I was recently invited to visit the set of FROM DUSK TILL DAWN THE SERIES in Albuquerque, NM and also to interview some of the cast members from the El Rey Network original series. Not only was I immediately onboard with such a badass endeavor, I was delighted to learn that the director of the episode we would be observing was none other than Alejandro Brugues who you may remember as the helmer of Fantastic Fest favorite JUAN OF THE DEAD. During the fest that year as well as the following years when Brugues pitched ideas at the Fantastic Market and again displayed his talents in his own segment in THE ABC'S OF DEATH 2 , I had the opportunity to visit with the film maker and his lovely wife. As if that wasn't enough of a sell, it was made "confidentially" known that a film making hero of mine-that is no stranger to Robert Rodriquez's world- would be shooting that night as well...a certain special effects pioneer who famously brandished a cock gun. Why yes, yes I would like to see one of my favorite up and coming directors working with the legendary Tom Savini on a horror set! So, off to Albuquerque I flew to hang with the Gecko brothers on this latest installment of their epic adventures in the FROM DUSK TILL DAWN THE SERIES underworld.
Upon arriving to the all-night shoot, I was immediately taken aback by the sight of a creepy looking ghost town surrounded by the ominous and barren New Mexican desert. As my other press cohorts and I were taking in the scene from our bus, another van drove up and Jake Busey emerged in full on leather-studded-chaps-and-all Sex Machine regalia. For those that aren't familiar with the show, Busey reprises the reimagined role Tom Savini immortalized in the '96 Rodriguez/Tarantino film. Soon, we exited the safety (and warmth) of our vehicle and made our way through the city of trucks and trailers, right up to a barn where they were setting up for the next scene. We were invited to an observation area with chairs, monitors, and heaters, but we were also given the option to stand near the entrance of the barn for a close up peek at the action. I enjoyed the first few takes from the comfort of our press area, but absolutely could not resist the urge to get closer, so I went for it. I walked up as close as I could without feeling as though I was interfering. I could see Busey tied to a post with some sort of a torture-looking device attached to his mouth. I could also see that there was some sort of confrontation between a bandana'd baddie and Jesse Garcia who plays the Texas Ranger whose once hot pursuit of the brothers Gecko has lead him into another life he never expected. With fog machines at full tilt amid the strong desert wind, the fellas successfully completed several takes with a two camera set up.
Upon arriving to the all-night shoot, I was immediately taken aback by the sight of a creepy looking ghost town surrounded by the ominous and barren New Mexican desert. As my other press cohorts and I were taking in the scene from our bus, another van drove up and Jake Busey emerged in full on leather-studded-chaps-and-all Sex Machine regalia. For those that aren't familiar with the show, Busey reprises the reimagined role Tom Savini immortalized in the '96 Rodriguez/Tarantino film. Soon, we exited the safety (and warmth) of our vehicle and made our way through the city of trucks and trailers, right up to a barn where they were setting up for the next scene. We were invited to an observation area with chairs, monitors, and heaters, but we were also given the option to stand near the entrance of the barn for a close up peek at the action. I enjoyed the first few takes from the comfort of our press area, but absolutely could not resist the urge to get closer, so I went for it. I walked up as close as I could without feeling as though I was interfering. I could see Busey tied to a post with some sort of a torture-looking device attached to his mouth. I could also see that there was some sort of confrontation between a bandana'd baddie and Jesse Garcia who plays the Texas Ranger whose once hot pursuit of the brothers Gecko has lead him into another life he never expected. With fog machines at full tilt amid the strong desert wind, the fellas successfully completed several takes with a two camera set up.
