Whereas most eighteen year old’s spend their spare time on social media, video game consoles or just lazing around with friends, some, like George Baron, have a very different adolescence. Aged just eighteen, Baron has written, directed, and starred in his first feature film. Not only that, but the film in question, The Blue Rose, has been selected for Pigeon Shrine FrightFest, which will host the film’s world premiere.
The Blue Rose follows the one-night journey of two rookie detectives as they set out to solve a seemingly clear-cut homicide, only to find themselves in an alternate reality of their worst nightmares. Written & directed by George Baron, The Blue Rose features several familiar faces of film and television. Joining Baron are Olivia Scott Welch (Fear Street), Danielle Bisutti (Insidious: Chapter Two, Curse of Chucky), and Ray Wise (X-Men: First Class). A “pastel-noir” film inspired by the golden age of Hollywood and the mysteries that lie underneath, Baron took much inspiration from Blue Velvet, The Love Witch, and the series Ratched. Music heavily influences the film as well — the filmic tunes of Angelo Badalementi and the sweeping symphonies of Bernard Herrmann, paired with the aesthetics of Melanie Martinez and the sultriness of Lana Del Rey.
Set in a stylised 1950s, The Blue Rose oozes Stepford perfection from its stunning production design to its sumptuous costumes. The plot itself is brain achy enough to make David Lynch proud and the fact that Baron has been able to pull this off at such a young age is a testament to his talent. This is a filmmaker who is going places, so getting in early doors with his feature debut seems like a wise choice.
Ahead of the world premiere of The Blue Rose we spoke with Baron* about the project. Our discussion covered the golden era of cinema, fellow eighteen year old FrightFest director Alice Maio Mackay, and making horror movies with Barbie.
The Blue Rose screens at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest on Sunday 27th August. Tickets are available here.
* Prior to conducting this interview, The Blue Rose had obtained a waiver from SAGAFTRA allowing George to do promotion for the film.
