INT: Tamara Feldman

HATCHET needs no explanation for most genre fans – as it’s practically been the most giddily anticipated horror movie to come out all year (sorry HALLOWEEN). Director Adam Green’s flick proudly displays the tagline “Old School American Horror” on its poster, and it is indeed exactly that. Simply put, you guys are going to love this flick, and as we count down to its release I’ve got three interviews to whet your appetite.

First up is TAMARA FELDMAN, who plays the take-no-shit Marybeth, one of the young folks who unluckily gets stuck in killer Victor Crowley’s swamp. Enjoy!

Is this the most intensive promo push that you’ve ever done for a movie?

TAMARA: Yeah, definitely.

Is it a bit dizzying?

TAMARA: No, it’s not dizzying, it’s just funny because it’s all because of Adam [director Adam Green). It’s not like there’s this huge budget behind it, this huge machine, it’s all because of Adam’s love. And then Anchor Bay came in… It’s all kind’ve grassroots, so it’s really cool.

Did you envision that you’d be doing so many interviews and pushing it so much when you were actually making it?

TAMARA: No, we didn’t even think that far ahead – I didn’t even think about seeing it, I was just worried about making it. (Laughs) I didn’t even think about when it was going to come out, and then for a while we didn’t even think it was going to come out at all, because we made it two years ago. And Adam just kept going and going, and now it’s staring to come out. But no, we never thought it would be like this.

How did you get the role?

TAMARA: I just auditioned for it. I know that Deon [Richmond] was offered his role, and so was Robert and Kane, but I just auditioned like everybody else and ended up having a really good time in the audition room. Adam was like “Okay do that two page monologue you just did in ten seconds or less!” I was just like “Okay!” And we just read through it and they were all dying laughing, and that’s kind’ve how I got it.

You’re playing an archetype typically known as “survivor girl,” which has a long history and some very famous characters associated with it. Did Adam give you any specific past characters to look at?

TAMARA: I didn’t really look at it as being any other role ever played, I was just looking at it as “I do not want her to be the stereotypical girl in a horror movie that is freaking out and doesn’t know what to do.” I wanted her do by a little bit tougher, so hopefully she is.

Adam had already created the “freaking out” girls.

TAMARA: (Laughs) Yeah exactly. We didn’t need another one. They’re really funny though…

Did you grow up watching these kinds of movies?

TAMARA: Yeah, I think everybody does. Especially around Halloween, I would always watch Freddy Kruger, all the “Nightmares.” I would always be scared of the boiler room, and the screeching when he’d scratch his nails against the lockers. I was terrified, and I’d have nightmares of Freddy all the time.

As an actor, when you’re doing a movie like HATCHET, do you put a lot of though and preparation into the character – the motivations and all that – or are you mostly just trying to have fun?

TAMARA: I definitely do the work and think about the backstory, and think about the relationships – I mean, I don’t have any scenes with my brother and my dad, so I had to come up with my own story of us together, and Adam would come up with some stories that he would tell me before we’d shoot. You should never go into any movie without a backstory, without doing the work, you know?

You must realize that horror fans take their movies very seriously. Have you encountered any intense questioning from the fans, and how do you feel about all the hype that this movie has built up over the past two years?

TAMARA: The hype is really fun, because it’s not all based off of nothing, it’s because people have seen it, so I’m not worried about that… Most of the intense questions really go to the guys, meaning Kane and [make-up effects artist] John Carl Buechler – about sets and make-up – and to Adam about where the story came from and when he came up with it, so I don’t really get the intense questions. It’s mostly just funny stories, or “what was it like being around all these horror icons.”

Did Kane Hodder have name recognition for you? What was it like working with him?

TAMARA: I knew he was “Jason,” which was scary, he’s a big dude. But it was really nice working with him. He doesn’t ever break character, so he won’t just hang out with you. And he’s also the stunt coordinator, so he won’t talk directly to you while he’s in make-up – so he has this giant coat on, his face is covered, he’s telling Adam to tell us what to do, he’s whispering in his ear, so we don’t even know who’s behind this giant thing.

It’s tough enough working with a method actor, it’s even worse when they’re playing a serial killer.

TAMARA: Exactly. (Laughs)

A very special thanks to Tamara for taking the time out to talk with this fanboy. HATCHET opens September 7th!