To coincide with the UK home release of Sasquatch Sunset on Blu-ray and Digital, we spoke to co-director and actor Nathan Zellner, who shared some of the formative films that inspired him and his brother’s surreal movie.
Taking us into the misty forests of North America, a family of Sasquatches – possibly the last of their enigmatic kind – will embark on an absurdist, epic, hilarious, and ultimately poignant journey. Over the course of a year, these shaggy and noble giants fight for survival as they find themselves on a collision course with the ever-changing world around them.
Starring Riley Keough (Mad Max: Fury Road, American Honey) and Jesse Eisenberg (Zombieland, The Social Network), acclaimed directors David and Nathan Zellner (pictured above) bring audiences the greatest Bigfoot story ever told.
Which films inspired the filmmaking brothers on their crazed sasquatch journey?
“My brother David and I are only a couple of years apart, so we grew up watching a lot of the same movies,” says Nathan Zellner. “I think we have a lot of shared cinema experiences, then maybe later we’d discover things independently and share them with the other. However, we’ve been discussing films since we were kids and have drawn on so many of these influences throughout our work, taking us right up to Sasquatch Sunset. Here are some of the important ones which stand out…”
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
“This might seem like an obvious influence, but the ‘dawn of man’ sequence has always been a truly amazing piece of cinema. Just looking at the lack of narration and showing the view of early man, you can probably see the inspiration.
“Even on a technical level, how they utilised the animals and incorporated them into the narrative is very effective and was incredible to see.
“In this single sequence, we get to understand the full scope of life and death, and the master Stanley Kubrick captured it so powerfully.”
Planet of the Apes (1968)
“This was definitely an early influence on us. I remember the first time seeing it, you’re introduced to a whole society of creatures, all in make-up, and even to this day it’s very impressive. Of course, makeup artists can do a lot more now, compared to back then, but the scope, scale and vision still holds up.
“They also had interesting choices for each character’s specific look and makeup, based on the society structure.
“David and I saw the first couple of films as kids and they were always being shown on TV at the weekends.”
Monty Python’s Flying Circus (1969-1974)
“A big part of our comedy exposure was Monty Python and Loony Tunes, and just enjoying how crazy and left field some of it was.
“I remember staying up late at night, and finding old Monty Python and Benny Hill shows on some public TV network.
“One thing I always loved in Monty Python, apart from the surreal humour, was the editing and how they’d set up a joke, hit you with the punchline and then cut at a specific moment.
“It’s very smart and calculated. That was really inspiring, and we still really enjoy British comedy today.”
Fitzcarraldo (1982)
“We had a period in college when we discovered Werner Herzog and were really inspired by him in many different ways. The big thing for me is that his movies always feel like an adventure in the way he made them.
“Fitzcarraldo is a great example of this, hauling a real ship over a mountain. Apart from being a classic film for many reasons, that approach to adventurous, sometimes difficult but very rewarding filmmaking really affected us.
“It helped us understand the passion of being a filmmaker. So, when we decided to make Sasquatch Sunset, we knew we couldn’t shoot in a comfortable studio, we had to do it in the Redwood forests of California, the epicentre of Bigfoot lore. Not only does it feel the most authentic, but it’s truthful to the type of story we were telling.”
Harry and the Hendersons (1987)
“This was a big one because it was one of the first times we had seen a creature front and centre, shown in full light, as a main character.
“At this time in movies, a lot of practical makeup effects were used sparingly, or for shock, but this was completely different. Seeing Harry’s animatronic face move was mind-blowing, plus it was a fun and light-hearted story, so took a different approach.
“We were VHS kids, so we’d go to the video store and watch anything and everything on video. Taking into account the films you could discover at this time, it was a kind of golden era for practical effects and we became really big fans of different effects artists and would seek out their movies.”
The Bear (1988)
“We grew up watching a lot of non-narrative family films, where you follow a pack of animals and get to see all the different family dynamics, over a period in their lives.
“The Bear is a French film from Jean-Jacques Annaud in which a young cub gets separated from its mom, and goes on this epic journey across the wilderness trying to survive. He comes across other creatures and there’s funny moments, weird moments and sad moments.
“Even though there’s no human dialogue, when you watch you’re totally invested and the story is still engaging and relatable, so that had a big impact on us, and I’m sure inspired our own work!”
Icon Film Distribution presents Sasquatch Sunset out now on Blu-ray & Digital (which includes over three hours of UK exclusive bonus features). Order your copy here.
Main Image Photo by Christopher Carrol
