North Carolina’s Outer Banks provide a unique, Southern setting for PEANUT BUTTER FALCON, a predictable road movie that benefits from one outstanding performance at its center. Zac (Zack Gottsagen) is a young man with Down Syndrome who has been situated in a senior care center by the state since he has no family or money. Popular with the elderly residents, Zac’s passion is wrestling and every day he watches a decades-old VHS tape featuring ‘The Salt Water Redneck’ (Thomas Haden Church), an old wrestler who once ran a wrestling school that Zac thinks still exists and wants to attend. Eleanor (Dakota Johnson), a kind woman who works at the facility considers Zac a ‘flight risk’. Zac shares a room with old Carl (Bruce Dern), who’s not happy about having to watch that same obnoxious wrestling video all day but understands Zac’s desire to break fee. One night, Carl helps Zac bend back the window bars, greases him up with soap, then watches him escape into the dark, barefoot wearing just his tightly-whiteys. Zac hides out on a boat belonging to Tyler (Shia LaBeouf), a crabber on the run from Duncan (John Hawkes) a rival whose business he’s just torched. Tyler and his stowaway bond while being chased by Duncan. At the same time, Eleanor must find Zac before her superiors can lock him away in a state hospital. Tyler and Zac set off on foot through a swampy landscape to get Zac to Salt Water Redneck’s wrestling school. When Eleanor finally catches up with them, they have built a raft and convince her (after tossing her car keys into the water) to join them on their ‘Huck and Jim’ journey down the coastline.
The best thing about PEANUT BUTTER FALCON is the casting of the surprisingly charismatic Zack Gottsagen, an actor with Downs Syndrome. (Gottsagen was discovered by writer/directors Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz at a camp for young performers). His Zak is dimensional and likeable without being overly sympathetic. With hilarious deadpan delivery, he gives as good as he gets in his exchanges with LaBeouf’s Tyler. Gottsagen has a natural way, transcending the familiar story and making it feel more sincere.
Shia LaBeouf is miscast as he always is in any movie meant to be taken seriously. With his constant fist-pumping, macho howling, and bro-hugging, LaBeouf overdoes it in every scene. The baby-faced actor constantly seems to be trying to upstage Gottsagen, who acts circles around the more experienced LaBeouf with barely a change of expression. Despite all the forced bonding, Tyler’s really a jerk. John Hawke’s Duncan (with a heavily tattooed Yelawolf as his scary henchman) is nominally the film’s villain but the fact is, Tyler had stolen his crabs and burned up all of his crabbing equipment, depriving the man of his livelihood, so his quest for revenge hardly seems irrational. Dakota Johnson’s Eleanor is beautiful and smart and conveniently widowed but the romantic subplot between her and Tyler seems forced and implausible. They first meet at a backroads store, where he rudely harasses her, and then before you know it, this stunning babe is swooning for this immature and unwashed crab-poacher on the run who looks like he washes his clothes in motor oil. It doesn’t add up and Ms Johnson lacks the acting chops to convince. As Tyler’s doomed brother, John Bernthal shows up in several flashbacks, each which serve the exact same purpose. Better is Thomas Haden Church, a scene stealer as the retired wrestler affected by Zac. The entire adventure ends with a wrestling move so silly I can only assume it was supposed to be a fantasy but it hardly fits the film’s tone.
PEANUT BUTTER FALCON is a decent and good-looking movie. Its heart is in its right place, but the story gets too precious and often meanders. At only 93 mins, it felt much longer with slow pacing, pointless scenes (an encounter with a blind backwoods preacher is especially ridiculous), and predictable clichés.
Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz are the writer and director team behind the new film PEANUT BUTTER FALCON. Filmed in Savannah, Georgia (standing in for North Carolina’s Outer Banks), PEANUT BUTTER FALCON tells the story of Zak (Zack Gottsagen) , a young man with Down Syndrome who runs away from his care home to make his dream of becoming a wrestler come true. PEANUT BUTTER FALCON opens everywhere August 23rd and co-stars Shia LaBeouf, John Hawkes, Dakota Johnson, Thomas Haden Church, and Bruce Dern.
Writer/directors Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz took the time to talk to We Are Movie Geeks about their project.
