Never seen a Turkish horror movie?
Traditionally, there haven’t been many of them about.
But that’s all changing now…
Historically, Turkey has had a difficult relationship with genre.
Although inspired by Japanese and American horror,D@bbehad a strong Turco-Islamic identity.
The floodgates opened and Turkish horror, much of which was rooted in Islamic demonology, exploded.
Was it something that interested you from an early age?
I had a great interest in mysticism since my childhood.
The world created in the 1001 Nights always drew my attention.
Let me tell you a memory from when I was 5.
We visited a village in the very east of Turkey.
I remember hearing screams coming from a house there.
I poured the water on it and ran out.
My sister told me later that the djinns kept the girl from drinking water.
KubricksThe ShiningandStephen Kings ITwere the first two that had an influence on me.
I used to watch VHS tapes of Italian horror films but those didnt really have an impact on me.
It was pretty difficult to find Turkish horror movies.
There werent many horror films produced in Turkey.
I see both American and Japanese influences in your films.
True…
Would you say these are your main inspiration?
I lived in Japan for 8 years.
I like the fuzzy, calm and sneaky expression of the Japanese horror films.
I wrote an adaptation ofWillows, one of his short stories.
I definitely want to shoot that one day.
I believe British horror films havent taken advantage of their rich literary history.
Is it something you would class as an influence?
(Especially on Semum?)
Metin Erksan shot that movie at a time when only melodramas were being produced in Turkish cinema.
Subjects that are considered as taboo in the Arab world were bravely spoken in Semum.
How did you get it made/funded?
But I followed my instincts, sold everything and gave every penny I had to shoot it.
I shot it with a budget of $150,000 and made $2,000,000.
Ive shot nine films but still havent accomplished everything I want to.
I think horror and fantastic films are the strongest of all genres and the most exciting as well.
I immediately got a paper and a pen and started writing about it.
I remembered every scene, every sound, color and character with the atmosphere.
If I can accomplish this one day, that will be the time Ill say, I did it!
Are there any other Turkish directors working in horror at the moment whose work you admire/recommend?
A lot of Turkish horror films have been produced after me and some of them were copies ofDabbe.
Generally they are following my path, which is good…
I can recommend Omer Kavur whom I knew in person.
He taught me a lot about script writing.
He was one of the geniuses of Turkish cinema.
He wasnt making horror movies but he had his own ways of capturing the mystic atmosphere of Anatolia.
His 1997 filmAkrebin Yolculuguis one of his films that I would recommend.
Why do you think horror has become so popular in Turkey in recent years?
In the past, only Western horror tales were told to Turkish people.
The tales they heard from their grandparents werent adapted to cinema.
They were always there waiting for people who were going to tell them their own dark stories.
Often as in Dabbe 2 and 4 when these things come together they create something more powerful.
Thats a great observation.
This battle is perfect material for horror cinema and it influences me as well.
Do you feel the rise of the internet in peoples lives has affected them?
As well as being an incredible source of information, the internet can also be a source of evil.
Today, people have both their real identities and a secret secondary internet identity.
I personally think that the internet is going to be an important factor in the annihilation of humankind.
And what its impacts will be?
Acting in horror films is difficult.
Belief and doubt feeds fear.
This method was very effective inDabbe 4.
Magi is your first English language film.
Can you tell me about it?
Magi is a word that combines east and west in a mystical way.
Hence, I didnt tell everything.
I wanted to narrate a Babylonian horror that takes place in todays Istanbul.
What was it like working with established Western stars like Michael Madsen and Stephen Baldwin?
It was extremely fun.
Michael Madsen has an unbelievable aura.
After getting to know him better I believed I had to make another movie with him.
Stephen Baldwin is an intelligent person and I can say he is curious.
He wanted to understand and perceive every scene he was in and every line he had to say.
In the end youll have a chance to see both of the talents in different characters.
Finally whats next, after Magi?
AfterDabbe 5broke box office records for Turkish horror, there is a big expectation forDabbe 6now.
Im going to try something totally different in Dabbe 6 which will be a surprise.
I also have another film about vampires that Ill shoot in my own style.
Now I think its the right time so Ive started the pre-production.
There is a chance that we might produce it either in the States, Britain or Spain.
Heres hoping for Britain!
Thank you so much for your time, Hasan Karacadag.
Its been a pleasure.
