The Trades - Interview: Christopher Landon: Living in Disturbia

Home · Reviews · Interviews · Contests · Blog · Forums · Follow Us On Twitter

CONTESTS

CD Giveaway - Sam Shrieve, "Bittersweet Lullabies" Ends Nov 29, 2009
The current student at Berklee College of Music has a rock 'n' roll pedigree, but delivers a pleasing and diverse collection of soft pop on his debut record. Enter our contest for your chance to win!

The Twilight Saga: New Moon Prize Pack Ends Nov 29, 2009
The second installment of the Twilight saga is hitting theaters, and we've got the stylish goodies you'll howl over!

Straight No Chaser, "Christmas Cheer" CD Giveaway Ends Nov 22, 2009
Those a capella maestros return with a refill of the bubbly fun stuff we can never get enough of at Christmas time.

Orphan Blu-Ray Giveaway Ends Nov 22, 2009
There's something very wrong with Esther... and it's not what you think.

Up - Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack Giveaway Ends Nov 22, 2009
Pixar's greatest film yet is available on Blu-Ray and ready to fly your way.

ARTICLE

Interview: Christopher Landon: Living in Disturbia
by Scott Juba
Published: August 7, 2007

	Print this article
	E-mail this article
	More articles by this author

Countless screenwriters would be thrilled to be involved in just one high-profile project. Christopher Landon is involved in three. The son of the late Michael Landon, Christopher Landon is currently penning scripts for the “The Lesson” (a project based on a BBC-produced film from the late 60s) and “The Flock” (a contemporary retelling of The Crucible). He also serves as a consultant for ABC’s “Dirty Sexy Money.”

The fact that Landon is in high demand comes as no surprise given the box-office success of his last project, “Disturbia,” which will be released on DVD today. Shot on a budget of around $20 million, “Disturbia” grossed more than $80 million.

“It kind of surprised all of us a little bit,” Landon says of the film’s success. “When it was in the test screening phase, it was doing so well that at that stage, we kind of felt that with the right marketing, it might do as well as it did. But it’s one of those things where there’s no exact science to it, so it was still sort of pleasant that it did [do so well].”

Despite the positive reactions to “Disturbia” in the test screenings, Landon recalls that one woman’s response to the trailer made him question the title of the film. “I went to see 'Zodiac,'” he says. “I was sitting there, and the trailer for Disturbia came up. People seemed into it. Then, as soon as it ended, the first thing the woman sitting behind me said was, ‘Oh my God, that’s the worst title ever.’ [Laughs].” Landon adds, “The funny thing is that it was a very divisive title. There was a real love it or hate it quality.”

Regardless of whether or not moviegoers liked the title, the film’s impressive box office numbers make it safe to assume that the majority of audience members were more than satisfied with the quality of the movie.

Landon credits the appeal of “Disturbia” to the film’s character-driven focus. “In most horror movies and thrillers, the characters are relatively disposable,” he says. “The plot comes first. In this case, [it was the other way around]. It was something that people were even slightly nervous about, because not much happens in the first act of the movie, apart from the big opening. [The big opening] we did in a very purposeful way, knowing that there was going to be a lull. But that lull was just about building up the characters and getting everybody into the movie. We went to the slow build so that, in the third act, we could finally let loose and really start scaring people.”

During a trip to Phoenix shortly after the theatrical release of “Disturbia,” Landon says he witnessed the wide-ranging appeal of the film first-hand. “I had some time to kill, so I went to a mall,” he tells me. “I went to a theater there and just sat in the back and listened to the audience reacting. When I was walking out, I saw a lot of parents with their teenage kids. The parents were as enthusiastic about the movie as their kids. That was a really great feeling.”

During my discussion with Landon, it becomes clear he takes into account what audience members will respond to in terms of plot lines and themes. For example, when discussing “The Flock,” Landon remarks, “[The film] is about mass hysteria, which I think right now is very apropos to stuff that’s going on in the world. It’s definitely relevant.”

Yet, more than anything, Landon says he seeks to become involved in projects in which he finds personal meaning. “What’s most important is dedicating yourself to projects that you really care about and love,” he says. “I think there was a period early on, after I had some minor success, where I started to pander to what I thought people wanted versus what I wanted. So, I’ve been very careful about the projects I’ve been choosing, and that seems to be paying off on a personal level. I just really love the stuff I’m working on right now, and I think that makes all the difference.”

As for the future, Landon tells me he hopes to branch out into directing. “I’ve always wanted to direct,” he says. “I’ve directed a couple of short films and dabbled in it and know that it’s an arena that I really like.”

He adds, “Overall, I would like to keep writing and working on projects that make me happy. However that happens is fine. They all don’t have to be big fat hits and studio movies. As long as I can keep writing, that’s all that matters to me.”