The Nick Taylor Horror Show

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William Lustig, Director of Maniac [Episode 8] Jan 11, 2019

Show notes

Bill Lustig is an American filmmaker, director, producer - perhaps best known as the director of the New York exploitation slasher classic, Maniac, starring Joe Spinelli with effects by Tom Savini (who actually is in the film and has a great moment where he gets his head blown off - the scene may rival Scanners as the best exploding head sequence in cinema history).

Maniac was Bill’s first movie and the story behind the making of it was full of timeless lessons in independent filmmaking. There’s a particularly great story about how he and his team premiered Maniac at the Cannes Film Festival (if you can picture Maniac playing at Cannes).

Fun fact: Bill is the nephew of Jake LaMotta, the boxer who Robert De Niro played in Raging Bull. Also, Bill was originally supposed to direct True Romance, as he was Quentin Tarantino’s first choice as a director - Bill even wrote the ending. Another fun fact is that before horror, Bill started his career in hardcore pornography, and was heavily immersed in the grindhouse culture of New York city’s famous 42nd street - we talk about all of this and so much more on today’s episode of the Nick Taylor Horror Show!

Top pieces of insight from William Lustig:

Get the train moving - When pitching a movie, it’s critical to remember that there are thousands of other people with scripts and ideas, just as good, if not better than yours. What separates those who get funding versus those who don’t, is momentum and tangibility. If all you have is a script or an idea for a movie, in the eyes of investors, you pretty much got nothing. For producers to be interested, they need to know you are capable of bringing this vision to life and seeing it through to completion, which is why they look for signs that the project is moving forward. The metaphor of getting the train out of the station is a good one, because to wait for everything to be perfect and for producers to jump on board before you go into production is a fool’s errand because the sheer act of going into production indicates to producers that the movie is real, and that you’re a worthwhile investment because you can make things happen. Movement is critical in this regard, and frequently, directors will pitch producers who say no at first, but jump back on board when the movie further in development - so the other part of this is no might not always mean no, it could mean, not now.

Don’t listen to Bill, never give up! I gotta disagree with a piece of advice Bill gave and that is that if you’re not making movies by 30, you should give up. Let’s examine some case studies: Wes craven was 34 when he made Last House on the Left; Ridley Scott was 40 when he made his first major film, The Duelists, and then went on to do Alien; Mick Garris was 33 when he first began screenwriting and didn’t get to direct until he was 37, with Critters 2; Terry Gilliam was 35 when he made his first feature; Alejandro González iñárritu was 37 when he did Amores Perros; Ang Lee was 38, when he did his first film; Sam Mendes was 34 when he made American Beauty. The list goes on, point being: it’s never too late.

Never underestimate the power of showmanship: When Bill was screening Maniac at the Cannes Film festival, one of his reps insisted that it be shown at the smallest theatre available. This seems entirely contrarian, BUT, the purpose of the small screen was to ensure that the movie would sell out and there would be lines around the block creating a visual spectacle and demand for the movie. This gets attention at a film auction circus like the Cannes Film festival - where it’s imperative that you make a splash to be noticed. Furthermore, he gave most of the tickets away to local high school and college kids to boost the youthful energy of the audience so the producers and investors in the theatre would experience their energetic reactions and make them way more interested in acquiring the film. These are brilliant strategies, and really underscore the importance of the atmosphere that you must create around your film at all times. What it taught me, was that directing doesn’t stop when the movie is done and you shout: ‘that’s a wrap.’ You have to be a director on and off set and constantly create a spectacle. As a result of this stunt, Bill and his team walked out of Cannes with a major deal for Maniac which set him up for a successful career in filmmaking.

Links

William Lustig’s Twitter Profile: @William_Lustig
Blue Underground DVD & Blu Ray Cult Classics: www.blue-underground.com

The Candyman Himself, Tony Todd [Episode 7] Dec 06, 2018

Show notes

Tony Todd is a deeply beloved horror icon with a well earned place among the pantheon of horror actors like Robert England, Kane Hodder, and Gunnar Hansen. If there was a horror Mount Rushmore, his face would certainly be on it and it is entirely because of his soulfully terrifying performance as Candyman in 1992.

