Joss Whedon Discusses the Inspiration for Cabin in the Woods
Posted 02.17.12 by Ryan
2012 should be a good year for writer-director Joss Whedon. Not only does Whedon's The Avengers reach theaters this year, but his long-delayed horror movie The Cabin in the Woods, which Whedon scripted and produced, will finally see the light of day.
Starring a pre-Thor (and Avengers) Chris Hemsworth, The Cabin in the Woods contains a familiar horror movie story that follows five friends that head to a remote cabin, where, the synopsis tells us, "bad things happen." The synopsis also claims, "if you think you know this story, think again," and the first (and only) trailer for the movie shows that Whedon has certainly put a twist on a well-worn horror movie plot. During an interview with Total Film, Whedon called the movie a "very loving hate letter" to horror movies.
On some level it was completely a lark, me and [director] Drew [Goddard] trying to figure out what the most fun we could have would be. On another level it’s a serious critique of what we love and what we don’t about horror movies.
Asked what Whedon loves and hates about horror movies, Whedon offered the following explanation.
I love being scared. I love that mixture of thrill, of horror, that objectification/identification thing of wanting definitely for the people to be alright but at the same time hoping they’ll go somewhere dark and face something awful.
The things that I don’t like are kids acting like idiots, the devolution of the horror movie into torture porn and into a long series of sadistic comeuppances. Drew and I both felt that the pendulum had sung a little too far in that direction.
Whedon doesn't mention it, but probably also doesn't like it when horror movies get delayed for years. Shot back in 2009, Cabin in the Woods was first pushed back for release in 2011 in October of that same year, with the year-plus delay being chalked up to a 3-D conversion. By September of 2010, the movie was delayed inevitably while studio MGM dealt with its crumbling finances. Finally, Lionsgate picked up the distribution rights last April, saving Cabin in Woods from movie purgatory, but more or less delaying the movie for another year for its scheduled release on Friday, April 13th.
The Cabin in the Woods also stars Jesse Williams, Anna Hutchison, Fran Kranz, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, Brian White and Kristen Connolly star.