Steven Kostanski’s new film brings ’80s creature ⁢features back to life

A director’s passion for quirky‌ horror

Steven Kostanski, the creative mind behind ‍indie hits ⁤like The Void (2016) and Psycho Goreman (2020), has always​ had a unique vision for horror. Despite the industry’s focus on trends like zombies, Kostanski has long been fascinated by ⁣the idea of mischievous little creatures ⁤causing chaos. “For years, I’ve been‌ trying to push my fellow⁢ filmmaker friends into making some kind⁢ of little‍ creature movie,” he shares. “It would be great to⁢ have little puppets running around torturing people. Who doesn’t ​want to watch that?”

The birth of⁢ ‘Frankie Freako’

Ignoring the naysayers, Kostanski embarked on creating a film inspired by‌ genre classics such as ​ Gremlins 2: The New Batch and Ghoulies. The result is Frankie Freako, set to hit theaters on October ⁢4th, distributed by Shout! Studios. The film follows Conor (Conor ⁤Sweeney), an uptight businessman struggling‍ to satisfy ‌his ⁤wife (Kristy Wordsworth) and boss (Adam Brooks). In a bid to loosen up, Conor dials a 900 number for ‍Frankie Freako (voiced by ​Matthew Kennedy), a puppet who arrives with his friends to throw a wild ​party. The story evolves into a mix of party⁤ antics, a mission to ⁢defeat an evil ruler on Freako’s home planet, and heartfelt moments where⁣ characters learn valuable lessons.

A nostalgic nod to the⁢ ’80s

The film’s aesthetic is a deliberate⁤ homage to the ’80s, complete with period-appropriate tone, clothing, and decor. Kostanski and his team drew inspiration from an​ unexpected ‌source to achieve the right visual feel. “DP⁣ Pierce Derks and I ​pulled inspiration, weirdly enough, from De Palma movies,” Kostanski reveals.⁤ “I’m a big ⁤fan of Body Double, so we approached it with the mindset of, ‘What ​if a⁢ De Palma movie got derailed by a bunch of rambunctious critters?’ This influence is evident not only in‌ the lenses and filters used to create a gauzy look but⁢ also in the⁢ production design, wardrobe, and set design.”

Crafting the perfect puppets

Creating the Freakos was a significant challenge, given the film’s ‌modest CA$50,000 build budget and an eight-week timeline. Kostanski was well aware of the constraints. “This was⁣ a movie I went into knowing, ‘This is going to be⁤ a budget thing. Let’s be resourceful and figure it out,'” he explains. “We definitely did. I’ve got to give a lot of credit to my team, who ⁣pulled out all the stops​ to make this thing⁢ awesome. It was a⁤ lot of fun — stressful, but a lot of fun.”

Looking ahead: potential sequels

Despite the hurdles, Kostanski ​is‌ enthusiastic about the possibility of expanding the‍ Frankie Freako universe. However, he envisions a more relaxed production process for any future installments.‌ “Now that we’ve worked out ‍the kinks of the puppet stuff, I think we’d have an easier ⁣time if we ⁢did it again,” he says. “I‍ know Conor and Adam are into coming back to do another ‍one, but they want it to be as low effort for‍ them as‌ possible. It might just be a ‘Freakos go to Hawaii’ situation,⁢ where we shoot⁤ for a week and then it’s three weeks of sitting on a beach.‌ Maybe it’s‍ not the sequel everyone wants, but it’s the sequel ‍that our tired, old bodies deserve.”

Watch the trailer

Curious about Frankie Freako? Check out the trailer to get a sneak peek⁣ of the film’s quirky charm and nostalgic vibes.

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