V/H/S Vortex: Director Todd Lincoln on Highly Stylized Surprise Segment

It is perhaps fitting that “Gorgeous Vortex” finds itself as a surprise, or more accurately a bonus, addition to found footage anthology sequel, V/H/S: Viral. The film itself is entirely unexpected. Though the horror series has seen a range of subgenres and themes explored in its three-film saga, the style has remained largely the same: primal, POV horror. That’s in fact, been the point. The V/H/S series was conceived as something raw. It was built on youthful vitality and in many installments—“Amateur Night,” “The Sick Thing That Happened to Emily When She Was Younger,” “10/31/98,” “Safe Haven,” “Alien Abduction Slumber Party”—presented an assured counterpoint to the idea that found footage was some sort of plague upon the genre. 

As a lead up to “Gorgeous Vortex,” V/H/S: Viral is the series’ most varied film, evoking television documentary, skate videos (how has this not been done before?), parallel universe sci-fi and a staggering, relentless hell of overlapping viral aesthetic in its wraparound—imagine every piece of man-on-the-street/TMZ/Worldstar iPhone footage blaring into your fucking skull. Still, “Gorgeous Vortex” remains an anomaly. Maybe it’s what’s left after the digital apex of Viral’s final moments— a short seemingly defiant of even the one parameter the V/H/S series sets on its contributors.

Which is to say, how is it found footage? I’m not entirely sure.

I’m certain Todd Lincoln is, though. The filmmaker bears a strong, strange perspective, one apparent even though obscured—perhaps largely edited out—of his studio horror go, The Apparition. Here, he is unfiltered. “Gorgeous Vortex” is just that, a stare into a highly stylized void with little regard for the viewer’s ability to keep up. Maybe it’s the future, maybe these are supermodels; maybe they’re also hunters. That’s definitely an occult ritual. Sure, here’s a creature. Is that a dollhouse? For admirers of freeform style and weird, transfixing imagery, this should do plenty.

Shock spoke with Lincoln via email about “Gorgeous Vortex,” which plays at the very end of V/H/S: Viral directly after the end credits on the DVD and Blu-ray (and as an extra on iTunes), out now. Lincoln says, “It comes as a secret surprise transmission.”

Shock Till You Drop: The V/H/S films are known for their creative freedom to contributors. Even still, “Gorgeous Vortex” is of a wildly different style and tone than most of what we’ve seen. What inspired the piece, from atmosphere to experimental film?

Todd Lincoln: I’m a big fan of all the V/H/S films for different reasons and I thought it was time to shake things up and take the franchise in a new direction, both tonally and stylistically; challenging audiences’ expectations and perceptions.

“Gorgeous Vortex” is a high fashion horror film.

I drew inspiration from avante-garde video artists, fashion photography, old Italian Horror films, George Lucas’ early experimental films, and the writings of J.G. Ballard and Jean Baudrillard. Part of my creative process was to explore abandoned structures, new construction areas and take long walks on the outer edges of upscale shopping plazas. I’m very instinctual when making a film… so it was all about finding locations with the right mood and weight. This story is set primarily in non-places.

Reading the book “Dennis Hopper: Interviews” helped me get through this shoot. Dennis Hopper’s words reminded me to trust my gut, cancel out all the noise and really go far out.

While planning “Gorgeous Vortex,” I also kept thinking of Walter Murch’s quote about working with George Lucas on THX-1138. Murch said, “What we were interested in doing was making a film from the future rather than about the future.”   

Shock: There’s a lot going on in the imagery of “Gorgeous Vortex,” from our own associations to models and “artificiality,” to the stiletto vending machine and consumer fashion and trend. There was a similar undercurrent in The Apparition, however obscured. What are you getting at with how beauty and consumerism dictates us?

Lincoln: That’s an interesting observation and interpretation. I’m not consciously trying to get at anything with this film. Although with distance from it now… I have to say that “Gorgeous Vortex” does seem strangely personal… in ways that maybe I didn’t fully understand while I was writing or shooting it. It’s a darker film than people know. It’s purposely haunted and coded.

Joseph Bishara (The Conjuring, Insidious 1 & 2, Annabelle), my composer, further elevated and enhanced “Gorgeous Vortex” with his beautiful original score. He just released the soundtrack album on vinyl and digital download.

Shock: “Gorgeous Vortex” unfolds in such a dreamlike fashion, is there more of this world you’d like to explore?

Lincoln: I’ve already begun exploring more of this world. Keep checking up on GorgeousVortex.com for new side-story micro-films that tie in with “Gorgeous Vortex”.

Shock: Who built the creature and what was your design like?

Lincoln: Vincent Guastini and his power team at V.G.P. Effects & Design Studio designed, built and operated the creature. Vincent assembled some of the best creature effects concept artists, sculptors and technicians around… including Joshua Ballze, Josh Wasylink, Mike Rotella, Steve Winsett and Evan Campbell. They went above and beyond on this. In pre-production, I loaded them up with brainstorm notes and visual references and they really ran with the design. It was so cool to see the creature come to life.

Shock: Where do you go from here?

Lincoln: Politics maybe? I’m currently directing / producing a secret film project and writing a new feature script. The script is kind of a Psychosexual Sci-Fi Thriller. I’m also exploring new forms of storytelling and world-building in other mediums such as real-time mobile augmented reality.