Eye On Horror

We Know What Cinematographer Anka Malatynska Did Last Summer

November 07, 2021 iHorror Season 4 Episode 18
Eye On Horror
We Know What Cinematographer Anka Malatynska Did Last Summer
Show Notes Transcript Chapter Markers

This episode, Jacob is back (!) to talk about Last Night in Soho, The Slumber Party Massacre, Antlers, and Dune.  Then, we chat with cinematographer Anka Malatynska about her work on Amazon's I Know What You Did Last Summer and more!

Follow us on the socials: @EyeOnHorror or check out https://linktr.ee/EyeOnHorror
Get more horror movie news at: https://ihorror.com

James Jay Edwards:

Welcome to Eye On Horror the official podcast of iHorror.com This is episode 75 Otherwise known as season four episode 18. I am your host James Jay Edwards and back with me again. I guess I can't say for always in forever because he missed it but we've got Jacob Davison back how you doing Jacob?

Jacob Davidson:

Jacobs revenge for the sequel,

James Jay Edwards:

Jacob to Electric Boogaloo

Jacob Davidson:

but yeah no it's good to be back October was crazy busy as it was for all of us but good to be back on the show and talk all things spooky.

James Jay Edwards:

We missed you. But we did have a good replacement with Heather because she was awesome. Also with us is your other other host John Korea. How you doing? Korea?

Jonathan Correia:

I missed Jacob so much and I'm just so happy for him to be back. I mean, don't get me wrong. Loved Heather had this great. She's definitely coming back for a future episode. But she's got to come back when you're back. Jacob. You can't. Can't leave us again. Man. That hurt.

Jacob Davidson:

I'm sorry. It'll never happen again.

James Jay Edwards:

Did you I'm sure Korea you have but did you hear Bree and Kelly's newest podcast? It's all about body horror and effects. They should had Heather on their show for that. Yeah, they had a couple of other guests though. So it would have been a full kitchen. But the that would have been terrific. So we're recording this the day after Halloween. So how would you guys Halloween?

Jacob Davidson:

Oh, I had a fun time. Gifted kind of casual. Just went to a friend's place. We watched some horror movies and we passed out a bunch of candy to kids and we were in costume and we took a bunch of pictures so Oh, and we also got a bunch got a bunch of pizza so that's always good.

Jonathan Correia:

Wait, wait wait you got trick or treaters like multiple trick or treaters came to the place you were at on Halloween? Yes. Like how like how many more like five or six or like was it was more?

Jacob Davidson:

Oh, we had a bunch. And like of all ages, like there were kids from like, I don't know, like five to 15 Maybe?

Jonathan Correia:

Listen, I've been living in LA for over seven years now. And last night was the first time I've ever had a trick or treater come to the house that I was at. And it was just one guy who was like, probably a freshman in high school Tinker we gave them all the candy. But that they like I've never had your treaters and I am I want to give candy like I want I don't need this in my house. But they never come to my any of my residences, like well, I

Jacob Davidson:

mean, I was like I said visiting a friend in North Hollywood and their house. God trigger cheaters because it was more of a neighborhood.

Jonathan Correia:

I'm in Valley village I'm just down the street. I don't

Jacob Davidson:

know what to tell you, man. Yeah, and we had a great triple feature I want to emphasize we watched the WWF Halloween special The Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Lost Boys

James Jay Edwards:

boom in that order. Because Rocky Horror should have been last.

Jacob Davidson:

Oh, well that was the order but yeah, you know, either way it's fun.

James Jay Edwards:

I actually just hung out and I watched some I Know What You Did Last Summer on amazon prime for reasons that will become crystal clear in the second half of this episode or are clear to you if you read the title this for you hit play. What do you guys been watching? I saw something just after we recorded last. And I'm hoping you both have seen it because it all it was already vaulted into my top five. And every time I think about it, it gets higher on my list of the year last night and so Whoa. Yes. Did you see it Korea?

Jonathan Correia:

No, I've been busy with work. Oh, people need to be COVID tested.

James Jay Edwards:

It is so freaking good. It is um, I mean, it's Edgar Wright, who's already a very stylish filmmaker and it's just that this spooky asked ghost story

Jacob Davidson:

with like, a lot of JLo influence. Yeah,

James Jay Edwards:

yeah. Yeah, a lot of Yeah, it's, uh, it is. It's just stylist and it's one of those movies that like, you're not sure where it's going. But when you get there, you're like, Oh, yes. You know? Yeah,

Jacob Davidson:

yeah,

James Jay Edwards:

it's Oh, it's so good. Yeah, no,

Jacob Davidson:

it was great. And I was very lucky because I got to go to the special pre screening at the American cinema tech and yeah, so it was last Tuesday and and Edgar Wright was there and so was Thomasin McKenzie, you know, the lead actor and the CO writer Chrissy Wilson Carnes, and on top of that, we all got the seven inch vinyl of Anya Taylor Joy singing downtown in both noting down note.

James Jay Edwards:

Nice, you know, it's weird because seeing the commercials for last night, so Whoa, I kept hearing, like three notes. And I thought it was downtown. And it was it's barely there and I'm thinking that would make a great slowed down, you know, a horror movie ified version of that song. So it didn't really surprise me when I showed it actually burn me out because I was kind of like, I wanted to do that version of the song. But she did it better than I could anyway, but the music is amazing. Oh, yeah. Edgar Wright knows how to drop a needle that dude. I mean, does he his music taste is impeccable. And he's, you know, the Thompson Mackenzie's characters basically infatuated with like 60s British pop. So you've got you know, Peter and Gordon. And you know, Petula Clark, and they're, I mean, and it makes sense in the context of the story, because, you know, just you know, I don't even want to talk about it too much, because it'll spoil stuff. But yeah, it's last night. It was incredible. Yeah, I

Jacob Davidson:

love that soundtrack so much.

