Angus Scrimm Interview (All Things Phantasm!)

 

Scrimm Fairy Tales

 NOTE: I was going through some old hard-drives and found this interview with the late Angus Scrimm, which I think dates back to 2008, eight years before his passing. I thought it might be nice to share it here.

So let’s begin with an obvious question Angus; what on earth is happening with Phantasm? Are we going to see The Tall Man in action again?

I have read four or five scripts for another Phantasm over the years and the most prominent of them was, of course, the one written by Roger Avary. That was a really exciting prospect but to do it right it would have cost $12 million, which is not a lot by the standard of most budgets but it was still more than anyone wanted to invest (laughs). The last script I read was long and also a bit wordy. It was penned by a guy called Stephen Romano, who worked with Don on his Masters of Horror episode – which I am proud to say I was a part of. However, I know that if Don could raise the financing, maybe through some rich fan who wants to produce movies, he would pull another one out of his sleeve as soon as possible. But right now there is no news to report I am afraid.

The Phantasm series is difficult to really pigeonhole. It is part horror, part science fiction and part fantasy. Were you a fan of these genres prior to getting your break in the original film? 

You know, I could never connect with science fiction. I used to buy these pulp sci-fi magazines with great covers and the stories would just bore me (laughs). Horror, however, I always liked. I was not allowed to see any horror movies until I was 12 and at that point Universal had reissued Dracula and Frankenstein on a double bill. I thought they were incredible in the theatre. That ignited a lust in me to see more horror movies and I recall seeing The Wolf Man, which they reissued shortly afterwards, and I tried to see every other Universal classic after that. And fantasy… Yes, fantasy is delightful, but it was horror which I liked the most.

In the Phantasm films you are given very little to say. Of course, this eventually becomes the beauty of your character but – nevertheless – during the making of the original movie did you ever try and push Don Coscarelli to give you more dialogue?

 No I did not (laughs). After all, acting is not just reciting dialogue – although I do love to have some delicious lines – but it did not occur to me until after I saw the first movie that, yes, I did have very little to say. However, I actually contributed one of the lines in the original Phantasm. It was when I say, “you play a good game boy but the game is finished. Now you die.” I was sitting in the dressing room and I jotted that line down on a piece of paper and thought about bringing it up to Don. However, I decided otherwise and then forgot all about it. Well Don went into the dressing room, found the scrap piece of paper and then, when we got into ADR, he had me record that very line over the scene where The Tall Man is walking ominously through the park. Now if I hadn’t thought of that I would just have had four lines of dialogue (laughs).

Did you ever have any discussions with Don about The Tall Man? I have sat through all four Phantasm films and he remains quite a mystery doesn’t he?

Yes he does, I am not sure you can explain him, but we never really had any deep intellectual discussions about the character. In fact, some of our discussions were after-the-fact. I remember that we were flying around the United States and Australia publicising the first movie when it came out and I know that at some point we both agreed that The Tall Man probably represented the grim reaper in the boy’s mind. Now, interestingly, I got to play The Grim Reaper in a television series that Mel Brooks had called The Nutt House. It was only on for one season but it was about an unsuccessful hotel and the lobby looked like a desert wasteland, with a cactus blowing in the wind. Well The Grim Reaper dashed across in one scene and Mel cast me in the part because he was a big fan of Phantasm.

 

After Phantasm was released did you anticipate being typecast in horror films?

Oh, I was so naïve (laughs). I had made a few films before Phantasm and none of them had done any business. So after Phantasm took off I thought “wow, now my career is made! Hollywood will recognise me and I will be cast.” But even after I got an agent and got into the Screen Actor’s Guild nothing much happened. I remember being called up for Caddyshack, the Chevy Chase movie, because they thought I was a huge fellow. Well it turned out I wasn’t – Don just made me look that way - so they cast someone who was much bulkier and taller instead. So the success of Phantasm did not do much for me. A director called Jim Wynorski, who was a fan of it, put me in the movie called Inland Empire, which was fun but it almost went straight to video. However, since then I have worked with Jim on other things and we get along very well. Nonetheless, the well was self-limiting after Phantasm. Nobody in the movies had a role for The Tall Man. My reputation has grown very slowly and it has done better recently because a lot of the teenaged boys who saw these films, and grew up with them, have begun making movies and they are casting me in their projects. That is how I got a recurring role on the series Alias for example and a director/ producer called Larry Fassenden has been using me… I don’t know if you know about him but he has independent means to make films – he produced one project called The Roost, which is very good, and he also raised the money for a picture called Liberty Kid, which is a fantastic drama set just after 9/11 where two employees at the Statue of Liberty are laid off due to security fears.

Indeed, I have noticed from your imdb profile that you have been keeping very busy of late…

Yes, and I have to mention the work that I have done with Larry. For instance, I was in a very good horror film that he produced called The Off Season and I also did something called Automatons for him – which good great reviews. Now, this was a micro-budgeted movie about robots fighting the last war after humankind has been killed off. It is in black and white with deliberately scratchy sound and The New York Times, The Village Voice and The Post all gave it very good reviews. I also need to mention a movie called The Last Winter, which Larry directed. That one stars James LeGros from Phantasm II, alongside Ron Perlman, and it is about some people drilling for oil in Alaska but then nature turns against them and kills them off one by one. Quite deliberately. 

I might be in the minority here but my favourite Phantasm movie is the second one. It plays as a beefed up version of the first film, only with better special effects and an even more delirious atmosphere. Yet, ironically, it was also the most troubled of the lot…

Well, first of all, I like them all and I cannot pick a favourite. I certainly enjoy watching Phantasm II so I cannot argue with you there. Of course, I did miss Michael Baldwin, who never got to return and play the part of Mike (Note: He was replaced, at studio behest, by James LeGros), but it was wonderful to go in and make a movie that lasts for five weeks and has a big studio behind it. You also don’t have to worry about money and you get paid a little better. On the whole Phantasm II was a good experience but there was certainly some studio interference that upset Don and that was unfortunate. There were also a couple of things that I strongly objected to. For instance, I don’t like to see The Tall Man being treated disrespectfully and I hated the scene where James LeGros pulled the sphere out of the wall and throws it at me and says “suck on this!” I was irate at that and I suggested that they change it to “let’s play ball,” which I thought was much cuter. But apparently one of the producer’s came up with “suck on this” so that was that. Nevertheless, overall, I found Phantasm II to be a positive experience and I thought it was a good movie as well.

 

Even so, it underperformed at the box office. Why do you think this was?

It was a shame because Phantasm II had a major opening release in many countries – not just the United States - but I think that Universal made a grave mistake by releasing it in the middle of the summer season. The same week that we opened Rambo III, the Tom Hank’s movie Big, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure and Roger Rabbit also came out. It was the biggest week, to date, in American cinema in terms of the number of major motion pictures that were out at the same time. Universal also wanted to keep everything about Phantasm II hush-hush, so it had obtained no advanced publicity, and it was not until the week before it opened that I began to appear on little local television studios and stuff. I remember that they held a competition to find out how many people could fit in The Tall Man’s Hearst, and I was the judge of that, but that was about it. However, the sequel still performed well, it just wasn’t blockbuster material which was what Universal was hoping for.