The set was a buzz of activity as the crew prepared for the reverse angle, and I headed back to base camp. While there, craft services came around to offer us a snack (chicken and cheese in a pita) while we waited for filming to once again commence. During this time, I overheard a crew member exclaim, "Here comes the wind," and suddenly the gusts from before seemed like a light breeze in comparison. One of the monitor tents toppled and a quick group of crew members were there immediately to disassemble the apparently non-essential enclosure. With the gale force came a significant drop in temperature as well as a stifling amount of dust. We were offered masks from the props department, and another portable heater was thankfully rolled our way. Up until this point, we had pretty much been in the dark, literally, but as the barn doors closed for the reverse shot, a tall crane with an enormous light was erected to illuminate the set. Now on full display were the mountains of gear, monitor tents, and crew members dashing about getting ready for the next scene. Just as, "Rolling," was announced we all began to feel the pitter patter of a light rain beginning to come down. Crew members scrambled to cover delicate equipment with plastic barriers, and in the bright light from the crane, light sheets of precipitation could be seen hitting the side of the barn. Thankfully, the rain lasted only a few minutes and didn't interfere with production, so we continued to watch the same scene-in a reverse shot- on the monitors.
Before long, we heard, "Cut!", cheers from the barn, and then members of the crew chanting, "Fight! Fight! Fight!" That's right- a fight scene was up next, and to my utter delight I also heard the words, "KNB, puppet, and harness." Yippee!!!!
Since the barn doors were to remained closed for the fight scene, we were invited two at a time to stand in the barn to observe a few takes. In my usual fashion, I was the first to raise my hand and jump up to head to the barn. My cohort and I were quickly ushered into a dark corner of the set. People and all sorts of equipment were squeezed all along one end of the barn, and I fortunately had a great view of the action. This time the camera was positioned overhead, high up on the ceiling of the barn in order to get an aerial shot of the entire fight. Stunt doubles rehearsed a few times and then we got to see two takes. During part of the action, a coordinator would yell, "Tail!" and two of the doubles would jump back as if being struck by...I'm gonna guess the tail of one of the "culebras" who dominate the underworld of the FDTD universe. When we switched with the other members of our group, I could see on the monitor a member of the KNB effects team wielding what- sure enough- looked like some sort of a tail on a harness.
As soon as the shot was completed, the crew broke for lunch- a 12:30 am lunch that is. A sweet crew member asked if we were going to join them, so we headed through a pasture (complete with some lovely gifts from cows that obviously grazed the area that day) and up a small hill to an ever bigger barn-like enclosure. After being assaulted by the relentless desert wind for the better part of 4 hours, I was quite relieved to find the barn was wrapped in plastic and offered our first real shelter of the chilly night/early morning. I can imagine if I was running back and forth as much as the production team I wouldn't have been as bothered by the cold, but sitting down exposed to the elements- even with the portable heaters- gave me a whole new respect for the mid drift-baring extras that were tied up in the barn all night along side Busey.
I had just finished stuffing my face with a pulled pork sandwich, enjoying the warmth of the enclosure when none other than the master of 80's splatter himself, Mr. Tom Savini, was introduced to our gawking group. Though he had just arrived on set at the crack of 1am and hadn't even been to hair and make up yet, the visual effects guru graciously sat down to talk with us round-table style. To say we were all awestruck would be the understatement of the year, and I was delighted to find that though it has been over 15 years since I first met and witnessed some of Savini's gore tricks first hand at an event in the early days of the original Alamo Drafthouse, the man hasn't lost even one iota of the charisma that has sparked the adoration of fans for decades. So here's our somewhat length, stream-of-consciousness chat with Tom Savini. I've taken the liberty of labeling questions from my cohorts as "Fellow Journalist" or FJ abbreviated.
Q: To start off, how did this role this season come about for you. Did Robert reach out to you? Was it something you were interested in?
Tom Savini: At SXSW two years ago, I was there for something else, a documentary. Robert and I got to talking and he said, " I want to use you in the new series probably to be an overlord." Great, I'll look forward to it. But I wasn't hearing anything. So I guess they put out a feeler for this character, and my agent saw it, recommended me, and Robert threw me right in. I just talked to him tonight. He said, "What do you want to do in this thing? I want you to kick ass." I said, why don't you take advantage of what I'm good at- fencing, bull whip, ya know. So, he's calling the writers and putting a fencing scene in. I don't know if the writers know about that yet. (everyone laughs) People associate me with the bull whip because I was Sex Machine in the original. It's funny- I have a line with Jake Busey, the new Sex Machine, tonight. I get to look at him and say...(struggles for a moment) Shoot, I can't remember my line! Anyway, I say something like what are you all dressed up for and he goes on about archaeology and I'm like, yeah right. So, it's the movie Sex Machine belittling the TV Sex Machine. I'm kind of glad the way he's portraying him. He's just a sex maniac. I think in the first season he wore the dick gun to clubs. He puts his leg up on a chair and tries to pick up some girl with a gun hanging out.