The subject of Candyman has been very hot in the past couple weeks ever since Jordan Peele announced that his production company, MonkeyPaw, will be helming the next installation. Many people are saying it’s a reboot but according to Variety it will be a spiritual sequel to the original, and will return audiences to the original location of Cabrini Greene.

A lot of people, myself included, are pretty relieved that this is not going to be a remake or a reboot - because we’re sick of complete reimaginings of our beloved horror properties. However, as fans, a lot of us still want more from the original films but we want to see new life breathed into them - different perspectives, different directors, different storylines but hopefully in this case, not different actors. It has not been announced yet but, my fingers are tightly crossed in hoping that Tony Todd will return as Candyman.

The truth is, nobody could have pulled off such a memorably chilling performance as Tony Todd, and nobody else could possibly do justice to the hook-handed boogeyman that Tony turned into an icon, singlehandedly.

Tony just accepted a lifetime achievement award at The New York Horror Film Festival for his body of work across such films as Platoon, The Night of the Living Dead remake, The Crow, Candyman, The Final Destination Series, The Hatchet Series, and most recently Hell Fest.

Speaking to him was a tremendous honor, we talked a lot about his acting process, music, movies, horror and he gave us his two cents on Jordan Peele’s Candyman.

You can get in touch with Tony on Twitter @TonyTodd54 and @Tonytoddofficial on instagram where you can find announcements on all his projects and appearances.

Top pieces of insight from Tony Todd:

Be Well Rounded. Tony emphasized that his acting training included a multitude of different disciplines that seemingly were unrelated to acting like ballroom dancing, horseback riding, fencing, all of which deepend his understanding of movement, art, and ultimately served his acting, because exposure to all of these disciplines taught him larger concepts about humanity that better enabled him to find truth in the scripts he read and the parts he played. This is a huge concept that a lot of artists miss. To this day he frequently attends multiple museums and travels extensively. Actors, directors, writers - creatives of all stripes thrive best when they are exposed to multiple cultural disciplines. So go to museums, travel, immerse yourself in different things that enable you to grow you as a person, it all serves your art at the end of the day.

Find a partner who gets it. Acting along with just about any creative endeavor, is incredibly difficult, and requires long stretches of time away from home and years of uncertainty. When seeking a partner, it behooves you to find someone who can support you emotionally and not discourage or distract you from your craft or your pursuit. It’s easy to get bogged down by the minutia of reality which compounds into major digressions that take you away from your work. Find someone who can understand the struggle, and the hours and energy spent on your project and can give you the fuel to keep going. Not someone who’s going to nag, guilt, or distract you from your mission.
Trust the process - There’s no expectation on when you’re supposed to excel or bloom. Tony was 32 when he was given his first big break in Oliver Stone’s Platoon and 38 when he got his signature role in Candyman. It’s a perilous business and you can’t lose sight of that. As Tony says, don’t suddenly give up on what you spent years building. You never know when it’s going to happen, so all you can do is trust the process, and be prepared.

Joe Bob Briggs on the State of Horror Cinema [Episode 6] Nov 20, 2018

Show notes

Joe Bob Briggs has been entertaining horror enthusiasts for over 30 years, and now with his latest server-crashing, internet-breaking Shudder marathon, The Last Drive-In, he has brought in a whole new legion of fans. His humorous anecdotes mixed with an encyclopedic knowledge of cinema is a magical combination that adds a tremendous amount of fun and educational value to the horror viewing experience, while also imbuing audiences with a strong appreciation of the films and genre.

The fact that The last Drive-In crashed the Shudder servers when it aired over the summer, strongly indicates that live TV and shared audience experiences are not dead in this age of streaming, as The Last Drive-In brought horror fans together all over the world. The show was originally supposed to be a one shot deal, but due to the very very popular demand, Joe Bob and Shudder recently announced 2 more holiday specials and even teased a regularly occurring Shudder show!

We got to talk to Joe Bob about his upcoming specials, as well as the state of horror cinema in the age of streaming. We also learned details about his one man show, How Rednecks Saved Hollywood. Please enjoy the interview.

