Italian filmmaker projects himself into ‘Cemetery Man’

Thursday, April 25, 1996

Director Soavi uses horror genre to explore his country, social
issuesBy Emily Forster

Daily Bruin Contributor

Not all horror films are about people being frightened. In
movies directed by Italian filmmaker Michele Soavi, things often go
in the opposite direction.

"’Cemetery Man’ is not a regular horror film," says Soavi. "In a
normal horror film, the main character is afraid of dying. In this
film, he’s more afraid of living. He wants to be left alone."

Sitting under an open window in an office on Wilshire Boulevard,
Soavi keeps his thickly accented voice loud in order to fight with
the din of midday traffic. Intermittently puffing on a Marlboro
cigarette, the Italian director explains that the hero of "Cemetery
Man" who fears life more than death, is autobiographical.

Initially, this claim is difficult to believe considering that
Soavi did not write the script. The darkly comedic tale about a
grave digger trying to keep corpses from coming back to life was
written long before Soavi came into the picture, but the director
explains that he has taught himself how to make scripts reflect
himself regardless of their origins.

"No matter what it’s about, making a movie is very hard unless I
absorb the material," explains Soavi. "If I haven’t written the
script, I try to find a way to eat the script, make it mine, and
then throw it up."

This method for regurgitating scripts does not comes from a film
school education. Born and raised from a family of painters in
Rome, Soavi uses the artistic skill of forethought in order to make
his films autobiographical.

"Starting from the idea of the script, I try to put on a dress
or atmosphere that makes it mine," says Soavi. "I have a vision of
what the film will look like just like a painter envisions an
artwork before he begins painting. The personal image becomes my
story within the film’s story."

Soavi feels that this ability to personalize artwork is
difficult to attain, but he does not credit himself with the
success. He feels his family and culture are responsible for his
skills. "The world that you grow up in is the most important
influence," he says. "I grew up in a family of painters so I grew
up with images of surrealism and decadence. Just look at my work
and you’ll see its impact."

Soavi thinks his country’s political climate is also an
influence on his cinematic creations.

"The Italian situation is very bad and my work reflects that,"
explains Soavi. "The dead that rise from their graves in ‘Cemetery
Man’ represent the Italian politicians (whose careers) die and then
miraculously come back. Italy is the country of corruption and my
films are filled with corruption too."

Soavi also feels childhood tragedies shape his cinematic
talents.

"When I was seven I saw a vampire film that really shocked me,"
recalls Soavi. "It was so frightening that I can still see images
from that film today. I think it made me see what kind of effect I
can have on audiences."

Just because Soavi’s talents are a result of his background does
not mean that he does not have to work to find them. But he uses a
simple slogan to tap into his skill.

"Follow your instincts," says Soavi. "You can find your full
potential when you do and then your work is more natural and more
honest. You get more of yourself in your work."

Although Soavi uses personal experiences in creating his films,
the international audience has similar reactions to each film. "In
all the world, audiences are the same," claims Soavi. "’Cemetery
Man’ is the perfect example. When it came out in Italy, it did very
well at the box office with kids. In Toronto (at the Toronto Film
Festival), the reaction was the same."

It is this universality that enables Soavi to get across his
political messages.

"I think films help to understand things," says Soavi. "This
kind of fantasy film offers a huge possibility of freedom. If you
want to do a strong social cry to the world, you can do it."

He finds he communicates his social views by catching his
viewers just like the zombies in "Cemetery Man" snatch up their
victims.

"The most important thing films do is entertain," says Soavi.
"Just like with a painting, when I make a film that grabs someone’s
attention, I’ve made an impact. I’ve got ’em."

FILM: "Cemetery Man," directed by Michele Soavi. Opens
Friday.

From left to right, Rupert Evert and "Cemetery Man" director
Michele Soavi.