The frustrating thing about covering a convention like FANGORIA is, after you’ve begged a publicist or even the main attraction themselves for a brief interview, the chat turns out to be briefer than you had even anticipated. Sure you say “All I need is five minutes” but f*ck – five minutes goes by pretty quickly when you’re trying to fit in about 10 questions.
Such was the case with DAVID ARQUETTE, who I talked with after he finished a long panel discussing the DVD release of his comedy-horror flick THE TRIPPER and just got through signing about 100 autographs. I snagged him for said five minutes moments before he either passed out or skipped out of the joint.
I wanted to ask about the TRIPPER’s distribution, because I know it was supposed to get a wide release originally, but ultimately it got a very limited one. What can you tell me about that?
It was supposed to be a 500 theater release, but I didn’t want to wait too long to release it. It was originally slated for After Dark Films, but then we decided to do it ourselves, so that’s why we only got 50 theaters. In actuality, it should have been just a couple theaters, and then we would’ve rolled it out a little, get it city to city…
They don’t seem to do that anymore.
I know. So essentially what we did was we went out to build awareness. And now hopefully it will be there for the DVD.
Did you get any heat from either political side when you were making it, or afterward? Or did everyone get the joke?
I hope they got the joke. Part of it is to show that the true violence is what happens in war, not what happens on the movie screen. So if they even see it, hopefully they’ll get that message.
It has a pretty impressive cast, can you talk about your casting process? I realize how Thomas Jane became involved… [Jane is married to Arquette’s sister, Patricia.]
Yeah, he’s my brother-in-law, he read it and his company with Steve Niles, RAW Entertainment, got involved, and that was sort of the foundation. Paul Reubens, Lukas Haas, and Balthazar Getty are all my good friends, so I went to them and they read the script and committed to it. Jason Mewes I had just met, he just hopped on board and was game. Jamie King, the heroine in the film, she’s an amazing talent, a great girl, she also just hopped on board.
Is there more directing in your future?
Definitely.
Are you planning a sequel?
I have a sequel idea, I’m not sure if it’s going to happen or not. I’m writing something that I plan on doing soon.
Can you tell me anything about it?
It’s more of a BRAVEHEART kind of world, still a lot of violence but…
Not tongue-in-cheek?
(laughs) No.
Thanks to David Arquette for taking the time to conduct this brief, but hopefully just a teeny-bit enlightening, interview. (I mean, c’mon, BRAVEHEART-world?!)
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