anderswolleck

Udo Kier is as cool in person as he was in any of the Paul Morrissey films he starred in. Kier always has self deprecating smirk on his face and was making me roar with laughter as we talked on the New York City set of the horror movie Headspace. In this film Kier plays a priest who is counseling Alex who has visions from his long-suppressed memories of a vanished older brother, a father who abandoned both his sons and a mother who was viciously murdered.

Check out the website for Headspace

Daniel Robert Epstein: How did this film come to you?

Udo Kier: It came in an unusual way which happens with some of the best films such as when I met Gus Van Sant [My Own Private Idaho] at a party in Berlin. My lawyer in Los Angeles was a great fan of independent movies and young people. He called me and said he saw a great movie which [Headspace director] Andrew [van den Houten] produced. Then Andrew came to my house, gave me the script and I liked the idea. I always like to work with new directors because they have a fresh energy. I was in Lars Von Trier second film and now Ive just done another one of his films with Danny Glover and Willem Dafoe called Manderlay. When Im finished with Headspace Im going to Montreal to work with another first time director.

I think if you work in this industry you know how long it takes for anybody to get a movie off the ground. Directors have to have so much energy because its their dream. In the history of film many directors first film are the best then they dont fight anymore. When you make movies you never know how its going to turn out. Ive made films where I thought the film was going to be great and get awards and nothing happened. I made films that I didnt believe in and then they get nominated for an Oscar.

DRE: I was watching you and Christopher Denham [star of Headspace] doing some scenes. In between scenes he would walk away from everyone to be by himself to obviously to keep up the intensity of the role.

UK: I used to do the same thing. It depends on what role you play. In this he is running to the church so he always has to seem out of breath. Thats why he is getting into it. I like him because he is thinking.

DRE: In this movie you play a good guy but you still get killed. You usually play villains and get killed.

UK: Its always a good thing. I played Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, I played Father Mephisto. Its always a great thing for an actor to play the good and the bad. Every actor dreams about playing a double role. Being good during the day, having a nice job at a bank then at midnight you put a tuxedo on and kill some prostitutes. Its great.

DRE: What do you do to make each one of your deaths in film different?

UK: Ive died so many times in films so I do have to find new ways to die. Rule number one is to die with open eyes. To close my eyes and die is boring so I have to learn to have open eyes and stand still. On End of Days with Schwarzenegger they really had a discussion on how to kill me. Arnold Schwarzenegger wanted me to put my head between two blocks and I said no. They came up with the simplest trick ever that seems as if its from a Magritte painting. They made this empty head, put some liver and a bloody heart in it then Gabriel Byrne just smashed through it and we saw his knuckle coming through. It was more brutal than anything.

DRE: Youre shooting Headspace in New York, have you met up with Paul Morrissey at all?

UK: Actually I saw Paul today with Andrew so that Paul could give him his blessing. We went to his house and we were talking. He doesnt make films anymore but he was a revolutionary in the years of Andy Warhol. He did some great films. Paul Morrissey is actually the godfather of Dogma film because he had no money so he just had a camera in a hotel room with no light. In I fact introduced Lars von Trier to Paul. Paul wrote a movie for me called House of Klang which Lars is going to produce. Its about fashion and it has handbags with dirty underwear in it.

DRE: Are people surprised to find out that you arent someone who takes himself so seriously all the time?

UK: I dont take myself seriously at all [laughs] but Im a very serious person. If I took myself seriously I think I would be a pathetic person. It would be ridiculous. More and more in the last few years Ive worked with young filmmakers because of their new energy. I know how long they have fought to get their film made.

DRE: How does [Blade director] Stephen Norrington compare to some of the new filmmakers you are working with?

UK: He was great on Blade. hes British and as we know British people make good films. Hitchcock wasnt American either. My favorite scene in Blade is the club scene in the beginning when they are dancing and the blood sprays down all over them. I think blood looks very good on the breasts of women. Its so erotic. When do you have the chance to massage bloody breasts? Never [laughs].

DRE: What do you find unique about your role in Headspace?

UK: Its not the role. I am intrigued by Andrew because hes a fighting machine. He knows everything thats good and he has enormous knowledge. Not only does he know everything that lives within ten blocks of him but he knows everything about film. Its very difficult to find your own film language so you need knowledge to make films. If you know all the famous scenes that Hitchcock did and you do them with the modern technology that is available today it will be wonderful.

DRE: Why do you enjoy doing vampire roles or being in movies with vampires?

UK: My biggest fans are from vampire films. I get fan letters from women wearing leather bikinis in a dungeon with a whip. They love it.

DRE: What about you?

UK: Personally I like to cook, garden and plant trees. But when I put a tuxedo on I am evil.

by Daniel Robert Epstein

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