Michele Soavi

Soavi started as an actor in short roles from films fromLucio Fulci, Lamberto Bava
and Aristide Masaccesi. Aristide produced his first film STAGEFRIGHT. Soavi made the documentation WORLD
OF HORROR(1986) about his teacher Dario Argento. As a thanks,Dario produced his next two movies
LA CHIESA (THE CHURCH, 1989) and LA SETTA (THE SECT, 1990). Withoout Argento´s help he made
1996 the movie DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE. His best film so far.
Probably also his last.
Rumor is that he hasn´t enough money to produce another film.
Also i read somewhere, that he doesn´t make films , because he wants to spent his time with his family (?)

INTERVIEW

DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE, has much more comedy than your last three films...

Yes, i like the connection, humour and horror, and i produced the film by myself, because i wanted to do something
different than the produced films from argento. It is boring to make everytime the same. It was a risk to make
such an unusual film, with a nearly britsh sense of black humour. These Irony is not so usual in italian movies
 

How did you do it, that the Eurimages Fund Of The Council Of Europe also produced the film ?

We sent them the screenplay,and they liked it, also three european countries had to be involved in the film.
DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE is a co production with italy, france, and germany
 

But isn´t it unusual ,that they co produced a zombie film?

We could  explain them, that this is not a "normal" horror movie. They liked the screenplay,the character of
DELLAMORTE reflects the youths of today: He is allready 30 , but has fear to grow up and to be confronted with real life
Dellamorte is lonesome and melancholic. He does emotionless his job, on day, he buries the people  he must kill
them in the night. THe World of Francesco Dellamorte is is full of live, while the "living"world around him, seems
like a cemetery. At the end of the film, the "two worlds" are not seperated anymore.
 

How did you come to Rupert Everett for the role, rumor is that Matt Dillon was supposed to play the role?

I think, that this film, has a very "european" story and a european actor, fits simply better in this role.
Ruperts style was perfect for the Character of Francessco Dellamorte. Also Rupert really looks like the "Dylan Dog"
 comic figure from Tiziano Sclavi and the writer of the DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE novel
Rupert immediately liked the screenplay, he has never made a horror film before, but actually this is not
a horror film, more a film about the fear of life
 

You have worked with Simon Boswell, Goblin and Keith Emerson for your movies. How did you come to Manuel de Sica
for DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE ?

Tangerine Dream was supposed to do the soundtrack, but due other stuff, they couldn´t finish the music.
DE Sica is very flexible. It was easy to explain him, what kind of music i wanted.

Are there huge differences between the novel and the screenplay?

IN the novel, Francesco Dellamorte´s character is described to negative, i wanted to change that. The novel
is "episode" like, not really clear...and much bloodier!

You have started in the filmbiz as an actor..

I wanted after the school time, to start in the filmbiz, so i thought as an actor it would be the easiest way.
In my first years as an acors, i watched  the directors doing their jobs. After some time i was  involved
behind the camera as a second director assistant, cut, etc,..I have done nearly everything
 

Tell more about your teachers...Aristide Massaccesi

He teached me the essence of filmmaking, his films are made with a very small crew, allmost like a family

Dario Argento...

He teached me the technical stuff. With him in the post production and cut, i knew what it is to be a director

Terry Gilliam... (Soavi was Second Unit direcor in Adventures of Baron Munchhausen)
He teached me the other aspects , for example the character development

Was Dellamorte Dellamore a success in Italy ?

Fortunately yes, the european horrorfilmtradition is somehow lost in the last years..
The future doesn´t look so good