And, since then, the Phantasm movies have gone straight to video, which is a bit of a shame…

Well what happened is that when Don went back to the studio with Phantasm III they took it to their DVD section. However, Don’s contract required that Phantasm III have at least two theatrical showings. One was in Taraho, Indiana and I cannot remember where the other was but it was another very small town somewhere. Nevertheless, Phantasm III, in both of these theatres, outperformed every other film that was playing. Even so Universal did not have any intention to do anything but make a pile of money out of the video. Now when Oblivion came along, Don pretty much financed it himself and that was that. However, I knew that, even on a small budget, Oblivion would be well made because I have never seen a Coscarelli movie that was not well made! If he is behind it then it will be good. I still do not know why Don has never become a major Hollywood film director. He has produced films like Beastmaster and Bubba Ho-Tep on a reasonable budget, and they have made money, but yet he has never become as big as he deserves to be.

Diverting from Phantasm then – can you speak about working with the producer Charlie Band on a movie called Subspecies, which you made back in 1991?

Yes, Subspecies was good fun. I know that people have complained about their experience with Charlie Band but I am not one of them (laughs). Subspecies was made in Bucharest where we were the first people to make an English-language film. It was also the first film made there since the Revolution. I remember that there was a lot of dire poverty and the hotel that I stayed in had a bulb on a string, which was the light, and a tap that dripped all day and night. There was one working telephone in the whole place, which was on the main desk, and I ate pork chops that ran red when you cut into them – so I only ate the edges (laughs)… But I can honestly say it was one of the best experiences of my lifetime. The film was made in the hinterlands surrounding old castles, which was beautiful, and Subspecies was quite popular when it came out. As you probably know there were a lot of sequels. It was silly but people seemed to like it. My agent insisted that I was paid half of my wage before I left and the other half which I got when I returned. So it was a good movie to work on.

 Finally, then, if you had to write the next chapter in the Phantasm series – where do you think The Tall Man would be?

 Oh goodness, that requires a witty answer and I am never good at these quick-fire things (laughs). I think I will have to leave that question to whomever writes the next Phantasm but I am looking forward to finding out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top 20 K-pop Songs of 2021

Am I now too old to do this? Who knows? 

I have been listening to K-pop for a decade now and I still find something to excite me every year, even this year, which has been a pretty difficult annum. In short: my mum passed away in her care home in April and just 365 days ago right now she was spending her Christmas at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, with her dementia forcing her out of her house which she always told me she wanted to pass away in. Thanks to Covid-19, visiting her was out of the question and then it was a slow, agonising crawl until the end - I was literally at her bedside listening to a death rattle until she passed just a few hours later. Then I finished a little documentary in honour of her memory (that would be Searching for Cannibal Holocaust), which no one saw when it did come out, and which Grindhouse has for American distribution (so who knows when that may or will happen). That and the Shudder fiasco, made me make a decision to save my sanity and to never direct another documentary (research projects notwithstanding). And all through this, and another house move (my sixth in seven years!), K-pop still provided the soundtrack to life. A rare but welcome consistency.

So what of 2021's music?

Well, there were some disappointments this year - IU's Celebrity was just OK, whilst Lisa from Blackpink's utterly lamentable LaLisa was horrible (and I mean headache-inducing horrible), bandmate Rose had a couple of meh English-language moments too and Twice had a few numbers, including the forgettable candy-pop of The Scientist. Moreover, we saw underwhelming comebacks from such usually reliable SM idol groups as Exo, Red Velvet and SHINee. There was even (shock, horror!) a dull outing from Sunmi. Long-awaited solo items from the likes of Baekhyun and Wendy felt like album cast-offs whilst the genre's biggest name (BTS obviously) debuted a so-so English language single with Butter. Perhaps the year's finest moment was actually the surprise uniting of members from second generation K-pop band After School for a rendition of Bang! on South Korean television - either a reminder that I am 1) old 2) nostalgic or 3) K-pop reached a height of quality/quantity somewhere between Abracadabra and Fantastic Baby (or maybe I Got a Boy). But I digress: since those glory days, the form has certainly matured into superior long-plays and concepts, such as Taeyeon's 2017 peak (and I still consider My Voice the best LP of the entire phenomenon, maybe even my favourite record of all time), but the bangers have been less and less frequent - as indicated when some of Sistar tried for a comeback and the result was just not so memorable.

Regardless, then, here is my Top 20 for 2021 and, rest assured, at the very top spot is one of the best of any year - so if you have stumbled across this blog and never given Korean pop music a chance, my advice is to spin that one first and see if you might subsequently find a universe of sublime sonics that is worth exploring further...

20) HYOYEON - SECOND:

Hyoyeon's 2021 anthem became perhaps just as famous for its often hilarious Instagram videos (usually featuring the singer snacking whilst fellow K-pop stars mime along or, in the case of an appearance from former SNSD partners Sooyoung and Tiffany, engage in an all-out catfight), but the bop itself is decidedly likeable. Hyoyeon is the Girls' Generation member who seems to come and go every year, re-appearing just long enough to remind us that she is unlikely to fall into obscurity or irrelevance any time soon. And thank goodness for that.

19) MONSTA X - RUSH HOUR

The best Monsta X single so far? One would have to conclude so - this has a hint of Ennio Morricone but bleeds into an aggressive mix of rap and electro-rock, establishing one of 2021's loudest K-pop endeavours and the one that would, in another, better universe, fill the dance floor. The best we can do these days, of course, is to hope that the neighbours do not bang on the wall as this monster of a single spins its way into our collective (and in my case eternally ageing) heart. 

18) ITZY - LOCO

This feels a little more like traditional K-pop in that it begins as something and then turns into something else completely. It is a genre mash-up and done with the usual slickness that leaves your head feeling as if it is on a most pleasurable sugar rush. Kudos to a band that one hopes does not go the way of so many others anytime soon. Things are, after all, only just starting to get interesting...

17) TAEYEON - WEEKEND:

Continuing with the big guns, CL's contemporary Kim Taeyeon also saw in the summer with a (somewhat understated) bubble-gum opus. Her voice remains perfect, of course, but this is perhaps a little too fluffy for Taeyeon, given the soul-wrenching ballads with which she rose to solo superstardom. Still, in this strange new era of a world living under a pandemic, maybe a lighter, sweeter sound was warranted from one of Korea's biggest solo stars this summer - and 'Weekend' provides an easy-listening short-play that will not break your heart but might just make you smile from ear to ear. 

16) NCT DREAM - HOT SAUCE:

This just rocks. And that's about all I am going to say. I mean, other than that the music video does not really connect with the seduction of the lyrics (which I am sure some might argue is a bit overly 'nudge-nudge'). Anyway... purely on the way this banger sounds, it is another impressive achievement for NCT Dream, who are a fearsome unit (or is it sub-unit?) in the SM oeuvre.  