Rebecca Elliott: How does that feel- for a character you originated to be taking on a whole new life 20 years later?
TS: It's passing the torch, because it's not only Jake Busey wearing the gun, Sophia Vegara wore the gun in MACHETE KILLS. Who knows, some dog's gonna be wearing it around someday. (everyone laughs) I don't know- how does it feel? I did the part. Jake's playing him not at all like the cool guy that I was, a biker. So, that doesn't bother me. Now this part, the part of Burt who is an ancient warrior...have you seen the painting? (everyone shrugs) Oh, okay. My first scene was a couple days ago, and I have a head shop. I'm running a weed dispensary, this ancient warrior, and behind me on the wall is this painting. I about laughed my ass off when I saw it because its supposed to be hundreds of years ago and what this warrior was back then.
RE: Not a head shop owner.
TS: No, I guess I retired, and decided to just smoke weed forever. You gotta see this painting. (swiping through photos on his phone, lands on one, holds it up for us to see) Jake wanted me to do his makeup last night. It's like being insulted by Don Rickles. (finds photo of painting- everyone oohs and ahhs) So, the painting is behind me and the Gecko brothers are there to see if I'm this guy. I wanted to grab the painting and say, "Look!" So, I'm playing a badass. You know, Sex Machine in the movie was a badass, so I'm continuing that. But I'm really just a pussy cat. I grow roses, I read poetry, but I have this face! That's what puts me in this position.
Fellow Journalist: Do you have to wear any prosthetics for this role?
TS: No! Not yet that I know of. I do have fangs. I think I wear the fangs and eyes tonight- I haven't worn the eyes yet. And it's great because our two makeup artists are graduates of my school. It's terrific because graduation is May 20th, and I'll be here. So I get to sit with those two makeup guys and shoot a video that will show to the students in my absence, and I'll be able to say that the two guys from KNB who did my makeup are graduates of our program. Now they bugged somebody with their portfolio, now didn't they? We won FaceOff last season with Nora. If you watch FaceOff, that's one of my students, and she was on it the day after she graduated. She was bugging someone with her portfolio. And that's how you get work. You never go anywhere without your portfolio. You can put it on your phone. A hard copy is what we used to tell them before this technology took over.
FJ: How are you when other people put on your makeup?
FJ: How are you when other people put on your makeup?
TS: It's great! Give me cheek bones is all I say, and thanks for the cheekbones when I leave.
FJ: KNB did you up for the last one.
TS: Yeah, they did the original one, and they gave me a dick nose. (everyone laughs) You didn't see the dick nose? Only so they could sit around and say,"Hey, look at Tom. He's wearing a dick nose." These are my friends, okay? I wish I had handed them my video camera when they hoisted me to the ceiling to the flying thing to Clooney. You should hear what they say. It's all in my camera because they're shooting. Wow- theses are all my friends. They never miss a chance to fuck with me.
FJ: What's your favorite vampire movie?
