INT: Ron Ford

Last Updated on July 28, 2021

The Arrow
interviews Ron Ford

Ron
Ford has many titles. ACTOR: Camp Blood, Passion To Kill… WRITER:
The Fear, Dead Time Tales
(also directed)… and DIRECTOR: Witchcraft 11 (also wrote),
Hollywood Mortuary (also wrote and starred). In a nutshell,
the man loves the genre, the work and he can do everything. Ron took
the time to spit a couple of words The Arrow’s way. Here they are…

1-
What’s your favorite horror movie?

It depends on what day you ask me. I like the old classics mostly, but
love many modern horror films as well. List of favs would include KING
KONG, FREAKS, THE INVISIBLE MAN, FRANKENSTEIN, BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN,
NOSFERATU, INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, THE CAT PEOPLE, CURSE OF
THE DEMON. Can’t go wrong with any of those!

2- You’re a jack-of-all-trades: Writer, director, actor, which one
satisfies you the most and why?

Directing, because the director is the person who is mostly
responsible for the final product. Directing a picture is nearly
the best way to control
the outcome of your vision. The best way is to also write and
edit it. But I do side with the French in believing that the director
is the primary author of a movie. He juggles and controls all
the creative elements — at least in an ideal situation.

3-
What according to you are the main ingredients to a successful low
budget horror film?

To not be boring, whatever that entails.
There are many things
that are compelling to watch and many things that aren’t. Try to
choose only compelling things. If you want to assure commercial
success at a micro budget level, it’s always best to include some
nudity and gore. It makes your movie a LOT easier to sell. But hopefully these elements can be integrated into your movie
without seeming forced merely for financial consideration.

4-
Were you satisfied with the way your screenplay “The Fear”
was adapted to the screen?

No, the script was re-written a lot and many pages were never filmed
because the director was too slow. Many of the more intelligent
story points were never filmed, and some that were filmed were not in
the final cut for reason that I can’t begin to fathom. I thought
the story was confusing because of it, and also some really dumb
things were added. But I thought the final result was fairly
atmospheric and well-acted. It was kind of a unique horror
movie, too. It certainly has its moments. I thought it was
a masterpiece compared to the sequel (which I had no involvement
with)!

5-
Who were/are your inspirations in the horror field?

F. W.
Murnau, Lon Chaney, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, James Whale, Tod
Browning, Jacques Toureur, Terence Fisher, David Cronenberg, Martin
Scorsese (a master at horror imagery!).

6- Any new projects coming up soon?

Nothing definite at the moment. But lots of maybes. Maybe
a movie about a giant cockroach for
Vista Street called DEADLY SCAVENGERS, and also maybe CLAIRE’S MOVIE,
my serial killer project, for Combs International Productions.
On the stage, it seems very likely that my play THE BARON &
ME (a comedy based on Ed Wood and Bela Lugosi) is going to be produced
in LA. And I am developing a one man show about Orson Welles for
another theater. Not exactly horror, but another of my favorite
artists.

7- Which one of your films are
you the most proud of?

HOLLYWOOD MORTUARY is the most realized and personal of all my movies.
I came out closest to what I set out to make. It makes me
laugh every time I see it. I love the movie.

8-
What’s the biggest disappointment of your career?

I directed a nearly pornographic rip off of Terminator for Korean
investors called TURBORATOR that was so vile and so dumb that I used a
pseudonym for my director’s credit. I did not write the
incomprehensible script, and I did this job solely for the money and
hated every second of making it. It is available in the USA from
Vista Street in two radically different edits called RED LIGHT STALKER
and A PASSION TO KILL. Neither one of them makes a lick of
sense.

9-
You’re on a deserted island, you can bring one CD, one hot
girl, one movie (there’s a VCR there) and one bottle of booze…how would it
turn out?

The CD would be Bob Dylan’s BLOOD ON THE TRACKS. For the hot
girl I have to pick my wife, or else my life will be worthless after
this interview sees print. I wouldn’t bother with the booze, and
for the video… Tough question. Gotta go with CITIZEN KANE.
That’s the movie that keeps giving no matter how many times you
see it. Sorry it wasn’t a horror movie!

Citizen
Kane is always a great choice in my book. Thanks a bundle Ron, don’t
work too hard and come back anytime. If you guys don’t know the
man’s work, I recommend you check out “Hollywood Mortuary”
it’s a wonderful intro to one of the genre’s hardest working chaps.