Jonathan Correia:

Actually, we got the vinyl, which was the soundtrack or the score because Mondo is putting up both.

Jacob Davidson:

Yeah, that well, that was the thing that were selling the soundtrack at the screening. They didn't have the score yet. So I got the soundtrack there. But I did prefer the score anyway, because I also had the seven inch all that just I was like, Well, I guess I gotta get the whole thing. Yeah. Damn it. Mondo. Mondo, you got me again.

Jonathan Correia:

Oh, and Wednesday. They're doing return of Godzilla from you know, Godzilla. 84. So

Jacob Davidson:

yeah, Damn, it's Godzilla day. Yeah, Godzilla

Jonathan Correia:

day.

James Jay Edwards:

You guys see that? Um, then I don't want to talk too much about this. Because I think we have a lot to talk about. But um, shout TV is doing this big Godzilla marathon. Ooh. So you can get a month free on your Roku or for shout factory TV. And there's an Wednesday they're doing a big Godzilla THON, so check that out. Have you guys seen antlers? Yes. No, Korea. You got to get to the movies.

Jonathan Correia:

Right. Okay, first of all, I want to talk about the new No, no, don't you guys shut up. Have you seen the new Slumber Party massacre?

James Jay Edwards:

I did not.

Jonathan Correia:

I haha. Fuck you, James. I saw a movie you knew you need to go to the movies.

James Jay Edwards:

That one I won't go to the movies. Isn't that on isn't on HBO Max I channel side by

Jonathan Correia:

side by Joe but you can rent it on video on demand and say let's talk about that segment list for a moment. The new Slumber Party massacre is is a hell of a lot of fun. Heather talked about it very highly during our last episode, so I went out rented it. It was like seven bucks. And it's worth it. Dude, that is a solid, modern part four. It's from the director who did the banana splits horror movie that came out? Yes. And they, it's great because there's little nods to the original movies. You know, like at 1.1 of the characters picks up a guitar that looks like the one too. But it was more so like how they played more so more with the tropes. So like summer party massacre would play with stuff like oh, here's a bunch of attractive girls in lingerie having pillow fights and we're gonna go over the top with it. Well, in this one, they had that happen with a bunch of half naked dude.

Jacob Davidson:

There was a particularly a very glaring, long and slow scene of a dude showering. Oh, yeah,

Jonathan Correia:

it just like setting up ads and stuff. But but the pillow fight scene was they set it up perfectly, because it starts off with the guys trying to see who could rip the pillow and half and they're all struggling like, you know, try to be all macho, then when they finally do. They're like, Ah ha ha, then just start eating each other. And it was utterly fantastic. But they Yeah, they're, you know, there's a few acting choices that were a bit rough. And stuff the driller killer was, you know, it was one of the best impressions of the driller killer from the first movie I've ever seen since the first one. But they did a lot of really fun. Takes On toxic masculinity modern day, toxic, critiquing old school, like tropes within these movies and whatnot, and really playing around with everything. And I liked mostly that it was like they were they were doing the trophy stuff, but there because I don't want to spoil too much. But they were doing the tropes, but they had a purpose. Like the characters were purposely doing this. And so yeah, I would highly recommend I think it's I think it functions well as like a part for you know, yeah. of the series.

James Jay Edwards:

I can we talk about antlers now. Yes. antlers. What do you think Jacob?

Jacob Davidson:

I really liked it. It had well, just backstep a second. I saw it at beyond Fest and and so we got to see it introduced by Scott Cooper and Guillermo del Toro. And this and yeah, I mean, it was only produced by Guillermo del Toro and Scott Cooper has his own sound, but when it comes to the monsters, it was pure Del Toro I

James Jay Edwards:

was gonna say del Toro's thumbprint is all over Yeah, but so is Scott Cooper. So because scholar yeah did Black Mass and hostels I mean, yeah, he's not really a horror filmmaker, but definitely a dark filmmaker and antlers is dark.

Jacob Davidson:

Yeah. And it was interesting because at the q&a even talked about how he wanted to make it as a drama that just also happens to be a horror movie because it deals with so many grounded and horrible real life issues like drug addiction and poverty and child abuse. And yeah, it's it's just interesting how it kind of goes back because it's like all these different threads but

James Jay Edwards:

that part that that was my as a horror movie, I think it functions array. It's an amazing creature feature and that, you know, that monster is awesome, but oh, yeah, it's it's the stuff you're talking about the different drama threads that didn't quite land for me, like I. And the thing is, it's 97 minutes long, which is short by both Scott Cooper and Guillermo del Toro standards. So they could have tacked on another 20 minutes, without it feeling bloated, and really dug into like the drug addiction thread, the child abuse thread, you know, that kind of thing. Because in the end, it basically Keri Russell plays a school teacher, and one of her students is kind of weird, and she suspects their shit going down at home. And of course there is but it's not what she suspects. And I didn't feel like, I didn't buy why she was going out of her way to help this kid so much when they give you a little taste of it. And it's because she relates to him, for some reason, a reason that they tell you, but I think they could have developed that better and really punched you in the gut with it. And I can't tell if it's the writing or just her acting in it. But I mean, as a horror movie, I think it's great, but I think it could have been so much more if they had just followed some of those drama threads a little better.

Jacob Davidson:

Yeah, I feel like they kind of went a little bit ambiguous on some of that stuff, which I feel worked in some ways better than others. But yeah, no. I mean, we were just there for the one to go. And that was a healthy one to go.

James Jay Edwards:

Yeah, he Yeah, it's a great monster movie. But I think I expected more from I mean, Guillermo del Toro is all about enjoy human drama into Yeah, exactly. Have either you guys gotten over to Paramount plus for paranormal activity next of kin?

