Captured Souls: In Conversation with Graham Humphreys is a triumph of a doc which gets to the heart as to why his artistry and creativity has earned him a legion of adoring fans. Here we chat to Chris about this incredible piece.
NYX: We last chatted some eight years ago, when you created the superb FrightFest documentary. What have you been up to since then?
CC: Before Captured Souls, I wrote and directed a documentary feature called Title (Year) Director. Place. That film told the story of Alan Goble, an English eccentric who, since the 1960s, has been compiling a list of every film ever made anywhere in the world. It's a very different film from Beneath the Dark Heart of Cinema and Captured Souls, but there is a through line that connects them: the power of cinema to drive our goals, passions, and obsessions.
NYX: How did this project come together?
CC: As I completed Title (Year) Director. Place, I wanted to make sure I had a next project. During post-production, I began writing the next film. However, it wasn't the right time to start on that film. So, I decided to wait and look for another subject. I have a list of possible films, and Graham's name has been on that list since I made the FrightFest doc, where we only touched on his work, because there wasn’t space in the film to go deeper. At the same time, Graham had just finished the poster for the latest film, Title (Year) Director. Place, and it evolved from there.
NYX: Did you decide on the format and construction?
CC: Yes, I had some clear ideas of what I wanted to do with the film. In the previous film, I'd incorporated a lot of direct cinema-style reconstruction, and I wanted to take that approach again. I also wanted to create a series of conversations that I could direct, but extract myself from. Presenting Graham's work as fine art was very important to me, but I also wanted to explore the key works in some different ways. There are a couple of other technical bits I also wanted to try.
NYX: This isn't a straightforward documentary about someone's life it's more of a dissection of horror and punk fandom via his work, was this deliberate?
CC: Yes, building on the themes that have run through the last two films, I wanted to explore the cultural influences on Graham's work, as well as the cinematic ones, this time. We were fortunate to gather a great group of participants with direct experience of the times and events.
NYX: His technique is quite original, I could watch him creating art for ages, what's it like to view him working in the flesh?
CC: Some of the shots of Graham at work are quite potentially intrusive. Viewing the brush strokes in macro detail requires you to be very close. It was in one of those moments that I shifted my gaze from the monitor to the real world and realised fully how privileged I had been to stand there and see the work develop. It is truly incredible to see the instantaneous thought and then the brush stroke; it is something hugely special.
NYX: You've managed to gather together so many famous faces to contribute to this, was much material left on the cutting room floor?
CC: There was not a vast amount of material we didn't use from those interviews, as the conversations were quite focused. What we didn't use was a shoot where Peter Fuller and Graham discussed Vincent Price whilst drinking absinthe. For everyone's benefit, that footage no longer exists.
NYX: Its an engaging, emotional and truly engrossing piece, you must be proud of it?
CC: I'm pleased with how it's turned out. It's a lot like I imagined it would be when I wrote it, that’s all I could really hope for at the start.
NYX: Did Graham have any final say over the piece?
CC: No. It's essential that I'm able to deliver the story as I see it. That's something we always agree at the beginning of each project.
NYX: Why do you think Graham's work is so revered not just by horror fans but art lovers?
CC: It's hard to describe (but we've tried to in the film); these are not just faces on posters or painted images. There is something that Graham manages to capture - emotions that he locks into the paper.
NYX: Will you be nervous when the movie has its world premiere at FrightFest 2025?
CC: More excited than nervous. As you might expect from someone who dedicated a couple of years to making a film about the festival, it means a lot to me to screen there. Not being a narrative horror director, I'd expected that screening eight years ago to be a once-in-a-lifetime screening. A second screening is a huge privilege.
NYX: So, what are you working on at the moment?
CC: I do have the next project in development, but it's too early to say much more about it yet. But it is a project that I think horror fans might be interested in.
NYX: Chris Collier, thank you very much.
CC: Thank you, James.
