‘Survive’ Director Mark Pellington Talks Cinema And Perception of “Success”

Filmmaker Mark Pellington has helmed several movies (Arlington Road, The Mothman Prophecies, Going All The Way) which have made an impact on my moviegoing life. Pellington’s latest feature is Survive, an adventure drama headlined by Sophie Turner and Corey Hawkins. It’s another impressive effort from the director, who spent close to 40 minutes talking about Survive and his filmmaking career.

Shot in Latvia and the Italian Alps, Survive centers on Jane (Sophie Turner), a young woman who is planning to commit suicide. When she and another person named Paul (Corey Hawkins) are the only survivors of a plane crash, Jane’s outlook changes. The feature co-stars Caroline Goodall (White Squall, The Bay of Silence) as Jane’s mother. The production, with an $8.5 million budget, took 40 days to shoot.

The first act of Survive centers on Jane’s struggles with her mental health, and after the plane crash the picture becomes a survival drama. Watching Paul and Jane attempt to survive the snowy mountains and wilderness kept me hooked, and their growing friendship also bolstered the narrative.

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In the interview, Mark Pellington also talks about his feature The Severing, which is now available on Blu-ray and Kino Now. Plus, he mentions an upcoming book he completed called The Visualist and when a Blu-ray edition of Going All The Way is coming out (via Oscilloscope).

Survive was the perfect balance between melodrama and action. Turner and Hawkins delivered locked in performances and the survival sequences were pretty thrilling. A climbing down the mountain sequence, avalanche, and an unexpected confrontation were top notch. The final act also was pretty uncompromising and realistic. Production values were solid, and it’s amazing to see what Pellington put on screen for just $8.5 million. And yes, I have already purchased the Blu-ray **!!

Eric Holmes asked Pellington about the commercial and critical success of his movies. Pellington has a very suprising answer, as he claims that none of his movies have been hits. Features like The Mothman Prophecies and I Melt With You have garnered a cult following over the years. From where I sit, that’s a ton of success, but I am not a hard working filmmaker with any knowledge of the business. Cinephiles like me have a skewed perception of reality!!

Check out our full interview with Mark Pellington below via YouTube or on CinemAddicts (Buzzsprout and Apple Podcast media players):

Survive is now available on whichever digital retailer (Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube, Hoopla) you use. Let us know your thoughts/reactions to Survive!

** We receive a commission as Associates members if you rent/purchase Survive on Amazon.

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