FANGORIA caught up with filmmaker Douglas (FAMILY PORTRAITS) Buck in Vancouver, Canada, where he is preparing for the March 13 production start on his redux of Brian De Palma’s 1973 psychological horror tale SISTERS. After initial announcements of a cast featuring Asia Argento, Chloe Sevigny, Stephen Rea and a cameo from director David Cronenberg, Argento has now had to bow out of the film, to be replaced in the lead role by French actress Anna Mouglalis (pictured). “Unfortunately, Asia dropped out due to scheduling reasons,” says Buck. “I believe she is on to a Catherine Breillat film, which should be a good project for her, and I really wish her well.”
As for his new star, Buck says he couldn’t be more pleased. “She was someone, along with Asia, that early on I was very interested in for the part,” the filmmaker says. “After Asia left the project, Anna was nice enough to quickly read the script and agree to come on board. She is an amazing actress, having done a number of very provocative French films, including LA VIE NOUVELLE and LE PRIX DU DESIR with Daniel Autuiel, while also being stunningly beautiful, as her status as a number-one French Chanel model attests. I can’t tell you how excited myself and [producer] Ed Pressman both are, as she can easily become the Catherine Deneuve of our time.”
In addition to Mouglalis filling the role of the disturbed woman who may or may not have a murderous Siamese twin, Sevigny (also appearing in David Fincher’s upcoming ZODIAC) has taken the part of a curious reporter played by Jennifer Salt in the original, while Rea (INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE) portrays the sinister doctor initially essayed by PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE’s William Finley. “Both these actors add an amazing amount of class to the film. I couldn’t be more pleased to get them,” Buck says. “I met Chloe in New York to discuss the part and I can’t wait to get to work with her. Along with being beautiful, she brings an integrity to every role she plays, large or small. I’ve been a fan of Stephen Rea’s work since THE CRYING GAME and am ecstatic to have him. Both Stephen and Chloe are exactly the type of actors I’ve dreamed of working with.”
The main challenge for Buck, who co-wrote the screenplay for the new SISTERS with John Freitas, is coming up with a fresh take on De Palma’s movie in these remake-saturated days. “I am a big fan of the original De Palma film, but where his main focus was style, style, style, with little concern for character or substance—and I don’t mean that as a criticism, I’m sure he may even agree with that assesment—I want to create something more character-driven and tragic,” says the director, who is making his feature-length debut on SISTERS after several memorable short films. “While still giving the horror crowd the proper amount of gore and violence I myself love, I also want to have a thread of tenderness running through the film. I want the audience to come out of the film thinking, ‘Am I supposed to feel good about what I’ve seen, or really horrified and dirty?’ Creating that dichotomy of reaction is something I’ve always enjoyed—in other words, I like screwing with the audience!”
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