Dissecting The Innkeepers by Ti West | Spoiler-free Review

Hello, horrorphiles. In this episode, we dissect the 2011 film, The Innkeepers, written and directed by Ti West and starring Sara Paxton and Pat Healy.

“During the final days at the Yankee Pedlar Inn, two employees determined to reveal the hotel's haunted past begin to experience disturbing events as old guests check in for a stay” according to The Internet Movie Database.

This is Dissecting Horror: Examining the anatomy of fear in film, television and literature with Kelsey Zukowski and Steven Aguilera.

We hope you find it in your cold, black, withered hearts to join our Society of Grotesquery and Loathing and keep our podcast suffering onward:

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/dissectinghorror
PayPal one-time donation of any amount: https://paypal.me/dissectinghorror
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dissectinghorror
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dissectinghorror
Kelsey Zukowski: http://kelseyzukowski.com
Steven Aguilera: https://www.stevenaguilera.com

Photo credit: Slevin Mors

Transcript

0:03

Hello. horrorphiles You're listening to Dissecting Horror. Examining the anatomy of fear in film, television and literature. I'm filmmaker Steven Aguilera. I'm writer and performer Kelsey Zukowski. In this episode, we'll examine The Innkeepers, written and directed by Ti West. This dissection will be spoiler free. We are the horror whisperers, your champions of horror and keepers of the fearscape on this podcast of frightsome delights, if you will. I will. And we hope you all subscribe for more, won't you? During the final days at the Yankee Peddler in two employees determined to reveal the hotel's haunted past begin to experience disturbing events as old guests check in for stay. According to the Internet movie database. Roger Ebert awarded this film three out of four stars concluding, quote, Ghost movies like this, depending on imagination and craft, are much more entertaining than movies that scare you by throwing a cat at the camera. Unquote. The Innkeepers is written, directed and edited by Ty West, known most recently for Ex and Pearl. The Innkeepers themselves, Claire and Luke are played by Sara Paxton and Pat Healy. This also stars Kelly McGillis, best known as the love interest to Tom Cruise's maverick in 1986 Top Gun. Here she plays a former actress turned psychic medium in town for a convention. Whether I love every film or not, I can have an appreciation and camaraderie with horror. Filmmakers that love for the genre really shines through their blood stained work. Ty West is one. This is true of his films largely feel like images to time periods within horror and beyond that cinema as a whole. He especially won me over with X and Pearl for very different reasons. But I think what struck me most and makes the innkeepers get higher regard for me is while there are some likenesses to other paranormal films, It feels like his most unique film. That isn't a love letter to any other film subgenre or time period, but lives and breathes in its own offbeat, chilling and refreshing shell. Outside all of this. Side note Props for the Roger Ebert quote He is one of my. Pretty much him and Wes Craven were my two biggest inspirations or icons in early life, and he definitely sometimes hated and would trash horror films and but I think he had a more open mind and could see the value in a lot of horror films, more so than most mainstream critics. I thought you would appreciate that. Yeah, He was one of my faves too. In fact, I think we shared mostly the same views on things between him and Siskel. I leaned more into Ebert for some reason, but there were times, of course, when both would thoroughly disagree with what I felt on the inside. But while making the House of the Devil two years prior. Ty West and his crew stayed at the Yankee Peddler Inn, where some crew experienced strange occurrences. The staff believed the location to be haunted. I feel like I had like one dropped too much slab in my mouth when I said that line something, but I didn't need to say that. But The staff believed the location to be haunted, which inspired West to write and direct the Innkeepers being shot in an actual old hotel. Lynn's an authenticity and feel to the setting, which adds to the production value in a way that can't be so captured on a set. So for me, I, you know, aside from just hearing, you know, previously what we talked about and liking the atmosphere and kind of that old ancient anything kind of possible behind the macabre setting that you had talked about liking about the film. I really went in knowing not much about the film. I kind of went in just with fresh eyes and it wasn't even until I went back and listened to the commentary with Ty West and the cast that I even realized that this was a real location and B that they had filmed there and that there was a connection there. And then from there kind of looks more into what West and his crew experience there to, you know, inspire wanting to make a haunted house film there and other accounts of people who had stayed there. So when you had watched the film, did you kind of have the perspective of knowing, this is a reportedly real haunted location this is based on. I felt that with the scale of production that it was that it was most likely a real place and not something they constructed. And also just look a little to lived in and used and weathered