Thu, 14 Oct '10

Corey Feldman Feature Interview

Corey Feldman on Vampires, Goonies 2, and his fallen comrade Corey Haim

 “Geek is chic.” That’s an actual line of dialogue from the new direct-to-DVD Lost Boys three-quel The Thirst. So how could we resist checking it out? Especially since Corey Feldman is finally front and center. We caught up with Corey to discuss the undead, and other things that don’t suck.

GeekChicDaily: When we saw The Lost Boys as kids, we thought, “Of course they’re vampires, they’re evil. Kill ‘em all.” Now that we're older, maybe being young forever doesn’t seem so bad. Maybe we relate more to the vampires. Do you feel that as you move along with your Lost Boys films?

CF: Oh, I still hate vampires. Kill them all.

GCD: When you started with these films, you were kids who were living out the fantasy of being action heroes. Now that you’re grown up, you’re literally playing the action hero. How does that feel as a transition?

CF: Well, I think it’s a very natural transition, because anybody that can look at either one of us will see that we’re obviously quite statuesque, brooding young men who are physically apt and capable of conquering pretty much anything on this earth due to our, y’know, pure size and overwhelming presence. No. I dunno. It’s kind of uncanny, isn’t it? We’re kind of the underdogs of the unsung, unexpected heroes, and I think that’s really what makes it work. It’s the fact that you watch the film in the beginning, and the joke is these guys, they have all this bravado, they act so tough, but at the end of the day, when they’re confronted with actual hand-to-hand combat, and they’re staring a vampire in the face, they melt. And that’s what I think is the driving tone and the comedy of that original film.

So in preparation for the recent films, I think we both had to delve inside of ourselves and ask the question, where would these characters be 25 years later? If Edgar Frog has had this illustrious career slaying vampires all over the world, obviously it’s not a joke. He’s grown up very rough. He’s had a very tough life and upbringing, and has spent his days in the trenches. So where is he today? He’s broken, he’s disheveled, he’s abused. He’s very disconnected from the rest of the world and has lost everything that’s close to him, including his brother. So he’s very disheartened. And for the bulk of it, he’s hung up his stake and is moving on with his life and trying to establish himself as a human being. But there are a lot of scars.

GCD: Was it difficult to do without Corey Haim? Like the scene where you visit his character’s grave, was it tough to do, or maybe cathartic?

CF: Well, ironically it wasn’t tough to do at all because Corey Haim was still with us at the time. One of the things that people don’t realize in watching the film and actually don’t believe once I’ve told them the story, is the fact that as uncanny as it is and as eerie as that is, Corey Haim was very much alive. It was all part of that original script. Everything is in sequence as it was meant to be shot. In actuality, the night before we shot the cemetery scene, I was on the phone with Corey, and we were talking about how the new movie was going. He was saying how upset he was that he wasn’t a part of it, and we were talking about ways that we could develop the character, bring him back for the sequel because we’re dealing with vampires and the endless possibilities of the afterlife.

GCD: So he wanted to come back for the fourth movie?

CF: After the excitement that we brewed up during that conversation, he got so enthusiastic that he decided to go out and do a press release stating that he wasn’t a part of the third film, but that he was okay with it, and was very much looking forward to what might happen in the next sequel, should there be one. So actually, the day that we were shooting the cemetery scene, all the other producers and myself were standing around having a laugh because we’d all read the press release, and said, “Well, apparently we’re making another film and Corey’s gonna be part of it.” So the irony is that he’s gone, and that happened shortly after the film was completed. Obviously we don’t have the opportunity now to bring him back. But as a nod to that, the way things fit as they may, it’s actually quite suited and quite fitting, because you really feel his presence in this film, and it’s also dedicated to him.

GCD: We gotta ask some real quick geek-level questions. Gremlins or Ninja Turtles – who wins?

CF: Gremlins, for sure

GCD: Goonies 2 – you heard anything?

CF: Yeah, I’ve heard lots of fans would like to see a sequel made. Unfortunately, the studio has not heard that call for help. But I do have some very exciting news on the Goonies level which is that next month sees the first ever 25^th anniversary release on Blu-Ray, so we’re very excited about that coming out.

GCD: We’ve seen a couple of Lost Boys action figures, but neither one was you. What’s the deal with that? Did they ever ask you?

CF: Great question. Yes, Warner Bros. needs to get on it, make that happen. We are long overdue for some Frog Brothers action figures, and bobbleheads, I think too. I think we also need a Lost Boys video game. But I do have some exciting news. LiveNation has merged together with Warner Bros. to create a unique live theatrical experience, where we are going to be presenting the original Lost Boys film at a few House of Blues venues around the country. That starts October 21^st. It will be on a big screen, in a theatrical setting. [We’ll] have costume contests, they can watch the original film, we’ll be showing a sneak peek of the new movie, and a chance for fans to enter a contest and win a signed copy of the new Blu-ray and DVD. Also my band Truth Movement will be performing, because we did some music for the new film, tying it all together. So this is really a unique experience for the fans to come together and celebrate The Lost Boys: The Thirst release.

GCD: The theme of The Lost Boys is eternal youth. You never seem to age. What’s the deal?

Corey Feldman: The truth of the matter is that I have a portrait in my closet. We call it “The Portrait of Corey in Gray." Very strange. I’m joking. I’m very lucky. I’m fortunate. Good clean living is what I chalk it up to. I don’t drink, I don’t eat red meat, or any meat for that matter. I’ve been a vegetarian for 25 years, and I have a youthful perspective. I believe that age is a state of mind, and I don’t believe that we have to physically age because a number says that we’re this old. You can be youthful at heart. The more that you believe in that notion, the more it comes across physically.