Mulder, Saskia (The Descent)
Dread Central Staff
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With The Descent hitting theaters today, August 4th, 2006, chances are you’re going to come back from watching it and want to know more about it right away. Good thing, then, that I was able to sit down and chat with one of the film’s stars, Saskia Mulder, who plays big sister Rachel in the film, recently and deliver some fresh information for you.
Some minor spoilers do follow, so read at your own risk! Enjoy!
Sean Clark: Let me start off by saying I love the film and own the Region 2 DVD.
Saskia Mulder: Cool, thank you.
SC: So let’s talk about the changing of the ending for the U.S. audiences. Have you seen the U.S. cut yet?
SM: I haven’t actually.
SC: But you know what they changed, correct?
SM: Yes.
SC: How do you feel about the change?
SM: It’s still pretty down. Let’s say it’s not a happy ending. It’s not where in the end everyone turns out great and they’re going to go eat an ice cream cone together (laughs). So I don’t really know. I know that with Neil he always had these two endings, and I guess he just wanted to try them out. It’s hard for me to say because it’s not my decision. It’s kind of like a process that as an actor you’re not involved in, so I’m curious to see it. I like dark endings, but I also like to feel quite happy when I walk out of a film, so I don’t know. Maybe I would like the American version better.
SC: Are you a fan of horror films?
SM: It’s funny because before doing this film, absolutely not (laughs) to be really frank. I just get too scared. I’m a wussy. I’m a very girly, girly, girly, girly girl. Too much blood and I can’t sleep at night, but during the rehearsal period in Scotland at this like deserted castle there was a rumor going around that it was haunted; it was completely The Shining. Everyday after rehearsal he would sit us down and watch horror films. I still get scared, but I stared to appreciate it and see the difference between a good and a bad horror film. So I’m actually seeing horror films without being forced to (laughs).
SC: Sort of becoming a fan now?
SM: I must say, but I enjoy watching them on DVD because if I get too scared I can just stop it for a bit or I can turn off the volume (laughs). I do sit in the cinema with one hand over my eyes and the other trying to cover my ears.
SC: So I heard that Neil kept the creature actors away from you girls until the big reveal scene.
SM: Yeah that was hilarious. His whole thing was that he wanted to film our natural reaction, which I think is a great thing because that’s like a piece of truth that you get. We knew that we were going to get to see what we call the crawlers, the beings in the film. There is something about them being kept away from us that builds the tension. It’s like going on a roller coaster ride and then everybody coming off going, “Oh my God, oh my God.” It builds your fear.
So Neil sat us down and said, “Okay, you know you’re going to see a crawler today. All I’m asking you is to react how you want to react but stay in your spot, just stay in frame.” So we are all just sitting there going, “Yes Neil.” The moment we saw a crawler it was all girls. It was hands in the air, screaming and running away. In a second I was on the other side of the studio. It was so funny because we all play really tough girls and we know how to climb; we know how to off road drive; we are not phased by anything, but the moment we see one of them we are like (makes a girly scream). It was very funny.
SC: So in that big reveal scene did that actor just step into that spot and nobody knew where he was going to be?
SM: Yeah, we had no idea. No idea. We are standing there and I am screaming my head off, “Is there anybody there!?” and we are all looking around because we know that there is something out there but we are looking at the wrong side, and we are all just trying to look. It was very dark in the studio as well and then suddenly it’s just like (makes a monster sound). And honestly they were so scary. They were so scary because they were all actors from physical theater, so the way they move is very animal like.
The poor guys had about five hours of makeup every morning. Without revealing too much they just really look like… beings. People that used to be cave people who just evolved through time, and they’re just white, you can see their veins; they’re disgusting and gluey and just horrible faces, they were so scary. The funny thing was that after about a day or three, because in the beginning I could look at them but I couldn’t talk to them, they’re guys walking around almost naked, it’s two degrees outside and they end up going, “Are you alright? Would you like a cup of tea?” (laughs)
SC: Basically all of the interiors of the caves were sets, correct?
SM: Yeah, you can’t film within a cave because of the condensation; it steams up. Also it would be just too dangerous.
SC: Where were the exteriors shot?
SM: In Scotland, Pitlochry to be exact. It’s just so beautiful up there. It’s so funny because when we filmed inside the studio it looks so real and sometimes you would bump into a rock and its all polystyrene (laughs). It’s just weird because you kind of forget and start believing that it’s real.
SC: What was it like working with Neil? Did he give you a lot of freedom as far as improvisation?
SM: Yeah, he gave us a lot of freedom. That’s the cool thing because you could always come up to him with either questions or saying that you would like to do something different. But he would also say no (laughs). Not always but he would always be open to suggestions.
