Very soon, the 6th of July, on domestic screens will be released film “the Experiment “the Office” (Belko Experiment), a promising splatter, the script for which was written by James Gunn, the Director of the popular marvel franchise Guardians of the Galaxy. However, in the Director’s chair “Experiment “Office” lit he did not, and Australian Greg McLean, who directed such works as “pitfall” and “Darkness”. A couple of days ago the “Zone horror” managed to interview this person and learn all about his new movie.
Mr. McLean, welcome. To begin with – I personally liked “the Experiment “Office”. Dynamic action, great dark humor, the music chosen are just awesome.
Oh, thank you!
Tell me, how “the Experiment “the Office” came to life? As we know, the script for the film written by James Gunn, a well-known Director of the franchise “Guardians of the Galaxy”. How did you find each other?
The script was sent to my agent, I opened it, read it and just fell in love. Then we were not personally familiar with James Gunn. We decided to meet and discuss the details. He was one of the producers and introduced me to Peter SAFRAN, who also was involved in producing. Then I liked the pitching of the project… there was a passionate desire to work on it. And when it was nearing the time of production, I, Peter and James went to the Studio. And then somewhere in the next three months the film was shot.
What was it like working with James Gunn? Whether the distance between the superhero “Guardians of the Galaxy” and splatter “Experiment “the Office”?
Well, you know, James started operating low-budget movie, made horror. We can say, repeating the path of Directors such as Sam Raimi, David Lynch, Francis Ford Coppola began with a genre of low budget horror and then went to a great movie. This is a straight line, when people from horror movies go to projects with large budgets. Even before the script “the Experiment “the Office” fell into my hands, I’ve seen the earlier films of James: “Slug”, “Super”,… and many others, to which he only wrote scripts. So that’s your man from the world of horror.
A few words about the shooting. During the process of filming was the most memorable? What are you proud of?
I think the film is a lot of episodes that I could be proud of. I love scenes where the characters start to explode my head… I think they turned out good black humor. Love the scene with the musical inserts – I put a lot of effort to make them look really fun. When I read the script, I thought that many episodes you can make fun, wondering what there could be music. And I like the episode where they (approx. the author of one of main characters) line up the people to decide who dies first. I think that was very impressive and terrifying scene. But really of course I like the whole entire movie (laughs). And it’s excellent that you have in Russia people will be able to enjoy it.
You are simply amazing soundtrack. A Spanish version of “I will survive” and “California Dreaming” – honestly – just removal of the brain! (laughs). Tell me – who was behind the selection of music? This is your doing, or have you had any special person?
Ummm… let’s just say this is mainly my doing. When I first read the script, the first idea I came up with the idea that music is to be special. I am extremely aggressively push for this version of music… I think it is appropriate to use in this kind of horror. Wanted to be sure that it is, well, you know, it would be a good counterpoint to the drama – in addition to all the movie sounds and even classical music, like Tchaikovsky, “Concerto No. 1 for piano”. I’ve always liked classical music, I try to use it in his films. And, of course, in addition we had to add more and popular music. You know, if you have in the picture there are extremely violent scenes, popular music over these scenes lasts (laughs). I proposed the idea and everyone liked it.
It turned out something like the scene from “reservoir dogs”, the one where Tim Roth danced with a razor in his hand.
To the point!
You know, we in the country for some reason like this sort of stuff (laughs).
(laughs) I can’t wait, I want to know how the film will go in the box.
But in General – how should the audience react to this movie? What effect are you trying? Whether the movie is any promise?
This is actually a fairly common idea – that we constantly ensures that we are constantly under someone’s supervision. I would say even important in this age when anyone can go online and see there are different video… well, you know, all those movies with massive violence, murder. It was interesting to make a film that somehow came to this idea, told about mass violence, corporate control, submission. Well, I personally always liked the idea in the spirit of “Who would you trust their work colleagues?” If in fact something like the history of the “Experiment “Office”, that everyone will survive itself… in a word all that together and it was interesting to explore, to discover, in his own way. All of these topics that corporations are evil and the people there do not see people and so on.
What was the most difficult in the film?
I think the big stage with the execution of people in the middle of the movie. It is really hard, it was already four days… perhaps the most difficult technical moment was working hard to follow all the characters. A lot of them there. To have the emotions that would be clearly read. Very hard work that the result was expressive suspense.
How about your new project – “the Jungle”? You there, and Daniel Radcliffe is. Tell us, the audience, need to know about this film?
The core of the film is a book based on real events. This is a story about explorers lost in the Amazon jungle, and in the center of events, in fact, their journey. To some extent it is not so much a horror film, how inspirational story about survival.
I watched the trailer of “the Jungle” in just a few hours before our conversation, and… he looks very naturalistic. In our time it is difficult to find a Director who would like to work closely with nature, natural landscapes. For the most part the pavilion shooting. How much of this nature in the Jungle?
We shot in Colombia. After all the discussion, decided to remove there. But the process of filming was a real challenge, because it was necessary to constantly monitor the nature. To work with nature. I personally like this work, but it is difficult, and sometimes dangerous. But you know, it’s worth it, because you’re taking the audience with him on a real journey to real peace.
You as the participant in the composition of the informal wave filmmakers of the “Splat Pack”, working with hardcore horror. Why do you like to do a movie, where everything around is trying to kill the heroes? It’s because you’re from Australia? (laughs)
(laughs) Yes, it is! In General, the so-called movement of the “Splat pack” reporters noted back in 2005 as a group of hardcore horror filmmakers from different countries. There you can find such names as Neil Marshall, James WAN. Someone noticed that all of these people doing hard horror film and called it “the Splat pack”. And I was there too. But I certainly try to do movies of different directions. And still think that horror movies are by nature the most cinematic. That is, if you think that making a movie? Movie fills people with emotions, and the emotions horror movies – experience suspense – they are very exciting. Another horror is good because it is a universal way to talk about all sorts of things – both conventional and radical.
And finally – what would you like to wish the Russian audience as your current film, “the Experiment “the Office” and future for “Jungle”?
Well, first I would wish them a good viewing. Let my movies will entertain you… let them quite brutal scenes, but there is also humor. And second, just think about the people who live near you. About those you love. The most important thing in the world to care about the people who surround you, and love them.
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