A DECADE OF INTERVIEWS 2010 - 2019: Soldier Of Cinema Robert Aaron Mitchell

As the decade draws to a close I thought it would be cool to look back at a decade of interviews I have conducted. This is no small undertaking I have been fortunate to interview a lot of people over the past ten years. What follows is one interview for each year. This is not be exclusionary, I am thankful for every person I have met under the strange circumstances of meeting them for a few seconds and then asking questions as a video camera records. What follows are only from video interviews not the numerous email and phone interviews from the now soon to be past decade.

2010 STAKE LAND TIFF World Premiere

At the 2010 Midnight Madness program I spoke with Director Jim Mickle who has gone on to make several more feature films as well as Hap & Leonard featuring the beloved characters of Joe R. Lansdale, actor and writer Nick Damici and as well as genre legend Larry Fessenden who in the past decade has continued to produce and direct provocative genre films as well as co-produce and contribute to Tales Beyond The Pale a horror podcast in the spirit of 1930s radio dramas. Larry has also written horror video games Until Dawn and Man Of Medan. These interviews would wind up on the DVD and Blu-ray release of the movie.


2011 OFF! NXNE Music Festival
I was working with my good friend Ryan O'Shaughnessy and his Tune In TO website. I interviewed Keith Morris, Dimitri Coats, Steven Shane McDonald and Mario Rubalcaba the members of the punk group OFF! this was a huge thrill for me because Keith Morris was the first singer of Black Flag. I have always enjoyed running around doing interviews at music festivals, a completly different vibe than my usual film festival beat.


2012 THE LORDS OF SALEM TIFF World Premiere Interviews with Rob Zombie, Sheri Moon Zombie and actor Jeff Daniel Phillips. Doing world premiere red carpet interviews are very short usually not substantive affairs. I try to infuse something unique in this quick snippets of conversation. My research lead me to the fact that Rob Zombie was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts which is not far from Salem. I brought this up as an ice breaker and our quick conversation lead to Stanley Kubrick. At the moment I felt we were vibing one another the moment was over. It was also cool that the film was well received at Midnight Madness and holds up. 2013 R100 TIFF World Premiere with Hitoshi Matsumoto This was an extremly fun interview. It is always great to meet filmmakers from all over the world and it was a huge thrill to meet Mr. Matsumoto especially in this setting where red carpets are a rarity in Japan most filmmakers only do formal press conferences. It was also awesome that I was able to make the great comedic legend laugh. 2014 TUSK World Premiere Interview with Kevin Smith There was a lot of things swirling around this night behind the scenes. Time was running out and it looked as though I was not going to speak with Kevin Smith. I did and said it was great that he was back to making movies and he gave me a huge bear hug which has since been written about in a dissertation and published in a book. 2015 SLUMS THE CITIES OF TOMORROW The In Light Human Rights Film Festival I was the videographer for a new film festival that was created in the anthropology department at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Later in 2015 I would interview Sir Patrick Stewart at the Green Room premiere but I went with this conversation with professor Nicolas Reeves because I really enjoyed our conversation and the documentary is becoming more and more relevant as the wealth divide increases. 2016 THE BAD BATCH TIFF Premiere with Jason Momoa This is one of my most talked about interviews I have done and happen before already star Jason Momoa was launched into superstardom. It also features another bear hug. Guess I am a huggable guy! 2017 BODIED TIFF World Premiere with Dizaster This was the opening film this year and was great to research and learn more about the underground hip-hop battle scene. I had no idea that Toronto had such a vibrant scene. The film was very provacative and in your face so was battle rapper Dizaster. It was also another interview that ended in a hug! 2018 THE WIND TIFF World Premiere It is great to go into a movie not knowing anything about it. From an interview and research stand point though it makes an interview quite difficult. I really enjoyed these interviews at THE WIND Premiere with director Emma Tammi, writer Teresa Sutherland and actors Caitlin Gerard, Julia Goldani Telles The flow and ease of the interviews went really well and I was happy to support this film. 2019 FIRST LOVE Interview with Takashi Miike This was another year that featured some very cool interviews. The long awaited return of Richard Stanley and the few minutes with elusive Nicolas Cage, third time really was the charm this year but I went with my interview with legendary filmmaker Takashi Miike. In my film collection I probably have more films by him than any other filmmaker, in large part to how prolific he is. This would mark the second time I have interviewed Mr. Miike this time it was great that I could sit down with him for a longer interview. Interviews with a translator can always be difficult but I feel this interview flowed well. Honorable Mention SADAKO VS KAYAKO 2016 The photo on this post is from this premiere and one of my favorite photos my good friend Ian Goring has taken of me over the years. This was a really fun premiere and threw out the normal interview process out the window.

