Press Conference: “Drag Me to Hell”
Sam Raimi answers questions from the press about his horror film
The Drag Me to Hell crew fielded questions from the international press. Director Sam Raimi appeared with the actors Alison Lohman, Lorna Raver, Justin Long, and Dileep Rao. Producer Grant Curtis and screenwriter Ivan Raimi were also on hand.
Sam Raimi on being back in Cannes:
“I’m so excited to be back here at the Cannes Film Festival. I first came here in 1981 and 82 to the Film Market to try and sell my first film, Evil Dead. And no American distributor would touch that film with a ten-foot flagpole, but once it showed here and there was word that the audience here enjoyed it – Samuel Hadida with Metropolitan Film Group – bought the film for France and then I quickly got a British distributor, and suddenly, people in America wanted it too. So basically I’m coming home when I have a chance to come here…I’m honored to be here.”
Sam Raimi on his comeback to horror:
“I didn’t have to re-teach myself the rhythms of horror. When I was making my first three horror films, I was learning the craft, and I feel like I’m still learning. I don’t really know it well enough to re-teach it to myself.”
Lorna Raver on playing Mrs. Ganush:
“It was fascinating, because initially, I didn’t quite realize the full extent of the character. But it was really interesting to do, and I think this is a tribute to Sam and Ivan’s writing – the character is a very real person. She is genuinely humiliated and outraged. And because that scene was written so well, I had no problem justifying what followed thereafter. There was genuine outrage. And then it was all fun.”
