WARNING:  THE FOLLOWING INTERVIEW IS EXTREMELY VOLATILE.  DO NOT EXPOSE TO TEMPERATURES OVER 45 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT OR TO WILL SMITH

Mike: (English accent) Greetings and salutations.  He's not Mike.

Ike: (Southern accent) He ain't Ike.  Okay, Wonder Pets, if ya take a look at our Top 4, you're gonna see the first one is Icons of Fright, which is one of the coolest horror websites out there.  They do great interviews and write reviews we actually want to read.

M:  One of the creators of Icons, known to the world, his mother, and the IRS only as RobG, is branching out.  He is directing a documentary called THE PSYCHO LEGACY, number two in our Top 4, which examines not just the films, but Norman Bates' place as a cultural icon, as well as how cross dressing has affected serial killers since the 1960's. 

I:  Now we have said several times before that, as entertainment gurus for the neo-millennium, we should have some small part in this project, partially cause we are HUGE PSYCHO fans, but mostly cause we're whores.

M:  To that end, we have been in contact with Mr. G; we've written a lovely little song parody about the PSYCHO films, we've stood outside his apartment at three in the morning holding signs which say "We're more interesting than Eli Roth."

I:  And after we got the restraining order from Roth we figured that was it, but providence is kind and kinda stupid, cause Rob, a man who normally asks questions, said he'd answer ours.

M:  Granted, we had to keep four states and three tons of lawyer between us.

I:  But it is a small price to pay knowing that we have annoyed someone more famous than us.

M:  The following interview was conducted in a Real Housewives of Orange County chat room on AOL.  We're not sure why.

M:  We're going to start with a question you've asked numerous times yourself.

I:  Why Saved By the Bell-The College Years?

M:  Actually, what was your earliest horror experience?

I:  Like mine better.

RobG:  The very first thing I remember is catching all the black and white Universal monster movies on television. In particular, I loved CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON and THE WOLF MAN. I recall one of my first Halloween's wearing an old-school Wolf Man costume that came in the old cellophane boxes? With the mask with the cheap rubber band? I was always fascinated by those Universal monster films, and then around the time when I was 10, 11, my older cousins forced me to watch A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. Needless to say, it scared the crap out of me but also opened the floodgates for me to the world of horror. After discovering Freddy, I pretty much wanted to rent every scary movie I could just to re-experience the initial thrill that that movie had given me.

M:  How did Icons of Fright start?

RobG:  I had just finished a year long course in web & graphic design and was having a hell of a time finding a job in that field. So, the only thing I could think to do was create a website for practice. Around that time (I believe late 2003, early 2004), I met Mike C and since we both loved the horror genre so much, he recommended us teaming up to create Icons Of Fright. In fact, I remember us watching the special features on the original HILLS HAVE EYES DVD and Mike saying, "Wouldn't it be neat to chat with Michael Berryman?" So, from that conversation stemmed "Well, what kind of stuff could we ask him?" And before we knew it, we had the basic model for how we wanted to differentiate ourselves from other horror sites. We didn't want to compete for "news," we just thought it'd be far classier to feature extensive interviews with genre professionals. People could read about how these people got into the business and what their experiences have been like and learn from that. Also, I figured if I had to work on a website to gain experience with my web designing skills, it might as well be on a subject I'd never get tired of. And sure enough, it's been non-stop since April of 2004.

I:  How did you turn it into the well respected website it is?

RobG:  You've got me! I suppose a big part of it is timing. Starting a website now, I'd imagine would be difficult because there are so many horror websites out there competing for the same audience. Not that I discourage people from starting something now, I totally encourage it, because as far as I'm concerned, the more horror the better for us all. But I think we were lucky with the people we got to talk to in the beginning, and each interview often led to someone else we really wanted to talk to. We launched in April of 2004 and every April, we write up a year retrospective, and when I look back on each year, I'm absolutely amazed at the people we've talked to, the places we've been and the experiences we've had. Just goes to show, anything is possible, especially if you're love of something it totally genuine. You can't fake that, and people really respond to people who are genuine. Hell, if we can do it, anyone can.

M:  What was your favorite horror film of 2006?

