The director embraces that reaction.
But I like rooting interest, even in a horror film.
Its got to be scary but wehaveto care about the characters.
‘Witchboard'42West
Here, Russell talks Deadline through his storied career…
DEADLINE: Youve been away from horror for a while.
What brought you back to it?
A Nightmare on Elm Street3: Dream WarriorsNew Line Cinema/Everett Collection
When you have one character being killed after another, it becomes too formulaic.
And also, Id been looking to do something with pendulum boards.
Thats one of the things I learned about from my own research into magic.
Ive never seen pendulum boards in films, and theyre such a visual, fun rig.
Theyre legitimately the precursor to Ouija boards.
You were burned at the stake if you had a pendulum board in the 1700s the Pope outlawed them.
So, it was a combination of things.
People have made references toThe Bear.
Wed already polished [the script] before that came out, but Im glad for the comparison.
DEADLINE: So, you were basically building on the IP from that original movie?
I wanted to get back into practical effects, and this script offered all those opportunities.
I said, Lets take a deep dive into a supernatural world Ive not seen before.
I got to use everything in the paint box.
DEADLINE: What story did you want to tell, and how did you approach the characters?
In this case, the group of friends has a challenge, they have a goal.
Theyre opening a cafe together in New Orleans, which is a very competitive market.
I wanted to tell a story where there was a very strong basis to their relationships.
So, there was that, and there was also a love story.
So, these are flawed characters.
Its a group of young underdogs.
But inside all of us theres an everyman who can face the greatest darkness.
As filmmakers, we play a game with the audience, to keep them right on the cusp.
Not to have them guessing whats next but challenging them to wonder what they might do in that situation.
So, with our witch character Naga that Antonia Desplat does an incredible job with theres a history.
What drove her [from white magic] to the dark side?
Its true that the church used to persecute herbalists and say, This is witchcraft.
We dont condone it.
And to this day theres some question about herbal remedies and such things.
And for her, its revenge that crosses her into darkness.
DEADLINE: There arent really all that many witch movies they dont exactly trip off the tongue.
RUSSELL:This was kind of a gut thing.
I wanted to challenge myself to be equally scary but have well-rounded characters.
I thought [Robert Eggers] movieThe Witchdid a very good job of that sort of thing.
But I try not to reference other films, to be honest.
I let the script take me along the path.
And I just wanted to verify I never let it get boring or too formulaic.
DEADLINE: How did you approach the gore after youd been out the game for a little while?
Gore is something that comes in and out of style.
Sometimes its back with a bang and sometimes less is more.
How did you figure out how gory this film should and would be?
RUSSELL:I did practical effects as much as I could.
I find practical effects much more frightening.
The gore was determined by doing physical effects.
I did call out, More blood!
But I have my personal limits.
I think when people cut back to show the blood running, thats a big mistake.
The trick is to get the audience into the characters heads.
Thats the most frightening thing.
Its just like comedy.
Horror and comedy are very similar to me.
After a bit of suspense, you do something surprising.
In comedy, you get your laugh.
The shots themselves can also become a chess game with the audience.
Is that window off-center?
RUSSELL:Those were great days.
DEADLINE: What can you tell me about that?
RUSSELL:Ilovedworking at New Line.
In particular, De Luca was a great ally.
Those were exciting days, and I still attempt to emulate that business model.
And that was expensive, for an independent-style film.
ForNightmare on Elm Street 3, they also trusted me.
I said, If were going to do a third one, weve got to take it further.
Lets make Freddy scary still, but lets take his surreal powers a little bit further.
That was a classic situation where a great new film company was invested in the filmmaker as well.
Wemadestars more than wegotstars in those days: Patricia Arquettes first acting gig wasElm Street 3.
That was the thrill of it.
Ive gotten to do something similar onWitchboard.
So, Jamie, I suppose, is our biggest name.
Thats a lot of fun for a director.
But it was fun to direct Dwayne Johnson inThe Scorpion King, his first leading role.
I kept seeing a billboard of him inThe Mummy Returnswhile we were shooting.
I said, I thought you only did two days on that show?
He goes, I did.
I mean, hed already become a wrestling star.
That was the fun ofWitchboard: not having the restrictions of a star-driven cast.
I love working with stars, but its so much fun to find new talent as well.
DEADLINE: Isnt that what you did withNightmare on Elm Street 3?
RUSSELL:New Line was thinking they were not going to make a third one.
They werent really happy with it.
Again, I was going for the group vibe, the dream warriors.
I mean, if youre gathered together with your friends, thats actually the way to fight Freddy.
I have a level of dark humor that Im very comfortable with.
Can I still create suspense, and still make the audience fear for the characters lives?
Thats the game not to get too silly.
DEADLINE: Probably the biggest challenge withThe Blob, I wouldve thought!
RUSSELL:ForThe Blob, I knew everyone would say, Whos going to play Steve McQueen?
And so I took that character and killed him in the first act.
Look, I give credit to Hitchcock inPsychofor killing Janet Leigh so early on.
But once the audience realizeseverybodyis potentially a victim, you’ve got the option to get their attention.
The problem withThe Blobis that even just saying The Blob makes you smile.
Its a funny word.
But look, I onlyreimaginethings.
Thats fun for me.
I dont know if I answered your original question like, whyWitchboard?
but I was really hungering for horror again.
