Welcome to the Unfilmable.com interview with Kühle Luft director:

Mike Neun

~ ~ ~ ~ ~


~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Unfilmable.com: I would like to thank you for taking the time to participate in this interview.

Mike: No problem, you are welcome. I am honored that there are still a few people around interested in our work.

Unfilmable.com: What inspired you to start making films? Is there a specific film or director that has influenced your work or decision to enter filmmaking most?

Mike: I was inspired by the old Spanish B-Pictures from the late 60's and early 70's. The actor and scriptwriter PAUL NASCHY was my hero…mm he still is!

Unfilmable.com: What made you choose Lovecraft as the basis for your short film "Kühle Luft"?

Mike: To be honest, I am not a big reader. I am a more visual person. But Lovecraft's stories, even in the German translations by the great "H.C. Artmann", transfer a special kind of frosty atmosphere, which catches you in a very tricky way. While reading stories like The Crawling Chaos or 2 Black Bottles I always thought it would be great to make a movie out of it.

Unfilmable.com: When did you first discover Lovecraft? What was the first story you remember reading?

Mike: A friend of mine (the big black Berthold) told me about Lovecraft. He read "Dexter Ward" for a circle of 6 people (including me). Very fascinating…so I bought some books.

Unfilmable.com: What projects have you worked on in the past, and in what capacity? How did you get started?

Mike: I started making films in the mid seventies. Very trashy Super 8 mm stuff. My first (longer) short film was "The Sadist of Satan", which runs about 15 minutes. It was more fun than horror, but the people seemed to like it. The follow-ups, like Adventures of the Sex Monsters or Scream Loud had been screened on some festivals in Europe. This happened when I was aged 14 to 16. In 1981 I did a longer documentary about Punk Rock in Germany. This was successful and had a theatrical release in a double feature program. Later I did several clips for bands and artists.

Unfilmable.com: When working in film, do you prefer to work with people you have worked with previously (like Stuart Gordon's frequent teaming with Jeffrey Combs), or do you prefer working with different people?

Mike: In my early days it was always the same people working together. I learned a lot about filmmaking in these times. But all these early friends (we called our company SHOCK FILM CORPORATION) have nothing to do with film anymore. Later on I worked with different people. My wife Lisa is joining me on every project…we are a good team.

Unfilmable.com: What are some of the technical details of "Kühle Luft" (budget, schedule, financing, locations, etc.)?

Mike: Oh…to be honest, I was not very happy with KÜHLE LUFT. When we started pre-production on the movie we had a completely different plan. The film was planned for U-Matic high base system…also a studio set was planned, and of course, we expected some money from Austrian film board. I was student of visual arts at Vienna art highschool at these times. Nearly everything went wrong. No money, just VHS camera and no studio, but good artists. First plan was a 7 days shooting. At least it was only 2 days day and night work, horrible cold. The complete film was shot on location at my flat and cellar at Goldschlagstrasse in the 15th district of Vienna. The editing took another 24 hours.

Unfilmable.com: What made you decide to use Lovecraft's 'Cool Air' as the basis for your short film? Where any other stories considered?

Mike: I really don't know anymore. We discussed some more HP stories, but we decided to take Cool Air. It also dependent a little bit on the location we had… Cool Air was perfect for it

Unfilmable.com: Kühle Luft uses the basic plot of the story 'Cool Air', but there are some differences. What inspired the changes in the story?

Mike: Yes it true we changed some things and shortened the plot a little bit. There was nothing wrong with the original story, but as mentioned before, we had no money and a very reduced location. So I tried to get the best out of my "no-budget" and added some action and blood. Its blasphemy, I know!

Unfilmable.com: There is a very catchy song at the end of the film. Where did this music come from?

Mike: All the songs had been composed for the film. Kühle Luft was done by a Vienna band named BETTER MUST COME, who are friends of mine. The other music was done my DIE SUICIDES (my old band).

Unfilmable.com: How were the special effects achieved?

