Boston Hatchet Screening Report!
Last night, those of us in Boston got a taste of what goes on seemingly every other day in Hollywood, though because it was a bunch of East Coasters, the egos were pretty much nil.
Newbury Comics, a New England-based CD, DVD, comic, collectible… pretty much anything cool store, hosted a special advance screening of Adam Green’s Hatchet for friends, family, and a few hundred strangers at the Boston Common Theater. Why would Newbury care? Well, since Adam’s from the Boston are he’s been shopping there since he was a wee lad, star Joel David Moore is sporting a Newbury Comics “smiley guy” T-shirt for the entire running time of Hatchet. Needless to say they were psyched when they found out.
This was the first time I’d seen Hatchet on the big screen, with a screaming crowd of supporters behind it, and let me tell you it’s really a completely different film this way. This is the kind of movie that needs to be seen with a crowd to get all the cheering, laughter, applause and jump scares that amp up the enjoyment of Hatchet more than a few degrees. In other words, get your asses out to theaters on Friday, September 7th to see Hatchet the way it was meant to be seen!
I’m also very happy to report that, though Green said a few times that almost a full minute of gore had been trimmed out, this did not feel like a censored movie in the slightest. In fact I was pretty impressed it had as much as it did for an R rating, even though most of it was over-the-top gore; something that should never be censored if its done with a fun attitude, as it most definitely is in Hatchet. When you go see it on Friday don’t worry, you’re not going to get some watered-down horror movie that cuts away before the good stuff; indeed aside from a a few seconds from each death, it’s all there in its John Carl Buechler-created goodness!
Following the screening Green did a Q&A, working the crowd by not working at all, just being the laid back East Coast guy that he his. Of course he told the Dee Snider story (read it here if you’re not familiar with it) before the movie, but still had plenty left over for afterwards. Luckily for us director of photography Will Barratt and stars Deon Richmond, Tamara Feldman and Parry Shen were on hand, as well, so we got to hear different sides of what it was like to make Hatchet. The gist of the evening was two-fold; with the right passion behind you, any project can be everything you want and more, and if you believe in yourself and never quit, you can do anything.
Really a pretty kick ass message to take way from a horror film screening, don’t you think?
All the cast and crew really loved their individual parts in making Hatchet so memorable, though some more than others. Richmond, for example, has been traveling everywhere the film is shown with the badass coat you see him in in the picture here. The film’s title is written in shinny letters on the back, but we didn’t get a good snap of it, sorry. But man, what I wouldn’t give for a kick ass coat like that one, seriously.
Green also re-confirmed that yes, Hatchet II is looking more and more to be a reality. The script is being built up and now it’s just a matter of assembling cast and crew, getting the money in order, and figuring out when the hell Green will have time to shoot it in the coming months. He also confirmed that when the sequel does happen, he really wants it to start on the exact shot that Hatchet ends on which, when you see it, will make you smile from ear to ear. Trust me.
The guys from Scars Magazine got the entire 20+ minutes of the Q&A on video, which hopefully we can show you soon!
Following the screening, Newbury went all out by hosting an after party at the nearby Gypsy Bar, which was about a swank as you could ask for. No little hole in the wall, this place was massive, more than enough room for all everyone who went to see the movie and more, and everyone there was wicked cool, to use the parlance of our geographical area. Drink tickets were handed out, hors d’ouvres were in no short supply and all the cast and crew were just making themselves available for their newly found fans.
The food was so good and there was so much of it … it was all you ask for from a Hollywood premiere but sans the attitude. Myself and my buddy Tony (also the bass player in Viper Rash) spent most of our time hanging out with the badasses from Scars Magazine, who had handed out free copies of their latest issue (the one with Hatchet on the cover of course) to moviegoers as they made their way into the theater. I gave away 500 Dread Central buttons in one fell swoop, as well!
We got the chance to chat with everyone, even meet Adam Green’s mom formally, and all in all it was just a great time. And while it’d be nice if we could do this sort of thing in Boston all the time, it wouldn’t be as cool after a while so I guess I’ll just be happy we got it this one time. Thank you, Adam, for being lazy and just writing that the main character was wearing the same shirt you were when you penned the Hatchet screenplay, otherwise this may have never happened!
Anchor Bay will be unleashing Hatchet in a very limited theatrical run across the U.S. starting on Friday, September 7th; be sure you get your ass out there and support it if you’re sick of remakes, reimaginings, sequels … even though Hatchetis not anything “new” per se, it’s a better approach to what’s been done before; a gory good time with a real monster and its heart in the right place. Bring your friends and get out there this Friday to see it! Support old school American horror, damnit!
Make plans to see Hatchet with the denizens of the Dread Central forums!
Want free stuff? Bring us new blood!
Categorized:
