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San Diego Comic-Con Málaga - Santiago Segura Interview
We discuss the first European Comic-Con, geek culture, local humour, action heroes, and more with the actor and filmmaker who stormed into the cult classic scene with the 90's B-movie horror flick The Day of the Beast.
Audio transcription
"We are at the presentation of the San Diego Comic-Con in Málaga, which is going to happen in September, but we are here with the host, which is also a cinematographer, an actor, everything in the cinema in Spain, and well-known in Hollywood as well, so thank you so much for joining us."
"No, not so well.
Not so well.
In Hollywood, not so well.
So, first of all, what do you think this means to, you know, both Málaga, Spain, and the pop culture, and the movie culture in Spain that you are so well acquainted with?
It means a lot."
"Suddenly, after 54 years being Comic-Con, San Diego Comic-Con, an icon, suddenly they are going to have a replica in Málaga, Spain, and it's not like some… It's not a spin-off, right?
It's not a version. It's the real thing, you know."
"There's a lot of work involved for this to become a reality, like a San Diego Comic-Con in Spain.
So, for me, it's a dream.
I have never been in San Diego Comic-Con, because it's a little far away.
I mean, if you go to New York, I've been to the New York Comic-Con, but San Diego is like… Yeah, the other side of the whole continent."
"You are also related to geek culture in Spain.
We remember you from The Day of the Beast.
Yeah.
That was like your first very well-known movie, right?
Yeah."
"Why do you think we don't have such a geek culture in Spain compared to Hollywood, where, you know, you've been with Pacific Rim and Blade and Hellboy?
I think it's… You see the… It's a little bit… Our industry is a good industry, but it's more focused on author films."
"All right.
It's the genre. Horror, science fiction, it's like weird.
We don't do that kind of movie, you know?
So, we do [have] some examples, you know?
When we did Super López or Anacleto, movies inspired in comic book characters, they've been a success, you know?
Even Mortadelo y Filemón."
"Yeah.
But it's not usual.
Unlike in the United States, [where] the pop culture is sacred.
And here it's neglected.
Yeah."
"So, we see a lot of figures and action figures, and we didn't see that with The Day of the Beast, but perhaps in the future with events… No, no I worked with Sideshow to do an action figure of Torrente."
"Nice.
But they wanted to do a cheap one, you know?
Yeah.
And I wanted the real thing.
And they explained to me, I mean, if you do here, I'm sure that 1,000 people will buy a Torrente action figure."
"But with 1,000 people, the price would be astronomical, you know?
If you do it for the whole world, and you do 5,000 copies, you can sell it.
If it's Indiana Jones, well-known around the world, Superman, but Torrente is only known locally."
"So, it's difficult.
Even the merchandising.
When I signed Torrente, the first contract for Torrente, the producer was amazed because I put that I own the rights of the merchandising."
"And he was laughing, you know?
Like, what are you going to do with this in the future?
He was a little right, because I did nothing.
But, you know, I wanted to have it just in case."
"Okay, okay.
All right.
So, you've been working with Hollywood movies and with a lot of Spanish movies.
Other than production values, which would you say is the main difference?
You said auteur, but other than that… Also, the budget is very different."
"We are talking about, you know, 100 million.
We have never done a movie that big in Spain.
For instance, right now, a big blockbuster is 200 million.
Easily."
"So, that's out of reach for us.
Besides that, the promotion.
We usually spend all the money doing the film.
And then we don't have any money for the promotion."
"It's usually… In Hollywood, even the big budget movies, they have the 30% for promotion.
So, that kind of… Those things are important to go to a bigger, a broader audience."
"And speaking about broader audience and your own movies, you are an expert in Spanish comedy.
You've mentioned Torrente, Father is Only One.
I think that's the name in English."
"Father, There is Only One.
Father, There is Only One.
We have imported a lot of American comedy films in many decades.
