ComingSoon Editor-in-Chief Tyler Treese spoke to The Thicket director Elliott Lester about his new Western film, which stars Peter Dinklage and Juliette Lewis. Lester mentioned filming within the freezing chilly, the bond along with his solid, and getting James Hetfield within the film. The Thicket will likely be launched in theaters on September 6.
“When fierce bounty hunter Reginald Jones (Peter Dinklage) is recruited by a determined man to trace down a ruthless killer recognized solely as Cutthroat Invoice (Juliette Lewis), he rallies a band of unlikely heroes together with a grave-digging ex-slave and a street-smart woman-for-hire. Collectively they embark on a dangerous quest to trace down Cutthroat Invoice that leads them into the lethal ‘no-man’s-land’ generally known as…The Thicket,” says the synopsis.
Tyler Treese: I’ve to ask, first off, how did you get James Hetfield of Metallica on this film? He’s actually nice in it and he was shocking to see.
Elliott Lester: I had a dream. I wakened the next morning, and I referred to as Peter Dinklage, and I stated, “Now we have to have James Hetfield on this film.” And he stated, “You’re completely proper. Now we have to have James Hetfield on this film.” So I attempted to pay money for James by means of the standard means, you understand, administration or no matter. Couldn’t get a solution. However we knew a director who’d made this documentary referred to as Anvil, which was all about heavy steel, and three days later, we have been in contact with James Hetfield, and he wished to do the film. We had this Zoom name, and uh, he advised us how he wished to do a darkish, twisted Western, and this was one thing he wished to do.
One other side I actually love about this movie is that it’s shot in Calgary and it provides the movie such a novel look, however you may as well actually really feel the chilly whereas watching. Um, I’m positive, I’m positive this was a troublesome filming expertise. What was the largest problem?
Was it a problem? Yeah, it was a problem. It was so chilly, Tyler. Minus 35 levels, generally minus 75 with the wind chill. We received shut down as a result of generally it was so chilly. On the crew, we have been all bundled up with like great form of heat coats, however that solid, wow. They didn’t have the posh of being heat and so they actually have been the heroes on this one. I can’t even describe it how chilly it was, particularly at evening.
I really feel like that’s a bonding expertise too since you’re all type of simply struggling collectively to make artwork, which is sort of a lovely factor.
You get caught collectively. It was a bonding expertise as a result of each evening I’d have these dinners at my house with my spouse, and the solid would come over. We’d eat and simply sit round and like actually be like, I can’t consider we received by means of that day. It was so chilly. However we did it. We received by means of it.
I wished to ask about working with Peter as a result of not solely is he one of many nice stars on this movie, however he was additionally a producer. As you talked about, he was consulted about bringing on James. Are you able to communicate to simply collaborating with him? As a result of we don’t normally get to see him be this hands-on, and it’s nice to see his full creativity proven alongside yours.
He’s exceptional to work with as a producer. He’s limitless. It’s all the time, if I’ve an concept, let’s strive, let’s strive, let’s strive. He picks up the telephone, he makes the calls, he helps selections. I felt very protected being a director, with the ability to form of run concepts previous him, after which we might work it out. He’s undoubtedly top-of-the-line producers I’ve labored with. During to the tip now, he’s nonetheless round. We’ve develop into pals. I actually cherish that relationship,
