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Welcome to Commentary Commentary, the place we sit and hearken to filmmakers speak about their work, then share probably the most fascinating components. On this version, Rob Hunter revisits the latest characteristic from Radio Silence, with their commentary for this 12 months’s Abigail.
On the subject of the filmmaking collective often known as Radio Silence, my coronary heart belongs endlessly to 2019’s Prepared or Not. Humorous, 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) section to their two Scream sequels, is an effective 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 dwelling 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 at all times nice listens as they’re passionate filmmakers who get pleasure from sharing anecdotes, struggles, sensible particulars, and extra. Now hold 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 Power Theatre in Dublin, Eire. 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 at the very least, 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 primary preview led to notes coming down, presumably from the studios and/or producers, to chop ten minutes. “An important observe,” they add.
4. They know that audiences can be seeing the movie with the data that Abigail is a vampire, in order that they leaned into the concept that they may have enjoyable teasing out the reveal. “That final shot the place she does her cool little bow down, you get the sensation immediately, when credit are nonetheless going, that she’s the one orchestrating this.” This can be a aware or unconscious realization for viewers, but it surely’s hopefully there.
5. A lot of the movie is tinted as they had been filming loads of day for evening given the brief nights in Eire’s summer time.
6. The home the place Abigail is kidnapped has “loads of historical past” together with a gun battle and tried coup.
7. The pictures by Abigail’s bedside are the filmmakers’ (and their pets’) cameos.
8. Shawver mentions that one of many large 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. That 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 couple 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 majority of the movie was shot in Glenmaroon Home regardless of being written to happen in an deserted lodge. As soon as they discovered Glenmaroon, although, they and the manufacturing designer shifted it extra right into a mansion/looking lodge vibe. That’s their typical sample — they craft the story, are glad 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 “leap the shark” episode of Pleased Days (1974-1984).
14. A part of pre-production concerned having Angus Cloud drawing a collection of dicks which had been then despatched to the filmmakers so they may select the model that might find yourself on Kevin Durand‘s face. “How do you make the dick land?” grew to become the query, although, earlier than they selected the proper timing.
15. It was Dan Stevens‘ option to have his character put on these large glasses, and whereas it launched problems — reflections, continuity, and so on — they shortly realized that it was the suitable name for the character.
16. It was Weir’s thought 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 assorted vampire skills made acquainted in popular culture, from flying to shape-shifting and such, however they had been nervous about opening that door. “We wished to just remember to didn’t really feel like, ‘wait why isn’t she simply doing x, y, and z at each scene?,’ so we simply didn’t make it a part of this film.”
19. Frank’s actual title is Adam Barrett (Stevens), “a shout out to Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett, pals of ours,” and the filmmakers behind movies like You’re Subsequent (2011) and The Visitor (2014).
20. There’s an enormous backstory as to why Abigail loves to bounce, “but it surely felt like we had been telling you one thing simply to let you know one thing.” A clever commentary that extra filmmakers might be taught from.
21. Cinematographer Aaron Morton raised level relating to vampires when he requested “Isn’t moonlight simply mirrored daylight? Then why can they exit at evening?” They selected to disregard the query.
22. The scene the place Abigail mentally puppets Sammy with each younger ladies dancing is about to Danzig’s “Blood and Tears,” but it surely was choreographed towards an electrical guitar model of “Swan Lake.” They love the thought of Abigail being an enormous Danzig fan.
23. The large battle between Joey and Frank was shot post-strike, and Common fortunately afforded them extra sources for it on the energy of what had already been filmed. This allowed them to herald Wade Allen and the staff at 87North to assist redesign the battle choreography and subsequent stunts. Allen additionally had ideas on the vampire tooth. They had been created from a really sharp epoxy, sharp sufficient to chop pores and skin, and Allen instantly urged softer options for action-focused scenes.
24. When it got here time to trim the movie, Shawver would make numerous cuts after which play the sequences for the administrators with out telling them particularly what was eliminated. “If it really works, it really 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 Common Suspects (1995) if we by no means received to satisfy Keyser Soze. Neatly, they realized that not solely is it a enjoyable last reveal, but it surely’s additionally crucial for the movie’s themes of parental love and duty.
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 individuals credited on the modifying staff apart from 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 staff 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 good 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 section in 2015’s horror anthology Southbound.
Finest in Context-Free Commentary
“This film lives or dies by its forged.”
“Downhill from right here, y’all.”
“What’s your favourite dick?”
“It is a Scooby Doo shot.”
“Some individuals spray and pray.”
“Is he sounding an excessive amount of like a muppet?”
“When is The Visitor 2 popping out?!”
“There’s nonetheless too many individuals left alive at this level within the film.”
“We’re reaching peak absurdity.”
Remaining Ideas
As talked about above, the Radio Silence guys provide up terrific commentary tracks, and this one for Abigail isn’t 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 happy 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!
Learn extra Commentary Commentary from the archives.
Associated Matters: Commentary Commentary, Horror, Radio Silence
Beneficial Studying
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