Interview Conducted by Marc Patterson – Managing Editor – BrutalAsHell.com

I recently was afforded the opportunity to chat with Domiziano Arcangeli (pronounced Do-meet-zee-ahno Ark-an-jelly), a true independent actor who has come up in the Italian school of acting, having spent time in films directed by Fellini, Lucio Fulci, Jess Franco, Joe D’Amato, Umberto Lenzi, amongst many others.  Ten years ago he made the jump to Los Angeles where he acts, writes, and produces independent horror that is different from just about anything you’ve seen.  He often works with the likes of Creep Creepersin and his films are marked by high levels of gore, eroticism, and exploitive carnal pleasures of every imaginable kind.

Brutal As Hell: Hi Domiziano! Thanks for doing this interview with us! You’ve been in a lot of films. We just learned that Orgy of Blood, Creep Creepersin’s erotic vampire gore fest, has just been picked up for distribution. You also co-produced this film, yes? Can you tell us a little bit about what the film is about and what we can expect?

Domiziano: It’s my pleasure to be interviewed by BrutalAsHell.com and I’m very happy to be in it! Yes, I executive produced Orgy of Blood and it is in fact from my idea that Creep so well translated into a script! I find it a darker, beautiful, more conceptual work that strongly relies on its atmosphere. I went to see New Moon and felt I was watching the Disney Channel. No, this is the real thing. Emotional, beautiful, and damned. And very erotic!

Brutal As Hell: We’re very glad to hear you say that. Around here we call that film “the film that won’t be mentioned”. Any word on a release date yet for Orgy of Blood?

Domiziano: I don’t know when the film will be coming out yet, but they love it at Shoreline Entertainment so I am confident they’ll find the right strategic season for it!

Brutal As Hell: Let’s talk about your past in acting, as you have quite the resumé. I understand you started out as a child actor in Italy?

Domiziano: Yes I started as a child on stage and TV first, then Fellini saw a picture that his celebrated photographer friend Helmut Newton had taken of me during summer in Montecarlo, and they decided I had a face for film. I had no idea. I was unprepared, but I started to work a lot and eventually took some time off to understand what it was all about, which maybe I haven’t figured out completely yet.

Brutal As Hell: Did you undertake formal studies, or was it a learn as you go process on various sets?

Domiziano: I learned a lot by watching. By listening. By having the fortune to meet Sean Connery or Mickey Rourke, with whom I had worked when I was very young. They were all so incredibly talented: people who are talented have enormous generosity too. And I was pretty damn lucky all around…although I realized I was like almost expecting to be directed throughout. So after all I went to drama school. And still coaching here in L.A. It is very challenging to be acting in 4 different languages, I don’t think a lot of people realize how challenging it is!

Brutal As Hell: At what point did you decide to make the jump and come to Hollywood?

Domiziano: I just came to Hollywood. It wasn’t a jump. I realized the industry was unfortunately dying. After years of great filmmaking for A list and great B Films, only TV and American Blockbusters were taking over. Since I have always had an American citizenship by birth I told myself to try to get an agent in LA and live there for a while. This was about 10 years ago. I had friends and knew the city very well as I always visited my mother or relatives here. It was not traumatic!

I ended up staying and making LA home but it was all so natural. I am very grateful to Zalman King who cast me almost right away in the Showtime Network show Zalman King’s Chromium Blue for a few years! Lots of fun! It was like making a show on party people and sex. (laughs) What else would you want?

Brutal As Hell: You’ve worked with some of the best Italian horror directors: Lucio Fulci, Jess Franco, Umberto Lenzi, Bruno Mattei, Joe D’Amato, just to get the ball rolling, because there are many more. You must have some good stories to tell…

Domiziano: Yes, I worked with some of those guys. Fulci was the most talented in real cinematic sense. Great director, always screaming. (laughs) Franco the most poetic in a way. Almost lyrical. D’Amato was not always a gentleman. Let’s put it that way. Lenzi was very difficult to talk to, but in general they were all so incredibly talented. I believe they invented styles and gave a soul to genre films.

Brutal As Hell: What director did you learn the most from?

Domiziano: I learned from many. You don’t learn from success, you learn by a flop, by a difficult relationship. You gotta survive and make it better, for the picture. I must say though that Fellini taught me how to really use my eyes and eventually Annaud, Liliana Cavani, Tinto Brass taught me to be a serious respectful yet creative actor. I try to teach myself to be generous.

Brutal As Hell: Many of your films, such as House of Flesh Mannequins and Orgy of Blood feature explicit sexuality combined with extreme gore, and often in a stylized way that nods towards some of those early Italian directors. What draws you to these roles?

Domiziano: We made House of Flesh Mannequins which opened in the US on December 4th at the Sante Fe Film Festival by the way, and Orgy of Blood because we loved that type of filmmaking. Stylish yet exploitative, visionary and melancholic, gory and morbid. Like a protest. We want some of that back! We are tired of watching films that look and feel all the same.

Brutal As Hell: You worked with Sacha Baron Cohen in Bruno. How did that happen for you? What was that like?

Domiziano: It was interesting to see how Sacha Baron Cohen, another master, never and I mean never, left the character for a moment! Not even at the casting session. I’m a huge fan so I just did what I was asked.

Brutal As Hell: Now that you’ve been doing more producing do you find that you favor the filmmaking process over the acting?

Domiziano: I definitely prefer to produce. More control. Most of all, the possibility to choose an idea you love and making it coming true! Like a dream! I’m an artist though, and not a moneyman. To be a great producer you must be also a great financial analyst these days and I don’t know about that part for me!

Brutal As Hell: Looking over your IMDB page it’s hard to know to where to even begin asking about what you have coming up… so I’ll just throw it out there and you dish out as much as you like!

Domiziano: (Laughs) Marc you are very kind! There are indeed great projects. It is true! I hope we’ll be able to make The Brides of Sodom with Creep Creepersin and I’m working on developing an idea with cult director Bruce La Bruce, and have another major secret project. I also just completed Sister of Night, Mauro Borrelli’s Box of Shadows, and particularly H1N1: Virus X directed by Ryan Harris (Finale), where I co-star as the villain opposite the great Sybil Danning will do GREAT! They have to! They are all incredible films! Most of all I would call/define them genre films with a heart, exploitation new wave!

Brutal As Hell: Well thanks for taking the time out to do this interview. We’re looking forward to checking out some of these new films, so certainly keep in touch!

Orgy of Blood Trailer: (Extreme NSFW Version HERE)

House of Flesh Mannequins Trailer: