Eli Roth - Exclusive Interview
Eli Roth - Exclusive Interview
The Biggest Basterd in Hollywood Speaks Out.
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I initially met writer/director Eli Roth in early 2002 when he was walking every conceivable red carpet to promote his first film, Cabin Fever. I do believe I interviewed him three times within one week, and would not have been the least bit surprised if I'd gotten get a press release about him being at the grand opening of a supermarket. He was a tireless and cheerful campaigner, never daunted that most of the reporters had no idea who he was. Entertainment Tonight didn't want to talk to him? OK, then how about Hollywood.com?
Roth spoke enthusiastically, and never the least bit apologetically, about his little horror film with its marquee-free cast. It opened at #3. Who knows what would have happened to the flick if it didn't have a passionate advocate in Roth? There are lots of good movies with no champions, and they usually go the way of the proverbial tree falling in the forest.
He went on to helm the super-successful #1 film Hostel, famously posed for an outrageous "biggest dick in Hollywood" advert for Hostel II's campaign, and also promoted Death Proof, the Quentin Tarantino half of Grindhouse in which he had a bit part, as if it were his own.
Right now he's on an international junket for the World War II fantasy Inglourious Basterds (out August 21), written and directed by his buddy Tarantino. Certainly not horror by any stretch of the imagination, in any case it's not to be ruled out by genre fans: the movie is exceedingly brutal, and Roth takes part in some of the bloodiest, most violent scenes.
"So to do that, you have to really dredge up the most painful things. Think of your worst breakup, your worst fight, the most horrible death, and then make it feel as though it happened 15 minutes ago. It was exhausting and draining in a way I could never have anticipated."
Later on in the day talking to Roth 1:1, I ask him if he plans on continuing with performing. Some may not know he was actually in a few movies before he came made Cabin Fever. But only tiny parts. "I was offered a lot of acting roles over the years and I always said no. I had no interest. [I've done cameos] but Basterds was just too good. It was such a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and a chance to push myself in a way I'd never before done." During filming, "Quentin said to me, 'Eli, you know, you're magnificent. You have another career. If you want to be a movie star, you could that. You have it. I don't want to take you away from what you were meant to do [writing, directing], but you're holding your own against Brad Pitt and doing a magnificent job.' And I said, 'How's it going to get better than working with you and Brad?' He said,' It might not. But now you can write great parts for yourself, and no one's going to give you shit for it because you have proved it. You have proved you can do it and you've hung in there with the best.'"
Although Tarantino is a relatively new friend, Roth hasn't forgotten those who brought him to the party. He still keeps in touch with Richard Kelly, the little-known director of Donnie Darko and one-time partner in a movie called The Box. Roth dropped out, and Kelly has since gone on to do The Box (in theaters November 6) by himself. Roth says there are no hard feelings. "It was a very [neutral] situation, because Rich and I have been friends for years. But once you let a project go, it's like a girl you used to date. You're still friends, you just don't want to get back together. You don't think about her, and you may think back [fondly] but say to yourself, 'I'm glad I'm with the right person right now.' So with The Box, Rich really wanted to do it. At first he just wanted to produce it, but then he really wanted to direct it. He had the rights to it, and I was into Hostel II at the time and I knew I wasn't going to get around to it. Once I let it go, I was excited to see what Rich would do with it. And Rich was excited about it."
While we're on the subject of what might have been, I ask about Trailer Trash. After Roth directed a faux film trailer (called Thanksgiving) to play in between Planet Terror and Death Proof in classic 70s grind house style, he announced his next project would be based on that idea: A feature consisting of nothing but trailers for made up movies. There were even specific details, such as a release date (August 22, 2008) and co-writers and producers were named.
Roth chalks the buzz up to media-fueled hyperbole. "What happens is, the speed of information. Once you're successful, everyone is paying attention. You tell one person once thing, and it's on 100 websites and even IMDb as if I'm doing it," Roth clarifies. " People misinterpret everything you say. So it makes you want to stop talking altogether.
"But I'm not beholden to anyone, or anything. I do what I feel like. There's no rules, there's no order. I do whatever I want. So I'm only going to do projects that I want to do at a certain time. [Sometimes it becomes a reality] Someone asked me, "What actors would you like to work with?" and I said, "Oh, I'd love to work with Brad, and I'm a fan of Josh Brolin," and suddenly 10 websites post: Eli Roth wants Brad Pitt and Josh Brolin for [Endangered Species].
"As for Trailer Trash, it's the same thing: I walked away from it. Like I walked away from [Stephen King's] Cell. I just don't make an announcement when I leave a project, because it's the Weinsteins who I'm friends with, and who I made Basterds with. I talk to them every day, and so I didn't want to make it seem as though there was any kind of blowup or disagreement. The truth is, they had very different visions for both of those projects. They wanted to do something completely different than I wanted to do. That's all."
Which is not to say that's all for Roth. "I'm producing the remake of Tobe Hooper's The Funhouse. We actually just got the rights, so we're meeting writers and directors now." As for what he will be hands-on and directing, Roth says it's full-out science fiction. "I want to do Endangered Species next. That's my next movie, but the Basterds mission isn't complete yet. Starting in September, I'll be able to dive into Endangered Species full time." While details are still under wraps, Roth says that his story was inspired by big, big spectacles such as Jurassic Park and Cloverfield.
Large-scale sci-fi is a change of pace for him, but the idea of a cinematic 180 doesn't faze the cinephile in the least. Yes, it's a challenge, but "So was acting with Brad Pitt, and so was shooting a propaganda movie. [Roth directed Nation's Pride, the mini movie-within-a movie in Basterds] I just want to challenge myself and do what's interesting and what excites me and right now this is it. I will continue to make movies until it's no longer fun."
Interview and top photo [click to enlarge] by Staci Layne Wilson
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