Interview conducted by Tom Stockman August 23rd 2019
Tom Stockman: Congratulations on PEANUT BUTTER FALCON.
Tyler Nilson: Thanks.
TS: I watched it on my computer the other day.
Mike Schwartz: How does it play on the small screen?
TS: Funny you should say that, There are so many beautiful exteriors in your film I kept thinking “dammit, I should be watching this on the big screen”
TN: Yes, we are movie geeks too. With all the shots our cinematographer used and all the lenses, it’s so great for us to be able to see it at the theater.
TS: I saw over at the Rotten Tomatoes site that it registers 100% on their Tomato Meter. That must make you guys feel pretty good
MS: It feels really good right now.
TN: We’ve got something to lose! We can only go downhill from there.
MS: Yes, I look at that every couple of days wondering when it’s going to go down. It took us five years to make this film, from the idea to where it is now, so for people to watch it at all now, much less to like it, feels really special.
TS: It’s your first feature, correct?
TN: Yes, we have never made a feature. We had made a couple of shorts and commercials.
TS: And look at all of the people you have in your film! You’ve got Oscar nominees starring in your first film!
MS: Yes three of them! Bruce Dern, John Hawkes, and Thomas Haden Church.
TS: How did you get such a great cast for your first film?
TN: A miracle.
MS: I think our producers really called in some favors, but not always does it go like that. I think people responded nicely to our script. The reason it took us five years is that we wrote the script for Zack and we couldn’t get anyone else to read it for almost a year. Then we grabbed a camera with our buddy Dave and we shot a trailer starring Zack and with Tyler playing the role that Shia LeBoeuf plays. After that, people started reaching out to us. Even Shia facetimed us and said he wanted to be in the film. He hadn’t even finished reading the script and he wanted to make it.
TS: Let’s talk about this fellow Zack Gottsagen. You say you wrote the part for him. Where did you meet him?
TN: We met him at a camp for people with and without disabilities. They get together and they play sports and sometimes they make short films. We were making a film as part of this camp and Zack acted in our film and he was making very smart acting decisions He been acting all his life and he said that he wanted to be a movie star. That’s what he wanted in life. We figured that wouldn’t be easy for him because there are not a lot of characters written that have Downs Syndrome or people making movies starring people with Downs Syndrome, but he really wanted to do this. We tailored the script for him.
TS: Did the fact that he had Down Syndrome affect his ability to memorize his lines?
MS: Having Down Syndrome is a different ability, I don’t even know if I’d say it’s a disability. One way it affected production was that Zack was very present on set as well as being emotionally available and intelligent. He wasn’t just saying the line. He was having a conversation. Some of the lines he just came up with on his own on the spot. I think being so present gave him a leg up and made him a better actor in many ways. It was almost like a superpower instead of a disability. Some of the other actors were intimidated when doing a scene with Zack because he was not faking it, he was living it. It’s such a high bar to reach and if you don’t match him there, it looks like you’re faking it. It’s an intimidating thing.
TS: I felt like the chemistry between Zack and Shia LeBoeuf was very strong. It’s really the heart of the film. Were they buddies off-screen as well?
TN: Yes. We had an old truck on the set. The truck that John Bernthal drives in the movie. Tyler and I went to pick up Shia. Zack was in the back sitting in an old tire Then Shia got in the back and we drove down to an old shrimp dock on the coast and the two of them just hit it off like old friends. They chatted for hours and watched wrestling together It was a real friendship. They weren’t faking it.
TS: Has Zack been a big part of helping to promote this film?
MS: Yes. He’s taping a Today Show segment today and recently did a People Magazine interview.
TS: I know you showed this film at SXSW. Has Zack to some of these film festivals?
TN: Yes we just saw him two days ago at a film festival in Bloomington. He’s going to be out doing The Tonight Show and Good Morning America soon.
TS: How does he feel about all of this?
MS: He loves it. He always gets a standing ovation when we are at a screening He’s very proud.
TS: How did Dakota Johnson get involved in your film? This must’ve been right around the time the Fifty Shades of Grey films were coming out.
