David Bruckneris no stranger to embracing gore with his horror. The director most recently helmed 2022’sHellraiserreboot which reintroduced everyone to the pain and pleasure of the Cenobites. In theV/H/Sfranchise, however, he’s found a level of freedom in expressing such violence that he might not otherwise have in a more traditional studio film. That’s especially true of the latest anthology of horror,V/H/S/85which just made its world premiere at Fantastic Fest. Collider’sPerri Nemiroffwas on-hand at the festival to discuss the film with Bruckner and specifically how the film differs from his other work in terms of gore and oversight.
“We had a few things inHellraiserwe had to slide by the ratings folks,” Bruckner said when asked about his experiencesbringing horror violence to screens. “Then you do the thing where you put things in there that you know you’re gonna lose just so, in case they ask, you can go, ‘Okay, fine, we’ll lose this one shot. We did something for you.'“Hellraiserwashailed for its extreme goreeven if there was a bit of gymnastics needed to get things approved. ForV/H/S/85, however, no such gymnastics were needed. Instead, they openly pushed filmmakers to get creatively bloody. “But no, I think, as far as withV/H/S, I can’t imagine. There’s no editorial oversight and anything that anybody is creating, if anything, we’re just encouraging people to go further.”
Part of the appeal of theV/H/Sfranchise for both creatives and audiences is letting new and established horror filmmakers let loose in shorter found-footage segments that play around with unique ideas. The film’s predecessorV/H/S/99, for example,embraced low-budget horror, practical effects, and timely concepts for its year likean unhingedLegends of the Hidden Templeparody. Practicality and creativity were also a focus for Bruckner in85. “Also, a practical approach is strongly encouraged,” he added. “So there’s, you know, gallons of blood getting thrown around the set. If anything, the only frustration is that the found footage is dark and murky enough that you sometimes can’t see on camera how much blood there is in the room, so the BTS photos are quite revealing.”
‘V/H/S/85’ Scratches the Grimy Underbelly of Horror’s Golden Age
V/H/S/85promises something special for horror fans as it takes inspiration from the so-calledGolden Age of Horror Cinema- the 80s. The individual stories are told through the lens of a made-for-television documentary with a focus on the forgotten and sinister secrets of the bygone era. Eachfound footage talefollows a different premise, including scientists studying a boy transfixed on his TV, a group of kids on a skiing trip from hell, a television crew’s fight for survival amid a natural disaster, the early days of VR and the horrors it brings, and a horrific dream caught on tape. Within each, there’s plenty of room for violence to be creatively infused to please horror fans of all kinds. Ifthe trailerand Bruckner’s comments are any indication, it’s about to get very messy.
Bruckner isone of five directors helming segments, including,The Black Phone’sScott Derrickson,Gigi Saul Guerrero,Natasha Kermani, andMike P. Nelson. He’s also credited as a writer with Derrickson, Guerrero,Zoe Cooper,Evan Dickson, andC. Robert Cargill. Bloody Disgusting founder and film producerBrad Miskacreated theV/H/Sfranchise as a showcase for the diverse talents and visions within horror and, as such, the cast reflects thatFreddy Rodríguezleads the group withJordan Belfi,James Ransone,Dani Deetté,Justen Jones,Marcio Moreno,Ari Gallegos,Forrest Hartl,Duffy McManus,Eric Pierson,Felipe de Lara,Tom Reed, andVivian Morse.
V/H/S/85premieres on Shudder on October 6. Check out the full interview below:
