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Hey Cullen, thanks for taking the time to do an interview with us at DVD Resurrections.
Firstly, can you tell us a little bit about yourself for those who don't know who you are?
Well, my name is Cullen Carr, and I am the writer/director of the new independent horror mini-feature "Golden
Age."
What made you wanna become a filmmaker and actor?
From the time I was five years old, my dad would take me to the local mom and pop video rental store in my
hometown. I guess that's where my interest in film first began. In high school, I got a job at that same video
store; I began acting in community theatre productions; and I also volunteered my services at a nearby
Haunted House every Halloween. All of those experiences, combined with seeing PULP FICTION for the first
time, sealed the deal on my decision to pursue acting and filmmaking.
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Your latest film is called Golden Age, what exactly is this film about?
I don't want to give anything away, but it's about a guy named Burton who has the worst couple of months imaginable. He looses his job, discovers his
wife cheating on him with his best friend, winds up in the company of a murderous cult, and that’s only the half of it. The story takes place in rural
Alabama in 1986 and examines who may have been responsible for some of the underground exploitation flicks that came out during the "golden age" of
video.
What can people expect from Golden Age when they view it for the first time?
Blood, boobs, grit, grain, gore, and more plot than most Hollywood features deliver in two hours.
Can you tell us a little bit about your role in Golden Age?
I wore way too many damn hats, that’s for sure. I wrote, directed, produced, and played the lead role. Being that autocratic helps you achieve exactly
what you want (and if you don’t, it’s nobody’s fault but your own), but it also takes a lot out of you. If it hadn’t been for a few key crew members like
Chance Shirley and Joel Ramsey, I wouldn’t have made it through it.
One thing I love about Golden Age, this that its straight to the point. No fucking around, and within the first minute we see a snuff scene,
before shooting the film, did you always wanted to create a snuff film?
Well, I've always appreciated those scenes in horror films that just stick with you and send a shiver up your spine every time you think about them. So,
in that respect, I suppose I've always aspired to evoke a strong visceral response with my work. Genre aside, though, the types of films I’m devoted to
making are those that portray the Southern United States and the people who live there as they truly are. The majority of Hollywood films set in the
south portray everyone there as slack-jawed, racist yokels, and that just isn't the case.
Most independent films don't get worldwide release, but can we expect to see Golden Age released on DVD soon worldwide? Or where can
they get a copy of your film for the time being?
We're negotiating with a few companies right now, but we're distributing the film ourselves for the time being. To purchase a DVD copy, go to
www.myspace.com/goldenagemovie and click on the "Buy Now" button. We put a ton of special features on the disc including director's
commentary, cast commentary, deleted footage/outtakes, and a behind the scenes featurette. So, I think folks will definitely feel like they've gotten their
money's worth.
You paid homage to Ruggero Deodato's Cannibal Holocaust with the classic wooden staked death scene, what made you wanna do this in
your film?
We shot the bulk of the film during June 2005 and didn't resume filming until October. It was during that break that I saw CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST for
the first time, and it gave me a gut punch like no other film I'd ever seen. Thematically, it was very similar to what I was going for with "Golden Age",
and it also represented the same genre of film that I had set out to examine.
So, I immediately wanted to incorporate it in some way. At that time, I knew we still needed to shoot more footage of Burton's climactic escape through
the woods, and I was planning on having him encounter a series of booby traps as he ran. Time and budgetary constraints were making that game plan
seem problematic, so I decided to have him encounter the remains of the video cult's previous victims instead and include an impaled girl a la CANNIBAL
HOLOCAUST. The thing I like about that sequence is that it’s a tribute within a tribute. Of course, I’m paying homage to Deodato by including it, but the
fictional cult in the film is doing the exact same thing.
How did you feel about shooting a sex scene with Mindy Wester?
The nature of the material made it pretty awkward, but Mindy and I have been friends for around eight years now. So, I think that made things as
comfortable as they could have possibly been. I've done love scenes on stage before, but I’ve never bared it all on camera. So, the actual "making out"
didn't really phase me as much as stripping down to the buff.
What thoughts were running though your mind to keep yourself from cracking a fat "hard-on" over Mindy, when she was butt naked on top
of you?
"My girlfriend's gonna freak when she sees this." and "I'm finally gonna cause mom to have a coronary." were the first two thoughts that ran through
my mind. Seriously, that whole sequence was so technical and choreographed that it really wasn't sexual at all. I know that's become a cliche response
from performers who comment on their love scenes, but it's true. Also, that bedroom had no air conditioning, and it was mid-June in Alabama. So, even
the most amorous of actors would have probably lost their libido by the second or third take.
Sleepaway Camp III, Kyle Holman also starred in Golden Age, how did you score him a role in your film?
I first met Kyle three years ago on the set of an indie feature called ALICE'S MISADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND. I was absolutely blown away by his
work, and we’ve kept in touch ever since then.
What are Kyle Holman and Mindy Wester like in person?
