After months of blood soaked teasers, red band trailers and growing anticipation, Eli Roth’s Ice Cream Man is finally in Australian cinemas today.
To mark the release, horror filmmaker Eli Roth sat down with Chris Jericho for a wide ranging interview, revealing why he made the unusual decision to release the film completely unrated rather than compromise his vision.
According to Roth, the project had been sitting in one of his notebooks for more than two decades before finally making its way to the screen, rather than soften the film to satisfy ratings requirements, he chose to embrace a DIY approach, allowing audiences to experience Ice Cream Man exactly as it was intended.
The decision feels fitting for a filmmaker whose career has been built on unapologetic horror. From Cabin Fever and Hostel through to Thanksgiving, Roth has rarely shied away from practical gore, outrageous violence and pushing audience comfort levels.
Those trademarks are front and centre in Ice Cream Man.
Eli Rothon ‘Talk Is Jericho’ interview
What it’s about
Set in an idyllic suburban town, the film follows a mysterious ice cream vendor whose frozen treats unleash horrifying consequences, as local children consume the seemingly innocent desserts, they develop an insatiable hunger and transform into ruthless killers, turning the adults around them into prey.
The film stars Ari Millen, Benjamin Byron Davis, Karen Cliché, Dylan Hawco and Sarah Abbott, with Roth directing, producing and co-writing alongside Noah Belson.
Ice Cream Man trailer
During his conversation with Jericho, Roth also discussed directing more than 100 child actors during the film’s ambitious 19 day shoot, why Snoop Dogg became involved in the project, how Jack Black was originally lined up to play the Ice Cream Man, and the practical effects that helped bring the film’s gruesome kills to life.
The interview offers an entertaining behind the scenes look at what has quickly become one of this years most talked about horror releases, particularly for fans interested in old school practical effects and independent filmmaking.
With Ice Cream Man now playing in Australian cinemas, audiences can finally decide for themselves whether Roth’s uncompromising approach has delivered another modern horror cult classic, or simply one of the year’s most gloriously unhinged genre experiences.
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