15) (G)I_DLE - HWAA

Even in the fast-paced, low-retention rate world of K-pop it seemed unlikely that hitmakers (G)I-dle would run into trouble quite this soon but, alas, come 2022 and the group is no more as a five. Listen to this lean and mean ditty, however, and soak-up the sound of one of contemporary K-pop's classiest acts, reborn as a fighting-fit four. A return worth cherishing.

14) CL - SPICY:

Speaking of CL, the former 2NE1 figurehead made a thundering return with this hard-edged groove that is far better than anything she was doing with YG (back in the days when it looked as if she, and not BTS, would be the first big international breakout and global living room name). It is confident and tough - and CL remains a presence that is almost unrivalled, all the more shame that her former record label dropped the ball on such a phenomenal talent. Oh, and she also dropped an album this year...

13) DREAMCATCHER - ODD EYE:

Should I have opted for Dreamcatcher's sound of the summer, Because, instead? Well, in one's defence, as good as 'Because' is, it still feels as if it is standing in the shadow of the greatness of this group's back catalogue and, whilst certainly a welcome rush of the unit's ever-reliable pop-rock sophistication, it  plays as more of a 'best of' compilation than a reimagining of the formula so far. Not, of course, that there is anything wrong with that - but 'Odd Eye' does it all so much better. The year began with this rollicking experiment in three-minute rock-opera and it excels almost a full calendar later. 

12) Epik High (에픽하이) - Rosario ft. CL, ZICO:

'Out of my way, I am a legend and I'm here to stay' - and so says the ever-iconic CL in the idol collaboration of the year, featuring not just alternative heroes Epik High but also Zico of Block B fame. Chill out, late night, post-pub comedown music, with a fabulous visual accompaniment offering tribute to (what could be more fitting?) some of South Korea's stylish gangster film masterpieces. In fact, this is perhaps the most masterful Epik High single since they unleashed their rock side with Don't Hate Me a good ten years ago, only attesting to their range as songwriters...

11) JEON SOMI - XOXO:

If the likes of Hwasa, Key, Mamamoo and Taemin (and even TXT) indicated that 2021 was a darker shade of K-pop then take solace in this anthem for misspent youth with a music video that part homages Amy Heckerling, Quentin Tarantino, Suicide Squad and even Rob Zombie (!) whilst bemoaning the folly of young love. Perfectly sweet and with the sort of chant-back chorus that will infect your skull for days and days... press play with caution, my friends.

10) HWASA - I'M A 빛 :

A reflective piece of performance from Hwasa - whose solo career has been largely exceptional. This has all the grooves of one of Mamamoo's purest pop hits (think, for instance, Décalcomanie) and once it starts it feels as if it is not going to stop anytime soon, championed along by the star's surprisingly breathy vocals - a change from the more polished serenading of last year's astonishing Maria.

9) YUQI - BONNIE AND CLYDE:

Song Yuqi, the Beijing-born member of (G)I-dle (who has managed to avoid the controversy of fellow countrymen and women navigating the harsh waters between Mainland celebrity and sponsorship with South Korean fame) sings in English for what sounds like a gothic, pounding, widescreen pitch for a future, postmodernist gangster movie directed by Michael Mann. Or maybe it will just be the music to accompany Ryan Gosling in Drive 2. It sounds part-stuck in the 1980s as well - a little Pat Benatar perhaps, but that is a compliment. A huge, huge compliment. The lady done well.

8) T-ARA - TIKA TAKA:

With their last release being four years ago, it looked like the game was over for second generation girl group T-ara, one of the best pop bands of all time (and yes, I am deadly serious), but 2021 gave us this most unexpected and quite fabulous reunion. Boram and Soyeon are missing from the mix (as they had been from late-day offerings Tiamo and What's my Name?) but this remains T-ara's best outing since the heady days of Sugar Free and indicates that the talented quartet are ready to reclaim their crown as the unchallenged Queens of the proverbial disco floor. A very welcome burst of nostalgia that will, one hopes, result in future singles of this quality.

7) TXT - I KNOW I LOVE YOU:

In a year of disappointing boy band hits, TXT came through with this glorious radio-friendly rock song that explodes into an enormous stadium-orientated chorus, although it will be quite some time until that happens in these dire Covid-19 times. A slick and sonically rich stomper, this thumping burst of energy also wears its indie-cred on its sleeves with the presence of Seori on guest vocals - and only the most curmudgeonly of listeners would want to deny that this summer release, which took its home country by storm, was undeserving of its success. 

6) AESPA - NEXT LEVEL:

I am not sure I understand SM's concept with Aespa - a band for the future, apparently, but who look as blandly glamorous as any other K-pop band doing the rounds, with the exception of a string of absolutely first class singles. They are the first SM girl group that lacks any sort of immediate presence (then again, I thought the same of the NCT factions), but it is the music which counts and, whilst this might not be the sound of times to come, it is about as funky as it got in 2021. Double this up with the foursome's similarly fierce Savage and get down.

5) TAEMIN - ADVICE:

Now undertaking his military service, Taemin was kind enough to leave listeners with this blistering send-off (until the next two years pass anyway) and what a gem it is. It feels pointless, at this stage, to even begin on how brilliant Taemin's music is - he has gone from boy band darling to legitimate critical favourite, teasing a complex identity in the process through dance, lyrics and even music video. Given the suicide of one of his bandmates just four years ago, it would be folly to assume the real Lee Taemin is not present in any of these endeavours, or that the darker sounds are mere coincidence (as I commented regarding the stunning Two Kids from 2020). Whatever it is, this is an artist of a lifetime, and one to cherish.

4) KEY AND TAEYEON - HATE THAT:

That SHINee member again, this time with a duet featuring the living legend Kim Taeyeon. Inevitably it is just lovely, with the sentiments of bitterness following a break-up expressed in a literally 'crash and burn' music video. Not quite the approach one might have expected given Taeyeon's seemingly limitless vocal range, but the feeling of frustration and heartbreak is strongly emoted and the two work brilliantly together. One suspects this is also a mild homage to Key's late bandmate Kim Jonghyun, whose last year on Earth included a similarly understated (and quite beautiful) collaboration with the Girls' Generation superstar. 

3) MAMAMOO - WHERE ARE WE NOW?

No one does heartbreak quite like Kim Taeyeon, but as a group Mamamoo might be vouching for runner-up status thanks to epic ballads such as this. Honestly, it is just lovely and whilst all four members bring something awesome to the table (albeit with rapper Moonbyul getting the least to do here), there is surely no denying the power and breadth of Hwasa and Solar's tonsils. And damn, just check this live rendition from South Korean television earlier in the year.

2) YUBIN - PERFUME:

What? You forgot about this one? Shamefully so did many fans and pundits (it has escaped the Dazed Top 40, which is just mind-boggling). But this Wonder Girl gave us a comeback miles better than former bandmate Sunmi; from the opening Indian strings to the rush of eighties synths and a back-and-forth rap leading to a slightly disjointed vocal bridge into a breathless chorus. This was an early year treat and still stands tall as a certified K-pop banger as 2021 concludes. An unrecognised classic from a second generation superstar that time seems to have forgotten. Absolutely fantastic.