to have been replicated that accurately. They can almost smell how much musty and old it was. It was very, very akin to that perfect environment. So I can see why if I were to stay there shooting a film, I would have loved to have come back and I would in thinking while I was staying there, I would love to shoot something here. And I don't remember the commentary word for word because I gave you the Blu ray to listen to. So I wasn't. But I do recall them saying something to the effect that the opportunity or the window to film there was available and the story was more or less fashioned quickly in order to take advantage of that location. So I don't think they had a whole lot of time to really delve into too much as to with regards to that location. But Yeah, I did not know anything about any original haunted aspects to it. No. Neither did I. And I kind of like going back to it after. Kind of definitely adds another layer to it and makes it more interesting and wondering just what, you know really happened there. But yeah, I think for me it was just the the film itself. It was just like it was really the writing and characters and acting were just really strong and engaging. So I just was kind of there for what they were creating the score was composed by Jeff Grace. This is the only score of his I am familiar with, and I don't believe he worked with Ty West before or since. I hold his music for this film in the highest regard, easily in my top five horror scores. I'll even go so far as to listen to the end credits on a loop for hours while writing. Combine that with spot on casting, endearing characters and actual haunted hotel mystique and you have a recipe for a personal haunted horror favorite. the haunting and slow burn suspense is great, but just as much as I appreciate the very human character focuses, especially with our innkeepers, Claire and Luke, wonderfully played by Sara Paxton and Pat Healy. I honestly was so invested in watching them, it didn't feel like a slow burn horror film. Like I was waiting for anything as I figured the horror would come in due time. It was just very in the moment, just enjoying the characters. I've always loved Sara Paxton, although I've seen her in very different material. She was especially like early 2000. She did a lot of sort of teen drama coming of age, I had never seen her in anything prior or since myself outside of a few interviews. I think I first saw her in WB sort of coming of Age Beach set dysfunctional family drama called Summerland that I think was 2004 that had come out. It was Lori Loughlin and Jesse McCartney were probably like the two bigger names in it aside from her. But that just, you know, she was in a lot of sort of comedy coming of age, but she just played very different types of roles, like sometimes Girl Next Door, but just more glamorous and put together, I guess. So I enjoyed seeing her character a lot in this. And of course, she did have an entry into the horror world and the Last House on the Left remake, which was two years prior to the Innkeepers aside from a being a different genre, there was just something very refreshing about her performance here. The look, the mannerisms and even the character itself were a departure of everything I've seen her in before as partially the writing and casting to simply cast her outside of her usual type. But she also brings an offbeat, grounded charm while showcasing the dread and mesmerize in quality of the paranormal and building suspense of the film. I didn't make the connection before, but funny enough, I realized I was in the same film as Pat Healy was freaks of nature, just as a non-speaking, vampiric high schooler, and he played a zombie priest, so I don't remember seeing him on set, but I'm like, that was a fun little connector there. Nice. And I had seen him in a few, mostly indie films before. Like Starry Eyes was a horror film that he was and Spooner and then Which Tie was actually also directed an episode, But I feel like this is the first, like substantial, like kind of like a leading role I can really recall seeing him in. And I really did enjoy him too. He had a oddly aware, pining, underdog, amateur ghost hunter sort of vibe. He had a great subtle, quirky comedy moments without really feeling like it was played out for comedy. Just a part of his character. He also felt like it just a very real characterization and being a little messy, scared hypocritical at times, but also being very perceptive, determined and caring and others evenly. And Rhys Jones character, while meant to be an asshole I found interesting and a nice expert navigator, even if in a more new age spiritual term, she still showed interest enough to make conversation with Claire initially, even when finding out she was a fan, She both acknowledges her less than fuzzy personality and having some dignity and backbone and standing up for herself. She, too, operated in a great avenue of not really being bad or good and still enjoyable to follow. in the commentary track, I did find that was interesting that her character was essentially based on Dee Wallace and her involvement with spirituality, but just I guess being a less nice person. their interaction with Dee Wallace was on the House of the Devil, I believe. De Wallace is one of those that every, every kid had a crush on watching E.T. or she was in Cujo, I believe, as well. The ghost story centers around Madeleine O'Malley rumored to have hanged herself in the basement