Cabin Fever

[MacGuffin]

i really like this guy

Same here. That's why I kept posting his interviews.


An Interview With Director Eli Roth
Being the new jack stepping onto the scene when the horror genre is essentially dying, Eli Roth's main mission is to revive it and return it to its Late 70's early 80's peak. And just because he is the new kid on the block, don't think he is going to bite his tongue when it comes to speaking candidly about certain topics, especially when it comes to the stale horror films of the 1990's (Look out "Wrong Turn"!)

Upon meeting Eli Roth you wouldn't even know he is an up and coming director. He's pretty laid back and speaks to you as if you were his good friend. He even had on a Statler and Waldorf Muppet T-Shirt, and anyone who likes those two cranky Muppets is cool with me. Eli has an extreme amount of energy and enthusiasm (our conversation covered a wide array of topics.)

Here are his thoughts on the state of the horror film today. And be forewarned Mr. Roth doesn't hold back when it comes to using profanity.

Eli Roth: "Horror films are at a crisis point right now, In the 70's you had such great directors, you had like Stanley Kubrick, William Freidken, Philip Kaufman, Ridley Scott, Richard Donner, all stepping into the horror genre and saying "I'm gonna make a horror film, it's going to be a well made, smart, big budget movie, we're going to get the best actors, and the best special effects" and you had "The Omen", "The Exorcist", "The Shining", "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" "Alien" all great movies. Then you have a whole wave of these younger filmmakers like Tobe Hooper, Wes Craven, George Romero, John Carpenter, all like kicking down the door of Hollywood saying, "These are our movies and this is what scares us!" Everyone was coming from a place of what scares us."

"Then in the 80's the "Slasher" movies killed it. I love slasher films but then it became about "How can we kill the kids this time." Nobody's thinking about what's scary anymore. Then in 1985 Schwarzenegger takes over everyone and everything and is the biggest star in the world, and every time he killed someone he made a pun. And audiences are like "YEAH! He killed somebody and made a joke! That's awesome!" And then that bled over to the horror genre, and then you have Freddy Kreuger saying things like "Have a knife day!" or "Don't lose your head." At the end of the 80's horror movies were a joke."

Eli continued about the horror films of the 90's and today.

Eli Roth: "By 1991, Horror Movies are dead. And that's when I'm in film school I'm like "Yeah I wanna make horror movies." And people are like "Nobody likes Horror Movies anymore." I'm like "No people like horror movies, it's that just we haven't had a good one." Then "Scream" comes out, and it reinvents the genre, and everyone is like "Thank You!" It's so smart because the kids in "Scream" understand and have seen other horror movies. Unfortunately, what happens now is you get "I Know What You Did Last Summer", "Urban Legend 2", like all these crappy, crappy, awful horror movies where they have TV stars that say, "I wanna be like Neve Campbell and use a horror movie as my vehicle to get famous. But I have a young fan base so I'm not going to do nudity during the sex scenes. So you have this pussy-ass, fucking neutered, castrated horror movies that suck! If I see a TV Actor, if I see a fucking hot girl TV Actress in an R rated movie and she doesn't fucking show her tits in the sex scene I'm pissed off, I'm out of the movie, I feel ripped off. When I go see "Wrong Turn" and these 3 hillbillies that are so inbred they fuck each other, and they have Eliza Dushku tied up on the bed and they don't rip her fucking clothes off! It's like what the fuck is this? What happened to the teen horror movie?"

Eli mentioned how he had a horrible addiction to the TV show "Dawson's Creek." (Hey I was there too right until the end of Season 2, and then I realized what I was doing and acted like the show did not exist anymore.) Eli had some things to say about "Dawson's Creek" star Katie Holmes and her chest baring scenes in the film "The Gift."

Eli Roth: "I Love Katie Holmes, that's why we love Katie Holmes, she showed the boobs in "The Gift" that's why she's the only one breaking out as a movie star. The fucking fans respect her cause she showed her tits in a fuck scene."

Eli then spoke about how studio execs are afraid to attach the label "Horror Film" to a horror movie.

Eli Roth: "The Sixth Sense" comes along and I'm like "This is a fucking great horror movie" and it makes 300 Million Dollars, and it's paced like a horror movie, it's 2 and a half hours, it moves at a snails pace, and everyone goes crazy for it because it's terrifying. And the studios go "Wait, wait, wait, it's not a horror film, it's a Supernatural Thriller." Well what the fuck does that mean. I'll tell you what it means, it means a marketing executive realized that "Silence of the Lambs" said, "Were a Thriller." and they won every Oscar. And "Misery" is like "Yeah were a Thriller too!" and Kathy Bates won the Oscar. Thrillers are made by smart people, morons make horror films. Then all of a sudden these great horror movies come out and we are no longer allowed to call them horror films. So you have Danny Boyle doing press for "28 Day's Later" and he's like "Yeah it's a Viral Thriller." And Fox Searchlight's like "It's a Viral Thriller." It's like "Really? Cause the last 3rd of that movie is "Day of the Dead" and so much of that movie is stolen from "Dawn of the Dead" and "Day of the Triffids" don't fucking tell me that's a thriller, it's like spitting in my face. To call "28 Days Later" a thriller is a slap in the face to all horror fans. But it's a great movie, it's a scary movie, I really enjoyed it. But no one will call it a horror film because it's like saying you're a pornographer. As soon as you say horror, people immediately think "B – Straight to Video Piece of Crap", because why? Well look what we've got "13 Ghosts", "Ghost Ship", and "Wrong Turn." These movies are fucking awful. They are unacceptable. We have to have a higher standard of better horror films. Now is "Cabin Fever" the answer to everything? No, I'm not saying it is but it's like you gotta try, you gotta go out and make the effort.

