by Nicole Iskra (not me;), Movie Star December 1999. Translated from German to English by myself. Thanks to Selar from Brush n’ Combs for support.
Q: When you auditioned for “Re-Animator”, did you had any idea what the movie would be about?
JC: No. Stuart had asked me whether I knew H.P. Lovecraft and I lied “yes” (chuckles). In fact, I didn’t knew this guy. [...] In the former script there were much more scenes between Dan and Meg.... Later they cut many of it and suddenly the movie was focused more on my role.
Q: Would you like to play the role again? There were speculations about a part III.
JC: Indeed many people are talking about it. You would be surprised how many ideas and script proposal have been submitted to me and Brian Yuzna. In the meantime there even exists a good idea for a sequel. Unfortunately, there is no money [....] The second part did not bring in much money, but almost everyday somebody recognizes me who has seen Re-Animator. These movies have many fans. Hmmm, do you know someone with money? (laughs)
Q: Well, I could marry a rich guy and leave him, taking all the money with me!
JC: (laughs) Good idea. I would like to play West again, but at the moment it doesn't seem to become true.
Q: If it takes too long, West will have gray hair...
JC: That’s the point, exactly
Q: Do you think there is no market for splatter movies anymore?
JC: It is all like a circuit. I think, sooner or later the horror genre will be re-discovered, together with Re-Animator. After all, it has been 11 years now.
Q: More than that...
JC: Oh don’t remind me, please (laughs)
Q: For the DVD that was released for the 10th anniversary the old team came together again to do an audio comment. Apparently you had a lot of fun.
JC: Yes, prior to the recording we’ve been at a mexican restaurant and had a lot of Margueritas. Maybe that’s why we had so much fun (laughs). No, it was really great to see the movie in this excellent quality... Bruce and I are good friends in private life as well.
Q: It was some kind of family gathering?
JC: Absolutely! ...It is strange how good all of us could recall the production although we worked only 4 weeks together.
Q: You are not only a movie actor, but you did a lot of theatre plays [...]. You’ve once played Mortimer Brewster in “Arsenic and old Lace” (?), a role in which I can imagine you very well.
JC: Man, you’re well informed (laughs). “Arsenic and old Lace” is a great play, but the work was also exhausting. The play is very long and Mortimer Brewster is in almost every scene. In the evenings I was totally exhausted, but I had a lot of fun.
Q: Do you like to be on stage were you feel the presence of the audience or do you prefer doing a movie?
JC: These are apples and oranges for me (laughs), you can’t compare it. I wouldn’t like to miss my experience at the theatre, I have learned a lot there. You start at the beginning and end at the end, and if one performance doesn’t work well on evening you can do it better the next day. In movies you’re doing just pieces of a puzzle without any specific order. But in theatre you learn to built up a role profoundly, so even the script realization bit by bit cannot irritate me. Movie is really something very special.[...]
Q: You certainly had your favorite TV series, when you were young
JC: Oh, yes, these were Star Trek, Twighlight Zone and Outer Limits. I’m proud that I’m part of a Star Trek series now.
Q: Deep Space Nine
JC: Right! Since then I’m getting incredibly much fanmail from Germany.
Q: Well, I’m not a great friend of this series, but if you’re appearing in it I must watch it as a fan.
JC: It’s nice you say this. I’ve become sort of a DS9 fan myself. If you ask me, it is the best ST series and the one the most comparable to TOS. Voyager and TNG are often taking themselves to serious.
Q: You are playing two roles. As Weyoun, you have blue eyes...
JC: In fact the lenses that I’m wearing as Weyoun are violet, but in the light of the spots (the color comes out as blue on TV.
Q: You also play a Ferengi
JC: Yes, but nobody recognizes me in this makeup. That’s probably why I get away with it!(laughs). No, seriously, I wouldn’t recognize myself when I was in a room with other Ferengis.
Q: This Weyoun comes along as a real weazle because of the high pitched German voice
JC: A real weazle? How does my voice sound in German?
Q: Terrible
JC: What?
