Exclusive: James Ransone Talks Sinister 2
Staci Layne Wilson
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The first Sinister movie was released in 2012 and was a sleeper hit. Starring Ethan Hawke as an investigative reporter who moves into a haunted house, the flick introduced a brand new bogeyman. Bughuul, an ancient entity also known as the Eater of Children, would possess the soul of the youngest child in a family shortly before they were all killed in the most gruesome and terrifying ways imaginable. What’s more, it was all caught on tape; like snuff films from the beyond.
Bughuul came back with a vengeance in the sequel, along with a new cast and a different director at the helm. But one person who does return is Deputy So And So (James Ransone), and his role was greatly expanded – he even got to kiss the girl!
We caught up with Ransone the other day on his press tour to promote the DVD and Blu-ray release. Though he didn’t really seem to be aware of that… when we asked him if did a commentary, or if he’s in any on the extras, he curtly replied, “I have no idea. They didn’t tell me about it.” Hmm. Maybe he could have asked for talking points… or maybe he just doesn’t care.
James Ransone
We care! We looked up the extras, and here’s what you can expect: Deleted Scenes; Time to Watch Another: Making of Sinister 2 featurette; and feature commentary with director Ciaran Foy.
We asked Ransone if he got any fan reaction after Sinister 2 was released, especially since his character was such a fan fave in the first one. “I didn’t,” he said. “Nope, nothing. I’m kind of a hermit so maybe that’s why. Ah, well… that’s just what I tell myself! If I lived another life, I might be mobbed. There was a lot of social media response, I think. I don’t know; I’m not like that. It takes a lot of work to constantly be going, ‘Hey, look at me! I’m out there!’”
But it must have been flattering they wanted to bring him back. “Well, let’s be honest. I’m also the only surviving character,” Ransone said. “I really enjoyed doing the little part in the first one, so to be called back is just super-flattering. I’m really lucky.”
He’s also lucky to be working with Shannyn Sossamon as his leading lady, we assert. When asked if they got a chance to develop some chemistry beforehand, Ransone said, “We didn’t do a ton of rehearsal, but we did some. She’s pretty easy to work with, and I’d known her before, always really liked her, so it was great.”
Dread Central: Are you fan of horror?
James Ransone: Yeah, but there’s not a bunch of new stuff that I watch that I’m super, super blown away by in terms of horror. I like the real classics. I’m such a huge Sam Raimi fan, though, I keep meaning to watch the new “Evil Dead” series on Starz with Bruce Campbell. That’s more the horror I like. I like camp that can also be scary.
DC: Deputy So-and-So was more the comic relief in the first Sinister, but not so much in this one. How was that?
JR: I think this one is more scary because there’s some kind of undercurrent that relates to what’s happening in our society at the moment, which is the desensitization of ourselves to violence by proxy, you know? You can just turn on the TV or Internet, and someone who died yesterday… you can watch their death online immediately. I think that’s the concurring thread of why Sinister and Baghul are interesting to people – because they’re snuff films. It’s like, they’re glorified and mythologized. I think that’s pure horror. Our kids are exposed to this [in the movie].
Sinister 2 Release Details:
Mysterious found footage reveals a series of gruesome murders in Sinister 2, the chilling sequel to the sleeper horror hit available on Digital HD on December 22, 2015, and on Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand on January 12, 2016, from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The latest heart-stopping tale from series co-creators and screenwriters C. Robert Cargill and Scott Derrickson (who directed the first installment), producer Jason Blum of Blumhouse (Insidious, The Purge), and director Ciarán Foy (Citadel), Sinister 2 on Blu-ray and DVD is packed with bonus features including filmmaker commentary, a peek behind the camera, and deleted scenes that raise the fear factor to unprecedented heights.
In the aftermath of the shocking events of Sinister, a protective mother (Shannyn Sossamon of “Wayward Pines”) and her nine-year-old twin sons (real-life brothers Robert and Dartanian Sloan) find themselves marked for death in a rural house as the evil spirit of Bughuul continues to spread with frightening intensity.
Special Features:
- Extended Kill Films (Blu-ray Exclusive)
- Deleted Scenes
- Time to Watch Another: Making of Sinister 2 – In this behind-the-scenes featurette, the filmmakers discuss how they built the new story upon the first film and brought back “Deputy So & So” to continue the hunt for Bughuul
- Feature Commentary with Director Ciarán Foy
Categorized:News