after her fiance stood her up on her wedding day. Her body was then hidden in the basement by the original hotel owners. I like that this sounds consistent with such a local legend with little more understood. Yet there really isn't much to that story. It's a bit generic. And for me, the weakest aspect of the film, it's just there to give the plot a reason to move along. Still, that's fine with me since the characters and setting are what really engage me. In fact, that vibe is what gives it such strong rewatch ability based on me wanting to be in that space with those people experiencing a ghost story that's realistic enough and not too over-the-top. Yeah, I definitely agree with that. Normally I always want more of the source of the evil or the origins of where this darkness started. So if it's a ghost story, yeah, like I would love to dive further into the ghosts and spirits in their ends and outs, but I, I really, while I think it was like a very, I guess, formulaic or standard story that they didn't really go much into like you don't really go a lot into the ghost, but I kind of find myself being okay with that in a way, to your point that the characters and just atmosphere is so engaging and gripping and it's kind of just works as the simple story of a few, you know, characters who are a little lost there, outsiders in their way and kind of have this ambition and determination or fancy with the what may lie on the other side and then are kind of in over their heads once they actually face it. So I think that was almost more interesting, just kind of soaking them up as characters and their dynamics and just the multifaceted aspects of their personalities. And then a little bit, I guess, a little bit of like a kick at Ghost Hunter type shows or like, know that how, how real are certain things and are things played up? And then once you are kind of start delving in that territory, what does it look like when when you finally face what you're looking for? This film is rated R but feels quite PG 13. There is a gruesome dead body and a ghost, but little or nothing in the way of violence and certainly nothing sexual. There is a healthy amount of swearing, but not in any kind of obnoxious, raunchy or trashy way. Perhaps, though, the R-rating does lend it a greater horror cred worthy of a horror fans attention, time and money. Yeah, definitely. Seems like it could have been PG 13 as far as like content and tone wise. I guess it's one particular blood scene comes to mind. But yeah, it is a little surprising. Overall, it seems this was a film I had heard of, but I don't know, it didn't seem that prevalent. Like, would you do you feel like it kind of went under the radar? Yeah. And when I saw it, I was surprised. It was kind of like trick or treat where I was like, Wow, where did this come from? This is really good. How come I never heard of it? And having come out in it was before the streaming era before digital filmmaking really took hold. So it was shot on film, which I loved. It looked really good on film and I think that added to its production value. But it earned only 1.2 million at the box office worldwide against a $750,000 budget. So it sounds like it got a very limited release though That was enough to cover its production costs and probably what little marketing they put into it as well. I think its life really is on home video. And I was thinking the other day how we talk about the importance of theatrical releases. And I agree that is an experience that should be preserved, but when you think about it, all movies really have a very brief life in theaters of a month to three months, something like that. The vast majority of its existence will be on home video. I almost feel grateful that Ty West has been able to have a career where he has slipped under the radar and was able to just be creative and He has had like I know he's done like a cabin fever, too, which was probably a little, you know, obviously working from an existing film. So that was probably I mean, I don't know, I really like I enjoyed the film. I wasn't you know, it was it was all right. Now, you know, he has better, more unique films, but that might have been one where, you know, he was a little bit more boxed in to what? Okay, this is what we want it to be, but still give him some rain. But yeah, that mostly seems true. He he seems to be like his passion really sticks out, like for the genre and what he does. So hopefully that's something that's resonated and has given him a little bit more, I don't know, reputation or free rein to, to just kind of like explore it, how he sees fit. I felt like I was in good hands here. You can feel when a movie carries from its inception, a singular voice or vision through its actors, the cinematography and everything else, giving it all a cohesive feel and creating a distinctive stamp or signature that can be recognized from film to film of theirs. We can then get to know a filmmaker and come to understand if their works will align with our own tastes one can really tell when watching this that the filmmakers had a true skill set, talents and love for filmmaking beyond the desire to turn a quick buck. But when a series of writers and producers do come and go on a project, that voice is most often dispersed in a way which kills its original soul or spark. I have been watching a lot of reviews for The Marvels, which came out this past week, and I did not see it. But people are offering their