Horror Favourites – Robert Livings & Randy Nundall Jr

Terror Films released found footage horror film INFRARED, starring The Room’s Gregory Sestero, worldwide this July. We caught directors Robert Livings & Randy Nundlall J for a quick chat about what creeps them out.

A paranormal investigator and his production crew gain access to a mysterious, abandoned school but when the thrilling haunt turns deadly, the team must race to uncover the terrifying truth before they become the school’s next victims.

Says directors Robert Livings & Randy Nundall Jr. “INFRARED is first and foremost a horror film, but at its heart, is a movie about siblings reconnecting in a time of need. Often in horror films, we find ourselves rooting for the characters we don’t like to die, so it was important for us to develop characters that we wanted to survive, creating a larger emotional investment for those watching. With this intention in mind, we set out to wholly develop their backstories and create a believable connection. From there we tackled the darker themes and scares within the film, workshopping ideas with our actors, and giving them the freedom of collaboration within our improvisational process. This film is injected with humor, tension and scares, and we really hope that nobody finds an owner’s manual in their basement.”

Below the directing duo talk about their favorite scary movies first up is Randy:

“It’s funny, growing up I wasn’t into horror that much but over the last few years, I’ve developed a love for this genre. My favorite horror film is probably Audition by Takashi Miike. I haven’t seen the film for years but there’s something haunting about it, which still resonates with me today. I really enjoyed the surreal, dreamy narrative and tone to create a nightmarish, eerie feel, it made me question what was real and what was distortion. Currently, when I make films, I try to incorporate similar themes and engage the audience in a way where they are putting together a puzzle. It makes everyone feel more involved with the film.

Eihi Shiina was mesmerizing in her role and did a fantastic job blurring the sweet girl and psychopathic persona. I can still hear the sounds from the “kiri-kiri-kiri” scene at the end! That and the vomit scene are probably some of the most impactful scenes that I’ve seen in cinema, period.

For horror fans, Asian cinema, in particular, Japanese and Korean films are not to be missed! They’ve been doing it a long time and they know how to do it well. If you like gross stuff, definitely check out Takashi Miike’s other films, Ichi The Killer and Visitor Q. These films are must-watches!”

And here Robert shares his personal thoughts on the best horror:

“It’s always hard to pick a favorite of anything, especially with horror films, so I’ve gone with the film that I recommend when anybody asks for something “genuinely scary”.

Lake Mungo is a movie well known amongst horror fans, but not too far beyond that. Grief-horror is a subgenre that has become quite popular again in recent years, especially since the success of Hereditary, but back in 2008 this little Australian faux-doc was released that stands up there as one of the best.

The film is told as if it were a documentary, and this is very effective as I very quickly forget I’m watching something fictional each time I view it. Set after the drowning death of Alice, her brother sets up cameras around the house to try and capture images of what he believes is Alice’s ghost that is hanging around. Things aren’t as they seem, and this opens up a whole new range of questions for the family surrounding Alice’s death. Now this might sound like your typical horror/found-footage set-up, but it goes so much deeper than that and to mention much more would spoil all the surprises.

There is such a sense of dread with this film, and it sticks the landing at the end. Throughout the film, any time it looks like it’s heading to a place of unbelievability, it quickly throws you back into reality. Every reveal is justified and analyzed within the constructs of the faux-doc format. This is a film that is made to get under your skin with a high creep-factor. Just don’t go in expecting fast-paced action and jump scares, and you’re in for a treat.”

INFRARED will be available on digital platforms July 22, on the Terror Films Channel July 29, and on Kings of Horror on August 5.