“A Field In England” (review here), the mind-bending, low-budget English Civil War psychedelic horror film from Ben Wheatley (“Kill List,” “Sightseers”) has rapidly become one of those films that is much bigger than just what’s on the screen. First, attention focused on the unconventional multi-platform release, which saw it come out in cinemas at the same time as on various forms of home media. Now, the film’s penumbra has expanded with the jaw-dropping “Masterclass” section of its website.
Basically, “Masterclass” is a making-of feature. But instead of the standard making-of model — bits from the trailer interspersed with some gormless star telling you how much fun everyone had making the movie and what a genius everyone single on of their co-stars is, and maybe a chubby guy in a backlot holding a scale model of something — this is the real deal, a blow-by-blow breakdown of how precisely the film was put together, right down to scanned-in shooting schedules.
Even if you’re not interested in films about… whatever it is “A Field In England” is about… there are masses here to keep you occupied, and to teach you how to make films on relatively small budgets. In fact, if you wanted to undertake some sort of post-modernist experiment by remaking the entire film, step by step, it would be really, really easy. But also really, really pointless.
Instead, go see it! Ben Wheatley’s “A Field in England” is out now! In cinemas, on DVD, on Bluray on TV, online, on VHS, in a literal field in England, on Betamax, or performed by a mime troupe who come to your house and do the whole thing on your couch. Drafthouse Films brings it to the U.S. later this year. [No Film School]