CREATORS UNITE 10 COVER
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
1
CREATORS UNITE 10 MAGAZINES & BOOKS AD
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
2
CREATORS UNITE 10 ISSUE 10 GLOBAL AD
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
3
CREATORS UNITE 10 MAGAZINES & BOOKS AD
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
4
CREATORS UNITE 10 EDITOR’S LETTER We are delighted to present CREATORS UNITE #10: THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE, featuring exclusive interviews with Kelli Maroney, Lloyd Kaufman, Luigi Cozzi, and Kurando Mitsutake. Kelli Maroney, the highly respected actress that many of us have admired for decades, is without a doubt, an exceptional woman who is loved by all. We invite you to join us in getting to know her. Lloyd Kaufman, the creator of TROMA ENTERTAINMENT is the ultimate reference for filmmakers and independent creators. Lloyd’s influence cannot be ignored as the TROMA culture have permeated spirits in a profound and lasting way. We had the privilege of interviewing Lloyd, both in English and French (which he speaks without an accent). Check out our Masters at Work to learn more about Lloyd! Luigi Cozzi, known for his films Starcrash, Hercules, and Contamination, is one of those iconic artists, who continues to create essential work against all odds. We met him in Rome at the PROFONDO ROSSO store, which he co-founded with Dario Argento. We hope you enjoy this glimpse into his world. We also had the pleasure of interviewing Kurando Mitsutake, whose fascinating work restores a sense of prestige to cinematic art. Mitsutake's approach, both in substance and form, is a captivating blend of violence and aesthetics. His work is truly outstanding and transcendent. To mark the release of our 10th magazine (and 28th publication), we bring you this special "best of" issue, dedicated to four exceptional artists, featuring exclusive interviews with each of them. We hope you enjoy reading CREATORS UNITE #10 as much as we enjoyed creating it. THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE is available in digital and print formats (limited edition prints). You can find the e-book version on Issuu and hard cover books on Peecho. A soft-cover magazine in four parts (each dedicated to a specific star) is also available on Issuu and Peecho. DC Deever THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
5
CREATORS UNITE 10
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
6
CREATORS UNITE 10 TABLE OF CONTENTS
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE Special Best Of Including Essential ITWS of Kelli Maroney, Lloyd Kaufman, Luigi Cozzi & Kurando Mitsutake PART 3: LUIGI COZZI • •
Editor’s Letter - P5 Table of Contents - P7
Masters at Work 3 - Luigi Cozzi - P8 • WEBTALK P8: Starter by Maria Cristina Mastrangeli. Interview with Luigi Cozzi by Maria Cristina Mastrangeli • SHOWROOM P35: Reviews by Cultmetalflix and Christopher Zisi • EXHIBITION HALL P47: The Gallery 106 - Creators Unite Gallery welcomes Horror Icons, an exhibition of Chantal Handley’s work Bonus Feature - P69 • MYTHMAKER: GEORGE A. ROMERO by Jason Figgis A short video essay for Creators Unite Magazine looking at George A. Romero's seminal classic horror film from 1968 - Night of the Living Dead. Written, presented and directed by Jason Figgis •
Special Thanks / Masthead - P66
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
7
CREATORS UNITE 10 WEBTALK
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
8
CREATORS UNITE 10 WEBTALK
Cult Interview with Luigi Cozzi by Maria Cristina Mastrangeli
ThE WEb Talk Editor: Laura MacLeod | Translators: Biscuit C & Lorenza Florida | Artworks: Dale Mike B. | Photos Courtesy: ©Andrea Galeazzi. Interview with Luigi Cozzi by his actress Maria Cristina Mastrangeli on the occasion of the release of Little Wizards of Oz, his latest movie which has been acclaimed at festivals. Rome, Italy, September 2018 In this still summery day, the meeting is set up at the Profondo Rosso store in Rome. This store, that Luigi Cozzi founded with Dario Argento a long time ago, is located in a central area of Rome called Prati (“The meadow” in Italian, Ed), but the shop is far from ordinary. A den for fans of horror and fantasy films, you can find masks, props, DVDs and rare posters there as well as niche books. Many of these books are written by Luigi himself. In the basement there is even a tiny museum of horrors, though its smallness doesn’t make it any less terrifying... I am well placed to know; we had turned one of the dungeons into a lodge during the shooting of Little Wizards of Oz!
