Over the course of nearly two years students and alumni of Murray State University produced a full-length film titled, “Collide” which blends elements of comedy and horror to tell the story of a woman who uses a dating app to find her next victim.
The vision for “Collide” was conceived by students Zachary Claggett, Abigail Michalek and alumnus and Hopkinsville native Dustin Wilcox.
Wilcox, who worked as a co-director and a writer, says work for the film began in March 2022 when Claggett approached him with the idea of making a feature film surrounding a female serial killer. As the pair were brainstorming the plot, Wilcox says they were inspired by the prevalence of swipe-based dating apps.
Wilcox says Claggett focused on many of the horror elements while he handled the comedic elements. Wilcox says as he was writing, a couple of films that inspired him were “Clueless” and “American Psycho.”
Claggett who worked as a co-director and a writer says he wanted to focus on a female serial killer since often times men play the roles of murderers in films while women tend to be portrayed as victims.
Claggett says the idea for “Collide” came to him following a short film called “Grief” he worked on with Murray State’s TV Club. Claggett says the short film was shown at Murray State’s Curris Center Theater and expected to do the same with “Collide.”
Claggett was doubtful that the local Murray movie theater, Cheri Theaters would be able to do a showing of the film, however the theater agreed to do a showing of “Collide” and Claggett describes the feeling as unreal to have a showing of the production at the local theater.
Along with Claggett, Wilcox is proud of the project they were able to produce saying along with their jobs and class work, they designated weekends on end to complete “Collide.” Wilcox calls it an occasion to “toot his own horn.”
“Collide” will premiere at Cheri Theaters on Saturday, December 2 at 1:30 p.m. and tickets are $2.
Photo and poster courtesy of Dustin Wilcox