Are you ready for a heaping helping of Smash Cut, Lee Demarbre's tribute to the films of Herschell Gordon Lewis? Because we've got it for you. The film will have its world premiere at the Fantasia Festival in Montreal this July - with stars Sasha Grey and David Hess plus writer-director Lee Demarbre in attendance - and for the next six weeks we will be sharing brand new behind the scenes reels from the film with you here on ScreenAnarchy. Episode one comes out today and features a good dose of both Lewis himself and co-star Michael Berryman. And because we love you, that's not all! We've also got a brief interview with Grey talking about both this film and her part in Soderbergh's The Girlfriend Experience. Check it all out below the break!
Smash Cut is the dizzying portrayal of ABLE WHITMAN, a trouble filmmaker losing his mind in an extraordinary way.After his latest “serious” film is met with gales of laughter, Able decides to drown his sorrows at a local strip club—where he meets dancer GIGI SPOT. Minutes later, he’s convinced the honey dripping sex-pot to star in his next project. Minutes after that, he’s killed her in a drunk driving accident. Needing to dispose of the body, Able stumbles upon the one place nobody would notice a corpse…spread around the set of his new horror film. When the response to this new footage is praised for its realism, the guilt ridden Able has a complete mental breakdown. Believing he has finally discovered the key to making a great horror film, the director quickly discovers that one human body doesn’t yield a lot of parts, and if he wants to finish, he’s going to have to keep on killing.
Meanwhile, Gigi’s sister APRIL hires the city’s most celebrated private detective, ISAAC BEAUMONDE, to investigate Gigi’s disappearance. But when the simple missing person investigation turns into a string of stomach turning murders, Isaac realizes he’s found the case of a lifetime.
With Beaumonde hot on his heels, his sanity unspooling and his collaborators dropping like flies, will Able have the time, focus and resources to complete his magnum opus, or will he simply fade to black?
TB: First of all, am I correct in thinking that this is your first ‘legitimate’ role? What motivated you to make the switch away from porn and have you found that your history in that world has helped out hurt you while moving in to mainstream film?
SG: Yes and no; I shot two independent films in Sacramento before I got into the adult business. I'd say Smash Cut was my first traditional film as the other two were shot in a cinema verite fashion.
TB: How did you come across this particular project and what made it appealing to you?
SG: The director (Lee Demarbre) contacted my agent at the time and we met over breakfast after I read the script. To be honest, I didn't really absorb the material until I watched some of Lee's films and I instantly knew it would be a very exciting and fun project; I had to watch his films to undertsand the tone of the script. I really enjoyed his films, so it was easy for me to say yes.
TB: I’ve heard that you are a big fan of horror film in general, were you a fan of David and Michael before you had the chance to work with them? What was that experience like?
SG: I was aware of who both David and Michael were and definitely appreciate their talents. Working with David was hilarious, he's always ready for the next thing and definitely loves playing to the crew and the director. Unfortunately I didn't get to meet Michael as he finished filming before I arrived.
TB: Any qualms about getting bloody on set?
SG: No way! I love blood and gore, so this was a plus!
TB: This is obviously a very broad, comic sort of horror film in a very specific world. Did you know the Lewis films that Lee was referencing before getting involved? Do you prefer your horror to have a comic edge or are you more a straight up fear sort of girl?
SG: I wasn't familiar with Color me Blood Red until I met with Lee, he sent me a copy and I fell in love! I just like a good film, it doesn't really depend on the genre.
TB: Other than the obvious differences, how do the working environments compare between a little indie film like this, doing the Soderbergh film and your previous work?
SG: Oddly enough, they are all quite similar at the end of the day.
TB: Speaking of Soderbergh, how did that all come about? He’s had a history of giving breakthrough roles to his female players, does this feel at all like you’re on the verge of turning some kind of corner?
SG: Steven and his writer (who co wrote GFE) Brian Koppelman read an article about me and contacted me. We set up a meeting and talked for about 45 minutes, wasn't a formal audition. 1 1/2 years later we started filming!