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
9
CREATORS UNITE 10
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
10
CREATORS UNITE 10 WEBTALK Being an actress who interviews her director, puts me at once in an unusual position. Moreover, even after three films with him, I still feel that Luigi is a discreet and secret being. I wondered how to get him to talk about himself. And I ended up using an exercise that I usually use with young actresses and actors- it so happens that in another part of my life I direct plays! So, I put three identically folded little notes in front of our director. Maria Cristina Mastrangeli: On each note you’ll find a question. There is no particular order. You pick a note, you open it, you answer the question and then you go to the next. You can take all the time you need. Luigi Cozzi: Should I start? Maria Cristina Mastrangeli: Whenever you want. Luigi Cozzi: Who am I? He's taken aback. Luigi Cozzi: Who am I, me? Well, I'm Luigi Cozzi, a sci-fi enthusiast who's been trying to make science fiction movies for many years. It's pretty hard. I directed many films, I wrote many others… I worked for a long time with Dario Argento, then I made my own films as a director and screenwriter. Some have worked very well around the world, so I still have fans everywhere! In addition to that, for a number of years, I have run with Dario Argento this store, Profondo Rosso, dedicated to genre movies
(Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy films, Ed).
We sell DVDs, masks, puppets and figurines, all dedicated exclusively to this kind of cinema. And at the same time, I try to continue my work as a filmmaker.
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
11
CREATORS UNITE 10
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
14
CREATORS UNITE 10 WEBTALK Recently, I have made two films in which you also have played (Blood on Méliès Moon -2016- and Little Wizards of Oz -2018, Ed)! They are giving me a lot of satisfaction, so I hope to go on. He looks at me, I don't budge. Luigi Cozzi: Is it OK? Well let’s move on to the second question… Who am I!?! Same question! He bursts out laughing. Luigi Cozzi: Do I have to answer again?... Who am I? First of all, I'm a writer. I've always written. Then I am a genre movies historian; I have published a lot of books on this specific topic. As a writer I became a screenwriter and from writing screenplays I moved on to directing movies. I have navigated in various fields of the cinema, but now I am recognized as an author. Luigi has an ironic expression, but tinged with a certain satisfaction, like a child who has managed his first bike ride. Luigi Cozzi: I’ve been promoted, if you want! Before I was only considered as a maker of genre movies. Here we are interrupted loudly: "Can we come in? " Luigi Cozzi: Hi, Vince, come in... Being in Profondo Rosso store with Luigi also means laying yourself open to amazing encounters… The three questions game is interrupted by a gentleman who is vigorous despite his 70 years. With a keen eye and a spring in his step, Vince Tempera, the Italian Maestro of so many motion picture soundtracks is coming into the store. Even without knowing his name, you surely have heard at least one of his compositions. THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
15
CREATORS UNITE 10
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
16
CREATORS UNITE 10 WEBTALK The theme of his album Sette Note in Nero, for example, was included in the film score of Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill. Vince’s reason for visiting his friend Luigi is the search for the mailing address of the company that finalizes copyright requests for the utilization of Little Wizards of Oz, for which he composed the music. The two associates talk about the next screenings of "our" film; One in Chicago, the other in Sitges (International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalunya, Ed) October 13th in the Brigadoon section. Luigi Cozzi (half joking): Sitges, near Barcelona, is the Cannes of Fantastic Cinema! There follows a chat about the ways new generations comprehend Cinema… they do not necessarily appreciate the fact young people don’t go to the movies... but they are happy that genre movies still sell on DVDs; they are collectibles. Then, Vince mentions Romics, the greatest comics and cosplay event in Rome for which he is the artistic and musical director... Maria Cristina Mastrangeli: Ah, I said, my uncle Vincenzo Silvestri runs the comic books section! And here we go again… reminiscing about famous manga titles, where Vince was credited... Vince Tempera: Captain Harlock ! I make a living from this! Vince Tempera composed the score of the Italian version of Space Pirate
Captain Harlock for Universal in 1979, Ed.