RobG:  I would say BEHIND THE MASK: THE RISE OF LESLIE VERNON, but I suppose technically that didn't come out until 2007? So, I'd have to say FEAST. I had such a blast with that movie, watched it dozens of times and often with different groups of friends. It's the closest a movie has come to reminding me of experiencing EVIL DEAD 2 (my all-time favorite horror movie) for the first time.

I:  What are the movies that genuinely disturb you? I mean, make ya want to shower when they're done.

RobG:  Well, the types of films you're describing are often the type I don't enjoy watching. Like, LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT. I understand it's importance in horror history, but I don't exactly enjoy watching terrible things happen to people. I can't imagine being in a good mood on a Friday night and thinking, "Hey, let's drink some beers and throw on LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT!"

I: Hey, LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT ain't disturbin,' it's funny. David Hess is the undisputed Ace Ventura of horror and the whole thing plays like a rock opera without songs but with oral castration.

RobG: Ok, ok. You're right. David Hess is very, very funny.

M: It's comments like that that keep us out of the critics union.

I: No, we ain't in the union cause you refuse ta apologize for callin' Richard Roeper a fuck monkey.

M: He knows what he did.

I:  Besides, I'm not talkin' 'bout torture porn shit like Saw or Cannibal Holocaust or White Chicks, I'm talkin' about flicks that just hurt, like Henry-Portrait of a Serial Killer or Requiem for a Dream.

M: Or White Chicks.

I: Shut up. Don't get me wrong. I'm all for blood and tits, even in movies, but I'm talkin' about horror flicks that actually horrify.

RobG:  I like to have fun with my horror films. I loved the experience of watching HATCHET for example. It was a lot of fun and reminded me of FRIDAY THE 13TH 7 if the first half of it was really funny. That's not to say I don't enjoy serious horror films too. Obviously, PSYCHO is one of my favorite movies. Same goes for THE EXORCIST, although because it scared me so badly as a kid, I have a tough time sitting through it even to this day.

I:  Can ya name a couple of recent horror flicks that, unlike Behind the Mask, just made ya want to hurt those responsible and maybe a few random strangers as well? For instance, the prison zombie movie DEAD MEN WALKING, that thing made me doubt the existence of a good and loving God.

RobG:  Honestly, I try to avoid things I know I'm not going to like. Or giving power to things I don't like by talking about them. I mean, if I see something I don't like, why would I spend an hour writing a review about how much I disliked it?

I:  Cause it's fun.

RobG:  I could easily use that time in far wiser ways.

I:  Oh fine!

RobG:  But I know you're looking for something juicy, so I will say this.

M:  We like juice.

RobG:  I was heartbroken and disappointed by AVP-R. It's not as bad as the first one (which I consider one of the worst movies of ALL time) but it's close. I just can NOT for the love of me understand why FOX can't get an Aliens Vs Predator movie right. Not for nothing, but I just re-watched ALIEN and ALIENS the other day and those movies are f-ing classics! I wish we could erase the AVP movies from existence.

I:  I'll say it for ya …. Fuck.

M:  Ignoring that.  What, to you, are the ingredients for a good horror film? And why are there so few good ones?

RobG:  Story. Imagination. (At least in the way the story is told.) And a genuine attempt to do something scary. A horror film should scare you, make you think. Essentially they are cathartic ways of coping with the fact that we are mortal. I'm sure you've heard this a million times before, but it's true – they're also a fantastic ride. I love seeing something that either makes me jump, or just cheer at the sheer ridiculousness of whatever it is I'm watching. The reason so few are good is because usually the people at the helm are not focusing on the story and more so on how they're going to make money off of horror fans. That's why I think the best stuff we're probably going to get in the next few years is independent stuff. Looking back through history, some of the classics – HALLOWEEN, THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE, THE EVIL DEAD, even BLAIR WITCH PROJECT were all really low-budget independent films made by extremely talented & unique filmmakers. With technology being readily available the way it is, I'm sure there's a kid out there who's going to surprise and scare the crap out of all of us soon enough.

M:  Do you think the DV revolution is a good thing? Yes, now anyone can put out a movie, but just because you can doesn't mean you should.

