Joseph Kahn on Toronto-Bound ‘Wholesome’ Horror ‘Ick’: ‘My Objective Is Not to Scare You. It Is to Thrill You’

As a seasoned film critic with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that Peter Kuplowsky’s taste in cinema is nothing short of remarkable. He’s the kind of guy who’s seen every strange and bizarre movie out there, yet still manages to find something fresh and provocative. It’s like he’s got a secret stash of cinematic gold that only the truly adventurous can discover.


Joseph Kahn‘s sci-fi/horror satire “Ick” will make its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival’s Midnight Madness segment on Saturday. Previously, he directed “Bodied,” which premiered at the festival in 2017 and won the People’s Choice Award for Midnight Madness. In an interview with EbMaster, Kahn discusses his affection for monster movies, treating comedy-horrors with gravitas, and his admiration for Steven Spielberg’s suspenseful films.

Programmer Peter Kuplowsky outlines the story like this: “In the quiet town of Eastbrook, U.S., almost twenty years after a creepy, vine-like organism known as ‘the Ick’ started spreading everywhere, the people seem unfazed by it. However, there are exceptions – Hank Wallace, once a promising high school football player turned unlucky science teacher, and his observant student Grace, who have always been cautious about the Ick. Their suspicions prove to be true in a violent way. The story is filled with bloody chaos and apathetic reactions, cleverly mocking how a society can become accustomed to living in a constant state of emergency.

Joseph Kahn on Toronto-Bound ‘Wholesome’ Horror ‘Ick’: ‘My Objective Is Not to Scare You. It Is to Thrill You’

Kahn infuses the dark irony of his horror-comedy flick ‘Ick’ with his signature fast pace and pop culture influences. The movie is chaotic, grotesque, and hilarious in both meanings of the word. It serves as a cultural reflection of contemporary society that has been brewing since the new millennium, as demonstrated by its strategic use of millennial music references that are nostalgic yet contagious.

The film is penned by Kahn, Sam Laskey, and Dan Koontz. Internationally, AGC Intl., the sales division of Stuart Ford’s independent content studio AGC Studios, will manage sales for “Ick” during Toronto. Meanwhile, CAA Media Finance and Peter Trinh, a producer of the movie, are leading North American sales at Toronto.

The movie’s creators encompass Steven Schneider, known for “Paranormal Activity,” “Insidious,” and “Late Night With the Devil.” This production was jointly funded by a consortium of investors in tandem with Interstellar Entertainment and Image Nation Abu Dhabi.

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2024-09-07 16:46