They’re both awesome people. Kyle is really smooth, relaxed, and precise. He drives a custom chopper motorcycle, has a very successful career as a
voice-over artist, and acts in indie films for the love of the craft and not the cash. He’s definitely someone I admire. As for Mindy, she’s very sexy,
reserved, and calculating. She always has an expression as if she’s in deep thought- an awesome lady.
Who would you consider your biggest influences in becoming a filmmaker and a actor?
Sam Peckinpah, Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Van Bebber, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, P.T. Anderson, Lloyd Kaufman
What do you enjoy doing the most acting/producer/director or writer and why?
Probably acting, because the gray areas between right and wrong are less defined. Of course, you still have to create the illusion of reality, but I find the
process much less constrictive than the other three.
When jumping off the rock towards the end, i see you landed sideways when hitting the water. Man that must of hurt like a son of a bitch.
How much pain were you in, and how long did that bruise take to go away?
Yeah, it did hurt like a son of a bitch. That was actually the very first shot we rolled, and it was around 4:00 am on a Saturday morning. It was a holiday
weekend, and we knew that a ton of people in boats were going to be partying on the lake that day as early as 7:00 or 8:00 am. The only way to get to
the location was by water, so we woke up in the middle of the night, drug ourselves into a boat, and traveled ten miles through the pitch black and fog.
When we finally got to the cliff, I climbed to the top, tried to get all psyched to jump, and stepped to the edge. Then, the DP shouted from below that I
had to wait a while longer for the sun to get brighter. Man, it sucked. I had to stand on that rock ledge for like thirty minutes just staring down below at
the water.
Golden Age runs for a short 30 minutes, will we ever see this film become a full length feature one day?
I’ve thought about that a lot, and I do have an idea for turning it into a feature if the opportunity presented itself. It would involve three interconnecting
storylines- the current cut of “Golden Age” would be the first story; next would be a road/revenge/biker story set in the seventies; and a third story set
in present day New York City would tie everything together. The ideas I have for the second act are fairly grandiose, so it’s gonna take a very interested
investor for it all to ever come to fruition.
Given the chance to choose any actor from any film, which actor would you pick to star in your film as Burton and why?
If I had to choose a Hollywood actor, I’d probably pick Ryan Gosling. He’s actually Canadian, but I think he does a really good job at playing rural American
“everymen.”
What were your thoughts when you played Golden Age at a film festival?
It’s exciting to finally screen your work in front of an audience. Our post production took FOREVER, so it was a long time coming. The projector actually
stopped in the middle of the film, which sucked, but the crowd audibly groaned in disappointment. So, that was really cool to see that they were into it.
Has it ever won any film festival awards?
Yeah, we actually won the ACE Award for Excellence in Direction and Design at the 2006 Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival in Birmingham, AL.
Looking back on your film, is there anything you regret doing?
A lot of mistakes were definitely made. I don't necessarily regret most of them, though, because they taught me what not to do next time. This was my
first time directing, so one of my goals was to treat the whole process like film school and learn as much as I could.
Are there any actors or directors would you love work with?
There are far too many to name. Stuart Gordon is the first one that comes to mind, because I just saw KING OF THE ANTS. What a kick ass flick.
What can we expect to see from Cullen Carr in the near future?
It's a surprise, but I'll keep you posted.
If acting or filmmaking didn't work out for you, what do you think you would of done instead?
Ironically, I would have probably pursued a career in the military.
Can you tell us what are Cullen Carr's top 5 movies of all time? Not including any of the movies you had apart of?
1) Pulp Fiction
2) The Last Picture Show
3) Boogie Nights
4) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
5) The Devil’s Rejects
Are you currently working on any other side projects?
I’m performing in Francis Xavier DeGenerro’s (TORTURE ME NO MORE) next project right now.
What kind of advice or tips can you give to aspiring actors or filmmakers looking to get into this type of work?
Before making your film, learn the facts about every aspect of production possible so that others can’t take advantage of you along the way and waste
your time and/or money. Whether it’s the lab or even your crew members, you will find that a large number of people will be prone to do half-assed jobs.
NO ONE will love your film like you do, so it is your responsibility to ensure that others give it the TLC it deserves. MICROMANAGE every aspect of
production, and have the knowledge necessary to make this micromanagement a success!
What is the one thing you would like Golden Age fans to think of, when they hear your name?
Truly Independent Southern Filmmaker.
Are you a daily reader of DVD Resurrections?
Of course!
Before we finished this interview bro, is there anything you would like to say to those who are reading this interview?
Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t make your own movie. While many filmmakers will try to convince you otherwise, I can assure you that no step
in the process is quantum physics. It’s definitely a lot of hard work, but it’s achievable with the proper amount of research, talent, and perseverance.
Thanks Cullen for taking the time to do this interview brother, I fucking love Golden Age and I hope to one day we at DVD Resurrections have a
honour of reviewing more of your upcoming projects. Keep up the awesome and up to date with your work bro, and we all wish you the best of
luck in the near future with your films and health. Cheers man.
Same to you, bro. Thanks again.
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