Jonathan Correia:

Not yet. No, it you know, party massacre was the only movie. Besides my hoop Tober titles,

James Jay Edwards:

I checked out paranormal activity because I mean, I love the franchise, and it's on Paramount plus, so I was able to watch it. And I kind of all of the paranormal activity movies, including this one, I think are better in theaters because they have so many scares that are based on being in the dark, not just in the dark, but with a crowd. There's so many of those, like volume based scares that when they happen, you're and then you you know, the whole audience, you know, there's so and there's a lot of those in this and they don't land when you're sitting on the couch next to your dog watch. You know, they don't quite land the

Jacob Davidson:

say, yeah, no, because like I remember watching the original paranormal activity. It was just such a communal experience. Just, you know, being there, like you said in the dark, and getting scared and then us all just kind of responding as a group. So yeah, I mean, it's, I mean, I haven't seen the movie itself. But yeah, it just feels like one of those things that it would probably work better as a theatrical release.

James Jay Edwards:

But the other thing about it it's directed by William Eubank. Who is your buddy who did oh, yeah, it's directed by him. And the thing is, it's a good movie. It's not a good Paranormal Activity movie. I wish they had taken this story because it doesn't really have anything to do with the other paranormal activity movies, the paranormal activity movies, I mean, I've seen all of them in the theater just because it's such a great experience. And this one I wish I'd seen in the in the theaters because it's a similar style, meaning that it's like a found footage kind of a thing because they're making a documentary about this girl's family and she did a 23 and me and has a long lost brother who's an Amish guy. And that's where it goes from there. But also they break the fourth wall or not break the fourth wall they they kind of you know, let you behind the scenes because there are some shots that are not found footage like that, you know, they will have like, you know, handheld camera because her friend is a documentarian making this movie of her and they'll show like his camera footage and then they'll show like a drone shot above the car driving like a shining kind of thing. And you're like, so how is this found but it you know, did he have a drone that he was flying on the car? Pretty standard

Jonathan Correia:

in the in the documentary, you know, kit. I mean, it's especially especially nowadays because you you throw in a drone shot, especially if you own your own drone and you can operate on your own. Do your adding production value like a motherfucker, so I can buy that a little bit.

James Jay Edwards:

The thing is, story wise, it's not even paranormal activity at all. In fact, I mean, it's a good movie. I wish it wasn't Part of the paranormal activity I wish they had called it you know, Amish horror or whatever. I don't know what they

Jacob Davidson:

are so a long time since there's been an Amish horror movie, like the last second really think of is that deadly blessing? Yeah, you can say Cravens deadly blessing. I mean that's as much as I can remember. Yeah, not a lot of Amish horror.

Jonathan Correia:

I mean the music video for weird hours. It's pretty horrifying at times.

Jacob Davidson:

That is a classic.

James Jay Edwards:

I

Jonathan Correia:

have a slightly related question, James. You claimed to have watched all Paranormal Activity movies in theaters? Did you watch Ghost Dimension in 3d? Yes, I

James Jay Edwards:

did. Ooh,

Jonathan Correia:

how nauseous did you get?

James Jay Edwards:

I didn't really get nauseous but the entire time. I felt like I was having a Korea moment. And this is I think even before I had met you the whole time I'm and they do explain this in the movie, but it wasn't satisfactory to me. I'm like, okay, found footage 3d. Oh, there's like Supposedly there's a spirit camera. And I'm like, Oh, come on. I'm doing I'm doing jerk off motions right now. Oh, come on.

Jonathan Correia:

Yeah. When that came out, I definitely had that reaction of three found footage. And it's 3d. Yeah. I still I haven't watched the movie. I haven't watched past four. But I do want to watch that movie. But like just the idea of like that just I was like, oh, man, how are people not gonna throw up in the theater?

James Jay Edwards:

You need to watch the marked ones even probably before it goes to mention Yes. was actually pretty good. marked ones is really good. Yeah, it's, it's supposedly a spinoff, it's a completely different family. But at least it's the same type of an entity as the other paranormal activities. Where as next of kin is it's a completely different kind of thing. Okay, no spoilers. No, I will tell you though, just one thing, Jacob when you see it, there are some scenes that are going to absolutely terrify you and I'll say it's similar to Blair Witch. Blair Witch Project. Blair Witch. All right. No, you so you definitely need to check it out. Because I watched that tonight. You'll have fun with

Jacob Davidson:

you know

Jonathan Correia:

Hazon Jacobs fears of commitment.

Jacob Davidson:

Well, commitment. So haunted woods, because you know, I'm from New England, so I'm afraid I have an instinctual fear of the woods because bad shit happens in the woods.

Jonathan Correia:

We burn. Woods. You know,

Jacob Davidson:

nothing good happens in the woods. Oh, what

Jonathan Correia:

was it? Lindsay and I watched the midnight hour and eight it's this 80s tea? Yeah. Oh, yeah.

Jacob Davidson:

Oh, burn that in and read from set that 70 show.

Jonathan Correia:

Okay, we didn't get to finish it because we had to go do it. 10 Candles live RPG. So like we're we had like 20 minutes left. And we haven't seen him since the opening when the kid throws a newspaper at them and I so badly wanted him to say dumb ass. But that was oh my god that like that was that's a perfect double feature with hocus pocus because it's just classic like New England. Oh, we fucked up a witch long ago. And now we're getting. We actually watched it with ParaNorman. Which feature can't go wrong with ParaNorman I haven't watched that in years. And God dammit. Does that movie still hit hard? Yeah.

Jacob Davidson:

Funny enough. They're actually doing a anniversary screening for the 10th anniversary of like, as a fan events thing on the 16th so I'm gonna see it in theaters again.

Jonathan Correia:

Oh, fuck yeah, that's awesome.

James Jay Edwards:

What else you guys been seeing? Well,

Jacob Davidson:

I wanted to mention some of the big stuff I did in October and one of the biggest of course, was the return of the arrow iHorror THON, including corn Gorn, the living God, who had to fight his new arch nemesis Christopher lamb bear. And that's Christopher lamb is in the lamb and bears and bear is like a hybrid that he had to fight to the death because like for those who don't know the arrow horror THON is an annual horror movie marathon they do at the arrow theater in Santa Monica every year in October. And there's all these different characters and running gags and inside jokes. So it was just a really great after, you know with a lot and everything last year for it to come back in stride. And it was a great lineup this year too. We had in the mouth of madness on 35 millimeter. It's alive on 35 millimeter new DCP of night beast, House of Wax 2005 and 35 millimeter horror Express and 35 millimeter and the brain with David Gale and a new DCP restoration. Oh, so I worked that night but I did get to sit in for most of the movies and it was just a blast. Especially night B's like people were just having a ball with our ridiculous night Beast was don't

James Jay Edwards:

even front you know you were lamb bear. But what do you mean? You say you had to work that night but you were lamb bear.

Jacob Davidson:

I was not Christopher lamb. Because for

Jonathan Correia:

lamb but what good is lamb pig?

Jacob Davidson:

Well, the joke was that it was also an advertisement for Highlander to pig in the city. baby

Jonathan Correia:

pig in the city has one of the most terrifying scenes in cinematic history when those animals are getting rounded up in the hotel, and it still fucking haunts me.

Jacob Davidson:

Yeah, George Miller went really hard on that sequel. He did

Jonathan Correia:

like it until Mad Max Fury Road. It was the most hard Delwin went on a sequel.

Jacob Davidson:

Yeah, pretty much. But yeah, so I was glad the horror THON was back and see I also did a 70s horror THON at the dynasty typewriter was a part of let's see Friday night. frights you know that and see what 16 And let's see that one was the victors tear the Hills Have Eyes blood and lace shock and tourist trap on 16 millimeter. Oh, wow. Yeah. I mean, I saw a couple of those I had already seen before in theatrically but terror and blood and lace I feel in particular really blasted away the crowd that stuff was bananas. And the other big thing of course was beyond fast. I was working at attending a bunch of beyond fest events like VHS 94 New York ninja MAD GOD Blackphone as again, it's just really great. This this October. That's so many, you know, annual events. Return, you know, in theaters that are you know, like in person.

James Jay Edwards:

Did you see Blackphone? I did. How is it? I can't wait for that. Oh, it is good as hell. I cannot wait for Blackphone Yeah, and it's not coming out until next year. Right. I mean, you saw months early. Yeah.

Jacob Davidson:

Like January February. Yeah, can't wait. Oh, no, trust me. It's gonna be well worth it. Night and avoid the trailers and commercials if you can, like try and go in as blind as possible.

James Jay Edwards:

I always do. Yeah, I don't. I try not to watch them. Have either you guys seen the turtles? Or I guess it's just a turtle?

Jacob Davidson:

No. I thought that wasn't out yet.

James Jay Edwards:

It's not I saw presser of it. And I don't know if either you guys saw previews. It's actually pretty cool. As a Marvel movie, it's getting a lot of hate. And I can't quite figure out why because it's just a regular Marvel movie. I mean, it's if you like Marvel movies, you're gonna like the turtles. What struck me most about it is it's really, really diverse. And, you know, the Eternals themselves. And, you know, of course, the Avengers, you know, you know that they had, you know, War Machine and Falcon, you know, they, you know, they they had their racial diversity in the Avengers. This, they've got racial and there's a Hispanic, you know, eternal, there's an Asian, eternal, there's an African American eternal, but also one of them is deaf, and one of them is gay. So you're like, okay, they're, they're really going for it. And it's really awesome. You know, I mean, I Avengers they threw in a gay like, background character. And everybody's like, Oh, it first game Marvel character. It turtles has an actual gay Marvel character. About time. It's pretty good. I mean, it's it doesn't. They mentioned fan O's in the snap. So you know, it's in the same universe, but it doesn't really have anything to do with the other Marvel movies. I mean, like, you don't have Spider Man, swing it in and join in the fight. You know, it's it's its own thing, but it's pretty cool. It's pretty fun.

Jacob Davidson:

Yeah, I mean, it was kind of interested because, you know, it's like it was based off of the Jack Kirby comic and like that, that type of stuff is more fantastical and kind and kind of out of genre outside of superheroes.

James Jay Edwards:

It's getting a lot of hate. And I don't know why because it's pretty much typical Marvel movie, but one thing I will say that I was kind of bummed about that close out, directed it who did Nomad land? Yeah, you can't tell that she directed. There's a couple of scenes that take place in like South Dakota, where you're like, Okay, this could be a closeout movie. But otherwise, you're like, this is her. I don't feel like her. Her stamp is on this movie, which is a bummer because I really was looking forward to what she was going to do in a Marvel movie. And I don't think she took it and ran with it like Destin, Daniel Cretton. Did with Shawn. He, you know, he he, you know, you can tell that's a destin Daniel Cretton movie. You can't really tell is it a closeout movie?

Jacob Davidson:

But would you say it's still worth seeing in theaters? Oh, yeah, absolutely.

James Jay Edwards:

I mean, it's a Marvel movie. It's a spectacle movie. Yeah, go see it in theaters. If you I mean, if you feel up to it, I mean, I'm, I'm not going to say go to a theater to anyone because I'm in I went to a press screening with and there were like 10 other people. Not everyone can do that.

Jacob Davidson:

Sort of related. Did anyone else see doom? Yeah, I saw that in IMAX. It blew me away.

