Rob Zombie is really developing into a skilled director. While his first feature film House of 1000 Corpses is really hit or miss for people, The Devils Rejects, is undeniable a better quality film. The Devils Rejects plot of three serial killers who kill and maim while being hunted by rogue sheriff may put some people off their lunch. It shows that Zombie is poised to become a major filmmaker. Lions Gate has just released the unrated edition of The Devils Rejects on DVD.
Buy the DVD of The Devils Rejects
Daniel Robert Epstein: What are you up to today?
Rob Zombie: Im doing this interview then Im running to the studio to work on a record.
DRE: A new Rob Zombie record?
RZ: Yep.
DRE: Awesome. Hows that going?
RZ: Its going good. Its about half done.
DRE: When is it going to come out?
RZ: Hopefully March 7th [2006].
DRE: Who else is on it?
RZ: Right now, mostly Im playing with the guys that Ive been on tour with this summer, John Five, Blasko playing bass and Tommy Cluefetos playing drums. Josh Freese came in and played drums and Wes Borlin played some guitar, a bunch of different people.
DRE: The Devils Rejects was a tough movie, how happy were you with The Devils Rejects release in theatres?
RZ: It did awesome.
People dont ever really know how to look at things. But probably pound for pound for what that movie cost and what it made, it was one of the more successful movies all summer.
DRE: Thats so great.
RZ: Its hard because it is such a hard violent movie but funny too. I know so many people that see the commercial and go oh I cant see that. It looks so cool but it looks too scary. Whatever. That seems like a bizarre statement.
DRE: Even for fans of pretty sick films, like me, it was still a bit rough but that seemed to be the point.
RZ: Oh yeah. Well not necessarily the point but I always feel if youre going to make movies of a violent nature, they should have an effect. Im not a fan of violent movies or action movies where the violence is like fun. I always find that really stupid.
DRE: I said this to you the last time we spoke but it really seemed like you wanted us to sympathize with the three serial killers. Im probably saying that because I guess at one point I probably did but mostly I wanted them to die in the most horrible way imaginable.
RZ: I didnt really necessarily want people to sympathize with them because theres really no reason you should. I just wanted to create enough of a conflict that it became interesting where sometimes you might but then you wouldnt and then you might. I figured if from the beginning of the movie they were clearly the bad guys and Wydell was clearly the good guy, thats kind of boring. I thought jumping back and forth from hating them to loving them would be a lot more interesting. Those to me are the only two responses you should ever want. Anything in the middle means you didnt have an effect. Id rather have people walk out of the theatre going that was so awesome, thats my favorite movie or I hated that movie more than anything Ive ever seen.
DRE: How was doing the DVD?
RZ: It was fun though difficult because the DVD has about four hours of extra stuff.
DRE: Is this the definitive DVD or will we get doubled dipped?
RZ: Theres no real way to double dip on this one. Were putting out two versions at the same time. Theres the R rated version then theres the unrated version. Then thats all there is. Theres nothing left to come back two years from now and go heres the super unrated version. Theres nothing else left so theres no way to do it.
DRE: Do you like doing commentary?
RZ: I dont mind doing it. They way I do it is kind of different than what other people do. I go in there, I do it once then I just leave and I never even listen to it. So I dont even really know what I said.
DRE: How does Lions Gate like that?
RZ: They seem happy with it. Theres never seems to be a problem. I hear that some people do commentary over and over and over. They put in new parts and fix them up and Im like uh forget about it.
DRE: Is it fun to direct your wife in this stuff?
RZ: Oh yeah its great.
DRE: Obviously she really respects your work.
RZ: She loves it.
DRE: Is the rest of your family interested?
RZ: Interested in the sense they saw the movie.
DRE: Are they ever like whatd we do wrong?
RZ: Probably. Im sure theyre horrified.
DRE: What are some of the bloopers on the DVD?
RZ: There werent really that many. They were mostly a lot of people fucking up their lines, slipping and falling down. One of the biggest things that kept happening was when were shooting on the ranch there and the horses and cows were very loud. There was one cow in particular that seemed to always moo really loud right in the middle of every speech that William Forsythe was trying to give. It was driving him crazy. Thats on there.
