Scott Frazelle co-produced and co-wrote December’s House of Bad. Media Mikes had a chance to catch up with the multi-tasker to get the low-down on one of the most buzzed about horror films on the net.  Be sure to check out “House of Bad” when it hits DVD on December 3.

Mike Gencarelli: What exactly does a co-producer do?
Scott Frazelle: In my experience, that title is given to an individual that not only has a specific job, but also brings something to the table in the form of resources or creativity, or both. In the case of House of Bad, our Director, Jim Towns, Producer Dorota Skrzypek, and myself all shared an equal part of producing this feature. Jim brought the script, and a location already in mind. I secured resources and began planning logistics. Dorota found capitol. We equally hammered out the creative details to make it work on screen, and we did the same through the process of post-production. There are plenty of examples where one individual took the lead, but it is absolutely accurate to say we shared this task equally.

MG: How hands-on were you? Was it a case of being on set, doing whatever needed to be done there and then, or was it more a case of making sure the ducks were all in a row before Jim started shooting the movie?
SF: It worked out that Jim asked me to get involved right at a moment where I was between projects for a short time. I was able to do a few weeks of solid prep, then we were off and running. Things were organized pretty well. I stayed on set and was Line Producer through the shoot, as well as another pair of hands wherever needed. I’ve worked in many capacities on Indie features, so its hard for me not to be involved while on set. Plus, I love the culture of being on set. Its amazing to watch complete strangers come together and step into this circus that is filmmaking.

MG: What’s the biggest difficultly doing an indy film?
SF: Overcoming the urge to let enthusiasm overpower good judgement. A lot of Indie projects are a labor of love or a great idea that hasn’t reached the right channels to properly realize them. As a result, the movie suffers, and the people involved suffer. There’s a saying that goes around town, “If you don’t have enough money… you don’t have the right script.” Often times that’s thrown at small projects that are trying make ends meet as a criticism, but really, it should be a mantra that helps guide your judgement. Its not easy, sometimes, to get your start or see your project come to life, but you have to pick your projects in a way that best honors the quality of the project. If you’ve done a budget several times, and you know you really need $250K, it’s going to get rough when you raise only half of that, and decided to do it anyway. Asking people to work 16 hour days for an entire week “for the sake of the movie” is garbage, damaging, and insulting. You can’t do that if you want to work with people again, and you certainly can’t do that if you want what’s on screen to be right. I’m a firm believer in quality, and it begins with EVERYTHING. The script you write or choose, the people you hire, how you treat them, it all has to be guided by doing it right. The best decision you can make could be to NOT proceed with a project…until you’re prepared.

MG: You’re actually a bit of a horror veteran. I see you were in “Creepshow III”! Where and when did the love affair with fright-films begin?
SF: Like all good American kids of the time, through television! I fell in love with classic, and b-movie horror films, at an early age. I remember being fascinated watching The Creature from the Black Lagoon around age 6, followed quickly by Tarantula, Them, The Blob, and re-run after re-run of The Twilight Zone. My father has an affinity for those works, so I was able to catch them on TV with him. Those kinds of horror films really had a fantastic quality to them, they were able to make an impression on me much better than say, Casablanca, would have at that age. I think I saw Whatever Happened to Baby Jane and Psycho when I was about 10, and I no longer needed a monster suit to hold my attention, those were the films that made me realize people are the monsters in our world. My involvement with Creepshow3 was in many ways a dream come true, I got a chance to be a part of the legacy of one of my most favorite movies.

MG: Did the script go through many drafts?
SF: I don’t know how many rewrites Jim went through before he decided to show it to me, but when we both agreed to move forward on it together, there wasn’t the need for a lot of work. I wanted to make some changes, but mostly in the nuances. I thought Jim had some great little moments still lurking in his script, and that the movie would be better served by dragging those things into the light. Jim and I worked together to do that, and it didn’t take much time before we both felt it was done.

MG: When you sold the film to the distributor, were you forced to make any changes – either in the title, how the film was marketed, or otherwise. Was it like handing over a baby to a stranger and just hoping it’d be Okay?
SF: It was! We had been handling everything about the movie from day one-including PR, and generating reviews, and all the stuff it takes to get a distributor interested; so when we made a deal with Osiris Entertainment, there was the relief of not having to do all that any more. At the same time, it was the beginning of a whole new kind of stress because, you know, there goes our baby. But one of the biggest factors in accepting the offer from Osiris was that they genuinely liked the film, and didn’t feel there was a need to change anything about it. Jim, Dorota and myself, all agreed that we’d get the best support from a company that appreciated and enjoyed what we had created, so when they did decided to change the DVD cover, we felt their reasoning was sound and continued to put us in the best position possible.

MG: Was it always called House of Bad? or did you have some alternative titles at one stage?
SF: It’s always been House of Bad. I liked the title when I first read it, I thought there was something just a little spooky about it. It never made me think of a slasher film, or torture porn, or anything like that. There was something unsettling about it, in just the right way. Our cast and crew were one of the best little production families ever, we got along, and there was a lot of fun riffing on the title throughout the production, but nobody ever came up with anything that fit better. Once we began, and started talking about it with friends, everyone seemed to react the same way. The planned sequels, however…

MG: You’re also a book editor. Can you tell us a little bit about that?
SF: My formal education is in writing, and one of my gifts, I believe, is the ability to help a fellow writer improve or refine their ideas. This is different from Punch-Up, where you’re hired to take a script and actually rewrite portions of it to meet certain needs; I feel like when I read another writer’s work, I can see their story through it’s flaws, the most common of which is keeping a particular voice, and pacing. I don’t like to put my words into other people’s work, but I can help another writer see where they’ve gotten off course, or change things to keep to the spirit of their story. Its a little like being a coach; sometimes, because you’re the not the one swinging the bat, or club, or whatever, you can see where a tiny adjustment harnesses the all the power. The first time I’ve officially been named Editor was in 2008, when Dorota began her women’s fiction series Sex, Life, and Hannah. She had this idea for a dating series set in Los Angeles. It was high-energy, and magnetic, and the characters were all very real, but it was still evolving. I’ve been attached to that project for three books now, with a fourth on the way, and it’s been great. I’m also serving as editor on her erotic thriller, The Need, which is going to blow people’s minds (and which I really hope gets realized as a feature)! Its great to work in that creative capacity, being there to help things click.

Related Content

• John Jarratt talks about new film “Shiver”
• Zoë Bell talks about doing stunts and taking the lead in “Raze”
• Sharni Vinson talks about new film “Patrick: Evil Awakens”
• Briana Evigan talks about returning to the “Step Up” series with “Step Up: All In”
• 2015 Tribeca Film Festival Red Carpet Interviews

Julie Adams is known best as the bathing beauty Kay Lawrence in 1954’s “Creature from the Black Lagoon”. She also appeared in the musical comedy “Tickle Me” along side Elvis Presley in 1965. Recently, Adams has authored a book on her life and career called “The Lucky Southern Star: Reflections From The Black Lagoon”, which was published in 2011 and is currently available via her website. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Julie about her role in “Creature from the Black Lagoon” and discuss her outstanding career.

Mike Gencarelli: Why do you think that Creature has resonated with fans for all these years?
Julie Adams: I think it’s a good movie. The script was well-written by Harry Essex and Arthur A. Ross. Jack Arnold was a fine director; he did a beautiful job directing the film. Our ensemble cast helped to make a fantastic story believable. The Creature suit was unique and original, and still captures audiences’ imaginations today with how immaculately it was designed and realized on film. The music also accentuates the suspense and enhances the scary moments. Creature enthusiasts from back in the 1950s watched the movie with their children in the 1970s. Today, people who grew up in the 70s run the film with their kids, so we now have three generations of fans — it is truly remarkable to be a part of this kind of phenomenon.