James Jay Edwards:

Dude. It's funny, dude. I mean, it's it's not really my thing. You know, I mean, I love science fiction, but it's it's not my thing. It's a beautifully made movie. Like I knew it would be with Denny Villeneuve. It's just a wonderful movie. One thing I think that deserves to be foil, although everybody knows this by now anyway, it's part one. So you it's two hours and 37 minutes and it's only half a movie. But it says that from the opening title card it says dune part one, so it's not really a spoiler anyway.

Jacob Davidson:

And they did. They did Greenlight, too, so that is going to happen.

James Jay Edwards:

Like they weren't going to the opening title guards. Part one, what were they going to do? Not enough people saw this, we're not good apart.

Jacob Davidson:

Hey, I mean, there was some worry. That

James Jay Edwards:

would have been a dick move for them to only give you a half a movie. You know, I mean, as a movie, I think it's I mean, it's, it's a good speaking of spectacle movies, like you said, it's a good speckle movie. I'm not a huge fan of the dune story. I mean, although I would see Yoda Russkies dude, if he got a chance to make it in a heartbeat. But that's what this kind of feels like, this feels closer, what you're asking is doing than what David Lynch ended up doing. Because, again, you know, two and a half hours, and it's only half the movie, you know?

Jacob Davidson:

Yep. Um, let's see and got a lot, a lot of great repertory screenings in October, like, I also got to see Michael Mann's to keep in theaters at brain dead Studios, which I had done, but that was eight years ago. So I was really happy somebody else was playing it again,

James Jay Edwards:

we're gonna say that, is that like, a bucket list thing for you to see that as many times is? Yes, that's one of your movies.

Jacob Davidson:

It is. And it's still just as mind blowing as it is. When I first saw it. Granted, though, when I saw it eight years ago, it was on film from like, this rare British print. And this was a DCP. But, I mean, I didn't you know, I'm just glad I got the opportunity. And yeah, it was, it was kind of funny, because I saw that film print version of the Keep at Cinna family, which is now brain dead studios. So it was like the same menu, different venue, their same location, different venue. And yeah, no, it's it's such an just such a fascinating movie, especially, you know, we're talking about Jaroussky is doing because originally, Michael Mann's version was going to be over two hours long. And then the studio took it from him and you know, kind of edited around. And but, you know, despite and it is a flawed movie, for sure. But despite that, you know, just such as such an amazing soundtrack and visuals and cast, so it's just very enthralling, you know,

James Jay Edwards:

sometimes the flaws are the best parts.

Jacob Davidson:

Indeed, indeed.

James Jay Edwards:

Cool. We have a very special guest this week. We have cinematographer aka Malinska. Did I get that close?

Unknown:

You got it? Got it?

James Jay Edwards:

I'm sure I didn't. But you'd be a nice how you doing? Okay.

Unknown:

I'm great. How are you?

James Jay Edwards:

We're doing great. Okay, is the cinematographer right now of the Amazon Prime show? I Know What You Did Last Summer. That's the big thing that that she's got out now, among other things that we'll talk about. A question I always like to lead off with with our guests is, how did you get started? I mean, did you go to film school? How did you get started being a director of photography,

Unknown:

I went to film school, I went to to film schools, I actually went to NYU, and then I went to AFI, a number of years later, I went into NYU, studying documentary photography, and then like, and studying photography, and then like, the technical end of the photography kind of really sucked me in and there, it felt like there was there was nowhere to progress in still photography, kind of in expanding what you can do with it. I was also you know, like all my life obsessed with travel. And I think ever since I was a little kid, I identified photography as, as a way of being able to travel as a way of being able to see into worlds that I would otherwise not be able to see. And then kind of, you know, I fell in love with lighting. I fell in love with cameras and lenses. And to me, you know, telling a narrative is like traveling. It's like traveling into

James Jay Edwards:

a book. All three of us have also gone to film school and I know so many people who went to film school wanting to be a director who come out a cinematographer for exactly the reasons that you're talking about. They fall in love with the visuals of it and lighting and you know, stuff like that. So I think that that's a pretty common way to become a center cinematographer. Are you a big Have you always been over

Unknown:

that no, I've always been a psychological horror II, you know, kind of, I think a lot of them are landed like that's the kind or that I love. Where it's really like telling a much deeper story through allegory, so to speak. And then when I started shooting horror horror like I am, I love horror fantasy. sci fi. Because all of those things allow you to be really expressive with the lighting and visuals.

Jacob Davidson:

So yeah. And in terms of her been working on, I Know What You Did Last Summer, did you see leaves? You Know What You Did Last Summer, when it came out? And what did you think out? I did feel working on this new version.

Unknown:

Um, so I really like I watched I Know What You Did Last Summer years ago. You know, and it wasn't like a hard hitting movie. For me. What I was really attracted to was Sarah scripts and Sarah's take on the story. You know, which much like Monster Land, you know, I felt like had a lot of allegory and reality that young people are going through today, basically, you know, facing fucked up situations, while the adults in their world have completely abandon them. And then there is like the weaving of like, how do we, you know, what is morality within that what is right or wrong, wrong and who's going crazy. I love that when we were shooting, nobody knew who the killer was. I know nobody right now still knows who the killer was because we're two episodes down, but it is. It's actually really fun to rewatch when you know who the killer was.

Jonathan Correia:

Oh, so no spoilers please.

Unknown:

Tell you could be anyone.

