Posts Tagged ‘Toby Wilkins’
Posted by jonathon in Interviews, News on October 21st, 2008
After an hour and six minute phone conversation with Toby Wilkins (spent in my car at a CVS parking lot) I began to get a pretty clear look into the life of a talented director on the rise. It was a challenging conversation. By the end I felt as if I had run a marathon. But I don’t mean to make it sound drab. On the contrary, it was a most enjoyable and in-depth chat covering all the bases of the filmmaker’s career. Something I am excited to watch develop and suspect others are, as well.
I began taking interest in Wilkins’ career after watching his most excellent debut feature Splinter. What’s abnormal and refreshing about Wilkins’ film is that even though it’s an homage to inspirations like Dawn of the Dead and Evil Dead, and could be categorized along the lines of trendy horror, it obtains a level of mature craft; something not seen very often, especially with a new director–not that Wilkins is a new director. He’s helmed a slew of incredible shorts and an original series made for FEARnet.com called Devil’s Trade.
Wilkins jumped into the business as a graphic design and visual effects artist. It was this work that not only propelled him into directing but gave him some very crucial experience that has refined his vision (I’ll explain later). After saving enough money he decided it was time to put himself through film school. And by film school I mean he went out and shot short after short, gaining the real knowledge needed to step up to a career in directing. At it’s most basic level, Wilkins was learning how to problem solve, much like learning sudoku. He was creating worlds in a few short minutes with entirely no help and no money. This is what fueled his vision and seasoned him into an experienced storyteller. The Unbreakable Likeness of Lincoln (co-directed with Dan Harris and conceived, planned and shot in three days) and I Lost 20lbs In Two Months, Ask Me How (starring comedian and voice-over actor John Di Maggio) are two stunning examples of Wilkins’ early work.
Wilkins’ next leap was actually limiting his involvement in his films. Instead of acting as a one-man-show, Wilkins began hiring crews and editors to aid him on his projects and to curb him into focusing his energy entirely on directing. Finding the step-up infinitely more rewarding, Wilkins was clearly on track with the success of Staring at the Sun, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and garnered a 2005 ScreamFest award for “Best Horror Short Film”. (more…)
Posted by dominie in Films, News on October 15th, 2008
The Weinstein Company has announced that UK horror-thriller Eden Lake will also debut in theaters Halloween night, which puts it in competition with Magnet Releasing’s creature-feature Splinter (review) by Toby Wilkins and Freestyle Releasing’s The Haunting of Molly Hartley by Mickey Liddell.
So far we don’t know too much about Christian Alvart’s Pandorum, except that a man wakes up from his hyper sleep chamber unaware of what has happened during his long snooze. Today Bloody-Disgusting received the extended synopsis. The teaser art is also compliments of B-D. Enjoy.
“Two crewmen awaken from hyper-sleep aboard a spacecraft. None of their equipment is working, and their memories are incomplete. What was their mission? How much time has passed? Where are they? Who are they? As they try to piece things together, they discover they are not alone, and the ship’s new inhabitants - tribal warriors carrying crudely made weapons - are moving among them, intent on killing all aboard. As the space travelers unravel the frightening and deadly secrets the ship harbors, they realize the survival of mankind hinges on their actions. They must regain control of the ship before Pandorum takes over.”
Last week we announced that Milla Jovovich was rumored to be toplining in Clock Tower from Senator Entertainment and The Weinstein Company. Jovovich was tapped to play Alyssa Barron from the hit Campcom video game. The latest update from Bloody-Disgusting reveals that Jovovich denies the rumors via an official fansite.
Posted by dominie in Films, Reviews on September 28th, 2008
Without spoiling it for those of you who are counting down the days until the Halloween night release of special F/X master Toby Wilkins’ feature debut, Splinter, I’ll say its not your greatest top-notch horror but its worth the watch and a triumph among most indie horrors.
Starring Shea Whigham, Paulo Costanzo, and Jill Wagner, Splinter will get under your skin when a young couple retreats to the wilderness for a romantic camping weekend—but the trip quickly spirals into a nightmare when they are car-jacked by an escaped convict and his druggie girlfriend. No one can imagine the terrifying horror that awaits the two couples at a remote and isolated gas station.
