Matthew Reel

Matthew Reel has been among a new generation of independent filmmakers that has shocked, disgusted and entertained horror fans with his brand of grindhouse sleaze and gritty violence. In a few short years he has gained acclaim for such low budget offerings as The Goat Sucker, All the French are Whores and Jessicka Rabid (read our previous interview here). His latest project sees him turning to the weird and wonderful world of music for what promises to be a rock ‘n’ roll horror show.

Matthew Reel talks about the origins of The SWET Band…

Following the modest success of Jessicka Rabid, your latest project is a rock ‘n’ roll horror flick called Swet. What can you reveal at this time regarding the plot and how will this differ to your previous work?

“This is my most ambitious project, a lot flashier and crazier than anything I have done in the past. The film surrounds a band named The SWET Band, an obscure indie-rock band from Virginia. Despite being completely obsessed with methamphetamine and sleazy behavior, one of their songs is noticed by a major record producer. Meanwhile, a young and innocent country girl is transformed into a bizarre and deranged pop star known only as “Madame” and has changed the musical landscape, but her eccentric and bizarre appearance and behaviour has caught the eye of the FBI. All of this is occuring as it is discovered that one of the members of The SWET Band is related to a member of an obscure fundamentalist cult which became famous in the ’70s for a string of serial killings with over eight people burned alive. When “Madame” mysteriously disappears, The SWET Band are suddenly in the crosshairs of many powerful and dangerous people.”

The origin of this project began some time ago through discussions with your old high school friends. How did this develop from a basic idea to something that you felt would be worth pursuing?

“High school was a beautiful time for bullshit in my life. My high school friends, who later formed The SWET Band, used to bullshit with me during those days. We came up with hundreds of characters back in the day, most of them deranged self destructive sociopaths obsessed with huffing household cleaners. I lost contact with them soon after I graduated; when I regained contact with them a few years ago they introduced me to their music project The SWET Band, which followed many of the thousands of narratives we created back then. It’s funny, the bullshitting started right back up again and about a year and a half ago we started piecing all of those elements together and soon realized we had a potentially off-the-chain film on our hands.”

Were you inspired by any specific movies or albums as you were forming the basic outline for both your script and the visual aspects?

“There are so many influences to this project it could take days to list them all. Basically it became an obsession with old ’80s music videos, old MTV in general and obscure public access music programs. Pornography began to become a major influence in the overall tone of the film. The usual suspects: Kenneth Anger, George Kuchar, theater of the absurd… Everything else was all over the map: Lady Gaga, Jon Mikl Thor, Miami Vice, The Equalizer, Idiocracy, Dr. Caligari, G.G. Allin, Meat Loaf, YTMND, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Bad Lieutenant, Giorgio Moroder, Kavinsky, Heavy Metal, Alejandro Jodorowsky, The Sex Pistols, Tommy, The Panic Movement, Wild at Heart, Tommy Wiseau, The Big Lebowski, Sex, Drugs & SWET….”

How would you describe what you intend to do with this movie; will it be a horror, a comedy or a satire?

“Again, this is all over the map. this is the kind of script that doesn’t settle down or take any time to make sense of itself. In a way, it resembles very much like a brutally dark version of The Monkees‘ Head.”

Do you ever write any characters with specific actors in mind, particularly those you have worked with before or move in the same circles as?

“I am and I’m not. I know that I will be using the members of The SWET Band as themselves, my wife Romerita Prates is playing Madame, also a few people who have worked with me before have expressed interest, and I am planning on trying to get some cameos/faux-interviews from people in the music and film world. I already have a few who have said yes. The casting process is a tough one because we have over thirty bizarre peripheral characters that need to be cast just right. We’re already doing that as we go along, but we will use what we have when we find it. It’s definitely a process-oriented film.”

Would you say at this point you are aiming for a subtle or over-the-top approach with this movie?

“This film has taken the “B” out of “subtle”. This is completely over the top for me. Some of this reminds me of some of my earlier experimental films (for an example, click here).”

Your old friends had already created The Swet Band prior to you developing a script; in what ways did this inspire your writing process and will you be basing any of your characters on the band members?

“Just listen to some of their songs. They’ve carried on our sleaze talk; feels right back at home. We’ve been brainstorming every day for months. The bandmembers themselves have already created characters worthy of GWAR or the like. I am definitely using what they’ve brought to the table; the characters that you will see will resemble the Krug Stillo gang from Last House on the Left if they were created by Mike Judge.”

Whilst you are still in the early stages of development, what are your intentions with this project and when can horror fans expect for this to be unleashed?

“I want to take this as far as it will let me. Festival circuit, DVD release, the usual. Also, we have an incredible soundtrack we’re working on, including the film’s bands and music projects which we’ve created such as Cologne, The Americans, The Bible Team, and more. Not mentioning the absurd Lady Gaga-esque stuff we’re producing for Madame. Who knows, really? This is early on, but we will begin shooting by early summer, some aspects have already been planned.”