Eric Bogosian
Horror
November 9, 1995.
I was reading this book two nights ago: "Wolfman Meets Frankenstein." It's sort of a transcript of the film of the same name, made in 1943 with Lon Chaney as the Wolfman, Bela Lugosi playing Frankenstein and Maria Ouspenkaya playing the Gypsy Woman. There are photo stills in the book from the film and as I looked at them I realized how much I take horror movies for granted.
I guess my eyes were opened with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp's great "Ed Wood". The movie is really about Bela Lugosi (played by Martin Landau) and what a dope fiend he was and how committed he was to his art. Very sad and stirring piece.
Horror movies were art once. Check out the Wolfman. This is a guy who is very frightened because when the full moon comes around he starts ripping people's throats out. Or Frankenstein with the little girl. Because some movies are in black and white no one sees them anymore. Just these big joke color movies.
And it all comes back to performance. Because these guys who were doing the great film performances back then, as monsters, these guys were great stage performers. Peter Lorre was one of the all time greats, Boris Karloff. Ever see Charles Laughton as "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"? It is the greatest film performance of all time.
Speaking of horror shows, I was just down in Austin doing my new show. Lots of people came, lots of people walked out. A little rough for the Bible belt, I guess. Seemed tame to me. Got to hang out with Rick Linklater and Mike Judge while I was down there. Excellent people. Rick has a fine production facility (Detour Films) and Mike (if you don't know who he is, you don't deserve to know) tells good jokes.
Rick gave me this tape when I was leaving. On it were some old interviews with Marlon Brando where, in the middle of the interview, Brando starts speaking fluent French. And saying these wonderfully deep things. I can't think of a young actor today as conversant as Brando was in this tape.
On the other tape was Jack Nicholson as he was filming "The Shining", probably his greatest work. And he looks completely strung out and then he's doing this amazing shit. (Talk about horror movies.) He was completely loose. And totally willing to throw himself completely into the role. No fear.
I wish I could make a list of all the greatest film performances. Donald Sutherland in the Dirty Dozen, Sean Penn as Spicolli, Dustin Hoffman as Ratzo, DeNiro as Travis Bickle and Rupert Pupkin...what's the common denominator? Performance, no fear, awkwardness...
Acting should be like stage-diving. Acting is not about representing reality. Acting is about representing "the lie of the mind." Picasso said "Art is a lie that tells the truth."
Speaking of which, I hear the Shepard play, "Buried Child" in Chicago is very fine.
What else? Oh, I'm in Atlanta this Thursday night. Coming to Newt Country. I can't wait.
