Sundance 2021: PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND And Interview With Bill Moseley

If you were thinking you’d go into Prisoners of the Ghostland, the latest from director Sion Sono with Nicolas Cage in the lead role, and it wouldn’t be a wild ride – you are going to be exceptionally wrong. Of course, Cage does Cage best in the role of Hero, as his brazen, intense self, and it is a fun, strange, trip.

This first English-language film directed by Sion Sono, the part-samurai, part-spaghetti western, action-fantasy mashup doesn’t let up. Years after a botched robbery, we go into a futuristic time with Nicolas Cage playing a character known only as Hero as he’s brought before the villain Governor (Bill Moseley). One of his “grandaughters” Bernice (Sofia Boutella) has been taken into another, potentially paranormal land, after escaping his grasp and Hero is forced to get her back.

To ensure Hero’s assistance, Governor puts him in an explosive leather suit, one that has several bombs attached all over, from his neck to each of his balls. He’s got a five-day limit, and the one way to stop the bomb is to bring her back and get the key. In terms of description, with a film like this, I think less is more. He does eventually find Bernice, but what unfolds from there is a bit of a fever dream, as they attempt to understand this…Ghostland.

Yeah, it’s an amazingly bonkers narrative. The world design, set and costumes are so spectacular here that it makes everything seem loud – and I mean that aesthetically, as much as I do the performances. It’s all inherently feral, and it doesn’t shy away from being exactly what it is; bound to be a cult classic.

The most obscure of moments are my favorite: Cage riding off on a bicycle at first instead of a fancy car. Him screaming “testicle” at the top of his lungs when one bomb goes off. These are the things I treasure; sheer absurdity. It’s not just Cage who stands out. Sofia Boutella proves why she should be in more films, and I’d be remiss without mentioning Moseley‘s interesting take on Governor. I’m not sure I could imagine anyone else uttering some of these lines with such certainty.

Sono‘s idiosyncratic humor is as prevalent as ever here, and sometimes I wonder if he ever thought about taking anything out, or if every random concept made it into the final script. It’s so zany, I can’t help but imagine writers  Aaron Hendry and Reza Sixo Safai just decided to dive headfirst into a pool of excess. The music by Joseph Trapanese is one of my favorites from Sundance, and much like the stylistic variances, the score shifts depending on the scene and mood, and yet feels like East-meets-West in the best possible way.

There are moments where this film toes the line – the one of outrageous and incoherent – but somehow still manages to ensnare. Despite some areas that are slowed down, leaving the audience like they’re the ones a bit lost in the Ghostland, it wrangles us back in in the end. There’s no other way to say it, except: if you’re a fan of the bold and outrageous, get on board with Prisoners of the Ghostland, and hold the F on.

I was able to speak with Bill Moseley, classic horror icon and one of the stars of Prisoners of the Ghostland, about getting into the character, and his initial thoughts on the eccentric role. The full interview will be available when the film is released theatrically, with the date to be determined later.

This is Kristy Strouse with Film Inquiry, Thanks for chatting with me today! I really enjoyed the film.

Bill Moseley: Thank you!

As someone who has played some very interesting roles, this is a different one for you. How would you describe the Governor to viewers?

Bill Moseley: The Governor is a kind of a badge. You know, when I approached the Governor, I saw him somewhere between, in the vicinity of Colonel Sanders and Foghorn Leghorn. I don’t know if you remember that cartoon.

Yes. I do!

Bill Moseley: Yeah. Okay, the last person I spoke with didn’t, and that’s me betraying my age, with an old cartoon reference. [Laughs]. But the Governor is… he thinks he’s running the show and a lot of times, of course, you know, it ends up, he is. But, life has other plans for the Governor.

I think the Governor is happy in his work. You know he’s, he’s mean and ruthless and, you know, perverse and all the other things that one can heap on the Governor but I think he really enjoys this life. At least certainly up until the end.

Yeah. And you know I love his, his whole getup with the white suit, cowboy hat, and red gloves, some very terrific costume choices here that I loved.

Bill Moseley: Yes! They sent me about 30 different measurements. This was when I  had gotten the part. So many measurements; my wrist size, etc. And then when I got to Japan. The first time I met Sion was during the costume fitting, and I put on this costume that had been very carefully calibrated to my every contour and things were, you know, still uncertain. I was still kind of wondering who this character was. Yet, as I was putting on that costume it was really a big part of it. Then of course came the piece de resistance: the red gloves. And as soon as I put those on, I realized, okay so I am like a caricature of capitalism. And, you know,  I’m…pristine, except I have blood on my hands. That’s how I translated it. And as soon as I got that, as soon as I put the gloves on, that’s when the character came to me.

That’s amazing. Sometimes it just takes that extra touch! Was there any collaboration after, with Sion, regarding the character of the Governor?

Bill Moseley: Not really. But, my biggest concern was trying to get out all of those lines about Nic’s costume.

Quite the introductory scene!

Bill Moseley:  There it was… so, so precise and it had to be there. You know what I like to do and maybe, call me a lazy actor, but a lot of times when I’m actually in the moments, you know, quote-unquote, I like to, you know, I try to find different ways of saying the same thing. A little improv. But when you’re doing something that’s scientific and specific there really is no wiggle room you can’t budge. And so, right before I did the part, wife and I were on the Mekong River in Vietnam on a little boat called “The Princess.” And we were going up the Mekong River from Vietnam up to Cambodia. And I would sit on the deck chair. And I just kept pounding the lines about describing the suit [that Cage wears]. And when I got to Japan I would walk along the shores of a lake pounding those lines, and I was so excited when the day came and there’s Nic. He is wearing the suit and I’m there. Now it’s time for me to describe his exploding suit, and I had planned those lines so much that I think we got it in one take. That was one of those, moments, you know? Where you wipe the sweat off your brow because it’s so big. Thank you to the gods of acting and the cue for whispering those lines in my ear. But, you know, the governor is also one of those parts where it really kind of plays itself. And, which I’m also very grateful for.

We are too!

We want to thank Bill Moseley for taking the time to speak with us. For more of the conversation, stay tuned!