On Monday night February 9th, Adam Green and Will Barratt will be bringing DIGGING UP THE MARROW to the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts and taking part in an extensive Q&A. This FREE event is open to the public. For all of the details and to reserve a seat, click here. Please note, USC overbooks these screenings and reserving a seat does not necessarily guarantee you one. If you’re coming- get there early.
5 years ago this weekend, FROZEN world premiered at the Sundance Film festival in Park City, UT. It is hard to believe just how fast time has flown since then. Sundance 2010 still remains one of the best moments of my career and watching just how well FROZEN was received is still one of my greatest personal triumphs. It was such a joy to hear people in the audience (most of whom still didn’t know what I looked like back then as HOLLISTON had not yet happened) say “Three people in a chair? This will never work.” right in front of me… and then watch so many of those same people become exhausted, emotionally devastated, sweaty lumps in their seats over the next 94 minutes. And I truly owe it all to my fantastic crew and my three fearless actors who never quit on me no matter how many times I may have broken them with what I put them through. Emma Bell, Shawn Ashmore, and Kevin Zegers are still three of my biggest heroes and the movie never would have worked without them. While early reviews show signs that next month’s DIGGING UP THE MARROW is going to give FROZEN a critical run for its money, FROZEN is still my best reviewed movie to date in the mainstream press worldwide. (HATCHET 2, released only 7 months later that very same year, is a close second as far as positive mainstream reviews go.) The more time that passes the more I hear from people who ski or snowboard how they heard complete strangers talking about the movie while waiting in line for the lift at various ski mountains. Even more specifically, the conversations often include someone fearfully saying that they don’t want anyone in their group to mention FROZEN when they are on the lift. The MacGyver’s of the world continue to debate “what they would do” and so many interviews I do (for completely different projects) wind up with the interviewer wanting to tell me their own ‘stuck on a ski lift’ story. And let’s not forget the absolute comedy of the now infamous review that slammed the film for the “fact” that the actors were “so obviously on a green screen and not really in the elements” and because “the wolves were poorly computer generated.” My actors (both human and canine) would still beg to differ with that critic. I love all of it. In the end, this simple yet insane idea struck a big chord and five years later I can only look back and wonder what we were thinking putting ourselves through such a brutal shoot. (“It’s just three people in a chair, how hard can it be?”)
Here are some rare behind the scenes photos, many of which you have likely never seen before…
Emma Bell was the very first person to audition. She set the bar so high that no one else who came in after her could even compare.
Kevin Zegers almost lost this gorgeous face to “Shadow”, one of the scarier wolves used in the film. In the scene where the wolves surround “Dan”, you’ll see a black wolf walk right up to Kevin and start to sniff his hat. If we left even one more frame in that shot you would have seen the trainers come running in to take “Shadow” away. Though the other wolves all ignored Kevin while we shot that scene, “Shadow” really wanted to know where Kevin got that hat and if it came in “Wolf” size.
No. They weren’t in a studio against a fucking green screen.
Emma bravely makes her way down the mountain.
Production Designer Bryan McBrien created a small ski lift set in the mountain’s parking lot where we could safely wire the performers in for stunts and vertically move the chair up and down for the make-up team to apply certain make-up effects. So why not shoot the whole movie like this? Why make everyone go up the real mountain? Well, had we shot the whole movie this way I would have been completely limited in my available shots and angles. The film would have had no scope whatsoever and the camera would have seen the lodge and the parking lot had I shot any other angles than the ones that we specifically designed this set for. You can see the amazing forced-perspective set that Bryan built in Adam Barnick’s 90 minute “making of” special features on the Blu-Ray or DVD. Still the best bonus features I’ve ever seen on an indie release, ever.
Some last minute direction before shooting. You’ll notice the yellow safety harness I am wearing. That’s because Will Barratt and I were the ones operating the two 35mm cameras for all of the scenes where the chair lift was actually moving. (All of the scenes where the chair was stuck were shot using a 50′ Panavision techno crane that was operated safely from the ground.) The grip department built a rig that allowed Will and I to hang in front of the actor’s chair but no one in the camera department felt safe shooting that way. I bravely said I would just shoot it myself… and then almost pee’d myself once I was up there. When I was looking through the lens I was OK because it didn’t seem real. But when I’d take my face away from the glass to change a lens or speak to the actors…I was terrified. Will was way more brave than I was.
The rig/bucket that Will and I hung in to shoot the scenes where the chair was moving.
“Maverick” was so beautiful that it was a challenge to do as Sled Reynolds (our trainer) said and NOT try and pet him or make eye contact with him. As an animal lover it was hell for me to follow instructions and obey the rules. But…
…thankfully Sled allowed me my chance on the last day of shooting with the wolves.
Even though Shawn had safety pads in his jacket and even though this was a wolf/shepherd hybrid (not one of the pure bred wolves), it was still a scary day of filming. Especially for Ashmore.
Emma Bell truly gave me everything she had. I adore her.
Shawn still has marks from the safety harness he had to wear to do these stunts. The pain you see on his face in the movie is very, very real. The wide shots of “Lynch’s” climb across the cables were performed up on the actual mountain by stunt man Chester Tripp, but we filmed Shawn’s close-up angles in the parking lot’s forced perspective set.
The real heroes of FROZEN. Together we conquered a mountain.
