PopHorror Let's Get Scared
I recently stated in my review for Sator (check out my review – HERE), “In my years of watching films, I have seen movies with incredible dialogue, great stories, and fantastic special effects. But I have never seen a movie fully radiate a mood of isolation, terror, and impending dread like Jordan Graham’s Sator.” I loved everything about this film and was thrilled to chat with the director Jordan about it.
PopHorror – First of all. I have to tell you that I was absolutely blown away by Sator. It was incredible. I had to watch it twice so I could fully appreciate it. Do you have any favorite scenes?
Jordan Graham – Thank you! I’m happy you enjoyed it. There’s a scene where the main character is looking through a photo album when he hears something enter his cabin and creeps slowly towards his bedroom. The scene is very minimalistic with only two lengthy wide static shots, but I love the tension and suspense it brings without showing anything or needing music. I also love all the scenes with my grandmother when she tells her stories about the voices in her head.
PopHorror – That’s awesome. I heard that it was partially autobiographical. What parts of it were?
Jordan Graham – It was! Anytime my grandmother spoke was autobiographical. Sator to her was very real and was a part of her life since 1968 when she first summoned him through an ouija board. He also taught her how to communicate with him through automatic writings which were basically her allowing Sator to talk through her and she would write down what he says. All the writing you see in the film are actually hers from 1968.
PopHorror – I know that you wrote, directed, produced, edited, shot, and scored the film yourself. Was this important for you?
Jordan Graham – Yes, for this film it was very important to me. It’s been really difficult to get noticed in the film industry for the last 21 years, so I wanted to make a film in the most unique way I could to prove that I have value in this medium. Hopefully, I did enough!
PopHorror – You most definitely did! Casting must have been very important for you. How did you make your casting choices?
Jordan Graham – Almost all the actors have been friends of mine for years and have acted for me before. I’ve known Michael Daniel (Pete) since I was thirteen and he’s been in all my projects since. This just made it easy for me because I know what their capabilities are and if things got too stressful we could all just take a break and hang out. I needed that comfort since I was doing everything behind the camera myself which is a lot of pressure.
PopHorror – That makes sense. Are there any filmmakers that inspire you?
Jordan Graham – Oh so many. I guess I’ll just name-drop a few right now. Yorgos Lanthomos, Stanley Kubrick, Jonathan Glazer, David Lynch, Paul Thomas Anderson, Nicolas Winding Refn, Gaspar Noe, Robert Eggers, Ari Aster, Safdie Brothers. There’s just so many.
PopHorror – Can’t argue with those! Are there any new projects in the works? What’s next?
Jordan Graham – I’m just using this Covid downtime to write as much as I can. I have two screenplays at the moment. One is inspired by the child abductions that went on throughout Belgium in the 1990s, and the one I’m currently writing is about an impossibly long shipping container that has a cosmic horror-like feel.
PopHorror – Looking forward to them! Thanks again for chatting with me! Sator is now available on Digital, On Demand, and DVD!
