Writer/Director SCOTT DERRICKSON covers all things THE BLACK PHONE in this exclusive interview.
While I had seen his earlier films, The Exorcism of Emily Rose and the remake of the 1951 classic The Day the Earth Stood Still, my first real introduction to director and writer SCOTT DERRICKSON was with the frightening Sinister starring Ethan Hawke, followed quickly thereafter by the terrifying Deliver Us From Evil starring Edgar Ramirez and Eric Bana in a tale of crime and the supernatural based on real events. There was never a doubt that Scott had a distinctive and welcome voice as both a writer and director in the cinematic pantheon, particularly when he joined the MCU as writer/director of Doctor Strange. Scott more than proved he could grab our attention and wow us with a tentpole multi-million dollar superhero spectacle as much as he pulled our hearts out of our throats with intimate tales of horror and terror.
Now, reteaming with producer Jason Blum, his producing partner and frequent writing collaborator C. Robert Cargill, and actor Ethan Hawke, SCOTT DERRICKSON delivers the most chilling and disturbing psychological thriller of his career with THE BLACK PHONE.
SYNOPSIS: “Finney, a shy but clever 13-year-old boy, is abducted by a sadistic killer and trapped in a soundproof basement where screaming is of little use. When a disconnected phone on the wall begins to ring, Finney discovers that he can hear the voices of the killer’s previous victims. And they are dead set on making sure that what happened to them doesn’t happen to Finney.”
Directed by SCOTT DERRICKSON and written by Derrickson and Cargill based on a story by Joe Hill, THE BLACK PHONE stars, among others, Ethan Hawke as “The Grabber”, Mason Thames as “Finney”, Madeleine McGraw as “Gwen”, along with James Ransone, and Jeremy Davies.
Speaking with Scott about the film in this exclusive interview, we dug into the development of the script and building on the heart that was in Joe Hill’s original story with experiences from Scott’s own life and finding the empathy that we see and feel in the film, working with cinematographer Brett Jutkiewicz to develop a visual grammar (including many lengthy in-camera single shots) and evocative visual tonal bandwidth that brought to life the timeless appeal of Patti Podesta’s 1970’s production design, character and attitude, editing, designing the multiplicity of masks worn fuels the story, collaborating with Jason Blum, and more.
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive interview 08/03/2022
THE BLACK PHONE is now available on digital, Blu-ray, and DVD with exclusive bonus features, including:
- Ethan Hawke’s Evil Turn – Dive deeper into the character of The Grabber and how Ethan Hawke was able to transform into this unnerving villain.
- Answering the Call: Behind the Scenes of THE BLACK PHONE – a behind-the-scenes look into the most pivotal elements of THE BLACK PHONE production, including adapting the story and achieving the vision of director Scott Derrickson.
- Devil in the Design – Explore how the intricacies of production design helped bring this film to life, from the set design, to costumes, to hair and makeup.
- Super 8 Set – Cast and crew break down the decision to shoot the dream sequences on Super 8 film, and how that helped capture the aesthetic of the time period.
- Scott Derrickson’s complete short film, “Shadowprowler”
- Feature commentary by Scott Derrickson