Vince and Luigi talk to each other. For a period of time, they forget me. The tables have turned, I am in the position of the director who spies on his actors! I'm enjoying this! THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
17
CREATORS UNITE 10
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
24
CREATORS UNITE 10 WEBTALK I respected the contributions of the children and intertwined their parts with the parts where the actors play teachers... like your character (Maria Cristina Mastrangeli plays the bad English teacher Mrs. Pugliesi, Ed). The film lasts 1h40 and is solid. I'm happy with the result! Maria Cristina Mastrangeli: The legend is that it is very difficult to work on films with animals and children. I watched the children in the scenes where I play the bad teacher Mrs. Pugliesi; they were very focused! You spent a lot of time with them! Luigi Cozzi: After we shot the movie, I spent three days in the most complete silence. My ears absolutely needed to get used to silence! Recalling that, he bursts out laughing. Luigi Cozzi: They were unrestrained! In my time, at their age, we were timorous. But they also have a contagious sympathy. The problems did not come from the children themselves, but from the constraints of the school; we were not allowed to interfere with their educational program, nor to make them work too much, I had only two hours a day in the school with them. It was only thanks to my experience in the film industry that I was able, in just ten days, to shoot everything I needed. I prepare sketches of the scene, from the camera’s point of view, so I can see what I have to shoot for each position of the camera. And I shoot all the scenes from that point of view one after another, even if they are different scenes. This method saves a lot of time, because the preparation of the camera and lights is what takes the most time on a set. I like to have a lot of different shots, it's my way of shooting. I make movies for the big screen not for the TV set!
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
25
CREATORS UNITE 10
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
36
CREATORS UNITE 10
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
37
CREATORS UNITE 10
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
38
CREATORS UNITE 10 SHOWROOM
CONTAMINATION
It's not a Zombie or even a Cannibal film, so what gives?
Contamination (1980) 1h 35min. Writers: Luigi Cozzi as Lewis Coates (story & screenplay) & Erich Tomek (screenplay). Stars: Ian McCulloch, Louise Marleau, Marino Masé, Gisela Hahn...
Review by Cultmetalflix
Ponder if you will upon Italian Cult cinema specifically from the late seventies/early eighties. I'd lay coin on the fact that a handful of names immediately come to mind; Argento, Fulci, Bava, perhaps D'Amato or even at a stretch Deodato (is he even Italian?). Those who dwell in the arena might even be able to name a few more and definitely a handful of specific films residing in genres other than the blatantly obvious ones (Zombies, Cannibal and, naturally, Giallo). Odds are however one film which probably won't be mentioned is one which wasn't in any of the above- mentioned genres, a film which goes by many titles, (one released through CANNON in the States to capitalize upon the popularity of another film simply entitled Alien), though is better known simply as Contamination. Deep within the 1984 Thatcher "Nasties" list the film has enjoyed many years of notoriety and has even found several re-releases since (garnering a slew of often rather confusing monikers) with several scenes hacked to meet BBFC and regional censorship approval, ironically it was recently released uncut in Britain with a 15 certificate.
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
39
CREATORS UNITE 10
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
44
CREATORS UNITE 10 SHOWROOM
PAGANINI HORROR
Paganini Horror, Satanic Composer Shreds Euro-Babes... Who knew? Paganini Horror (1988) 1h 22min. Writers: Luigi Cozzi &Daria Nicolodi (screenplay), Raimondo Del Balzo (story) Stars: Daria Nicolodi, Jasmine Maimone, Pascal Persiano, Maria Cristina Mastrangeli, Luana Ravegnini...
