Taglines: The only way out is down.
As Above, So Below movie storyline. Following in her deceased father’s footsteps, alchemy scholar Scarlett Marlowe is obsessed with finding Nicolas Flamel’s legendary Philosopher’s Stone. As all clues lead to the labyrinthine Catacombs of Paris, Scarlett and her hand-picked team of old friends and ambitious urban explorers descend into the vast subterranean network, venturing deeper and deeper into forbidden uncharted areas. And before long, pure madness and sheer terror prevail, sealing the young intruders’ fate. But where do the dark pathways lead? Has anyone disturbed the sleep of the dead and lived to tell the tale?
As Above, So Below is a 2014 American horror film written and directed by John Erick Dowdle and co-written by his brother Drew. The film stars Perdita Weeks, Ben Feldman, Edwin Hodge, François Civil, Marion Lambert, and Ali Marhyar. The title refers to the popular paraphrase of the second verse of the Emerald Tablet. The film grossed $8.3 million its opening weekend, finishing in third place. It went on to gross $21.3 million in North America and $20.6 million in other territories, for a total worldwide gross of $41.8 million.
It is presented as found footage of a documentary crew’s experience exploring the Catacombs of Paris and was loosely based on the nine circles of Hell from Dante Alighieri’s epic 14th-century poem Divine Comedy. The film was produced by Legendary Pictures and distributed by Universal Pictures, making it the first film in Legendary’s deal with Universal. The film was released on August 29, 2014, received negative reviews from critics and grossed $41.8 million worldwide against its $5 million budget.
About the filming
The film was shot in Paris for two months in 2013. With permission from the French authorities, the film was shot in the real catacombs of Paris, making it the first film to get permission to shoot in the off-limits area. There was very little use of props, as the actors had to use the environment around them. Production in the actual catacombs was difficult for the cast and especially the crew as there was no electricity or cell phone service in the centuries-old tunnels. The filmmakers decided they would not bring lights to the catacombs and would just film it documentary-style, with a realistic approach to the camera and lighting. Many scenes were lit up by the actors themselves with their head lamps.
The only entrance to one of the main locations in the catacombs was through the parking lot of an hospital. “We would go into the trailers and get covered in blood, dust, scars, and gore, and then grab our coffees, and have a leisurely stroll through a hospital parking lot past doctors and patients all staring at us. We were just covered in blood and walking past all these people who could theoretically save us,” Ben Feldman said.
Feldman said that it was claustrophobic, cold, wet, tight, uncomfortable and there were no bathrooms in the catacombs, but that nobody had any major claustrophobia issues down there. Drew Dowdle said it was very hard spending four hours down in the catacombs and then coming out into Parisian June, and that they could not handle any sunlight and became “mole people”.
John Erick Dowdle said that both the actors and the crew were asked if they were claustrophobic, and then they did a wardrobe test underground to make sure they were not. The director said that one of the actors was not very comfortable down there, so they decided to make him claustrophobic in the film. While on set, the actor had to take a moment and calm himself. John Erick Dowdle said that they could feel his anxiety. “That particular actor had the most claustrophobic scene in the movie and he seemed to really enjoy what it did for his performance. His performance was so solid and I don’t think it was much acting,” Drew Dowdle said. The actor’s name was not revealed.
Some scenes were a total surprise for the actors, such as the scene with the all-female choir singing naked in the catacombs. The actors were kept in another part of the caves while the crew was setting up the shot, then they were told, “You know your lines, you know what’s happening in the scene, go in that direction and it’ll happen”.
A real car was taken to the catacombs to be set on fire with an actor in it. Pyrotechnics were used and director John Erick Dowdle tested it on himself first, not only to ensure safety, but also because he was amazed by the effect. Other filming locations in Paris were the Fontaine des Innocents, the Père Lachaise Cemetery, the Musée de Cluny, the Pont Alexandre III and the Eiffel Tour.
As Above, So Below (2014)
Directed by: John Erick Dowdle
Starring: Perdita Weeks, Ben Feldman, Edwin Hodge, François Civil, Marion Lambert, Ali Marhyar, Pablo Nicomedes, Hamidreza Javdan, Roger Van Hool, Samuel Aouizerate, Kaya Blocksage, Théo Cholbi
Screenplay by: Drew Dowdle, John Erick Dowdle
Production Design by: Louise Marzaroli
Cinematography by: Léo Hinstin
Film Editing by: Elliot Greenberg
Costume Design by: Annie Bloom
Set Decoration by: Camille Bougon-Pigneul, Eric Viellerobe
Art Direction by: Pascal Le Guellec
Music by: Keefus Ciancia
MPAA Rating: R for bloody violence/terror, and language throughout.
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Release Date: August 29, 2014
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