INT: Stuart Gordon

Last Updated on July 28, 2021

The Arrow
interviews Stuart Gordon

Stuart Gordon has
contributed many blood-drenched gems to
the genre: the classic “Re-Animator”, the trippy
“From Beyond”, the twisted “Castle Freak” and one of my personal
favorites…”Dolls”. The man returns to H.P. Lovecraft territory with
his new flick “Dagon” (coming out on dvd on July 23rd). Mr. Gordon took a few minutes of
his time to answer a couple of my questions and this how the
pendulum swung.

A:
What’s your favorite horror
movie?

ST: I think my all-time favorite horror
movie has to be “Psycho” by Alfred Hitchcock. That movie breaks all
the rules, you know, they murder the heroine a half hour into the
film, so, anything is possible.

A: You have a new film coming out called “Dagon”. What was it about
Lovecraft’s tale that inspired you to translate it to the screen?

SG: I love the idea that there is this
underwater civilization that we’re unaware of. Lovecraft is quoted
as saying that man lives on an island of ignorance and I think Dagon
really shows that to great advantage.

A: In terms of visuals, did you try
new things out on “Dagon” that
you hadn’t tackled in your previous genre efforts?

SG: Well, it’s the first time I ever did
any kind of underwater photography, which was very, very
challenging. I was very pleased with the results.

A: How would you describe the tone of the
film…is it serious,
dark, humorous?

ST: Yes. (laughs) I think, like a lot
of my films, there’s always a certain amount of black comedy that
runs through it. But I think that for the most part, it’s a very scary
ride for the audience and it gets into some very dark territory.

A:
Can we expect lots of gooey gore in this one, or is it a more subtle
film?

ST: Well, I think there are sequences in
“Dagon” that go far beyond anything I’ve ever done before, in terms of
bloodletting.

A: What kind of ride did you want to take the audience on with
“Dagon”? Basically, what should we expect?

ST: I think the idea of being trapped
in a town full of monsters is a very paranoid fantasy, and I really
wanted them to feel like they were in the hero’s shoes, to be able to get
that sense of claustrophobia. I also wanted them to be very, very
wet, which is why it rains in every scene.

A: I’ve always wanted to ask you this: is there ever going to
be a “Dolls” sequel? I loved that film!

ST: I’m glad to hear that, I love it
also. Unfortunately I don’t think there will be, I think that
Charles Band at Full Moon created the Puppet Master, which is very
similar to Dolls. So, unfortunately I don’t think there will be a
sequel.

A: In your opinion, what’s more difficult to shoot…scenes that
involve lots of fake blood and latex or scenes that involve nudity?

ST: I think it really depends on the
actors. To some actors, the use of makeup is not a problem. Like
Jonathan Fuller in “Castle Freak” had to go 6-8 hours in makeup
everyday and never complained about it, whereas other actors will
find it very problematic to put on a prosthetic device. And I think
the same is true with nudity. There are some actors and actresses who
have no problem with it and others who get very nervous, so it
really depends on the individual.

A: Of all the films you have done, which one are you most proud
of and why?

ST: It’s hard to say because I kind of
think of my films as my children and you never want to think about
one
child as being better than the others. I like them all for various
different reasons.

A: What’s next on your plate?

ST: Next is a movie called “King of the
Ants”, which is a film noir, sort of a “Reservoir Dogs” type of film. It’s about a house painter who becomes a hitman. It’s not a horror
movie although it does have some sequences that are extremely horrifying.

I’d like to
thank Mr. Gordon for his time and for his movies. I’ve always been a
fan and am always happy when he comes out with something new. Thanks
for all, Mr. Gordon!