The trailer for the horror thriller “Violent night” with David Harbor (Stranger things) has just been unveiled. AlloCiné spoke with director Tommy Wirkola.
After battling the Demorgogon in Stranger Things, David Harbor is back as a bad-ass Santa Claus!
In Violent Night by Tommy Wirkola, the American actor slips into the costume of Saint Nicolas, the one, the real, the unique. But Santa Claus has lost his faith…
While he is leaving gifts under the tree of a wealthy family, a group of mercenaries break in and take the family hostage. But Father Christmas is in the place and he’s going to show them that good old Saint Nicolas has more than one trick up his sleeve.
The trailer for this crazy action film has just been unveiled and promises great action scenes to the rhythm of Christmas carols.
It must be said that the director Tommy Wirkola is used to this genre, we owe him the two zombie film opuses Dead Snow, the rereading of the Grimm brothers’ tale, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters or the SF film with Noomi Rapace, Seven Sisters.
On the occasion of the launch of the trailer, AlloCiné spoke with the director who told us that he was inspired by Die Hard.
AlloCiné: Where did the inspiration for this bad-ass Santa Claus come from?
Tommy Wirkola : A little over a year ago, the producers of the company 87North [NDLR: à qui l’on doit Bullet Train et Nobody] sent me the script written by Pat Casey and Josh Miller (Sonic).
Universal Pictures France
I was immediately intrigued because they described the film to me as Die Hard with Santa Claus! I was afraid that the film would be too much and completely delirious but in fact everything is well balanced, whether it’s action, humor and emotion.
It’s a film with a big heart, a family film. I really wanted it to be a family Christmas movie as well as pure entertainment and an action movie.
Usually you also write your films. How did you add your trademark?
TW: It’s the second film I’ve made without having written it first, but when I read the script I knew I could have written it. There is this black humor and this sense of rhythm and action that is unique to me.
“You’ve never seen Santa Claus like this”
For me, it’s important to find the emotional connection with a film and that’s what I did by focusing attention on the relationship between Santa Claus and the little girl he helps.
It’s really the soul of the film and it’s an essential element in trying to anchor this totally crazy film. The studio never held me back and I was able to do whatever I wanted with the explosive action scenes. You’ve never seen Santa Claus like this!
Universal Pictures France
David Harbor & John Leguizamo
What was your relationship to Santa Claus as a child? Did your Scandinavian origins influence the film?
TW: When I was little I was a little afraid of Santa Claus who was in fact, often, my grandfather disguised as this mysterious character. I recognized my grandfather’s voice and didn’t quite understand what was going on.
Of course there is a Scandinavian influence, especially from Norway, where I come from. I grew up in the area where Santa is supposed to live; you are told that he lives in the far north of Finland. Of course, it leaves traces.
For Violent Night, I wanted it to be a different Santa. When we meet him in the film he is depressed because he feels that the magic of Christmas has disappeared, that it is a marketing operation to sell products.
He realizes that no one believes in him and in Christmas anymore. It is therefore a Santa Claus who tries to rediscover his faith and to pass it on, again, to others.
Thanks to this little girl, he will regain his strength because she really believes in him. In addition we will discover the origins of Santa Claus and I put all the Scandinavian mythology there.
A mix between James Bond and John McClane
We will explain to you how he became such a force of nature, in every sense of the word: this mixture of James Bond and John McClane. There’s a snowmobile chase scene like you’ve never seen before except in James Bond and Die Hard 2.
I’ve always been a fan of snowmobiles and I had a blast setting up this mind-blowing scene. I tried to shoot in natural settings as much as possible in northern Canada, in Winnipeg, where it’s even colder than at home. We suffered a bit given the weather conditions, but it gave the perfect atmosphere for this film.
Universal Pictures France
David Harbor
Why did you choose David Harbor to play your Santa Claus?
TW : It was a natural choice because he is the real Santa Claus! (laughs) Look at his charisma, his physical strength and his sense of humor. He threw himself headlong into this film and he trained like never before to execute all the action scenes.
At one point we see Santa Claus putting a grenade in a bad guy’s pants. This is part of a big action scene where Santa Claus fights against more than 25 mercenaries with explosions and stunts in all directions. It’s breathtaking.
All this to the rhythm of Christmas carols. Although the soundtrack is very classic we found a collection rock version of the Christmas songs that we all know. In particular, there isMerry Christmas everybody” performed by the band Slade in the 70s.
There are also plenty of nods to other Christmas movies that should appeal to fans of the genre, right?
TW: Absolutely, it’s a movie with a lot ofeaster eggs. We refer in particular to films such as: Maman j’ai missed l’avion, Le Sapin a les boules, Scrooge, La Vie est Belle and of course Die Hard!
We already feel the potential for a franchise. Is this conceivable?
TW: I’m still finishing the editing of the film so I haven’t looked into this possibility yet. But I’m sure the studio is already thinking about it.
For my part, I am ready to continue the adventures of this bad-ass Santa Claus. I hope the public will like our film and that we can return to the far north for a sequel.
Worn by David Harbour, John Leguizamo, Cam Gigandet, Edi Patterson, Alex Hassell and Alexis Louder, the feature film will be released in theaters on November 30.