“The Dreadful Place,” by Cole Daniel Hills, premiers at Laemmle tomorrow, the horror thriller, was made independently and tackles personal struggles anyone with trauma can relate to.
Loneliness with thoughts can be a nightmare, but for Hills, he launched it into a dream and his nightmares of feeling trapped in time brought his lead, Willow to life.
When describing the plot, Hills said, “Nearing the anniversary of her father’s tragic death, Willow finds herself trapped in a twisted nightmare she can’t wake up from. Plagued by constant nightmares, the line between dream and reality begins to blur.”
Hills draws inspiration from renowned directors such as Charlie Kaufman and David Lynch, both known for their surrealist approach to filmmaking, the latter having his own form of surrealism known as “Lynchian”. Hills has expressed a deep appreciation for films that explore the innermost thoughts of their protagonists.
His love for surrealism is evident in his new feature. “I’m a big fan of films that take place in the subconscious, using it as a playground,” Hills said.
Audiences can expect to recognize influences from various films across genres, with “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” serving as a major inspiration, with Hills calling his film a spooky version of it.
At its core, the film explores the lingering presence of painful memories. Willow is forced to relive the hardest moments of her life, and Hills hopes viewers take away a lesson in confronting fears. He wants the film to encourage audiences to “[deal] with things that you’re afraid to deal with and the walls you put up through connection with your peers and the people around you.”
To enhance the film’s unsettling atmosphere, Hills primarily used handheld and close-up angles, creating a claustrophobic experience for the audience.
The film also carries a nostalgic small-town feel, drawn from Hills’ personal ties to where he grew up, in Erie, Pennsylvania, a city two hours outside of Pittsburgh. As a regular at Gem City Diner, the same place where he worked on the screenplay and where the lead character, Willow, is a server. He expressed deep gratitude to the Erie community for donating filming locations, including the diner, to the production.
“The Dreadful Place,” will have its East Coast premiere in Erie on May 9 before heading to the Virginia Film Festival. Its first screening, however, is set for March 27, in Los Angeles at the Laemmle NoHo 7. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the movie starting at 7 p.m. Tickets are available for $16 on Laemmle’s official website.