Ask me what I think of Adam Green I’ll reply with two
words - “fucking legend”.
Adam Green is the creator & director of the insane
horror film Hatchet and co-director of the very disturbing Spiral with one of
Hatchet’s stars David Joel Moore.
Adam Green was nice enough to take the time out of what
seems like a very busy schedule to answer some questions in great detail and is
even nice enough to repost this interview in his blog.
Enough introduction check out this
interview with the creator of Victor Crowley himself, Adam Green.
Victor Crowley, a legend from the
beginning. What do you see for the future of this amazing character?
I purposely left a lot of information about
Victor Crowley out of HATCHET as I always intended for there to be sequels and
I wanted those sequels to actually propel his story. For instance… why is he
deformed? Is he a ghost or did he never really die? Where was his mother
growing up? What was up with that look he shared with Marybeth in the middle of
him killing Shawn with the shovel? Do they know each other? There’s a lot more
to him that will be revealed, and I’m excited because it was all planned out
from the very first draft.
When there is a HATCHET 2 or 3- they will be
films that actually count. They won’t just be “Victor Crowley kills new
tourists”. The first one was a tremendous success for Anchor Bay and we have been going back and forth for months trying to figure out how to
best go about doing the sequel. Unfortunately, my schedule is now so jam-packed
that in order to get HATCHET 2 completed and out there for the fans quickly
enough- there’s a chance I may have to pass the torch to someone else. Ideally
I’d love to stick with the HATCHET series as it’s mine and I love it dearly,
but not if it means that I’d have to half-ass a film because I couldn’t fully
dedicate my life to it or do it the right way. HATCHET fans are extremely
passionate and so many of them are personally attached to not only the
characters, but the people behind the scenes who made it happen (thanks to that
amazing UNRATED DVD package with all of those documentaries). I want those fans
delivered to. I want everyone who loved and supported HATCHET to get what they
deserve when the sequel happens. Not something that’s thrown together with no
soul because the title “HATCHET 2” alone will make some distribution companies
richer. So if it’s not me at the helm, you can bet it will be someone whom I
personally think can deliver the goods.
In terms of tone, I went very heavy on the
comedy the first time around as it was my way to set the film apart from
generic slasher films and to try and inject some life into characters that are
typically just a ‘body count’ in this genre. But as you could tell from the
bleak and ‘what the fuck?’ ending of the first one… things are going to get a
lot darker. If I write and direct the next one, you can bet my sense of humor will still be there in places- I mean, come on… we’re
dealing with a deformed madman who uses things like a gas powered belt-sander
to kill people! But it’s heading into a dark and twisted place, no doubt.
Which horror movie first got you into the genre?
I think the first one that my older brother
ever showed me was FRIDAY THE 13th PART 2. But oddly enough, it was the films I
sought out immediately after that one that really developed my love for the
genre. For instance, John Carpenter’s THE THING was a marvel of movie making
that had me dissecting the actual production (“how did they do that?”) and it
really started whetting my appetite for potentially making a horror movie some
day when I grew up.
It’s the same for a lot of people my age. You start
with the slasher films. But then the addiction kicks in of wanting to find a
movie that will actually SCARE you and you search far and wide in the video
store. It’s like drugs- always trying to beat that first high. You search long
and hard, you uncover a ton of turds, and then all of a sudden you find THE
SHINING and you rejoice in the afterglow of shitting in your pants and you say
“YES! That’s what I was talking about!” Or you find THE EXORCIST and you are
never the same. For me personally though, my holy grail
or horror is still Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN. One of the few flawless films ever
made and it STILL stands the test of time. I know every word, I watch it
several times a year, and it gets better every time.
What is your favorite horror movie kill?
Oh man, that’s tough.
John Buechler’s "sleeping bag" kill in FRIDAY THE
13th PART 7 was always the reigning champ until they tried to re-hash it in
JASON X and ruined it’s cool factor for me. Check Russell’s “human puppet
controlled by veins” in NIGHTMARE 3 is an all-time classic, too. Most recently
I really dug Joe Lynch’s “body split in half” at the
opening of WRONG TURN 2 and Ryan Schifrin’s “face-bite off” in ABOMINABLE.
