“Theta” does seem very personal because it’s character-based. The audience identifies with the main character because we don’t know what’s happening to her anymore than she does: Is she haunted? Is she possessed? Is someone using supernatural powers to hurt her? It’s very much like the beginning of The Exorcist, where we are being pulled along by our sympathy for the main character.
I love the lead actress in “Theta,” Jeanette Brox. She totally commits to what she’s doing. When she smiles there’s something so warm and genuine that makes you feel like you know her, like you went to school with her. She really internalized the pain of a character that knows this horrible secret and can’t deal with it. There was so much complexity in her performance.
She’s aware of the paranormal attacks on her, but she can’t understand them. It was important to emphasize the literal darkness that surrounds her. When she’s walking through her apartment, you can’t see what’s there. I added the sound of dead air, to help put the audience into this void with her. Usually in those suspenseful moments, you have music — a long violin strain, and then [a burst of staccato sound]. To me, silence is always a more effective setup. Then she gets slammed onto the floor and dragged down the hall. It was all done with very simple effects, but the silence and the darkness are what give the audience the psychological connection to her, and that’s what pulls you into her world.
What happened to the series?
It was a show that Steven Spielberg did with showrunners Glen Morgan and James Wong. NBC greenlit it at the same time as Freaks & Geeks and, for whatever reason, they just didn’t have faith in these two shows. They put The Others on Saturday night, which is where you put a show that you have to air but don’t care about. Of course it didn’t get the ratings needed. I thought the series was a very smart idea — to have all these different characters with supernatural gifts working together. And the young lead Julianne Nicholson is an amazing talent. I’m just waiting for her to connect with the right role and explode as a major star.
As a horror fan, I’m waiting for you to tack another stab at a horror movie. Didn’t you say that you’ve been approached about remaking One Dark Night?
Yes, although I’m not sure how serious that was. With One Dark Night, it would be a question of finding a way to do something new. For one thing, I think I’d like to explore more of the Raymar character — the whole idea of a psychic vampire. Instead of a rubber corpse that gets rolled around the set, I’d want to set him up as a character at the beginning of the movie…so that you think the whole movie is going to be about this guy who uses telekinetic power. Maybe we see him in an environment that’s heightened — like the world of flashy Hollywood night life — so that the audience finds initially sees him as the typical Hollywood weirdo. Until he picks up a girl and takes her home and literally drains the life out of her. I’d want to really see the physical process of this. Then when he dies, he’s been put into the Hollywood Forever mausoleum.
There is a part of me that really wants to remake that film, knowing now what I wish I’d known then. When I was starting out in the ’70s, I was heavily influenced by the horror films that I’d seen. Now I have so many other influences from my life and a lot more experience developing characters and working with actors, and all the technical knowledge of making a movie. I do believe I could go back and re-envision One Dark Night and make it more like what I wish it had been the first time. It would be a rare but welcome blessing to have that chance to go back and improve things. But I would not want to lose what made it work the first time around — which was that experience of supernatural fear that I had in the catacombs in Paris.
A lot of filmmakers talk about their first film as their most personal film, because they got to spend more time developing it than any subsequent film. Does One Dark Night still feel like your most personal film?
My first three features are filled with many personal touches and a lot of references to all the movies that influenced me when I was growing up. I was trying to put everything into them…which did make them personal, but I realize now that all those references weren’t necessarily right for those particular scenes. What I’ve learned as a filmmaker is that you shouldn’t make individual shots elaborate just for the sake of the shot. Everything has to be organic to the story. I look back at those films and I see that I was focusing more on visual acrobatics than telling a story. When I see a moment that doesn’t work, often it’s because the emphasis is on the camera movement instead of the actor.
In the beginning of One Dark Night — the scene where the police find the bodies in the closet — I did the three quick cut-ins, my nod to what Hitchcock did in The Birds [in the scene where Jessica Tandy discovers a man with his eyes pecked out]. The audience certainly reacted with horror, but I’m not sure I would do it the same way again. I might do a slow move, either a zoom or a dolly, instead. The zoom lens pulls the image towards you, whereas the dolly pushes you into the image. People argue that it has the same effect, but I don’t think so. There’s a subtle difference, and as a storyteller you have to make a choice.
