Yeah, yeah, I know that Tarantino spells it the other way, but who cares? I watched this this weekend along with G.I. Joe (loved it) and Transformers 2 (Hated it, too dull) This is the most amazing film I have seen in quite some time. Sure, it's based off of the original film, but it does things it's own way. Now I could review the flick, but I don't think I'm going to do that. There are plenty of reviews out there so, I don't feel it's necessary. Instead, I am going to say what makes this such a great and special film. Chistoph Waltz. As Col. Hans Landa a.k.a. The Jew Hunter, Waltz delivers the best performance in a film that actually has quite a few great performances. He manages to steal this film from people like Brad Pitt. Not too shabby if you ask me. Is it a bomus that we share the same last name and German ancestry? Sure it is! Always good to see a possible distant relative make good. And he made very good with this flick. As proof that this film is not boring let me give you the following facts. My nine year old son, Daniel, has the attention span of...well, a nine year old. Couple that with the large amount of subtitles that make up over half the film and this is not your average nine year old movie viewing experience. He loved it. Thought it was a great film. And it never felt like two hours and thirty-three minutes to him, or to me for that matter. This is the best film that I have seen this year. Congratulations, Mr. Tarantino. You have made an excellent film.
Any fan of the soft core genre of film said a silent thanks when Michael Raso came on the scene in the late 90’s. His company, Seduction Cinema, soon blossomed to include many little offshoot companies that are now under the umbrella name of Alternative Cinema (www.alternativecinema.com). But this isn’t about Michael Raso. This is about a man who joined forces with Raso to create a unique stable of films in the soft core film world. This is about Tony Marsiglia. Tony’s roots are from the stage, but he learned that the impermanence of live performing wasn’t doing it for him. He wanted something more. The more began form as the film PHOENIX which is only now being released on a double DVD disc from Alternative Cinema with his latest release, the harrowing SUZIE HEARTLESS. The films between these two bookends are as unique as their director. From the intriguing DR. JEKYLL AND MISTRESS HYDE which showcased a performance from the young Misty Mundae which was unlike anything that she had done before, to the intimate SIN SISTERS that brought Chelsea Mundae into the scene with her sister in one of the most bizarre tales ever told. Then came the epic LUST FOR DRACULA which reinvented the Dracula story and made it something that only Tony could have envisioned. Add in SINFUL which comes across as something ripped from today’s headlines with a surreal twist and CHANTAL, a reimagining of the Nick Phillips classic of the same name that takes what was done before and brings it to a whole new level. This is the legacy of Tony Marsiglia and I was lucky enough to conduct an interview via email where Tony was more than gracious in answering my long list of inane questions. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Tony Marsiglia.
Douglas Waltz – What first attracted you to film? Tony Marsiglia – After working so long and hard on several stage productions, the ‘lasting’ product of film intrigued me. Some of the best acting I have ever witnessed was on a stage to a room of one hundred, or less, people. That really angered me. Film was the obvious solution
DW – All of your film work has been released by Alternative Cinema in one or more of its incarnations. What is it about this company that brings you back to them again and again? TM – Mike Raso. Mike Raso keeps me coming back! He was the only one that truly believed in me as a film maker and did, and continues to make possible my visions. Without him I’d only have home movies. I am only ad that due to the present market we are not available to shoot features the way we once did. Mike Raso had an incredible vision. He wanted a very specific group of artists to be like a family. To make films and only make films. I was completely on board. Sadly, his dream fell apart for a variety of reasons which had nothing to do with his generous want to make movies. I’ll be forever thankful to him and can never forget that golden time of shooting Chantal and Lust For Dracula back to back. When it felt like this would be all that I’d be doing.
DW – So, has Alternative Cinema turned out not to be a viable option for your films in the future? TM – Impossible to say. How films are marketed and sold these days, mainly due to the Internet, is still in a state of uncertainty. Makes it scary for the film maker and distributor. What I DO know is that I trust Mike Raso. We’ve built a strong understanding. If that were to fall, I probably would too.