TS: Vampire movie? Wow, that goes way back. There's a movie called just VAMPIRE. It's a modern day- well, modern day 50's- with a guy doing research on bats and things, and a kid is involved. Not VAMPYRE, p-y-r, but just VAMPIRE. That movie scared the hell out of me when I was a little kid. And DRACULA- DRACULA isn't a scary movie. It's just an elegant stage play. Have you seen the Lugosi version of DRACULA? It's a 2-disc set. They have the Spanish Dracula, Lugosi Dracula- and they added a Phillip Glass score to the Lugosi version. It was wonderful! And the Spanish version is just more violent and animalistic. Lugosi was the gentleman. Anyway, don't get me going on that. Favorite vampire movie? Oh! FROM DUSK TILL DAWN! (everyone laughs) It took me a long time to get there, geez you made me think! Everyone asks me that and I say FDTD because look at who I got to hang out with. George Clooney, Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis. Clooney was the nicest man I've ever met. He has a huge influence on how I treat people at conventions. It's not hard to be nice. Juliette Lewis- she was that character all day everyday. At lunch, when we went out, she was that character. And it was scary because the movie she did before that was NATURAL BORN KILLERS. I wouldn't have wanted to be around her if she was that character.
RE: No Mallory for you?
TS: No! But she was great. It was great to hang out with those people for weeks. So much fun. Clooney was such a practical joker. If you go to google and put my name in, I think the fourth or fifth thing says, "Tom Savini is a dick," or "Tom Savini is a douchebag." Because I was at a convention signing and a friend of mine was behind me on the phone with one of our friends. And he said, "Hey, I'm talking to Matt." And I'm signing, so I said, "I don't want to talk to anybody right now," because I was busy signing. But the girl in front of me who I was signing a picture for heard the, "I don't want to talk to anybody right now," and she walked away and threw the picture back at the table. I thought, why did she do that? Then we figured it out, and we tried to chase her down to explain and give her free pictures, etc but we couldn't find her. She started this blog because of that one little thing. And believe me, Clooney has been such an influence as far as be nice to everyone. Everyone who walks up to the table, it's a new show. Around 6:00 at night when you've met 750 people and you're answering the same question over and over again, it's mentally exhausting because it's a performance. Anyway, so she didn't get a great...she misunderstood. And I hope that makes it in here, because I'd like to find that girl, give her some merchandise, and tell her to shut up! I was an accident, and I didn't mean it that way!
FJ: Have you talked to Robert about directing an episode?
TS: I did not. I don't know if I want to do that. You know I directed that remake of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD.
FJ: Yes, we were talking about that and about how beautiful it is and how John Vulich did a beautiful job on the zombies.
TS: Yes. He and Everett, yeah. They had been working with me for a while on my effects team, so I trusted them so much. And they did do a great job. And even back then they were creating zombies on the computer. Today it's Z brush. Nicotero is doing a lot of that on WALKING DEAD. So far he's done nine homages to zombies that I created in DAWN OF THE DEAD, DAY OF THE DEAD, and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD.
FJ: Dr. Tongue would be one.
TS: Yeah, Dr. Tongue, the Bub Zombie, Ed the helicopter fly boy guy. And he just called me two days ago, "Hey Tom, can you measure your head for me?" And I didn't know why. I hope it's in this section here (swiping through photos on his phone). Here it is right here, he sent me this. He's really doing a tribute to the Dr. Tongue zombie that I created. This is Z brush- it's not physical yet. Can you see this? (shows us picture on phone of a badass zombie design and we all geek out) It's a tribute to Dr. Tongue from DAY OF THE DEAD. So, he's going all out to do these homages. Quentin calls it just stealing. (everyone laughs) But that's okay. I've known Greg since he was 14, my protege for a while.
RE: Do you watch current horror?
TS: Has there been any?
RE: Fair enough!
FJ: 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE I liked.
TS: I haven't seen that one. The one with John Goodman? No, I haven't seen that one, and I love John Goodman. I saw CLOVERFIELD of course. I've just been avoiding stuff...there's a lot of "capture a girl and torture her" until the end of the movie. That's not entertainment for me. It's too real. I like Jason and stuff like that- I created Jason for FRIDAY THE 13TH. You know, we're doing the video game. So, movies like FRANKENSTEIN, THE WOLFMAN- they don't exist. Those are the things that scared me growing up. It's always gone in waves. There was "the monster" like FRANKENSTEIN and THE WOLFMAN. Then there was "the psychological terror" like PSYCHO. And then "the bloodbath", Hershel Gordon Lewis. Then it went back to the monsters again- ALIEN, PREDATOR, ya know. Then psychological again- THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE. And then the bloodbath again with SCREAM. So, I don't know what cycle we're in again now.
