I Sell The Dead/Cabin Fever 2: Writer/Director/Producer Larry Fessenden
By: Elaine Lamkin

Horror fans have seen Larry Fessenden’s face in more movies than they can probably count but what a lot of them don’t know is that Fessenden is a producer/director to reckon with in the indie horror world. His production company, Glass Eye Pix, is responsible for such classics as “Wendigo” and “Habit” and Glass Eye’s off-shoot, Scare Flix, has been behind recent horror films “The Roost”, “Zombie Honeymoon”, “Trigger Man” and “Automatons”. Bloody-Disgusting recently spoke with the affable, laid-back indie “powerhouse” on the eve of him leaving to shoot his part in Ti West’s “Cabin Fever 2: Spring Break”.

BD: Larry, why does everyone want to kill you in their movies? Brad Anderson in “Session 9”, Ti West In “The Roost” – you even killed yourself in your own film, “Habit”?

LF: (laughs) Well, the other directors would be the ones to really know the answer to that. I guess I have been killed off in more than my fair share of films. The lobotomy pick in “Session 9”, by bats in “The Roost”, had my head blown off on “Third Watch”, thrown out a window in ”Habit”, attacked by rat-people in “Mulberry Street” and now, Ti’s going to kill me again in “Cabin Fever 2”.

BD: But Jeremiah Kipp did not kill you in “The Pod”. He said he wanted to actually keep you alive in at least one film.

LF: That’s right! I did live in “The Pod” (laughs).

BD: I’ve read, on more than one occasion, several references to your “blue-blood” background. What’s up with that?

LF: Yeah, I come from a certain amount of privilege, which really helps in this industry. Having the money to get things off the ground. But I don’t get invited to many family reunions (laughs).

BD: So, your background did help get Glass Eye Pix moving and shaking. What is the philosophy behind Scare Flix, which has brought quite a few young talented directors to people’s attention?

LF: Scare Flix wants to catch kids when they’re young and give them the opportunity to make films. There is an amazing amount of exciting energy in doing low budget films.

BD: How did you come to be involved in Kipp’s “The Pod”?

LF: Jeremiah has always been a loyal reviewer of my films plus he was the AD on “Automatons”. When he gave me the script for “The Pod”, I was in.

BD: You have a ton of films you are either currently working on or that are in pre-production. Tell me about “The Brave One”, an actual…dare I say it…mainstream film.

LF: Ah, “The Brave One”, with Jodie Foster, Naveen Andrews, Mary Steenburgen and directed by Neil Jordan. I was really lucky to get the call for that one. It’s sort of an update of “Deathwish” – gritty, wonderfully shot. Jodie is sort of returning to Travis Bickle’s world in this one. The rushes looked great – I saw them when I was doing my ADR.

BD: You also recently completed “I Can See You”, directed by Graham Reznick, who did the sound design for “The Roost”.

LF: We’re keeping that one mysterious. I will say it’s pretty Lynchian in a 60s-style way. People going on a picnic in Delaware…it’s surreal. Oh, I do live in this one (laughs).

BD: Another one you’re in pre-production on, also involving one of the Glass Eye Gang – something you all should be called, if you’re not already – is James Felix McKenney’s “Satan Hates You”.

LF: James wrote and is directing “Satan Hates You” as well as being one of the producers. And Angus Scrimm just came on-board with us as Dr. Gabriel Scadlock! “Satan” is going to be one of those “Christian scare films”. Something I’m sure will shake a few people up (laughs).

BD: And we cannot forget about “I Sell the Dead”. I know you are playing one of the graverobbers, Willie Grimes, and that the story sounds like it is at least inspired by the Burke and Hare story. Can you tell us anything more?

LF: You know about Burke and Hare – excellent! Yep, I do play one of the two graverobbers and Dominic Monaghan from “Lost” is my co-hort. Glenn McQuaid, who did the visual effects for “The Roost”, is directing, Ron Perlman is attached and Angus will be in this one too. It’s a period piece, set in Dickensian London, although we’re shooting in Brooklyn. We’ll all have British accents and shooting should start in May. Everyone is excited about this one.

BD: You are so enthusiastic about horror films – what are some of your favorite horror movies?

LF: Wow…I love the classics, the old Universal monster movies like “Frankenstein”. I love the original “Night of the Living Dead”, “The Shining” and more recently, I’ve been impressed by Neil Marshall’s films, “Dog Soldiers” and “The Descent”. I also really enjoyed the “Dawn of the Dead” remake and “Shaun of the Dead”. But let me tell you, I LOVE the French film, “Man Bites Dog”. Now THAT is some disturbing stuff there!

BD: What is one thing no one knows about Larry Fessenden that you think they should?

LF: (laughs) Hoo boy…let me think…that I should be making comedies (laughs).