Its been six years since his last film The Death And Life Of Charlie St.
He was very welcoming, dry in his humour, and incredibly candid during our twenty minute chat.
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Its been quite a long gap betweenCharlie St. Cloudand this.
What appealed to you about this movie so much?
It wasnt by choice.
Its not like I was hanging out popping bonbons into my mouth!
Its really difficult to get a movie made.
Cloud… um… you know… did…
Anyway, no, its tough.
I mean, Ive had a lot of movies going.
Its hard to get a movie made.
I mean, the business contracted and studios are just making these huge movies for world market.
So they have no nuance, they have no… its these comic book movies.
So you came into this and did a rewrite on the script
a page one rewrite.
And what was it that you changed?
Whats different between your version and the one that was already underway?
I have to walk carefully.
I reinserted Jane Austen.
The other script went off in a very different direction… um… and was broader, comedically.
And then, the mantra throughout the film was that the big wink was that there was no wink.
You know, you play it straight.
As opposed to a sketchy comedy thing.
And what had your exposure to Seth Grahame-Smiths book been like, when it first came out?
I mean, I had been struck by the cover in the book stores.
Which Im sure really helped the marketing of that book.
Kind of perfect, with that regency woman and she looks great and half of her jaws missing.
Its such a cool cover.
Yeah, it is.
It just catches your attention.
And it says what the whole thing is about.
Can we just talk a little about your inspirations?
And the Tonton Macoute had used all the old European lore to intimidate and frighten the people in Haiti.
But also, the zombie marches from that period as well.
So, that was in my mind.
And Baron Samedi is a European figure.
The Lord of the Dead.
You know, that version… the guy with the top hat… a sort of voodoo god.
So that kind of led you
Well that led me back here.
Yeah…
Id like to talk a bit about your version of the zombie.
Its interesting: they can talk, they can blend in really well.
Where did those ideas come from?
Well, for one, I wanted them to be more formidable.
I didnt want them to just be wandering around waiting to get their head chopped off.
But, something that always stuck in my mind was Richard MathiesonsI Am Legend.
And the idea that the zombies see themselves as a competing race.
And that theyve evolved.
And now theyve reached the point where you cant profile them.
If they werent bitten in the face, they could pass [for human].
It adds a whole new layer to it, and makes it that much scarier.
I also had the zombie point of view.
So theres a zombie amongst you.
And you have that, as a way to give the audience a goose from time to time.
Was there a zombie-fication of a certain Austen scene that you were most pleased with?
When the girls go marching through.
It was challenging, because it had to a PG-13 movie.
Contractually, from the very beginning.
Because its such a difference, as far as what kind of market or demographic youll be hitting.
So, a lot of the more gruesome stuff isnt in it.
But I love that, yeah.
Um, a zombie-fication… Hmm…
I think Miss Thudderstones transformation is great.
How you gave these character scenes such great prominence.
Making Elizabeth into a warrior like you do really intensifies her… That was a big scene for me.
Going through every scene and basically, sort of, showing how every scene was a sparring match.
That every line was a blow or a counter blow thrown.
She [Austen] was really so amazing in the way that she engineered those scenes.
Every line has a counter line, you know?
It is a boxing match.
A verbal boxing match.
Are there lots of scenes that you had to cut?
Was there a much longer version of the film at one stage?
There was a longer version.
It, um… its a tough thing, dealing with ratings in America, because theyre very arbitrary.
And not always fair, because bigger films will undoubtedly wield more influence.
Um, the one thing it does… you rely on not graphically showing something.
But having the audiences imagination fill things in.
And I think thats kind of artful, if you’ve got the option to manage it.
When they want to graphically just look at something its almost like pornography just, like, clinically.
Thats not frightening to me.
But these arent scary movies [the porno-esque graphic ones].
Theres nothing frightening in any of these.
Its sort of like bad, cheesy humour.
Anyway…
Did you have some action inspirations, at all?
Weve not seen this many fights and battles in your films before…
Ive written them, though.
Ive had to go through and write them.
And choreograph them, how theyd work.
And theres that basic idea of samurai that the way somebody fights reveals who they are as a person.
That was in my mind.
And really saving substance, and style coming out of substance.
I knew what they had to do.
Really, its like everything in movies.
Its like hiring a dance choreographer.
You hire a fight choreographer.
And then youre making something visually interesting.
Like a second director to do the action scenes.
And those always feel grafted on.
I mean, really, it has to be part of the whole.
Theyve got to be the same persons in those fights as they are in the movie.
You didnt do that, then?
Get someone else to do it?
[Laughs] No, I did not do that.
One thing that youve touched upon is that your script took out the broader humour of the previous versions.
But one actor who is very funny is Matt Smith as Mr Collins…
Really?
I dont find him amusing.
My background, too, is completely collaborative.
You have really talented people, why wouldnt you take advantage of what they can do.
Or, more cynically, why wouldnt you exploit their talent to the fullest?
You know, he came up to me beforehand and said Ive got something here.
See if we can get something magical, you know?
Not only him doing something, but the way someone might react to him.
What was your knowledge of Matt Smith like before?
Hes really the Doctor Who who broke it in the States.
I mean, I grew up being aware ofDoctor Who.
Theres even aDoctor Whostore in Los Angeles.
And I have a nephew whos just… beyond nerdy.
Um, but him specifically, no, I wasnt that aware of his work.
I had to educate myself.
A huge part of putting this movie together was the English casting director, Des Hamilton.
He left no stone unturned and really discovered some amazing young talent for the movie.
But, I mean, he packed it.
Theres no rule here where its a favour to some agent, everybody in it is pretty spectacular.
Lily James makes a great Elizabeth as well.
[Laughs] I know.
People ask me about casting her, but shes pretty blatantly talented.
Its not like you really need to be that keen an eye to spot it!
Ive got a few things lined up, um… but its always difficult.
Also, its hard to get financing for anything remotely dark.
But yeah, Id like to get into the mode of making a movie again.
Is there a Julius Caesar project that youre involved in?
Is that still going?
Um, its at Lionsgate now.
I wrote it, but Im no longer attached to direct it.
At the moment, Im not attached to direct it.
Thats one of the things that Im contemplating.
That was great, its Conn Iggulden series of books which had this great machine.
Wherein, Caesars family brings in this boy whos living in the streets and they grow up as brothers.
And at the end of the first movie you discover that the boy is Brutus.
So theyre the same age.
Its almost an origin story for Caesar.
Ive got a few things going, but its really tough.
If you look whats on the slate at studios, its not exciting.
First of all, everythings a remake of something.
The only good movies are getting made over here [in the UK].
Its one of the reasons that theres such a dearth of young American actors.
Because theres not really the opportunity.
Theyre not getting launched by independent films.
Theres no way for them.
That never could have happened in the States.
When we were at Comic-Con, there was not an actor there who wasnt English or Australian.
There were no American actors there.
I know youve directed TV episodes between your movies, but have you thought about transitioning over there longer-term?
There seems to be more freedom there at the moment…
Yeah, there does.
I do have a series that [American cable/satellite data pipe] IFC may be doing.
As far as directing it, I always want to direct television.
Because its a weird thing with movies, because there can be so many years in between.
You just lose your… youve got to get out there.
But, no specific television, no.
Whats the process like?
Is directing a TV episode different to directing a film?
In America, it is.
In America, the lines are really strictly drawn between TV and movies.
Here, people go back and forth.
They really dont do that in the States.
Although cable has changed that a bit.
Yeah, the writers really rule television in America.
And the directors are basically the substitute teachers who have to hold order for one episode.
But youre… basically, youre doing everything.
Um, but the writers are really running the show.
But Ive enjoyed it.
When you get to work with good people, its always great.
And quickly, just to finish off.
What TV shows and films have impressed you recently, that arent by you?
Other people are making movies?
Um… TV shows…
I thought that was really good.
And Im glad that theyre…
I mean, mostly comedic stuff… What movies, though?
I dont think Ive seen a movie in a while that I really…
The first season ofTrue Detective, I thought, was a lot of fun.
Jesus, I dont know.
Id better come up with something for that.
Thats a good question.
[Laughs] Ill get back to you.
Can I email you that one?
[Laughs]
Burr Steers, thank you very much!
Pride & Prejudice & Zombiesis in cinemas on 11th February.
