At HorrorFind 8 for Halloween by Rob Zombie in Hunt Valley, MD. This was done before either of us had seen the film.
Q: Did you have any scenes with Malcolm McDowell?
A: I don't have any scenes with Malcolm! I would've loved to have worked with him. He's one of my favorites!
Q: Did you get to hang out at all?
A: He came in one day and I pulled out. (Laughs) That's how much I got to see him. Everybody really loved working with him on the set, I know that.
Q: How many days were you there?
A: I was there more days than scenes. I think I've got 4 scenes and then I'm very dead.
Q: No sequel potential for you then.
A: No! No sequel potential. They actually brought me back to kill me better.
Q: When they did the reshoots?
A: Yeah. When the producer called me I said 'but I've already died.' He said 'Yeah, but Rob wants to kill you better!" (Laughs)
Q: Did you have to try to remember everything you did before?
A: No, it was in between...well I don't want to give it away. There was a shot of me with Michael, then you would cut directly to my death scene - after I am already dead. So they filled in how I got there when I went back.
Q: All your scenes are at the end of the film then.
A: Yeah, none of the family stuff happens until Michael comes back.
Q: How was Rob's direction for you?
A: Oh my god. I love working with him. I just loved working with Rob. He's my new favorite and not only is he nice and sweet and beautiful, but for an actor he gives you so much creative room to play, it's great.
Q: Did you get to ad lib?
A: Oh, totally. Half of it is improv which makes it so in the moment and alive which is great.
Q: Did you think 'hey I memorized the script and now we are throwing it out?'
A: Oh, yeah...but that's a dream for an actor. They give you the parameters to work in and then you can bring in your own creativity. There's nothing better than that.
Q: Were you given the whole script?
A: Oh, sure.
Q: What did you think of it?
A: It's very true to the original. The beginning is fleshed out out a little
more, it goes into his childhood and why.
Q: What's your opinion on the remake controversy?
A: Oh, you know...I think the classics...I loved the fact the fact that I was in the original Hills Have Eyes, but let's face it the original Halloween is brilliant and it's brilliant for it's time. If we brought it out right now for the young people and the fans it wouldn't be suspenseful enough, it wouldn't be bloody enough and it wouldn't be fast enough. So time marches on and fortunately we need more blood, more gore, more of everything.
Q: You think the younger crowd would appreciate it who didn't really like the original?
A: Yeah. For us Halloween was the beginning of it all.
© 2007-08 Alex D. Thrawn for www.MalcolmMcDowell.net