THE LORDS OF SALEM: Interview with Director Writer Rob Zombie [From The Archives 9/11/12]

                Rob Zombie talking with Robert Mitchell at The Lords of Salem premiere.
 
THE LORDS OF SALEM marks Rob Zombie's first time at the Midnight Madness programme at the Toronto International Film Festival. I don't think Mr. Zombie is given enough credit of how good a filmmaker he is. THE LORDS OF SALEM shows a filmmaker who definitely growing as a storyteller. I have always believed Zombie is a consummate visual stylist. Lords reaffirms this for me -- a film in which Zombie sits the camera down and sets up well composed shots influenced by Kubrick. His casting choices are always inspired and pay respect to the history of the horror genre. I recently had the opportunity to ask Mr. Zombie some questions.

Being born in Haverhill not far from Salem Massachusetts have the witch trails always a point of fascination? What was it about the witch trials that sparked your imagination and set in motion the writing of The Lords of Salem?

Growing up in Massachusetts I always thought the state had a cool spooky vibe and the reality of the witch trials certainly fed that vibe. The inspiration for the movie was an accident really. One day I just happened to buy a book on the witch trials in the gift shop of a hotel I was staying at. That book got me thinking about it and that was the beginning of the project.

 

You shot the film, then went on tour and then returned to edit the film as well as produce your next album. How did that gap between production and post help you approach what you shot as opposed to jumping right into an editing suite? What were some of the benefits of the challenge of balancing both projects?

In some ways it drove me crazy because I really just wanted to keep working on the film until it was done, but in other ways getting away from it helped me to solve problems that you can't solve sometimes just because you get too close and can't get any distance from the project. All in all this method worked out great.


The cast you and Monika Mikkelsen have assembled is a who's who of genre films. How do you approach casting? Do you write with certain actors in mind or seek out actors through more traditional methods, like auditions?

All of the above. For some roles I have a specific person in mind and for others I do typical auditions. Whatever it takes to find the right person for the role. One example of an audition that blew me away was Judy Geeson's read for the role of Lacy.


Watching your films and videos over the years I believe you are a consummate visual stylist. How did you approach the look of this film with cinematographer Brandon Trost?


We basically just talked about it over and over and over then decided on a course of action. I was always a big fan of handheld camera work, but suddenly it started to look like TV to me since so many TV shows use that style. So I wanted to do the exact opposite. Very steady camera work with all the camera moves being motivated by the action on screen. No shakey camera just for the fuck of it.

How has your approach to directing evolved from House of Thousand Corpses to The Lords of Salem?

Well, with each film you hopefully develop a better set of skills that you can apply to the next film. If you watch those two films back to back I don't think you would never think the same person made both films. Lords is a far more sophisticated production.


I have been reading that The Lords of Salem is your darkest film to date. Is there anything you can tell the audience of the experience that awaits them upon watching The Lords of Salem?

Be patient and pay attention. It is not what you think it is.

Originally Appeared 9/11/12 Midnight Madness Blog

Women In Horror Month - An Interview With Karen Black

February marks women in horror month so I figured I would take a look back of some of my memorable moments talking to women who have made a mark in horror cinema. Karen Black is an actress that needs no introduction -- but I am going to write one anyway. Karen has just under two hundred acting credits to her name. She has acted along side Jack Nicholson, Charlton Heston, Dennis Hopper and worked with such directors as Alfred Hitchcock, Robert Altman and Rob Zombie.

