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Owen: You are about ready to
start work on your latest movie 'Nightmare
Man' starring Racks and Razors favorite
Tiffany Shepis (who also starred in your films 'Corpses'
and 'The Hazing'). What
can you tell us about it?
Rolfe:
NIGHTMARE MAN is a horror thriller about
a young woman who receives a demonic African mask
in the mail that comes to life and attacks her.
Or possibly it is only a delusion. Her husband
and doctors believe she is a paranoid
schizophrenic and suggest she commit herself to a
mental hospital for some future examination. On
the way there, the car runs out of gas. Her
husband walks to the gas station and while she is
waiting in the car for him to return, the NIGHTMARE
MAN attacks her again
or is it only
in her mind? She runs into the woods and stumbles
upon a country house where two young couples are
vacationing. They take her inside as she warns
them all that there is a killer outside with a
knife. They manage to reach the womans
husband on his cell and he tells them that there
is no killer. Its all in her mind but be
careful. She could be dangerous to herself and
possibly others. Now, nobody knows who to trust
and as the murders begin, the horror explodes
with unexpected twists and turns along the way.
Tiffany Shepis plays Mia, one of the
young ladies at the country house. Blythe Metz
plays Ellen the woman who may or may
not be crazy. The rest of the cast will be
finalized in a week or two. Production begins on
August 15th. I wrote and will direct
as well as co-produce it for Valkhn Films, my own
company. My parents, a New York producer Ben
Gruberg, and a new L.A. producer Esther Goodstein
are putting the project together with me.
Its simple story that should be very
suspenseful and keep you guessing to the very
end.
Owen: 'Corpses' stars Tiffany as well as Jeff Fahey and is being
touted as a "zombedy". Was it as
fun to make as it sounds?
Rolfe:
CORPSES was a troubled shoot to say the
least. The finished film is a weird quirky comedy
that kinda fun if youre in the right mood.
The cast is great but the production was a
nightmare. The film has problems. If I had been
able to do a commentary track for the DVD, I
could have explained why the film is the way it
is. But with York Entertainment behind the
release, that turned out to be impossible.
Ill say this, compared to most of the other
York releases, CORPSES is
surprisingly entertaining. Compared to
real movies, Ill let the
viewers decide. But to answer your question,
there was absolutely NO FUN in making CORPSES with the exception of working with a great cast.
If the film works at all, it really is a miracle.
I have threatened to write a book about the
making of this film and one day I might. It would
be called HOW NOT TO PRODUCE A
MOVIE.
Owen:
You've always had fun with the fright
genre; your first professional film (made at age
20 in 1989) was the tongue-in-cheek favorite 'There's
Nothing Out There'. Do you
feel in some ways you invented a genre that has
been given a greater prominence with 'Scream'
and 'Shaun of the Dead'?
Rolfe: THERES NOTHING
OUT THERE was an attempt to break into
the film business and start my career. Horror was
still huge at the time (late 80s) and
Ive always loved horror comedies when they
work. ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET
FRANKENSTEIN, FRIGHT NIGHT,
EVIL DEAD 2, AN AMERICAN
WEREWOLF IN LONDON. These are some of my
favorite movies. So, while I was still in high
school, I wanted to try to write a horror flick.
I had been watching every horror film on video
since I was 14 and wanted to give it a shot. The
problem was while I was watching these films, I
couldnt help but notice all the tired
clichés that would be used again and again.
Example: kids wandering off by themselves, a cat
jumping out of nowhere for a cheap scare, people
standing in front of open windows, dropping the
knife by the killer when we all know hes
still alive, etc
Back in 1987, I had never
seen a horror film where someone in the film was
actually aware of the horror genre and could
comment upon his friends stupidity. So, I
wrote in MIKE, a horror buff who finds himself in
a horror film with his friends and can act like
the audience, commenting on all the stupid
clichés. You see, I love horror films but
Ive always felt that there are a lot of
lazy filmmakers and films out there. I thought if
I parodied the clichés, people would stop using
them and come up with some better, fresher ideas.
That was the goal. The make a horror/comedy that
had enough sex and violence to satisfy the horror
crowd (or what studios believe the horror crowd
wants) while the comedy could be spread through
word of mouth. So, in short, I was making a
commercial film that twisted the genre into
something slightly new. To this day I am still
very proud of the final result. The problem was
that studios didnt understand it. They
couldnt see how an audience would respond.
They felt the film was too funny to be scary and
too scary to be funny so it didnt work. But
the audiences, festivals, and critics loved it.
