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SEPTEMBER 16-28, 2014
Editor’s Note
Though I had a chance to really delve in to the life of one of my favorite film stars and wrote what ended up being a pretty epic story, I didn’t get to hit on some of my favorite JeanClaude Van Damme movies. “Bloodsport” was everyone’s introduction to the Belgian martial artist and it’s one of his best film roles. The film was gritty and dirty and filmed on a pretty small budget of $1.5 million (Van Damme made $25,000) and it went on to make $11 million in the U.S. The fighting was something
most people hadn’t seen and the way Van Damme performed his huge jumps and crazy kicks, not to mention the splits, was amazing when I was a kid watching it on VHS. Actually, it’s still pretty amazing. I remember all my friends in elementary school talking about this guy who sounds funny and wondering who would win in a fight, him or Rocky. The first movie of his I saw in theaters was “Universal Soldier” and I believe my parents took me to see that one. And to me the coolest
contributors PAUL GONZALES
DAPHNE GARCIA
Paul does things and then writes about them. That’s pretty much it. Now, sometimes, he gets to do really fun stuff and still manage to have a job when he returns to his office. Maybe they’re just not on to me yet?
Daphne has been playing video games since her mother bought her an Atari when she was 4 years old. When not killing zombies or raiding caves, Daphne can be found creating weapons and clothing for her Steampunk character.
thing was seeing him fight ‘The Russian’ from “Rocky 4” at the end of the film. It was a pretty awesome movie and the first hit film by director Roland Emmerich who would end up making “Independence Day” amongst other blockbusters. Another favorite of mine was “Hard Target” and that damn mullet. I remembered thinking how cool I would be if I had a mullet and a trench coat. I would irresistible to the ladies and no one would mess with me. I guess it’s still not too late to try it. But researching his life it gave me a different perspective on the guy and made me only like him that much more. He’s had his share of troubles but I’m glad he’s still here. And I’ll forever be a fan. – Paul Gonzales Editor
editor Paul Gonzales email Paul@stxscene.com phone (361) 343-5207 website stxscene.com twitter @stxscene facebook facebook.com/stxscene Published bi-weekly by Beeville Publishing Co.
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austin indie flix showcase
S
interview by Paul Gonzales
outh Carolina native Tommy Faircloth may not be an alltoo-familiar name around these parts, but he’s certainly known in quite a few circles around the globe. In 1996, he made a little indie film called “Crinoline Head” and then watched and waited as it achieved cult status. Eighteen years later, he’s decided to revisit the film with a splashier, gorier sequel titled “Dorchester’s Revenge: Return of Crinoline Head,” and he’s premiering it at the Austin Indie Flix Showcase where he’s nominated for the Best Director award. Here’s a little chat we had with the director.
STXscene: Tell us a little bit about “Dorchester’s Revenge: Return of Crinoline Head.” Tommy Faircloth: This is the sequel and prequel to the first feature film I shot that was released
in 1996 called “Crinoline Head.” It had a pretty big cult following after being presented in Fangoria magazine when it first was released. The story picks up 18 years after the first film. The story of Crinoline Head goes...back in 1980 a young boy named Dorchester Stewart was at a secluded lake house with his widowed mother, Mary. She was a doll maker and made them to support her and Dorchester. Well, this summer in 1980, Mary dies of a heart attack, and Dorchester is left alone with her for the summer. Once authorities find him months later, he had partially eaten his dead mother and was clinging to a crinoline skirt she was using to make a doll dress with. He is locked away in a home with his skirt that he would wear over his head to hide in shame at
some ideas that included doing flashbacks to when the killer was a child, and after touring around DORCHESTER’S REVENGE: THE RETURN OF CRINOLINE HEAD: SYNOPSIS festivals with my last “A group of college students researching Dorchester Stewart, short film...where people better known as the infamous killer Crinoline Head, return asked even more about to the scene of the horrific murders that happened in 1996. ” the possibility... I figured what he had to do to sur- the old lake house to it would be worth a shot. STX: What can fans vive. On his 18th birth- snoop around for a hisday he escaped and was tory project. It also stars expect from this new never seen again...until Debbie Rochon as a crazy, film? 1996 when the first film white trash redneck, and TF: I made sure this film she was amazing in it. takes place. could stand on its own. STX: After all these Even if you have never One of the survivors from the first film, Paul, years, what made you seen the first film, you is returning as a history feel like you needed to can watch and appreciate this one. There is plenty professor, and his stu- make a sequel? dents discover the story TF: People kept asking of creative kills and lots about how Crinoline me about a sequel, and of comedy. I describe my Head almost killed him it’s really nothing I ever style as a mix of John back in ’96, and a few thought I would do. But Carpenter and John decide to venture out to after playing around with Waters. I’m a huge fan of ’80s slashers, and this is my homage to the genre. STX: How has the film been doing on the festival circuit? BAD HEAD Tommy Faircloth will be screening his film ‘Dorchester’s revenge: The Return of Crinoline Head’ Thursday Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. at the Alamo Drafthouse on Slaughter Lane in Austin.