TN: Yes, it was right after the last one had come out. She read the script and wanted to be in our film. We spoke to her on the phone and connected with her. We offered her the role. There were no auditions for that part.
TS: What would she like on the set?
TN: Perfect!
MS: Just a goddess. She really loved Zack as well She was used to doing much bigger films so she came on our set, where we had less money and the actors did not have fancy trailers, but she really connected emotionally. It was like a family Or, in a way, it felt like summer camp We really have to give a lot of credit to our producers. If we did not have Oscar-nominated producers, a lot of these actors would not have taken a risk with it.
TS: What was it like working with Shia LeBoeuf at that particular point in his career? There was some controversy with things he had done soon before that.
TN: Yes, but he was great.
MS: Yes, he’s had some controversy, but he’s an artist Working with him was a dream despite what he may have done in his personal life. There is a story that he tells about being with Zack and being at a birthday party and Zack having a conversation with him about what he does off the set. Zack told him that it was his big chance to be in a movie and to please just be there with him. Shia said in a interview with Esquire Magazine that Zack changed his life for the better. He’s on record as saying that this film saved his life.
TS: We find out about halfway through the film that the title PEANUT BUTTER FALCON refers to a wrestling character. Who came up with that title?
TN: We were just hanging out with Zack one day and divine intervention, or whatever that thing that comes down to writers is, just sort of came down on all of us.
TS: It’s a catchy title. It doesn’t make sense when you first look at it. Sort of like VANILLA SKY, but it catches your attention.
TN: Yes. But there’s THE MALTESE FALCON and The Millennial Falcon, the words just feel good together.
TS: It takes place on the Outer Banks of North Carolina but you guys filmed it in Savannah, Georgia. Why did you choose Savannah?
MS: Mainly because of tax advantages and access to the crew, but really the story worked well there. We had the inland waterways and we had the marshes and the whole rural south. It takes so many people to make a movie, and they have some great people there in Savannah The Outer Banks is great, but there’s simply not a lot of people there that make movies.
TS: What were some of the challenges filming in Savannah?
MS: Probably the same as if we had filmed in North Carolina. It was hot. There were 14-foot tidal shifts that made sets disappear. The scene we called the “walk on water“ scene we shot in 15 minutes The ocean went up 14 feet just a half hour later, so we were in a boat filming on sand that is completely underwater later
TS: This is your first feature and you two are co-directing. Describe the co-directing process
TN: We’ve been working together for 10 years I think we both just had a skill set that worked well together and there’s not a lot of ego. Half the time he’ll come up with a better idea than I have and sometimes I’ll come up with a better idea. When you’re on a movie set, things are moving so fast it works nicely that one of us could go connect with Shia a while the other can be talking to a crewmember. It’s almost like it goes twice as fast.
TS: How long have you guys known each other?
MS: Over 13 years.
TS: Where did you to grow up?
TN: I grew up in Outer Banks North Carolina
MS: And I grew up in Sonoma, in northern California
TS: Tell me about the wrestler guys that appear at the end of your film. How about this big guy named Sampson?
TN: Those guys are real professional wrestlers. Guys like Nick Foley and Jake Foley who played Sampson, also known as “Jake the Snake“ Those guys are like wrestling royalty. We were hoping that those guys would agree to play parts, and we were so lucky that they agreed to
TS: You said you guys are Movie Geeks. What are your favorite top two or three movies?
TN: Well I can’t just say two or three. You have to give me 12!
MS: My list to changes all the time but I really love movies where dreams come true. FIELD OF DREAMS to me is one of the best.
TN: I’ll give you three real quick: DANCES WITH WOLVES, BOTTLE ROCKET, and IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER.
TS: Good luck with your film and I look forward to seeing it again, next time on the big screen!
Shia LaBeouf, Zack Gottsagen and Dakota Johnson star in THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON.
A modern Mark Twain style adventure story, THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON tells the story of Zak (Gottsagen), a young man with Down syndrome, who runs away from a residential nursing home to follow his dream of attending the professional wrestling school of his idol, The Salt Water Redneck (Thomas Haden Church).