theories on the downfall of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and cinema in general. I think first and foremost, what's missing is a talented artist with a strong voice. There is no singular vision or passion behind these stories. Carrying through it feels very generalized and formulaic. Movies in general is not the innkeepers original ideas often come from individuals. The more cooks in the kitchen, the more originality is stripped out, resulting in something more broad, less specific, more common. with that independent film tends to be more original then bigger studio works. The exceptions are projects led by filmmakers with sufficient clout to carry their visions through, despite the powers that be with their various agendas, whether political or financial. Yeah. I think one I mean, not the only reason, but there are the mainstream horror films that are really strong and powerful. You there's some of that now, but less kind of less and less as time goes on in a way where really the sort of the guts and heart of horror I feel like is more found in Indian foreign films because they have a little bit more of that passion and perhaps freedom to tell a compelling story. And, you know, they can it isn't just as formulaic or this is what worked for this other film. So now we need to recreate that and you get that more and more and franchises, especially where it's almost more about just matching or outdoing what was done in the previous film where other things get lost that made it unique or powerful in the beginning. So yeah, I think just hopefully, you know, there will see a little bit of the value in in having filmmakers who are passionate. Even just the other day they announce while this is maybe a good and a bad example because it is kind of tuning into remake and rehashing ideas, but they were just recently announced Wes Craven's The People Under the Stairs, which is an underrated favorite, I think of a lot of fans, is going to be remade by Jordan Peele and some people are excited about that. Some people think it's horrible, but I think no matter what you think of him, he is he's someone who is very passionate and has it's from his perspective and he's big on social commentary, which is actually fitting for this because the original had a good amount of social commentary and even to a more subtle extent, that kind of identity perspective. So but I think what what kind of struck me a little bit is that is like I can see that film genuinely speaking to and inspiring him and then him taking his life experiences and perspective and sort of artistry in the horror genre that he's kind of carved out for himself and doing in homage while still creating something new to it. Whereas you have films like I don't even want to Think about it, The Horrible Nightmare on Elm Street remake, and a lot of remakes that Platinum Dunes did, where you can tell not only was or not passion for it, but the the creator is just very lazy and just had very uninspired and almost just had no understanding of it. Like there's certain lines in that movie. You're like, this is the exact opposite of Freddy, his motives and who he is. Like, It's just so clear that they're just kind of ignorant about the material, let alone understanding what made it unique and special and inspiring. So I think even though Hollywood is always going to probably go with ideas that are more proven and safe and formulaic and franchises that the more that you can at least give established artists who have that passion and respect for the source material, then at least we're on to something. Maybe a little breaking out of that kind of that kind of cycle of just being uninspired and repetitive. What's key, in my view, is finding an artist who actually has talent like a Spielberg or a Jordan Peele, and charging them with the responsibility of putting together a quality movie and trusting that they can do that. And letting them do it without fucking with it. And I can in a way understand the studio's position in the sense that there's so much money at stake if you've ever had to read other people's scripts, you'll come to realize quickly that 99% of them are garbage and you start to feel like the good writer doesn't exist, or that you have to actually hold the hands of many writers to get their work in shape. And that's actually true. But you have to know when to let go. When you find that person who can actually do their craft correctly if we spent more time finding those people and there's no shortage of writers out there, even if it's only one out of every 100 or 1000, find those people and bolster them, and then people will come to see their films. And that's how you make your money. I think one of the things that really struck me with this film is there is something that is just very grounded and realistic here. There is a little sense of others looking down on the innkeepers, not taking them seriously, but also like there is an element of them just being there is this sort of subtle conversation of society judging your worth by your career or aspirations, what you do being more important than who you are. And if you don't do something of a certain caliber or a certain amount, you are deemed as beneath some people themes and explorations like this were very well crafted by West there, but not overt or detracting from the bigger story. We didn't necessarily need to know their every dream and regret. In a previous episode, I'm Stephen King's The Dead Zone. We talked it working due to the main character being the epitome of well-intentioned, giving an intelligent, average Joe that anyone could relate to. that was true and I had sympathy for him. But I think the innkeepers are more my breed of normal human experience. Perhaps because most of the characters here are a bit of outcast in one way or another, I find the characterizations to be very real, not really meant to be particularly strong or flawed. While you can see moments of both, they operated in wonderful shades of gray that left room for confusion and irony, connection and enlightenment, fear and delusion. 