Infernal – Exclusive Interview with Executive Producer Jeff Katz; AIP News!
Staci Layne Wilson
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In the found footage fright flick Infernal, Nathan (Andy Ostroff) and Sophia (Heather Adair) are a newlywed couple looking forward to a bright future. And baby makes three. Nathan and Sophia name their darling daughter Imogene (Alyssa Koerner), and before long it becomes apparent the little lady is quite disturbed. Maybe even evil.
We had a chance to catch up with the executive producer on this film, Jeff Katz (best known for his involvement with Snakes on a Plane), who not only told us about Infernal, but spilled a few scoops on his upcoming horror projects.
Dread Central: I am acquainted with Bryan Coyne – so I was pleased to see his name as writer and director on Infernal. How did the two of you connect, or have you known him awhile?
Jeff Katz: Credit on this one really goes to Rich Marincic, who has been a friend and someone I’ve worked with for many years. Frankly, I went through a tough few years really struggling to rebuild and trying to figure out what I wanted to do next, and I really had lost interest in doing anything film-related for quite some time. No matter how much sense it probably made to run back to that world screaming, it just wasn’t where my head or heart was. I sort of had to go through the process of stumbling into writing the American International Pictures remake series to get that desire back again. Rich, to his credit, really kept the flame alive and was out there always looking at material, talent, etc. He met Bryan, who is a strong character – which is a trait I like, and introduced us and ultimately really championed this movie and got it made.
DC: What is it about the satanic genre that endures? It seems to have really started, in cinema, with Rosemary’s Baby in 1968. I can’t think of any movies on that theme before it, but an onslaught of hundreds after… so, what’s your theory on its staying power, and how does Infernal fit in?
JK: I think it’s simple, in that the very idea of Satan or “The Devil” is something that has haunted humanity since the Bible was itself just a log-line. It’s the oldest concept there is, and I think you could argue it’s wired into our DNA. Even if you don’t believe in the concept of the thing, you’re well aware of the basics. Go up to ten people on the street and ask them to draw The Devil and – presuming they haven’t called the cops on you – all ten would be able to do it with some level of consistency among them. That speaks to how widely shared this concept is across all cultures. I love Rosemary’s Baby, and in the case of Infernal I think the idea was to go back to a constant in the genre that Rosemary’s Baby passed on to The Exorcist and The Omen on down, which is the idea of innocence – our children – corrupted by something wicked.
DC: Why found footage?
JK: I could give you a ridiculous line or something, but the honest answer is budget. I’ve been a critic of the style over the years and certainly have my opinions on over-saturation, but the reality is the marketplace and budget model both made this the best answer for the filmmakers creatively at the time. I was a studio executive for a long time so I can’t really argue with the logic given what was in front of them. I think the challenge for Bryan – and he tried to tackle this from upfront – was to cut through the preconceived notions and perhaps flip some expectations of the sub-genre on their ears.
DC: I hear that you’re remaking some classic horror films – what are they, what can you tell us about them as far as how far they are in the development/shooting progress, and what it is about these particular films you love and which aspects do you want to see brought back to life?
JK: I unexpectedly fell into writing a remake of Girls in Prison, the 1950’s AIP title, for Lou Arkoff (son of Samuel Z.) a few years ago, and after it got a couple offers, he brought me on to create a ten-picture series based on the AIP library, which we then sold to Cinedigm. They’re making all ten back-to-back, and they’ll be released monthly in theaters and on VOD before ending up on the new ConTV digital channel. The movies are all unpretentious R-rated genre pictures existing in the same story universe, with over 40 characters appearing in multiple pictures. You can watch one movie at random and have a completely satisfying experience, but it’s really designed to be watched 1-through-10 as one big epic story. So you’ll get all ten unique chapters over a ten-month run, sort of like serials. When I first met Lou Arkoff, I never expected to write one movie, let alone something like this, so I’m just very thankful and enjoying the surreal ride.
After finishing the AIP movies, I then wrote Sleepaway Camp based on the classic of the same name, which I’m also producing with my friends over at Radar, who did Spring Breakers and Riddick among many other titles. We’ve already got a distribution deal and are just figuring out the director now. We’ve actually kept pretty quiet on this one, but I will say that it is absolutely not a remake. I’d go as far as to say it’s not even a slasher in the classic sense. But fans should make no mistake that the bloody reign of Angela Baker still matters. Nothing has been ret-conned. The Sleepaway Camp movies you saw as a kid counted – and soon their deadly consequences will come home to roost.
DC: Any future plans for Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash? What’s been fan reaction to the comic and short, and what would be your future dream project in regard to these superheroes of horror?
JK: I’ve been really amazed by the life that Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash has had. When I first started pitching the idea as a young executive at New Line, it took a lot of work just to educate the higher-ups as to who Ash was, why he’d appeal to our audience, etc. To their credit, Bob Shaye, Toby Emmerich, and the others ultimately really embraced it and let me write that treatment and did their best to get something done. New Line really wanted it to happen. Despite the deal with Sam, Rob, and Bruce not working out in the end, I think it speaks to the appeal of that particular triple threat match that it continues to resonate with people. I think the two comic series put a nice bow on the idea, but I would enjoy returning to those characters in comics after all these years. Somehow I have missed the short, so I will need to check that out for sure. It’s an honor to see this thing continue to live on, and I think, eventually, it would make some business sense to start combining the three on licensed merchandise, figures, etc. I could see an animated movie for home entertainment like the DC animated titles, where you have Robert and Bruce do voices, but that’s about it.
In terms of horror dream projects, I’m spending the next couple years in AIP world, but the Nightmare movies are closest to my heart for a variety of reasons. I would really like to do Freddy vs. Freddy. If the Jackie Earle Haley version of Freddy is the long-term direction, which I totally understand, I think you’d do some great business having him face off against the Englund version of the character. Given the world-bleeding established in Freddy’s Dead, FvJ, and New Nightmare, the creative setup is pretty simple and I think there is an obvious ending that would validate and elevate both versions of the character, while leaving the series ready to go forward on a regular basis with Jackie and a new status quo.
Infernal is in select theaters and on VOD April 10th. Follow the film on Twitter @Infernalmovie and on Facebook.
Synopsis:
Nathan (Andy Ostroff) and Sophia (Heather Adair) are a newlywed couple, both looking forward to a bright future. Not long after matrimony, Heather becomes pregnant and ushers the pair’s first child into the world, Imogene. It soon becomes apparent that Imogene (Alyssa Koerner) is exhibiting strange and dangerous behavior, leaving the new parents floundering in their attempt to find answers. When Imogene’s actions become destructive, it becomes clear that forces beyond the natural world are at work, and that something – or SOMEONE – is pulling the strings.
In this horrifying thrill ride the bonds of family are frayed, sides are taken, and the terrifying events culminate in a shocking finale, all seen through the eyes of a terrified father.
Categorized:News
