When I was talking to Rob Zombie never once did he growl "Yeah". I wish he did because then I could put it on my answering machine. But hey we had better things to talk about like good pornography, Pee-wee Herman and the release of his horror film House of 1000 Corpses.
Now House is finally coming out into the theaters by Lion's Gate Films after two studios decided not to put it out, Universal and MGM. But it's such a cool flick. I think of it as a Texas Chainsaw Massacre 1980's style with better visuals. It's a wild movie and I'm sure it will be playing midnight showings for a long time.
Check out the website for House of 1000 Corpses.
Daniel Robert Epstein: Were all the character designs and sets in House of 1000 Corpses based on your drawings?
Rob Zombie: Yes. The character drawings are the funniest because I actually designed everything before we had a costume designer or even cast the film. It's amazing how close some of the people look.
DRE: Especially the Doctor. Bill Moseley was so good in House.
RZ: He kicks ass.
DRE: The last thing I remember him in was Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 [released in 1986].
RZ: That's the last time he got to go crazy. He's been in a bunch of other stuff but Chop Top [Bill's character from Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2] was classic.
DRE: He looked wild in House of 1000 Corpses. Was that his real hair?
RZ: No but its funny. No one on set ever saw him without the wig because he came to set so early. So most of the crew thought that's what he looked like. He's also got some big part in an HBO show called Carnivale.
DRE: Obviously the first Texas Chainsaw Massacre was an influence on House of 1000 Corpses but what about other movies?
RZ: Everything from Deliverance to The Hills have Eyes to Spider Baby. There wasn't one particular film but it was more like a drive in 70's sleaze vibe that all those movies have.
DRE: I just saw Motel Hell recently so it reminded me of that.
RZ: There were so many movies like that. When I was a kid it seemed like there was a new movie like that out every week.
DRE: You also pay homage to a great serial killer, Albert Fish.
RZ: [laughs] Yeah he doesn't get the props he deserves.
DRE: Right he inserted dozens of needles into his groin.
RZ: Yeah it was great.
DRE: So did you marry Sheri [Moon] based on her performance as Baby in your movie.
RZ: [laughs] Exactly. That was the reason. We met a long time ago. We've been together for ten years. She hasn't done anything else but there were four people that I had in mind when I wrote the script. She was one of them, Bill Moseley was another because we were friends and he lives down the street from me, Sid Haig and Chris Hardwick [of Shipmates fame].
DRE: So are you going to be on Shipmates anytime soon?
RZ: Dear god no [laughs] no.
DRE: I read that you got the exact cast you wanted.
RZ: It is, the casting worked out well. I really wanted Sid Haig who had retired from making movies. He did a quick cameo in Jackie Brown [directed by Quentin Tarantino]. Sid loved the script and came out. I love Tom Towles and Karen Black. I've always been a fan of Michael J. Pollard; he's just such a kook. Now it's funny because some of the unknown people I cast are doing well. Walton Goggins is on The Shield. Rainn Wilson [who plays Bill Hudley] is a regular on Six Feet Under; he's the new kooky apprentice.
DRE: House of 1000 Corpses goes from exploitation film to horror film to art film.
RZ: Like surreal art film.
DRE: Right.
RZ: What I wanted to do is that most horror films have become fairly predictable. You can see where it's going. What I wanted to do is from the opening where Captain Spaulding is talking about the retarded kid who gets a Planet of the Apes doll shoved up his ass to where Dr. Satan is dissecting someone's brain is how did we get from here to here. You couldn't really follow it. It starts as a weird comedy, by the middle its get very depressing where there is no hope and then by the end it just gets surreal as if you don't know if the characters have lost their minds or if that's actually happening.
DRE: Was all that planned out? Because I know you keep tight control on all the things you do.
RZ: It was very planned. There are surprises along the way but it was a 25 day shoot so there wasn't a lot of room for surprises. You have to get in, know what you have to shoot and move on. Since I wrote and directed it there wasn't much to get lost in the translation hopefully.
DRE: It must have been disappointing to have this movie not be released through Universal because they put out all the classic horror films like Dracula and Frankenstein. I would imagine that was one of the reasons you wanted to make a movie with them in the first place.
RZ: Well originally that's how I felt. Every great horror movie was made here even The Munsters was shot there. But as we progressed and by the time it ended there I wasn't really feeling that spirit there anyway. The studio doesn't give a shit about that stuff. Its just a bunch of old films in their catalog. They have more respect for Waterworld than they do Frankenstein.
DRE: But it must have been cool putting that poster for The Creature from the Black Lagoon in your movie.
RZ: Yes that was cool. It was easy to use Universal's stuff. We had a scene from The Munsters and Old Dark House. Had we been at a different studio that would have been impossible to get cleared.