1) KEY - BAD LOVE:

One of four SHINee members, Key's idol status has long been established - but who could have expected this truly epic solo number: dashing, tormented and just spine-tingling. This is a giant-sounding statement, slickly realised and with a killer music video, boasting an almost instantly-memorable chorus. Moreover, there is just enough of an old-time glam-rock feel (not even kidding here) to make you forget the achingly modern electronics and layers of production driving his vocals from verse to chorus. No expense spared, in other words, but leave it to the geniuses at SM Entertainment to conceive a pop song this perfect.

Family Trees

Clearing out the pictures of my late mum and my grandfather on my dad's side (William Waddell) looks just like me. 

Always Get it in Writing (Lessons from Working in Film) - 'Working' Free for Brian Robertson of Shudder's Cursed Films

It is hard to believe that October, 2021, marks the 12 year anniversary of me making 'extra features' (and EPK content) for a number of international Blu-ray companies. In that time I have worked closely with someone else (Naomi, of course) to produce a wide amount of material - some of which occasionally pops up as illegal YouTube uploads which we have to keep getting removed. It is a backhanded way of being reminded that someone, somewhere is still watching.

Naomi continues to work hard on bonus material but as I have moved my life into academic research, which frowns on - and can even forbid - third party freelance work, I have had to take a step back and - as of 2021 - conclude that Naomi alone will produce any bonus content that comes to us. In short: I am no longer a 'director' or 'producer' of home video content and our new documentary Searching for Cannibal Holocaust marks a book-end of sorts (we began with Italian horror movies and I, at least, end with it too). It will have a German Blu-ray release soon and probably disappear into obscurity. Or that dubious YouTube infamy [see below - another one of our documentaries we had to have removed for copyright infringement].

That is actually fine with me, in a sense, as I never made any of my work for the purpose of being 'celebrated' and I have become used to a single one line back cover piece on a Blu-ray ("Includes 42nd Street documentary" or, as in the case with our All Eyes on Lenzi documentary - not even mentioned on the stellar American release of The Tough Ones). I concluded Searching for Cannibal Holocaust during my mum's passing, finishing it the day before she passed, and I always felt it was better being kept as a private thing, which it sort of will become now - although it appears to be doing the rounds on Torrent sites. If this sounds like hard shakes then it is not: I was long fatigued by the film festival circuit. The networking involved in festivals, when attending as a producer (however low budget your work is) is exhausting and whereas I once embraced my annual Cannes Film Festival jaunt as a twenty-something journalist (see below when I interviewed T.A.T.U for Record Collector after a VIP concert), these days I think I might rather opt for an early bed. 

However, if there is one thing I have learned from all of this it is to get something in writing if you plan to assist anyone from a more privileged status (since this blog I have turned down two requests from different BBC series for assistance, based on what you will read here). Such was the case even recently when I failed to listen to my own advice. Someone from Canada, Brian Robertson, contacted me last year to ask me if I could help him with a series on Shudder called Cursed Films, directed by someone called Jay Cheel (who has never offered a very valid apology - remember: I was contacted here by them, not vice versa, and I did what I was asked). I had never seen Cursed Films and the feedback on my Facebook, when I asked about it, did not exactly fill me with hope (see a selection of it below - remember folks, listen to your friends). So I turned him down.

But several emails followed, along with a request for a phone conversation. Brian may have been playing me along when he asked "did they kill real people in this?", although he admitted he had not even bothered to watch the movie yet, but at this stage I became convinced I really did not want to be involved. Especially because our own Searching for Cannibal Holocaust documentary was unveiling a new 'true crime'' twist on the notorious Italian horror movie that I wanted to keep secret. We had gone all the way to Amazonia to find out some new stories and the last thing I needed was for our work to be overtaken by someone else, armed with the 'twist' in the Cannibal Holocaust tale that we had uncovered. 

However, Brian was friendly, personable, relentless and even introduced me to Shudder kingpin Samuel Zimmerman who, on an email dated 1st December 2020, acknowledged knowing my work and stated he would be interested in screening our Category III documentary for possible streaming on Shudder (which we finished in 2017 for the Koch Films label in Germany). I had to point Samuel in the direction of Unearthed Films, who own the work for America, although this was never chased. But, naively believing it would be, instead of seeing this 'interest' for what it was, I said I would help with Cursed and thanked Samuel for his interest. The conditions were simple, however, if Brian was to film anyone we might need for our own work in Rome then our own camera person would be able to ask some questions at the end and continue the shoot with their own camera for us, if only for ten additional minutes or so. I should have known that would not be happening when Brian, after having put him in touch with a contact in Rome who assisted with getting him a rare sit-down with the Italian actor turned politician Luca Barbareschi, mentioned that any material for our use would be unlikely to go ahead (and remember I had assisted unpaid). Meantime I fended off increasingly easy-to-find-out-the-answer-to-questions, during a period where my mum was clinging to her life in her care home, such as "Can we film Lamberto Bava? He is credited as a producer on the movie..." (reply: if you read the FAB Press book on Cannibal Holocaust, released in 1999 and pictured below, which is the most basic research one can do, you will know what happened). This was all time wasting nonsense at a crucial point of finishing the proof read of my new academic press book, and personal challenges, but I reminded myself that there was still the possibility of our documentary on Shudder and that Brian Robertson was just a producer trying to get something made and probably appreciated the help. It was no big deal, really.

I had also been promised an interview with Cursed for the documentary. I therefore volunteered that Brian Robertson also interview a colleague of mine at the university, who has written extensively about exploitation cinema [see below]. Of course, Brian Robertson said yes. Bizarrely, however, and quite upsetting to myself, my colleague was later contacted and asked to come to London for the shoot (which he opted not to do, being collegiate and a mate and all that). At this point I was not contacted at all. Never again. At all. Despite the work (all unpaid) I had put in. I was not even given a final thanks nevermind a single, solitary email was sent to me regarding the status of screening our work for Shudder. Honestly, a mere 'sorry' would have gone a long way.

I emailed Brian saying I was surprised by this given that I was supposed to be interviewed and, yet, have had no reply (and I also mentioned my colleague need not go to London as he could be filmed here in Lincoln). However, there was no thanks and no further contact, clearly since he got what he wanted from me (and I hasten to add that I also got Carl Yorke and Francesca Ciardi involved in his series, with Samuel Zimmerman also offering no thanks - Carl, to his credit, has since indicated he would not have done this had he known how I was treated). No reply was forthcoming. No mention was given as to why someone I literally work alongside was being contacted and not me, who had introduced them. In other words: Shudder got what they wanted - the cast and crew from the film, part organised by me, for no payment, but a hollow 'promise' of looking at my work, allowing additional shooting time and presenting my story of the film in the final project (and stopping them from wasting the time of Lamberto Bava, see below, who did not have anything to do with Cannibal Holocaust). This is really 'first world problems', and I recognise this more than ever as the news plays out desperate Afghanistan refugees fleeing from a tyrannical authoritarian force. I absolutely understand that in the story of my life this is but a small footnote. A minor irritation. A blog post. However, I still do believe there is a lesson to be learned here.

