‘Antlers’: The Wendigo Is A Gruesome Representation of Greed [Exclusive Video]

Antlers

The wendigo is a terrifying figure of First Nations folklore. This creature, often represented as having human characteristics, is the personification of greed. In fact, its name roughly translates to “the evil spirit that devours all of mankind”. The wendigo is also often associated with cannibalism and famine. It’s a figure that was once human but morphs into something else. Director Scott Cooper and producer Guillermo del Toro were inspired by this piece of horrifying folklore. So, they used it to create the monster in their film Antlers.

They worked with First Nations consultants Grace Dillon, an expert in wendigo mythology, and Chris Eyres to create a unique version of the monster that still stayed true to its origins. In this exclusive clip from the film’s upcoming digital release, Cooper, del Toro, Dillon, and Eyres discuss the myth of the wendigo alongside horrifying concept illustrations of Antlers‘ monster.

Watch the clip here:

The film follows a small-town Oregon teacher (Keri Russell) and her brother (Jesse Plemons), the local sheriff, who seek to help a troubled young boy who possesses a strange secret. But when they uncover the truth, the consequences are more dreadful than they could have possibly imagined.

Antlers

This clip is part of a longer featurette as part of Antlers‘ physical release. The Blu-ray has a myriad of special featurettes, including the making of the film’s small town. It also features an in-depth interview with del Toro about the concept of elevated horror. There’s also an interview with Scott Haze, who gives a quite literal transformative performance in the film. He discusses how he prepared for the role, including losing around 70 pounds in order to play a deeply tragic character.

Antlers comes to digital on December 21 and to Blu-ray on January 4.

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