The Last Stop in Yuma County is a sharp, self-contained film that scrutinizes themes of greed, the American Dream, and even social unrest over rhubarb pie. This film became quite popular within independent film channels, catching the attention of Sam Raimi, who then brought on writer and editor Francis Garuppi to take the lead on the project. Evil Dead Payment plans.
Filmhound I had a chance to speak with Garuppi before the UK Blu-ray release of The Last Stop in Yuma County from Arrow Video. He showed up wearing a cap featuring the phrase “physical media.”
The Last Stop in Yuma County is a wonderfully crafted movie, clocking in at a neat hour and a half. How much did that duration factor into your editing discussions?
Absolutely. You’re the first person to ask, and it’s amusing. I distinctly remember referring back to the script. I kept thinking, “Oh no, 60 pages for 60 minutes.” Every time I was behind schedule during editing, I’d have to really hustle to catch up. Of course that makes it 90 minutes. So, I tweaked the ending a bit to align with that. The distributor then adjusted the title card to slightly push the runtime past the 90-minute mark, which kind of bummed me out. I really wanted to adjust the final credits just to hit that perfect 90-minute target.
Were there any direct inspirations woven into the script? I mean, some viewers sense a mix of Hitchcock, Malick, Spielberg, and the Coen Brothers. What drove you creatively?
Honestly, I can’t write a truly happy ending—it just doesn’t ring true for me. I’m generally an optimistic person, but my writing tends to lean towards the cynical side. The characters really shaped the story for me, especially once the actors stepped into their roles. Initially, the script was strictly a dark comedy, but who knows how many pages it actually spun out to in the final product. Once I brought on Nicholas Logan and Connor Paolo, their performances made everything feel so much bigger, more vibrant.
You know, movies evolve. There’s the script, then filming, and finally, editing—each step transforms the work. I collaborated closely with my DP, who’s shot everything I’ve done. There was a moment when Nick Logan showed up in the second week and things just clicked. I remember telling my DP, “Let’s not just stick to the plans we made. We need to embrace the spontaneity of what we’re actually creating.” It’s all about being flexible, right? Otherwise, what’s the point?
So cool to hear you describe the joy of filmmaking. Despite all the serious tech, there’s a sense of excitement in creating something meaningful.
For sure, working with friends makes it even better. We’ve got the coolest jobs in the world, pretending to make a living while enjoying each other’s company. I take it seriously, of course—I worked out every single detail beforehand. I visited the locations frequently before pre-production started. It was meticulously planned because I had a mere 20 days to film and wanted to pull off all the practical effects, literally everything, from explosions to squibs.
If you prepare adequately, it allows room for fun. But if you wing it, you’re wasting both time and money. It’s crucial for me that everything’s ready; otherwise, you might find actors who aren’t committed to their roles. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case for me. I use a program called Shotdesigner to map out where all the actors and cameras will be positioned, which looks like a chaotic soccer diagram. And that typically makes the actors go, “Wow, you thought this through!”
Staying within the framework you’ve developed enables greater creativity, right? You really begin to see unique perspectives because of your chosen limitations.
Exactly. Given that we shot at a single location, I made a point to utilize every corner of that space to keep things fresh.
Incorporating your story—as it centers on a knife salesman—offers an interesting angle. It almost feels secondary until half the film is through. How did that evolve? Did you always know it’d focus on a knife salesman, or did it develop from an ensemble story?
I always envisioned it as a knife salesperson’s story. My childhood was filled with encounters with these salespeople. It was sort of ingrained as a narrative about greed. From the get-go, I wanted a standoff where you’re unsure who the protagonists actually are. And, yes, everyone dies; that’s his story. Crafting those characters was genuinely fun, even if I had no clear idea of how that standoff would unfold until it did.
As the editor for this project, what was your editing journey like with The Last Stop? Is creative control important to you?
Extremely important. I believe all filmmakers should try to edit their work, especially early in their careers. I relish the editing process. When you create a film, being alone in a room to piece it all together—organizing and reevaluating—there’s nothing quite like it. Sure, I feed off working with others too, but I enjoy both sides of the process.
I hope to edit everything I create. It might sound cliché, but it feels a lot like coloring within the lines. I put together a cut of this movie just three weeks after filming wrapped up. Honestly, it felt chaotic organizing all the footage, especially without an assistant editor. I nearly lost my mind sorting everything out, and my computer crashed a couple of times. I guess that’s the downside of handling all the raw footage—hard drive failures. Coming from a background in music, I have an internal rhythm that informs my editing, allowing me to manipulate timing in ways that enhance the flow.
This was a small independent film that turned out quite successful. You collaborated with scene champion Jim Cummings. How crucial is it to support independent filmmakers and push the industry forward in that way?
It’s vital. I’m always encouraging others—it’s part of my mission. Many emerging filmmakers believe they need a hefty budget to shoot, but that’s just not the case. There are tons of free resources available. Davinci, for example, is free for editing and coloring, and you can create sound on your own too. You can do a lot of this stuff yourself and save money.People often say things like, “We need an editor,” but you can become a better filmmaker by handling the process yourself, learning from your mistakes. You can really shoot a film on your iPhone and get great results if you know what you’re doing. I didn’t know much when I started—my background is music. I basically just gathered my friends, assigning roles as grip and AC, and learned everything from YouTube. Just get started, truly.
It’s incredible that Sam Raimi noticed your film. The way it all came together feels rather unexpected. What are your thoughts on that?
Absolutely. It’s surreal. I still can’t quite believe it. Sam is a major hero of mine. I recall making my first short film out in the desert, trying to channel the vibes of Raimi and his crew while shooting The Evil Dead. It was exhilarating to create something that echoed his work. Whenever I get a chance to discuss this, we should totally dive deeper into it.
You can grab a limited edition Blu-ray copy of The Last Stop in Yuma County from Arrow Video right now.
