John C Lyons
10-06-2005, 12:33 PM
I will update this thread each day of the fest (this week Wednesday through Sunday)...
Last night was Opening Night with Gunnar Hansen! The original Leatherface from Texas Chain Saw Massacre!
http://www.the-lyons-den.com/photos/2005B/images/IMG_4063.jpg
Mr. Hansen was a really cool guy, and he didn't give me too much shit for never seeing the movie. Yes, I was a TCSM virgin! I was never into horror until I was asked to be a judge on last year's Horror Fest, but now I am appreciating it more (when it's done well). So anyhow, once I heard he was coming to this year's fest I decided to just wait and see it on the big screen. What a movie?! I really enjoyed it, even by today's standards it's still pretty f*cked up! :cheesy:
Tidbits from Hansen:
- he was approached to be Leatherface in each of the sequels, he had to turn them all down. The original has made over $100 million. Out of that he has seen $3000. He's the character you remember the most but yet the people who made the sequels he said didn't have much respect in terms of actor behind the mask. When he asked for more money because he didnt want to get screwed over again they turned him down thinking that anyone can play a guy in a mask. He was sad over this but once he saw the sequels he said he was happy it worked out the way it did.
- His favorite movies are Sci Fi. The last horror movie he liked was the original "Aliens". His favorite movie of all time is "Chinatown".
- He didn't comment much on "House of 1000 Corpses" but said that 1000 Corpses started out really promising (with Spaulding at the stop) then he said he felt it turned into a rip-off and less of an ode to TCSM.
http://www.the-lyons-den.com/photos/2005B/images/IMG_4067.jpg
He also had great stories of injuries on the set of TCSM:
- when Leatherface carries the one girl over through the doorway he ducks exaggeratingly because the first take he smashed his head off the door way (he is 6' 4" and his boots had 3" heels) and knocked himself out.
- He could only see straight ahead through his mask, one time while running with the chainsaw (they used a real one the entire shoot!) he slipped and fell on his back, the chainsaw went up in the air and came down right beside his head.
- When the old man at the gas stop beats the girl with the broomstick, they originally had a fake stick but it didnt look real. After several takes with a real broomstick the girl was getting tired and told the guy to really hit her so they could be done for the night. In the movie when he hits her and she falls forward, she was really knocked out.
- One great indie filmmaking story was the end scene when Leatherface cuts his own leg: They used a real chainsaw for it and wrapped Gunnar's leg with sheetmetal and put a steak over top of that, and a blood bag over that. He said the saw went through the bag and steak instantaneously and he felt a strong heat almost immediately after that. He pushed the saw away thinking that he cut himself. Likily it was just the metal wrapped around him burning up. He says now that was an insanely stupid idea. :shocked: Ah filmmakers! We're all nuts aren't we!?
So that's day one.
Here are where the Horror Fest photos start in my album, I will upload new ones as I have them and post here when they go up:
http://www.the-lyons-den.com/photos/2005B/pages/IMG_4060.html
Tonight's guests include porn star Jasmin St. Claire (I am sure at least some of you recognize that name) who stars in a movie that actually myself and my wife are in called "Swamp Zombies" which plays tonight (it was filmed with a GL2)!
Last night was Opening Night with Gunnar Hansen! The original Leatherface from Texas Chain Saw Massacre!
http://www.the-lyons-den.com/photos/2005B/images/IMG_4063.jpg
Mr. Hansen was a really cool guy, and he didn't give me too much shit for never seeing the movie. Yes, I was a TCSM virgin! I was never into horror until I was asked to be a judge on last year's Horror Fest, but now I am appreciating it more (when it's done well). So anyhow, once I heard he was coming to this year's fest I decided to just wait and see it on the big screen. What a movie?! I really enjoyed it, even by today's standards it's still pretty f*cked up! :cheesy:
Tidbits from Hansen:
- he was approached to be Leatherface in each of the sequels, he had to turn them all down. The original has made over $100 million. Out of that he has seen $3000. He's the character you remember the most but yet the people who made the sequels he said didn't have much respect in terms of actor behind the mask. When he asked for more money because he didnt want to get screwed over again they turned him down thinking that anyone can play a guy in a mask. He was sad over this but once he saw the sequels he said he was happy it worked out the way it did.
- His favorite movies are Sci Fi. The last horror movie he liked was the original "Aliens". His favorite movie of all time is "Chinatown".
- He didn't comment much on "House of 1000 Corpses" but said that 1000 Corpses started out really promising (with Spaulding at the stop) then he said he felt it turned into a rip-off and less of an ode to TCSM.
http://www.the-lyons-den.com/photos/2005B/images/IMG_4067.jpg
He also had great stories of injuries on the set of TCSM:
- when Leatherface carries the one girl over through the doorway he ducks exaggeratingly because the first take he smashed his head off the door way (he is 6' 4" and his boots had 3" heels) and knocked himself out.
- He could only see straight ahead through his mask, one time while running with the chainsaw (they used a real one the entire shoot!) he slipped and fell on his back, the chainsaw went up in the air and came down right beside his head.
- When the old man at the gas stop beats the girl with the broomstick, they originally had a fake stick but it didnt look real. After several takes with a real broomstick the girl was getting tired and told the guy to really hit her so they could be done for the night. In the movie when he hits her and she falls forward, she was really knocked out.
- One great indie filmmaking story was the end scene when Leatherface cuts his own leg: They used a real chainsaw for it and wrapped Gunnar's leg with sheetmetal and put a steak over top of that, and a blood bag over that. He said the saw went through the bag and steak instantaneously and he felt a strong heat almost immediately after that. He pushed the saw away thinking that he cut himself. Likily it was just the metal wrapped around him burning up. He says now that was an insanely stupid idea. :shocked: Ah filmmakers! We're all nuts aren't we!?
So that's day one.
Here are where the Horror Fest photos start in my album, I will upload new ones as I have them and post here when they go up:
http://www.the-lyons-den.com/photos/2005B/pages/IMG_4060.html
Tonight's guests include porn star Jasmin St. Claire (I am sure at least some of you recognize that name) who stars in a movie that actually myself and my wife are in called "Swamp Zombies" which plays tonight (it was filmed with a GL2)!