Q: Well, the voice is rather high pitched. Since I know your original voice, I consider the German voice not suitable
JC: That is terrible. After all, I try to speak as Weyoun with dignity, pleasantly, and friendly (imitates Weyoun).
Q: Oh dear, that is a huge difference. It doesen’t sound like this at all
JC: This guy ruins my role! If you can ever get hold on him grap him and tell him off!
Q: Don’t worry, I’ll do that. Weyoun is sort of a regular character in the series
JC: Yes, although I’m not mentioned in the credits of the regular actors, but in the last season I was in half of the episodes as Weyoun and now and then I had an appearance as Ferengi.
Q: What would you say if I'd call you a sort of Vincent Price of the 90th?
JC: Oh, other people have made this comparison as well. Of course I consider this a huge compliment. Vincent Price was one of the best. But on the other hand we don’t have much in common, he was very tall, elegant, and I’m rather small, lean ...
Q: And absolutely cute
JC: Uhmm, thank you. My agency where I’m under contract also used to represent Vincent Price.
Q: If that is not a coincidence! Some years ago you were guest at a festival in Brussels. Why don’t you come to European Festivals more often?
JC: The answer is simple. I haven’t been invited yet.
Q: That will change, hopefully
JC: A colleague from DS9 just came back from a convention in Germany and my DS9 representants are planning to bring me to a convention in Germany eventually
Q: So there is hope for your fans. One of my favorite roles of yours is still Dinosaur Bob.
JC: Oh, that was Love and a .45.Yes, that was a great part. I had a lot of fun doing it. I have a lot of relatives who are exactly like Dinosaur Bob (laughs). Have you seen it in the original version? I’ve used an accent from the south of the US. My parents are from Arcansas and I finally could use this dialect.
Q: Another role in which you were really great was Milton Dammers in The Frighteners from Peter Jackson. This was one of your best performances ever.
JC: Thank you. I have invested a lot in this role and Peter has listened to my suggestions on the part and was enthusiastic about how I created the role. I was thinking, how is this Milton Dammers like? I mean, this guy is a patriot, so much that he is a real fascist. I went over to the library, to the history books, and looked for pictures of young Adolf Hitler, after all he was one of the biggest fascist ever. So I adapted the outfit of young Hitler to Dammers with the greasy hair and the shaved neck.
Q: How was your work with Peter Jackson like?
JC: Peter is the best! Working with him was a pleasure for me. He has a great sense of humor but on the other side he is also calm and pensive.
Q: What are your next projects?
JC: In summer I did a sequel for "I know what you did last summer" in Mexico. I think it might be even better than part I.
Q: Which role are you playing?
JC: Well, we both know that this time I’m not playing the "bad guy", since this is the man with the hook. The young people are winning a stay in a hotel resort, and I’m playing the manager of the hotel.
Q: Will you be slaughtered ?
JC: Sure!
Q: There are not many films where you survive anyway. In Castle Freak your character also suffered a tragic death.
JC: Yes. We were shooting in Italy, with no budget, we had communication problems since we had no American producer at the set, and all the time there was a problem – and this happened permanently - there were problems because of the language. The shooting really took place under bad conditions
Q: Of which shootings do you have good memories?
JC: The Frighteners, Love and a .45, and Re-Animator. Fortress was great as well. We were shooting on a filmpark in Australia close to a wonderful beach
Q. Many of your roles were a bit strange like the asexual, arrogant Herbert West, but there were also sympathetic characters like D-Day in Fortress...
JC: I try not to be stereotyped on certain roles. Versatility is very important to me.
Q: Wouldn’t you like to play the hero more often?
JC: Heroes are not always the most interesting roles
Q: Are there any special roles you’d like to play?
JC: Hmm, from the literature or the theatre I have no idea at the moment, but I’d like to play a complex character in a good Western
Q: Stuart Gordon also would like to do a Western, this would be a good occasion for another cooperation...
JC: Indeed. I should give him a call right away ...
Q: Then I hope that the result will be seen in the cinemas soon.
JC: It was a pleasure to do this interview, I hope we soon meet again in Germany
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