Having first cut his teeth on short films, director John Michael Elfers made his feature debut with last year’s Finale, a low budget thriller in which a woman searches for the truth behind her teenage son’s apparent suicide. Taking inspiration from the likes of Dario Argento, Elfers attempted to capture the mood of seventies horrors, whilst also utilising old school special effects.
John Michael Elfers talks about his inspirations and experiences making Finale…
Finale has been compared by various critics to the Italian giallo and supernatural movies of the 1970s. Was this your intention and how influenced are you by the likes of Mario Bava and Dario Argento?
“More than anything, after I discovered Argento, and Bava and Fulci, I started pouring through old movies, searching for an undiscovered gem, some movie with carnality and blood and demons and writhing cults… and I eventually realised I would never find it. I had to make it. So, out of love for the genre, I set out to make my own giallo. Not an homage, my own take on it. My biggest influence was the freedom of camera movement, expressive lighting, shocking gore, fabulously crafted dreamlike sequences and suspense.”
How would you compare your film to the horror movies that have been released over the last few years and what are your thoughts on genre at this time?
“Finale is completely different than contemporary horror. It is unselfconscious and hand-crafted. We had an eight-person crew and punk-rocked our way through the shoot; with cast and crew pitching in to break shit, toss black paint around strap rafters with barbed wire. Unlike most independent films these days, we actually shot on film. And we put in the time crafting it – four years from script to DVD release. Many indie horror films these days are shot in ten days, edited in a month and thrown up on the shelves. This film was precious to me, as all my films will be. I’m also quite tired of contemporary horror films winking at the audience and making references to other films. It pulls me out of the world… and I want to get lost in movies I love!”
Having previously worked on several short films, how did these prepare you for your feature debut and what kind of obstacles did you face throughout production?
“Ha! Oh wow, where to begin with the obstacles? I guess the easiest way to put it is every single step is the hardest part and most crucial to the film’s success. For instance, I thought once we got the money it would be smooth sailing, then it was “after we cast the lead actresses,” and then, “find the right locations.” This continued on through, “find the right composer,” to the right distributor. It was like climbing a mountain and thinking each crest was the peak, only to discover more beyond.
To get a taste of all the challenges we had, check out our misadventures on the behind the scenes. We shot a month and a half straight through, with one day off for rain and one day off because everyone was so exhausted they were ready to quit. It took a tremendous amount of perseverance to finish the film and keep everyone onboard.”
How graphic is the violence in Finale and was there any footage that was cut due to being too graphic?
“We achieved the most graphic violence we could with practical FX – shoving the dad’s head through a mirror is my personal favourite. We didn’t have to cut any of the gore, but unfortunately we did have to cut down some nudity to appease certain actors. There is nudity in the film but it is subtle – flashes of flesh rather than heavy-handed clunkers.”
What kind of release did Finale receive and what do you have planned for the future?
“Finale has been released on DVD in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK and HBO Central Europe! You can find it on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, Netflix and in select stores. You can also purchase it from us direct at www.FinaletheMovie.com. I am in pre-production on my next film, Kiss Before the Slaughter – hoping to secure financing and shoot next year! Thank you for taking the time to interview me. On behalf of everyone here at Fire Trial films… Ignite!”