Key Links

Movies Mentioned:

Dead Heat

Forbidden World

Bloodsucking Freaks

Basket Case

I Spit on Your Grave

Get Out

The Shape of Water

Sons of Anarchy’s Kim Coates on Acting & Character Building [Episode 5] Nov 15, 2018

Show notes

Key Links

Kim Coates’ Twitter Page

We all know him best as Tig Trager from Sons of Anarchy, but between 2016’s Officer Downe, Canada’s gangster crime drama, Bad Blood, and the gritty western epic, Godless on Netflix, Kim Coates is becoming more and more of a household name and truthfully, I couldn’t be happier to be seeing so much more of him!

Often playing edgy characters that live on the fringe of society, Kim has appeared in numerous huge movies including Waterworld, Braveheart, Innocent Blood, The Amityville Curse, The Client, Bad Boys, Battlefield Earth, Pearl Harbor, Black Hawk Down, Silent Hill, Resident Evil: Afterlife, and the the TV adaptations of Total Recall and Poltergeist. Now he is working on Cold Brook, an indie drama directed by actor by William Fichtner.

We got to sit down with Kim talk about his acting process, Sons of Anarchy, and whether he will return as Tig in Mayans MC. But first, here are Kim Coates’ 3 keys for aspiring actors.

Be a big fish in a small pond. Instead of trying his luck in majorly competitive cities like LA & New York, Kim started out his acting career with regional theater and was able to consistently get big roles which gave him the opportunity to hone his acting skills. With regional theatre, he had a steady stream of leads for years in plays all over the US & Canada. Eventually, big agents began to take notice and he found his way to Hollywood.

The fishing is always best where the fewest go. The opportunities to develop as an actor are bigger and better in less competitive areas. Explore regional theatre, look for opportunities to shine, that will let you hone your craft with roles that are more demanding and offer better visibility. Kim also stressed that this is a gradual process and that actors should not be in a rush. So if you’re an actor, take the time it takes to become great, uncover hidden opportunities, and the right people will eventually take notice.

Read, everything. Kim is a prolific reader and discusses the responsibility actors have to know as much as they can about acting, art and humanity so they can bring all of that knowledge to their roles and their careers. Immersing yourself in poetry, plays, art, and literature allows you to internalize drama, nuance, and storytelling, all of which, tremendously serves your acting. Kim specifically recommended the works of Uta Hagen, Ian Esko, Tennessee Williams, and The Marlon Brando biographies.

Acting is listening. Kim mentioned how often the term ‘method acting’ is tossed around and how so few people really understand what it means. To Kim, the real key to acting is being present in the moment (on screen or on stage) and constantly reacting to everything as the scene unfolds in real time. He then went on to say: “The camera picks up everything, there’s no acting allowed...” He also quotes Francis Ford Coppola who said: “Learn the lines so well that you can forget them,” indicating the importance of internalizing your lines beyond memorization, to the point where you can deliver a performance while being truly present in the scene.

Steve Mitchell on Directing Larry Cohen Documentary, King Cohen [Episode 4] Nov 08, 2018

Show notes

Key Links

King Cohen Trailer

King Cohen is a fantastically fun documentary that tells the larger than life story of the prolific writer, director, and producer Larry Cohen, the creative genius behind such beloved horror classics as It’s Alive, The Stuff and Q – The Winged Serpent.

In addition to being a charming and humorous romp into 70’s genre Hollywood, what lies at the heart of the film is Larry Cohen’s fierce irrepressibility as an artist. Throughout the course of his career, Cohen was a man who wouldn’t take no for an answer; a cliche statement that gets thrown around a lot, but trust me when I say that in the case of Larry Cohen, it’s completely true. The lengths Cohen went to protect his artistic integrity and make the movies he wanted to make were incredibly ambitious and in some instances, borderline insane.

Cohen’s iron will and resourcefulness is best articulated through the film’s exploration of his guerrilla filmmaking techniques which were outrageous, fascinating and completely reckless. For one shot, Cohen had a taxicab drive down a sidewalk in New York City at full speed in the middle of the day with no permits. Despite the danger, the philosophies behind his guerrilla filmmaking approach are infectiously inspiring and in this regard, the movie acts as a priceless ‘how to’ guide for aspiring (and daring) genre filmmakers on a budget.

