SPECIAL GUEST INTERVIEW - ROBERT FLORENCE

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!