Interview with Author Ted Dekker
The Movie House, the Christian Author Label and Much More
Dec 23, 2008
In November viewers had the opportunity to see something a little out of the ordinary. House, based on the novel by Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti, is a Christian horror movie that carries an R rating (it will be released on DVD soon).
Yes, you read that right. A rated R Christian horror movie. However, according to Dekker, that label is misleading. He is associated with Christian stories but that does not make him a Christian author, nor does he subscribe to the Christian author label.
Author Ted Dekker Writes About Evil, not just Horror
Dekker went on to say that ultimately his books are about the confrontation between good and evil. He never set out to write horror stories. It just so happens that evil is often horrific, and he does not shy away from presenting evil as it really is.
The evil in House is a supernatural killer forcing the characters to examine their past. Each has a skeleton in their closet that is used against them. They are told that if they do not murder one person by morning, all four of them will be killed.
It is, Dekker admitted, a simple story, one that allows him to look at the dark side of poor choices. “It is very important to characterize dark and evil in ways consistent with their true nature.”
Dekker hopes that the final product surprises people, and he is right to be confident about the film. House is polished and confident, boasting first-rate production values and credible performances.
You would not guess it cost only $2 million to make. In fact, Dekker said he has heard that numerous times. “People in the industry can’t believe it only cost $2 million. They think it must have cost at least $10 million because of the production values.”
Saw, however, it is not. The rating has caused a bit of a stir and initially came as a disappointment to the filmmakers. There is little blood, no offensive language and not a single second of sexual content.
The official reason for the rating is “some violence and terror.” Dekker stated that the MPAA told the filmmakers there was no way they could cut scenes and get a PG-13. It is simply too intense from start to finish.
Everyone involved with House tried turning the initial frustration into a positive. “It takes us further out of the box,” Dekker explained. “Marketing was not done through Christian media. It was done in traditional ways with TV ads, trailers and newsprint advertising.”
Unfortunately, House did not find a large audience in theaters. It grossed about $575,000 but will surely do stronger business on DVD.
Dekker is quick to point out that House is no more Christian than other, extremely popular titles like The Matrix and The Lord of the Rings.
“People hear Christian horror and they think that does not work,” he stated. “It is an oxymoron. But some stories can’t be defined by labels. They simply examine truth, and truth has an awful lot to do with good and evil.”
In the end people might not have been willing to go outside of their comfort zone. Dekker said that is something Hollywood feels an aversion to, and it shows in the movies they make.
To Dekker it is not a matter of Christian or non-Christian. Many people simply do not like discussing evil. They prefer everything to be nice and neat, and they do not want their worldview challenged.
“People fear explorations of truth that defy their understanding of the world. That is why this movie is unique. People do not know what to do with it. It breaks all the rules.”
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