The first post I ever made on the CHUD message boards was to complain about Tommy Wirkola’s Dead Snow. I didn’t hate the movie. I thought it was extremely derivative and uninspired, but it had its moments and was well-paced. What got under my skin enough to cause me to finally register on the forum was learning that Wirkola was now being wooed by Gary Sanchez Productions (run by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay). At that time the news had not hit the trades yet. But the friend that I watched Dead Snow with just happened to work in the bungalow next door to Gary Sanchez’s bungalow, and he would often learn interesting tidbits while chatting outside with Sanchez peons. I will forever be in Ferrell and McKay’s debt for discovering Jody Hill and Danny McBride, but this thing with Dead Snow bugged me because their praise for the film was clearly coming from people who almost never watch horror movies. There were so many other struggling genre filmmakers better deserving of being carried into the studio system on Ferrell and McKay’s shoulders. For example, Eli Craig is still looking for work while his wonderful and original Tucker & Dale Vs Evil languishes looking for theatrical distribution.
But I digress.
Previously I had vindictively wished for Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters to wither on the vine, but Deadline is reporting that Paramount and MGM are joining forces to give Wirkola $60 million to have the film – starring Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, and Famke Janssen (as the leader of the witches) – ready for a March 2, 2012 release date. My vindictiveness has faded. I no longer wish the film ill-will, though I’m certainly not very intrigued by it.