HALLOWEEN’s Tyler Mane goes all scary again in DEVIL MAY CALL, the new film from director/co-writer Jason Cuadrado. Fango got the scoop on the thriller from the TALES FROM THE DEAD filmmaker himself, plus the exclusive trailer and some exclusive pics. Besides oversized stalker Mane, DEVIL MAY CALL also stars UNREST’s Corri English, CUJO’s Daniel Hugh-Kelly and EXCISION’s Traci Lords.

Before we chat with Cuadrado, here’s DEVIL MAY CALL’s synopsis: “After an accident leaves her sightless, crisis hotline counselor Samantha Creed (English) devotes herself to helping troubled callers back from the brink of despair. But when Sam decides to step down, one of her frequent callers does not take the news well. On her last night on the job, Sam faces a terrifying visit from John (Mane), a frequent caller who feels betrayed by her leaving. But John is no ordinary caller. He’s a sadistic serial murderer she’s unwittingly kept from killing himself for over a year. With only a skeleton crew on the graveyard shift, there’s very little that stands between John and Sam. He’s come for her and won’t let anything or anyone stand in his way. Can Sam survive the longest, darkest night of her life?”

FANGORIA: What sets this apart from the other serial-killer films out there?

JASON CUADRADO: Rather than create your basic run-of-the-mill scenario where a vulnerable heroine is stalked by a remorseless killing machine, we wanted to really focus on psychological terror. Because the film is about a serial killer’s relationship with a blind suicide-hotline worker, the film is really about two people connected in darkness, both literal and figurative. They’re just voices in the middle of the night with no clue of the dark worlds they each inhabit. The idea that you can speak to someone constantly and never really know who they are is what drives the horror in the film. It’s that psychological element that we hope will help elevate the film above the usual serial-killer story. It’s really scary because it could happen. Relationships steeped in anonymity are developing on-line via social networks every day. How well do you know the person at the other end of the computer?

FANG: How did the shooting of your second film compare to the first?

CUADRADO: From a technical standpoint, this was a much larger production, which afforded creative choices that you don’t have the luxury to explore when budgets are tight and time is short. That said, there were still challenges. The film mainly takes place in an office with the power knocked out, so that proved to be an obstacle I hadn’t dealt with in the past. Creatively, the story required a totally different approach from the first. Whereas TALES FROM THE DEAD took place in a supernatural realm, DEVIL MAY CALL is planted firmly in the real world, so my choices had to reflect that. I had to be mindful that the people and the terror they experience felt real. That’s very different than making up your own rules in the spirit realm. In a way, these two films feel like they reside at opposite ends of the spectrum. If you’re lucky, you get to make vastly different types of films so you can learn new ways to tell stories.

FANG: Tell me about the cast you assembled.

CUADRADO: This is where I really lucked out! Casting is always like a jigsaw puzzle. You can tell immediately when all the pieces fit. Most of our phenomenal cast came together very close to the beginning of principal photography, so I needed pros who could understand the material immediately and develop their characters freely in the world we created for them. I was blessed to have Corri English, Tyler Mane, Traci Lords, Van Hansis, Camillia Monet—also our producer—Tracy Perez and Daniel Hugh-Kelly on this project. They each brought so much passion to their roles, and it absolutely shows in the finished film. I always approached DEVIL MAY CALL as an acting showcase. I know that sometimes acting takes a back seat in modern genre films, but complex performances were essential to making this one work. No matter what danger you put your characters in, you’ll fail to create any terror if the audience doesn’t fear for those people’s lives. This incredible cast knew that from day one, and you really don’t want anything to happen to them…except Tyler. He makes you want to run for your life!

FANG: Where did you shoot, and how long did it take?

CUADRADO: The shoot took place in a great old office building in Panorama City, Los Angeles, and our killer’s house was in Agua Dulce, California. Both locations were perfect for the film. Our office, where most of the film takes place, took up the entire floor, so we were really able to maximize the space. It was so unique that it became an important character in the film. We shot for 12 days at the beginning of December, so needless to say, we all enjoyed a relaxing holiday break.

FANG: What is the status of the film and your plans for it?

CUADRADO: I’m thrilled to say we’re on schedule to have the film completed early next month. That’s very exciting to me to have the opportunity to go from principal photography to a finished film in about three months. Our sales agent has some big plans for the film. DEVIL MAY CALL’s first stop
is [this month’s] European Film Market in Berlin, then on to the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market in March and then Cannes in May. I’m hoping we’ll get a chance to take part in a few film festivals along the way, so I can see the film on the big screen with audiences.

FANG: What’s next?

CUADRADO: It’s going to be a busy year! TALES FROM THE DEAD is being remade in Thailand in 2013. A script I sold last year, DARK DESERT HIGHWAY, is an action/thriller also scheduled for production in 2013. Angel & Bear Productions and Esperanza Productions will be producing that one. My DEVIL MAY CALL writing partner Wyatt Doyle and I have another thriller we’re shooting this year, and I’m planning to fit in a creature feature by year’s end based on an incredible short story by F. Paul Wilson I optioned. Very excited about that one. So I’m hoping 2013 will be full of thrills and chills.

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