Each week I will be interviewing a special guest to talk about all things film. This week, I spoke to the incredibly multi-talented, Robert Florence. Actor, writer, Gamer, Wrestler and, most recently, film director...
YOU'VE JUST SHOT A
FEATURE FILM, ‘THE HOUSE OF HIM’, TELLS US ABOUT THAT?
It was such unbelievably hard work! We made it for about 900
quid, so that meant there were hardly any of us, and we had to do everything
ourselves. I wrote it, directed it, shot it, edited it. It was months of
pulling all-nighters. Completely exhausting. But man – so proud of what we
turned out at the end. It was totally worth it. It's probably the thing I'm
most proud of.
WAS FILM DIRECTING
ALWAYS SOMETHING YOU'VE WANTED TO DO?
Definitely. I really wish I hadn't waited so long. I always
wanted to make horror films. I think every wee guy goes through that period.
But it started to niggle me. I'm 37 this year, so time is really marching on. I
was thinking “If I don't do this soon, it might never happen.” It's a weight
off my shoulders!
WHAT DID YOU FIND
WERE THE MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MAKING CONTENT FOR TV AND MAKING A FILM
I've never directed for TV really. I directed a short for
Channel 4's Random Acts, and I'll be doing some directing for TV in the months
ahead. So really the film was a fresh experience. It was “Holy shit – I answer
to no-one here.” It's really liberating, but it's a lot of pressure too. I was
very aware that I had no excuses if the film turned out to be a howler.
DID YOU ENJOY THE
FREEDOM OF WORKING ON A FILM MADE BY YOUR OWN PRODUCTION COMPANY? OR DO YOU
FEEL MORE PRESSURE AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROJECT? OR BOTH?
That freedom is amazing. Our film is about misogyny really.
About domestic violence and patterns of male control. It's a predominantly
female cast, and its definitely a film for women. And I think it's a film we
might have struggled to make in a more conventional manner. We were able to
stay completely on track with the message we were trying to get out there.
There's a huge responsibility to make the film feel like a Bold Yin project.
We're quite focused on that aspect of things. We always want to make things
that are a bit different, a bit more daring, maybe. It's why we exist a wee bit
outside the more conventional production establishment in Scotland. We never
really pitch anything. I dunno. We have a weird strategy. We're living from
project to project.
TO MANY PEOPLE YOU
ARE PREDOMINATELY KNOWN FOR YOUR WORK IN COMEDY. WAS MAKING A HORROR FILM A
DELIBERATE CHOICE TO SHOW ANOTHER SIDE TO YOU?
No, not at all. I feel like I've always done loads of
different stuff. The video game stuff and the gag-writing and the acting and
the wrestling and stuff. My biggest weakness is probably that I have no real
direction. One day I want to do THIS, the next day I want to do THAT. There was
no plan behind the horror film. It was just “I think it's time to try to make
this film.” I had a strong notion for what I wanted to make a film about, and
so I did it. I'm not even really well known enough to worry about what people
think I'm all about. I just like trying everything. But making the film is one
of the first times I've thought - “Oh, I could do this forever. Quite happily.”
WHAT, IF ANY, ARE THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN COMEDY AND HORROR?
Loads of similarities. Timing, mainly. Set-ups and reveals.
The House Of Him is a really talky film, and there's a lot of dialogue in
there. So that has to be as good as you can make it too, just like in comedy.
The film got some laughs in the right places at the premiere, so that was good.
I also think that horror and comedy come from the same place emotionally. When
you think about death, what do you do? You either panic and take fright or you
laugh at how ridiculous everything is. It's all wired into the same place.
WHAT IS IT YOU LIKE
MOST ABOUT THE MOVIES?
Eating, mainly. I wish I was joking.
DO YOU HAVE A
FAVOURITE FILM?
Man, that's a tough one. Probably Rocky. I think the Rocky
films are incredible. As loved as they are, I think they are still underrated.
Rocky is the great American movie, as far as I'm concerned. Tangled and Beauty
& The Beast are up there too. Masterpieces. Beyond that, I love All That
Jazz, the Bob Fosse film. I can really relate to it. It struck me with fear
when I first saw it. And the songs and dance routines are amazing. Oh, and
Synecdoche, New York. That film kills me. What a punch in the heart that film
is. And then there is Ip Man, Donnie Yen's masterpiece. And Sammo Hung's
Eastern Condors. And so many Jackie Chan films. And then there is Takeshi, my
main man. Films like Sonatine and Hana-Bi and Dolls. I love the stillness of
his stuff. When I was shooting The House Of Him I would hold a shot for a long
time, and whenever I felt like “ARE YOU SURE THIS ISN'T TOO LONG?” I'd think of
Takeshi and what he would do. And I'd keep filming.
WHAT'S THE LAST FILM YOU WATCHED AND WOULD YOU RECOMMEND IT?
The last film I watched was The Lego Movie. I would totally
recommend it. I loved it.
HAVE YOU EVER WALKED
OUT OF A FILM? IF SO, WHAT WAS IT AND WHY?
It was Scream. I detested it. I still do. I hated how smug
it was, and how cheap it was. As a horror fan, I took it as a slap in the face.
Hate it.
IF YOU COULD BE ANY
CHARACTER FROM ANY FILM, WHO WOULD YOU BE?
Probably one of Takeshi's characters. Sharp suit, no
expression on my face, staring at a gangster in a lift. When I was 16 I used to
cut about my local shopping centre with a black suit, white shirt and tie on.
Seriously. I was only down there to pick up the shopping for my ma, but I'd be
dressed like a high-level Yakuza member. That was Takeshi's fault.
IF YOU COULD
RECOMMEND ONE ‘HIDDEN GEM’ FILM THAT PEOPLE PROBABLY OVERLOOKED, WHAT WOULD IT
BE?
Easy one. Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning. It's like
this surreal, art-house action film. Like David Lynch decided to make a
hardcore fight film. Scott Adkins, this incredible leading man, is flung into a
kaleidoscope of insanity. Jean-Claude Van Damme in face paint, staring at a
wall with dead eyes. Dolph Lundgren weeping. And the fights! Man alive. It's
fucking AMAZING.
MANY PEOPLE TALK
ABOUT THEIR FAVOURITE ACTORS AND ACTRESSES OF ALL TIME BUT WHO DO YOU CURRENTLY
GET EXCITED ABOUT SEEING WHEN THEY HAVE A NEW FILM OUT?
Donnie Yen. Guys like that. I'm heavily into martial arts
stuff, so any new Donnie Yen or Scott Adkins film will catch my interest. I
love watching Ryan Gosling too. Amy Adams. Who doesn't love Amy Adams?
SOME PEOPLE SAY,
“THEY DONT MAKE THEM LIKE THEY USE TO?” – DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS SENTIMENT AND
IS IT NECESSARILY A BAD THING?
Nah, it's nonsense. We make loads of stuff, and loads of it
is good. We even sometime get lucky and see a big budget musical, like in the
old days. Stuff like Les Mis, which I loved. Things are good, I think.
MOST PEOPLE HAVE A
GUILTY PLEASURE. A FILM YOU SHOULD PROBABLY HATE BUT YOU CANT HELP BUT ENJOY IT.
WHATS YOURS?
I don't really believe in the guilty pleasure thing. I think
pleasure is pleasure. But some people might not admit to loving romantic
comedies. I will. Give me a Sandra Bullock rom-com with a Rotten Tomatoes
rating of 13% or something and I'm a happy man. I bet I cry at the end.
PITCH A FILM IDEA IN
10 WORDS!
A woman finds the perfect husband. But he's a wasp!