FJ: Yeah, lot of the elevated genre stuff today is all psychological with no monsters.
FJ: You mentioned that you've know Nicotero for so long, I was wondering if you've lent any advice about the look of the culebras in the show (FDTD)?
TS: No. Not a word. In fact when we were doing DUSK (the film), I was there sitting with Greg between takes and everything, and I was hesitant about saying anything because it was his gig. But I did say one day when Fred Williamson throws the vampire girls on the upturned table- I said, "Shouldn't there be..." and he said, "Shut up!" (everyone laughs) On DJANGO UNCHAINED I had the attack dogs with the slave up in the tree. DiCaprio comes up and says, "Shut these dogs up!" And this actor here, Dave Steen, was supposed to say, "get these dogs out of here," but instead he starts screaming, "Fuck!" And I look and my dogs are attacking him. They bit him on the ass and dragged him to the ground by his asscheek. They tore his pants off. His ass looked like the planet Mars. It was terrible. I was there because with him at the hospital because the dogs also attacked me later in the scene. But they brought the slave down, and the dogs have to attack him...by the way the reason they said I still have my arm is because the dogs didn't feel stunt pads. They're trained to attack stunt pads. I mean it hurt like hell, but it wasn't the teeth it was the pressure from their jaws. Belgium Malinois Shepherds. So we both had to go get tetanus shots. So they bring the slave down, and the dogs have to attack him. He had his real arm behind his back, and they had a fake one for him. So every time they did the take you could see the guy's fake arm, and I didn't want to say anything because it's KNB...Greg wasn't there, but his crew was there. I didn't say anything, but Quentin happened to walk past me, and I said, "You know when I did that effect in DAY OF THE DEAD- we cut a guys arm off- we dug a hole under him so the fake arm goes in the hole and all you're aware of is the fake arm and the body. But don't say I said anything!" So he goes back to the set about ten minutes later, and he says, "Why don't you guys dig a hole under him for the fake arm? I think it will work." And it worked beautifully. So a few minutes later I'm standing there and Quentin walks by and he slipped something into my hand, and I looked and it's five bucks! He said, "I have a thing on my sets that if another department solves a problem for a department it's called the five dollar shot." So I became the five dollar hero because I solved a problem for the effects guys. But the next day I was the purple penis guy. I don't know where they hide it, how they blow it up so fast, but if you fall asleep on a Tarantino set they inflate this huge purple penis and put it in your fave and take a picture. Now luckily I fell asleep in this position (fetal) and the penis was behind my head. I wasn't laying back, ya know, with this thing. So we're in this swamp. The dirt road is as wide as this table with maybe a few feet of solid ground on each side. We're in this swamp and they bring out a bulletin board to ceremoniously add me to the purple penis people who fell asleep on a Tarantino set. That's what it's like on a Tarantino set, it's great fun.
RE: Is it hard to separate yourself as an actor and hold back and not give advice like that on set? Or do you just openly give it?
TS: No, I don't openly give it. Unless they ask me, but no, I don't. It's their gig. I've moved on. I mean, I get my hands messed up at home- I'm always sculpting or painting or something. And I have my school, but I just don't do it for a living anymore. It's been working out just fine, but I consult on stuff. I just consulted on a film in Australia, a film called RED INK. Fangoria bought it and now it's called...I just woke up and I can't remember what it's called now, but that's a film I consulted on in Australia. So effects-wise, I'm being paid to tell people or to suggest stuff.
RE: Do you have any kind of mantra for your students? Is there any one big lesson you try to instill?
