{"id":6058,"date":"2019-04-08T21:07:07","date_gmt":"2019-04-08T21:07:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog-proxy.atomtickets.com\/?p=6058"},"modified":"2019-05-20T19:29:56","modified_gmt":"2019-05-21T02:29:56","slug":"pet-sematary-directors-talk-friday-the-13th-the-ramones-getting-stephen-king-right","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/pet-sematary-interview-dennis-widmyer-kevin-kolsch\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;Pet Sematary&#8217; Directors Talk &#8216;Friday The 13th,&#8217; The Ramones &#038; Getting Stephen King Right"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dennis\u00a0Widmyer\u00a0and Kevin K\u00f6lsch<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0know a thing or two about horror.\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Starry Eyes<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0earned profound success while touring multiple film festivals as a prolific midnight sensation before hitting theaters. The duo is responsible for the\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Holidays\u00a0<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">segment \u201cValentine\u2019s Day.\u201d<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0They even found their way into the directing rotation for MTV\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Scream<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0series. If you&#8217;ve seen any of their work to date, you\u2019d know they\u2019re one of the hottest horror genre tandems climbing Hollywood\u2019s ladder at the moment &#8211; and if you haven\u2019t heard of them yet? Don\u2019t worry, their adaptation of Stephen King&#8217;s\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.atomtickets.com\/movies\/pet-sematary\/263528\"><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pet\u00a0Sematary<\/span><\/i><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0will change that.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I had a chance to speak with both directors after Brooklyn Horror Festival hosted\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pet\u00a0Sematary<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u2019s\u00a0NYC premiere (as well as the film\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DoNatoBomb\/status\/1113653530563420161\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">fuzziest and most important cast member<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">). Read on to find out how\u00a0Widmyer\u00a0and K\u00f6lsch drove their adaptation to be something different, the stigmas of remakes and nostalgic adaptations, how to handle internet backtalk, plus a little\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Friday The 13th<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0chatter? Sure, why not.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1080\" height=\"608\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0_FBFrxJNik?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><strong>Dennis, I just wanted to start by reminding you how many times I\u2019ve virtually murdered your counselor avatar while playing\u00a0<i>Friday The 13th<\/i>\u00a0on PS4.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dennis\u00a0Widmyer:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0I do, I remember that! That was a great time. Isn\u2019t the game done now? [Referencing the ongoing legal battle over\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Friday The 13th<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0rights that halted IllFonic\u2019s development.]<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Well once the whole court case is ruled on and the rights are hammered out, there\u2019s talk about generating content once again for the game &#8211; like a\u00a0<i>Jason X<\/i>\u00a0level.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">DW:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0I\u2019ve got to say, playing that game was <em>so<\/em> fun it revitalized my interest [in\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Friday the 13th<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">]. I went back and watched the entire franchise with my wife. I know they\u2019re trying to remake [<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Friday the 13th<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">], and if you want a well-done remake of it<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, play the game. There are in-game moments that are so good, scenarios you find yourself in without a story that would make great scenes in a [<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Friday the 13th<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">] movie. Do that version!<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>It\u2019s free content. Just play hide and seek with Jason Voorhees.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Kevin K\u00f6lsch:<\/span><\/b><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0Pet\u00a0Sematary<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0directors talk\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Friday The 13th: The Game<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">!<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>I feel like directors often get pegged as these egomaniacs who don\u2019t play well with others, but filmmaking duos like yourself dispel that notion. Can you tell me one thing your partner brings to this collaborative team that continually impresses you?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">DW:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">[To Kevin.] You go first, shower me with affection!<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">KK:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dennis is a &#8211; you know, it\u2019s funny. No one ever wants us to say nice things. They only want to hear about controversy or if we ever fight!<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0But\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Dennis has crazy stamina and organizational skills. When we\u2019re writing scripts, Dennis has all the drafts saved and all the different versions. Then I go on, and he\u2019s like, \u201cYou\u2019re saving these as all different drafts, right? Multiple?\u201d I\u2019m like, \u201cAw, nah. I\u2019m just saving over the old ones!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Film days are long, dealing with a lot of people. Dennis is good with still going strong after 12-hour workdays when I might want to be done.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">DW:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Yeah but I find you\u2019re the one I go to when I hit the wall, though: \u201cTake over for me, Kevin.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">KK:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">That\u2019s what it feels like &#8211; how I\u2019m feeling the reverse for me, too. Not just on set, in everyday life. I get up in the morning and lament over having to send one email to an accountant. Then it\u2019s 3PM, and I\u2019m like, \u201cI\u2019ll do that email today, for sure.