now working with the next generation of young stars. Hard to say whether I could have predicted it.

Why do you think your acting career was so short-lived?
Shortly after The Burning, I became frustrated with being ‘typed out’ for significant roles and decided to drop out of the business.

Have you ever considered returning to acting?

I occasionally consider returning to acting. I am raising a family now, so perhaps when they are grown I may give it another go. A number of years back I did audition for The Crucible for Broadway show and that was pretty exciting. I got nice feedback from the director and it was reassuring to know that “I’ve still got it.”

Have you kept in touch with any of the other members of the cast?

Not really. I think because I left the business for 10 years, there was no occasion to see each other.

Written by Paul Downey for Love Horror

Simeon Halligan is a graduate of the Royal College of Art and award winning director of short films SLEEP MY LOVE and TRIPLE EXPOSURE having also worked as a production designer and art director on numerous TV shows, commercials and films in the UK. LoveHorror caught up with him to get an insight into debut feature SPLINTEREDwhich is released on the 3rd September.

How did the idea for Splintered come about?

The idea was brewing for some time in different shapes and forms through a bunch of different treatments and script ideas. The consistent elements being: a young female central character on the run from an abusive past and her relationship with an estranged man, living outside society in an abandoned building. At first it wasn’t a horror film, more psychological thriller.

When did your interest in filmmaking begin?

I’m one of those filmmakers who knew that I wanted to get involved with the
medium from an early age. 1977 was probably the catalyst year. I was ten and dragged my parents along to see STAR WARS and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS. In return my folks dragged me along to the re-release of 2001 the same year. I think my fate was sealed.

Did you make any short films prior to making SPLINTERED?

Yes – my very first was a somewhat over ambitious 27 minute black and white film noir pastiche called TRIPLE EXPOSURE, set in forties Chicago! SLEEP MY LOVE gained financial support from the UK Film Council’s digital shorts scheme and showed at a whole bunch of festivals once completed. Influenced by Nolan’s MEMENTO and Ian McEwan’s novel A CHILD IN TIME, the film portrayed the breakdown of a relationship after the death of a family member; the truth is revealed at the end as the story unravels backwards through time.

What is the 4K red camera system and why was it chosen for the production?

We worked at 4K resolution, which meant that the quality of image is hugely
detailed but it requires an awful lot of memory drive space to store the footage. The camera captures onto cards or hard drives and the material can then be transferred to an edit system directly without using film or tape as a recording medium.

Did you shoot predominately on location and where were these locations?

Finding the key location, the abandoned catholic orphanage, was a journey in itself, as I knew so much of the film relied so heavily on the environment and how the characters interacted with it. I’d seen pictures of St. Joseph’s and knew a little about the place and had tried unsuccessfully to recce it previously. I’d heard it was completely out of bounds. But after some effort, we managed to persuade the landlords. I’ve never been to anywhere else quite like St. Joseph’s; a huge rambling, gothic monstrosity of a building, which used to house a Priest school.

Were there any particularly difficult scenes to film?

We shot for around five and half weeks and every day seemed too short! Any scenes containing a lot of action or special effects were always the most difficult under the time restraints. Obviously scenes in which Gavin and Vincent interact were particularly tricky to shoot as both characters are played by actor Stephen Walters. These sequences were shot in two passes, each time Stephen would play one or other of the characters and we would use body doubles for the other brother. There isn’t one SFX shot used in the film to put both brothers into a scene, it’s all done with cutting!

There seems to be a preoccupation with doubles, pairings and opposites within the film, what does this mean?

I guess a clue is in the title; the SPLINTERED fragmentation of the human psyche, which echoes through the piece as a whole. There was a deliberate intention to show characters that are split in two, or can only function fully as part of or half of a whole.

It seems that Sophie is actively seeking out the threat – is this a subconscious desire for her to resolve the reoccurring nightmare that she has?

Sophie is constantly looking for answers, but in chasing myths and legends she is subconsciously avoiding having to find real answers to real questions and/or to confront the nightmare locked inside her head. She has spent her adult life trying to avoid the inevitable and horrific truth about her own life.

For more info check out the official site – http://www.splinteredthemovie.com/

Trailer:

Firstly, I must thank you for sparing the time to answer a few of my questions. Secondly, congratulations for making such an entertaining, truthful and well balanced film. Now, let’s get on with it, shall we?

Q: Resurrecting the Streetwalker deals directly with the horror genre in both form and content. What is it about the genre that drew you to it? Was the film conceived from a fan perspective or was it more of an academic decision?