A strange turn of events pairs him on the road with Tyler (LaBeouf), a small time outlaw on the run, who becomes Zak’s unlikely coach and ally. Together they wind through deltas, elude capture, drink whisky, find God, catch fish, and convince Eleanor (Johnson), a kind nursing home employee charged with Zak’s return, to join them on their journey.
Dakota Johnson in THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON Photo Credit: Nigel Bluck / Courtesy of Roadside Attractions and Armory Films D
The film is an inspiring and heartfelt slice of timeless Americana that took home the 2019 Audience Award for Narrative Spotlight at the SXSW Film Festival.
Roadside Attractions, Armory Films and Endeavor Content will release The Peanut Butter Falcon in St. Louis, August 23rd.
Enter for your chance to win two free passes to the St. Louis advance screening of THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON. The theatrical sneak preview will be on July 23 at 7pm. Directors Tyler Nilson & Michael Schwartz will be hosting a Q&A at the screening
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This film has been rated PG-13 for thematic content, language throughout, some violence and smoking
Focus Features announced today that Ice Cube will join the cast of Covers, their new film with Working Title. Set among the talent, fame, and fast-paced world of Hollywood’s music scene, which Ice Cube knows of first-hand, Covers is directed by Late Night director Nisha Ganatra with a screenplay by Flora Greeson.
Ice Cube will star alongside the previously announced Tracee Ellis Ross and Dakota Johnson in the upcoming comedy. Production is currently underway.
A multifaceted rapper, songwriter, performer, actor, producer and founder of his own production company, Cube Vision, Ice Cube’s notable acting credits include the Friday franchise, 21 Jump Street, Boyz n the Hood, and the Ride Along series.
Ice Cube was also a producer on the 2015 film STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON. The film received numerous award nominations, including one for Best Original Screenplay at the Oscars. See our story on the press conference HERE.
He is represented by WME, Prospect Park, Geragos & Geragos and Ziffren Brittenham.
Sure Halloween was a couple of days ago, but I’d wager there are still lots of film fans eager for a new scare. After all, audiences have kept the sequel/reboot of HALLOWEEN at the top of the box office for the last several weeks (probably this coming week also). This week’s new fright flick also has its roots from the same late 1970’s time frame, but it’s no follow-up. We’re talking a flat-out remake, or as the marketers like say, a “re-imagining” (fancy, schmancy I say). The original actually beat the John Carpenter classic to theatres by nearly a year. Oh, and it was made by one of Italy’s most acclaimed thriller directors, Dario Argento. Now, this new take is also by an Italian director, Luca Guadagnino, who last year at this time released the Oscar-winning, coming-of-age romance CALL ME BY YOUR NAME. Oh, that original had one English actress, while the 2018 edition features three (still a few subtitles, though). Having never seen the earlier flick, this is all new gore to me, so let’s enter the nightmare world of SUSPIRIA.
The story’s setting is Berlin, specifically East Berlin, a few years prior to the fall of that wall. A young woman makes her way past protestors to the walk-up office of an elderly psychotherapist, Dr. Josef Klemperer (Lutz Ebersdorf). Patricia (Chloe Grace Moretz) is in a panic and babbles about escaping from her tormentors. Meanwhile, way across the pond in Ohio USA, a young woman leaves her strict religious family farm home as her mother succumbs to disease. Cut to an elite dance academy back in Berlin, where that same young woman climbs the stairs to the rehearsal space. Susie Bannion (Dakota Johnson) has come there specifically to study with the famous Madame Blanc. Ah, but first she must audition for some of the other teachers. Blanc (Tilda Swinton) arrives near the end of her performance and is wowed. Susie is assigned a room and becomes fast friends with another student, Sara (Mia Goth). Early the next day, Susie joins the rehearsals of Blanc’s lauded ballet “Polk”. The lead actress is upset that she is replacing her friend, the missing Patricia, and leaves the hall. As she departs, she takes the wrong exit and is trapped in another dance space. As Susie performs the lead in “Polk” (she watched the videotape many times back home), the music and vibrations cause the trapped dancer on the floor below to contort, her bones twist and shatter as she literally folds in on herself. As she breathes her last, several of the teachers rush in and brutally move the body out of sight. Soon Sara’s curiosity is aroused when she sees two police detectives (investigating Patricia’s disappearance) are put in a trance by some of the dance teachers. This prompts Sara to visit Josef and eventually venture into the dank basement of the school building. Just what deadly secrets are the faculty keeping from the students? And could Susie be their next target?
