Horror Boobs Video unleashes I SPILL YOUR GUTS on VHS and Director James Balsamo spills HIS guts all about it!
James Balsamo is one busy guy. Whenever I see him, he's either at an event promoting one of his flicks and / or unreeling these amazing stories about one his recent filming excursions. And when he's not spreading his independent insanity amongst the masses or beguiling me with his charm and charisma, he's out there making a movie. His films are oozing with that unmistakable independent essence of making a scene happen on-the-spot, pulling amazing cameos out of nowhere and and securing some of the sleaziest, greasiest, most befitting tunes imaginable for his films. And now, with the release of his latest creation I Spill Your Guts on VHS courtesy of the fine folks at Horror Boobs Video, James is able to commit his irreverent trashterpieces to a format that's inspired him since he was just a wee Videovore...
LM: How did the idea / production come about for I SPILL YOUR GUTS?
JB: After my first feature Hack Job, I wanted to do something a bit more straight-laced, so to speak. I always wanted to do a revenge film and even more so, I always wanted to play a slasher. I Spill Your Guts was the title of fake trailer I shot on VHS a few years ago (If you’ve been following us, you see things come full circle as I Spill Your Guts is on VHS now!). The premise of the original was completely different; it was about two guys that eat toxic hot dogs and become deranged maniacs, going on killing spree. Needless to say, that is not the feature film that I Spill Your Guts became. The idea for the new version of I Spill Your Guts came to me in a flash, actually while I was on the way to shoot the toxic hot dog splatstick adventure. The whole film changed in the blink of an eye. We actually shot the ending first. The scene had the killer getting his head blown off with a shot gun. The shooter was the man who caused him to kill in the first place. This is now a deleted scene on the DVD.
The killer Jeff Zornow cover artwork for James' first feature: HACK JOB. Dig the chick with the chainsaw.
You have a plethora of notables bumping around in ISYG. How'd you manage to get all these folks in your film? Acid Bath Productions is a rapidly growing company and the list of cameos through our films keeps growing and growing. I had the honor of working with a ton of people who have inspired me as a filmmaker. I actually pay all of my notables with hookers and hard drugs. When that doesn't work, I do a lot of sexual favors, but it's all worth it at the end of the day. You must have at least a couple wild and crazy stories from the set. Any you could share? Everyday filming I Spill Your Guts was an adventure. No one particular story sticks out in my head, but I have a montage of thoughts running through my mind. From making a porn star drink blue milk that was meant to look like drain cleaner, to lighting Dan E. Danger on fire. There was having Frank Mullen from Suffocation pretend to stab Tara Lynne in the crotch, and our landlord chasing away Carmine Capobianco when he was playing a detective. Filming I Spill Your Guts was a great experience. Maybe I'll write a book about it someday, so I don't want to give too much away.
The original artwork for I SPILL YOUR GUTS. I don't think the chick in the middle's gonna make it, man...
The soundtrack is really killer, too. What's the process like grabbing all the tunes for the film? I contact all of the bands directly more or less. I've made some great friends over the years in the music industry. A lot of artists are really into horror movies and are willing to help support the horror community. Bloodsucking Zombies from Outer Space are a Psychobilly/Horror-Punk band. Most of their lyrical content is about horror movies, so when I worked with them to do the Hack Job theme song, it was no big change for them to sing about a horror movie. They are also doing the theme song for my new film, Cool As Hell.
More Zornow on the cover for COOL AS HELL.
You released ISYG on DVD before the VHS version. Why go for the VHS release? VHS is a staple in the horror community. Personally for me, it paved the way for my love of the genre. I still buy VHS movies and I'm really excited that my film will get to grace the plastic rectangle know as VHS.
The brand-spankin' new artwork for the I SPILL YOUR GUTS VHS release! Meaty indeed!
What are your thoughts on the VHS format? Do you have any special connection with the video era? I grew up on VHS. I really didn't like sports as a kid, so I spent most of my time renting VHS horror movies and I still have fond memories of looking through isles and seeing all the great box covers at the video store (which is a dying industry due to digital downloads...but don't get me started). What do you think about the VHS fans out there that are averse to "new" VHS releases? It's great to love the classics, but people have to realize that old gems were a new release at some point. So, welcome the new with the old and keep VHS alive! Why is it important to keep the VHS format around and keep the appreciation up? There are so many great films that haven't been put on DVD, let alone Blu-Ray. VHS preserves a time in people’s lives. It's just like new bands that put music on records or cassette tapes. It's a reminder of their upbringing. Who can deny that VHS has a beautiful look to it? Everything doesn't need to look pristine and HD. In fact, most 80's movies that have been redone in HD look terrible, because everything can be seen so clearly. What made a lot of those gore and creature films great, is that lot of them has such heavy shadowing things were left to the imagination. Now that they are redone in HD, the zippers can be seen on monster suits and the sausage links can been seen in the gore. What's next for you, James? More totally independent flicks? More VHS? You seem like you've always got something a'brewin! Acid Bath Productions is currently filming Cool As Hell: a Horror-Comedy that features Tom Savini, Frank Mullen from Suffocation, Andrew W.K., Laurence R. Harvey from The Human Centipede 2, and David Naughton from American Werewolf in London. Cool As Hell hits stores worldwide February, 19 2013, so be on the look out! Here’s the synopsis: Rich and Benny are having trouble with the ladies, until they befriend a demon named Az. It's a non-stop party until a soul hungry beast leaps through an open portal from the underworld and starts terrorizing the town. It's up to Az and the boys to send the creature back to the depths where it came from, and look good, while doing it in Cool As Hell! Acid Bath Productions will also be releasing Cool As Hell on VHS, as well as my first feature Hack Job, in the coming months.
James himself (left) with Katrina and Matt D. of Horror Boobs Video celebrating the awesomeness of the release! There's a lot of love in this picture. Dig it.
