There are many peripheral players in the advancement of independent film. One of the seminal ones was Chris Gore and his magazine, Film Threat. In the early 90s Film Threat was the bible for film students and young filmmakers. They championed many smaller movies bringing them to light. But in 1996 the magazine shut down and became a full-fledged player on the web. But Gore hasnt slowed down one bit. He created and hosted two TV shows, Festival Pass and The New Movie Show.
Now he faces the biggest challenge of his life. As host of The Ultimate Film Fanatic he is trying to find the biggest film geek in America with some help from judges Jason Mewes, Richard Roundtree and Traci Lords.
The show airs Fridays at 10:30 pm on IFC.
Check out the website for Ultimate Film Fanatic
Chris Gore: Can I just say that I love SuicideGirls!
Daniel Robert Epstein: Who doesnt?
I was surprised to find out that you didnt create Ultimate Film Fanatic.
CG: Its funny because I worked with [creator] James Rowley before on a show called The New Movie Show. We used to play this game all the time. Off camera we would throw out a mvoie quote and the other person has to guess it. We used to goof on each other. So he came up with the show with a guy named Mark Cronin. Im just a hired gun on this. They needed someone to host and wanted someone like Chris Gore.
DRE: Because you're so hard to get.
CG: Exactly [laughs]. We are mutual fans of one anothers and they just called me up. To IFCs credit they didnt want just a host. Because there are people who host things for a living and I suck at that. I cant keep my own personality in check. So they wanted somebody who would interject their own comments and someone who knew film as well as the contestants who came on the show. I am film fanatic. I could scare you with some stuff.
DRE: I got a question for you.
CG: Go for it!
DRE: Who is credited with the music on David Cronenbergs Rabid?
CG: Is it David Cronenberg?
DRE: Nope. Usually everyone thinks its Howard Shore but its actually Ivan Reitman.
CG: Ivan Reitman?
DRE: Yes he produced Cronenbergs early films as well.
CG: Let me quiz you. Please reveal to me the true identity of the man, Glen Milstead. Ill give you a hint; hes worked with Traci Lords.
DRE: Is it Iggy Pop?
CG: No its Divine.
DRE: Right thats Divines real name. I used to know that Divine was an ugly man.
CG: He is much better looking as a woman. Film trivia can really trip you up. There are certain things I know a lot about then others things I know nothing about. If you are unlucky and get a question about a movie you know nothing about then you're screwed.
DRE: In the first episode there was the question about the Coen Brothers O Brother, Where Art Thou? which I missed because thats the movie of theirs Ive seen the least.
CG: Not every film fanatic has the same knowledge.
DRE: I thought that Phantom of the Paradise helmet that the guy had at the end of the first episode was way better than what the other guy had.
CG: I was a little shocked. But also a lot of it is not judged not by the item but what you had to go through to get it.
Ive saved every movie ticket stub for every movie Ive seen since I was 12. I saved them in a giant fish aquarium and when it was full I cataloged them by date. So its like when they find the apartment in Se7en but its my house instead. I also own a custom made George Lucas action figure in the classic packaging made by a fan. I also own a prop replica gun from the movie Logans Run, mmmm Jenny Agutter.
DRE: On my instant messenger, when Im away, I put It's my job... to freeze you!
CG: I love that. Thats one of my all time favorite movies. That was the first time I saw nudity at the movies. There is some good nudity in that one.
DRE: Did you help select the judges for Ultimate Film Fanatic?
CG: No, the judges were selected by executives at IFC. But I threw in a resounding endorsement for Traci Lords. I thought she would be fantastic. What I like about the judges is that if you are a film fanatic these are people who have cred. What was fun was how seriously Traci took her duties as judge on the show. For the people who were contestants on the show they spent their entire lives watching movies and it all came down to this moment. I think that had an impact on the judges so they took it seriously. One funny thing was, during breaks Jason Mewes would pass dirty notes to Traci. He would put the most vile things and the only one I could mention is Traci, I know you are looking at my ass and I know you want it. Then it graduated to really horrible hardcore drawings and Traci took it in stride. All I could think was Man, I wonder what that would get on ebay? Original Jason Mewes drawings!