Review by Christopher Zisi
The great 19th century composer/violinist Niccolo Paganini sold his soul to Satan and used his wife's intestines to craft his own violin strings. Happens, I know. What happens when Giallo takes a turn at this plot device? Yep, 1989's Paganini Horror, directed by the great Italian horror moviemaker Luigi Cozzi. Throw in Donald Pleasence as Satan, a sultry allgirl rock band, and even some more sultry Euro-Babes and we have a film destined to be as classic as Pagani's scores. Kate (Jasmine Maimone) is losing it. Her band has a bunch of #1s, but her sultry producer, Lavinia (Maria Cristina Mastrangeli) chews her out for not being able to create any new tunes. Elena (Michel Klippstein) and Rita (Luana Ravegnini) are her guitarist and drummer. Fawning Daniel (Pascal Persaino), an actor in the band's videos, is Mr. Helpful. He purchases a haunting piece of sheet music, written by Paganini. The seller? Satan, of course. Now the band, Daniel, Lavinia, and horror director Mark (Pietro Gennuardi) rent a haunted mansion to film the band's new video. Now, Kate and her band have their groove back. Uh oh, Paganini's devil-worshipping spirit is conjured up. THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
45
CREATORS UNITE 10 SHOWROOM The lovely Rita is first to go as she gets stabbed repeatedly by a violin with a blade. So sad... she was quite the babe. Babes will continue to die horribly, as this is Giallo. My favorite one is when a band member gets eaten by tree fungus... really! Now, Kate, Lavinia, and the owner of the mansion, a babe named Sylvia (Daria Nicolodi) must figure out how to stay alive, send Paganini back to Hell, and escape. Oh, yeah... the guys... useless... go figure. Babe damsels in much distress are chased and attacked by the otherworldly, and look great in the process. Kate comes up with a really stupid idea... but this is Giallo, so what do we expect? Will Satan or Paganini enjoy one of these Euro-babes as a bride? Just how useless are Euro-hunks? Wouldn't stomach lining make a better violin string than intestine? The Euro-babes are all sultry and their deaths are gory and imaginative (just ask Elena about her tree fungus problem). For some nice Giallo and an attractive all-girl band targeted by Satan, see Paganini Horror! Christopher Zisi @cjzisi
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
46
CREATORS UNITE 10 EXHIBITION HALL
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
47
CREATORS UNITE 10 EXHIBITION HALL If you are a horror fan, then, chances are you have seen Chantal Handley pastel artworks! This remarkable artist designed most innovative Creator/Artist at the AHCA 2019 loves the faces of horror movies, frozen in terrifying smiles, screams or stares, from the legendary Blonde of King Kong to the possessed Regan that haunts everyone who has seen the Exorcist… Enjoy this iconic exhibition!
Horror Icons Exhibition Creators Unite Gallery welcomes Horror Icons, an exhibition of Chantal Handley’s work available exclusively in Creators Unite Magazine. Photos Courtesy ©︎ Chantal Handley
P 50 - Fay Wray ©︎ Chantal Handley P 51 - Janet Leigh ©︎ Chantal Handley P 52 - Shelley Duvall ©︎ Chantal Handley P 53 - Vampirella ©︎ Chantal Handley P 54 - Sissy Spacek ©︎ Chantal Handley P 55 - Elle Fanning ©︎ Chantal Handley
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
48
CREATORS UNITE 10 EXHIBITION HALL
P 56 - Marilyn Burns ©︎ Chantal Handley P 57 - Linda Blair ©︎ Chantal Handley P 58 - A Witch ©︎ Chantal Handley P 59 - Toxie ©︎ Chantal Handley P 60 - Margot Robbie ©︎ Chantal Handley P 61 - Leather Face ©︎ Chantal Handley P 62 - Asami ©︎ Chantal Handley P 63 - Karen Cooper ©︎ Chantal Handley P 64 - Caroline Munro ©︎ Chantal Handley
About Chantal Handley Born and raised in England, Chantal Laura Handley is an Australian artist who creates horror and pop culture portraits using traditional pastels from her studio in Australia. Visit her website and her shop and follow her on X.
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
49
CREATORS UNITE 10
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
58
CREATORS UNITE 10
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
59
CREATORS UNITE 10 END COVER
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE
72