James Jay Edwards:

No, it's it's kind of interesting. Because the when when I Know What You Did Last Summer, the original came out it was like hot on the heels of screen. And it was around like urban legend and the faculty there was this big push towards hip 90s teen horror. So it kind of makes sense to me that it wound up as a TV mini series or TV series because there's a push for that hip, or teen TV show, you know, with like stuff. I mean, like Teen Wolf for supernatural, you know, all that kind of it seems like that's where everything is moved. I noticed in I know in, in the TV, I know he did last time she did some of the some of the photography is kind of similar, especially like put the night shots, you know, like, particularly the scene where they actually kill the person, which is in the first episode. So that's not a spoiler. And if you've seen the original, was that like a conscious thing? Were you saying, Okay, we're gonna kind of pay tribute or is it just that that's what that would look like, on that road? And I,

Unknown:

uh, you know, it's interesting. It's like, you know, this is where I feel like, like, sometimes these inspirations like come in really subconsciously. I think Craig McNeil, who directed the pilot, and Sarah chose the location because it it emanated like that same kind of feel. And then, you know, I remember when I got there, and I saw the location and it's like, miles, you know, and miles of cliffside with no motivation for like, with no, like, you know, and then also a desire, I think, from Sarah and from the show, and from Craig to make it feel, to make it feel more real and grounded rather than, like, you know, horror Gothic, you know, so that it's, it's, it lives in this, like, Instagram, millennial generation and a world. And I remember watching, you know, I remember, like, kind of, like, you know, how are we going to get any big wide shots, you know, and I remember watching the original then, and the cinematographer did all of his driving wide shots at dusk, and, and then like, you know, came in and let the close ups and the car stopped, looked like it was both, you know, broken out to a stage and in the car, and that kind of you know, that that actually really guided the way for me on how to approach that. So yes, one definitely influenced the other.

James Jay Edwards:

No, this when you say, Sarah, you're talking Sarah Goodman, the creator and writer of it, but there were other writers who also, you know, kind of popped out and how much they did, but there also are a lot how many different directors were there five directors, six directors.

Unknown:

There were three directors

James Jay Edwards:

only three. Okay, I thought there were more

Unknown:

and I with two of them. Okay,

James Jay Edwards:

because my question was kind of being with that many, with that many cooks in the kitchen photographically. Is it up to you to make it a cohesive? Look, basically to the to the story, or is it or does that come from the script?

Unknown:

Um, you know, there were definitely a lot of voices and a lot of divergent opinions and You know, kind of a lot of also a lot of producers, a lot of higher ups who are also involved attach to, you know, producers from the past, and everybody really, like wanted to have a say, and an opinion. You know, and in the end, for me, as a cinematographer, it's kind of to take in everybody's voices, you know, and somehow, you know, when I feel like this is what happens at a really intuitive level, is to funnel those desires, basically, you know, through my eye and instinctual, you know, storytelling. While also like honing the energy of the rest of, of the camera operators of the gaffer, you know, it's all like, it's all a collaboration. And then, you know, when I feel like, yes, it is like, part of my job to keep the cohesiveness, like, once we get on that train, and we know what we're doing, you know, and then it's also interesting, when you have an alternating DP come in, or, you know, you have different directors come in, and they change the language of the show, you know, in the end, like, what I often hear from people is that, you know, that, that my eye is unique. I don't know, like, I don't really know how to quantify that or qualify that I think every eye is unique, you know, and it is actually through the vehicle of that cinematographer that you have that cinematographer of that production designer, and of those directors that come in and contribute new ideas to a show

James Jay Edwards:

your eye is unique. But did you find having all of the other voices diluting that or did it sharpen it?

Unknown:

Um, in the beginning of the process, it it felt like it was diluting that, you know, and then I feel like through the process of making the show, it got focused into into the show that like, it really want it to be? Yeah, it's,

Jonathan Correia:

it's a lot of data processing of different, you know, takes in different things. And, like you said, funneling it into it. How different is that? Well, it's got to be super different than doing an anthology series, like Monster Land, where it's not only different directors, but different stories, different takes different, you know, scenarios that you can do, you can diverge very differently from episode to episode, but also kind of keep it in that funnel, you know, that so that it still feels like an episode of Monster Land? What was that challenge, like? Like, that must have been very different than keeping one cohesive over the course.

Unknown:

I think, you know, when, like me, and the other cinematographer decided, you know, that there were certain things that we would repeat, like a side light, like the use of smoke, like, we were using the same lenses. And then we were using the same color palette in lighting, and we have the same production designer, so that in itself lays out a certain framework. You know, I think, also Monsterland was really amazing and unique in the way that, you know, they, they sought out indie directors for their vision, and then they let them do their vision, you know, and the network was forewarned that, you know, we may not cover things traditionally, you know, some things may be one shot. So you're living in a very different world, you know, and it's much more like Monster Land to me, like, I feel like Mary laws, the showrunner had a very specific vision that started photographically in Gregory Crewdson and Todd Hido photography, and that was like, and from there, we built the look of the show. And then every director got to come in and have their own take on this visual language. So it was it was awesome. It was you know, wild to prep, basically a little feature for 10 days and then shoot it for 10 days and then you know, I think our final episodes got cut down to like seven days. So it was a wild exhausting ride but I met some amazing directors who actually then you know, resulted in me working and I Know What You Did Last Summer.

James Jay Edwards:

I have a question that's kind of a looking behind the curtain kind of thing. The basis skeleton of I Know What You Did Last Summer is the same as the movie but there's other things that are different and one of them is there's there's a pair of twins. And they're both played by Madison Essman so that the same girl playing them, and a lot of that you can see is done through through editing. But there's also parts of it where they do like that Brady Bunch thing where you show both of them in the same shot. How did you do that? Was it split screen? Was it? How, how did you get the same girl to play two parts on the same shot.

Unknown:

Um, it's, it's through visual effects. So every time you see one of those shots, it's actually shot three times its shot with one girl. And that's including like the steady cam locking back. And that's kind of, you know, an ode to what we can do with visual effects. Now that we're repeating, you know, we have almost exactly the same start, and then we're repeating that shot, and then we're repeating that shot with Madison as the other girl. Sometimes that doesn't take place to later in the day. So we're also like recording marks on the floor where we started that shot, what height the camera was at. And then we also have a, like an overlay screen where we can kind of, you know, blend the shot, we shot earlier with the shot we're shooting now, so we can make sure it lines up and we're making room for the girls where they need to be, then you always have to have a plate shot. And at the party, you know, there was a clean plate shot. And then there was also a crowd plate shot.

