If you’re a fan of indie horror, you’re likely very familiar with Larry Fessenden——As a director (Habit, the last winter,Down) and an actor (Section 9you are next, Jacob’s wifethe dead do not die). His latest movie, werewolf story power failurearrived today, io9 had the chance to ask him all about his new release, as well as his career so far.
The following is an edited and condensed version of our interview.
Cheryl Eddy, io9: most recent season true detective, kingdom of night, I was immediately reminded of your 2006 film the last winter. Did you happen to see it?
Larry Fessenden: I watched this show and I absolutely loved it. I love snow movies.Judy [Foster] marvelous.In fact, I like her partner [Kali Reis] Even. So, I like it very much.Yeah, I’m absolutely blown away. the last winter Atmosphere.Some people, like several friends, write to me [about the similarities]and then there are even some listings they have on the internet that say, “If you like true detective, you should check out these weird movies that no one has ever heard of. ” I’m not accusing anyone of cheating on me, but it was fun to see the vibe. I really enjoyed this part.
io9: until dawna hugely popular interactive horror game that you co-wrote and is currently in production Feature film directed by David F. Sandberg and Gary Dauberman. Are you involved? What are you looking forward to bringing to the screen?
Fessenden: Well, it’s a puzzle because, of course, it’s beautiful until dawn It’s designed to be like a movie, but the fact that you have branching choice points makes it meta in a different way. So I’m actually curious how traditional they are with this story. I mean, you can tell one version of the story and that’s it. Hopefully the characters are well drawn and people will enjoy it. But actually, Graham and I – Graham Reznick is my co-writer – we were already, I think, five or seven years ago at Sony, taking it all the way up there. I think our idea was probably too outlandish for them; we were trying to get around the fact that this was already a video game and I didn’t remember it – Graham was smarter than me, he remembered – but it was Too weird for them. I think I should be asked to play the character I play in the game since it’s just a walk-on. It doesn’t matter. They might not be able to find a movie star, so why not me?
io9: Speaking of which, you’re almost as famous for your acting roles as you are for directing, and you’ve had an equally long career in both fields. Do you have a preference between the two? When you play a role now, what draws you to a project or a role?
Fessenden: Well, I don’t have an agent or anything. I audition sometimes, but mostly, it just goes my way.i always read [about] Real movie stars talk about movies they turned down – it’s funny because I mean, I don’t have a lot to turn down, so I just do what I love. It’s a salary. This is a great way to join another person on set. Often I know the director or I want to support someone. A lot of them are cameos, but sometimes I get bigger roles, which is really cool.I was in a Travis Stevens movie with Barbara Crampton [Jakob’s Wife],It’s interesting.I’ve been known to appear in Scorsese’s films [Killers of the Flower Moon], which is certainly very interesting. It was truly a seminal life experience on his set. So, it’s a great way to be involved in the movie.i can’t promise [acting] As a career, but I do a lot. I was an actor when I was younger and that’s what I thought I wanted to do. But then I became interested in filmmaking and I wanted to do other things on set.
io9: You founded your production company in the 1980s. What has it been like surfing the independent filmmaking wave in the decades since? What are the biggest challenges facing independent filmmakers in 2024?
Fessenden: It’s obviously financing and distribution – even if you manage to get money from a dentist to make a small film, and you produce it, you’re just one part of the digital revolution. A lot of people can make a film for £100 or less or a little more, God bless them, because budget levels have dropped and it’s difficult. Even for the movies I made 20 years ago, the money was a little more, just the salary was enough. All I was trying to do was make being a gaffer or controller sustainable, but sadly my budget was so low that I really kind of took advantage of their kindness. That’s why I use young people; I work with young people because they’re still learning their craft, they’re hungry, and they’re idealistic. It’s the sweetest moment when you want to meet someone who wants to be an artist or engage in art in some way.
