IFH 778: Crafting Over 160 Films, Tales of Creativity, Conflict, and Cinematic Hustle with Jim Wynorski
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Welcome to the Indie Film Hustle Podcast, episode number 778. Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on. Louis L'Amour. Broadcasting from the back alley in Hollywood, it's the Indie Film Hustle Podcast, where we show you how to survive and thrive as an indie filmmaker in the jungles of the film biz. And here's your host, Alex Ferrari.

Welcome, welcome to another episode of the Indie Film Hustle Podcast. I am your humble host, Alex Ferrari. Today's show is sponsored by Rise of the Filmtrepreneur, how to turn your independent film into a profitable business. It's harder today than ever before for independent filmmakers to make money with their films. From predatory film distributors ripping them off to huckster film aggregators who prey upon them, the odds are stacked against the indie filmmaker. The old distribution model of making money with your film is broken and there needs to be a change.

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Enjoy today's episode with guest host Dave Bullis. I just thought of something, you know, hey look, you know, this guy directed 150 movies, so why not just name it that? I mean, you know, after all, the guy has done every genre you could think of, and it just, it makes more sense than anything else I was going to call it. So without further ado, with guest, Jim Wynorski. Dave, I'm happy to be here.

Because, you know, Jim, you and I have been not only Facebook friends for a while, but I mean, I'm a huge fan of your work, obviously, because I don't know a single filmmaker who hasn't stumbled upon one of your films. You know, and just to rattle off a few of them, we have to we have to mention Shopping Mall, Deathstalker 2.

The Return of Swamp Thing, 976 Evil 2. And as we were just talking about, you did Camel Spiders with Brad, who's actually been on the podcast. And he actually co-wrote Camel Spiders. So there you go. And also, I almost forgot to mention Sorority House Massacre 2 and Hard to Die, which is

By the way, is what actually got us talking because they're coming on on Blu-ray and I wanted to shoot you a message. And, you know, Jim, it's just really great to have you on the podcast. Oh, thank you, Dave. So, Jim, just to get it started off, I mean, you know, you started off your career, I mean, just coming right out of the gate. Like, I mean, you just came out swinging. So, you know, I wanted to ask, Jim, how did you get started in this wacky, wacky world?

All right. Well, that's the question everybody always asks, and I'm kind of sick of answering it, but I want to make it quick. Okay. I can ask a different question. No, no, it's fine. Okay. I worked in New York directing commercials, and I always had it in my head that I wanted to come out here and direct movies.

So I packed up my stuff in a car and drove across country and I came out here and I was willing to do almost anything to get into directing movies. And I struggled for about two and a half, three years doing anything I could. And finally I got someone to...

I read some of my scripts and it all led to work with Roger Corman. And finally, I got to direct a movie in 1983. So that was The Lost Empire. And then from there on, I said, I'm headed straight up the ladder. And my next film was Chopping Wall and Death's Upper Toon, Big Bad Mommatoo, Now This Earth.

The list kind of goes on and on. I think I'm up to about 165, 170 movies at this point.

Yeah, you and Takashi Meike are so prolific in just directing movies. I mean, it's just, I think you guys are really machines because you just, I mean, both of you are able to, you know, get things made and actually, you know, direct these products and actually get them out there. And that is, that in of itself, any three phases of what I just actually mentioned are difficult enough, but you guys just are rolling with them. You and Takashi Meike. Yeah.

I don't know who that is, but I'm sure he's very successful. And I try to be the same. Yeah, it's Gashimeke. There's a lot of like Japanese horror films like Audition. Ah, OK. Then that's why I'm not familiar with his name.

Yeah, I'm a huge nerd who has no life, Jim. Okay, no problem. No problem. You know, I'm sure I could name a couple directors nobody's ever heard of, too. But the thing is, if the guy is prolific, then the guy is prolific. I've slowed down in the last couple of years, but I'm still cranking. And when there was one summer where I made... Not one summer, one year where I made about six movies that year. And that was like...

It was almost too much, kind of burned me out. But again, between writing, producing and directing, I've got about 165, maybe 170. I don't know. I haven't counted, but it's up there.

So let's talk about that, Jim. How do you make six movies in a year? I mean, there's obviously some post-production with each of them. So are you starting one in post-production, and that way, did it sort of work out that way, or did you have a plan where you were going to do six movies in one year? Oh, no, I didn't ever have a plan. It always happened where people would phone me up and saying, I'm doing this film. Are you available?

