Arriving in theaters in New York and Los Angeles this Friday is Jeff Baena’s oddball religious comedy (that has a hint of witchcraft to it) The Little Hours. An official selection of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, Baena’s film is an adaptation of The Decameron, and during a recent press day for the film, Daily Dead had the opportunity to speak with two of the co-stars of The Little Hours, Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) and Dave Franco (Neighbors, 2012's 21 Jump Street).
During the interview, the duo discussed what attracted them to working on The Little Hours, their experiences collaborating with Baena on the film in Tuscany, the challenges of the improvisational nature of the project, and more.
I'd like to start off by hearing about what drew both of you guys into this project, because it's a very unusual film, and I'd love to hear from your perspectives what you guys recognized in it that made it something you’d want to be a part of.
Aubrey Plaza: I just loved the idea of doing a period comedy. For me, that's just such a fun world to play in, and it's rare that people want to make movies like that. Just the general idea was so appealing to me. Then, the characters are so fun, and especially the female characters, because all of them had these layered personalities and journeys and motivations. It felt like a really fun opportunity to play around.
Dave Franco: Yeah, I was drawn to the originality of the story, and Jeff's approach to it. You've never seen a movie with this tone. I don't even know how to describe what the tone of this movie is, but I love that about it. It's like everything that's being made these days is a remake or a sequel, and so it just feels good to be a part of something that's trying to bring something new to the table. Then, when you sit down with Jeff, the director, just for a few minutes, you immediately recognize that he sees the world in a different way, and he's got his own very specific voice. I just wanted to get on the journey with him and see what happened.
How much did it help you guys, in order to immerse yourselves in this time period, to go to Tuscany and film this completely away from everything, so you were able to focus on the film?
Dave Franco: That was really important. I don't think you can try to recreate that scenery anywhere else. We had to be there to really make it feel authentic. More than anything, it was impossible to make the movie look ugly. Everywhere you pointed the camera, it was the most beautiful thing you've ever seen. Then you add our costumes into the mix, and as it all came together, it really made us feel immersed in the story.
Aubrey Plaza: Yeah, it was great. We were shooting in an actual medieval convent from this time period that the movie is set in, so all that was helpful, even if we didn't realize it at first. But just walking through those halls and being in those rooms when we weren't shooting, and sitting in the gardens, it was very peaceful.
Anything stand out for either of you as being a challenge while you were in production? The toughest thing to get right?
Aubrey Plaza: For me, personally, I would say just the improvised nature of the film was challenging. Jeff had such a specific idea of what the movie was and what each scene was. You just had to really trust in him, that he knew where it was going, and kind of let go a little bit. It was challenging, but really rewarding at the same time.
Dave Franco: Yeah, the fact that there wasn't a script was terrifying. You're flying halfway across the world, but on the way, it was like, “I don't even know what we're getting into exactly.” But once we started, I realized it's also very freeing, and it's nice to just show up to set and honestly not have to do a lot of homework. Just be there, and be present with the other actors.
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In case you missed it, check here to read Heather's previous coverage of The Little Hours.
Heather A. Wixson was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, until she followed her dreams and moved to Los Angeles in 2009. A 14-year veteran in the world of horror entertainment journalism, Wixson fell in love with genre films at a very early age, and has spent more than a decade as a writer and supporter of preserving the history of horror and science fiction cinema. Throughout her career, Wixson has contributed to several notable websites, including Fangoria, Dread Central, Terror Tube, and FEARnet, and she currently serves as the Managing Editor for Daily Dead, which has been her home since 2013. She's also written for both Fangoria Magazine & ReMind Magazine, and her latest book project, Monsters, Makeup & Effects: Volume One will be released on October 20, 2021.
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