“After working with Susan Priver on Ed Kemper, I knew she was the one and only actor to play Dorothea.”
Known for his fearless dives into the darkest corners of human behavior, writer-director Chad Ferrin returns with Dorothea, a chilling true-crime horror film based on the story of the infamous killer landlady, Dorothea Puente. After exploring the minds of male serial killers in Pig Killer and Ed Kemper, Ferrin shifts focus to a seemingly harmless woman whose polite façade masked unimaginable cruelty. Blending true crime realism with genre-inspired dread, Dorothea captures the horror of evil hiding behind lace curtains and warm smiles. In this interview with HorrorBuzz, Ferrin opens up about finding empathy in darkness, working once again with actress Susan Priver, and what continues to draw him to stories where the monsters are all too human.
Learn more about the film and where to stream it here.
Jordan von Netzer: What drew you to the story of Dorothea Puente? Was there a particular detail or event that made you say, “I have to make this film”?
Chad Ferrin: Having done a couple male serial killer films, Pig Killer and Ed Kemper, I wanted to mix it up a bit, so I started researching female killers and came across Dorothea. Her story was captivating, to say the least, sort of like a Robert Aldrich film jumping off the page.
Chad Ferrin
JVN: True crime stories often blur the line between fascination and fear. How did you navigate portraying real-life horror without glorifying it?
CF: I try to make the victims and their killers as human as possible, and in that, relatable to the audience. It’s important to try and get inside the head of the both and tell their story as real as possible, including the violence, terror and aftermath. I feel true crime is so popular because it really happened and could happen again to you, me, or the next-door neighbor.
JVN: What central themes were you most interested in exploring through this story?
CF: The strength, cunning and cold-blooded nature of Dorothea Puente. I mean, right or wrong, there is something to admire in a woman that will do anything to succeed. No conscience, no regret, she lived by her own rules.
JVN: Were there any major changes between your first draft and what ended up on screen?
CF: Very few, we ended up shooting the 4th draft of the script.
JVN: Does Dorothea reflect any fears or fascinations of your own?
CF: Getting caught. In my youth, I was busted for check forgery and ended up serving 3 months in jail. I learned my lesson, but there is always that fear when I see a police car in my rearview mirror.
JVN: How did you find the right actor to embody Dorothea? What qualities were you looking for?
CF: After working with Susan Priver on Ed Kemper, I knew she was the one and only actor to play Dorothea.
JVN: Were there specific horror films, true crime documentaries, or directors that influenced your tone and pacing here?
CF: Goodfellas, What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?, 10 Rillington Place were my biggest influences.
JVN: What do you hope audiences take away from the film beyond the scares?
CF: I hope it sparks an interest to dive deeper into Dorothea’s case and true crime in general.
JVN: After Dorothea, are you interested in continuing in this psychological territory, or shifting to something entirely different next?
CF: We’re putting the finishing touches on Sunset Strip Killers and then shooting Devil’s Disciple: The Night Stalker in February.