Featuring interviews with John Landis, Joe Dante, Martin Scorsese, JJ Abrams, Rick Baker, Mick Garris, Ryan Turek, and a particularly hysterical exchange with Fred Williamson, King Cohen is a fun watch and a special treat for horror fans. We caught up with director Steve Mitchell (you may know him as the writer of Chopping Mall) to hear all about his directorial journey behind his documentary feature debut.

here are Steve Mitchell’s 3 keys to documentary filmmaking:

Learn how to interview. Being a good documentary filmmaker means being a good interviewer. Learn from the best: Steve recommends Playboy interviews, and (despite recent news) old Charlie Rose interviews.
Characters are everything. The secret to doing any effective storytelling is great characters. Even in a non-fiction documentary. Make sure your documentary has a strong central character then use his life story to illustrate the many sides of his character.
Boredom = death. Documentary filmmaking is a marathon, not a sprint, which is why it’s critically important to choose a subject that you will be interested in long term. Without sustained enthusiasm, a project is in danger.

You can buy King Cohen on blu ray right here - there is around an hour and fifteen minutes of new stories from Larry and the cast.

Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein’s Horror Business [Episode 3] Oct 31, 2018

Show notes

Key Links

Here’s a recap of Doyle’s key takeaways for musicians (and artists of any kind)

Do you. Don't get too caught up with (music) theory. Doyle knows 2 chords - that’s it. A 30+ year career entirely built on 2 GUITAR CHORDS. But, as you can see, you can do a lot with two chords. It hasn’t limited him in the slightest as he has a very distinctive guitar sound. So Find your style, fuck everything else. If it sounds good stick with it.
Focus on output. Every time Doyle picks up a guitar he aims to write something new. He doesn’t spend a lot of time practicing theory and other people’s songs. When he sits down to play, he aims to be productive and create. There’s a big lesson in this, and that is to focus on output. It’s so easy to get lost in theory and practice, and nobody is knocking that, but, if you’re serious about music, make sure when you pick up a guitar you’re getting down to business and actually making songs.
Stay in character. For heavily theatrical acts like The Misfits, and other bands like Kiss, Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson, it’s important to uphold the aesthetic and remain in character. Doyle talked about how goofy it was when Kiss took their makeup off on tv. If you have a stage persona, stay in it as much as possible. It makes you more mysterious and ultimately it’s way more fun for the fans.

Produced by Simpler Media

Joe Dante and the Hustle of Horror Filmmaking [Episode 2] Oct 30, 2018

Show notes

Key Links

Joe Dante on Twitter

Joe Dante is a man who needs no introduction. Perhaps best known by our kind for Gremlins and The Howling, Joe Dante’s filmography spans from the 70’s with his directorial debut, Piranha, under Roger Corman, (fun fact: Piranha 2 was directed by James Cameron and also his first movie) to The Explorers, Innerspace, The Burbs, Matinee, Small Soldiers, and many more including my favorite segment from The Twilight Zone Movie.

We met with Joe to discuss the current state of horror cinema and what aspiring directors need to know to thrive within it. We also did a fair amount of geeking out about Gremlins. As always, before we get to the interview, here are Joe Dante’s 3 keys for horror directors.

