Don Coscarelli, indie horror director and screenwriter | The Cinepod

Don Coscarelli, indie horror director and screenwriter of "Bubba Ho-tep," "Phantasm," "The Beastmaster" and "John Dies at the End" is a master of the horror-comedy. He believes that even in the most horrifying times of your life, there are also moments of levity. His films explore the idea that there is another world, it’s terrifying and dangerous, and it’s also hilarious. Don has always preferred to just go ahead and make his own films, and feels you lose a sense of fun and exploration on big studio projects. The great thing about making indie movies is that anyone can pick up a camera and go make a movie over a few days or even a few years. Don shot and directed all three of his early films until "The Beastmaster," which was shot by John Alcott, a frequent director of photography for Stanley Kubrick. Prior to "The Beastmaster," Don directed "Phantasm," about a mysterious grave robber called the Tall Man. After the first week of shooting "Phantasm," he decided to shut down, choosing to only shoot on the weekends and taking the time during the week to scout, rehearse and rework scenes for about a year. For his film, "John Dies at the End," Don once again decided to take his time and made the movie on an intermittent basis, which luckily worked for the actors, who were all inexperienced, with the exception of Paul Giamatti. Mike Gioulakis was the cinematographer who also acted as the gaffer. Don went on to make the sequels "Phantasm II, III and IV" before writing and directing "Bubba Ho-Tep." Elvis, played by Bruce Campbell, actually lives in a retirement home, and he and a fellow resident, played by Ossie Davis, have to fight a reanimated mummy who is killing the elderly. You can read Don Coscarelli’s book about his experiences called True Indie: Life and Death in Filmmaking. SUBSCRIBE to our podcast! Find us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts!