Summary “Talk to Me” is an Aussie horror film that explores the concept of summoning spirits for a cheap high and viral videos.
The movie features strong performances, impressive editing, and sparing use of violence to create impactful and brutal moments.
The directors, Danny and Michael Philippou, wanted an R rating to ensure the film’s real impact, and they embraced the idea of an American audience.
Touch the spooky hand and call a random spirit, allowing it to possess you for a cheap high and the amusement of others. Such is the premise of Talk to Me, a new Aussie horror film from viral YouTube masters Danny and Michael Philippou. Best known for their YouTube channel, RackaRacka, Talk to Me is their first full-length feature film.
Set in Australia and starring Sophie Wilde, Talk To Me features a group of young people who essentially get high on calling forth the spirits of the dead, taking them into their bodies to make viral videos. However, if the spirits stay for more than 90 seconds or so, things start to go bad. Inevitably, this being a horror film, things most assuredly go bad, to tremendous effect. Talk to Me features strong performances from its cast, incredible editing that really brings the possession sequences to life, and sparing use of violence to make its brief and infrequent R-rated moments particularly brutal. Every scare is meaningful and earned, and the result is a refreshing and fantastic horror flick with complex themes that stick to your bones long after the credits have rolled.
Related: Talk To Me Review: Horror Film Delivers Chilling, Unnerving Scares [SXSW]
While promoting the release of Talk to Me, the brothers Philippou spoke to Screen Rant about directing their first feature film, making sure they were meaningful with their R-rated content, and how the film’s instantly iconic spooky hand is a metaphor for drugs. They also discussed meeting Sam Raimi, shooting in Australia, and the film’s alternate title: Murdering Touch. Note: This interview was conducted during the 2023 WGA & SAG-AFTRA strikes, and many movies such as the one covered here would not exist without the labor of the writers and actors in both union.
Danny & Michael Philippou on Talk To Me
Screen Rant: I loved your movie!
Danny Philippou: We love to hear that, tell us more!
Screen Rant: I had no idea what to expect, and I loved that it was rated R. This is not a gore-fest, and there’s no blood coming out of the walls. But when there are brief moments of violence, they are so impactful. Did you have a guy who wears a suit and smokes a cigar going, “Can you just cut that, or cut around that, so we can make it PG?”
Danny Philippou: We knew we wanted an R rating, and we knew to go there for those scenes and for them to have real impact. And we also didn’t want to do a splatter film, as well. We really wanted to earn those moments. It is funny, though. In Australia, the R rating is the worst rating you can get in Australia. Ours in “MA” in Australia, but the things that make something R rated was all the things we did in the film. Michael Philippou: This is definitely going to get a hard R rating, ya know? Danny Philippou: Australia’s R is your NC-17. We were scared of getting the R, or the American NC-17, but we’re so down for an American R.
Screen Rant: I know in the past it’s been a big video game thing in Australia, I didn’t know it applied to movies, as well.
Danny Philippou: Yeah, it’s a thing.
Screen Rant: So, we were talking beforehand, in the waiting room, and thought an alternate title for the movie would be, “The Scary Hand.”
Danny Philippou: (Laughs) You know what? I think we’ll call the sequel that! Michael Philippou: Actually, let’s get the posters changed! Danny Philippou: Oh my God, I saw the Israeli poster, and it’s called “Murdering Touch.” Oooooh! I loved it, it’s awesome.
Screen Rant: What’s the pitch? Do you use the hand as the hook to sell this movie?
Danny Philippou: Yeah! Elevator pitch was: “Kids use demonic possession to get high.”
Screen Rant: That is fantastic. And, oh man, these kids. Tell me a little about… You guys are obviously Australian.
Danny Philippou: Yes. Michael Philippou: “Yeah, mate!”
Screen Rant: I’ve interviewed a handful of Australians in the past, and my conclusion is that I want to be Australian. Why is making movies in Australia so cool?
Danny Philippou: You know what? Growing up, and still, we want to be American. If you look at all of our childhood videos growing up, and even growing up, we would speak in American accents. Michael Philippou: BAD American accents! It’s a weird thing, in Australia, there’s a cultural cringe. Australians don’t really like Australian films for some reason. There’s not a bunch that hit with Australian audiences. So to have one that’s being embraced, especially over there, is like, heartwarming to us. It was a big roll of the dice, making it Australian, but it just felt right. Danny Philippou: One of the studios we were initially going to go with were trying to go, “Maybe we won’t make it Australian. Maybe it should all be American.” But it was really important to us. The script is just based there. It’s our reality, it’s our world. We wanted it to feel authentic to that.
Screen Rant: Totally. It feels so authentic. It feels like a real love letter to where you’re from, and almost like an ambassador. The movie is a living ambassador to the world, saying, “This is the kind of movie we make over here. What are you gonna do?”
Michael Philippou: I feel also, like, it wouldn’t be good as a tourist ad, though. Danny Philippou: I don’t think the movie’s going to make anybody want to come to Australia! Michael Philippou: They’ll go, “We’ll watch the movie, but we ain’t going over there!”
Screen Rant: The movie is fantastic. I want to articulate to the viewers how much I like this movie. How spooky it is, and how the vibes were like the first time you see Evil Dead. With much better production values.
Danny Philippou: Aw, sweet, yeah. It’s so funny, Sam Raimi loved the film! And he took us out to dinner! Michael Philippou: We went out to dinner with Sam Raimi! We were fanboying. Danny Philippou: We were gushing the whole time. Michael Philippou: It’s so awesome that this has opened doors to speak to people like that. It’s such a surreal thing. Danny Philippou: Our manager was like, “Maybe don’t ask for photos.” The first thing we did, “Hey Sam, can we have a photo?” Michael Philippou: And then Danny held a knife to, like, Sam’s throat! Danny Philippou: In a fun way!
About Talk To Me
When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.
Source: Screen Rant Plus