95% of the movies or shows I watch, I fail to engage with the characters or story and Baugh very quickly and easily speaking for myself, despite the lack of heart pounding suspense in every scene, I was very much immersed here. And despite being very sparse, it does have some of the most effective and fun jump scares I have ever experienced. But this is not high stakes action packed horror. In fact, not a lot really happens for most of the film, much of it consisting of idle chatting and without being a comedy, it is quirky, funny and charming. One can tell the actors were allowed to improvise, giving a puppy freshness to the dialog. Even on the commentary track, which is as entertaining to me as the movie one feels. The positive energy and chemistry the cast and director had. while I appreciated the film had its own identity and a certain freshness to it, there are moments that bring you back to The Shining, in particular the setting and story itself. While not so different than many haunted location tales, offers a likeness with ghosts of the past, hallowed into an end, seemingly frozen in time and deeply touched by death. With bloodshed and madness slowly creeping into our characters, even to a lesser extent, the setting and the visual style with many narrow, slow moving hallway shots soaked in brings open a familiar, ominous air on Rotten Tomatoes. This film scored an 80% critic score, but only a 42% audience score, which to me is surprisingly low. As I forge through life, I am continually surprised and dismayed that society does not always experience and pain the same way I do when it comes to film. In fact, my prediction for use Bukowski was a general appreciation for the effort, but not much resonance overall. And I think you received it much better than I anticipated. Yeah, definitely. Even after watching it, you know, just curious reading some just general I kind of fan reviews and things like that. You know, those that didn't like it, it seemed like it was too much of a slow burn, not enough happening. And I can see that even I really enjoyed the Claire character, but I can also see how she might be annoying to some people. But I think there was just a very like kindred realism and I don't know, I just really the characters and the writing and every just everything they kind of created was really enjoyable. Like I think even on the commentary track, they joke around of like, right here, like we could have just like made this like a quirky romantic comedy. Like if the ending was just slightly different and you know what? If it was, I probably would have enjoyed that film too, like the characters were. And and it was the writing. So definitely, definitely with the the cast writing direction, just how it was all weave together. There was just something very refreshing and engaging about it. But I could see if those characters didn't connect with me. Yeah, I could see being like, Wow, I came here for for a little more of a darker, thrilling horror film than this. But overall, some of his style kind of varies, but House of the Devil was definitely like I would say, I think it was even more slow burn than this. moments where, like, nothing was happening or advancing or being explored, and I appreciate a lot about that film, but that's sort of his style in a way, which if it works and it's connecting for you, that can be really interesting. And I think maybe also because I'm like jump scares or like, you know, you know, we've talked about how scary was a horror movie? I can talk about it more, more sort of like in a theoretical way, just or the the themes, what was compelling or haunting and things like that. But I don't really have that same, like expectation of like if I'm watching a horror movie, I just sometimes it's just for good story or characters that connect or compelling themes. And yeah, this, this just had a lot that, that worked for me. And I think it was really that, I don't know they just these characters just really operated in these just great shades of multifaceted gray like they weren't, they weren't the strongest, like they didn't have to be the fierce, ferocious, smart, capable, you know, final girls or final boys or whatever it might be. Like. There was just they could just kind of be who they are, who they were, maybe a little flawed, maybe a little stuck, maybe completely content and happy with where they were at. And it was just a very a very, like grounded human quality to it that I enjoyed. it's interesting how when presented with the same exact material, I often marvel at how varied different people's responses to something can. I think it was last year. I got an email at 2 a.m. that I was awarded Best Feature script for a screenplay I wrote called The Devil's Grave. Now, bear in mind, this was the highest possible award bestowed among all of the screenplays at