DRE: Did you like seeing William Forsythe get crazy, not at you?
RZ: Yeah, he was great and fun to watch. Hes pretty intense.
DRE: How was working Brian Posehn?
RZ: Brians great. I knew Brian before the movie and I always wanted to work with him. I told him as soon as I made another movie Id write a part for him. I love it. I think with a lot of the actors in this movie; these are the best performances theyve ever given.
DRE: Definitely Leslie Easterbrook.
RZ: Leslie Easterbrook and Priscilla Barnes and Sid Haig and Bill Moseley and even William Forsythe.
DRE: Is this the last time you think youll revisit these characters?
RZ: Yeah I think so.
DRE: Are you tired of them?
RZ: No Im not tired of them. In fact its sad to not revisit them because I do really like them. I just think that they would become kind of a cheap like going back to the well.
DRE: Would you ever do further adventures in comic book form?
RZ: I might. I really like the characters. Its kind of a drag to leave them behind but just as with anything that was great like Chainsaw Massacre, Hellraiser or Halloween or anything, it always get worse as you keep going back. I thought The Devils Rejects was better than House of a 1000 Corpses so youve got to know when to get out of there before you ruin it.
DRE: What comics are you doing now?
RZ: Im actually doing a comic with David Hartman who did art for The Devils Rejects comic we did. Were also doing Living Dead Girl comic.
DRE: Whats that about?
RZ: Im not really sure yet, we just started working on it. Itll be in the style of a Hammer movie.
DRE: Did anyone ask you to direct an episode of Masters of Horror?
RZ: Oh yeah Ive talked to them a million times. They asked me to do it but I just havent. When they were shooting the first season I was shooting The Devils Rejects or editing or was too busy and now theyre starting to prep for the second season. Then Ozzfest got in the way because that was the last chance I had to do an episode this year. The timing has just been really bad for me.
DRE: Did you have an original story you want to do for them?
RZ: I dont know what the story would be yet. Since I knew I wouldnt have time to do it I never really got that into it.
DRE: Have you seen any episodes?
RZ: I saw Don Coscarellis episode. It was great. I was always a fan of his so it was nice to see it.
DRE: What about prepping your next film?
RZ: What the next film will be is still up in the air. Im in talks on something that could be pretty cool but I dont want to mention it yet. So Im sort of taking projects one at a time. Im going to finish the record and then when the records done then Ill start the next movie.
DRE: Is it a horror film?
RZ: Its not even a horror film.
DRE: I read Hellbilly Deluxe is coming back out.
RZ: Yes with 15 videos, which is one for every single song on the record that I made like back in 1999.
DRE: I just read that you and I have something in common; we both love The King of Queens.
RZ: Thats a good show.
DRE: It is about really unhappy angry people.
RZ: Thats why its so funny; theyre not even nice to each other.
DRE: Whats been your favorite episode so far this season?
RZ: I kind of get confused sometimes. The reruns are on every night so I watch those so I kind of get confused which is actually a new episode or an old episode.
DRE: Did you see the stripper pole episode?
RZ: Yeah, that was pretty funny.
DRE: Would you ever make an appearance on the show?
RZ: I wouldnt do it because I dont want to do stuff like that. I always get offers to do stuff like that and I wont do it. I just dont have any desire to act.
DRE: Supposedly when we interview Henry Rollins were not supposed to ask him about tattoos. I dont know why. Have you gotten any new ones?
RZ: I got one over the summer at Ozzfest.
DRE: What is it?
RZ: Its kind of funny. Our road manager is a tattoo artist so he had all this stuff with him so everybody got tattoos. I got mine the day we were supposed to play New Orleans, which is the day that the hurricane hit, so we obviously had a day off. Its a clown but it looks like a clown off of a 1960s popcorn box. It is like a real classic looking sort of vintage clown.
DRE: How is the animated film, The Haunted World of El Superbeasto, going?
