INT: Robert Englund

Last Updated on July 27, 2021

Robert Englund is one of the true
modern icons of horror comparable to Lon Chaney, Boris Karloff, and Bela Lugosi.
As Freddy Krueger- he was responsible for me wetting the bed more than once as a
child- so I was tickled pink to actually get to speak with him over the phone
for an interview promoting his new film-
JACK
BROOKS: MONSTER HUNTER (which I reviewed here).

The film, a Canadian horror/comedy,
directed by Jon Knautz, pits the titular Jack Brooks (Trevor Matthews), against
his adult Ed. science teacher, Professor Crowley (Englund), who transforms into
a monster after coming into contact with an ancient curse. Englund was in
Toronto promoting the film, which played at the Fantasia Film Festival a few
weeks ago- and comes out across Canada on July 25^th, and should be
hitting DVD in the fall.

ROBERT
ENGLUND INTERVIEW

Chris Bumbray: Well Mr. Englund- you’ve been all over
Fantasia with this & your other film, RED…

Robert Englund: I loved that film- very Peckinpah-ish…

CB: How did you get involved with JACK BROOKS?

RE: My agent found it and sent me the script. The first
half didn’t quite click for me- I didn’t clue into THE EVIL DEAD/ Sam Raimi
sensibility of the script. They sent me a short film the director, Knatz, and
Trevor Matthews, the actor made a few years ago. It was a great little film-
Like finding a lost episode of THE TWILIGHT ZONE- perfectly realized novella of
a film. I got on the phone immediately and said I wanted to be aboard.

I made myself a sandwich, hopped into bed, and looked at
the script again, and I imagined a Sam Raimi attitude in it. I picked out a few
parts, including the professor which I thought I could bring some physical
comedy to. I hadn’t done that in a long time- it goes back to my roots in
theater. I’m getting on in years, and it gave me the opportunity to do something
different, some broad comedy. I was on a plane to Ottawa- it was really fun for
me. We were shooting all over in some rural Ottawa locations and I fell in love
with the countryside- and we had nice weather.

CB: I thought you gave a great Chaplin-esque, Buster
Keaton style performance- great slapstick, and pratfalls. Did you do your own
stunts, falling down steps, etc?

RE: That’s all me- Trevor did 99% of his too. That happens
when you get to the set- everyone gets macho. I know better these days though-
you get sore the next morning.

CB: At this point in your career- do you find yourself
more attracted to character roles, like this & RED?

RE: I was under the makeup- not only for NIGHTMARE ON ELM
STREET, but for PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, etc.- when I stopped it was twenty years
later. I look older- more like Trevor Howard, or George C. Scott when they were
older. I have a little more gravitas these days- I play professors & doctors,
etc. My philosophy is I go where I’m wanted. I found by adhering to that there’s
much more adventure. I’ve done a few in a row- including one I’m very pleased
with (BEHIND THE MASK) which were well received. With these films, I worked with
young directors which was informative for me and kept me feeling young.

CB: Do you seek out younger, raw talent?

RE: Since 2004 I’ve experienced three or four young
directors I really liked. and now I am keeping my eyes open for more talent like
them. I’d also like to repeat some work with them like Scott Glosserman & Jon
Knautz. I’d like to become part of their repertory company. I’m also directing
more these days- I just directed a teen movie, and then I’m off to direct
another film-based on a short story by Nikolai Gogol- which is a gothic story-
not really a horror film, but it has a monster in it.

–NEXT
QUESTION HAS A SPOILER IN IN-

CB: Considering you turn into a monster in JACK BROOKS-
I felt bad for the character. He was sympathetic- I kept hoping he’d pull
through- but alas…

RE: We wanted him to be sympathetic, like a surrogate
father to Jack. It’s always fun when you take a sympathetic character and punish
him. We all know they guy dating Jack’s girlfriend is going to get his ass
kicked- because he deserves it. It’s always conflicting and richer when someone
nice gets his due.

Thanks again to Robert Englund for
taking the time to chat me with, as well as producer Patrick White & Suzanne
Villeneuve of SVBiz inc. for setting this up.

READ MY JACK BROOKS REVIEW HERE

VISIT THE JACK BROOKS WEBSITE HERE