TS: A guy came up to me- a student at graduation- and I had never talked to him in the whole 16 month program. He said that he was going to quit after the first month, but I said something in class that made him stay. Someone was complaining about how they'll never be as good as the other guy, and I said, "You're not here to be as good as the other guy. You're here to be as good as you can be." We eventually hired the guy to be a teacher actually. So, I don't know that there's a mantra in Latin over a crest or something, but when I'm in town I visit the school once or twice a week to make sure that they are photographing their stuff and putting a portfolio together. That's the only thing that's going to get them work is the portfolio. You can talk until you're blue in the face, but you gotta see what you're capable of, and that's what a portfolio does.
(There's a large pause in the questioning and Savini quips)
TS: Tom, what scares you? Spiders and razor blades. (everyone laughs) Ok, got that out of the way.
FJ: What do you think about the difference in FSTD THE SERIES and the way the world has expanded in comparison to the original movie?
TS: The first season was the movie, just ten hours long! And it went on a lot of phalanges out there. In my head, I'm still trying to think of that damn line...remember I was trying to think of a line?
FJ: The line you say to the other Sex Machine?
TS: Yeah, and it's in this movie, which worries me because I probably need to say it tonight! Do you remember the context of what we were talking about?
RE: We were talking about the Sex Machine legacy.
TS: Oh right! I was saying, "Who are you supposed to be?" Okay, I got it. There must be some other things you want to know! You got me in this talkative state here.
RE: What scares you Tom? (everyone laughs)
TS: I told you! Spiders and razor blades.
FJ: What are you most excited for fans to experience from your involvement in the show and season 3 in general?
TS: I don't know...(talking to publicist) have you guys made a big deal about Danny Trejo being in this season? (she answers yes) So when can I post anything about me being here? (she says Monday) So, I'm not really sure how much I can say. Here's the deal, I do a lot of horror conventions, and lately a lot of the fans are saying that they saw me in PERKS OF A WALLFLOWER. And they're surprised to see me in that- no machine guns, no zombies! So I think this needed to happen. I needed to get in the fan's faces again as a horror character in FROM DUSK TILL DAWN obviously. This has a lasting following, although I don't get the El Rey network at home. I have to wait until it's on Netflix. I'm watching season 2 on my iPad right now.
Publicist: Who's your carrier?
TS: Comcast.
Publicist: Yeah, you should be getting it.
TS: I think there's a way to get my cable carrier to get it.
Publicist: Yes, yes.
TS: From what I hear on the schedule for El Rey-there's so much other stuff on there I want to see! My movies- TEXAS CHAINSAW 2 was on there. So yeah, I think it will be a whole new...like, I'll do a convention. I was at a convention in Michigan, and minor characters from THE WALKING DEAD- somebody who was on maybe once- the line was out the door! People are crazy about this. So, this is something else that will probably help me at conventions!
Publicist: Who's your carrier?
TS: Comcast.
Publicist: Yeah, you should be getting it.
TS: I think there's a way to get my cable carrier to get it.
Publicist: Yes, yes.
TS: From what I hear on the schedule for El Rey-there's so much other stuff on there I want to see! My movies- TEXAS CHAINSAW 2 was on there. So yeah, I think it will be a whole new...like, I'll do a convention. I was at a convention in Michigan, and minor characters from THE WALKING DEAD- somebody who was on maybe once- the line was out the door! People are crazy about this. So, this is something else that will probably help me at conventions!
FJ: You've also been very involved in Friday the 13th The Game...
TS: That's gonna be a big deal!
FJ: And now with FDTD The Series, I think horror fans are getting really excited for Tom Savini's next wave of projects.
TS: I've had a long career. Ya know, I've been doing this since '72. I'm 69 and doing this stuff. Ya know, usually people are retired by that age, and I'll be 70 in November. So, this need to happen I think. But when it happened, I'm sitting there with my assistant, and we're editing a documentary SMOKE AND MIRRORS on my life. There's a new book and a new coffee table book that are coming out...so my agent calls me and I'm like, "Ah fuck!" They want me to go and do five epidsodes. Ya know, I'm sitting there with my cats all comfortable. And my assistant says,"Oh, you poor baby! Get the fuck out of here, and go do that!" Because he's the guy that does my Instagram and my Twitter and is in touch with the fans. So here I am complaining that I have to go be a vampire in some TV series. I can be a real idiot sometimes.