DW – In Dr. Jekyll and Mistress Hyde, you take the classic story and change it into an obsession with releasing people’s inner sexuality. Was that something you were trying to explore above and beyond the basic story? TM - That film was mostly written by the brilliant Bruce Hallenbeck. All the elements were there. I made very few changes and Misty and Julian made it fly. It was a difficult shoot, my first with Misty, but it remains one of my best experiences.
DW – One of the extras on the film was a huge, rambling, behind the scenes thing that was probably as long as the movie. Was that your idea? TM - I had nothing to do with that. Haven’t even seen it, but I do understand that fans of the film might enjoy some ‘backstage’ antics. Anything that will help the film to be seen I am behind!
DW – For this film what were some of the challenges that you had to overcome to get it done and in the can? TM – Juggling locations are always a headache and we did a lot of that. It was intensely cold at many of the sites. Misty hates the cold and isn’t bashful about letting you know! However, the crew and the cast were so excited and challenged by the impossible schedule and the script that their enthusiasm kept it alive.
DW – What was Julian Welles like on the set of Dr. Jekyll and Mistress Hyde? TM – Hot! I picked her up from the airport for that shoot and drove her to her hotel and was beyond drawn to her immense, overt, yet mysterious, sensuality. I don’t know how else to put it. Only a tiny portion of that makes it to the screen, thank God, for the other actresses.
DW – For me, this was one of Misty Mundae’s first films where I saw an actual actress shining through instead of just a pretty, naked girl. What did you do to draw such a performance out of her? TM – Misty is amazing. The best. Such honesty and so much fun. I remember one shot, in Julian’s office, Dang, my DP on the feature, had to call me over and look through the lens at Misty. Beautiful! If I only had one actress to ever work with, it would be Misty.
DW – Sin Sisters comes across as a quick and dirty little flick. Did that have any bearing on how the movie was shot? TM – I would love to do a commentary on that one. Three day shoot. Awful conditions. I remember that we were shooting Misty’s big speech knowing she had to be at the airport in half an hour. It was pretty brutal, but great fun.
DW – To me it looked like the shoot was incredibly hot, and by hot I don’t mean sexy. Was the temperature up there? Misty almost looked burnt in a couple of shots. TM – That was such a crazy day. We literally took two days to shoot all the easy stuff and ONE day to shoot all the impossible stuff in and on the drive to that cabin in the mountains. We were all very hot at that 13th hour, yet knew we had to complete an incredible number of shots. And then, somehow, drive down that mountain and get them to the airport. INSANE! But I really wanted to get that movie made. I was very proud of the script that had been put together in days and the sisters were so cool. And, Andrea (Davis) always so patient and radiant. WOOF! Again, it would be so much fun to do a commentary with the three of them.
DW – What were some of the challenges in shooting this kind of movie? TM – Knowing that you pretty much had to get the performance in one take coupled with the fact that the actors and crew, all three of us, were exhausted, made for moments of nervousness. Nonetheless, I have been pushing Mike Raso to make a sequel!
DW – How would the sequel work in your mind? TM – Andrea is not really dead, of course, and plots an even more diabolical destruction of the sisters. Raso! Do you hear me?
DW – How was it to work with such a small cast? TM – Smaller is always better in regards to cast and crew. Smaller is always better!
DW – Lust For Dracula was interesting in that the entire cast was female. Was Julian Welles supposed to be a man, or was it just a side effect of the drugs she was feeding Mina? TM – Mike Raso initially had always wanted to make a vampire picture with an all female cast. He gets all the credit for that inspiration.
DW – Darian Caine was naked for a lot of this film. Was that a conscious thing to present Dracula as a free spirit? TM – She just looks so beautiful and is so free being naked. I love that! And yes, Dracula is Jesus.
DW – was Misty going for annoying in that one shoot up in the attic? Her voice for that part was just like chewing glass. And, remember, I LIKE Misty! TM – That room was about 110 degrees, no air conditioning, and I knew I had to get Misty to nail that character with that endless monologue. I wanted something alternatively strangely close in temperament and as far from her Chantal character as possible that would shoot the next week. Those were my happiest moments on the Lust For Dracula shoot. Working with Misty in that miserable, hot attic. It remains my favorite Misty performance. I know she probably hates it, dunno, but it is my favorite. She was so sweet and delicate and the moment when she understands her betrayal…no one can act that better than Misty. Woof! I really miss her.
