Hank Braxtan [Interview]

Welcome to Day 19 of Trainwreck’d Society’s Annual Month of Horror Showcase! We have a fully loaded month of all things horror for you fine folks! October is our favorite month for this very reason, and we are so excited to share 31 full days of film showcases and interviews with some of the finest folks from the world of horror, just as we have been doing for the last 5 years. What started as a simple 5 day showcase, has now blossomed into a full blown month long event. You’re going to love this! Enjoy!

What inspired you to get into the world of film and television? Specifically in the field of visual makeup effects? Was it an early aspiration to do so, or did you just happen to find yourself in this world one day?

Well as a kid that worshiped Halloween, I always loved November 1st almost as much as Halloween…because all the make up and costumes were like 75% off!  I used to stock up.  As a young do-it-all-myself filmmaker, I learned some special make up effects by necessity.  I also used to love behind the scenes documentaries, so I would often try to emulate what I saw in those. 

I am very intrigued by one of your latest projects entitled Snake Outta Compton. It’s such a unique sounding project that I feel compelled to ask one of the most basic questions: What made you want to put a project like this out into the world?

The title, really.  I had a couple of bad bounces as far as projects go, and needed something that I could just have fun with and be creative.  Snake was a good opportunity for that, and the timing was perfect.  Of course, it ended up being so much work (and so little pay), that I ended up spending almost 2 years on it.  Very stressful project…but I really like the film, and the cast and crew are great people.

You are an extremely multi-faceted person in your line of work. There doesn’t seem to be many gigs that you haven’t done, from writing or directing, to editing and special effects. With that in mind, I am curious to know what your favorite part of creating a film? If you were only able to work in one field for the rest of your career, what would it be? Why?

That’s tough…I can’t imagine myself not doing almost everything on set…especially in micro cinema where you don’t have budget for all the proper positions.  I suppose in this hypothetical, I’d have to be on big budget stuff, in which case I’d have to say directing would be my main goal.  Then again, I really enjoy producing for other directors.

While the world of horror is not the only one you work in, you have done some pretty amazing work in the genre.  And it is our Month of Horror Showcase after all, so I am inclined to ask you how you enjoy working in this genre? What sets it apart from other genres?

It’s probably my favorite (other than Sci Fi and Comedy…but I like to mix those into the Horror) mainly because I grew up with it.  The effects, the monsters, the mood…it’s all so fantastic.  Plus, horror fans are so forgiving…they want to like your movie, and so lower budgets can deliver a satisfying experience.  I think a lot of horror fans have suffered through a lot of tragedies in their lives, or themselves were outcasts as youth…horror is a great escape.

What is your favorite scary movie? 

It’s hard because not many of them scare me.  As a kid, I was pretty terrified of A Nightmare on Elm Street 2, and also the super low budget “Monster Dog”…probably because I was 5 or 6 years old when I was watching them.  As an adult, I don’t think anything has given me nightmares like The Ring (or moving, ha ha ha!).

What are you plans for the upcoming Halloween? Any kind of traditions you try to uphold each year?

There are some parties I like to go to in LA, and of course, I like to cram the whole month with horror viewings…something about October just feels right.

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers?

Watch Snake Outta Compton with an open mind…then we’ll see what comes up next.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

I think it was a cat video.

Caleb Emerson [Interview]

Welcome to Day 18 of Trainwreck’d Society’s Annual Month of Horror Showcase! We have a fully loaded month of all things horror for you fine folks! October is our favorite month for this very reason, and we are so excited to share 31 full days of film showcases and interviews with some of the finest folks from the world of horror, just as we have been doing for the last 5 years. What started as a simple 5 day showcase, has now blossomed into a full blown month long event. You’re going to love this! Enjoy!

We are trucking along here folks, and it has been a wonderful winding road thus far. Today we are chatting it up with a wonderful filmmaker who made waves in the indie horror world in 2005 with the brilliant film that he wrote and directed entitled Die You Zombie Bastards! It’s Caleb Emerson Everyone! Caleb has worked not only behind the screen, but has done some amazing in work in front of the camera as well, including a great role in 2012’s I Spill Your Guts which also happens to feature our new friend Genoveva Rossi! Not to mention his work in the wonderful world of Troma that he did alongside our other new friends Asta Paredes and Catherine Corcoran on the wonderful film Return to Nuke ‘Em High.

We talk a bit about these projects, and so much more in this wonderful interview with the great Caleb Emerson. You’re going to love it! Please enjoy some wonderful words from this amazing artist!

What inspired you to get into the world of film and television? Was it an early aspiration to do so, or did you just happen to find yourself in this world one day?

It was pretty early. I grew up during the VHS boom of the mid eighties and I spent a lot of time at our local video store, so I got excited about movies at a pretty early age. Genre movies and comedies were always my favorites. When I got a little older and started reading Fangoria and Gorezone I read interviews with horror film makers and realized it might actually be a possibility to make one myself. Bad Taste in particular was the one that really got me to thinking I could do it. Peter Jackson pretty much hand-made that whole movie over a long period of time with his friends and local talent and Haig and I set out to do the same with Die You Zombie Bastards! I taught myself how to do make up FX, we both made most of the props and sets. We were lucky to be around so many talented people who could lend their skills to that movie. 

You have worked in the wonderful world of Troma Films, one that we have covered excessively here at TWS, and always love to hear more! So how was it working under the guise of someone like Lloyd Kaufman and the wonderful bit of weirdness that Troma has brought to the world?

Lloyd is amazing and he’s the real deal. Just watch any of the “making-of” features that accompany his movies. It’s really, really hard work to be involved with one of his productions, and isn’t always pleasant, but it’s really rewarding and you can learn more than on any other set. It is 100% what you make of it. Some people show up thinking it’s going to be a party, and those people usually wind up going home. Lloyd is like a slave driver, and a cult leader and he can be frustrating to work for…but when it’s all over you realize he’s a genius and he’s one of the most generous people I’ve ever know with favors and with his time.

