The Neon Splatter Interview: Julia Marchese
It seems that Stephen King adaptations going in cycles, with a boom happening every 15 years or so with multiple projects coming out close to each other. With so much source material at the ready, both for first time adaptations and for possible second or even third tackles, it delivers a boon of great works. The maestro himself encourages these projects of course, and not just from established studios—on King’s own website is a special section known as the Dollar Babies. It is a group of short stories that are not under development contract and thus are available for amateur filmmakers, film students, and any non-studio artists to adapt into a movie.
Enter Julia Marchese, the prolific podcaster of The Horror Movie Survival Guide and JodoWOWsky, as an actor, and the director of the 2016 documentary OUT OF PRINT.
Moving from Stephen King fan to Stephen King filmmaker, Marchese adapted 1976 short story “I Know What You Need” (originally published in Cosmo and then later collected in 1978’s Night Shift) into a short film that will soon be sweeping the nation. “I Know What You Need” concerns the unlikely romance between popular college age Elizabeth and bonafide outcast Ed, with some shenanigans happening to make this pairing a reality. Seems simple enough, but since it’s a Stephen King story—shenanigans abound. Dark shenanigans. We recently interviewed the multi-hyphenate powerhouse Marchese to discuss the short film, her relationship with King’s work, and her many many crushes on problematic characters.
Neon Splatter: You've worked on other shorts and documentaries and more. You also have a wide breadth of horror knowledge. What prompted you to make a Stephen King adaptation?
Julia Marchese: I have been a Stephen King fan since I was 11, and have seen many of the film adaptations (I watched my VHS copy of PET SEMATARY a disturbing amount in junior high), and I'd never really considered actually making a film of one of his works—it felt out of my scope and reach. I made my documentary, OUT OF PRINT, in 2016 and knew I wanted to make a narrative film, but wasn't sure what.
I was reading Night Shift and after "I Know What You Need" I thought to myself, "How does one make a Stephen King adaptation?” And let me tell you: he has made it easy for you. All you need to do is go to Stephenking.com, look at the films available for the Dollar Baby program and ask for the rights. That's it!
I'm sure they don't say yes to every request, but you get in life what you have the courage to ask for, and an email is all it takes. The contract is $1.00 for 1 year, and the film has to be 45 minutes or under. It also is non-profit, non-broadcast, which means you can't sell it, but you can show it in film festivals and private screenings. And the best part about this contract is that you have to send a copy of the finished film for Stephen King himself to watch—the endgame throughout this whole process is knowing that he will see what you make. The fact that he still cares, after all these years, to see how people interpret his work is just further proof of what a rad human he is.
NS: There are a bunch of Dollar Baby stories to adapt. Why did you choose "I Know What You Need"? What specifically called out about that story?
JM: You have to understand, I'm the kinda girl who thinks that (pre-plot twist) Norman Bates is super adorable. That Eric Binford from FADE TO BLACK is a fox. That Martin is a dream boat. So when I read the description of Edward in the story, I was immediately hooked and went along for the ride with the main character, Elizabeth. He's clearly got some issues, sure, but I was as intrigued by him as she is. Now, it's a Stephen King story, so you know some dark nonsense is gonna go down, but I was fascinated by his character. Here is a character that has powers that he could use for BIG Stephen King reasons—think Firestarter or The Dead Zone—but he's using them to make ONE girl fall in love with him. It's so twistedly pathetic. He's clearly a horrible human, but also fascinating. I think delving into the female characters, Elizabeth and Alice, and really looking at their roles within this horrorshow was really fun to discuss with my cast.
I set the film in 1976, partly for my own personal aesthetic reasons, but also because the story falls apart if the Internet exists. The tone is ‘70s afterschool special dissolving into terror, and it was so much fun to shoot in that style. Although the contract gives you no guidelines on how to adapt the script—you're actually free to do whatever you want with it—but I tried very hard to stay as close to the story as possible, using much of the dialogue word-for-word from the text, but also filling in with my own dialogue for certain scenes. While I want to remain faithful to the story, it's also that story through my eyes and I don't think anyone else sees the story quite like I do.
NS: Were there any lessons you gleaned from past successful King adaptations? Things to include when bringing "I Know What You Need" to the screen? Things to avoid?
JM: Well, I always have loved the adaptations that have actually shot in Maine, because that state is integral to his stories. The first time I went to Maine I was like a kid in a candy store. All of those town names I had read about in his books since I was a little girl—Bucksport, Lewiston, Pownal—they seemed like magical places to me. I mentioned before about the power of simply sending an email, and after I got the rights to "I Know What You Need,” I emailed the University of Maine (where Stephen King attended and where the story is set) asking if I could film on campus…and they said yes! It was amazing.
So many of King's stories are set in fictional towns in Maine—Castle Rock, Derry—but here is a story with real life locations—Bangor, Pemaquid, Boothbay—and set at an actual university that exists and I could film at. We were able to film in the dorm hall he stayed in when he attended (I got to sleep in his old room! Constant Reader Fangirl Squee!) so that real world meta-ness of being there was incredible. I think filming this story there is perfect, and I hope that the authenticity and passion for this film shines through.