And I don't think I ever said I wasn't available. A couple of times I said I wasn't available because I didn't like the project. But most times, you know, if it was an interesting topic or an interesting film or an horror film or sci-fi, I've done every genre you can imagine. And this, you know, was a case where I would start pre-production on one while I'm doing post on another. And you can do both. The only time you can't really...

do anything else is during production of the movie. Yeah, very true. I mean, because doing six movies in a year...

I mean, that is a pretty challenging task. I actually had somebody on here who made 12 short films in a year. So each month he was making a short film. And by the end, he was so burned out and tired, he was like, I never want to do this again. Just because, obviously, as you can imagine, it's just so much every month. It's like before you're done, you're already playing for the next one. Well, it only happened a couple of times where I was working that hard.

Other times, you know, it was down to like, sometimes I did only one a year. Sometimes it was four a year. And I would just, you know, it kind of evened itself out. So each film, each film was a, was a kind of a nice experience because I got to do something different. And it took me, and a lot of times the films took me to foreign countries, et cetera. And that was all a lot of fun.

So when you got started and you started to work with Roger Corman, I mean, Roger Corman is such a well-known producer. He wrote the book, you know, How I Made a Thousand Movies and Never Lost a Dime. You know, what are some of the things that you learned just working from him, working with him? I'm sorry. Well, I learned about distribution. I learned about how to make the movie for an audience, right?

and not to make a movie for yourself because if you make a movie for yourself, it's sometimes not going to sell. So I always tried to figure out what my audience was or going to be, and I would aim to make a movie that was successful. And I had a couple of bombs. We all have a couple of bombs. But in each case, I tried as hard as I could to make the right kind of movie.

And even then, there's always somebody who likes the movie you don't like. So I get emails and notes from people all the time about a movie I've kind of forgotten that they love. So it all, again, works out in the wash. So what are some of the movies that people bring up to you? Like you were just describing, what are some of the movies that they sort of bring up that you've kind of forgotten about? We'll be right back after a word from our sponsor.

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This season, give the gift of the Virginia Lottery's Holiday Scratchers to all the adults in your life. But don't forget to play the holiday online games and New Year's Millionaire Raffle for even more excitement this season. Play in-store, in-app, or online. And now, back to the show. Oh, you know, I've made so many, Dave. I, you know, and I don't want to negate any of them, but there's a couple that, you know, I haven't watched in a long time. Just...

You know, I don't know which one to pick. You know, I tried my best, my damnedest with each one. And I'm always trying to, you know, you always have to second guess what's going to be popular six months from the time you make your movie. And that's when it's going to be selling. And I was pretty good at it in the 80s and 90s and even now.

With video changing and no more DVDs, et cetera, et cetera, you have to kind of always be on the lookout for what's coming up and what trends are going to come along. The Internet has changed the way we watch movies. Yeah, it has.

I mean, because you look at a movie like Chopping Mall, and that takes place inside of a mall, obviously, and malls don't even exist anymore. So we'll move for the most part they don't, but-

That's why I like the movie even more now, because it's like a slice of Americana that doesn't exist. You know what I mean? That has sort of just gone the way of the Dodo. Yeah, well, people say, why don't you remake it? And of course I say, absolutely not. Why should I remake something that's good in the first place? I like coming in doing a part two on a movie that I didn't care for and seeing what I could do.

or doing a part three or a part four. I never did a part three, but I did a lot of part twos and I did a couple of part fours. But it was a lot of, you know, it's fun to go in and try to do something different from the thing that's come before. And to remake Chopping Wall is ridiculous. You know, if you like making Jaws 2, however good it is, it's not Jaws. Okay. Yeah.

And so I mean, Jaws 2 was actually a very good movie, but it's Jaws 2 and nobody cares about it because it's part two. But, you know, same goes true for Chopping. Well, I don't like to tout my own hat, but I think that film is a perfect example of the time. And you couldn't make it today. You could, but it wouldn't be the same.

Yeah, it wouldn't be the same. And I remember I saw a Facebook post from you about somebody was trying to make a Chopping Mall 2 or something, or there was a news article from some movie website. That guy's been trying to make that film for a dozen years. He doesn't have the rights. And every year or so, he comes along and says he's going to do it. And, you know, after 10 years, just, you know, shut up and move along. So...

