With director Tammi Sutton’s much-buzzed about and award-winning feature Isle of Dogs premiering in Los Angeles this coming Saturday night at the New Beverly Cinema (7165 West Beverly Blvd.), we caught up with the filmmaker to discuss her thoughts on the premiere and feature, as well as those on Whispers, her latest project, and more.
“I'm excited to announce my feature film Isle of Dogs is playing at The New Beverly,” Sutton, who also executive produced from a script by Seth Hogan, told us of the L.A. bow of her bloody, British crime-thriller. Isle of Dog stars Andrew Howard (I Spit On Your Grave) as a violent gangster who finds himself embroiled in a love triangle with his Russian trophy-wife Nadia (Hostel actress Barbara Nedeljakova), and a small-time hood (Edward Hogg).
“As a filmmaker, on a very personal level, I had always dreamed of filming something in England,” Sutton told us.
“I had grown up on a steady diet of British film and television, from Dr. Who, Hammer classic horror, James Bond films, Faulty Towers, and any and all other classic comedy, sci-fi, horror, and dramas you can name from the UK. As I got older, I seriously got interested in the British gangster and Italian giallo films, so while traveling in England and Europe, they were all I could think about. The band Goblin was the soundtrack for my travels. Honestly, if I'd had gone to Italy in the 70’s, I'm sure I'd have ended up like the girls in the end of the film To Be Twenty."
Sutton has proven herself an engagingly formidable and supportive member of the L.A. horror scene. “On one of my trips to Berlin to scout Babelsberg Studios during the Berlinale Film Festival, I was hanging out with producer and friend Travis Stevens, who I adore, and I mentioned to him that I was ready to make a movie that I wanted to see, and that I would have a real passion for, but that I needed a strong British writer to help bring my ideas to life. Travis and I went to a great bowling alley-karaoke party in Germany, and he insisted that I meet British writer Sean Hogan, and that was it. Sean and I connected in London shortly after, and Isle of Dogs was born.”
As for her directorial approach to the flick, “It was not what I was used to,” she said openly.
“Previous to this film I had only done work-for-hire types of films. I was used to heavy guidelines and particulars from casting, music choices, locations, and everything else imaginable. This one was different in every way. The freedom that came with Isle of Dogs also came with new self-induced expectations and challenges, and sometimes, fears. Simply put, I had no one to hide behind or make excuses to when it came to making artistic choices, and I'd never felt so scared in my life. I'd never felt so free either. It was the stuff directors and filmmakers dream of. I appreciate every single moment of that experience. I had a very special, strong team of cast and crew, and hope that they all know that I needed every bit of their support and every bit of their ribbing. I made a film that, at the end of the day, I can say that I fell in love with, and I’m excited I finally get to share it with others.”
Regarding Sutton’s upcoming work, she’s currently finishing her next feature, Whispers, a psychological thriller which stars Keeley Hazell and Craig Rees, along with Nedeljakova, Phil Bloomberg and Diane Goldner (Feast). The synopsis is as follows: "When a young mother (Hazell) loses her child, she retreats to the British countryside with her husband (Rees) to his childhood home, only to find herself haunted by her darkest fears." Filming for Whispers is still in production and additional cast members will be announced soon.
Tickets to the screening, which takes place at 11:55 PM this Saturday (with a Q&A to follow with Sutton and star Nedeljakova) can be purchased here. Isle of Dogs releases on DVD on January 28th via Green Apple Entertainment. Follow the flick on Twitter and on Facebook.
Stay tuned for more!