MG: What was your initial reaction when you first saw the Gill Man costume? Was it on Ben Chapman or Ricou Browning?
JA: I was startled the first time I saw the Gill Man fully realized. I’ll never forget how believable the costume looked. I did the majority of my work in the film with Ben Chapman. Ricou primarily worked with my double, Ginger Stanley, in the underwater sequences that were shot in Wakulla Springs, Florida.

MG: Did shooting the film in 3D cause any issues during production?
JA: Have you seen the new 3D Bluray? Shooting in 3D had very little impact on me throughout the course of the production. That aspect of the filmmaking was left up to our fine camera crew and director. I have seen the new 3D Bluray. In fact, we screened it in Jacksonville, Florida in March at Sun-Ray Cinema with a sold out audience. The entire film has been digitally restored. It’s almost like a new movie. Like a crystal clear window into the past. It is absolutely spectacular!

MG: What was it like swimming knowing that “the creature” was underneath you?
JA: In actuality, it was all an illusion. Because I only did the swimming on the surface at Universal Studios in Hollywood, the Creature was never beneath me at the studio. That was the magic of editing. The stunning underwater photography in Florida was seamlessly cut together with the shots of me on the surface on the studio backlot, creating the effect for the audience that the Creature and I were actually in the Black Lagoon together. I’m still astonished at how well the underwater ballet with Kay and the Gill Man still captivates viewers to this day!

MG: Any interesting stories from shooting in the water?
JA: Probably the most intriguing was from a scene near the end of the picture when I am being carried by Ben Chapman in the Creature’s underwater lair. Someone at the studio had forgotten to heat the tank that day. It was a chilly autumn morning, and the water was quite cold. So when Ben emerged with me in his arms I was trying desperately not to shiver. The goggles on Ben’s Creature mask fogged up and he couldn’t see very well. The cave set was made up of paper mache’ rocks that had a few jagged edges. While carrying me unconscious in his arms, Ben accidentally bumped my head against one of the rocks and my eyes suddenly opened and I raised my head. The director yelled “Cut,” and production was delayed momentarily while a small scrape on my forehead was tended to by a nurse. Of course, the studio made a publicity stunt out of it and pictures were taken of the mishap. I still love seeing the photo of Ben in his Creature suit looking over me solicitously as the nurse tends to my forehead. In the end, it was a very minor incident and production resumed about fifteen minutes later.

MG: Tell why did you decided to write your memoir “The Lucky Southern Star: Reflections From The Black Lagoon”?
JA: It was really the fans’ idea. Over the years a lot of folks who enjoy my work in movies and television asked me about writing a memoir. Finally in 2009, my son Mitch and I decided it was time to sit down and write one! It took us more than two years to complete. We have been delighted with the response to it, movie enthusiasts from all over world have read it, some have even sent nice notes telling me how much they have enjoyed it. There is an entire chapter about the making of Creature from the Black Lagoon, the book is also filled with numerous behind-the-scenes photos form Creature and other films and television shows that I appeared in through the years. It is available exclusively through my website at www.julieadams.biz.

MG: Any plans to release as audio book expanding the original small run?
JA: Due to the popularity of the print book, we released the audio book near the end of 2012. I read the entire story for the production, which was a lot of fun and brought back so many memories. I think my fans have enjoyed hearing me read the story on the audio book. Some even own both the print and audio book, which is wonderful!

MG: What was it like working with Elvis Presley?
JA: It was a dream. I’m from the South and Elvis was a true Southern gentleman. One example of this was how he sent all of the actresses in Tickle Me flowers on their first day on the set. I also marveled at how well he performed his singing numbers in the movie, lip-syncing them perfectly. Elvis was a phenomenon, and I cherished my time working with him!

MG: Looking back on your amazing career what were some of your favorite roles?
JA: Naturally, I loved the role of Kay Lawrence in Creature. It was nice playing an educated scientist who goes off on an adventure up the Amazon in search of the origin of a mysterious claw. I also enjoyed portraying Laura Baile in Bend of the River, opposite James Stewart, whom I consider to be one of the silver screen’s finest actors. Later in my career I had great fun as Eve Simpson, the realtor in Cabot Cove on Murder, She Wrote. She was an eccentric character who provided some funny moments on the show. And of course it was a great experience to play comedy with someone as skilled as Angela Lansbury. I also loved performing in the theatre. One of my favorite roles was as Mary Tyrone in Eugene O’Neill’s masterwork Long Day’s Journey into Night. I’ve been fortunate to play a lot of interesting women over the years, and feel blessed to have had so many opportunities in film, television, and on the stage to entertain audiences.

I am a huge fan of film scores, always have been. I am always keeping my eyes open for a new favorite. Well, I have found him…enter Steven Price. Steven has three film scores currently under his belt including “Attack of the Block” and “The World’s End”. His latest score for the hugely successful film “Gravity” is no question the best score of the year! I have a feeling it is going to be winning many awards in the coming months. Media Mikes had a chance to chat about developing the score for this film and his involvement with the film.

Mike Gencarelli: Where you ever concerned about delivering the sound to the soundlessness of space with your score for “Gravity”?
Steven Price: It was one of those things that looking back on it I should have been absolutely terrified. At the time we were so into trying things and experimenting that I didn’t realize what a ridiculous thing that I had attempted to do until I finished it really. This was actually lucky cause otherwise I would have sat frozen to my chair and never written a note. At the time it felt like it was a great opportunity to take on this daunting task but I can see now that it was perhaps now quite an ambitious task to undertake.

MG: I felt like the score was the third member of the cast in the film; was that a goal of yours?
SP: The hope for the music was that it was going to add to this idea of immersion. The camera was floating up in space, weightless like the characters and the music was there to follow through with that. You were up in space with them and you felt like you were immersed in that. For me it is the third character in some ways but I was always closely tied to the character of Ryan. A lot of what the music was trying to do was express her emotions and feelings. The hope was certainly that it would have this immersive feel and the sense that it would really all come together as a whole experience.

MG: What did you use for inspiration to come up with this amazing score?
SP: From the word “Go”, Alfonso (Cuarón) was really clear that he didn’t want this to be a traditional film score. I didn’t go and listen to other film scores about space. I avoided things like that actually. We would listen to all types of different music and draw specific aspects from each. You might be listening to rock music one week and then the next some really extreme electronica. All of these things would trigger off little experiments that I would use to apply during the writing process. Everything was really open and we had a lot of freedom. There was no one telling us how we had to create the sound. We got to make something that really fitted this film well and that was also very distinctive.

MG: I read that the score was mixed to be enhanced with the Dolby Atmos technology; tell us about that process?
SP: Yeah! That was the last thing that we did. We came back this past summer and did a new mix for that. This film really suits with Dolby Atmos and the whole thing about it is that you are completely surrounded by speakers. They are all around you. I based a lot around the knowledge that we were doing that when I wrote it as well. You can take it to another level. So if the camera enters the helmet of Sandra Bullock, then all of the sudden the score can feel like it compressed around your head. We had a lot of fun doing that and it is easily my favorite mix. There are so few Dolby Atmos screens in the UK but it is the one that I recommend to my friends for sure in America!

MG: “Don’t Let Go” is one hell of an emotional 11+ minute track; give us some background on its development?
SP: When I wrote it originally it started as 4 or 5 cues. They all did separate things but were designed to flow together. It became the bit that I was most proud of, so that is why I put it on the album as one continuous track. It just felt like it worked so well. It starts off with the introduction of the most dramatic stuff. You’ve had all this chaos and disorientation in the film for the first 20 minutes and this was the first time when you can take a breath. So it let me do a little bit of that kind of writing style which then went into a really choreographed action section. This idea came along early in the writing process that as the actors move around that I can reflect their movement within the music. I thought that that aspect was sort of a breakthrough and I was very excited during mixing that one. I was just so happy with how it all came together and how the emotions carried through it.

