Director RICHARD GRAY takes us back to the Old West in this exclusive interview discussing the challenges and joys of period storytelling and bringing MURDER AT YELLOWSTONE CITY to life; not to mention, building an actual town.
When I last chatted with RICHARD GRAY it was all about 14th Century Scotland and Robert the Bruce. Knowing him to be a filmmaker with a keen eye for historical accuracy, it was no surprise to me when it was announced he would be helming MURDER AT YELLOWSTONE CITY. As luck would have it for Richard and his team, during the time from pre-production to filming to post-production of MURDER AT YELLOWSTONE CITY, audiences have been swept up into a frenzy over the Old West and Modern West thanks to Taylor Sheridan and his blockbuster series Yellowstone and 1883, making the time ripe for the release of MURDER AT YELLOWSTONE CITY. And trust me – you won’t be disappointed here. MURDER AT YELLOWSTONE CITY is everything and more that you could want in a western and a murder mystery.
SYNOPSIS: The once peaceful and booming Yellowstone City has fallen on hard times, but when a local prospector strikes gold, things seem to be turning around. Any hope is soon shattered when the prospector is found dead and the Sheriff quickly arrests a mysterious newcomer. But nothing is so simple in this sleepy western town, and more than a few of the locals have secrets to keep and reasons to kill. As the brutal murders continue, pitting neighbor against neighbor, Yellowstone City goes down a bloody path to a final showdown that not all will survive.
Directed by RICHARD GRAY with script by Eric Belgau with whom Richard previously collaborated on Robert the Bruce, MURDER AT YELLOWSTONE CITY boasts an all-star cast, among them, Gabriel Byrne, Thomas Jane, Isaiah Mustafa, Anna Camp, Aimee Garcia, Emma Kenney, Nat Wolff, Richard Dreyfuss, Scottie Thompson, Lew Temple, Zach McGowan, and Tanaya Beatty. One of the interesting aspects of this cast is that the majority have never done any type of work in a western and were intentionally cast against type by Richard. And there is neither a bad nor less than par performance to be had. Particularly notable are Thomas Jane, Richard Dreyfuss, Scottie Thompson, and Nat Wolff.
Diving into the pre-production and production process of MURDER AT YELLOWSTONE CITY, Richard talks at length about the three years spent building Yellowstone City (yes, 3 years) and the importance of having 360-degree physical structures and not merely facades, thus allowing cinematographer John Garrett to pick and choose the time of day for shooting certain scenes in order to achieve specific natural light; the reality and authenticity achieved by having a fully realized and apportioned 1860’s town with church, saloon, brothel delivery, livery, jail, town hall, etc., thus allowing the actors to walk freely in and out of the buildings and immerse themselves in the world; melding a murder mystery with the Old West and the importance of John Garrett’s lighting and lensing in capturing and conveying both; casting, research into history; and more.
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive interview 06/21/2022
MURDER AT YELLOWSTONE CITY in Theaters, on Digital and On Demand on June 24th.
