David Wasco & Sandy Reynolds-Wasco

Martin wrote a big scene for Joshua Tree National Park east of here in the desert. You’re not allowed to shoot guns at the real Joshua Tree and you’re not allowed to do fire so we actually built a sizable visitor’s center in the middle of Lancaster which was far more film-friendly. Lancaster is north but feels just as remote. Locals kept pulling in, happy to see a sign of civilization but perplexed -they said they had no idea Joshua Tree came all the way out there! It was funny. They watched it being built, shot in a day, then disappear.

Working in LA is great and Seven Psychopaths was a lucky, dream opportunity, written for L.A. and shot in L.A. With a lot of work going out of state, so much art direction time and money is wasted by turning, say, New Orleans into California.

Before Psychos we did Rampart, also L.A. for L.A. and by another brilliant writer/director, Oren Moverman. I liked that film a lot too. It had a short release date but is worth looking out for.

SRW: After watching Martin’s previous film, In Bruges we reacted like so many of our friends… Bruges? It’s beautiful! We have to know more about Brussels! And that’s the reaction we hope to see happen after people see Seven Psychopaths, especially non-Americans. We want everyone to go, Wow, L.A.! The California Desert! What a crazy, great place. 

DW: Bruges tourism actually increased after Martin’s movie.

SRW: The story is about a writer who’s been asked to do a screenplay but he’s been struggling against it, against the requested action and the guns -the typical American fare. He’s researching psychopaths and we get to go back in time to visit a few of them.

DW: But he wants to do a different psychopath movie that is more about peace and love! It’s very funny. Martin attracted an incredible cast, part of his entourage of acting talent: people like Colin Farrell, Chris Walken and Sam Rockwell who have been in some of his plays. You have no idea where the movie is going to go.

SRW: I also think it’s wonderful that theater directors like Martin make every individual feel equally important. It’s a team-effort and he really respects all the crafts. When you’re on the set everyone is equally valuable.

AS: You were saying earlier that Seven Psychopaths might be like the next Pulp Fiction.
DW: It might be the next Pulp Fiction. That was my take on it while doing it. We only saw a rough cut but from what I saw it has the same sensibility. Not that Martin is trying to copy Quentin because Martin is his own writer, but it’s got so much great dialogue, so many short stories that add up to an interesting whole and a fun ride.