I believeWitchboardcan become as classic asThe Blobhas.
DEADLINE: So why did you move away from horror?
RUSSELL:I got depressed.
Id go all over the world, and I could see how they were being promoted in each territory.
It gave me a sense of what I was putting out there.
Horror is literally Shakespearean: Shakespeare used horror.
I really felt that responsibility.
I had to get out of horror.
You knowThe Maskwas supposed to be a horror film?
I mean, that also answers your question about New Line.
Remember, Bob Shaye didLord of the Ringswhen no one else would do it.
Everyone had turned it down, and he believed in the filmmaker.
So, it was a company that was large enough to give you a budget.
DEADLINE: You then segued into action drama, working with some really big stars.
RUSSELL:Well, I like to think that its both.
So, it was all about the balance.
How much can we use our principles in action, and where do you draw the line with safety?
You become a little bit of a David Copperfield: How can I make this stunt look very impactful?
I honestly have always asked, Would I dare do it myself?
So, I give a shot to design action that way.
And look, Im an action film fan.
For me, comedy was the remedy to dwelling on horror for too long.
In the editing room, youre going over and over the same footage for hours and hours.
Screams going back and forth.
Comedy was the remedy for that.
I never got anybody hurt and we did some wild stuff so Im very proud of that.
The scene with Arnold Schwarzenegger jumping out of the airplane inEraserstill blows me away.
The art of storyboards really can be seen in that sequence.
But these guys and girls are actually quite courageous.
People assume theyre pampered Hollywood stars, and thats true to some extent.
But the ones you see now, they really are disciplined.
If you look at Sean Connery inDr.
The discipline it takes, just to be in shape, is incredible.
Ive seen Chris do Muay Thai forreal.
But the truth is, his knees probably hurt.
Hes done a lot.
And I understand that.
I go, If you dont like the explosion, this is where you just sit right down.
If you get anything in your eyes, stop right there.
Im never scared to cut in the middle of an action sequence.
So, I think I have to have their back.
But people like Dwayne Johnson… InThe Scorpion King,those swords werereallyon fire.
I enhanced them with CGI, but they looked good because there were real fire elements on those blades.
Dwayne is a big guy, but he can move like Nureyev.
It blows my mind.
This guy is that large and can make those moves like no one else.
Hes a real champ.
DEADLINE: You must have seen a lot of excess in your time.
Do you ever remember a moment on being on set and wondering how much money was being spent?
Theres always this weird inner voice.
Like the throne room set onThe Scorpion King, or the alligator set onEraser.
You walk onto a set that size and you think, Am I going to really need all that?
Now we add the CGI, thats another skillset.
But theres nothing like walking in on a great set.
And the scenes play so much better when they actors are in the environment.
Putting a principal actor in that rig for the first time…
I mean those were thrilling times, absolute thrills.
I wouldnt do any of it if I didnt feel it was safe.
Directing the larger studio films is a little bit like being the ringmaster of a big circus.
Youve got to know where all the parts are.
And check that the lions dont fight the bears.
DEADLINE: How did you first get into film?
RUSSELL:I swept stages on Seward Street while I was writing.
Joe Ruben directed it.
We had Christopher Plummer, Max von Sydow and Dennis Quaid.
We actually fought for Dennis Quaid, who was a new young star at the time.
Anyway, I got my breaks, but my big break wasElm Street 3.
DEADLINE: Youve worked with some people that might be considered difficult.
What are the lessons you learned?
How do you work with an actor or an actress who might be difficult?
What have you learned over the years?
RUSSELL:How can I say this?
I call it a Tea-time reading.
We have social fun to some extent, but we read through it.
We work in where improvs might be.
Im always polishing dialogue based on those table reads.
On set?Neveryell at people on set.
I learned this from assistant-directing and watching other directors.
As I said, theres often a reason thats not apparent when talent is unhappy.
Now, I dont need to know about their personal life.
You want to lead them through the woods with confidence.
But if Ireallyhave a problem, I will confront it, and it will be in private.
Im not going to name names.
Ive worked with one star in particular who was unhireable at the time.
I sat down with him, and I said, I know that you dont suffer fools.
This is a pretty macho guy.
We connected just from that point forward.
What do you need?
And I feel the same way about the crew.
This is quite a long answer, sorry!
RUSSELL:I dont avoid conflict, but I never feed conflict, right?
Winning an argument with an actor is never a good idea.
Ask yourself, What are they bringing?
If youre a writer directing, you shouldnt be seduced by whats in your head.
Youve got to see the fun of film.
Its a chemistry set.
These are charismatic human beings, and not always for good reasons, but its like a chemistry set.
DEADLINE: What are you working on at the moment?
Going to these film festivals is like planning a wedding.
Looking ahead, Im not sure what will be next.
But I had so much fun withWitchboard,Im not going to avoid horror again.
It wore on me.
And as I said, comedy was a remedy.
The fun with me is I that have a short attention span.
I like different genres, and Im not scared to jump into them.
Whether its comedy, horror or action.
Which seem to be the things Im most offered.
RUSSELL:Oh, believe me, theres little Easter eggs.
Ive already started writing a sequel.
I never like talking about that, because the fans have to decide.
I respect the audience too much I want them towanta sequel.
But in this case, I couldnt resist.
There are little setups in this story that lead to a larger world.
There is a world ofWitchboardin my imagination.