As the queen choreographer Blanc, Swinton projects a cold aloofness, deftly alternating between cruel taskmaster and encouraging, sympathetic mentor. With a costume of flowing red robes, hair tightly pulled back, and always clenching a half-sized cigarette, Blanc is like a smoldering crimson manta ray, sweeping in to teach and berate her young charges. Of course, her main focus is Susie, played by Johnson as a fragile, wide-eyed innocent, though at times she seems a tad too mature for this ingenue role. But Johnson has the determined, confident body language of a gifted ballerina. Moretz in her scant screen time (much like PYSCHO’s Marion Crane she sets the events in motion, as her presence is felt long after her exit) helps establish a mood of mystery and paranoia. Goth makes a most diligent Nancy Drew-like seeker of truth, hoping to protect her new “sister” from the school’s secrets. The best work is from screen newcomer Ebersdorf who is almost a Van Helsing in a battle against forces beyond his comprehension. Though age has slowed him…I’ll stop now, since the cat has long been out of the bag. Swinton does double duty as the frail, kindly doctor with his own hidden past. Thanks to some excellent make-up, and Swinton’s skill this becomes more than a mere “stunt”.
Guadagnino envelopes the story, smothering it in gloom and shadows, The colors are muted, the lighting (save for the dance rehearsals) dimmed, often with figures emerging from deep, long shadows. “Old school” horror fans will be pleased that most of the more squeamish sequences rely more on prosthetic make-up effects and puppetry rather than CGI. This is particularly true of the film’s first big death sequence in which a young woman’s face contorts and her bones crackle while pushed against a mirror by unseen forces. For much of the second act, the threat of violence hovers, especially in the big group scenes with the unhinged unpredictable staff and faculty. Their meals and meetings tend to get ugly very quickly. The “Polk” performance is a compelling bit of dark dance with the ladies attired in red strings and strips of clothing and tassels that recall blood streaks. This is just a peaceful prelude to the “go for broke’, bonkers finale, a fever dream orgy filled with hellish deformed creatures and rivers of plasma and bile. There are attempts to explain the connections between events and characters, but we’re left with more questions than answers. Often sadistic and brutal, with haunting oddly lovely imagery, this over-stuffed (152 minutes) nightmare is for “gorehounds” who wants something beyond those lumbering masked madmen. But for the squeamish, SUSPIRIA serves up some pretty sick stuff.
So what’s the ideal setting for a story filled with lowlifes and immoral and often illegal activities? You know, where dangerous dames and dudes can just appear, almost at random? Maybe a haunted house or creepy mansion just doesn’t ring true. Well, Hitch knew just the locale nearly fifty years ago. By 1960 the glamorous days of lavish, lush vacation spots were long in the past. And who could really afford a night or two at the GRAND HOTEL or HOLIDAY INN? But a dusty motel just off the road, why Alfred Hitchcock made it the perfect place murder and mayhem in 1960’s iconic PSYCHO. That dangerous destination has carried on through the decades, from the Overlook Hotel in THE SHINING, to FOUR ROOMS, and most recently HOTEL ARTEMIS (a haven/hospital for the criminal class). This week an all-stars cast checks in, but might not check out. And who is their host/concierge? Handing out the keys is the multi-talented Drew Goddard. TV fans have been enthralled by his writing/producing work on acclaimed series ranging from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel” to “Lost” and most recently “Daredevil” and “The Good Place”. As for the big screen, he was nominated for his screenplay adaptation of THE MARTIAN and co-wrote and directed the nifty, clever horror satire CABIN IN THE WOODS. Now, Mr. Goddard serves up deceit and dirty deeds, mixed in with the tiny soaps and fresh linens during some extremely BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE.
