Movie Q and A
March 10, 2006
Q HOW do you think the remake compares with the original?

A IT’S the same basic story, but there are new aspects to it. We thought it would be fascinating if there had been miners in the deserts of New Mexico during the nuclear tests who had refused to leave, and what would happen if these people had been victims of the nuclear fallout.

Q DID you watch the first film?

A YES. It influenced a lot of my choices for the look of the character. I thought it was a classic horror film.

Q WHAT attracted you to the movie?

A I LIKE horror films with a bit of complexity. The Hills Have Eyes is a great character study and a look at the way people behave towards each other in desperate situations.

Q YOU shot the movie in Morocco. How did you find filming there?

A WE were at the tip of the Sahara desert. The climate was brutal. It was 110 degrees in the shade. We were trying to recreate the feel of the New Mexico desert. It was a great adventure, but it was also a very tough place to work.

Q DO you think it’s harder to scare audiences today?

A PROBABLY. But I think that going back to basics is better than resorting to some of the things that people do today. I like building suspense.

Sometimes we see too much gore in movies. In this movie you can identify with the family as human beings, not just as fictional characters.