Director Ready to Re-Release Cult Favorite Film

Alex Cox has never been a mainstream director and he’s just fine with that.

The director of the cult movie “Straight To Hell” is back with an update to his 1987 film with “Straight to Hell Returns.”

“I got inspired to retouch the film after seeing ‘Apocolypse Now Redux,’” he said during a recent phone interview from his home in southern Oregon. “We have the digital technology today to do things I couldn’t do in 1987. I wanted more gore and wanted it to be more grotesque.”

Cox made the 1987 film with a budget of $1 million. The film’s cast inlcuded Grace Jones, Dennis Hopper, Joe Strummer, Courtney Love and Sy Richardson.

“The film wasn’t received very well by mainstream audiences in the United States,” he said. “With the exception of Seattle. There was one positive review from there.”

Cox said while the movie was panned in the United States, it garnered a cult following and become big business in Japan.

“There are people out there who get the craziness of the movie,” he said. “And audiences in Japan really loved the movie for the costumes. The women in the film have some great costumes. I think it made sense to them since they are always so fashion forward.”

After he decided to make an extended version of the film, Cox said he spend nearly two months working with the original negatives.

“I had to clear the negative of all the flaws and blemishes,” he said. “We changed over to high definition for the new version. To do this, the price almost matches the budget I had on the original film.”

At the time of the original movie was made, Cox said, he was just enjoying the shoot. Now 23 years later, he watches the movie and is in awe of the talent of the cast.

“Joe (Strummer) was just amazing. I watch the movie now and his performance still stands up,” he said. “And then we have Dennis (Hopper) and Elvis (Costello), who are legends in their own right. And of course, Courtney (Love), who was in the film before she developed into the person she is today. It was a groundbreaking film for me.”

Cox said the DVD will be released Dec. 14.

“I’m looking forward to fans being able to see the missing scenes and the new digital work,” he said. “It’s always good to get any feedback. I’m not in this business (to make) billions of dollars, I do it for the art.”

“Straight To Hell Returns” will premiere in Santa Fe on Thursday, Nov. 11 and in Albuquerque Friday, Nov. 12.

Cox said he decided to premiere the film in New Mexico because of all the films being made in New Mexico.

“The state is a hotbed for filmmaking and I know there will be people there who will appreciate it,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing some of my favorite places during the time I’m there.”

Cox will be available at both Santa Fe and Albuquerque screenings for a question-and-answer session after the movie.

“The people who get what I do are the best,” he said. “I’m fortunate to have those people around me. I’m looking forward to what they think of the redone scenes.”

“Straight To Hell Returns”

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11

Center for Contemporary Arts, 1050 Old Pecos Trail

10 p.m. and 12 a.m., Friday, Nov. 12

Guild Cinema, 3405 Central NE