S. Craig Zahler is one of the great new cinematic voices of the last decade. He hasn’t even gotten his due from critics either. Is it because of the film media constantly wondering what his political affiliations are? Does anyone outside of their bubble actually give a s**t? Of course not. That hasn’t stopped The Daily Beast from proclaiming him “the filmmaker making movies for the MAGA crowd.” What?!
“Bone Tomahawk”, “Brawl In Cell Block 99” and, especially, “Dragged Across Concrete” should speak for themselves. These are singular works from a singular cinematic voice. Zahler’s very much what one might qualify as a methodical filmmaker, depicting the madness of morally tortured men, His dialogue packs a satisfying snap and the action almost always plays out in unbearably excruciating fashion.
It’s been more than three years since “Dragged Across Concrete,” but Zahler has started pre-production on his next film, an Elephant Man-style puppet movie. This ambitious new project is based on his own book, titled “Hug Chickenpenny: The Panegyric of an Anomalous Child”, a gothic tale that he will bring to the big screen with the help of his new creative partners, The Jim Henson Company.
The film is said to be an orphan's tale. Zahler has even described it as "a little bit “Elephant Man”, and a little bit “Eraserhead." Its main protagonist will be an animatronic puppet. The film is said to be three hours long, shot in black-and-white and Dickensian in nature.
I’m told production on the film began a few months ago. Of course, nobody really noticed or bothered to report on it. Many have already locked in their opinions of Zahler and nothing will change their assumptions of what he is or what he should be. You can take Zahler for granted at your own risk, but a talent this raw and fearless cannot be ignored.