Suitable Flesh Director & Cast Discuss Adoration For H.P. Lovecraft [Tribeca]

The surreal and terrifying world of H.P. Lovecraft is coming back to the screen with Suitable Flesh, which is currently screening at Tribeca Film Festival. Based on the 1933 short story “The Thing on the Doorstep,” the horror movie centers on a psychiatrist specializing in schizophrenic studies who becomes obsessed with a patient she believes suffers from dissociative identity disorder, only to discover something darker is at work.

Heather Graham and Judah Lewis lead the ensemble cast of Suitable Flesh alongside Barbara Crampton, Johnathon Schaech, Bruce Davison, and Giovannie Cruz. Penned by Dennis Paoli, the mind behind multiple acclaimed Lovecraft adaptations, the movie is a chilling and stylish throwback to the provocative horror efforts of the ’70s and ’80s.

Related: 10 Best H.P. Lovecraft Movie Adaptations, According To Reddit

In honor of the movie’s Tribeca Film Festival premiere, Screen Rant spoke exclusively with director Joe Lynch and stars Heather Graham, Judah Lewis, Johnathon Schaech, and Barbara Crampton, who’s also a producer for Suitable Flesh. The team shared their love of and experience with Lovecraft’s works, and more about the movie itself.

Suitable Flesh Director & Cast Talk Lovecraft Adaptation

Screen Rant: Suitable Flesh is another chilling Lovecraft adaptation. Joe, this is not your first rodeo in the horror genre, but you’ve tackled so many different angles on it, whether it’s Mayhem or Creepshow. What was it like going into this project in comparison to your prior works?

Joe Lynch: Well, honestly, it’s been a little while since I had done straight horror. Everything has been — like with Wrong Turn 2 or even with Mayhem — hybrids. The last film that I had done was strictly action, and I wanted to get back into the genre that I love, that I loved as a kid, I love to work with. As all of us know, the horror community is such a tight-knit one, we all love to collaborate with each other, so when you get the email and the call from the queen of horror herself, Barbara Crampton, you take that call, you reply on that email.

It’s been a joy, especially in this world, because I had never done anything quite like this. I think all my heroes are ones that always push themselves, and I wanted to push myself in a realm that I had never done anything with this sort of gravitas and atmosphere, but also at the same time, pay homage and make this a bit of a love letter to those cinematic provocateurs that I grew up with, especially Stuart Gordon. Knowing that this had ties to Stuart’s work, it was a dream come true.

I certainly felt a lot of those emotions throughout the film, and I really loved seeing it in that visual language as it went on. Since you mentioned the queen of horror over here, Barbara, you and I talked a couple of times for Jakob’s Wife and Sacrifice, and this continues your work as a producer and reunites you with Brian Yuzna and Dennis Paoli. What was it like getting to wear multiple hats on this and help bring it to life?

Barbara Crampton: Well, I’ve been producing for a few years now, and this particular script is one that is really close to my heart, because it is Lovecraft. It’s funny, because after I made Jakob’s Wife — and it took me so long to get that made, it was like four years — I said to myself, “If I never make another movie again, as an actor, producer, whatever, I’m fine, because I got to make Jakob’s Wife, I don’t care anymore. I’m done.” Then when that was over, and I got this script, I said, “Oh my god, I have to make this movie. This is the one I have to make now.”

So, I think producing movies is like a drug, once you do one, you kind of have to keep going. And I have a long legacy with Lovecraft, and this was a project that Stuart wanted to do many years ago and wasn’t able to get off the ground with Dennis. After he passed, it meant a lot to me, and I felt like I had to make this movie for just the love that I have of Stuart. He basically gave me my career, and also because I love the story, and I love Lovecraft’s writings, it was just really important to me to make this movie.

Heather, outside of maybe The Stand, this is also your first straight horror movie in quite a while. What was it like getting to dive back into that genre, and what about this project really sparked your interest to want to come back?

Heather Graham: I love the aspect of a psychological thriller mixed with horror. Joe asked me to watch Basic Instinct and Body Heat and Re-Animator, just that kind of erotic thriller-horror combination was really cool. I think it’s a very smart script, too, and I just liked that my character was a therapist, and just this idea of our minds, and how complicated people are, and switching different personas, and just getting to play different roles is very exciting as an actor.

Judah, you both share quite the weight of having to play these multiple personalities throughout the film. What is that like, getting into those different mindsets, but then also having to develop a really intriguing rapport with one another as the film goes on?

Judah Lewis: A dream would be my answer. I don’t know any other opportunity I’ve ever had where it’s like, “Here’s the script, and you’re playing multiple characters in it.” I think, as an actor, there’s something so tantalizing about that. The interesting piece with the approach on this was having to develop each one separately, and not have them meld into each other, but really see them as different people and be able to approach them as such. Then, I think me and Heather had an excellent rapport, she’s just the sweetest, loveliest human being, and I did feel bad on many occasions saying the things that I had to say to her, but I’ll blame somebody else for that. [Laughs]

Heather Graham: The writer! [Laughs]

Judah Lewis: Yeah.

Heather Graham: I mean, I was a jerk to you, too.

Judah Lewis: Okay, yeah, it was an equal — we would giggle about it in between scenes, so that’s the beauty of it.

Heather Graham: Well, like Judah said, it’s a dream to, as an actor, get to do multiple characters in the same movie. It’s such an incredible opportunity, and obviously, working with such other talented people was so fun. I think we all had a great time, and Joe is such a cinephile, so you feel like you’re in the hands of someone who really knows movies.

Joe Lynch: Or who can rent you one at a video store! [Chuckles]

Heather Graham: It’s an actor’s dream to get to play three different characters in the same movie. It’s amazing.

Johnathon, you’ve worked with Joe before on Creepshow and have plenty of ties to the horror genre, as well. What about the script, and your character in particular, really sparked that interest to want to be on board for it?

Johnathon Schaech: Well, first, the pitch that Joe gave me was sensational. You’re taking an HP Lovecraft [story], and switching roles, and pushing the borders of sexuality, it was just the greatest pitch ever. I was like, “I’m on board already.” Then, I got to read the script, and I love Lovecraft, I read a lot of his material, worked on it, so it was a great opportunity. Then, they throw in Heather Graham in there, I’ve been wanting to work with her, since it all started, so finally get to.

Heather Graham: We’ve been wanting to work together for a while.

About Suitable Flesh

Psychiatrist Elizabeth Derby becomes obsessed with helping a young patient suffering from extreme personality disorder. But it leads her into dark occult danger as she tries to escape a horrific fate.

Suitable Flesh just premiered at Tribeca Film Festival and is expected to hit theaters, VOD and Shudder later this year.