We like inventive cinema at NYX so knew we had to see The Freaks of Fancy from Elliott Léon so we chatted to him before the movie's premiere at FrightFest 2024.
NYX: Did you know from a young age that you wanted to work in the film industry?
EL: Yes. Although I also harboured hopes of making a living as a professional musician once I came of age... But initially, yes I remember seeing the great Ray Harryhausen displaying some of his stop motion models on a TV programme when I was about 5 and then trying to mimic his creations by making my own models out of plasticine! But they soon fell apart when I tried to manipulate them, because I didn't understand that they needed armatures! But that certainly was the start of my fascination with movies and wanting to be involved in that world. Then, at 16, I took a diploma in media studies and chose moving image/audio visual as my main module.
NYX: This is your second full length feature, what lessons/skills from directing your first did you bring to it?
EL: My first film was a comedy/mockumentary and I experimented with some dream-like sequences which, on reflection, didn't really fit. However, this film's deliberate dreamy element allowed me the scope to do that more effectively and purposefully. And like my first film, I scored this one too. So I think those areas of my first film really helped me to be sharper and tighter for FREAKS.
NYX: What inspired you to write The Freaks of Fancy?
EL: I had come across a series of short, horror-tinged radio plays written by a guy named William Verdier, back in the early 1960s. One of them was called "Weekend. I liked some of its elements and thought it would be interesting to make a loosely based adaptation and transport it to a 1920s, Lake District setting! I was also somewhat inspired by German expressionist and Gothic cinema from the silent-era.
NYX: Did you write the script with a cast in mind?
EL: Yes. I knew pretty much how many characters I needed and that it would be an ensemble of 6 or 7 with a few supporting roles to flesh it out to about 13 or 14..
NYX: Where was the film shot?
EL: The main scenes were filmed in Kendal - just outside the Lake District. And the lake scenes were shot in Bowness-on-Windermere - which is in the Lake District.
NYX: How did you manage to create the look of 1920s cinema?
EL: Well, some technical things that I did were quite convoluted. But, to simplify things, I first studied a few films such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu, The Golem, The Lost World and The Phantom of The Opera - so a mix of Expressionist and early Hollywood horror... And I tried to emulate the style of lighting. I also experimented with making a few practical filters to create a soft focused look and then tinted the scenes in post as a nod to the silent movie aesthetic.
NYX: Was it difficult dressing the set and actors in the correct period clothes?
EL: No, not really. I managed to obtain some 1920s style clothes from a performing arts campus, bought others and had the privilege of being allowed to film in a Gothic, manor house which really helped to create an authentic look. I was also lucky that Holly - who played the flapper girl character - was brilliant at doing her own hair and make-up! Much like many of the silent movie era actresses did.
NYX: There’s a short montage of footage showing the true horrors of war, where did you find such emotional and harrowing footage?
EL: I had watched an old Channel 4 documentary about WW1 and much of the footage was from that which I was able to source from some online archives and outlets.
NYX: It’s a mix of many genres, how would you describe the movie?
EL: I would describe it as an attempt to capture the zeitgeist of the 1920s - which is used as a veneer to cover a mix of adult fairytale and psychological, gothic horror.
NYX: The score is fabulous, will it get a release?
EL: Yes. If people are interested, I would be happy to work something out in that regard.
NYX: Will you be nervous when it has its World Premiere at FrightFest 2024?
EL: Yes. Obviously I want to feel happy with what I have done, but I realised some time ago that once you start to take filmmaking seriously, you are essentially in service to others and they have to enjoy what they are paying to see. So my nerves are more driven from wanting people to feel satisfied.
NYX: So, what are you working on at the moment?
EL: I have recently started principal photography on a portmanteau horror with a working title of HOUSE of THE UNSEEN, which I hope to release in 2025.
NYX: Elliott Léon, thank you very much.
EL: Thank you James.