In the story’s quiet, almost silent flashback sequence, one guest has a really bad time in a room at the El Royale, a hotel that is literally split down the middle by the border seperating California and Nevada. After the title, flash forward to the present day. Well, ten years later is actually the late 1960’s/early 70’s. . The once spectacular vacation mecca has seen much better days. Two guests enter the empty lobby. There’s singer Darlene Sweet (Cynthia Erivo), who wants to rest up in a cheaper place than those in Reno, the site of her next “gig”. The other person looking for lodging is Father Daniel Flynn (Jeff Bridges), who is, well, a priest looking for a place to crash. When he slaps a bell at the front desk, another man pops up from behind the bar. He’s not part of the staff, rather he’s vacum-cleaner sales rep Laramie Seymour Sullivan (Jon Hamm). He’s not been able to raise the clerk but warns the two that he’s got “dibs” on the honeymoon suite. Flynn spies a door marked “employees only” and pounds away, It opens to reveal a dazed, unnerved young man in his twenties, front desk clerk, and pretty much the staff, Miles (Lewis Pullman). As he divies up the keys, a car screeches to a halt near the entrance. It’s guest #4, the rough, coarse “hippy chick” Emily Summerspring (Dakota Johnson). As they gather their luggage, the black and white lobby TV flashes bits from President Nixon’s press conference interrupted by the latest on some bloody murders in the affluent hills of Malibu. Thus begins a long, long night filled with false identities, double crosses, and a raging thunderstorm that arrives moments before the enigmatic drifter Billy Lee (Chris Hemsworth) stides barefoot thorough the front door. No doubt the Royale’s AAA rating will never be the same.
The hotel staff and guests are played by some celebrated screen vets and a couple of relative (in one case) newcomers. As the story’s anchor, there’s the continually grizzled Bridges who tries to float above the sleaze as the calm and collected Father Flynn (perhaps a nod to his role in the cult TRON flicks). His friendly demeanor proves to be as phony as his paper collar, as we notice his eyes dart about the lobby, searching for…something. Now Bridges’s low-watt energy is a stark contrast to the motor-mouthed Hamm, who seems to be attired in own of Don Draper’s more garish West Coast casual sports jackets (hmm, Tron now “Mad Men”). His “go-go” hard-pitching salesman strains to be avuncular while cluelessly offending most everyone in his path. But Hamm’s at his best when he lifts the facade and shows us a man in conflict, torn between his mission and doing what’s right. More single-minded and direct, Johnson shows us that she can be much more interesting than her 50 SHADES damsel in distress (and duress) as the tough-as-nails, chain-smoking femme fatale Emily. She brings the sultry and sexy along with (literal) movie god Hemsworth whose blow-dried charisma, and silky smoothness obscure his true sinister nature. As for the new faces, Ervio is a compelling screen presence as the songbird (really, she’s got terrific “pipes”), who refuses to give in to despair, despite the “guidance” of showbiz gurus. Ms. Sweet has nearly soured, but she remains a smart survivor. Speaking of surviving, Pullman (yes, he’s Bill’s son) is the man in the back who appears to be barely hanging on. Sweaty, twitchy Miles seems to be a prisoner of the place, rather than the employee. Pullman plays the battle-scarred (in more ways than one) man barely past his teens, with lots of energy and grit. Oh, and there’s good supporting work from Cailee Spaeny as a young innocent (?) caught up in the chaos, and indie filmmaker Xavier Dolan as a maniacal music mentor.
Goddard’s dreamed up a terrific setting with that broad, dividing borderline, contrasting the rotting Vegas kitch of this former celeb “sin circus”. Kudos to his art directors, for that and the whole panorama of early 70’s cheese (especially the cars that have clocked many, many miles). And the mysterious quartet are most interesting, especially as they introduce themselves in that first act almost in a much harder, seedier version of CLUE. Then it all kind of “goes off the rails” into Tarantino-like homage (or is it just imitation or over-indulgence). We’re teased with a subplot right out of real-life LA legend, amid bursts of violence meant to shock, but with cartoon consequences (folks pop-up from injuries that should keep them in traction for weeks). And rather than using pop tunes from dusty 45’s, Goddard stops the action for long song medleys by Ervio (she bursts into song nearly as much as Lady Gaga in her current flick), perhaps to cut the tension with humor? In the tradition of Marion Crane one guest checks out far too early, packing up a lot of the story’s high-spirited fun. By the time of Billy Lee’s arrival, the influences shift from QT (the whole stranded in the lobby set-up of THE HATEFUL EIGHT) to the Coen Brothers, as one character lifts the whole “gambling for your life” casual sadism of NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN’s Chigurh. And like the old Corman/Price/Poe flicks there’s the cleansing fire unfortunately followed by an epilogue that thumbs its nose at a major plot point (what diagnosis?). What could have been a naughty nostalgic lark degenerates into a goulash of gore and cruelty, a PULP FICTION romp that’s lost its flavor. What began as light-hearted lobby levity truly becomes mean-spirited making for some really BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE.