Do things the Corman way. The Roger Corman ethic of low budgets, preparedness, and hustle combined with the unprecedented amounts of responsibility and autonomy he gave to his directors, was a magic combination that educated and empowered many of Hollywood’s biggest success stories. Joe stresses how indie horror directors cannot get precious about things like camera angles and lighting nuances and need to always be two shots ahead of themselves to get their movies made efficiently. Talent and drive are not enough — producers look for directors who deliver their films on time and on budget. A great book on the topic, and an essential read for any filmmaker, is Roger Corman’s biography How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime. It’s gold. Get it.
Deliver the goods, but not just the goods. Horror audiences have expectations, whether it’s blood & gore, inventive kills or jump-scares, and horror directors have a certain obligation to deliver those goods. But, the goods alone won’t cut it. The story-lines, character development, tone and style of your projects can’t be secondary but need to be well thought out and unique. Properly doing this will boost the effectiveness of the horror element and imbue the movie with cinematic integrity. Gremlins was a well structured story with compelling characters who you cared about immediately. When they were threatened, we were scared for them (though some of us were rooting for the gremlins). Give the audience what they want but don’t gloss over the details because it’s the details that make the horror elements work even better.
Mentorship is everything. Always pay it forward. One of the great things about Joe Dante is that he’s one of those forces in Hollywood who is very grateful to be a part of this system and thus, he does what he can to give back. He frequently mentors other directors and takes them under his wing, the same way previous directors had done for him. Mentorship in this business is everything. If you need one, find one, and if you can be one, be one.
BONUS TIP: Live and die by your vision. One fascinating thing Joe mentioned was how he had to turn Pat Hingle down for the role of Billy’s father in Gremlins because his performance was too dramatically compelling. Despite the quality of the performance, Joe knew that it would not mesh with the lighthearted spirit of the movie because it would have emotionally captivated the audience and made Gremlins more of a drama, which was not the intent. Having a strong, predetermined sense of the tone and focus of your movie is key — it enables you, as the director, to intuitively make casting decisions that keep the flow of the film cohesive and consistent with your original vision.

More details at:

https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/282877/horror-business-joe-dante-on-the-hustle-of-horror-filmmaking/

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Produced by Simpler Media

Filmmaking Advice from HELL FEST Director, and Blumhouse Alum, Gregory Plotkin [Episode 1] Oct 26, 2018

Show notes

Key Links

Greg Plotkin’s Twitter Profile

Editor, director, and Blumhouse veteran, Gregory Plotkin, has had a multifaceted film career. Having edited most of the films in the Paranormal Activity franchise, even directing The Ghost Dimension, Greg went on to edit Happy Death Day and Get Out. His latest directorial horror entry is Hell Fest – a horror theme park, slasher extravaganza, staring the Candyman himself, Tony Todd!

We sat down with Greg to discuss Hell Fest and his career path to directing.

As always, here are Gregory Plotkin’s 3 keys for aspiring horror filmmakers:

Be a PA. Greg’s experience as a PA (Production Assistant) was so educational, he claims he would go back to doing it if he could find the time. Being a PA gave him a very thorough understanding of what everyone on a film crew does which enabled him to confidently navigate every set he was on and effectively collaborate and communicate.
Say yes to everything. When Greg edited Paranormal Activity 2 for Blumhouse, his friends frowned on the project, claiming that the budget was too low to be taken seriously. He ignored them and today cites the opportunity as one of the greatest gifts of his entire career since it paved the way for larger projects and ultimately directing. Greg was given 16 different endings to cut for Paranormal Activity 2, but he cut 17 (the 17th being his own idea). Guess which one was chosen. As editor, Greg demonstrated his reliability, talent, and inventiveness, all qualities that producers seek in directors. He then went on to direct Paranormal Activity 6 and edit huge movies like Happy Death Day and Get Out.
Find strategic opportunities to up your production value. When Greg was filming Hell Fest, his favorite haunted attraction, Netherworld was switching locations and put their entire setup in storage. Greg struck a deal with them to use their props, mazes, and sets for Hell Fest. This let him inexpensively fill his movie with elaborate and authentic sets, without having to build them from scratch. Always be on the lookout for inexpensive opportunities to enhance the scale and production value of your projects.

More details at: https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/283177/horror-business-filmmaking-advice-from-hell-fest-director-gregory-plotkin/

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Produced by Simpler Media

Welcome to The Nick Taylor Horror Show! Oct 24, 2018

Show notes

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Nick Taylor Horror Show!

My mission, is to help aspiring horror filmmakers by providing priceless wisdom from the movers, shakers, and movie makers who are making it happen in horror today.

Through conversations with horror directors, producers, writers & creators, we'll explore their creative processes while extracting their top tips, strategies and pieces of advice for success in the beloved dark arts that we call horror.

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