RobG:  It's a fantastic thing. Because there really are some amazing filmmakers out there who now have the tools to make something great with very little resources. My good friend Christopher P. Garetano for example creates all his own films and if you see something like HORROR BUSINESS or his short film for COTTONMOUTH, you'd be amazed that this guy did those films with literally nothing but the bare essentials and his imagination. Sure, they'll be plenty of terrible stuff out there, but there always is, either in the theaters or video stores. People hungry for good material will seek it out, and I think we're going to see the sudden introduction to some fantastic genre filmmakers soon enough. Hell, I wouldn't have been able to make my own documentary if I didn't have the resources of digital camera's and tape. So I'm all for it.

I:  Have you had a chance to see Evil Dead-The Musical, THE GREATEST PIECE OF ENTERTAINMENT IN THE HISTORY OF HISTORY PERIOD, yet?

RobG:  Yep! Quite frankly the greatest 2 hours of my life! I saw it twice!

I:  Good man.

RobG:  After the first time I caught it, I tracked down Ryan Ward, who played Ash and just HAD to interview him for the Icons site.

I:  Ya know, we got to interview the whole New York and Toronto casts, as well as the writer and director ….twice. 

M:  That's it, Isaac.  Piss off the man we're trying to suck up to.

RobG:  I wish they'd do a DVD release of the show for all my punk-ass broke friends who didn't go see it, but obviously there's rights issues. Please come back to New York!!!

I:  I still think they should film THAT as the remake.

M:  And if it isn't made by the time we take over the entertainment industry, we'll produce it ourselves.

I:  Do it in 3-D so we can recreate the Splatter zone.

M:  Here's a question that's been bugging me for awhile.  Do we really need a Saw IV-VI?  I mean seriously, isn't that horse decomposing yet?

RobG:  Hey! I like the SAW movies! Although they are getting more and more complicated which isn't a good thing when you're up to Part 4. But you guys have to admit, SAW IV is a better movie then Critters 4, Ghoulies 4 (they made a 4, right?), The Howling 4: The Original Nightmare, Tremors 4, Amityville 4: The Evil Escapes or Pumpkinhead 4: Blood Feud. (God, I really hope they make a Turbulence 4!)

I:  Critters 4 was in space.  Ya put anything in space and it's cool.  Look at Leprechaun!

M:  I'd rather not.  Here's another one.  Are the three of us the only good critics who liked Rob Zombie's Halloween?  And at the end of it, when Laurie's covered in blood and screaming, tell me you didn't think of the end of From Beyond (I so wanted Laurie to scream "It ate him!" just once).

RobG:  Rob Zombie's HALLOWEEN is such a heated debate that I usually don't want to talk about it. (I have one friend who won't talk to me because I "liked" it.) You can read my extensive DVD review of it if you really want to know my thoughts, but hey, I kinda liked it. That's all I'm sayin'. And yes, you two are the only other critics that did too. (Nice From Beyond reference, by the way.)

M:  I have my moments.

I:  No.  No, you don't.  Okay, on to the important stuff.  How old were you when you first saw PSYCHO? Did you see the movies in order?

RobG:  I honestly don't remember how old I was for the first PSYCHO. I do recall my earliest memory of PSYCHO being the Hitchcock trailer, where he tours the Bates Motel? I absolutely loved that and it made me so intrigued to see the movie, so I'm fairly certain I sought it out shortly after first seeing that. I also have a random memory of walking into my cousin's living room while they were watching PSYCHO 3 and being completely freaked out by "mother's" corpse laughing at Norman in the Woody Woodpecker laugh. I'm pretty sure I went and rented 2 and 3 after seeing that one scene when I wasn't supposed to. Also, I have to give props… I really, really love PSYCHO IV. I was about 15 when it was on cable and I must've been just at the right impressionable age for it because I used to watch it over and over and over again. And I fell in love with Olivia Hussey, and had the hugest crush on Sharen Camille. Low and behold, 15 years later, I actually got to touch the actual "mother" corpse based off of Olivia Hussey that was IN the movie I'd seen countless times as a kid. And I met Sharen Camille! I always think about little things like that and feel very fortunate!

M:  What officially started you making THE PSYCHO LEGACY?

