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I recently had a chance to check out Ti West's newest release, The Innkeepers. Now, readers of this blog know that I am a huge movie geek and nothing is more enjoyable to me than a good scary movie. If you are looking for a good haunted house movie then I would definitely recommend The Innkeepers. The movie follows Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy) as they seek to discover if any of the Yankee Pedlar Inn ghost stories are legitimate. At this Inn, many things go bump in the night.
I was able to catch up with the writer-director of The Innkeepers, Ti West. Here is what he had to share:
Sims: Can you tell us a little about your new movie, The Innkeepers?
West: It's about two nerds who work in a haunted hotel. They want to get proof that it's haunted before it goes out of business. As they attempt their low-budget investigation they quickly get in over their heads.
Sims: With movies such as Cabin Fever 2 and The House of the Devil in your filmography, is there an attachment towards horror that keeps bringing you back? What is that?
West: I might be a weirdo.
Sims: Where did you get the inspiration for The Innkeepers?
West: When we made The House of the Devil the cast/crew stayed in The Yankee Pedlar Inn because it was a cheap place to stay. While we were out in the middle of nowhere making a satanic horror film, weirder things were happening back at the hotel. So I wrote The Innkeepers about those strange experiences we had staying there. Then we went back to the real place to film it.
Sims: We have many readers that are aspiring movie makers. How and when did you get your start?
West: I made short films, showed them to filmmaker Larry Fessenden who liked them enough to give me some money to make a feature. We pulled it off by the skin of our teeth and have been trying to keep the ball rolling ever since. It's a grind. 99% of the time the only thing stopping you from doing it is yourself. Just go do it.
Sims: I noticed that you write most of your own screenplays. Have you ever thought about releasing your stories as novels? Or is it always put together with the screen in mind?
West: I have thought a lot about writing a book. Maybe one of these days I'll actually do it...
Sims: What do you geek out on the most, besides probably horror movies?
West: MMA. I am desperately trying to come up with a film project that is related to mixed martial arts. In fact, I would probably take a job for the UFC if they offered. Even if it was just cleaning the mats.
Sims: What is your favorite movie (that is not one of your own)?
West: Hard to say. Maybe The Karate Kid.
Sims: Who has been your favorite actor to work with? Why?
West: Also hard to say. I have been fortunate to work with some great people. Mary Woronov was a real treat. She is someone I always wanted to work with, so it was awesome to actually get to do it.
Sims: What are you working on now?
West: Tons of stuff. Just waiting for the rich people to put the money in the account so we can go make the movies.
The Innkeepers is available on DVD and Blu-ray starting today.
