Set to release today on DVD by RLJ Entertainment Dead West does an amazing job of creating some strong performances and dialogue that will not be forgotten. The tone of this film is very dark and movie-goers get to witness a superb performance by actor Brian Sutherland. This low-budget independent movie has so much to offer and is worth checking out. Enjoy our interview below:

*This Interview Does Contain Some Plot Spoilers – Use Discretion*

Synopsis: 

“A charismatic serial killer embarks on a murderous cross-country road trip in search of true love. Along the way he meets and kills several women whom he deems unworthy, eluding capture from the authorities by moving from one town to the next. When the brother of one of his victims decides to track the killer down to get vigilante justice, a revenge-fueled chase ensues. Along the way, the killer finally meets the girl of his dreams; but will they live happily ever after?”

 

Interview With “LadyKiller” Brian Sutherland

 

Sinful Celluloid: I did watch the movie, and your performance was utterly amazing! When you were in character you were so confident the whole movie, you had this charm to you and it kept me on edge, having no idea what to expect.

Brian Sutherland: I have a lot of Charles Manson to thank for that. {Laughs Out Loud}

SC: That was your inspiration?

BS: There was a lot to it. I read a couple of interviews and watched a few TV interviews about Charles Manson. For someone as dark and deep. Charles Manson, he has this process this charisma to him that it utterly terrify. He would say, “there ain’t nobody’s nose I can touch. If I can touch your nose, I can kill you.” That one really stuck with me. He had his confidence even though he was not the world’s most handsome guy. Reading those interviews and getting that charisma really helped, I remembered just every once in a while I would have to pop up a picture and channel that, so yeah, I guess you could say he was a big influence.

SC: It does show, and like said the entire time you had this boost of confidence, and that smile you had the entire way, it was quite a ride.

BS: Terrified my mother {Laughs Out Loud}

SC: I bet, I bet! When you prepared for this role what was the extreme change in your personality. Did it take you a long time to get into character or was it very natural?

BS: You know, there would be days when we would start filming, and Jeff would come up to me and say “he is just not there yet.” I would have to go like sit in a corner, close my eyes. I can’t explain it, but there were times I knew that I was the lady killer and there were other times I would have to jump up and down to get pumped. I spent about three months reading a whole bunch of books on child abuse and what has led people to become these violent creatures. Visually I created a diary about a child growing up, and the last chapter of the diary was the day before we started shooting. And with that, I was trying to meditate on certain imaginary images of who my parents were and what they did to me. Seeing my parents through smoking mirrors. So to get into character, I would have to dive back into being a child, and that would spark something that would lead me to something I was playing. That was difficult. The hardest part was to play someone that could go there. I tell everyone I play nerds and I play serial killers [Laughs}. I love comedy so to dive into something so dark was difficult but ideally you just kind of black out and when they say cut, and you hear “great job.” We do have a sequel in the works, whether that gets made or not but we did some auditions, and I picked up the second script and did some reading and instantly I was back to playing The Lady Killer. So, he is still a part of me somewhere.

SC: I was going to ask you about that, if there was a sequel or if you would be interested in doing one if you were approached.

BS: Yeah, I was kind of hesitant, and then I read it and I enjoyed it. It is a very different script. I think I can tell you this. Ideally, it will be graphically more violent. Kind of a change in pace, but it’s good, it is solid. Whether it is in the works, I know that it has been written.

SC: That is awesome. The way the film ended, really left it opened. Normally, this ending would have bothered me, but I was very satisfied with the way the film ended. I was really satisfying; I was very worried that your character was going to get it, someone was going to get him. [Laughs] I was kind of rooting for you in such a way, which is really odd.

BS: That is what I have heard from people. It really makes you feel odd when you are rooting for the antagonist. But he has that capability of being both the antagonist and the protagonist. Jeff writes scripts that have whole characters. You feel for them, and you see all different sides of them it is how you want to be portrayed and how you do not want to be portrayed. We went back and forth on a lot of different endings. There was definitely talk about his [Lady Killer} death. There was probably about six or seven different endings. I really didn’t know where we were going until I really sat down and saw the movie. To be honest, he really did a good job in editing and telling a good story. I have heard from people that they are very excited that I lived, so that is pretty good for my character.

