A CONVERSATION WITH GARY D. RHODES AND MARK REDFIELD
BELA LUGOSI: DREAMS AND NIGHTMARES
A shorter, edited version of this interview will appear in a new magazine called SCARLET: THE FILM MAGAZINE, debuting in June, 2008. According to magazine editor Harry Long, a "severely truncated" version will be printed in the magazine. This is the complete, uncut conversation, for your consideration and enjoyment.
I've been a fan of Gary D. Rhodes work for a number for years. From his McFarland book on White Zombie, to his film documentaries Lugosi: Hollywood's Dracula and Banned in Oklahoma about the censorship of the film The Tin Drum in his home state, through his many contributions to genre magazines, I knew Rhodes was a kindred spirit. When Bela Lugosi, Dreams and Nightmares (with Richard Sheffield), was published in 2007, I was quick to get a copy and devour it, and did whatever I could to help promote it. I'm a Lugosi-phile myself, and had been developing a film script about Lugosi's life and theater work in New York, up until Dracula's opening night.
This conversation occurred during Labor Day weekend in 2007 while I was a guest at The Festival of Fantastic Films in Manchester, England, there to screen my recent film Chainsaw Sally. Rhodes and I had been corresponding briefly up to that time, and he surprised me one day with an email saying that he was planning on stopping by the festival on his way back to Ireland (where he is currently teaching film), to see some friends, and would like to meet me, as well.
He arrived on Saturday afternoon, tired from the long flight from the US, just as the Festival guests were herded into the scheduled autograph session by festival director Gil Lane-Young, and sat with me at my table for an hour or so, before agreeing to meet at the bar later. Meeting Gary for the first time, I realized another thing that we had in common: we were the only men in the room wearing neckties. On the spot, I suggested an interview talking about Lugosi for my blog An Actor's Notebook. And, as we were occasionally and pleasantly interrupted by folks stopping by the table, I turned on the recorder and we had the following chat:
to read the interview, please visit www.redfieldarts.wordpress.com , thanks!