I first met Karen Black in June 2009 when she was in Toronto for her one woman show My Life For A Song and I was hired as her videographer. The play is Karen doing spoken word, relating amazing stories from her acting career interspersed with song. I was fortunate to be in the room with Karen during the rehearsals leading up to the show, what I saw was a dedicated, demanding -- from herself as well as others -- brave, extremely talented and an exceptional singer. On those rainy afternoons in the Gladstone hotel I learned a lot about acting and working with an actress. Even though she has acted in all sorts of genres Karen has also made a considerable mark in the horror genre in films like Trilogy of Terror and Rob Zombie's A House of a 1000 Corpses. I believe that it is while acting in horror cinema that have allowed Karen to fully showcase the wide range of her immense acting range and command of craft. The interview that follows took place at the historic Gladstone hotel and as a point of note the man singing Red River Valley with Karen at the staring of the video was the longtime elevator operator of the Gladstone Hank Young aka the Gladstone Cowboy. He passed away not long after this interview was conducted.

Robert A. Mitchell with Karen Black

Robert A. Mitchell at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival

Here are a collection of photos that photographer Ian Goring took of Robert A. Mitchell conducting interviews at the 2012 Toronto Intrnational Film Festival.

 

Intervieing America Olivo at the World Premiere of No One Lives

 

 

                                Talking with director J.T. Petty at the premiere of Hellbenders

 

With Clancy Brown at the premiere of Hellbenders

 

 

Chatting with Sheri Moon Zombie at the World Premiere of

The Lords of Salem

 

 

                               Interviewing Jeff Daniel Phillips actor in The Lords of Salem

 

Interviewing Rob Zombie at The Lords of Salem premiere

 

 

Talking with Eli Roth at the World Premiere of Aftershock

 

 

 

 

With Eli Roth and Midnight Madness progammer Colin Geddes

 

 

With Colin Geddes and director Jason Eisener at the

ABCs of Death premiere

 

 

Talking with Marcel Sarmiento director at ABCs of Death Premiere

 

 

With Adam Wingard & Simon Barrett at the premiere

of the ABCs of Death

 

                                  Talking with Todd Brown at the ABCs of Death premiere

                                        With Chase Williamson actor of John Dies at the End

                               Sharing a laugh with actor Rob Mayes of John Dies at the End

 

With actor Tai Bennett of John Dies at the End

 

 

                                 Interviewing director Don Coscarelli at the premiere of
                                                              John Dies at the End

All Photo taken by Ian Goring

Caroline Williams Talks About Acting, Dennis Hopper and Horror Films

It was an honor to meet and talk with the actress Caroline Williams.(Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Days of Thunder, Halloween 2) Caroline is very engaging, has an impeccable sense of humor, a great story teller and very much a talented actress.

My Interview with William Forsythe

I met Mr. Forsythe in late August, 2010 at the annual festival of fear. However I had seen him many times in many films before. A veteran actor who has worked with many, many great directors. Sergio Leone, Walter Hill, Rob Zombie just to name a few. I approached Mr. Forsythe with the request for the interview and as we shook hands, the immediate sense I got was William Forsythe is gentle, warm hearted, kind and a generous man. A much a different sense you see from the characters he has played, quick angered, short tempered, psychopathic, killers come to mind. This complete opposite personality from screen to actual person is one of the truest signs you are in the presence of a great actor. Here is the conversation my short time with him would allow.

Robert Mitchell (RM) William Forsythe (WF)

RM Hi, it's Robert Mitchell at the 2010 festival of fear and beside me is one of the great American actors, William Forsythe, welcome to the festival of fear. Welcome to Fan Expo.

WF Thank you brother.

RM Are you enjoying yourself?

