Life staff writer Alex Chrisope participated in a conference call with the cast of "Grindhouse," the latest film to be released by acclaimed directors Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino. Here, Chrisope chats with Freddy Rodriguez, the "action hero" of the movie that is said to be surreally violent and unlike anything we've ever seen. Read on to see what Rodriguez has to say about taking this role, what he had to do in preparation and how the public is supposed to react to a film like "Grindhouse."
Vanderbilt Hustler: What was your introduction to the whole idea of a grindhouse?
Freddy Rodriguez: Well grindhouse movies were really big in Chicago, where I grew up. I remember being a kid and my pop taking myself and my brother to go see the double and triple feature. So I knew all about it. When Robert presented the idea to me, I knew exactly what he was talking about. But obviously it's the aspects that made the grindhouse movies cool infused with the level of quality and actual filmmaking that Robert (Rodriguez) and Quentin (Tarantino) bring to the table.
VH: How did you end up getting the part of Ray?
Freddy: I just auditioned for it. I was given a scene, and I came in and performed the scene. And I had no idea what the script was about or who the guy was or anything like that. I came in with my own interpretation of the character, and I think Robert dug that and that's why I got the job.
VH: What do you do in the film?
FR: I'm the action hero. If you've seen Robert Rodriguez's films in the past he always has some sort of hero, whether it's an action hero or anti-hero. And I'm a combination of both. It's the first time I've ever played an action hero before, so, you know, it was a completely new experience for me. I had months of gun training and knife training and fight choreography and physical training. It was a lot of fun.
VH: So did you get to do a lot of your own stunts then?
FR: Yeah, I did all my own stunts pretty much. That's why you get to see my face when the stunt is being performed. Usually when it's not you, you'll begin the stunt and then they'll cut to like the back of your head and then back to you. But you get to see my face as I'm doing the stunt, which is great.
VH: This movie has kind of an "Escape from New York," early, gritty, John Carpenter feel, and you have this kind of archetypal action hero character. What was your approach for taking on this character?
FR: That was definitely one of the films that I watched; and that was one of the films that Robert recommended everybody to watch because he wanted to create that tone in this film. The only difference is, you know, Snake Plissken (the protagonist in "Escape from New York") was kind of a straight man in that film, and he didn't really perform elaborate stunt sequences. So I guess my character is a little Snake Plissken combined with like, I don't know, Antonio (Banderas)' character in "Desperado," just these elaborate stunt sequences that occur in the film.
VH: Since you grew up in Chicago, how did that affect your acting career and how did it shape it?
FR: I came up in the theater community there, so I'm just a strong believer in theater as your training ground, because I feel like that's where you really build up chops. And there's just something about Chicago itself; there's a certain energy there, a certain work ethic amongst actors there that I've never experienced anywhere before, and I just feel like it molded me at an early age.
VH: What is the best way for the audience to receive the extreme violence? In other words, a film like "Grindhouse"'s level of violence, which is so incredible, is it supposed to be perceived as surreal or realistic?
FR: Oh definitely surreal. I mean it's ridiculous, almost so it's over-the-top violence. It's almost comical to a certain way, you know. And I don't think that really happens too much in horror films. I think you're really terrified. But in this film you're laughing all the way through. It's just a wild fun ride.
VH: How do you fire a machine gun that's attached to your leg?
FR: It's "Grindhouse" man. Those things are unexplained, you know. They just happen.
Want more? Listen to an interview with Freddy Rodriguez, star of "Grindhouse," as he discusses growing up in Chicago and becoming an action star. Click here.