DRE: Is that why Richard Roundtree has to sit in-between them?
CG: I think there was some idea to the separation. Jason hit on her during filming jokingly but also kind of serious but if Traci came back at him you know he would have backed down.
DRE: Film Threat has been only a website since 1996.
CG: Whats cool about it is that we can see a movie today then in the afternoon have a review and coverage. Im a big fan of the web plus we can get instant reaction. Readers can tell us to go fuck ourselves on the same day we post a review.
DRE: A lot of the people that you hailed when the magazine took off like Tarantino, Linklater and Kevin Smith had fuzzy career periods right around the time that you switched to the website. Did that contribute to the change?
CG: I believe so. We championed a lot of these people early in their careers and now they dont talk to us.
When I started the magazine there was no independent film section at the video store and now there is, which is something of an achievement. Its now become a respected category of film like a horror, sci-fi or an action film. Thats cool. Im also really excited to see documentaries get their due. Documentaries are playing in multiplexes now, which is huge.
DRE: Do they not talk to you because its a website now?
CG: No Ive interviewed Steven Soderbergh and Spike Lee for the website. The writers who write for Film Threat dont hold back. Friend of the website or not, we are going to call them like we see them. We do include opposing reviews and thats something weve been doing for years.
I am also getting away from doing the website, its really being run by Eric Campos and a dedicated band of writers. I just wrote and produced this movie called My Big Fat Independent Movie.
DRE: I saw the trailer for it and it looks like fun.
CG: Yeah Im really excited about it. Ive got some other film projects that arent mainstream.
DRE: I still like Red.
CG: I spent a year and a half working on the DVD and its coming out in August from Film Threat DVD. Its got three layers of commentary. One is me and the cinematographer, the other one is the drunk commentary because we had five beers apiece and did commentary and the third one is the old production assistant giving all the dirt on what happened. Its also subtitled in ten different languages.
DRE: Why?
CG: Because I could! My intention for starting Film Threat DVD was to be the Criterion Collection for underground film.
DRE: So all of Ultimate Film Fanatic is shot and finished. Is the geek who won a bigger geek than you?
CG: I have to say that the person who won is a much bigger geek than me.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
Now he faces the biggest challenge of his life. As host of The Ultimate Film Fanatic he is trying to find the biggest film geek in America with some help from judges Jason Mewes, Richard Roundtree and Traci Lords.
The show airs Fridays at 10:30 pm on IFC.
Check out the website for Ultimate Film Fanatic
Chris Gore: Can I just say that I love SuicideGirls!
Daniel Robert Epstein: Who doesnt?
I was surprised to find out that you didnt create Ultimate Film Fanatic.
CG: Its funny because I worked with [creator] James Rowley before on a show called The New Movie Show. We used to play this game all the time. Off camera we would throw out a mvoie quote and the other person has to guess it. We used to goof on each other. So he came up with the show with a guy named Mark Cronin. Im just a hired gun on this. They needed someone to host and wanted someone like Chris Gore.
DRE: Because you're so hard to get.
CG: Exactly [laughs]. We are mutual fans of one anothers and they just called me up. To IFCs credit they didnt want just a host. Because there are people who host things for a living and I suck at that. I cant keep my own personality in check. So they wanted somebody who would interject their own comments and someone who knew film as well as the contestants who came on the show. I am film fanatic. I could scare you with some stuff.
DRE: I got a question for you.
CG: Go for it!
DRE: Who is credited with the music on David Cronenbergs Rabid?
CG: Is it David Cronenberg?
DRE: Nope. Usually everyone thinks its Howard Shore but its actually Ivan Reitman.
CG: Ivan Reitman?
DRE: Yes he produced Cronenbergs early films as well.
CG: Let me quiz you. Please reveal to me the true identity of the man, Glen Milstead. Ill give you a hint; hes worked with Traci Lords.
DRE: Is it Iggy Pop?
CG: No its Divine.
DRE: Right thats Divines real name. I used to know that Divine was an ugly man.
CG: He is much better looking as a woman. Film trivia can really trip you up. There are certain things I know a lot about then others things I know nothing about. If you are unlucky and get a question about a movie you know nothing about then you're screwed.
DRE: In the first episode there was the question about the Coen Brothers O Brother, Where Art Thou? which I missed because thats the movie of theirs Ive seen the least.
CG: Not every film fanatic has the same knowledge.
DRE: I thought that Phantom of the Paradise helmet that the guy had at the end of the first episode was way better than what the other guy had.
CG: I was a little shocked. But also a lot of it is not judged not by the item but what you had to go through to get it.
Ive saved every movie ticket stub for every movie Ive seen since I was 12. I saved them in a giant fish aquarium and when it was full I cataloged them by date. So its like when they find the apartment in Se7en but its my house instead. I also own a custom made George Lucas action figure in the classic packaging made by a fan. I also own a prop replica gun from the movie Logans Run, mmmm Jenny Agutter.
DRE: On my instant messenger, when Im away, I put It's my job... to freeze you!
CG: I love that. Thats one of my all time favorite movies. That was the first time I saw nudity at the movies. There is some good nudity in that one.
DRE: Did you help select the judges for Ultimate Film Fanatic?
CG: No, the judges were selected by executives at IFC. But I threw in a resounding endorsement for Traci Lords. I thought she would be fantastic. What I like about the judges is that if you are a film fanatic these are people who have cred. What was fun was how seriously Traci took her duties as judge on the show. For the people who were contestants on the show they spent their entire lives watching movies and it all came down to this moment. I think that had an impact on the judges so they took it seriously. One funny thing was, during breaks Jason Mewes would pass dirty notes to Traci. He would put the most vile things and the only one I could mention is Traci, I know you are looking at my ass and I know you want it. Then it graduated to really horrible hardcore drawings and Traci took it in stride. All I could think was Man, I wonder what that would get on ebay? Original Jason Mewes drawings!
DRE: Is that why Richard Roundtree has to sit in-between them?
CG: I think there was some idea to the separation. Jason hit on her during filming jokingly but also kind of serious but if Traci came back at him you know he would have backed down.
DRE: Film Threat has been only a website since 1996.
CG: Whats cool about it is that we can see a movie today then in the afternoon have a review and coverage. Im a big fan of the web plus we can get instant reaction. Readers can tell us to go fuck ourselves on the same day we post a review.
DRE: A lot of the people that you hailed when the magazine took off like Tarantino, Linklater and Kevin Smith had fuzzy career periods right around the time that you switched to the website. Did that contribute to the change?
CG: I believe so. We championed a lot of these people early in their careers and now they dont talk to us.
When I started the magazine there was no independent film section at the video store and now there is, which is something of an achievement. Its now become a respected category of film like a horror, sci-fi or an action film. Thats cool. Im also really excited to see documentaries get their due. Documentaries are playing in multiplexes now, which is huge.
DRE: Do they not talk to you because its a website now?
CG: No Ive interviewed Steven Soderbergh and Spike Lee for the website. The writers who write for Film Threat dont hold back. Friend of the website or not, we are going to call them like we see them. We do include opposing reviews and thats something weve been doing for years.
I am also getting away from doing the website, its really being run by Eric Campos and a dedicated band of writers. I just wrote and produced this movie called My Big Fat Independent Movie.
DRE: I saw the trailer for it and it looks like fun.
CG: Yeah Im really excited about it. Ive got some other film projects that arent mainstream.
DRE: I still like Red.
CG: I spent a year and a half working on the DVD and its coming out in August from Film Threat DVD. Its got three layers of commentary. One is me and the cinematographer, the other one is the drunk commentary because we had five beers apiece and did commentary and the third one is the old production assistant giving all the dirt on what happened. Its also subtitled in ten different languages.
DRE: Why?
CG: Because I could! My intention for starting Film Threat DVD was to be the Criterion Collection for underground film.
DRE: So all of Ultimate Film Fanatic is shot and finished. Is the geek who won a bigger geek than you?
CG: I have to say that the person who won is a much bigger geek than me.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
VIEW 8 of 8 COMMENTS
evanx:
Well, holy shit! Would you look at that! 
mitsuko:
Chris and i have a thing for tarantino ^__^