I assume you mean- why remake the movie? I figured that there are already too many remakes of movies that were already good to start with, I thought it was time that somebody started remaking films that weren't very good and could actually be improved upon. I don't know if I succeeded or not- It's not for me to say. It was fun to make though. And leeches are gross- so that's always cool.
I think it would be hard making sure the leech effects wouldn't suck..but they look decent. Who did your effects on the creatures?
An fx guy from Ottawa named Ralph Gethings did the leeches, they look pretty good in my opinion. Ralph had actually intended originally to do more with them but he unfortunately had an illness in his family and had to step down after creating what he was able to. I think he did a great job and give him my thanks for his help during a tough time.
Obviously, the movie does bring to mind Roger Corman's GIANT LEECHES--and certain things are similar, such as the cheating wife....and the giant leeches....
Yup- It was definitely based on Corman's film- only we updated it and made some of the characters more three dimensional. The original Giant Leeches only had the hint of a story- we fleshed it out a bit more.. I thought the cheating wife stuff was cool. One minute you're in a giant monster movie, the next minute it feels like watching a community theatre version of Tennessee Williams.
Where was the movie shot and how cold was it outside?
The movie was filmed in Ottawa and Smith Falls, Ontario. It was fairly cold at times but I've certainly shot on colder movies than this one. We started filming at the end of August when it was still warm out but by the time all of the scenes were shot- It was November, that stuff was cold. When the cheating wife and her lover get their comeuppance- that day was freezing! They were good sports though.
How did you go about casting the movie?
I always make folks audition for my movies- even if they've done work for me before. The reason for that is- if people want it bad enough to audition- that means they're there because they want to be. If you offer them parts, they might not take it as seriously. That being said, I think most of the cast are folks that have appeared in some of my other movies. Mike Conway (otherwise known as Mark Courneyea) appears in PREY FOR THE BEAST and THE BONESETTER among others. Gary Peterson appears also in my pirate movie and in IRON SOLDIER.
You left the movie wide-open for a sequel. Will there be one?
I doubt it- We'll see if the public demands it. If they do, I'd certainly consider it. By the time Leeches wrapped, I had spent the summer shooting both it and a movie called Pirates: Quest for Snake Island. By the end of Leeches- I was sick of water. (laughing)
Also, what monster/creature would you like to do next?
I speak to (writer) Jeff O'Brien every once in a while when an idea pops into my head. We may whip something up yet. I do like the big critters (laugh).that being said I have a few projects in development, one that i'm working on with writer Trevor Payer (The Scarab) may be a comedic adaptation of a Poe mummy story- sounds crazy, huh?
What is your next project?
I'm a little swamped at the moment (swamp, leeches- get it?)
I'm in post-production on a robot movie with Joe Estevez called IRON SOLDIER and putting the finishing touches of post on PIRATES: QUEST FOR SNAKE ISLAND, at the moment I'm shooting a super-hero feature based on the 1940's super-hero THE SCARAB, so my plate is full. But being the workaholic that I am, it may be the mummy movie, possibly a vampire project or a western that I'm developing with Mark Polonia. Keep your eyes peeled- there's lots coming your way.
First, why leeches?
