Well boys and girls, here it is, another great posting from the friendly
folks at attrition.org. Today, we have an exclusive interview with the
writer and director of "Boondock Saints", Mr. Troy Duffy.
Now, for those of you that have not yet seen it, go to your local
Blockbuster and rent it. (The film was only released on video there) If you
don't have a Blockbuster, find a VHS or DVD for sale on the 'Net somewhere.
I wrote a small review of the film here at attrition.org in 3/00 that
sparked quite a bit of interest and email, so I know there are fans out
there who use this site. I hope you enjoy the interview as much as Jericho
and I did. We tag-teamed Troy and got some great answers, not to mention an
autographed movie poster!
Jericho: Why Boston?
Duffy: It is my home in many ways. I was born in Hartford, Connecticut but
my family seemed to be constantly moving all up and down the seacoast of
New England for much of my life. Boston was always the hub of our
community. Today I have a sister, Tiffany that lives there and a little
brother, Tate. Also Boston is the most blue collar city in the U.S. The
people that I know there would all like to have friends like the MacManus
brothers.
Jericho: Plans for another movie (in general, not a 'sequel')?
Duffy: I had the idea in my head since the day I finished the "Saints".
Smecker, from within the F.B.I. and Poppa MacManus would work together
setting up a nation wide killing spree for Connor and Murphy. It would move
from the east coast to the west and be highly public now, huge man hunt.
The boys would also recruit two new saints, one with an absolute belief in
God and one with no religious conviction what so ever. As for other
projects, I am currently working on a script with another writer named
Chris Lassiter, a friend. It is called "The Blood Spoon Council". It has
much promise.
Jericho: Any hints at what we might expect?
Duffy: The Blood Spoon Council: is a script about a group of vigilantes
that hunt, capture and execute serial killers without being interested in
whether or not their mommies touched them where they peed when they were
children. They are pursued by the F.B.I. They also have very clever and
subversive tactics to track and discover killers and have a better average
that the Bureau. A similar idea to Boondock but written differently.
Rasputin: You had mentioned a couple of other films you were working on.
Can you discuss those?
Duffy: They are really other scripts that I was paid to write by Paramount.
I sold a "pitch", two actually. One is called the "Peregrines" and the
other is called the "Retirement Plan". The first is about a couple guys
with the ability to create mass hysteria by mass hypnosis. The second is
about two old guys and two young guys that knock over a bank together.
Rasputin: What made you cast someone like Ron Jeremy as the mafia
underboss? I noted in my review that his character was supposed to evoke
revulsion and disgust, but what else made you pick him?
Duffy: Ron was kind of a revelation. I wanted a character who oozed disgust
in people on sight. So I figured I'd go with a guy that many had a low
opinion of, but who I liked very much. My two choices were Andrew Dice Clay
and Ron Jeremy. Clay was charging too much and Ron was so damn fun to hang
with and enthusiastic I went with him. Also, it may come as a shock but
he's one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, a genuinely sweet person.
People ask if I hired him so I could snag a porn actress. No, but none the
less, Ron set me up with a girl who had been a Playboy Playmate, for a
date. She was gorgeous but probably the most annoying person I have ever
met. I sent her home early. There is no substitute for intellect and
personality in a woman.
Jericho: If a sequel is done, you should cast Peter North or another
notable porn star. =)
Duffy: Just had drinks with Ron last night, even though he doesn't drink.
He said if I cast North then his character had to come back in a dream
sequence.
Rasputin: My wife has seen the movie and was quite upset about the famous
cat scene. What is the overall response you have gotten from that? Any PETA
wackos come out of the woodwork over that one?
Duffy: The cat scene was one I thought I'd be in trouble for. That's why I
insisted on keeping it. I made up my mind to do my flick, my fucking way. I
took shit from a few pissed off cat lovers here and there but no PETA
problems, thank God. That being said, I have found that scene to be one of
the most revered sequences in Boondocks. Even the people who are pissed,
laugh first. It's unexpected. Many don't even figure out it is the cat
until the next scene. Incidentally, Rocco's line, "Is it dead?" was an ad
lib the day of shooting. Puts a nice bow on it, huh?
Rasputin: What made you script Willem Dafoe as a homosexual, and moreover,
such a blatantly obvious one?
Duffy: This question is a bit tricky. First of all I didn't write the
script with Willem in mind. That was a casting process, though many people
can't imagine any one else in the role, myself included. I wrote the
"character" as a homosexual, not the actor. I can best answer why I did
this with a little story. When the script was getting hot I was able to
meet a legendary cinematographer named William Fraker (shot "Rosemary's
Baby" for Christ sakes). He had read it and said that it seemed like a
script that would have been some pro writers "heart felt" script that had
been nurtured over years of work. He asked "How did you do this?" My
response was the only thing he could have possibly swallowed cuz it was the
truth. I said, "Bill, I just made the shit up".
However, I am not oblivious to what advantages were gained by making him
gay. He was at odds with the Boston cops right off the bat so they would
ultimately have to accept the fact of his homosexuality in order to start
respecting his prowess as an investigator. I got humor out of it in the
"What a fag" scene. I got flamboyance and many more things. One thing I
really like is that I read, years ago, that homosexuals were tired of being
portrayed as limp wristed fairys and were upset that no positive gay
characters had emerged in film in a long while. You're welcome.
