PRODUCTION. WINNIE THE POOH: BLOOD AND HONEY
“It was a blast,” Knight confirms, noting the variety this job provided. “So many crazy concepts, lots of butchery and plenty of running around. I wanted there to be drastically different styles throughout. The stuff at the beginning is much more muted and naturalistic, but when they get to the house, we ramp up the visual style and get very expressionistic as a counterpoint.”
still has this obsession with honey. Piglet hogties a girl posing in a hot tub. It’s both outrageous and an exciting expansion of the whole mythology.” Met with scepticism and astonishment, it wasn’t just the general public who were aghast at these unruly variations on a classic. Vince Knight – the film’s DOP – was assuredly stunned when he caught wind of the pitch. “When Rhys first approached me with this concept, I was absolutely incredulous. It took a bit of time and some convincing, but eventually, I was persuaded. In hindsight, I’m glad I jumped at the opportunity. I think he’s been planning this for a while,” he smirks. “In a sense, this whole movie turned out to be something of an anti-studio affair. People need to understand that before they dive in.” A micro-budget sensation, the virality was an organic event. Those with a sense of humour could identify with the sheer bullishness of the design – here was a small studio using ingenuity to generate allure for a zany feature, unapologetic in its commitment to amusement and fun. It’s this self-awareness that determined the outlook of a tight ten-day shoot, imbuing every creative decision with a silliness that everyone lapped up.
“When they get to the house, we ramp up the visual style and get very expressionistic as a counterpoint”
FUN HOUSE Dutch angles, smeared scribbles, anxious close-ups… Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey plants its feet firmly in histrionic slasher territory
54. DEFINITIONMAGAZINE.COM
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