Writer/director duo Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead may not be household names, but they are two of the best filmmakers working today. They first broke on to the scene with the 2012 horror film Resolution and since then they've made a series of mind-melting, genre-bending, kick-ass movies that all build a trippy shared universe. Their latest film, Something in the Dirt, just premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, and it stars Benson and Moorhead as two neighbors who witness supernatural events in their apartment building in Los Angeles and decide to make a documentary about their experience and make some cash while they're at it, but they quickly find themselves spiraling out of control as they dig themselves deeper into a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories and strange mysteries. I got the chance to talk to Benson and Moorhead about the film ahead of its Sundance debut, and can already say this is unlike any film they've made, and whether you're already a fan or have never heard of them, you'll want to dive deep into the Something in the Dirt rabbit hole.
During the interview, the duo talked about making films that are hard to describe, making a true DYI film during lockdown, down to filming in their own apartments, capturing the aesthetic of an Unsolved Mysteries episode, and the experience of working on Marvel's Moon Knight while also doing post-production on this film.
Watch what Benson and Moorhead had to say in the player above and below is exactly what we talked about, as well as the official synopsis for the film.
- How they describe Something in the Dirt as a mix between a stoner film and an X-Files episode.
- When did they decide this was going to be their next project?
- How do they recreate the visual aesthetic of something like Unsolved Mysteries?
- What kind of research went into the mythology of the film?
- How did they work with the composer to create the score of the film?
- They've done films about two guys trapped in a room, and films where they play the main characters, how was it to combine the two in this film?
- How did the experience of working in this film compare with working on Moon Knight?
- There are easter eggs to the duo's previous films here, what order would they recommend newcomers start with their filmography?
- The film is a love letter to Los Angeles, how much of their own experience in the city is in the characters?
- What does it feel to have a film premiere at Sundance?
Here's the official synopsis:
"When neighbors John and Levi witness supernatural events in their Los Angeles apartment building, they realize documenting the paranormal could inject some fame and fortune into their wasted lives. An ever-deeper, darker rabbit hole, their friendship frays as they uncover the dangers of the phenomena, the city, and each other."