Interview with Director Eli Craig from Tucker and Dale vs. Evil

what I’m looking to do is open up the

what I’m looking to do is open up the the realm of comedy so it includes maybe

the realm of comedy so it includes maybe

the realm of comedy so it includes maybe a little bit of a higher body count but

a little bit of a higher body count but

a little bit of a higher body count but ultimately it’s a very sweet romantic

ultimately it’s a very sweet romantic

ultimately it’s a very sweet romantic comedy and unfortunately just a lot of

comedy and unfortunately just a lot of

comedy and unfortunately just a lot of kids die along the way the horror comedy

kids die along the way the horror comedy

kids die along the way the horror comedy Tucker and Dale vs. evil is the perfect

Tucker and Dale vs. evil is the perfect

Tucker and Dale vs. evil is the perfect twist to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre

twist to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre

twist to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre type film hi I’m Veronica with

type film hi I’m Veronica with

type film hi I’m Veronica with watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking

watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking

watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking with the writer and director

with the writer and director

with the writer and director Eli Craig can you tell us about your

Eli Craig can you tell us about your

Eli Craig can you tell us about your film Tucker and Dale vs. evil Tucker and

film Tucker and Dale vs. evil Tucker and

film Tucker and Dale vs. evil Tucker and Dale vs. evil is a twist on the sort of

Dale vs. evil is a twist on the sort of

Dale vs. evil is a twist on the sort of the classic slasher backwoods hillbilly

the classic slasher backwoods hillbilly

the classic slasher backwoods hillbilly film where the college kids go into the

film where the college kids go into the

film where the college kids go into the woods the car breaks down and then they

woods the car breaks down and then they

woods the car breaks down and then they go searching for help they bang on

go searching for help they bang on

go searching for help they bang on somebody’s door and some evil hillbilly

somebody’s door and some evil hillbilly

somebody’s door and some evil hillbilly answers it and then you know one thing

answers it and then you know one thing

answers it and then you know one thing leads to another and then there’s a high

leads to another and then there’s a high

leads to another and then there’s a high body count in my film

body count in my film

body count in my film the hillbilly killers in the backwoods

the hillbilly killers in the backwoods

the hillbilly killers in the backwoods are actually not killers they’re just a

are actually not killers they’re just a

are actually not killers they’re just a couple of really good guys that want to

couple of really good guys that want to

couple of really good guys that want to drink beer and have a good time but

drink beer and have a good time but

drink beer and have a good time but they’re misperceived by the college kids

they’re misperceived by the college kids

they’re misperceived by the college kids as being killers and then the college

as being killers and then the college

as being killers and then the college kids try to kill them time to die fruit

kids try to kill them time to die fruit

kids try to kill them time to die fruit where it comes from I don’t know I guess

where it comes from I don’t know I guess

where it comes from I don’t know I guess I had some bad experiences with frat

I had some bad experiences with frat

I had some bad experiences with frat kids this is your first feature film was

kids this is your first feature film was

kids this is your first feature film was it a lot harder than the short films

it a lot harder than the short films

it a lot harder than the short films that you’re used to making in some ways

that you’re used to making in some ways

that you’re used to making in some ways you have more support you know you’re

you have more support you know you’re

you have more support you know you’re doing a short film you you have no money

doing a short film you you have no money

doing a short film you you have no money to pay crew or anybody so everybody

to pay crew or anybody so everybody

to pay crew or anybody so everybody nobody knows what they’re doing and

nobody knows what they’re doing and

nobody knows what they’re doing and they’re trying to set up light stands

they’re trying to set up light stands

they’re trying to set up light stands and the lights are falling over all the

and the lights are falling over all the

and the lights are falling over all the time to me one of the hard parts was

time to me one of the hard parts was

time to me one of the hard parts was letting go of things I didn’t need to

letting go of things I didn’t need to

letting go of things I didn’t need to worry about

worry about

worry about we had a great support team so I get to

we had a great support team so I get to

we had a great support team so I get to sort of focus on like making the film

sort of focus on like making the film

sort of focus on like making the film you’re very comfortable in outdoors why

you’re very comfortable in outdoors why

you’re very comfortable in outdoors why do you think people are so scared when

do you think people are so scared when

do you think people are so scared when it comes to going into the woods

it comes to going into the woods

it comes to going into the woods actually that’s part of the reason why I

actually that’s part of the reason why I

actually that’s part of the reason why I wanted to make this film when I guided I

