After sleeping with Nora (Nicki Aycox), a sexy stranger passing through town, Syd Jarrett (Marc Blucas) undergoes a supernatural transformation that plunges him into a new reality and sparks conflict with Vic (Naveen Andrews), Nora's angry ex-lover who behaves more like an animal than a man. Eva Amurri and Andy Comeau co-star in this erotic horror flick.

Parental Warning:
Bloody violence, strong sexuality/nudity, language and brief drug use.

The "Lost" 1st Cut of ANIMALS
-- the Director's Cut!

Recently "found"!

Caveat: Work Print, missing CGI, VFX and sound FX, temp score, truncated ending -- hey, it's a Work Print! -- but 30+ minutes of "lost" footage, major story changes, and definitely worth a peek...

Humans with the power to transform their physical appearance, usually into an animal - 'shape-shifters', as they are usually referred to - are a common theme in mythology and folklore throughout the world, as well as in literature and cinema. Tales featuring shape-shifters usually serve as allegorical explorations of our internal savagery and primal instincts; a central theme that reoccurs throughout werewolf mythology. The transformation of a human into a slathering beast is usually representative of the manifestation of inner conflict and psychological turmoil - surrendering to the beast within, to the primitive side of our nature. This was also the central concept of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde', in which a Victorian scientist invents an elixir that transforms him into another 'being' enabling him to shake off the restrictive shackles of polite society and indulge in all manner of debauchery and moral corruption of the flesh without the inconvenience of consequence. Stevenson's tale represents the concept of the inner conflict of humanity's sense of right and wrong, good and evil, and unfolds as an examination of the duality of human nature.

Most tales about shape-shifters and werewolves skulk along a similar trail, delving into the bloody consequences of unleashed moral (usually sexual) depravity, serving as allegories to warn us of the dangers of indulging our 'animal' instincts. One of the first, and indeed most compelling movies to address these themes was Jacques Tourneur's moody 1942 horror Cat People, in which a young Serbian woman believes herself to be descended from a long line of 'cat women'; doomed to change into a panther when aroused, and tear her lover to shreds. This poetic and atmospheric movie was one of the first to utilise a Freudian sub-textual approach to horror, and remains one of the most haunting and suggestive chillers ever committed to celluloid. It was remade in the Eighties by Paul Schrader who upped the eroticism and gore, stripping the film of its haunting resonance and melancholy ambience.

In 1992 'splatter-punk' writers Craig Spector and John Skipp wrote a sexually charged novel titled 'Animals', in which a drifter becomes involved with a mysterious woman who has the power to transform into a ravenous beast. What he doesn't know however is that she is one half of a pair of sadistic, psychotic and highly promiscuous shape-shifting creatures. The devious pair likes to drive each other wild by dallying with the opposite sex, ravaging and then devouring their sexual conquests for sport.

John Skipp and Craig Spector completely reinvented werewolf mythology, omitting gypsy curses, full moons and silver bullets. The shape-shifting characters that populate this headily throbbing and bloody tale accept and embrace their animalistic sides, but still struggle to understand their all too human desires, needs and emotions. They've been stalking amongst us for centuries - prowling smoky bars and seedy clubs in search of 'the chase.'

"The idea behind 'Animals' is that the animal self is so buried by domestication and civilization that it only emerges as a sense of something missing in life", reveals the novel's co-author, Craig Spector. "It can be triggered and released by intimate contact with one of these creatures, who can let it out at will. But keeping it in check is something else…"

Spector believes that stories of mankind's inner 'animal' and primal instinct and rage have intrigued and compelled us for centuries. "Whatever it is", he offers, "It's appeared in some form in virtually every culture on the planet. While writing the book I stumbled across old woodcuts of werewolves gathering outside the walls of Paris to drink and debauch."

Explaining the writing process of the novel, Craig comments "The original idea for the book came from John. My contribution came first in the writing, but subsequently in the edits and rewrites. I guess it evened out in the mix. We jammed plot points and story beats together, then tag-teamed chapters and revisions as we churned through the draft. We had developed a method of writing that depended hugely on what we used to call "coopetition" - cooperating and competing with each other to up the ante."

Co-writing a book proved challenging though ultimately rewarding for the two authors Spector goes on to explain. "Writing is very personal, so collaborating can either be a fantastic experience or a flat-out nightmare, depending. But when it works, it's great. In fiction I like both collaborating and working solo - each have something to offer. Film on the other hand is a fundamentally collaborative act. You take a lot of notes from the people involved and try to synthesize it into a cohesive whole. If you don't actively enjoy collaborating, film is not for you."

With shape-shifters being further embraced by popular culture - with examples of the creatures found in the likes of hit TV shows such as True Blood, Lost, Heroes, Supernatural and Fringe, to name but a few - it comes as no surprise that a film adaptation of Spector and Skipp's steamy, snarling, blood-hewn thriller would happen sooner or later. Boasting a fresh, hip and sexy cast including Marc Blucas (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, They, Deadline), Nicki Aycox (Jeepers Creepers II, Dead Birds), Eva Amurri (Dead Man Walking), Andy Corneau (One Hour Photo) and Naveen Andrews (Lost, Planet Terror), Animals looks set to unfurl as a highly sexual and emotionally wrought meditation on the damaging nature of love, destructive relationships, succumbing to primal instincts and the line that separates man from the beast within. Spector goes on to reveal why it was important for him to be part of the process of adapting his own work for screen. "I've always wanted all of my novels to be made as movies. I had worked with Barry (Rosenbush) and Bill (Borden) on adapting F. Paul Wilson's 'The Tomb' into the Repairman Jack movie, and I really liked them - smart producers who've done some great stuff. Barry approached me about doing Animals, as he'd wanted to make it for years. I really wanted it to be a great movie."

Producer Barry Rosenbush, who has championed Animals from the very beginning, and is an admirer of Spector's work, jumped at the chance of involving the writer in the project. "I have been, since I was a kid, and an avid reader of horror", claims the producer. "I have been working on turning F. Paul Wilson's 'Repairman Jack' series into a motion picture. In the process of looking for a screenwriter I hired Craig Spector because of the compelling writing he had done on the novel 'Animals', which was a great favourite of mine. So when I had the opportunity to finance a low budget independent movie; Animals was at the top of my list."

For Rosenbush the concept of man's inner animal and primordial lust proved too tantalising an idea to pass up. "We all are animals that have evolved incompletely into humans and our animal behaviours and reactions are still a great part of our emotional makeup", he offers, explaining what he believes the appeal of the story to be. "These root feelings exist just below the surface of our human soul. This is especially true for our primal drives of survival which are driven by our desires to feed and have sex. These real forces are in our DNA and we feel them always pulsing through our bodies. So this is why we are fascinated by werewolves, vampires and cat people because they percolate just beneath the surface of all of us and we are constantly searching for a key to unlock them. Be that our displays of what we wear, or the manipulation of our scent, or the alteration of our bodies."

The responsibility of helming Animals fell on Puppet Master 4 & 5 writer Douglas Aarniokoski (who also worked on the likes of Howling VI: The Freaks, From Dusk Till Dawn and Resident Evil: Extinction as an assistant director). As it evolved from page to screen, Spector and Skipp's tale of wolves in human skin lurking amidst herds of humans, would transmogrify as much as its deranged antagonists do. "Rule one of adapting book to screen - things change" states Spector. "The story changes because you simply can't put all the elements of one book into a movie. Changes are made in development, in production, in post production - the proverbial cutting room floor. As the writer you have next to no control over this, but you try to make all the changes work. Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't. But making a deal to adapt one of your own books to film is akin to being a birth parent and signing the kid away for adoption. It's your baby but someone else is going to be raising it."

"It ended up being a good bit different from the book and the scripts I wrote; and the movie I saw in my mind" Spector goes on to reveal. "But that comes with the territory. When a movie starts out the writer is absolutely critical to the process - it's the writer's vision. By the time it gets to production and in post it's all about the director's vision and you're lucky to be there at all. I'd like to do 'the writer's cut' of the movie - things that were shot but didn't end up in the final mix. There were some great moments that never made it to the screen."

In the current maelstrom of ample-budgeted Hollywood remakes, the relatively low-budget, left of centre Animals still looks set to provide salivating horror fans with something a little different from what they may expect. "It's not a body count movie, there's not a lot of gore" claims its writer. "It's more of a sexual horror story, a one night stand gone horribly awry, and I wanted it to be a twisted story about relationships. There are some fine performances - I thought Nicki Aycox brought a wonderfully wounded carnality to Nora. Naveen Andrews, likewise - not the Vic I originally imagined - but I thought he really breathed the part. I liked Marc's (Blucas) intensity and physicality. It was meant to be a grown-up horror story. I don't foresee a theme park ride coming anytime soon, though I already have an idea for a sequel!"

Likewise, producer Rosenbush believes that Animals will give horror fans something to howl about. "Most horror films go for body count and gore. My feeling is that a major element of Animals explores the cross between human and animal psychology as it relates to our primal appetites and sexuality." Explaining what kinds of ideas and themes appeal to him most as a film producer, and where Animals figures in the mix, Rosenbush goes on to reveal: "Ones that reach out and touch our hearts, minds and souls. That could be the beat of a good musical, the laugh of a funny comedy or the titillation of an erotic tale."

In terms of where it stands in the current horror spectrum, Rosenbush maintains "The film in my opinion speaks to the current morels we see all around us that urge us to find our sexuality and become the beast within us."

Briefly commenting on the challenges encountered while producing a low budget horror movie, Rosenbush declares "With the production of all films, and in particular low budget films, it comes down to time and money, without under serving the content of the story so you do not cheat the films audience's expectations."

As one of the most accomplished and recognisable purveyors of 'splatter-punk' - a term coined by film scholar David J. Schow referring to a movement within horror fiction distinguished by its graphic, overtly gory depictions of violence and horror - Spector is no stranger to the genre. Approached by New Line to come up with the story for Freddy Krueger's post Dream Master outing, A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 5: The Dream Child, Spector has a few firm notions about what makes for an effective horror tale. "Subverting expectations wherever possible" he explains. "We've all seen thousands of movies and are kind of hard-wired to expect certain things to happen at certain times, even if we're not conscious of it. So if you can find a way to twist a moment to knock people a little off-centre you can hook them, and you have an opportunity to scare them."

Throughout his eclectic career Rosenbush has produced, amongst other genres, his fair share of horror movies and also has ideas about what makes a truly effective and memorable horror film. "One has to touch a nerve that comes from reality. That is what arouses me. I believe, for the sophisticated audience, you need to reach inside of them to provoke their doubts in their beliefs and turn them around into accepting the dark and mysterious parts of our being and the unknown of our physical world we live in."

With a number of interesting projects lined up, including working with author Whitley Strieber ('The Hunger', 'Communion', 'The Wolfen') on an adaptation of their graphic novel collaboration 'The NYE Incidents' for Warner Bros./Dark Castle, Spector revealed what kind of stories intrigue and provoke him most as a writer and the kind of projects he wants to embark on in the future. "I like to think that my best work is ahead of me. I'm always looking for something that will either really scare or really intrigue me. I'm drawn toward the juncture between the purely human and the monstrous. I try to find the humanity in the monster and the monster in the human. People are the scariest monsters of all. So long as the world remains a curiously bent, depraved, twisted place there will be a place for my brand of horror. Fear is a renewable resource. I don't see the world getting any less scary anytime soon."