Interviews: Cast of HATCHET for the 10th Anniversary Screening

For the HATCHET 10th Anniversary Celebration, which turned out to be the secret world premiere of VICTOR CROWLEY, Craig had the chance to speak with those involved in the first three films that include famed horror director Tom Holland, actress Patrika Darbo, and actress Caroline Williams.

Nightmarish Conjurings: Hi Tom, thank you for speaking with us today. You played the character Bob in HATCHET II, how was it working in front of the camera?

Tom Holland: It was great because that means that in-between takes you can rest and talk to the other actors so you actually get to know some people. When you’re directing you don’t have time to do anything. I think acting is the best job in making a movie and I started out as an actor, I don’t know why I changed.

NC: As a fellow director, were you ever tempted to offer tips to Adam Green?

TH: Oh, no, no, no. I’d never do that. I would never tread on another director’s territory and Adam Green did a terrific job. Well we’re here because of Adam, because there’s something very likable about Adam. I mean, I’m here to support him, is really the truth of it.

NC: What are your thoughts on the series’ use of practical effects?

TH: I thought it was terrific. I certainly sympathize and support doing in camera effects. I also support 35mm film for all the good it’s done me. The oeuvre or the taste that go with the HATCHET films is worth supporting.

Nightmarish Conjurings: Hi Richard, thank you so much for speaking us. You played the character Jim Permatteo in HATCHET. How does it feel to be returning to HATCHET ten years later?

Richard Riehle: How could I not? You know, HATCHET was such a wonderful experience and the fact that it was made ten years ago is really hard to believe. I’m anxious to see it over again on a big screen; I’ve seen it several times since on DVD.

NC: How do you feel about your death scene?

RR: Well, I did get killed by Kane Hodder with the hatchet, so it’s hard to go beyond that. Although I have to say that he did a much better job on my wife. Hers was a much more exciting one.

Tom Holland: He should’ve played Uncle Bob in HATCHET II; he wouldn’t done a much better job on the southern accent.

RR: Thank you so much, I appreciate that.

NC: What made this movie stand out to you?

RR: Well, the one thing was, this is my first horror film. I’d never done a horror film before and Joel David Moore, who I had worked with on a couple of other things, called me up and said, “They’re looking for someone to play this role, would you ever do a horror film?” “Are you kidding me?” I said, “I’ve been waiting for someone to ask me to do a horror film.” As busying my cherry in horror films goes, this will forever be a favorite experience.

NC: What are some of your favorite horror movies?

RR: I like suspenseful ones and I liked the ones that have a sense of dark comedy. I’m not a big fan of the slasher ones, but I’ll watch them and I’ll be intrigued by them. They’re all on my queue on Netflix and every night one or the other gets watched.

NC: What was your experience with the practical effects?

RR: It was terrific. They built a rig in my back and shoulder to get the hatchet kill at the end. We did several takes and finally, because it was the night before Friday the thirteenth, Kane had to leave and so they said, “Okay this is the last take.” Then Kane gave it a real good shot and they said, “Cut, that’s great.” Then Kane pulled the hatchet out and said, “Thanks that was great,” and then he stuck it right into my back again. I am very glad the false back was so thick.

NC: Do you have any projects on the horizon?

RR: I have been real fortunate; I just got back from Michigan where I did a couple of small films. I did a Western in New Mexico earlier this year as well. Nothing has coalesced to the point where I can say much about it yet.

Nightmarish Conjurings: Hi Patrika, thank you for speaking with us about your character Shannon Permatteo (HATCHET). How does it feel to be returning to HATCHET ten years later?

Patrika Darbo: It’s crazy and I keep telling everybody that I still look damn good. It’s just that this is the kind of thing that keeps perpetuating itself and the saddest part as an actress is that once you’re dead, unless you’re on the soap opera that I’m on, you can’t come back. It’s great to be here, it’s really fun to be able to see people you haven’t worked with for a while, to see new young actors who carry on that genre, and then Adam is wonderful as well.

NC: What experience during filming stands out to you the most?

PD: Adam (Green) getting us warm coats when we were soaking wet, trying to get away from whatever was in the water, running from Crowley, and just lost. He was trying to be so accommodating to us because it was tough. We were in the North Valley instead of in Louisiana where it’s hot. Instead it was cold so we were drinking cold water to keep the steam from coming out of our mouths too often and then we had on layers. Of course, once the layers got wet it was sort of like, “Squish, squish, cold, cold.” You know he’s the head of the snake so to speak, and I mean that in the fondest terms, so he made sure that the rest of us were taken care of and he was always a good person.

Nightmarish Conjurings: Hi Caroline, you are known for playing Amanda in HATCHET III. What brought you back to the HATCHET series tonight?

Caroline Williams: I was in three, I’m in good old number three. It was a really amazing experience because Adam wrote this really amazing character, Amanda Fowler, and it was something I really got to get involved in. I got a lot of screen time and I got to work with the best actors in horror. I got to have a comedy scene with Sid Haig and that’s a real bucket list moment for me. I had a fantastic time on the movie and the entire trilogy are so cherished; so to be able to go back and revisit the original HATCHET on a really big screen in an amazingly elegant theater, it’s really a treat. I’m super excited about it.

NC: Were you aware of the series before working on the third movie?

CW: I saw the original ad campaign for the first one when Adam was still simply trying to get funding to make the movie. We were at a little convention out in Van Nuys where Adam had Tony Todd on one side of him and he had his poster for HATCHET and the minute I saw that I thought, “I want to work for that guy.” He was just out there with his product and it was amazing.

NC: What was your experience working with the practical effects?

CW: I didn’t have to do a lot. My head is pulled off at the end, but I’m not there for it, so that was fantastic. The blood effects and so forth, you know it’s always a little uncomfortable because it’s sticky stuff. I didn’t have to deal with the practical effects on this in the way that I had to with THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2, so that was nice.

Nightmarish Conjurings: Hi Ed, thank you for stopping to talk to us. How does it feel being a part of Adam Green’s stable?

Ed Ackerman: It’s pretty exciting, man. I mean every time Adam calls me up I’m always excited to do whatever he wants to do with me and let him use me anyway he sees fit. I was part of one of his Halloween horror shorts, FROZEN, HATCHET II, and CHILLERAMA. Every time those guys call, I jump at the chance.

NC: Through all the projects you two have worked on, what has been a defining moment?

EA: Being up in Moab, Utah, where we shot FROZEN, in the extreme conditions; that was cool. I mean like, literally cool. Like, frozen per se. Actually the experiences in HATCHET II: working with everybody in that cast and going to Louisiana to shoot in the swamp; that was some real fun stuff. I made lifelong friendships from that. In fact, a bunch of those people just came to my fortieth birthday party this past weekend; Colton Dunn and I played beer pong together.

Nightmarish Conjurings: Hi Joleigh, thank you so much for speaking with us! What brought you out tonight?

Joleigh Fioravanti: Well, what could that be; maybe the tenth anniversary of our movie, who knows? Except for maybe this one over here (motions towards Adam Green).

NC: How does it feel to be returning to HATCHET ten years later?

JF: It’s pretty surreal, pretty amazing, but it’s all in good fun. I mean, it’s ten years, who can imagine? Like, how does that happen?

NC: What was your experience like working with the practical effects?

JF: The effects were amazing and John Carl Buechler and Adam Green, our collaboration team, was insane. They were the best of the best. I had a full on body cast that I literally thought I was going to be buried alive or suffocated in. It was so amazing to see how that turned out and I am so excited that we’re here to celebrate that.

Make sure to check back this week for part 2 of our interview where we talk with the cast of VICTOR CROWLEY at the premiere!