How to scare friends and creep out people.Photo: Courtesy of Tim Palen.
Eli Roth Has His Dirk Diggler Moment
In this week’s issue, we talk to Hostel: Part II director and NYU alum Eli Roth about how he and Lionsgate marketed their gory sequel in the aftermath of Virginia Tech and the Captivity-billboard controversy. Surprisingly, many of Lionsgate’s sharpest posters were actually shot by Tim Palen, Lionsgate marketing exec and a part-time photographer. In July, Palen will publish Guts: The Art of Marketing Horror Films, a collection of his creepiest work, including a pornographic, absolutely not-safe-for-work portrait of Roth that we, with some reservations, premiere after the jump.
Eli Roth, raccoon-eyed and available.Courtesy of Tim Palen
We spoke with Palen about the money shot:
So, um, why?
‘Cause Eli would do it! He’s really brave. It’s called Eli Roth Has the Biggest Dick in Hollywood. It’s a double-page spread in the book.
How’d this happen?
We were shooting some publicity stuff in this cheesy hotel for Hostel 2 — then I just whipped that thing out of a box! Eli just said, “Oh, my god…” But I think he likes it too.
Where’d you get it?
I had K.N.B. Effects build it for me. I said, “I want a 24-inch devil-dick for Eli Roth.” They did the effects for Hostel. And Narnia.
Come to think of it, Mr. Tumnus was always a little kinky.—Logan Hill
Related: How to Sell Horror, Post-Captivity [NYM]
Scream Kings: Eli Roth and Quentin Tarantino [NYM]