The horror genre offers the type of visceral kick that no other genre can manage. Horror films can provoke fear, anxiety and revulsion that are all powerful emotions and you can do it with a smaller budget. Horror films can also be subtle and disturb the mind and elicit thoughts about our own sense of morality and relationship to violence, for example. There is a great deal of scope in the genre from quietly disturbing ghost stories to Grand Guignol extravaganzas.
That’s what attracted me to the genre but of course considerations of budget were also involved for reasons mentioned above.

Q: The film has quite a unique concept, especially in regards to making the main character a runner, a person who is usually kept furthest from the spotlight. What inspired this choice of anti-hero and the journey he takes?

The inspiration came from the memories I had of being a runner back in 2000 when I was on one occasion sent to the company’s storage basement to fish out some files. I ended up snooping about amongst the cans of film reels down there and saw one that was labelled “Dark Blood”. I hadn’t heard of the film so I asked around the office and they told me that it was the film starring River Phoenix that had to be abandoned when he died.
Seven years later when myself and producing partner Ian Prior (also once a runner himself) were looking for a project to launch our own production company, I remembered the incident and it all grew from there.

Q: The Streetwalker, the film within the film, is a vividly realised concept that could easily exist independent from RTSW. Was there or has there ever been a temptation to give The Streetwalker its own platform, whether as a short or feature film separate from RTSW?

Many horror fans at film festivals have asked the same question. If there is enough enthusiasm to see the full version of “The Street Walker” after the release of RTSW on DVD (which features deleted footage from “The Street Walker” but not the whole film) then I don’t see why it can’t be arranged with the right support.
If there is an audience out there keen to see the whole story then the will is there to make that happen I think in one way or another.

Q: The lead protagonist, James, in an incredibly well realised character and his experiences as a runner even more so. Are his experiences drawn from your own or those that you have observed?

The character was informed by experiences I and some other people I knew had as interns (unpaid runners) so it is all based on reality. One particular friend of mine tried really hard to make his mark but had to give up on his dream to work in the film industry because he wasn’t being paid a living wage and he simply could not survive. It was heart breaking for him. So it was a combination of observation and my own experiences that kick started the character of James R. Parker.

Q: Each character seems driven by their ego to one extent or another and, as a result, cannot admit to their mistakes. As much of the drama seems to be drawn from this internal conflict, do you find the ego to be pivotal in ones self denial?

Self-delusion, or self-denial, is important for success of course because without it you can’t visualise your end goals, it’s a form of imaginative long-term planning after all. However, for James and personalities like his, it is difficult to switch off this delusional mode of thinking when it is appropriate and so they keep flogging a dead horse despite the fact that they will never succeed with their current plan. They do not stop to pick a different path and cannot adapt to the situation because their ego has given them a warped world-view. That’s how things escalate and lead to tragedy.

Q: James’ enthusiasm towards finishing The Streetwalker is often sniffed at, sometimes in regards to the film’s genre. Do you find that horror films are burdened with certain stigmas? Are they not taken seriously as an art form?

“Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer”, “Man Bites Dog” or “Old Boy” inflict different levels of revulsion and fear in an audience, as well as making them think. The art of horror has been with us for a long time; think Francis Bacon, Goya or go further back to Hieronymus Bosch and almost every church whether it’s a painting, fresco, stained glass, bas-relief or statue features scenes of horror. Therefore it should be taken seriously in my view as an art form when filmmakers use the genre to express themselves.

Q: At the beginning of the film we are given brief history on eighties ‘video nasties’ and the politics behind them. Do you have a favourite video nasty in regards to the reason it was banned or censored?

The best story about a video nasty being banned, for me, has to be for “Cannibal Holocaust” where the director had the actors sign contracts that forced them to leave the country and disappear for one year after the release of the film in order to add credence to the notion that the deaths in the film were real as per the marketing of the film. Unfortunately for the director it worked all too well and he had to prove in court that he had not in fact murdered his own actors – because they were nowhere to be found and would not come out of hiding to save the director from prosecution because they were honouring their contracts!

Q: RTSW, as a film that is so specific in concept and execution, could easily divide opinion. What do you think is the greatest and/or lowest praise the film has received thus far?

