If you’re a fan of Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson, their latest Something In The Dirt feels made just for you. It’s everything the filmmaker duo does so well. It’s a labor of love that feels like their most personal film while inviting you into their wild and wacky world of utterly mundane weirdness. Their unique brand of science fiction and horror is quintessentially theirs, blending emotional cynicism and everyday magic. Their stories feel like they could happen to anyone, anywhere, despite their sometimes mind-blowing elements and occasional body scares. I sat down with the pair to talk about Something In The Dirt, filmmaking, finding the extraordinary in the mundane, working on big budget productions, and what really happened to Levi.
For many of their fans, the emotional journey is just as important as the horror and sci-fi aspects. It sets their movie brand apart from others and earns the couple such a rabid fan base. Very early in the interview it became clear that Benson and Moorhead are the real deal. They are passionate about what they do and have an innovative spirit that believes their independent filmmaking gives them more opportunities, not less. Their smaller budgets and fewer resources allow them to focus on the performances and story.
Plus, Benson adds, “there’s something really exciting about trying to innovate in sci-fi and horror, if anything.” He continues: “There are still, after all these years in the cinema, things to discover.” He wants to give the audience a sense of wonder and fear. The roller coaster drives him to produce films for an audience.
The couple has a comfort and respect between the two that speaks of time served. It’s easy to imagine them hanging out and ideas clashing. The pair live in the same apartment building and the apartments in Something In The Dirt are their actual apartment. The origin of the movie itself came from a “haunted house movie” but a “really weird one.” Moorhead said. Benson references Resolution and The Endless, saying they draw inspiration from everything around them. Easy to get on a low budget, the rope gag in The Endless was so thematically relevant that it was perfect for the story, providing the ideal pick for a bizarre moment out of something so ordinary.
Everything Benson and Moorhead do is thoughtful. They explained that they wanted to keep things fresh by looking for the “opposite of the power dynamics of the characters they played in The Endless.” Benson said. They have a knack for creating universally resonant characters. They capture all the shortcomings, triumphs and truths about humanity in a very accessible way. Their characters stick with us because they feel real.
It was a lot of fun talking to these two smart, nice guys. They were game for talking about anything, and when asked if they believed John’s conspiracies, they immediately had something to say. Benson was quick to point out that the Pythagorean Brotherhood was real. Moorhead believes wormholes are “plausible,” and Benson agrees. At this point, a spirited discussion about the speed of light and non-propulsive travel ensued. These are brilliant guys, and it’s clear that this is where all of their fantastic ideas come from. They really think about all the sci-fi elements that they make movies about. For them, making movies is about the wonder and responsibility of good storytelling.
Moorhead explained that his father had a plaque with a phrase that has always stayed with them. He said they “write lyrics” when they make movies. He explained that everything they put before the world pushes us forward. While Something In The Dirt is the most “pessimistic”, he said it needed the story to unfold that way.
The duo come to life when asked what happened to Levi. At that point, their creativity was sparked, and it was almost as if I saw the storytelling process happening right in front of my eyes.
What Happened to Levi in Something In The Dirt?
“It’s funny no one ever asked that. Here are a few interesting things. One is… ahhh, he sure is, I mean, in reality, Levi is definitely dead. But here are some interesting scenarios. One is if he wasn’t dead. They have a genius to create this tragedy. If that’s what happened to him. There’s a poetry in it. In fact, whoever did that would probably be right that the project would get more exposure. It would be more likely to be known. If it was staged.”
It was like watching lightning being caught in a bottle as I sat back and listened to Benson and Moorhead contemplate an alternate ending for their film. While adamant that Levi was dead, they were excited to share what could have happened. Benson created screenplays with new filmmakers making up the tragedy and happy accidents. In one ending, Levi fell off his deck into the bushes, and John became convinced he was dead, only to realize that everything was fine. It was then that John would have an epiphany that would be a great ending to their documentary. Benson imagined living in seclusion, with John only telling him what he needed to know. Moorhead also had ideas that the Levi we saw in the movie was just an actor hired by John or someone else, and we never actually met the real Levi.
The pair have been a joy to talk to, and with projects planned with one of the biggest names in the business, Disney, there’s a lot to look forward to from them. When asked about bouncing between huge budget hits Moon Knight and Loki season 2, Moorhead says independent film “gives them more freedom.” “Moving between the two words kept their brains oscillating back and forth and improves the work of both.” Like the imposter, the characters of God, Loki, Benson, and Moorhead have depth. Can’t wait to see what they do with Loki Season 2. Something In The Dirt is now streaming VOD everywhere.
As editor-in-chief of Signal Horizon, I enjoy watching and writing about genre entertainment. I grew up on old fashioned slashers, but my real passion is television and all weird and ambiguous stuff. My work can be found here and Travel Weird, where I am the editor-in-chief.
