Trial by fire! America’s introduction to ultimate evil was dramatic, big slam. Now, CNN broadcasts our slow, calculated, measured response almost every minute of every day. Are you numb yet?

      Sal Ciavarello’s terrifying new horror film "Hard Core Poison Eyes" (HPE) painfully makes its characters confront and respond without the benefit of a Colin Powell or time to measure and calculate. Evil could be all around us, even right outside your door waiting to test your resolve.

      One of the great things about writing for EI is finding new talent who needs wider exposure. What made finding independent New York filmmaker Sal Ciavarello such a treat was the fact that his digital video movie "Hardcore Poisoned Eyes" (click here to read my review of the DVD) is an excellent horror movie that cries out for a widespread audience. Nominated for Best Feature at next summer’s "International Festival of Darkness," HPE is a smartly written, well researched, character driven, claustrophobic horror film which hooked me early, rode me hard and left me Wowed. HPE was written, directed, edited by Mr. Ciavarello.

      After turning down a deal with MIRAMAX over censorship pressures, Mr. Ciavarello is now distributing HPE in VHS and DVD versions over the Internet (www.hpemovie.com). Contacting independent filmmakers is a hit or miss proposition. Sometimes you come across folks who have no idea of which end of the camera to point at the action. Of all the up-and-coming independent filmmakers I’ve had the pleasure to interview and/or talk to, none have had the cinematic vision and passion for their work as Mr. Ciavarello.

Sal Ciavarello: I was born in the Bronx, New York 29 years ago. Very fascinated with anything supernatural when I was a kid. My first film experience was at the age of 9 or 10 where a local library was having a screening of "Dracula" starring Bela Lugosi which I imagine was projected on 16mm. I went to Christopher Columbus high school in the Bronx which was just a "normal" public school...I was rejected by the arty Laguardia High School...(bastards)...anyway, there I really started to learn about shooting films in 16mm in a VIDEO class I took in my junior year, talk about weird! Afterwards I attended The School of Visual Arts in NY City where I majored in screenwriting and film production. I dropped out on the third year to make "Blue Shadows" a short film starring Nina Garbiras who plays the very hot and slutty wife in (George) Romero's "Bruiser."

No, I haven't had the pleasure. Although I came close one day where Roy invited me to the New York City premiere of "The Dark Half" but I had to leave early because my friend was my ride and he had to go. That sucks doesn't it? But that would have been weird for me. It's like meeting God. I would have probably just stood there with a dumbfounded expression on my face.

"Picture these folks in that controversial scene in "Eyes Wide Shut" but besides sex they also hold Satanic rituals filled with blood oaths, torture and murders being filmed. Now that's some scary shit."
---Sal Ciavarello

I don't think it's the same book. The book I read was written by Maury Terry and is entitled "The Ultimate Evil." And like the book you read this one scared the ever-loving shit out of me as well; and a great part of the reason why is because most of the killings and alleged Satanic murderers took place and live in my backyard called New York. The concept started with an idea I had in my head of what I wanted my first feature to be about, and that was something related to the most frightening subject matter I could think of...Satan. I did some research on the web and came across this nonfiction book called The Ultimate Evil. What scared me and what I wanted to place in my film was the idea or theory that Berkowitz was not alone but taking orders from higher ranking Satanists who hold very high and prestigious day jobs that include positions in the government of the United States. Picture these folks in that controversial scene in Eyes Wide Shut but besides sex they also hold Satanic rituals filled with blood oaths, torture and murders being filmed. Now that's some scary shit.

Roy Frumkes is speaking about my previous films which include the short horror film "Blue Shadows" and my early films in film school. Besides being a filmmaker of such films like "Street Trash," " Document of the Dead" and "The Substitute." Roy was also my former instructor at the School of Visual Arts.

I would love to have the chance to work with him on a future project. I was recently on set of his latest feature "The Sweet Life" where I played a background wedding attendee and I can see that the producer side of him is as cool and calm and funny as he is in real life. It would be great if the right project would come along.

The screenplay was written entirely by myself and only with the assistance of many cigarettes and King Diamond music pushing me along.

King Diamond's dark and twisted lyrics at one point got me out of a writing block towards the end of the script. It's amazing to see how much music can help.

I have that dream all the time. "Revelations" is full of King Diamond and Mercyful Fate music that the main character happens to be listening to all the freaking time. One day when I have the proper backing for my next feature King Diamond will be number one on my list to contact for a score.

"My exact words when I came out of the theater after watching Blair Witch was 'Wow, I have such a headache.' followed by 'I can see the Texas Chain Saw Massacre influence...and damn, that was bad.'"
---Sal Ciavarello

I guess you can say I've been doing research on the subject matter for a great number of years now. There is something very alluring and repulsive about the Devil that I can't quite shake. I've picked up a great number of books in my life on the subject matter. Also did some research on the Church of Satan and I think it will always continue to be a very fascinating and frightening subject for me.

The screenplay was written in about a month and a half. It only took two drafts until it was final.

Well, I don't want to sound like a pompous prick but I didn't believe Blair Witch was a great film at all, or a film period. I thought there was pure genius when you think of the marketing aspect of Blair Witch. It surely racked in the big bucks. I knew folks who went into the theaters thinking "this is real." My exact words when I came out of the theater after watching Blair Witch was "Wow, I have such a headache." followed by "I can see the Texas Chain Saw Massacre influence...and damn, that was bad." When shooting HPE I knew immediately that there would be the inevitable comparisons and statements that HPE is a Blair Witch rip off...and the reason why these folks would say such a thing is because both flicks were shot on Digital Video and we also had three main characters. But gladly the few critics who have seen the picture have been very pleased with HPE. One good thing that came out of watching Blair Witch was the hope that it gave filmmakers like myself to say hey, if we make a good picture and shoot it on Digital Video Hollywood will accept it. Sadly, that's not quite the case today...but I see that it is slowly changing.

I have known Huy, the director of photography since 1991. We were in the same film class at SVA. Anthony Fariello was a friend of a friend. I think we hung out for about a year until we realized that both of us were heading in the same direction. That day was pretty funny because neither of us really ever talked about film when we hanged out with our friends. So, it's great to work with people you know and trust and more importantly like!

"I can say that it was definitely my savior otherwise I would still have the same old conversations with my filmmaker friends trying to come up with a way to raise $300,000 instead of $30,000."
---Sal Ciavarello

» continue interview (part II)

Rusty White