wanted to make this film when I guided I

wanted to make this film when I guided I used to guide mountaineering trips but

used to guide mountaineering trips but

used to guide mountaineering trips but before that I worked as a outward-bound

before that I worked as a outward-bound

before that I worked as a outward-bound guide so I took kids into the woods and

guide so I took kids into the woods and

guide so I took kids into the woods and and always they would be afraid that

and always they would be afraid that

and always they would be afraid that somebody was following them or there’d

somebody was following them or there’d

somebody was following them or there’d be some I think I saw somebody in the

be some I think I saw somebody in the

be some I think I saw somebody in the woods I’m telling you the guy would be

woods I’m telling you the guy would be

woods I’m telling you the guy would be too tired he wouldn’t hike this far that

too tired he wouldn’t hike this far that

too tired he wouldn’t hike this far that guy is in the

guy is in the

guy is in the somewhere because he’s who lazy to get

somewhere because he’s who lazy to get

somewhere because he’s who lazy to get this far but they wouldn’t believe it

this far but they wouldn’t believe it

this far but they wouldn’t believe it because of all these films that have

because of all these films that have

because of all these films that have convinced people that the woods are a

convinced people that the woods are a

convinced people that the woods are a terrifying place and to me the woods are

terrifying place and to me the woods are

terrifying place and to me the woods are always the safest place now you wanted

always the safest place now you wanted

always the safest place now you wanted the goriest parts to actually be the

the goriest parts to actually be the

the goriest parts to actually be the funniest how are you able to do this

funniest how are you able to do this

funniest how are you able to do this hopefully it works that way I tried to

hopefully it works that way I tried to

hopefully it works that way I tried to convince the studios of that and they

convince the studios of that and they

convince the studios of that and they were like no kid flying into a wood

were like no kid flying into a wood

were like no kid flying into a wood chipper not so funny like this is not

chipper not so funny like this is not

chipper not so funny like this is not funny and I was like I beg to differ I

funny and I was like I beg to differ I

funny and I was like I beg to differ I don’t know maybe I have a demented sense

don’t know maybe I have a demented sense

don’t know maybe I have a demented sense of humor

of humor

of humor every time somebody kills themselves you

every time somebody kills themselves you

every time somebody kills themselves you get this joyous burst of laughter in the

get this joyous burst of laughter in the

get this joyous burst of laughter in the audience so go figure

audience so go figure

audience so go figure you said this is a make-or-break film

you said this is a make-or-break film

you said this is a make-or-break film for you because you are not gonna

for you because you are not gonna

for you because you are not gonna interact if this a film doesn’t do well

interact if this a film doesn’t do well

interact if this a film doesn’t do well so are we gonna see anything else from

so are we gonna see anything else from

so are we gonna see anything else from you soon I’m excited to do another film

you soon I’m excited to do another film

you soon I’m excited to do another film I really love the work I’ve never had so

I really love the work I’ve never had so

I really love the work I’ve never had so much fun doing anything in my life

much fun doing anything in my life

much fun doing anything in my life except for maybe climbing a few

except for maybe climbing a few

except for maybe climbing a few mountains but this is just this is such

mountains but this is just this is such

mountains but this is just this is such fun work if you’re allowed to do it and

fun work if you’re allowed to do it and

fun work if you’re allowed to do it and the fact that we’ve been blessed enough

the fact that we’ve been blessed enough

the fact that we’ve been blessed enough to have some success with it hopefully

to have some success with it hopefully

to have some success with it hopefully means we get to do another one you girls

means we get to do another one you girls

means we get to do another one you girls that don’t happen thanks is great having

that don’t happen thanks is great having

that don’t happen thanks is great having you oh thank you for having me it’s

you oh thank you for having me it’s

you oh thank you for having me it’s really fun