MG: What was your timeline on this film?
SP: I started back in December 2011 and we finished the main film mix November/December of last year but then came back like I said this year and did a little more. So I have been involved for the better part of two years now, which in the great scheme of this project is nothing. There are people that have spent around four or five years working on it. But it was great that since it was in fact so much longer than the typical composing project on a film where you are always in a race against time that with this film you got a chance to go back and try different things. I was also involved with temp mixes with the sound crew, so we all sort of evolved the sound together. It was pretty rare and really great to see the whole project develop over the years.

MG: It’s been a busy year for you with “Gravity” and “The World’s End”, tell us about how ?
SP: I had done a film called “Attack of the Block”, in which Edgar Wright produced a few years ago. So “The World’s End” came from that basically. It was just great to work with Edgar on that film. He is so interested in his music. The whole film is so cleverly structured and the music is a part of that. You get really involved really early. Again, I got a script way before they even shot that one and got to discuss how they were going to do things and how we could adapt the sound. That was great fun and a lot of my role in that was around the energy of how everything happened in one night in the film. We got to play into a bunch of different styles since there were comedy bits, action bits and even romantic bits as well. It was just good fun to be able to press different buttons. From being in this very immersive “Gravity” world, it was great to break out and do something different.

MG: What do you have planned after this film?
SP: There are a few things that I have knocking about. Since I am relatively new to this whole composing thing and I am not one of these people that have done like 50 films, I still feel incredibly lucky to be doing it. But also I feel paranoid that it will stop all of the sudden [laughs]. So there are a few things in the works but I don’t want to curse them by talking about them just yet. But there is definitely some exciting stuff coming up!

Edward James Olmos needs no introduction but I’ll give you one anyway. Born in Los Angeles as a young man he dreamed of being a professional baseball player. However, as he got older he discovered rock and roll and the Dodgers lost an outfielder! As his musical career progressed he was encouraged to give acting a try. He found work with small roles in both film and television. In 1979 he earned a Tony Award nomination for his performance as El Pachuco in Luis Valdez’ play “Zoot Suit,” and reprised the role in the 1981 film version. Roles in films like “Bladerunner” and television programs like “Hill Street Blues” introduced him to new fans and in 1984 he began a seven year fun as Lt. Martin Castillo in the trendsetting show “Miami Vice.” Twice nominated for an Emmy Award for his work, Olmos was the coolest guy on television with the mustache to back it up!

In 1988 he became only the 2nd Hispanic actor to be nominated for the Best Actor Academy Award when he was nominated for his role as real life educator Jaime Escalante in the film “Stand and Deliver.” He went on to star in such films as “Selena,” “Talent for the Game” (one of my favorites) and “American Me,” which he also directed. A second generation of fans embraced him as Commander Adama in the rebooted “Battlestar Galactica” mini-series, television series and films. Earlier this year he starred opposite Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg in the hit film “2 Guns.” He will next be featured as ex-cop Freddy Suarez in the new John Sayles drama “Go For Sisters.”

I had actually been scheduled to speak with Mr. Olmos last year during an appearance in Kansas City. When we met I referred to him as “El Pachuco,” which drew a hearty laugh. Unfortunately a change in his travel schedule put our talk on hold so I was thrilled to speak with him this week about “Go For Sisters,” telling a good story and playing baseball on screen.

Edward James Olmos: Hello Michael.
Mike Smith: Hello, El Pachuco! How are you, sir?
EJO: (laughs loudly) I’m doing pretty good. How are you?
MS: Just fine. I’ve been waiting over a year to talk to you.
EJO: Here we are finally on the telephone. I’m ready!

MS: Give us an introduction to Freddy Suarez and your new film “Go For Sisters.”
EJO: “Go For Sisters” is a film written and directed by John Sayles, and it’s probably one of his best films…it’s up there with “Lone Star” and “Passion Fish.” He has created a wonderful, complex character study about two women in need of help. That help comes in the form of a disgraced L.A. police detective who got caught up in the corruption around him and had to pay the price. He’s forced to retire without a pension. He’s also suffering from a tremendous case of macular degeneration, which is an eye disease. So he not only has to deal with his feelings of self-esteem and self-respect but he has to now deal with his physical inabilities. He’s now a shell of himself. A blind shell. But he takes on a last job in the hopes of gaining back some self-esteem. He’s also hoping to make enough money to pay his taxes so he doesn’t lose his house.

MS: What attracted you to the project?
EJO: (laughs) The story I just told you! It was so well written…I couldn’t believe it. John had actually called me and asked me to produce the film. I’ve known John for over thirty years but I’d never worked with him. I told him it would be my honor and asked him to send me the script. I read the script and I was like, “wow.” It was so original. He asked me if I liked Freddy Suarez and I told him I loved him. “Would you play him?” “Of course I would.” So that’s how the whole thing started.

MS: As a director yourself, when you’re on set with someone like John Sayles or Ridley Scott or Michael Mann, do you spend your time when you’re not performing studying their techniques…seeing how they run a set?
EJO: When I’m on a set, moment to moment, my first priority is to build my character to help tell the story…be it theater, a motion picture or television. It’s important to pay attention to the story. But we’re all story tellers. All of us. From the grips to the lighting people to the director…the producers…the actors…we’re all story tellers. We’re all there to tell a story. When I’m acting I’m there for one reason and one reason only. To tell a story. And the story of “Go For Sisters” is one of the most original pieces of work I’ve done in a long time.

MS: You were in the big budget film “2 Guns” earlier this year and now you’re in “Go For Sisters,” which is a much smaller independent project. Do you have a preference when you choose a film project?
EJO: Not really. Again, it begins with the story. If the story is worth telling then I’m interested.

MS: Since we both love baseball, here is one of the questions I’d hoped to ask you last year: In the film “Talent for the Game” you portray a former ball player who gets the chance to catch one more time in the big leagues. As someone that once dreamed of being a professional ball player was it a special moment being able to portray one on film?
EJO: (almost like a purr) Oh yeah. It was probably one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had in filmmaking. I love that movie. It’s just the most unusual little film that more people are seeing now then when it came out.

MS: What do you have coming up next?
EJO: I’m working on a film now called “El Americano,” which is an animated film that should be out in March. It’s a co-production between the United States and Mexico and it stars the voices of Lisa Kudrow, Paul Rodriguez, Cheech Marin, Rico Rodriguez (Manny on “Modern Family)….myself. It’s a handful of great artists lending their voices. It’s an animated film for children but adults will enjoy it. It’s not like PIXAR, where the films are made for adults but children go to see them also. I’m really looking forward to it.

Related Content

• Takashi Miike talks about making “Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai”
• Eric Jacobus talk about playing Stryker in “Mortal Kombat Legacy 2”
• Julie Adams reflects back on her role in “Creature from the Black Lagoon”
• Matt Thompson talks about writing, directing and starring in “Bloodline”
• Julianne Moore and Michael Angarano Discuss “The English Teacher”

If you walk away from December’s rather tense House of Bad a little shaken and stirred, the man to send your letters of complaint to is Jim Towns. Media Mikes had a chance to talk to the talented up-and-coming filmmaker about one of the most daunting films you’ll see this year. Be sure to check out “House of Bad” when it hits DVD on December 3.

Mike Gencarelli: How far back does the story of House of Bad’s conception go?
Jim Towns: All the way back in college I’d had a vague idea for a story about three sisters on the run with a stolen suitcase of drugs. I thought I’d someday do it as a graphic novel or a prose story, and at one point I wanted to do it as a black box theatre play, but I’m glad I held onto it for a while until it could be realized on film.

