Interview: Ari Kirschenbaum (Live Evil)

   “Live-Evil” has an amazing cast including: Charlene Amoia, Vladimir Kulich, Tony Todd, Vincent M. Ward and J. Richey Nash. What was it like working with the cast?

Ari- It was great for the most part. A lot of the supporting cast was local. We cast really late. We were constantly looking for people and actors generally like to take their time when deciding whether to do something and will wait until the last minute to commit so you kind of have to force the commitment.

That weeds out a lot of actors. With the producer we were looking for who is available for the Sheriff (Vladimir Kulich portrays Sheriff Pete) and we looked at a lot of great character actors from the genre. Once we saw that Vlad was available, the executive producer was adamant that we need to get him (Vlad) and I was like he can do it. Charlene was actually a replacement.

Our original actress who we shot six days with did not work out so we had to find a replacement immediately. Charlene worked out great, she is a total pro. Richey who plays Eric is in my first movie. I am friends with him so he was actually the earliest on. Vincent was another one of the producer’s finds. He was great. A total professional. Tony Todd, he was also a late casting decision.

I think we were actually shooting and while still trying to cast his role and we were going through the people that were available and he was available and I said I got to get him, I got to get him. I talked to him on the phone and he is super nice and super easy to get along with. We had him for a very short time but you can tell when someone is a professional and he brought his A game!

The film is different from other Horror films. It has a unique story-line. Where did the idea manifest?

Ari- My favorite horror movies and it is kind of a genre in itself. 80’s horror-comedy is such a small niche but those are some of my favorite films. So it is kind of an ode to them and I grew up on Hitchcock and “The Twilight Zone.” When you set out to create you can only create with what you have and with what you seen.

Who are some of your favorite directors?

Ari- Definitely one of top and you can see it in the movie is John Carpenter. I am an absolute John Carpenter fanatic. When his movies are bad I don’t like them but when his movies are good I cherish them and watch them over and over and over. I John Carpenter is a definite influence. I like Romero’s stuff. Hitchcock is a great influence. Definitely Stanley Kubrick. Richard Franklin.

Ari, what advice would you offer to fellow directors?

Ari- The ones who have already made it I have no advice because they are a step ahead of me. The ones who haven’t gotten to the point of making their own I would say just do it and don’t wait for anyone else’s permission.

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