\u201d Then by 5PM I\u2019m like, \u201cShe\u2019s probably leaving the office soon, I better send that email out!\u201d I feel rewarded if I\u2019ve completed that single task.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Then you\u2019ve got Dennis, who in an hour completes the number of tasks I might have on my week\u2019s checklist.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">DW:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I\u2019ll say what Kevin sees as a pro in me, I see as a pro in him in that I\u2019m like the \u201cGo! Go! Go!\u201d idea guy. Kevin\u2019s the more introspective, take his time with the idea guy. The two of us complement each other. Sometimes I\u2019ll try to bulldoze something through force of will while Kevin &#8211; who runs at a different pace than myself &#8211; keeps us in check in the right way. Prevents us from making bad decisions or mistakes. He\u2019s mulling it over and thinking more than I do sometimes. It\u2019s a balance that moves at the same flow, then.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">KK:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">You can probably get all that in the way that we answer our questions, right?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/images.atomtickets.com\/image\/upload\/h_960,q_auto\/v1539107507\/ingestion-images-archive-prod\/archive\/1539107506691_263528_cops_6.jpg\" width=\"1440\" height=\"960\" \/><\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><strong>Absolutely. But remakes and adaptations sometimes bare this stigma for not being original content &#8211; it scares some filmmakers away. Was there ever a hesitation to direct\u00a0<i>Pet\u00a0Sematary<\/i>?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">DW:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">readaptation\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pet\u00a0Sematary<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">KK:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It\u2019s funny because those are two separate things, remake and adaptation. Was there a worry? Of course &#8211; a little different for each.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">With the original\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pet\u00a0Sematary\u00a0<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">movie, audiences see it as a classic. They say, \u201cWhy another one? Why a remake? It\u2019s perfect as is.\u201d The thing we always tell people is, it\u2019d be different if you were just remaking a movie. That\u2019s all you\u2019re basing it on. What we remind people is<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0Pet\u00a0Sematary<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0is based on a source novel, one we\u2019re passionate about. We want to tell our <em>Pet<\/em>\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Sematary<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. We want to bring <em>our<\/em> vision to life. For that, now we\u2019re getting back to Stephen King\u2019s book &#8211; it\u2019s not a remake, entirely.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Now with a new adaptation, there\u2019s also a worry. You want to stay true to the book. Before we said \u201creadaptation,\u201d but we know the first movie exists. We can\u2019t deny it, and we love Mary Lambert\u2019s version. That said, we wanted to make some changes that\u2019d bring a new experience. Make the movie fresh and different for those familiar with Lambert\u2019s &#8211; but at the same time, you have to stay faithful to source material. You have to capture the essence of\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pet\u00a0Sematary.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">We\u2019re making changes, but the worry is are we making changes so far removed fans will disown our movie. That was the balancing act.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Those fears hit their high water mark when we were about to screen\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pet\u00a0Sematary<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0for Stephen King for the first time. He\u2019s very vocal on Twitter. If he rejects this, he might not be quiet about it, and that might affect the movie if all his fans take what he thinks about our film as approval or not. Thankfully he really liked\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pet\u00a0Sematary<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0and tweeted about it &#8211; but it was still terrifying.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Now the flip side &#8211; is there anything explicitly freeing in a creative sense or exciting about tackling any remake or adaptation versus original filmmaking?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">DW:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">You\u2019re able to look at the original Mary Lambert film and see what she did well. You have that testing board already out there, proven. At the same time, you can look at things she didn\u2019t do in her version, that you want to. You\u2019re able to look and subvert them. I don\u2019t know if that was creatively freeing, but we definitely had fun with it. Taking something like the infamous ankle scene, play with the audience&#8217;s expectations, and use their knowledge against them.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It\u2019s also cool because\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pet\u00a0Sematary<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0is, ironically, one of King\u2019s shorter novels at 500-something pages. Probably medium, if not short? There\u2019s a lot of content in that book the first film wasn\u2019t able to cover &#8211; such a rich literary world. King creates so many iconic elements in the woods, the deadfall, the ancient burial ground, the\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Micmac<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0Indian tribe, Zelda, and Victor\u00a0Pascow. That was part of our pitch. We\u2019re like, \u201cLook,\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Christine\u00a0<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">has the car.\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It\u00a0<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">has Pennywise. We have Zelda,\u00a0Pascow, Gage, the road, the truck, the burial ground&#8230;\u201d They were like, \u201cEnough, we get it!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">We wanted to use as much of that, but streamlined. All these iconic elements. It was fun going back into the novel and selecting what hasn\u2019t been mined enough like the Wendigo, or the cat burial, or Little God Swamp &#8211; actually putting that in the movie. It might sound like a trifle, but that was important to us. We built the swamp [laughs].