Rolfe Kanefsky [Interview]

There are certain people who were simply born to enter the world of movies.  For one reason or another there is a burning sensation in the pit of these folk’s stomachs that tell them they HAVE to be in the business of making movies.  Even as cold and shameless as the world may be, it is just something they obviously have to do.  And even better, there are some folks who simply will not be pigeonholed into making just certain types of movies.  In fact it becomes the versatility in their work that becomes an obvious factor that has been brought by their drive to great cinema.

Take for instance the wonderful filmmaker/screenwriter Rolfe Kanefsky.  If you scour the internet for a while, you will most likely find that the horror community has embraced this man as a legend among indie horror filmmakers for his now cult classic first feature, There’s Nothing Out There.  A horror movie that preceded what would become some more well known films like Scream or Cabin in the Woods.  Kanefsky is the man who laid the ground work for the certain sub-genre of an already beloved genre of movies.  The film is great in its own right, and it is no surprise that the horror community (arguably, one of the most loyal communities the internet has ever seen), but there is so much more to this man.  His abilities to transcend through any genre (erotica, western, comedy, alien mommy issues, and on and on) is what makes him a true master of cinema.  Rolfe knew that the best way to break into the business was by using the horror genre to kickstart his career.  And it worked!  Though There’s Nothing Out There might not have been an initial “success” (depending on how you would deem success), time has proven that is the stuff that legends are made of, and also a door to a truly astounding career that has shown no evidence of slowing up anytime soon.

So, with that in mind, we are proud to bring Mr. Kanefsky into the digital pages of Trainwreck’d Society!  We managed to peel him away from his work for a few questions about his career thus far, his amazing versatility, and maybe give some insight into some of this other great works.  So, ladies and gentlemen, Rolfe Kanefsky!

In the early stages of your career, you were working for the legendary Troma Films. How did you land this gig? What were you up to around there, and what films did you happen to work on during this time?

I started working as a P.A. when I was 16 over the summers on a bunch of independent films including a slasher film called Posed For Murder and a still unreleased comedy called Rich Boys. I got involved with Troma the summer before I started college. I believe my father, Victor Kanefsky, a film editor is the one who hooked me up over there. He edited a movie that eventually became one of their most infamous releases, Joel M. Reed’s Bloodsucking Freaks. My father owned and ran a post production company in New York called Valkhn Films and got the assignment to edit some Troma titles. I helped cut one for Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD. But before that I was a P.A. on their biggest production ever, Troma’s War. I worked for them for about two months on that show. I had to leave to start college but that was quite an experience. I actually was interviewed about it on their special anniversary DVD of Troma’s War. There’s a seven minute interview I did about my memories from that set. I’ve stayed in contact with Troma and Lloyd over the years and have put Lloyd in bit parts on some of the later films I directed like Tomorrow By Midnight and Pretty Cool although you now only hear his voice in the films. Troma also ended up releasing our 20th Anniversary DVD for my very first professional feature film, There’s Nothing Out There.

As time marches on, it seems that your now cult classic film There’s Nothing Out There is finally receiving some of the much deserved respect and admiration it has always deserved, even outside of the realm of die hard horror fans. Why do you think this is? What do you believe it is that people see in this film that is so captivating?

I could write a book about There’s Nothing Out There and in fact, have. It’s on my website.  But the shorter story is, at the age of 14, I decided I wanted to be a filmmaker and started to research how to do it. I realized that at that time most first time filmmaker started with horror films so I started renting every horror film on video. I saw some great ones like Evil Dead and Carpenter’s Halloween and a lot of bad ones that were just doing the same old clichés to make a quick buck. I wrote Nothing Out There when I was still in high school as an exercise to see how long it would take me to write a low budget exploitation horror flick. As I wrote it, I couldn’t get myself to write all the same clichés seriously so I added the character of Mike, (basically myself), a horror fan who has seen all the horror films and immediately started to recognize and warn the others of the conventions of the genre. But I was careful not to make fun of the horror genre but of the lazy filmmakers and producers who keep doing the cat scare, the person going into the basement alone, standing in front of an open window, etc… My thought was to send-up all these cliches so horror films would be forced to be smarter for the fans. When we shot the film in 1989, the horror genre was still huge. Unfortunately, it collapsed the following year. My film got a small theatrical release in New York and California, played a bunch of film festivals, got surprisingly good reviews and then hit video through Prism entertainment, laser disc through Image, and played HBO/Cinemax. I thought it was over. A few years later, Wes Craven made a movie called Scream and to my surprise, thanks to a few movie books and the internet, people started talking about Nothing again. It slowly became a cult film. So, I embraced it, started a website for the movie, and let the slow legion of growing fans keep it alive. When DVD came along, IMAGE was willing to do a special 10 year anniversary on DVD and we were finally able to get a good quality version of the film put out. Reviews were great for the DVD. Because of Scream, Nothing Out There was discovered more and more. And for the 20th Anniversary, Troma stepped up to release a 2 disc special edition. There is talk that one day they may put it out on Blu-Ray too.

I think the reason why Nothing Out There has stayed so popular is that it is very honest in its’ intentions and is still funny. The genre hasn’t changed that much. Filmmakers and producers are still doing the same cliches so There’s Nothing Out There is still current. Even after Cabin in the Woods, people came back to write about There’s Nothing Out There. One reviewer said it’s the perfect bookends to the self-reflexive horror genre that started with Nothing moved to Scream and ended with Cabin in the Woods. To be grouped in that company is an honor.

While you are no stranger to the world of horror, your body of work consists of many different genres, from comedy to erotica, actually pretty scattered to say the least. One film in particular that interests me a whole lot is the film Doc Holliday’s Revenge, which is actually a western you wrote, and was directed by David DeCoteau. So, how did you manage to enter the world of Doc Holliday? What made you want to get involved with this project?

It was simple. David DeCoteau asked me to write a western that he could shoot in three days with about seven characters. I came up with a couple of simple premises, one kind of variation of Straw Dogs that he liked. But then he wanted to add a history western figure into the story. I talked with a good writer friend of mine, C. Courtney Joyner, who is a huge western fan and has written a wonderful book called Shotgun, to help me. Courtney suggested Doc Holliday. So, I started researching Doc Holliday and looked for an event that could fit into my original story idea. I ended up writing a fictional story that consists of all real people from the time around real events that were taking place. During this time, the news with filled with the whole Trevon Martin/Scott Zimmerman trial where they were calling Florida the wild wild west because of the “Stand Your Ground” law. I thought that would be a great title for my western and actually wrote the story very much as an allegory to the Zimmerman trial from the point of view of the judge, who was eventually played by Tom Berenger in my story. David loved it and shot the movie, getting a little more time and money then usual because of the quality of the script. The distributors changed the title from Stand Your Ground to “Doc Holliday’s Revenge and Lions Gate released it. I hear the film has done well and I’m proud of the script I wrote for it.

And even a bit more of a jump is your comedy Blonde and Blonder. That was even more of a stretch compared to your normal body of work? How did you land this gig?

Actually, Blonde and Blonder was not a stretch at all. I fell in love with Abbott and Costello movies when I was four years old. Comedy is actually my forte. No matter what genre I write, there is always a pretty good sense of humor in it. I was working for Alain Siritzky, producer of the famous Emmanuelle series in the 90’s. He has the idea of doing a female version of Dumb and Dumber and asked me to write it.  So, I wrote Blonde and Blonder as almost a female version of Abbott and Costello, although I described more along the lines of a younger, sexier I Love Lucy episode. When I wrote the script, I thought perhaps Pamela Anderson and Jenny McCarthy would be good for the roles. Alain tried to get the script made but couldn’t.

It sat on a shelf unproduced for about 10 years until another producer came to me. He’s a Brazilian producer named “Frederico Lapenda”. He invested some money into my flick, Nightmare Man, and asked what other scripts I had. I gave him Blonde and Blonder. He asked who I saw in the roles? I told him originally, Pamela Anderson. So Frederico got the script the Pamela’s brother, Gerry. He got it to her. She liked it and they set the film up in Canada with Insight Film Studios. Bob Clark was hired to direct and suddenly the film was in production with Pamela Anderson and Denise Richards. I am not very happy with the final results and the worst part was that Bob Clark, director of such films as A Christmas Story, Porky’s, Black Christmas) died in a car accident right after production wrapped and didn’t get any credit on the finished film due to Canadian Content (aka stealing money from the government as a tax rebate if there are enough Canadians working on the film.) I won’t go into all the details and dirty dealings that occurred but it’s a shame that Bob Clark does not have credit for the last film he directed after such an incredible career.

What is your ultimate goal for yourself as a filmmaker/screenwriter? When you look back on your career at a much older age, what are you hoping to see?

Well, it’s a crazy business. To be able to have had a career full time as the writer/director for almost 25 years is amazing in itself. A filmmaker always hope that he leaves behind a film or a body of work that is remembered and appreciated. I am pleased that I have a cult film still talked about after twenty years. I am proud of a film that has never been released in the states called Tomorrow By Midnight which is the most personal film I’ve made. I hope to see that released one day. You’ve probably heard the saying that any film that gets completed should win an award and if it turns out to be good, it’s a miracle. I am pleased to say that I believe a handful of my films have turned out good. I hope to have a handful more before I’m done. I have a lot of scripts ready to go if I could just find the finances. I love film and all genres. I feel fortunate to have been able to work in most genres and not be pigeonholed. I hope to make more thrillers since I’m a big Hitchcock fan. At this point, I have 50 produced scripts that I written of which 23 of them I personally directed. I consider that a career, more better or worse. I hope others consider it to be better.

What would you say has been your greatest experience in the film business thus far?

The response that There’s Nothing Out There received at film festivals around the world. Hearing the crowd react in Florence, Ohio, New York, and California was amazing. That’s a memory you can never lose. I also loved directing Tomorrow By Midnight which is a film that is the closest I’ve gotten to getting my full vision on screen.

And, of course, what has been your least favorite experience in your career to date?

Working on Corpses for Tanya York’s company. Miserable experience every single day only made slightly better by a good cast consisting of Tiffany Shepis, Jeff Fahey, and Robert Donavan. And meeting my script supervisor turned friend turned producer, Esther Goodstein.

Most important question of all…..you are on set for say 14-16 straight hours.  When you find a chance to sit and eat something, what is your personal “brain food” you use to fuel creativity?
I don’t drink, smoke, or do drugs. My one vice is chocolate. I wouldn’t call it “brain food” but I do find myself eating the junk food. Chocolate chip cookies make me happy.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

Doing this interview. A lot of good memories mixed with the bad but I try to be a positive person. Glass is half full.

Joe Chrest [Interview]

One of my favorite things about running this site is gaining the ability to at least digitally talk with some folks who have been involved in some major projects that have either influenced or entertained me over the years.  Whether it is with laughs, inspiration, or just pure and non-granulated talent, each individual that has been interviewed on this site has been someone who is very special to me for one reason or another.

And our interviewee today is no exception.  Well, maybe a slight exception, as Joe Chrest has turned out to be one of the funniest and most down to earth people I have had the honor and privilege to have a digital conversation with since, well the last person who was extremely cordial via e-mail (honestly, they’ve all be pretty cool, but Joe has been THE man!).  We also happen to share two very important commonalities.  We’ve both flown desks for the Air Force, and we absolutely LOVE the feel of brand new pair of socks.  How can you not dig a guy like that.  I guess more importantly might be that he is a very talented actor who you should recognize as Schmidt’s dad in both 21 Jump Street & 22 Jump Street.  Along with various other roles in films like Oldboy, One the Road, Lee Daniel’s The Butler, The Blind Side, Jeff Who Lives at Home, and many more.  More notably so, you may recognize him for his reoccurring role on HBO’s hit drama True Detective, that is certainly one of the finest shows on television today.  You can also see him in the upcoming and final(?) installment of The Hunger Games films in 2015.

No matter how you know him, he is a hilarious and talented son of a gun, and we are so honored to welcome him to the Trainwreck’d Society family.  With that being said, ladies and gentlemen…..Joe Chrest!

When did you first decide you wanted to become and actor? 

First got interested in acting during my senior year of high school. I was always heavy into sports (and still am) so I always needed the adrenaline rush and with my skill set, it was becoming obvious I was not going to take it to the next level in sports. I auditioned for a play and it really got the heart pounding — I was hooked, but it wasn’t until I got out of basic training at Lackland Air Force Base and started sitting at a desk every morning, in a uniform that I realized I wasn’t going to be happy unless I went all in with the acting thing and see where it took me. Bummer was that I still owed Uncle Sam 4 more years. I was able to finish out my service and finish undergrad at the same time, so all was not lost, and my theatre degree was fully funded by the U.S. Government!

What were some of your earliest influences?

On the set of HBO’s True Detective.

In the span of your career, you seem to have portrayed several cops, or at least some form of law enforcement. Why do you think you tend to land so many of these gigs, including your reoccurring role on the hit HBO series True Detective?

Possibly the only thing longer than the arm of “Johnny Law” is my list of law enforcement roles. It’s kind of funny, but I spent the first half of my career on the other side of the law, playing just about every type of criminal found on line at Hedley Lamar’s card table in Blazing Saddles, and now all I’m pulling in are the cops, FBI, ATF, SWAT…you name it. To be honest, I really believe the reason is because when I would go to an audition in Los Angeles, I was always one of the weirdest looking guys in the room, but when I go to an audition in New Orleans, I’m always one of the most normal looking people in the room. I long for those days on the wrong side of the law — in film it’s far more interesting. Problem is, every time I get a good beard going, or a makings of a decent mullet, I get cast as a cop or lawyer or military officer and I have to break out the razor.

I noticed that you will be appearing in the next in line of the Hunger Games films.  I also noticed that you have some kids.  Are they fans of the movies, and stoked about seeing their dad in one of these films?  How about yourself?  Are you a fan as well?

5. I was a huge fan of The Hunger Games so I was stoked to find myself right there in the world with Katniss, Peeta, and Finnick going to take down Panem. The great part was that I was sucked into the world by the first two movies and the cliff hanger at the end of Catching Fire sent me running out to get my hands on Mockingjay, which I read in a day. What made it surreal was that I was so angered by President Snow at the end of Mockingjay, and then I get a call to audition to be in the “Star Squad” “Squad 451” who goes in to kick that son of a bitch’s ass! It was like being an arm chair quarterback and then waking up to find myself in the real Super Bowl. My kid’s are still a little young for The Hunger Games, but by the time MJ2 comes out, it’ll be a cool thing at school. It’s already on my 10 year old’s friends’ radar for sure. Spending the hot summer months shooting in Paris and Berlin made the whole thing about the coolest thing I’ve done in my 20 years in the business.

You have appeared as Jonah Hills father in both 21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street, and were involved with some of the most hilarious scenes of both films.  How is the set life like films like these?  Is it as fun and full of laughs as it appears to be on the screen?

Everything about 21 Jump Street, AND 22JS has been a blast. Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller are laid back, fun to be around, and FUNNY dudes. Their attitude trickles down on the entire company as it always does with the best directors. Soderbergh’s sets are fun sets, and Francis Lawrence creates the same happy space. What makes their stuff great is that they trust their actors, and welcome anything you bring to the table. On the Jump Street sets improv was the order of the day and the only sad part about it is that so much funny stuff has to get left out. A great comedy director has to have the discipline to cut out the stuff that is hilarious, but not really needed to advance the movie. On something like that, the only hope is that the audience has as much fun watching it as you had making it.

What is your preferred genre of film to work in?

Comedy is the best. I love it all, dumb stuff like Stripes, and The Animal to high brow Oscar Wilde and Noel Coward plays to the corny stuff like Andy Griffith and Don Knotts movies. In junior high and high school, before ever wanting to act I was always voted class clown and stuff like that. I’ve always enjoyed laughing and I love making people laugh. One of the most important lessons I hope to teach my kids is to learn to laugh at themselves. Humility is a virtue. We need to lighten up as a society — laugh when it hurts! Cliches are cliches for a reason.

On the set of Dead Man Walking, for being re-casted by Clancy Brown due to scheduling conflicts

What is the most embarrassing moment you have had on set, whether in the theatre or on a shoot?

Most embarrassing moment on set? Wow, there have been so many. We always laugh at the stuff Barry Kyle used to yell at me, like the time he stopped rehearsal when I grabbed an actress by the arm (not too roughly or anything) but we both kind of stumbled making it look worse…he yelled in front of the entire company, “Joe you and your bullshit method acting have been holding the American theatre back for years!!” I was young and green and this coming from someone I held in such high esteem was humiliating and devastating. Now it is one of my favorite laughs…man, to shoulder the blame for the entire American Theatre’s backward ways??

What was the last thing that made you smile?

9. Ha ha. I’m smiling now thinking about all those embarrassing Barry Kyle outbursts, “Joe! Cut the bit with the jacket!! It’s a TERRIBLE BORE!!!” I can hear it like it was yesterday.