Watch the brand new trailer, with music by legendary singer/songwriter Thom Yorke (Radiohead) and check out the character posters for SUSPIRIA.
From director Luca Guadagnino, the film stars Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Mia Goth, Lutz Ebersdorf and Chloe Grace Moretz.
A darkness swirls at the center of a world-renowned dance company, one that will engulf the artistic director, an ambitious young dancer, and a grieving psychotherapist. Some will succumb to the nightmare. Others will finally wake up.
Suspiria is in New York and Los Angeles theaters October 26, expanding nationwide November 2.
Watch the teaser trailer for SUSPIRIA, with a score composed by legendary singer/songwriter Thom Yorke (Radiohead).
Directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by David Kajganich, SUSPIRIA stars Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Mia Goth, Lutz Ebersdorf, Jessica Harper and Chloë Grace Moretz.
A darkness swirls at the center of a world-renowned dance company, one that will engulf the troupe’s artistic director (Swinton), an ambitious young dancer (Johnson), and a grieving psychotherapist (Ebersdorf). Some will succumb to the nightmare. Others will finally wake up.
The 1977 version was nominated for two Saturn Awards: Best Supporting Actress for Bennett in 1978, and Best DVD Classic Film Release in 2002. It has become a cult classic, and is recognized as an influential film in the horror genre. The Italian supernatural horror film was directed by Dario Argento, co-written by Argento and Daria Nicolodi, and was partially based on Thomas De Quincey’s 1845 essay Suspiria de Profundis (Sighs from the Depths)..
Amazon Studios will release SUSPIRIA in theaters November 2, 2018.
Dakota Johnson stars in SUSPIRIA Photo: Sandro Kopp/Amazon Studios
The global film sensation sparked by EL James’ best-selling book trilogy returns with the seminal final chapter of the darkly alluring tale that captivated the world. Stay in, complete your collection and experience the climax of this worldwide phenomenon with the ultimate at-home movie night when Fifty Shades Freed arrives on Digital and the all-new digital movie app MOVIES ANYWHERE on April 24, 2018 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand on May 8, 2018 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
Now you can own FIFTY SHADES FREED on Blu-ray. We Are Movie Geeks has 4 copies to give away.All you have to do is leave a comment answering this question: What is your movie starring Dakota Johnson’s mother? (mine is BODY DOUBLE!). It’s so easy!
Good Luck!
OFFICIAL RULES:
Believing they have left behind shadowy figures from their past, newlyweds Christian (Jamie Dornan, “The Fall,” Anthropoid) and Ana (Dakota Johnson, How to Be Single, Black Mass) fully embrace an inextricable connection and shared life of luxury. But just as she steps into her role as Mrs. Grey and he relaxes into an unfamiliar stability, new threats could jeopardize their happy ending before it even begins. Directed by James Foley (“House of Cards,” At Close Range), Fifty Shades Freed also features returning cast members Eric Johnson (“The Knick,” “Smallville”), Rita Ora (Fifty Shades Franchise) as well as Oscar® winner Marcia Gay Harden (Fifty Shades of Grey, Miller’s Crossing).
In addition to both the original theatrical version and a steamy new unrated version, Fifty Shades Freed comes with more than 30 minutes of never-before-seen bonus content, including a deleted scene, cast interviews and behind-the-scenes features. You get more passion, more drama and more suspense when you own the final chapter on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-rayTM, DVD and Digital.
