Ellory Elkayem looks back on the making of Larger Than Life…

While your features are often full of color and have a lighthearted tone, your short film Larger Than Life was shot in black-and-white and was an homage to the B-movies of the 1950s. was this an era of cinema you have a special interest in and have you considered making a feature-length movie in this style?

“It was really just a case of one thing leading to another. I’d made quite a few short films before Larger Than Life and they were okay but didn’t really grab people like I’d hoped they would. I went to see Jurassic Park in 1993 and it made huge impact on me. I thought, “Why not do a creature feature as a short film?” After that, I watched a lot of the old black and white horror movies of the 1950s (Tarantula, Them, The Incredible Shrinking Man) and I thought it would be cool to do it in black-and-white with a lot of suspense and very little dialogue. I knew it would travel well that way and I also knew I could hide the effects easier too, so it kind of served two purposes, practically and stylistically. I also put a lot of effort into the musical score. We hired a composer and a sixty-piece orchestra. Bernard Herrmann was a big influence here. I just saw the trailer for The Artist and it looks fantastic. I haven’t ever considered making a feature length movie in black-and-white but maybe now’s a good time to start thinking about it.”

How did your earlier shorts differ from Larger Than Life and what do you recall of them?

“I was twenty when I made my first officially funded short. It was funded by the QEII Arts Council (now called Creative New Zealand) and was called The Fifth Chair. It was about a guy who goes to church every Sunday but his life sucks, so he feels let down by God and joins a Satanic cult. It was designed as a black comedy and was quite ambitious for a first short. After that, I made a little fantasy film called The Trade that was inspired by an Isaac Asimov story about two boys from different periods in time. Right after that I made a simple little road movie called The Passenger. I guess I was trying different things and learning by doing. I knew that there was an opportunity to apply for a large budget short through the New Zealand Film Commission, but I didn’t want to do that until I felt I’d gained enough experience to really knock it out of the park.”

What came first; the idea to make a tribute to old creature features or the basic story?

“The basic story. The idea of being alone in a house and having a regular spider problem that escalates into something crazy and horrifying where the spiders just keep getting bigger and bigger. It was kind of like taking your worst nightmare and putting it on the screen.”

How much research did you do regarding the methods filmmakers used during the 1950s and did you study old movies in order to re-create a specific visual style?

“I didn’t really do a lot of research because I watch so many movies and the good ones I watch over and over again. I didn’t really limit myself to the 1950s period either. Hitchcock was a huge influence, always has been. When the spider attacks the girl in the shower, we wrote the violin screeches from Psycho into the score just for that moment. Citizen Kane, of course, is the ultimate in terms of visual style for a black-and-white film. I guess the best ones stick in your subconscious.”

Was the concept a relatively easy sell with regards to gaining funding or did you have to do a lot of convincing that there would be an audience for this kind of film?

“I had a good script so it was a relatively easy sell but it took me a almost a year to finally get approved. First, I had to convince them that I could pull off the special effects. I shot a test that achieved this but then there wasn’t enough money available for the next go around, so I had to apply again before I was approved. I remember being very excited when I was finally approved.”

Did you make any deliberate references to classic movies in your film?

“Musically, with Psycho in the shower scene as I mentioned earlier, and also near the end when she stabs the giant spider with a fire poker. That was a nod to The Incredible Shrinking Man when he stabs the spider with a giant sewing needle. They used a real spider for that movie and it looked great. Really terrifying.”

How long did it take for you to complete your script and did the final draft differ to your original concept?

“I wrote it pretty fast. In a couple of weeks I think, but they were very focused weeks. I put a sign on my door that said “Writing! Do not disturb!” I also had a note pinned up on my wall that said KISS (Keep it simple stupid), i.e.; choose a simple premise and do it really, really well. I like to put the entire script up on the wall no matter how long it is. You get a nice overview of the entire story and you can quickly see where things need editing or moving or whatever. I did have a dream sequence in the original draft where she goes into the bathroom and sees all these little spiders on the wall. The spiders move to form the word “murderer” then suddenly scatter before she wakes up terrified. I ended up cutting the scene from the script for budgetary reasons and because I thought it was better to keep everything grounded in that particular reality.”

What kind of budget were you allocated and how was this divided around the production?

“$135,000 New Zealand dollars or $111,000 US dollars at today’s rate. Yes, a good-size budget, especially by today’s standards. I wanted to make a really polished production so I hired a DP who’d made a lot of commercials. He’d done some very nice work in black-and-white and it caught my eye. I guess, when you consider that some sixty-second commercials cost a million dollars, it’s not such a big budget. It’s just that people usually tend to make shorts on a shoestring. In this case, I had some rope to play with and that was nice. Cast and crew were paid and all of the money went on the screen. I think we spent about $30k on the FX, about $7k on the score and a lot on lighting, production design and post. It all gets eaten up surprisingly fast.”

How were the spiders created and how involved were you with the designing of them?

“I based the design of the spider on the Katipo. One of the few, or perhaps the only, poisonous spider in New Zealand. You never hear anything about it because I don’t think it’s bite is fatal. I was friends with a model maker at the time and he designed a puppet version of the big spider for close up shots. The puppet spider was controlled by wires and levers and needed several puppeteers to operate. The complex moves could only be achieved using a CGI model. This was created in 3D Studio Max which I think was was fairly new back in 1996.”

Were you very specific about how you wanted the film to look and did you create detailed storyboards?

“Yes. Very specific. I had storyboards and a shot list. The DP insisted on a specific black-and-white Kodak film stock from the 1960s with a very low ASA, so we had to pump a lot of light into the set. That’s what gives the film its clean, high contrast look. It would’ve looked even better if we had done the sound digitally. Printing the sound onto a color optical sound negative kind of washed out the contrast. The DP almost walked out of the first screening because of this. For the DVD release on Eight Legged Freaks this wasn’t an issue, so it actually looks better on DVD. I also read about the making of Schindler’s List in an American Cinematographer magazine. The production designer did a lot of film tests with his colours and shades to make sure they would turn out the way he wanted them to in black-and-white. I insisted that we do the same for Larger Than Life and it definitely helped the look of the film.”

Was Larger Than Life shot on film or digital and were you proud of the results?

“It was shot on Super 16mm and blown up to 35mm. Super 16 has a slightly wider aspect ratio than regular 16 which is nice. The effects plates were shot on 35mm with a Mitchell camera that holds the film very steady so the background doesn’t jiggle around behind the animation. I was pleased at how well the Super 16 and 35 blended together. It’s hard to tell the difference.”

Do you wish that Eight Legged Freaks had been closer in tone to Larger Than Life and have you considered adapting it into a feature once again?

“Ha. Some people like the short more than the feature but people love Eight Legged Freaks too. It really comes down to personal taste. The producers on Eight Legged Freaks were very clear from the beginning that they wanted a funny/scary spider movie in the vein of Tremors and I was cool with that. I also think it helped make the film easier to stomach for a lot of people. Sometimes it’s nice to have a laugh after you’ve wet your seat.

But yes, it would definitely be fun to make a feature length creature feature that was truly terrifying. I think Ridley Scott achieved this with Alien. I also really liked Monsters by Gareth Edwards. A very fresh take on the genre. One of my favourite classic creature features would have to be Creature from the Black Lagoon. Now there’s a movie that would be fun to remake!”

Violet Morphine talks about life as a model…

How much of Violet Morphine is a fictional character that you have created in order to explore and experiment as an artist, and how much of your true self do you incorporate into your work?

“Violet Morphine might have started out as an alter ego for modelling but if that was the case (because I started going under that name at about fourteen) the lines have definitely blurred now. I do think there’s a lot of my true self in my work though. I mean physically it’s me in the photos and even if you’re playing a part for a shoot the real you is always going to be there.”

Having earned diplomas in make-up, was it your intention to work behind the scenes or did you always plan on becoming a model? How have you put your knowledge of make-up to professional use?

“I look at my make-up work as much more of a career… you can work behind the camera a lot longer than you can work in front of it (as a general rule). I only graduated the couple of make-up courses I’ve done recently so I haven’t made a whole lot of use out of the certifications yet; just make-up for brides, model portfolio building and short films, etc. It’s always good to have something to fall back on too.”

Was it specifically how to apply make-up to models that you studied or did you learn prosthetic effects and how to create fake blood for theatre?

“I learned both! I did Beauty for a year then moved on to doing a Diploma in Cinemagraphic Make-up, then a Diploma from Cinema Make-up School’s “Master Make-up” course. Both diplomas taught special effects as well as beauty, looks from different eras and airbrushing amongst other things.”

Has the world of fashion been as you had expected it to be and do you feel that models, women in particular, are treated with respect in this industry or are they merely products?

“I was quite young when I started out doing photoshoots so I don’t remember if I had any expectations and what they would have been… so I can’t really say! I think most models are treated with respect on the bigger scene. I’d say the models more likely to be treated like objects are the ones who work more in nude modelling than the kind of modelling I do.”

While your style of modelling and fashion could perhaps be best described as alternative, this is often the label attributed to the likes of Suicide Girls and Gods Girls, both of which are known for their pornographic aspects. How do you feel about this kind of modelling and do you find that you are sometimes mistaken for a Suicide Girl?

