What does your film express about today’s generation?
My movie predicted today’s generation.
I wrote and directed the uncut version of La Cage aux Zombies in 1993. Before drag went mainstream. Before zombies made a comeback.
Back then it would have been impossible to imagine shows such as RuPaul’s Drag Race and The Walking Dead. Even harder to imagine them being mainstream hits.
Today’s
generation thinks they are subversive. But in reality, they like cute
and shiny fake kink and safe thrills. My movie challenges this
generation by keeping drag queens and
zombies in the gutter. Forcing the viewer to bathe in filth when they
watch my movie.
What social circumstances lead you to make your new film?
In
my recent Director’s Cut, I mercilessly hacked away at my precious
footage to accommodate today’s short attention span ADHD consciousness.
But knowing young people will be watching
my movie on an iPhone makes me want to weep.
What do you think about the PINK8 Manifesto & Punk Cinema?
My favorite part of the PINK8 Manifesto is:
Look for street superstars to be your cast.
It’s
a treat to work with a trained actor. They’re usually good at
remembering lines. But there’s a certain thrill in working with
amateurs. Especially if they have a unique look.
And no inhibitions.
I’ll
work with just about anybody once. And if they submit to my direction
without question, I’ll probably work with them again. There’s a certain
magic when a seven foot tall drag
queen goes through the metal detector at an airport for you without
hesitation. So if some stranger off the street is willing to get
arrested by working in my movie, then yes, he will be cast.
As for punk cinema…
I still embrace a Do-It-Yourself aesthetic. No use waiting around for budget or permission.
But
to me, the heart of punk cinema is all about the primal scream. Finding
that pure loud expression. A sound, an image or a cumulative effect
that pierces the viewer. And that
usually doesn’t happen by committee.
Answer to one person only—yourself.
Whats next for you?
Two web series.
SPANKY GOES TO HELL: A Queer Horror Punk-A-Doodle
A
reality show about the former drummer of horror-punk band The Dead
Vampires. Following him as he resurrects his zine and sells off his
horror memorabilia on eBay while embracing
veganism and animal rights with his husband and three dogs.
The Mephisto Box
A supernatural thriller about sex, drugs and Satan.
They’re both in the can. I just need to move my ass and edit them.
