'The Night House' Star Rebecca Hall and Director David Bruckner Break Down Thriller's 'Labyrinthine' Plot (Video)

This story on David Bruckner’s “The Night House” was first published in January 2020 after the film’s premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

Director David Bruckner, who first broke out at Sundance with 2007’s “The Signal,” dropped by TheWrap studio at Sundance to discuss the obstacles he faced on his second solo-directed feature film, the psychological horror thriller “The Night House” starring Rebecca Hall. (Watch the interview above.)

“It was just challenging in several new ways,” Bruckner said. “There’s a confounding kind of labyrinthine aspect to the plot in the mystery and so that was a lot of plates to keep spinning.”

“As we move through it, it really focused on a central performance in a way that I had never had a chance to do. We had Rebecca carrying the movie, and we spend a large part of the movie with just Rebecca doing various things that she digs herself a deeper hole into the nightmare. It was fun in that way and it was complex challenge,” he added.

Also Read: ‘The Night House’ Film Review: Rebecca Hall Is Out of This Thriller’s League

Hall was eager to take on the role. “I think when the script is good and you can imagine it when you’re reading it then the job is just trying to match your imagination with what you end up doing when they say action,” the actress said.

“The Night House” centers on Beth (Hall) who is reeling from the unexpected death of her husband, and is left alone in the lakeside home he built for her. She tries as best she can to keep together — but then the dreams come. Disturbing visions of a presence in the house call to her, beckoning with a ghostly allure. But the harsh light of day washes away any proof of a haunting. Against the advice of her friends, she begins digging into his belongings, yearning for answers. What she finds are secrets both strange and terrible and a mystery she’s determined to resolve.

Bruckner goes on to discuss some of the film’s biggest influences.

“As far as like specific films that influenced it I think probably every haunt film that we’ve ever seen,” added Bruckner. “We talked a lot about ‘Turn of the Screw,’ going all the way back to that which was the initial question of is this happening at someone’s mind or is it something overt that’s happening in the world? Is it external? Is it internal? I think that there’s a long history of that kind of exploration in ghost stories and it is something that we embraced.”

The Scene From TheWrap at Sundance (Photos)

Clare Burgess, Sharon Waxman, and Leonid Solovyev of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Leonid Solovyev and Clare Burgess of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
"Sergio" producer Daniel Dreifous, producer Joe Pichirallo, Dean of USC School of Cinematic Arts Elizabeth Daley at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
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Director Julie Taymor, composer Elliot Goldenthal, actor DW Moffett, and "The Glorias" producer Lynn Hendee at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
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GLAAD's Jeremy Blacklow, "Disclosure" director Sam Feder and actor Harvey Guillén at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Panelists at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
TheWrap founder Sharon Waxman with GLAAD's Jeremy Blacklow, director Patricia Vidal Delgado, actor Harvey Guillén, actor Frankie Rodriguez and producer Taryn Arriola at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
Producer Paula Silver, Sharon Waxman and actor DW Moffett at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Jeremy Blacklow speaks at a panel at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
Rodriguez and Ariola at a panel at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
Panelists at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
Actor Harvey Guillén at TheWrap's panel at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
Panelists with Latinx House co-founder Monica Ramirez at the Latinx House at Sundance 2020.
Revolve Impact / Aly Honore & Claudia Torres
Toni Collette, Kelly Rowland and Yaani King Mondschein at TheWrap Studio at Sundance presented by Heineken
Glenn Close and Alec Baldwin at TheWrap Studio at Sundance presented by Heineken
"Spree" actor Joe Keery at TheWrap Studio at Sundance presented by Heineken
"Horse Girl" star Alison Brie signs a giant bottle for a charity auction at TheWrap Studio at Sundance presented by Heineken
Tara Miele and Sienna Mellier of "Wander Darkly" at TheWrap Studio at Sundance presented by Heineken
Guests at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Sharon Waxman, director Chris Miller, and Studios 101's Heather Phillips at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Attorney Steven Beer and guest at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Sharon Waxman at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Leonid Solovyev, Clare Burgess, Sharon Waxman, and Dean Daley at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Clare Burgess speaks at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Director Chris Miller and Studio 101's Heather Phillips attend a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
TheWrap's Sharon Waxman greets director Maïmoune Doucuré at a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
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“The Dissident” director Bryan Fogel and friend attend a cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
"Sergio" producer Daniel Dreifous, "Disclosure" producer Amy Scholder, "Disclosure" director Sam Feder, and GLAAD's Jeremy Blacklow at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Clare Burgess, Sharon Waxman, and Leonid Solovyev of the Breakthrough Prize Foundation at TheWrap's cocktail reception at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
"Cuties" director Maïmoune Doucuré speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
"The Glorias" producer Lynn Hendee and actor DW Moffett at TheWrap's influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Producer Joe Pichirallo at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
GLAAD's Jeremy Blacklow at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
"Disclosure" producer Amy Scholder and GLAAD's Anthony Ramos at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
DW Moffett at the annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Director Sam Feder speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
GLAAD's Anthony Ramos speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
"Sergio" producer Daniel Dreifous speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Leonid Solovyev speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Studios 101's James Allen speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Composer Elliot Goldenthal speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Dean Daley at TheWrap's influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Bryan Fogel speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Filmmaker Aviva Kempner speaks at TheWrap's annual influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca
Guests at TheWrap's influencer dinner at 710 Bodega in concurrence with Sundance 2020.
Lu Chau // Photagonist.ca