Horror and comedy overlap in some pretty keen ways, as screams and laughs often present the same problem: drowning out dialogue. Upcoming Stephen King movie The Boogeyman, which is an adaptation of the short story of the same name, now requires a very specific edit thanks to its scream-worthy creature. And it's due to that aforementioned concern. Apparently, the reaction to this monster is so intense, the director needed to add some padding to a scene to make sure audiences could follow the story.
Director Rob Savage spoke with with Empire, via LouderSound, and told a very interesting story about how a pivotal scene in the scary-sounding flick led to this very unique problem. This dilemma, and its solution, came from the following scenario:
The first time you see the creature, the audience screamed so loud, and then immediately started talking with their neighbors and chattering, that they completely missed the next lines. So we had to recut it and build in 45 seconds of padding, just so they didn’t miss any vital information.
Just by watching The Boogeyman’s trailer, you can tell that whatever the final form of this titular menace happens to be, it’s going to provide one hell of a scare. So Rob Savage and his team's decision to build in that “45 seconds of padding” is as smart as it is mindful.
Hardcore King fans will probably appreciate this decision as well, as this adaptation is changing the plot of the original short story. So every piece of information will become even more crucial to piecing this newly expanded tale together s well as understanding how it connects to its source material.
It’s also starting to sound like Stephen King’s role in the film's theatrical release is definitely paying off. Thanks to test screenings also bolstering that decision, this movie -- once destined to debut as a Hulu Original -- was turned back into a cinematic event. It certainly pleased the film’s producers/screenwriters Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. Their love of horror reactions among a packed theater is a major reason for that sense of glee.
Even Boogeyman star David Dastmalchian’s reaction the feature further builds upon the hype for this release. With a potential new horror hit ready to be released upon the world, two important factors will decide the future of this film, and maybe the genre itself. Not only is a picture like this going to need as wide of a release as possible, the moviegoers who partake are going to need to understand the dialogue as clearly as possible. So try to hold in those screams and side convos where you can.
The mystery surrounding the latest Stephen King movie continues, though what we know about The Boogeyman is that it will debut in cinemas starting June 2nd. If you're hungry for more upcoming horror movies set to be unveiled in the near future, that sort of information is in plain sight, and not hiding underneath your bed.
