Alastair Kirton britspotting-interview

Punctual at midnight britspotting had shown at the 14^th November the German premier of the zombie movie COLIN. Alastair Kirton, actor of homonymous leading part, travelled therefore to Berlin.

You do not only play a zombie in your new movie, your career also started with it in WOODS OF TERROR V.

That was the first film with Marc Price who was working with another director and he asked me, if I’m interested in playing a zombie. That was the time where he got the idea for COLIN. But my career started with acting in a theatre for about five or six years. COLIN is my first proper movie.

Do you have a special affection for the horror genre?

I love horror films like DON’T LOOK NOW from Nicolas Roeg with Donald Sutherland, for instance,  is extremely terrifying. And I also love Peter Jackson’s BRAINDEAD. With COLIN we wanted to make a horror film that is on the one hand scary, but on the other hand with characters that you could feel something for.

How did you prepare for being a zombie?

It was tough. The first shots were in Marc’s house, so that we had some time to fathom what works for a zombie physically. I had to find a way to move and look like a zombie. Being in full make-up and wondering around the streets of London early in the morning, when other people went to work, would be strange.

Alastair Kirton gives everything at britspotting-Karaoke

Did you practice in front of the mirror?

The whole time: especially not to blink was very hard, because it is quite an human thing. But if somebody advice you not to blink, then you blink more than ever.

COLIN is a very special film because it isn’t told from the perspective of a victim, but of a zombie.

It was the original idea of Marc. Many zombie movies start in different ways, but end up at the same place with a group of survivors. We tried to take one zombie and follow his journey from being bitten to coming back home. I guess, in the traditional zombie genre a zombie is always part of a big group. But we just focussing on one face in a big crowd which he leaves and that makes COLIN quite interesting.

What is the motivation for a zombie – biting, devouring?

We tried to explore exactly that question – the last scene points out some reasons.

Did you make the blood yourself?

You only need to mix “Golden Syrup”, red foot colouring, hot water and a cup of very strong instant coffee. The great thing is, you can put it in your mouth and spit it confidently to other people. A low budget makes you to approach things in a very creative way.

What are your next projects?

I’m working with Marc on a new film in which no zombie will be seen: it’s namely a monster movie. The action takes place in the Second World War, so more an old version of a monster movie. It is set in a plane where a creepy creature starts attacking the crew members. I just read the script and I actually have dialogue!