It’s hard to predict the effect on the audience, isn’t it? Some people will be jolted by the three quick cuts, while other people will be too aware of the edit for it to work for them emotionally. I guess it does come down to the director’s decision about what seems natural…
It’s all instinctive. We all make mistakes all the time…You wake up in the morning and you didn’t get enough sleep and you’re sitting there watching the first scene of the day and you impulsively say, “Can’t we do something more interesting with the camera?” Then a month later in editing, you say, “Why did I do that?” Maybe it wasn’t a great scene to begin with, so you were trying to make it interesting for yourself by changing something. Usually, it’s a scene that’s relaying information. It’s someone talking. Whenever a scene isn’t about one of the two Fs — fighting or fucking — you’re going to have trouble with it. We need constant conflict, or the threat of conflict. Sex, or the promise of sex.
That’s American cinema in a nutshell.
When I read scripts, I’m always analyzing the dialogue scenes. What’s important is not what the characters are saying so much as what they don’t say, what they may be struggling to say. The emotional underpinnings of the characters. Dialogue itself isn’t cinematic, but if one person really wants to talk and the other person actively doesn’t want to listen, then you’ve got a scene. Often I say to the actors, “Let’s talk about where you are emotionally at this point in the story. Maybe you don’t want to be here. Maybe you don’t want to be paying attention. Maybe there’s something else that has your attention. You have to look for the conflict. What’s your intention? What’s in the way?”
To me, those are the most interesting challenges as a director. How do you take the sometimes very mundane information and present it in a way that’s interesting to watch? Too often we get hung up, especially in television, with the look of the scene instead of the emotional content. We say, “Just light them so that they look pretty, because the audience will watch a pretty face and there’s really no time to try to get into very much depth with these characters…” In my early days as a director, I was very focused on moving the camera…but I think that’s where we get it wrong. We pay attention to technical details instead of the tone of the story. That’s the hardest thing about filmmaking — getting the tone right, and maintaining it.
Whenever a movie has an inconsistent tone, I always assume it’s a “movie by committee.” If there are too many producers with conflicting ideas about what the movie should be, then viewers pick up on the confusion. They sense that the story is fragmented, but they can’t quite explain why…
As filmmakers, we have to keep being reminded of the simple rule that it’s about tone. I forget constantly. I’ll look at one scene and think, “This could look like Chinatown…” and then look at the next scene and think, “This could look like The Exorcist…” And you find your
self trying to shoot each scene in an interesting and unique style. Then when you put it together it just doesn’t feel coherent.
TV movies have to fit into a set formula of eight-act chunks. As with episodic shows, the commercial breaks need to be cliffhangers, because you want your audience to come back to find out what happens. There are some acts outs that are truly great. They grab you and you won’t flip the channel to see what else is on because you’d risk missing something when the movie comes back. That’s not easy to achieve, because so many act outs are cliché and completely predictable. The audience has this sense of what you can and can’t do, based on where you are in the movie. They think: Okay, we’re not even halfway through, so this guy can’t die yet…the mystery can’t be resolved yet…he’s not the murderer… They know the formula. And as soon as you go to the commercial, you can lose whatever dramatic momentum you had.
Commercials can kill the tone of anything.
If you’re seeing a movie for the first time, and you’re really trying to get involved, it’s impossible not to be distracted by the logos, the commercials, and the fact that everything is so rushed. Most males, including myself, don’t ever put the remote down. We’re just waiting for that moment of emotional disconnect so we can change the channel. In my experience, women tend to put something on and stick with it. They might be doing other things, but they’ll keep the same thing on because they’re more interested in getting engaged in the story. Guys want to surf the channels and see if there is anything better on.
I went to a seminar once where a filmmaker — actually, I think it was Woody Allen — said that, as soon as the lights go down in a theater, your consciousness begins to float. Whatever that first image is, that’s what carries you into the movie. He’s always subscribed to two basic rules. (1) The opening titles are white text on black background, because you’re not in the movie yet. This is just the credits, where music sets the tone. You cut to the first image and then the movie starts. (2) Each movie is ninety minutes, because that’s the normal cycle time before your brain waves change frequency. I think there is truth to the idea that those of us who go to a theater to see a movie are seeking a different experience than those who stay at home and watch TV.