What is the key to exporting a so local, so, you know, in this case, so Spanish, humor and comedy to… It's almost impossible."
"They say that comedy doesn't travel.
What it means is that things are… When things are local, people… Ben Stiller, Will Ferrell."
"Al Sandler.
Jim Carrey, Al Sandler.
I love them.
For me, they are comedy heroes.
In Spain, you know, a Ben Stiller movie or Will Ferrell."
"Will Ferrell, for me, is a god.
He's a god.
I love him.
But his kind of movie is like maybe too local.
I love him, but people don't go see them."
"And I like that kind of movie.
You know, the movies that Will Ferrell used to do.
I did El asombroso mundo de Borjamari y Pocholo.
It was like a concept movie, like those movies that SNL did, you know, with the characters of SNL."
"It's the kind of movie that I love, you know.
Even Isi/Disi, for me, is that kind of comedy with characters.
But I don't think they translate well."
"And Torrente is more similar to The Naked Gun and Leslie Nielsen.
Torrente is a movie that they tried to buy.
They were trying to..."
"Mexico tried to do a Torrente.
France.
Oh, really?
And even the United States.
Like an own version."
"They paid for the rights and they worked on it, but they didn't know how to...
You know, I even helped them and gave ideas, you know.
Because El Fary is a very special kind of singer."
"And it's so difficult to go to the other culture.
It's like soccer.
Soccer here is not like football or baseball.
It's like..."
"Yeah.
It's so...
Different culture.
It's different, you know.
Okay, final one."
"This is all about fans gathering together, seeing the actors, people gathering together.
Like I'm meeting you today.
What is your stance on AI?
Because that's completely the opposite, you know."
"Dehumanizing the movie production.
There's a lot, there¡s been strikes in the US against AI for both actors, voice actors.
You've been a voice actor as well."
"What do you think about that?
This is something completely, like in the opposite extreme.
Like gathering people and getting to know the real people behind movies."
"But what do you think about AI and this whole controversy?
I am still in shock.
Because I saw recently a trailer for a movie.
A whole..."
"A picture entirely done in AI.
And it's an American company that wants also to do...
The budget is like $500,000.
Which is amazing."
"And they are planning to do...
Right now, the trailer looks pathetic.
No soul.
But in two or three years, you're going to freak out."
"Remember digital?
The first movie shot in digital?
Julie and Julia, I think.
And Dragonheart was the dragon with the actors for the first time, I think."
"We saw that like pathetic.
And now, I cannot see the difference between celluloid and digital film.
With AI, it's going to be the same."
"You're going to see an actor and you're going to say...
It's very...
I was watching last night The Vikings.
With Kirk Douglas."
"And it was funny seeing that, All the boats.
All the sceneries.
Everything is...
I said, that's real."
"Now, nowadays, when I see a movie, I never know already which is...
With the background is fake.
Or built.
Or blue screen or whatever."
"That's why all movies sometimes feel like more...
The impact is bigger.
I don't know.
It's interesting that we are progressing."
"Because AI, maybe it's terrible for some things, like the art.
But for things like science, it's amazing."
"Of course.
I'm not against it, but I'm not happy.
Because it's kind of weird.
It can be copied."
"Your voice, your appearance.
When you signed Torrente, now you have to sign...
I allow you to copy...
Thank God, right now, that's illegal."
"They can't do my face.
That is the good thing about...
When I see AI, they copy actors, but it's for the Internet."
"It's not a movie - For the memes So far, so good.
You know what's the problem?
Usually, the technology goes ahead of the law."
"I mean, the law is behind.
Always.
Sorry for my English.
It's fantastic. This guy obliged me.
I put a gun."
"I hate it.
Because I'm not used to...
No, of course.
I read a lot.
You've been a Hollywood actor as well."
"Nah, years ago.
It's fine.
Comic Con Malaga.
Exactly.
We wait for you."
"We wait for you guys here in September.
Thank you so much for your time, Santiago."
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