TF: AIFS is the first film festival DR has played, and it’s technically our world premiere. We have gotten great reviews so far from horror publications, so I hope the audience will receive it just as well. STX: Do you have any interesting production stories? TF: We shot the entire film in nine days, and it was hot as balls the whole shoot. STX: What’s coming next from you guys? TF: We are about to release our film “The Cabin” on DVD as we continue to your festivals with DR. I hope to get started on a new feature late next year as well. Follow the film “Dorchester’s Revenge: The Return of Crinoline Head” on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ crinolinehead2 and their production company at www.facebook.com/ horsecreekproductions or check out their web site at www.horsecreekproductions.net.
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SEPTEMBER 16-28, 2014
austin indie flix showcase
SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP:
SYNOPSIS “The Holmans, like many American families, are struggling to survive in an economically depressed small town. Joe, out of work and in denial, and Ellie, unexpectedly pregnant and buried under doubleshifts, are sandwiched between his senile father and their uncontrollable teenage daughter, Jackie.”
reveal the uncomfortable, simple truths of society: politics, love, family. For anyone who’s a family member interview by Paul Gonzales or a close friend Malindi Fickle had quite of a user that has the time finishing her first found themselves as “collateral feature. She spent over three damage” or “human fallout” years molding her vision. But in their own addiction story, I if her accolades are any hope they find community and indication, the work seems a sense of belonging and that to have paid off. their struggle is being shared We had a chance to ask too. Fickle a few questions about Truly, the impetus for the the daunting post produc- script was the sharing that tion process and how the came after the death of my film took shape. writing partner’s brother, Kurt. STXscene: Tell us a lit- Kris Lienert (co-writer) lost his tle bit about “Suck It Up brother to a heroin overdose. It was a calculated decision Buttercup.” Malindi Fickle: When peo- to tell this story before someple ask me what “Suck It Up one ended up dead. The candid Buttercup” is about I tell them, conversation needs to happen in a nutshell, a family’s strug- before it all goes to hell, before it’s too late. gle with addiction and denial. Kris and I found from our It takes place over the course own experiences, however, that of a single night. When the oftentimes the beginning of the story begins, teenager Jackie slide is when you’re most often (Buttercup) is at the top of in denial and least likely to face the addiction slide; everyone what is in front of you. Please around her, herself included, is see my director’s statement for in denial about the severity and more detail. extent of her problem. By the STX: What were some of end of the film, after everyone in her life suffers as a result of the obstacles of making this her actions, denial is no longer film? an option. MF: How long do you have? ;-) STX: What drove you to We shot for 28 days. We spent two and a half years in post. make this film? MF: I enjoy making films Overcoming obstacles is all we about the extraordinary in the did. :-) I find it extremely interestordinary; I focus on the every man and woman, if you will. I ing how incredibly difficult it is look for compelling stories that to make an independent film. investigate the human spirit The myriad of obstacles to overthat capture the vulnerability come, challenges to face, sacriand fragility of the human con- ficing virtually every aspect of dition. I like to look for and your life because the truth is
– you’d rather be dead than to admit defeat. ;-) STX: What is your favorite film and why? MF: If you asked me this question before “Suck It Up Buttercup” I would have given you a thoughtful answer that considered all elements of filmmaking. Quite possibly I would have cited “Metropolis” (Fritz Lang) or a Sturges or Hitchcock film and would have gone on to describe how and why my personal lens has been shaped by one of these masters. But today, after spending three and a half years on an epic filmmaking (and personal) journey I am going to say my favorite film is “Paper Moon.” Because it was through my experience watching “Paper Moon” that I later came to realize and understand the incredible power of film. I watched “Paper Moon” with my father, who at the time was an extremely intense workaholic – a very serious, stoic man. When he spoke, words like “unacceptable” and “outrageous” were the ones that most often fell out of his clenched mouth. I was nine years old when he woke me up on a school night and asked me if I wanted to watch a movie with him. (I wasn’t allowed to watch TV much less stay up late on a school night). I followed him into the family room and sat down next to him on our itchy green couch. We ate popcorn and drank lemonade, while watching a black and white national network broadcast of “Paper Moon” from across the room on our tiny
RCA television (complete with bunny ears). After it was over he spoke to me about it and the hard economic times. That Ryan and Tatum were father and daughter. He explained why certain parts were funny, what other parts meant. Why the film was significant. Why history in general was significant. I didn’t understand most of what he was talking about but I knew why him waking me up and wanting to hang out with me was significant. That much I knew for sure. For the very first time, even though he didn’t quite say it, I felt my dad loved me. And he used that film as a way to connect with me. In a way that he was otherwise incapable of. Film is an extraordinary powerful medium. It has the ability to inspire us, change us, move us, teach us – connect us – to ourselves and to the people and world around us. For me, the first of many films that helped me feel connected to the planet was “Paper Moon.” And because watching it was one of the most special and significant moments of my childhood, it is my favorite. (As a side note, I now have wonderful relationship with my dad and he was a big part of this filmmaking journey.)
