Listen to the interview in streaming audio (requires Apple Quicktime)

"The first interview is David Fincher." Rocker Henry Rollins told me about his IFC show HENRY'S FILM CORNER. "He [Fincher] is a cool interview, a fascinating guy, incredibly articulate. And I asked him questions that as a film fan I would want to know…. He and I together reviewed the new Sean Penn film THE ASSASINATION OF RICHARD NIXON and he directed Sean [in a different film THE GAME]. So there is some interesting tie-ins there and the film is really cool."

HENRY'S FILM CORNER premieres tonight at midnight on the Independent Film Channel. It is hosted by Henry Rollins. Rollins spoke with me by telephone. He was spirited yet restrained and perceptive. I remembered the rocker Rollins, the actor Rollins, the film critic Rollins is sure to broaden his appeal.

"Our non-celebrity guest was an electrician and he and I reviewed the new Wes Anderson film THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU. I loved it. If you liked RUSHMORE, BOTTLE ROCKET, THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS, this is more of it and you will not be let down." Rollins was talking about one segment of his show where he reviews a film with an everyman like his postman, but in the premiere it is an Scottish electrician.

HENRY'S FILM CORNER is not your typical film criticism show. Aside from the eclectic host, the original pilot I was sent featured a group of porn stars talking about BOOGIE NIGHTS. This unique piece was not used for the premiere but might come along later.

Instead, Rollins said, "In the first show [that premieres tonight] we have firemen talking about LADDER 49."

But the porn stars were brilliant, I told him.

"We could use it [in another show] because there is not a day on earth that sex won't work." Rollins responded. "You know porn stars on a show, that will always be just fine. So we might just keep that one if we can't come up with a better idea. Because there is no reason that won't work now or 10 years from now, chicks talking about sex will always be pretty damned cool."

In the pilot I saw, Rollins is very good when he rants about a big budget Hollywood disaster of a movie. He chose to pick on TERMINATOR 3 calling it a host of things none of which are very flattering. Of course, I didn't think T3 was that bad; Rollins doesn't agree.

"If I had my way I'd only review films that are really good." Rollins said. "I'd rather talk about the ones that I thought were great."

I suggested to Rollins that often the best reviews are written about bad movies. After all, his rant was intelligent and extremely entertaining. Was there anything that he was ranting about these days?

"All those Jennifer Lopez films and all those Ben Affleck ones, why do you make these films? Anything with Hugh Grant in it, why? What was the purpose in these films? It is about as exciting as bath water to me." Rollins imagery was blunt and descriptive. "Pretty people looking very good saying these lines. OCEANS 12, why?"

I told him that I would take him to task on that one. Rollins said that he preferred the original with the real rat pack.

Look for HENRY'S FILM CORNER tonight on IFC. And if we're lucky it will be a regular addition to the already solid IFC line-up.

For more information about HENRY'S FILM CORNER visit the IFC website: http://www.ifctv.com/henry/

Listen to the interview in streaming audio (requires Apple Quicktime)

Jonathan W. Hickman