RobG:  My interest in the sequels and the fact that there's little information about them out there! I just had to know. I started thinking about all the series of films I grew up on and loved and their place in horror history now. Freddy, Jason, Michael Myers – they're still around in one form or another, but Norman Bates, who's arguably in the top 10 movie maniacs has been somewhat forgotten. And that just didn't seem right to me. I didn't want the younger generation of horror fans to not know who Norman Bates was! So, I set about contacting a few people and seeing how far I could get, because once Universal put out those bare-bones DVD's of the PSYCHO sequels, I knew that unless I set about talking to these people from those films, no one would. Before I knew it, we had shot several interviews and were really making it a reality. And I have to thank my DP and good friend John Torrani for being crazy enough to take this journey with me. Most people will question the things you want to do, always trying to think logically and realistically and say "YOU can't do that!" But John has been with me since Day One saying, "Great. That sounds awesome. Let's do it."

I:  What were some of your favorite interviews?

RobG:  Well, the way we've been going about this has been rather unorthodox, so all the interviews have been a bit different. We don't have a set schedule like every other movie or documentary of this sort, we've been just contacting people the old fashioned way, working for 3 months and then saving enough money to go see them and film an interview. But some of the memories I have are quite amazing. The first trip we took to Cali for example, we interviewed Mick Garris (extensively about PSYCHO IV), his wife Cynthia and then Tom Holland all in a row in the same day. It was the first moment when we realized, "Wow, we're really making this thing!" I'll never forget driving up to Tom's house and meeting him officially for the first time. We've since become very good friends and he's even put me up on future visits to the West Coast. Jeff Fahey was one of those right place at the right time kind of things. He was booked to do a local convention in Jersey, his first appearance actually, and a few days later he came to John (Torrani's) apartment in the city. That just came about so quickly, and the great thing about that interview was that it was really the first time Jeff had thought about PSYCHO 3 in 20 some-odd years. So a lot of his reactions on camera are genuine. Like talking about an old friend he haven't seen awhile that he was obviously still so fond of. Capturing that kind of stuff is priceless. Interesting side-note that he told us before the cameras were rolling and that I forgot to bring up again – he told us Gus Van Sant had him come in and audition for the PSYCHO remake! Obviously, it's probably for the best that he didn't do it.

M:  Have you had any interviews where, at the end, you just said, "Well, that was unpleasant." And, if so, give lots of details because we love stuff like that.

RobG:  Well… There was one day where we just could not avoid sound problems. Just something didn't want us to accomplish anything this particular day. It was when we interviewed Donovan Scott and Juliette Cummins. Donovan had us come up to his house and it was a beautiful day out, so we opted to shoot the interview in his backyard. It wasn't until I asked the first question that we realized he lived right by the airport and that a plane was going to fly by every 3 minutes. (Literally!) We did our best with it, and I'm pretty sure we got it, but if you watch the unedited tape, you'll see a lot of long pauses as we wait for planes to go by! On the plus side, he was a great guy and offered some wonderful stories about PSYCHO 3. Directly after that, we went to meet Juliette Cummins in Venice and we set up in a nice spot outdoors to chat. Then every conceivable noise obstacle that could present itself did. Wind. Car's going by. Children playing in the background. In all honesty, I might not even be able to use what we shot and may try to re-schedule something with her. We're in the editing stages now, so I have to see if any of that footage works. But yeah, I felt miserable and defeated by the end of that particular day.

I:  Who would you give an important body part to interview?

RobG:  I honestly don't want to give up any body parts for anyone! Of course, I would've loved to have spoken at great length with Tony Perkins, especially about PSYCHO 3, which I love and I think is highly underrated. I do take some comfort in the fact that Kurt Paul (one of Tony's best friends) and filmmaker Stuart Gordon both told me that Tony would've been so humbled and honored by the documentary we were doing.

M:  How easy or difficult has it been to get interviews?

