Now playing in theaters is director Gil Kenan’s (Monster House) contemporary remake of the classic horror film PoltergeistProduced by Sam Raimi, the redo stars Sam Rockwell and Rosemarie DeWitt as parents trying to fend off a spiritual invasion and save their eight-year-old daughter (Kennedi Clements) from the evil forces trying to take her. The film also stars Jared Harris, Saxon SharbinoKyle CatlettSusan Heyward and Nicholas Braun. While some might be nervous about the remake, I was actually surprised by how well it’s put together. However, it’s definitely aimed at a younger audience, and it’s important to know that going in.

A few days ago I sat down with Gil Kenan for a video interview. He talked about his first cut of the film, deleted scenes, what he learned from the test screening process, how he’s releasing an extended cut on Blu-ray, what Woody Allen taught him about editing, why clowns are so scary, and how the Blu-ray will include an alternate ending as an additional extra.

Here’s what Kenan had to say followed by a time index of the interview. If you missed my interview with Sam Rockwell and Rosemarie DeWitt, click here to watch.

 


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Gil Kenan:

  • How he was my last interview at Comic-Con before my injury a number of years ago.
  • 2:00 – What did he learn from the test screening process? How the audience wanted more clowns.
  • 3:10 – How long was his first cut?
  • 3:50 – Deleted scenes talk. Reveals he’ll be doing an extended cut for the Blu-ray. Says the beginning of the film is a bit different.
  • 4:55 – How long will the extended cut be compared to theatrical cut? Says an additional 7 or 8 minutes.
  • 5:22 – How he shot an alternate ending as a bit of a joke and that will be on Blu-ray but not on extended cut…just as an extra. Says the alternate ending never worked.
  • 6:20 – How the film doesn’t waste much time getting to things going wrong in the house. Was that his idea or the studios?
  • 7:20 – How Woody Allen spoke to his class in college and calls the lecture one of the most important he ever had. Says he demystified the editing process.
  • 9:20 – Talks about a scene he had to cut because it didn’t move story.
  • 9:35 – Why are clowns so scary?

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