SHAM202/SHAM035 - Four Flies on Grey Velvet: Put Your Questions to Luigi Cozzi!

[Sarah@Cult Labs]

Shameless are due to interview Luigi Cozzi who, aside from having written the story for and acted as AD on Four Flies on Grey Velvet, also wrote the book on it! He's one of the highest authorities on the film and so an interview with him will be one of the highlights of the release.

Shameless were wondering if you, yes, you, had any burning questions about Four Flies that you would like them to put to Cozzi. Post them in this thread and then Shameless will pick their favourites to take forward.

I have no closing date for this at the moment as the date for the interview has yet to be set in stone, but it could be as early as this weekend. I'll keep you posted.

So, come on, what would you like Shameless to ask Cozzi?

[bedorca]

If he could rewrite and remake the film today, what would he do differently? And would he prefer to direct it himself or let Dario take the reins?

[Jonny]

How many takes did they go through when shooting the final scenes with the ultra high speed Pentazet camera and can he shed some light on the technical difficulties - how much film, how many cars etc - they went through to shoot that scene at such high frame rates to achieve the super slow motion needed for that scene.

[PaulD]

Bit of a pedestrian question perhaps but I'd like to know in a varied career that has involved directing film, tv and documentaries, doing special effects, scriptwriting and writing fiction and non-fiction books what does he consider to be his proudest achievement?

[Sarah@Cult Labs]

Nice questions, guys!

Anyone else got some? No question will be considered too "technical" or too "pedestrian" so if you've got something to ask, go for it!

[Demdike@Cult Labs]

I would like him to go into detail regarding the films distribution and rights issues over the years.

[Gojirosan]

I'd like to know if he can pull any strings to help Shameless release The Black Cat/De Profundis...

[Paul@TheOverlook]

1) FOUR FLIES marked the final collaboration between Dario and Ennio Morricone until THE STENDHAL SYNDROME 25 years later. Morricone had scored THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE and CAT O'NINE TAILS previously, so up until that point the maestro had composed scores for all of Argento's directorial efforts. I think the scores Morricone composed for Argento are incredible and the one for FOUR FLIES is, for me, among the best of his work. So what happened? Did they have a falling out or was it because Argento wanted to pursue the progressive rock that would accompany many of his later films?

2) Over the years there has been talk of a project Argento and Cozzi were working on in the 1970s that never came to fruition - an adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein that was to have been set in Nazi Germany. Whatever became of this project and in light of Argento's decision to make a film based on Bram Stoker's Dracula, is it a project that could be resurrected if the new film is a success?

[Paul@TheOverlook]

Another one...

Is there really any truth to the rumour that Argento once considered John Lennon for the role of Roberto Tobias, and if so, did the filmmaker ever meet with the legendary Beatle to discuss the role?

[broonage]

After years of making entertaining films as a director and working with Argento on many films does he feel he got the bad-end of the bargain when going into the shop business with Argento in the late 80s? I always felt that Argento basically rides along on the shop's fame and profits whilst Cozzi slaves away there...