SC: I think the character that you were with at the end, Roxy. Is the character’s name?

BS: Yeah played by Megan Karimi.

SC: I was in a way kind of surprised that she didn’t make it. I was kind of rooting for her too.

BS: She did such a phenomenal job. I have known her for a couple of years, and I think that she was one of the first people casted. She has this innocence to her, and she is so lovely to watch on screen. You know one thing that I liked that Jeff kind of did is in the script I am not sure if it actually made the cut be she actually accepts the death in the end. She knew the entire time, and she is just like me, she just wants to be with somebody to trust, someone that they can feel protected by. She really gave her heart to me, literally and figuratively in the end. That is what I liked. She didn’t handle it as in, “Oh my God you’re gonna kill me.” She was like, “do what you need to do if that is what you need.”

SC: She really did play it well, very smooth all the way until the end. Your character did a good deed for her, and that showed her.

BS: It is always like once a monster always a monster. Can someone with this darkness get rid of it? And it is hard. It is just like you said most people expect me to die at the end of the movie. Is that what actually happens? I talk to a lot of my friends that are psychology majors, and I told them whether I live or die I keep going until someone kills you. I felt that was very powerful and goes against type on films; usually, you would expect someone like me to kick the bucket.

SC: Yeah definitely and you always had a plan, your character was always one step ahead, you didn’t have any fear. So like when the “brother” came after you, your character just went with it.

BS: Yeah, and there is a scene when I kill Katie Michels character, Candy, the girl who is smoking. At the end you see me leave and I am kind of in a panic, and I clean the door handle, I get in the car, and I go and then I kind of get my composure back. I am glad that we showed that because that scene showed that I couldn’t be this one-dimensional character who just kills people and doesn’t have any feeling about it. Ideally, you really need to have vintage and being on your toes to makes sure no one was watching you. That is what I also liked about it; he had his confidence to be able to take out anybody. The scene that I shot where we have that fight in the rain was awesome because Jeff is another actor that I have worked with and it was pouring down rain, we were covered in mud, and he was a fight choreographer, so we just had freedom to kick each other’s asses {laughs} And really go at it. I always wanted to show a little bit of how the fight got to me and that I was a real human and I was out of breath. It is not as easy as it looks, you see that so many times. The guy isn’t Superman; he is just pretty quick he does try and stay one step ahead of everyone, I am wondering how long this streak will go for.

SC: Yeah, until is luck runs out, that is for sure. And then another character, well to me it was a character, your car.

BS: Yeah, right. She was beautiful Punkin was actually he real name. I just got it from this lovely couple, and it was a prized car, I think a 78 Chevrolet. They are going to kill me if I get this wrong, I like lived in it, but that was two years ago. So it was an award winning car, they were so sweet they pretty just let me live in this car and drive it around whenever I wanted. I don’t think had driven that car beside them. It was just fantastic. In the beginning, I was just terrified to drive it, because it had won all these awards, it was such a lovely car. At the end, I got the hang of it, and it became a part of me. I really like how Jeff this character of a car that would not start. I really needed to treat it [Punkin] right, when I was reading that I was like what? This car is its own character {Laughs} Which is beautiful.

SC: Yeah, almost like Christine. So what is next for you? Are you working on anything currently?

BS: I am, I have a lot of projects in pre-production. I am working on my own screenplay. It is kind of a Blades of Glory; it is a 1970s Sweetish Disco Hand cocking Band. I have two horror comedies in the works. Should be a busy year a couple of TV pilots. I am really hoping in the genres of comedy, sci-fi, and horror. And ideally we are looking at a Dead West 2, so that could get green-lighted any day and if people wanna see it, we would love to make it.

SC: I think the hardest part about this is getting the word out. There are so many platforms. This one that I am looking forward to its release so I can tell people about, “Hey you gotta see this guy!” [LadyKiller]

BS: Well thank you, Ryan, so much for a good interview man.

SC: No problem Brian, take care of yourself and thank you.