<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/images.atomtickets.com\/image\/upload\/h_960,q_auto\/v1539107520\/ingestion-images-archive-prod\/archive\/1539107519454_263528_cops_8.jpg\" width=\"1439\" height=\"960\" \/><\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><strong>Little God Swamp stands out, too. It\u2019s one of the more memorable set pieces your film visits.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">DW:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Yeah! That whole sequence. We convinced the studio and said, \u201cThis is one of the best chapters, period.\u201d Even outside of the book. Fans agree this is one of King\u2019s scariest written chapters. It\u2019s this aural experience with tense sound design &#8211; the lack of what you hear because there are no animals there. \u201cWas that a Loon, or something else? Are those trees breaking in the distance?\u201d All that stuff. The Northern Lights? All that material was so appealing to say, \u201ctreat this scene as an actual set piece.\u201d Put a little more money in and build out the experience.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">That\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pet\u00a0Sematary<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, right there. The whole division of pre-deadfall is the real world and post-deadfall is the ancient world. We wanted to feel the difference between both aesthetically. We purposefully shot everything pre-deadfall in the woods, and everything post-deadfall we built on a soundstage to give it that hyper-real feel because the book feels hyper-real.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">KK:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I want to go back to the creative freedom part. What I found is that not working in an original we wrote ourselves, having it based on this book and movie that exists, we know the narrative works. It frees you up to have fun. Of course, there are obvious questions people will still have &#8211; \u201cWhy did this character do [x],\u201d all that. At its core? We\u2019re doing a beloved story. Now we could focus all our creative energies on how to do it best, how to do it justice.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A lot of time with your own originals, nobody\u2019s seen this story yet. You also have to question all these aspects. Does this story make sense? Is that a loophole? Blah blah blah. With\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pet\u00a0Sematary<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, we know the story works. We read the book, saw the original movie, are fans, and understand how timeless the themes are. It freed us up to make the best version we could tell.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><strong>I want to ask about the \u201ctwist\u201d of making the Creed\u2019s older daughter Ellie\u00a0the film\u2019s undead villain instead of Gage. You revealed this in an early trailer. Are you the kind of filmmakers who go online and read the backlash or comments?\u00a0<\/strong><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">DW:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Every single one of them. [Laughs]<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">KK:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">[Dennis] reads them &#8211; and it\u2019s funny because we already mentioned the difference in personalities. I don\u2019t read them, but since we\u2019re two directors and I can\u2019t just sit there and say \u201cI don\u2019t want to read what people are saying,\u201d Dennis will start reading reactions out loud. Like I was having a good morning but then&#8230;<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">DW:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I\u2019ll send him screenshots, like, \u201cSometimes remakes <em>aren\u2019t<\/em> better.\u201d I\u2019ll send that headline, but you know what it is? We learned from\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Starry Eyes<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, a\u00a0well-regarded\u00a0film, there\u2019s always going to be bad reviews of everything you do. We thickened our skin early. We\u2019re in our 40s now; we\u2019ve been doing this for a while. You realize the internet is just a very volatile, opinionated place. For me, it\u2019s almost an OCD thing. It\u2019s not masochism where I read words and let them dictate my day. It\u2019s about being curious, seeing what people think, and also learning from it.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">There was stuff online before we even made the movie, or while we were shooting the movie, that we took from. Seeing how much people cared about a particular element, and making sure that\u2019s in the film.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For example, the [Ramones] song \u201cPet\u00a0Sematary.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The end\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pet\u00a0Sematary<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0song, the Ramones cover, was something Kevin and I were adamant not to include. We figured fans wouldn\u2019t want to hear the same song they heard in the first movie. We thought we were just and correct in that assumption. It\u2019s not from the book, and we\u2019re making a\u00a0readaptation\u00a0of the book &#8211; not the movie. Then we started to realize \u201cPet\u00a0Sematary\u201d transcends the film at this point. It\u2019s a song you hear on the radio. I heard it at my friend\u2019s wedding recently &#8211; you listen to it everywhere.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">So many fans started asking for it. Even people we wouldn\u2019t expect demanded we put it in the movie or they weren\u2019t going to like our\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pet\u00a0Sematary<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. There was so much of that going around; we started to be swayed. We said, \u201cMaybe we\u2019re\u00a0kinda\u00a0wrong about this song? Maybe we\u2019re being highfalutin and snobby?\u201d People wanted the nod.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">We had this band\u00a0Starcrawler\u00a0who came around, a young up-and-coming band with a great following, and they were both ecstatic about the first movie and the idea of creating a song for ours. They said, \u201cLook &#8211; we\u2019ll spend the weekend and record a demo of it. If you like it? Cool. If not? Don\u2019t worry about it.\u201d We heard it and were like, \u201cGoddamit.\u201d [Laughs] They did a good job, now we had to include it.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">That was a response to actually reading comments. Good does come of it!<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/images.atomtickets.com\/image\/upload\/h_960,q_auto\/v1539107531\/ingestion-images-archive-prod\/archive\/1539107531253_263528_cops_10.jpg\" width=\"1440\" height=\"960\" \/><\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><strong>Were there any liberties or alterations you wanted to take with your\u00a0<i>Pet\u00a0Sematary\u00a0<\/i>that maybe didn\u2019t make the final cut? Alternate scenes that maybe fell on the editing floor?