Ulli Lommel

När vi på 90-talet vallfärdade till Melody Line blev det vid varje besök minst en VHS från Vipcos numera klassiska "Strong Uncut"-serie (Satanica & Midnight Movies var andra heta bolag) som dunkades upp i kassan. Vid ett av de mer lyckosamma köpen var det 80-tals klassikern "The Boogeyman" som införskaffades och ända sedan dess har filmens regissör Ulli Lommel varit ett återkommande namn på T.C-redaktionens filmkvällar med rullar som t.ex "The Night Stalker" & "Diary of a Cannibal". Med detta sagt känns det otroligt kul att få presentera en intervju med just Ulli Lommel! (Ungefär 3 månader efter att denna intervju blivit klar fick vi den tragiska informationen att Ulli gått bort. Den 2:e December 2017 lämnade han oss och vi är förstås evigt tacksamma att han tog sig tid att göra denna intervju. R.I.P)

What are you up to right now? Do you have any new movies or some other exciting projects going on? I read something about a new Boogeyman? Is this lovely rumour true? If that's the case, could we expect some flashback scenes from the original Boogeyman?
We are shooting a film about Andy Warhol and another film about Karl Marx plus TV Series Boogeyman Chronicles, no flashbacks at this point all new. And most important: I just finished "America - Land of the freeKS", it is my take on today's America.  

Which of all your films is your personal favorite?
Tenderness of the Wolves, Boogeyman, Boogeyman 2, Olivia, Devonsville Terror and Brainwaves.

What are your opinions today about the wonderful original version of Boogeyman 2?
I love Boogeyman 2, it is my film about Hollywood.

Were you involved in the director's work in this (Boogeyman 2)? Mixed information appears on the web about this whether you directed the film(s) or not?
Yes but i gave the credit to my assistant.

I understand that some of the negative criticism regarding Boogeyman 2 depends on the amount of flashbacks from it's predecessor. What was the reason for letting almost half of the film consists of flashbacks?
It is my part of my revenge on Hollywood and their pressure to force me to make a sequel to Boogeyman which i did not want to do.

Were you perhaps uninterested in making a sequel, and "took the easy way out" and included the already filmed material from "Boogeyman", or did you simply thought that it was a brilliant idea?
As i said above, it was part of the plan.

What was the reason that you made the Redux-version of Boogeyman 2?
I still had revenge feelings and wanted to destroy the previous Boogeyman 2 version. Hollywood, where i made over 50 movies, can be everything from the best to the worst, but Los Angeles is a dangerous place for the soul because the constant nice weather and all the fake angels in the City of Angels can kill you without you noticing it. In August of 2009 i had a big accident at the beach in L.A. and ended up in a coma for several days. When i woke up i knew i had to re-invent myself. I then started making movies in Brazil and Europe. I don't think i will work in Hollywood again.

In 1994 "Return of the Boogeyman" was released and once again half of the film is flashbacks from the first Boogeyman. Were you also involved in the release of this film? If not, have you've seen it and what do you think of it?
Somebody wanted to make Boogeyman 3 and i said ok do it, i was involved but only a little. I have no opinion on Boogeyman 3.

Why didn't you direct any films between 1994-2004?
I made many movies during that time, all for DVD like Tornado Run, Death of a Princess and Millennium day.

What happened when you only in 2004-2005 suddenly released 5 (!) films? How was the response in the movie world?
We made 17 films for Lionsgate, all serial killer films, that's what they asked for and we had a great time abd lots of fun and our own studio in Venice, California. These are experimental and very political and subversive films for me, but the average horror fan did not see that, only a few intellectual critics around the world. Like Cahiers du cinéma, they loved and understood those films. In 10 years many other people will also see these films the way i wanted them to be seen. Sometimes it takes time when you make statements that are ahead of it's time :-))).

On imdb.com most of your movies is sadly misunderstood. Your "Diary of a Cannibal" got a 1,4 rating and "Zombie Nation" 2,1, what's your thought about this? Do you get angry or sad? Do you got some positive response from your fans so you got the courage to continue or don't you just care?
Yes!!!! I am happy you agree!!!!! Misunderstood!!! One day people will understand. I have faith and i am very busy making films right now. I live for films, i live with films and i will make films as long as i live.

How did you came up with the idea for "Diary of a Cannibal"? Since this may be the best movie you've done i'm curious in everything about it, your inspiration etc? Also, have you seen the new season 3 of Twin Peaks? In some sort of a way it feels like Lynch have found some inspiration from "Diary of a Cannibal"? Do you agree?
Thank you so much! Well, Diary of a Cannibal may be the most misjudgded film I ever made... I love it as well and am soooooo happy you like it!!! One should write in detail about this film, it is my ultimate love story, of course also a metaphor on intimacy, suffering, devotion and this society being a cruel place. Cruel, yes. And ignorant. As opposed to the couple, as opposed to the woman that does what her friend has asked her to do... and the lead, she is sooooo good, I love her work in this film. I have not yet seen Twin Peaks season 3, but want to watch it!!!!!!

Throughout the years, you have met Elvis (is this true?), worked with Andy Warhol and made lots of top movies. Do you have any funny anecdotes or stories to tell about some of your favourite moments?
We lived in Bad Nauheim when I was a teenager. On my 14th birthday (Born Dec. 21, 1944) my dad took me to Elvis, who lived around the corner and I brought my guitar and we sung together several songs. I had my own band and next day I left home and did not go back to school ever again and was on tour with my band singing Elvis songs in German. It was the beginning of my show biz career. One year later I joined the UFA Film School in Berlin and started acting in films, TV and on stage.

What's your favorite movies?
All Stanley Kubrick films, all Bunuel films, all Godard films, all films by Ingmar Bergman and some David Lynch films. Plus Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard.

Do you have any favorite books / authors?
Sartre, Camus, Proust.

What's your favorite music artists?
Wagner, Bach, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, The Doors, Velvet Underground.

Since I am a metalhead, I'm curious if this (Heavy Metal/Hardrock) is something you appreciate? Any favourite bands in this genre? Have you listened anything to Death & Black Metal?
Yes! I like Rammstein. Heavy Metal is cool, as long as it truly rebels against the system and isn't just a fake show.

Do you have any favorite TV series? Have you for example seen some of my favorites The Walking Dead and / or Dexter? Or maybe "Game of Thrones" with my favorite Joffrey is something that you enjoy?
I love Lucy, Twin Peaks.

Do you have time to check out some movies in your busy schedule? If so,it would be interesting to know if you have seen and like The Royal Tennenbaums, Punch Drunk Love or the Birdman?
I have no time to see movies. I watch the sky and the trees and the bees when I have a moment. Or listen to the wind.

Do you have any favorite beverage when you really want to enjoy life? Is it mostly a glass of red wine or is the Thai gold Mekong something you tried and like, or maybe a Mummelman?
Hot ginseng water. I used to drink Cuba Libre all the time, but had to stop.

Do you know the Swedish crime miracle? Perhaps in that case you have seen a Beck-movie where the German actor Hanns Zischler have a role in several of the films? In addition to this, there are of course also Wallander and Arne Dahl, is this something you appreciate as much as us?
Not familiar with that.

In Sweden, we have over the years had musicians like ABBA, Roxette and Europe to be proud of. Are these artists something you also can enjoy?
I hate popular music, everything that is mainstream, especially Adele, she is the worst. I like Sweden. My first girlfriend when I was 15, was Swedish. Eva Cederin was her name from Örebro. But she took off with a rock'n roller and broke my heart. It was so painful that I began writing... sometimes terrible things in life can have a good side...