“I’ve started to get out of the alternative modelling; my newer shoots coming out are fashion-based. I think that’s just where I’ve out grown the… I’m not going to say phase, but my personal interest in fashion has started to deviate from the gothic and alternative looks. When I was about fourteen-fifteen I wanted to be in the Suicide Girls so bad! They had all the piercings and coloured hair and tattoos that I didn’t have, but now that I could apply to become one I’ve kind of lost interest. But yes, I do get asked if I’m a Suicide Girl a fair bit!”

How has your modelling influenced your own personal style? Having worked with such companies as Gore Couture, do you often wear these kinds of clothes on a regular basis and what kind of style did you have prior to becoming a model?

“My personal fashion sense is constantly changing and evolving, similar to what I said to your previous question. For years all I would wear was black and my corsets and such all the time. You couldn’t get me to go anywhere if I didn’t have caked on eyeliner and platform boots! I don’t know how you’d describe my style now! A friend of mine actually tried yesterday, all she had to say was I didn’t look like I belonged in the supermarket we were shopping in!”

You have had some acting experience over the last couple of years. What kind of projects have you worked on so far and do you think that your background as a model has helped prepare for performing in front of the camera?

“I used to do some work with a project called Scard TV, which unfortunately never really took off the ground. I’ve done a couple of short films but beyond that I haven’t really acted. Any film work I’ve done, be it Scard TV, short films, whatever, I’ve never sought it out. I’ve always been asked to do it but I don’t search for ways to be on film. Modelling helps in the way that as a model you should know your body and face, what angles work well, which ones don’t, as well as building self-confidence I think! I know I’ve become a lot surer of myself over the years I’ve been modelling.”

Do you have any other projects outside of the world of modelling and what plans do you have for 2012?

“Making/recycling clothes! I love sewing and creating things. Painting and drawing are always good too. Other than that nothing that people want or need to hear about. More personal life-related. Make-up projects are pretty high up the list for 2012!! The year started off amazing and it’s treated me well so far, so fingers crossed everything keeps going smoothly!”

Photo Credits: Dystopian Studios, Robert Varkevisser

Dave Reda talks about My Undeadly and surviving in the modern film industry.

You have a background in improv comedy, yet your main focus as a filmmaker has been in the horror genre. Did you have any plans to make a comedy movie or do you feel your talents are better suited to scaring your audience?

“I love horror and comedy, some of my most favourite films have a great balance between them. I want to do it all, I never know where inspiration and my crazy head are going to take me.”

It has been almost six years since the release of your feature debut, Bit Parts, during which time you directed the acclaimed shorts Horror of Our Love: A Short Film and My Undeadly. Now IMDb lists your next project as something called Shadow; what can you reveal about this?

“I love doing the short films and music videos, but felt it was time to get back to doing feature films again. Shadow is going to be quite a horror ride, and a lot darker of a film than I usually put out there. Can’t really say too much about Shadow right now as it’s in preproduction, but here is the official press release… It’s been years since we last had a horror icon to fear lurking in the shadows of the night. You will not only fear Jessica Cameron as Shadow, but love her horribly beautiful path of destruction, as she comes back from the underworld to take revenge on those stupid enough to put her six-feet under in the first place.”

As an independent filmmaker, how do you feel that piracy and file sharing has affected you personally and would you say that the positive aspects of the internet, such as being able to self-promote through social networks, has helped to balance this out?

“My film Bit Parts has been pirated already and is all over the world, it’s just going to happen. The way to look at it is, these are people that pirate movies, they probably wouldn’t have paid for my film anyway, and at least they are getting to see my film. Also, the fact that my film got pirated at all and is in demand is a good thing in a weird way. The social networking sites are awesome for getting word out there, and gaining your following towards the projects and things you are doing. Independent film voices can now be heard like never before, and it’s been key for me in getting my stuff out there. If you actually have something to say, the people will listen and are out there.”

What would you say are the main lessons you have learnt over the last few years directing short films and what kind of market is there for them in the current climate?

“The main lesson I have learned is that there really isn’t a great market for selling short films. Features are where the money is at and what people really gravitate towards. Short films are awesome to get your name out there, garner attention, and tell a quick fun story. Even with the websites out there, extra TV channels, and compilation DVDs, shorts films just aren’t going to bring in the money, for that you have to go feature film. Also, developing the right team is very important. Without the proper team behind you, your films will never get to that next level.”

For your last film you were able to shoot exteriors outside the house that John Carpenter had used for Halloween. How did you manage to achieve this and did it feel eerie standing in such an iconic location?

“Once I found out that the house stood only fifteen minutes from where I lived I knew I HAD to shoot there. It’s actually no longer a house but holds a business now; they were really cool about it. As long as I kept it outside they really didn’t care what I did, it was awesome. As a horror fan, I have to admit I was geeking out a bit going for the same iconic shot, it was so very cool, a highlight for me as a film maker for sure!! “

Do you still enjoy performing and how did it feel to be subjected to the make-up chair?

“I do!! Always fun to get in front of the camera, and give it a good Grrr!! Also, like on my last film My Undeadly, I got to act with awesome actress Michelle Tomlinson. She is so very talented and a sweet person, makes it a lot of fun! I had always wondered if I could handle being in a make-up chair for hours, and it was a blast!! For My Undeadly I was in the chair for four hours, it was a actually a lot of fun and quite relaxing. It only got a little rough at the end when I couldn’t talk for the last hour of the application and I could hear my crew setting up the first shot. My eyes were just getting bigger and bigger, dying to talk, as my awesome make up artist Alexis Staats pleaded with me not to… It was a blast!!”

While 3D and CGI seems to dominate the market at the moment there is also a revival of 1970s/1980s low budget horror. How do you personally feel about digital effects slowly replacing prosthetics and stop motion and are you ready to embrace the new age of filmmaking?

“I think there is a place for all of it; CGI when used to aid a film or make something look a little tighter it can be awesome. When CGI effects become the star it losing something, performances hurt and so does the story. Like anything, I think as filmmakers we are all learning how to use and play with our new toys. There is a lot we can do today that you couldn’t just a few years ago, it’s a beautiful time to be a filmmaker because now you can tell an amazing story like never before! Embrace the new and let it help create and inspire new horribly wonderful things!”

When the story was adapted into a feature film, Sullivan was once again brought onboard to help design the ghouls and The Evil Dead was born. The movie’s success allowed him to forge a professional career in the industry and soon Sullivan found himself working on such hits as Evil Dead II and The Fly II. Over recent years he has gained acclaim through his website DARKAGEPRODUCTIONS, creating replicas of his movie work.

Tom Sullivan talks about the innovation of digital effects, his upcoming documentary and his desire to return to the Evil Dead franchise.

In the thirty years since you made your first movie special effects have made several significant changes, specifically with the innovation of CGI. What challenges have you faced adapting to this new technology and how do you feel about digital effects??

“I think Alvin Toffler’s book Future Shock sums it up. I haven’t adapted well at all to digital filmmaking. I am okay with Photoshop but hardly a master at it. I bought the Adobe Creative Suite with Premiere Pro and After Effects and other programs ten years ago. The tutorials and instructions were incomprehensible. I bought the Dummy books and I couldn’t even get the instructions to match the screen. I never edited a frame, much less did any effects. Hundreds of dollars down the drain. I feel defrauded by Adobe. Several times I asked their Customer Support what courses I could take in a local college to understand their manual. They never had an answer. Their Premiere Pro manual comes with no glossary so I was lost. Grrrr. I’m not a computer engineer and they can’t explain how to use their product. Not made for each other I guess. With my own failings at digital filmmaking aside, I do love what is being done with digital filmmaking and I wish I could participate.”

Many modern filmmakers have chosen to replace practical effects with fully digital characters, yet the most effective are those that incorporate both. Which movies do you feel have best demonstrated this??

“At one point I’d have said the Jurassic Park films but today’s digital composites are almost impossible to detect. This subject comes up at my convention appearances and the fans and I are in agreement. We prefer the “old school” approach to the digital deluge. Bottin’s Thing comes to mind. I’m curious what the prequel’s approach and reception will be. I’m not as hard as some on the digital FX results. There are clearly many digital FX houses that have the talent, time, budgets and finesse to produce miracles. When I see Weta’s Kong, I see a living, thinking animal. And many more spectacular images and characters are being developed by growing armies of creative artists. That can only be a good thing. I just saw Captain America and Battle L.A., both extensive greenscreen films. I can’t tell where the set ends and the magic begins unless I use deductive reasoning. And that’s cheating.”

What kind of effects do you specialise in and what were your first attempts at creating FX when you were younger?

“Actually I don’t specialise in effects. I taught myself a variety of skills in order to become an Über Director but my plan failed spectacularly. Growing up and reading film magazines like a fanatic, I was watching Lucas and Spielberg launching their large productions and hiring dozens of artists to supply hundreds of design alternatives to illustrate their creative film concepts. My plan was to expedite that by being able to have my production designs, storyboards, effects designs, art direction, script writing, all done by myself as a cost-cutting and creative monopoly on the film.

When the Book of the Dead (renamed The Evil Dead) opportunity came along Sam Raimi only needed the “special effects” Tom Sullivan, which was fine, but I kind of got typecast and since I didn’t pursue FX and went back to Illustration my film output has been rather low.

