Meet Eli Craig: Director of Hilarious Horror Films
Director Eli Craig in action on the set of Tucker & Dale vs. Evil
Eli Craig is a screenwriter and film director and the son of actress Sally Field known for her roles in Forrest Gump and Mrs. Doubtfire. Craig is best known for writing and directing the 2010 horror comedy Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and won the Audience Award. He went on to produce another horror comedy, Little Evil, which was released on Netflix. However, he hasn't done much since then.
Eli Craig alongside his iconic mother, Sally Field
Clark Collins of Entertainment Weekly online praises Craig's accomplishment given the difficulty of the genre. He writes “Like a fat man lying down on a wide wall, the horror-comedy is a notoriously difficult thing to pull off. But that didn’t stop debut director Eli Craig making Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, a humorous twist on the crazed hillbilly genre" (Collins).
In an interview with Deadly Talks, Craig explained how he and his film school classmate, Morgan Jurgenson, came up with the idea for Tucker & Dale vs. Evil. They co-wrote the script intending to flip the typical horror genre tropes. Rather than having the usual scenario of college kids being attacked by hillbillies, they reversed the roles by having the college kids attack the hillbillies (“Eli Craig, Tyler.” 00:01:00 - 00:01:13). Craig shared that his idea drew from personal experiences, stating that he "has a thing against frat kids, as he never got along with them and always preferred the backwoods guys” (“Eli Craig, Tyler.” 00:00:40 - 00:01:00).
Exclusive Interview with Eli Craig and the actors portraying Tucker and Dale
In a review of Little Evil by Kieran Fisher, he mentions that it is difficult to discuss director Eli Craig without referencing his debut film, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil. Fisher describes it as “a bona fide cult classic among viewers who lean towards the bloodier side of comedy, and one which hilariously subverts the tropes and stereotypes we associate with the backwoods hillbilly subgenre.” While Tucker and Dale vs. Evil had the potential to take Craig to mainstream success, he has been relatively quiet since its release in 2010 (Fisher).
Eli Craig's second feature film - Little Evil
Seven years after his first feature film Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, Craig directed his second feature film, Little Evil, which was expected to mark his comeback but fell short (Fisher). Fisher states that Little Evil is “a reasonably entertaining comedy that continues to demonstrate his mushy sensibilities. It’s just a shame that Little Evil sticks to a familiar formula throughout and never manages to sustain a consistent level of quality comedy.”
In another review by Keith Garlington, it's noted that Tucker and Dale vs. Evil isn’t for everyone. The blood and gore are excessive but play an essential role in the parody (Garlington). The film stumbles towards the end with a showdown at an old lumber mill that, despite being a pivotal moment, feels anticlimactic and overly conventional compared to the rest of the film (Garlington). "It was soaked in parody but still felt a little too conventional, something that can’t be said about most of this film. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil isn’t a movie you can pigeonhole, and that’s a really strong point. It’s bloody and hilarious, and you may find yourself grimacing and laughing at the same scene. It’s truly that funny" (Garlington).
Tucker to the Rescue: Alison Saved from the Evil Frat Boys
In my opinion, Eli Craig is a filmmaker who's good at mixing horror and comedy in unexpected ways. He made a big splash with his first movie, "Tucker & Dale vs. Evil," which turned a typical horror movie upside down. Craig's unique style comes from his personal experiences and his desire to do something different in horror films. While his first movie was a hit with fans, Craig has had a hard time keeping that momentum going. He took a long break before making his second film, "Little Evil," which didn't quite live up to expectations. This shows how tough it can be to stay successful in Hollywood, even after a great start. Craig's work stands out because he likes to surprise audiences by changing the usual horror story rules. But he's only made a couple of movies so far, so it's hard to say what his long-term impact will be but I look forward to see what he does next!.
Some of the funniest moments of Tucker & Dale vs. Evil
Collis, Clark. “‘Tucker and Dale’ Director’s Top 5 Horror-Comedies.” EW.Com, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Sept. 2011, https://ew.com/article/2011/09/26/tucker-and-dale-eli-craig/
“Eli Craig, Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk - Tucker & Dale vs. Evil.” DailyMotion, uploaded by DreadCentral, 2010, https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xbzdxm
Fisher, Kieran. “‘Little Evil’ Review: A Horror Comedy with Plenty of Heart and Not Much Else.” Film School Rejects, 3 Sept. 2017, https://filmschoolrejects.com/little-evil-review/
Garlington, Keith. “Eli Craig.” Keithandthemovies.Com, 6 Sept. 2012, https://keithandthemovies.com/tag/eli-craig/
