Interview with Victoria Maurette

Coming back with the first - and quite special - posting to our english readers. I did this Q&A interview in March, 2010 with Victoria Maurette for brazilian website Boca do Inferno. She is the star of Albert Pyun's last movies: LEFT FOR DEAD and BULLETFACE. The interview was made before Victoria going to shoot her part in the upcoming TALES FROM AN ANCIENT EMPIRE, a long waited sequel to THE SWORD AND THE SORCERER. The beautiful and talented actress answered my questions with good humour and sincerity.

RD - How the interest for becoming a artist first appeared to you, with acting and singing?

My interest for becoming an artist began in school. I was in drama class and participated in the choir as well. I realized they were the classes that I loved the most. I performed in many plays and every time I could I would sing in front of the school. The stage was my adiction. People would really respond to my performances, they would go and tell my parents how great I was in the play. I think I knew deep down that acting and singing was the way to go for me. After I graduated, I started singing in bars and thats how I got discovered. Some producers went to the bar and called me for an audition.


RD - How music became such a important part of your artistic life?

Music helped me so much in my artistic life. After I finished the series "Rebelde Way" I had kind of an existential crisis. The show was a very intense experience for me and my first professional job as well. After two years of touring and working all of that "Wonderland World" I had created in my head suddenly fell apart. For me it wasn't a job at that time it was my life. I suddenly didn't know where to turn and what to do. One night I grabbed my guitar and started writing songs. The whole process was such an artistic creative experience. From the time you start imagining the song till the time you actually record it and then mix the audio you see how suddenly they take form. They mutate, and I would too along with them. It was such a great way of channeling my feelings of darkness and turning them into light. I evolved during that time, I was able to clear out all the spider webs and keep moving forward. Thats how my cd "Victoria" began. You can listen to it on my myspace http://www.myspace.com/victoriamaurette or if you want to purchase it you can get it on itunes or cdbaby.com.

RD - You want to share some acting influences you have? Actors, actress and characters...

I am very interested in strong female characters. I love Hillary Swank. She is such a great actress, I love the way she prepares for her characters, she completely transforms her body and mind into somebody else. I try and do that with my characters. I would like to be a bit more like Kate Winslet as well. She just makes everything look so natural and I just love her. Male actors, I love Sean Penn. He is such a diverse and complete actor. I aspire to reach the level of professionalism that these actors put into their work.

RD - You're also a movie fan? If so, what are your favorite movies?

I love watching a good story. I don't really have like an all time favorite movie....I suck at choosing favorites. I have different stages in my life, sometimes I get into watching action films. Sometimes I really get into the romantic type, thrillers or the independent type. It all depends on the moment I am living in.


RD - You first became more noticed for playing Vico in a successful soap opera from Argentina called Rebelde Way and another soap titled No hay 2 sin 3. There is acting in TV and acting in movies... how you are learning with the differences of acting methods and contents, specially about your characters on Albert Pyun's Left for Dead and Bulletface?

Acting in movies and acting in Tv are two completely different things. When you are on a film you know that everything that is on set is there for a reason. Everything is thought out to the last detail. The hair, the make up, the wardrobe, the photography, etc. Its a magical experience because you know you are an essential piece on the chess board. Everybody is. You have more time to prepare the character where as in tv your character goes through so many changes during the show its hard for you to prepare beforehand when you really don't know how its going to turn out. It gives you a chance to try different things though and you always know that if one day you didn't like what you did, the next you have another try and the next, and the next. Its a longer process, some series ar on for six years. I think they both have their good things and bad things. For me it all depends on the project and the character. I have to fall in love with one of those two.


RD - 2007 and 2008 were great years for you, since you appeared in two horror movies filmed in Argentina: Left for Dead and Dying God. The first was a horror-western. Do you like the genres? How was the experience of making them?

I love the genres. I never thought I would actually be in one of these films. I had such a great time shooting them Left for Dead was such a powerful experience. I just loved everything about it. The wardrobe, the fighting, the guns, the blood. I am so interested in special effects make up, I think they are so talented. Its amazing the things they can do. My friends and family ask me what kind of characters I have to play before each film. And when the answer is "I'm a cowgirl looking for my husband that abandoned me, and I walk with the dead fetus of my baby around in a bag....." you can imagine what their reaction was. It's so funny to see their face when I tell them what I have to do next. It surprises me as well!

Victoria Maurette, in LEFT FOR DEAD

In Dying God I had a small character but I actually chose to be that character in particular. I thought the scene was so deep and I wanted to see myself in that situation. They were all great experiences, I learned so much about myself in the process.


RD - How it was making your second movie with Pyun, Bulletface? It sure looks to be a pretty intense, extreme movie. What made you face the challenge of entering in the tragic world of your character, Dara Marren?

When we finished Left for Dead, Albert came up to me and told me he had this project in Hollywood he wanted to shoot and he wanted me as the lead character. I was ecstatic! I couldn't believe what incredible opportunity he had just given me. The challenging part of the film was that we were going to shoot the whole thing in 5 days. Before we began I was kind of nervous because I didn't know how we were going to pull it off. But once we started filming, Albert just made everything look so easy and smooth that the days just flew by and suddenly you realized that we had actually finished it !

I loved Dara, she is such a strong character. She is the type of person that looks so harmless when you meet her but then you realize she is someone you shouldn't mess with. The way she protects her family is admirable. She would do anything for them. I really got into her skin and felt her pain.

RD - In Bulletface, you share scenes with more seasoned actors like Steven Bauer, Eddie Velez and Scott Paulin, but also with new talents like Morgan Weisser, Jenny Dare Paulin and Michael Esparza. How was the experience of working on the set with such different acting styles and ways to give the best of their perfomances?

It was great to be able to meet all of these different actors. Steven Bauer, Eddie Velez and Scott Paulin were so great to work with. They contributed so much to the film and helped me get the feel of who Dara really was. Steven is such a sweet guy, he was really fun to hang out with. As for Jenny Dare Paulin, Morgan Weisser and Michael Esparza I didn't feel like they were new actors at all. We just got into character and made it happen. For me it was hard because I didn't know anybody before starting the shoot. So it was a challenge to actually get the chemistry down with not that much time. I felt they were so easy to work with and open to anything that could happen during the scene in the spur of the moment . I am so greatful to all of them for baring with me those days and making me feel at home. I hope to work with them again.


RD - On this last weekend, Albert Pyun send the news on his official site you got casted on the upcoming Tales from Ancient Empire. He revealed to me you're going to appear entirelly nude, similar to Rebecca Romjin in Xmen. Pyun told you were very excited with your role, how you are preparing for it? How far you think you're going phisically and psychologically for the part?

I am extremely excited about this role! I can't wait! I am preparing for the character right now, Had to slim down and train alot. The nude scene is a challenge for me but I look forward to the experience. I trust Albert and we've worked together in two films already. I feel comfortable with him so I think it'll be a lot of fun. My character is so interesting and I can't wait to be on set. I've seen some of the footage and it looks so amazing! I am excited to meet the cast, all these incredible actors, Albert speaks so fondly of them. Albert and me constantly email eachother with ideas, pictures, videos. Its intense but I can't do it any other way. We talk about the phsycology of the character. He sends me articles to study, its an interesting process. I am so greatful that Albert is giving me another great opportunity, he has been nothing but kind to me.

RD - Here is your space to send a message for the brazilian genre and Albert Pyun fans who are reading this interview and others who don't know your work, but now they do.

Brazil!! I am so fond of your country. Actually my father lives in Sao Paulo so I go there often to visit him. Thankyou for all the support! And thank you to everybody, I am filled with hapiness and all I can think of to say is THANK YOU!!!!

REVIEW: BULLETFACE (2010)

Distribuído pelos próprios realizadores no mercado de vídeo, Bulletface é o último trabalho de Albert Pyun lançado lá fora. É um exemplar bem estranho dentro do próprio cinema do diretor, ao mesmo tempo pode-se notar o estilo Pyun presente em cada fragmento, seja beneficiando ou até mesmo prejudicando a obra. Não vou fazer como os nossos amigos gringos que vêm tecendo elogios exagerados à fita. Seria hipocrisia da minha parte não apontar alguns detalhes que me incomodaram bastante, embora eu tenha gostado muito do filme.

É preciso levar em consideração que Pyun completou as filmagens de Bulletface em menos de uma semana com um orçamento baixíssimo até para o nível do nosso cinema nacional. Mas até aí tudo bem, mesmo porque a direção é interessante, com um tom “arthouse” e experimentalismo barroco, estética de câmera amadora que, particularmente, aprecio no cinema B atual e que Pyun faz muito bom uso. O enredo também não é nada simples focando mais no drama da personagem do que na ação. Basicamente, a trama acompanha Dara Marren (a argentina Victoria Maurette), uma ex-agente policial que vai parar no xadrez para livrar a pele de Bruno, seu irmão mais novo.

As cenas na prisão resumem-se em desagradáveis estupros que a protagonista sofre, sempre aparecendo em sonhos e lembranças durante a narrativa. Apesar da nudez, não há nada de sexy nessas sequências, embora sejam algumas das melhores aqui presente, filmadas com grande força, um realismo impressionante e iluminação bem trabalhada. Os atores também prestam um bom serviço.

Durante a detenção de Dara, Bruno acaba assassinado por traficantes de uma nova e perigosa droga chamada Red Eye, feita através de um fluido da espinha dorsal humana. Um agente especial do governo, interpretado pelo veterano Steven Bauer, aproveita a situação de Dara para libertá-la durante um fim de semana para que possa se vingar dos culpados pela morte do irmão. Em troca ela o ajudaria a pegar os responsáveis pela nova droga.

Victoria Maurette está magnífica. É o segundo trabalho que ela faz com o diretor e percebe-se o entrosamento nas encenações. Em Tales of Ancient Empire ela voltará no papel de uma sensual vampira e Pyun ainda tem mais planos para ela em futuros trabalhos. Dara Marren é uma personagem forte, complexa, bem construída e Maurette se encaixa perfeitamente a ela. O elenco é um grande destaque em Bulletface. Bauer está muito bem e lembra um Mickey Rourke dos filmes B, já Scott Paulin, grande colaborador de Pyun, tem ótimos momentos.

A jornada de Dara em busca de vingança funciona como um bizarro filme noir moderno com uma pitada de ficção científica (nas cenas do laboratório onde a droga é projetada). Nada que surpreenda o fã mais entusiasta de Albert Pyun. Este parece vislumbrado com as novas ferramentas tecnológicas de montagem e é exatamente aí que mora o perigo. Ken Morrisey é o nome do editor, mas é provável que quem toma as decisões de montagem seja o Pyun. O sujeito atira para todos os lados: congela imagens, abusa de split screen, efeitos moderninhos, etc, tudo que tem direito. Só que ele não tem a mínima noção de como isso prejudica muito o ritmo do filme.

Infelizmente estes detalhes de edição não dão a impressão de que o realizador seja o mesmo que dirigiu Nemesis, Cyborg ou Jogo de Assassinos. E o que mais impressiona é que a direção experimental dele é ótima, mas nem isso, nem o elenco afiado e até mesmo a brilhante trilha sonora de Tony Riparetti compensam. Para um maluco aficcionado pelo cinema do Pyun, como eu, o resultado final é positivo, possui todos os tiques que fazem a personalidade do diretor e até as bizarrices que agradam seus fãs. O problema é que por conta da montagem o filme acaba limitado a este público específico: fãs de Albert Pyun. O espectador normal poderá não aguentar nem os primeiros 10 minutos, o que é uma pena.