DW – How was Andrea Davis to work with? And, do you think she might work in more of a leading role in the future? TM – She has a nice role in my latest feature, Suzie Heartless. Have tried for years to convince the powers that be to make a feature with her as a secret agent. Still waiting!
DW – Anything weird or significant that comes to mind with this shoot? TM – Yeah, it was pretty cool how the half sisters in real life truly seemed to be in the film like sisters. Wish I had dirt to report, but nope! They were always sweet and helpful to each other. Even when the last day turned out to be a twenty hour shoot!
DW – Sinful was released next, but Chantal was shot back to back with Lust For Dracula What was that grueling schedule like for you and the actors? TM – Perfection! That was the time when we were all truly working as a team. Mike Raso, the producer, even came down for a visit! I truly believed that there was nothing that could stop us as film makers.
DW – With Chantal you were redoing a Nick Phillips film. What is your opinion of Nick and his films? Have you seen very many of them? TM – No, I have only seen Sylvia, which I hope to remake. From what little I have seen I can only emphasize with what must be his drive to make features under impossible circumstances.
DW – You have a part in Chantal as the guy running the fleabag hotel. Was that a part you conceived for yourself or was it one of those situations where you ran out of actors and decided to do it yourself? TM – The guy scheduled never showed up! I painfully recall looking at my watch as his call time grew close. By two AM I knew I had to fill in or the scenes would never be shot. Sad, as there was a lot of stuff I had to cut because we ran out of time. Regardless, I do cherish the screen time with Misty. It was a delight!
DW – Did you play the hotel manager like you wanted or were you just channeling the actor who hadn’t shown up? TM – I always know pretty much what I want from each role. These are low budget films. Time does not allow for much characterization and rehearsal.
DW – Sinful seems to be taken from the front pages of the newspaper. There is always some whacked out story about a woman cutting out another woman’s baby. But you made it seem a lot more stylized. Why go for that look instead of something more grounded in reality? TM – Quite the opposite! The film is probably the most truthful film I have made. Very little of it is ‘made up’, re: the style. I wanted it all to be from Lilith’s (Misty Mundae) point of view. The film’s reality is hers.
DW – This brings us to Suzie Heartless. For me, this film was brutal and unrelenting. Whenever the lead actress got naked I felt more than a little dirty knowing what her situation was. What brought you to making such a bleak film? TM – Suzie Heartless is a film that I have wanted to make for a long time. Originally with Misty! It was all taken from the real life experiences of several hookers who I used to drive from one hotel to another in my taxi driving days. It’s all outlined in the commentary for that film
DW – What was the decision to make it without her speaking any dialogue as well? TM – Originally, it did have dialogue in the first draft of the script and I found that it only got in the way of her story. The loneliness of her not being able to communicate with words added to the texture of the film. I can’t imagine it any other way.
DW – That actress (Wendy McColm) comes across as so sweet and innocent in everything else she has ever done. How did she react when she realized what the script was going to call for? TM – Wendy was awesome. No one can touch what she did in that film. I was just a lucky cinematographer. Why Wendy McColm is not a major ‘Hollywood’ name eludes me.
DW – Your films have a few themes that run through them. What is it that you, as a director, are trying to say with your movies? TM – That you don’t get a second chance.
DW – What is next for you in the future? TM – Currently, I am producing a play that I wrote, direct and act in. It is called Sprung and I will make an HD version of it between the stage run. It’s a play about addiction and I am very proud of it.
DW – Okay, finally, let’s say that you have unlimited funding to make any movie you want. What would it be? TM – The XTRA, a film about twins that’ll require some special effects that I currently cannot afford.
