Interview: Human Centipede Creator Tom Six
We speak to the Dutch writer and director of this year's controversial horror. Spoiler alert - he's a big softie.
It's been almost a year since I first read the synopsis for a little horror called The Human Centipede. The resulting sleepless night led to a bit of an obsession with this incredible, never-seen-before concept.
So it was a bit of a thrill to finally meet the man who decided to make a film about a mad surgeon stitching people together mouth to anus. Luckily, The Human Centipede turned out to be a disturbing and psychological horror, rather than exploitative torture porn, featuring the amazing Dieter Laser as German Siamese twin specialist Dr Heiter. The psychopath dreams of attaching humans together to create a new creature, and it falls to brave American actresses Ashley C. Williams and Ashlynn Yennie to be the rear end to Akihiro Kitamura's front section. Read our review!
Six was one of the poineers of the original Big Brother in his native Holland, and following a number of forgettable Dutch flicks, broke out internationally with his warped creation. Like most horror helmers, Six is delightfully warm and friendly. It's only afterwards the mind boggles at how such a sweet man could have people reaching for the sick bags...
Did the idea to have The Human Centipede predominantly in the English language come before you wrote American characters?
Yeah, because I made three Dutch-language films in Holland, and it was time to make my first international film, so I knew I wanted to use English language. It was a deliberate thing to use it, and I saw a lot of cliche horror films from the 80s, which a lot of the time are about naive young American ladies getting into all kinds of trouble.
As a female horror fan it's a relief to see a film where the actresses aren't exploited. It's actually quite tasteful. Was it a conscious decision not to feature sexuality?
Definitely. Absolutely. When we did the audition in New York, so many actresses were very offended by it. 70% left because they thought I was an absolute nutcase, but I really tried to explain to them what I wanted to do. If you ask a beautiful actress to be attached to an asshole, it's strange of course. While you have nothing, you can show them how you will do it. The actresses with the most balls were Ashley and Ashlynn, and they put all their trust in me. But I always intended for it to look like [it does]. While they have bare breasts, there's nothing sexual at all, because the doctor in the story is not sexual at all.
What were Ashley and Ashlynn's reactions when they auditioned?
They were the smart ones. I showed everyone drawings of the human centipede and they asked more questions. They were really interested. In my opinion, if you're an actor you have to be prepared to do anything if it's a cool part. You have to be interested somehow, and if it's not your thing, that's okay. They did a terrific audition and they had no fear whatsoever being attached to an ass in front of them, which a lot of actresses were.
What was the actual audition?
I first did an individual one, talked to them, let them play through scenes, then I put them on their hands and knees, and that was fine. Then it came down to three good ones, then I said really be close to - and some couldn't - to an ass. All the footage I have, you should really see. All kinds of women crying on their hands and knees. [laughs]
The thing I took away from the film was Jenny and Lindsey's comforting of each other, which was incredibly moving. Were you looking for that, the way they could act with their eyes?
Yeah, definitely. They can't speak of course. What it really focuses on, and I don't see this in a lot of horror films, is people that killed very fast, and it's edited very fast, and I really wanted to take the time for the people in the human centipede, because it must be a very horrible thing. So they're holding hands, and I really take the time with that.
Obviously, Dieter is unforgettable, so did the character of Dr Heiter evolve when he joined the film?
I wrote the character, but this guy's such a genius. Like, all the wardrobe, he brought himself. He brought the magnificent white doctor's coat, which belonged to an old Nazi in Poland. He's such a methodical actor - he stays in character while filming as well. But off-set he was the friendliest guy, and sweet as well, but on the set he was really like his character. So he gave me, as a director, a lot of input. He's incredible.
How did you balance the humour with the gross-out horror of it, as it is quite funny?
By not writing any humour in it! That's the thing - if you deliberately put in humour it won't work. The situation is so surreal and crazy, it becomes funny. But I always said to everybody, approach this as serious as you can.
Was the decision not to be too graphic a creative or a financial one?
No, it was deliberate. The idea of being stuck mouth-to-ass is horrific in itself, I didn't want to make it too gory. Because I wanted a lot of things to happen in the audience's mind, it would be much more powerful. I think if I had overdone it with lots of gory things, the film might've gone down the drain directly, because people would say, this is filth.
What was the atmosphere like on-set?
Very surreal. They were on their hands and knees for a long time, and it hurts your body. We gave them a good massage at the end of each day. And they were very vulnerable, so when they cry they have a lot of real emotions, as you can imagine. It's surreal for the cast and crew, because you're standing there, and a guy's going to the bathroom in her mouth, and you're standing there like "action". They were making jokes about passing gas and what they were eating to relieve the tension.
What have you seen in other movies that terrifies you?
Salò, by Pasolini, is one of the most terrifying films I have ever seen. But normally I can watch all films, but what really disturbs me is animal cruelty. I can't watch that, it's too much for me.
So you would never show any of the brutality to the three-dog?
No!
What horror films have you seen recently?
Antichrist. Controversial, with some really cool scenes. Lars Von Trier really knows how to make atmosphere. Incredible film.
You've threatened to go full-on with the sequel. Will it be more gory or will you still rely on the viewer's imagination?
This time, because I really held back on the first one deliberately, I know the audience really wants more this time, and I want to give it to them. It's quite fun to make everything you didn't see - I want to show it now. It will be really nasty, but with the same dark humour and the tension.
What's been your favourite reaction so far by critics? I know Roger Ebert refused to rate it.
Oh that's fantastic. You see all those great films, and you see one without a star - that's mine! That's my favourite. The man's an icon, it's incredible. The idea that he even watched it!
I get the impression that people who love gore will find it not gory enough, but it's being marketed in a way where it will put people off, because they think it will be too gory. How do you go about marketing it?
I've seen reactions at lots of film festivals, and even people who are really into gore were shocked, but in a different way, and were very happy afterwards. They were so struck by it.
You're remaining very secretive about the sequel, but can I ask why it's being filmed in London?
Because I really want the entire film in the English language, and the other reason is, people say the main players in the Second World War are there - American, Japanese, German - where's England? There will be 12 people and it will be 100% medically inaccurate.
Can you talk about the other horror film you're working on?
It's going to be completely different to The Human Centipede, I have now had enough from centipedes. I always want to make horror films combined with psychological drama, and it has to be original. I want to shoot that film next year in America, and it's controversial in a completely different way to this one. But it will hopefully shock people as well. Horror is really unexplored territory, and there are still barriers to look for. It's the only genre you can use all your imagination - in a comedy, how can you push boundaries? There are some holes here, so I hope to bring up new things.
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