WF Having a great time.

RM One of the things I have noticed watching your career unfold over the years is the intensity you bring to the screen and I was wondering how do you prepare for some of your roles?

WF It really depends what it is, if I do somebody that actually lived I do a complete research, I try to meet and find every person that ever existed that ever knew (the real person) if I can, for other parts you have to create it from scratch, you have to find something like that, something really solid you can get into, and you actually build a character from inside until you find something strong and ready to go, then you add the words.

RM You've worked with so many great film directors, some that come immediately to mind, Rob Zombie recently, John Flynn and Sergio Leone.

WF Absolutely.

RM What was it like to be on a Sergio Leone set? That had to be an amazing experience. The master as we said.

WF Yes the master, God bless him. To be honest, a complete spoiling experience. It was very young in my career, very early on, I went off to do the film (Once Upon A Time In America) I knew I was doing something very special, with some very special people, but you do not appreciate it as much as you do now, looking back at a career of, whatever, like a hundred and twenty films, there are only a few films that equal that or come any where close to it. The experience for me, at that point in my life, Sergio Leone opened up the door for me, it wasn't my first film, it was my third, it was the first time I got to play with the real great players and play a leading role in a film with a master that wound up being his last film.

RM What have you learned about yourself, inhabiting all of these crazy type people?

WF (laughing) Well, Al Capone was an amazing example of research. I always loved the story of Al Capone and the Chicago beer wars. I began to do all of this research and actually began to meet all of these people who knew Al  personally and people who lived very close to Al. By the time it was over with that I had met over a hundred people that knew Al and everybody liked him. Every single person said that he was a straight-shooter, and a likable guy but he obviously had a problem with betrayal, judging by the baseball bat moment, especially history. He was just a phenomenal character to get into and research. I really had the time of my life playing Capone. If you can imagine, I was living in Chicago for two years, playing Al Capone, so it was like Al was reborn. I don't know, what I have I learned? I learned that my Father gave me something very special, he gave me a sense, a work ethic. A very strong work ethic. It is something that I try and live up to every day. It does not matter what the project, what the film, what the budget, if it is an expensive huge movie or a small film, I always try to do the same job, whatever it is I come in and I gave a hundred percent. I try and do the very best job I can. Sometimes it works, sometimes the film doesn't but I always try my best.

RM I honestly think that shows through in your filmography. When you see your name in a film you know that role is going to be special. Your going to bring your intensity, hard work and preparation. I honestly see that in your films.

WF (smiling) Thank you.

RM I have one last question. You have been on so many film sets, worked with so many great masters. Is there an amazing memory from one of those film sets you wouldn't mind sharing?

WF My God, there are so many, there are so many things. Well, um, in the world of directors, as you said I've worked with so many great ones. I did a film many years ago, up in Calgary with John Frankenheimer. John Frankenheimer was one of those directors that I grew up wanting to work with and I remember, it was funny, I had already accepted another movie, I had agreed to do it and I went in to meet John Frankenheimer and I was all excited and the next thing I know he is bending over backwards, trying to convince me to drop that film and come do his film and I'm sitting there thinking, "the man. the legend, this amazing director he is trying to convince me" and by the way it worked obviously, I dropped out of the other film and did his film and all I could think of and remember is, I was sitting in there and Frankenheimer is tugging on me and telling me what a great guy I am and that he wants me in his film and the next thing I know they are handing me a Perrier.  And I'm sipping this Perrier and I looked out the window and I started to laugh and John goes. "Well, what are you laughing at?" and I go "Well John, two years ago, you see that fence out there? I hopped that fence just trying to get into the studio to go to an interview." I said, "and here I am looking out the window at that fence and your feeding me fancy French drinking water and I'm talking to somebody I love and respect." That's the gift of what we do, and that's the dream come true, to be able to actually sit and work with guys who are your heroes. That's one story, and believe me, I've done so may films there are a million of them.

RM Thank you for sharing. A real honor to meet you.

WF My pleasure.