Strange Darling Filmmakers on Bringing the Twisted Tale to Life

As a cinephile with a penchant for the macabre, I am genuinely thrilled about the upcoming release of “Strange Darling.” The casting choices, particularly Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner, have me particularly excited. Having followed Gallner’s career since his days in “The Haunting in Connecticut,” it’s Fitzgerald who catches my eye with her performance in this film.

One of the more talked-about titles out of last year’s Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas was writer/director JT Mollner’s Strange Darling, which is finally being released in theaters. Despite nearly a year having passed since its initial screening, fans have been so committed to supporting the feature that they’ve kept a tight lid on all of the film’s twists and turns, and Strange Darling has even earned praise from Stephen King, who called it “really terrific” and a “clever masterpiece.” Strange Darling is finally set to land in theaters nationwide on Friday, August 23rd.

The movie initiates with disclosing that its narrative is inspired by genuine incidents involving a serial killer who was caught in Oregon. Mollner shares with ComicBook his reasoning behind choosing this particular location, as the Pacific Northwest has emerged as a popular setting for horror narratives.

Mollner explained that Oregon seemed like the ideal location since the script from the beginning called for a particular aesthetic, specifically forests and green settings. The influence of “Twin Peaks” was strong during his writing process as he had recently completed a new season. He contemplated movies set in deserts, such as neo-noirs from the ’90s like “Red Rock West” and “U-Turn”, but decided to create a forest movie instead. After considering California, Chris [Ivan Cevic], Mollner’s producing partner, suggested that Oregon was film-friendly, so they visited for a week to scout potential locations.

He continued, “So we went up to Oregon and looked and the ecosystem there is just incredible. As you go towards the coast and things get more jungly and overgrown and things look so exotic, you can get that look from the forest or you can go towards Mount Hood and get a more traditional large trunk, a little dryer, and just an alpine look. We were really looking for a specific type of forest and we ended up finding it there, and we found our farmhouse there. It ended up being just the perfect place creatively to shoot the film. And instead of trying to make it be Maine or some other place, we just leaned into it. I said, ‘This area in Oregon is so intriguing, let’s just make the movie take place here.'”

Strange Darling

Actor Giovanni Ribisi not only starred in the movie but also played key roles in its creation by producing it and operating as the cinematographer. Just like the film begins with an introduction explaining the story’s location, it underscores that it was filmed on 35mm, emphasizing its production quality.

Speaking about film stock, Ribisi noted its ability to offer a broad range and richness of color saturation. He emphasized this aspect as crucial in their production process because much content today is digitally shot, and while it may not be the same, that’s part of the artistic choice. The colors can’t be intensified as much with digital, and so it boils down to character development and the journey they undertake.

Discussing the overall feel of the story, its success greatly relies on the acting skills displayed by both Fitzgerald and Gallner. While Gallner may be recognized by horror enthusiasts from movies like “The Haunting in Connecticut”, “Smile”, and “Scream”, it’s Fitzgerald who pushes her acting to the edge with her intense and terrifying performance.

Mollner reminisced about casting Fitzgerald, stating, “I had previously seen her in ‘The Goldfinch,’ a movie I enjoyed, but her character from that film didn’t influence my decision to cast her here as the roles were entirely distinct. While we were considering various actors for our roles, I, as usual, reached out to Christy Hall, an agent at Paradigm whom I have a good rapport with and trust. She suggested several candidates, among them Willa Fitzgerald, who she believed would be ideal for this part.”

He went on to explain, “I had recalled her from ‘The Goldfinch,’ but wasn’t well-acquainted with much else. At that time, she was starring in the most popular show on Amazon. The rest of my family knew her well from ‘Reacher.’ Our producer, Roy Lee, was a big fan of hers from ‘Reacher.’ Steve Bellamy, our friend at Kodak, was deeply engrossed in ‘Reacher.’ I thought, ‘I’d better check this out.’ I began watching her performances, but hesitated to audition her because she had so much work available for me to review. However, I eventually thought that if she was willing, I might read her script as I wasn’t fully convinced yet. I could see her great talent, but wasn’t sure if she had all the necessary qualities. Then one day, my editor phoned me and said, ‘Have you ever come across Willa Fitzgerald?’ I replied, ‘It’s strange, we’re actually considering her for this role right now.’ He added, ‘I’m currently editing a film, and she’s captivating the screen.'”

As a devoted admirer, I can’t help but marvel at the stroke of luck that landed Fitzgerald in his role. Not just any luck, mind you, but the kind that aligns perfectly with convenience – the ideal timing and fitting locations seemed to have conspired together to bring him to where he belongs on screen.

“He lives four houses down from me, so I walked down to his place … I ran down to his place because he said I had to get over there fast. I went inside and I watched the footage and she was so good in it that I decided in that moment that she was right for the role,” the filmmaker pointed out. “But, of course, we had to meet, and when we met, she was so devoted to the character already, and she loved The Lady so much, and she related to The Lady and found things that she could feel empathy for and connect with, and I just knew she was it.”

Mollner went on to say, “Giovanni and Roy Lee were already part of our team, with Roy having a fondness for her. Later, Steven Schneider joined us, along with our producers, and together we presented our chosen actress to Bill Block at Miramax, asking for his approval. She was cast, and it turned out wonderfully. We found Kyle in a similar manner, but he had previously shown skills more fitting for this intense, aggressive role that he would later portray. After watching Dinner in America, I was convinced of its quality. With them on board, they became the backbone of our film. I believe that regardless of how exceptional the cinematography, script, or any other aspect may be, if these key roles don’t succeed, the movie will fail. So I am incredibly thankful that we were able to find them.”

Strange Darling lands in theaters on August 23rd.

1. “Are you excited about the upcoming movie? Feel free to reach out to Patrick Cavanaugh on either Twitter or Instagram for an engaging discussion on everything related to Star Wars and horror!”

2024-08-20 00:40

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