As a seasoned film critic with a penchant for all things Stephen King and sci-fi, I found myself utterly captivated by Mikael Håfström’s latest offering, ‘Slingshot’. Having been a fan of Håfström’s previous work, notably his adaptation of King’s 1408, I was intrigued to see how he would navigate the claustrophobic confines of space in this new film.
Prior to the launch of his latest science fiction thriller “Slingshot,” we had a chat with director Mikael Håfström. This film stars Academy Award winner Casey Affleck and Laurence Fishburne. The plot primarily unfolds within a confined space shuttle that becomes increasingly psychologically unsettling, much like the director’s 2007 hit “1408.” Notably, this Stephen King adaptation was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, and more importantly, as Håfström shared with us, Stephen King himself appreciated it
As I prepared to start filming, I had a chat with Stephen King himself. He was nothing short of exceptional and incredibly respectful during our conversation. Before we even began shooting, he had read the script based on his famous short story. Surprisingly, he showed no interest in being involved with the production at all. However, after the movie was completed, we sent a copy to him in Maine, where he screened it at his local cinema. To our delight, he thoroughly enjoyed the final product and expressed his satisfaction. I couldn’t have been more relieved – it was essential that he, as the original author, approved of our adaptation. Over the years, Stephen has spoken fondly of 1408 in interviews, always sharing positive comments about the film. Indeed, King himself had only good things to say about 1408
Håfström also weighed in on his favorite films that have been adapted from King’s novels:
“Regardless of Stephen King’s feelings towards it, the storyline of ‘The Shining’ is hard to avoid. It shares similarities with another film featuring a writer who loses his sanity, like John Cusack in ‘1408’, but on a different backdrop. A movie that left a lasting impression on me when I first watched it was Brian De Palma’s ‘Carrie’ from 1976, starring Sissy Spacek. As a teenager, I saw this film and it made a significant impact on me, turning me into a fan of De Palma’s work. Another movie worth mentioning is ‘Misery’, which may not fit the same genre, but it’s an enjoyable watch.”
‘We Wanted This to Be Slick’
Although Slingshot may appear to have a limited, confined setting, it undoubtedly carries the potent impact of science fiction films, especially with renowned actors like Affleck and Fishburne moving effortlessly through its polished environment. As director Håfström pointed out, “1408” also had a similar compact framework and an even greater challenge since 80% of that film unfolds within a hotel suite.”
“I created another film titled ‘Escape Plan’, starring Schwarzenegger and Stallone, and collaborated with the talented production designer Barry Chusid. Known for his impressive work, Barry has been involved in large-scale productions such as ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ – those massive blockbusters costing around $100 million.”
He continued, discussing the design of the spaceship and what they wanted from the film, “But when we got this film going, Slingshot, I called up Barry and said — he was busy in LA shooting some big films for Netflix — but I said, ‘Can you please take a look at this? Can you please help me design this spaceship?’ Because I really needed someone who understood, you know, what this was about. So he said yes to that and did it sort of while he was doing this other film, and it worked out great.”
Further, Hafstrom elaborated on the sources and particular motivations that shaped the streamlined appearance of Slingshot
The design shouldn’t resemble a cyberpunk setting with chains hanging around; instead, envision something more akin to the world portrayed in “Alien”. Our aim was to create a sleek, minimalist environment with as few extraneous details as possible. This means fewer wires and clutter, but still clean and visually appealing. To make it an engaging backdrop for our actors’ performances and their emotions, we wanted to introduce intriguing elements that would keep the stage fresh and exciting. This way, both filming and watching the production remains interesting without becoming repetitive or monotonous
He went on to say, “That was the prevailing mindset regarding the spaceship. Of course, we drew inspiration from contemporary spacecraft design, yet it’s important to note that this isn’t a documentary; we’ve incorporated lessons from our present-day circumstances as well.” Slingshot is now playing in theaters, courtesy of Bleecker Street
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2024-09-05 02:39