Eli went on to explain what he set out to do with "Cabin Fever." And he also explained just how he intends to help out the guys who see this film on a date with their ladies.

Eli Roth: "I went out there and said, "I wanna make a movie that's going to be a throwback to "Evil Dead" to "Texas Chainsaw Massacre." I wanna make an old school, blood and guts, violent, R rated, teens in the woods horror film. Where they have sex with their clothes off. And where a lot of people die, and the people you want to live probably aren't going to. And it's going to be a disturbing, fucked up, sick, crazy roller coaster. Because people forget horror movies are the best date movies. You have a better chance of getting laid taking a girl to see "Cabin Fever" than you do "How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days." And here's why, in "How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days" you're thinking, "When do I put my arm around her?" Well in "Cabin Fever" every 2 minutes I am giving you an opportunity to put your hand on a girls knee, to put your head in his chest, to grab his arm. If you are not sitting on each other 's lap, if you don't get laid after seeing "Cabin Fever" you are pathetic! Because you come out the theater and the girl is like "I'm so scared, I don't wanna sleep alone." That's when you invite her to your place. Say "Come over, we'll watch Willy Wonka." And you seal the deal. Bump, set, spike. That's what horror movies are about. I want an orgy of blood and sex in the theater."

Now onto the nightmare of casting that takes us back to the female nudity topic.

Eli Roth: "Casting the film was kind of a nightmare. Finding a girl that would do nudity in a horror movie was a nightmare. You can't even imagine. These girls you see them in Maxim and FHM and they be in these photo shoots covering their nipples with dental floss bikini's with their legs spread. And you bring them in and they are like "I'm not going to do nudity and the sex scene" and I'm like "Why not?" and they are like "That's exploitation." And it's like "Really? So you're saying that your 7-page spread in Stuff of you covered in oil, rolling around in dental floss, that's high art. But this 30-second sex scene in a movie to show that you are actually a real couple, so that when you break up later it actually means something. That's exploitation?" And it's all because it's a horror movie."

Eli is next working on a Teen Sex Comedy where he intends to revive that ailing genre that has been American Pie'd out and bring it back to it's "Porky's" heyday. He also is working with another rising director, Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko) on an upcoming project. It seems that Eli has a lot of things in motion working in his favor.

Meeting Eli Roth was undoubtedly an experience to remember. He has equal parts of talent and passion toward his work that is welcome to see in these days where directors just make movies to cash a paycheck. He is passionate about his craft and it's cool to know that first and foremost Eli is a huge fan of the horror genre.

I'm sure with him gaining popularity with the fans of the horror genre coupled with his new commitment to make and produce quality horror films each year going forward, he will gain his own spot along side the great horror directors that he admires.

[SoNowThen]

Damn damn damn I hope I love this movie 'cause I already love this fucking guy!!!!!

[modage]

i am so unbelievably excited about cabin fever.

[Fernando]

I just realized that Jordan Ladd and Cerina Vincent were in Lynch's short Darkend Room which is available at dl.com.

[Ghostboy]

He's got that interview down pat. When he did the Q&A after the screening I went to, he said the same thing, verbatim. Except he cursed more. It's even better when you hear him saying it -- he's a riot.

[Banky]

HOLY SHIT!  This guy sounds fucking amazing.  That interview is like hearing myslef talk.  I havent seen Cabin Fever but i think this guy is a genius.

I wish he would name the names of the girls who would not do the nudity.

[MacGuffin]

He's got that interview down pat. When he did the Q&A after the screening I went to, he said the same thing, verbatim. Except he cursed more. It's even better when you hear him saying it -- he's a riot.

Then I can't wait to hear what he has to say on his commentary track.

[Sleuth]

oh sweet Jesus, my car is dead and I don't have a ride to go see it today

[Banky]

He's got that interview down pat. When he did the Q&A after the screening I went to, he said the same thing, verbatim. Except he cursed more. It's even better when you hear him saying it -- he's a riot.

Then I can't wait to hear what he has to say on his commentary track.

good point.  I hope he calls people out.

Also Rotten.com has given CF 84%
That is really good considering what those assholes give out

[MacGuffin]

He's got that interview down pat. When he did the Q&A after the screening I went to, he said the same thing, verbatim. Except he cursed more. It's even better when you hear him saying it -- he's a riot.

You're right. His interview with iFilm covers the same territory, but it's still great hearing it straight from him.

*LISTEN WITH CAUTION- SPOILERS ON SOME INTERVIEWS*
http://www.ifilm.com/filmdetail?ifilmid=2455845&cch=1

[Gold Trumpet]

I feel I have to see this movie now. I can't this weekend but very soon I'll see it to just be able to give an opinion.

~rougerum

[Banky]

I feel I have to see this movie now. I can't this weekend but very soon I'll see it to just be able to give an opinion.

~rougerum

same here.  im sitting here watching the tv and previews keep coming on.  I cant stand it.

[Sleuth]

I got a lot of promo stuff....

Cabin Fever was more funny than scary.  Don't get me wrong, there were parts that had me clutching my 13.5 inch Wonderland promotional ruler, but I laughed a whole fucking lot.  The gore is great, the nudity was not enough, but I loved this movie

oh and I guess this pertains mainly to Bonanzataz, but Cabin Fever blows away House of 1000 Corpses

[Banky]

the nudity was not enough

thats odd considering the opinions he has on nudity in recent interviews

[Sleuth]

the nudity was not enough

thats odd considering the opinions he has on nudity in recent interviews

yeah, that's what made me think there'd be more