Welcome to Commentary Commentary, the place we sit and hearken to filmmakers discuss their work, then share probably the most attention-grabbing components. In this version, Rob Hunter revisits the most recent characteristic from Radio Silence, with their commentary for this 12 months’s Abigail.
When it involves the filmmaking collective often known as Radio Silence, my coronary heart belongs perpetually to 2019’s Ready or Not. Funny, sensible, thrilling, and pitch-perfect to the very finish, that movie is the group’s masterpiece. That stated, every little thing they do, from their V/H/S (2012) phase to their two Scream sequels, is an efficient time for followers of style enjoyable. Their newest characteristic is as soon as extra within the horror/comedy vein, and it’s as soon as extra a extremely entertaining journey for followers of blood-soaked laughter.
Abigail is new to house video, and as they typically do, the Radio Silence guys have packed the Blu-ray with loads of extras together with a administrators’ commentary monitor. Their tracks are always great listens as they’re passionate filmmakers who take pleasure in sharing anecdotes, struggles, sensible particulars, and extra. Now maintain studying to see what I heard on the commentary for…
Abigail (2024)
Commentators: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin (co-director), Tyler Gillett (co-director), Michael P. Shawver (editor)
1. The opening ballet efficiency was filmed on the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin, Ireland. Alisha Weir, who performs the vampiric little lady of the title, lives in Dublin, and the theme continued as Bram Stoker — Mr. Vampire himself — grew up within the Irish metropolis.
2. The opening was written as a collection of crosscuts between Abigail’s dancing and the introduction of the crew, however for some time no less than, they saved the dance in its full. It was largely to acknowledge the work that went into the efficiency, however they quickly realized the movie was higher served with the crosscuts.
3. The first preview led to notes coming down, presumably from the studios and/or producers, to chop ten minutes. “A great note,” they add.
4. They know that audiences could be seeing the movie with the information that Abigail is a vampire, so that they leaned into the concept that they might have enjoyable teasing out the reveal. “That last shot where she does her cool little bow down, you get the feeling right away, when credits are still going, that she’s the one orchestrating this.” This could also be a acutely aware or unconscious realization for viewers, nevertheless it’s hopefully there.
5. Much of the movie is tinted as they have been filming a variety of day for evening given the brief nights in Ireland’s summer time.
6. The home the place Abigail is kidnapped has “a lot of history” together with a gun struggle and tried coup.
7. The images by Abigail’s bedside are the filmmakers’ (and their pets’) cameos.
8. Shawver mentions that one of many massive issues as an editor is to point out the filmmakers that he understands the movie they’re making. In essence, he’s modifying for the director(s), earlier than anybody else.
9. The actors’ strike shut the movie down, and it allowed them time to edit the primary two acts earlier than returning to movie the final third of the film.
10. The very first thing they shot was the scene the place Joey (Melissa Barrera) takes cash from every of them to inform them one thing about themselves. This is Radio Silence’s third movie with Barrera, after Scream (2022) and Scream VI (2023), however they’d solely simply met the opposite actors a number of weeks earlier. So this scene the place characters get to know one another, was additionally the administrators attending to know and see the actors at work.
11. The bulk of the movie was shot in Glenmaroon House regardless of being written to happen in an deserted resort. Once they discovered Glenmaroon, although, they and the manufacturing designer shifted it extra right into a mansion/looking lodge vibe. That’s their ordinary sample — they craft the story, are happy with the story and the characters, after which they work out places which, in flip, typically result in changes with the story. Two areas of the home are literally units, the library and the kitchen/basement.
12. The position of Abigail was the hardest, and most nerve-wracking, one to forged, however after auditioning Weir over Zoom they knew they’d their vampire lady.
13. Sammy (Kathryn Newton) watches an episode of Woody Woodpecker on TV, however they beforehand tried it with The Sting (1973) and the “jump the shark” episode of Happy Days (1974-1984).
14. Part of pre-production concerned having Angus Cloud drawing a collection of dicks which have been then despatched to the filmmakers so they might select the model that might find yourself on Kevin Durand‘s face. “How do you make the dick land?” became the question, though, before they decided on the perfect timing.