DRE: I don't want to give away too much, but you definitely undercut expectations of which of the group of young people is going to die.
RZ: That was one of the big problems the studio had with the script. They thought it was too bleak. I just said it was like "The Manson family comes to your house and you're pretty much fucked."
DRE: I kept thinking when is everyone going to get saved somehow.
RZ: How are you going to get them back? It's so unrealistic usually. They're a group of professional killers and you're a dopey guy that stumbles upon them. You're not getting away, you're fucked.
DRE: I did read this funny article where this guy was comparing the gore in your movie to the gore in Saving Private Ryan. Saying something like "Is responsible gore different than irresponsible gore?"
RZ: That is a thing that the MPAA [Motion Picture Association of America] looks at. They have a different standard for responsible or irresponsible gore. Especially when it comes to anything historical. In Saving Private Ryan a guy can get blown up and walk around holding his arm and they justify as real life stuff. but you can't get away with that in other stuff.
The MPAA was really hard on us. The way it is now is the goriest I could get it and still have an R rating. It carries a special warning, rated R for extremely sadistic violence. There was something in House that bugged the shit out of the MPAA.
DRE: Its real life, there are serial killers out there killing people.
RZ: Yeah, what a double standard man.
DRE: I read something where you said that your movie career is more important than your music career.
RZ: Its different now because you can buy a video camera and start making your own movies in a second. Back when I started White Zombie it was more immediate to start your own band than to just start making your own movies. Movies take money which I didn't have any of whereas I'm the singer so the band just has to worry about getting their equipment.
DRE: How did directing your music videos prepare you for making a feature?
RZ: It makes you understand how a set works and dealing with a big crew. You can't sit there and nitpick a shot for hours because of time constraints. The two things are very different. Music videos are crazy eye candy cut to music and film is a linear story that has to make sense. It was as helpful as it could be. The only way to prepare for making a movie is to make a movie. Its insane. You can read all the books and talk to all the people you want but you'll be on the set one second and something will happen that no one ever prepared you for.
DRE: With House coming out you may get even more Goth fans than ever before. What do you think of that segment of fans?
RZ: I think they're great. It seems like a word that people split hairs over what that means. I assume by the definition of it by the people who call themselves that, which I am not by any stretch of the imagination.
But I have been obsessed by everything horror and dark since I was a little tiny kid and my whole life revolves around it.
DRE: What's your favorite kind of pornography now?
RZ: Pornography is boring now. Just like 70's horror the porn was better then too. It's too legit now. I remember in high school seeing movies starring Seka and people like that which were so sleazy and so bad. Now it's just all legit whereas back then it was more disgusting.
DRE: I just saw you on Jay Leno performing Brickhouse with Lionel Ritchie. He did all of the talking. Talking with you now is probably the most I've ever heard you speak. Do you not like talking?
RZ: That's funny because for the people who know me its more like "Do you ever shut up?" It goes both ways. I used to never even talk hardly at all. I just wouldn't, then over the years I've sort of been forced into having to talk all the time. They tell me "Oh you've got ten interviews to do today."
DRE: Any drug use on the set of the movie?
RZ: Not that I saw. I don't know how you would have time. If I went to get a cup of coffee for two seconds people would be like "Where the hell have you been?" The moment you arrive on set you're behind schedule.
DRE: The great shot where Walter Goggins dies is a very high crane shot. Did you get to use the crane that often?
RZ: We did. But that was the one day when it wasn't windy. When we were filming Captain Spaulding's we were trying to do an establishing shot with the crane and we were in the middle of nowhere with 75 mph winds. It almost knocked the crane over.
DRE: What's the best horror films you've seen lately?
RZ: I heard about this one called Cabin Fever which everyone is talking about. I haven't seen it yet though. That sounds good. There have been some studio pictures too like The Others [with Nicole Kidman].
DRE: Did I hear right that you were a production assistant on Pee-wee's Playhouse?
RZ: Yeah.
DRE: Did you get to do anything cool?
RZ: No, what PA gets to do anything cool? "There's not enough sugar in this coffee."
DRE: What's Pee-wee like?
RZ: I don't know. He asked me once where the bathroom was. That was it.
DRE: What else is coming up?
RZ: I'm working on another horror movie. Its totally different from House of 1000 Corpses. I'm starting a line of comic books finally.
DRE: Are you going to be drawing?
RZ: No I'm not going to draw it. I don't have time unfortunately. Gene Colan [most famous for his runs on Tomb of Dracula & Daredevil] who was always one of my favorites and some new guys. I'm just trying to find super top guys. The first issue hits stands in August. It's called Spookshow International sort of like four different horror stories that continue through each issue.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
Now House is finally coming out into the theaters by Lion's Gate Films after two studios decided not to put it out, Universal and MGM. But it's such a cool flick. I think of it as a Texas Chainsaw Massacre 1980's style with better visuals. It's a wild movie and I'm sure it will be playing midnight showings for a long time.
Check out the website for House of 1000 Corpses.
Daniel Robert Epstein: Were all the character designs and sets in House of 1000 Corpses based on your drawings?
Rob Zombie: Yes. The character drawings are the funniest because I actually designed everything before we had a costume designer or even cast the film. It's amazing how close some of the people look.
DRE: Especially the Doctor. Bill Moseley was so good in House.
RZ: He kicks ass.
DRE: The last thing I remember him in was Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 [released in 1986].
RZ: That's the last time he got to go crazy. He's been in a bunch of other stuff but Chop Top [Bill's character from Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2] was classic.
DRE: He looked wild in House of 1000 Corpses. Was that his real hair?
RZ: No but its funny. No one on set ever saw him without the wig because he came to set so early. So most of the crew thought that's what he looked like. He's also got some big part in an HBO show called Carnivale.
DRE: Obviously the first Texas Chainsaw Massacre was an influence on House of 1000 Corpses but what about other movies?
RZ: Everything from Deliverance to The Hills have Eyes to Spider Baby. There wasn't one particular film but it was more like a drive in 70's sleaze vibe that all those movies have.
DRE: I just saw Motel Hell recently so it reminded me of that.
RZ: There were so many movies like that. When I was a kid it seemed like there was a new movie like that out every week.
DRE: You also pay homage to a great serial killer, Albert Fish.
RZ: [laughs] Yeah he doesn't get the props he deserves.
DRE: Right he inserted dozens of needles into his groin.
RZ: Yeah it was great.
DRE: So did you marry Sheri [Moon] based on her performance as Baby in your movie.
RZ: [laughs] Exactly. That was the reason. We met a long time ago. We've been together for ten years. She hasn't done anything else but there were four people that I had in mind when I wrote the script. She was one of them, Bill Moseley was another because we were friends and he lives down the street from me, Sid Haig and Chris Hardwick [of Shipmates fame].
DRE: So are you going to be on Shipmates anytime soon?
RZ: Dear god no [laughs] no.
DRE: I read that you got the exact cast you wanted.
RZ: It is, the casting worked out well. I really wanted Sid Haig who had retired from making movies. He did a quick cameo in Jackie Brown [directed by Quentin Tarantino]. Sid loved the script and came out. I love Tom Towles and Karen Black. I've always been a fan of Michael J. Pollard; he's just such a kook. Now it's funny because some of the unknown people I cast are doing well. Walton Goggins is on The Shield. Rainn Wilson [who plays Bill Hudley] is a regular on Six Feet Under; he's the new kooky apprentice.
DRE: House of 1000 Corpses goes from exploitation film to horror film to art film.
RZ: Like surreal art film.
DRE: Right.
RZ: What I wanted to do is that most horror films have become fairly predictable. You can see where it's going. What I wanted to do is from the opening where Captain Spaulding is talking about the retarded kid who gets a Planet of the Apes doll shoved up his ass to where Dr. Satan is dissecting someone's brain is how did we get from here to here. You couldn't really follow it. It starts as a weird comedy, by the middle its get very depressing where there is no hope and then by the end it just gets surreal as if you don't know if the characters have lost their minds or if that's actually happening.
DRE: Was all that planned out? Because I know you keep tight control on all the things you do.
RZ: It was very planned. There are surprises along the way but it was a 25 day shoot so there wasn't a lot of room for surprises. You have to get in, know what you have to shoot and move on. Since I wrote and directed it there wasn't much to get lost in the translation hopefully.
DRE: It must have been disappointing to have this movie not be released through Universal because they put out all the classic horror films like Dracula and Frankenstein. I would imagine that was one of the reasons you wanted to make a movie with them in the first place.
RZ: Well originally that's how I felt. Every great horror movie was made here even The Munsters was shot there. But as we progressed and by the time it ended there I wasn't really feeling that spirit there anyway. The studio doesn't give a shit about that stuff. Its just a bunch of old films in their catalog. They have more respect for Waterworld than they do Frankenstein.
DRE: But it must have been cool putting that poster for The Creature from the Black Lagoon in your movie.
RZ: Yes that was cool. It was easy to use Universal's stuff. We had a scene from The Munsters and Old Dark House. Had we been at a different studio that would have been impossible to get cleared.
DRE: I don't want to give away too much, but you definitely undercut expectations of which of the group of young people is going to die.
RZ: That was one of the big problems the studio had with the script. They thought it was too bleak. I just said it was like "The Manson family comes to your house and you're pretty much fucked."
DRE: I kept thinking when is everyone going to get saved somehow.
RZ: How are you going to get them back? It's so unrealistic usually. They're a group of professional killers and you're a dopey guy that stumbles upon them. You're not getting away, you're fucked.
DRE: I did read this funny article where this guy was comparing the gore in your movie to the gore in Saving Private Ryan. Saying something like "Is responsible gore different than irresponsible gore?"
RZ: That is a thing that the MPAA [Motion Picture Association of America] looks at. They have a different standard for responsible or irresponsible gore. Especially when it comes to anything historical. In Saving Private Ryan a guy can get blown up and walk around holding his arm and they justify as real life stuff. but you can't get away with that in other stuff.
The MPAA was really hard on us. The way it is now is the goriest I could get it and still have an R rating. It carries a special warning, rated R for extremely sadistic violence. There was something in House that bugged the shit out of the MPAA.
DRE: Its real life, there are serial killers out there killing people.
RZ: Yeah, what a double standard man.
DRE: I read something where you said that your movie career is more important than your music career.
RZ: Its different now because you can buy a video camera and start making your own movies in a second. Back when I started White Zombie it was more immediate to start your own band than to just start making your own movies. Movies take money which I didn't have any of whereas I'm the singer so the band just has to worry about getting their equipment.
DRE: How did directing your music videos prepare you for making a feature?
RZ: It makes you understand how a set works and dealing with a big crew. You can't sit there and nitpick a shot for hours because of time constraints. The two things are very different. Music videos are crazy eye candy cut to music and film is a linear story that has to make sense. It was as helpful as it could be. The only way to prepare for making a movie is to make a movie. Its insane. You can read all the books and talk to all the people you want but you'll be on the set one second and something will happen that no one ever prepared you for.
DRE: With House coming out you may get even more Goth fans than ever before. What do you think of that segment of fans?
RZ: I think they're great. It seems like a word that people split hairs over what that means. I assume by the definition of it by the people who call themselves that, which I am not by any stretch of the imagination.
But I have been obsessed by everything horror and dark since I was a little tiny kid and my whole life revolves around it.
DRE: What's your favorite kind of pornography now?
RZ: Pornography is boring now. Just like 70's horror the porn was better then too. It's too legit now. I remember in high school seeing movies starring Seka and people like that which were so sleazy and so bad. Now it's just all legit whereas back then it was more disgusting.
DRE: I just saw you on Jay Leno performing Brickhouse with Lionel Ritchie. He did all of the talking. Talking with you now is probably the most I've ever heard you speak. Do you not like talking?
RZ: That's funny because for the people who know me its more like "Do you ever shut up?" It goes both ways. I used to never even talk hardly at all. I just wouldn't, then over the years I've sort of been forced into having to talk all the time. They tell me "Oh you've got ten interviews to do today."
DRE: Any drug use on the set of the movie?
RZ: Not that I saw. I don't know how you would have time. If I went to get a cup of coffee for two seconds people would be like "Where the hell have you been?" The moment you arrive on set you're behind schedule.
DRE: The great shot where Walter Goggins dies is a very high crane shot. Did you get to use the crane that often?
RZ: We did. But that was the one day when it wasn't windy. When we were filming Captain Spaulding's we were trying to do an establishing shot with the crane and we were in the middle of nowhere with 75 mph winds. It almost knocked the crane over.
DRE: What's the best horror films you've seen lately?
RZ: I heard about this one called Cabin Fever which everyone is talking about. I haven't seen it yet though. That sounds good. There have been some studio pictures too like The Others [with Nicole Kidman].
DRE: Did I hear right that you were a production assistant on Pee-wee's Playhouse?
RZ: Yeah.
DRE: Did you get to do anything cool?
RZ: No, what PA gets to do anything cool? "There's not enough sugar in this coffee."
DRE: What's Pee-wee like?
RZ: I don't know. He asked me once where the bathroom was. That was it.
DRE: What else is coming up?
RZ: I'm working on another horror movie. Its totally different from House of 1000 Corpses. I'm starting a line of comic books finally.
DRE: Are you going to be drawing?
RZ: No I'm not going to draw it. I don't have time unfortunately. Gene Colan [most famous for his runs on Tomb of Dracula & Daredevil] who was always one of my favorites and some new guys. I'm just trying to find super top guys. The first issue hits stands in August. It's called Spookshow International sort of like four different horror stories that continue through each issue.
by Daniel Robert Epstein
VIEW 21 of 21 COMMENTS
Awesome interview.