BONUS FEATURES EXCLUSIVE TO 4K ULTRA HD, BLU-RAYTM & DIGITAL:
An Intimate Conversation with EL James and Eric Johnson – A casual conversation between EL and Eric discussing the film, favorite moments, themes, etc.
Music Videos
“For You (Fifty Shades Freed)” – Liam Payne & Rita Ora
“Capital Letters” – Hailee Steinfeld & BloodPop®
“Heaven” – Julia Michaels
BONUS FEATURES ON 4K ULTRA HD, BLU-RAYTM, DVD & DIGITAL:
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The Final Climax – Fans can follow not only Ana and Christian, but also both new and familiar characters behind-the-scenes throughout their journey of Fifty Shades Freed
The Wedding: Take a closer look at the beautiful wedding scene with the production and costume designers – from the breathtaking venue, gorgeous gown and the custom-designed floral arrangements
Honeymoon: Travel along with the newlyweds and soak up the sun in the gorgeous French Riviera. Discover the challenge production faced with accessing locations, and the search for the perfect honeymoon yacht
& Mrs. Grey: After the wedding and the honeymoon, what is it really like to be married? Find out how life in the penthouse changes once Ana moves in
Ana Takes Charge: Director James Foley and Costume Designer Shay Cunliffe explore Ana’s transformation and growth into a powerful businesswoman
Ana & Mr. Hyde: Go behind the scenes and find out the secrets about what makes Jake Hyde tick
Aspen in Whistler: Take a look at how the filmmakers and set decorator used Whistler, Vancouver as a stand-in for snowy Aspen, and discover the famous musician whose home was transformed into Christian’s mansion
Ana’s Revelation: Ana and Christian face their biggest challenge yet. Author EL James takes us through the choice that Ana must make and how the couple’s power dynamic shifts
Resolution: The final showdown between Ana and Jack brings the two face-to-face and Ana will do whatever it takes to protect Christian, his family, and her future
The Meaning of Freed: The cast and filmmakers share what being FREED really means for both Ana and Christian
Christian & Ana By Jamie & Dakota – Revisit the previous films and learn how both Ana and Christian have changed… and how both actors have lived through the experience
The film will be available on 4K Ultra HD in a combo pack which includes 4K Ultra HD Blu-rayTM, Blu-rayTM and Digital. The 4K Ultra HD disc will include the same bonus features as the Blu-rayTM version, all in stunning 4K resolution.
4K Ultra HD is the ultimate movie watching experience. 4K Ultra HD features the combination of 4K resolution for four times sharper picture than HD, the color brilliance of High Dynamic Range (HDR) with immersive audio delivering a multidimensional sound experience.
Blu-rayTM unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
Digital lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.
MOVIES ANYWHERE is the digital app that simplifies and enhances the digital movie collection and viewing experience by allowing consumers to access their favorite digital movies in one place when purchased or redeemed through participating digital retailers. Consumers can also redeem digital copy codes found in eligible Blu-rayTM and DVD disc packages from participating studios and stream or download them through Movies Anywhere. MOVIES ANYWHERE is only available in the United States. For more information, visit https://moviesanywhere.com.
Open your mind and stretch your imagination! SUSPIRIA is coming to theaters this fall.
SUSPIRIA stars Tilda Swinton, Dakota Johnson, Chloe Grace Moretz, Mia Goth and Jessica Harper and is directed by Luca Guadagnino.
“The distributor of SUSPIRIA came to CinemaCon in Las Vegas to draw a neat contrast with rival Netflix by reiterating its commitment to the theatrical experience. The noontime presentation of its upcoming film slate unfolded in a cavernous dining room where cinema owners and studio executives enjoyed a repast of quinoa salad and white chocolate tarts. Hopefully they ate light.
As attendees picked at their food, Italian director Luca Guadagnino debuted grisly footage from his upcoming remake of Dario Argento’s SUSPIRIA that had large chunks of the crowd looking away in horror. The scene finds Dakota Johnson practicing ballet at a creepy dance company.
Every pirouette she pulls off has gruesome consequences for a dancer in another studio — as Johnson practices, the other young woman is literally ripped apart, descending into a mess of broken bones, urine, spittle, and blood. It’s intense, to put it mildly.”
