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Larry Fessenden is a name very familiar to horror fans. In his 30 year career Fessenden has been director, actor, producer and writer. His credits include HABIT, WENDIGO, SESSION 9 and BRINGING OUT THE DEAD.
Fessenden's latest film, THE LAST WINTER, is out now on DVD. The film, which stars Ron Perlman (HELLBOY and HELLBOY 2) and James Le Gros (ZODIAC), is a chilling tale that asks the question, "What if mankind only had one season left on Earth?".
Larry kindly took time out of his schedule to talk to House of Horrors.com about THE LAST WINTER, global warming and putting Ron Perlman down an ice hole.
The Fan Girl Next Door: THE LAST WINTER is out now on DVD. Could you tell us a little about it?
Larry Fessenden: The Last Winter is a movie I shot in 2005 in Iceland starring Ron Perlman, James Le Gros and Connie Britton. It is the story of an advance team of oil workers who are preparing to drill in Northern Alaska in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge there. As the story unfolds the radical climate and rising temperatures are causing the winter tundra to melt and unleash a force that is slowly driving the crew mad. Events go from bad to worse and people start dying off.
The Fan Girl Next Door: THE LAST WINTER tackles the subject of global warming and the environment turning against the characters in a horrifying way. Would you call it a "Horror Documentary" of sorts?
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| Still from THE LAST WINTER |
Larry Fessenden: Well, it's in the tradition of science fiction stories which take known facts and build from there. THE LAST WINTER is well researched: the KIK well in the story does indeed exist, and the ice roads that we speak about exist- now they even have their own TV show! The season in which ice roads can be used has shrunk as winters get shorter. The tundra is melting in a lot of Northern locations, and sour gas is a very real hazard on oil rigs, and of course climate change itself is a radical and unpredictable force. So like any sci-fi writer, we took these facts and combined them into a fictional story. I would say what is frightening about THE LAST WINTER is that it could all come true, there could be a sudden collapse. My distributors put a review on the box cover saying "The scariest movie of the year". That's going to piss a lot of people off who don't find the film scary at all, but I think the reviewer was saying that to contemplate the end of the world as we know it IS scary.
The Fan Girl Next Door: You wrote a book called LOW IMPACT FILM MAKING in 1990, which brought to light ways in which movie making could be done with environmental issues in mind. Does it pain you somewhat that almost 20 years later we are still in the process of dealing with the effects of global warming?
Larry Fessenden: I appreciate the question. In my book, among other things I warn against Global Warming. I wrote it in 1990. This doesn't mean It's smart or prescient, it just means I was reading about this stuff and convinced by the evidence at the time. And yes, it is incredibly frustrating to see one's worst fears come true while the dog and pony show in the mainstream media continues to confuse the public and no action is taken. Our car companies have gone bankrupt, Hurricanes have wiped out our cities and towns, floods, drought, the arctic shelf is breaking up in wintertime- but it takes a $4.00 gallon gas for people to even consider a life-style change.
The Fan Girl Next Door: You have a great cast, what was it like to work with Ron Perlman? As a fan I need to ask, Is he as interesting to work with as I think he would be?
Larry Fessenden: Ron was awesome from the start. He's a serious actor but a lot of fun too on set. We had that lucky blend of having a lot of laughs while doing concentrated serious work. I think it meant a lot for Ron to be invited to play a character with some complexity and no makeup. We have gone on to be real pals. He did a second movie that I produced called I SELL THE DEAD right after he'd shot HELLBOY 2. And I got to hang out with him last week when he was #1 at the Box office. But you know he's got a great passion for acting and for the process, it was a real collaboration working with him.
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| (left to right) James Le Gros, Fessenden and Ron Perlman on the set |
The Fan Girl Next Door: What was it like to film in Iceland?
Larry Fessenden: I loved filming in Iceland in the harsh climate and remote area up North. We hired an all-Icelandic crew, headed by a young D.P. G. Magni Agustsson. Everyone knew each other and in fact it was the producer and myself who were the outsiders. But I liked it that way. We won them over with our dedication, and commitment. They were a robust bunch, they knew the weather and the terrain. We would take the 35mm cameras out on ski mobiles into the vast white landscape and set up a shot. These guys could carry a dolly through a blizzard, and they did. Is was an adventure basically. We made a movie with a bunch of Vikings in one of the harshest environments in the world.
