Jim Wynorski

The cover art for Chopping Mall mesmerized me for years. During the mid 80s when Friday nights were spent at the local video store I would always slink away from my parents and sneak over to the horror section. I was addicted to the gross and gory covers and one day I was able to sneak this movie under my mother's nose. I watched Chopping Mall over... and over... and over... Its director was JIM WYNORSKI and he had me hooked. He was one of several directors who fuelled my love of genre and to this day I hold him in the highest regard. 

His career began as an editor cutting trailers for Roger Corman and since his first film, The Lost Empire (1981) he has written, produced and directed an incredible catalogue of 150+ titles and given the B-world some of it's most outrageous creations. From Transylvania Twist to The Wasp Woman... Return of the Swamp Thing to Busty Cops... and most recently movies like Camel Spiders, Dinocroc Vs SuperGator and Piranhaconda. Jim's flare for kitsch is obvious and as you will see from the following interview, his tongue is planted firmly in his cheek. With a wicked sense of humour and a take-no-prisoners-fuck-off attitude Jim's legacy of trashy cult cinema continues.

Having my film idols give me their time still blows my mind and having Jim Wynorski on board is yet another box ticked. When I approached him for this interview he agreed and told me to make the questions interesting and not the "same' ol same' ol ones again"... well... I'm not sure I delivered but I at least asked the questions which I was interested to know... 

What's your earliest memory of film?
My father took me inside a theatre for the first time in 1956.   I was only five years old.   The movie was FOREVER, DARLING with Lucille Ball and James Mason.   Mason played a guardian angel, but my innocent eyes mistook him for a ghost.   I was very scared and begged my father to get me back to the daylight.   Once outside, it was hard to forget the experience.   I had a nightmare about it that evening, but I desperately wanted to go back and face my demons.   The following Saturday, my dad took me to see FORBIDDEN PLANET from the beginning – and I was hooked for life.

Can you name one movie that influenced you to pursue filmmaking?
Not one movie – several: FORBIDDEN PLANET, THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD, THE SEVENTH VOYAGE OF SINBAD, JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH, MYSTERIOUS ISLAND and THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN.

Your career began at New World Pictures cutting trailers for Roger Corman. Was genre filmmaking where you had hoped to land or were your sights set on a more mainstream career?
Boring question, answered it too many times.  When you’re first starting out, getting your name out there in the opening credits is all that matters – whether it’s in a TV show,  an A movie, B movie or Grade Z movie.

You have worked through the home-video right through to the VOD/Torrent-age of viewer consumption. Has the transition changed your method and what’s been the biggest challenge?
Holy Moly, are you trying to put everyone to sleep with these questions. How about asking “How many leading ladies I slept with?” or “Is it true you almost accidently killed porn star John Holmes?”

To answer the first question, the answer is over two dozen. As for the second, yes, I almost ran Holmes down in the street when he was jay-walking. No charges were ever filed.

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Do you think exploitation still exists?
Yes, of course, - ‘YOU’RE NEXT,’ ‘THE CONJURING,’ ‘THE CALL,’ – just three examples from this year alone.

What are some of your favourite films in general?
Spaghetti westerns from Leone, Corbucci and Sollima. Mario Bava pics. THE GREAT ESCAPE, IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD, DIRTY HARRY, TAKING OF PELHAM 123(Matthau version), MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, THE PARTY, 24 (the TV series), BEACH BLANKET BINGO, FRENCH CONNECTION, RIO BRAVO, INVADERS FROM MARS(1953), DEATH RIDES A HORSE, DANGER DIABOLIK, and, of course, TRACI LORDS VS. CHRISTY CANYON.

Do you have any guilty pleasure films that you’re willing to admit to loving?
All of the above.

I am based in Melbourne, Australia and I ask most of my guests if they have any favourite Aussie movies. Aside from The Road Warrior (a common answer) do you have any favs?
The one with Stacy Keach and Jamie Lee Curtis, ROAD GAMES.

Creature features have returned in a big way thanks to the likes of Corman and The Asylum and you have personally helmed a few. Are you excited about the renewed enthusiasm for them?
A few?  I've done a few more than a few, and yes, I love making them because I craved monster flicks when I was growing up…not only at the movies but on television as well. I’m a big fan of THE OUTER LIMITS and TWILIGHT ZONE.

What’s been a career high for you?
Meeting Soupy Sales. Working with the original MEN FROM UNCLE (Vaughn and McCallum).  Discovering Jennifer Love Hewitt. Taking Angie Dickinson to a Huey Lewis Concert.  Bringing Traci Lords to a firemans’ picnic.  Getting in a police car with Heather Locklear and careening around Savannah, Georgia with the siren blaring.  Playing guitar while Roger Daltry sang Who songs around a lunch table. Sitting at the controls of Stealth Fighter.

Shooting at Dracula’s castle in Transylvania. Making four sequels to BUSTY COPS

And how about a low?
That would have to be VAMPIRELLA. The line producer embezzled production funds and almost sent me to the poor house.  Thankfully, I found out it was happening before all the bucks disappeared forever.

How do most of your films come to you? Do they land in your lap? Do you set the ball rolling?
Some are brought by producers, other come to me on the toilet.

What are the biggest challenges when it comes to securing funding?
Getting someone to put up the money, naturally.  So many people talk a good game, but when it comes to writing a check – they suddenly disappear.   Happens all the time.  Thankfully, I have some good sources to go to for cash.   After all, I've got a pretty decent track record.

What do you make of kickstarter/crowd funding set-ups?
Hate ‘em.  I was forced to try it recently, but I knew in my heart it was going to be a useless venture….which it was.

Which one of your movies would you recommend a newcomer start with? Why?
Everybody’s got different tastes. Try one.  If you like it, watch another.

If you could attach your name to any film in the history of cinema, which would it be?
THE BEAST OF YUCCA FLATS.

Are there any names in the film world who excite you at the moment?
Still waiting for the next Hitchcock picture. Also appreciate Ennio Morricone, Bruno Nicolai, Jerry Goldsmith, & Tarantino.

What’s the last movie you watched?
Just this morning – JOURNEY TO THE 7TH PLANET.  Loved it, despite the cheesy sets and efx.

What’s a question you’ve never been asked in an interview before?
What’s your Visa Credit Card number?

Would you care to answer it now?
4567 3456 2341 0066  (161 on reverse)

Would you consider coming to Australia to make Kangasaurus or Koalaconda?
I would love to go down under.   I have a friend or two there. And yes, of course, let’s do MARSUPIAL! while I’m visiting.

You seem to always have something in the works. What can we expect from you next?
Here’s a list of the next five – all true titles:

COBRAGATOR
THE SHARKANSAS WOMEN’S PRISON MASSACRE
HOT BODY INC.
SCARED TOPLESS
THE DOUBLE D RANCH

Jim, thank you for taking the time. Your films have been in my psyche since I was 6 years old and they have helped fuel my love of genre.
Most welcome!!

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AFTERWORD: I am curious about Jim's response to my question regarding exploitation films and whether or not they still exist. He names The Conjuring, The Call and You're Next as three recent examples... were this a live interview I would have probed this a little more. These types of horror movies have become almost staple and are now accepted in the mainstream and so I wonder if the definition "exploitation" has changed? I'm sure there is no concise answer but I'd been keen to hear some of your thoughts. Feel free to add comments below. Cheers - Shempy!