um, yes, [to keep answering your question]: distribute [today] It’s really tough. They no longer pay for your movies. You are not guaranteed a minimum. Streamers don’t really report numbers in an accurate or fair way. [It’s] It’s like you’re just volunteering, it’s like you make the shoes and then you just make the shoes and give them away. The whole thing was so uncharacteristic. This is because of streaming. This is the way the industry is built now, people don’t respect small films. The idea is that you do it for the love of it in order to make a bigger movie. Well, what if you just love the aesthetic of this little movie? So it’s actually difficult… Just like TV rights, theatrical rights, you run it first, and then you get the Blu-ray or DVD rights, and then you obviously have the rights to the foreign film. [rights], but there are more ways to achieve returns and get investors their money, so they’ll do it again. All of this is gone. It’s very difficult.
io9: Your latest movie, power failure, feels like an indie drama… but it also happens to be a werewolf story. What made you want to frame a classic creature story in this way?
Fessenden: That’s literally all I have to say about the genre, I love it. I grew up watching old horror movies like Werewolf, but I took them very seriously. I care about the characters. Larry Talbot, played by Lon Chaney Jr., is a very poignant, lonely, pathetic character who really does have this curse.But as I grew older, I discovered [old-fashioned horror movies] A little shaky. I’m interested in Scorsese and Robert Altman and movies from the ’70s. I wanted to bring this element of immediacy and naturalism into the genre space. I appreciate the way you describe my films, because that’s what I’m doing: I do make independent films with monsters. I guess for me, that’s how I experience life. There is always a monster in my life and that is death lurking around me. I was paranoid—I thought the world was an unbearably difficult place. To some extent, there is an element of horror in the way I perceive the world, and a yearning for beauty, and so on. These are things that independent films do; they have nuance and subtlety, and they celebrate the details of everyday moments. It makes things more interesting when you have a monster.
io9: power failure return those environmental themes introduced the last winter. What is it about the intersection between horror and the environment that fascinates you?
Fessenden: Well, what’s scarier than what we’re doing to the planet? My film is also about drug addiction, alcoholism and self-betrayal. I think the environment and what we continue to do to our living spaces and to each other is appalling. This is scary stuff. This is a self-betrayal. This is self-destruction. We’re committing suicide on an installment plan, which is a line from one of my movies. Some say that’s why he smokes, but that’s what humans do. I just take it very personally.
io9: Protagonist power failure Although he had just become a werewolf, his life had already hit rock bottom before the transformation. What made you want to focus on the protagonist in that state?
Fessenden: What I did was make the attack something that bothered him. He’s an artist, so he’s an outsider. His community seemed to have a problem with his father. His father never understood his art, so he just felt alienated. Then he was apparently an alcoholic and he also lost his girlfriend. This guy didn’t just turn into a werewolf; Like, who invites darkness into their lives? There are people who are already struggling…the way we put on makeup, you can see the actors below. You’re not going to be fooled into thinking, “This is some magnificent mythical creature.” This is actually just a guy with some serious psychological issues. Obviously, you want it to be obvious that he’s a werewolf or some version of a werewolf, but it’s trying to play with werewolves and curses and burdens in our lives.
[To me, when he’s bitten by a werewolf], That was the moment he crossed over to the dark side. In a way, he allowed this darkness to enter his life. He was drawing and then heard a noise and walked out. He did cross the threshold. And, in my mind, I really always want to operate on a metaphorical level as well as a literal level, because I kind of say life is full of meaning, but it’s actually completely wild and ephemeral and meaningless. But we inject meaning. So I wanted to capture the moments when myth seeps into our daily lives. It’s like the tension between the desire for definition and myth and this everyday, mundane life where you’re responsible for your own failures.
io9: Over the course of your long career, is there a dream project that you’d like to realize but haven’t yet tackled?
Fessenden: I want to make another monster movie like this. Maybe all of them are in it. I don’t know how to make this happen – financing and all that. So we’ll see. But other than that, in a way, I just wanted to get the idea out. And then, I don’t know—[note: he says this jokingly] Maybe I’ll do a musical or a Christmas movie. I don’t know what will happen next. I don’t know if the world cares. So I’ll just see what I encounter and what’s possible. Unfortunately, there’s a lot to do with budget and all these things. I love making movies. But it’s also tiring.
power failure Releases today (April 12) in theaters and digital/VOD platforms.
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