Probably one of your best known works would be the brilliant cult classic of a film, Die You Zombie Bastards! How did you come up with the concept of this film? And is there anything about this film specifically that makes it special to you?

Thanks. It was written kind of stream of consciousness-like by myself and Haig Demarjian, and a good deal of the material came from or was at least inspired by the lead actor, Tim Gerstmar. I made a series of short film in college starring Tim where he played the character Red and Die You Zombie Bastards! sprang from those. They were mostly just jokes between me and Haig and Me and Tim brought to life. It took a little over 2 years to shoot (not straight…a few days every couple of months)  and another year and a half to edit. It’s a really personal film to me and  it was a pretty major part of my life. That may sound silly saying that about that kind of movie, but it’s true.

Outside of the world of horror, you have had a long running gig as an editor on the very popular Comedy Central series, Tosh.0. How has it been working on a show like this? Is it as hilarious to work on as it is to watch?

Tosh.0 has been a fantastic job. I’ve been on the show for 8 years and it’s provided me the stability to pursue other projects while having a normal life as well.  Is it hilarious to work on? I guess, compared to most other shows…I get to be on it all of the time and I have done some pretty ridiculous stuff on TV.

While the world of horror is not the only one you work in, it is our Month of Horror Showcase after all, so I am inclined to ask you how you enjoy working in this genre? What sets it apart from other genres?

One way in which it’s different is that there is such a huge, crazy fan base that in some ways it’s easier to find an audience and interact with them. I’m not saying that it’s necessarily easier to make a living doing that, but if my first film had been a romantic comedy, or a western…there aren’t conventions all around the country to go to to promote your film, and fans aren’t clamoring for t-shirts and toys related to your movie. It’s a very interactive scene and I’ve met a lot of great people.

What is your favorite scary movie?

Movies rarely scare me, but my favorite movies that are considered straight horror movies are The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Exorcist. The stuff I make is nothing like them, but I would say that those two films are essentially perfect. Each is like nothing that came before it and each has been endlessly copied (unsuccessfully) and even though it may not be obvious on the surface, each was a big influence on me.

What are you plans for the upcoming Halloween? Any kind of traditions you try to uphold each year?

My wife and I usually make the rounds to Universal Halloween Horror Nights, Knotts Scary Farm, and those kinds of things. Los Angeles is an amazing place for Halloween. There are so many haunted attractions, and clubs that do Halloween events. This place is crazy and filled with crazy, wonderful people. We also have a son now who is just getting to the age where we can take him to do Halloween stuff so we’re figuring out what to do with him this year. Probably a few parties and trick or treating around our neighborhood in Glendale.

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readres?

I have a somewhat secret TV series in development that I can’t talk about, but my partner Dan and I are pitching it to networks as we speak. If it happens, it’ll be the most amazing show ever…exactly the kind of show I would want to watch. We also have an adult animated series that we’ve been shopping around. I  probably won’t make another movie in the way we made DYZB and the way I made my second movie “Frankie in Blunderland”…the raise all of the money, do everything yourself and then try to sell it method. It drove me crazy and I don’t know if I have it in me to do again, so I’m trying my hand at doing things a little more traditionally. Keep an eye out…I have many things brewing!

What was the last thing that made you smile?

Probably something my son said. That kid cracks me up every day and I can’t wait to see what kind of brilliant weirdo he turns into.

Check out this trailer for 2005’s Die You Zombie Bastards! and check it out on whatever platform it is available:

Catherine Corcoran [Interview]

Welcome to Day 17 of Trainwreck’d Society’s Annual Month of Horror Showcase! We have a fully loaded month of all things horror for you fine folks! October is our favorite month for this very reason, and we are so excited to share 31 full days of film showcases and interviews with some of the finest folks from the world of horror, just as we have been doing for the last 5 years. What started as a simple 5 day showcase, has now blossomed into a full blown month long event. You’re going to love this! Enjoy!

17 straight days in Folks, and it is only getting better and better! Today we have some amazing words from a brilliant performer who has dominated not only the world of horror, but specifically our beloved Troma series as well! It’s Catherine Corcoran, Everyone! She is an amazing and talented actress that has been killing it in the world of horror (pun intendend). She also worked on  a film that we have been talking about a lot here at Trainwreck’d Society entitled 100 Acres to Hell, produced by our friend Ernie O’Donnell and featuring our new friend Genoveva Rossi, that we are so excited to see…..soon?

Catherine was nice enough to give us some words for this year’s Month of Horror showcase in which she discloses what exactly it is she loves about the world of performance, working in the world of Troma, and so much more! She is an absolutely delightful person and we are so excited to have her grace our digital pages here today! So Folks, please enjoy some great words from the brilliant Catherine Corcoran!

What inspired you to get into the world of film and television?  Was it an early aspiration to do so, or did you just happen to find yourself in this world one day?

I have always had a passion for storytelling. Growing up, you could find me organizing performances of nursery rhymes or various dance routines on the recess yard. 

As I got older, that transitioned into more organized theatre and professional productions but I also developed a passion for a variety of social-political issues and corresponding activism. This was often very frustrating for me, because I so often was met with a general indifference to these issues by my peers. 

It wasn’t until I saw Darren Aronofsky’s Requiem for a Dream, that I connected the two things. I felt such a visceral, physical sickness watching that film and it helped me to understand the importance of storytelling, particularly in that medium. Often, cinematic experiences are the only way that we can understand the experience of another human or situation. It moves us, but also frees us, because at the end of the experience, we are purged of whatever suffering we may have witnessed, with a new understanding and, subsequently, the ability to create change. 

