Eli Roth says one of the best things about his new movie “Aftershock” is that it creates a “real, new business model” that could help independent films hold their own against studio blockbusters.
Roth co-wrote, produced and stars in the horror film opening Friday about a group of people who are in a Chilean nightclub when a massive earthquake strikes, resulting in deadly chaos. It is inspired by real events that occurred after the South American country was hit by a magnitude 8.8 quake in 2010.
Roth has directed, produced and appeared in his share of big-budget films including “The Man with the Iron Fists,” “Inglourious Basterds” and his “Hostel” series, but in an interview Wednesday, he said he and co-writer/director Nicolas Lopez set out to make “Aftershock” in a different manner. Roth said they decided, “instead of doing a $40 million movie, let’s do this as a $2 million movie and see what we can do.”
They opted not to film in Hollywood but rather in Chile, where not many big movies are shot. “So they’re not thinking about how to do stuff. They’re figuring it out. They don’t know that you need 10 people to do this job, so two people do it,” Roth said.
“Aftershock” was filmed with inexpensive SLR cameras fitted with very good lenses. Roth said the result was footage that looks just like what you see in a “Spider-Man” movie and that audiences couldn’t tell the difference. “You just need to know how to light, you need to know how to shoot, but the future is here and you don’t need all the bells and whistles that Hollywood thinks they need,” he said.
Roth noted that even the biggest blockbusters are in theaters for only weeks before they’re released on video. “So instead of spending $40 million in advertising, hoping it makes 80 million,” ”Aftershock” is being released in theaters, iTunes and Video On Demand on the same day with minimal advertising, he said.
He predicted that if this “everywhere release” works with “Aftershock,” others will follow, allowing them to get their films out to a targeted audience without the backing or the budget of a big studio and still turning a profit.
Review: Drew Hancock Makes Feature Directorial Debut With “Companion”
"Iris, wake up!"
Early in "Companion," lovely Iris and her nerdy-nice boyfriend Josh are driving to a secluded lake house for a stay with friends. Iris wakes from a nap and lovingly tells Josh she was dreaming about him. They reminisce about how they first met at the supermarket. All those oranges tumbling onto the floor! Ha ha.
In 20 minutes, absolutely everything about this sweet scene will be turned on its head in a terrifying and sinister manner. You will be surprised and shocked. Unless you saw the trailer, which reveals the whole thing.
And so we begin with a dilemma, dear moviegoer. "Companion," an exceedingly clever and entertaining sci-fi-horror-thriller-comedy by Drew Hancock in his feature debut, has more twists and turns than a corkscrew. But it's utterly impossible to write about the film without revealing the first of those twists.
So if you like coming in totally cold to a movie, then we're sorry to see you go, but stop reading! Otherwise, stay with us โ we promise there'll be more surprises to come.
Moving on: Iris (Sophie Thatcher) and Josh (Jack Quaid) arrive at the estate. A nervous Iris stops at the door, worried that Josh's friends won't like her. He urges her to simply brighten up and act happy.
Kat (Megan Suri), Josh's ex, greets them. She is gorgeous, and frosty to Iris. Eli (Harvey Guillรฉn) and his handsome boyfriend Patrick (Lukas Gage) are nicer. Then there's Sergey (Rupert Friend), Kat's aloof Russian boyfriend โ sugar daddy, really โ and owner of the house. The password to his devices is Stalin's birthday, which tells you something.
Things get dark, quickly. The next morning, someone dies. They will not be the first โ this is a horror movie. And suddenly Iris, caked in blood,... Read More