Alex Z., a regular reader and contributor to this blog has kindly provided some very interesting excerpts from his 1993 interview with the legendary Leon Klimovsky, a prolific filmmaker from Argentina who moved to Spain in the 1950s. After directing numerous melodramas, thrillers, musicals, comedies and Eurowesterns, Klimovsky, at an age when most men are a few years into retirement, became one of the prime movers of the 1970s Spanish horror boom with his 1970 LA NOCHE DE WALPURGIS, scripted by and starring Paul Naschy. (RM)
The entire interview was published in "2000 Maniacos" #14, 1994; Ed. Manuel Valencia. Excerpts translated by Alex Zinefilo from his interview with Leon Klimovsky.
On Horror films and Paul Naschy:
"I was afraid of making horror films, of not being qualified enough to reach the level of my favourites horror movies, but Paul Naschy encouraged me to do LA NOCHE DE WALPURGIS, he was sure if I do that script I would be successful"
On Patty Shepard:
"Patty Shepard didn't want to do Walpurgis until the very end, she said that wasn't worth it"
Influences:
"My influences came very much before Hammer Films, I would say Caligari, Vampyr, Epstein, Murnau's Nosferatu..."
Favorite films and Spaghetti Westerns:
"My favourites are "La Noche de Walpurgis" and "La saga de los Dracula". The ones I like less are the spaghetti westerns, I did those just for the money."
Author's comments:
He was very old when I talked to him, very soft spoken, quiet and nice. I think of him as a very professional craftsman, but also very refined and intelligent. I guess he would love to do another kind of film, more "serious", but in any case [didn't regret] any of his movies. He was also a musician.
Thanks again to Alex for providing and translating these selections from his interview for this blog.
COPYRIGHT ALEX ZINEFILO: 2006.
No comments:
Post a Comment