Interview with Fred Olen Ray

Hello Fred, you just turned to 51 - congratulations! How was the birthday party, and how did it differ from birthday parties, say, in the beginning of your movie making career?

Well, I certainly had a great time -- in the past, however, it would have probably been a much bigger party as I used to be, perhaps, less selective in who I invited. That sort of thing is now reserved for Christmas parties.

Besides respectable movie making career, you run now Retromedia Ent. which releases DVD's of cult classics and direct-to-video films. How much of your time each other takes from (or gives to) your life?

Directing was always a cake walk, time-wise. I only worked a few times a year and in between I went to the gym a lot. Now with Retromedia it's more like a 9 to 5 job and I don't have nearly the time to goof off that I used to, which is a pity.

When going through your filmography in IMDB, I found that Brad Linaweaver was writer on your first film Brain Leeches and he has appeared as actor in some of your latest films. Are they other people, who have been with you all the way to this day, since the beginning of your career?

No, not really. Brad is kind of a guy I just used to know way back when. Another one is Martin Alan Nicholas, a childhood pal who has lasted to this day, we wrote Alien Dead together and he acts in it, and Lee Lankford, another pal from my youth who still hangs in there with me. We've done a handful of films together.

This is just my wild guess based on my researching & paying attention to magazine (print & online) articles, but I assume that Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers is one of the most well-known of your films. What has been most successful film of yours, on the basis of your paycheck ?

I would have to say Mob Boss and Mindtwister in terms of actually getting a pay-out as a director. From films I actually owned and were self-financed it would be a lot harder question as nothing really leaps to mind.

A personal question: you are married with Kimberly Ray, who is also a producer of many films of yours and also other low-budget vehicles. How did you two meet ? On the set of the movie?

I met Kim when she came in as a crew member on one of my films -- probably Illicit Dreams 2. She walked into my house one evening with another crew member and I took an immediate lust to her. She looked a lot different then than she does now, but it worked amazingly well.

Most memorable and surprising moment of your film making career (or one that pops in your mind)?

Nothing surprising comes to mind. I was certainly in awe of people like Peter Cushing, John Carradine, Telly Savalas and Lee Van Cleef. Having an opportunity to work with these legends was memorable to say the least.

What do you think of digital movement, where virtually everyone has a chance to make good looking movie with DV camera & PC? Pros / cons?

Well, I think it has created completely new sub-genre of films, to be sure. In a way it's great because anyone who wants to can now experiment with making their own show for a pittance of what it used to cost. The downside is that you can now bypass the learning experience that used to be required to get started and you have a lot of people out there shooting who don't know a damned thing about how pictures are made.

I have an impression there are bootleg DVD's of your films out there - can you tell, which are the ones anyone shouldn't pay for?

It really depends on what edition you're holding in your hands at this very moment. I guess it's foolish to worry about it too much -- although the Beverly Hills Vamp bootleg dvd on Ebay is particularly heinous. A really bad knock-off from vhs. Ugggh.

Your latest film "Glass Trap" looked like fun, 50's style "big bug" film. Your filmography contains also other homages or maybe parodies of American 50's / early 60's era sci-fi movies, like "The Kid with X-ray Eyes", "Attack of the 60ft Centerfolds", "Invisible Mom", "Invisible Dad"..etc. Did you grew up with the 50's sci-fi genre, or when did you actually got interested of science fiction / horror films?

Well, my movie watching life began in the 1960s. I really wasn't old enough, or interested enough, to get involved before that. I really got hopping on things like Shock Theatre with its Universal Horror films and a Saturday afternoon sci-fi horror show called Terminus that ran the Roger Corman type of 1950s bug-eyed monster stuff around 1964. I was very lucky to be able to see those last Karloff and Vincent Price Poe films on the big screen. It was a magical time, for sure.

Retromedia will release Treasures of the Black Cinema, hosted by Richard Roundtree. How was it to work with him, or was he eager to host these series right away?

I had already directed him in Mindtwisters, so we had a history to begin with. The Black Cinema gig was an easy one to accept. It paid well and was respectable. We shot it at my new house to save money!

You are also known as Fabulous Freddie Valentine, the wrestler. How did you start wrestling in the first place?

I started wrestling when I stopped boxing! A rotator cuff injury sidelined me and I had the blues about that and a wrestler pal of mine, Ric Drasin, suggested I train with them for pro wrestling. One thing led to another� and a series of harrowing injuries, but I had a great time.

What is the documentary "Grind Show Freaks" you mention at the Retromedia website?

For a time I operated a Grindshow and Freakshow at the carnival and while we did that we also filmed a documentary about our time on the road. Kim was the Electric Girl and Fire Eater and we had an Alligator Man (mummy show) as well.

You have built your reputation with low-budget films. I know it's a very good thing, but have you faced disadvantages of it, in the movie business?

Well, you miss never getting the big studio films (and paychecks), but honestly, I get up every day and do exactly what I want to do. I've had a life that many only dream about. I have a beautiful wife, great children (four sons!) and a fantastic house to live in -- and I'm my own boss, so it's been great.

Mikko Kojo is also a fan of your films and contributing editor of Elitisti.net. He would like to ask these questions:

Sybil Danning acted in couple of your films (The Tomb and Phantom Empire). How was she to work with (any interesting memories?) and have you heard anything of her since?

I see her a lot and got her started on the autograph circuit. We still chat and are very friendly. She personified a certain type of role that I'm not sure really exists anymore, but she looks fantastic and is ready for action!

You have said that you didn't like European movies when you were younger - how come you release old Euro horror titles through Retromedia? You even directed Paul Naschy!

A lot of Retro releases are aimed at the people who DO want these films, not me in particular. Like I always said if I'm planning on selling pies I'm going to make the kind of pies people want to eat. It's not always about me. Also my tastes have changed a little and I was always a fan of Paul Naschy. Just the fact that he tried to keep the old style monsters alive was enough to win me over!

Your favorite movies must be the ones that Retromedia releases?

Not true, although I do occasionally get something that I personally loved, like Kong Island, Alien Factor, Garden of the Dead, Deathmaster. I'm not really a Hercules fan, but other people are, so.

Jim Wynorski said the classic words "naked women are the cheapest special effects". Do you agree, or is CGI cheaper?

That's absolutely false. Jim never said that. I did. And if you look at the poster for the documentary film Some Nudity Required you'll see the quote is attributed to me. Jim ripped it off from me. I once told a journalist that nudity was the cheapest special effect because you don't have to wait for it to be ready, there are no wires to hide and no one ever complains about it. If you don't believe me -- go ask Jim yourself. He also copped the term "pop that top" from me as well.