15. It was Dan Stevens‘ choice to have his character wear those big glasses, and while it introduced complications — reflections, continuity, etc — they quickly realized that it was the right call for the character.
16. It was Weir’s concept to wipe her bloody hand throughout her face at 55:42.
17. There are roughly 212 utterances of “fuck” within the movie, “give or take.”
18. They mentioned early on the varied vampire talents made acquainted in popular culture, from flying to shape-shifting and such, however they have been nervous about opening that door. “We wanted to make sure that you didn’t feel like, ‘wait why isn’t she just doing x, y, and z at every scene?,’ so we just didn’t make it part of this movie.”
19. Frank’s actual title is Adam Barrett (Stevens), “a shout out to Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett, friends of ours,” and the filmmakers behind movies like You’re Next (2011) and The Guest (2014).
20. There’s an enormous backstory as to why Abigail loves to bop, “but it felt like we were telling you something just to tell you something.” A clever remark that extra filmmakers may be taught from.
21. Cinematographer Aaron Morton raised a great level relating to vampires when he requested “Isn’t moonlight just reflected sunlight? Then why can they go out at night?” They selected to disregard the query.
22. The scene the place Abigail mentally puppets Sammy with each younger ladies dancing is ready to Danzig’s “Blood and Tears,” nevertheless it was choreographed towards an electrical guitar model of “Swan Lake.” They love the concept of Abigail being an enormous Danzig fan.
23. The massive struggle between Joey and Frank was shot post-strike, and Universal fortunately afforded them extra sources for it on the energy of what had already been filmed. This allowed them to usher in Wade Allen and the workforce at 87North to assist redesign the struggle choreography and subsequent stunts. Allen additionally had ideas on the vampire tooth. They have been made out of a really sharp epoxy, sharp sufficient to chop pores and skin, and Allen instantly advised softer alternate options for action-focused scenes.
24. When it got here time to trim the movie, Shawver would make varied cuts after which play the sequences for the administrators with out telling them particularly what was eliminated. “If it works, it works,” they add, suggesting that in the event that they don’t miss it then it isn’t essential.
25. They debated the choice of not bringing Lazaar (Matthew Goode), Abigail’s father, into the movie on the finish, however their comparability was one thing like The Usual Suspects (1995) if we by no means bought to fulfill Keyser Soze. Smartly, they realized that not solely is it a enjoyable ultimate reveal, nevertheless it’s additionally needed for the movie’s themes of parental love and accountability.
26. The movie is devoted to Cloud as he handed away in July, 2023, earlier than the movie had accomplished filming. He had signed an autograph — the cloud drawing seen above the dedication — for a crew member throughout his time on set, and Barrera had it printed on tee-shirts for the forged and crew when filming wrapped.
27. There are seven folks credited on the modifying workforce other than Shawver, and he offers 4 of them shout outs on the finish. Curiously, however I’m certain unintentionally, he shouts out the 4 males on the workforce by title however neglects the three ladies. So I’m gonna shout them out right here — nice job, Diana Yip, Michelle Inzunza, and Elaina Koutras!
28. They recorded this commentary on April 2nd, 2024, simply fifteen days earlier than the film opened in theaters.
29. The nice Larry Fessenden cameos because the radio deejay across the 17:00 minute mark, and it’s the identical “character” that he gave voice to in Radio Silence’s phase in 2015’s horror anthology Southbound.
Best in Context-Free Commentary
“This movie lives or dies by its cast.”
“Downhill from here, y’all.”
“What is your favorite dick?”
“This is a Scooby Doo shot.”
“Some people spray and pray.”
“Is he sounding too much like a muppet?”
“When is The Guest 2 coming out?!”
“There’s still too many people left alive at this point in the movie.”
“We’re reaching peak absurdity.”
Final Thoughts
As talked about above, the Radio Silence guys supply up terrific commentary tracks, and this one for Abigail is not any totally different. They’re humorous and share compliments like sweet with their love and appreciation for everybody who labored on the movie, and they’re equally completely satisfied sharing particulars on the manufacturing highs and lows. It’s clear they love style movies, each watching them and making them, and it’s nice to listen to the positivity. Good film, nice commentary!
Read extra Commentary Commentary from the archives.
Related Topics: Commentary Commentary, Horror, Radio Silence
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