STX: How has the festival circuit been for your film? MF: Since our world premier in April, we have received 11 wins on the indie festival circuit including: Best Female Filmmaker, the Alan Bailey Award for Excellence in Film for Independent Filmmaking, Best of the Festival, Directors Choice, Best Feature Drama, Best Screenplay, Best Actress, Best Ensemble, Best Score. We’ve also received 28 additional festival nominations. It’s been an incredible honor and quite a ride. The most interesting part is how willing the audiences have been to share their addiction stories with us after seeing the film. They are relating to the story and identifying deeply with it and that is the most incredible part. STX: What’s next for you? MF: Fortunately, people seem to be handing me scripts left and right. I am in the middle of writing two more of my own. “Suck It Up Buttercup” heads to the Hawaii International Film Festival and will screen opening day on Oct. 30. Follow the team behind the film on twitter @buttercupfilm and like them on facebook at www.facebook.com/ SuckItUpButtercupMovie. Also check out www.suckitupbuttercup-themovie.com.
PARTY DOWN Jackie (Lacy Marie Meyer) and her friends party it up in a scene from “Suck It Up Buttercup” which will screen Saturday Sept. 27 at 3:30 p.m. at Doubletree University Ambassador Global Theater in Austin.
P. 5
austin indie flix showcase
ARMY OF FRANKENSTEINS:
SYNOPSIS “After a failed attempt to propose to his girfriend, Alan Jones is beaten to within an inch of his life by a street gang and taken to a mysterious lab where Dr. Tanner Finski and his kid genius assistant perform horrible experiments on him hoping to re-animate a Frankenstein. The experiments lead to a hole being ripped in space and time, manifesting an Army of Frankensteins from hundreds of parallel universes and sending them all back to the 19th century, directly into the heart of a bloody battle between the North and South.
interview by Paul Gonzales ne of the back to the time of the more inter- Civil War with an army esting fea- of Frankenstein monsters ture films to from parallel universes. play the Austin Indie As you could imagine, it Flix Showcase is a little throws off the space/time gem called “Army of continuum a bit. Frankensteins.” And STX: How has the film it looks as insane as been received by the it sounds before you public, and how’s it add the Civil War and doing on the festival time travel. circuit? The film is directed Ryan: It really was sort by Ryan Bellgardt from of a take on the Twilight Edmond, Oklahoma. movies to be honest. He’s been taking the I don’t want to spoil film around the U.S., Twilight for those who freaking people out haven’t seen the movie and causing laughter or read the books, but through the aisles. at the end, two vampire We had to get to the armies face off against bottom of this crazy each other. I was talking looking film, so we about how you see armies found Bellgardt and of vampires, mummies, zombies. asked him a few ques- werewolves, etc...but you never see a tions. STXscene: Tell us a bit big group of classic, lumabout this crazy looking bering Frankenstein-type monsters. Then Andy film you have, “Army of Swanson, who is one Frankensteins.” of the producers, said, Ryan Bellgardt: “Army “Yeah, then you got to of Frankensteins” is a fun throw them back in time adventure/horror movie like to the Civil War or that took our team about something.” two years to produce. We took the concept It tells the story of a and ran with it, trying young man who gets kid- to create a story where napped by a mad scientist a ridiculous premise like and accidentally thrown that could actually be
O
plausible. STX: How has the film been received by the public and how’s it doing on the festival circuit? Ryan: We love the reaction the movie gets when it’s screened by audiences. AIFS will be our 10th fest (the first to have us play at a drive-in) and response has been tremendous. I think sometimes people aren’t sure if they are supposed to laugh or not because the characters in the movie play it very straight. It’s a movie that really seems to play well to group of people who can all have fun watching it together. There’s lots of moans, groans, laughter and the occasional “OH HELL, YEAH!” It’s fun to sit in a screening with a new audience and anticipate those moments. STX: Do you have any funny/interesting production stories? Ryan: One of my favorite stories is about our makeup artist, Nate Bright. He plays a mutated cat creature in the movie, and it took him and his partner, Jenna Green, eight hours to apply his makeup. They literally glued little tufts of fur all over his body. They show up to the set and Nate says, “Hey, I
just want to let you know, I’m covered in glue and extremely flammable right now.” Unfortunately for him, the scene called for our lead actor Jordan Farris to be waving a lit torch at him all night. Luckily, Nate wasn’t burned, but he got a few scrapes and bruises from rolling around in the brush essentially naked. After the shoot, it took them five more hours to get the makeup off, ruining a hotel bathroom in the process.
DEAD RISING Ryan Bellgardt will be screening his film STX: What’s next for “Army of Frankensteins” Friday, Sept. 26, at 8:30 p.m. at you guys? the Blue Starlite Urban Drive-In in Austin. Ryan: We’re finishing “Army o f even bigger and better. up our festival run and Frankensteins” was our You can follow Ryan look forward to being able first feature, and we and his Frankensteins at to release the movie soon. learned so much from facebook.com/AoFmovie. We’ve started pre-pro- the mistakes we made. duction and writing for We’re hoping we can use More Austin Indie Flix our next feature which we some of that experience Showcase coverage to make our next movie continued on pg. 8 are really excited about.
