Exclusive: Patrick Rea Talks Hellevator Man Segment It’s Hell Getting Old
Patrick Rea is a film festival circuit superstar, having had several of his short films win awards across the world – including the Panic Fest Short Film Showcase Best of Fest Hatchet Award in 2014. He’s part of the new horror anthology Hellevator Man, in which every story (six in all) takes place inside an elevator.
Hellevator Man is the latest horror production by Blanc/Biehn Productions, who have so far confirmed segments helmed by Rea (“It’s Hell Getting Old”), and Vincent J. Guastini, whose futuristic segment is entitled “The Future Executive.”
Dread Central: Tell us a bit about the concept behind Hellevator Man – who came up with the anthology, and what’s the premise? Is there a tonal through-line?
Patrick Rea: The premise behind Hellevator Man was the brainchild of Lony Ruhmann. He and Jennifer Blanc came to me with the idea of an anthology where each story is set in an elevator. I was immediately intrigued. Each story is unique but is definitely in the genre of horror. My segment, “It’s Hell Getting Old,” is very much a horror comedy. I think that in order to keep the entire anthology fresh and entertaining, each story will have its own spin on the concept. While mine plays up the humor, I know that the segment Vincent Guastini directed will be more serious.
DC: Was the idea for the story you wrote from Lony [Ruhmann], or did he let you have free rein, and what’s it about? Can you explain how you feel about the story, as a fan of horror.
PR: Lony and the project’s producers, Jennifer Blanc and Michael Biehn, gave me free rein. Lony did suggest that the story involve the elderly, so with that in mind I wrote a story about four retirees in their 70’s who are stuck in an elevator on the way to their class reunion. We quickly discover that one of them has forgotten to take some specific medication. I think my segment will be a lot of fun for fans of “Tales from the Crypt” or anyone who enjoys a mixture of humor and horror. My four lead actors are fantastic!
DC: Tell me a little bit about what’s it’s been like to work with Blanc/Biehn because many people are saying (in a good way!) they’re the new AIP, and like Roger Corman they’re giving lots of chances to really talented folks looking for a break.
PR: I have a great time working with them. They’ve trusted me to make my segment my way and have been encouraging in the process. Based off the films I’ve directed, they wanted to let me have creative control of my segment and also understood my sense of humor in the piece.
DC: Since this is an anthology, has there been lots of collaboration between the directors, or is it completely autonomous?
PR: It has been fairly autonomous, but I’ve had some great conversations with Vincent Guastini, who has directed a segment titled “The Future Executive.” He’s a super talented FX artist who has made a name for himself in the industry. His segment is his directorial debut, and it looks great. We’ve been encouraging to each other on our segments.
DC: Your cast is really great. I read the script a few weeks before I saw scenes from your segment, and I must say they nail it… how’d you find them, and tell us all a bit about each character and who plays them. What was it like, as a younger director, working with elderly actors?
PR: Definitely a fun cast. I had worked with Kip Niven (New Year’s Evil) on another short film, and he has made a name for himself in the Kansas City area. He was an obvious choice to play one of the leads. I needed someone with a specific look to play Donald, and I was recommended an actor named Victor Wexler-Raider. The guy is great and is a real sweetheart, despite playing a curmudgeon. Joicie Appell plays Millie, and I have worked with her in several of my short films as well as my feature film Nailbiter. She has terrific range and has more energy than all of us. Finally, Nancy Marcy was recommended to me, and she is fantastic. I wanted an actor who conveys being young at heart and hip with social media and smartphones, and she nails it. My experience directing them was pretty darn easy. They totally understood the characters. We had rehearsed the week before and really worked on striking the right tone for the segment. They were very easy-going and had some great stories about their long careers as actors.
DC: What is it about confined spaces that makes for even spookier horror? What are some of your favorite examples of this sub-genre, and what were your references as a director?
PR: I enjoy container horror films like the first Saw and in many ways The Descent. Both utilize a confined space brilliantly. I also really enjoyed the film Buried with Ryan Reynolds. For this film, I was thinking of what you would see on an old “Twilight Zone” or “Tales from the Crypt” episode. I also really wanted to infuse some element of the movie Cocoon into it by treating the older characters intelligently and making them instantly likable.
DC: What was the most challenging thing about making horror in a space where no one can hide? From a practical standpoint, tell me about your set – who built it, and what kind of thought process went into it? (for example, I know Vinnie put a window in his elevator so he could break up some of the visuals)
PR: Ha ha. We actually used a real elevator. It was originally a freight elevator but had been renovated to be a much larger passenger elevator. Because of this, we were able to not have to build a set. However, we had to figure out the logistics of using an active elevator. Thankfully, we shot while the building was closed so we just parked the elevator on the basement floor and always had one side of the elevator open. It was actually very comfortable. I also storyboarded the entire film out by hand so we had every shot clearly defined beforehand, which made the process much smoother.
DC: What’s next for you, and where do you see your career in five years? Any advice for hopeful filmmakers?
PR: I’m currently working on several projects. I’m prepping a feature as we speak. I’m also working on several other screenplays, including a sequel to our low budget feature Nailbiter, which has been airing on Chiller since July. I always have specific projects that I plan on doing, but I’m also open to directing the right project that comes my way. My advice to other young filmmakers is to get out there and make it happen for yourself. No one is going to hand you a movie. You have to really hit the ground running and make some stuff. Get your name out there, and don’t be afraid to take chances.
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