SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL – There is more than one scene in “Sasquatch Sunset” that will inspire nausea. In fact, for the first 15 minutes of the movie, it was impossible to think about anything aside from how grotesque these creatures are, with their sunken eyes and protruding foreheads, hands and feet so chapped you’re not sure if they still have any feeling. There is dirt caked into every crevice and wrinkle, and food is crusted into their bearded chins. So what did this movie do to make me care so much about them by the end?
Brothers Nathan and David Zellner have created something truly masterful with “Sasquatch Sunset,” a film that explores the life of the sasquatch when he is not tramping across the background of a photograph. Facetiously, when introducing the movie to the Jan. 20 premiere audience at Sundance, David touted, “We really did an anthropological deep dive into the lives of sasquatches, and you should know that everything you see them do in this film is 100% accurate. Everything….” The audience members nervously giggled, knowing they were in for a treat.
Because of the ability of the cast (Nathan Zellner, Riley Keough, Jesse Eisenberg and Christophe Zajac-Denek) to bring such emotional depth, brilliant physicality and complete conviction to their roles, this inexplicable film triumphs against all odds. It follows a troop of sasquatches as they roam the wilds of Northern California, where the film was shot. And being sasquatches as they are, the film has absolutely no dialogue. But no shortage of grunts.
The lives of this band of bigfoots are told in four chapters: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Committed to rigorously detailing the sasquatches’ daily routine, the Zellners manage to extract human truths and heartfelt lessons. The comedy is imaginative, unrestrained, and completely unforgettable.
Viewers will find it striking that the actors were able to emote so effectively underneath the layers of prosthetic makeup required for the project. When asked about this challenge at the post-premiere Q&A, Keough said, “What you feel like you look like with the mask on isn’t actually what you look like,” explaining that they would use a mirror to practice their sasquatch faces. Zajec-Denek added, “I realized that certain muscles wouldn’t move certain parts of my face and other muscles would, so it took a second to figure that out,” to which Keough quipped, “It’s like Botox!” The crowd laughed.
Eisenberg talked about how the role challenged everything he was taught to do as an actor, suddenly having to add 30% more to each movement for it to be conveyed through the suit: “You feel like you’re over-acting. It was a struggle for me.” When he spoke about first receiving the script, though, he remembered feeling a certain urgency. “This has to happen,” he recalled thinking, “and if that means getting into the suit, that’ll be the last resort, but I’ll do it.”
This movie is completely singular. The Zellners have constructed something inspired and new. As much as it might be about a band of beasts, the film is quite human. Observing human-like creatures living as animals do, reflects on how our species has evolved; how technology and shelter, comfort and convenience have shaped our experience of the world and disconnected us from nature. The exceptional director of photography, Michael Gioulakis, captured the scenery of Humboldt County with a keen understanding of its majesty.
Most notably, no CGI was used, which means all of the animals that are seen – skunk, deer, mountain lion – were completely real. David Zellner spoke about how they opted to let each animal react and engage naturally, which resulted in some jaw-dropping shots of the wildlife.
“Sasquatch Sunset” is a remarkable movie — difficult to describe and, at times, difficult to view, but completely captivating from start to finish. It is an insane concept thoughtfully executed and the result is a ludicrous, filthy, bawdy and commanding film that sincerely gets to the heart of what it means to be…a sasquatch.
The film is being distributed by Bleeker Street Films and is expected to hit select theaters on Apr. 12, and nationwide Apr. 19.