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P. 6
SEPTEMBER 16-28, 2014
cover story
I’M STILL HERE story by Paul Gonzales
H
e defined a generation. His helicopter kick and his ability to incorporate the splits in his martial arts amazed audiences for years. Basically, the period from 1988 to ’94 belonged to Jean-Claude Van Damme. He was churning out box office action films left and right. He was on every late night talk show promoting his latest films endlessly. He was a marquee international star with children all over the world mimicking his fighting style and trademark slow motion howl after taking out his opponents. But then one day he
just vanished. Well, not really, but that’s what most people think. When one of his now classic action films comes up in a conversation, it’s usually followed by “What ever happened to Van Damme?” The truth is he just relocated from the cinema screen to your home television. He’s been tirelessly making direct-toDVD films since the late ’90s, even taking over the director’s chair for a few of them. “We have a public for theatrical and a public for DVD,” Van Damme said during an interview with Joblo.com. “It’s hard when you
make four or five DVD movies, but you give your best. “Like people tell me when they see me at the mall or at the airport they say, ‘Hey, JC, when are you going to make another film?’ “And I go ‘F***, I just did three for DVD,” he recalls with a sarcastic sigh and a laugh. Van Damme has had a long and storied career, which isn’t nearly over yet. With a slew of films always on his plate (which could be a good or bad considering the lack of quality on some), a recent return to the big screen for Expendables 2 in 2012 and a Volvo commercial which went
viral with over 75 million views and counting, I decided to take a look back at one of my heroes and maybe shine a more favorable light on the man behind the muscles from Brussels. The Kickboxer At the age of 10, Van Damme began his martial arts training when his father enrolled him in a karate school. At the age of 15 he began competing in semicontact matches and compiled a pretty impressive 44-4 record. He also competed in full contact matches and has a record of 18-1, 18 by KO. In his entire five-year full contact career, he was only knocked down once by Sherman Bergman, who he then went on to knock out in 56 seconds of the first round. “I was scared as sh*t because I was 16 or 17 fighting against 35-yearold guys,” Van Damme recalled in the Joblo.com interview. “They were saying, “I’m going to f***ing destroy you” and sh*t like that. “So I was hiding in the toilet, and the teacher comes and knocks and says, ‘Come on, get out.’” There has been some controversy over the years about Van Damme’s actual martial arts past as many have tried to uncover any records of his
WHY SO SERIOUS? (above) Van Damme with costar Carl Weathers on the set of ‘Predator’ before leaving the production. (left) Van Damme performing in the alien suit before the design was scrapped.
actual professional fights, going as far as to say he’s simply just lying about his fighting past. Van Damme has come forward to mention that he was fighting at the time under his given name of Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg. Any efforts to falsify his martial arts credentials seem to have ceased. Though he fully retired in 1982, he was attempting to make a comeback fighting former boxing Olympic gold-medalist Somluck Kamsing in 2009. There was a French TV documentary series chronicling the event titled “Jean Claude Van
‘...all of a sudden there was some disturbance outside in the bushes. And it was him. He had just come from Belgium and he was very ambitious about being in films and he could barely speak English. He was miming what he wanted to do. He was doing these incredible kicks out in the driveway.’ -Sylvester Stallone
Damme: Behind Closed Doors.” The fight has yet to happen and many believe it never will due to the difficulty of booking a venue and Van Damme’s advanced age. Hollywood is a Bloodsport In 1982 Van Damme, who was 22, decided to follow his dreams of Hollywood stardom and headed to America. “I was always dreaming of becoming a star since I was young,” Van Damme remembered during the Joblo.com interview. “I love movies because my father took me to see ‘Lawrence of Arabia.’ Then he took me to see ‘Ben-Hur.’ Those were my movies.” But the dream wasn’t as easily achieved as he had hoped. In 2010 during an interview with Howard Stern on his radio talk show, Sylvester Stallone talked about how he first met the future action star. “I met Jean-Claude, believe it or not, I was
P. 7
cover story
FIGHT CLUB Van Damme (right) in his early kickboxing years. His father enrolled him in to karate school when he was 10 years old and he retired at the age of 22.
a short 2-minute scene in the movie played for laughs, but it didn’t get him any more work. Even his turn as a bad guy in “No Retreat, No Surrender,” didn’t land him any more roles.