Ultimately, none of this would have happened if, of course, I had demanded basic payment for what was, in effect, a production job. I politely and efficiently answered an endless series of emails, and even calls, about Cannibal Holocaust, some sent within seconds of the last. I placed Brian in touch with cast/crew and a translator and well-connected cult film author and documentary-maker in Rome. I even took his long, laborious phone calls - and I ultimately did all of this for nothing because I never followed my own advice: get everything in writing. I only have myself to blame, but in penning this blog I hope that I can stop others from letting their initial enthusiasm blind their common sense. Whilst I have no way of knowing what the Cursed Films episode of Cannibal Holocaust will be like (note: Jay Cheel did not offer even a thanks, despite all the groundwork I did for this episode for free, which is appalling), I hope that even those of you who enjoy it can understand how upsetting it is to not even receive a cursory 'thank you' for your work and to end up being ghosted. I never believed that my (obscure) documentary and 'extra feature' work provided me with any sense of importance or 'recognition' - and I hope that this is made clear in this blog. But simple pleasantries sure do go a long way. 

Moreover, if someone from Cursed Films contacts you and wants your help: hang up.

Samuel Zimmerman: the wrong kind of exploitation.

The Top 20 K-pop Singles of 2020

This is the sixth year I've done this, which makes me like a grand old man of K-pop. I have now been a fan for nearly a decade, which has gone fast, and it seems amazing that so little remains of the scene that saved me from becoming a retro-indie bore, snoring on about how music peaked with the third Belle and Sebastian album or something. Anyway, in a totally too-old-to-be-hipster kind of way, it has been a bit sublime to see what felt like my own little world - one which took me to China for three years for the express purpose of blowing my wages on travel to a number of very costly concerts - now become so mainstream that I can find the albums in my local HMV. I usually mention the Dazed list in this introduction, but honestly - it's so disappointing this year (and I've always thought a list which in 2014 never even had Sugar Free in its top 20 eyebrow-raising anyway), I am not going to post a link. 

Anyone (and I know it will be just a few) reading this has probably stumbled upon my blog accidentally or has some interest in K-pop already, so you already know some of the story of 2020. Nonetheless, here is a quick summary...

BTS ruled supreme with Swan, which is not (at the risk of upsetting the 'army') especially remarkable, Mamamoo, whose 2020 singles were not as strong as usual, splintered into a number of solo presentations (I've listed Hwasa as the best) as did EXO, with Suho's superior effort threatening to sound like a Bends-era Radiohead song from those opening notes. COVID-19 compromised the MAMA Awards and, of course, concerts, whilst many of the major names had disappointing comebacks - I wasn't too taken by Stray Kids, it's fine and all but it sounds less grand than usual, or Seventeen. The latest bout of A-Pink sugary-pop (described as 'a sophisticated sound' by Dazed, dear lord) was far too sickly and Loona's big moment made my head hurt. Maybe I'm (finally) too old? Judge for yourself, after all I am the fella who thought BTS sounded like a less interesting version of B.A.P. when they first emerged. I did like A.C.E. - number one for Dazed - but it doesn't make my list whilst, four years later, and I am still not sold on Weki Meki. Otherwise, 2020 was a good, solid year for the Korean pop scene - not as strong as the pre-2016 era, but about as healthy and exciting as you could hope, with a number of mature and maudlin songs, which might surprise some who are listening for the first time. 

And The Guardian still doesn't list K-pop music in its best albums of the year, so we can at least have some comfort in the fact the 'establishment' remain slow to catch on. 

K-pop moves fast, but the true classics are songs that endure forever. I can't imagine anyone will remember Weki Meki in four year's time. But they will probably still be listening to my number one choice for 2020. So without further ado, and with all sarcasm now at a limit, let's see what this year had to offer...

20) Siyeon - 'Paradise'

What? Really? Yes, in totally unexpected fashion, I am starting this year off with a heart-wrenching  ballad, one that actually preceded the pandemic and which is just absolutely beautiful. Came along unexpectedly, pulled at the emotions and showed that Dreamcatcher are more than 'just' another leggy K-pop girl-group producing absolute bangers for over half a decade now. An exceptional 4.05 minutes of lovelorn emotion that, in the wake of such a sorry year, might provoke the feelings of even the biggest bigoted-Brexit buff (scrap that, this comment could be a little bit too hopeful, plus it's not got Liam Gallagher in it).

19) Hyo - 'Dessert' (featuring Loopy and Soyeon)

The solo(ish) career of Girls' Generation member Hyoyeon (or Hyo as she now prefers) has been glorious - her raspy voice reborn within a series of dance-orientated blinders that are usually released to capture the perfect flavour of summer abandon. This stomper was about as close as any of us got to imagining a drunken, late-night, second-wind in the tropics in 2020 but it captures a vision of a year that could have been, at least. Props to (G)I-DLE for lending Hyo their most charismatic member, Soyeon, to prop up not just the soundscape of this single but the attitude-infused music video. A triumph and enduring proof that SM Entertainment did well to keep those SNSD heavyweights on the payroll.

18) Treasure - 'I Love You’

YG Entertainment were looking forward to a glorious 2020 before the obvious. Big Bang were due to make a return at Coachella, without Seungri of course, which would indicate that the label - unlike rivals SM - were capable to keeping a unit together for longer than just a handful of years and Black Pink continued to rule the planet. However, obviously G-Dragon and company failed to make their long-awaited reappearance and that meant that the label was reduced back to its focus on their stadium-filling girl group. Then, finally, came Treasure - featuring 12 (!) members, far more than the five-man Big Bang - and opting for a very different, more traditionally K-pop EDM sound. It's good, not great, but solid, catchy, infinitely memorable... not sure how such a teen-orientated concept will grow to Big Bang levels of superstardom but then I never thought Black Pink had it in them to eclipse 2NE1 (and musically they haven't, but that's another argument for another day). And yes, that is 'I love you' they are chanting over the thudding chorus...

17) Oh My Girl - 'Nonstop' 

Pure bubblegum, but in the best sense of the word. I have come and gone with Oh My Girl, initially falling for the sound of their dream-trance classic Closer only to find out that they were never going to make anything nearly as good again (even the mini-album that it appears on defaults into more traditional uptempo chart-pop). This unashamedly thrilling bop doesn't change things but the band, still one member down since the dark and controversial departure of JinE, more than indicates that it can achieve a furiously accomplished pop landscape with the sort of tried and tested lananananana hook that promises to get lodged in your head and never leave. One of the year's most infuriatingly memorable hits.

16) SuperM - '100'

This is the best SuperM song yet, also managing to sound the closest to a new EXO single in the process - and, whilst the whole 'K-pop Avengers' concept has not really reset the genre (as some expected), there is no doubting that SM has treated this particular pet project with a shed-load of tender loving care. The visuals are as colourful and exemplary as anyone might anticipate, whilst the song feels like an anthem, something that could (and will, when better times arrive) fill a stadium. Not to diminish what has come before, but with '100' SuperM felt - to this listener at least - a far more interesting prospect than before: decidedly more aggressive and a little rockier than before, although if the slightly more sublime Tiger Inside is anything to judge by, this is a group still finding their sound. We clearly have a lot to look forward to.

