Director’s Commentary

Interceptors 3 In 1993 Sheridan Monkhouse made the third in his hugely acclaimed and influential Interceptors films. His director’s commentary throws insight on the casting on lead Interceptor Henge Masterson, keeping maimings to a strict minimum in battle scenes and how James Cameron used Christian Slater as a footstool

An early cult hit for Sheridan Monkhouse. In 1988, he released Hellmare, a terrifying slice of horror that resonates to this day. The dramatic director’s commentary shares Sheridan’s thoughts on rumours of a Hellmare curse, where Richard Gere shops for wicker furniture and the controversial ‘horse misogyny’ accusations that plagued the release of the film.

In 2001, Sheridan took on big budget sci-fi with the thrilling and visually stunning The Canine Dimension, a cross dimensional special effects extravaganza. The director’s commentary throws light on Ryan Gosling’s sandwich preferences, how to credibly depict dogs drinking cappuccinos, and which Hollywood megastar’s passion is military tactics.

2009 saw Sheridan make his shattering film about surviving chronic swimmer’s ear – Snowflake. A modern classic that is routinely voted into the all-time top 200 films about minor illnesses. The director’s commentary offers insight into the difficulties of filming inside someone’s head, the limitation of La La Land’s opening shot, and the morality of snow leopard exploitation.

The 90s saw a trend for erotic thrillers and none were as erotic nor thrilling as Sheridan’s 1998 picture Platinum Lace. In the director’s commentary, he opens up about lead actor David Samson’s tragic hot-air balloon accident, filming people having sex in a tree, and the sensuality of James Galway’s flute based soundtrack.

Sheridan considers his 1999 classic Kill-9. His psychopathic dog picture that brought an end to the 90s cycle of serial killer movies. In this commentary he discusses the acting capabilities of dogs, why movie serial killers never used a guillotine, and how Robert DeNiro’s method acting philosophy meant that he was uncontrollably flatulent during the classic coffee shop scene in Heat.

The new millennium saw a proliferation of superhero films – Hatman; about a man who puts on a hat and gains all the powers of a man wearing a hat. Iron Man; who uses his powers to remove creases from any material – Perhaps the most memorable, despite having largely been forgotten, was Bathorse. Sheridan remembers the making of that film, drinking absinthe in Marrakesh with a dwarf and a pirate, trying to get a horse through a revolving door, and ground-breaking ventriloquism effects.

In an attempt to make fantasy films cool again, Sheridan released this rap fantasy in 2005. In this commentary he recalls working with rap legends MC Features and Fresh Raymond, dogging with Christopher Nolan, and how a dog that could do maths changed the educational fortunes of a generation of children.