‘...he thought he could do his martial arts and he could fight Arnold Schwarzenegger. He didn’t realize that he was just kind of a stunt man, right? We get him out there for the first shot and he’s just seething. - Steve Johnson instructor and got bit part as an extra in the film “Breakin.’” He was also cast in a film called “Monaco Forever,” where he played a character named in the credits as “Gay Karate Man” which he played, you guessed it, a gay karate man. It’s
He was sleeping on people’s couches and in garages just trying to make ends meet. And not having a green card or the ability to speak English didn’t do him any favors. He landed his first big Hollywood movie
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opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1987 film “Predator,” as the alien hunter, but not the one you all remember. You see, when Van Damme was cast, the alien looked very different. He basically looked like an intergalactic grasshopper. Footage exists online of Van Damme in a red version of the costume (the suit was all red for the cloaking special effects shots seen in the film) bouncing around the jungle. He wasn’t very happy about it. Makeup FX legend Steve Johnson was the supervisor of the team who designed the ill-fated costume and remembered the shoot during
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was doing ‘Rocky 3’ or something like that, and all of a sudden there was some disturbance outside in the bushes. And it was him. He had just come from Belgium and he was very ambitious about being in films and he could barely speak English. He was miming what he wanted to do. He was doing these incredible kicks out in the driveway,” Stallone said with a laugh. “My wife asked ‘Who’s the guy doing the splits?’ and I said I don’t know. I actually drove him to a bus stop.” He spent around five years doing odd jobs and trying to make it into films. He was a taxi driver, a masseur (a male masseuse), a dance
a recent interview with Matt Winston for the Stan Winston School of Character Arts. “He thought he was going to show his martial arts abilities to the world. “Jean-Claude comes in and we’re fitting him in this red suit and just assuming, like the slaves that we are, that the higher-ups have told him exactly what’s going on. But he thought this was actually the real look of the monster in the movie and he was, ‘I hate this. I hate this. I hate it. I look like a superhero.’ He was so angry. “I’m like, ‘Jean-Claude, did no one tell you? It’s a cloaking device. You’re invisible for half of the picture. This is not you.’ Which made him
even angrier because right away: Did he have he thought he could do a green card and could he his martial arts and speak English. he could fight Arnold He didn’t and couldn’t. Schwarzenegger. At the time, Van “He didn’t realize that Damme was ready to he was just kind of a head back to Belgium. stunt man, right? We get He was ready to hop on him out there for the first Air France that night if shot and he’s just seeth- he couldn’t land a job at ing. Cannon films. “We got him in at He was quickly dislunch and you could see missed by the studio his eyes through the rub- chief, but Van Damme ber muscles of the neck didn’t leave. Instead he and he’s like, ‘I hate this pleaded with the man head. I hate it. I hate it. and begged him for a job, Hate it.’” bursting into tears and The alien was rede- sobbing for a chance to signed at the last minute continued on pg. 10 by the legendary Stan Winston and became an iconic figure and Van Damme was replaced, much to his delight, by the over 7-foottall actor Kevin Peter Hall. But now, Van Damme was once again broke and looking for work. He managed to get a meeting with the head of Cannon films, and after waiting nearly five hours in the waiting room, he COMIC RELIEF Cannon Films released was called in. an awful, cheesy adaptation to their The studio Van Damme starrer ‘Cyborg’ which head asked him touts the tagline “Van Damme (The two questions Star of “Bloodsport”).
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P. 8
SEPTEMBER 16-28, 2014
austin indie flix showcase
SPAVINE:
SYNOPSIS “Plagued by nightmares and obsessive sleepwalking, Darcy Baker can’t purge her mind of the animalistic abuse she suffered as a child at the hands of her mother. When Darcy’s therapist Ryan is informed that her family homestead, the very source of her nightmares, has been abandoned, he is eager to get her back there and pull the suppressed memories to the surface in order to start her journey of healing.”
interview by Paul Gonzales eing an inde- nificance of this word is pendent film- revealed in the movie. maker is I was working on tough enough, the script and at the but toss in being a same time was reading woman making hor- Henry Miller’s “Tropic of ror films, and it’s is Cancer,” and I came to a virtually impossible. powerful passage where Just don’t tell that to he referred to a spavined Tiffany Heath. horse. That passage proHeath is Texas film- vided me with a strange maker who knew what burst of inspiration, and she was getting into suddenly the script took a when she decided to much different turn. make a film in a preSTX: You both directdominantly male-driv- ed and star in the film. en genre, but she did Was it a conscious it anyway and has a choice to do both or beautiful horror film to necessity? show for it. Heath: I wrote my first The Houston native feature film, “Mulberry is bringing her film Stains,” but did not “Spavine” to Austin direct. With “Spavine” I in a few weeks, and wanted to see my vision we were eager to talk in a more complete way, with her about it. so directing was the natuSTXscene: Tell us ral choice. a bit about your film I had directed theater “Spavine” and the ori- in college and am a film gin of the title. actress, so I knew my Tiffany Heath: Spavine strong point as a director is a term relating to a was working with actors. horse that is damaged “Spavine” is an intimate or in distress. The sig- three-person story, so the
B
characters are truly the soul of the movie. I wrote the script with myself, my son and the lead actor in mind, so I knew what we were all capable of. STX: Being a female director in the male driven horror genre, do you find it difficult to fit in or do you enjoy standing out as a female director? Heath: I was eager to put the female, more emotional, spin on the genre. Personally, I am a bit over the whole onedimensional-characterbeing-slaughtered-in-thewoods aspect of horror. I wanted to throwback to the character-driven psychological horror that Hitchcock created where you really get to know the characters, so you care about the journey they take you on. STX: How is the film doing on the festival circuit? Heath: We have been fortunate to play at two festivals and have had several festivals request screeners of “Spavine.” I have mixed feelings regarding festivals. In some ways, festivals are “good ol’ boy” clubs where you have to have an “in” or be someone on their radar. The work should speak for itself. I have never pursued a festival or in any way promoted myself to a fes-
interesting in making films? Heath: I’m not sure I’m in the position to give advice, but I would say please, please make sure you are extremely passionate about your craft. To do this job well, it must be a calling…a deep desire that you can’t turn away from. If you have that, remain humble and learn from anyone you can. Work on set for free, read scripts of movies you love, go to mixers and stay connected to the industry. I am a huge fan of the Houston film community and want to be seen as a mentor and encourager, so please call on me if you need some personalized direction.
