EatSleepLiveMary: Twisted Twins Interview

"As well as sitting down with American Mary star Katharine Isabelle at this year’s FrightFest, I also had the opportunity to talk with the equally humorous and insightful ‘Twisted Twins’ Jen and Sylvia Soska (following the obligatory hugs of course), about their new film. They spoke about creating a movie for a reason, their retirement from acting, a possible piss take on the romantic comedy genre, and the only reason to get out of bed: prosthetics and gore."

EatSleepLiveFilm is a remarkable site for insight in all things film with professionals who are aficionados and lovers of the art form. So, it was an absolute pleasure and delight when we had the opportunity to sit down with Paul Risker of EatLiveSleepFilm for an interview with my twisted twinnie where we had the chance to really get into the world of AMERICAN MARY.

You directed and starred in DHIAT. With American Mary you have been almost exclusively behind the camera apart from a cameo appearance. Do you feel this impacted the final look of the film and would you consider taking a starring role in future films?  

Jen: Our cameo in American Mary has been kind of our retirement from acting. As much as we love acting, it really was our real passion, but it’s a real challenge to be able to direct and do all of the other responsibilities that go along with it, and be on the camera. Even if you’re going back and forth, it was very stressful to be like, “Am I using the right light?” It’s not like an actor thing when you’re directing as well to be concerned with. It’s, “Did I get the shot? Was it clearer enough? Was there another sound going on while I was talking?” We really wanted to focus on the story of American Mary, and all the different elements, so as a choice we wanted to take a step back. But we had such good support from DHIAT that people said, “We want to see you do something.” So we said, “Okay we’ll let you see us do something, one final something.” I would say we could be talked out of retirement for something really amazing, like I challenge anybody to take us out of retirement, but right now we really want to focus on our directing and our writing.  

Sylvia: Actually in all of our other scripts that we have there is nothing at all for us to do in it. This was it that was the one final time. So we decided to do things we really like. Jen loves prosthetics so she got a lot of prosthetic work on that. I wanted to kiss a girl and I got to do that because I guess I don’t date ever. It was really fun, but the whole time in the back of my mind I wanted to be behind the monitor, and there were a few little things that were very different from how… looking at it I wish I’d done this or I wish I’d done that, you can’t do that when you’re actually in the seat, especially when you’re working on an independent. You have so little time to get everything done. So its fun, I love acting, and I hope people enjoy the final cameo. I hope it wasn’t too narcissistic like, “Everyone stop the movie, the twins are going to make their cameo now.”

Check out the whole utterly rad piece here! Thank you to Paul for taking the time to talk to a pair of completely insane Canadian twins - you were just wonderful, sir.

And do not miss the interview with the intoxicatingly talented, Katharine Isabelle, here where she gets under Mary's skin as she describes how she brought the final girl/every girl to life.

-Sylv

There Will Be Mod, Mary Reviews Keep Rolling in

"Original is a word that’s not often used within horror nowadays, which of Couse, is a shame, however, with this lack of originality in the genre, it only makes seeing a film such as American Mary that much more satisfying. Unflinching, shocking but somehow very touching and personal at the same time, American Mary is something new and well, I believe it’s something to shout from the rooftops about." - Jordan McGrath, EatSleepLiveFilm (full review)

"The twisted minds behind the cult smash ‘Dead Hooker in a Trunk’ have gone from cult low budget to Hollywood mainstream in one easy scoop. Capturing the imagination of none other than horror’s latest controversial director, Eli Roth. American Mary has the raw, talented and cringe inducing moments seen on film since Hostel and let’s get this clear from the outset, AM is not for the feint hearted." - BloodGutsUK (full review)

"American Mary is one of the very best films at this year's FrightFest, and practically guaranteed a lasting cult status. It is not only one of the few scheduled films directed by women, but also a refreshingly original take on the genre. In other words, while no turkey, it certainly has wings. Cannot wait to see where the Soskas will take us next." -Anton Bitel, Little White Lies (full review)

"The gorgeous Katharine Isabelle delivers a superlative, career-defining performance as Mary – an ambitious, vulnerable girl eventually twisted and sullied by circumstances that change her world. Her relationship with Billy holds a sweetness of its own, a promise of romance that neither of them really manages to drag to the surface, lending a multi-layered gravitas to their scenes together which, thankfully, both actors realise impeccably. As Beatress, Tristan Risk is an absolute delight."
- Pestilence, Dread Central (full review)

"The weird, strange, and often disturbing world of American Mary's body-mod setting is brought to life by special effects wizard Todd Masters, best known for his work on television shows like True Blood and Fringe as well as films like Slither. Remarkably, the movie contains no computer generated imagery, relying entirely on the old-school use of prosthetics and special make-up for characters ranging from the totally unconventional (silicone forehead horns) to cringe-worthy, Real Housewives-esque plastic surgery "victims." Oddly, it is the characters in the latter category who are the most compelling and disturbing to behold, especially when viewed through Brian Pearson's appropriately moody lens." - Rachel Fox, Twitch Film (full review)

-Sylv

From a Dead Hooker in a Trunk to an American Mary

"It’s less than two weeks away now boys and girls! FrightFest the 13^th is literally just around the corner. So as we try and get ourselves and you, our loyal readers, pumped for the festival, I continue the feature Ian so brilliantly started when he looked at Federico Zampaglione’s duo of Shadow and Tulpa. 

This time I’m focusing on the Soska sisters, whose second feature American Mary, plays on the Monday morning in the main screen. But first of all, let’s check out their now fan-favourite debut, Dead Hooker in a Trunk."

Let the two week countdown to AMERICAN MARY screening at the main stage at the 13th Annual Fright Fest commence! I just saw this great piece on EatLiveSleepFilm.com entitled looking back and looking forward where they look at the past to the present where the the filmmakers' new films are playing at Fright Fest. For Jen and me, it's a leap from grind house DIY/no budget DEAD HOOKER IN A TRUNK (we had $2500, not $25000) filmmaking to a European and Asian cinema inspired piece with a still modest, but now evident budget shift. 

"Fans of horror since childhood, the Soskas are tuned in to the right frequency of gore and comedy. The script has its fair share of snappy dialogue proving they obviously know their audience incredibly well – most probably because they are that same audience."

 And what to expect from the new child?

"The one thing the Soska twins showed us with Dead Hooker was potential, and even though the previous film was a decent outing from the pair, I believe the issue of budget meant that they couldn’t fully reach that potential. But with American Mary, and what looks like a bigger budget, this could well be the opportunity they need that puts the filmmakers’ on the horror map. Staying behind the camera on this occasion, which I think is a good choice, it allows the twins to properly focus on the story and not worry about anything else. And with film surrounding underground surgeries and body modification, they have a chance to take it into many dark and disturbing places."

Dark and disturbing places? Yeah, we got you covered. Check out the whole rad piece by Jordan McGrath here.

-Sylv