I think genre cinema in particular has always had this impact on its audiences, so I was definitely drawn to it in that regard. I was a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, growing up, and I think John Vulich’s work creating the practical monsters in that show to still be some of the most haunting that I’ve seen. 

Though, it wasn’t until working in the medium that I really developed a understanding of the FX processes and an appreciation for the work that goes into creating characters like that. I was super fortunate to be exposed to that work, early on in my career, and even more fortunate that the artists on those projects (Doug Sakmann, Lisa Forst, Kaliegh and Jason Koch) allowed me to see some of their process and educate me on it. They truly are masters.

You recently worked with our old friend Ernie O’Donnell that we are very excited to hopefully see soon entitled 100 Acres of Hell. It is a very intriguing story, so I am curious to know what your experience was like working on this unique project? 

Ernie is wonderful. I met one of his production partners, Ed McKeever, while promoting another film in the horror circuit and they (with Jason Koerner) really went out of their way to bring me on 100 Acres. Creating an entirely new horror villain and mythos is not an easy endeavor and the whole team did a great job. Ernie and his team are legends in their own right, and it was an honor just to be able to work with them. 

You are rightfully renowned for your role as Lauren in Troma’s brilliant Return to Nuke ‘Em High and its follow up film. There was a four year gap between the two films being released. With that, I am curious to know what it was like to dive back into that world after some time had passed? Was it a “like old times” scenario when you met up with everyone again? 

Thank you so much for the kind words. I honestly met some of my best friends on that production, and am lucky that many of us still stay in touch. Being that we’re friends, I had actually seen much of that team in-between releases, so it wasn’t all that different. Still anytime there is a screening or event for either film, it’s an awesome excuse to get everyone together and a blast to hang with everyone again. 

While the world of horror is not the only one you work in, you have done some pretty amazing work in the genre. And it is our Month of Horror Showcase after all, so I am inclined to ask you how you enjoy working in this genre? What sets it apart from other genres? 

Thank you so much. I think this harkens back to what I was talking about earlier, regarding the ability that cinema has to create an experience that you may not otherwise have or understand. 

Of course, the horror genre takes this to an extreme, but fear itself is an innately primal feeling- necessary for survival. I think we can connect to one-another in sharing those moments of “safe-terror” in a theater, because we all understand that emotion. 

I also think that the best horror films serve as allegories for larger societal tropes or archetypes, and I really enjoy being a part of work that challenges it’s audience and makes them reevaluate things.

What is your favorite scary movie? 

That’s a touchy one! I have a few that rank pretty high up there. The first true-horror film that I ever saw was, Hitchcock’s The Birds, so that one has a real special place in my heart. It was a slumber party in a neighbor’s basement, so the environment was perfect for a horror introduction, and I couldn’t have chosen a better master director to dive in with. 

After that, I really love late eighties- early nineties horror (especially ones with great soundtracks). Joel Schumacher’s The Lost Boys and Andrew Flemming’s The Craft are still two of my favorite films of all time. People argue that The Craft isn’t horror, but I don’t feel that way. I mean, come on, with the demonic possession and snake-man chasing young girls down the street?! Get out of here with that nonsense. 

Then more recently, The Babadook was the first modern horror film in a while to give me nightmares (shadow monsters are never good to watch before bed- thanks Jennifer Kent!), and Robert Eggers knocked it out of the park with The Witch– the dialect work alone in that film is outstanding. 

What are you plans for the upcoming Halloween? Any kind of traditions you try to uphold each year? 

I honestly haven’t gotten that far yet, but I do try to outdo myself each year with pumpkin carvings. A few years ago I did a Fairuza Balk [from] The Craft pumpkin which I thought was pretty cool. My boyfriend and I have a lot of fun making our own cinema-inspired couples costumes from scratch, so we’ll probably try to do that again, this year. We did Mad Max and Furiosa a few years back (I built the mechanical arm out of a football pad, motocross glove, belts and miscellaneous wires), and then we did Leeloo and Corbin Dallas two years ago (we won a prize for that one, haha) and last year we did Mick and Mallory from Natural Born Killers– so who knows what’s in store for this year! 

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers? 

I’m really excited for the release of the upcoming feature Long Lost, by Erik Bloomquist, which starts doing the festival circuit in October. It’s not a horror film but definitely has a ton of thriller elements and some really great horror film alumni cast, and I’m really proud of the work that we did on it- so definitely keep an eye out for that. 

Then in a very different note, you can see me in the TV feature, The Last Vermont Christmas by David Jackson, this Holiday Season. That whole team is just the sweetest, as is the film. 

And I just signed on to be involved in the development of another feature with Ernie O’Donnell, Ed McKeever, Jason Koerner and team so keep a look out for updates about that as well. 

What was the last thing that made you smile? 

At this very moment, my puppy, Luna, is rolling on her back because she wants my attention over this article, and I cannot help but be filled with smiles.

Sarah French [Interview]

Welcome to Day 16 of Trainwreck’d Society’s Annual Month of Horror Showcase! We have a fully loaded month of all things horror for you fine folks! October is our favorite month for this very reason, and we are so excited to share 31 full days of film showcases and interviews with some of the finest folks from the world of horror, just as we have been doing for the last 5 years. What started as a simple 5 day showcase, has now blossomed into a full blown month long event. You’re going to love this! Enjoy!

Folks, I know I say this about every interview we do here at Trainwreck’d Society, because I am….but I am REALLY excited about today’s words! Sarah French is another absolute legend in the world of both mainstream and b-horror. I have been following her career closely over the last few years or so, ever since I caught a glimpse of her genius in the work of our dear friend and former TWS Person of the Year, filmmaker Steve Sessions. She has a brilliant eye for sensationalism and really brings out the best of any character she is taking on. She is the ideal Scream Queen for the modern era, and we are so excited she is gracing our digital pages today.

We were so pleased with her responses as well, as we got to learn that French is even moving beyond the world of horror, which I always believed she should do and so happy to see her talents being stretched across all genres. Her success in this genre is inevitable and will definitely continue forward, but I am under the opinion that the more French the better! I’d love to see her in EVERYTHING! So, again, we are so excited to have her as a part of this year’s Month of Horror. Please enjoy some great words from the amazing Sarah French!

What inspired you to get into the world of film and television? Was it an early aspiration to do so, or did you just happen to find yourself in this world one day?

I’ve always been a ham in front of the camera as far as I can remember. In high school my friends and I would make our own horror short films on a VHS camcorder… does that show my age?? Eventually we upgraded to an 8mm. I think I still have those tapes around here somewhere. I would write the scripts and do most of the directing. I knew nothing about filmmaking so I’m sure the scripts weren’t in proper format haha! I just always loved to create and entertain people, whether it was on camera or in person. I also did my fair share of backyard wrestling and promos on camera with my friends. For those of you who know wrestling, I would be the “Stephanie McMahon” of our backyard wrestling. When I was going to college for Criminal Justice I took a few theater and acting classes as well. One day I was at a metal concert and a photographer came up to me and gave me his card because he loved my look and wanted to shoot. Naturally I thought it was crazy, but a few months went by and I decided to shoot with him. From there on I grew confidence and wanted to give the movies a shot. Being a big horror fan my whole life, I was on a horror forum and saw an independent film was casting. I auditioned for a movie called, Pajama Party Massacre, got the part, and the rest is history. Eventually I quit college to pursue acting. How do you go from Criminal Justice to acting? Beats the hell out of me.      

 What was your very first paid gig you remember getting in the world of entertainment? And did this experience have any lasting

If I remember correctly, my very first paid gig was a Car Soup commercial that was horror related, because they were releasing it around Halloween. They picked me to do the commercial because at that time I had a few horror projects under my belt and someone in the industry recommended me. It’s the typical slasher style set up… a killer is running after me through a house then the woods. Eventually I come up to my car, of course drop the keys with the killer right behind me, but I get in the car and it starts up right away because it was a car from Car Soup. I drive away spitting up dust in the killers face. I had a blast shooting that. When we were done I got paid and went on my merry way. I remember at the time thinking about how cool it was to get paid to have fun… basically getting paid to play! From then on I wanted more and more.  

 You have appeared in two wonderful films that were written and directed by our favorite B Horror filmmaker, the great Steve Sessions. These would be Shriek of the Sasquatch and Zombie Pirates. We’ve spoken with several folks who have worked with Steve, and we always like to ask what it was like to work on a Sessions project? Was there anything about working on his very low budget films that was special or set itself apart from other projects you have been a part of?

I love Steve and had such an amazing time working with him on those films. Those films hold a special place in my heart. Steve is very passionate at what he does and is such a hard worker, he’s basically a one man army. When he wants something done, he gets it done no matter the budget, he makes it work. His attention to detail is impeccable. As you know these films were very low budget, with that being said, he didn’t skimp on anything. He makes sure to have great set dressing, lighting, wardrobe, props, and SFX. As we all know period pieces are very hard to do especially in the low budget world. Shriek took place in the 70’s, so everything had to be 70’s related. As you saw in the film, it is! Steve collected items over the year that were either from the 70’s or looked like they were. He even got an old newspaper and soda cans that were authentic 70’s items. Working on very low budget is different in many ways. For one, you have more creative control. You don’t have a bunch of producers and execs down your throat every time you want to do something. If you want something done, you just do it. You don’t need to ask anyone. Also it seems to be more intimate when you’re on a low budget set. Not as much hustle and bustle, not on Steve’s sets anyways. Like I said, he likes to take his time, talk to the actors, and make it as stress free as possible. Steve is very chill and still manages to get the job done!

 I am very intrigued by a project you worked on that is currently in post-production, and happens to be written and directed by another old friend of ours, one Rolfe Kanefsky. So, is there anything you are allowed to tell us about this project? What sort of character can we expect to see you brilliantly portraying on this film?

Oh yes, you are referring to, Art of the Dead! Let me just say, I loved working with Rolfe. I’ve known him for a few years now, and we finally got the chance to work together. He’s such a great director and knows what he wants. He takes his time with each shot and makes sure it’s done how he envisions it in the script. I also got to work with one of my favorite DP’s on this set, Michael Su, whom I just worked with on another feature earlier this year called, Automation, which Rolfe wrote the script for as well. Everyone on this set was amazing! It was also my first time working with the Mahal brothers who are powerhouses in the Vegas film scene. Art of the Dead is about a family who buys possessed artwork from a high end dealer and they have no idea what horrors they are in for. I had the honor of playing Heidi, who is a “high end” prostitute on the streets of Vegas. She gets targeted by one of the leads in the film, Zachary Chyz, who plays Louis, who is possessed by the artwork at this point. Heidi has no idea what she’s in for and has to fight for her life to stay alive. I had such a blast with this role. Let me just say this, this role had one of my most intense stunts I’ve ever done… you guys are in for a treat!

One of the nights we shot right on Freemont Street in Vegas on a Saturday night and it was insane! By the end of the shoot we had a huge crowd watching us and asking for autographs and pictures. Such a great experience! I’m a big fan of creating a backstory for the character I’m playing.  I wrote a two page bio for Heidi in order to fully be able to step into her shoes.  

When it comes to the world of horror, you are hands down one of the most legendary figures in the genre. And this being our Month of Horror showcase and all, I am curious to know what it is you enjoy about working in the more frightening world of suspense and horror? What is it about this genre that has you so drawn to it, and yearning to continue having great success within it?

Oh wow… thank you! I’ve always been a fan of horror, as far as I can remember. When I was a kid, my mom didn’t want my sister and I to watch horror flicks, so naturally we wanted to even more! One day my grandma took us to a video store and we somehow convinced her to rent us Childs Play. From that day on I was hooked! As a teenager my friends and I would make our own short films, and they were all mostly horror related. I’ve always been drawn to the darker side of things. When I hit my 20’s I started out modeling then eventually started working in film. My very first flick was a short film called, Pajama Party Massacre. I had so much fun with that I was hooked, I loved every minute of it! I’ve always wanted to be that girl running in the woods, half naked, covered in blood… and it’s happened, more than once, haha! I love to be scared and do the scaring!  It’s just so much fun to step outside the box, experience other worlds, and basically get paid to play. As much as I love horror, I don’t just do horror flicks. This year alone I star in a romantic comedy called, Bryan, the RomCom with Vernon Wells, Felissa Rose, and Vincent Ward. I also star in a mobster film called, Booze, Broads, and Blackjack with Vincent Pastore, James Duval, and Felissa Rose.  I love all genres, though horror has my heart.

  What is your favorite scary movie? 

That’s always a tough one for me because I have so many I love. Scary wise, one of my favorites is the classic, Texas Chainsaw Massacre.  A few months back I went to a triple feature, 35mm screening at the Egyptian theater of Texas Chainsaw 1-3, with Caroline Williams introducing them. It was so great to see them on the big screen, such an amazing experience. The original TCM has such a gritty, uncomfortable, and realistic feel to the film. Tobe Hooper really knew how to get under your skin. When I watch TCM I feel like I’m in that house with Sally and Leatherface is after me. Because it feels so real, it scares me to this day and the film is 40+ years old! They just don’t make films like that anymore.   

What are you plans for the upcoming Halloween? Any kind of traditions you try to uphold each year?

I love Halloween! The whole month of October is special for me. I’m usually pretty busy working on projects or at conventions. But the last few years my boyfriend, Joe Knetter, and I would go to all of the Halloween filming locations… the Strode house, Myers house, Brackett house, the hedge where you see Michael standing next to while he’s stalking Laurie, the opening of the film when Halloween pops up, and we always have a drink at The Buccaneer, the bar from Halloween 3.  I love that movie and I’m glad it’s finally getting the respect it deserves. We make a day out of visiting these cool filming locations, it’s so much fun! This year I have a few things lined up but one thing I’d really like to try to make is Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood! I’ve never done that yet and I live ten minutes from the park. This year they have attractions from Stranger Things, Trick r Treat, Poltergeist, Halloween 4, and more! I mean, you can’t go wrong!

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers?

Always! The trailer just came out from one of my newest features, directed by Marcel Walz, called Rootwood, and is projected to be released before the end of the year! Horror Society quotes, “Combines the aesthetics of ghost films and the intensity of monster movies to create a unique horror experience with surprising twists and turns.” So be sure to check it out!! Also my mobster film that I mentioned earlier, Booze, Broads, and Blackjack, is set to be released before the end of the year as well, so be sure to keep an eye out for that! I was just in an art gallery show as a cover model for VHS covers from the 80s and 90s for Revenge of Slashback Video at the Mystic Museum in Burbank, CA. I had so much fun with this art piece. My photographer Ama Lea and I paid homage to Ken Hall’s Horror Workout, so we went full 80s! Spandex, big hair, leg warmers, you name it! It’ll be on display at The Mystic Museum till the end of September!

I’m really excited about Bryan the Rom Com.  It’s my first romantic comedy and I had an absolute blast working on that one.  I’m a huge metal fan so I’d like to plug the band Witherfall.  They are absolutely amazing.  I worked on the video for their song “Portrait”.  It’s totally badass.  They are all very cool guys.  I just shot a fun little part in Eben Mcgarr and Chris Ott’s slasher film Hanukah. Tons of cool people in that one.  Garo Setian’s film Automation is also very cool.  I think it’s amazing to be working on movies that I would be watching whether I was in them or not.  I’m just a huge horror nerd and love it.  I have a few more projects in the pipeline I have to keep under wraps, but let me tell you, this has been an amazing year and can’t wait to see what else comes my way! To keep up with me be sure to check out my FB fan page and my website at www.sarahfrenchonline.com  Or find me on Instagram.  It’s my preferred social media page.  That’s where I post the most and interact.

 What was the last thing that made you smile?

My amazing boyfriend, Joe Knetter. 🙂

Check out this trailer for Sarah’s latest film Rootwood, mentioned above, as well as a beautiful gallery of photos provided by Sarah French herself:

Genoveva Rossi [Interview]

Welcome to Day 15 of Trainwreck’d Society’s Annual Month of Horror Showcase! We have a fully loaded month of all things horror for you fine folks! October is our favorite month for this very reason, and we are so excited to share 31 full days of film showcases and interviews with some of the finest folks from the world of horror, just as we have been doing for the last 5 years. What started as a simple 5 day showcase, has now blossomed into a full blown month long event. You’re going to love this! Enjoy!

Hello Folks! We are back in it for another week of some amazing interviews with some wonderful folks from the world of horror. Today we have some fine words from one of the most incredible Scream Queens in the b-horror world. it’s Genoveva Rossi! She is hand’s down one of the hardest working performers in the business, with close to 100 credits in just 6 or so years alone. A couple of them have been in our beloved Troma world, as well as some work with old friends like Christian Grillo and Ernie O’Donnell. She has also managed to get behind the camera as a writer and director, and has a very intriguing project coming in 2019 entitled Attack of the Killer Chickens the Movie. We are so excited that she was able to take some time out of her own busy Month of Horror to chat with us for a bit. So please enjoy this wonderful interview with the great Genoveva Rossi!

What inspired you to get into the world of film and television? Was it an early aspiration to do so, or did you just happen to find yourself in this world one day?

Since I was a kid I was attracted to performance and acting, but especially in horror. I acted in plays in grammar school, short films in college then one day I found myself in Jack ‘O’ Slasher then I Spill Your Guts then more and more films. Soon my acting took on a life of its own.  

In 2014 you appeared in our friend and past guest Christian Grillo’s brilliant sci-fi/horror flick Apocalypse Kiss that I enjoyed so damn much. With that, I have a couple of a somewhat relatable question. Hypothetically speaking, should the real world apocalypse come to a head: Where would you want to be when it happens? What is one physical item that you may not be entirely useful in this situation, but you just couldn’t imagine being without?

That was a great, artistically rendered film. I am thankful to be a part of it and I always love watching Apocalypse Kiss. I really enjoyed my role as this pregnant hippie Clara. In the end, I want to be on a tropical beach making love. Go out with a bang as they say. I would want to have my chicken foot and a rosary. Our faith may stay with us even in our final moments.

And you will be appearing a film that was co-produced by another old friend, Ernie O’Donnell, entitled 100 Acres of Hell. According to IMDb your role is as “Backwoods Beaver Magazine Cover Girl”. I am very intrigued. Without spoiling anything, can you tell us a bit about this appearance?

It was a brief and hilarious cameo on the cover of a magazine. Perhaps a little sexy and racy too, but why not? I had fun. Ernie is a great guy and this film is filled with a lot of talent. I know audiences have loved it so far. A really unique ending! 

Just being candid here: When it comes to Scream Queens, there is no doubt that with your talent and charisma, you are at the top of the list!  And it is our Month of Horror Showcase after all, so I am inclined to ask you how you enjoy working in this genre? Beyond being so talented, what compelled you put your focus into this world?

Ever since I was a child I was attracted to the horror genre; to films, novels, comic books, all of it. It was so natural to act in this genre. I began my journey a a fan then became this horror queen. Perhaps I always had this darkness in my that horror fits into and completes. Thank you, I am honored to be a Scream Queen. I appreciate your kind words and being in the Month of Horror Showcase.

Scrolling through you credits, it is absolutely spell-binding how damn much you work! You’ve got to be one of the hardest working people in the world of film, and I absolutely commend you for that. With that, what about when you aren’t working (if ever)? What could we find you doing for a bit of “me time”?

I work a bit each and everyday. I just hit 97 IMDb credits since 2012. It is really a full time obsession for me. With my acting, writing, and now directing plus making guest appearances all over the world. In my mind, I feel like I can always be doing more and that I am not busy enough. I hold myself to a high standard I guess. Thank you so much. I like to think I have a good work ethic and I hope that is true. When I am not working; I got to the gym, go to the beach, travel the world, dance, make love, eat exotic food, and paint. But not necessarily in that order. But my creative life of acting, writing, and directing does take up a great deal of my time honestly. They say if you have the sort of life you need to vacations from then you aren’t happy. I have definitely created my own world and my own life through my art. So I am grateful.  

What is your favorite scary movie?

I have always both loved The Pit and the Pendulum and The Exorcist. The Exorcist perhaps spoke to me as this girl raised in the Catholic church and I like horror with religious and occult themes. The Pit and the Pendulum introduced me to both Vincent Price and Barbara Steele. Both have had a huge influence on my acting life. It’s a perfectly crafted film. It plays out like this horrific morality play. A truly artful and beautiful film. I rewatch it often. I want to be as prolific in my career as Vincent Price.

What are you plans for the upcoming Halloween? Any kind of traditions you try to uphold each year?

I feel most at home dressed as a gypsy or witch; it speaks to my soul and has ever since I was a child. October is my busy time. Every Halloween I work as a professional fortune teller at many private parties. I also make many guest appearances at Halloween and horror events. Plus I do a lot of interviews to celebrate horror for the month. It’s a wickedly wonderful time of year. I like everything about Halloween. I enjoy ghost tours, haunted houses, costumes, all of it!

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers?

I will continue to act as much as I can plus I am directing Attack of the Killer Chickens the Movie which is based on my short film. He short film won six awards and screened at 40 film festivals. I decided to make it a feature. It is a horror comedy and fans can look for it in 2019. Please check it out on IMDb. I recently work on a Big Foot film directed by Mark Byrne, which was more fun than  a bucket of bats! I also have a small part in Lloyd Kaufman’s Shakespeare’s Shitstorm from Troma. My first Troma film after acting with Lloyd in numerous films since 2012. That was a hoot!

What was the last thing that made you smile?

Anyone that knows me knows that I smile and laugh a lot. I laughed a lot on the set of my film Attack of the Killer Chickens the Movie this week. It is a fun movie to make and will be even more fun to watch! Stay tuned! Thank you so much for taking the time for me. I enjoyed your questions.

Check out some more photos in this wonderful gallery provided by Genoveva Rossi herself:

Seth Chatfield [Interview]

Welcome to Day 12 of Trainwreck’d Society’s Annual Month of Horror Showcase! We have a fully loaded month of all things horror for you fine folks! October is our favorite month for this very reason, and we are so excited to share 31 full days of film showcases and interviews with some of the finest folks from the world of horror, just as we have been doing for the last 5 years. What started as a simple 5 day showcase, has now blossomed into a full blown month long event. You’re going to love this! Enjoy!

Hello Folks! We have another very exciting interview to share with you all today. Try to remember back to a while ago (Tuesday) when we mentioned how damn excited we were about a brilliant horror comedy film entitled Clickbait, when we talked with the film’s co-writer Jeremy Long? Well, it only felt like the right thing to do was to tease you all just a bit more with another wonderful collection of words from another major player in the film. It’s Seth Chatfield, Everyone!

Seth is an absolutely brilliant actor who portrays the delightful oaf of a policeman, Detective Frank Dobson, in the film you will all soon know and love known as Clickbait. He is also a brilliant mind in the world of sketch comedy, dramatic acting, and will even be getting into the director’s chair for his first short film very soon. He tells us all about his time working with our dear friends Sophia Cacciola and Michael J. Epstein on their amazing new film, how he got into his line of work, and some of the awesome stuff he has coming your way soon. You’re going to love this! Enjoy!

What inspired you to get into the world of acting? Was it an early aspiration to do so, or did you just happen to find yourself in this world one day?

A lot of different threads led me into it. My first inspiration came from 70’s British television actors. I had a difficult time as a young person socially, like many creative people. We didn’t have a lot of money, so entertainment was limited – but we had PBS (public television). Which was great in the early 80’s. I spent many of my early days watching rebroadcast British television from the 70’s. Fawlty Towers, Masterpiece Theatre, the classic Doctor Who, and Sherlock Holmes. I really lost myself in those worlds – I was fascinated by the physicality and character work of John Cleese, and particularly enthralled with Tom Baker’s very Shakespearian-infouenced Doctor Who incarnation, and Jeremy Brett’s manic and brilliant Sherlock Holmes (still the best Holmes ever). I really escaped into those worlds and lost myself in those characters. I wanted to inhabit them, to see through the eyes of different characters. That idea always excited me. I was extremely fortunate to spend several years in a pretty prestigious children’s theatre here in NH called Andy’s Summer Playhouse. We had some very legendary NYC theatre people teaching us – it was and is a unique and amazing program for kids.  I kept at it by making my own no-budget horror films on a borrowed camcorder and embedding myself in drama club. In and after high school, I worked at a video store and had access to thousands of classic, foreign and cult films. I think that sealed the deal – so much daily inspiration just tipped the scales. I fell deeper in love with the medium. I just dove in, giving myself a film education, and would bring home like five films a night and just watch them all in one night. It’s been a lifelong obsession.

You have worked extensively with a couple of our dearest friends here at TWS. That would be the wonderful Sophia Cacciola and Michael J. Epstein. I am curious to know how you managed to team up with the team Sophia & MJE, even becoming an associate producer on their latest two full length feature films? And what is something unique and/or special about working on one of their sets?

I first met Mike and Sophia when we all appeared together on an episode of a fantastic Boston (and now LA)-based “reality sitcom” called Quiet Desperation, and kept seeing them everywhere at shows and on trivia nights at the old Johnny D’s (RIP) in Cambridge. Their bands, which at the time were Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling and The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library, were two of the best on the scene as well, at a time when I was playing protest prog-folk in the Boston area too. We just kept orbiting in the same circles. Somehow I wound up being a part of this web show they were making called Special Friends where I wrote and played a Han Solo-themed hip-hop/folk song for a “Star Wars Open Mic” segment. Then later they tapped me to do some VO for their first feature, Ten. And of course, things all came together when I was cast as “Grando” in Blood of the Tribades not long after Sophia and Mike saw me playing a pretty intensely bad character in another independent film. I guess they saw my villain potential, and cast me as the sadistic leader of the fascist, patriarchal vampire cult. It was the most fun I had working on a film up to that point.

When they moved to LA, I was a little heartbroken at first because we had developed such a great working relationship. But by a mixture of insanely perfect timing and serendipity, I was able to fly out to LA last winter to work on Clickbait. Something that’s unique about working on their sets is everything. Their intensity and focus is second to none. It’s thrilling to me to be in that environment where people are so creatively driven. It’s inspiring. It’s alive and moving, moving, moving at all times. They both have such a well-developed, fully fleshed-out vision and yet are willing to take chances and always find these crazy little opportunities to exploit and develop into something new. It’s a do-or-die, teamwork -based atmosphere and I can’t get enough of it. It’s hard to find anyone on earth who works harder on their art than those two. I know I’ll keep working in independent film because I’m so addicted now that I couldn’t stop if I wanted to. But I would be pretty psyched to have more of that work involve projects by Micheal and Sophia.

One of your latest projects with the aforementioned team is the absolutely brilliant film, Clickbait. It’s such a delightfully zany bit of social commentary that I have watched several times just over the last week. So how was it working on this specific project? And what would you want our readers to know about this film?

Working on Clickbait was really something different. I was about as embedded as you can get as an actor, sleeping at the rented house we used as the set. Which I loved. I love being around all the parts of filmmaking and learning as much as I can, and it helps to be the kind of actor who has done some things on the other side of the camera as well and be willing to lend a hand with non-actorly things when not on screen. I absolutely enjoyed digging into the character of Frank. He’s such an interesting and different character, and I’m so excited for people to see that and see his oddball incompetence and his trajectory. It was such a thrill to work with these incredibly talented younger actors as well – I was inspired by them on a regular basis throughout in so many ways. I feel like we all learned from each other, which is a really exciting and magical thing. Everyone was great, and fully on board, which made it a lot of fun even when things were really challenging. I think what I want people to know about this film is that it transcends what you expect from it, whatever that is. You will not see another film like Clickbait. I can very earnestly say that this film is totally unique, quirky and funny and intensely dark in all the right ways. The collective voice of these filmmakers is so special, and so different than anything you’ve seen, and I really feel like with this film  they have dug deep into the primal essence of their specific brand of cinematic insanity to the benefit of all. And there are so, so many other things I want to say and talk about, but I can’t. You’ll just have to watch the film to see.

One project you worked on that I unfortunately have not seen, but am very intrigued by is 2013’s Only Daughter. Can you tell us a bit about this project? How did you become involved with it?

Only Daughter was the second independent feature from an independent director who I got to know through playing music at a venue he used to co-own with one of the producers of the film. I appeared first in a short he did for the 48 Hour Film project, Unwound, in a tiny role as a Carmen Miranda-style drag queen, and I worked in the art department as I had on some previous stuff. I got to know this sort of ensemble of folks he was working with. About a year later, after some workshop sessions, I was cast as Billy, a bitterness and anger-driven blue collar libertarian-type stepfather stuck in a strange situation involving the girl’s quest for her real dad. The film was conceptually a sort of homage to the French Dardenne Brothers minimalist style of filmmaking, using only practical lighting with heavy realism.

Billy was a really really interesting character. I had to mine my own childhood trauma and sort of inhabit the headspace of some of my former bullies. It was pretty wild, and so “method” that I almost lost myself. We workshopped the characters for like six months, with the actual script developing out of those workshop sessions. It was a very cool process. Unfortunately, after a short festival run, the director chose to refocus his efforts on the inception of a new film festival in NH, and essentially the film was abandoned and never saw a wider release. It is a complex and at times potentially problematic film, but there are some really great and true performances in it. But this happens more often than not with independent film. Not everything works, and even things that do very often don’t go on to be seen by a larger audience.

While the world of horror is not the only one you work in, it is our Month of Horror Showcase after all, so I am inclined to ask you how you enjoy working in this genre? What sets it apart from other genres?

It’s easily the most raw fun you can have as an actor. The element of play really feels present on a horror set even more than on a comedy set, for example, because when you are on the inside of it, everyone knows and can see the things about it that are inherently ridiculous. But then when it’s complete, those moments can be some of the darkest. Which is not to say that it isn’t serious work. There’s just something for me, especially like in Blood of the Tribades, where I’m playing the villain, that is just so fun about exploring that dark side. Behind the camera, these crazy, gory things contain an element of goofiness in their execution in even the most dire situation – but if you do your job correctly, the audience will never see that. It’s really wonderful to feel that transformative moment just before the camera rolls when your mind as an actor suddenly sees this world, this script and these characters as real. When it all turns from fun unto the actual emotion and situation you are portraying. It crystallizes and becomes authentic to the childlike part of your brain that still allows imagination to thrive. I hope I get to do some work in Sci-Fi some day as well for those exact reasons, but horror is a lot of fun. And working on it is also a great way to dispel some of one’s own discomfort with fear, and the darker side of existence.

What is your favorite scary movie?

I have to cheat here: it’s a tie between Nightbreed and John Carpenter’s In The Mouth of Madness. With Nightbreed, they turned everything on its head and made the humans the monsters and monsters misunderstood. When you are a weird kid who doesn’t fit in, the idea of finding a tribal family of fellow weirdos with whom you must defend against the hordes of normalcy can’t be beat. Also those costumes and that production design was really next level for what they had to work with at the time. 

In The Mouth because it’s the best interpretation of the Lovecraft feel that I’ve ever seen, and because it has that delightfully insane, somewhat campy and often darkly funny Carpenter vibe in full swing. Honestly, watch that film and tell me you can think of something that looks like it was more fun to shoot (as an actor, at least). Sam Neill is hamming it up so hard and it’s just amazing. It really brings together everything I love about “cult” cinema and the conventions I really vibe with in horror – that sense that everything is out of our control, that dread that even transcends the known, and our universe. The sense of larger, darker, massive things just beyond the veil. That play with the very fabric of reality and the theme of perception forming so much of that reality that it might just be flexible. Thee definitely aren’t the scariest, but they are my favorite frights.

What are you plans for the upcoming Halloween? Any kind of traditions you try to uphold each year?

Every year my wife and I open these vast Halloween storage tubs, and completely deck out the yard, front porch and exterior of the house with moving stuff and screaming stuff and massive spiderwebs and themed skeleton displays for the local kids who trick-or-treat in my neighborhood. We live right in the highest traffic zone for Halloween, and we take the responsibility seriously! Halloween is still my favorite holiday. Any excuse to create a costume and a look and go really crazy with effectsy-makeup. I try to push the envelope with liquid latex. One year I fabricated a very realistic zombie thing where the top of my head was missing. But really, I just love seeing all the creativity in the costumes and seeing what’s inspiring the next generation. It’s a lot of fun.

Seth Chatfield in Awesome Fitness Couple, comedy sketch for ToniBolgna.com

What does the future hold for you? Anything you would like to plug to our readers?

I live in New Hampshire and travel for a lot of film work, but one of my favorite things in life is this sketch comedy series I’ve been participating in, created by stand-up comic, blogger, writer, director and actor Toni Nagy (she’s one to watch in the comedy world – take note, if that’s your thing) which she puts out through social media, youtube and her production company site, cavelightproductions.com. They get a lot of attention there and it’s an amazing outlet to tackle politics (we are rabid liberals in the age of Trump, so our work is cut out for us) and some of the crazier aspects of modern life and relations between men and women. A lot of gender subversion and patriarchy-expose stuff. It’s incredibly fun, and we have been keeping ourselves very busy with it in between our own various film projects. And I’m very excited to say that Toni will be jumping to the other side of the camera as I direct my own short film this fall, an existentialist dark comedy called Winkville, based on a script by Troy Minkowsky. It’s about a series of strange events set off by a chance encounter. It’s also about communication, and significance and where we see ourselves in our own stories. I’m very excited about it. I’ve had little tastes of directing, but this will be my first self-funded, self-produced short. I’m thrilled to be able to explore film from the other side of the camera. It’s also really exciting to get to utilize some wonderful actors and connect people I have met over the last few years working in film. I can’t wait to shoot this thing! Meanwhile I’m excitedly watching festival news for Clickbait and simultaneously trying to wrangle myself into the next acting gig.

What was the last thing that made you smile?

Getting my Nuclear Celery Toot Strudels t-shirt in the mail today. Toot Strudels are the fictional product that inhabit the world of Clickbait, and as someone who loves easter eggs in production design, they are one of the things that really delights me about the weird, all-too-familiar world of the film. It cracks me up on a lot of levels.