STX: What’s next for you? Heath: I’m currently writing a drama with my writing partner, Doug Williams. “Cutman” is a bleak character study of an exboxer turned drug heavy and a heroin-addicted mom who must confront their past in a decaying East Texas motel. The story has a Sam Shepherd stage play quality with a “Leaving Las Vegas” tone. We are polishing the script and then plan to secure an A-list actor. You can follow “Spavine” and check out the film’s trailer and clips at Facebook.com/ Spavine.
tival. I’m probably inadvertently hurting myself; however, my integrity as an artist just won’t allow for the schmoozing I see rampant in the festival circuit. STX: Do you have any funny production stories? Heath: Well, the conditions were pretty horrific as we had no running water, and the old slaughterhouse smelled like dead animals were still around, so we had to keep a good sense of humor as we were using ant riddled port-a-potties and dousing ourselves in bug spray to battle the notorious Texas mosquitoes. One day, my husband was transporting some of Phil’s amazing fake dead children’s bodies in the back of his truck from the barn we were using for our creature staging to the set, and someone called the cops because they thought the bodies were real. Several animals were GIRL ON FILM Heath will be screening her film “Spavine” living in the walls of the Saturday, Sept. 27, at 7:15 p.m. at Doubletree University house, so we had a pet Ambassador Underdogs Lounge in Austin. baby raccoon we named Rusty as our mascot for the duration of the shoot. We were in the middle of redneckville, so Mel would have to go over and quiet down the heavy metal bands who were practicing a few pastures over. STX: What advice do you have for people
P. 9
video games
Dragon Sized Heartbreak
Video games today feature fantastic stories and characters that can draw a player into the video game’s world. RPGs (role-playing games) are especially gifted when it comes to immersing the players into the world, getting so drawn into a game that everything that happens to your onscreen avatar you feel the effects in real life. Bioware’s Dragon Age franchise is no different. Dragon Age: Inquisition (the newest installment of the series) is set to hit the shelves Nov.18. A perilous journey
and epic battles are promised, but along the way a few hearts will be broken. Bioware games always features incredible stories, but where they really excel is creating amaz-
ingly life-like characters. The characters have a back story, a life outside the interaction with your avatar, and they have flaws and quirks. In my opinion, it’s the flaws and quirks that make the players bond so strongly with the character. They stop being characters in a video game, and a player can genuinely care what happens to them. For example, in Dragon Age: Origins, the player is introduced to Shale, a stone golem. Shale is a fearsome battle companion, but duri n g t h e t i m e between battles, y o u
By Daphne Garcia have the chance to talk to Shale and discover that she is sassy, humorous, and curious. So when Shale asks you to help her explore part of her past that she no longer remembers, you do. Not because you need to in order to advance the storyline, Shale’s quest is completely optional, but you honestly want to help her. Companions can range from smart talking golems, drunken dwarves to flirty assassins. All the characters introduced to the player are interesting and unique companions to have in your party. On occasion, your party members can also become romantic companions. Players’ hearts have been stolen many times by these video game charmers. It’s hard not to find a
female whose heart didn’t skip a beat when Alistair (a shy and awkward grey warden) gives the player a single rose. Females aren’t the only one that gets caught off guard by these companions. In Dragon Age 2, players are introduced to Merrill, an elf with a dark past. According to War Lammergeier, it was Merrill’s awkwardness and rambling that made her his first choice of romance options. But what if you begin crushing on a character that isn’t a romance option, like Varric? Varric was the devilishly charming rogue dwarf players were introduced to in Dragon Age 2. Varric’s jokes, embellishments, and loyalty quickly made him a fan favorite. When it was announced V a r r i c would be returning in the n e w e s t installment of the Dragon Age franchise, fans everywhere crossed their fingers that V a r r i c w o u l d
finally be a romance option out of the possible eight romance-able companions. In October it was finally revealed Varric would not be a love interest in the new game. Personally, I was heartbroken. And I was not alone in my disappointment. “I actually felt really let down. Bioware had to know Varric was a fan favorite,” said disheartened Dragon Age fan Deadbyday. “Instead they give us pretty lesbians and qunari.” I have no d o u b t t h a t
once fans start playing Dragon Age: Inquisition, a number of other new characters will be come compelling romance options. Maybe that is part of the problem. Varric is a returning character, who already has a rapport with the player. Either way come Nov. 18, I for one will have a Varric-sized hole in my heart. Now, go forth and game on.
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SEPTEMBER 16-28, 2014
cover story show what he could do on the big screen. The studio head told him to get up, dry his face and plopped down the script for “Bloodsport” on his desk. “You want to be a star?,” Van Damme recalled the studio chief saying. “I’ll make you a star.” There’s Nowhere to Run And Van Damme did become a star. His movies were relatively inexpensive to make and turned a profit, even though with every film released a barrage of bad reviews followed. True, his movies weren’t the best action films ever made, but they sure were fun. And he was releasing two movies pretty much every year from 1990-1996. He was an international star and on top of his game. Or so it seemed. During his reign as a box office king, Van Damme began an affair with actress Darcy LaPier and left his third wife, Gladys Portugues, to marry her. In 2012 he admitted to having an affair with British pop star and “Street Fighter” co-star Kylie Minogue while LaPier was pregnant with his child. And due to the rigorous filming schedules, Van Damme stated that by 1996, his cocaine habit had ballooned to $10,000 a week, and he consumed up to 10 grams per day. He began to abuse alcohol, which lead to an interesting encounter with none other than Chuck Norris at a party. The two men had been
friends for some years, before allowing a woman come between them. At the party, Van Damme said some unkind words to Norris that night, which resulted in Van Damme catching a fist to his face and being knocked out cold. He claims he was so wasted he doesn’t remember what caused the incident, but admits that the knockout did occur. Also around 1996, while attending another star studded house party, this one with action star Steven Seagal in attendance, Van Damme challenged him to a fight. Stallone remembered the night during an interview, “Van Damme was tired of Seagal saying he could kick his a** and went right up to him and offered him the chance to step outside so he could wipe the floor with him, or should I say wipe the backyard with him. “Seagal made some excuse and left. His destination was some Ocean Drive nightclub in Miami. Van Damme, who was completely berserk, tracked him down and again offered him a fight, and again Seagal pulled a Houdini.” No one knows who would’ve won that one, but the two haven’t spoken since. In 1998 the first Van Damme film, “Legionnaire,” went straight to DVD as it proved not good enough for theaters. He returned with two duds the following year, “Universal Soldier: The Return” and “Desert Heat,” which would mark his final starring theatrical released films.
