PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Filmmaker Elliot Feld has an inspiring passion, and he’s definitely going places. His first feature film, Killer Kate!, starring his up-and-coming actress wife, Alexandra Feld (whom I also spoke with, so keep an eye out for her interview), is funny, entertaining, bloody and is filled with laughs and gasps. I cannot wait to see what these two have brewing. In the meantime, I was lucky enough to interview Elliot and he is a delight to talk to. We chatted about Killer Kate!, working with family and, of course, horror movies.
PopHorror: What inspired you to make Killer Kate!? And what inspired you to make your first feature film a horror film?
Elliot Feld: Killer Kate! was very much inspired by cinema of the ’70s and ’80s. The films that came out of that era are unparalleled. A lot of the cinema from back then feels fresh, and the directors didn’t always adhere to the rules that we’re all taught in film school. I want to tell stories differently and twist the genres. I love taking risks, and this film challenges our conception of tone and style.
I produce and direct commercials full time, and I just got that itch, you know? I spent a year trying to find the right project before we landed on Killer Kate! I grew up watching guys like John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Sam Raimi, and James Cameron. Suspense and conflict are so important to me when telling a story, so horror felt like a natural fit.
PopHorror: There’s a healthy mix of humor along with your horror. How do you feel about the horror purists that disagree that horror and comedy can go hand in hand?
Elliot Feld: Horror purists are well intentioned, but the issue that comes up often for me in horror is originality. We make so many horror movies, and they’ve all started to blend. Look, I’ve always loved horror, and straight horror can be super fun. The new Halloween, for example, is awesome. But it’s time that we take the genre and bend it. Movies like Cabin in the Woods or Tucker & Dale vs. Evil or even the original Evil Dead stick out because they’re different. All that said, horror is a passion of mine, and comedy has always come naturally, so I decided to blend the two in a way that isn’t often done. Killer Kate! is very much a tale of two halves. The first half of the movie is a family drama, and the second half is a grindhouse thriller. We injected the comedy through specific characters. We tried to make them authentically funny rather than purely parodic.
PopHorror: What’s it like working with your family?
Elliot Feld: Honestly, I wouldn’t have finished this movie without them. My dad is the executive producer, my brother is the producer, my wife plays the lead, and her family handled the art department and wardrobe. We’re a family of artists, and this was one big collective work. We shot the film in a very tight 10 day schedule, and having everyone so closely connected was vital. We all know each other, and we worked together like a well oiled machine. It’s was amazing.
PopHorror: You have your hand in many aspects of film making, from writer to director to producer. Have you ever considered acting?
Elliot Feld: Funny that you ask, because I actually started as an actor. When I was in high school, I spent quite a bit of time on stage. I actually met my wife this way. We were scene partners in acting class, and she was my first stage kiss. She plays Kate, by the way. When I graduated from high school, I even went to Arizona State University and majored in theater performance. It only took two years for me to change paths and move toward directing, but never say never on going back. I would definitely do comedy sketch work, similar to Key & Peele. I love outrageous comedy, and Jim Carrey was a huge inspiration to me growing up.
PopHorror: With this being your directorial debut, what made you want to jump into the director’s chair?
Elliot Feld: Like you said earlier, I’ve had my hand in many aspects of filmmaking over the years. In addition to my theater experience, I’ve written and produced features and directed quite a few commercials and short films. I used to play a ton of music, too. When I was a kid, I played all the brass instruments as well as the drum set. John Hopkins, our composer, was my stand partner back in the day. In fact, we spent 10 years of our youth in marching band and wind ensemble together. I feel that directing is a perfect blend of all my talents. I know all the different aspects of
production, and it’s easy for me to communicate with everyone, from the camera guys to the actors to the musicians to the editor. I feel confident every step of the way, and I love bringing everyone together as a team. There’s nothing better than leading the charge.
PopHorror: Can you tell us what you have coming up next?
Elliot Feld: Right now, Daniel and I are working on a few things. We have a modern western in development that plays more as a classic suspense film, similar to something like No Country for Old Men or Hell or High Water. We also have a really cool horror film in the works called The Woods which centers around vampires. We haven’t seen many vampire films based in reality, with rare exceptions like Let the Right One In. I’d love to film it as a pure horror flick. I want to play with action and violence, so this would be something really brutal. Think of it like the vampire version of The Witch or It Comes at Night.
PopHorror: What’s your favorite scary movie?
Elliot Feld: My favorite horror films are The Shining, The Thing, and The Ring. They each have a special place in my heart, for very different reasons, but I can’t pick a favorite between the three.
We want to send a great big Thank You to Elliot Feld for taking the time to talk with us here at PopHorror. Be sure to check back soon for more news from Eliot Feld, as well as the aforementioned interview with his wife, Alexandra, and a review of his film, Killer Kate! It is now available on VOD and On Demand.
