Kevin Kaye played "Larry" in obscure B-Movie The American Scream.
Brandon: So Kevin, thanks very much for answering my questions via AIM.
Kevin Kaye: No problem, thanks for being interested!
Brandon: I wanted to ask you about the film American Scream. How long were you on set for and how long did the movie take to shoot?
Kevin Kaye: I was onset for the entire shoot which lasted about 20 days, 5 days longer than expected.
Brandon: Were there any high expectations for the outcome of this movie?
Kevin Kaye: No not at all, LOL.
In fact the director Mitchell Linden basically came up with the idea to write, produce and direct his own movie. He just wanted to do a movie. I think the movie had a worthwhile plot, unfortunately the acting wasn't all there.
oops.
Brandon: How Was Mitchell as a director?
Kevin Kaye: I thought he was great, but I really have not been on many movies sets at that time. He seemed to know what he was doing. He has done crew work in a handful of movies before American Scream, so he certainly was no rookie. I do remember one of the cast member, who I won't note, had a lot of problems with his attitude towards them.
Brandon: Attitude?
Kevin Kaye: Yeah, it was more like the actor thought he/she was being singled out and constantly put down for their acting abilities.
Brandon: Sounds like an ego issue.
Kevin Kaye: It really was. We were all novice actors, and none of us were really what you would call great. I knew that, most of the cast knew this. But this one person felt they were above us all and wanted more. We all froze in that house, we all lived off of bologna sandwiches and this prick wants Big Macs every night... LOL. That was a joke it wasn't that petty.
Brandon: Speaking of the acting, how was it working with a very seasoned veteran character actor like Buck Flower?
Kevin Kaye: He was great. Mitch only had him for 2 days and we did the few scenes with him during those 2 days. The first scene we did was the scene at the diner. The second day we did the scene at the house and outside of the bar. Buck is one of the funniest men I have ever met.
Brandon: Did you keep in touch with Buck or any ex cast member?
Kevin Kaye: I saw Buck once since the movie, and I learned about a year ago that he had passed on. I saw Ponz a few times after the movie in auditions as well as Jennifer Darling. Matt Borlenghi remained friends for a year or two after, but we sort of went our separate ways.
Brandon: Was there anything in particular that you remember about the movie?
Kevin Kaye: Yeah. I watched the movie a few years back and something popped in my head. The vacation house were we shot we only used 1 bedroom for the scenes and I remember having to help flip the room around when we shot the girl's room. We never really shot any other room in he house because it was full of gear and out belongings. We spend 20 days in that house!
Brandon: How was that experience?
Kevin Kaye: Sometimes great sometimes awful. We had a lot of good times, but it was cold and we starved. LOL
Brandon: How was Blackie Dammett?
Kevin Kaye: He was a weird man. He was also on set for a short time. Five days, I think. We did our scenes together, and the scene in the diner and he left. The scene in his truck was done the same night of his on screen death.
Brandon: So the movie was not shot in sequence?
Kevin Kaye: It was for the most part. We had to shoot around cast members who wasn't in the movie for a long time. Buck was there for 2 days, Blackie for 5, Constance Pheiffer for 5 and Ponz and Jennifer for 10 days. The rest of the time it was just the four teens and then the occasional guest.
Brandon: Were the people in the bar and the polka dance actors?
Kevin Kaye: God no, they were mostly all from the area where it was filmed. Some where friends and family of crew and so on. Some people did favors for the crew and was promised parts in the movie.
Brandon: I see on IMDB that you did stunts in Alligator 2, a personal favorite in my opinion.
Kevin Kaye: Yeah, I got that role as a favor from a friend. I just took a few falls, that's all.
Brandon: Did you do any stunts in American Scream?
Kevin Kaye: Not really, but I guess if you consider the shovel fight stunts. I did fall and bust my ass a few times during shooting. During the diner scene. The parking lot was pretty slippery. I remember Ponz falling once too.
Brandon: Was Pons a funny man in real life?
Kevin Kaye: He was. He's a master puppeteer now, and he has a really great ability to show humor through it. He's a genius, he has this thing where he can really articulate with his face and it's like he's puppeteering himself.
Brandon: What have you been up to lately?
Kevin Kaye: I have been working in production, and working in a family business. I did some stage stuff for a a short time. Acting just wasn't for me, I guess. I never thought I was terrible at it, I just didn't have that passion that one needs.
Brandon: I wanted to ask about the budget of American Scream. How much was it made for and what was your salary?
Kevin Kaye: I believe it was shot for 75,000 on 35mm film. I was paid 3,000 and that was for 15 days. I got an extra 500 for the next 5 days.
Brandon: Well Kevin thanks very much for this interview. I am a huge fan of American scream, and I consider this an honor.
Kevin Kaye: No problem. Thanks for being a fan. It's nice to know I have one out there.
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