5 horrific questions with filmmaker James L. Edwards

Filmmaker James L. Edwards on the set of Satan's Peak >>>

Akron has given the world a lot of entertaining gifts, like Chrissie Hynde, Jim Jarmusch, DEVO, and, if you grew up roaming the horror aisle at your local video store, indie fright favorite James L. Edwards.

While the rest of us were memorizing every jump scare in The Evil Dead, Edwards was actually inside the Ohio horror machine.

“I grew up in scenic Akron, Ohio,” he says, “and I was fortunate enough to join the independent horror scene at the early age of 12.”

12?!?

Yes, 12.

“My mother saw a write-up in our local newspaper about a director looking for people who wanted to be extras in a zombie movie,” Edwards says.

That movie was The Dead Next Door, written, produced and directed by Akron’s own J.R. Bookwalter (who was one of the first to answer our 5 Horrific Questions) and executive produced by horror master Sam Raimi.

Just a part of the Zombie Squad

“At the time, I wanted to be a special effects make-up artist, but I didn't have any artistic talent in that department,” Edwards explains. “The producers liked my enthusiasm, though, so they kept me on board as a production assistant. I ended up staying with the company for 15 years, moving on to actor, screenwriter, producer and eventually directing my own features around 2017.”

Horror wasn’t just a career path for Edwards, either. It was practically destiny.

“My uncle was a horror fan and, for better or worse, introduced me to the genre at a very young age,” he says. But even after decades of blood, screams, and VHS charm, Edwards admits he's evolving.

“Horror will always be my first love,” he says, “but I'm finding myself pulled toward dramas and black comedies.”

Still, don’t count scary movies out. “Every time I claim I'm done with horror, I end up writing a new screenplay,” he laughs.

So before the next monster rises, let’s pick Edwards’ brain a bit.

James L. Edwards as a troubled middle-aged man in Her Name was Christa 

5 horrific questions with James L. Edwards

No.1: What do you think makes a movie truly scary?

One of the biggest things that scares me is loss of control, specifically body horror. The idea that at any moment, our own bodies can turn on us and kill us terrifies me. Especially as I get older, knowing that my body will eventually betray me keeps me up at night.

As for what makes a movie truly scary, the number one thing is character development.

You can have the most horrific situations happen to your characters, but if the audience doesn't connect with them? It's all for nothing. Too often, I see in films characters I call "meat props". Essentially, characters whose sole purpose is to be killed.

The audience is a bit smarter than that. If you can show a purpose for every character in your story, you have a better chance of forming a bond with your audience and therefore horrifying them if those characters die.

No. 2: Which horror film has scared you the most and why?

Growing up, my introduction to horror came when I was 9 years old, viewing George Romero's Night of the Living Dead in an empty room, by myself.

It was both a terrifying and eye-opening experience because not only was the movie nightmare-inducing, but I would later learn it was filmed a mere two hours away from my own house.

Learning that the movie was made in Pittsburgh, outside of the Hollywood elite, made me realize what I wanted to do with the rest of my life

Now, by working in independent horror for the last 40 years, I've sacrificed my ability to be scared. It becomes a lot more difficult when you learn all of the tricks and illusions.

That said, the last 15 minutes of the Spanish film (REC) are pure terror.

EC Comics inspired comic book cover for Her Name was Christa

No. 3: Which filmmakers, writers, or creators inspire your horror work?

I'm very old school. The filmmakers that inspire me are those I watched in the 70s and 80s. Directors like John Carpenter, George Romero, Lucio Fulci and David Cronenberg.

As an actor, my influences were Bruce Campbell, Jeffery Combs and Tom Savini. 

As far as modern-day filmmakers, I'm really impressed with the films of Robert Rodriguez, Alex de la Iglesia, James Gunn, and Zach Cregger. 

I know it's not popular opinion, but I'm not a fan of A24 or the whole "elevated horror" movement.

I'm also not a fan of the "new gore" movement with films like the Terrifier trilogy. Art the Clown is a great franchiseable character, but the movies lack story and only seem to act as a special effects showreel.

No. 4. Why do you think people love being scared?

I don't think it's that people "like to be scared" as much as it is that people "like to be scared in a controlled environment".

What makes horror so compelling is the idea that we can get incredibly close to death — a mystery none of us truly understands — yet still know that when after an hour and a half, we’ll be safe and back to normal life. That thrill of brushing up against the unknown, without real danger, is enticing.

Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka

No. 5. If you could turn any non-horror movie or book into a horror story, what would it be — and how would you make it terrifying?

It's funny you should ask that. I'm currently writing my next feature, and I've taken inspiration from unlikely characters.

The story is about a disgraced children's television show host who seeks revenge on the people who got his show taken off the air.

The main character draws inspiration from characters like Pee Wee Herman, Willy Wonka and Richard Simmons, all of whom couldn't be further away from horror.

Okay, maybe Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka, but still....