15) Dreamcatcher - 'Scream'

It is strange to think that Dreamcatcher were initially written-off as little more than a South Korean spin on Japan's Babymetal when, all these years later, their sound has evolved into something that could be described as an even more epic Evanescence. This 2020 single, with the usual slicker-than-slick production, shows the vocal prowess of all members and the whole gob-smacking rock-opera is complimented by a video rich in horror and fantasy imagery. This ambitious concept is a widescreen vision of anger and torment accompanied by brief moments of quiet reflection and it sounds absolutely fabulous. Attesting to their changeability, the accompanying effort from this year, Boca, is quite different.

14) Gfriend - 'Mago'

I have been slow to catch onto GFriend, even, perhaps wrongly, dismissing them as purveyors of cutsie-pop, but 'Mago' is a toe-tapping classic and a single to fall in love with. K-pop has always enjoyed retro-sounding experimentation and this year brought us at least three high profile hits that adapted the synth-sonics of 1980s chart-pop, albeit bringing them crashing into the present day: 'Lovesick Girls' (see number 11) from Blackpink, 'I Can't Stop Me' (see number eight) from Twice and this welcome injection of disco nostalgia, which pulses with pastness from the opening beat. One listen and there is every chance you will find yourself repeating the 'tik tok' hook in your head, possibly in even your deepest sleep. A short-play to be proud of from a group that reached a peak in 2020. I will be listening in 2021.

13) Hwasa - 'Maria'

For 'Maria', read Hwasa - this is a mature, and even slightly macabre, exploration of life as a K-pop idol from one of the most respected figures of recent years. Hwasa would have every right to rest on her laurels as a member of Mamamoo, one of the greatest and most successful bands to emerge from the Korean pop scene (full stop), but as with last year's fabulous Twit, we instead get a bombastic solo spin-off that lets us a little deeper into one of the genre's most accomplished voices. Whilst there's no doubting the talent of all four members of her band, it seems doubtless that Hwasa might be the personality that heads to sonically bigger things when the veteran quartet inevitably, albeit sadly, call it quits.

12) Taeyeon - 'Happy'

Look, Taeyeon's voice is a weapon. It kills me. To prove this, she was even sent to Amsterdam and Berlin to 'busk' for South Korean TV last year as they recorded people breaking into tears (basically). Having been to Taeyeon concerts, and experienced her voice live, it is difficult to describe quite how it feels (I've seen people break and, yes, I was one). Certainly the best vocals I have ever heard (endured? At times, it feels painful to even listen without tearing up), this is one of her less brutalising singles - for that, see I or Fine or Signal - but it is still curiously downbeat and depressing. It's not her strongest tune, nor one of her greatest numbers, but it was kind of what 2020 deserved - a fantasy of happiness that is simply is not there. Still the most iconic figure in K-pop and the one that makes me most ashamed for thinking Morrissey was a legitimate representation of angst in my youth.

11) Blackpink - 'Lovesick Girls'

What can you say? YG's premiere group are now second only to BTS in terms of international prestige and their year included a collaboration with Lady Gaga, a (surprisingly insightful, if still-approved-by-the-record-label) Netflix documentary to accompany their long, long awaited debut full-length album. Hard to believe it took four years to get the first LP out on the market but it certainly did nothing but raise the profile of the entire Blackpink brand. 'Lovesick Girls' does not reinvent their sound but it does show how effortless they make this sort of thing seem: 'Hey ladies, can you seamlessly recreate the sort of anthem for loss that you might have heard on Top of the Pops circa about 1987?' And there it is. Brilliant.

10) Girlkind - 'Future' 

If your initial reaction to this video is 'what the fresh hell is this?' consider yourself not alone. Indeed, the first response to this, and indeed their brilliant Psycho4U, might also be wondering if this is some kind of project akin to the KLF, including with not entirely dissimilar vibes - this is the comedown. 'Future' itself is late 80s/ early 90s chill-out and somewhere between farce and genius in its video presentation ('have these kids even heard of the Hacienda?'). The band has yet to pick up much steam, amazingly, and yet this has to be one of the most experimental concepts and tunes of the year... it's just perfect. And just when you think you it cannot get anymore brilliant there is a rap at 1.57 that bridges no less than three subsequent changes in rhythm and then a dreamy outro that is swoon-some. One of the year's underrated gems.

9) Aespa - 'Black Mamba' 

SM Entertainment badly needed a new girl band after the Girl's Generation split of 2017, the break-up of F(x) a year previous and Red Velvet on a (sort of) hiatus in 2020. So it was that, after a few weeks of tease (not without criticism) we got this outstanding debut, a (yikes) far better, and decidedly more experimental, debut that the aforementioned groups received before they went on to conquer K-pop (and continents). If there is a problem here it is not the song but rather SM's 'back to the drawing board' reliance on young pin-ups for their first ever female quartet - which is a break from F(x) and - arguably - Red Velvet. There's nothing especially interesting about the Aespa look (the video hints at the concept, at least, of a group that will embrace the virtual, whatever that is going to look like and inform) but maybe that will come later (indeed, who could have predicted Taeyeon from watching the video to 'Into the New World?'). As it stands, this is still a job well done.

8) Twice - 'Can't Stop Me'

The best Twice song yet, and the best of the year's eighties throwbacks, this builds up to its breathless, exhausting, heart-racing chorus with the sort of aplomb and confidence one would expect from such a seasoned band. Try listening to this and not being awestruck by that 'awoowoowoo' that is like a time machine back to a pivotal scene in a high school movie from John Hughes (and so good, they use it again for the outro). The accompanying album was a further highlight of 2020 and shows that Twice, finally, are beginning to mature in sound and concept. And damn, some of these high notes are just thrilling.

7) (G)I-DLE - 'Oh my God'

A band that has yet to offer a duff single, 'Oh my God', which features songwriting from the group's Hyuna figure (to reference much-missed, old label-mate 4 Minute) Soyeon, is another blinder. The song begins with religious iconography and sounds - perhaps indicating the end-of-world horrors of 2020 - before breaking into a sweet-sounding ballad that then shatters into a pure pop-rock bridge and into a chorus that slows things down all over again. It is exhilarating to experience and proves that K-pop remains a format for mind-melting musical structures. As for the video - well, it's both delirious and disturbing whilst also downright curious, potentially offering symbolism of a group suffering for their art (or a video director just in love with horror cinema). Cherish this ensemble whilst we still have them, given Cube Entertainment's history with finding a way to mess up a good thing.

6) Ha:tfelt - 'Satellite (Feat. Ash Island)'

It feels like forever since we last heard from Ha:tfelt (aka Yeeun from The Wonder Girls) but her return this year with an astounding album, and a number of superb spin-off singles, really made up for her (much-missed) absence. This was one of the finest surprises of lockdown, her soaring, sumptuous vocals and tortured dreams evoked in this truly terrific number; a standout. It still feels, all these months later, like the small steps towards the beginning of summer. Perhaps that is what was intended. Beautiful.

