Writer/Producer Diablo Cody (Jennifer’s Body) and director Zelda Williams have teamed up to deliver an outrageously ’80s new spin on Mary Shelley’s classic novel with Lisa Frankenstein, set to arrive in theaters on February 9, 2024. Ahead of the film’s release, Bloody Disgusting spoke with Cody and Williams about their collaboration.
In Lisa Frankenstein, “Set in 1989, the film follows an unpopular high schooler who accidentally re-animates a handsome Victorian corpse during a lightning storm and starts to rebuild him into the man of her dreams using the broken tanning bed in her garage.”
The Coming of Rage love story stars Kathryn Newton (Freaky), Cole Sprouse (“Riverdale”), Carla Gugino (The Fall of the House of Usher), Liza Soberano (Alone/Together), Joe Chrest (Stranger Things) and Henry Eikenberry (The Crowded Room).
The comedy-horror movie draws from quintessential ’80s cinema, including Weird Science, Beetlejuice, and Night of the Comet. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Among the many influences on Lisa Frankenstein, the paranormal love story bears a lot in common with Sixteen Candles, at least for this writer, and its matter-of-fact approach to spiraling scenarios.
“Well, it was probably not a coincidence that you saw similarities with Sixteen Candles because that is probably the movie I’ve seen most in my life, probably the most times. I think I could recite it from beginning to end, for better or for worse,” Diablo Cody explains. I was there in the ’80s. I was a child of the ’80s, so I remember the vibe. And I feel like it was very important to me to commit to that vibe and to make sure that everything, not just from the language that people use, but how they said it, felt true to the time. So I was meticulous about that, probably more so than anything else.”
Cole Sprouse stars as The Creature and Kathryn Newton as Lisa Swallows in LISA FRANKENSTEIN, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Michele K. Short / © 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC
Director Zelda Williams had the task of bringing Diablo Cody’s words to life, threading the ’80s setting and two wildly different characters from different eras into a cohesive feature. More than just experimenting with color and production design, the director also employs animation to help build out the Creature’s Victorian-era backstory.
“The animation, at least certainly in the beginning, was purely a necessity of even where we were at and how much time we had because we weren’t going to be able to go and do Victorian kind of stories,” Williams tells Bloody Disgusting. “So to still have a medium in which to deliver a world we couldn’t have created and afforded was wonderful. I think, especially with this being under the umbrella of comedy, you get away with everything else. I mean, as long as people find it entertaining, they find it funny, you get to play in horror and you get to play in romance and drama. And that comedy umbrella here was so on the page. There were so many great jokes, and just finding them in the moment is a joyful exploration.”
While Lisa Frankenstein wears its cinematic influences proudly, Bloody Disgusting asked Diablo Cody and Zelda Williams for their personal favorites when it comes to ’80s horror. Their answers didn’t disappoint.
Cody answers, “Well, it depends if you’re talking about horror-horror, or the paranormal genre. Because in terms of actual horror movies, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 is always going to be my favorite, but that’s like a slasher film. In terms of movies that might’ve inspired this one, it’s definitely more of a Weird Science or Beetlejuice vibe.”
Williams cites a specific fave that made its way into the film itself: “It’s hard because sometimes the ones I think are ’80s are ’70s ones, but I’m a The Thing girl. John Carpenter just has my heart. But I also love Alien. And we feature one of my favorite Romero movies in this one, Day of the Dead.”
The post ‘Lisa Frankenstein’ Writer Diablo Cody and Director Zelda Williams Talk ’80s Setting and Genre Influences [Interview] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.