Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
Eli Roth came to Butt-Numb-A-Thon this year, and he seemed like a heckuva good guy then. I seem to be cursed to be the one AICNer who hasn’t seen CABIN FEVER so far, but it’s obvious that Eli’s made a splash.
He’s featured in the new PREMIERE as one of the saviors of horror cinema, he just signed to adapt Stephen King’s short story “1408” for Radar Pictures (a great gig, since that story gives a filmmaker all sorts of incredible opportunities), and just yesterday, we reported on his collaboration with Richard Kelly as they both adapt Richard Matheson’s “The Box.”
Here’s what one viewer thought after being exposed to Eli’s upcoming Lions Gate release:
Last night was one of the best movie going experiences I've had in a long time. I had the pleasure of seeing the highly anticipated Cabin Fever at it's US premiere at the Alamo Drafthouse in downtown Austin Texas (part of the SXSW film festival). The line outside the theater was charged with anticipation to see this horror film that we had all heard was a balls out and blood everywhere thrill ride that new director Eli Roth had crafted for us for the last 8 years of his life. I'm here to testify, time well spent Mr. Roth.
The film starts out like an old 80's horror movie, a bunch of college kids are finished with finals and are going out to the middle of no-where "evil dead" back woods for some hard core partying. After some time of building up some humors character relationships the blood bath soon starts and doesn't stop until the last moment that will have every audience in America walking out of the theaters with a mile wide grin on their face (Eli the director mentioned releasing the movie sometime in August or July).
All I can say is this movie was made for audiences to have a good time with each other. During the entire film the audience was either gasping, screaming, squealing or gut laughing.
Rider Strong who plays the lead character of Paul is absolutely a delight on screen in this movie and has totally left his television past behind him with this performance (yes kids, he actually uses the f-word!)
All the actors, even the hillbilly supporting characters, surprisingly turn in fantastic performances in this film which is a treat for horror film fans since most horror movies spend most of their budget on blood and guts and usually fall short in the talent department. But the director Eli Roth has delivered to us not only a fun gore movie, but he's pulled some excellent character work from these actors that you will develop feelings for by the mid-point in the movie and don't wish them to die like you do most characters in cheesy horror flicks.
I have to say, aside from Cerina Vincent's assets in not only her talent for acting but her on screen beauty (when she is on screen you cannot help but drool and Roth and his D.P. Scott Kevan play this for all it's worth, that slow-motion booty shot... genius!) the one character that stole this show was James Debello's "Bert" the fear of all gay squirrels in the land. Almost every minute this guy was on screen, everyone in the audience was laughing and cheering this guy on. I think everyone has the drunken frat boy dick head that you hate but love to have at parties, in their group and Bert is Cabin Fevers resident drunk dick.
But it's really hard to say that anyone stole this movie because almost every character appearance in this film has some sort of memorable quirk to them that will have you quoting them and imitating their voices for hours after the movie is over.
After the show was over Eli and his D.P. Scott fielded some questions and I can tell you, this guy was born to be a film director. You can tell Eli Roth has a LOVE for telling stories and entertaining audiences, in films and outside of them. He had us rolling with his behind the scenes stories of the making of this movie (that will make for amazing commentary when the DVD comes out). I think he has the right concept with his filmmaking style that it's not about being above the people, it's about sitting with them and entertaining the hell out of them.
Also a big star in this move was the FX work done by KNB (who Eli pointed out was in attendance of this screening). God bless KNB for keeping practical FX alive and well and still wet and fun. The shaving scene in Cabin Fever will have people as afraid to shave as Jaws had them from going in the water.
All in all I would say as long as you can leave your pretentious film outlook at the door and get ready for a fun bloody thrill ride that reminds you of how much fun it was to sit in a dark theater with a bunch of people and watch some pure entertainment, then Cabin Fever is right up your body parts bowling alley! Oh, and remember, do NOT sit next to Dennis!
-You can call me Meatloaf
Grrrrrrr... I want to see this NOW! I’m gonna stomp my foot like Veruca Salt until it happens, too.
"Moriarty" out.