The greatest praise one can get as far as I am concerned is when audience members tell you (or blog) about how much they liked the film and the reasons why they enjoyed it jibe with what you as a filmmaker set out to do. So far, the positive reactions to the film have out-weighed any negative ones although you have to accept that you probably cannot please everybody all of the time. It is especially gratifying to have true horror film fans embrace the film and we have seen this at the film festivals we’ve attended. Someone said that it stands out because it takes the genre seriously and appeals to an audience’s intelligence to make it work—that’s high praise I think.

Q: Finally, what project are you working on next? Will you be returning to the horror genre any time soon?

I have a horror film project in development although my next project is a departure from the genre. It is a screenplay that I started writing a few years ago and I think now might be the right time to get it off the ground. But I am definitely coming back to horror in the future as there is a lot more to explore and it was a lot of fun making RTSW.

Resurrecting the Streetwalker is out today from all good retailers.

Buy it now from:

Trailer:

Six months later…Maria is fighting to overcome the pain of her loss, to pick up the pieces and continue with her life, when she receives an unexpected call. A child’s body has been discovered; she must return to El Hierro. On the island, in this strange and threatening landscape, surrounded by sinister, malevolent characters, Maria is forced to confront her worst nightmares. As she travels the terrible path that may lead to her son, Maria will make the most unbearable discovery of all- that some mysteries should be never be revealed.

María is the most mature character you’ve played up until now, a mother who loses her son. How did you prepare for the role?

Gabe told me that we were going to make sure María had the full weight and maturity she required, because this is a woman who’s grown up very quickly. She lost her parents when she was young and lived with her sister, and one way or another she has organised her own life from a very early age, living alone with the person she adores so much, her son, who doesn’t have a father and around whom she creates a very particular micro-universe.

Gabe had every single scene in his head, and he explained very clearly to me what story he wanted to tell. After almost two months’ preparation, the character begins to breathe of its own accord. It’s a kind of gestation period, an evolutionary process where you have more options, a greater range of possibilities available, to convey who the character is and who you want the audience to see in her. My job was to breathe in time with the character, to maintain the same state of tension she has to bear: a highly charged emotional state. I lived in María’s world. This very personal and peculiar universe is centered on her son, on her relationship with her son, to such an extent they almost feed off each other. Maria is so attached to her son that without him she feels like she’s dying, she can’t breathe, she can’t accept this new reality, it’s just too harsh for her to take in.

We saw many children during the casting sessions, and many of them were fantastic, but I especially connected with Kaiet. He looked me in the eye and, if he got scared, he didn’t show it, he lived through it, and when he smiled, he smiled with his eyes. I felt like he could have been my son. Shooting the film with him has been fantastic. It’s always a bit difficult with children, because everything is up in the air. You don’t know what’s going to happen in the next take, you just don’t know how they’re going to react… and this kid has been just great, incredible.

What was it about Hierro that attracted you most?

To begin with, I was simply very interested in telling the story, but once I met Gabe I began to get really enthusiastic about the way it was going to be told, which is just as important as the story itself. I was practically living at Gabe’s house for a month and a half as we prepped the character. We went through the screenplay for about a month, not only to take the story apart bit by bit, but also to look at every aspect of the film. In Hierro the atmosphere is just as important as my character, and that atmosphere is created by all of the departments: production design, cinematography, wardrobe… All films come down to teamwork of course, but in this one specifically I’ve felt nourished each day by the work of everybody on the set. I needed that during prep, it was very gratifying and a great experience. It had to be that way, it would have been tough to make the story believable with just my performance.

What working method did you and Gabe use?

Gabe is maybe one of the directors who’s given me most – information and affection too. He’s been very precise throughout the process regarding how he wanted the two of us to tell this story… with the help, of course, of an extraordinary crew. It makes no difference if a director comes from the world of commercials or of theatre, if he’s shooting his first film or if he’s already directed two dozen. The very first day he told me “Film making is very difficult,” and I answered back “You’re so right, and it’s great you realise that”. There are people out there who think they know everything and instead of making the job easier, they make it more complicated. One of Gabe’s greatest strengths is that he left absolutely nothing to chance. It’s true we were lucky during the shoot, everything went just as planned, but above all there was lots and lots of work, loads of planning, lots of homework to be done, and that makes things flow in a very special way every day. It’s been such a beautiful experience and I always very much felt that everybody was by my side, which is a very good feeling when the time comes to do your thing in front of the camera.

How do you think Hierro has contributed to your career?

