dark house Now available on-demand and digitally as of September 13. Written and directed by Neil Rabout, this thriller is about a man who gets more than he bargained for after dating back to her secluded estate.
Movies starring Justin Long (jeep wheels, new girl), Kate Bosworth (Superman Returns, Blue Smash), Gia Crovatin (I think it’s beautiful) and Lucy Walters (car).
Actress Lucy Walters talks to Screen Rant about her relationship with chamber music and her love of independent film.
Screen Rant: I really enjoyed this movie. I love horror movies and I like chamber music, so I enjoyed it.
Lucy Walters: I guess in a time of pandemic, that matters right now, doesn’t it? Because that’s what we can shoot. You can’t have a huge cast. The risk of contracting the new coronavirus is too great. So there’s something real about it. I like intimate chamber music, especially the horror genre. you’re right. You can bring a sense of tension to it. Other than that, it feels very dramatic, which is where I come in. So this is my love.
Screen Rant: I was going to ask you this question because one of your actors mentioned that you were filming during the coronavirus outbreak. How does it feel to be on set, given the setting and distance?
Lucy Walters: It’s funny in retrospect, because one of the thrills of the vampire genre is sexiness. As with all things skin, I just feel like the pandemic is the exact opposite. It feels like it’s too lacking in sexiness or intimacy, or touch, or any of the things these movies are about. So I think that’s part of its appeal. It’s like, “Yes! Yes! We crave this skin-to-skin contact.” Of course, I also think the film itself is turning itself upside down. The production itself is very — we’re very isolated. Thankfully, they are taking COVID-19 very seriously. These are photos taken at night, which will confuse you anyway.
We are all very, very distant from each other – very isolated. It also messes with your head. So, in some ways, it’s like the most barren, least sexy vibe. But some surreal conditions have created some very interesting things. I think part of the reason the movie really stands out is how obvious the chemistry between Justin and Kate is, and that tension, like, “Are we fucking each other?” The image to me has always been like a cat playing with its food or something. These women have always existed. They are kind of boring. They definitely have a bone to choose from. So there’s the simmering rage, but there’s also the game. I just think it’s a really interesting genre.
Screen Rant: Yeah, like you said, I really like how they play him throughout. I think it is interesting. It also makes it really weird, which is really cool.
Lucy Walters: Sure. Obviously, in the post-Me Too era, everyone is looking back at these archetypes and archetypes. It’s an important eye and I think Neal has been very careful to prepare us for a lot of complex dynamics. But I just think that in the end he was careful not to give a doctrinal message. I don’t think there are obvious villains. Everyone is a little gray.
Screen Rant: Yes, of course.
Lucy Walters: I think it’s important that Justin’s character, in the big picture, isn’t a mean guy. It’s all relative, right? I guess I like the tension, but you don’t really know where your empathy is. It’s not sharp, which I think was taken with the naked eye. I think DP Dan Katz did a great job of everything, like, “What’s real? What’s not?” Both thematically and visually, it feels like being in the beautifully lit Dark Shadows world.
Screen Rant: You also took this photo in the castle, which I didn’t realize at first. I was blown away. What is it like to work there?
Lucy Walters: For me, that sums it all up. The building has the perfect postmodern vibe because it’s new. It was built very recently and it clearly has to have the grandeur and stuff of a castle anywhere. So this stuff is pretty much perfect, especially given this story, we’ve seen millions of versions of it. It is a classic Gothic style, timeless, but also with a very modern interpretation. Something about castles, you know, “castles,” sums it up perfectly. It is very new, but ancient and timeless. It’s like a mixture of all of that and you’re left with a bit of a headache.
Screen Rant: That’s in Arkansas, isn’t it? Is that where you filmed?
Lucy Walters: In Arkansas! That’s the point I missed! Correct! Located in the middle of the Ozarks. I just boarded this train because I always wanted to go, and by the way, it’s beautiful – the Ozarks. I hike a lot. We filmed all night and couldn’t sleep during the day. So I hike a lot, it’s a beautiful part of the country. I think that also adds up. Not only in these strange times of covid 19, but you are all working and not sleeping. Like Odd Times, there’s something very bizarre about you losing your mind in that world. What is real and what is not?
Screen Rant: Honestly, this is the best part of any horror movie. Chaos is the attraction.
Lucy Walters: Sure!
Screen Rant: Finally, with the movie coming out this month, do you have any other upcoming projects that you’re excited about?
Lucy Walters: I only live for indie film and I worry about its future. But that’s really where I’m happiest. You put it best – chamber music composition is very satisfying. Next week I’m going up north to shoot a little movie called The Trap directed by Merlin Camozzi. I just think it’s really dark…it’s not horror, but it’s scary. Such is the horror of everyday life—living in poverty. It’s a great movie and I’m really excited about it. Then again, this slow pace of tension seems to be the world I like to live in. This seems to be where I find the most satisfaction in my working life.
Contents of the movie The Dark House······
After meeting at a local bar, a man escorts a beautiful and mysterious woman back to her luxurious and secluded estate. However, he soon gets more than he bargained for when their playful flirtation turns sinister.
Our other check dark house Interview with star Gia Crovatin and filmmaker Neil LaBute.
House of Darkness will be available on-demand and digitally on September 13.