And I have part of the right, so he's not going to make it without talking to me first. And I don't want to give up those rights unless somebody came along with a million dollars and I'll take it. I'm going to make it. It'll bomb and mine will still be on top. It's kind of like what John Carpenter said, you know, because whenever they do a remake, he said people would ask him what he feels about it. And he would just say, well, it's good because I open up my hand and a check magically appears.

That's it. That's it. And, you know, all these remakes that are coming along, I'm so sick of them. They never do it better because they're always trying to remake a hit movie. It's better to go and remake a movie that was a bomb. But they won't do that because it's not financially viable. Right.

But, you know, I'd love to see Beast of Yucca Flats remade. Or, you know, the Creeping Terror remade. But they're not going to do it. Because you could... I think someone did remake Plan 9, but it was probably even worse than the original. So, anyway, I try to stay away from reboots.

Yeah, I know there's so many remakes and movies based on TV shows and stuff now. Very rarely are they ever any good. I just – I sometimes – I'll tell you what I feel, Jim. I look at these posters and sometimes I'll watch them on Blu-ray and sometimes I even go see them in theaters and I kind of wonder –

Beyond me, because I'm not your normal moviegoer, obviously, I wonder who these movies are marketed for. You know what I mean? I mean, are they marketed to people who used to watch the show or what have you? I don't think so. I don't think so. I mean, look at things like Wild Wild West or The Man from Umpel. They're not even close to the old shows. So if you like the old shows, these films stunk. And they stink bad. Yeah.

And, you know, usually when I thought the only one that got it kind of right was Get Smart because they kind of got it right. But most of these TV show remakes like Daywatch and stuff, they don't know what they're doing. Chips, they did a Chips. These things all fell on their asses and yet they keep remaking them.

And, you know, it's sad, Jim. I've seen all the movies you just named. Chips and I saw Baywatch, too. You know, again, I'm not your average moviegoer, but, you know, it's just with Chips, I kind of wondered even more so where they were going. Baywatch, I can, you know, I mean, people on a beach, I mean, you know, in bikinis or what have you, that kind of writes itself, so to speak. With Chips, it's almost like a whole different...

You know, you know what I mean? It's a whole different thing, you know, and to be honest with you, Jim, I thought they were going to go. I thought they were going to go real edgy with it. OK, I thought they were going to go real edgy and say, hey, you know what? There's a lot of there's a lot of different protests against police. There's, you know, this and that.

you know, what if they almost played into something like that? At least it would be a refreshing take on it rather than, you know, what it was. And obviously, you know, there's a lot of different people giving input on different things. But I don't know. I just thought if there was like an edge to it, maybe, you know what I mean? It just had a little bit of a hard comedy, if you know what I mean. I think it would have been able to separate itself a little better. Yeah.

Dave, I gave it 10 minutes. And I said, screw this. Okay. And I didn't like the original TV show. I said, oh, I don't know. Maybe they'll do something different. But whatever tack they took, I don't like it. And, you know, so I try to stay away from that stuff. I try to make, you know, if you look at most of my films, even my part twos and part fours are usually different from part ones.

Like Deathstalker 2 has nothing to do with Deathstalker 1. Ghoulies 4 has nothing to do with Ghoulies 1, 2, and 3. Except for the fact that I went back and I got the original guide from Ghoulies to begin to be the lead. But most of my, and my Big Bad Mama 2, it's nothing like Big Bad Mama 1. I tried to do something different.

And that was fun. You know, I always wanted to work in different genres, like westerns, gangster, sci-fi, horror, comedy, family. I've done everything. I haven't done a war movie, but that's not my bag. So, anyway.

Next question. Well, you know, speaking of, you know, sequels, and you said, you know, you did part twos and part threes. You know, what got us talking was, you know, on Blu-ray is going to be Sorority House Massacre 2 and Hard to Die, which is, you know, a continuation of the whole Hochstetter saga. So as we had, I'm sorry, Jim. What I wanted to say is Sorority House Massacre 2 did not start off

as Sorority House Massacre 2. It was filmed under the title Nighty Nightmare. And then Roger retitled it Sorority House Massacre 2. But the original title was Nighty Nightmare. And I would have preferred it gone out under that title. But when that film was finished, he said, make it again because it was such a success.

