Source: FEARnet | Posted By: Dan Geer
One of the most frightening films I have ever seen (maybe the most frightening) is The Exorcist, directed by William Friedkin. In fact, as unbelievable as it sounds, I just watched the film in its entirety for the first time a couple of weeks ago. It took me that long to finally have enough guts to sit down and watch it.
Coincidentally, filmmaker Mick Garris recently sat down with Friedkin to discuss his career in filmmaking on Post-Mortem with Mick Garris. The five-part interview will air on FEARnet starting March 14th, as well as Verizon FiOS starting March 19th and On Demand (VOD) as of March 21st. Believe me when I say that this is one interview you do not want to miss! Hit the jump for the official press release, hi-res photos and an exclusive video clip from the interview!
Official Press Release:
Iconic Filmmaker William Friedkin
Featured on FEARnet’s “Post Mortem with Mick Garris”
Friedkin discusses “The Exorcist,” his inspirations, and his philosophy of storytelling
Los Angeles, CA, – March 11, 2011 – FEARnet, the world’s premier destination for horror, thriller and suspense movies, will soon feature an in-depth interview with the director of “the scariest movie of all time,” William Friedkin (“The Exorcist,” “The French Connection”), on “Post Mortem with Mick Garris.” Award-winning filmmaker Mick Garris, host of the signature series, recently interviewed Friedkin about his prolific career.
The five-part interview will be available on FEARnet.com as of March 14, 2011, and will also be available on Verizon FiOS (Channel 197) starting March 19th, and On Demand (VOD) as of March 21st. Friedkin is scheduled to release the highly-anticipated film, “Killer Joe,” starring Matthew McConaughey this year.
During the interview Garris and Friedkin discuss in-depth “The Exorcist,” Friedkin’s belief in demonic possession, and what tactics he uses to terrify his audiences. Highlights from the interview include Friedkin’s comments on…:
…how he came to direct “The Exorcist”:
“Stanley Kubrick passed. Arthur Penn passed. Mike Nichols said that you can’t base a movie about the devil on the performance of a twelve year-old girl. It’s impossible. You’ll never find such a person.”
…his belief in demonic possession:
“There was a film about Hitler in the bunker called ‘Downfall.’ What that film brought out for me was, my, it strengthened my belief that Hitler…the only explanation for Hitler is demonic possession.”
“The only way I could have made ‘The Exorcist’ the way I did, is if I believed it. If you look at the film, it’s a film made by people who believe this – we’re not kidding. The guy who wrote it and the guy who directed it, accept demonic possession and exorcism as a possibility.”
…his philosophy of storytelling:
“I want people to take from my films what they bring to them. Themselves. I don’t tell them how they’re supposed to think about a movie.”
… why his films have a dark edge:
“I think the films that are most important that I’ve done are films about the thin line between good and evil, and the fact that there is good and evil in all of us. And that it’s a constant struggle for our better angels to prevail. For example, the best cops, the best detectives, are guys that think like criminals.”
The conversations also touch on his own feelings on religion, and what brought him to revisit his iconic film by releasing “The Exorcist: The Version You’ve Never Seen.”
Friedkin is the latest subject for Mick Garris, whose “Post Mortem” has bolstered his reputation as “the Charlie Rose of the blood and guts set.” Other recent interviews have included John Carpenter, John Landis, Frank Darabont, Wes Craven, Rick Baker, and Roger Englund. The entire “Post Mortem with Mick Garris” collection can be found here.
About FEARnet
FEARnet, the world’s premier destination for horror, thriller and suspense, is a cutting-edge, multi-platform movie network available on linear, on demand, online and on mobile 24/7. Its unrivaled modern horror library unites Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA) (NASDAQ: CMCSK), the nation’s leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services with Sony Pictures Television (SPT: US) and Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), the two top studios producing and distributing the genre.
FEARnet has generated over 550 MM views, is the #1 Free Movie VOD network, and is available on AT&T U-Verse, Bresnan, Comcast, Cox Communications, Guadalupe Valley Systems, Insight Communications and Verizon FiOS. FEARnet launched its traditional cable channel in HD October 31, 2010 and is available on Verizon FiOS channel 197. www.FEARnet.com is the web’s #1 site for genre fans, and PC Magazine named FEARnet.com among “The 15 Best Websites for Movie Fans.” Users can explore the world of the macabre on a visually arresting video-rich environment packed with movies, news, interactive community features and fresh original content.
Click photos for large hi-res versions:
Head on over to FEARnet to watch the interview starting March 14th!
