No matter how you feel about the movie ‘Dark Ride,’ there still is no debate over the fact that Jonah, the crazy carnie, is one of the coolest slashers to come along in quite some time. With this in mind, we knew we had to be one of the first people to interview the man behind the mask before he joins the ranks of Freddy or Jason. I don’t think Dave Warden had planned to become a horror icon, but playing the likes of Jonah may have made him just put him in that category.
Horror Yearbook: You play ‘Jonah’ in the movie ‘Dark Ride,’ and in my opinion, Jonah is one of the better villains to come out in a long time. Can you tell us a little about Jonah, what he does, and most important, what he is?
Dave Warden:
Jonah is an inbred carnie from a little New Jersey beach town who was raised inside of a Dark Ride in an amusement park on the local pier. Growing up in darkness, and surrounded by images of torture and death, Jonah Parish became warped and began to act out the scenarios he assumed were a part of every human’s interactions. He would replace the mannequins in the displays with real people he had killed on the pier. But eventually he was caught when he brutally slaughters two twelve year old girls and is institutionalized for life. When he escapes the asylum, a new reign of terror begins and the blood begins to flow.
Jonah represents a real possibility of human existence, and I think that is what makes him so scary. A big, animalistic, mental patient who only knows how to kill and maim. This is a person who can exist. Not a zombie or supernatural being, a real monster that lives amongst us.
HYB: So could you be the next Robert Englund? Do you think Dark Ride and Jonah have franchise potential?
DW: I would welcome any comparison to Robert Englund as his body of work and success in the horror industry are certainly things I respect and aspire to. I am hopeful that the fans will come to see Jonah in the same light as they see Freddy, a horror icon. The film has been well received, and there is talk of a sequel, so I’m really hoping that another DARK RIDE goes into production soon. Jonah is a very scary character, and I hope to have the pleasure to play him for many years to come.
HYB: I think you metioned you were looking to produce movies in L.A., is that correct?
DW: Yes, last year I was Co-Producer on a production called ‘Little Hercules in 3-D’. This is an indie feature film Starring Richard “Little Hercules” Sandrak, Hulk Hogan, Judd Nelson, The Big Show. The movie has a distributor and we hope to see it in theaters by spring. It’s a family film that we think is going to do very well. It was my first 3-D project and I definitely learned a lot about the challenges of Hi-Def 3-D shooting.
I am also Co-Producer on the newly finished ‘Pinche Burro’. This is a smaller indie film produced by my partner Jim Stimpson about a waveless surf trip to Mexico Starring Kansas Carradine and Tom Carver. It’s a nice little coming of age piece that we are taking to market in ’07.
My background is in cable television. I was a Line Producer and UPM for several years before I started acting and producing, so I have a great deal of experience with the technical side of producing. Over the last few years I have made the move into more creative roles where my true passion lies.
HYB: What is it about producing you are drawn to?
DW: Producing is rewarding because you get to put your creative mark on a project throughout the entire journey of conception to completion. From selling the concept to an investor, to hiring (or firing) a director, to casting, to post-production and marketing, the producer colors every aspect of a product with their technical knowledge, management skills and creative vision.
HYB: Did you learn anything about production, or the role of a producer, from the set of ‘Dark Ride’ that you can take with you to future projects?
DW Dark Ride opened my mind to the possibilities of innovative location choice. Using the inside of the New York sets on the Universal Lot as the actual Dark Ride was a stroke of genius. I will never look at a set or soundstage the same again. With good lighting and a smoke machine any dumpster can be the Taj Mahal.
HYB: How did you come across the role of Jonah?
DW: My agent at the time, Judy Cook, had a company that was handling the extra casting on DARK RIDE. She heard that the main antagonist role was open and submitted me for it. I auditioned for Craig Singer, Chris Williams and Dan Bickel on a Friday and they called that afternoon and offered the part. I had to quit my job as a production coordinator on NANNY 911, but I knew it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
HYB: What did you do to prepare to play the role of a killer?
