David Zucker: Interview

Interview by Clint Morris

Interview with Scary Movie 3 director, David Zucker
Click here for Scary Movie 3 review

Zucker talks to a quasi-Architect (of Matrix fame) on the set of Scary Movie 3

“I imagine when my kids are old enough to watch my films; I’ll be seeing a lot more of them,” explains director David Zucker, about why doesn’t watch mention of his own movies.

“We had a Q and A before the screening of Scary Movie 3 here last night [in Sydney] and they showed clips of my earlier movies.

“I saw stuff in The Naked Gun clips that I hadn’t seen in a long time - it was like seeing it for the first time. I don’t often watch my movies, so this was good, I actually laughed.”

Zucker, director of genre classics like Flying High (a.k.a Airplane) and The Naked Gun couldn’t have been unenthused about the offer to direct a third Scary Movie movie when it came up, despite it falling into his preferred genre.

“I wasn’t very interested originally. Bob Weinstein [from Miramax] called me and asked me if I was interested in directing it and told him I don’t like horror movies or slasher movies or haunted house movies.

“He then told me that they wanted to do The Rings and Signs this time, and thought that sounded like a good idea - Real movies for a change. I mean, a video tape that kills, aliens leaving crop circles – they’re already funny. I assembled a great team of writers, and we had some fun. As we went along, more and more movies made their way into the film – like 8 mile, The Others and The Matrix – it was a good time.”

Zucker replaces the Wayans Brothers, who helmed the first two films, and says he didn’t even contemplate trying to Xerox their template. “I couldn’t do what they did. They’ve a different type of humour than me; we’re like apples and oranges.

“The first Scary Movie was a gross-out R-rated movie; I wouldn’t even want to try to beat that. The studio wanted to expand the franchise, so that the younger brothers and sisters of the people that went to the first movies could now be included on the joke too.”

The film also gave Zucker the chance to work with his Flying High and The Naked Gun star, Leslie Nielsen, again. “It was just great. We had this character of a bumbling president, and whenever you have an authority figure that’s tripping over stuff etc, it’s always funny. We took a look at it, and realised we’d written this for Leslie Nielsen. I was very happy to work with him again.”

David Zucker smiles for the cameras at the Scary Movie 3 premiere

Zucker says he and Leslie would be interested in doing another Naked Gun together too, if only the studio would share their enthusiasm for such a project. “We would really like to. The studio just doesn’t get the joke though. They’re not interested in the franchise.

“Funny thing was, Scary Movie 3 opened up against a Paramount movie at the box office on the same week of release and the Paramount movie disappeared without a trace.

“They still may not get it, but if they really wanted to see whether spoof movies still work they should’ve taken a look that week, even back when Scary one came out. And if they think that’s a different case because it was an R-rated spoof movie, they should look at ours – it’s PG-13.”

As a consolation, Zucker says Nielsen will most likely be back for Scary Movie 4. “We’ve a writer working on it at the moment. I’ve been told we should have something first quarter '04.

“It’s a bit early if you ask me - we should wait at least until M.Night Shyamalan brings out another movie. They’re a gift from heaven, his movies. I’d like to try and get everyone back. There’s not one person I wouldn’t like to come back for it.”

Jerry Zucker, David’s brother is also a director, but the latter’s quick to point there’s no rivalry between them. “We both do different types of things. He did Ghost, which I loved but wouldn’t have wanted to do, it never interested me, First Knight, which was a very serious movie, and then Rat Race - all different concepts, but not my cup of tea.”

Zucker adds, “He’s working on a musical actually, so he’s definitely into varying directions. He tends not to make movies as often, where as I like to have one in can, either writing the next or out here promoting one, like this.”

Besides Scary Movie 4, Zucker says he’s got a new comedy, as well as the Scary Movie DVD to get made next. “Dimension wants me to direct another movie for them. It’s a romantic comedy – still untitled – about a wedding reality show.

“I’m also producing a sketch movie called The Onion Movie, which is written by the gang that do the satirical newspaper, mainly on the web.”

Next year, he’ll also be releasing the Scary Movie 3 DVD, which will feature “A lot of material that didn’t make it into the movie. Also expecting to do a lot of commentary, we’re going to need to explain everything.”

Scary Movie 3 commences Thursday December 11th. Full Review.

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