5) Everglow - 'La Di Da'

My hunch is that if you asked someone 25 years ago what pop music would sound like in 2020 they would not have been able to predict this. From the first thumping beats, this is the sound of motorcycle-at-full-speed down a futuristic cityscape in a steampunk nightmare movie. The video itself uses Sin City as a reference, but they could have played this over a blank screen and, turned up loud, it would still be difficult to sit still. It's the smash-shit-up-song of the year. 

4) Irene and Seugli - 'Monster'

Two erstwhile Red Velvet members also do the 'horror movie' thing (call it the influence of 2020) with this slow-fast composition that creeps (and that could be interpreted literally) into your head-space with some careful pacing and an evocative, instantly effective chorus-crawl. This is indeed a monster of a hit - and proof again that SM Entertainment are still at the very top of their game. Suffice to say, the next Red Velvet album cannot come soon enough, but for a year without the fabulous five this more than made up for their absence.

3) NCT Dream - Ridin

SM again, but I will qualify by saying this that I have found the entire NCT system of groups one of their more inconsistent brain-farts. This absolute banger, however, is a work of genius, and an NCT moment that stands among the best. Turn that chorus up loud and discover for yourself that rare blessing in an otherwise terrible, tragic year - existing on a planet where new music this damn good is still being produced. To use an exhausted term, that is nonetheless especially fitting for this rollicking achievement, it just rocks.

2) Sunmi - Pporappippam

The formula to the perfect pop song is something that few have managed to locate, but if ever there was a modern example to be taught in music classes around the planet, it might just be this enormous-sounding burst of energy from Sunmi. The artist, a former member of The Wonder Girls, rarely disappoints but even by her standards this is an insanely lofty setting-the-bar-so-high-few-will-even-get-beyond-the-first-few-steps level of achievement. It does what great pop all-too-rarely manages - combining a character study of newfound love and heightened pleasure with a comedown into self-doubt and personal tragedy. You don't need the lyrics to even know this, such as Sunmi's talent with composition and her mesmerising vocal evocations, but damn - as I said - this is the sort of blitz on your senses that would probably make me quit if I was a rival songwriter. How do you top this?

Taemin - Two Kids

So what could be better than Sunmi's beloved summer single in 2020? How about a return from Taemin, a superb solo album and this shot-in-Paris music video that feels very much of the year (see these deserted streets?) and is a breathy journey through a spot of heartfelt personal trauma that is all too easy to believe, given he is just three years removed from the suicide from one of his best friends. Do we sense a little of these feelings coming to the surface here? It seems so. And it makes for a difficult listen, with the potential to push tears or muster goosebumps. But Taemin has long been a unique genius, shading his character and entire persona in performances that marry dance and voice to ever more ambitious aural landscapes. There's tragedy in this majestic presentation - trying to dance and sing out what has possibly been left unexpressed since Jonghyun's death. Or perhaps it is just about a long lost love. Whatever, it's also the finest achievements of the year... and, it goes without saying, one hell of a song.

Olga Karlatos interview

During these strange pandemic times, I've decided I'm going to try and find the time to upload some past interviews to this blog for you all to enjoy. The first is with Olga Karlatos, who I interviewed for the Arrow Video release of Lucio Fulci's all-time classic Zombie Flesh-Eaters (1979) back in 2012. This is the first and last time that the legendary actress has spoken about her career - she know resides in one of the few remaining British colonies, Bermuda, in North America and I have recently been in touch with her about, when this pandemic ends, going out there to film an interview with her. Sadly, she has told me she is not interested in doing another interview about the past. I think this is an enormous loss for fans and for me, of course, as an film academic and researcher - we really do have such a vital job to do in chronicling motion picture history and, as pretentious as this might sound, I take that responsibility very seriously. Whilst I hope that the great Olga Karlatos does change her mind one day, here - for now - is the only chat ever conducted with her. Enjoy!

AN EYE FOR AN EYE

Olga Karlatos lost her sight (and her guts) for Lucio Fulci but years later she has few regrets...

By Calum Waddell

Just who is that stunning actress with the rusty blonde hair that highlights one of the most iconic moments in horror history when her right eyeball meets a huge shard of wood almost 45 minutes into the living dead action of Zombie Flesh Eaters? The answer, as any Italian terror-junkie will surely know, is Olga Karlatos - a woman whose past career as a certified Scream Queen icon is in deep contrast to her present-day status as a lawyer-extraordinaire, located in the sunny climate of Bermuda (in 2010 she made the island's local news for sitting the Bermuda Bar at the tender age of 65). However, long before she swapped her acting accomplishments for courtroom dramatics, the Greek-born Karlatos was whipping up a storm in the likes of the classic spaghetti western Keoma (1976), the brutal police action-thriller Convoy Busters (1978) and, of course, Zombie Flesh Eaters. Following her role as the ill-fated Mrs. Menard in Fulci's meat-munching masterpiece, Karlatos took on the leading lady part in the Italian sex comedy Skin Deep (1979 - and not to be confused with the Blake Edwards movie of the same name), appeared in the ensemble of the hit television drama The Scarlet and the Black (1983) and tested her thespian metal against the likes of Anthony Perkins in The Sins of Dorian Grey (1983). A return to fright-flicks came with Fulci's underrated, New York-set giallo Murder Rock (1984) and our lady can also be seen in the same year's Prince vehicle Purple Rain. Yet, Karlatos has remained tight-lipped about her much-celebrated time in the splatter spotlight. At least, that is, until now...

Consequently, for this very special Blu Ray edition of Zombie Flesh Eaters, the great lady took the time to sit down with us and discuss her memories of the macabre...

First of all, can you talk about how you got your start as an actress?

Now this is a very long story [laughs]… I was not a "born" actress and I followed that path, not so much as a choice for myself, but as an act of defiance against others. The "others" in question were my parents, both of whom were orphans and were forced to remain uneducated. As a result, they transferred their frustrated dreams onto their children. I resented their overbearing demands for academic excellence and high performance so I ended up doing the opposite of what I was expected to do. By the age of 18, I had piled up many "laurels" as a student, including scholarships, so my announcement that I would go to drama school - as opposed to university - came as a terrible shock to everyone. However, although my "rebellious" move may have had the desired effect, I now had to live up to my choice. My only justification would be to completely embrace it and do this as best as I could. This probably explains why, in my retirement, I decided to go back to where I left off - which was to higher education…

Prior to working with Lucio Fulci, you were cast in all number of fondly remembered classics from the glory days of Italian genre cinema, such as Keoma and Convoy Busters. Can you give us an idea of how busy this chapter of your life was?