Also everyone likes a Stephen King easter egg or two for the super fans! Look close!
NS: You've had some cool encounters with Stephen King history in making "I Know What You Need." What have been some of the highlights of those moments? A surreal event that transported you into his world and imagination.
JM: The first time I went to Maine, in 2019, I rented a car and drove around the state, referencing my Stephen King map that overlays on an actual map of Maine, which shows you where "Castle Rock" and "Derry" are in reference to real towns. I took the tour put on by SK Tours in Bangor, which I highly recommend—Jamie and Jennifer are such amazing people and true Constant Readers. It takes you to all of the King locations in town, and since Bangor and Derry are pretty much geographically the same, it's like walking straight into his novels. The Paul Bunyan statue, The Barrens, The Canals, Pennywise's Drain, Juniper Hill—just mind blowing. I was actually bouncing up and down in my tour bus seat the whole day. Like Disneyland for Constant Readers. Truly spectacular. A must.
NS: What are your top five favorite Stephen King books of all time? What puts those above?
JM: Okay, so this is tricky. My knee jerk reaction is to say It, because it's one of the very first ones I read of his—people called me Eddie Kaspbrak in high school, I'm going as Pennywise for Halloween this year, I still have the copy I used to read on the bus on way to junior high school, etc.
BUT.
A few years ago I realized I had never read the Dark Tower series, his masterwork! So I began, and realized that King has created a giant multiverse, weaving in and out of his stories and novels. I then proceeded to read every book of his and trace down every clue that connected the stories to The Dark Tower or each other. The most fascinating literary puzzle I have every experienced. But The Dark Tower series is eight books, and that's kinda cheating, and I want to recommend more, and I play by no rules SO…
It
The Dark Tower series
The Long Walk
The Talisman
Firestarter
NS: What is your favorite Stephen King adaptation (in any medium)?
JM: I mean, I think IT (2017) is pretty much perfection, and that's coming from someone who is suspicious of remakes and loves that book more than anything. The casting of The Losers is totally flawless and the chemistry between those kids is palpable. Particularly Sophia Lillis as Bev—King describes her as nearly magical several times in the novel, and she sold that hard, and I bought it. She is luminous in that film. I don't want to play down any of the other kids performances, though—all top drawer. And of course I never thought anyone could fill those large Pennywise shoes after Tim Curry SLAYED that shiz in 1990, but Bill Skarsgård took the character in a very fascinating direction and I really love what he did with the character. The man who launched a thousand Sexy Pennywise memes! Plus, just a well made film, stunning cinematography and legit scary. A+ adaptation.
IT: CHAPTER TWO (2019)...I got some issues.
NS: For your next project, if you could adapt any Stephen King work, what would it be (and why)?
JM: Woof. Man. That's a toughie. Remakes aren't really my jam, so it would have to be something that hasn't been done yet. Obviously I would love to turn "I Know What You Need" into a feature, but if I have to choose something else...I LOVE The Long Walk but it would be a very very challenging one to helm. Roadwork gets no love but I think it would be an interesting one to delve into. Maybe Joyland? Revival? The Institute? I love so many of them - and will GLADLY make ANY Stephen King project anyone throws my way.
NS: Excluding yourself, if you could pair up any current working filmmaker with a particular Stephen King work, what would you choose and why?
JM: Give that genius filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky The Dark Tower series and give him all the money in the world to make it and I guarantee it would be the best, most out of control, psychedelic, spiritual, art house film deliciousness you have ever seen. Need to see.
NS: What are your favorite performances in a Stephen King movie?
JM: I already mentioned The Losers from IT, so I'll shout out a few of my favorites - Keith Gordon in CHRISTINE (Arnie Cunningham is another one of my dream boys!), Nancy Allen in CARRIE (her character is like the female version of Henry Bowers), Dee Wallace & Danny Pintauro in CUJO (damn, tho!), Dale Midkiff and Miko Hughes in PET SEMATARY (I buy them both SO HARD), Drew Barrymore in FIRESTARTER (she SLAYS in that film, both literally and figuratively.)
NS: Where can folks find you around the web, learn more about the short, and find out what you're up to next?
JM: I have two podcasts, both can be found anywhere you listen to podcasts. One is called The Horror Movie Survival Guide, which takes a deep dive into a different horror film each week with the hopes of obtaining the knowledge to become the Final Girl. The other is called JodoWOWsky, and it's a chronological breakdown of the film and comic work of Alejandro Jodorowsky, who I obviously adore.
I'm on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok as @juliacmarchese—I'm really friendly and love to talk horror and Stephen King, so please say hi! You can also find updates on these platforms about the film and its festival run, plus what I'm working on next.
Thanks to Julia for spending time with us and please follow along with I Know What You Need’s journey as found through her many different links and platforms.
Photographs of Julia Marchese taken by Patrick McPheron—please follow on Twitter and on Instagram.