Lee Cronin’s The Mummy has arrived on Digital VOD, giving fans an opportunity to check out this new nasty body horror film at home. With the 4K UHD releasing on July 14th, we got a chance to sit down with Lee Cronin himself and talk about his latest feature. Lee was great to speak to do and provided some deeper insight on his new film and what he wants audiences to take from their viewing experience.
A Knack For Gnarly
I asked him about his knack for gnarly, and how he creates such visceral and nasty moments in Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, of which there are quite a few:
I think I’m trying to create an experience for the audience…It’s all dependent on the type of story you’re trying to tell…I’m always looking for them to serve a purpose and not just be flippant and throw away. So for example one of the scenes that people talk about a lot is the pedicure scene, which is a gently way of describing it. But that’s also a tender moment, because it’s about a grandmother and mother caring for this missing kid that’s returned, trying to make her feel better and bathe her. And then it turns into something really stark and frightening. In turn, it’s literally opening up a layer of mystery.
It’s pretty apparent in Lee Cronin’s The Mummy that Lee directs with purpose, and he spoke about the idea that while not every moment has some kind of meaning behind it – some are just horror driven on their own – he’s always looking to make sure that what he’s doing moves the story forward instead of just existing for shock value. I asked him what drew him to The Mummy project:
I had a conversation with James Wan and talked about the idea of making a mummy movie which didn’t necessarily wake me up instantly, but he talked about the opportunity to make a really frightening one. And I thought, you know what? A really scary, impactful, visceral body horror driven Mummy movie is maybe something I haven’t quite seen or seen in a long time. Can we go and make something that will really surprise people? That drew me in.
Lee had a lot more to say about how The Mummy stuck with him in his mind and how the more he kept coming back to it and adding steps the more interesting the story got and it because a project he was excited to make. We talked a little more about how the project developed and what he’s interested in as a filmmaker. Lee was incredible insightful and honest, which just makes Lee Cronin’s The Mummy as layered as the bloody bandages that wraps our titular character. I also asked Lee what he hopes audiences take away from The Mummy:
It is a story about a family under great threat, and every family suffers threats through their existence for a variety of different reasons…family can augment in its own way and it can change and survive…and think there is hope despite the destruction that takes place and despite the darkness that having all the love and joy of a family [ or community]…there is always hope on the other side and that’s important for the movie.
It was a great conversation, and we covered a lot more about the release and the upcoming 4K. Lee shared more of his thoughts about some specific moments in the film, the challenge of combining a detective mystery with a supernatural element, and much more! You can check out the full interview below!
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