FJ: What are parts that you want to play?
TS: I want to be... did I mention fencing?
FJ: You mentioned fencing. And bullwhips.
TS: I'm a swashbuckler, ya know? I should be starring in a pirate series. BLACK SAILS has called me.
FJ: You have a very conquistador look as well.
TS: Yeah! Well, you saw the picture! I want to wear that loincloth, put the thing on my head, and kill some culebra's!
FJ: Are you thinking about writing your own material to do that?
TS: I wrote a version of THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME- do you know the old THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME? They did a movie of it in the 30's. It was pretty shitty. The fencing scene was miserable. They barely touched the possibilities. In my version, the guy who gets thwarted to a different island is a stunt man, so he can fence, ya know. He's not some milktoast. Although the villain in that movie was some little, ugh...I don't know why they do this. The villain is never some big macho guy who can take care of himself. It's always some little frail, fragile asshole with a goatee. So my villain is a cross between Khadafi, Idi Amin, and now Osama Bin Laden. A guy that you believe will hunt you down and take off your head and put it on the shelf. That's part of the bad guys MO in THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME. So a stunt guy gets thwarted to this island, and the hunt is not very successful on the bad guy's part because this guy can take care of himself. He's building trebuchets, he's got bolos that he's making, limbs off of trees for spears...he goes underground and takes the roots and his shoelaces to fasten a bow. And there's one little hole, and the bad guys are outside and they won't come in because they know he's got a arrow because he kills a hunting dog that tries to get in. So with the shoelaces and the thing he actually kills the guys. So the guy can take care of himself in my movie. That's my dream to get that damn thing made.
RE: I want to see THAT.
TS: I sent it to WWE films because I do Triple H's whole costume and stuff for Wrestlemania- I did it the last time it was on last week- and they said they already have a "hunting people in the woods" kind of thing. Did you read mine? Because I saw the one you're talking about, and it's a miserable piece of shit! A lot of the WWE stuff is excuses for their wrestlers to be in a film. Although John Cena was amazing in...what's the Melissa McCarthy one?
RE: Are you talking about Amy Schumer's TRAINWRECK?
TS: Yes! John Cena! He as wonderful! The guy can act. He's a comedian. But, ya know, the other wrestlers are just boxes of rocks. Well, I shouldn't say that because they're fans. I go back stage when they're in Pittsburgh, and they're all, "Hey! Sex Machine." Speaking of that, I was at the airport in Pittsburgh, and I lost my switchblade. So I'm at the airport going through their thing, and there's my switchblade in my carry on. So, now I'm up against the wall, my shoes are off, waiting for the head of security to come, and the door opens. And here comes, like, The Rock, shaved head muscle guy coming out and he says, "Sex Machine!" I was able to mail the switchblade home and get on the plane. It happens all the time. Cops will pull me over for a violation, and they say,"Weren't you that guy?" So yeah, its' good to be the king sometimes.
(At this point Savini is summoned to set)
RE: Thank you so much for talking to us! That was great!!
TS: If you're around later and think of anything else, I'll be here all night.
And that ended my incredible sit down with the legendary Tom Savini. I am still amazed by how open and friendly he was with us all. I hope you enjoyed his crazy stories as much as I did. After Savini's figurative mic drop, our exhausted crew headed back to our bus and were magically shuttled back to the hotel in downtown Albuquerque. Whew! What a whirlwind. After being awake for over 24 hours and still giddy as any proper horror nerd should be, I laid down my head and slept with visions of creepy ghost towns, howling winds, and an encounter with a legend dancing in my head. Please be on the lookout for a litany of interviews with Zane Holtz, DJ Catrona, Jesse Garcia, and Jake Busey, as well as director Alejandro Brugues, and please don't forget to check out Savini and company when FROM DUSK TILL DAWN THE SERIES season 3 premieres on Sept. 6 on the El Rey Network.Rebecca Elliott
aka Annette Kellerman