RobG:  It's been very, very difficult. I shot my first interview with author Harold Schechter in January of 2007 and it's one year later. I've gotten a lot of great interviews, but there are still people I haven't gotten in touch with, like Meg Tilly from PSYCHO 2 or Henry Thomas from PSYCHO IV. A lot of the time, I got lucky in that someone knew someone else and told them I was an OK guy. For example, the week I interviewed Mick Garris, someone told me that they saw Katt Shea at a Masters Of Horror dinner. Katt obviously was in PSYCHO 3 as Patsy and later went on to direct features of her own. So, I asked Mick about getting in touch with her and by the end of that day, we were at her house shooting an interview. And like the situation with Fahey, it came together so fast that when we got her on camera, she was talking and thinking about PSYCHO 3 for the first time in years. Those interviews stand out for me. Oh, and something I really want to clarify that I've been asked before – yes, there are a lot of newer filmmakers I interviewed for the doc. There are 2 reasons for that. One, I hope fans of some of those filmmakers will watch my doc because they're in it and in turn discover the PSYCHO films. If a kid out there that loved HATCHET watches THE PSYCHO LEGACY because Adam Green is in my doc, and then discovered the PSYCHO movies that way, that'd be amazing. Second – A lot of these young filmmakers are my age and have been impacted by the PSYCHO legacy in some way. Most of the time, it's in the same way I have been, so I'm essentially using a lot of them as my own voice. Because I completely relate and agree with what most of them say about PSYCHO! Trust me; if someone appears in the doc, it's for a pretty darned good reason.

I:  What's been the reaction from people involved when ya tell them you're doing a documentary not just on the movies, but on the cultural phenomena that is Norman Bates? Everyone's sayin' it's about damn time, right?

RobG:  It's been generally positive and usually intrigues people. Especially horror fans. Because, let me make this clear, we're covering the entire history of Norman Bates. People assume my doc's about Hitchcock and the first PSYCHO. Yes, a portion of it is, but there are SO many books and docs about Hitchcock and the first film already. Wouldn't that be repetitive? So, my focus is mainly on the sequels, the stories behind making them with the people involved, their influence and Norman Bates as a pop culture icon. When I talk about the sequels, people usually look at me puzzled like "There were sequels? Was Perkins in them? Why would you want to talk about those?" I grew up on them! And I LOVE them! They're important to me. And you know what? They launched the careers of a lot of interesting people. Tom Holland wrote PSYCHO 2 and went on to make FRIGHT NIGHT and CHILD'S PLAY. Mick Garris's first feature was PSYCHO IV and he created MASTERS OF HORROR. Jeff Fahey started out in PSYCHO 3 and is on LOST now! Most people know someone who got their start with PSYCHO, they just don't realize it.

M:  Where are you in production right now?

RobG:  We're evaluating all the footage I've accumulated this past year now and attempting to do a rough assembly cut. I know stuff's missing like B-Roll footage, which I still plan to shoot, and of course there's a few more interviews I'd like to get before wrapping but we'll see how the next few months pan out. You will all hopefully see some of it in April 2008 in LA. The hint's been dropped!

I:  Any chance of hitting the festival circuit, or are you planning to go straight to DVD.

RobG:  Yeah, I'd be game to do the festival circuit! It all really depends on what happens with the documentary once it's done. In an ideal world, Universal will see it, love it and include it in a boxed set with the PSYCHO films or at least do special editions of the sequels. (FINALLY!) But if it remains an independent feature once completed, then yes, I will go out there and show it wherever I can. 

I:  Has the process of makin' this film been a joy, a pain in the ass, or a combination of both?

RobG:  Mostly a joy. Really it has been quite an adventure. And I've been trying to savor it along the way as much as possible. Right now, however, I'm terribly anxious. Some people send me messages on the My Space page asking, "When's it going to be done?! Just upload it already!" Calm down, folks! Don't you want it to be good? This is literally 2 guys and a small handful of friends putting this together. To do it right, that takes time, so I promise it's coming. I just wish I had more time and money to finish it quicker, but it'll all be worth it in the end.

M:  Would you return to the director's chair? Any chance of seeing The NIGHT OF THE DEMONS LEGACY? Or how about one on HUMANOIDS FROM THE DEEP? How about directing an original horror film. Icons of Fright Presents . . .