For years, I knew that the audience was ready for
something like this and if a filmmaker came along
with enough movie, a few name actors, and a big
theatrical release, it would make a fortune. Six
years later, Wes Craven, Kevin Williamson and
SCREAM proved me right. Do I think Kevin
Williamson may have watched THERES
NOTHING OUT THERE on HBO/Cinemax
before/while he was writing SCREAM
and have been influenced? Yes. Do I mind? No.
SCREAM brought back the horror genre and
its going stronger today than ever and
thats great! Im now able to make more
horror films so I cant complain and may
people do give me credit for starting the trend.
I made no money and Hollywood still ignores me
but at least, I know the film is appreciated.
Kevin Smith even told me face to face one day
that he felt SCREAM ripped me
off and I hear Quentin Tarantino is a fan.
Owen: You did a terrific job writing as well as
directed 'The Hazing'.
It was an extremely entertaining gore fest.
What is your predominant memory of filming it?
Rolfe:
THE HAZING was a project that was
somewhat inspired by the success of
SCREAM. You see, after SCREAM came out, everyone wanted horror/comedy. But I
didnt want to redo NOTHING OUT
THERE or rip-off SCREAM so
I thought hard about what I could do that would
be horror/comedy but still be different.
Thats when I thought about BREAKFAST
CLUB as a horror film. Set up a
bunch of stereotype characters and then have them
become real people as the story unfolds so you
dont know whos going to live and die
because the kids arent following the rules.
I combined that concept with a HELL NIGHT plotline and theres THE HAZING.
(THE HAZING actually started
life as a potential sequel to HELL NIGHT
as HELL NIGHT 2: THE HAZING but
when the producers werent interested, I
dropped the HELL NIGHT
connection.) Having almost a million dollars to
make THE HAZING was great but
the producers were very concerned that I
wouldnt be able to pull off an
effects-heavy action horror piece on the budget
and time (18 days). I wasnt that concerned
but I felt the pressure during the entire shoots.
Again, the cast was great but I felt that the
production and some crew people didnt trust
me. I felt like I had very little respect on the
set and that was frustrating so I couldnt
really enjoy my return to the genre.
By the end, I am very happy with the final result
and again most of the reviews have been
wonderful. Horror fans really got what I was
going for. An old-fashioned 80s style
horror comedy with a more modern attitude.
Owen:
'The Hazing' had some great
supporting work by Brad Dourif. How was he
to work with?
Rolfe: Brad Dourif
was wonderful. He really collaborated in the
movie, adding stuff to his character and his
knowledge of alchemy and tarot cards. He really
worked with all the actors and gave 100%. No
complaints at all. He was one of my first choices
for Professor Kapps and I was delighted when he
agreed to do it. We were very lucky. We got him
right between LORD OF THE RINGS
and DEADWOOD. He came up with
making Professor Kapps British, since he had just
perfected the accent for the LORD OF THE
RINGS movies. The problem was that when
Tiffany Shepis and Philip Andrew get possessed by
him, they too would have to speak that way so
Brad Dourif worked with both of them and recorded
all of their lines into a tape recorder to help
them get it down. They had to learn in two weeks
when he had spent months perfecting. That is
Tiffanys voice when shes possessed.
We just lowered the pitch slightly in post but
she really nailed it. Even Brad was very
impressed.
Owen:
'The Hazing' also featured an extremely
memorable cameo by supermodel Brooke Burke in her
screen debut. How did she get involved with
the project?
Rolfe: Brooke
Burke had just finished her stint as host of
E!s Wild On series and was looking to get
into features. Our casting people had her name on
the list and I thought shed be a perfect
cameo for the film. She gave a great audition and
we gave her the part. Unfortunately, her agents
didnt want us to use her name to advertise
the film so we couldn't really take advantage of
her fan base. I think shes fine in the film
but really regret not shooting the scene where
she changing into her Halloween costume in the
bathroom. It was scripted and she had agreed to
do it but the producers cut it because of time.
They didnt let me shoot the scene and I was
stunned. I mean, how to you not shoot the scene
of Brooke Burke taking off her clothes?!! Looking
back, the producers know they made a mistake. We
actually tried to get her back to shoot it but
she wouldnt return.
Owen: I want to hear all about the filming of "the
tongue scene" from that movie.
Rolfe:
Okay. Heres the story of the
tongue scene. When I was writing the script a
good seven years before we made it, I came up
with this over-the-top tongue scene. In my mind,
this was the head scene from RE-ANIMATOR
or the tree rape scene from EVIL DEAD
or the lipstick through the nipple scene in NIGHT
OF THE DEMONS. I remembered in the
80s there was always that one crazy scene
that people would talk about. I thought the
tongue scene would be it. When people first read
the script, they liked most of it but felt the
tongue scene was going too far. Some women found
it disturbing. I thought Good! Its a
horror film. Its supposed to be
disturbing. I thought the scene could be
funny, scary, sexy, and disgusting at the same
time. Well, because of all the flack, I toned
down the scene. It was originally longer so I
trimmed it. Years later, THE HAZING finally gets set-up with a new producer and
Im very happy. He likes the tongue scene.
However, he doesnt have all the money yet
so hes looking for a partner. Well, another
company got involved for a while and they hated
the tongue scene. They didnt think it was
scary and wanted to do something else. We fought
to keep it and finally they left the project. So,
the tongue scene is back in. However, Nectar
Rose, the actress playing the girl on the
receiving end of the tongue, is worried. She has
never done nudity before. So, we took her out to
breakfast and explain the whole deal. She agrees
to do it but wants some trims. I say okay.
Originally, when Nectar realizes that something
is wrong and looks down, the tongue is licking
her nipple. Nectar didnt want to do that so
I changed the tongue to have it slapping against
her stomach. Now, when it finally comes to
shooting the scene, the producer is worried that
well never get an R rating. I
assure him that it wont be that explicit
and I dont think it will be a problem. Some
of the female crewmembers also told me that they
almost refused to work on the film because of the
tongue scene but after it was shot, they realized
what I was going for and had no more concerns. To
tell you the truth, the shooting of the tongue
scene was my happiest day on the set. The
producer was not around to worry and I was able
to get exactly what I wanted. The actors were
cool. Nectars biggest problem was doing her
C.U.s of fake orgasms in front of a roomful
of strangers but she pulled through and did a
great job. Jeremy had a gagging reflex problem
and did not enjoy shoving this whole tongue in
his mouth and getting covered in wet sticky fake
blood isnt so great either but he was also
a trooper and pulled it off with flying colors.
Luckily, Nectar and Jeremy were good friends and
were actually dating at the time so they were
comfortable with each other. The effects guys did
a good job overall. There were cables to
manipulate the tongue and various versions for
different shots. When Jeremy grabs the chainsaw
and tears the tongue into pieces, I had a huge
smile on my face as blood spurted everywhere
covering the walls and ceiling. Jeremy was
practically covered in the stuff from head to
toe. He said his balls will probably be sticking
to his thigh for the next week but we got the
shot. When all was said and done, the tongue
scene worked the way I wanted it to and the MPAA
gave us an R without any cuts needed.
MTI Home Video said the whole office applauded
when they heard THE HAZING was
granted an R. They too were afraid
cuts would be needed. Many people have said the
tongue scene is their favorite part in the film.
There were some other moments in the script that
I would have liked to get to that level but
wasnt able to. The mannequin scene with
Justine also could have been a highlight.
Unfortunately, most of it didnt get filmed
because of time issues. But the tongue scene
survived!
Owen: I also want to hear about the very dark
"thriller with humor" 'Tomorrow
By Midnight' with Alexis Arquette and
Carol Kane.
Rolfe: TOMORROW BY MIDNIGHT is the film that Im most proud of. It is
not the most commercial movie Ive made but
it is the most personal and does have a lot to
say. Its about four college film students
that wind up taking a video store hostage for the
night. Ive described it as BREAKFAST
CLUB with guns or CLERKS
meets DOG DAY AFTERNOON.
The film asks the question: what happens when the
line between movie violence and real life
violence gets blurred? Again, Im very happy
with the cast but also happy with the entire
film. It was shot on 35mm, scope, with a great
5.1 mix. Besides Alexis Arquette (PULP
FICTION, LORDS OF DOGTOWN,
BRIDE OF CHUCKY, WEDDING
SINGER, etc
) and Carol Kane (WHEN
A STRANGER CALLS, PRINCESS BRIDE,
TVs TAXI, THE
PACIFIER), it features a early role of
Jorge Garcia (T.V.s LOST)
and Tamara Craig Thomas (THE CURVE,
and upcoming features ASK THE DUST
with Salma Hayek and FUN WITH DICK AND
JANE with Jim Carrey). The whole film is
set in the video store that is a B-movie fans
dream. All the posters and trailers in the store
are from Troma, Roger Corman, and Full Moon and
there are extended conversations about Hitchcock
vs. DePalma, Halloween, Friday
The 13th vs. Tarantino movies. I believe
over 156 films are mentioned but at the same time
there is a lot of suspense and when the film
turns serious and deadly, the violence is
shocking and brutal. Im still trying to
find a distributor to pick up the film. It
deserves to be released some day.
Owen:
What makes horror and humor such a great
mix?
Rolfe: I believe
humor is a great way to get people off-guard
before a big scare. JAWS is a
great example when Roy Scheider is throwing out
the shark bait and says, Why dont you
chuck some of this shit and the shark
bursts up behind him. A laugh turning into a
scream is very powerful. When done properly, the
film is just a great rollercoaster. FRIGHT
NIGHT was a delight in the theaters. The
audiences went crazy. Same with EVIL DEAD
2. I had so much fun watching those
films that I always wanted to recreate that kind
of movie-going experience. I wish THE
HAZING had been given a theatrical shot,
even just a small one. Because I think it would
have been a blast! The sequence on the moors in AMERICAN
WEREWOLF IN LONDON is probably the best
blend of comedy and horror in a single scene. You
are on the edge of your seat in fear but still
chuckling at the witty banter. You laugh and
scream, amused and terrified at the same time.
Its very delicate line to walk but one
Ive always found to be a great challenge
and very rewarding when done right.
Owen:
Tell me about your other new movie you have
coming out 'Jacquelyn Hyde'
starring Gabriella Hall and Blythe Metz.
Rolfe:
JACQUELINE HYDE is a different kind of
horror film for me. Its a modern tale
inspired by Robert Louis Stevensons The
Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde
but seen from a womans point of view.
Gabriella Hall plays JACKIE HYDE, a shy
telemarketer who inherits her grandfathers
mansion. He was an inventor and magician and
created a potion that allows a person to
transform into anyone they wish to be. JACKIE
stumbles upon the potion and soon transforms
herself into various men and women as she
experiments with herself and her sexuality. She
eventually finds her alter ego, JACQUELINE HYDE
(Blythe Metz) and the sex soon leads to violence.
Ive always thought of this as Jekyll
and Hyde crossed with LOOKING FOR
MR. GOODBAR. Its an erotic journey
into horror. It was also my first film as
co-producer with Gabriella under her Pixie Flicks
banner. Im very happy with the film and
amazed by whats happened with it. It got
selected for the 23rd Brussels
International Film Festival earlier this year and
screened alongside THE RING TWO,
WHITE NOISE, BOOGEYMAN,
TEAM AMERICA, CREEP,
ROBOTS, and Paul Schraders
EXORCIST, among others. JACQUELINE
HYDE is a much, much smaller film than
any of these, so getting selected was a great
honor. And now, the film is getting released on
October 18th in the states through
Warner Home Video, so it should be everywhere!
Its probably going to have the biggest
release of any of my films so far. Ive
always felt that there is a real audience out
there for erotic horror and JACQUELINE
HYDE will be the test. If is succeeds, I
hope to make a few more of these types of films
and already have some scripts ready to go. The
releasing company has asked about a possible
sequel.
Owen: Looking back on when you were a kid is there some
memory you can point to that says, "Yep,
that kid was destined to make movies".
Rolfe: Well, I
discovered what I wanted to do very, very young.
My father introduced me to Abbott and Costello
movies when I was four and I fell in love with
them. As fate would have it, the very first movie
memory I have is watching the end of ABBOTT
AND COSTELLO MEET DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE.
I started writing my own Abbott and Costello
stories soon after and when I got my first video
camera at the age of 13 that was it. There was no
turning back. At fourteen, I knew I was going to
be a director and I started writing screenplays
at 15. At 16, I tackled my first feature length
movie, STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. My
parents were and still are extremely supportive
but they tried to broaden my interest.
Unfortunately, Im very stubborn and film
has always been the love of my life.
Owen:
You have a pretty varied career --- in
addition to the aforementioned movies you've also
done 'The Erotic Misadventures Of An
Invisible Man', the teen comedy 'Pretty
Cool', the James Bond spoof 'Rod
Steele', etc. Looking over your
oeuvre which film gives you the most pride?
Rolfe: I have
always loved comedy and that is my strong suit.
However, I also love horror films, thrillers,
musicals, and action. I would love to make a NORTH
BY NORTHWEST, a BLUES BROTHERS,
a CHRISTMAS IN JULY, a SILENT
PARTNER, a PINK PANTHER
and a SLEUTH so my taste is
varied. Looking back, I guess Im most proud
of THERES NOTHING OUT THERE,
THE HAZING, PRETTY COOL,
and TOMORROW BY MIDNIGHT.
Id say THE HAZING is my
(none-to-subtle homage to) EVIL DEAD,
PRETTY COOL is my PORKYS
/ ZAPPED! and TOMORROW is
my BREAKFAST CLUB.
Owen: What in real
life makes you laugh and shudder at the same
time?
Rolfe: Thinking about real life. Its much more fun
being lost in the movies. |
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