MG: Were you a horror/thriller fan growing up? Is that what stemmed the interest in doing a genre film? Or is it because horror seems to be an easier sell these days?
JT: No, I’m an old-school, dyed-in-the-wool horror fan. Scooby-Doo, The Munsters, and Abbott & Costello meet Frankenstein pretty much sealed my fate at an early age. I think it’s pretty apparent when “mainstream” filmmakers try to exploit the horror genre in order to get a film made and sold and bolster their reputation. I’ve been sent a few of those scripts and I think those films – and we’ve all seen them- come across as very hollow and half-hearted. Horror fans are smart, and they know when someone’s trying to exploit the genre. Also, I’m not sure horror is actually that easy of a sell these days either, because there’s a helluva lot of people making a helluva lot of horror films right now. It’s pretty hard to rise above the white noise of all that and land a good distribution deal, it takes something unique.

MG: You co-wrote the script. We picture two guys on computers, side-by-side, madly writing something by moonlight. Is that how it worked?
JT: Not really. I had a rough draft done before Scott [Frazelle]came on. We never actually sat together in a room with duelling laptops or anything, it was mostly emailing each other scenes and revisions and working in tandem to hone in on the best structure and the most compelling character moments to give the film the most impact for the viewer. Scott’s a great writer with a natural instinct for what makes a story work, and that was a huge benefit for the movie.

MG: Are the people involved in the film – particularly behind-the-scenes – all friends? Or was this a case of ’rounding up’ the best for the job?
JT: Scott and I have each worked in just about every capacity on films and TV at some point over the years, so it really was a matter of tapping our combined talent pool. Luckily we knew just about everyone we needed for the crew, and the jobs we didn’t have anyone for, someone we knew would know someone who was perfect. When you basically have no time for pre-production, you have to find people you know aren’t going to let you down, because lost time is lost money and that’ll sink you, so you simply cannot afford to pick the wrong person. I look at the finished film now and I see the amazing look our DP Chad Courtney and art director Nikki Nemzer gave it. The great makeup by Jennifer Jackson. The seamless blend between Anthony Eikner’s SFX and Gregg Deitrich’s VFX work on many of the blood gags. Nina Lucia’s razor-sharp editing. The incredible score by Terry Huud, and on and on. So yes, they were all friends, and yes we got the best for the job. It’s nice when that works out.

MG: Who is the audience for the film, in your opinion?
JT: House of Bad has all the signature moments of a good horror film- building suspense, big scares, great gory effects, so I’m not too surprised that horror fans have responded so favorably to it. What has surprised me is how well it’s connected to non-horror viewers. I think the dramatic setup of the movie, the dynamic of the three sisters dealing with the ghosts of their past, connects with a much larger demographic beyond the horror fanbase– so to answer your question, I think the film is for anyone who enjoys a good story, but can handle a few scares, too.

MG: Complete the sentence. ‘You’ll love House of Bad, if you liked…’
JT: Indie films, ghost stories, and films that don’t suck.

MG: The movie seems to be getting a lot of publicity online. How important is the internet in terms of marketing a film like this?
JT: It’s absolutely critical when you can’t afford to buy ad space or billboards. Online critics, reviewers and bloggers are a vital component in getting the word out about your movie, and I’m really thankful for everyone who’s taken the time to watch and review HoB and for the interviews, especially since the reaction has been so overwhelmingly positive. I’ve never had any of my films get such good press across the board and it’s been a pretty awesome few months, I can tell you. To my peers out there with a film project in the works I’d say put aside a few bucks aside and try to hire a good PR company like ours (October Coast) to raise your film’s awareness. Social media is great but it can only reach so far.

MG: What’s your next movie?
JT: There’s a few things coming up for me right now, which is exciting. There’s a supernatural western called A Man with a Gun, which is about this gunfighter with a dark past who travels through Purgatory to rescue the souls of his murdered wife and son. I wrote and am producing it, and it will feature Dani Lennon (Bite Me) and Tony Todd. Getting a call on your cell from the Candyman is a pretty cool thing, I gotta say. I’m also set to shoot 13 Girls next year, which is sort of a cross between Rosemary’s Baby and Law & Order. Sadie Katz and I will be reuniting on that one, as well as another little film we’re developing called Invasive, which will be really scary and really really sexy, too. Maybe even more sexy than scary, I don’t know. But it’ll be a lot of fun to watch, without doubt.

Five-time World Champion and Hall of Famer, Randy Couture came to spotlight with his fighting skills in Mixed Martial Arts and Ultimate Fighting Championship. Besides fighting, Randy has appeared in films like “The Expendables”, “The Expendables 2” and “The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior”. Randy also reunited with “The Expendables” co-star Dolph Lundgren in the film “Ambushed”, which will be released on November 12th. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Randy about that film and also get a sneak peak into “The Expendables 3”.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you end up reuniting with “The Expendables” co-star Dolph Lundgren in “Ambushed”?
Randy Couture: It was actually more like an “if then” type of deal. We have become good friends over the years. We heard about this project and they were thinking about him and wanted to know if I would be interested. I said if Dolph was going to do it then I was absolutely interested. He said the same thing that he was in if I did it. We were looking forward to the opportunity to work with each other again outside of “The Expendables”.

MG: You also co-starred with Vinnie Jones in last year “Hijacked”. Was this Accident or propose?
RC: Actually that was an accident. I didn’t know that that was coming and I was very excited to find out that he was going to be part of this film.

MG: Tell us about your role Jack Reiley and how you prepared?
RC: Jack Reiley was a challenge for me to play such a nasty character. It was very outside of the box. Part of the acting process is figuring out how to relate to the character and figuring out who they are. I had no real basis in my stream of experience to give to him, so I had to create a back story. He was doing the things that he was doing in my mind and perspective to get ahead and provide for his family and keep them in his life. Once I wrapped that frame of mind into the things he did that I felt like I was able to find him and tell the truth, which is the process in acting.

MG: What made you also take on the role of producer for “Amushed”?
RC: It was due to the relationships that I have been lucky to build. I was able to throw my name in that hat and get some credit under my belt. It was nice being able to pull the entire piece together and I have a great group of guys to help me out. Sam Spira, my manager, was great in putting me in a position to be a part of that.

MG: Do you see your taking on that role again or even stepping behind the camera?
RC: Absolutely, I am already producing a few TV shows for Spike. I am definitely looking for more opportunities in that regard. In terms of directing, it is definitely something I see myself doing. I am learning more about cameras, film speeds and all those sorts of things as I am around guys like Sly (Stallone) and other guys that I have been getting to rub elbows right. So I will definitely want to try that out at some point in the future.

MG: Tell us what we can expect from “The Expendables 3”?
RC: Actually we just finished it. It is all in the can now. I am sure that they are organizing it and getting it line out. I am hearing net August probably for a release. I will be excited to see how it comes together.

MG: Give us a rundown on some of the new additions to the cast?
RC: We have a very interesting story. It puts an interesting twist on “The Expendables”. Wesley Snipes joined the crew and how that unfolds is very cool. We add some new younger guys to the group Kellan Lutz (“The Twilight Saga”), Victor Ortiz (Former WBC Welterweight Champion), Ronda Rousey (UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion) and Glen Powell (“The Dark Knight Rises”). I think that storyline – the young vs the old – the tech savy vs. us older guys who are like the Planet of the Apes when it comes to techical stuff [laughs]. It is a pretty interesting juxtaposition and creates some interesting conflicts and I think people are going to dig this story.

MG: Besides acting, tell us about your work with Xtreme Couture MMA?
RC: The gym is going very well. We just picked up a new MMA coach, Robert Follis, who has changed a little bit of the atmosphere and energy in the gym. Some of the top pros are starting to come back into the gym setting. We have a great group of young guys. Our amateur team has been great and is kicking butt under the training of Dennis Davis. I am very exciting about the things that are happening now. We have just started an affiliate program. We have two in New York and Colorado Springs. So keep an eye out!

Related Content

• Interview with Nathan Baesel
• Lynn Shelton talks about directing “Your Sister’s Sister”
• Oliver Robins talks “Poltergeist” and working with Steven Spielberg
• Scoot McNairy chats about roles in “Argo”, “Killing Them Softly” & “Promised Land”
• Paul Sorvino talks about new his film “Precious Mettle”

The first time I saw Justin Kirk perform he was naked! Of course, to be fair, I should note that all of the performers were naked. It was 1995 and I saw Kirk and a stellar cast, including Nathan Lane, John Glover and Anthony Heald, in the Tony and Drama Desk Award winning play, “Love! Valour! Compassion!” One thing that stood out about Kirk (no pun intended) was his bio in the Playbill in which he noted, among his credits, that he was “Michelle Pfeiffer’s dead brother in WOLF.” If truth be told, it was actually a PICTURE of Kirk portraying Ms. Pfeiffer’s dead brother but still, to say your first film starred Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeiffer does look good on a resume.

Since then, Kirk has worked steadily, in both film and television. His real first feature was the film version of “Love! Valour! Compassion!” in which the entire cast, less Nathan Lane and Anthony Heald, recreated their roles. Lane was replaced by Jason Alexander while Stephen Spinella subbed for Heald. He has also appeared in popular television series like “Everwood” and had a recurring role in the Showtime series “Weeds.” He can also be found occasionally on the Emmy Award winning “Modern Family,” where he plays Mitchell’s boss, Charlie Bingham. He can also be seen in upcoming episode of the new show “Blacklist.”

On the big screen, Kirk has appeared in “Angels in America” (made for HBO), “Vamps” and can now be seen in the recently opened “Last Love.” Mr. Kirk took some time out of his schedule to sit down with me and talk about his new film, working with James Spader and how his photo got screentime.

Mike Smith: I’m not sure if the rep told you when I scheduled this interview but I had the great opportunity to catch you in New York in “Love! Valour! Compassion!” And if I didn’t say it then, let me say thank you for signing my Playbill.
Justin Kirk: Wow! That’s going back some. Talk about déjà vu…I just did an episode of the “The Blacklist” with…not one of the original cast but in the second string…an actor named Richard Beacon. I hadn’t seen him in 18 years. And I just got a text from Stephen Bogardus, who was in the original cast. I’ve managed to keep in touch with all of those guys over the years.

MS: Can you give us a brief introduction to your new film, “Last Love”?
JK: Sure. Well, an introduction from my perspective is that Michael Caine and I are an angsty father and son. It’s a movie about some lonely people trying to reach out to each other.

MS: What attracted you to the project?
JK: Well, right off the bat you’ve got Michael Caine…that’s a tough one to turn away. (laughs) I enjoyed the writer/director’s (Sandra Nettlebeck) first movie, “Mostly Martha.” I was a big fan of it. It was a great script. It all just came together and I decided I’d better haul my ass to Europe for a couple of months.

MS: You’ve done a lot of film and television work. Do you have a preference? And do you have to prepare for a role differently for film vs television?
JK: Not really. I think in this day and age the lines between the two are blurring. A lot of people will probably see “Last Love” on the same box they watched “Weeds” on. The difference pretty much is that in television there’s a different script every week…you don’t necessarily have your characters beginning, middle and end when you sign on to do the job. You don’t know what it’s going to be. Other than that it’s pretty much the same. They turn on the camera, look at the other actors and try to remember who the person is that you’re playing…what they do…and start talking.

MS: Do you know yet if you’re going to be back on “Modern Family” this year?
JK: Wow! Thanks for asking (laughs). I did two episodes for this year. The first has already aired where I hit on Haley. That was a lot of fun. And then there’s one more that hasn’t aired yet. That’s been a good one over the years. They usually have me back at least once a season or so. It’s not a bad show to be a part of.

MS: One of the things I remember most about you and “Love! Valour! Compassion!” was that in the Playbill you’re claim to fame was that you were Michelle Pfeiffer’s dead brother in “Wolf.” You’re actually just a PHOTO of Michelle Pfeiffer’s dead brother. How did that come about?
JK: (laughs) Someone actually sent me a shot of that scene and I was shocked at how young I was in the picture. That came about because I was doing a play on Broadway and the costume designer for the show, Ann Roth, is also Mike Nichol’s costume designer (NOTE: Oscar-winner Roth has designed the costumes for all of Mike Nichol’s films since “Silkwood”). I had never met him. One day she told me that she and I were going to take a ride about 45 minutes out of town and take some pictures. And later on, there it was in the movie. It pops up on the screen and Jack Nicholson says, “Nice face.” I rode that one for awhile! And then years later I worked with Mike Nichols on “Angels in America” and I continually had to remind him that I had worked with him before. He was fairly unaware of that. (laughs). But you know, you never know where things like that will lead.

MS: That’s like Bruce Willis trying to convince Paul Newman on the set of “Nobody’s Fool” that they had worked together before because Willis was one of the galley members during the courtroom scenes in “The Verdict.”
JK: Really? I didn’t know that. That’s a good piece of trivia.

MS: What else do you have coming up?
JK: I just did a pilot for FX called “Tyrants.” We’ll see what the life of that one turns out to be but it was a pretty crazy experience in Morocco. I just got home yesterday from doing an episode of “The Blacklist,” which is a hot new show with James Spader. That was a lot of fun, being a bad guy. And that should air fairly soon…they have a fast turnaround there because the show is doing very well so they have to make them quickly.

MS: I think it’s because of the characters he plays but I’ve always imagined James Spader would be the worse person you could ever want to spend time with. But having just said that I’m guessing James Spader is pretty cool.
JK: He’s super cool. I’ve been a fan of his since I was a teenager in Minneapolis and went and saw “Sex, Lies and Videotape” at the local art house. He’s been for me, and a lot of my generation of actors, much like Michael Caine. When the opportunity came to work with James I was like, “I’ve got to go act with Spader for a second!”

MS: That’s really all I had. Thanks again for signing my Playbill. Everybody at the stage door was mobbing Nathan Lane when you came out so I don’t know if I got to say thank you.
JK: (laughs) That’s great. I’m glad. Maybe we’ll get the chance to do it again in the future.

Related Content

• Interview with Tracey Walter
• Denis Villenueve talks about directing “Prisoners”
• Interview with Elfar Adalsteins
• Antoni Stutz talks about directing his new film “Rushlights”
• Darren Lynn Bousman talks about remaking “Mother’s Day”

Val Lauren has done very well for himself, carving out an impressive career while staying just below the radar. That is all going to change thanks to his bravura performance as Sal Mineo in director James Franco’s bio film, “SAL.”
A longtime member of Playhouse West, Lauren is a frequent collaborator with his friend, Scott Caan, on various film and stage projects. He made his film writing and directing debut with the well received short film, “Help,” which I recommend you give a look at http://www.openfilm.com/videos/help

While getting ready for the release of “Sal,” which opened last week, Lauren took time out to speak with Media Mikes about Sal Mineo, changes in Hollywood and why James Franco has his cell number.

Mike Smith: How did you get involved with “Sal?”
Val Lauren: James Franco offered me the role out of the blue. I got a text from him saying that he would like me to play Sal Mineo. I had no idea the offer was coming so it really took me by surprise. That’s simply how it all started. I stared at my phone for a while and then I texted back “cool.” And the next thing you know we had jumped in feet first.

MS: Nice. The first thing I would have wondered is how James Franco got my cell number.
VL: (laughs) James and I are friends. We’ve had a collaboration as actors for many years now. We’re both part of the same theater company, Playhouse West, an acting school and repertory theater company in Los Angeles. That’s where we first met over a decade ago. We’ve collaborated together on characters we’ve played in our individual movies as well as on scenes in plays for the theater. It’s an ongoing joke that we’re regarded as the James Dean and Sal Mineo of the theater company. In fact, when James did the movie “James Dean” I worked with him for a couple of months helping to research the part and that’s where we both learned a lot about Sal Mineo. We considered writing a play about James Dean and Sal Mineo so that topic has always been there. After James read Michael Gregg Michaud’s biography about Sal he decided he wanted to tell a story about Sal Mineo and that’s what we did.

MS: In researching the part where you able to speak with any members of Sal Mineo’s family or his last partner, Courtney Burr?
VL: I was. I spent a wonderful afternoon with Courtney Burr. Michael Gregg Michaud is a friend of Courtney’s and one day he asked me if I wanted to meet him. Of course I said yes. So we went over to Courtney’s home and spent the day together. Courtney told me some great stories about Sal and about their experiences together. He had a chair…a beautiful chair…in his house that Sal had given him as a gift. He let me sit in it, which I was very nervous to do. I didn’t want to knock it over or break it. He told me about their time together. We really just talked a lot about Sal. I can really see why Sal loved him. I can also see why Courtney loved Sal. He was great in helping to inform and reinforce me about the man that I had been given the responsibility to represent.

MS: Though he didn’t flaunt his sexuality, Sal Mineo never shied away from the fact that he was gay, even in an industry that, almost four decades after his death, people do their best to stay closeted. Do you think that affected his later career choices? I mean, his last movie was “Escape from the Planet of the Apes.”
VL: It absolutely demolished him. Technically he was the first known actor to come out. He didn’t make a big thing out of it but he did not make any efforts to really hide it. He would do interviews with gay publications, which at the time were relatively unheard of. He would not stay undercover. This absolutely destroyed him in the business. Friends of his that were actors and actresses and directors were afraid to even hang out with him because they would not want to be guilty by association. And I found that just appalling that it happened. I’m very happy that, almost forty years after his death, we don’t have to hide ourselves. Not only in Hollywood but in life. People have finally started to wise up and say, “what’s the big deal here?” There has been a lot of growth since then. Although there are always pockets of people that are slow to catch on I think we’re on our way to sanity.

MS: As a writer/director yourself can you give us a critique of James Franco as a director?
VL: (laughs) I think he has a very interesting and specific lens through which he views things. I think he has a very unique perspective on how he likes to tell stories. I think he’s brave to venture out and try new things at a time when we often see the same kind of movies told in the same kind of format. He has very specific ideas on what he wants to explore, which is an attribute I find in the greatest directors that I admire. I applaud him for exploring areas that, frankly, other people are too afraid to touch.

MS: There had been some talk about you making your short film, “Help,” into a feature film. Is that still the plan?
VL: I believe that the story in that short film was told in full. We may make it as a feature and we may not. I’m still not sure. I’m really proud of the film as it is and I think that I’d like to make other movies now and tell other stories and let “Help” be what it is. Yes, it’s a short film. It is 40 minutes long. But I believe that the story I wanted to tell has been told.

MS: What else are you working on?
VL: Right now I’m directing a play that just opened called “One Hundred Days of Yesterday” that was written by Scott Caan. We’ve done about a dozen plays together….ones he wrote…ones I directed…ones we starred in. This is one that he wrote that I’m directing with two great actors. My next movie coming out is called “The Last Knight” and it’s based on this great Japanese tale of the 47 Ronin, who were a group of warriors that set out on a mission to avenge their master.

MS: I’ve got to end this by saying I thought your performance in “Sal” was brilliant. I’m making sure I use that word in my review as well. I think it’s so hard to play a real-life person that is so well known because people go into the film with a preconceived notion of how that person is. I think you captured Sal Mineo perfectly.
VL: You just made my day, man! Thank you so much. That really means a lot to me.

Today actor David McCallum is probably best known for his role as Donald “Ducky” Mallard on the long running television series “NCIS.”  If you’re my age you probably remember him best as the smooth secret agent Illya Kuryakin from “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”  As someone who had, in the 3^rd grade, been scolded often by teachers for continually saying “Open Channel D” into his ink pen, it was a great day when I had the chance to speak with Mr. McCallum about the 50^th Anniversary of one of the most popular movies of the 1960s, “The Great Escape.”

To help celebrate this event, Mr. McCallum will be appearing at a benefit screening of the film this coming weekend, November 9, in Omaha, Nebraska as part of Bruce Crawford’s on-going classic film salute.  For information on the event head over to http://www.omahafilmevent.com/upcoming.htm

Recently Mr. McCallum took some time to talk to me about “The Great Escape,” why he enjoys voicing video-games and another upcoming 50^th Anniversary he looks forward to celebrating.

Mike Smith:  First off, a belated “Happy Birthday!” (Mr. McCallum turned an incredible 80 years old this past September 19).
David McCallum:  (laughs) Thank you.

MS:  How did you get involved with “The Great Escape?”
DM:  Way back then I had an agent in England by the name of Derrick Marr.  I hadn’t been with him long.  I had been doing an awful lot of television…live television, and working in the theater.  He called me and said that I’d gotten a request to meet with the casting director of the film.

MS:  At the time it was probably the biggest film production you’d been involved with.  As a young actor what were your thoughts when you realized you would be working with such international stars as Steve McQueen and James Garner?  Was it overwhelming?
DM:  Well, thankfully, life has never been able to overwhelm me.  I tend to enjoy and take great pleasure in all of the work that I do.  And back then it was no different.  When you’ve decided that your whole life is going to be as an actor, when you get opportunities to do a wonderful thing, like “The Great Escape,” it’s just a colossal pleasure that you look forward to with great anticipation.  And then you start preparing, of course.  You have to learn all about the character…all of the things necessary.  It’s not about just turning up and saying the words.  And the whole thing was such a beautiful experience.  I knew Donald Pleasence.  We had been very good friends for some time.  And you can imagine how it was for the young actors.  Being able to work with all of those people.  I’m not usually star-struck.  I’m fascinated by the number of people I’ve met working in this profession over the years.  That film was a great beginning.

MS:  Both of your parents were very well known and classically trained musicians (his father, David Sr, was the first violinist for the London Philharmonic – his mother, Dorothy, was a cellist).  Were you ever encouraged to make music your profession?
DM:  My father was a professional musician, my mother, who was a cellist, gave it up early to take care of my father.  I played the Oboe from about the age of eight or nine.  I went to the Royal Academy of Music for a short while but then I gave the whole thing up to go on the stage.

MS:  You’ve done a lot of voice work in video games.  Does that take a different kind of preparation as an actor?
DM:  The best thing about that kind of media is that you get to over-act outrageously.  To me that’s the greatest pleasure.

MS:  “NCIS” isn’t your first hit television show.  What, in your opinion, is the biggest difference in working in television between “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” and now?
DM:  I think the ability to record sound and the size of the camera and the fact that it’s now digital and not film.  Other than that nothing’s changed.

MS:  Final question, and I understand if you can’t answer it:  next year marks the 50^th Anniversary of “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”  Do you have any involvement in the upcoming “U.N.C.L.E.” film?
DM:  No, right now I have nothing to do with that.  It’s a whole new venture.  But now that you tell me it’s the 50^th Anniversary next year I’ll have to set aside a nice bottle of wine and open it.  Maybe I’ll save it until the movie comes out.

A FANS NOTE TO DIRECTOR GUY RITCHIE

Mr. Ritchie:

I hope by the time you read this you will have contacted both Mr. McCallum and Robert Vaughn and found a place for them in your film.  Both men are in great health and acting today.  I don’t care if you have them walk past Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer in the hallway, you must recognize them.  It is their chemistry that made “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”  the show it was.  As Leo G. Carroll has passed away more than 40 years ago I will not lobby for his appearance!

Robert Davi is no stranger to the spotlights of Hollywood. Davi whose career started in the mid 1970’s has appeared in everything from television series to feature films. He is probably best known however for his role as Jake Fratelli in the 1985 cult classic “The Goonies”. At the age of 62 Robert shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Media Mikes had the distinct pleasure of speaking with Mr. Davi recently about his venture in to music as well as his upcoming appearances in the films “Doonby” and “The Expendables 3”.

Adam Lawton: Which did you start with first, Music or acting?
Robert Davi: I think they both sort of happened at the same time. Film and music was a concurrent thing in my Italian-American household growing up. In school I really enjoyed language and reading during literature class. Around 8^th grade I found my voice and that carried over in to high school. I had a huge passion for both singing and acting. I started performing and actually placed first in the New York State Music Association contest as a voice soloist. From there I started to study opera. I always like to say that in and Italian-American home there are two figures, the Pope and Frank Sinatra and not necessarily in that order. (Laughs) The acting and music really went hand and hand when I first started.

AL: When your acting career started to take precedent was music performance still always in your mind?
RD: Yes. In the back of mind it was always there. You can actually see that with some of my performances like with the character of Jake in “The Goonies”. Those scenes where I sing opera were actually all improvised. Singing was a fun thing to add to that character. I actually told Richard Donner and Steven Spielberg that I wanted to make the character a frustrated opera singer who no one listens to except Sloth down in the basement. (Laughs) They thought the idea was pretty funny.

AL: What do directors think when they realize you have the ability to sing as well as act?
RD: I haven’t really done a lot of films with that yet. Besides doing my recent album I have kept that side of things pretty quiet. I haven’t been out auditioning for Broadway plays or anything like that because I have always had a certain game plan. The first time I actually performed on film outside of the scenes from “The Goonies” was with Chazz Palminteri in “The Duke” which I wrote/produced/directed and appeared in. I wanted that character to be my foray or transition in to the parts of my musical life. I was ready at that point and this film was me dipping my toe in the water. Of course that led to my album “Davi Sings Sinatra- on the Road to Romance. I love performing music.

AL: With music moving to the forefront of your career do you see yourself slowing down in the area of acting?
RD: I have been pretty busy with the acting still. I did a film called “The Iceman” which came out recently and I just got back home from Bulgaria where we were filming “Expendables 3”. I also have a few other films coming out soon and am working on some other projects as well. That includes a script I wrote about music that I will also be in. I do love the music and I think I get more of a kick out of music right now. There is nothing like communicating through a live performance. It’s the best. I have been able to headline the Venetian in Las Vegas; I opened for Don Rickles at The Orleans which was something I had always wanted to do. We really kicked ass that night and I got several standing ovations. It’s been great.

AL: Can you tell us about the new Christmas song you have coming out?
RD: It’s called “New York City Christmas”. The song is really a tribute to New York. How this all started was a gentleman had come to one of my shows and he wrote a tremendous review of the show. This guy’s dad was actually the guy who ran the famous Copa Cabana night club. He had this song he had written and his uncle new I was a singer so he mentioned my name to him. He ended up coming over to my house to play the song for me. It sounded sort of like a bad Bob Dylan song. (Laughs) However there was something in it. I knew if we could do it as a swing tune with a big band that it could work. It’s hard for people to accept a brand new Christmas song but I feel this has a classic touch to it and if it gets the right attention it will have a shot. The artist Steve Penley did the cover art for it and he did a terrific job. I think the song is going to be a great lift for New York City.

AL: Can you give us some info on the film you did recently titled “Doonby”?
RD: The people doing the film came to me about working on it. I knew they were hitting a subject matter without being preachy in anyway. Instead they were showing things from an alternative view. It took on the prolife issue and really looks at it differently. The film shows us how each life matters. That appealed to me. The film wasn’t judgmental in anyway. I was able to wear a cowboy hat and have a little bit of fun with the role. (Laughs) It was quite a bit different than another film I did recently called “The Iceman”. On that film I was able to work with people like Ray Liotta, Michael Shannon and Winona Ryder. The film is the true story of Richard Kuklinski who was a serial killer for the mob. That was a really cool film to work on. “Doonby” was also fun but in a different way.  Writer/Director Peter Mackenzie had such enthusiasm.

AL: You also just finished work on “The Expendables 3”.  What can you tell us without giving anything away?
RD: I have known Sly for many, many years now. My 12 year old son is a huge
“Expendables” fan. He just loves those films. This was a film I had to be in! (Laughs) In the film I play the character of Goran Vogner who is head of the Albanian Mafia. That is a great group to be a part of.

AL: What type of process do you take when preparing for your roles?
RD: With every role I do research. For instance for my character in “Doonby” I talked to a friend of mine who is the head of the FBI in that area. I talked with guys who were transplanted in to that area in an effort to pick up a subtle type of accent. The rest of the role comes from your imagination. Some roles do require more research than others. If I have played a similar role in the past there may be less prepping needed. For “Expendables 3” I had never played an Albanian mafia character before. I was able to consult with people from that world and learn their mind set and behavior. Those are some pretty tough guys.

AL: Looking back on your work in “The Goonies” did you ever expect the film to be still relevant almost 30 years after its initial release and what was like working on that set?
RD: I remember very vividly while we were still shooting Richard Donner telling me that this film was going to be a classic like “The Wizard of Oz”. That film was such a great time and everyone who worked on it was just so wonderful to work with. The only real pain in the ass was Joe Pantoliano. (Laughs) he and I went at it which was good for the movie. That’s actually how we got the roles. During the casting of the film they were pairing guys up and he and I got matched up together. What you see in the film is what we were. That line from the film about Francis’s toupee was completely improvised. (Laughs) Anne Ramsey was lovely also. I told her that every time my character spoke I wanted her to slap me. (Laughs) Everyone was just great and getting to work with guys like Richard, Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall all on this one film was amazing.

AL: Besides your Christmas single are there any other projects of yours we can be watching for?
RD: I am working on another album which should be coming out next. I have a film that I wrote called “the Voice” coming out. Of course “The Expendables 3” is coming out on August 15th. I will be working on some other shows as well as touring Australia with my music. I have a bunch of stuff going on worldwide and new stuff pops up every day.

John Schneider is best know for his roles like Bo Duke in the 1970s–1980s TV series “The Dukes of Hazzard” and Jonathan Kent in TV series “Smallville”. In the last few years, John has worked on several films including “Super Shark”, “October Baby” and his most recent “Doobny”. Media Mikes had a chance to ask John a few question about the film and what he has planned next.

Adam Lawton: What can you tell us about your new film “Doonby”?
John Schneider: Doonby is a movie that will keep you thinking from beginning to end. It is a puzzle with a high impact solution.

AL: What was it that interested you in the role?
JS: I was very impressed with Peter’s passion for the project. I also like the idea of the drifter who comes in to town and, even though he tries to do the right thing and make it a better place, he causes ripples in the community that have sever implications on the status quo. I also like the mysterious part of who Sam is.

AL: We’re you allowed to be pretty free with the character of Sam or did you stick more to the written script?
JS: Peter allowed the scenes to take their own shape. We stuck to the dialogue mostly, because it is really good dialogue, but the intent is where we got to play around a bit.

AL: How was it working with Ernie Hudson?
JS: I loved working with Ernie. He is a true professional and helped me to be more on my game while we were shooting.

AL: You have a bar scene with Scotti Hill of Skid Row? How did he become involved and what was it like filming that scene and the others where you get to sing and play guitar?
JS: Scotti was great. What a talented guitar player and performer. I believe he is Peter’s friend. Having toured with music for years in the 80’s it felt get to get back on stage with my guitar again.

AL: Do you have any other projects coming up that you would like to mention?
JS: We start another film in Baton Rouge in January in Louisiana called Useful People. My hope is to stack it full of wonderful older names like Dick Van Dyke and Ed Asner. It’s about a group of terminally ill poker players with a legitimate ax to grind against someone who took a loved one from them years ago and got away with it. The group of older gentlemen get together once a week and occasionally have one of the offenders taped to a chair in the closet. If you want to know what happens next you’ll have to come see the movie!

