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Lord of the Rings-Sized Effects for Indie Horror Film, The Home

by Kevin Powers
August 1, 2008
Source: Bloody Disgusting

WETA Workshop, best known for their physical effects work on the Lord of the Rings trilogy, has put a big ole spotlight on a small-time horror project in the works. According to Bloody Disgusting, the five-time Academy Award-winning studio, for which Peter Jackson is a founder, is set to produce creature effects for a domestic scare called The Home, which was actually written by Eric Vespe, otherwise known as Quint from fellow movie site Ain't It Cool News. Considering director Kristoffer Aaron Morgan and Vespe made a short film called Blind in 2004 that the WETA guys loved, it makes sense when WETA's Richard Taylor says, "it's time to make Aaron and Eric's film come to life." All around, this is some great news. Independent horror paired with a big-budget effects shop... I'm smelling something tasty.

The Home, "a visceral horror thriller, unfolds after a firefighter is nearly killed during a failed rescue that leaves him physically and emotionally scarred. To recuperate, he is taken to a secluded nursing home where the elderly residents appear to be suffering from delusions. But after witnessing a violent attack, he soon realizes that the screams behind the walls are caused by more than hallucinations, and the residents are being preyed upon by twisted, monstrous nightmares that lurk within the home itself."

The director certainly says all the right things to entice me. "I feel very strongly that practical FX is used as much as possible. [It's] the only way to go with horror. The Home is going to be a very dark and scary film, no camp here. The Home will be a character driven, atmospheric, twisted creature flick that I'm excited to have WETA involved with. Their history of passion and innovation in this genre is well known and we're thrilled to be working with them on bringing the heavy element of practical horrors that this movie calls for to life." As for the big guy (well, less-so nowadays), Peter Jackson says, "Our team at WETA Workshop like the idea of mentoring young filmmakers. The project is exciting to us. It's the type of film we really like; it's the type of films we used to make when we were younger. The gang down here are very enthusiastic about being involved in another wonderful little horror movie."

Hearing all of this, I have to say I feel Guillermo del Toro's presence in the room. Not only do I get mental pictures of The Orphanage and del Toro's own creature creations, but it was revealed recently that the Hellboy master would mentor a young director himself on a somewhat similar home-based horror remake called Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. The Home has critters in the walls, whereas Don't Be Afraid has them under the stairs. There are probably more differences and similarities, but you get what I mean. Not that I'm complaining as I'm looking forward to seeing both. The del Toro/Jackson association is also pretty top of mind given the pair's collaboration on the upcoming Hobbit films.

But back to the topic at hand, there isn't much else to The Home right now as the project is being shopped around town for financing. So how do you think The Home sounds? And what do you think of Jackson and del Toro seemingly mentoring a new guard of horror/drama filmmakers?

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