Director Richard LeMay Talks Dementia 13
A vindictive ghost, a shadowy killer, a family simmering with secrets, and a fortune at stake… those are just some of the things the new Dementia 13 promises to deliver. Directed by Richard LeMay (Blood Bound) this horror flick is described as a “retelling” of 1963’s Dementia 13. That movie is notable for being produced by Roger Corman and directed by Francis Ford Coppola… in other words, big cinematic shoes to fill! We caught up with LeMay to get his take on the tale and what inspired him to tackle it in the first place.
Dread Central: The original Dementia 13 is a movie lots of horror fans have heard of, but haven’t actually seen. Had you seen it prior to taking on the remake, and have you watched it recently?
Richard LeMay: Actually, I hadn’t heard of it until I got brought into the conversation. But I immediately watched it twice and really enjoyed it. I think you can see the beginnings of Coppola’s genius in some of the shots.
DC: Francis Ford Coppola not only directed that film, but he wrote it as well. Were there of his stylistic flourishes, or any dialogue, that you wanted preserve? Tell us how you put your own twist on the tale.
RL: The scariest part of this whole process was knowing that Francis Ford Coppola did the original. Those are big shoes to fill. I think I just wanted to honor the original, instead of re-inventing it. I knew walking into it, that I was never going to out-do Francis Ford Coppola. I am a huge fan of his. He’s a legend. So I wanted to respect the original while putting my stamp on it. For me, I really wanted to take the style up a notch and make the castle another character, so to speak. My DP Paul Nicholls is a genius and we worked together to make some really dynamic shots, which enhanced the whole visual aspect of the story. Working with writers Dan DeFilippo and Justin Smith, I felt like we were adding a few elements to the original story which would surprise audiences. Or at least that was the intention.
DC: The masks factor into the horror aspect of the Dementia 13 story quite a bit. Masks are always scary, I guess just because of our psychological response to a hidden face, but tell us a bit about how you used them for maximum scares and what it is you like about them.
RL: They were actually Japanese theater masks in the Noh tradition. The inspiration was the Japanese film Onibaba from 1964. There’s something frightening about a grimace that is unable to move. Just a rigid, soulless expression, and that was pretty creepy to me.
DC: Seems like you can’t go wrong with a special effects supervisor named Mr. Dead. How did you meet him, and what was the collaboration process like? What’s one of your favorite gore effects in the movie?
RL: Mr. Dead is a cool guy! I had worked with him on a horror film prior to this called Blood Bound, starring Eden Brolin. He is a horror fan like me and we just got on well. Knowing what he brought to the table, made it easier to sit down and just throw ideas around. He’d say “I can do that!” and we would go with it. I also wanted to use as many practical, in camera effects as possible. That’s important to me. It makes it seem more visceral. I think the head smashing is probably my favorite gore effect. When you watch the dailies, you can hear me screaming like a little girl because it looked so real and so grisly! You know when you’re freaked out shooting it, it’s got to look crazy in the film.
DC: Cast is key in a story like this, because it’s not just horror canon-fodder – this is more mysterious and psychological. How did you gather your core cast (the family, and the new wife/widow) and what was it like working on location in such an isolated spot.
RL: I take casting very seriously. I was in on the auditions and watched everyone. It was important that we had actors who were grounded enough to create characters we would believe. I knew immediately, who I was interested in, but it all comes down to who is believable as a family. I was lucky to get the most hard-working and talented cast to work with on this picture. They actually were like a family off set too. Great group. I think the location helps with that dynamic as well. When you’re out in the middle of nowhere, all you have to focus on is the work. And it was as isolated as it seemed. No cell service/no wi-fi. Safety was a daily concern for that reason alone.
DC: What does the title Dementia 13 actually mean?
RL: I’ve asked myself the same thing. People have asked me why we went with the original title. I think that if you’re going to remake a film, you should honor that title and not pretend it’s something other than an interpretation of someone else’s work.
DC: For those who aren’t familiar with the original, or those who are and might think it’s hokey or old-fashioned, what would you say about the reimagining of Dementia 13?
RL: This is a classic, gothic tale with something for everyone. There’s some amazing chase scenes, there’s gore and my personal favorite: good, old-fashioned family dysfunction. Another great aspect to this film is that it’s a fast paced story with a lot of action and it really keeps you guessing. I definitely think it’s a modernization of the original.
From the Press Release:
Chiller Films announces the release of the upcoming horror thriller DEMENTIA 13 in theaters on October 6, 2017, and on VOD and Digital HD on October 10, 2017.
This retelling of Francis Ford Coppola’s 1963 film of the same name is directed by Richard LeMay (Blood Bound, Naked As We Come) and is written by Dan DeFilippo (The Invaders, Chilling Visions: 5 Sates of Fear) and Justin Smith (SiREN, The Boy). The cast includes Julia Campanelli (116), Ana Isabelle (The Eye, Lost Cat Corona), Marianne Noscheze (Horror Time), Channing Pickett (“Redheads Anonymous”), and Christian Ryan (“Celebrity Ghost Stories,” “Casters”).
In DEMENTIA 13 a vengeful ghost, a mysterious killer, and a family brimming with secrets converge in one night of terror.
DEMENTIA 13 is produced by Dan DeFilippo and is executive produced by Justin Smith.
For more information on the film, visit the official Dementia 13 Facebook page.
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