Ever since I saw the original King Kong I have been fascinated by stop-motion animation. As in the towns I lived in I was the only geek interested in making movies and so it was hard to get interested actors for my films. Animation is an ideal solo endeavour. It also demanded all the skills I wanted to develop. I have a short Super 8mm dinosaur film called Time Eater. It’s a compilation of stop-motion shots with no narrative. There is a T-Rex, Allosaur battle and a Volcano exploding with miniature earthquake damage. There is also a reel of Super 8mm FX tests and stop-motion clips. Those will be in my documentary being filmed now.”

Looking back on the various cult films you have worked on over the years, how do you feel about how your special effects stand up and are there any specific gags you feel are severely dated??

“As Sam gave me about three weeks with the script, which left little time but to breakdown the script, purchase and order supplies I think I might need and then whip up the FX, props and make-ups the night before they are due on set, I think it works okay. If I could have only had a couple of months it might not have looked so cheesy. But Sam was big on secrecy. Sam was big on the Three Stooges, so some of those gags were not only dated but extinct.”

Which modern films do you feel best demonstrate advancements in effects (both practical and digital) and do you think that they are overused by filmmakers like Michael Bay and George Lucas?

“ILM is still blazing the trail but now innovations are everywhere. What wondrous times we live in. I loved the destruction in 2012 and the Transformers films. But then Repo Girl and Terry Gilliam’s digital era films are innovative and creative use of the new advancements. It’s a tool and artists are just beginning to discover what it can do. Personally, I’d like to see the critters slow down. Harryhausen loved to let us look at his creatures; now they zip by like they are getting paid by the second. But that’s me.”

Your role involves not only the creating but also the staging of the FX gags; do you feel this has prepared you to take a shot at directing your own feature or is this not something you have an interest in??

“I have a number of scripts and am developing more. The Last Ghost Story was close to being made. Inspired by ideas planted by Ghost Hunters and other shows and documentaries and the history, ghost stories of an amazing location called The Homer Mill in Homer, Michigan. I had a producer, FX artists doing tests, creating concept art, as well as music, costume personnel and ghost consultants, all in unofficial pre-production when the place burnt down. No one was hurt, thankfully, but there goes the perfect location. It was fifteen miles from my home and the owner was to be our primary backer. So crap! If I make a film it’s going to be an out of pocket budget. I’m not satisfied an independent filmmaker can actually make money on their movie. Even if it turns into a huge hit. My research wasn’t too promising for the filmmakers. Who wants to make other people millionaires? Been there, done that.”

Over the years there has been talk of a remake of The Evil Dead. If this was to go ahead how do you think the filmmakers should approach re-designing the special effects??

“Approach it like the original and hire me to design the special make up, FX, the Book of the Dead, Kandarian Dagger and a hugely expensive digital meltdown finale. I’d get Phil Tippett’s gang to do the meltdown and some other surprises we’d come up with. Of course, some pre-production time would be nice. Yeah, hire me. I’ll figure it out. If I’m too expensive then just go nuts with whatever you can find. It worked once.”

What’s next for you?

“Great question. A documentary is being about my life and career in film, illustration and other odd creative things I’ve done. In filming the interviews for the documentary we wound up with a lot of information I’ve never heard, from many unsung crew members of the Evil Dead films, as well as the usual suspects. We will have extra DVDs with the uncut interviews, making this an Evil Dead document. The working title is called Invaluable, based on a quote about me in a Fangoria article on Evil Dead and me. Then I’m thinking of a book about my art and film work.

And in the meantime I am still making personal appearances at horror conventions with the Tom Sullivan Movie Memorabilia Museum and Art Print Gallery, featuring my props, art and photos from The Evil Dead and other films. Also my Art Print Gallery has a plethora of illustrations from Evil Dead, H.P. Lovecraft and other fantasy art I’ve done over the decades. And the prints are for sale. It’s all printed on archival quality paper with archival quality inks. You can impress your friends for centuries.”

Jamie Bernadette discusses her busy schedule and upcoming projects…

Having performed in theatre before becoming an actress, have you returned to the stage in recent years and do you prefer acting in front of a crowd to the filmmaking process?

“Yes, I returned to the theatre last summer in a sketch comedy show called One Night Stands in North Hollywood. It was amazing to go back to the stage and this show was truly a blast to perform. Theatre will always be special to me because that’s where I started. I do love film though because of the intimate quality of the work – everything shows on camera – and the work lives on forever and has the capacity to permeate into all different parts of the world.”

How comfortable are you with the modelling aspect of being an actress and do you feel that magazine articles often focus more on your looks than your work?

“I did do some modelling out here in Los Angeles before my acting career really took off, so I’m comfortable with it. Glamour is very much a part of Hollywood. This is true of the past and today and I’m sure will be true tomorrow. I don’t feel that magazine articles have focused more on my looks than my work. I think the work that I choose to do prevents that from happening. I gravitate more towards the layered roles rather than roles that focus only on my body.”

Having collaborated several times with cult filmmaker Ulli Lommel, is he as eccentric as his reputation would insinuate and how would you describe his attitude and work ethics on set?

“Ulli was the first director to work with me and I am forever indebted and grateful to him for giving me that first opportunity. Ulli is a joy to work with. He is completely professional, kind and patient, and has never been anything but.”

Did you find it an uncomfortable experience playing a rape victim on the TV show Vindicated and did you meet any real-life victims in preparation for the role?

“No, I did not find it to be uncomfortable, though it’s always a delicate situation playing the role of a real person in a true-life situation such as this tragedy. No, I didn’t meet any real-life victims in preparation for the role. I already knew some; unfortunately too many people’s lives are affected by this crime.”

Have you had the chance to incorporate your ballet experience into any of your acting projects?

“Yes, which still surprises me. Ballet really helps with the aptitude to learn fight choreography. I’ve had to work with three different trainers for three different roles and I still have that flexibility and power of a dancer that incorporates into fighting. I often am cast as the stronger female, so having the skill to duplicate fight choreography is very valuable to me.”

What do you feel are your greatest strengths and weaknesses as an actress and how do you overcome these?

“My greatest strengths are positivity, optimism, supportive of the needs of other actors and crew, and overall just a great attitude on set. You can have a very talented actor but that actor will have a hard time making it and sustaining a career with a bad attitude. I’ve heard directors say that they’d rather have a good actor with a great attitude than a fantastic actor with a bad attitude. I’m producing two feature films right now and from a producer standpoint, I’d say I have to agree.

I have the weakness of taking my work home with me – always giving myself a hard time about how I could have been better and always criticising myself when I see myself on film. It can be very disheartening and I do it to myself. I hope one day to get over that, but from what I understand a lot of actors are like this, so this perfectionism and meticulousness and downright maddening, obsessive character trait I may have to learn to live with.”

Steampunk Samurai Biker Chick conjures up numerous images but reveals very little about the plot or what kind of movie viewers should expect. Can you shed some light on the project and what role your character, Boss Reeby, plays in the story?

“It’s a futuristic sci-fi film. I can’t say too much about the film because I’m under a non-disclosure agreement, but I can say that Boss Reeby is a no-nonsense business owner who gives an assignment to her two best mechanics to save her shipments from getting taken by pirates, bandits, marauders, or any of the others who will try to steal fuel and sell it on the black market. Many adventures ensue with those two mechanics on their journey.”

Have you had many dubious incidents with sleazy or untrustworthy producers and do you have to lay out rules of things you are not willing to do while working on a film?

“I’ve heard about things like that happening in the entertainment industry and fortunately, I have not had anything like that happen to me. I can honestly say that each project I’ve worked on has been a joy to be a part of.

No, I haven’t needed to lay out rules of what I’m not willing to do because that has always been laid out before I’m even casted. In the casting notice, the projects I’ve done have said outright “kissing, nudity, etc,” so it has always been known beforehand and I’ve never had someone try to get me to do something on set that I didn’t agree to.”

What has been your most challenging role to date and do you constantly try to push yourself with each project in an effort to avoid merely repeating yourself?

“The most challenging role by far was the role of Catherine in 365 Days, which is a very dark drama. Sometimes when the actor is emotionally ready to do a scene, the crew is not ready, and when it’s an Indie film and you cry all your tears out, there’s no “blower” to make you cry as in some of the higher-budget films. So, take after take of real tears, day after day, crying at the exact right time when “action” was said was a great challenge. But, I grew so much as an actor and cannot put a price on what I learned doing that film.

Yes, I do try to push myself with each project by creating unique characters. But, sometimes, I am cast, as all actors are, in very similar characters to what I’ve already played. This happens and it’s ok too. But when I get a very different character to play, like Boss Reeby in Steampunk Samurai Biker Chick, I get very excited to create an interesting character that is so outside of myself.”

Pia Thrasher talks about wearing prosthetics, working on Titanic and performing in theatre…

Your most recently announced project is The Immortal Edward Lumley, in which you have been cast as the Stitch Witch. What can you reveal regarding this?

