scheduled
for theatrical release at Halloween 2007 and then delayed. And then delayed
again. Then it was taken off the Warner Bros. release schedule. And then it just
sort of vanished.
But thanks to horror festival screenings, "Trick 'R Treat" picked up a cult
following and became almost a rallying cause for genre tastemakers, who praised
its combination of scares, laughs and old-fashioned Halloween atmosphere.
Thanks to the horror community buzz, "Trick 'R Treat" is finally out on DVD,
and I spoke a few minutes with Dougherty.
MSN Movies: It must feel strange to finally hold an official "Trick
'R Treat" DVD in your hands.
Michael Dougherty: It's been a really long road, and what's funny is how it's
turning into a happy ending. People are calling and e-mailing and tweeting to
say it's hard to find, and I guess it's been selling out in a lot of outlets.
It's selling really well, so for a little $12 million horror movie with no major
theatrical release or marketing campaign behind it, that's pretty mind-blowing
to me.
Why in your heart do you think the theatrical release never
happened?
I never got a straight answer. There were a lot of whisperings. The movie is
quirky. It's offbeat. It's weird. It's original. It's not a remake or a sequel,
and a lot of studios these days don't know what to do with something like that.
Paramount is doing a great job with "Paranormal Activity," and Sony is doing a
great job with "Zombieland," but a lot of marketing and distribution people get
cold feet if they are given something that is just out of the box.
What inspired you to make a horror anthology in the first
place?
I grew up watching old episodes of "Twilight Zone" and "Alfred Hitchcock
Presents," which then led to "Tales From the Crypt." The '80s were a golden era
for anthology movies and TV shows, and also for original horror films that mixed
comedy and horror.
There's been some talk of making this into a franchise.
I'll cross that bridge if we get to it. Obviously there's financial factors
involved. I'm good either way. I'm happy if it's a standalone movie and not
ruined by a bunch of bad sequels, because that tends to happen. But I am a fan
of franchises, too.
What's next for you?
I can't talk about it that much ... but it's another monster movie.
('Trick 'R Treat'/Warner Bros.)
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