James Jay Edwards:

So it was a bit more complicated than just shooting half the room and the other, like, bench

Unknown:

did it kind of like every time like, you know, it's like, why they kill the twins after the first couple of episodes, you know, in any of these shows, because there are other twin shows out there. I think you know, it costs a lot of time. I mean, I'm not saying like that's not why Sarah wrote it, but that way.

Jacob Davidson:

I mean, it also makes sense. Yeah. And I did want to ask, just in terms of I Know What You Did Last Summer and talking earlier about the original. And just kind of how did you go about kind of adapting, you know, because like that, like we were saying before, like that was one of those kind of hip teen horror movies of the 90s. And now, it's a hit teen horror series for the 2020s How do you think you adapted to that kind of aesthetic?

Unknown:

Um, you know, well, I I've shot, uh, you know, I've shot a lot of commercials in the past. And I do feel like this is, like, brighter kind of, I also do feel like, you know, I, sorry, Amazon, but I do feel like it's brighter when I watch it now than it was the final color correction. And I was talking to the colorist. And he was like, Yeah, you know, I think Amazon always screens their stuff a little bit brighter. But, you know, in a way I like, I feel like it's all there everything that like all of those voices desired, in a way and then a way to me, like now when I watch it, I like you know, it almost like sometimes has a 90 aesthetic to it in some of it. Like, yeah, in using, you know, a little bit more fill light, then, you know, I went on Monsterland than I would on the show that I'm on now, you know, like, you see the original, and it's night, but you see everybody very clearly, you know, and it's in the middle of nowhere, but we we know where we are. We're not We're not an indie movie, you know, in total darkness where, you know, we're a more I would say mainstream aesthetic in some ways.

James Jay Edwards:

So a net was even darker in a fear than it is on Amazon Prime. Because that's a dark movie. I don't know if you've seen a net the the Lieske Carex. Sparks movie. No, we're we're big fans. At least Korea and I are big fans now. You Jacob

Jacob Davidson:

CSA haven't seen it yet. You should have seen it yet. It's on my list.

Jonathan Correia:

Don't Don't make me start ranting about sparks now.

Jacob Davidson:

Okay, okay. I'll do my best.

Jonathan Correia:

So what is uh, what's next for you? I know that you're filming a TV show can't talk about but do you have other projects that are coming up soon? Something that we can keep an eye out for as well.

Unknown:

You know, I recently collaborated with Steve Buscemi and Tessa Thompson on a very interesting indie. That was we shot in six days all in one location and it's it's a suicide hotline worker working all night and taking calls phone calls and through the phone calls we kind of piece together her life and why she does what she does it doesn't have any flashbacks it we shot it in large format on the pan of vision D XL Cameron AK, we shot with these old rehouse like lenses that you know, just had so much richness and character. And it's like, you know, it's like a one, one person play with Tessa Thompson, who was absolutely amazing. Visually, I'm super, super excited about it. And like I kept telling Steve, that you know, we're to me, it's an Eastern European film about LA which is something like it doesn't like there's no giant crescendo and there's no redemption really other than the sunrise visually there's no like, it's like a Christopher keselowski film.

James Jay Edwards:

Is it all take place in one room?

Unknown:

It takes place in one apartment.

James Jay Edwards:

Have you seen the guilty? I have heard of the? Well, there's two of the guilties um, I haven't seen the new one. The Jake Gyllenhaal one the American remake, but I think it's an Austrian movie from a few years ago. It's also called the guilty but it's about a 911 operator or whatever it is in Austria. Jake Gyllenhaal is a 911 operator. And he's piecing together this crime. And there are other actors in it because it does cut to other scenes, but most of it is him on a call. And it's terrific. I mean, the the Austrian one is terrific. I think it's Austrian. I haven't seen the American remake, though. But I love movies like that. Have you seen lock? I have Tom Hardy driving. That's the ultimate right there. Actually, the ultimate is? Was it Ryan? Was it Ryan Reynolds? Ryan Reynolds? Yeah, when he's buried alive. Yeah, that was the ultimate, but but lock is pretty close to a second is a pretty close second.

Jacob Davidson:

And what was it like shooting that being entirely one location?

Unknown:

You know, it was a very different process from anything that I've I've worked on recently, it was a completely actor driven process. Steve and I sat down and we went through the script, and we kind of talked about, you know, made a framework for where she would go and, you know, I remember at 1.1 of the producers was like, Steve, do you know, we're like, you know, can you cut some shots tomorrow? Do you have the like, can you simplify the block? And Steve's like, well, I like, we haven't done it with Tessa. No, like, we got to explore, we have to let her move freely through the space, I can make my suggestions, but we'll know what we're doing. When we get there. It was, you know, like, so we had a framework of shots, but it also demanded that I was super adaptable. You know, to, to like finding the shots in the moment. And, and Steve was a dream collaborator. You know, I think after the last, the first couple of setups, I remember I was showing him something. He was like, you want to look at this through the viewfinder, and he was like, You know what, you haven't steered me wrong yet. So just keep doing what you're doing. So it was also like, I mean, in a way, it was like playing jazz with Steve Buscemi and Tessa Thompson. And we got some spectacular spectacular cinematography in there. Are they

James Jay Edwards:

long takes?

Unknown:

Yes, they were all

James Jay Edwards:

so and so it's kind of like you were photographing a play kind of basically. Yes, in a way. Okay.

Unknown:

But giving it like, you know, more cinematic life then. But it was like she was on the like, we broke it up into, you know, basically phone conversations. The longest phone conversation was 20 minutes long, and it was broken up into three parts based on kind of the location. She eventually she goes outside of the house like so there are different visual environments that she walks into. Yeah.