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">KK:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">We have deleted scenes. Things that didn\u2019t necessarily fit in. There\u2019s another Zelda scare different from any of the existing products. Not in the book or original movie. It\u2019s a good scene, but as filmmakers, you have to find the balance &#8211; we wanted Zelda to be more than just a flashback story. She has to be present for the story; there has to be a reason. We wanted her to be there in Rachel\u2019s world when the woods start pulling the grieves out of characters and preying on them. Rachel\u2019s past unresolved issues with Zelda start bubbling up. It has to be part of the story, but you don\u2019t want it having more screen time than an \u201cA\u201d storyline about the ancient burial ground.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Oh wait, there is a \u201cliberty,\u201d so to say! But I don\u2019t know if we want to tell now or not\u2026<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">DW:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">It\u2019s a deep dark secret one of the characters harbors that\u2019s hinted at in the movie and solidified in an extended version of one of our scenes. We think it\u2019s one of the cooler things in our\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pet\u00a0Sematary<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. It\u2019ll make you look at that specific character a lot differently.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Is that going to be included in the special features on the home release of\u00a0<i>Pet\u00a0Sematary<\/i>?<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">KK:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Oh it\u2019s on there, we\u2019ve already finished the additional features.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">DW:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">You\u2019ll want to get this movie when it hits home release.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><strong>You\u2019ve mentioned the themes of the film, which are disturbing and dark. Death, grief, finality &#8211; was there ever a moment that pushed the actors, as these characters, further than you anticipated?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">DW:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">We\u2019ve all experienced grief or death in one way, shape, or form. All the actors knew we treated the material very seriously, so they utilized that in their performances. Amy\u00a0Seimetz\u00a0was able to channel that. Jason Clarke has kids now &#8211; he has an 8-year-old son &#8211; so that was his experience on the film. What would I do, God forbid. Then\u00a0Jet\u00e9\u00a0Laurence! Who was 10-going-on-11 during shooting, didn\u2019t have those experiences but was such a professional she was able to channel this darkness that I don\u2019t know where the hell a 10-year-old gets.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For her, there was never anything scary or taboo about directing her. She brought it, and we had to wonder, did her parent prepare her for this? She\u2019s like, \u201cNo, I thought you guys did?\u201d No one knew where she was getting her menace from &#8211; but she did. All the actors understood their material and channeled it in creative ways.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/images.atomtickets.com\/image\/upload\/h_960,q_auto\/v1539107495\/ingestion-images-archive-prod\/archive\/1539107495293_263528_cops_4.jpg\" width=\"1439\" height=\"960\" \/><\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><strong>If you were given your dream remake from start-to-finish, writing and directing, do you have any titles in mind your hungry to bite into?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">DW:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">I would love to remake <em>Rebecca<\/em>, but I know Ben Wheatley is doing it, and our Director of Photography Laurie Rose is shooting it. Sounds like a weird one from me, but I\u2019m drawn to the idea of this well-made Gothic, classical, disturbing, mystery horror film. It\u2019d be fascinating.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">KK:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Red House<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u2026<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">DW:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Candy Snatchers<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0I think you mentioned once [to Kevin].\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Sentinel\u00a0<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">would be a good one because I think it\u2019s a cool idea for a movie. We chatted about that.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">KK:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pet\u00a0Sematary<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">? I\u2019d take another crack at it. [Laughter]<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">DW:\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Kevin and I are writers\/directors, so we have a lot of original ideas we\u2019d love to film &#8211; but we\u2019ll never say no to a remake. Especially if it\u2019s something that, like\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Pet\u00a0Sematary<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, there\u2019s more to mine within the subject matter. That\u2019ll always be a reason to go back and remake.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Pet Sematary<\/em> is currently in theaters. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.atomtickets.com\/movies\/pet-sematary\/263528\">Get your tickets now<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dennis\u00a0Widmyer\u00a0and Kevin K\u00f6lsch\u00a0know a thing or two about horror.\u00a0Starry Eyes\u00a0earned profound success while touring multiple film festivals as a prolific midnight sensation before hitting theaters. The duo is responsible for the\u00a0Holidays\u00a0segment \u201cValentine\u2019s Day.\u201d\u00a0They even found their way into the directing rotation for MTV\u2019s\u00a0Scream\u00a0series. If you&#8217;ve seen any of their work to date, you\u2019d know they\u2019re [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":6064,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[58,63],"tags":[40,37],"class_list":["post-6058","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-horror","category-interview","tag-featuredpage","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6058","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6058"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6058\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6099,"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6058\/revisions\/6099"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6064"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6058"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6058"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6058"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}