PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Pophorror: Roberto Scorza is quite the adventurous actor for taking on the role in Sacrifice. How was he located for the role and what was his motivation to play such a dark and mentally draining role? I understand there was some real penis mutilation in Sacrifice, whose unfortunate member got sacrificed. Was it Roberts?
Domiziano Cristopharo: As I said, Poison took my place in Sacrifice because the trilogy was scheduled and planned. But when the moment of Torment arrived, Sacrifice still wasn’t started, and my mind wasn’t on this anymore, too many things to follow. The first version actually was written for a woman, and was more oriented to be like a dark splatter comedy. But the actress quit one week before I started filming. I must say that sadly, things like those often happen in Italy, and more often when you do extreme films. People seem to be very excited to do it, but then they get scared like, “What will my mom say? What will my boss in the office say? What will people in church say?”
I remember while filming with the great Tiziano Cella in Doll Syndrome, we had to stop the movie for 2 weeks because both actors – male and female – at the last minute didn’t show up on set, and we had to hire Aurora Kostova and Yuri Antonosante the very last minute to complete the film. So, back to Sacrifice, I changed the original script with Samuel Marolla, turning it into a dark experience for a male character. We asked two other people, but they were all afraid to accept the role and show some frontal nudity. Roberto was the last minute choice, despite his look, he is 20-year-old and Sacrifice is his first film. He loved the challenge of such a deep role. And here we are. Now his debut name is written in modern horror history! About the tortures, remember we do movies, so even if what we film is somehow real, it is real only for the film concept… but in fact is still a performer doing something he knows exactly how to do it, without hurting himself!
Pophorror: Going all the way back to the first question now, a follow up about Umberto Lenzi. You went under his wing for a period of time when you were younger. Explain a little about that.
Domiziano Cristopharo: I was 14 years old. H was very kind. We spoke over the phone after for years. I was a dreamer and he was, too. He was kind. I found his number in the phone book and I called him. We used to talk one hour every week until he decided to invite me on his set. I learned a lot watching him work and listening to him. I asked him why a famous director like him has his number in the phone book and he said to me, “Because in the same way how you found me, I have a dream….that Robert De Niro can find me too and call me and say ‘Umberto, I would love to work with you.'”
Pophorror: Thank you for your time, Domiziano! It is always a pleasure talking to you, watching and reviewing your films. Thanks again for taking a moment out of your busy schedule to answer these questions and I look forward to your upcoming projects as you are a force to be reckoned with in the independent film scene. The ability to bring darkness and beauty together is your specialty and you get much praise from myself and many others. All the best!
