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agentorange [Film Festival 08.04.11] post apocalyptic movie news interview

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[Editor's note: This interview originally appeared on Twitch Film and has been reprinted here with permission]

This week marks Dark Sky Film's Stake Land 2 Disc Special Edition">DVD and Blu-Ray release of director Jim Mickle's post-apocalyptic vampire movie, Stake Land (which has gotten a bit of love around these parts).

To celebrate the release, we asked Jim to tell us about some of his favorite tales of the end of the world.



Time of the Wolf: One of those apocalyptic films that has nothing to do with the event and everything to do with how people respond after. Part of me despises Haneke for how he operates, but at the end of the day his movies are too good to question.




On the Beach: More of a haunting, meditation on the end of the world, and somehow strangely comforting to think they were making movies about the same things over 50 years ago.


Miracle Mile: Anthony Edwards accidentally receives a phone call informing him that nuclear missiles are on the way, and Los Angeles will be wiped out in 70 minutes. Chaos ensues. Frantic, corny, and combining two of my least favorite things (LA and the 80s), yet it's still kind of an awesome depiction of paranoia and uncertainty.


The Thing: I know. It's not really an end of the world movie. But the isolation is depicted so perfectly, that for all we know these are the last men on earth. Great genre mashup, and a master at his best. Probably my all time favorite.


Come and See: Beck Underwood, one of our art directors, gave this to me while we prepped Stake Land. Again not a literal end of the world, but for the characters, it might as well be. Bold, lyrical, and the depiction of war and destruction through children's eyes is often stunning.


I Am Legend (novel): Richard Matheson's incredible book is still the best movie out of all the incarnations and always will be.


Girls: Not a movie, but a 24-issue comic book by The Luna Brothers, that reads like storyboards for the coolest movie never made. Don't read any plot rundowns. Just start reading the first issue.


Children of Men: Yes, it's amazing technically, but more importantly it never loses sight of the characters and their journey. It also has the confidence to define the world without turning it into spectacle. Rarely do movies make a huge impact on me anymore, but this floored me.


The Last Winter: Larry's love letter to The Thing and environmentalism comes off feeling like a really good Japanese horror entry. Even though a lot of people have seen it, it still feels wildly overlooked. Also the first time I noticed Jeff Grace's amazing score.




The Inside Job: Frustrating, demoralizing, and terrifying.


Monsters: Genre and character can be a tough tonal balance, but for me this is near perfection. Brilliant no-budget filmmaking and incredibly clever use of happy accidents. I take it over District 9. I saw this the week we premiered Stake Land, and was proud to feel like we had a kindred spirit.


Save the Green Planet: One of my favorite Toronto Midnight Madness experiences. A guy suspects that a corporate executive is an alien so he kidnaps and tortures him--like a sci-fi version of Swimming With Sharks. So damn good.


Reign of Fire: My guiltiest pleasure. Dragons take over the world, and Bale and McConaughey duke it out and take 'em down. I had a soft spot for director Rob Bowman ever since the X Files, and the scene where McConaughey sheds a tear over the men he sacrificed in a kamikaze parachute battle with a dragon is perfection.

Via: Twitch

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ReplicA (9 months ago) Reply

Very nice list, and good explanations of the choices. I especially like this quote "...two of my least favorite things (LA and the 80s)" That's exactly how I feel as well.

I personally hated the Last Winter, just cause it's political stance was constantly being rubbed in the viewers face. But I can see and respect why Jim Mickle feels different.

Great list from a good director. Thanks for this

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jason (8 months ago) Reply

The Quiet Earth is one of my favourite end of the world (and start of a new one?) movies. The human race has mysteriously disappeared, except for a few souls that remain. The final scene is unforgettable.


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