James Jay Edwards:

And it's one camera. It wasn't like a, like a TV show. Or it

Unknown:

was two cameras.

James Jay Edwards:

Oh two. Okay.

Unknown:

We shot two.

James Jay Edwards:

Yeah. So you just let her go then that's great.

Unknown:

And then like sometimes, like, you know, we did a combination of like, you know, dolly shots and, and two cameras, and then single camera. And, Steve, it was interesting, because Steve was kind of reserved on wanting to use steadycam. From an actor's perspective. He was like, you know, like having that thing in front of you. When you're acting is just so distracting. But going handheld isn't as distracting and And, you know, we actually we had an issue with our we like I talked him into one study cam shot. And then we had an issue with the study cam. And I ended up doing with my handheld anyway, I did a bunch of handheld stuff in there and I would operate the handheld. I can tell you guys about that. Did you ever want to hear? Oh,

James Jay Edwards:

that actually kind of does bring up something when I was watching. I know you did last summer is a lot of that handheld or steady cam, it looks like there's always camera motion sort of like, it's kind of a new thing that horror directors do. Like, have you seen the strangers? Yeah, I think every shot is handheld mat. And what it does is it it never lets the audience relax. It's just always keeps them and they don't quite know why because they don't understand that this camera is like slightly moving the whole time was how much of it was handheld like that.

Unknown:

So, you know, like the AR ar 15 first director really like wanting to emulate a lot of Andrea Arnold and handheld. You know, Craig wanted a really kind of free documentary camera. Which like, you know, almost calls for a single camera, but it's really difficult to do that with an ensemble cast. And also, you know, in a bigger studio system that also desires coverage. And they do, you know, and they will tell us that they want coverage. You know, and it's also understandable, you know, with balancing a cast and balancing performances. And then I think ultimately, you know, balancing all the voices from from the top. You know, like for me watching show runners work in television, like, you know, when we're on set, we think that the showrunner is our boss that the showrunner actually has, like a room of bosses that we never have to interface with, and give them notes all the time. So, you know, like that style also transitioned, and I think appropriately so to us sometimes actually landing the camera. And then the director of Episode Five and six completely landed the camera. I think there's just a little bit of handheld there are only a couple of scenes. So

James Jay Edwards:

I'm not up to that part yet. So So I I'm still seeing the handheld stuff. I but you brought up some What do you say there's a room of people above the show runner, you know? Like, it kind of makes me wonder how different is the actual show that hits prime from what you envisioned when you were shooting it? I mean, how once it goes through all the filters, is it completely different? Or as you're like, this is pretty close to what I envisioned. Um,

Unknown:

it depends on the show, I think on this, I think on this show, you know, I I think I the you know, originally I thought it was going to be a lot darker and moodier. And then And then because we're shooting in Hawaii, we got notes that they really like wanted to feel funny. And they want it to feel like it's in Hawaii, which I feel like through the eight episodes of the show, like by the last episode, I kind of like got the shadows richer and leaned into the darkness more. And there were also scenes that like I mean, I know there's a lot of darkness in the cave, but then like when we go outside. So I think I also you know, working with Craig McNeil when I worked with him on Monster Land, and kind of knowing him as a director, I had originally expected a lot of like, you know, like, I feel like, you know, his camera has always been really really intentional and, and creepy and grounded. Even when he went handheld a lot in the boy there's definite like kind of, and he really wanted to embrace a lot of handheld in the beginning. And then, you know, marrying that with horror. i In the end, I love what we did. And I love the way the show grew visually over the eight episodes. But I think from the get go, it was different from what I envisioned when I like first, you know, because I envisioned our grainy Hawaii, which it exists, you know, and we leaned into that in the later episodes, but I do feel like it's still brighter on Amazon.

James Jay Edwards:

It probably is. All right. Well, great. Thank you for joining us. Okay, and everybody watch. I Know What You Did Last Summer on a Amazon um, and and watch it turn the brightness down on your TV when you watch it.

Jonathan Correia:

Put it in cinematic mode, static mode,

James Jay Edwards:

but turn motion smoothing off.

Jonathan Correia:

Always.

James Jay Edwards:

oh, where can people if they do you have a social media if they want to keep up with what you're doing?

Unknown:

You can find me on Instagram at Anca vision or my website is unconditioned.com

James Jay Edwards:

Okay, great. Um and if you are curious about any of your projects, I'm sure on IMDb as well. Yes. Okay. So thank you very much for joining us on this Monday evening and you you got to get up early and shoot so we appreciate you being here. So much our music is is by Restless Spirits, so go check them out. Our artwork is by Chris Fisher. So go check him out. You can find us at the Eye On Horror, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, letterbox you can find us@ihorror.com and anywhere else where you get your horror news. And we will see you in a couple of weeks. So for me James Jay Edwards.

Jacob Davidson:

I'm Jacob Davison,

Jonathan Correia:

I'm Jonathan Correia, I'm on commodities and stuff. Keep your Eye

James Jay Edwards:

On Horror

Intros (Return of Jacob)
What We Did On Halloween 2021
Last Night in Soho Reviews
Antlers Review
Nevermind, Its Time for A Slumber Party Massacre Review
Ok, Now Its Time For Antlers Review
Paranormal Activity Next of Kin Review
The Midnight Hour Review
Jacob Attends A Horror Marathon
Jacob Attends Another Horror Marathon (Starting to See Why He Wasn't Around the Last Episode)
Jay Reviews The Eternals
Dune Review
Jacob Gives Even More Evidence That He was Probably At a Screening Instead of Recording With Us Last Episode
Special Guest Anka Malatynska!!!!
I Know What You Did Last Summer
Modern Teen TV
Filming MonsterLand
Coming Soon From Anka
Outros