In a recent issue of the Writers Guild Magazine, there’s an interview with Nancy Miller, in which she says she prefers watching television over going to the movies. She says she gets antsy when she goes to the movie. She grew up on television, she loves television, and that’s why she writes for television. That’s how she wants to be entertained. When I watch something on TV, I’m usually gone as soon as it breaks for commercial. When I go to the movies I will always stick with it — even if it’s a bad movie. I’m there to see somebody’s vision, and I want to immerse myself completely in that dreamlike experience. I have always loved making that commitment of time and energy to cinema. It’s not about getting what I paid for. It’s about opening myself up to the kind of emotional experience that cinema can deliver.
19. Bruno Bettelheim (1903-1990), child psychologist and author of The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales (1976)
20. “It will be tough to better this network telepic in 1999, a poignant little gem that proves to be the best kind of weeper, earning its tears with meticulous plot construction and the kind of brilliant performances rarely on display in broadcast primetime. It features no women in jeopardy, no ticking time bombs, not a single assassin, just a simple human story told with uncanny eloquence. Bravo.” — Daily Variety
21. On November 1, 1999, Variety reported: “Morgan Creek Prods. has tapped Tom McLoughlin to direct Exorcist: Dominion, the prequel to the Exorcist saga […] Pic will be produced by [James G.] Robinson and exec produced by Jonathan Zimbert; script was penned by William Wisher [Terminator II, with James Cameron], based on the novel by William Peter Blatty. Lensing is slated for a spring start in Africa.”
22. Boxofficemojo.com reports that the total domestic gross, as of November 7, 2004, was $41,814,863.
Valerie Bertinelli as Helen Walker.
Tom and Nancy McLoughlin with Alec Roberts and Florence Hoath.
Tom and Albert Ash as Dufus and Big Al.
Florence Hoath in Fairy Tale (Paramount, 1997).
Shane hunting leprechauns outside of Donegal, Ireland. “So come with me, where dreams are born, and time is never planned.” — Peter Pan
Shane with Peter Pan in Hyde Park, London.
The real Mr. and Mrs. Robert George, with Shane and Hannah McLoughlin.
Bruce Kirby as Santa Claus in A Different Kind of Christmas.
Hannah McLoughlin in A Different Kind of Christmas.
Hillary Swank, Chris Meloni, Nancy McLoughlin and Billie Worley on the set of Leaving L.A.
Behind the Mask (CBS, 1999).
The cast and crew of Behind the Mask.
The Exorcist (Warner Brothers, 1973).
Mausoleum at Hollywood Forever (Meg Tilly in One Dark Night).
Part VI: Kids & America
Demons from the Id / The murder in heaven / American terrorists / Christmas blues and black humor / Teen noir / Seduction, obsession, addiction / Twenty-first century witch hunting / Reality vs. docudrama / The grindhouse girls
FILMOGRAPHY
THE UNSAID (UNIVERSAL, 2001)
SCREENPLAY BY MIGUEL TEJADA-FLORES AND SCOTT WILLIAMS. STORY BY CHRISTOPHER MURPHEY
STARRING ANDY GARCIA, TREVOR BLUMAS, LINDA CARDELLINI, TERI POLO
A therapist tries to help a teenage boy who reminds him of his dead son.
“ANY DAY NOW” — 2 EPISODES (LIFETIME, 2002)
DIRECTED BY TOM MCLOUGHLIN
MURDER IN GREENWICH (USA, 2002)
DIRECTED BY TOM MCLOUGHLIN
TELEPLAY BY DAVE ERICKSON. BASED ON A NONFICTION BOOK BY MARK FUHRMAN
STARRING MAGGIE GRACE, TOBY MOORE, JON FOSTER, CHRIS MELONI, ROBERT FORSTER
A detective attempts to solve a decades-old murder of a teenage girl in Greenwich.
