Did you know it took twenty gallons of blood to make The Outwaters?
Horror Press found out many behind-the-scenes trivia about the film after Editor-in-Chief and curator of all things Horror Press James-Michael attended a special screening of the new cosmic horror film at the director’s childhood theater in Manville, NJ. This event concluded with a Q&A with director, creator, and star Robbie Banfitch. While much information was gleaned from this event, these are some of the moments that stood out.
Filming in the Desert
The Outwaters is about a group of friends who have a strange deadly encounter in the Mojave Desert. The film was shot on location, and the nights were pitch black.
Robbie Banfitch explained that he went to great lengths to perfect the sound. It took two years and thousands of sounds from the desert to create the noises we hear in the film. Speaking of years, The Outwaters director also explained that it took three years before they were able to capture footage of a rattlesnake. Though, another form of wildlife featured in the film came about entirely by chance.
As they were filming, a herd of donkeys happened upon them, creating an iconic shot for the movie. Later, Robbie Banfitch would share that it was his favorite shot.
A Mother’s Love
Anyone paying attention to The Outwaters on social media will undoubtedly occasionally see the name Leslie Banfitch come up. This is creator Robbie Banfitch’s mother, and we are happy to report that she was also a part of the Q&A event. Her undying support for her son’s creation is heart-touching and deserves an honorable mention.
The Cast of The Outwaters are Friends in Real Life
Speaking of Leslie Banfitch, she also played the role of herself, Robbie’s mother, in the movie. We found out that the look of surprise she had when her son showed up at the door was genuine. The cast consisted of a close-knit group of friends who improvised much of the dialogue. Not only was much of the film ad-libbed, but it was also shot with practically no crew. The cast being friends was essential to Robbie Banfitch, as he explained that he couldn’t stand when people in horror movies have bad chemistry. It was a great call, as the excellent chemistry was readily noticeable.
Will There Be a The Outwaters 2?
While no official plans for a sequel were discussed, Robbie Banfitch mentioned another horror film rapidly approaching. Tinsman Road, an unnerving mystery drama, premiering soon. Stay tuned to the Horror Press Podcast for updates and a possible future appearance from the man of the hour himself, Robbie Banfitch.
The Ending of ‘The Outwaters’ Explained
Warning: Spoilers ahead.
Someone had to ask it. “Why’d you chop your penis off?” Is the question Robbie Banfitch was poised. The answer makes much sense. He explains that it felt right and was the last act of “total self-annihilation.”
Given that he cuts off his means of reproduction, self-annihilation is an excellent way to put it. If you’re wondering, no penises were harmed in the making of this movie.
Playing with Light
The director explained that the film played with light quite a bit, as light tends to mean safety, but in this movie always meant the opposite and served as an omen of sorts.
What was Killing Them in The Outwaters?
Robbie Banfitch has explicitly stated that he will not let the cat out of the bag on that question, and as for where the characters ended up, the director says the answer is subjective. He will not weigh in on what exactly is to blame for the murderous phenomena.
After a lengthy discussion between James-Michael and myself, we are at odds with our answers. I believe aliens are to blame, especially given the moment we see him peeling a strange casing from around his toes. The sign we saw was warning them of an Area 51 sort of scenario, and the events we see unfold are essentially everything that we weren’t shown in Nope, or (as JM phrased it for me) Jean Jacket in the Mojave.
As for the self-mutilation at the end? Brought about by trauma-induced madness.
JM has a theory, and it admittedly may be better. He believes the earthquakes in the beginning perhaps let loose a poison gas, which our characters would have been aware of had they seen the sign and gas mask. The gas causes hallucinations, which cause the murder. He bought up the part where Robbie Banfitch watches himself holding an ax. He does have a point. But I’m still saying, with my Giorgio Tsoukalos hands up:
Please help us to settle this debate by reaching out to us on social media, and let us know what you think is behind the killing in The Outwaters!
If you haven’t yet, make sure you see The Outwaters for yourself in theaters, or when it begins streaming on Screambox, and be sure to read our review here.