Barbarella and Jason Eisener discuss KIDS VS. ALIENS

Hi guys, this is Barbarella. Jason Eisener (Hobo With a Shotgun) has a new movie coming out January 20, 2023: Kids Vs. Aliens. Yes, it's a lot of what you'd expect: kids, aliens, mud, and practical effects. However, it also delivers a phenomenal score and superb set design that might not be so easy to anticipate. I totally enjoy the film, as it offers a childlike take on alien attacks with the seemingly endless energy of youth. My only issue with the film is with a bullying character who, despite witnessing horrific acts by aliens, still has the wherewithal to keep bullying his victims. I mean, I think in this situation, there would be other things on his mind. It's a minor complaint, however, and the beautiful setting and score, and the fun it provides, more than make up for it. Also, the authenticity with which the children speak is refreshing. These characters sound like my friend's twelve year old boy. Tonally, Kids Vs. Aliens feels more like an adventure movie than a sci-fi horror, and I think that's another part of its charm. Bursting with energy, Kids Vs. Aliens is a great option if you're looking for something a little more feisty and fun.

I had the opportunity to meet Jason Eisener in September when he premiered the film at Fantastic Fest in Austin. Check out our conversation!

"I'm happy to be here. I really like it here. Austin is like a second home to me, and it's actually where my film career took off. I made a fake trailer for a mock movie for a contest run by SXSW and Robert Rodriguez for Grindhouse. I made this little trailer called "Hobo with a Shotgun", and it won. It was the first time I would leave my hometown and show something I had done to people I didn't know, and Austin just accepted me and loved what I was doing and has been supporting me ever since.

"Coming back with my next movie feels good. There's a part of me that's like, 'Oh, I wish all my friends back home and family were here for this.' it's the second best I can get for that kind of feeling, because it feels like home, in a way, and then once I show it here, I'll take it home and I'll show it to everyone there.

I saw Hobo with a shotgun at BNAT.

“Oh wow. Yeah. I was thinking about that the other day, because I played my first edit that only had temporary music. other things, so that's the only time people have seen this version of this movie where there was a Halloween III soundtrack and so on. that was crazy. I can't believe I showed that to an audience.""

So with Kids Vs. Aliens, first of all, I just want to talk about the score. This score seems so amazing.

"Thank you. I'm glad you said that. The songwriter is one of my best friends. We went to college together. His name is Andrew Gordon Macpherson, and we've known each other for so long. I'm doing this TV show called Dark Side of the Ring, which is a true crime documentary series in the world of pro wrestling. We've done thirty documentaries, and he composed the music for each one. of them, and now we're doing a new show, and he's doing all of that too. It's like when you meet someone or have an artist friend that you're on the same page, and they know what you're gonna say it before you even say it. We spent a year working on the soundtrack for the movie. When I went into development for the movie, he was sending me songs for inspiration. I was playing those songs on set to create an atmosphere or just to accompany the tempo o songs, because I wanted the film to be a very musical experience. I wanted people to watch the movie, and you could move your head with the tunes. Then, once the aliens crashed the movie, there are all these themes that were inspired by the adventure movies we grew up with. At the beginning, you will hear small clues, ...