RobG:  Ah, a documentary on the NIGHT OF THE DEMONS trilogy?! Perhaps. Honestly, I'm not exactly sure what's next. I have a few ideas, a book being one of them. I'd also like to shoot a semi-fictional short film titled "IF I DIE BEFORE I WAKE" which is about sleep-paralysis aka "old hag" syndrome. (With the hopes of expanding it into a feature length.) I've also been developing a crazy script about the origin of the Norman Bates character as a pop culture icon called simply "NORMAN" but it's taking me forever to write. It's pretty elaborate, but would make an amazing, unique and original movie. It's an idea I had long before the doc and am still tying to figure out exactly how to get it to work because it's really complicated and intricate. But we'll see! You can always find me on the Icons Of Fright site though.

M:  And now, we end this interview like we end all interviews, with the famous questionnaire stolen from James Lipton, who stole it from some Frenchman.  Rob, what is your favorite word to describe Howling II-Your Sister is a Werewolf?

RobG:  Believe it or not, The Howling 2 is the only one of the Howling sequels I have yet to see! I own all the other ones from 1 through 6! I love that the Howling and Amityville series just went on and on. I own most of the DVD's from both franchises.

I:  What is your least favorite sequel (And Howling II don't count, though it probably should)?

RobG:  Least favorite… FRIDAY THE 13TH 8: JASON TAKES MANHATTAN. Greatest teaser trailer ever, worst of the series by far. And mean-spirited. I can't watch it and enjoy it on any level. Otherwise, I like most sequels!

M:  What would turn you on more, the chance to interview Anthony Perkins or Jessica Alba doing a nude interpretive dance to the soundtrack of The Terminator?

RobG:  Honestly, I almost met Jessica Alba once before at an in-store for the first Fantastic Four movie. She showed up, took pictures for EW and left without signing one single autograph. In fact, EW monopolized all of the actor's time, so after a 6-7 hour wait; my poster is only signed by 2 of the Fantastic 4. Alba not acknowledging us lowly fans completely turned me off to her, so I'd rather chat with Perkins, since I'm sure that experience would have more substance then the latter. (http://www.iconsoffright.com/FF.htm)

I:  What would turn you off more, not finishing The Psycho Legacy or Sid Haig doing a nude interpretive dance to the soundtrack of The Terminator?

RobG:  Not finishing this damned doc, of course. Sid's a very handsome man whom I'm sure is a wonderful dancer.

M:  What is your favorite curse word to say when you find out they're doing YET ANOTHER PG-13 remake of a bad 80's slasher film?

RobG:  The mother of them all, of course… MOTHER… FUCKER!

I:  If you were trapped in a bathroom with Carey Elways, what sound or noise would you want blaring non stop so you didn't have to hear him act?

RobG:  Say what you will about the man, but nothing can take away the fact that he was in THE PRINCESS BRIDE

I:  I will give you that.

RobG:  One of my all time favorite movies, and he was in the Mel Brook's classic ROBIN HOOD: MEN IN TIGHTS, where unlike some other Robin Hoods, he played it with an English accent. ;-)

M:  Along the same lines, what sound or noise would drive you to not only cut off your foot, but several of his extremities as well?

RobG:  Any whiney "emo" band. Or pretty much anything that plays in a Hot Topic. Hey, I'm old-school. I miss the pop & metal of the late 80's and rock from the early 90's. (Am I getting old & grumpy?!)

I:  If you had a sniper rifle and diplomatic immunity, who would be on your short list?

RobG:  Errr… no comment. The government might be reading this! :-P

M:  If you couldn't find your sniper rifle, but still had the immunity, what weapon would you use to complete that short list?

RobG:  A chainsaw to the producers of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE remakes. Talk about irony.

I:  And finally, assuming of course that Heaven exists and assuming of course that you get there and assuming of course that after a violent coup you take over as Morgan Freeman, what is the first thing you'd do with your almighty powers?

RobG:  Erase the existence of the PSYCHO remake of course.

M:  And that was it.

I:  We tried to ask him if the bit we shot was gonna end up in the flick but he was chattin' ta someone else about Top Chef Season 3.

M:  So check out Icons Of Fright, check out THE PSYCHO LEGACY, and make sure to send Rob lots of messages saying we should be in it.

I:  Namaste.