In honor of Halloween, I’d like to present seven films that are strong examples of the 7 deadly sins. Though all 7 films are outstanding, many of them are extremely graphic in their explorations of their subject matter. Tread bravely, but with caution.

Envy
Inside (2007)

On Christmas Eve, a pregnant widow named Sarah is hunted by a fearsome villain known only as The Woman (Beatrice Dalle). The Woman is determined to claim Sarah’s baby as her own-even if it means removing it by force with a long, sharp pair of shears. Perhaps the best horror film of the decade and certainly one of the most graphic and relentless-the level of blood, violence and unrelenting tension makes this one an emotionally draining experience-not for the squeamish.

Gluttony
La Grande Bouffe (1973)

Four bored, middle aged businessman retire to a mansion in Paris, fix themselves a lavish feast and sit down to eat-and eat and eat. Their plan-to commit suicide by eating themselves to death. This very black comedy makes a moralistic statement on the limits of pleasure one can actually derive from the external senses (as well as an undercurrent of criticism of bourgeoisie society) but be warned: this film becomes spectacularly gross. After seeing this film, you will not feel like eating for awhile.

Indiefilmchat is delighted to offer the following interview with Producer/Director Gene Teigland discussing the making of his indie mystery, Carousel Of Revenge. You can view the trailer at www.carouselofrevenge.com. Carousel Of Revenge has a very strong narrative drive. Most independent films are much more character studies. Did you intentionally set out to make this kind of film or did it just turn out that way?

It was very intentional. The other writer, James A. Kreitel, and I spent a lot of time making sure that everything happened for a reason. I don’t like it when mysteries or plot twists happen by “accident”, when you say to yourself, “...that was convenient”. Everything we tried to do had to be convincing, plausible and come from true character motivation. It’s designed to be watched more than once. Each time you watch it you’ll see or hear something that clears up the puzzle even more. You get it in the end the first time but it’s this journey of discovery for the characters and the plot that we worked hard to craft.

IFC: Do you have a preference for this type of mystery-thriller plot in the films you enjoy? What are some of your favorite films?

I’ve always loved a great mystery. If you can get me guessing in ways that make sense and plausible then I’ll get hooked pretty easily. The other part of it is the mystery of the character. Trying to figure out why they do what they do. Gattaca with Ethan Hawke and Umu Thurman is by far my favorite film. While on the outside it seems to be a science-fiction film wrapped in a murder mystery, it’s really about the discovery of those two characters.. The way Andrew Niccol crafted that story was amazing. On the other side of that I could watch Waterboy over and over again...

IFC: What is your background and how did you come to decide to make Carousel Of Revenge?

My background is in Video Production (Producing, Directing, Editing). Before this I did a number of documentaries and other creative work. I first read the script that turned into Carousel of Revenge back when I studied a semester of film at LAFSC in Los Angeles. That’s where I met the writer James Kreitel. Originally it was called Scapegoat’s Homecoming. The whole essence of the story centered around this loner, overweight kid who was framed for murder and then what would happened if he was able to return without anybody recognizing him to “solve the mystery”. It was kind of a revenge piece at the time but it turned into so much more over all the rewrites (10 years worth).

IFC: Choosing to set your story at an amusement park is a stroke of genius in that you have so much production value on the screen simply by turning on your camera. How did you get the idea to set your story at Arnolds Park and was it difficult to secure the location?

Credit goes to Kreitel for the setting. He grew up near Arnolds Park and always thought it would be a great place to shoot a movie, an amusement park next to a lake...kind of a Coney Island atmosphere. When I went there the first time I fell in love with the place right away. It’s like you walked onto a movie set. I was driving in Northern Iowa surrounded by corn fields and then suddenly as you come over a hill, there it was a huge lake resort with boats everywhere on the lakes and an amazing recreational area. Kind of like when you drive into Vegas, you're driving in the middle of the desert and then suddenly there’s a city. Here your driving in the middle of all these corn fields and suddenly a huge vacation resort. It was actually very easy to secure the location. At the end of August when the students go back to school they close the park during the week. So we could easily shoot what we needed there. It’s funny everywhere I go across the U.S. I always seem to run into somebody who has been there.

IFC: Uncle Bobby feels part of a long line of creepy mid-western businessman types that stretches back to at least the Coen’s Fargo, and maybe even all the way to Red Rock West. More recent films like The Ice Harvest continue that tradition. What is it about amoral, or at least morally ambiguous mid-western businessmen and American films?

I guess maybe it comes from the idea that the Midwest is seen as this “moral bread basket” of the United States. So in the context of storytelling it’s kind of fun to twist that idea and make a character that is the antithesis of that. Here’s you’ve got this character like Uncle Bobby who is surrounded by characters who possess this “Midwest Nice” thing (which is really a code word for “I’ll act nice to you when your around but when you’re not looking it’s a different ballgame”). So when someone like Bobby comes in with his own rules it really sets up some fun conflict for the film and I think that’s why it’s been so successful in other films like Fargo.

IFC: You used a very creative way to finance Carousel Of Revenge. Would you elaborate on that some?

While we did secure regular investors for the film, to help in marketing the film we set up a website where everyday people could vote on casting, props, story settings, etc. We created this interaction with the audience before they would see the film. It was an interesting challenge to keep the vision intact while still letting go of some control but I actually enjoyed it. It was a chance to get the pulse of what the audience wants to see before you make the film.

It has been a hectic couple of months for independent film distributors and I have been unable to post much here as a result.  Like most of the global economy, independent film distribution has been affected by the ongoing credit crunch.  Internationally, it's been a roller coaster ride for some time.  Great deals with eager buyers develop, then disappear like smoke, only to be followed by even more enticing opportunities. 

Domestically we've seen a nice increase in our dvd rental business.  This is of course a very welcome development and consistent with a tight economy and reduced consumer spending.  The flip side of this trend is a big drop off in our dvd sell-thru business.  We hope to see sell-thru pick up some as holiday spending kicks in.  So support indie distribs and give the gift of film for Christmas!  Dvds are relatively cheap, and if you shop a bit, usually unique.

We've got a great collection of titles releasing from now through January.  Carousel Of Revenge streets in November.  Filmed in Iowa, Carousel reps the kind of regional filmmaking that I am often crowing about here on the site.  The acting is excellent  and reflects the kind of aggressive casting that is now possible for energetic independent producers.  Every main character is played by a credited actor with an ongoing career in film and television.  Story-wise, Carousel boasts the kind of narrative drive all too often missing from independent films.  The film also looks and sounds fantastic.  While far from perfect, Carousel Of Revenge is indicative of the quality of production now achievable by independent filmmakers and I urge interested folks to check it out.  There is an interview with the producer/director on this home page that gets into more detail about the production too. 

Bigger, Stronger, Faster. Documentary by Christopher Bell

As a sports fan (and one who admits watching professional wrestling at times as a guilty pleasure), I am well aware of what a prominent controversy steroids are in sports today. I went into Christopher Bell’s documentary Bigger, Stronger, Faster expecting a polemic about the dangers of steroids. What I got instead was unexpected and insightful, as Bell probed a much deeper issue than steroids, namely America’s obsession with winning.

I could easily identify with the opening scenes in the movie. Like Bell and his two brothers, I was in my adolescent/teen years during the mid 1980s when the culture became dominated by the bare chested, ultra-macho images of Hulk Hogan, Sly Stallone as Rambo, and Arnold Schwarzenegger as Conan/The Terminator/Commando. They were the Regan-era “America is back on top and kicking ass” mantra personified (the doc reminded me that Hogan burst onto the scene by demolishing a supposedly Iranian bad guy, The “Iron Sheik,” for the world title). Like Bell and his brothers, I saw these men as my heroes-I had a Hogan poster on the back of my bedroom door.

The film then goes on to cover Hogan having to publicly admit his steroid use, as well as Schwarzenegger’s admission in an interview of his use of the substances. I assumed then that the film would take the direction I was expecting, namely how dangerous abuse of steroids is and how many lives were destroyed by these substances.

5. George Wallace 1997-Gary Sinise deservedly won an Emmy for his portrayal of the notorious Alabama governor during the Civil Rights movement. The film shows how, after a lost election, Wallace gives up his soul-as well as the respect of his mentor, Jim Folsom (Joe Don Baker)-in order to win the governorship. Features a young (and steamy) Angelina Jolie as Wallace’s second wife, Cornelia.

4. Election- This 1999 film about a student body president election, between an obnoxious overachiever Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon, in a star-making role), a dim witted jock and the jock’s lesbian sister, is a wicked satire about elections in general. Tracy is definitely a piece of work: her perfect smile and over-cheerfulness masks a ruthless, win-at-all costs mentality and a temper as ferocious as a pit bull.