“Oh, I’m really excited about this one! It’s the first feature film for Metro City Films. They made this really awesome short previously, Android 413, which will be screenened at SDCC’s Film Festival next Saturday, actually. Anyway, The Immortal Edward Lumley is a film somewhere between Alice in Wonderland and Time Bandits. The Stitch Witch is scary and intimidating, but actually a very good witch; and she’s 874 years old. Oh, and she’s German, which means I get to use my mother tongue in this role. I can’t wait to get started!”

You posted an article last month on how to cope with being cast as a zombie. What experiences have you had with these kinds of parts and do you enjoy working with make-up and prosthetics?

“I love playing zombies, vampires, witches or other scary creatures! I don’t care how many hours I have to sit in the make-up chair because I’m having such a ball with the make-up and FX artists. Watching them doing their magic makes me wish I had learned their craft, especially when Halloween comes around. The hardest part as a zombie was getting used to the contact lenses, but after about half an hour and eating some brains, it was all good. All in all, I have no problem with sticky make-up and prosthetics and thankfully I never got claustrophobic. I hope to play an alien sometime!”

What do you recall of your early time as an extra on features like Titanic?

“Many long hours and repeat takes. I played a third class and a first class passenger on the “poop” deck and in the fancy restaurant below, respectively. Funny thing is, I was literally rubbing elbows with the stars and absolutely sure I was going to be visible on the big screen once the movie was finished. I told all my friends and family about it and we all got really excited. Then we saw the movie and my face never showed up anywhere, haha. Made me look like a big liar, damn! Back then I didn’t quite understand the concept of close-ups and wide pans. It didn’t help that I head to wear a brown wig, because my bleach blond hair at the time was not right for the time period. Still, it was an amazing experience because it was my first time being on such a huge production. The scale of it was insane. There are a lot of unsung heroes, especially the make-up and wardrobe people. Boy, did they have their hands full! Most of the movie was filmed at the Fox studios in Rosarito, Mexico and the scenes I was in were almost always filmed overnight. Watching James Cameron direct was both amazing and a bit intimidating. I don’t care what some people think of him, I think he’s a genius.”

Do you find that many roles you are offered require nudity or of a sexual nature and is there too much pressure for actresses regarding sex in films?

“Not in my case, maybe my boobs aren’t big enough, haha! Maybe it’s because I’m more of a tomboy or nerd type, which is fine with me. I’d rather play a smart chick, scientist or villainy type anyway. Just wish I didn’t always wind up getting whacked! I think it’s up to the actress and it’s her choice in the end, if, and how far she wants to take it concerning nudity. Unfortunately, a lot of times female nudity makes it easier for a film to get financed. That’s just how the biz works. All the more reason why I appreciate movies like Neil Marshall’s horror flick The Descent. His girls are intelligent, educated, yes they’re sexy, witty, yet flawed. You relate to them and you care for their characters and what happens to them. There’s never any nudity required to “sell” the story. It’s sad when women are also only in a movie as “filler,” like the girlfriend, wife or mom of the main character. Let’s think outside the box and not automatically write or cast a character as a male! Wasn’t Ellen Ripley, who was played by Sigorney Weaver in Alien, first written as a male? I doubt the movie would have been the success it was without her kick-ass character!”

How come only six of your titles are listed on IMDb?

“Some of the older ones didn’t qualify, unfortunately, or in some cases the filmmaker didn’t submit his project to IMDb. Some of them are still in post-production. I’m expecting some new additions soon, though!”

How would you compare working in film to theatre and which do you find the most fulfilling?

“I like acting in film a little more because I have terrible stage fright, believe it or not! On camera, you have to be much more subtle than onstage, because you’re not projecting to a live audience and I somehow prefer that. The camera gives you the opportunity to be more intimate. It’s a different kind of animal. My training is also much stronger on the film acting side than theatre. I highly respect both, film and stage, because they each have their unique set of challenges. In a way, working in either venue is a big rush. Another reason I prefer film, though, is the fact that there are a lot more horror and sci-fi choices offered than in theatre.”

What is your involvement with the 48Hr Film Festival and how do you hope this will affect your career?

“I’m on a team as an actress and whatever crew is needed. Everybody pitches in. It’s a crazy ride and you never now how good or bad the end result will be. Most of the people on the team are cast or crew I’ve met on other projects, so we know each other and our strengths and how to best utilise each team member. I don’t really have any career aspirations with this, just looking forward to no sleep and frantic people. I really need to get my head examined! Kidding aside, I love the creative process, just going out there to film something. Beats sitting around at home!”

Following our interview regarding his work on Toy Soldiers, released the same year, Keith Coogan talks about his role as heavy metal stoner Kenny…

Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter’s Dead shared a similar “children running amok” theme to Adventures in Babysitting; did you notice any similarities between your roles?

“Absolutely not! Brad Anderson and Kenny Crandell were two characters that were about the farthest apart one could hope for! Although both characters have crushes, Kenny likes the hot nurse… perhaps seeing Elisabeth Shue in a nurse outfit would be good for world peace, or the environment, or something. Doesn’t really matter what the reason would be, it’s just something that clearly needs to happen.”

You played a stereotypical heavy metal stoner called Kenny. Were you anything like this in real life and how much of yourself did you put into your character?

“I think there is a small part of Kenny in all of us… the sloth, the toad, the child. He really represents the ultimate man/child, who must come to grips with his responsibilities, and grow up in the course of the film.”

Do you remember any other actors that were up for the role of Kenny and did you also audition for the part of Bryan, which was played by Josh Charles?

“I did audition for the role of Bryan, the Clown Dog Boy. And when auditioning for Kenny (which is a story in and of itself), I clearly remember Lizard, Hell Hound and a number of my stoner friends up for the role. I’m glad they had the confidence to invest in the hand-laced wigs that were signature to the Kenny look. They showed a ton of faith in me, and I am grateful for such a brave choice in casting.”

Stephen Herek had already proved he was capable of directing comedy with Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. What was he like to work with and did he seem confident in dealing with a cast of children?

“Stephen showed no bias when working with adults and children. We did have at least three minors on the set most of the time, but I think the kids acted like adults in the film, and the adults all acted like children! So, there was a bit of role reversing going on, and Stephen gave free reign to the kids to make adult choices, and Mr. Herek also let the adolescent nougat rise to the surface in characters like Bruce, Gus, Mr. Egg and, of course, Rose Lindsey, played brilliantly by Joanna Cassidy.”

Do you think it was necessary for the babysitter to be portrayed as unsympathetic and obnoxious, in order for her death to be more comedic than tragic?

“Yes, there had to be a switch up in expectations, and there had to be a reason to not think these were the worst kids ever! If Mrs. Sturak was officious and comanding, then the audience would be able to identify with our lead characters better while they made such bad choices.”

With much of the cast being young were there many practical jokes taking place on set?

“Can’t remember even a single practical joke or “goofing off” moment. There were certainly times where we couldn’t keep it together, and kept breaking up during takes. But we would focus on how incredibly hot and smelly it was in the house, and just try our best to get through it quickly.”

The movie was released when Married With Children was at the height of its popularity, did you have a secret crush on Christina Applegate?

“Christina had been a friend for many years before we had the opportunity to work together. Nothing but respect and no, she played my sister… don’t be gross.”

Despite appearing to be an airhead, Sue Ellen manages to find success in the fashion industry, just as Reese Witherspoon would do in law with Legally Blonde several years later. Do you think that her role helped inspire other movies where a dumb blonde excels in business?

“Sure, although I felt our story was already a bite of Secret of My Success and Working Girl.”

What do you recall of meeting David Duchovny, who would later become known for his role in The X-Files?

“David grilled me on agents, managers, how to move up in the industry. I can remember sitting on my trailer steps, answering his plethora of questions about success, and how to attain it. Whatever I said to him must have worked!”

You also worked with Danielle Harris, who is now regarded as a scream queen due to her work in the Halloween franchise. What was she like on set, as many have commented on how professional she was as a child?

“Danielle WAS Melissa! Totally funny, and she seemed to relish any lines that were gross, or mentioned hacking people up. There may be another scene we shot that happened to be trimmed from the final cut. I’d love to see some of those scenes end up on a DVD or Blu-ray some day.”

Christopher Pettiet, who played your younger brother, Zach, sadly passed away at the age of twenty-four. What was he like to work with and did you bond at all during filming?

“It was tough to bond with the minors, including Zach, as our work schedule disallowed it. Although I did seem to gravitate towards their on-set school trailer whenever they fired up the classroom Nintendo. Good times. Also, I never saw anything on the set that would have been considered as troubling, so that was a complete shock to me when he passed.”

Two underrated actors who would give humorous performances were John Getz and Kimmy Robertson. Was there much of a divide between the young and older cast?

“Um… Don’t you dare forget to mention Joanna Cassidy and her liberating and bubbly performance as Rose. As for John and Kimmy… The Fly and Twin Peaks… respect… ’nuff said.”

Do you feel that the idea of children disposing of a corpse with little guilt so they can enjoy the summer without a babysitter a little tasteless, much in the same way that Weekend at Bernie’s had covered up a death in order to enjoy a weekend by the beach?

“Ribald fun! I think the gory and grim aspects were sacrificed to tell a story of wish fulfillment for teens. Focusing on the darker parts would have taken the film into another direction, then the GAW story may have seemed out of place considering the roots of Swell’s issues. I think the writers struck a great balance between the dead babysitter and how the kids moved on to get through the months alone while their mom leaves them to boink her Australian boyfriend!”

