Latest news with #Screamboat
Irish Times
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Screamboat: Mickey Mouse as a violent psychopath is no classic, but gory twist on Disney knows its audience
Screamboat Director : Steven LaMorte Cert : 18 Genre : Horror Starring : David Howard Thornton, Allison Pittel, Amy Schumacher, Jesse Posey, Kailey Hyman, Jesse Kove, Jarlath Conroy Running Time : 1 hr 42 mins If you've missed the Twisted Childhood Universe, as the film-makers call it, you haven't missed much. The first generation of films to capitalise on the end of Disney 's copyright on a host of familiar characters forms an entirely disposable, unimaginative canon of Z-grade slashers. In common with other brainless, opportunistic franchises – looking at you, Sharknado – the concept has scared up enough business to justify three terrible films and a worldwide gross of $16.5 million. Stay tuned for Bambi: The Reckoning in July and Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble in October. Or, preferably, don't. These primarily British productions seem content to trade on revisiting your childhood favourites as serial killers. That's the plot. That's the joke. There is no reason for these movies to be as lazy as they have been. Screamboat, a rival bid to monetise the newly public-domain Steamboat Willie – Mickey Mouse's 1928 introduction to the world – predictably transforms the iconic rodent into a violent psychopath. Happily, unlike the Twisted Childhood Universe, Steven LaMorte's horror makes some effort to engage with the source material in humorous, gory ways, including a fun animated parody and a cheeky cameo from Willie's creator, 'Walt'. READ MORE The film is set on a Staten Island ferry, where the killer mouse wreaks havoc on passengers, including a hen party standing in for Disney princesses. It's undeniably a low-rent production. The same exterior shot of the ferry is used repeatedly; routine words are mispronounced. Fortunately, the script, by the director and Matthew Garcia-Dunn, embraces the mayhem with a violent nod to Itchy and Scratchy. The murderous mouse is played with huge energy by David Howard Thornton. The brilliant mime behind Terrifier's Art the Clown makes merry with the rodent's diminutive status. The Irish veteran Jarlath Conroy, who has movie credits stretching back to Heaven's Gate, brings grizzled charm to the doomed supporting cast. Screamboat is no classic, but it knows its audience. The makers of the upcoming Pinocchio: Unstrung could learn a thing or two. Screamboat is available on digital platforms from Monday, May 5th, and on DVD & Blu-ray from Monday, June 2nd
Perth Now
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
'We lovingly poke fun at all things Disney...' Screamboat director Steven LaMorte shares inspiration for movie
'Screamboat' director Steven LaMorte hopes Disney "won't come after us" because the horror comedy mocks everything about the corporation. LaMorte helmed the reimagining of the Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks 1928 animated short film 'Steamboat Willie', with the gore-filled flick following a group of New Yorkers who are picked off by a monstrous mouse named Steamboat Willie. Animation 'Steamboat Willie' is considered to be the public debut of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse and although Disney retains exclusive rights to its own Mickey Mouse universe, the 'Steamboat Willie' version of the character entered the public domain on January 1, 2024, with 'Screamboat' being announced a day later. LaMorte admits his new movie lampoons many aspects of Disney and he hopes the corporation will see the funny side. Speaking to the new issue of SFX magazine, he said: "We lovingly poke fun at all things Disney; it's corporate culture, TV shows, lore and pricing - all of it. "And you know hopefully they won't come after us!" Homicidal mouse Steamboat Willie is played by David Howard Thornton, famous for portraying Art the Clown in the 'Terrifier' franchise, as well as Allison Pittel, Amy Schumacher, Jesse Posey, Kailey Hyman, Jesse Kove and Jarlath Conroy. LaMorte revealed that Thornton had to spend four-and-a-half hours in makeup each day to play the miniature murderer and suffered in the heat of his furry suit for the role. The filmmaker shared: "Once the cowl and the ears are on, he's able to move, but it's extremely hot. He's wearing a fur suit, and he's constantly burning through these cooling vests that he has underneath." LaMorte also shared all the filming tricks he used to make David as Steamboat Willie appear as small as a mouse. He said: "We knew the only way this would really be funny, the only thing that would keep him from looking like a guy in a suit or a mascot at a theme park, is that he had to be a creature and he had to be small. "Having a miniature killer made the film exponentially harder to make. "We have shots where the mouse is walking, where if you look, it's a puppet. We used LED walls, forced perspective and oversized props. Really every magic trick under the sun to make him appear tiny." LaMorte has teased he has an idea for a sequel meaning horror fans have not seen the last of 'Screamboat'. He said: "I may or may not have a completely outlined a fully formed idea. So if there was to be an opportunity to make a second one I'm definitely open to it, because there's plenty of stories left to tell on the Staten Island Ferry." 'Screamboat' is on Digital Platforms 5 May and DVD and Blu-ray 2 June. Distributed by Signature Entertainment.
