An Interview with Spencer Gray, Director of The Border

by Mike Haberfelner

April 2014

Your upcoming movie The Border - in a few words, what will it be about?

I can’t say too much from this point. Everyone is watching the trailer and eating up the mysterious quilt we’re weaving. Basically, when the granddaughter of a U.S. Senator goes missing near the border of Mexico, former Black Ops agent Jack Barrabas is forced out of retirement to find her. Every path he takes, secret he uncovers and body he drops leads to a secret, mysterious door in a small border town. What he finds behind this door will forever change the world, and who he thinks he is, for the worse. No typical genre trappings behind the door either. Audiences won’t have a clue until Jack opens it. You will never recover from what lies beyond The Border.

I saw The Border described as an "arthouse action/horror film" - care to elaborate?

There are horror elements, sure. But we also ladled on the mixed martial arts and boxing. Tons of fight sequences. The fine actor playing Barrabas is a martial arts master, former champ, choreographs movie fights big and small and even teaches hand to hand combat to SWAT and police officers. He (Richard O Ryan) had left acting to teach but has returned deadlier than ever!

What were your inspirations when writing The Border?

I recently reread Dante’s Inferno, Pilgrim’s Progress, Faust, a few books by Jung. Then I had a long flight and picked up a book about true meaning of things in The Bible. Then I got to watching the news with everything I’d read fresh on my mind and my brain came up with a “what if” that scared the hell out of me. I knew if it bothered me, it would be a punch in the face to audiences.

What can you tell us about The Border's intended look and feel?

Something you have NEVER seen before. I’ve hired one of the creepiest set designers in the biz. It WILL haunt you. All I can reveal amigo.

Do talk about The Border's approach to horror for a bit (as in atmosphere vs all-out gore, suspense vs sudden shocks and the like)?

As Alfred Hitchcock, the Master of Suspense, so eloquently put it, ‘There is no terror in the bang, only the anticipation of it.’ That’s what is missing in today’s horror films. Not to mention people enjoy being scared. The goosebumps. The hairs on the back of your neck standing on end. The heart racing with anticipation. The gore. Those are just a few things missing in today's horror films and why fans will always embrace the classics. It’s why TV horror is taking over. People are not seeing movies like they used to. I want to bring those factors back! The Fright Factor as Hitchcock lovingly called it. Oh yes, there will be blood... lots of it. Gore and grue as well. There’s something for everybody but remember this will be scary! Nobody but me knows what’s behind the mysterious door, not even cast and crew, and that’s fun!

What can you tell us about your projected key cast and crew, and why exactly these people?

I chose them out of fanboy delirium. I am a fan first and I have always wanted to work with these amazing folks! The Border already has an amazing cast and talent pool dedicated to discovering what’s behind that door:

Starring martial arts master Richard O Ryan (Dead Men, Honorless), Katrina Matusek-Ryan (Xtraction, Cathedral Canyon), Eileen Dietz (The Exorcist, Helter Skelter), Noel Guglielmi (Training Day, The Dark Knight Rises), Melantha Blackthorne (Captured Hearts, Order of One: Kung Fu Killing Spree) [Melantha Blackthorne interview - click here], Bill Oberst jr (Abraham Lincoln VS Zombies, Resolution) [Bill Oberst jr interview - click here], Amanda Marie (The Town That Dreaded Sundown, Dracula’s War), Troy Johnson (Vertical), hip hop sensation Wyzae, Lynn Lowry (The Crazies, Cat People), Dave Vescio (Hick, The Millionaire Tour), Tamara Glynn (Halloween 5, Freddy’s Nightmares) and many other icons from the horror and action genres. It will also be the genre debut of alternative model Sebrina Bedard.

As far as I know, The Border is still in its fundraising stages - so what can you tell us about your fundraising efforts?

We have private investors but not so much first money to skip over doing something like IndieGoGo. Crowd funding will enable us to tell the story we want to tell (and that YOU want to see) without interference from The Suits or the studio system. Pre order a copy or donate if you can, every nickel and dime helps: www.indiegogo.com/projects/
the-border--2/x/6914246  

Once your funds are raised, how do you plan to proceed, and any idea when the movie might be released onto the general public yet (and I know it's probably waaay too early to ask that)?

It is early but we are hoping to start screening and shopping festivals and cons by winter 2014. Packaging and distribution by next year.

Any future projects beyond The Border?

Oh yes, a drama Richard O Ryan and I wrote called Some Choose Hell and many others.

What got you into filmmaking in the first place, and did you receive any formal training on the subject?

My heroes growing up weren’t footballs players, although I loved boxing and martial arts. My heroes were great literary authors, pulp writers, comic book artists, movie icons. I cut my teeth on the show Walker, Texas Ranger and just bounced from project to project learning and working in MUFX.

Do talk about your filmwork prior to The Border for a bit?

I learned the basics on Walker, Texas Ranger, played a biker in one episode and got my ass kicked by Chuck Norris, then I went on to do commercials like Pepsi. I worked on many small to medium budget films. My favorite will always be William Butler’s Furnace with Danny Trejo and Michael Pare. That was a dream come true! Still grateful. Everything else was killer and I appreciate the opportunities, but I’d say Furnace was my best time until I got injured. Long story haha.

Filmmakers who inspire you?

Hitchcock, Carpenter, Scorsese, Lynch, Ken Russell, Alan Parker, Argento, Bava [Mario Bava bio - click here], Fulci [Lucio Fulci bio - click here], Takashi Miike, Zombie.

Your favourite movies?

Feeling lucky? Want to search any of my partnershops yourself for more, better results? (commissions earned)

The links below will take you just there!!!

Find Spencer Gray at the amazons ...   amazon.com   amazon.co.uk   amazon.de Looking for imports? Find Spencer Gray here ...   eThaiCD.com Your shop for all things Thai Something naughty? (Must be over 18 to go there!)   find Spencer Gray at adultvideouniverse.com

Halloween, Friday the 13^th 1 - 4, Taxi Driver, Martyrs, Irreversible, Lair of the White Worm, Shawshank Redemption, Rocky, Gone with the Wind, Citizen Kane, anything Hitchcock.

... and of course, films you really deplore?

Remakes, Tarantino.

Your/your movie's website, Facebook, IndieGoGo?

IndieGoGo: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-border--2/x/6914246

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spencer.gray.54?ref=tn_tnmn

Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/theborderfilm?ref=hl 

Twitter: @Texploitation

Official Movie Website: www.theborderfilm.com

Anything else you are dying to mention and I have merely forgotten to ask?

Please visit our IndieGoGo and other social media. Not only does every dollar count but it enables indie artists to bring you greatness and it creates jobs for people who’ve been out of work. It’s a win win! #spreadthered

Thanks for the interview!

Thanks for having me amigo!

© by Mike Haberfelner

Legal note: (re)Search my Trash cannot
and shall not be held responsible for
content of sites from a third party.

Thanks for watching !!!