Rue Morgue Podcast
RUE MORGUE PODCAST – KARIM HUSSAIN
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This week on the podcast, we conduct a full-on inquiry into the multi-faceted, fevered brain of the writer/director/cinematographer extraordinaire, Mr. Karim Hussain.
As a director, his credits include such notable nasties as SUBCONSCIOUS CRUELTY and LA BELLE BETE.
As a writer, he co-wrote the Nacho Cerda film THE ABANDONED.
And as a cinematographer, he shot Olivier Abbou’s TERRITORIES and is the man responsible for the absolutely insane colour scheme in the HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN feature film which just hit DVD this week.
He also directed an installment of the forthcoming horror anthology THE THEATRE BIZARRE and shot the episodes directed by Douglas Buck and Richard Stanley.
I love this interview. And you will too. Amongst many things, it’s a fascinating tech heavy peak inside the trials and tribulations of a professional, impassioned cinematographer dedicated to plundering the perilous outer limits of the genre.
THE THEATRE BIZARRE will have its WORLD PREMIERE at the FANTASIA FILM FESTIVAL this Saturday, July 16th.
For more information, visit the website at www.fantasiafestival.com
:- FDBK
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Karim Hussain gives Quentin Tarantino a run for his money in the mile-a-minute conversation department….but, man….some FASCINATING stuff was covered here.
First off, his various digressions about film stock vs. digital, color timing, and the widespread acceptance of the lies of what HDTV means as far as picture quality was incredibly informative, even if a lot of it went over my head.
He was spot on about how disappointing it is to see a film in most theaters these days. For quite some time now, I’ve been bemoaning the fact that what passes for proper and respectful theatrical exhibition of films is sorely and maddeningly lacking, to put it mildly. Most of the theaters in my area drive me nuts with their low-watt bulbs and poorly adjusted aspect ratios. It’s bad enough that the films themselves are mostly empty corporate product churned out for the masses, and that you’re expected to pay exorbitant and ever-escalating prices to see them…but to add insult to injury, the theaters can’t even bring themselves to take the time to at least PROPERLY screen their dreck!
And thanks to Mr. Hussain, I learned a lot about the RED, which seems to be the camera du jour amongst all the filmmakers I know here in AZ.
And I think you were both correct in your opinions of how important it really is to fuss over the “tech” details of a presentation of a film. I, like you, am far more interested in the story and ideas and the critical or emotional aspects of films. BUT…it does drive me nuts when I go to someone’s place to watch a film on their television or home theater or whatever they have, and they have a horrible, completely ignorant attitude about how to properly screen it.
But in truth, I’m more of a SOUND guy than anything else. I much prefer a good sound system, even if it’s just a killer set of headphones, when watching films. I feel that at least 60% of the effectiveness of most films is in how its soundtrack is presented.
I also appreciated his comments on the Sundance “experience”. A few years back, I read a book called “Down And Dirty Pictures” by Peter Biskind that detailed, among other things, the early, lofty ambitions of Redford and his vision for the festival, and how it ultimately became the very corporatized, publicity-fueled entity that it is today. It was very interesting to hear Mr. Hussain say that the main reason for HOBO (or any film) to play there was purely because it “looked good on paper”.
Can’t wait to see THEATRE BIZZARE, especially for Douglas Buck’s segment. I really dig his work. The Atom Egoyan comparison is an apt one.
In all, a great, lengthy (but never boring) chat. Loved it.
Glad you dug it – and thanks for the considered responses.
It is always fun to listen to people really excited about making movies (well horror movies anyway) and Karim is really excited. I will have to go back and watch a better copy of HWAS and look for all the color schemes. I think I was too distracted by the craziness of the movie the first time (and too drunk.)
By the way, Tank. I saw THEATRE BIZARRE in Montreal. I think you’ll be happy with Buck’s segment. It’s easily his best work since CUTTING MOMENTS.
“By the way, Tank. I saw THEATRE BIZARRE in Montreal. I think you’ll be happy with Buck’s segment. It’s easily his best work since CUTTING MOMENTS.”
Buck’s involvement is definitely a selling point. And hearing this only makes me want to see it even more. Can’t wait to check it out!