DW: I spent a few days stretching and warming up my body to get ready for the stunts I had to do. Spiro Razatos, the stunt coordinator, had me over to his house to see what I could do physically. He had me work on the fighting with a fight choreographer and then had me work on the trampoline to check my balance. I was very stoked when he said I had good body control and would be able to accomplish everything he would need me to do in the film.
HYB: Is there a part of you that has to find something in Jonah to identify with, or do you try to stay as removed from the character as possible?
DW: Jonah is a dark chasm of evil who feels no pain, so I just turned off everything in my brain but predatory, carnivorous blood lust and followed that wherever it took me. Craig Singer gave me a great deal of latitude in bringing Jonah to life.
HYB: What was your favorite part of playing such a dark role?
DW: Getting to be the first actor to get my hands on the character and interpret Jonah’s evil without a preconception was the best part of getting this role. I got to bring personality to what may be the most evil character I will ever play.
HYB: Is it in any way cathartic to be just plain evil for a few hours a day?
DW: It’s very satisfying to stick you hand through someone’s chest or throw them through a window. It’s something you never get to do in real life and it realigns your violence shakras.
HYB: Did the role require a lot of stunts?
DW: I had to do five or six actual stunts. I really enjoyed the sexy fake danger that made me feel like Lee Majors in The Fall Guy. They had a stunt double for me for a scene where Jonah gets hit by a van. He got rocked in the shins by the vans bumper and had huge golfball sized lumps under his skin. I was thankful that he took the hit, but I got the bruiseless glory.
HYB: Did you get to kill a lot of people in the movie?
DW: I think I get to kill seven people in Dark Ride. I’m hoping to get to double digits in the next one.
HYB: What was the best part of being Jonah in Dark Ride?
DW: The shoot was great for me. I had more fun than anyone on the movie. Everyone was professional and courteous, and the production took great care of me. My trailer was on the Back to the Future lot. I made several great friends on the set including Writer/Producer Robert Dean Klein whom I see once a week for our Sunday Movie Night.
HYB: This was your first acting role. Are you looking to do more?
DW: I have done a few commercials and am looking for roles now that don’t conflict with my producing responsibilities. Acting is the greatest job in the world and I hope to get more opportunities to work as an actor in other scripted productions. I have done some hosting work on television, which is great, but nothing beats acting for fun and satisfaction.
HYB: If so, do you hope to be in another horror movie or are you looking for something else?
DW: I am currently in development on another horror film as an actor and producer, and a few offers have come in as a result of the success of “8 films to die for”, but at this point in my career I am keeping all my options open. I just want to work as much as possible.
HYB: What was it like working with the other actors? Who was your favorite?
DW: The other actors were all very easy to work with and it has been great to hang out with them during recent press functions. I liked everybody, but my favorite is Andrea Bogart. She is a great actress and a very fun person to be around. We sat next to each other at a horror film round table and had a great time defending the honor of gore films as an art form.
HYB: Are you a fan of horror movies?
DW: I love horror films, and I guess you could say that I am a PSYCHO and SAW type of guy. I like mainstream horror as much as the small indies.
Who would win in a fight: Jonah or Jason Vorhees?
DW: Jonah would kick the crap out of Jason. Jonah’s a real person with no fear and super human strength. Jason is a mostly decayed body that depends on the fears of his opponents for an edge. For a more direct comparison, please see the recent UFC fight in which Tito Ortiz beat the snot out of fighting legend Ken Shamrock. I’m not saying that Jason is a wuss, nor is Ken Shamrock, but Jonah is a younger, hungrier mass murderer out there who is ready to reign as the toughest monster on the planet.
HYB: As you probably know, we did an interview with the director of ‘Dark Ride’, Craig Singer. How was he to work with?
DW: Craig was very cool. He is good at getting what he needs out of actors without confining their creative choices. I encourage everybody to watch the directors cut on the DVD so you can see Craig’s full directorial vision of the film. I think horror fans will see Craig as a credible and talented director, and they will come to see all of his future films. I owe Craig a great deal and hope he puts me in all of his movies.
So do we, and thank you Dave Warden for taking the time to do this interview.
Interview by WIL Keiper & Andrew Walsh