It’s rare to see these days. If you’re fond of all the lame low budget horrors that have been riddling the market over the past few years then Splinter will not be your cup of tea. Yes! This isn’t your typical indie horror movie. One, there’s no boobs! No boobs, and you’re not left wanting any. Two, the actors can actually act. And three, the monster, which usually contributes to the transparency of being “low budget,” does just the opposite.
First I’ll get into the monster in Splinter. The monster is not technically a monster, but more of a substance that punctures your skin and essentially becomes a parasite, feeding off your blood while killing you from the inside out. Now, take this to the extreme? The monster attacks its victims by slamming into them. Let me repeat, by SLAMMING into them, ripping and breaking everything inside. Bones get twisted and disjointed in every way possible that shouldn’t happen, but it remains believable within the context of this attacker’s motif. That is both awesome and hilarious to watch. The monster is bad ass, and Wilkins’ mastery of special F/X (with no CGI FYI!) doesn’t play shy in Splinter. Gore, blood, ugly; it has everything you want.
What actually did it for me in Splinter was not so much the monster though as it was the performances by the stars. Wagner is beautiful, yet smart and feisty and her attraction to the nerdy biology PHD student (Costanzo) is not over-the-top absurd at all. You don’t need the sex to buy into their relationship. Shea Whigham, who played the ex-convict was obviously whacked in the head. He’s good, he’s bad, he genuinely likes the druggie girlfriend but is abusive like a psycho-killer.
My complaints mostly lie in the story. The characters all around are interesting and smart, but the story development is all around cliche. Sorry Toby. Of course we get into the biological theory about a parasitic creature who takes over its host and of course its destruction is more than familiar. A few times the film did strike the obvious feeling of “I’m a low budget film.” At one point I was sick of the gas station and needed something else–more forest maybe? I was ready for them to kill the dang thing and didn’t much care for their extended explanations of how they’re going to kill the monster.
Posted by dominie in Films, News on September 17th, 2008
This morning Magnet Releasing sent over the official poster for Toby Wilkins’ Splinter, which continues to receive high marks from lucky fans that have already gotten a glimpse of the creatures in this non-CGI film reminiscent of the classic 80’s monsters.
Among them, a review from Bloody-Disgusting rated Splinter, “This low budget monster movie is trickled with little juicy elements, that when combined, create one helluva a good time.”
Splinter stars Paulo Costanzo, Jill Wagner, and Shea Whigham in a story where “the virus monster twists the bodies of its pretty into the shapes best suited to carry out its unrelenting desire to infect more victims and kill again.”
Wilkins’ efforts to abstain from CGI monsters seems to have really pulled through even with the industry’s ever-growing new advances in technology and other such nonsense. In a letter to B-D, Wilkins’ expressed, “Like horror fans the world over, I often find that the use of CGI creatures can ruin the experience for me […] It is a matter of great pride for us that with the combined efforts of the team at Quantum Creation FX, some very hard working physical performers, and the skills of cinematographer Nelson Cragg and editor David Maurer, we managed to use practically no CGI in the creation of the creatures in Splinter. It’s my belief that this decision enabled us to bring to the film a creature that is not just terrifying, but terrifyingly real.”
Splinter opens in limited theaters on Halloween Friday, October 31st.
Posted by dominie in Events, Films, News on September 15th, 2008
The official website for Toby Wilkins’ Splinter has gone live. Magnolia Pictures acquired the independent horror last year and did finally secure a limited Halloween night theatrical release. Check the website for updates and the countdown to the seconds until Splinter’s theatrical release.
In the story, a young couple retreats to the wilderness for a romantic camping weekend, but their romantic idyll is shattered when they are car-jacked by an escaped convict and his girlfriend on the run from the police.
As the foursome travel the backroads together, each plotting their next move, they find themselves in deeper trouble than any of them could have imagined — a blood-crazed, parasitic creature that absorbs the corpses of its victims has laid claim to the woods, and the two couples are now in its sights.
Finding shelter at an abandoned gas station, they must use their wits and every weapon at their disposal to stave off the onslaught, not only from the insatiable creature, but also each other….
Splinter, the debut feature from British special effects wizard Toby Wilkins, is an exhilarating ride of laughs and jolts as well as a throw-back to the classic creature features of the early 70’s and 80’s.
Written and directed by Toby Wilkins, the film stars Shea Whigham (Wristcutters: A Love Story), Paulo Costanzo (Road Trip), Jill Wagner (Junebug), and Rachel Kerbs.
If you can’t wait for Halloween night, the film will premiere at LA’s Screamfest.
