Welcome to Commentary Commentary, the place we sit and hearken to filmmakers speak about their work, then share probably the most fascinating elements. On this version, Rob Hunter revisits the most recent function from Radio Silence, with their commentary for this 12 months’s Abigail.
Relating to the filmmaking collective generally known as Radio Silence, my coronary heart belongs perpetually 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, the whole lot 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 function 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 usually do, the Radio Silence guys have packed the Blu-ray with loads of extras together with a administrators’ commentary observe. Their tracks are at all times nice listens as they’re passionate filmmakers who take pleasure in 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 Vitality Theatre in Dublin, Eire. Alisha Weir, who performs the vampiric little woman 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 sequence of crosscuts between Abigail’s dancing and the introduction of the crew, however for some time at the least, they stored 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 notice,” they add.
4. They know that audiences can be seeing the movie with the information that Abigail is a vampire, so that they leaned into the concept they may have enjoyable teasing out the reveal. “That final shot the place she does her cool little bow down, you get the sensation straight away, when credit are nonetheless going, that she’s the one orchestrating this.” This can be a acutely aware or unconscious realization for viewers, nevertheless it’s hopefully there.
5. A lot of the movie is tinted as they have been filming quite a lot of day for night time given the quick nights in Eire’s summer season.
6. The home the place Abigail is kidnapped has “quite a lot of historical past” together with a gun battle and tried coup.
7. The images by Abigail’s bedside are the filmmakers’ (and their pets’) cameos.
8. Shawver mentions that one of many huge issues as an editor is to indicate the filmmakers that he understands the movie they’re making. In essence, he’s enhancing 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 that they had 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 normal sample — they craft the story, are happy with the story and the characters, after which they work out places which, in flip, usually result in changes with the story. Two areas of the home are literally units, the library and the kitchen/basement.
12. The function of Abigail was the hardest, and most nerve-wracking, one to solid, however after auditioning Weir over Zoom they knew that they had their vampire woman.
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 Glad Days (1974-1984).
14. A part of pre-production concerned having Angus Cloud drawing a sequence of dicks which have been then despatched to the filmmakers so they may select the model that may find yourself on Kevin Durand‘s face. “How do you make the dick land?” turned the query, although, earlier than they selected the proper timing.
15. It was Dan Stevens‘ option to have his character put on these huge glasses, and whereas it launched problems — reflections, continuity, and so forth — they rapidly 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 varied vampire talents made acquainted in popular culture, from flying to shape-shifting and such, however they have been apprehensive about opening that door. “We needed 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, buddies of ours,” and the filmmakers behind movies like You’re Subsequent (2011) and The Visitor (2014).
20. There’s a giant backstory as to why Abigail loves to bounce, “nevertheless it felt like we have been telling you one thing simply to inform you one thing.” A clever commentary that extra filmmakers might study from.
21. Cinematographer Aaron Morton raised a very good level concerning vampires when he requested “Isn’t moonlight simply mirrored daylight? Then why can they exit at night time?” They selected to disregard the query.
22. The scene the place Abigail mentally puppets Sammy with each younger ladies dancing is ready to Danzig’s “Blood and Tears,” nevertheless it was choreographed in opposition to an electrical guitar model of “Swan Lake.” They love the concept of Abigail being a giant Danzig fan.
23. The large battle between Joey and Frank was shot post-strike, and Common fortunately afforded them extra assets for it on the power of what had already been filmed. This allowed them to usher in Wade Allen and the workforce at 87North to assist redesign the battle choreography and subsequent stunts. Allen additionally had ideas on the vampire enamel. They have been constituted of a really sharp epoxy, sharp sufficient to chop pores and skin, and Allen instantly advised softer alternate options for action-focused scenes.
24. When it got here time to trim the movie, Shawver would make varied 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 necessary.
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 Traditional Suspects (1995) if we by no means acquired to fulfill Keyser Soze. Well, they realized that not solely is it a enjoyable last reveal, nevertheless it’s additionally crucial for the movie’s themes of parental love and accountability.
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 solid and crew when filming wrapped.
27. There are seven folks credited on the enhancing workforce except for Shawver, and he provides 4 of them shout outs on the finish. Curiously, however I’m certain unintentionally, he shouts out the 4 males on the workforce 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 nice 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 solid.”
“Downhill from right here, y’all.”
“What’s your favourite dick?”
“This can be a Scooby Doo shot.”
“Some folks 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.”
Last Ideas
As talked about above, the Radio Silence guys supply up terrific commentary tracks, and this one for Abigail isn’t any completely 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 pleased 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
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