July 7, 2014
Dead and Loving It :: Outfest 2014
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 4 MIN.
The undead have risen all over large and small screens nowadays. One new movie about a restless ghost / zombie, "Jamie Marks is Dead," caused a homoerotic stir at January's Sundance Film Festival. The movie will be making its Los Angeles premiere on Friday, June 11, as part of Outfest, which runs Thursday, July 10, through Sunday, July 20.
Jamie is a bullied teenager whose body is found in the woods by a local girl, Gracie. Soon after, Jamie begins appearing not only to Gracie but to Adam, her track star semi-boyfriend. Adam finds himself increasingly drawn to the underwear-clad specter. As he tries to discover how Jamie died, he must confront his emerging romantic feelings for his unusual friend.
It is rare for a film to be creepy, sexy and deeply moving, all at the same time. Openly gay filmmaker Carter Smith (who previously helmed the horror movie "The Ruins") walks an impressive high wire act with "Jamie Marks is Dead," and the result is one of the best entries at this year's Outfest.
Smith talked with The Rage Monthly in advance of the event:
What spoke to you about the novel "One for Sorrow" that made you want to film it?
I randomly picked up the book in a bookstore. I was about halfway through it and thought, "This would make a great film." Christopher Barzak's story was beautiful and I loved the honesty in the relationships between Jamie and Adam, as well as Adam and Gracie. It felt very real and not a fictionalized version of what adults think teenagers are.
Did you relate to this story on a more personal level?
I grew up in a very small town in rural Maine that was not all that dissimilar from where the film takes place. I know what it is to live in an isolated way. I also responded to the relationship between Adam and Jamie as well as between Adam and Gracie, trying to figure out who they are. It isn't really a coming out story, but explores that more fluid time in a young person's development.
How has your film been received so far? Any unusual or surprising reactions?
It's always interesting to see how a film like this, with a very specific milieu, affects people outside it. I've had great conversations with middle-aged women and schoolteachers about some of the issues explored. Then, there's the Sundance crowd that just loves a good story.
What led you to cast Noah Silver (best known as Benito Sforza on "The Borgias") as Jamie and Cameron Monaghan (who plays "Shameless" 's Ian Gallagher) as Adam?
We spent a long time searching, looking at people with a lot of experience and just a little experience. Noah actually put himself on tape two years ago playing both Adam and Jamie. It was when I put Noah and Cameron together that I noticed, "This is going to be an interesting contrast," both physically and emotionally.
How did out, Oscar-nominated screenwriter John Logan ("Gladiator," "Skyfall") come on as a co-producer?
I had met John and been friendly with him, and at dinner one night he asked, "So, what are you working on?" I told him about the script, and he was really interested. He asked me to send it to him. I did, he read it and replied, saying he loved it and really wanted to do the film. He was passionate. He really wanted
to stay true to the emotional aspect of it, as did I. We didn't want it to become
just a horror film.
The film isn't being billed as a gay-themed movie per se. Is this intentional? Are you hoping for a broader audience?
Hopefully it will play to a broader audience, but the LGBT community is going to respond to certain themes and parts of it. It's also gotten a great response from the horror film community for the same reason.
What's next for you?
I'm writing something that I'm really excited about, but can't really talk about yet. I'm also reading stuff and looking for ideas. But my day job is still fashion photography, which is where I got my start. I just shot Chloe Moretz (star of the "Kick-Ass" movies and the recent remake of "Carrie") for the cover of Allure magazine.
Nice. Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with me. Best of luck with "Jamie Marks is Dead" and in the future.
Thank you. I'm so glad you liked the film.
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OUTFEST 2014
Outfest is never short on homoerotic or just downright erotic gay-themed films. Here are a few that we recommend this year.
THE WAY HE LOOKS - A Brazilian tale of two high school best friends who discover they have a deeper interest in one another. It will screen in the International Center- piece slot on Monday, July 14.
ETERNITY: THE MOVIE - A funny satire set in the 1980s and focusing on the two men who make up the title R&B sensation. Any resemblance between Eternity and Hall & Oates is totally intentional. It screens on Friday, July 11.
TIGER ORANGE - Frankie Valenti (aka porn star Johnny Hazzard) gives an impressive dramatic performance as one of two gay brothers (the other is played by Mark Strano) trying to bring closure to their troubled past. Never fear, Hazzard fans... he still takes his clothes off. The film will have its world premiere on Friday, July 18.
GERONTOPHILIA - Bruce LaBruce's acclaimed dramedy about a young man who has the hots for decidedly older gentlemen -- one of whom is a resident of the nursing home in which he works and eventually falls in love with. Screens on Thursday, July 17.
THE THIRD ONE - A sexy, younger guy is invited by a gay couple he meets online to dinner and more at their home. This disarming, insightful and yes, hot film from Argentina will screen on Tuesday, July 15.
I ALWAYS SAID YES: THE MANY LIVES OF WAKEFIELD POOLE - An explicit, revealing documentary about the ballet dancer/choreographer who became a pioneering gay porn filmmaker in the 1970s. Screens on Saturday, July 12.
For the full film schedule and to purchase passes or tickets, visit outfest.org
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