The Fan Girl Next Door: Any humorous stories from the set that you could share with our readers?
Larry Fessenden: Everything about making a film is humorous and absurd. One thing that comes to mind is how much we worried about putting Ron into the Ice hole. "Put Perlman in the Ice hole!" (say that 3 times fast). We basically dug a hole in the snow about seven feet deep and filled it with water and covered that with a wax "ice". Then Ron would fall through and be submerged completely in the water. Well we were all very nervous about him freezing and we even postponed the shoot when the temperature was going to be below 0 degrees. But in the end when we did it, the makeup and costume gals made Ron so comfortable, he said he wanted to go again. Honestly the whole shoot was filled with laughs. Check out our "making of" dvd.
The Fan Girl Next Door: In addition to directing THE LAST WINTER you wore many other hats, even producing a song on the film's soundtrack. If you had to choose one creative outlet among the many you have done on this and other films, what would it be?
Larry Fessenden: Well obviously I like directing because you have your hand in everything, and even when you are dependent on other artisans to do the work, you can have a say in how they approach their job. As for the music, I always engage my songwriter friend Tom Laverack to work on my films. He wrote "Running Out of Road" for the movie and I do the saxes and the solo in that song. I guess the only thing I like more than directing is performing, be it a sax solo or an acting role. But you know, performing is very nerve-racking. For me, it never gets any easier. Whereas with directing you can help others do their best work by providing a safety zone in which to be creative.
The Fan Girl Next Door: Do you feel it's actually a hindrance to have more than enough money to make a movie? It sometimes seems the more creative you have to be due to lack of funds, the better the product is.
Larry Fessenden: I have long operated on that principal and I believe in low-budget ingenuity. I also disdain people who want a bigger budget for reasons of status. In this economy, the wise thing to do is spend as little as possible to get what you need. But I can also say that all of my films have suffered in one way or another by budget restraints: There's never enough time, and when you're rushed, some things suffer. And the special effects can suffer as well, both practical and cgi. And you're always out of money when you finally get to the music and mix, two of the most important parts of a film. So I don't know what it would be like to have the right amount of money. I like to be thrifty but not strapped.
The Fan Girl Next Door: You set up Glass Eye Pix in 1985, which is a company that helps independent projects get off the ground. Where do you hope to see independent cinema heading in the future?
Larry Fessenden: Well the problem with indie cinema has always been distribution. You can make a movie pretty cheaply if you're resourceful and dedicated, especially now with video and dv features being accepted. But there are not enough screens to show all the blockbusters and also a well made indie without a star. Now some would say that internet and downloads are the answer, and that probably is the answer. But for my generation that's disappointing because we grew up seeing movies in the theater. At Glass Eye Pix, we've been able to show some of our small movies in the cinema, but that's because we've had great support from theaters like the Laemmles in L.A., Facets in Chicago, The Pioneer and Cinema Village in New York and a whole bunch of others. It's nothing you could count on. So distribution will change as home theaters and downloading gets more viable, and indie films will probably be seen mostly in the home.
The Fan Girl Next Door: What advice would you give to a director just starting out in the business?
Larry Fessenden: Don't make movies to make money or to get famous. It'll never work. Make movies because you can't help yourself. Otherwise, get a paying job.
The Fan Girl Next Door: Is there anyone you haven't worked with yet that you have always to?
Larry Fessenden: Well duh. So many heroes, icons, faves, where would I begin?
The Fan Girl Next Door: What is up next for you?
Larry Fessenden: Trying to get I SELL THE DEAD out there. I'm negotiating with Hollywood on a big film, and planning several smaller ones if all that falls through, which I assume it will.
The Fan Girl Next Door: Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions.
Larry Fessenden: Thanks for taking an interest in an indie film.
THE LAST WINTER is now available on DVD at amazon.com
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