How I Made 70 Films In Hollywood And Never Lost A Dime
Fred Olen Ray is a fascinating character as—like fellow genre workhorses that came up in the ‘80s and ‘90s David DeCoteau and Jim Wynorski—he is a mix of idealist dreamer and pragmatic journeyman. He has visions of the types of movies he wants, or even scenes within those movies, but also is acutely aware of the financial realities and production limitations that he faces in making these films. It’s a fascinating blend that has led to a keen eye for projects and marketing, resulting in pulpy titles that don’t lose money for investors. Whether it’s ALIENATOR or BAKING CHRISTMAS, he knows the aim of his creative partners and the scope of the project. He still achieves artistic flair and is able to put his own stamp on these things in various ways, but that’s a smart blending of artistry and commerce.
Put that in contrast with Tommy Wisseau or Ed Wood, delusional filmmakers that couldn’t recognize what is patently awful about their work, instead seeing it as on par with the best of cinema. That may make for infamous movies, but it also makes for a terrible set and what appears to be a pretty hollow life. Speaking of hollow lives, another director that can boast great returns through limited genre enterprises is Uwe Boll. But unlike Boll, Ray isn’t a hack and certainly doesn’t appear to be a dick like that German annoyance.
To use the parlance of the youth of the day, Ray always understands the assignment.
These insights and more are found in the hour long discussion and Q&A in which Fred Olen Ray participated at Dragon*Con in 1997. Well, not the digs at Boll, those are my own additions. (But seriously: fuck that guy. Hell is too good for him.)
Ray appears to be at the annual gathering of the nerds to promote his movies as well as his anthology of short stories, Fred Olen Ray’s Weird Menace. That tome has mixed reviews but I desperately want to read his non-fiction account The New Poverty Row: Independent Filmmakers As Distributors which seems incredible prescient and also hugely informative.
Ray’s event, titled “How I Made 70 Films In Hollywood And Never Lost A Dime,” is a candid discussion of his works, the practical conditions and necessities of his productions, and inspirations for his many many many films. He manages to be forthright about his work and some of the people/issues he’s had to navigate in his storied career. But he doesn’t “name” names when trashtalking folks. It’s a fascinating watch that offers tips for budding filmmakers, fun anecdotes of his travels and tribulations, and a keen insight into what it takes to have such an astonishing and varied career.