Related Content

• David Brooks talks new horror/thriller “ATM”
• Michael Biehn & Jennifer Blanc-Biehn talk about working together on “The Victim”
• Director Brin Hill Talks About Joss Whedon’s “In Your Eyes”
• Troll 2’s Michael Paul Stephenson talks about his follow-up to “Best Worst Movie” called “The American Scream”
• The Stars of Cabaret Reunite to Celebrate the Film’s 40th Anniversary

Texas-born actress Tiya Sircar is on a roll. After earning guest starring roles in such popular television shows as “House,” “The Vampire Diaries” and “NCIS” she graduated to film, co-starring alongside Zac Efron in “17 Again” and Justin Timberlake in “Friends With Benefits.” This past summer she shared the screen with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson in the comedy hit, “The Internship.” To celebrate this week’s DVD/Blu-ray release of “The Internship” Tiya sat down with MediaMikes to talk about improvising with Vince Vaughn, her current role in the new show “Witches of East End” and obeying non-disclosure agreements.

Mike Smith: How did you come to be cast in “The Internship?” What drew you to the project?
Tiya Sircar: First of all, what drew me to the project was that Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson were in it. That made it pretty much a no-brainer for me (laughs). I’m a huge fan of each of them individually and when you put them together…I think “Wedding Crashers” is one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen. Those two alone were exciting for me. But I also really loved the character. I thought it would be fun to get to play a really smart, confident and accomplished female character in a comedy full of a bunch of dudes so that was exciting to me as well.

MS: Vince Vaughn co-wrote the film and Owen Wilson is also an established writer. Were you encouraged to improvise on set or did you have to stick to the script?
TS: Oh no, not at all. We were allowed to improvise 100%…if we could come up with our own stuff we were encouraged to do so. Even when I first met Vince in an audition setting…I had five or six pages to do for my audition. I think we stuck to maybe one page and the rest came about through Vince’s brilliant comedic mind. Anytime you’re in an acting situation with either of those two you have to be very prepared for a lot of improv.

MS: You’re currently appearing in the new television series, “The Witches of East End.” Is this going to be a recurring role?
TS: It is. I play the love interest of one of the lead guys.

MS: What else are you working on?
TS: I’m actually working on two animated projects. One’s an animated series and one’s an animated feature. However, I’ve been sworn to secrecy on both of them! (laughs). I’d love to talk about them but I can’t, which I know doesn’t help you at all. But hopefully I’ll be able to talk about them soon. I’m also about to start an indie comedy called “Miss India America” and I’m playing the lead in it. It’s got a great cast and a very funny script. I’m really thrilled to have gotten the lead in this movie.

Australian actor John Jarratt started his acting career in the mid 1970’s and has appeared in dozens of films and television series. One of John’s more recent roles is that of a crazed serial killer in the film “Shiver” which also stars Casper Van Dien and Danielle Harris. Media Mikes spoke with John recently about the film and what drew him to the role.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about your new film “Shiver”?
John Jarratt: It’s a horror genre film about an impotent nerdy, creepy, middle aged, middle American guy who has a love/hate relationship with women. He seems to love them more after he kills them. However, he comes across one who vehemently doesn’t want to die.

AL: What was it that interested you in the role?
JJ: There are three things that make a film worth doing, the script, the script and the script. Also, being an extraverted Australian, working class guy, I was excited to play this type of character. Having a go at an American accent was a great challenge which I thoroughly enjoyed.

AL: Being that this is a very creepy role what type of preparation or mindset did you have to get in to in order to play this character?
JJ: I tried to stay alone with it because there are a lot of lines. I would take very long walks on a regular basis and mumble lines to myself through the streets of Portland, staying in the zone. I had the script for a year or so before filming, so I had plenty of time to work on the character. I jutted my teeth out a little and tried to play him slightly buck toothed. I made the voice a little nasally and found a nerdy sound that suited Rude. I also I gave him a back story.

AL: For you what was the hardest part of the shoot?
JJ: The snow and the mud! Bloody Portland in winter, you can have it. “It’s beautiful in the summer”, was the catch cry.

AL: Do you have any upcoming projects that you would like to mention?
JJ: Yes, “Wolf Creek 2” is being released in Australia on February 20^th and I am really looking forward to that. I am working on a film called “Defence” in November and another called “StalkHer” starting in January.

Media Mikes had the pleasure of attending the AMC “Comic Book Men” panel held during this year’s Comic Con Convention in New York on Oct. 10-13. The panel featured show creator Kevin Smith along with cast members Brian Johnson, Walter Flanningan, Ming Chen and Michael Zapcic. Though the panel was originally meant to discuss season 2 of the hit AMC show the audience quickly turned it into their opportunity to grill Smith about a few of his other upcoming projects, namely “Clerks III” which Kevin had this to say.

Kevin Smith: “Clerks III” is currently going well enough to where the script is done and we are just waiting on finding our money. In an effort to keep my mind off of worrying about finding money for that movie I wrote this film titled “Tusk”. That is what I am going to be doing next. In a few weeks I will be heading to North Carolina to start filming. The film stars Justin Long and Michael Parks and it’s basically about a kid trying to turn another kid into a walrus. The film is based off of a UK add on a Gumtree website where there was actually a guy who made up this hoax about a person looking for someone to wear a walrus costume they made. The hoax was done by a guy named Chris Parkinson who we reached out to and actually made a producer on the film. Without his dopey idea I wouldn’t have come up with this. So while waiting on the money for “Clerks III” which I wanted to take to Sundance as it will be the 20th anniversary of the first “Clerks” films things were looking less and less likely so I wrote this stupid walrus movie. I wrote it in about 20 days under the mindset of not really wanting to make a movie but if I had to what would I want to see. I loved Michael Parks in “Red State” so I just built this around him with the idea that it would make it easy for me to sit on set for weeks and weeks as I would get to watch Michael work. When I got the script done it was like pornography and Michael Parks. (Laughs) We just pushed the ideas we had and thanks to some really good weed we said “fuck it” and tried pretty much everything. Over the next couple of months this film started to become more real than “Clerks III”. This is a much smaller scaled film that is easier to get in and out of. “Tusk” has now taken the place of “Clerks III” at Sundance this year as I thought fans would want to see something different rather than just more “Clerks”. We will still be doing “Clerks III” however not until March or April of 2014. I hope to have it done for the 20th anniversary as the original film came out in October of 1994. All of the crew from “Comic Book Men” will be in this film as could most of the people here in this room. “Clerks III” is going to be a massive fucking movie! I say that without a hint of irony.

If you found yourself in The Nerd Machine booth this past weekend at New York Comic Con, you may have noticed a multitude of celebrity guests dropping by for impromptu photo and signing sessions with fans. These guests, as announced via the twitter hashtag #Smiles4Smiles, included stars such as Seth Green, David Duchovny and “Community’s” Yvette Nicole Brown. Actor Zachary Levi, who is currently in New York appearing in Broadway’s First Date, was behind bringing these guests together at NYCC to raise money for Operation Smile.

Can you talk about what Smiles4Smiles is?
Zachary Levi: “So basically, I’m an ambassador for Operation Smile and our main events called NerdHQ that we do at San Diego Comic Con, we make most of our money doing the panels that we do called “Conversations for a Cause“. But there’s a lot of time in between where celebrities might not be able to do a panel for us but they have time to do some photos for us or or do some signings for us. And by for us, I mean for the fans obviously. And I just kind of believe that, I don’t know, for me, you know I’ve been really blessed and…I make my money doing the acting gigs that I do and I love that I’m able to do signings and do photos and stuff and make it affordable– twenty bucks a pop–and you tell people that that all goes to charity, everyone feels a lot better about the whole process of it. So then I was just trying to figure out a catchy way to call it. So it’s Smiles, you’re smiling for a camera for Smiles, Operation Smile. And Signing4Smiles. So that’s what Smiles4Smiles is.”

Levi will next be seen in Thor: The Dark World and I couldn’t help putting a spoiler-free question to the new–taking over the role from Thor‘s Josh Dallas–Fandral the Dashing.

What’s the coolest thing about being an Asgardian?
Being a blond, I guess. (Laughs)

It was more fun being a blond?
It was! It was fun. It was different.

.