Those are all deaths that make me want to cheer and they didn’t rely on bad CGI
to pull them off.
But is it bad if I also say “Mrs. Permatteo in HATCHET”? I mean, I could try and be cool and
keep throwing out other movie kills- but I’m sorry. That whole one-shot head
torn in half with no CGI is one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen done- even
if it is in my own movie. It’s one of the very first things I thought up for
HATCHET back when I was just a little kid and to see it realized on the screen
is just a boner-inducing experience every time. I could rip HATCHET to shreds
around that scene- but for those 10 seconds at least, I am always at ease when
watching the movie.
Who is your favorite band?
That’s even tougher. At this point, after 30
years of listening to music and going to concerts, I have narrowed it down to 5. TWISTED SISTER, METALLICA, AEROSMITH, MARILYN MANSON, and GUNS N’ ROSES. But I will tell you this- I have never missed a MINISTRY show when they were anywhere nearby. It is a godly experience. Thankfully, last
month’s show here in Hollywood
is supposed to be part of their “farewell tour”. I sincerely hope that they
don’t ever come back because I don’t know how much longer I can sustain the
abuse. Every year I go and I say that I will hang towards the back and just
watch…and every year I come home bloodied and bruised up for days.
At a concert - mosher or stadium seats?
I never really know. I actually prefer to be
seated slightly far away from the stage so that it SOUNDS right. For instance,
I’ve seen AEROSMITH in the front row a few times now, and as cool as it is to
have Steven Tyler spitting all over you- you can hear Joey Kramer actually
hitting his drums- and then the sound of his drums through the amps a split
second later…and it’s tough to follow.
I also like to be able to move from side to
side of the stage. For instance if I am at a TWISTED SISTER show- there are
songs I want to be on front of Mark Mendoza for (like when he beats the shit
out of his bass on “Shoot ‘Em Down”) and songs that I want to be in front of
J.J. and Eddie for (like “The Price”).
I’ve seen MARILYN MANSON in the front row
enough times to never have to do it again. It’s just too much “bare dude ass”
in the face for me. Now I try and hang towards the middle, especially when they
launch into “Great Big White World” which is still one of the greatest live
songs of all time. I’ve seen MANSON over 20 times now and that song still gets
me right in the heart.
When it comes to moshing, I always say I am not going to do it. But much like MINISTRY shows- I don’t
keep my word. I went to GWAR last year and came home covered in purple shit and
wearing only my jeans and one boot. I have no idea where the rest of my clothes
went. All I know is that my girlfriend made me change outside before I could
come in the house. Depending on the band, I can come home pretty beat up sometimes.
It’s also gotten weird now that people tend to
recognize me. At an AEROSMITH show, the chances of being seated next to a fan
are slim to none. But at a GWAR show in Hollywood it’s not as easy to blend in and it can get annoying fast once the sweaty dude
next to you is like “Holy shit! Are you the HATCHET dude?” I just say my name
is Bob Balls and I have no idea what he is talking about.
Sometimes it works.
Favorite place or way to party?
I feel like I am away from home so much that
when I do get time off I prefer to stay on the couch or just go to the movies 4
or 5 times a week. I invested in the most bad-ass home theater
stuff they make and I put it to damn good use. To me, when I can shut off the
phone and just watch movies alone with my girlfriend- I’m enormously content.
Though I hate to admit it, I’ve even become quite the XBOX gamer and I’ve been
known to spend up to 8 hours at a time on Halo with my friends. There’s this
whole circle of writers, actors, and directors who are on-line almost nightly-
and no, I’m not giving out any gamer tags!
I know for some people it’s a let down to
hear, but I’m actually not much of a partier in terms of going out or drug
intake. For my 30th birthday, I was given so many bottles of booze it was
ridiculous. And 3 years later- almost every single one is still in my bar,
un-opened. In fact, aside from the basics like having some drinks or the
occasional smoke- I’ve never even tried any serious drugs. And I’ve had fans
actually get HURT when they hear that. They’re like “Say it isn’t so! You’re
the guy who made HATCHET and you don’t even do [insert drug here]?!” I’ve got 2
things to say to that. First of all, why do you care what I put in my body or
not? And second of all, I never admired artists/musicians/directors/writers who
tried to sell their drug use off as a defining thing that makes them “cool” or
something that makes their work better. I’ve got a lot of young fans and if I
can be appositive example- that’s great. I don’t knock it,
I just chose not to do it. (And if I DID, I probably wouldn’t celebrate it
publicly or brag about it.) That being said- I’ve seen HATCHET with audiences
that were completely stoned or drunk…and man is it fun. Our last night at Tribeca- there was a cloud of pot smoke over the line of
kids waiting to get in. It was at that point where we all sorta knew the movie was working.
What’s funniest about this subject is that we
have this whole “Fright Club” of horror directors/actors/writers who hang out
on a fairly regular basis. People are always like “Holy shit- I’d love to be
invited to one of those parties- it must be crazy!” It’s so not. We all meet
up, go support whatever horror movie is out that weekend (even if we know it
isn’t good or if we have already seen it), and then…I don’t know…play ROCK
BAND? Don't get me wrong- it’s not like we’re completely straight-edge or
anti-everything…it’s just not a big part of our scene. (Or if it is... I'm too
oblivious to know it.)
Though the parties and drugs may not be as glamorous
as people like to assume, I will say that we horror filmmakers have some damn
fine girlfriends/wives. How these beautiful girls wound up with such a motley
crew of dudes is beyond me. And in every case, it was well before we ever had
any success. I guess hot chicks just dig geeks.
When I’m touring and doing conventions or
festivals- I’ll make the best effort I can to go out, do it up, and hang-out
all night. In fact, one time I remember being at a bar in Dallas and realizing I was sitting with 6 of the
dudes who played “Jason”. I wanted to tell the waitress but I assumed she
wouldn’t believe me. On the flight back from that convention I was sitting
amongst all of the Jason’s, some Hills have Eyes mutants, Elm Street victims,
Victor Crowley, 2 Leatherfaces, Candyman,
Freddy... it was surreal.
But at those weekend conventions- as soon as I
feel uncomfortable or like I am getting cornered and interviewed by a fan- or
even worse, solicited with their pitches or ideas- I flee. So remember that. If
I wind up hanging with you and your buds at 4am at a horror convention drinking
beers and telling stories- don’t ruin it for everyone else by trying to hand me
your screenplay or asking me personal questions about my girl.
Lastly, how’s this for lame- I’ve probably hung
out with James Gunn 4 or 5 of the weekends for the past 2 months. You’re
probably like “holy shit- that must be crazy! Green and
Gunn!” But what do we do? Eat cheese, maybe drink some wine, and tell
funny stories to whoever else is around that given night and isn’t tired of
listening to us yet.
When Dee Snider and I went ‘out on the town’
in San Diego at
Comic-Con- we went out for ice cream. Have I ruined the dream enough for you
all yet? This is fame, folks.
James Gunn - what a genius - what did you think of Slither?
SLITHER is one of my favorite movies of the 2000’s and is America’s biggest cinematic shame in the fact that
so many horror fans didn’t show up for it. Yeah, you guys will go see fucking
PROM NIGHT or WHEN A STRANGER CALLS in droves- but something as massively
entertaining as SLITHER or GRINDHOUSE and you “fans” are too busy standing
in-line for the next remake to come out and support it.
When I do appearances I like to call “fans”
out on their bullshit. I’ll ask “who in this auditorium saw THE HILLS HAVE EYES
2?” and all of these hands will shoot up. Then I’ll say “Who here supported
BEHIND THE MASK when it was in theaters?” Not a hand
will remain in the air- and it will be in a city where the movie was most
certainly available and playing. They’ll try and give me bullshit excuses like
“There were no TV commercials” or “I didn’t know”…you know what? For the
majority of America- yes, you are right. Anchor Bay does not advertise
their films like the major studios do- so yes, the
average movie-goer does have an excuse. But if you paid over $100 for a ticket
to a goddamn horror convention and you are sitting there in your "FULCI LIVES"
T-shirt- you have no excuse that you "didn't know BEHIND THE MASK was out".
You’re either a poseur or a sell-out. Don't complain about the state of horror
on your precious message boards if you’re one of the ones contributing to what
the studios are doing.
Guess what folks- they don't keep hitting you
with PG13 remakes because they LIKE them. They keep making them instead of
original R-rated horror because YOU keep supporting them. All they want is your
money. The fans control what gets made. Remember that
the next time you line-up for a cheesy remake that you know will suck. You’re
pulling the switch on the gas chamber of our genre.
I have to ask - what do you think of
Platinum Dunes and their films?
Platinum Dunes are a good bunch of guys and I
actually think they have made some really good films. Here’s why I can say
that- they don’t pretend to be anything they are not. They openly admit that
they are making their fortune on the remake craze and they are cashing in while
they can- and I can respect that because they really do try and put a lot into
their films. The TEXAS
CHAINSAW REMAKE? I loved it. FRIDAY THE 13TH? I’m looking forward to it!
I am not anti-remake at all. Where I draw the line is when the rest of us can’t
get a fucking original movie green-lit simply because it doesn’t have a
“pre-packaged title that fans will definitely pay to see” according to the
studio’s research.
The rejection I got from a major studio for
the script for HATCHET that said “we love this, but unfortunately it will never
get made because it’s not a remake, it’s not a sequel, and it’s not based on a
Japanese one” sums it all up. In fact- I put it on the festival poster for
HATCHET because I thought it was a great statement about the state of our genre
and I thought that it was a great way for the movie to wink at itself and let
the audience know in advance that it had a sense of humor.
But Platinum Dunes is trying and they do
actually care about the movies they are putting out. Yes, so far it’s all
remakes- but at least they try and make them worth it which gives me faith that
when they dive deeper into originals- they’ll hit a few home runs. The bottom
line is- because of all of the financial support the fans have given the
remakes… they will continue to be made. NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET?
Sorry folks, it’s getting made whether we like it or not. And if Platinum Dunes
came to me tomorrow and asked me to do it- I would. I’d rather gamble on myself
trying to do it justice than anyone else out there- and I know at Platinum
Dunes it wouldn’t be a heartless joke. They’re gonna
try to do the best they can. And don’t lie- even if DREAD CENTRAL and AIN’T IT
COOL and BLOODY-DISGUSTING all condemn it…even if you spend 20 hours a day on
your message boards saying it’s gonna suck…you’re all
gonna go see it.
What cartoons did you watch growing up?
I spent 90% of my time playing with my Star
Wars toys when I was a kid. TV didn’t do much for me. But I still love Tom
& Jerry to this day. How awesome is it when Tom does that specific yell?
You know, like when he burns himself or drops something heavy on his foot? But
goddamn do I HATE it when they are friends! Whatever TV exec came up with that
idea needs to be shot. It’s like you’re enjoying yourself some violent cat and
mouse action, and then all of a sudden they’re FRIENDS for an episode? Fuck
off.
One of my favourites that few remember were the Mighty Heroes. It was a
short cartoon that showed up during Mighty Mouse every so often. I had a punk
band in the mid 90’s called THE MIGHTY HEROES PART 2. We had songs like
“Hairless Rats”, “Stabbing At My Bleeding”, and “Now I’m
Naked.”
Who is your favorite director (horror or not)?
Steven Spielberg- hands down, across the
board, no question. It may be cliché since he’s pretty much everyone’s
favorite director in my age group, but the man is
responsible for so much of who I am and the film’s
that shaped my life. Not only is he the man who made E.T. (my favourite movie of all time and the reason I make movies
today) but he’s also always presented himself as an honourable
and tremendously good “soul”. That’s who and what I want to be.
Others who have hugely influenced me are
Alfred Hitchcock (probably the most talented filmmaker of all time) and John
Landis because he was able to cross genres and cross them WELL. If I could have
the career that Landis has had and get to jump from comedy to horror to
drama…I’d be one happy filmmaker.
Ideally I just want to make what I feel like
making and never be put in a box where I can only be allowed to do one thing.
That’s why you’ve seen me be very careful with my projects. I followed up
HATCHET immediately with SPIRAL- a night and day difference. My next film is a
ROMANTIC COMEDY. Sorry folks- I gotta do what I want.
There’s plenty of more horror coming eventually though.
What is generally the most difficult
part of a film shoot?
Getting to the point
of shooting. Every movie has it’s pitfalls on set, but if you can actually get
to the point that you are standing there shooting your film and the coffee on
set is hot…? You are one in a million. Even if you have a great script, a good track
record of films behind you, and a name actor attached- you still have to jump
through flaming hoops to get to the point of shooting.
The development process can feel as if you are
walking through landmines. Here you have your vision and your goal- and then
everyone just gets in your way and tries to put their own imprint on it or stop
it from moving forward. It’s like football. You have the ball and you run it
into the end zone. Maybe you’ll make it and score a touchdown, but chances are
you’ll take some major hits and get some unappealing bruises along the way in.
Very few running backs get a flawless run from one end of the field to the
other.
The major flaw in the system is that the
“suits” who make the financial decisions are not filmmakers. They are people
who went to business school and who got into their positions by answering
enough phones for enough people to eventually get promoted to “development
executive”. I’ve met plenty who don’t even LIKE movies anymore. And these are
the people making the crucial calls in Hollywood!
If you can navigate all of that and still keep
your vision somewhat in tact- you’re in a great place. When it comes to the
shoot- you just do the best you can with what you have. If you only have a few
days to shoot and a little bit of money- embrace it and do what you can. To
stand there and whine that you don’t have enough time and money is just lame.
You’re getting the chance to make a movie, dude! Do what you can and try and
enjoy the process!
The biggest hurdles and problems are all in
getting the movie up and running. But no one talks about those issues. When you
watch the special features on a DVD, they show you how they shot stuff…not the
years and years of struggling to get it made. The meetings where nothing gets
accomplished, the conference calls where 10 people talk over each other but say
nothing, the deals where you get completely ripped off, the times that you were
lied to and the movie never even got shot, different links in the chain that
all lie to you about how much money they have actually made or spent, and the
endless waiting for things to move. That’s where the true frustration lies.
Or what about when the producers want you to
direct a movie for them- but the studio executive says “no” because this movie
is a comedy and your last movie was a horror movie. OK- so you’re telling me I
can pull off 7 hour shoot days, with no money, make-up FX, fire stunts, under
water shots, boats, kids, animals, at night in a parking lot I turned into a
swamp…see it through to win awards, get rave reviews, get a theatrical
release…have it make a shit load on DVD…but that I couldn’t possibly manage to
direct a 10 million dollar movie where cute people say cute things in front of
the camera? Oh no, that makes total sense.
Development is wicked hard.
Where is Adam Green heading for the
future? Any new projects up your sleeve?
I just produced a horror film called GRACE
that newcomer Paul Solet wrote and directed (in theaters
in 2009), I am currently writing the animated AQUAMAN movie for D.C.
Comics/Warner Brothers, and I am in pre-production on my romantic comedy GOD
ONLY KNOWS which Chris Columbus’ 1492 Pictures is producing with my company ArieScope Pictures.
As if that’s not enough to kill me- I just
finished a new horror screenplay that I can’t talk about yet, I’m attaching
myself to a really fucked up horror movie that I can’t discuss yet, I am
negotiating HATCHET 2 which I can’t discuss yet, I’m working on a top secret
horror project with some other horror heavy hitters, and I’m also doing some
short films on the side for fun. One of which includes a full-on light saber fight between my girlfriend Rileah
Vanderbilt (“Young Victor Crowley” in HATCHET) and Clare Grant (“Valerie” from
VALERIE ON THE STAIRS). Hot.
So basically I’m heading to either the
hospital or the asylum with a nervous breakdown. But this is how I like it.
What was the name of the Ozzy album? NO REST FOR THE
WICKED? Or was it NO MORE TEARS.
