Brock Harris (left) is the director of the new film Cottonmouth.Brock Harris (left) is the director of the new film Cottonmouth. Credit: Courtesy Images / Brock Harris
Filmmaker Brock Harris has always been fond of adventure flicks.
Movies featuring characters such as the Three Musketeers, Batman, James Bond and Indiana Jones inspired him to strive for ambitious storytelling throughout his career.
“It’s a challenge trying to make those types of big-budget films on a smaller scale,” Harris, 37, told the Current during a recent interview. “But if you can’t do something in your backyard, why would someone greenlight your film for tons of money and take that risk?”
Harris, who was born in San Antonio and currently lives in Austin, hopes to show studios he can handle the demands of a major production with his new film Cottonmouth.
Set in 1895 Oklahoma, Cottonmouth follows cowhand Ed Dantes (Martin Sensmeier), whose life is destroyed when he’s framed for a crime and sold to a territorial prison on the eve of his wedding. Under the control of a ruthless warden (Ron Perlman), Ed meets a fellow inmate (Esai Morales) who teaches him how to survive and prepares him to seek vengeance after he escapes.
During our interview, Harris discussed crafting a Western on an indie budget and the challenges of shooting in unpredictable conditions. Cottonmouth is currently available to stream on Prime Video.
What’s your personal relationship with the Western genre?
I love the Western because it’s about iconic American history. I’m really attracted to the grandeur of a classic hero going through something hard and overcoming it. I think most story archetypes in cinema are somewhat inspired by [Westerns]. Even something like Blade Runner and Star Wars, which are futuristic stories, could be seen as Westerns. So, it seemed like a rite of passage to make one.
Were there any Western filmmakers or films you revisited while making Cottonmouth?
Certainly [Italian filmmaker] Sergio Leone. I love Once Upon a Time in the West. I think The Proposition [starring] Guy Pearce that was shot in Australia is particularly cool. It gives you an idea of what is possible on an independent budget and a small setting. I was deeply inspired by classic novels with revenge narratives like The Count of Monte Cristo.
Where did a script like this originate?
I have a long history of making movies with [co-writer] Jared Bonner. We met as acting students. We’ve had all kinds of screenplays that we’ve started and not finished. [With Cottonmouth], I think he was sort of letting me have a turn at deciding our destiny in that I have this passion for Westerns. I think our priority was to make a revenge action movie, and [the Western] had a lot to do with the natural resources we had access to.
What creative or practical decisions helped you make the most of your resources?
Well, I knew that we were going to have to cut time. If I could have anything in my future films, it would be more shooting days. Getting everything just right in Cottonmouth — the horses and gunplay and action — takes a lot of time. One of the most important things was to have actors who were solid and were going to nail it on the first or second take.
So, it was helpful to have veterans on the set like Ron Perlman and Esai Morales, yes?
I was very fortunate to get them. The supporting cast were also some great guys who knew what they were doing. They have stage presence, and they knew how to deliver. One actor in particular, Creed Garnick, runs a ranch in Wyoming. He grew up bullriding. I knew I didn’t have to worry about him falling off his horse.
How were the horses themselves?
We had amazing horses. Horses are very dangerous. A lot of times, people worry about the guns in an action film like this, [but] the real danger is the horses. They’re unpredictable animals. But if you get a good herd and a good wrangler, it can be a bit easier than you might think. I pulled a lot of actors from the Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone) universe, so a lot of them grew up riding.
You shot the film in Oklahoma. Were there any unexpected moments during production because of the climate or landscape?
Yeah, Oklahoma is notorious for tornadoes and bad weather. I lost a couple of shooting days to it. That’s hard when you’re trying to squeeze every day for what you get. There were times where we’d have to halt shooting. There were some benefits being in Oklahoma too. My brother-in-law lives in Stillwater. He’s a welder, so he made my prison cage. Also, my dad got to be an extra in the movie because he was around. It’s hard to beat that hometown feel.
I’m guessing you had your fingers crossed for no tornadoes, but that would have added to the production value, for sure.
We did capture some genuine lightning! Somewhere in the middle of the film, we have this great closeup of a couple of the actors and the lightning is flickering in the background. God just helps you out sometimes.
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