Greetings, fellow Space Cadets, we have another interview for you today. This one comes from Albert Pyun, the mind behind such films as The Sword and the Sorcerer, Cyborg, Nemesis and Road To Hell. For this interview, I chose to keep the questions somewhat brief, as well as avoiding the 10-question format. Mr. Pyun is going through some…rough times right now, so I didn’t want to cause any undue stress. That being said, I would like to thank Mr. Pyun for being willing to answer some questions. I will be leaving some links below after the interview for Albert Pyun’s official website as well as trailers for Road To Hell and his upcoming Interstellar Civil War. Let’s have a chat with Mr. Albert Pyun!
Q: My first question is about Cyborg. What was it like working with Jean-Claude Van Damme? Did he provide any insight into how his character would behave in certain situations?
A: well, jean-claude was quite young back then, not terribly experienced yet. i remember he listened to everything and absorbed everything. our dicussions were rather one sided except about the fights.
Q: What was your response to the overall reception of Cyborg?
A: i was in europe prepping captain america so i didn’t learn of reactions until I was online
Q: How difficult was it to transition from working on movies for big studios to working on films that you distribute yourself?
A: every film i did for studios was a deeply unhappy experience. yes, the films would get worldwide distribution but they weren’t my vision. so the heartbreak was overwhelming, films i distributed on my own had no interference and were my vision, good or bad – lol.
Q: Are there any independent film makers that have inspired you and what films would you recommend from them?
A: oh, there are many but its mostly the films that affected me. i respected any filmmaker who made films that reflected their vision without giving in to market or financial forces.
Q: You have worked with some of the biggest stars over the years. Who was your favorite one to work with and why?
A: Ive enjoyed them al. each brought a level of professionalism and artistic integrity to their work. i was always surprised at their level of commttment, even Seagal. really enjoyed them and tried to create an environment where they could do good work. recently i really enjoyed working for the cast of Interstellar civil war. new to me artists like ellie church, kelsey carlisle, fulvia santoni, ashley campbell, nick rush and jennie carroll, they inspired me.
Q: For Road to Hell, what was your inspiration for the film’s story?
A: i saw streets of fire in 1983 at a screening at universal. this was before it had been released. it blew my mind and burned into me soul. i more than loved it. it had the single greatest influence on my filmmaking. so i’d always wanted to dabble in this world. i got to know michael pare and soon, i came up with idea that became rth. good or bad, loved or hated, i made the film as a loving homage to walter hill.
While this was pretty brief, it was still informative. Again, I would like to extend my gratitude towards Mr. Pyun for taking the time to answer some questions. I know that Mr. Pyun and his family are going through some pretty tough times right now, so I would like my best wishes and my hope for the best in his situation. Mr. Pyun has an upcoming movie called Interstellar Civil War, so here is a poster and a trailer for the upcoming sci-fi flick as well as a trailer for Road To Hell:
For Mr. Pyun’s Website: http://www.albertpyun.net/
I also want to give a quick shout out to an organization called Alzheimer’s Association. They are an organization dedicated to eliminating Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia through research. They also want to provide care and support to any and all who are affected. You can click here to find out more.