Welcome to the darker side of AICN! Mark L. Miller aka Ambush Bug here with a special AICN HORROR: ZOMBIES & SHARKS column. This Friday at 5:00pm in Room 29AB at the San Diego Comic Con, I’ll be once again hosting “Reinventing Horror,” which has become a yearly panel at the con focusing on the next step in horror in film, comics, and other media. I have gathered another talented group of up-and-coming horror stars together this year including Radio Silence (filmmakers in anthologies V/H/S and SOUTHBOUND – who I interviewed yesterday here), Adam Egypt Mortimer (director/writer of SOME KIND OF HATE and HOLIDAYS and comic book writer of BALLISTIC), Matt Pizzolo (publisher for Black Mask Studios and writer of YOUNG TERRORISTS) and the subject of this interview, Mickey Keating.
Mickey Keating is the writing and directing force who has lit the horror world on fire lately first with RITUAL, then three films that have been released over the last year – P.O.D. (reviewed here), DARLING (reviewed here) and CARNAGE PARK (which I haven’t reviewed yet, but will). I had a chance to ask Mickey a few questions to help you get to know him before the panel and find out what he thinks of the world of horror. Here’s what Mickey had to say…
AMBUSH BUG (BUG): What does horror mean to you?MICKEY KEATING (MK): Everything. I love making horror movies, I love watching them. I love the sense of danger that they create within a totally safe environment.
BUG: Is there something you are deathly afraid of?
MK: C.H.U.D.s!
BUG: Is there a thematic connection between your films for you?
MK: Yes definitely, but I think it’s important to let the audience make those connections.
BUG: Many talk about the negative effects horror has on viewers. Are there positive effects?MK: I think to start a conversation about anything that could be perceived as troubling or challenging is important. Horror films can make us consider our own mortality and, in doing so, we realize that our day-to-day troubles aren’t entirely world shattering. That to me is therapeutic in a way. On a technical level, genre films have always been a vehicle for experimentation and raw emotional expression. There’s a reason why so many masters cut their teeth in horror early in their careers.
BUG: CARNAGE PARK seems to be a leap for you In terms of scope as both POD and DARLING are much smaller and more intimate tales of madness. What was that shift like and do you prefer bigger or smaller films?
MK: It really depends on the film. I think each one comes with its own set of terms and challenges, but I’ve been fortunate enough to build up a pretty good team around me, so the process still consistently feels the same for the most part. I want it to be that way even when we have ten million dollars to make something. I honestly prefer any sized film as long as it's first and foremost a story I'm aching to tell, with actors I want to work with, and something that I know will be an exciting challenge artistically.
BUG: What are you looking forward to the most at this year's Comic Con?MK: Everything! This is my first time!
BUG: How does the world outside your window influence your approach to horror?
MK: I think the world today is a lot scarier than the horror films I make.
BUG: Why is the horror genre important to you?
MK: Oh boy, where do I start?! It’s just the most truly exciting, energetic, and interesting genre to work in. The fans are the most passionate people on the planet. The fact that we’re still debating what The Shining is actually about is amazing to me. As human beings, we are always looking for ways to be thrilled. I feel very excited to be able to try to make that happen.
BUG: What's the next project you are working on?MK: We’re deep into editing my new film called PSYCHOPATHS, which is a psychedelic ensemble film starring Ashley Bell, Angela Trimbur, James Hèbert, Jeremy Gardner, and many, many more. It’s very different from anything else I’ve made and quite violent. Glass Eye Pix, who we worked with on my film Darling, is on board for this one as well.
I’ve got two films I’m hoping to get going once we’re done, and a script with my bro Joe Begos we’re both pretty pumped about. We’ll see what happens!
BUG: Thanks, Mickey! Look for more interviews this week from the panelists and if you’re at the con, be sure to stop by Room 29AB at 5:00pm on Friday for the Reiniventing Horror panel!
Ambush Bug is Mark L. Miller, original @$$Hole/wordslinger/writer of wrongs/reviewer/interviewer/editor of AICN COMICS for over 15 years & AICN HORROR for 5. Follow Mark on the Twitters @Mark_L_Miller and on his new website collecting posts for AICN HORROR as well as all of the most recent updates on his various comic book projects on MLMillerWrites.com.
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Look for our bi-weekly rambling about random horror films on Poptards and Ain’t It Cool on AICN HORROR’s CANNIBAL HORRORCAST Podcast every other Thursday!
