Tell me something about the production of "Hung by a Thread?"
- This began when I was looking for a way to release "A Tribute to Sanity." I figured that maybe it would be easier to shoot two thirds of a feature rather than an entirely new one. I then thought how about getting Alan Rowe Kelly (I'll Bury You Tomorrow, The Bloodshed) and Tyler Tharpe (Freak, Return in Red) involved. So I threw the idea of doing an anthology at them and they loved the idea. Originally I was going to use my film "A Tribute to Sanity" and help them make their films. They were both down with the idea and they just ran with it. Alan really insisted that I do a new film and as the film grew, it was the right decision. I locked up with Nikki McIntyre and Max Almeida to write a fresh story…and here we are shooting "And Then I Helped." Starring Ben Tatar and Nikki McIntyre along with Justin Alvarez, Jerry Summers and myself. The story involves a young girl who takes care of her grandfather by means of killing and feeding him human meat.
"Hung by a Thread" is a little junk store that offers up many weird horrific oddities. There's some strange connection with the store and the three stories that we have to tell.
What was your inspiration to become a involved within the film industry?
-My Uncle had a lot to do with my obsessions, since I was a baby I watched monster and Kung Fu movies with him. He wanted to be an FX artist when he was a kid and that interest boiled up inside of me. Tom Savini's Bizarro (aka: Grand Illusions) was my bible since kindergarten. I always wanted to be that guy who made the monsters. So when I was twelve I got my first 8mm video camera, then quickly began making movies. My idea was that I'd showcase my effects in these little movies to show my work, so that producers could see that the illusions worked. The entire film making process became an obsession and there's probably nothing I haven't done. It wasn't until I made that short film, "A Tribute to Sanity" when I decided to seriously pursue directing and not just FX.
When did Maggot films begin?
- In 2003. We officially launched magGot films in the first issue of "The Meat Socket" CD-ROM magazine ( themeatsocket.com). There was a huge interview and a lot of our film work and music are in it. We also premiered an "Opening the Mind" promotional short film in that first issue. Hell, now we have an ongoing short film series entitled "magGot corner" that is featured in "The Meat Socket."
Who would be your favorite director?
-That's a hard call, it's usually a tie…David Lynch and David Cronenberg.
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What is your opinion about film remakes, such as The Omen, Poseidon Adventure?
-I really enjoyed the "Texas Chainsaw" and "Hills Have Eyes" remakes. It can be really fun if done right. Especially when you've seen a film so many times, it can be a fresh twist…but sometimes it can be the most destructive thing too. But look at "The Blob" and "The Thing" remakes, they're now classics of their own right. It all depends on the individual film, just as every film coming out now.
What do you have scheduled for your next project?
-Finishing "Opening the Mind" and helping Eric James finish off "Chrome Baby" as well. We've kept these films in our closets for far too long. Spent a lot of our time on other people's sets, learning and becoming better at what we do. Now it's time to re-apply these refined skills back into what we started a few years ago.
One last question...what is the most frightful film that kept you up half the night?
-It's hard to say, films don't affect me like they used to. I remember when I was in early elementary. My baby sitter and I snuck Friday the 13th part two. We had built it up so much that we were hiding under a horde of blankets. The opening sequence had us screaming, just as the opening credits began to roll after the head in the fridge was revealed and Adrienne King is killed with the screwdriver to the temple…My babysitter was racing to the VCR to shut it off. I was petrified of those films for a year or so, but then I became obsessed with them, watching all of them over and over. The last film that really had me in a knot was Possession. That film can really warp your mind. It's a real powerhouse of film making. Though I can't say, it kept me up all night in the same fashion. I miss those days.
