ROB ZOMBIE: I Didn't Choose 'Halloween', It Chose Me

Rob Zombie recently answered a number of fan-submitted questions regarding his upcoming remake of the 1978 horror classic "Halloween".

"Halloween" is due in theaters on August 31, 2007. The movie is Zombie's third feature film as a director after 2003's "House of 1000 Corpses" and 2005's "The Devil's Rejects".

The following is a question-and-answer session with Rob Zombie, as posted on the official "Halloween" MySpace page:

Q: Is Jamie Lee Curtis going to pop up in it somewhere either as a cameo or a small role?

Rob Zombie: No, Jamie Lee Curtis does not appear in the film. Obviously I think she is great, but I also thought her presence would break the reality of this new film.

Q: Does John Carpenter have anything to do with the new movie?

Rob Zombie: No, other than wishing me well with the project John does not have any involvement.

Q: Instead of having Danielle Harris play Annie was there any thought of having her play Laurie?

Rob Zombie: No, Danielle never wanted to play Laurie. She has always been a fan of the original Annie character and wanted to create the new Annie.

Q: How much, if any, CGI was used in the film making process?

Rob Zombie: There are no CGI effects used in this film at all. Everything is an "old-school"-style gag.

Q: I know that "A Clockwork Orange" is one of your favorite movies. How did you approach Malcolm McDowell and what was it like to work with him?

Rob Zombie: I am a huge fan of Malcolm, and yes, "A Clockwork Orange" is my favorite film. Malcolm was a total blast to work with. He gave a 100% every day and has created a fresh version of Loomis that is going to blow you guys away. We really get to know Loomis and follow his journey.

Q: How has the instant feedback of forums, such as MySpace or message boards in general, influenced you as a director? Do the likes or the dislikes of your fanbase influenced your decisions?

Rob Zombie: No. As a director, you have to hold strong your vision. That is the only way something special can happen. "Too many cooks in the kitchen" is a recipe for disaster. I love the fans, but unfortunately the fans are usually basing their opinions on rumors and false information spread online.

Q: I understand that you filmed on some of the same streets as the original; will any of the houses from the original appear in your film at all?

Rob Zombie: Yes, I filmed in Pasadena in and around some of the same locations. In a few scenes you can see some of the famous houses in the background.

Q: Did you get to work with any other folks who worked on the original "Halloween"? How conscious are you with regard to recreating how the movie is photographed?

Rob Zombie: No, I didn't speak to anyone. As far as the photography I didn't try to recreate the look of the original. This movie has to stand as a fresh film not a copy.

Q: Any plans for sequels? Where would you want to take the franchise?

Rob Zombie: I'm sure if the movie does well they will make a sequel. I have no plans to be involved.

Q: Why did you choose "Halloween" to re-create? There were so many other films, why "Halloween"?

Rob Zombie: I didn't choose "Halloween". "Halloween" chose me.

The first official trailer for Rob Zombie's "Halloween" has been posted online at YouTube.

Rumors spread across the web in January that Rob Zombie was going to rewrite the script for "Halloween" after a negative review of a leaked draft of the screenplay surfaced on movie news site Ain't It Cool News. Just days after that review appeared, Fangoria.com published an opposing piece praising the script.

The Ain't It Cool reviewer was disappointed in Zombie's attempt to flesh out and add a human dimension to the character of serial killer Michael Myers, who is released from an asylum years after slaughtering his sister and begins a new killing spree. Zombie himself told Launch earlier this year that he wanted to further explore the masked murderer's motivations. "The biggest difference is I wanna make Michael Myers two things," he said. "I wanna make him a lead character who you sort of know about, 'cause I think that's what it'll take to make that character then again truly terrifying. So in order, in my mind, to pump the life back into him, to make that figure terrifying when he appears onscreen, is you need to know what is happening in his brain."

Zombie posted an apparent response to the Aint It Cool review at the "Halloween" MySpace page, writing in part, "I notice that so many people get crazy when someone you don't even know posts an opinion about what they think 'Halloween' will or won't be. This is crazy."

Zombie recently announced that he is working on a boxed set for his previous band, WHITE ZOMBIE. A solo live album is also scheduled for release sometime this year.