Well I had many different chapters in my life [laughs]. Lucio, for example, was part of the third chapter – what we can call the Italian one. Let me explain... The first chapter was in Greece, where I was born. I left my country at about 22, married the French-adopted director of my first movie and moved with him to Paris where I lived for about 10 years. Italy came after that. This was a very important "second" chapter for me because Italy is where I "grew up". I had been divorced by that point and I was on my own: having to support myself and my son, and also financially assisting my parents and my former husband. Thankfully, I built up a good reputation for myself and I was lucky to make some successful movies - as well as some very bad ones [laughs]. So the height of my acting career would probably be the "third" chapter and, yes, I was indeed kept busy - and I needed it. In fact, I can’t possibly put a number to the roles I was offered. Eventually, I was given the chance to work in the U.S. and I moved there permanently. This was the fourth chapter. This is also where I met my current husband who is a talented film producer. He was - or rather is - a Bermudian and this is how I discovered Bermuda, and eventually decided to quit show business. Bermuda is my fifth chapter. Who knows what’s next –if any [laughs].

Quite a life! So let's cut to the chase: how did you become cast in Zombie Flesh Eaters?

This is a question that only the late Lucio Fulci could possibly answer! I guess he just thought that I was right for the part… I also had a reputation as being reliable – I was always on the set when I was expected to be, always prepared, I never wasted production time... that sort of thing.

Can you describe Lucio Fulci as both a director and as a person?

I can only say that my encounters with Lucio were limited to the professional level. However, his human traits were obvious on the set, as evidenced by the way he treated his actors and his team in general. He was always firm but respectful, both demanding and kind, and, maybe surprisingly, he always faced everything, even complex situations, with a light touch of humour. This was actually one of his best qualities on the set given that many of the scenes in Zombie Flesh Eaters were meant to be really gory. I should also say that although I understand the focus of your attention is on Lucio as a person and as a director - and I can confirm that I remember him fondly in both of these capacities – I mainly knew him as the man behind the camera who was calling the shots. You see, I did not know Lucio outside of the set so I cannot contribute anything substantial to queries about him on a more personal level.

That said, those whom I have met, who worked with Lucio as an actor, state that he had great respect for intelligent women. Obviously - being extremely smart yourself - did you also encounter this level of esteem?

Well that is very kind of you to say - thanks. However, I couldn’t speak for Lucio and I have no way of knowing what he thought of me, much less about whether or not he deemed me to be intelligent [laughs]. We did get along extremely well though - and the fact that he cast me again in Murder Rock should confirm this.

Where were your scenes in Zombie Flesh Eaters shot? Did you get to travel to the Caribbean?

I don't think I did... So far as I can remember, my scenes were just shot in Italy but with all of my travels, I may be wrong.

Do you have any fond memories of your Zombie Flesh Eaters co-star Richard Johnson?

Apart from working together on the set and getting along fine - and I do recall he was very professional, a seasoned actor and a congenial person - unfortunately I have no specific memories that I could share…

What were your thoughts of the Zombie Flesh Eaters script? Did you ever expect the film to be considered a classic of the horror genre?

No [laughs]. It is never the case, while a movie is being made, that one can know anything about its future impact or success. One can like the idea, and hope that there will be an audience for the finished product, but little else. But, of course, every movie involves a lot of work and a serious investment and why would anyone bother unless they seriously believe in the project? Having said that, the routine answer is "nobody knows anything" in show business [laughs].

If I was to approach the film in a more scholarly manner - it could be surmised that the living dead in Zombie Flesh Eaters, and the third world setting, present an allegory of the exploited nations 'rising up' to consume the West. What do you think of this sort of retrospective academia?

You know, I enjoy this sort of "interpretation" – it is a process of thought that I find very creative, regardless of whether or not it corresponds to any intention on the part of the author. Everyone is free to read something into a subject. Sometimes the intention is there, sometimes it comes as a surprise, sometimes a reading can be frustrating if the intention was quite the opposite or none at all. Again, I cannot speak for Lucio, and his conceptualisation of his work, but I happen to like your suggested interpretation. It can’t be definitive, of course, because it is all subjective...

How did you feel about the splinter-in-the-eye scene? Some critics have read this as being especially misogynistic...

Again, this is another "interpretation" - albeit one which I happen to like less but which I also respect, nevertheless, as a free exercise of criticism. My own limited view is that this was just meant to be a horror movie and, personally speaking, I was happy that the victim was a woman because it meant that I got the part [laughs]. It could have been anyone though – a man, a child, a person of any age, gender, or appearance, depending on the overall story line…

Did you see the special effect for the splinter gag being produced on the set? How was the experience for you?

I remember vividly the excruciating experience of having a cast taken from my face – with the plaster poured all over me to create the mould for the head that served for the splinter gag. Even more uncomfortable was the post-splinter days when I had to live with an eye patch and undergo hours of make-up and wait for my scenes to be shot! Funnily enough, as much as I had trouble adjusting to being one-eyed, the day the patch finally came off, it took me even more time to re-adjust to binocular/ stereoscopic vision [laughs].

What about the sequence where your torso is torn apart by the living dead? Can you share some memories of this?

Ah yes, the scene where you see me being eaten, and boasting a cut-off leg no less, was not a lot of fun either [laughs]. I remember I had to lie down on the floor with one leg through a hole drilled into the floor, and hours of make-up for the "cut" leg without being able to move for the whole day. The cramps were killing me – and there was no break because the make-up application was so lengthy… I won't get into details but you can take it from me: it was tough! But, this is the life of an actor. And I have done things even more difficult and painful than that, if you can believe it…

You certainly suffered for your art - but did you know that, at the time, Zombie Flesh Eaters was taking a considerable bite out of the box office in the UK, the USA and all over the world?

No, to date I had no idea about any of the above [laughs]. I am actually surprised at hearing this news, after such a long time…

And were you pleased to be reunited with Fulci for Murder Rock?

Of course I was…. I got the job! And I knew that it was going to be another good, professional experience and that there would be a decent final product. What more can an actor hope for? Other than that I do not remember much about Murder Rock - even my character!

 Do you recall if there was any evidence of Fulci's growing health problems on the set of Murder Rock?

I never knew he had any health problems at the time. No one else did either - at least that I know of. It could be that they developed later, after I moved to the US and broke away from the film industry. I honestly don’t know.

Inevitable question - you gave up on acting: why?

As to the "why" - it is another long story. I guess I had enough by the time I found serenity in Bermuda. I was ready to do something else like… grow tomatoes [laughs]. Years later, I again decided to do something different and embarked into academic pursuits. Now, I have just started a new career as a lawyer. I am still pondering what to do when I grow up [laughs]…

And are you pleased to be remembered and have some of your past work recognised, reappraised and even rediscovered by new generations?

I am stunned every time someone remembers me - and my past. It is so long ago. I would lie if I said I am not pleased, but, if my work is "re-discovered" as you suggest, it will be because of some movie as a whole. Actors are only one of the elements, the authors and directors come first. An actor is as good as the final product is. It really is a team work. It so happens that it is in the nature of the job for actors to be exposed to the public eye. Still, it is first and foremost a job that requires hard work and commitment. Today, as a lawyer, I still do the best I can. Nothing has changed, except the nature of the job. Lawyers do not expect to be "re-discovered" or remembered. But you know what? This is fine with me [laughs].