Carnies follows the denizens of the Knuckles Brothers Show and their travails as a sinister force stalks the midway, leaving a bloody trail of "crumpled, torn, soulless bodies in its wake."
With a talented cast that includes Reggie Bannister, Doug Jones, and Denise Gossett, and a setting that automatically screams 'creepy,' Carnies is shaping up to be a notable entry in the grand tradition of carnival-stylized horror films, such as Freaks, The Funhouse, and Vampire Circus.
Director Brian Corder was kind enough to come into Zombos' closet to discuss his upcoming horror movie with Blogcritics' readers.
ZC: Carnies is set in the 1930s. What challenges have you experienced in directing the action and characters for a film set in this time period?
BC: Thanks to my wonderfully talented cast, I don't recall a problem with direction when it came to it being a period piece. There is certain Carny terminology, like the words Rangy and Grouch Bag that had to be worked out in prior to the shooting, but it really wasn't any problem.
Editor's Note: A grouch bag (circa 1908) was a hidden purse used by a performer to carry money, and was usually strung around the performer's neck. It is reputed that Julius 'Groucho' Marx got his nickname from using one to carry his poker money. And Brian filled me in on the word Rangy: "Rangy or wrangy (rhymes with "tangy") — Worked up, usually in a vulgar sense (possibly a variant of 'randy'). A show could be rangy ( a really 'strong' kootch show), or the patrons might be in a rangy mood (a very hot Saturday night, or being able to afford too much beer 'cause it's payday) or a patron may be rangy or ranged up (drunken, disorderly, disruptive, spoiling for a fight). "He's wrangin' the joint" would mean the customer is giving the jointee a very hard time. May also apply to an aggressive animal. From what I understand, the word 'rangy' is derived from the word 'orangutang'."
ZC: Ron Leming and John B. Nash developed the script for Carnies from your story. Why do a horror story set in a carnival in the 1930s, and what makes this setting and time period especially suited for the horror genre?
BC: I've always thought that traveling freakshows were a bit creepy. With various oddities and colorful characters. Of course, there's nothing more terrifying to me than a savage killer in a top hat!
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