The long-standing etiquette among filmmakers here and internationally is that they don’t usually bad mouth each other’s work.
Writer-director Chris Sun does not subscribe to that convention, as evidenced by his criticism of Greg Mclean’s Wolf Creek 2.
Sun aired his views as he prepares to shoot horror movie Charlie’s Farm, which stars US actress Tara Reid (Sharknado, the American Pie movies) and Nathan Jones (Mad Max: Fury Road, Conan the Barbarian) on the Gold Coast.
Jones plays Charlie Wilson, a serial killer who preys on four horror-seeking youths who head to the Outback to explore the location where a violent family perished at the hands of an angry mob.
This is Sun’s third film following Daddy’s Girl and Come and Get Me. In a media release promoting Charlie’s Farm he praised the first Wolf Creek as awesome and Mclean as a “bloody Aussie legend.”
But of the sequel he said, “I feel Greg went about it the wrong way.” Asked by IF to elaborate, he responded, “I thought Wolf Creek 2 solidified Greg's unique style and attention to detail but lacked the intensity of the first film. I want the old Mick Taylor back.”
That may surprise those who think John Jarratt's Mick was just as vicious, violent and xenophobic as in the original, if not more so.
He continued, “We'll establish Charlie Wilson as an iconic Australian horror figure in the same way that Michael Myers (Halloween), Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th) and others have been, by making a pure horror film. No holds barred, blood and violence, horror. Anything less than that and I'd be disappointed in myself.”
When IF suggested it is unusual for one filmmaker to criticise another, Sun said, “While it may seem uncommon for filmmakers to be critical of each other's work, it certainly isn't. Criticism is how we learn and define our own style.”
Informed of Sun’s comments, Mclean was gracious, stating, “I've never heard of Chris Sun. I wish him the best of luck with his film career.”
Shooting of the privately-financed film starts on March 17. The cast includes Bill Moseley (Halloween, Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Kane Hodder (Friday The 13th) and Allira Jacques, who appeared in Sun’s earlier films.
Sun hopes this will be the first of a four-film franchise. He’s in discussions with Shoreline Entertainment and other sales agents.