NHE host Scott Murphy chats to writer/director John Berardo about his debut feature “Init!ation.” A college campus slasher with a 90s throwback feel and a feminist twist.
In the interview (the interview begins at 2:10) John tells us about how his college experiences informed the story of the feature and how he fought to have actress Lindsay LaVanchy (who co-wrote the film) take the lead in this. Plus we talk about how some of the films starrier names (Jon Huertas, Yancy Butler, Lochlyn Munro) came onboard, how they came up with the look for the killers mask (imagine EDM Jason) and the recent resurgence of the slasher genre post-Happy Death Day.
Elsewhere in the interview Scott talks to John about his favourite slasher movies, the schizophrenic nature of the subgenre’s audience and how it would be difficult to make a straightforward slasher in the current era due to the problematic nature of some of the subgenres tropes.
Check out the trailer here
“Init!ation” is available in the US from May 7th. A UK release has yet to be announced.