Horror Favourites – Jonathan Cuartas
One of the standout titles of last year’s festival circuit and gaining itself a 5 Star review on this very site (Read it HERE!) My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To is now making its way to a wider audience and coming to Digital Download from June 28.
Following its world premiere at Tribeca last year, the film has played a string of genre festivals – including Nightstream, Sitges and São Paulo. The UK premiere took place at Celluloid Screams.
My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To is an elevated-genre feature directed by Jonathan Cuartas and starring Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous, First Man), Ingrid Sophie Schram (Phantom Thread) and Owen Campbell (As You Are, The Miseducation of Cameron Post).
The film follows siblings Dwight (Patrick Fugit) and Jessie (Ingrid Sophie Schram) who put all their energy into keeping their little brother Thomas (Owen Campbell) alive. But he craves human blood.
We had the opportunity to quiz the writer and director of this amazing movie Jonathan Cuartas about his favourite horror film and below is what he had to say:
“My favourite horror film is The Exorcist. This is a very popular answer, and for good reason. It’s one of the only films that has actually scared me. I first saw it when I was like eleven years old and I still can’t get the image of Pazuzu out of my head. I’m talking about the flash of that indelibly horrifying face that appears during Father Karras’ dream. It made my stomach turn, and still does every time I see it in my dreams.
There’s something inherently evil about the film. The way it blasphemes religious idols and insults The Holy Trinity really shakes me. It’s a very brave film. No wonder it’s infamous for being cursed. The film itself feels cursed. It set up the tropes that are still being used in possession movies today, but also pushed the boundaries of violence and emotion.
All the scary stuff aside, this is still a profound tale about the great lengths a mother will go to protect her child, and a story about a man’s wavering faith.
I love that the first hour is spent getting to know these nuanced characters, barely an ounce of horror present. We grow to enjoy their company, sympathize and even empathize with them, before they’re thrown into Hell. Regan’s decay, both physically and mentally, showcases one of the great performances of the decade. Linda Blair really put her all into the role, and thankfully, she has gotten the praise she deserves. Ellen Burstyn is also phenomenal. The special effects work alone is enough to put the film at the top of my list.
To wrap things up, the end of the film is so bittersweet. Just like Regan, I was left pale and whiplashed.”
My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To will be released on Digital Download from June 28. Read our review HERE and check out the trailer below:
