Last Updated on July 28, 2021
The
Arrow interviews Philip Cruz!
Director Philip Cruz is the duder
behind the Ron Jeremy starring and hot chick filled, gore jamboree
DEAD MEAT, cumming soon to a DVD Player near you. Personally, I
really enjoyed the flick
(read my review here) where it catered to my
“cheap fun times” cinematic affinities. Time will tell if it comes
through for you. Till then here’s a little chit-chat session I had with the
lad!
What’s your
favorite horror movie?
Petey Wheatstraw: Devil’s Son In Law. Its Dolemite verses
Satan. Need I say more?
You’ve directed a
feature before DEAD MEAT called THE BIG BANG. What type of movie was
it and did it ever get proper distribution?
Well THE BIG BANG wasn’t a group sex flick, you sick
bastard! It was a character driven dark romantic comedy that takes
place in my hometown, Lakeland, Florida. It showcases a small
ensemble of characters- a petty thief, paid escort, female bounty
hunter, and a street mime that kills people with his finger, like a
gun. Death Wish meets Marcel Marceau! The film was a small success
you could say- it won some festival awards and a subsequent
worldwide deal with Echelon Entertainment.
DEAD MEAT looks
like a boys’ night in with beers type of genre flick. Did you write
it the same way? With a hooker on your lap and a brew in your hands?
In all seriousness; describe your writing process for the feature?
HAHA! Well our budget really couldn’t afford hookers, so we
just dangled Britney dolls from our belt buckles instead. This is
the 3rd feature script I’ve collaborated on with my
partner in crime since high school, James Hyde. Our technique is
simple for all scripts- spend hundreds of late night hours at
Denny’s with pen, paper, french vanilla lattes. The local
hillbillies supply all of the inspiration.
What was your goal
with this film? What type of horror ride did you want to deliver?
My goal was to make a successful film, get more, bigger
paying gigs out of it, and pay off some fucking student loans man!
Well horror is the hot genre right now and I knew the film had to
stand out among the competition a bit. I’m a goofy Filipino bastard,
so my instincts always tend to steer toward humor. But after all
the spoofs, remakes and ironic horror flicks we’ve seen in recent
years, its just not enough to be goofy and gory anymore. I wanted
something with a strong thematic core also when its all said and
done. True, Dead Meat features hot girls, freaky deaky, bullets,
blood, guts, and porn stars- but the film ultimately turns out to be
about sin, redemption, and faith. Something for everybody!
How arduous was it
to lock the financing for the movie? How long did it take you?
Acquiring funds is perhaps the most important and also the
least creative part about filmmaking. It’s the biggest obstacle any
filmmaker ultimately faces and this is where most projects die. Was
it hard to get financing for this movie? Damn right. Remember back
in high school how hard it was to get 20 bucks out of dad for a
Friday night? Now try getting hundreds, thousands of dollars from
strangers to finance a low budget independent film! What are the
odds you think? But just like in high school, you have to plead your
case and also beg. James and I developed our script and budget plan
over several months. Then we pleaded our case to investors. Then
after that- script conception to film completion took roughly 20
months!
Porn King Ron
Jeremy is in the film. How did his casting come about?
Funny thing- I was in the middle of a Jenna Jameson, Asia
Carerra sandwich when Ron walks in. I was like,”Wassup RJ? Wanna
be the bad guy in my next movie?” He said,”Sure thing Phillatio.”
He dove in and the rest as they say- is history.
Was he easy to
direct on set? Did his ridiculously huge dick ever get in the way?
Ron Jeremy is incredibly professional, easygoing, and just a
fun cat to have around. He has very good manners, he’s respectful
of everyone especially the ladies, he’s got a healthy appetite and
he’s also a very good actor, and martial artist even! He lent a lot
of creative thoughts to the scenes, most of which we ended up
keeping in the film. There’s a scene where he gets his arm blasted
off by a shotgun then he licks the bloody stump. Always thinking
with his stomach RJ is- but that was something he thought up on the
spot and its just a damn hoot. His schlong only got in the way when
he was throwing some vicious crescent kicks for the climactic fight
sequence. The damn thing popped out of his trousers and knocked
over a few c-stands.
Where is the film
now in terms of distribution?
We just began the distribution process, but there is already
plenty of genuine interest from some very reputable companies, which
is quite dandy. Note to all distributors: Dead Meat is currently
open to all territories (Jan 2005). Get it while its hot kids!
Is a DEAD MEAT
sequel feasible?
Hell yes! Ron Jeremy comes back from hell with a vengeance-
and a killer pent-up 2-year erection. DEAD MEAT 2: 12 inches of
sheer terror!
What’s net on your
plate directing wise? Any projects lined up?
There’s a good chance you’ll see something with lots of
martial arts, laughs and boobs for my next one. And maybe a plot
too! It’s an outrageous action/comedy called SWEATING BULLETS.
Check back for updates kids.
What was the first
drink you downed at the Rap Party?
You know- we actually haven’t had our wrap party yet. We’ll
have it with our premiere pretty soon here. But with what our
leftover budget is at this point, its gonna be Pabst Blue Ribbon for
everybody baby!
Looking back on the
film; any regrets?
I only regret we couldn’t pay everybody more. The cast and
crew really busted ass on this film and it shows. Thanks peeps!
I’d
like to thank Philip for dropping by and for the funny/smutty/gory
ride that was DEAD MEAT. NOW GIVE ME A SEQUEL!
READ MY APRIL BILLINGSLEY INTERVIEW
VISIT
THE OFFICIAL
DEAD MEAT SITE HERE
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