Mike: HA .. we stole something from Twilight Zone, the movie. Most people recognized it, but I still don't care. It fitted. The other FX are handmade. We used real(!) pig blood. This was horrible for our main actor Stefan Mertl (The Doctor/The Mexican). He hates every kind of brutality and blood. And it was him who did bath in blood….he still hates me for this. We did not even use a fog machine…it was 16 degrees below zero .. so we had true fog regarding sweat and warm bodies .. ho ho!

Unfilmable.com: What do you prefer to watch, Independent cinema or "Hollywood" films? Are you familiar with any of the American made indie productions of Lovecraft's stories, such as "Cool Air", "Return to Innsmouth", and "Nyarlathotep"?

Mike: I watch a lot of movies…from comedy to horror, mainstream or independent. I still had no chance to see one of the movies you asked for. I love the Re-animator films.

Unfilmable.com: What are some of the problems associated with working on Independent films?

Mike: Very easy question. Money is the main problem. I run a film festival (The Weekend of Fear) since 10 years and I do license deals for some of my friends.

The people love independent horror movies and we sometimes do some good deals. Especially Joerg Buttgereits NEKROMANTIK was one of the best selling indie movies from Germany ever. But its still not enough money left to continue work, and you don't find any sponsoring or finance partnership, even if Your name grows bigger and bigger. The most of the young directors stuck in a hole. Doing cheap own financed productions until the end, working as hired director for TV or waiting if someone comes someday and gives you money for a project. The last point happens seldom.

Unfilmable.com: How would fans of Mythos cinema be able to obtain Kühle Luft?

Mike: Ha .. the friendly director sells it on VHS Pal tapes.

Unfilmable.com: Have your films made the festival circuit? If so, what festivals screened them?

Mike: Yes it made some festivals in Europe and won no price (Ha ha). To be honest I really don't know which festivals expect Fantasia film fest Munich and Filmfestival Vienna.

Tina, one of the actors sent the film to some other places. But, I am afraid I have no contact to her anymore.

Unfilmable.com: What is your favorite Lovecraft story, and do you think it would translate well to the film medium?

Mike: Also good questions, I love a lot of HP´s stories and I have no personal fave. Out of Eons is very good one. As far as I know, there is already a film on this???

Unfilmable.com: When making a film what is more important, atmosphere or special effects? Why?

Mike: It depends on the movie. Personal I am getting bored with the CGI FX. There is nothing wrong with a funny movie like The Mummy 2, but when you think about it, that the whole movie (and not only this movie) is created via computer…bahhh it bores me.

So I prefer a good mixture between atmosphere and fx (Bava, Klimovsky, Hammerfilms). It's also good to see that directors return a little bit handmade fx.

Unfilmable.com: Do you have any projects that you hope to do in the future? What is your dream project?

Mike: Yep…after lots of Video clips for several bands and artist I plan a new project called "Miss Quack VS. Goatwomen", A very dark comedy about two very mad women. We probably start with it in January 2004…and it seems we get some money (LOL!).

Dream project? Mmm .. a remake on Paul Naschys HUNCHBACK OF THE MORGUE.

And…maybe another Lovecraft adaptation???

Unfilmable.com: What is your favorite Lovecraft film, and which one do you think translates his work to the screen best (if they are different films)?

Mike: From Beyond (the Spanish film)---sick, but great. Still a real shocker and, of course Re-animator 1-3…love them all. I can't answer the question about which film translated H.P.´s work best for the screen. Even as non (or seldom) reader its hard to define. We should discuss with Mr. Lovecraft, I guess…

Unfilmable.com: How well is Lovecraft known in Germany, and what is the popular opinion of his work?

Mike: Lovecraft is very well known in Germany. His books are still best sellers.

Unfilmable.com: Are you familiar with any of the other Mythos writers, and would you ever consider adapting one of their works?

Mike: As mentioned before I am not a big reader. Poe, of course, and maybe I have to go for another training to my black clothed Guru Berthold.