So I just made it again and I added even more silliness to it, which is hard to die. And I'm so glad that those two films are finally coming back on Blu-ray. We'll be right back after a word from our sponsor.

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Yeah, especially Hard to Die because, again, like you said, you up the comedy of it. And I think it's especially funny because especially with the amount of times – I'm sorry, the amount of times that the – what's his name, Ketchum? Orval Ketchum? Orval Ketchum. Yeah, the amount of times and the brutality he goes through in the movie. I mean, literally – He's unstoppable. I mean, there's a scene in there where he falls off a 25-story building.

And I remember when he falls off, I did a Warner Brothers cartoon thing and I shook the picture like what he had. So it was a true comedy. And, you know, some people still take it seriously, but I was winking at everybody during that film.

because I said this guy was indestructible in the first film, so let's really put him through the ringer in part two. He's like stabbed. He's thrown down an elevator shaft. He's thrown off a building and down a couple of flights of stairs, and they stab him with a stapler, and they shoot him with a machine gun a zillion times, and yet he still comes back, which is great.

I wanted to make a third, but I never got around to it, and it's too late to go back and do another one. What was your idea for a third installment? Oh, it's called... It's mentioned at the end of part two. It says Orville will return in Orville in orbit, and I wanted to do where he goes into out of... Because they think he's evil, they send him into orbit, and Hockstetter comes...

And starts to invade the space station. And they have to find his orbiting Hawkman, get him out of it, and put him in so he saves the girls at the space station. That was the plan. Because he had some sci-fi sets at the time, and I was going to do that, but I never got around to it.

So you would have been fun. Yeah. Yeah. Cause you, you had the idea for, for like a monster movie in space before, you know, Jason went to space, a leprechaun went to space. So you had, you had those ideas before them. Well, I, I'm not really sure about the time thing, but you know, this was 91 when I did hard to die. And so, um, Orville in orbit was thought of and, and kind of headed out there around 91. So, um,

I don't know when Leprechauns were done, but I just know 91 was when I kind of came up with Orville and Orbit. I just got so busy with other things that I never made it. And people have come to me and said, when are you going to make it? And Orville is now living in New York, and I'm bringing him back for a commentary on the two Blu-rays.

and that should be a lot of fun. Yeah, because you and him discussing the movies, yeah, that is going to be an absolute blast. Yeah. Well, I'm getting Orville, I'm getting Gale, and I'm getting Debbie Dutch to come in and do the commentary with me. So that should be a hoot. I'll have Gale and Peter do Sorority House 2.

And I'll have Gail Peter and Debbie Dutch to Hard to Die. So that should be a lot of fun. So how does that work, Jim? Do you actually fly out to New York and do you just meet them in a recording studio there? No, I'll have somebody in New York record it. And I've got it all planned out how to do it. Shout Factory doesn't have a big budget, so I'm going to get Orville, probably by Skype or something like that, to come in.

It'll be, it'll happen. It'll be good. Cause I don't want him to say a lot because he's Orville. Orville doesn't have a huge vocabulary. And I want him to be like, you know, I'm getting the original actor who played Orville come back as Orville. Cause the original actor was Peter Spellis and I never gave him credit. It was always an Orville Ketchum as himself.

And I'm keeping it that way. And so Orville will say a few things, but he won't be, you know, talking at length about anything. That'll be me and Gail. I might try to get Melissa Moore, too.

Well, yeah, you know, because like, you know, like you and I right now, we're talking on Skype. It's just amazing with what you can do nowadays. And you even mentioned that, too, with, you know, how the Internet has sort of changed the film industry, you know, based upon, you know, distribution now, because, you know, you can always upload anything to YouTube. You can always upload anything to, you know, even if we didn't even, you know, if we made a movie in our backyard this weekend, we could upload it to YouTube. Yeah.

You know, stuff like that. And I wanted to ask you, do you watch a lot of, you know, maybe like YouTube or, you know, online videos that sort of, you know, amateur or even like, you know what I mean, like amateur filmmakers make? Dave, I haven't got the time. I haven't got the time to do that. I mean, I do watch films, but to watch these, you know, like called backyard productions, I don't have the time.

You know, some people do it well, but that means it gets out there because word of mouth will get it out there. And some people take, you know, their cell phones out to the woods right behind their house with non-actors and make these movies that they try to sell. And to me, they're unwatchable because, you know, they're not movies. They're just people trying to copy movies and movies.

I see too many of them that I finally just gave up. I said, someone's going to have to tell me it's good. So that's what usually happens. Somebody will say, oh, this is good. This is good. This is good. And they're not watching.

You know, because one of the questions I had for you was, you know, because, you know, you've done, you know, you've done all the different types of filmmaking. You know, you when you started, you were still shooting on probably 35 millimeter. We actually had, you know, a little actually film loaders. And, you know, you've seen production sort of, you know, that. And now, you know, we're in the modern day.

So I wanted to ask you, Jim, have you seen, like, producers just getting crushed now with, like, different pitches by people? Like, you just said, like, you know, people that are trying to copy movies. Maybe, you know, they don't have a financial budget or—I'm sorry, they don't have a budget or they don't have the finances—

But they keep pitching producers to the point where now producers are just getting mobbed because now there's not just, you know, 10 people trying to, you know, get them to make a movie for them. It's like, you know what I mean? Like, get them to find money for them. You know, I'm part of that mob. So I have to, you know, it's more competition. But most of the competition is amateur. And most producers see that as amateur. And so I still have an edge.

Yeah, I'm still making a lot of movies that get out there for people to see. You know, I did my Dog Bomb series for Sony. And that was a case of looking around and seeing what was going to sell. People don't do that anymore. And that's why they're not successful. I looked around and I saw DVDs were gone. DVD stores were gone. I said, where do I get a DVD outside of Amazon?

And the answer was Walmart or Target or Best Buy. So I walked into Best Buying and Target and Walmart, and I looked around, and I saw what they were selling. And independent horror movies were, you know, boxed in one DVD set of eight selling for $5. And I said, don't make that. And I looked around, and I said,

What else is selling? On a single DVD. And it was family movies. They're called babysitters. And so I said, okay, I'll make a family movie. I'll make one about Christmas. I'll make one about a dog. And it was very successful. And we continued to do three. We did three of them. And we're going to do another one later on this year. But with a different series. But that's why I'm still going strong. Because I'm looking around. I'm seeing what's selling. And horror...

It's kind of selling in the movies, but you have to get something big. But, you know, putting five hot chicks in a haunted house is not selling anymore. And so I'm not making it. And it's unfortunate, but, you know, times change. We'll be right back after a word from our sponsor. And now back to the show.

As we talk about how in horror you have to have something different, have you seen some of the horror movies like The Blair Witch Project, Paranormal Activity, kind of like movies like that that sort of were made? So what did you think of those movies? Well, I made a shitload of money by parodying The Blair Witch Project.

I made five different editions of the Bear Wench Project, and each of them made a ton of money. And so, yeah, I've seen those movies. And I made a movie called Paranochris Activity. And because of the situation, Cinemax bought it and never ran it because they were afraid of being sued.

So they bought it and buried it. I wish they would take it out someday, but right now it's in their vault and probably never coming out. But it was one of those late-night erotics where I was parodying movies. And it took like two days to shoot it. But it was fun, and they bought it, and then they got worried about it and then buried it. But most of my other stuff from that period has shown up on Showtime or Cinemax.

So, Jim, just out of curiosity, because we're talking about sales and distribution and all that, if you were to— It's so boring, Dave. Come on, ask me some good questions. So I think this is fascinating because you're walking the walk, Jim. I don't know. I know numbers and stuff aren't sexy. I'm feeling bored myself, so it must be boring for anybody out there listening. But go ahead. It's your show.

No, I swear. I swear. This is an interesting question. I would have turned this off ages ago if it wasn't me. Okay? Most people turn me off, Jim. Most people just turn me off immediately. But what I was going to ask was, this is an interesting question, I swear. What I was going to ask is, you know, what advice, Jim, would you give to, you know, a filmmaker out there who is going to do something in horror? Because I know I have obviously, you know, a huge amount of people. I'm not giving anybody that advice. Fuck them. Yeah.

That's million-dollar advice, so you're getting that from me. I'm keeping all my good ideas close to the vest. Put five girls in a haunted house. You have them running around. You'll make a bundle. No, Dave, I can't tell you what I keep really close. I'm just like...

I'll give you one. All right. I'll give you one. But I threw it out already. Okay. I ran across, on the internet, I ran across this place in Mexico called the Island of Dolls, which is a real place where people have brought their unused dolls and they hang them in the trees. And go Google it. And you'll see this place and you'll say, oh, fuck. I wouldn't spend any more than five minutes there and it'd have to be broad daylight.

Okay, and I said I want to do a movie about the island of dolls Well, I started to do a little prep work and then I read I did some research and I found that somebody in Mexico was making a movie called Island of the Dolls in Spanish and I immediately stopped work because I feared this is gonna come out maybe and It's gonna be you know unwarranted competition so stop and

But anybody out there who's got money and lots of courage should go make Island of Dolls. And maybe the Spanish version will come out. But I'm not going to go and do it until I find out what the Spanish version does. But that's, again, you've always got to be looking for something unusual that's going to strike a chord with your audience. Right.

And the Island of Dolls is certainly unusual and certainly creepy. And I figured, okay, there's something I can do. But some bastard beat me to it. So I have some more ideas coming, but I can't say what they are. There's people stealing them.

I'm sure there's a listener out there on your podcast, people, and say, ah, now I got it. I'll do that. Okay? So that's fine. I'm not giving away any of the good ones yet.

Well, you know, there are people who have like, uh, who have networked through this podcast. Um, just randomly, like I would, I would get messages like, Hey Dave, I met this person because your podcast. And I'm like, how, but you know, uh, they were out there listening, but you know, I, I bet you were going to ask me, you know, uh, immediate questions. Um,

Like, you know, who was hard to work with, who was easy to work with, where did you get the idea for this or whatever. But I think, I guess, a discussion about business plans is, you know, it might be interesting to some people out there.

Well, I always try to go from a different vantage point. I mean, we didn't talk all about business plans. I mean, we talked about your movies and stuff like that. I got it. If you want, I can ask you some of those questions. So, Jim, who was very difficult to work with? Tonya Roberts. Hater guts. Jennifer Rubin. Hater guts. Robert Culp, who I loved as a kid, hated his guts. And...

There's more, but those three are the top three. So why are they the top three? Well, Robert Cupp was a prick and a half. Click and a half. Gave me nothing but problems on the set. He didn't like the lens I was using. He didn't like this. He didn't like that. He didn't like the meal. He didn't like anything.

And he kept people waiting. And the whole fucking crew booed him on his last day. And he deserved it. Tonya Roberts, my lawyer insisted I always just say I hated her guts. That's legal to say. And she's still alive and could come back and stab me. But the same with Jennifer Rubin. Hate her guts.

I mean, I'm never worth looking at again. I'm sorry, Jim? I'm a pretty easy-going guy. But these chicks, oh my God. Never again. So, I mean, in a situation like that, Jim, where someone is just being a complete pain in the ass or a huge fucking prick, what do you do in those situations? You've got to knock the lender, kneel down, and kiss their asses for two weeks. Okay.

Because once you have them on film, they could walk and ruin the whole picture.

And you kind of, you know, you hear about situations like that too, like what happened with Kevin Smith and Bruce Willis, you know, where they didn't get along at all because Bruce kept, you know, you know what I mean? So it's situations like that you kind of always wonder. I mean, I've been in that situation myself, Jim. I mean, people who've listened to this podcast know my stories too. Hell, I did a whole podcast episode about it with a friend of mine. Oh, I mean, these days I had actors...

steal from the makeup assistant. I had actors, you know, called tantrums and, you know, you gotta, I don't know how, and I can see why some of these people hardly ever work because stories about them gets around. I didn't say, you know, I didn't say Tanya did that or Jennifer Rubin did that, but I have an actress that I can't mention who stole from the makeup girl.

We found the makeup girl's wallet in her trailer, stuffed down behind a mirror after she wrapped. And I said, the only way I got there is if she took it. So that's what happens. And, you know, I couldn't get the wallet back to her in time, but I did give her. I went to Petty Cash, and I said, how much was in the wallet? She said $125. I gave her $125, and I said, we'll find you a wallet.

And sure enough, we did and got it back to her. That was pretty good of you, Jim, by the way. You know, this girl's working for peanuts. We'll be right back after a word from our sponsor. And now, back to the show. And for someone to steal her wallet and then stuff it down behind a trailer, a mirror in their trailer, I didn't know that at the time. I just said, well, maybe, you know, this video...

We said, but you know, we had the petty cash there. So I gave her another quarter and I said, you know, we'll find your wallet. And we did. We got back to her. And I did not tell her where it came, where it was found. I lied because I didn't want the story to get around. That's an actress you all know. And I wish I could tell you, but I won't. Well, I'll tell you what, Jim, when we get off the podcast, you can tell me and I'll keep it a secret.

Okay. Like in Get Smart, the cone of silence. Remember the cone of silence? We'll lower the cone of silence, man. I'll tell you all kinds of great stuff. I mean, there's good stuff, too. There's actresses who got drunk on the set. There's actresses who did almost everything you could imagine an actress doing. And actors, too. Yeah.

Crazy people. So, you know, we talked about, and I know we're running out of time, Jim. I know you have to run soon. Yeah, I know we've already talked about people that, you know, you didn't like working with. So who are some of the people that you did like working with? Most of them. 95% of them. Everybody. Everybody that you can imagine that worked for me. They were super nice people. Erica Aleniak. Angie Dickinson.

Heather Locklear, Nicole Eggert, even though she's given Scott Baio a run for his money. Nicole Eggert was an angel. I worked with, still met Tracy Lords. They were all nice, easygoing people who wanted to have a good time. And it was always crappy to

when an actor would step in and just say, well, I'm going to make everyone's life miserable. And it's happened a few times. You know, after 160 movies or 70 movies or whatever it is, you know, you're bound to meet someone you don't like. And I've been a few. But most of them can't speak highly enough. Angie Dickinson brought in a present for a PA on his, because she knew it was his birthday.

Heather Locklear had Tommy Lee come down to the set and Tommy Lee brought Charlie Sheen before he went into the stratosphere for all the winning stuff. So I met all these people and it was a lot of fun, you know, and

You know, the girls I was going out with, I always tried to put them in my movies. You can kind of see who I'm dating if you just start looking at the cast list. The movies, I said, go along. Well, you got to keep the girlfriend happy. Come on, Jim. So true. So true. But, you know, sometimes I had it tempered because they weren't good actors. You know, you got to give them a part that is kind of okay. But if they're not good actors, you're going to look like an ass.

So I had to kind of fit people to certain parts. But I did. Yeah, and that's directing too. You know people's limitations, you know their strengths and weaknesses, and you play to that. You hide their weaknesses and promote their strengths, and that's a part of directing. Well, yeah. Anyway, yeah. Some good stories.

Yeah, I recall. And Jim, I'm going to put a link, by the way, to the upcoming Blu-ray release of Hard to Die and Sorority House. Do not. Do not. Do not put a link because Shout Factory called me up and said, what the fuck are you doing? And I had to take that thing down yesterday. So because we want to make their releases and shit. So I said, OK.

So I took it down. But it's coming. I see. Is that how they actually, do they really call you and just say, hey, hey, Jim, what the fuck are you doing? I can send you the email. Okay. What the fuck are you doing? Okay. Please do, Jim. Please do. I would love to read it. So everyone, I will not link to that in the show notes. No, you will not. There's nothing to link to. It's all gone.

But it's coming. Trust me. It's coming. I just could not say it, okay? Or say it on Facebook. It got so pissed off. So anyway, onward. Jim, thank you so much for coming on the show. It's been an absolute blast. And again, I wish you the best of luck with everything.

Dave, I appreciate it. And I hope the listeners got something of enjoyment out of this one. Next time, let's just talk about chicks and stuff and we'll have a bigger audience. You see, I can't come up with the questions. That's the problem. That's always the problem, man. So, well, look, I'll just say thank you for talking and I'll catch everybody at the movies.

I want to thank Dave so much for doing such a great job on this episode. If you want to get links to anything we spoke about in this episode, head over to the show notes at IndieFilmMuscle.com forward slash 778. And if you haven't already, please head over to FilmmakingPodcast.com. Subscribe and leave a good review for the show. It really helps us out a lot, guys. Thank you again so much for listening, guys. As always, keep that hustle going. Keep that dream alive. Stay safe out there, and I'll talk to you soon.

Thanks for listening to the Indie Film Hustle podcast at IndieFilmHustle.com. That's I-N-D-I-E-F-I-L-M-H-U-S-T-L-E.com.