RZ: Thats going really good. Animated things take a long time but that is supposed to be finished by August 2006. Its all based on the comics that I did for Spookshow International. I have one past the script now Im re-writing it with Tom Pampa, comedian, who is actually doing the voice of Superbeasto.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
Buy the DVD of The Devils Rejects
Daniel Robert Epstein: What are you up to today?
Rob Zombie: Im doing this interview then Im running to the studio to work on a record.
DRE: A new Rob Zombie record?
RZ: Yep.
DRE: Awesome. Hows that going?
RZ: Its going good. Its about half done.
DRE: When is it going to come out?
RZ: Hopefully March 7th [2006].
DRE: Who else is on it?
RZ: Right now, mostly Im playing with the guys that Ive been on tour with this summer, John Five, Blasko playing bass and Tommy Cluefetos playing drums. Josh Freese came in and played drums and Wes Borlin played some guitar, a bunch of different people.
DRE: The Devils Rejects was a tough movie, how happy were you with The Devils Rejects release in theatres?
RZ: It did awesome.
People dont ever really know how to look at things. But probably pound for pound for what that movie cost and what it made, it was one of the more successful movies all summer.
DRE: Thats so great.
RZ: Its hard because it is such a hard violent movie but funny too. I know so many people that see the commercial and go oh I cant see that. It looks so cool but it looks too scary. Whatever. That seems like a bizarre statement.
DRE: Even for fans of pretty sick films, like me, it was still a bit rough but that seemed to be the point.
RZ: Oh yeah. Well not necessarily the point but I always feel if youre going to make movies of a violent nature, they should have an effect. Im not a fan of violent movies or action movies where the violence is like fun. I always find that really stupid.
DRE: I said this to you the last time we spoke but it really seemed like you wanted us to sympathize with the three serial killers. Im probably saying that because I guess at one point I probably did but mostly I wanted them to die in the most horrible way imaginable.
RZ: I didnt really necessarily want people to sympathize with them because theres really no reason you should. I just wanted to create enough of a conflict that it became interesting where sometimes you might but then you wouldnt and then you might. I figured if from the beginning of the movie they were clearly the bad guys and Wydell was clearly the good guy, thats kind of boring. I thought jumping back and forth from hating them to loving them would be a lot more interesting. Those to me are the only two responses you should ever want. Anything in the middle means you didnt have an effect. Id rather have people walk out of the theatre going that was so awesome, thats my favorite movie or I hated that movie more than anything Ive ever seen.
DRE: How was doing the DVD?
RZ: It was fun though difficult because the DVD has about four hours of extra stuff.
DRE: Is this the definitive DVD or will we get doubled dipped?
RZ: Theres no real way to double dip on this one. Were putting out two versions at the same time. Theres the R rated version then theres the unrated version. Then thats all there is. Theres nothing left to come back two years from now and go heres the super unrated version. Theres nothing else left so theres no way to do it.
DRE: Do you like doing commentary?
RZ: I dont mind doing it. They way I do it is kind of different than what other people do. I go in there, I do it once then I just leave and I never even listen to it. So I dont even really know what I said.
DRE: How does Lions Gate like that?
RZ: They seem happy with it. Theres never seems to be a problem. I hear that some people do commentary over and over and over. They put in new parts and fix them up and Im like uh forget about it.
DRE: Is it fun to direct your wife in this stuff?
RZ: Oh yeah its great.
DRE: Obviously she really respects your work.
RZ: She loves it.
DRE: Is the rest of your family interested?
RZ: Interested in the sense they saw the movie.
DRE: Are they ever like whatd we do wrong?
RZ: Probably. Im sure theyre horrified.
DRE: What are some of the bloopers on the DVD?
RZ: There werent really that many. They were mostly a lot of people fucking up their lines, slipping and falling down. One of the biggest things that kept happening was when were shooting on the ranch there and the horses and cows were very loud. There was one cow in particular that seemed to always moo really loud right in the middle of every speech that William Forsythe was trying to give. It was driving him crazy. Thats on there.
DRE: Did you like seeing William Forsythe get crazy, not at you?
RZ: Yeah, he was great and fun to watch. Hes pretty intense.
DRE: How was working Brian Posehn?
RZ: Brians great. I knew Brian before the movie and I always wanted to work with him. I told him as soon as I made another movie Id write a part for him. I love it. I think with a lot of the actors in this movie; these are the best performances theyve ever given.
DRE: Definitely Leslie Easterbrook.
RZ: Leslie Easterbrook and Priscilla Barnes and Sid Haig and Bill Moseley and even William Forsythe.
DRE: Is this the last time you think youll revisit these characters?
RZ: Yeah I think so.
DRE: Are you tired of them?
RZ: No Im not tired of them. In fact its sad to not revisit them because I do really like them. I just think that they would become kind of a cheap like going back to the well.
DRE: Would you ever do further adventures in comic book form?
RZ: I might. I really like the characters. Its kind of a drag to leave them behind but just as with anything that was great like Chainsaw Massacre, Hellraiser or Halloween or anything, it always get worse as you keep going back. I thought The Devils Rejects was better than House of a 1000 Corpses so youve got to know when to get out of there before you ruin it.
DRE: What comics are you doing now?
RZ: Im actually doing a comic with David Hartman who did art for The Devils Rejects comic we did. Were also doing Living Dead Girl comic.
DRE: Whats that about?
RZ: Im not really sure yet, we just started working on it. Itll be in the style of a Hammer movie.
DRE: Did anyone ask you to direct an episode of Masters of Horror?
RZ: Oh yeah Ive talked to them a million times. They asked me to do it but I just havent. When they were shooting the first season I was shooting The Devils Rejects or editing or was too busy and now theyre starting to prep for the second season. Then Ozzfest got in the way because that was the last chance I had to do an episode this year. The timing has just been really bad for me.
DRE: Did you have an original story you want to do for them?
RZ: I dont know what the story would be yet. Since I knew I wouldnt have time to do it I never really got that into it.
DRE: Have you seen any episodes?
RZ: I saw Don Coscarellis episode. It was great. I was always a fan of his so it was nice to see it.
DRE: What about prepping your next film?
RZ: What the next film will be is still up in the air. Im in talks on something that could be pretty cool but I dont want to mention it yet. So Im sort of taking projects one at a time. Im going to finish the record and then when the records done then Ill start the next movie.
DRE: Is it a horror film?
RZ: Its not even a horror film.
DRE: I read Hellbilly Deluxe is coming back out.
RZ: Yes with 15 videos, which is one for every single song on the record that I made like back in 1999.
DRE: I just read that you and I have something in common; we both love The King of Queens.
RZ: Thats a good show.
DRE: It is about really unhappy angry people.
RZ: Thats why its so funny; theyre not even nice to each other.
DRE: Whats been your favorite episode so far this season?
RZ: I kind of get confused sometimes. The reruns are on every night so I watch those so I kind of get confused which is actually a new episode or an old episode.
DRE: Did you see the stripper pole episode?
RZ: Yeah, that was pretty funny.
DRE: Would you ever make an appearance on the show?
RZ: I wouldnt do it because I dont want to do stuff like that. I always get offers to do stuff like that and I wont do it. I just dont have any desire to act.
DRE: Supposedly when we interview Henry Rollins were not supposed to ask him about tattoos. I dont know why. Have you gotten any new ones?
RZ: I got one over the summer at Ozzfest.
DRE: What is it?
RZ: Its kind of funny. Our road manager is a tattoo artist so he had all this stuff with him so everybody got tattoos. I got mine the day we were supposed to play New Orleans, which is the day that the hurricane hit, so we obviously had a day off. Its a clown but it looks like a clown off of a 1960s popcorn box. It is like a real classic looking sort of vintage clown.
DRE: How is the animated film, The Haunted World of El Superbeasto, going?
RZ: Thats going really good. Animated things take a long time but that is supposed to be finished by August 2006. Its all based on the comics that I did for Spookshow International. I have one past the script now Im re-writing it with Tom Pampa, comedian, who is actually doing the voice of Superbeasto.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
SG Username: AndersWolleck
VIEW 17 of 17 COMMENTS
DevilsReject said:
i approve of this.
snob.