the festival. But then 45 minutes later, I got another email from a different competition informing me that my script was not selected to participate in their festival at all. It was the exact same script. The variance of acceptance and unpredictability of that, especially in the arts, can be maddening You know, different things are always going to connect to different people and there's some things I can even watch and appreciate, but it just doesn't connect me with the same way. And film festivals are a whole other thing because you know, it can. I mean, there's probably just so many different factors that goes into it, but also sometimes that can be a little will, whereas some of the filmmakers, people that people on the deciding board knew. And so sometimes that can be a little bit of a who, you know, sort of a thing totally separate from the art, which can be really frustrating as well Yeah, that's another one where these people read lots and lots and lots of scripts where maybe one or 2% of those will get accepted or short films or features or whatever, but then you still see them pick the lamest choices. If you go to some of these festivals and what you want that made it into this, this is the most the latest fucking thing. So it's on both sides. You have to be a great writer. But then you, even if you are, you have to hope that the people receiving it who are judging it are competent enough or have some sort of mandate that includes works of your quality or caliber or style. So wow. It's just it's a numbers game. You just really have to write a lot and get out there a lot. that's life for us filmmakers, I guess, Yeah. I mean, I think ultimately, you know you to you got to write what's speaking to you in a film that you would love or connects with you and hope that that connects with other people I'm not going to spoil anything and I'm not fundamentally disagreeing with the ending, nor am I saying the ending was ineffective. But I do disagree with it. On some level I felt a bit not disappointed but wished it went a different direction that was as tonally consistent as everything else leading up to it. Yet it was bold and dark and in keeping with a horror film, it it fit. Yeah. There's aspects of the ending I like. Definitely that bold and dark churn. I like that they went there is more like the very end, the last shot, which it wasn't a huge deal, but it came off as a little more generic, you know, But again, wasn't a huge deal I enjoyed so much about the film that I was able just to enjoy the overall tone and impact it had building up to that. Okay. Well, regarding that last shot, just before cutting two credits, the audience is presented with a subtle treat, one that I never would have noticed if not mentioned on the commentary track, where the director and two stars reference seeing something in the room. I study that fucking shot dozens of times over years and could never see a goddamn thing. But I found on Wikipedia a reference to what is actually there. Armed with this, I was finally able to discern it and give it away. But Kelsey, did you notice anything there? I gave it a couple tries. I'm like, I don't see anything. So you. You were more diligent than I. But it's cool to know that there is a little something lurking there as a little Easter egg, I guess so to speak. Yeah. And once you see it, you go, okay, I get that. Yeah, but I think it was too subtle. Frustratingly so. And I don't think anybody could have been expected to actually see it there. And the fact that I didn't after trying diligently for years, says something. Yeah, subtlety is good, but you know, some things you have to make a little more clear. The Innkeepers is perhaps Ty West largest underappreciated gem, a highly atmospheric and character driven paranormal horror film with wonderfully multidimensional and realistic characters who make it a refreshing, compelling and thrilling cinematic, haunting experience. In a previous episode on Stephen the Dead Zone, we talked about it working due to the main character being the epitome of well intentioned I think there were this epitome bottom. Those are both words. I don't think so. I think it's look it up. I'm pretty sure epitome. It looks like APA tone, but it's pronounced epitome. mission. Yes. Let me well, I'll be sure once I've looked it up, O'Hare And made you look foolish or saved you from looking for this one. You go EPA to you and me the person or thing that is typical of or possesses to a high degree the features of a whole class. Okay, so it's pronounced epitome. All right, Squab Yeah, Well, I thought the word the second month of the year was pronounced February, but it's February. Did you know that really pronounce like that or is that just Probably because I don't feel like anyone really says it like that. Maybe like when the language was first created. I think you're right, but it is still technically wrong. And I thought the word warmth had a P in it. I thought it was warmth until like three years ago or something like that. Why is the spell checker constantly correcting me on that word? right, all right. Yeah. If you would like to join our Society of Grotesquerie and Loathing, subscribe now and give this podcast to like and be sure to comment your wretched thoughts below. Keep our podcast suffering on by finding it in your cold, black withered hearts to support us on Patreon. A link to our paper is also below for one time donations of any amount. It was nice knowing you