Joe Hill needs little introduction to regular visitors to Celsius 232 in Avilés (Asturias, Spain), which is celebrating its 15th edition this year. A regular attendee, prolific horror writer and, more commonly in recent times, an acclaimed creator of stories for both the small and big screen, including In the Tall Grass, Locke and Key. However, his connection with cinema began long before his now distinguished career as a writer, although it did have the same origin: his father, Stephen King.
"When I was 8, my father cast me in a small role in a Creepshow episode. I played a character called Billy, a boy who loves comics, but his father doesn't. When his father took them away, Billy decided to get his own back and cast a voodoo spell on his father using a doll." He didn't enjoy the experience at all, and it took him 40 years to appear on screen again.
"I also had a small part in Locke & Key, and I think I did what nobody could do better than me: 'give the worst performance as a nurse in history.'"
Continuing with his film anecdotes—since this year's panel focused on this aspect—his most terrifying experience watching a film was also during his childhood. "Disney's Sleeping Beauty - when the witch Maleficent summons the powers of hell and transforms into a dragon - that was just too much for me."
"I can also tell you what my favourite film is. It's Jaws. Even today, I still watch it over and over again."
Inevitably, the conversation turned to his work as a writer and screenwriter, and one interesting detail is the way he visualises the scene he is writing - something he has done since his very first job.
"When I wrote my first novel, Heart-Shaped Box, I always imagined it as a John Carpenter film that was never made. With its framing, its lighting, its colours - everything. And conversely, some films I watch inspire me enough to fuel my stories."
Finally, Hill looked back at some of the adaptations of his work, such as Black Phone, Horns, In the Tall Grass, etc. And he particularly regretted one project that never saw the light of day, because Disney thought it was too violent and terrifying.
"I'm really sorry that Andy Muschietti's version of Locke and Key didn't come to fruition; I loved his touch of horror."