With horror fans raving over the recently released psychological thriller Shelby Oaks, writer and director Chris Stuckmann has provided an insight into the unexpected yet grim ending of his first feature film. In a recent interview, the YouTuber-turned-filmmaker explained why he chose to conclude his debut outing as a director in such a depressing manner, all the while breaking down the final moments of the movie.
Chris Stuckmann on why the gruesome ending was necessary for Shelby Oaks
While speaking to Variety, Stuckmann opened up about the bleak ending of Shelby Oaks, stating that he always envisioned the film to finish on a somber note, just like his “favorite horrors.”
“There was never any question for me. All of my favorite horror films tend to have an ending that sticks with you,” the Shelby Oaks director said. Stuckmann also revealed the feedback he received while deciding upon such a divisive conclusion to his movie, stating, “Obviously, when you’re trying to get your script seen, there are going to be people who make requests, especially some of the less risk-taking producers. I was always very adamant that this has got to be the way it is.”
Centered around a woman’s quest to find her missing sister, Shelby Oaks ends with Mia (Camille Sullivan) finally locating and rescuing her sibling, Riley (Sarah Durn), from an occult ritual. Nevertheless, she soon ends up sending Riley to her death, materializing the demonic prophecy she had worked so hard to prevent.
Further breaking down Shelby Oaks’ climax, Stuckmann added, “If you want to look at just the emotion of it, when something happens to you when you’re younger that leaves a scar or some kind of trauma that it sticks with you, you could view that literally as a crack in a window.” The director further stated, “If you don’t fix it or get and try to better your life, you just let it sit there and fester and grow and spider-web into something worse, eventually it will probably eat you alive. That’s been the emotional idea behind this thing that has always been looming in the background of Riley and Mia’s life that is also literally represented by this window in the conclusion of the movie.”
Originally reported by Apoorv Rastogi on ComingSoon.