Jericho: That made everyone laugh I think.
Rasputin: I know my wife laughed, and she doesn't have the kind of sense of
humor.
Duffy: Funny thing. So many people say that they aren't usually "into"
these kind of films but loved the Saints. I think it really struck a chord
of some kind. Beyond all its black humor, violence and brutality there
seems to be a message. Though I have heard many different people interpret
it in many different ways. For instance I thought my mom would hate it cuz
it was violent. She said, "Don't ever say that. Don't ever sum up what you
did with one lousy word. There is much more here than just violence, son".
She's a saint.
Rasputin: The storyline itself seems pretty rich and in depth. How much of
the background imagery is drawn from personal experience?
Duffy: Some...but I can't remember which ones. A lot of it is just
creative. You make something up and people ask you where you got it. Thin
air, man, thin air.
Rasputin: I've seen comment on the Internet, including some from me,
drawing comparisons between you and Quentin Tarantino and his films. Any
comment on that?
Duffy: Quentin Tarantino was such a force in independent film I think any
original idea in film that has anything to do with the crime genre is
instantly compared to him. Though for my money Tarantino invented "cool" in
independant film, I do not consider myself a student of his. In any of his
flicks all the characters could die in a huge shoot out and you'd think
it's cool. I prefer to make my audience care deeply about the characters
and not want to see them die, six of one half dozen of the other. I can't
escape Tarantino. Even on the back of the box at Blockbuster it compares me
to "Pulp" and "Reservoir Dogs", two of my favorites. On the one hand I'm
flattered, on the other a bit annoyed...but I suppose I could be in worse
fucking company, huh? The real upsetting thing is I haven't gotten to meet
him yet. That'd be something. I'd like to hear what he has to say about the
"Saints". We'd either become fast drinking buddies or get in a fist fight.
Rasputin: Suppose for a moment there were people out there wacking bad guys
like the brothers did in Saints. What would be your opinion on that?
Duffy: This was actually a concern during shooting. Had a few nightmares.
It comes down to this. I will not have my actions dictated to me by what
some psycho may or may not do. People who are violent will commit violence
regardless. Nothing in a song, a movie or a book ever "made" anybody do
anything. But after the fact these nut cases are pretty damn good at using
it as a scapegoat, no? Something in "society" made me do it. I'd also like
to say to any fucking retard out there who is thinking of it - don't.
You're insane. Get some help.
Rasputin: Saints has become a "cult" film. Do you plan to quietly release
future films like this, or are you looking to do full-blown theater
releases in the future?
Duffy: Yes, it has become a "cult" film. Do you know what that is? It's
simple. A cult flick is a film that Hollywood missed. They made a mistake,
plain and simple. After people's love of the film is expressed the number
one comment I hear is "Why wasn't this in theaters?" I had my industry
screenings a few weeks after Columbine occurred, when the president was
forming judiciary committees against violent film. Studios were pulling
back and Boondocks was black listed. If anybody had the nuts, we could have
seen exactly what this movie could have done in theaters.
But, fuck it. I have received mail from fans all over the world. The raw
fact is, Boondocks hit the public and they loved it. That's enough for me.
It's gonna be released in Japan in Feb, in theaters, nation wide. We'll get
to see what happens now. I am sure in my heart that what happened here
happened the way it was supposed to. I love this film. I am proud of this film.
Jericho: A big one. Boondock has so many thing going for it, and it stands
out on so many levels. Once the film was done, was there thought about holding on
to it waiting to release it after the Columbine incident passed?
Duffy: There was the thought, but I thought I would be a pussy if I did it.
Nothing is more precious than when a film has sudden social relevance. I
wept when I saw Columbine on the news. I attended college in Fort Collins
Co. and felt horrible but I decided to take that controversy head on. In
terms of a theatrical release in the states I lost that battle but I'm
proud I didn't back down and try to wait it out. I wonder if some studio
head had had the nuts and seen the relevance what could have happened.
Jericho: I noticed that Rocco kept his name in the movie. Is this a
personal friend
of yours? Was that part written with Rocco in mind?
Duffy: Yeah. Rocco's a buddy of mine that was managing the bar I worked at
when I wrote it. He always locked the place up at 2 a.m. and a pack of us
usually drank till 6 or so. He was my and my brother's dear friend. I liked
his personality so I wrote him in, unbeknownst to him. When I was done he
refused to have anything to do with it. In fact, I had a reading at a cigar
bar and he wouldn't even play his part. He said that so many guys try to do
this stuff that it was almost statistically impossible that the script
would even sell and he didn't want to get his hopes up. It was kind of sad
really. So when Harvey came in the bar looking for me, needless to say Roc
jumped right on board. His real personality is not too far removed from
what you see on screen. I know no one could have given me the singular
performance that he did. The studio begged me to cast a name but I pinned
the whole deal to him being pre-approved in that role. You don't get the
movie if he isn't Rocco. They agreed of course and there was nothing they
could do.
Rasputin: Can I have a part in your next film?
Duffy: Yes.You can have a role in the film, don't push it.
Rasputin: Really? Cool. Just don't script my character as gay, I'll never
live that one down with my biker buddies.
Attrition review of Boondock Saints
rasputin
jericho