Withersin’s Damned Interview with:
Brian Schiavo
Which bit? I like thighs
myself—very tender. Seriously, I‘d been writing screenplays and teleplays for
about ten years, until I became seriously disenchanted over the last few years
with playing the spec script game. Yeah, I could get into John Landis’ or Sean
Cunningham’s offices and meet whatever development stooge they had working for
them, but where did it get me? Ignored or ripped-off. So I wrote a novel, a few
short stories, made an art film and hooked up with a small production company
in NYC that does low-budget genre films and actually markets them here and
overseas. I’m not waiting for somebody else to give me permission to make films
that I’d like to see. I’m making them myself. So far we’re entering
pre-production on a horror film about a tragic love affair between
shape-shifters (love is always horrific) and later, in-between other projects,
we’re discussing a possible film about scantily-clad women warriors in a
wasteland with really big laser guns. After that, a new twist on the vampire
genre—cross-dressing vampires on crack. (I’m kidding,
I just don’t want to give it away yet.)
It’s also given me the
opportunity to get back to my creative/artistic roots. Now I’m making sci fi
weapons, building props, doing character designs and makeup and I’m having a
great time doing it. Writing fiction and horror scripts on the side makes it
that much sweeter.
List published works:
“Saints of The Cathode Ray
Tube” in the Feb 2005 issue of Black Petals; a poem or two; lots of features
about such imponderable subjects such as industrial racking in trade magazines;
whatever Misty decides to publish. My original screenplay “The Shriven” is
being produced in 2008 by Pandora Machine, LLC, a genre film company (http://www.pandoramachine.com).
How can we contact you?
The Bat Signal works best, if
that darned commissioner would only remember to replace the burned-out bulbs.
Last week it looked like the Green Lantern symbol--much confusion and giant
green scissors resulted. Conversely, you could try: schiavo216@gmail.com
In your own words, define
Withersin.
1. A horror magazine published
by Misty Gersley.
2. How I feel after having been
forced to watch a reality TV show—any
reality TV show. The stuff is more dreadful than Chinese Water Torture.
3. A state of world-weary ennui
that results after reading the newspaper.
If you were a sideshow act,
what would you be?
Those
guys that can pass swords through their bodies – that would be fun. (Because
sword swallowing has way too many metaphors attached to it.) Could
I do Punch and Judy at the same time? I’ve always liked them.
What is your greatest
non-literary influence?
In terms of horror?
Well, have you ever been married? I think just being alive is a great source of
inspiration for writing in the genre. There are so many dreadful things that
conspire to keep you awake at the dark hour of the soul: the faltering of one’s
own body, the death of a loved one, monstrous people who decide to blast as
many people away as they can and then mail the videos to U-Tube, trolls like
Paris Hilton, the smell of lima beans.
Describe your most
irrational fear.
I
have dreams where I am unable to walk, instead I must
pull my uncooperative body along the ground to get anywhere. It’s horrific.
How about your
most guilty pleasure?
Oh
man. Okay, I had a dream last night that I did “The Nasty” with a hot vampire
chick. I know, I know, how clichéd is that? I’m beside myself with
embarrassment. Great dream though! What does that mean actually? That I need to
get out more?
Name the most disturbing
nursery rhyme/fairy tale you can recall.
Hansel and Gretel.
All that cannibalism! First the witch, who basically lives off of the flesh of
children! Then, it disturbed me that those punks actually locked the witch in
that oven and burned her up. How Grand Guignol can
you get?
Do you eat meat?
Only
infants and they must be plump.
What were the skies like
when you were young?
When
I was young the skies were so much bigger, yet also closer. The way they loomed
just overhead, it was like the universe was asking me to reach out to it. Now
it’s too far away.
Name your favorite garden
tool.
A hoe. Hehe,
just wanted to say that. What else? A sickle. How the
heck do you actually use one of those things though.
Name your least favorite
color, first job and worst job.
Pink
is a disgusting color. In hell the torture chambers are all painted that color.
My first job was also my worst job. It was selling cemetery plots at
Favorite: Author,
Movie, Music Group, Song, and Quote.
Author:
Harlan Ellison. He is powerfully honest and a vivid storyteller. He’s dangerous
and that’s why I love him.
Movie:
Geez, there are so many. I love films that are
offbeat like The Ninth Configuration by William Peter Blatty.
Music
Group: Okay, my bombastic side is showing. The
Song:
“I Put A Spell On You” by Screamin’
Jay Hawkins is the greatest song of all time.
If you were a loaf of bread
what kind would you be?
Oatmeal Raisin.
What can I tell you? I’m a complete gentile.
Weirdest news you have read
in your local newspaper:
There
was a break-in at a
Why horror?
See
the above story. It’s a way of facing up
to/examining the real horrors that confront us. If the heroes of these stories
can confront the horrors in their lives, maybe we can to.
Here's a photo. (seen on Interview main
page)
“INEDIBLE NOT INTENDED FOR HUMAN
You have 112 words. Go.
Why
do you hate me?
The
truck contains transgenic soybean oil that was made from soybeans that were
genetically manipulated so that they would be resistant to Round UP, which
farmers spray on their fields. Unfortunately, the USDA didn’t bother to do
testing on the soybeans before they entered the food chain and a housewife in
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