You were able to scrub up and cut your hair for the end of the movie, were you happy that you were able to get a makeover after having long hair through most of the film?

“That was a wig. I had a buzz cut at the time, and the producers had such great vision and faith in my portrayal as Kenny, that they sprung for two hand-laced real human hair wigs by Ziggy, an old-school Hollywood wig-maker. Going in to audition for Bryan the Clown Dog Boy, I was drawn to playing fifteen-year-old Kenny, and asked the casting director and producers if I could come back in and show them something. They played along, and an hour later I kicked in the door to the casting office, and in Kenny’s stoner voice shouted, “OK, who’s in charge here?” I barely remember playing Kenny, or how I made the choices I made, as it was such a complete character that required a bit of “going under.” I stayed pretty much in character whenever I had the wig on… subsequently it was very hard to find his voice for the scenes with the short hair. The wig did a lot of the work for me.”

Were you pleased with how Kenny was allowed to develop and mature by the end of the story and did you offer any suggestions on the character?

“I was very pleased, it was one of the aspects that drew me to playing Kenny. I have many stories from fans who were stoner lay-abouts, that saw DTMTBD, and then signed up for Culinary Academy, and that are now working as five-star chefs in high-profile restaurants. It’s good to know Kenny had that kind of an impact on people. Redemption stories are always loved.”

Was there ever talk of a sequel and was this a role you would have liked to have returned to?

“Never talk of a sequel, although I’d love to see Kenny with a restaurant of his own, maybe having some zany adventures babysitting Swell’s kids or something. I’d love to see what they do if they remake the film.”

Do you miss playing the kinds of roles you had with Adventures in Babysitting, Toy Soldiers and Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead? Who would you like to see play Kenny in a remake?

“Not necessarily. I do continue to build strong characters in the independent films and web shows I’ve taken part in. There’s always a little bit of Keith Coogan in the characters I play. As for casting the remake, I really haven’t got a clue. Although it would be great to see another “clean-cut”, Disney-reared young actor have a shot at playing someone so reckless, careless and selfish. I really had fun working on DTMTBD, and only hope any remake sticks to the spirit of the original piece.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to talk about my time working on Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead. It does remain one of my favourite pictures, not only to work on, but also to watch whenever it’s on HBO!!! (which is quite often, thank you Warner Bros. and MTV Pictures!)”

Ryan Nicholson talks independent filmmaking and censorship…

What do you feel are the winning ingredients of a good exploitation picture?

“Sex and Violence… violent sex… any combinations of either make for something memorable.”

Do you recall your early memories of film and what kind of movies did you like as a child? How did your tastes change as you grew older and how did you first discover the darker side of cinema?

“Monster movies like The Thing and The Fly in the ’80s really influenced my love for horror. Pieces and The Funhouse… their lurid ad campaigns captured my attention. But I think it was actually detective and true crime magazines that got me into the more exploitative horror. The covers of those mags were very sleazy and that led me to search out movies with similar exploitative content.”

Do you believe that a filmmaker can go too far or is it their responsibility to challenge both the audience and themselves?

“I don’t think you can go too far when it’s legal to make and distribute. When it’s illegal, you’ve gone too far. I don’t really see a grey area there. I use a lot of fake sex parts and organs, which look very real but are very fake. They don’t complain and I can do whatever I want to them, they’re rubber!”

What is your opinion on censorship; should the government have, to some degree, the right to shield the public from the more extreme images or should everyone have the right to choose for themselves?

“I think that the viewer, if of age, should have the right to choose. Children shouldn’t watch adult-oriented films, they should watch Disney, for fuck sake! I believe in a rating system; NC-17, R-rated, etc… it seems to work for the most part. My movies are unrated anyhow, I can put whatever I want in them without issue.”

If you were given the chance to remake one movie in your own style with complete freedom which would you choose?

“I would love to tackle something like The Fly or Scanners… something Cronenberg made because you know that I would go crazy with that crazy material, it’s already half way there!”

How involved are you in the marketing of your movies? Are you inspired by the kind of promotional campaigns you saw as you were growing up?

“I am heavily involved. I like to do homage art and cool shit. Keep it fresh and fun. I think horror fans dig our stuff because they know that we are just like them, horror fans that aspire to make nasty ass shit!

With drive-ins losing popularity in the 1980s and the theatres of Times Square having been replaced by more respectable outlets, do you feel that the spirit of exploitation still exists and do you still get the same kind of feeling watching those old films on DVD as you did witnessing them in those old cinemas?

“I think that the spirit of exploitation is disappearing, only because no one has the balls to make these kinds of movies. They don’t make money and most people who make movies want to make money. That’s why it’s hard to do what we do. People aren’t beating down the door to fund our movies, and financially they are barely paying for themselves with DVDs getting less and less marketable. We need to find new ways to distribute our product and get back what was put into them, otherwise no one wins.”

View our behind-the-scenes gallery from Gutterballs, courtesy of Ryan Nicholson and Dan Ellis.

Tony Riparetti talks about his work on the movie and finally seeing his score released after over twenty years…

Your collaborations with Albert Pyun first began with 1984’s Radioactive Dreams, following a song from your old band, Sue Saad and the Next, being used in one of his movies. How did he first approach you about composing a score and why do you feel you both connected so well?

“One day, while working on a song for Radioactive Dreams, Albert called and asked us if we had ever scored music to picture. Of course, we said we had, then proceeded to write some shorter cues which were quite a bit harder to do than I thought it would be. Not being able to sync to picture made it a two-man operation; one person playing and the other operating the tape machine reverbs, echos and synthesizer patches. We got really good at it by our third film. After that we finally were able to afford the gear needed to sync everything. As far as connecting, I think Albert heard something cinematic in the songs we were writing with The Sue Saad Band. Jim and I were always jamming and those would sometimes turn into these long, drawn-out songs with lots of changes in them that would work well if you put it up to picture. Also, Albert loves female rock singers. Most of the songs written for Albert’s films (around twenty) have been with female singers.”

Was the transition from being in a group to becoming a composer a difficult one and were you able to put into practice what you had learnt through your band?

“I didn’t think it was too difficult at the time but as I’ve done this for a while I’ve learned it does take time to become a good composer. The musicianship and songwriting chops definitely helped but learning how to let the music have an undercurrent of character development and doing something opposite of what the film is showing takes experience. Also, the big sounding and long action cues (six-to-ten minutes) that Albert Pyun uses a lot of took some time to figure out how to make all the hits work and still make musical sense.”

Earlier in your career you shared a studio with the Beastie Boys, what do you recall of this?

“At the time I had a studio which had a large room where we recorded bands. This guy (Mike Diamond) walks in one day and asked me if he could rehearse a band for a few months in the big room. I said sure, ’cause I was doing more scoring at the time and didn’t require the space. A few months go by and Mike asks if he can put a studio in there too. I said yes, but wondered, who are these guys. So I asked someone who was working with them and he said, “Don’t you know, they’re the Beastie Boys?” It was a very exciting time. They bought in lots of well known musicians and actors. I was a fly on the wall most of the time and I must admit I didn’t understand the way they created their music. Then one day a light went on for me as I thought I should be sampling and manipulating sounds for scoring. At the time I was working on Omega Doom, which was quite different for me musically than my earlier films. A couple of years ago I went to take a look at the studio and, although the Beastie Boys are no longer there, I could still see the wheel marks from skateboards on the 16ft high ceiling. I learned much from them and they’re still a great innovative musical force.”

How were you first approached about scoring Cyborg and do you recall how the project was pitched to you?

“Albert called and said, “I have a new film, you want to work on it?”"

Post-apocalyptic science fiction movies became popular during the 1980s due to the success of Escape from New York and the Mad Max series. Did you study these types of films before commencing work on the score for Cyborg?

“I had watched those films because l liked them, but no, I didn’t study them.”

What kind of specifications did Albert give you regarding the kind of music that he wanted for the movie and what were your main inspirations during the writing?

“Albert asked for a dark, powerful score. Jim played drums and keys and I played guitar and keys, we went to work. We’d go into the studio and one of us would have an idea, so if Jim was playing keyboards I would engineer and record until he finished his idea/parts, then we would switch. Very much a collaboration.”

Was the film always intended as a vehicle for Jean-Claude Van Damme or was it originally envisioned as something else entirely?

“It was a vehicle for JCVD but, in Albert’s directors cut, he was a much more flawed character. He was haunted by things in his past, almost suicidal. Much more doubting of himself and his abilities in Albert’s cut.”

One trapping of the action genre is that many movies resort to generic scores, often to fit the generic characters and plots. How did you approach bringing something new and exciting to the formula?

“Because we never studied scores, we just did what we thought was correct for the film and in doing so we took chances creatively. We had some some beautiful/somber cues and then hard driving ones with lots of FX incorporated into the music. I also think the score has a sound because we had three synths, DX7, a Casio FZ1 and a Korg (which I can’t recall the model) for the synth bass sounds. With such a limited palate you go for the gusto, drums, guitars and then whatever the best sounds you can find on the synths.”

How long did it take for you to compose the music and were you given the completed movie to score or were you working with a sequence at a time?