SC: What drew you to the project?
SM: I think firstly was how physical it is. I love having to learn new things for films, and this one was serious boot camp. It was so tough. I swear to God my whole body was covered in bruises. It was really bad. I loved the physical aspect of it. I loved that we were six girls that were intelligent and gutsy and capable, but not super capable you know? In some films somebody would be hanging off a rock on their little pinky; this was really real. I just like that they were very human. So that I really loved, and to work with five other girls…I really liked that idea.
SC: That was pretty unique. I’m not sure if you are familiar with John Carpenter’s The Thing, but that was all men.
SM: Yeah. I think it’s pretty interesting because female relationships are so different than male. From what I’ve seen from Americans, or at least people here in L.A., people are very outspoken. If there’s a problem people talk about it. In England it’s not like that, especially between women.
What you see here is that the friendship, because several things go wrong, starts to implode. Not only do they have to fight the cave and have to fight the monsters, but they have to fight themselves and for me that’s actually the most interesting bit. What does fear do to people? Where do you fight for yourself or where do you fight for the group? Eventually my character is looking our for herself and her little sister and doesn’t give a shit about anyone else (laughs). But in the beginning I’m the one that looks after everyone and is being the caring one. I thought it was really interesting.
SC: What was it like working with the other girls? Had you worked with any of them before?
SM: No, not at all. I didn’t know any of them before, but it just really clicked; it just really worked and I think that so much of that was in the beginning down to doing the climbing training because even though we are all sporty girls and all gutsy girls, there’s a moment when you’re hanging somewhere 300 feet above the ground and you look down and you just want to cry (laughs). You really need the other girls to be supporting you, so I think it’s just something that created a bond immediately. It just kind of continued; we just got really lucky that there wasn’t one bad seed to make the whole thing spiral down, we didn’t have that. We still hang out and we still see each other so we were very lucky.
SC: So how do you feel about this turning into a franchise? There are already talks about a sequel… not that everybody will be coming back.
SM: Yeah, you know I could be a ghost, or maybe I could have been mutated into a crawler (laughs). I don’t know. Of course they are going to be talking about a sequel because in Europe it has been so successful and it’s kind of unheard of that a film not be released in America first and then become a massive success, so I say go for it. I think they would be stupid not to do it (laughs).
SC: How has it been for you in Europe since the success of the film?
SM: It makes a difference. Because there is so much darkness in the film people aren’t going, “Oh my God you’re in The Descent!” Its more like, “We’ve met before didn’t we?” Then you get that really embarrassing thing where I go, “Actually I’m in a film.” (laughs) It sounds really, really coincided.
For me the biggest difference has been when you go to meetings professionally you just get taken a lot more seriously. I used to be a model so they would always give me the pretty girl parts, but in this film no make-up, very unattractive helmet on my head throughout, so it kind of puts you in another category. That would be the unattractive helmet category (laughs). It’s just cool and fun because if you do a film that you really enjoyed making and you’re proud of the result for them to be successful is just wonderful.
SC: Did you audition for the role of Rebecca or was there another role you were up for?
SM: No, I went in for Rebecca. There’s something about the tall Dutch thing that kind of suits me (laughs) it just kind of helps. So it was very clear from the start that I would be right for that part.
SC: There is another story going on between Sarah and Juno that I didn’t really pick up on the first time I saw the film.
SM: I just loved that because there are so many horror films out there that are all about the gore. It’s about who opened the bottle of ketchup and let’s go mad (laughs), but here it does have a lot of different aspects and I think that is the secret to its success as well. Most horror films just let the guys go and it’s all about the gore, but here is a really cool film for girls as well; here are six girls who are kind of cute and powerful and it is identifiable. These are normal girls that just do amazing things and then obviously it goes wrong. You know these things happen like the story between Sarah and Juno, these things happen that makes us human and that’s what I like about it.
SC: Had you seen Dog Soldiers before working with Neil on The Descent?
SM: Yeah, I saw Dog Soldiers and I absolutely loved it. I just thought it was so funny. There is that one moment when this one soldier is whacking this one werewolf with a spoon because he doesn’t have anything else. I just thought it was very witty and I thought the acting in it was very good.
SC: So what is happening next for you?
SM: In September I’m starting on an English film called Shhhh which is a thriller, and I’m also starting a French comedy film early next year that doesn’t have a set title yet.
That about wrapped up my time with the lovely Mrs. Mulder, and I would like to thank her, Lionsgate, and Taya from B|W|R Public Relations for making this chat with Dread Central possible. Be sure to get out there and see The Descent as soon as possible; you won’t be disappointed!
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