Cole Clay // Critic
Director David Robert Mitchell directed his first film THE MYTH OF THE AMERICAN SLEEPOVER (2010) , a quiet film about wasting long nights in suburbia. The film came and went pretty quietly, but his latest film IT FOLLOWS, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this month to great acclaim from fans and critics alike.
So far this has been the best film of Fantastic Fest and there are no signs that it will be bested. Fresh Fiction caught up with the talented filmmaker on a rather noisy, but fascinating phone-call where we discussed horror tropes, childhood nightmares and sex!
Hey, David.
David Robert Mitchell: “Whaaaat?”
You there?
Mitchell: “Yeah, I’m here. People keep walking into the room, it’s super loud in here.”
It’s cool. Just let me know when you’re ready.
Mitchell: [15 seconds of paper ruffling and indistinguishable chatter] “I am so sorry about that!”
Not a problem. I got the chance to see the movie yesterday at an early morning screening. How did the premiere go?
Mitchell: “It was great. The audience seemed to receive the film quite well. Lots of shrieks and scares.”
How about applause?
Mitchell: [Laughs] “Yeah, there was some of that, too.”
It’s well deserved. I can’t wait to see the film with a full-house.
Mitchell: The 90’s show?
No, A FULL HOUSE! [Laughs]
Mitchell: “Gah, I’m sorry. It’s just so noisy in here.”
Don’t sweat it.
Mitchell: “Does that sound better?”
Infinitely better.
Mitchell: “Great.”
IT FOLLOWS reminded me of a hangout film. It was a Jim Jarmusch movie fused together with sheer terror. What compelled you to blend these aspects?
Mitchell: “Well, to me the film is about dread, anxiety and waiting. I was just interested in the idea of the characters and the audience knowing that something horrible out there is slowly coming closer. So it’s about those quiet spaces in between moments of chaos because the most frightening part is playing the waiting game. It’s the things we don’t see in horror films; it’s just way more important to execute this aspect properly in order to build that anxiety.
Absolutely even small things like waiting for a phone call can make people a bit anxious.
Mitchell: “Yeah, for sure.”
Have you seen Gia Coppola’s film PALO ALTO?
Mitchell: “No, I haven’t. I want to see it.”
I felt that film borrowed a lot of style from your previous film MYTH OF AN AMERICAN SLEEPOVER.
Mitchell: “Really?”
Yeah, not in a bad way. It’s just that each of those movies have a dream-like quality that covers the screen. I love that aspect.
Mitchell: “Right on. I’ve heard it’s good and yeah I like to think that being youthful is at times magical hence the title MYTH OF AN AMERICAN SLEEPOVER.”
I have been looking behind me down every hallway. So thanks for making my infinitely paranoid. Where did the idea for an entity that’s tormenting teens come from?
Mitchell: “Well, it’s not just about tormenting teenagers, but the form we gave the ‘monster,’ for lack of a better word. Just came from what I found to be interesting and disturbing to me at that moment. But, the overall premise for the film came from a recurring nightmare I had as a child growing up. I was being chased by my loved ones in the creepiest way imaginable. I tried to run-away, but it was like I was running in quicksand. Later, when I decided to take those feelings and build it into a film I added all the other stuff with connecting people through sex emotionally, which links people to the past. I don’t want to spoil it for anybody, so I will just leave it at that for now.”
Perfect, yeah. The best way to go into the movie is blind. I also haven’t seen sex play an important factor in a horror film in quite some time. A decade ago it was Japanese supernatural films, then found-footage blew up, and now you gave us this little indie horror film that was kind of a throwback, but completely reinvented so many clichés we have grown accustomed to over the years.
Mitchell: “Yeah, I’m glad you noticed that and it is a trope – in a good way. Sex – the way I see it – is something that opens the character up to danger, but also can save an individual is absolutely fascinating to me. My goal wasn’t to moralize the story through sex, or articulate some puritanical viewpoint. I think if somebody sees it that way it would be a little disappointing to me, but if they want to think that it’s OK. It’s just not the way I see the movie because sex is a very normal part of life. This is a film that doesn’t condemn as so many horror films do. I didn’t want to pass any blame, or judgement on the characters; sometimes sh*tty things happen in life. And that’s the point of the film.”
Pretty simple, but well said.
Mitchell: “Yeah, I don’t mean to sound grim, but we all deal with mortality on some level. It’s about trying to find a way to be OK, to have connections with people, to have sex and push away the fear and coming face to face with the fact that we only have a limited amount of time here. It’s something that’s always there, even if you push it away, it’s always coming closer no matter what you do.”
That was deep.
David: [Laughs] “Well, that’s just one read on the film.”
Yeah, well, it really hit me after the film ended on several different levels.
Mitchell: “Cool, thanks.”
Especially the score; it was just a driving force behind to the mood of the film.
Mitchell: “Yeah, it’s great. His name is Disasterpeace. I loved the work he has done, and I already knew going into the film I wanted an electronic score. I was playing a video-game called FEZ that he did the score for. So I got in touch with him and asked if he wanted to work on the film. It’s beautiful with melodies with moments of controlled noise. It’s confrontational and abrasive in all the right ways. The collaboration worked out perfectly.”
Well, I haven’t sat through a horror film in along time where I genuinely cared for the characters and their well-being. You had control of every aspect of the film. It was patient, poised and tender. I just can’t you enough praise on the film.
Mitchell: “Thank you so much.”
I can’t wait for a wide-audience to see the film.
Mitchell: “Same here.”
When does the film release theatrically?
Mitchell: “They’re saying first quarter next year. I don’t have a date, or even a month for that matter.”
IT FOLLOWS screens again at Fantastic Fest tomorrow (Wednesday, September 24) at 11:45 p.m.