“I think we had four or five weeks and we started in the middle reels because they were locked first, meaning they were the final edited versions, then the beginning reels and finally the later reels.”

Is there one specific piece of music from the score that you feel best represents your intentions with the movie?

“I think as far as the battle between good and evil, rage and despair and bringing all the components and themes together, it would have to be ‘Fender and Gibs Fight’.”

Once you had submitted to the score to Albert and the producers, what kind of feedback were you given?

“Albert heard cues at different times during the process and he thought they worked great.”

At what point was it decided that your score would be jettisoned and replaced by Kevin Bassinson? Were you given the chance to rework your music before you were pushed out and how did Albert react to this?

“As Jim and I remember, we had stayed up for a couple of days and nights at the very end and we dropped it off to Cannon Films in the morning, totally beat but happy. We handed it in to who I think was the head of the music dept. He took all the masters and said thank you but by the way we’re not using your score. And no, we weren’t offered to rework the score. Albert was pulled off the film, so was the editor and anybody else that was working with Albert. We were devastated to say the least.”

What were your thoughts when you saw the final cut of the movie and how did you feel about Kevin’s score?

“I have never looked at the whole final cut. I just remember how hard we worked on it so I couldn’t watch. I was sent a YouTube video of the opening four minutes, which set the tone of the film and our score was more thematic and darker than his. Our music stands on its own and other people, besides us, will be the judge.”

The movie is set to be re-released next month as a previously unseen director’s cut with your original score. How after over twenty years has this been unearthed and were you enthusiastic about finally having the chance to show your work?

“I was in the process of moving my studio to a new location when I found a VHS tape of Cyborg, which had Albert’s cut and our music on it. I am excited about getting it out there but I wish the Director’s Cut was a more polished version. It was done quickly with missing sound and FX and levels between music and dialogue pretty rough. You still get a good idea of Albert’s vision of the film.”

This alternative cut is rumoured to be much more violent and darker than the theatrical release. Can you elaborate on the differences between the two versions?

“Not having seen the entire theatrical version I can’t really comment on the differences but Albert’s version is violent.”

Cyborg was savaged by critics upon release. How do you feel about the movie all these years later and are you proud of what you achieved?

“Oh I’m sure there will be critics of what we did and Albert’s vision of this dark future. It’s still one of my favourite scores, because we wrote what we thought was right without thinking about trends, what other composers were doing at the time and musically taking lots of chances. I’m a big fan of Albert’s vision of Van Damme as a reluctant, doubting, internal hero and Vince Klyn as Fender is still one of the most badass villains ever.”

Ed Naha talks about his work on Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and the small screen spin-off that would follow…

How were you first introduced to Stuart Gordon and Brian Yuzna and what led to your first collaboration on Dolls?

“Back in the mid-’80s, I had written a movie for Charlie Band at Empire, Troll. Charlie asked me if I’d like to do another script and showed me a poster he’d already commissioned for a film called The Doll. It was the famous shot of a doll holding its two eyes in its hands while the empty eye sockets stared at the view. Who could say ‘no’ to that?

So, I went off to write a treatment. At the same time, Charlie met with Stuart and Brian after Re-Animator and they signed on to direct and produce. Eventually, we met (couldn’t be helped). So, it was sort of a shotgun wedding deal. And, it’s funny, because Stuart and I have remained close friends over the years but, when we first met, we eyed each other suspiciously. Stuart really wanted to get into the mythological aspects of the story and me? I just wanted to do a horror film. As it turns out, we were both heading for the same destination, only on different roads. Once we realised that, the two of us were like big little kids. “We can’t do that… can we?” “Sure.” “You know what would really be twisted?” “Kewl!”

Stuart went off to film Dolls in Italy and I stayed stateside. The post-production was a bear because a lot of the doll effects initially involved a lot of real marionettes. The strings were clearly visible in a lot of scenes so the late, great David Allen was brought in to do stop motion versions of some of the marionettes and recreate some of action. It was a slow process because it was so expensive. The post-production took so long that Stuart actually filmed From Beyond while Dolls was lurching to life.

It was worth the wait, though. I think, out of all my theatrically released films, Dolls is my favourite.”

Stuart Gordon has claimed that the concept for Honey, I Shrunk the Kids – then known as Teenie Weenies – came about when Brian Yuzna wanted to make a movie his children could see. Do you recall this discussion and what kinds of ideas were discussed?

“Stuart and Brian had young children back then and came up with this idea about shrunken kids. They pitched it to Disney and the studio was interested. So, they approached me about working with them and we came up with the story. When I was a kid on the East Coast, there was a comic strip in the Sunday edition of The New York Daily News called The Teenie-Weenies. It was one huge frame showing little people riding around on mice or sitting in thimbles and I just loved that. There was also a little guy or girl that you could cut out of the newspaper and paste on cardboard to play with. So, in a way, I was prepared for this sort of thing ever since I could hold a newspaper in my chubby little hands.”

With you all known for your more adult work, was the thought of creating a family movie somewhat daunting and did you feel that your résumé may scare studios away?

“Naah. The folks at Disney had known about me for a couple of years and kept on trying to get me involved in projects that, for various reasons, imploded. My first two movies (for Roger Corman) weren’t scary (at least they weren’t SUPPOSED to be). Plus, I’d done a lot of movie articles for Starlog and Future Life, as well as books on film, so the studio knew I wasn’t an axe-murderer (full-time, anyhow).

As far as the three of us being known for ‘adult’ work? Well, horror is fantasy, really. It’s fairy tale imagery with a little darker shading. And, when you meet the three of us in person, we’re kind of goofy. You really have to be able to get in touch with your kid ‘imagination turf’ when you work in movies, unless you’re constantly writing melodramas about one-legged ballerinas addicted to crack.”

Who came up with the initial concept and how long did it take for the three of you to develop a full story?

“You know, I honestly can’t remember. We sort of all bonked heads. I remember it being hysterically funny, though. When I was a little kid and mixed and matched my toys, I’d lay down on the floor on my stomach with my head turned to the side, so the floor before me was this vast landscape. Then, you could create your own adventures with toy dinosaurs or soldiers or puppets or whatever you had down there on the floor.

I found myself doing that in Stuart’s office. We had one scene where one of the kids was sliding from a table to another piece of furniture using thread as a rope. We created that using a paperclip and thread in the office. We were always doing stuff like that.

Later on, when I was working on the treatment – my treatments are almost first draft screenplays but written in narrative form – we’d all meet up in a Hamburger Hamlet in Hollywood and laughed our butts off, discussing gags and exchanging notes. This was in the dark ages before computers had script-writing programs that included formatting and stuff, so we were always printing out more and more versions. I think the amount of paper used just in the outline phase felled about a hundred trees.”

Did the concept of the mad scientist come from Re-Animator and was there ever thought of casting Jeffrey Combs as Wayne Szalinski?

“I honestly don’t know whether Stuart wanted Jeffrey or not. I can tell you, in retrospect, that the Disney execs heads would have exploded over that idea, though.”

Do you think that Doc Brown in Back to the Future had made the mad scientist a little more acceptable for a family movie?

“Naaah. If you look at the Disney movies of the ’60s and ’70s, ‘mad’ scientists were pretty family-friendly. You had The Absent-Minded Professor and Son of Flubber with adult scientists. You had The Misadventures of Merlin Jones and The Monkey’s Uncle with younger science whizzes. No matter what the age of the scientist, if you give him the sense of wonder and glee and spontaneity of a kid, you’re gold. They weren’t so much ‘mad’ as they were ‘animated.’”

One of the more effective characters was the ant who acts as their protector and eventually gives its life to save them. Was this how it was written in the script and were you pleased with how it translated onto the screen?

“No. I was adamantly opposed to having Anty die. At a certain point during the creative process, the whole experience tanked. I mean, it just bit. After two solid years of development, we got a green light on the script. Then, Stuart got sick. Brian was sort of nudged out of the way and a new producer and a new director were air-dropped in. I was very naïve at the time and figured, “Okay, the show must go on.” Not.

Things had to be changed. Why? Because that’s what happens when a new team comes in. One of the changes involved Anty dying. The original ending had Anty alive and well. To show you how last minute these ‘improvements’ to the script were, the children’s novelisation of the movie still has the original script’s ending with Anty, now the size of a pony, making an entrance in front of the snobby college bigwigs who are in the process of dismissing Wayne Szalinski’s story about his invention. Anty’s arrival proves that Wayne is telling the truth.”

How did you come to write the screenplay with Tom Schulman and how many drafts were you forced to work through before everyone was satisfied?

“I actually never worked with Tom. I’d done countless drafts of the screenplay over two years. Each time I did another pass, the studio would have to add an amendment to my contract. My final contract was about the size of the Gutenberg Bible. After going head-to-head about Anty’s fate and a couple of other ideas I loathed, the studio asked if I’d do another script. I signed a three-script deal and went off, happy as a clam, figuring all was well on the Teenie-Weenie front. I was asked if I would mind if someone else did a polish. Heck no, sez I. Two months later, I saw the polish, which was a re-write and I hit the ceiling. After my Donald Duck squawking, some things were fixed. Other things weren’t.”

Was Disney your first choice to develop the project and did you meet any kind of resistance there?