Now for the mindless questions;
DW - Any children? TM - I have 3 dogs that I love almost as much as I love my wife. Yet, she and I hope to have a child soon. I think I’m finally grown up for that - and finally have a mate that is of the same mind. Funny how time changes things. I've made some horrible mistakes in my life. Hurt a lot of people. Much more than I was ever hurt. So many regrets. Luckily I have a weak memory. Don't think I could live with myself if I thought about my past too long.
DW - What are some of your fun things you like to do with your free time? TM - I really enjoy going to malls, shops, anywhere really and eavesdrop on people conversations - great fuel for the starting points of a new story. That and finding anyway possible of getting out of my head and enjoying life.
DW - What film maker most influences your work? TM - I admire anyone who finds the energy & money of putting a film together - on any scale! But - Reza Abdoh. A New York/LA theatre writer/director. All of his productions were simply breath taking. No film I have ever seen (or play) has ever matched his audacity, inventiveness and outright genius. He died of AIDS a few years back. So sad that it was theatre - so few were there to witness his art. And those that did - as audience members or actors have a special connection. I think of his productions all the time - and rarely go to the theatre anymore as nothing can match the outright electricity he brought to the stage. His death was a horrible loss to the stage and the screen. He made one film.
DW - What is your favorite film? TM - Wow - if I had to pick one - stranded on a desert island? Oh easy - Vittorio De Sica's Umberto D - I cry every time! Text book acting and direction. Flawless.
DW - Book? TM - That David Mamet book on acting - reminds actors of what the real job of acting is!
DW - Meal? TM - Steak!
DW - And finally, for shits and giggles; Coffee or tea? TM - Coffee - a full pot - every morning!
DW – Tony, thank you for your time. TM – Not a problem, Doug.
Okay before anyone starts groaning. I want you to look at this film with fresh eyes. I want you to see it in your mind like I saw it originally. In a theater with no idea of what was going to appear on the screen. It was 1981 so that put me at the ripe old age of eighteen. I had already seen things like Alien and its ilk so, what was this going to offer me? Simply the trippiest, fly by the seat of your pants, sci fi horror film that has no equal. Don't believe me? Fine, let's start with a little list, shall we? Edward Albert Ray Walston Erin Moran Robert Englund Zalman King Grace Zabriskie Roger Corman William Stout Bill Paxton James Cameron
Did you see those names? Sure, some are better than the rest and Bill Paxton actually worked behind the camera for this one, but look at the list! This is epic B-Movie making at it's finest. Let's do a quick plot rundown, shall we? Seems that a ship landed on this spooky planet and this one guy is running for his life. Yeah, he don;t make it. We fast forward to a guy called The Master who has a glow in the dark head. Seems this planet is something that he has been searching for all his life. Now, it's time to assemble a team to get to the new planet. The Master tells them it's to try and rescue any survivors from the original mission, but we know better. This is a team of misfits. People with sever emotional baggage that they wear proudly on their sleeves. With the aid of hyper drive they are at the planet in no time and something is using their own fears to prey upon them and start the slaughter. But what is it? GALAXY OF TERROR deserves so much more than it gets. At a brief 81 minutes, this film flies by. There are no long scenes of exposition. Things are inferred and not spoon fed to you. This requires you to think, use your brain to figure out what is going on. Sure, some of it is obvious, but not all of it. The characters are given to us as if we already are acquainted with them. The movie takes off like a shot and never slows down until the credits roll. Sure, Erin Moran's acting is horrible and she only seems capable of one expression throughout the film, but it is fun to watch Joanie from Happy Days get slaughtered so there's that. Edward Albert reminds us of what a great character actor he was and that we lost someone very special waaay too soon in his career. Robert Englund actually acts without mugging Freddy style for the camera. A welcome performance. The special effects team gives us a huge, mystical pyramid and a ravaged planet scape that looks so damn good. You can see where James Cameron stole some of this for ALIENS. And then there's the giant worm rape scene. This was just bizarre. Probably one of the oddest scenes in Cinema history. Thankfully a statuesque blond covered in clear slime is pretty good to look at. It's a shame the giant worm thingie killed her when it was done. GALAXY OF TERROR is a film worth revisiting with fresh eyes. Or to discover it for the first time as a film that rose above its budgetary restrictions and gave us something unique.