Hierro is the film I’ve enjoyed doing the most. For me it was just like a gift. I lived through the creative process on a daily basis, and that’s a great opportunity for me as an actress. And I’ve also made lots of friends. Given that it’s such a long and tiring creative process, it’s not always easy to come away with the kind of kindness and affection I’ve received every day here.

The Final

For those that don’t know, tell us about The Final.
The Final is about a group of kids who have been bullied for many years and finally reach their breaking point and put together a plan to exact revenge on the kids who emotionally and physically tormented them.

Where did you draw the inspiration for the controversial story? Did use any personal experiences of your childhood and school days for the film?
The idea came after I read some interesting, yet frightening articles about the Columbine and WV shootings.  I wanted to take a look at the events and understand them.  In The Final, I wanted the students to be specific about the students who tormented them and wanted their plot be more specific about their message.  Instead of just exacting rage at everyone, they focused their lesson on those who made sport of them.
I was not bullied in high school at all so I don’t have a personal reference.  Despite what has been said, I did not want to glorify their actions.  I simply wanted to tell a story and allow the audience to see how we landed on the horrific situation, where the antagonists become the protagonists.   Sometimes the lines of right and wrong are blurred.  The cool kids didn’t deserve what happened to them, but neither did the outcasts.

You produced the movie as well, did that mean you had a lot of involvement on the planning and the shooting of the movie and how did it all go?
I was involved in many aspects of the film.  Once I selected the director, Joey Stewart, I had to let him take the reigns and translate the film.  As a producer, you have to trust the people you pick to make the movie for you.  I was very happy with the decisions all the department heads made, and the success of the film speaks for itself.

I read that you and director Joey Stewart looked at Takashi Miike’s Audition as a stylistic model for the film. What other films influenced The Final?
I paid a tip of the hat to a couple of films that really don’t fall into the “horror” category. No Country for Old Men and Deliverance get a nod. Joey and I really wanted a cinematic feel to the film so we opted for wide shots and angles that we hoped brought the audience into the environment.  We knew we didn’t have a big enough budget to compete with big horror films like SAW, so we opted for more thriller elements than blood and gore.  Some fans were disappointed but we felt like there were plenty of films that magnified that element so we went a different direction.  Audition certainly gave us the most style elements we used.  Great film.

What was it like seeing your words translated from the page to the screen?
It’s always interesting to see the words you write onto a page come to life.  It has a God-like feel where people who didn’t exist say things that were not said in a story world you created… all in the world of your imagination. Every writer longs for that feeling and I feel blessed to get to live it.

What is your favourite horror movie and why?
To this day I think the Exorcist is the scariest film ever made.  I have only seen it once and will not watch it again. It terrified me.  Jaws has kept me out of the water til this day too.  Both films seemed so possible… and invasion of the devil into your soul and a great white shark bearing down on you for lunch.

You’ve been quoted as saying – “I was really moved by how little it takes to send some people over the edge and how far you have to push someone else to get over that same edge”.
Have you ever gone over ‘the edge’ before, and what pushes you there?
I am a pretty chill guy. If I see something so obviously wrong, I will take action but always keep things in perspective. I don’t think someone tormenting me deserves death.  And if anyone tells you different,  I will kill them.

The Final was selected for the 2010 After Dark Horrorfest which must have been a real honour. What was the festival like and how was the film received?
My distribution producer, Brad Keller put the deal together really quickly.  The movie was very well received by distributors and After Dark Films dropped another film to add us to their Horrorfest lineup.  We were really excited about being part such a prestigious festival and we had a great time meeting the other filmmakers.  Things could not have gone better.

What’s next for you?
After making The Final, I was ready for a film that allowed me to sport my odd sense of humor so I just completed my first comedy.  It was my directorial debut so this is the first time I translated my script exactly as I wrote it.  The film is called MIND OF ITS OWN, and its about a guy who has a talking penis… that sings as well.  Really crazy comedy we just wrapped up (no pun intended).
The screening went amazing and the reviews are stellar so we have big promise for this film as well.

Lastly I read you did the audio commentary with Joey Stewart while drinking Pinot Noir. Did the wine inspire any hilarious revelations while you where recording?
Lets just say Joey gets very handsy when he gets drunk.  I kid… I kid… the funny thing is I don’t drink and Joey likes his wine so we had a good time but for different reasons… like he was drunk and I stole his wallet without his knowledge.  To this day I charge all my lunches to his card, but don’t tell him.

Thank you.
Thank you for allowing me into your world.

We’ll be keeping you up-to-date on the UK release details for The Final

Trailer: