Spike (2008 film)
Encyclopedia
Spike is a 2008
horror-romance directed by Robert Beaucage, produced by String And A Can Productions, and starring Edward Gusts, Sarah Livingston Evans, Anna-Marie Wayne
, Nancy P. Corbo, and Jared Edwards.
rewriting La Belle et la Bête
as an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer", the story follows, through a tapestry of dream
like images, a girl (Sarah Livingston Evans) and her three friends—the characters' names are never revealed—as they find themselves stranded in a dark and surreal
forest by someone—or something (Edward Gusts)—who has obsessively loved, watched, and waited for the girl ever since childhood.
and Devin DiGonno serving as the principal producers on the project.
, high in the mountains of the Angeles National Forest
, entirely at night in the spring of 2007 (in locations that burned down two years later in the Station Fire). Treacherous terrain and temperatures dropping below 15 °F, well below freezing, made filming difficult, and delays were caused by rain, snow, and even hail. Robert Beaucage directed the film from a screenplay he was inspired to write by the stories of "Cupid and Psyche
, Hades
and Persephone
... Beauty and the Beast
, as well as horror classics such as Frankenstein
and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame". He chose to shoot on 16 mm film
rather than a digital
format, despite the production's tight schedule and low budget, in order to give the film a different "feel" from the typical contemporary indie
movie, the overwhelming majority of which are shot digitally.
, look for the film's FX
, Beaucage chose veteran concept artist and sculptor Jordu Schell
to create the unique design of Spikes title character, which Schell worked into his schedule even while concurrently shaping the design of the Na'vi with James Cameron
for Avatar.
as "a horror fairy tale
from U.S. director
Robert Beaucage, whom [festival director Hannah] McGill had never heard of before he wowed her with an unsolicited DVD", Spike had its world premiere
at the 62nd Edinburgh International Film Festival
on 20 June 2008, the festival's first year in its new June slot after having, in previous years, taken place in autumn. The film subsequently played the North American
film festival
circuit at such festivals as the Berkshire International Film Festival
and Shriekfest
.
Spike was released in North America on DVD
in the summer of 2010 by Maverick Entertainment
.
conventions to explore the darker side of fairytale mythology
", and the All Movie Guide
called it a "dark fairy tale that's not for the faint of heart". Calum Waddell
, a film critic for magazines such as Dreamwatch
and Fangoria
, called Spike "assured and stylish... a promising debut" and praised its "mix of David Lynch
, The Brothers Grimm
, and Shakespeare
", while adding a reservation that the film "does not seem to know what it wants to be". Others were more positive, such as the North Adams Transcript
which wrote about the film's "artful" exploration of "both the tenderness and madness of monsters, as well as the many faces of love
—most importantly, the destructive ones" and Moviestar magazine which, in its coverage of the EIFF
, referred to Spike as "an original take on the genre" and said that it "delivered both thrills and chills".
's Best of the Fest in 2008 and won Best Fantasy
Feature Film at Los Angeles
's Shriekfest
in 2009.
2008 in film
This is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008...
horror-romance directed by Robert Beaucage, produced by String And A Can Productions, and starring Edward Gusts, Sarah Livingston Evans, Anna-Marie Wayne
Anna-Marie Wayne
Anna-Marie Wayne is a British actress who began her career on TV and stage at an early age and has subsequently worked in film also...
, Nancy P. Corbo, and Jared Edwards.
Plot
Described as "Angela CarterAngela Carter
Angela Carter was an English novelist and journalist, known for her feminist, magical realism, and picaresque works...
rewriting La Belle et la Bête
Beauty and the Beast (1946 film)
Beauty and the Beast is a 1946 French romantic fantasy film adaptation of the traditional fairy tale of the same name, written by Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont and published in 1757 as part of a fairy tale anthology . Directed by French poet and filmmaker Jean Cocteau, the film stars Josette...
as an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer", the story follows, through a tapestry of dream
Dream
Dreams are successions of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. The content and purpose of dreams are not definitively understood, though they have been a topic of scientific speculation, philosophical intrigue and religious...
like images, a girl (Sarah Livingston Evans) and her three friends—the characters' names are never revealed—as they find themselves stranded in a dark and surreal
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
forest by someone—or something (Edward Gusts)—who has obsessively loved, watched, and waited for the girl ever since childhood.
Cast
- Sarah Livingston Evans as The Girl
- Jared Edwards as Her Boyfriend
- Anna-Marie WayneAnna-Marie WayneAnna-Marie Wayne is a British actress who began her career on TV and stage at an early age and has subsequently worked in film also...
as His Sister - Nancy P. Corbo as Her Girlfriend
- Edward Gusts as Spike
Production
The film was produced by String And A Can Productions, with Erik RodgersErik Rodgers
Erik Rodgers is an American film writer, director, and producer who currently resides in Los Angeles, CA. He is one of the founding members of String And A Can Productions, Inc.-Early life:...
and Devin DiGonno serving as the principal producers on the project.
Filming
Filming for Spike took place just off the Angeles Crest HighwayAngeles Crest Highway
The Angeles Crest Highway is a two-lane segment of California State Route 2 in the United States. The road is in length, with its western terminus at the intersection at Foothill Boulevard in La Cañada Flintridge and its eastern terminus at State Route 138 northeast of Wrightwood...
, high in the mountains of the Angeles National Forest
Angeles National Forest
The Angeles National Forest of the U.S. National Forest Service is located in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County, southern California. It was established on July 1, 1908, incorporating the first San Bernardino National Forest and parts of the former Santa Barbara and San Gabriel...
, entirely at night in the spring of 2007 (in locations that burned down two years later in the Station Fire). Treacherous terrain and temperatures dropping below 15 °F, well below freezing, made filming difficult, and delays were caused by rain, snow, and even hail. Robert Beaucage directed the film from a screenplay he was inspired to write by the stories of "Cupid and Psyche
Cupid and Psyche
Cupid and Psyche , is a legend that first appeared as a digressionary story told by an old woman in Lucius Apuleius' novel, The Golden Ass, written in the 2nd century CE. Apuleius likely used an earlier tale as the basis for his story, modifying it to suit the thematic needs of his novel.It has...
, Hades
Hades
Hades , Hadēs, originally , Haidēs or , Aidēs , meaning "the unseen") was the ancient Greek god of the underworld. The genitive , Haidou, was an elision to denote locality: "[the house/dominion] of Hades". Eventually, the nominative came to designate the abode of the dead.In Greek mythology, Hades...
and Persephone
Persephone
In Greek mythology, Persephone , also called Kore , is the daughter of Zeus and the harvest-goddess Demeter, and queen of the underworld; she was abducted by Hades, the god-king of the underworld....
... Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast is a traditional fairy tale. The first published version of the fairy tale was a rendition by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, published in La jeune américaine, et les contes marins in 1740...
, as well as horror classics such as Frankenstein
Frankenstein
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame". He chose to shoot on 16 mm film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
rather than a digital
Digital
A digital system is a data technology that uses discrete values. By contrast, non-digital systems use a continuous range of values to represent information...
format, despite the production's tight schedule and low budget, in order to give the film a different "feel" from the typical contemporary indie
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
movie, the overwhelming majority of which are shot digitally.
Design
Seeking a more natural, rather than CGIComputer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
, look for the film's FX
Special effect
The illusions used in the film, television, theatre, or entertainment industries to simulate the imagined events in a story are traditionally called special effects ....
, Beaucage chose veteran concept artist and sculptor Jordu Schell
Jordu Schell
Jordu Schell is a renowned American sculptor and concept artist who has been working in the film and television industries for over twenty years.-Career:Jordu Schell began his career as a sculptor and Halloween mask maker...
to create the unique design of Spikes title character, which Schell worked into his schedule even while concurrently shaping the design of the Na'vi with James Cameron
James Cameron
James Francis Cameron is a Canadian-American film director, film producer, screenwriter, editor, environmentalist and inventor...
for Avatar.
Release
Announced in VarietyVariety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
as "a horror fairy tale
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
from U.S. director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Robert Beaucage, whom [festival director Hannah] McGill had never heard of before he wowed her with an unsolicited DVD", Spike had its world premiere
Premiere
A premiere is generally "a first performance". This can refer to plays, films, television programs, operas, symphonies, ballets and so on. Premieres for theatrical, musical and other cultural presentations can become extravagant affairs, attracting large numbers of socialites and much media...
at the 62nd Edinburgh International Film Festival
Edinburgh International Film Festival
The Edinburgh International Film Festival is an annual fortnight of cinema screenings and related events taking place each June. Established in 1947, it is the world's oldest continually running film festival...
on 20 June 2008, the festival's first year in its new June slot after having, in previous years, taken place in autumn. The film subsequently played the North American
North American
North American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
film festival
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
circuit at such festivals as the Berkshire International Film Festival
Berkshire International Film Festival
The Berkshire International Film Festival was founded in 2005 by Kelley Vickery inGreat Barrington, Massachusetts. The four-day festival features independent films for filmmakers and film aficionados, with showings of features, documentaries, shorts, and animation—as well as panel discussions and...
and Shriekfest
Shriekfest
Shriekfest Horror Film Festival is a film festival specializing in the horror genre. It is the longest running horror festival in Los Angeles.-History:...
.
Spike was released in North America on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in the summer of 2010 by Maverick Entertainment
Maverick Entertainment Group
Maverick Entertainment Group is an American independent motion picture and DVD distribution company founded by Doug Schwab and based in South Florida.-Film :* Ex$pendable * Spike * Director...
.
Critical analysis
When first released, Spike was referred to by The List as a film that "overturns genreGenre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
conventions to explore the darker side of fairytale mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
", and the All Movie Guide
All Movie Guide
Allrovi is a commercial database launched by the Rovi Corporation in 2011. It compiles information about music and movies from the former services Allmovie and Allmusic.-Content:...
called it a "dark fairy tale that's not for the faint of heart". Calum Waddell
Calum Waddell
Calum Waddell is a British writer and film critic.-Biography:His books include Minds of Fear, Taboo Breakers and the forthcoming work Jack Hill: The Exploitation and Blaxploitation Master, Film by Film and his work has been published in such magazines as Neo, Dreamwatch, Impact and Fangoria.In...
, a film critic for magazines such as Dreamwatch
Dreamwatch
Dreamwatch was a British magazine covering science fiction and fantasy films, books and television programmes.Published monthly by Gary Leigh and then Titan Magazines , it was a leading genre entertainment magazine, competing with SFX and Cinescape in the genre magazine market.-Overview:The...
and Fangoria
Fangoria
Fangoria is an American magazine devoted to horror and exploitation films, which has a number of associated brands:* Fangoria Comics* Fangoria Films* Fangoria RadioFangoria may also refer to:* Fangoria , a Spanish electro pop band...
, called Spike "assured and stylish... a promising debut" and praised its "mix of David Lynch
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
, The Brothers Grimm
Brothers Grimm
The Brothers Grimm , Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm , were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors who collected folklore and published several collections of it as Grimm's Fairy Tales, which became very popular...
, and Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
", while adding a reservation that the film "does not seem to know what it wants to be". Others were more positive, such as the North Adams Transcript
North Adams Transcript
The North Adams Transcript is a daily newspaper, published Monday through Saturday in North Adams, Massachusetts.Branded as "The Voice of the Northern Berkshires Since 1843," the Transcript covers North Adams and Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Florida, Hancock, Lanesborough, New Ashford, and...
which wrote about the film's "artful" exploration of "both the tenderness and madness of monsters, as well as the many faces of love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
—most importantly, the destructive ones" and Moviestar magazine which, in its coverage of the EIFF
Edinburgh International Film Festival
The Edinburgh International Film Festival is an annual fortnight of cinema screenings and related events taking place each June. Established in 1947, it is the world's oldest continually running film festival...
, referred to Spike as "an original take on the genre" and said that it "delivered both thrills and chills".
Awards
Spike was chosen as part of the Edinburgh International Film FestivalEdinburgh International Film Festival
The Edinburgh International Film Festival is an annual fortnight of cinema screenings and related events taking place each June. Established in 1947, it is the world's oldest continually running film festival...
's Best of the Fest in 2008 and won Best Fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
Feature Film at Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
's Shriekfest
Shriekfest
Shriekfest Horror Film Festival is a film festival specializing in the horror genre. It is the longest running horror festival in Los Angeles.-History:...
in 2009.