I'll make this brief. And, yes, there are spoilers. The new mini series of Torchwood has decided to kill off Ianto, one of the main characters of the series. Why? See the title for a quick explanation. Lately, I have been reading a lot about Mr. Davies in the news and there are many interviews with him. He comes across as a pompous ass. Look, sir, you're just writing television. It's not like you have invented the wheel. And, if you're such a good writer then why does Stephen Moffat win all the awards for the episodes of Doctor Who that he has written. Thank God that he will be taking over the further adventures of Doctor Who. That way Davies can stop clubbing us over the head with his personal life. Yes, we get it. You're gay and don't believe in God. We got that pretty much right away, but there you are with your Gay Atheist club hammering away at us week after week. Having been a big fan of the show in it's previous incarnation, Doctor Who not Torchwood, I have to say that I prefer that one. It was about the adventure not the preachy. It made a statement about the human condition by including all humans, not just who Davies wants us to think about. Moffat does a good job of getting that idea across. Davies does not. And now he has ruined Torchwood. Good for you Jackass. And to all the fans of the show who are more upset about this than I am, Davies could care less. This is his little pet project and I'm pretty sure his agenda from the start. He only did Doctor Who so he could get Torchwood made. It's been planned for a while now and when he writes himself into a dramatic corner he goes for the easy out. Kill a major character. Ohhhhh! Never saw that one coming ya twit. I, for one, will not be bothering with the finale of the mini series of Torchwood. Don't need to waste my time. That's it for me. I'm out.
I have been scrambling like an idiot doing this and that, but I have some thing in the pipe and other goings on that I would like to address here. First, you must go to see the Breastford City Limits blog that my new buddy Louis Fowler and I are doing. It is quite a lot of fun to have a site that only deals with things from Alternative Cinema. And that's Alternative Cinema the company, not the concept. I just watched the J.R. Bookwalter film Robot Ninja and I have been blown away by this flick! More in a review to follow very soon. I have also become obsessed with The Formaldehyde Man from the Nick Zedd flick Geek Maggot Bingo. Enough that I have done a new mini comic with him versus Fu-Manchu. I have made stickers and my buddy Christopher is working on an inaction figure of the beast for me. I am also still in the working phase of my book on film maker Michael Legge. The more I write, the more I want to write. And finally, I am in the middle of a series of interviews with film maker Tony Marsiglia. Just thought you might all want to know what was going on. I felt like I was ignoring my fans. In the meantime, here is a picture of the amazing, one of a kind, Formaldehyde Man. Enjoy!
And yes, that is Bob Martin, former editor of Fangoria in the shot with him.
The story might sound familiar; A dysfunctional family trying to cure the dysfunction with a bonding trip back to their roots in Ireland. Then they miss the bus back to civilization and are stuck in alien country. And to make matters worse, this ain't just a quaint little Irish town. It has secrets to hide. Deadly, vicious secrets. PLAGUE TOWN gives me hope for the future of good old fashioned horror movies. This is what the 80's were like before everything got caught up in remake Hell. We got Jason first. And Freddy. And Cropsy. And weird things like John Carpenter's The Thing. It has that frisson of pure evil that inundates films like Messiah Of Evil. In other words, this might be the creepiest thing I have seen in a very, very long time. That's all you get from me. Any more would ruin it for you. Find the film, watch the film and thank me later.
Apparently, Jess Franco will be in Texas at FantasticFest at the end of September/beginning of October. I'm not sure of the specific date as of yet, but more information will appear as I learn it. I once saw Franco in Chicago many, many moons ago. It was one of the true highlights in my fan boy life and would love to repeat it. That's why, if you look to your right you will see that the PayPal button has reared it's ugly head. How much will I need to get there? Not sure. I will go the cheapest way possible so I'm still working on that. Hopefully I will have all my ducks in a row come next week and can give an exact amount and keep track of how it develops. Thank you all for my ramblings. Once again, a picture of a pretty girl;
