“Escape from Tomorrow” a surreal horror film shot largely in guerrilla style un-sanctioned film making inside Walt Disney World and Disneyland now has a release date. After premiering at Sundance Film Festival, the film will see limited theatrical release and Video on Demand via FilmBuff beginning October 11th.
If you’re unfamiliar with the story, it takes place on a family’s vacation at Walt Disney World when the father learns he has lost his job. An epic personal battle begins when the unemployed father’s sanity is challenged by two underage girls on holiday.
Due to the surreptitious nature of the film, there was some thought that Disney would never allow it to see the light of day. I believe it’s obvious enough that this is not an official Disney film. And Disney has allowed videos made inside the park by guests to be sold online, so I’m not sure a legal challenge would hold up, but then I’m not a lawyer. Disney has made no official comment either way.
For more head below the jump and listen to this interview with the Director and main star of the film.
Is this a film you’re planning to see? How do you feel about the film makers shooting inside the parks without approval from Disney?
I would never pay to see this.
Why not?
Because we live in a free nation where we are able to control how we spend our own finances.
Didn’t mean to make you feel defensive or ask you to justify your position. I was just wanting to have a discussion and was curious why you wouldn’t see it.
I am not sure if I’d see it, personally. I think it sounds like an intriguing approach to film making, but getting location permits and filming releases from people do seem to be reasonable expectations. As I commented, making people unwitting extras is what strikes me as potentially bothersome.
The filmmaker seems respectful of the Disney company and the parks. It also sounds like they all tried to not be too intrusive as they filmed.
I think one concern might be the other people unwittingly being turned into movie extras. I’m not sure what my concern would be there, but it is funny to think about that.
What a unique and creative approach to film-making, and something I think we’ll see more and more of thanks to the proliferation of personal technology. Regardless of what high esteem you hold the Disney parks in, it seems like a fundamentally fascinating film, and if you’re a fan of well crafted stories, you know that the setting is a character in and of itself. I’m absolutely intrigued to see how the Disney parks that are so familiar to me are going to look through their lens.
I would love to see this, if at all possible.
From a filmmaking stand point, I would like to see how the cinematography worked in the film. Being a fan of disney I already know I will not like the subject matter of the film and would not see it for this: “A nurse warns him that he may contract the cat flu. In the end, his fears are warranted: he is captured and tortured by secret agents, his son turns on him, and he dies a gruesome death that involves coughing up huge hairballs.” (The New Yorker) This just screams, “I’m an film student look at me!!! I thought of something edgy and out of the box.” The thing that draws me in is how he uses WDW as a setting to portray the darkness of the film. Also part of this intrigue is what they were able to get away with without security kicking them out.
John, What is your opinion on the matter and would you be seeing the film?
No real opinion. Haven’t seen the film and the park was not interrupted for the production of the film, so I’m generally okay with it.
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