“Stuart and Brian went to Disney right off the bat, as far as I know. Initially, the movie was going to be produced independent of the studio and the studio would distribute it. Later, the studio decided it would produce the whole enchilada. There was no resistance at all.

What WAS a little maddening was that, as the development process continued, we gathered more people on the project. When we started, it was Stuart, Brian and I meeting with the veep and our production executive. By the time we finished, the meetings were almost Arthurian. We’d meet in a conference room with all these ‘producers.’ It was like, “Who are you?” “I’m the newest producer.” “Okay. Today’s Tuesday. You sit next to Monday’s producer.” Gack!

Another thing that was kind of funny was the fact that a lot of people couldn’t wrap their heads around the size of the kids, especially the flotilla of new people. So, on the cover of the script, we had a little stick figure that represented the size of one of the kids. There was an arrow pointing to the figure that said ‘Actual Size.’”

Stuart Gordon was originally to have directed but was forced to back out due to ill health. Can you elaborate on the events that led to Joe Johnson being hired and did Brian Yuzna, who had recently made his directorial debut, not consider taking over?

“I am blissfully unaware of the dancing that went on after Stuart and Brian left. Again, this was my first experience at a major studio and I was incredibly naïve. I was thrilled to be at Disney because, well, it was DISNEY. I grew up Disney. I’m sure that what went on didn’t exactly resemble ‘the happiest place on Earth.’

As for Brian’s directing? He hadn’t directed, at that point. His first film was released in ’89 and Honey was already in the can in ’88. As far as I know, he really wanted to produce back then. And he was a great, great producer.

I was really disappointed when Stuart left. Stuart is brilliant. His background is live theatre, and so he brings a lot to a sound stage in terms of connecting with actors and getting amazing performances. He also knows how to work with a cinematographer to get the most on the screen.”

Was the studio nervous due to your earlier violent work and did they enforce any restrictions that seemed severe?

“Nope. There were a few times when the development process seemed like a tag team match but that was primarily because we were at it so long. We’d get a little punchy. You’d find yourself at a meeting not quite knowing what the meeting was about.”

Even though Stuart had stepped down as director, were you all still involved throughout the production and was Joe open to your suggestions?

“Nope and nope.”

What were your thoughts on the casting and overall feel of the movie? Who else was considered before Rick Moranis was cast as Wayne?

“I thought the cast was great. They really were ideal. In terms of the overall feel of the movie, I think Stuart would have kept a lot more heart in it.”

How many different titles were suggested and who came up with Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Was this something you were all satisfied with?

“I have no idea who came up with the finished title. For a while, it was called Grounded. The studio sent out these magnifying glasses with the word Grounded etched into the handle. All the members of the press got them. I was also a member of the press, at the time, having a column for The New York Post, so I got one as well. I thought, “Great, this title will appeal to electricians.” Whoever came up with the final title deserves a medal.”

The movie became a huge success but were you all satisfied with end product?

“I can’t speak for Stuart or Brian but I thought the movie was solid. It was about 80% there in terms of heart and emotion. There were some things that irritated the hell out of me. F’rinstance, the ‘bookend’ scenes in the movie concerned a Thanksgiving fishing trip. I mean, when I think Thanksgiving, I think, “Screw the turkey! Let’s go fishing!” Doesn’t everyone? Most of that was edited out of the finished film.

The movie wound up being Disney’s biggest live action release up until that time, which was kind of amusing. It opened on a Friday in June, opposite Batman, and for the two weeks prior to its release there were a flurry of news articles in the Los Angeles papers about how the studio was disappointed in the movie. Allegedly, that’s why they added the Roger Rabbit cartoon to the release. It was all gossipy stuff. The studio was pretty tight-lipped to reporters about the whole release. They did, however, get into it with one or two writers about calling it a ‘family film’. The studio didn’t want it referred to as a ‘family film’. I guess that was uncool.

It also wasn’t booked too long at theatres. A re-issue of Peter Pan was slated for that summer. Well, by the Monday after its release, EVERYone was happy to call it a ‘family film’. The number of theatres showing Peter Pan shrunk so Honey could remain in place and the film remained in release for five or six months.”

Were any of you invited to return for Honey I Blew Up the Kid or did the studio want a fresh perspective?

“Stuart was one of the producers on it. He and Albert Band, Charlie’s dad, got hold of a script written independently of Honey and transformed it into a sequel.”

How did you come to return for the television series and how did this experience compare to writing the movie?

“I was working in TV doing my dream project, The Adventures of Sinbad, when Disney announced they were doing Honey on television. I didn’t have a clue. Anyhow, I wound up at a reception where the CAA agent responsible for the show was and I was introduced as the writer of Honey. He shook my hand and said, “I loved the pilot episode script.” Then, he was told I had written the movie. The guy turned beet red and sort of faded into the ether.

A year later, Sinbad was renewed for a third season. Then, one of the two parent companies was sold and, of course, the new team came in and wanted to make their mark. They axed the show. I got a call from someone at the Honey show. Their two writer/producers left the project and they wanted to know if I’d take their place. I went to a series of meetings and jumped into it.

Again, I was blessed with a great cast. Peter Scolari was a wonderful Wayne. He’s an amazing physical comedian. He likes Buster Keaton. I love Laurel and Hardy. We hit it off. Plus, I got a chance to bring in one of the Sinbad cast, George Buza, over to play Wayne’s next-door neighbour; a grumpy chief of police who winds up being Wayne’s comedic foil.

The best thing about working in TV is that you write something and a few weeks later, you’re watching it. It’s a much more ‘now’ experience than film.

We really did EVERY type of comedy on the TV show. The show was syndicated, so it was on at all hours in various markets. When we started getting letters from chemically altered college students who were watching at one in the morning, we figured, “Hey, we’re onto something, here.””

Are you proud of your work on the franchise and when was the last time you watched the movie?

“It’s hard for me to think in those terms because writing is, like, what I do. That’s it. It’s just me, not some Hollywood guy, you know? It’s hard for me to grasp the idea that Honey is going to be remembered as a Disney film the same way that I remember The Absent-Minded Professor or Darby O’Gill and the Little People. I guess I’m more flabbergasted and/or honoured to have been part of the Honey world than proud. Proud seems sort of boorish, doesn’t it? “Look at what I’VE done.” “Good. Here’s a cookie.”

The last time I saw the movie was in June of 1989 at the premiere. And I’ve seen every TV episode exactly one time, as well. I’m like that. When Stuart Gordon and I got together to add narration to the DVD release of Dolls, it was only the second time I’d seen it.

What can I say? I’d rather kick back and watch someone else’s work than my own. Maybe one day, if I get into the glamour of it all, I’ll start wearing socks, snort airplane glue and wind up on Celebrity Rehab. Until that time? I’m good just hanging out with my wife and dogs.”

Daniel Licht talks about his work on the brand new show Body of Proof…

Your time at college included studying world music; what impact has that had on your style and how you approach scoring soundtracks?

“World music has had a tremendous impact on my style. I have travelled the world studying music and collecting instruments and I always try to find new acoustic sounds to enrich my soundtracks.”

Although your earlier work included an Amityville sequel and the low budget horror Soul Survivors, over recent years you have contributed to several television shows as Dexter and, more recently, Body of Proof. How did you make this transition to the small screen?

“I don’t really treat the small screen any differently. People’s televisions are not so small anymore and their sound systems are probably pretty good as well, but really I am thinking about the drama when I score. The real difference is that television is a dialogue-driven medium, whereas film is more visual. There is greater opportunity for the music to take command in film. That said, I like to work with small ensembles and odd instrumental collections and TV can call for a more intimate sound.”

What is the basic premise to Body of Proof and how did you approach deciding what kind of music would best suit the show?

“Body of Proof is about a Medical Examiner (Dana Delaney) who solves crimes by uncovering evidence by autopsy. The show is a procedural; that’s a show which introduces and then solves a crime in every episode. Generally, the crime is a crime of passion so much of the music can be very emotional, as well as highlighting the mystery, action and comedy. The sets are very high tech in the morgue, so I have used some almost sci-fi sounding sounds, reverse pianos, eerie pads, etc. and I have featured emotional string writing with solo piano or guitar.”

Having worked on both feature films and television shows, how would you compare the two experiences and do you prefer to work on movies or for television?

“I prefer to do both. They both have different things to offer. Television offers a chance to work with a group of people over (hopefully) a long period of time and to develop a body of work based on your themes. It’s nice to not have to start from ground zero every episode. Film is more “wham, bam thank you ma’am”, but I find the most challenging and exciting part of the process to be defining the sound and thematic material for a film then to stand back at look at your work after you’re done and say, “Wow, that didn’t exist four weeks ago when I started!”"

How many episodes in total are there and did you work on the entire season?

“There are thirteen episodes of Body Of Proof and I scored them all.”

Are you conscious of not overdoing the score and do you find that you sometimes have to restrain yourself?

“I am always very conscious of working behind the scenes on film and television. I am especially conscious of being sensitive to dialogue. I find that if I score around the dialogue then mixers will be able to play my music louder and it will be more effective dramatically. I am probably guilty of over orchestrating. Frequently, directors and producers will have me pull out tracks to simplify things a bit, and I am not precious about it. I always have the full mix for the CD release.”