Somehow we did it. Thankfully I have a crew/family that just hasn’t figured out how to say “no” to me yet. Without them I could never accomplish a goddamn thing. So as Sundance 2015 begins this weekend, I say “Happy birthday FROZEN!”
And stay off the slopes, you guys. Skiing kills.
-AG
Join Director Adam Green and Artist Alex Pardee for a one-of-a-kind special event as they bring DIGGING UP THE MARROW on the road in advance of it’s February 20th release! (Watch the official theatrical trailer right here.) The “Touring Through The Marrow” events will include a screening of the film before it is officially released, an art exhibit of Pardee’s original artwork that inspired the film alongside never-before-seen concept art and photos from the film’s production, an audience Q&A with Green and Pardee, one of the actual “monsters” from the movie “in person”, plus artwork, books, and other exclusive tour merchandise for sale.
Tickets for the tour are on sale soon through each cinema directly. There are two options for ticket prices. A regular admission ticket to the event is $15, however if you’re hoping to secure one of the limited edition art prints we’re also offering a $50 “VIP” ticket. A VIP ticket is all about the print. By having one you are guaranteed one of the limited DIGGING UP THE MARROW art prints created by Alex Pardee and available on this 2015 tour only. (Pictured below.) VIP ticket holders just need to present their ticket at the merchandise booth after the film to pick up their awesomeness. For non-VIP ticket holders, prints are priced at $50 and are only available at each event while supplies last. So by buying a $50 VIP ticket you can look at it like you are buying the print and getting your admission for free… or you can look at like you are saving $15 off of the print… whichever way you want to dig it. But don’t fear, not everyone in your party needs to have the same priced ticket to sit together or to meet Adam and Alex. Every screening is first come first serve open seating and the guys will be happy to speak with and sign for everyone. The VIP ticket is only for the print.
Zerofriends produces each 16″ X 20″ giclee print using archival inks on velvet cotton rag paper.
DIGGING UP THE MARROW opens theatrically in Los Angeles at the Laemmle North Hollywood Cinema on Friday February 20th where it will run nightly for the following two weeks. It also hits Video On Demand everywhere that very same day (including outlets such as iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Xbox, Sony Playstation, VUDU, GooglePlay, and more).
But don’t be too sad if you can’t make it to the actual tour event! You could still very well get the chance to see DIGGING UP THE MARROW theatrically when its run expands to more cities during the week of March 2nd (a list of cities is coming soon). Also, more special engagement screenings and appearances will be announced soon! If you live in the USA there is absolutely a way to see this film in February whether it be on the tour, another special engagement screening, the actual theatrical release, or on VOD.
The DVD and Blu-Ray (packed with special features) releases on March 24th and you can support the artists directly by pre-ordering your very own copy autographed by Adam Green right here.
The monsters are coming, America! See you on the road!
ArieScope’s new movie DIGGING UP THE MARROW will open in Los Angeles on Friday February 20, 2015 exclusively at the Laemmle NoHo 7 in North Hollywood, CA. While the film also hits Video On-Demand everywhere in the United States that very same day, as UK Horror Scene said it best, “DIGGING UP THE MARROW is a film that demands to be experienced” and we know just how badly fans want to have that experience in cinemas for themselves. Well, we have good news and even better news…
The good news is that DIGGING UP THE MARROW will expand to theaters in 9 additional cities across America for extremely limited engagements on Thursday March 5th! The exact cities and theaters will be announced soon.
The even better news is that ArieScope Pictures and Zerofriends are going to bring DIGGING UP THE MARRROW out on tour in the week leading up to the film’s February 20th U.S. theatrical and VOD release! The “Touring Through the Marrow” U.S. Tour will come to five U.S. cities and will be an incredible, one of a kind event that will include a theatrical screening of the film, a Q&A with Adam Green and Alex Pardee, a traveling gallery of the artwork from Pardee’s original 2009 “Digging Up The Marrow” exhibit that inspired the film, one of the actual monsters from The Marrow “in person”, the chance to get exclusive “Touring Through The Marrow” merchandise, and more! Exact cities, dates, and other details including special VIP ticket options will be made available very soon… as will the film’s official theatrical trailer, of course.
DIGGING UP THE MARROW hits DVD and Blu-Ray in the U.S. on March 24th, but you can pre-order and support us directly by securing your own copy right now, right here. As our way of saying “thank you” for supporting us directly, every copy purchased through ArieScope’s on-line store comes autographed by the film’s writer, director, and star Adam Green. So dig deep and buy your copy of the film that Flick Feast says “taps into primal fears that you didn’t even know existed“, that UK Horror Scene calls “one of the scariest films of the last two decades“, and that Harry Knowles of Ain’t It Cool News declares “will change the way you view the world.” Please help our world continue to exist by supporting our most personal film to date and purchasing your DVD or Blu-Ray copy directly from us. Every sale truly matters and every time you steal a movie a baby puppy dies.
Adam Green, Alex Pardee, and Will Barratt on set of DIGGING UP THE MARROW (2013).
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY writer/director James Gunn joins Adam and Joe for the fantastic first Movie Crypt episode of the new year! Kick 2015 off into a new galaxy by listening to the podcast on iTunes or on Geek Nation right here.
Joe Lynch, James Gunn, Arwen, Adam Green