“WITHOUT A TRACE” — 1 EPISODE (CBS, 2003)
DIRECTED BY TOM MCLOUGHLIN
D.C. SNIPER: 23 DAYS OF FEAR (USA, 2003)
DIRECTED BY TOM MCLOUGHLIN
TELEPLAY BY DAVE ERICKSON
STARRING CHARLES S. DUTTON, BOBBY HOSEA, TRENT CAMERON
True story of Charles Moose, who led the police investigation into a series of sniper killings in Washington D.C. in October 2002.
SHE’S TOO YOUNG (LIFETIME, 2004)
DIRECTED BY TOM MCLOUGHLIN
TELEPLAY BY RICHARD KLETTER
STARRING MARCIA GAY MARDEN, ALEXIS DZIENA, MIKE ERWIN
A mother-daughter relationship is tested when the fourteen-year-old daughter contracts an STD.
A VERY MARRIED CHRISTMAS (CBS, 2004)
DIRECTED BY TOM MCLOUGHLIN
TELEPLAY BY JOYCE ELIASON. BASED ON A NOVEL BY ELIZABETH BERG
STARRING JOE MANTEGNA, JEAN SMART, CHARLES DURNING
A husband and wife play out their post-divorce fantasies over the holiday season.
ODD GIRL OUT (LIFETIME, 2005)
DIRECTED BY TOM MCLOUGHLIN
TELEPLAY BY RICHARD KLETTER. BASED ON A NONFICTION BOOK BY RACHEL SIMMONS
STARRING ALEXA VEGA, LISA VIDAL, LEAH PIPES, ELIZABETH RICE
A teenage girl becomes suicidal after being ostracized by her friends.
CYBER SEDUCTION: HIS SECRET LIFE (LIFETIME, 2005)
DIRECTED BY TOM MCLOUGHLIN
TELEPLAY BY RICHARD KLETTER AND WESLEY BISHOP
STARRING JEREMY SUMPTER, KELLY LYNCH, LYNDSY FONSECA
A teenager’s addiction to Internet porn disrupts his life.
NOT LIKE EVERYONE ELSE (LIFETIME, 2006)
DIRECTED BY TOM MCLOUGHLIN
TELEPLAY BY JAMIE PACHINO
STARRING ALIA SHAWKAT, ILLEANA DOUGLAS, ERIC SCHWEIG
A rebellious teenager is persecuted by her peers and school administrators.
THE STAIRCASE MURDERS (LIFETIME, 2007)
&n
bsp; DIRECTED BY TOM MCLOUGHLIN
TELEPLAY BY DONALD MARTIN. BASED ON A NONFICTION BOOK BY APHRODITE JONES
STARRING TREAT WILLIAMS, KEVIN POLLAK/p>
True story of a man who murdered his wife, but convincingly pleaded his innocence in a documentary film.
“SAVING GRACE” — 1 EPISODE (TNT, 2007)
DIRECTED BY TOM MCLOUGHLIN
FAB FIVE: THE TEXAS CHEERLEADER SCANDAL (LIFETIME, 2008)
TELEPLAY BY TEENA BOOTH
STARRING JENNA DEWAN, ASHLEY BENSON, AIMEE SPRING FORTIER
True story of five Texas cheerleaders who made news headlines by breaking all the rules.
You spent a few years struggling to work your way back into feature films. How did you finally get an offer to direct The Unsaid, a theatrical feature starring Andy Garcia?
Geoffrey Wright was attached as director, but he wanted to turn it into more of a horror movie. At a certain point he and Andy Garcia realized they weren’t going to be making the same movie, so the producers started looking for a new director and I ended up on the radar because of my agent.
I went into a meeting with the two producers, and told them that I saw the movie as a psychological thriller. They said, “Great, but you’ve got to sit down with Mr. Garcia, because he’s very particular about who’s going to direct this movie now.” I went and met with Andy at his house, and we were both sort of dancing around each other, each trying to figure out what the other was looking for. Ultimately, I think what bonded us was the fact that I had a background in physical comedy. Andy lit up when I started talking about that. He’s got a wonderful sense of humor, and he loves doing comedy, so the conversation started to spin off in that direction. I think at one point I even said, “Screw this movie — let’s do a comedy instead,” and he said, “Yeah yeah yeah!”
A Strange Idea of Entertainment: Conversations with Tom McLoughlin Page 20