Interview With ‘Bloodline’ Director Henry Jacobson

Henry Jacobson’s Bloodline is an incredibly brutal film starring Seann William Scott. Here is a bit about the film:

Evan values family above all else, and anyone who gets between him, his wife, and newborn son learns that the hard way. But when it comes to violent tendencies, it seems the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Henry Jacobson sat down with PopHorror and took the time to discuss his latest project.

PopHorror: With everything going on right now and PG-13 type horror being all the rage at the box office, what made you go in such a brutal direction with this film? Bloodline pulls zero punches.

Henry Jacobson: You know, I definitely have a dark view of the world in general, and I just really love dark films and horror. So, I think I wanted to make a fun family movie with a few really dark scares! (laughs) There is an element of wanting to shock, but also wanting to feel more real, both with the approach to violence and gore, but with his family as well. 

PopHorror: How has the reception been for Bloodline in screenings so far?

Henry Jacobson: [The film] has been playing in festivals for the past year. The reception has been pretty great. People love it. I’m glad it is getting a limited theatrical release because I think it plays well with an audience. While it is definitely dark, there is also some dark humor in there as well that I think will play well with an audience.

PopHorror: Seann William Scott was an interesting choice for the main role of his comedy background. How did that come about and how well did that work with this type of film?

Henry Jacobson: Well, he was already attached to the film when I came on board. But when we did our rewrites, we did them with him in mind, so that definitely made that part easier. I think it worked well for the humor and such that we had involved. He’s a great actor. He took his role seriously and did great showing the range of that character. Seann is a huge horror fan and has been wanting to do something like this for a while. He was very involved with the development of the film. He was always asking to go darker and darker. So, we may not have pushed the envelope like we did without his input.

PopHorror: How does this film differ from other projects you’ve worked on?

Henry Jacobson: This was my first scripted feature as a director. So, there were a lot of things I had to learn for this role. But it was a great thing and a lot of fun. I had such incredible talent to work with from start to finish. All around, it was a fun, creative process. 

PopHorror: Did it ever feel overwhelming, stepping into the big director’s chair?

Henry Jacobson: Oh yeah. It’s always a little intimidating. But I never felt overwhelmed and I think that speaks to the cast and crew. Seann is a great guy and was incredible to work with. Everyone involved was there to do their jobs, and we all just had a good time.

PopHorror: If there is a single takeaway you’d like the audience to come away with, what would that be? 

Henry Jacobson: I don’t know if there is a single thing to take away. It’s a family learning to come together over murder and mayhem! 

PopHorror: Do you have other projects currently in the works?

Henry Jacobson: My production company currently has a lot of things in development, and I’m currently working on another script. This one is also a dark, family tale. So just stay tuned!

PopHorror: You seem to be drawn to the dark family stuff. Can you tell me more about that?

Henry Jacobson: That’s a good question! I think with family, there is just a lot to be mined from it as far as storytelling. So much of who we are comes from family. Your family shapes you in so many ways, for better or worse. So, that is something I just like to explore. 

PopHorror: You’re right! I think the idea of someone so close to you, an awful person who could either hurt you or hurt others, or you don’t see it coming because that person is so close to you, or that’s what is normal to you because its family, is pretty fascinating. 

Henry Jacobson: You’re right and that’s a good observation. Family is something that everyone can relate to more so than being attacked by a stranger or an alien or something. It’s more terrifying because it feels more real. 

Watch Bloodline right here!

Thank you, Henry Jacobson, for taking the time to talk to us! Check out the trailer below, and make sure to check out Bloodline!