Two loose sequels would eventually follow; 1990′s Xtro II: The Second Encounter and 1995′s Xtro 3: Watch the Skies, the latter of which would be scripted by Daryl Haney, known to horror fans for his work on Paramount’s Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood almost a decade earlier. Last year, Bromley-Davenport informed Fangoria that a fourth movie was in the works; “I am going to be starting Xtro 4 this summer; you are the first to receive this shattering news… A script by Daryl Haney is in the works, and my sales guys are salivating. It’s going to be a very odd movie indeed. Sort of back to the roots of the first one, but much stranger and, hopefully, more uncomfortable.”

Harry Bromley Davenport reveals the status of Xtro 4 and his thoughts on the franchise…

It has been over fifteen years since you produced the last Xtro sequel; why have you decided to return to the franchise after all this time and was your motivation because you felt you had something new to bring to the series?

“I have been repeatedly asked to do another Xtro film by distributors and viewers alike. The general suggestion is that we ought to get back to the atmosphere of the original movie.”

How difficult has it been to attract interest in such an unusual project or does the Xtro brand carry enough recognition that investors and producers are interested in hearing your pitch?

“Since I moved to Los Angeles over twenty years ago, I have largely produced and directed films of my own choosing. That means that I have to engage a writer, do the casting, find the locations, raise the cash and generally put the movie together myself. And if financiers don’t want to come along for the ride, I go ahead anyway finding the money by fair or foul means. It’s risky. Very risky. And the key to the whole game is to establish good relationships with film distributors. To them, film is a commodity. Once I have finished it, I show it. They get no input beforehand. That’s because they always want a happy ending, or for it to be about a group of teens stranded in a remote location or to make me employ their horrible children as actors. Either that, or they say: “Here’s a great idea… why don’t you set the whole story in a supermarket?” or something equally fatuous.”

With Michel Parry having written the original script, did you ever discuss collaborating together again on the subsequent sequels and how did you come to work with Daryl Haney?

“Michel, who is an accomplished writer, does not live in L.A., and for me to mete out sufficient psychic trauma on the writer, I need the victim to live here where I can maximise the misery I inflict. I am also very fond of Michel and would not wish to subject him to my hideous method of work. I met Daryl Haney through a remote connection with Roger Corman when we were putting together the third Xtro. Daryl talks a lot and has a fresh idea every thirteen seconds, which means that I don’t really have to do any work. Our method is to spend several months having lunch at Taix Restaurant on Sunset Boulevard, where he expounds and I take notes. After sufficient money has been spent on these three-hour lunch marathons, Daryl disappears for a few weeks and then sends me a first draft screenplay which has no connection with anything we have previously discussed. But we have managed to actually make seven movies together and that probably means something – perhaps what idiots we both are.”

New Line Cinema are known for exploiting their products as much as possible, yet they chose not to take part in the sequels. Why was that?

“Because I own the rights to the title Xtro and they do not. But I do not own the rights to the original story. This is caused by some quirk of the original production contracts. Strangely enough, they did call me a couple of years ago to discuss doing a ‘re-boot’, but Bob Shaye, the CEO of New Line, who co-produced the original film along with Mark Forstater, had been shown the ejector seat button and I didn’t care to deal with anyone there but Bob. He’s a wacky individual who is far more cultured than most film executives. However, Bob was in a bad mood for the entire shooting period of Xtro and that somewhat curtailed his desire to be nice to me. He was in “I-am-the-dark-demon-boss-Bob” mode for some inexplicable reason. But he sure as hell promoted the shit out of the film in the States and for that I am grateful, although it is a mixed blessing to be associated with a film that, at the time, was considered somewhat shocking.”

Will any characters from the previous three films be returning or will this be a stand-alone story?

“Nope. New story. New everything.”

So far there have been three separate scripts written for Xtro 4; can you reveal details on any of these and what is the main obstacle you have faced in developing this project?

“Daryl has written three complete scripts for the fourth edition – maybe more – I can’t recall. The obstacle is me. There has always been a more tantalising project to film which has taken precedence and it is only now that we are serious about it. I am hoping that there is a geriatric fan base that will support the new effort.”

The surreal tone of the original movie seemed largely absent with the sequels; were you under pressure to produce something more formulaic and do you intend on returning to this kind of style for the next film?

“We are definitely returning to what you call the ‘surreal tone’. But that’s difficult to pull off and not drive the viewer to throw bricks through the screen. The danger is that, if one goes the surreal route, one risks losing the viewers’ attention. The first film was indeed somewhat surreal because we had not yet had our brains fried by the conventions of film storytelling and that naiveté allowed us to go bonkers.”

How did you come to include so many bizarre ideas in the first film and do you feel that you are still able to conjure up so many nightmarish concepts?

“I’m immensely pleased that you find it nightmarish. Good. I think we were young, inexperienced and foolish and didn’t know what we were doing, and this liberated whatever bizarre and unpleasant ideas were knocking around the crocodile part of our brains. One of the more outlandish and unexplained moments in Xtro occurs when a black panther appears out of nowhere and kills a cast member. That was Bob Shaye’s idea. It was he who wanted the film to be ‘off-the-wall’ – that was his term for it.”

In his review of Xtro, film critic Roger Ebert described it as ‘a completely depressing, nihilistic film, an exercise in sadness.’ How does this make you feel and would you say this is in any way accurate?

“I’ve seen that review on YouTube. And Siskel and Ebert look like a couple of nannies telling their children not to go near the swamp. It’s a statement of enormous self-importance. It is cruel too – designed to make him sound like the saviour of mankind. I refute that observation. I find that real critics – not ‘reviewers’ like fat Ebert – take tenable positions about the films I have directed when they don’t like them. This dope just aimed at an easy target – a low budget independent exploitation film – and let rip. I would like to remind your readers that the script for Beyond the Valley of the Dolls flowed from the pen of Mr. Ebert. I’m glad that I didn’t see that Xtro review until recently. Had I seen it when I was younger, it would have cut me to the quick. I hope that he gets eaten alive by an army of big black spiders.”

You once described the first movie as ‘an extraordinary mess.’ Its surreal and almost Avant-garde approach to narrative at times makes it feel close in tone to another cult classic, Phantasm. How do you feel thirty years later about how successfully all these elements came together?

“I am astonished that Xtro has been available for nearly thirty years and is regularly reissued. We were just kids trying to shock people. I was disappointed in the end result – and still am – because I don’t think that I did well personally. It is a mess. But, at the time, I would have sucked Charlie Manson’s dick for a shot at directing a movie. Perhaps if it had been more logically thought-out it might not have been as successful or have lasted as long as it has. I don’t like any of the ‘toys-come-to-life’ stuff because, even at the time, that was corny. However, I did see it again from start to finish about five years ago and I was struck by the fact that we got away with all that weirdness and that it was a theatrical release of some success. I’d like to remake the original, but I think that any filmmaker with a degree of humility wants to tear the film down off the projector and re-do their work.”

You have also stated that most of the more shocking aspects came together during meetings, where a group of you would suggest the most outrageous ideas you could imagine. With this in mind, would you say that Xtro works well as an actual story or is it more a collection of set pieces?

“The answer lies within your question. It is indeed a collection of set pieces and I was aware of that. Who cares? Is it fun? Does it hold your attention? It’s not high art. It’s an exploitation film and therefore has to have ‘bumps’ in every reel.”

Xtro came under fire in the United Kingdom during the 1980s due to several graphic sequences; most notably the pregnancy scene. Were you shocked at this reaction and do you feel the censors overreacted?

“I was greatly surprised – and pleased. When the film came under the scrutiny of the censorship brigade, sales roared. I wish I could get that kind of attention today. Now it’s impossible to shock people. We’ve seen everything.”

The first film mainly focused on abandonment issues, both of the child losing his father and the man losing both his family and his own identity. Was this something you intended on exploring in the next film?

“Wow! Abandonment? I guess so. I never thought of that. You’re right. Maybe I should ask Daryl to do yet another re-write of the current script to emphasise this abandonment issue. Does that ring true for you? Now that you force me to think about it, you may have tapped into something that helped the film to hold the viewer’s attention. Wow! Don’t ask perceptive questions like that.”

Do you intend on utilising the same kind of practical effects that made the original so notorious or do you think the concept would work better with CGI?

“We’ll have a mix of on-set practical effects and digital stuff, although I’m a complete convert to digital movie-making because it allows such freedom. But there’s still something to be said for having the real thing present on the set so that the actors are not forced to react to some dopey assistant holding up a card that says ‘monster’.”

It seems inevitable that every cult movie is eventually remade; has this ever been discussed with Xtro or would you rather continue the series with further sequels?

“I was approached by New Line, which owns the original story – but I would rather shoot another sequel far from the interfering hands of the conventional Hollywood executive phone-monkeys. The fun part about having directed a movie which was, at the time, infamous, is that I frequently receive emails from people all over the world which tell me of how they first saw it when they were kids and how it terrified them. Or else it was a film which they couldn’t shake off. Cool stuff like that. It makes life worth living, you know? Watch out! I will return with something far more disturbing in the next edition. I send loads of love to all fans of the bizarre and outrageous. Now please go away and let me prepare dinner for my dogs before they eat me alive.”