An exclusive interview with director MICHAEL POLISH discussing his latest action-packed film ALARUM starring Scott Eastwood and Sylvester Stallone.
SYNOPSIS: Academy Award® nominee* Sylvester Stallone, Scott Eastwood, Mike Colter, and Willa Fitzgerald star in this explosive action-thriller about two married spies caught in the crosshairs of an international intelligence network that will stop at nothing to obtain a critical asset. Joe (Eastwood) and Lara (Fitzgerald) are agents living off the grid whose quiet retreat at a winter resort is blown to shreds when members of the old guard suspect the two may have joined an elite team of rogue spies, known as ALARUM.
Directed by Michael Polish with script by Alexander Vesha, ALARUM stars Scott Eastwood, Sylvester Stallone, Willa Fitzgerald, Mike Colter, Isis Valverde, and Joel Cohen.
No stranger to the action genre or working with bonafide A-List action heroes, MICHAEL POLISH doesn’t disappoint this go-round with his latest film, ALARUM. As he has demonstrated with prior action films, such as “Force of Nature” starring Mel Gibson, Polish knows how to build tension and intrigue, keep guns a-blazing, and give us visuals that immerse us in a story populated with a minimal set of main cast who are firing on all cylinders, while keeping us entertained the entire time. And dare I say it, when you’ve got Scott Eastwood and Sylvester Stallone as your action headliners, you’re off to a terrific start. It also helps when you have a director who loves the genre and wants something as engaging to the audience as it is for him.
As we dove into the “making of” ALARUM, Michael broke down the cinematic elements of the film from the unique blend of action and humor, particularly the chemistry between Eastwood and Stallone, to creating a timeless Eastern European spy world feel thanks to location and production design (would you believe ALARUM was shot in Ohio?!) to cinematography and developing a visual grammar with his DP Jayson Carothers to a wonderful score that melded in needle drops and classic music which enhanced the spy thriller atmosphere. And how about the opening titles which harken to the genius of Saul Bass!
Some of the details of our conversation include, but are not limited to:
- the script, its appeal, and how it came to him with Scott Eastwood already attached which let Michael bring in Stallone with whom he has been friends for over 20 years
- the casting process
- performances of the lead actors, particularly Eastwood and Stallone, were crucial to the film’s success
- Willa Fitzgerald brought a “magical” presence to the film and was able to hold her own in the action sequences
- the importance of strong cast chemistry
- actors’ ability to deliver dry humor within the intensity of the script and action
- challenges of shooting in Ohio and the need to transform it to look Eastern European
- finding locations
- bringing in European cars and other props to help sell the Eastern European aesthetic
- composing and framing the shots carefully to avoid showing anything that would give away the true American location
- using wide shots, varied framing, and strategic editing to create the illusion of an Eastern European setting
- collaboration with cinematographer Jayson Carothers to develop visual grammar
- Jayson’s old-school approach to cinematography, focusing on lighting and composition
- shooting night for night to capture the cold and dark atmosphere, enhancing the visual storytelling
- using the Arri Alexa as primary camera
- action and stunts with stunt coordinator Peter King
- Paul Buhl’s editing
- challenges of blending VFX, drone CGI (by Vortex DI), and live action
- establishing pacing for energy and entertainment
- opening titles; color selection and its harkening to the days of the Soviet Union and Cold War spy thrillers
- music
- blending Yagmar Kaplan’s score with needledrops and many classical music pieces such as Dvorak
- the need for a score that complements the film’s action and emotional moments
- and more!
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, Exclusive Interview 01/16/2025
ALARUM is now available on digital and on demand.
