When you think of Valentine’s Day, your mind thinks of red hearts and roses. Now, you can associate the holiday of love with pools of blood and gore. And it’s all thanks to the recent and well-received slasher flick Heart Eyes. This movie has the simple premise of a killer slaughtering couples on Valentine’s Day. However, the influence behind it is complex, with a specific film contributing the most. But which movie helped the director of this feature find the direction for their masterpiece?
A Horror Film For Valentine’s Day
Heart Eyes follows the titular antagonist whose calling involves killing loving couples on Valentine’s Day. The movie mostly features its two protagonists, Ally McCabe and Jay Simmons. Ally, portrayed by Olivia Holt, is an ad designer who endured a recent breakup. Her latest commercial failed because it featured unfortunate couples like Romeo and Juliet. Ally’s boss has her collaborate with Jay, played by Mason Gooding, to fix it. The new co-workers decide to have a work dinner together that ends with a kiss.
They arrive at Ally’s apartment, and Heart Eyes attacks them without warning. Ally and Jay manage to escape the killer and flee to the park. The police later arrest Jay under the suspicion of being Heart Eyes. The claim falls through after the real murderer attacks the police station. Ally and Jay lure their pursuer to a drive-in, where they kill and reveal him. It seems to be over until Ally gets a phone call from the serial killer.
The Influences Behind This Movie
Director Josh Reuben wanted a tone of horror and fun when creating Heart Eyes. He looked at the works of various directors to achieve this goal. One of the most prominent was Joe Dante, the director of the cult classic Gremlins. Reuben mentioned the mother versus gremlins in an interview with Bloody Disgusting on Feb. 6th. Another person he studied was John Carpenter, the mastermind behind The Thing and Halloween. Reuben also revealed he wanted to pay homage to the original My Bloody Valentine.
Despite being a slasher film, Heart Eyes is also a romantic comedy. Reuben expressed his fondness for the genre in the previous Bloody Disgusting interview. His favorite movies include Sleepless in Seattle, Defending Your Life, and Big. Their influence can noticed during sections like Ally and Jay’s initial meeting. Reuben even mentions how Jaws and Get Out inspired his use of blue moonlight. Countless features have influenced this flick, though one stands out the most.
Most Prominent Influence of Heart Eyes
According to Reuben, a major influence of Heart Eyes was Friday the 13th: Jason Lives. He considered the movie by Tommy McLoughlin his north star and the gold standard. Reuben also views it as a white whale for being fun, silly, and brutal. Jason Lives helped shape the personality and movements of the titular killer.
Reuban instructed Alex McColl, the stunt performer, to watch the aforementioned horror film. He wanted McColl to somewhat emulate the head cock Jason is often famous for.Even though he had a template for Heart Eyes, Reuben had further instructions for McColl. He wanted some actions sharpened and others to be as sensual as possible.
The latter direction stems from the fact the villain is a semi-erotic character. Reuben and McColl discussed renowned individuals like Pinhead to get a general idea. Nevertheless, Reuben wanted McColl to bring originality to Heart Eyes while adhering to his vision. Their work, in the end, created an antagonist as iconic and memorable as Jason Voorhees.
Final Thoughts
Heart Eyes is an intriguing feature film since it blends horror, romance, and comedy. Critics praised this revolutionary movie for its creative gore and use of practical effects. I’m impressed Jason Lives influenced the creation of this film. This newest addition to Hollywood’s serial killers also has some visual similarities to Jason himself. It wouldn’t surprise me if Heart Eyes returns in a sequel. But it can only be another success if Reuben is in charge.
