The Final Girls
Short description
Max Cartwright is still mourning her mother Amanda, a scream queen who starred in a well-known 1980s slasher film before her early death. On the anniversary of that death, Max joins her friends Gertie, Vicki, Duncan and Chris at a cinema screening of her mother's most famous movie. A fire breaks out in the auditorium, and the group escapes through the screen, only to find themselves inside the film itself, in the middle of a summer camp stalked by a masked killer. There Max meets her mother again, in her on-screen role, and mother and daughter must work together to survive the killer's attacks.
The film was directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson, his second feature after A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas in 2011 and before Isn't It Romantic in 2019. Joshua John Miller and M.A. Fortin wrote the screenplay, and Michael London and Janice Williams produced. Taissa Farmiga plays Max, with Malin Åkerman as Nancy and Amanda, and Nina Dobrev, Alexander Ludwig, Adam Devine and Thomas Middleditch among the cast.
Released in October 2015, the film mixes comedy and horror and runs 91 minutes. It took about 5 million dollars worldwide, a modest result. On IMDb it holds 6.5 out of 10 from around 57,000 votes, and on TMDB 6.4 out of 10 from roughly 1,400 votes. A critics' rating of 6.4 out of 10 from 79 reviews places it close to the audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- The film premiered on Friday the 13th, a title shared with a slasher film that the movie's plot largely parodies.
- The film's main sources of inspiration were the cult franchises "Friday the 13th" and "A Nightmare on Elm Street".
- The final girl (Russian: last, or remaining girl) is a classic female archetype in most slasher films, first appearing in the film Halloween.
- Joshua John Miller conceived of this film (he also became one of the screenwriters), trying to cope with the death of his father, Jason Miller, who played Father Karras’ father in William Friedkin’s horror film “The Exorcist” (1973).
- Angela Trimbur (who played Tina) herself came up with her dance in the corresponding scene. To get into character, she consumed several energy drinks and drove herself into a frenzy.
- In one episode, the characters were drawn into “Camp Bloodbath,” although the script stipulated that they would end up in the “Technicolor” world. The screenwriters were horrified to discover on set that the props and set design departments had not been informed of the script changes, and the forest was decorated with bright artificial flowers.
- Director Todd Strauss-Schulson wanted Alia Shawkat to play Gertie, but the actress's manager rejected the idea, so Strauss-Schulson obtained the actress's email address and contacted her directly.
- The camp, where almost the entire film was shot, did not have a room large enough to accommodate the operator's crane (it was needed to film the trap scene), so a room had to be specially constructed. Since it was known in advance that there would be no budgetary funds left for demolishing the structure, it was built with the intention of leaving the building on the camp's balance sheet after filming was completed.
- Initially, New Line Cinema became interested in the script, but its management demanded the removal of certain moments revealing the characters, as well as the entire storyline involving the mother and daughter. Eventually, Sony studio took over the project; they liked the script's emotional depth, but demanded that the filmmakers tone down the slasher elements to a 'PG-13' rating.
- The car accident at the beginning of the film was a product of computer technology, while the accident and explosion at the camp were practical stunts performed by stunt performers and pyrotechnicians.
- In the original version of the film, the slow-motion scene lasted for more than three minutes. Director Todd Strauss-Schulson insisted on leaving it as it was, but he was forced to shorten the scene.
- Director Todd Strauss-Schulson wanted to film a scene with Chris (played by Alexander Ludwig) shirtless, but was put off by Ludwig’s muscular physique. The director decided that Chris couldn’t possibly have a torso that looked so sculpted. At his request, Ludwig stopped working out and following a diet, but it was all in vain, as the scene was never filmed.
- While working on the script, Todd Strauss-Schulson was “on” Adderall (a combination medication containing four amphetamine salts; used, among other things, to treat attention deficit syndrome). This is how the drug ended up woven into the film’s plot.
- The original ending showed Max (played by Taissa Farmiga) and Chris (Alexander Ludwig) as the only survivors. This ending was considered too depressing, and Todd Strauss-Schulson wrote a different ending in which their friends also survived. Audiences at preview screenings booed both endings, so the final montage combined fragments from both versions.
- During filming, Billy Murphy’s mask underwent some changes. The initial version, due to thick eyebrows, was nicknamed the “Eugene Levy mask” by the entire crew (referring to the Canadian director, actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter). This version of the mask can be seen in the scene where Billy appears in the window behind Gertie.
- Director Todd Strauss-Schulson and screenwriter M.A. Fortin became friends while studying at the private university "Emerson College" in Boston. After settling in Los Angeles, Fortin began dating Joshua Miller, while Strauss-Schulson maintained contact with this couple. In 2007, Fortin and Miller shared the idea for "Last Girls" with him. Strauss-Schulson liked the idea, and when the script was ready, he wanted to direct the film himself. Several more years were spent refining the script and arguing with various film companies.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