JUST ONE OF THE GUYS Schwarzenegger, in his prime,
stopped by the set of ‘Universal Soldier’ to have a few laughs with the cast and crew which included a still very fresh Van Damme. Then everything came to a halt in 1999 when he was arrested for driving under the influence. He went to rehab for a 30-day stint to kick the drugs and alcohol, but left after only a week to kick his habits cold turkey with exercise and training. He remarried his third wife that same year and are still married to this day. JCVD Van Damme made it through his personal addictions a better man, but his career was struggling to survive. By 2001 he was churning out low-budget, direct-to-DVD movies left and right. He was filming all over the world where they could stretch their budgets further and where the conditions were less than ideal. He also began directing a few and writing them as well, mostly out of necessity. While they were mostly schlock pictures, something was becoming evident in each of his subsequent films.
He was becoming a pretty decent actor. In his film “Replicant” Van Damme plays a serial killer who gets cloned by a cop who’s trying to catch him. The cop figures he can get insight into the killer’s mind by interrogating the clone. But the clone, played by Van Damme as well, shows the actor’s versatility as the clone’s brain development is that of a child and he’s frightened and confused. But it was his 2008 film “JCVD” that changed everything. The film is a huge departure from his action star days as he’s basically playing himself; a broke, old action star making the same movie over and over again because he’s trying to pay his lawyers so he can fight for custody of his child. While his character is at the post office to make a child support payment, thieves decide to hold up the place, and Van Damme wants no part of it and merely stands aside and joins the other hostages. But in the film he
breaks the fourth wall during a monologue scene and talks to the audience. It’s simply gutwrenching in its honesty, as he apologizes to his fans for his behavior and to everyone he has ever let down over the years. The scene brought me to tears and Time magazine named it the second best performance of the year behind Heath Ledger’s Joker in “The Dark Knight.” The film seemed to rejuvenate his career and made him focus more on acting and directing, as opposed to split kicks and roundhouses. He returned to the “Universal Soldier” franchise and made two pretty decent sequels with his old pal Dolph Lundgren. In 2011 he voiced Master Croc in “Kung Fu Panda 2” alongside Jack Black. And in 2012 he made his triumphant return to theaters with “The Expendables 2,” where he plays the lead villain and actually choreo-
graphed the final fight scene between him and Stallone. What a way to come full circle. A Universal Soldier Sure Van Damme movies are still coming out basically every other month and are still mostly direct-to-DVD, but you can see in the actor’s aged face that he cares again. He cares about the movies he’s making and is seeking more character driven roles. At the age of 54 he seems finally content with his life. He now resides in Hong Kong and visits Belgium frequently to see his parents and his dogs. He has a few movies ready to release next year but there’s no idea when we’ll get to see him return to the big screen where I’ll always remember him. Larger than life and one hell of a hero.
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Fri. Sept. 19 • 2nd Annual Steam Magazine Art Show at Supreme Lending: For their second year STEAM Magazine will have art, live music beer, wine, fire dancers, a photo booth and much more. It’s on the second floor of Supreme Lending so you should really make it out and enjoy the show. 509 Lawrence St. Ste. 201 in Corpus Christi. • Rock-N-Soul Dance Party at 1321: Get your groove on to the finest of South Texas’ vintage soul and rock-n-roll DJ’s. DJ Rene and DJ MaiTner spin old school jams starting at 10 p.m. ranging from the grittiest garage to the smoothest of slow dances. It’s just $5 and all ages are welcome. The event is BYOB so make sure you have a valid I.D. if you plan on drinking. 1321 Ayers St. in Corpus Christi.
Sat. Sept. 20 • Hope & Hostility CD Release Party at The House of the Rock: Ma & God and Fire in the Kitchen will be joining Hope & Hostility as they release their first EP “Heart/Ashes”. The event is free so get there early and check out some awesome live music. 511 Starr St. in Corpus Christi. • Pin-Up Photoshoot at the Tango Tea Room: If you’re a professional photographer or a newbie, it’s all good. Show up and shoot a professional pin-up model and
at 8 p.m. 12516 Farm to Market Road 622 in Goliad.
Fri. Oct. 24
get pointers and network with others. The event kicks off at 2 p.m. and is free for everyone. 505 S. Water St. Ste. 545 in Corpus Christi.
Thurs. Sept. 25 • Austin Indie Flix Showcase at Alamo Drafthouse (Slaughter Lane): Three days of films and fun kicks off and runs through Saturday with films screened at a drive-in and tons of other awesome events. Get your tickets at twitchydolphin.com/shop. 5701 W Slaughter Lane in Austin. • Granger Smith at Brewster Street Ice House: Jeff Allen and Earl Dibbles Jr. will be opening the show for Granger Smith and it’s just $15 at the door. The doors open at 8 p.m. and the music starts at 9 p.m. 1724 N. Tancahua St. in Corpus Christi.
Fri. Sept. 26 • Jason Eady at Schroeder Hall: The country singer/songwriter will be coming to Schroeder and bringing some good ol’ country tunes. The doors open at 8 p.m. and it’s just $10
at the door. 12516 Farm to Market Road 622 in Goliad.
Sat. Sept. 27 • Noah & the Beyonders CD Release at Disc Go Round: The instrumental surf band The Total Death Mechanics will be joining Noah & the Beyonders for their CD release party. It’s a free show for all ages and BYOB for 21 and up. 5734 Mcardle Rd. Ste. A in Corpus Christi. • Curtis Grimes at Schroeder Hall: “New Male Vocalist of the Year” and top 10 finalist on the NBC show ‘The Voice’ Curtis Grimes is coming to Goliad and it’s just $10. The doors open at 8 p.m. 12516 Farm to Market Road 622 in Goliad.
competing you can show up register. First place is $300 and a featured appearance at Bikefest so show up early and be ready to bare your ink. The tickets are just $8 at the door. 511 Starr St. in Corpus Christi.
Mon. Sept. 29 • Back to Back at Downtown Victoria: Graffiti artists from Berlin, Hamburg, LA, Atlanta, Austin, San Antonio & Houston will travel to Victoria, TX to join up with local artists and paint over 25,000 square feet of wall space in downtown Victoria, including an entire Wells Fargo drive-thru bank that is empty and sched-
uled for demolition in a year or two. There will be film screenings and live music and is free for all. 209 E. Constitution St. in Victoria.
Thurs. Oct. 16 • Stoney LaRue at Brewster Street Ice House: Stoney returns to Brewster Street and it’s just $17 at the door and the show kicks off at 9 p.m. 1724 N. Tancahua St. in Corpus Christi.
Sat. Oct. 18 •
Amber Digby & Midnight Flyer at Schroeder Hall: Known as the queen of the Texas Dance Halls, Amber Digby is returning to Schroeder Hall for only $10. The doors open
Sat. Oct. 25 • Hardcore Circus 2 at El Paisano Ballroom: Wolves Amongst Sheep, Hellborn Militia, The Devil Himself and A Tragedy in Texas will be jamming all night so show up early and stay late. The doors open at 7 p.m. and it’s $5 at the door. 300 W. Hefferman St. in Beeville. Need your awesome event listed? Drop us a line at Paul@stxscene.com or send us a Facebook event invite at facebook.com/stxscene.
Going on tour?
Sun. Sept. 28 • Ink Model Competition at The House of the Rock: Like your model competition with a little more ink? Well, the House of Rock is holding the Beautiful Women of Ink in Corpus Christi model competition. The doors open at 8 p.m. and if you know someone interested in
• Frels Fright Fest at Welder Center: The 3 day event will feature classic horror, new independent horror films and a special screening of Nosferatu featuring a live chamber orchestra courtesy of the Victoria Bach Festival. More movies will be announced and for more info please go to www.vtxiff.com. 214 N. Main St. in Victoria.
Let your fans know where you’re going to be. Tue. Mar 18 - Vancouver, BC with the Boondocks
Wed. Mar 19 - Seattle, WA with Wildlife & Peter Rabbit
Thu. Mar 20 - Portland, OR with Dire Needs
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call (361) 358-2550 or email Paul@stxscene.com
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SEPTEMBER 16-28, 2014 STATUESQUE PHYSIQUE In 2012 Van Damme got his very own life-sized statue in Brussels which he unveiled with his mom and dad by his side at the event. If you’re ever visiting the country you can stop by the Westland Shopping Center in Brussels and check it out for yourself. The statue made by Belgian artist Marc Duvinage (below).
VAN FAMILY MAN Van Damme stepped out with his kids Bianca Bree (top left) and Kristopher Van Varenberg (top right) in 2012 to help promote The Expendables 2. Both are actors with his son working with his father in a few films. His daughter Bree also made quite a splash online as she performed the ice bucket challenge mimicking her father’s famous split pose (bottom left).
WHEN WE WERE YOUNG Van Damme during his early years in Belgium. Not only did he take karate, he took up ballet at the age of 16. According to Van Damme, ballet “is an art, but it’s also one of the most difficult sports. If you can survive a ballet workout, you can survive a workout in any other sport.” NOT COOL, MAN In 2012 Van Damme admitted to having an affair with British actress and popstar Kylie Minogue while filming the 1992 movie “Street Fighter” in which she was his co-star. To make matters worse, his wife at the time, actress Darcy LaPier, was pregnant with their son. She had no idea the affair occurred until Van Damme recently confessed.